Oh my, The guy in 5B stole my heart! 

Carys is a single mom struggling to do everything on her own. And it is even harder when she loses sleep due to the neighbor's bedroom activities and their thin walls. But when she finds the courage to call him out on it, an unlikely new friendship is born. She is strong, devoted, untrusting, but in need of a friend and adult interaction.

Deacon is a manwhore and commitment-phobe, but he is also charming, sweet, thoughtful, and handsome. His easy-going demeanor hides some pain from his past that has shaped his views on relationships...and that he is not good at them. I loved seeing him banter with Carys and play with her daughter and seeing his more vulnerable side.

These two find companionship shared experiences and trust. They develop a true friendship. They know anything more is off-limits, but that does not stop the attraction...and eventually things do begin to change.

A woman and child that deserve it all. A man afraid he does not have enough to give. These two definitely have some issues to work through and it is not an easy road for them.  My heart hurt for them when at times they lost their way. 

Carys is a single mom to an infant. Her days are filled with the sweet smiles of bonding with her baby. But her nights are often interrupted by the sounds of her neighbor’s exploits coming through the thin wall between their apartments. 

Deacon knew the walls were thin, but hadn’t considered that he might be disturbing his neighbor when he had women over. When she finally confronts him about it, he tries to make it up to her by helping out in little ways - bringing over coffee, picking up random items from the store, and spending more time getting to know his neighbor, including her daughter who took a sudden liking to him.

Carys and Deacon form a fast friendship and I loved every minute of their development. But Deacon is hiding the true reason he has avoided relationships in the past, and without that knowledge, Carys cannot understand his hesitation to fully commit to her and Sunny. 

This was a tough one for me to rate. I really loved Deacon and Carys when they were together, but when they ran into problems I struggled with how each handled it. There were also places where the pacing felt jarring and readers don’t find out what happens to the characters until a significant time jump occurs. 

But overall, this was an entertaining read. I loved Sunny’s sweetness. She is a bright spot and a great bridge for Deacon and Carys. I even grew to appreciate some of the side characters that started out as frustrations for the main characters. There was a good bit of angst caused by the character’s actions, and plenty of secrets hiding in the wings, but it was also filled with heartwarming interactions and moments. 

Penelope Ward is a New York Times, USA Today and #1 Wall Street Journal bestselling author of contemporary romance.

She grew up in Boston with five older brothers and spent most of her twenties as a television news anchor. Penelope resides in Rhode Island with her husband, son, and beautiful daughter with autism.

With over two million books sold, she is a 21-time New York Times bestseller and the author of over twenty novels. Her books have been translated into over a dozen languages and can be found in bookstores around the world.