Lease on Love by Falon Ballard
Publication Date: February 1, 2022
Plot: Beach Read meets The Flatshare in this warmly funny and delightfully sharp debut rom-com about a down-on-her-luck young woman who turns an innocent mix-up between a dating app and a roommate app into a new chance at love.
After getting passed over for an overdue—and much-needed—promotion, Sadie Green is in desperate need of three things: a stiff drink, a new place to live, and a one-night-stand. When one drink turns into one too many, Sadie mixes up a long-ignored dating app for a roommate-finding app and finds herself on the doorstep of Jack Thomas’s gorgeous Brooklyn brownstone. Too bad she’s more attracted to his impressive real estate than she is to the man himself.
Jack, still grieving the unexpected death of his parents, has learned to find comfort in video games and movie marathons instead of friends. So while he doesn’t know just what to make of the vivaciously verbose Sadie, he’s willing to offer her his spare bedroom while she gets back on her feet. And with the rent unbeatably low, Sadie can finally pursue her floristry side hustle full-time. The two are polar opposites, but as Sadie’s presence begins to turn the brownstone into a home, they both start to realize they may have just made the deal of a lifetime.
☆ Rating: 4.5/5 stars
MY THOUGHTS:
Falon Ballard is a QUEEN!! After reading and absolutely adoring Just My Type, I knew I had to read Lease on Love too!! It took me all of five minutes that I was going to love this author's debut novel, and love it I certainly did.
The writing by Falon Ballard was funny and heartfelt, and I couldn't stop reading this book once I started. This was an excellent light, swoony, and slow-burning read with depth that sneaks up on you and even a focus on mental health. I adored the roommates-to-lovers dynamic.
Sadie and Jack were both characters that had so many layers to them. Not just them as individuals but their backstories and their friendships that made them the way that they are.
The sense of found family and community was really heartwarming, and the book just felt so unique. One aspect of books with so many side characters is that sometimes it's too many people and voices. But in this case I loved Sadie's group of friends. The funny text messages (honestly I could have read a whole book of these 🤣) and the way they loved each other unconditionally was so perfect. Found families in books can be hit and miss, but it was a total hit in the case with Lease on Love.
Overall I truly enjoyed Lease on Love. I can't wait to read what Falon Ballard writes next!
