Only Lovers in the Building
An Instant USA TODAY Bestseller!

"This is the beach and pool read of the summer! Fun and sexy with a delicious slow-burn that revolves around a lovable cast of characters.” -Karen Booth, author of Not So Fast

Wanted-no, NEEDED: a summer escape with beach reads, cocktails...and a little romance on the side.


After her legal career comes to a sudden and humiliating end, Liliane Lyon books a restorative summer rental at The Icon, a quintessential Art Deco building in Miami Beach, where her only plan is to bask in the sun, read, and sip cocktails. But soon she's enchanted by the colorful community, including university professor Benedicto Romero-resident tortured poet, whose sole intention for sabbatical is to indulge in brooding introspection.

When they discover a shared passion for romance novels, Lily and Ben are soon spending hours reading together by the pool, the spark between them unwittingly giving the other residents the impression that they're experts in matters of the heart...no matter that IRL their disastrous love lives bear little resemblance to the stories they're reading.

But while Ben and Lily can pinpoint a trope a mile away and give excellent advice to others, they can't make sense of the sizzling chemistry between them, and the suggestion of a professional podcast suddenly forces them to consider the long-term. So what if it means working even closer together! So what if their banter makes Lily's head spin! It's the summer of taking chances, but a word to the wise: Miami isn't the place for growth and rebirth. It's the place to get messy.

For fans of:
  • Slow Burn
  • Friends to Lovers
  • Close Proximity
  • Beachy Reads
  • Books About Books
  • Black Love
  • Eccentric and charming characters ala Only Murders in the Building
1146233407
Only Lovers in the Building
An Instant USA TODAY Bestseller!

"This is the beach and pool read of the summer! Fun and sexy with a delicious slow-burn that revolves around a lovable cast of characters.” -Karen Booth, author of Not So Fast

Wanted-no, NEEDED: a summer escape with beach reads, cocktails...and a little romance on the side.


After her legal career comes to a sudden and humiliating end, Liliane Lyon books a restorative summer rental at The Icon, a quintessential Art Deco building in Miami Beach, where her only plan is to bask in the sun, read, and sip cocktails. But soon she's enchanted by the colorful community, including university professor Benedicto Romero-resident tortured poet, whose sole intention for sabbatical is to indulge in brooding introspection.

When they discover a shared passion for romance novels, Lily and Ben are soon spending hours reading together by the pool, the spark between them unwittingly giving the other residents the impression that they're experts in matters of the heart...no matter that IRL their disastrous love lives bear little resemblance to the stories they're reading.

But while Ben and Lily can pinpoint a trope a mile away and give excellent advice to others, they can't make sense of the sizzling chemistry between them, and the suggestion of a professional podcast suddenly forces them to consider the long-term. So what if it means working even closer together! So what if their banter makes Lily's head spin! It's the summer of taking chances, but a word to the wise: Miami isn't the place for growth and rebirth. It's the place to get messy.

For fans of:
  • Slow Burn
  • Friends to Lovers
  • Close Proximity
  • Beachy Reads
  • Books About Books
  • Black Love
  • Eccentric and charming characters ala Only Murders in the Building
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Only Lovers in the Building

Only Lovers in the Building

by Nadine Gonzalez

Narrated by Aure Nash

Unabridged — 9 hours, 47 minutes

Only Lovers in the Building

Only Lovers in the Building

by Nadine Gonzalez

Narrated by Aure Nash

Unabridged — 9 hours, 47 minutes

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Overview

An Instant USA TODAY Bestseller!

"This is the beach and pool read of the summer! Fun and sexy with a delicious slow-burn that revolves around a lovable cast of characters.” -Karen Booth, author of Not So Fast

Wanted-no, NEEDED: a summer escape with beach reads, cocktails...and a little romance on the side.


After her legal career comes to a sudden and humiliating end, Liliane Lyon books a restorative summer rental at The Icon, a quintessential Art Deco building in Miami Beach, where her only plan is to bask in the sun, read, and sip cocktails. But soon she's enchanted by the colorful community, including university professor Benedicto Romero-resident tortured poet, whose sole intention for sabbatical is to indulge in brooding introspection.

When they discover a shared passion for romance novels, Lily and Ben are soon spending hours reading together by the pool, the spark between them unwittingly giving the other residents the impression that they're experts in matters of the heart...no matter that IRL their disastrous love lives bear little resemblance to the stories they're reading.

But while Ben and Lily can pinpoint a trope a mile away and give excellent advice to others, they can't make sense of the sizzling chemistry between them, and the suggestion of a professional podcast suddenly forces them to consider the long-term. So what if it means working even closer together! So what if their banter makes Lily's head spin! It's the summer of taking chances, but a word to the wise: Miami isn't the place for growth and rebirth. It's the place to get messy.

For fans of:
  • Slow Burn
  • Friends to Lovers
  • Close Proximity
  • Beachy Reads
  • Books About Books
  • Black Love
  • Eccentric and charming characters ala Only Murders in the Building

Editorial Reviews

From the Publisher

PRAISE FOR ONLY LOVERS IN THE BUILDING

One of the Boston Globe's Best Summer Reads!

One of Town & Country's Best New Romance Novels to Read on Vacation


"This friends-to-lovers, opposites-attract romance is charming, delightful, and full of witty banter. Distinct secondary characters populate the pages, bringing fun and layered side plots to the story. Well-written and engaging, this superb novel from Gonzalez (Miami Marriage Pact) will find plenty of fans." Library Journal, in a starred review

“[A] sultry standalone from Gonzalez (the Miami Famous series)…[she] makes clear the instant attraction and physical chemistry between Ben and Lily while taking her time to explore the complexity of their emotional relationship. The tropical Miami backdrop lends an escapist feel to this winning love letter to the romance genre. Publishers Weekly

"This is the beach and pool read of the summer! Fun and sexy with a delicious slow-burn that revolves around a lovable cast of characters.” —Karen Booth, author of Not So Fast

“Ben and Lily’s romance is sweet, but the strength of this charming, low-angst novel is its focus on all kinds of relationships, including friends, neighbors, and family…A romance that celebrates community and love in all its forms.” Kirkus

“For anyone who loves their beach reads with a side of substance, Only Lovers in the Building delivers. It's the literary equivalent of finding love when you're busy making other plans - unexpected, delightful, and worth every page.” —Nicole, Goodreads Reviewer

Kirkus Reviews

2025-05-16
A corporate lawyer quits her job and temporarily relocates to Miami.

On a company retreat in Miami, Liliane Lyon expected to be recognized for her hard work on closing a major deal. When a newcomer is given the credit instead, Lily quits on the spot. Corporate law never made her happy, and she decides to take the opportunity to find herself. Rather than return to New York, Lily rents a studio in the Icon, a stunning art deco building on Miami Beach, just for the summer. Her across-the-hall neighbor is Benedicto Romero, a professor who’s won a MacArthur “Genius” Fellowship for his translation work. Ben is fresh off a breakup and Lily is only in Miami for a few months, so they decide to stay friends rather than act on the strong attraction between them. After discovering that they both post about romance novels on a social media site devoted to books, they form a cozy two-person book club. Soon, their co-written reviews become an online sensation, and they eventually start a podcast focused on romance and relationships. Eventually, other Icon residents join Ben and Lily’s poolside romance book club, creating a tightknit community. Despite Lily and Ben’s insistence that they’re just friends, their neighbors are convinced that they’d make the perfect match. Ben and Lily’s romance is sweet, but the strength of this charming, low-angst novel is its focus on all kinds of relationships, including friends, neighbors, and family. Although the inclusion of documentary-style elements—social media posts, podcast and YouTube transcripts, journal entries, etc.—is meant to capture the escalating emotional connection between Ben and Lily, at times it does the opposite.

A romance that celebrates community and love in all its forms.

Product Details

BN ID: 2940193460145
Publisher: HarperCollins
Publication date: 07/15/2025
Edition description: Unabridged
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