Nadine Gonzalez's bubbly ninth novel, Only Lovers in the Building, mixes up a delightful cocktail of romance tropes--served on a rooftop bar in Miami.
After being discredited at a work retreat, corporate lawyer Lily Lyon walks out on her job and decides to spend the summer reading by the pool of the dreamy Art Deco apartment building that is her Airbnb. She isn't counting on Ben Romero, literary translator/bartender, whose intellect is matched by his good looks. Lily and Ben discover a shared passion for romance novels, and they form a two-person book club and spend hours dissecting their favorite tropes. But when Ben's agent convinces them to take their witty banter on the air with a podcast, they wonder if their chemistry could coalesce into something more.
Gonzalez turns up the heat between Ben and Lily, using their spark-filled literary discussions on and off the podcast to shed new light on their deepening relationship. Although neither is initially looking for anything serious, their connection prompts Lily to examine her personal and professional struggles, especially as the summer's end draws near. A quirky cast of fellow apartment dwellers provides a fun counterbalance to the central romantic plot, while Ben and Lily's quick-witted, flirtatious podcast dialogues will leave readers blushing with pleasure. Readers will root for a happy ending to match the pair's beloved romance novels, but the fun lies in the journey--and the delectably dirty martinis served along the way. --Katie Noah Gibson, blogger at Cakes, Tea and Dreams