Review: Open House (Uptown #2) by Ruby lang

Love can take root where you least expect it.

Tyson Yang never imagined that one day he’d be the de facto spokesperson for an illegal community garden. But when the once-rat-infested-but-now-thriving Harlem lot goes up for sale, Ty can’t just let all their hard work get plowed under.

Even if he is irresistibly drawn to the lovely but infuriatingly stubborn real estate associate.

Magda Ferrer’s family is already convinced this new job will be yet another flop in her small but growing list of career path failures. But her student debt isn’t going anywhere, and selling her uncle’s historic town house and the lot nearby means a chance to get some breathing room.

Ty is her charming rival, her incorrigible nemesis, the handsome roadblock to her success.

Until one hot Harlem night blurs the hard line drawn between them, and the seeds of possibility in this rocky garden blossom into love… ~ Goodreads

Source: Purchased

Review:

I read a book!!! I read a book!!! I'm posting a review!!!

*flails*

I have NO idea what’s going on with me but I don’t feel like reading at all but this looked like a cute one to me and was recommended by Jen so I picked it up. Did it take me 2 weeks to read a short novella?? Yes. (no reflection on the book) But I read and enjoyed a book so I’ll take it!

Magda is trying (& failing) to succeed at yet another career. This time it’s real estate and she’s given two Harlem properties to sell. One is her uncle’s historic town home and the other is a vacant lot that has been transformed into a beautiful but illegal community garden run mostly buy local elderly residents, teens and one reluctant leader named Tyson.

Magda keeps hitting roadblocks. Her uncle is pressuring her to sell but keeps throwing up obstacles every time she gets close to finding a buyer while the community rallies together to try to halt the sale of the lot – led by Ty.

This is supposed to be enemies to lovers but Ty and Magda are so kind, soft and accommodating to each others needs once they start to get to know each other.

They are definitely on opposing sides and neither gives up on their mission – which I loved – but there was a lot of maturity and mutual respect happening that made me root for these two.

Lang managed to squeeze in several relevant topics in this one – student debt, gentrification, grief, and finding your own voice & place in the world – but managed to do it seamlessly. The supporting cast of characters like Magda’s uncle, Ty’s sister and fellow gardeners were a hoot.

If I have one tiny complaint, it would be that I wish I saw more of Magda and Ty in the future. Not even so much as a couple but to see where they end up now that they found their voices. Especially Magda who really struggled under the weight of her family and student debt. Is she still a real estate agent? Did she become a chef? – which seemed like her true calling. How the heck is Ty’s sister doing now? I loved her and was super sad she wasn’t getting her own book.

Very sweet, slow burn, low angst romance if that’s what your reading jam is!