Publication Date: June 2, 2026
Penny Huff and Jack Craig are neighbors by floor plan…and enemies by choice.
Thanks to a tragically thin wall in their NYC apartment building, Penny knows far too much about Jack—like his taste in too-loud music, the noxious fumes from his kitchen, and his habit of suspiciously aggressive vacuuming. And she knows all about the tearful brunette fleeing his apartment the day he moved in—the one crying about her cheating ex. Not even Jack’s piratical charm can undo what Penny knows: the man is bad news.
When her attempt to get the wall soundproofed literally blows a hole in it, the two are forced into a DIY disaster that traps them in each other’s lives…and spaces. With eviction looming, prank wars escalating, and unexpected sparks flying, Penny starts to suspect her insufferable neighbor might just be the plot twist her love life needs.
Packed with witty banter, laugh-out-loud moments, and sizzling tension, this fast-paced romantic comedy proves that love can bloom where drywall—and patience—have crumbled.
From the moment Penny Huff describes the shared wall between her apartment and her neighbor’s as “hell’s waiting room,” author Violet Lumani had me hooked.
Not Good Neighbors takes the whole “enemies to lovers” concept to a completely different level. Jack Craig’s list of unneighborly conduct includes aggressive vacuuming and an unhealthy addiction to noise.
The author weaves in plenty of delicious snark to illustrate the tension between the main characters. A possible soundproofing option delivers a phenomenal plot twist, taking their prank war to new heights.
Forced proximity offers multiple opportunities for the characters to interact, adding an extra layer of messiness between them.
Not Good Neighbors delivers a witty romantic comedy packed with vim and vigor.
Violet Lumani is an American author of romantic comedies and young adult fantasy. She lives and writes in Connecticut with her family. Not Good Neighbors (Amara / Entangled Publishing, June 2, 2026) is her rom-com debut.
