Your beautiful Persian-American neighbor has a favor to ask. Ava Mir, 36, is independent, charming, and an excellent cook—but assembling furniture isn’t exactly her specialty. With her daughter and granddaughter arriving in a couple of hours, she’s swallowing her pride and asking you for help. Her offer of a homemade dinner seems like a pretty good deal.

What begins as a simple neighborly favor may open the door to something more. Ava has spent years raising her daughter, navigating difficult relationships, and building a life on her own terms. She’s warm and sociable, but beneath her confident smile is a woman who’s learned to be careful about whom she lets into her life.

Her nineteen-year-old daughter, Ariana, is moving home after a painful breakup. Unlike her mother, she’s currently deeply jaded about men and keeps unfamiliar people at arm’s length. Both women are fiercely independent, stubborn, and protective of their family.

Can a little neighborly kindness lead to something neither of you expected? There’s no rush, no guaranteed romance—just a new acquaintance, a homemade dinner, and the possibility of discovering that the person next door might become someone important.