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Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
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I don’t know why I’ve picked up three friends-to-lovers (my least fave trope lol) in a row but this one was cute!!! In A Guide to Being Just Friends, which is the third book in an interconnected standalone series, we meet Hailey Sharp, an independent business owner with a pension for sweets, and Wes Jansen, the eldest brother in his family, computer-nerd, and with a deep rooted fear of emotions. The two of them meet under unusual circumstances then decide to become friends, ONLY friends, since they both have had bad luck in the dating department.
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I really liked the premise of this story but I thought it was about 80-120 pages too long, there’s a lot of time that was skipped over which made the story difficult to follow at points, and the same conversations KEPT happening which honestly made Hailey a little unlikeable. All in all, though, this was fun and enjoyable. Would recommend if you like book boyfriends with deep pockets (who doesn’t), and friends-to-lovers. I’m tempted to read the first two books in the series, as I really enjoyed those characters here!

A Guide to Being Just Friends is the third and final installment in the Jansen Brothers series. This can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first two books for some insight into the secondary characters and backgrounds.

A hilarious meet-cute gone wrong leads to Wes, the oldest Jansen brother meeting Hailey, a restaurant owner who is fairly new to town. Neither one is looking for love, so they decide to write their "Guide to Being Just Friends." 😅 Unfortunately, I felt the slow burn was a little too slow for my taste in the first half of the book. The second half of the book redeemed itself though, making Wes my second favorite Jansen brother! (Chris will always be my favorite! 🥰)

Tropes: Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers

A special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & St. Martin's Griffin for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book comes out January 17th, 2023!

What a fun read! I love a good romance novel. This one did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend it!

A Guide To Being Best Friends
Sophie Sullivan

It’s always rough when you jump into a series and don’t know it until about a quarter in and they start introducing characters without really explaining how this group of of people know each other. That’s when you realize the how was mentioned in the previous books. But I can’t hold that against the author, that was my fault.

This novel I fell like had potential, it started out super cute with the mishap between Wes and Hailey, but some where along the line the line blurred and it just lost that initial spark it first has.

Wes and Hailey as individuals and so forth are super cute and likable. Nothing remarkable and memorable to make you swoon but still cute.

I felt the plot to be a bit blah blah blah, I wasn’t to connected to it and was bored often with it. With that said Sullivan did a great job at covering and plot holes up and ending this contemporary romance on a high.

In the final book of the Jansen brothers series, a friends-to-lovers story gets a modern update with Hailey and Wes. Both focused on their lives outside of love Hailey and Wes meet in an abrupt passing - eventually resulting in a friendship that they both value. Not willing to give up the friendship they both struggle with what it means to be friends and what it means to be more.

I enjoyed the final chapter in this series but it took me a bit to really dive in. I was not sold by the story at first and had a hard time getting through the first few chapters but I am glad that I did. My favorite parts were the explanation of Hailey’s parents - who changed how she approached relationships but without the major traumatic circumstances that typically explain this behavior in this trope.

I also respected many of her reactions and the conversations between Hailey and Wes as they usually are blown off and not always examined in romance novels. It feels like a more grown-up friends-to-lovers story one where the two of them will live happily ever after because of a good foundation.

Overall, this book made me want to go back and read the other two books in the series. And it would be a great book for a fun girls' weekend away.

Emotions can be a minefield, and sometimes it feels safer to lock everything down and close yourself off. Protect yourself, protect your heart, keep from getting hurt. Wes has this all figured out, and won't find himself repeating the terrible, wrenching, emotional divorce that he watched his parents go through. He meets Hailey, who just had her heart broken and is starting over in a new place. She means to focus on herself, on the new business she's started, and growing both. Neither wants a relationship, so they start hanging out with the understanding that they're just friends and that's it. Will they be able to stay friend-zoned, or will it move into something they can't control?

What a fun, but emotional read! I laughed a lot, teared up, and really identified with parts of both Wes and Hailey. Each character was likeable, and the story focused on all the right things to keep me engaged and feeling like I knew and cared about these people. I was invested in finding out if there would be a happy ever after for them.

This is a closed door romance, but the story was so engaging that I didn't feel like anything was missing. We got everything we needed in this story, and nothing we didn't. I would definitely recommend this book, and will be looking for the first two in the series so I can learn about Wes's brothers.

*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

I was able to get my hands on A Guide to Being Just Friends early, and I am so glad I did! This a lighthearted, romantic comedy that anyone in the 2022/2023 dating field can relate to.
A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan is about a 20 something year old Hailey Sharp starting over. She broke up with her boyfriend, moved to California near her cousin, and started her own salad shop called “By the Cup”. As she is navigating her new business and her new life, she accidentally runs into a random man, Wes, at a coffee shop. Wes mistakenly thinks Hailey is his online date, and they have an awkward encounter. As you can guess, they happen to run into each other multiple times and strike up a friendship. They talk business, have weekly grocery shopping dates, and hang out with friends. Since Wes doesn’t want to fall in love and Hailey’s focus is her shop, they agree to stay just friends. As you can guess, it’s easier said than done!
This book is a perfect winter read that is quick and light hearted. There is a lot of business topics in the book with Hailey owning a salad shop and Wes being investments, which I really enjoyed since business has been a hot topic lately. This book is also SUPER relatable with what it means to be single in this time and how hard it can be to make it on your own. The only thing I did not enjoy was how predictable this book was. I was waiting for a bomb to drop or twist, but I predicted the end and entire story. 4 out of 5 stars for A Guide to Being just Friends!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!!

This book practically defines "friends to lovers trope" to the extreme! A slow burn that was full to brimming with an amazing friendship between two individuals that finally turned into love.

I liked this read. Both of the main characters, Hailey and Wes, have their own baggage to work through. While both seem to think they are handling their fresh starts in California well, it turns out that when friendship turns to love, some of that baggage can resurface.

Out January 17, 2023!

I really liked Sophie Sullivan's first 2 books - a LOT! This one? Not so much. Will I read her next ones!? Absofreakinglutely! I think it's the "friends-to-lovers" trope - just not my jam! I rolled my eyes every time one of the characters moaned about having feelings for the other but didn't want to ruin their friendship.

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the digital ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of this book!

Overall Rating: 3.5 Stars

This book was enjoyable - very cute and wholesome. It was a little more of a slow burn than I tend to enjoy but I love the friends to lovers trope. Despite the slow burn, I liked that the author built a strong foundation of friendship before Wes and Hailey explored a romantic relationship; I thought it was sweet to see their relationship evolve from spending time together doing simple things like going to the grocery store or playing video games. Beyond the romance, I also really loved the theme of friendship in this book in general, it had a feel similar to "found family" in a new town.

Going into this one I didn't realize it was the third book of a series. Although it can be read as a standalone, at times it felt like there were too many side characters to keep track of & some of the characters didn't feel fully developed. I think if I had read the first two prior, this may have impacted my opinion.

I received this book as an ARC through NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press in exchange for an honest review. I did not realize this was a standalone book within a series when I began reading. With references to When Harry Met Sally and 500 Days of Summer in the promotional materials, I went in with very high hopes. There were many plot points that felt incomplete like the conflict with their father and many aspects of the business. While I don’t think the book needed more business talk specifically, so many of those trains of thoughts were resolved without any issue or ignored when a new idea was presented. Overall, it was a fun read.

This was cute but Wes is so frustrating. He is so clearly in love with her but he doesn't notice it at all. It's endearing most of the time but occasionally it's really annoying.

I received an arc through netgalley.

This was just...*chef's kiss*.
I love Wes, he is such a sweet soul. Hailey was all kinds of perfect for him. Their friendship was brilliant and hilarious. I love their teasing banter, and their support of one another.
The brother's relationship was great to see.
I loved this series so much. Highly recommend.

This was way too slow of a burn. I had to stop halfway through when I realized not a single thing happened to further the plot. The editor should have helped the author do more showing and less telling. I don't need to know the toppings on each salad a person ordered. I do need to have some kind of propulsion of the plot. Library patrons who read the others in the series will probably want to read it, but good luck to them!

Spoilers ahead!!
A Guide to Being Just Friends is a slow burn friends-to-lovers that really explores what it means to be in love. Wes believes that being in love just isn't for him; he lives life practically so that his life can never be intertwined with someone else's. He refuses to be vulnerable in that way. Hailey owns a salad shop in town called By The Cup, and all she wants is for her store--her business--to be a success. She doesn't need a relationship, she's an extremely independent woman who doesn't need a man.
After an awkward first encounter, these two knuckleheads eventually land on friendship; something they both want that doesn't cross any of their boundaries. And so what if they get butterflies around each other or have these weird feelings (definitely not jealousy) at the thought of the other one going on a date, no matter that the date is a favor for a friend or a business dinner.
This book had everything going for it. I love a slow burn, and friends to lovers is a classic trope for a reason. That being said, when Wes and Hailey finally get together, I started liking their characters (especially Wes) a lot less. Wes became the worst version of himself, and it felt like he really did just forget who Hailey was and what she stood for. And yes, I see how that may have been the point, as Hailey herself points it out, but I just thought it was still an odd choice. It was like their months of friendship never happened. The two of them in a relationship just felt incredibly different than when they were just friends, in a way that I thought felt unrealistic. Though, I will say, their whole conflict at the end was very realistic given their personalities, but it still felt weird. Wes may have been wary of love throughout the whole book, but it was never really hinted that he would refuse to be in love or say I love you, so that part came out of nowhere. I also think his resistance to making video games was straight-up odd since he understood the whole time that this resistance came from his dad.
That being said, Hailey was almost a perfect character. I love her, and I kind of think she deserves better than Wes. Like if he slips up EVER, kick him to the curb girl.

Interesting premise but not the most I engaging execution. I as mostly bored with Hailey and Wes’ relationship and was not feeling the chemistry or desperately wanting the two leads to get together at the end. This is the third book in a series so there are a lot of references to and characters from the previous books. 2.75 stars rounded up.

This is the third book in Sophie Sullivan's series about the Jansen Brothers, who each leave their (extremely) wealthy father's business to venture out on their own. This one focuses on the eldest brother, Wes, who has emotional baggage from observing the implosion of his parents' marriage. Commitment (and love) is completely off the table for him. Hailey has been burned in the past but she is starting her entire life over and focusing on her new business. She is a self-made woman in the making. The two have a mistaken-identity "meet cute" and develop a 'strictly friends' relationship. They are destined for each other, right?
This book is on par with her others in the series. She has a good sense of humor and the conflict was reasonable.
Overall a sweet read, but a bit repetitive for my taste.
Thank you so much for the ARC!

Book Three of this series but can be a stand alone. Main character Hailey is starting over with a new business, a new town, and a new chance at a happy life. Coincidentally, so is Wes. Even though their first meeting is less than friendly, Hailey and Wes have an undeniable click and the two become fast friends. Friends because that’s what they both need, friends because that’s what works, and friends because that’s all that they can be. The writing is well done creating an exciting story with well developed characters. Love the friends to lovers trope - always comforting plus I enjoyed the dual perspective . If you love friends to lovers, a good slow burn, and big happy chosen family vibes, A Guide to Being Just Friends is sure to impress.

Thank you to St. Martin's Press, St. Martin's Griffin & NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this digital ARC

Many thanks to NetGalley and the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest reviews.

2.5 stars rounded up.

I didn't realize this was the 3rd in a standalone series, and it wasn't until after I read this that I realized I've read #2 in the series. Both of these books had the same issues for me in that they were just repetitive. I understand the characters had issues to work through, but it just felt like the same stuff over and over again. Regardless, it's a cute slow burn and I enjoyed some of the characters. Overall, it's an entertaining read.

This was a cute and fluffy novel. I loved the atmosphere and setting of the book and the writing was spot-on for the rom-com it was intended for.

I definitely felt the chemistry between the two main characters and loved getting both of their point of views. I wasn’t in love or obsessed with them, but I didn’t dislike them either.

I think the only main thing I wasn’t connecting with was the conflicts near the end of the novel. The issues felt a little forced and excessive, but other than that the book was a breeze and I had a good time reading it.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for providing this read!

Release date: January 17, 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5
Spice level: 🔥/5