Thank you Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the opportunity to read Not Here to Stay Friends by Kaitlyn Hill in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, oh wow do I love this book. I was hooked from the first chapter, the first page really. I hated having to put the book down. But by the time I got to the last few chapters I actually procrastinated reading it because I wasn't ready to say goodbye to Sloane and Liam. I still want more, but not in an unresolved way. Because wow that ending!

The book is dual point of view, which I love! In alternating chapters, we get to see things from either Sloane's or Liam's point of view. Both characters were so different and well-established that it was easy to jump back in and remember whose pov you were reading. Speaking of characters, they were perfect! I loved the moments we got to see inside each character's mind. See them wrestle with their feelings.

And on the topic of feelings, this book had me giggling and kicking my feet. Best friends to lovers, with drama from other sources, had me on the edge of my seat. Who doesn't love a good jealous or protective moment? Kaitlyn Hill really managed to perfectly capture that hesitancy and love that comes with friends to lovers. She's a master at writing. Seriously, pick up this book. You won't be disappointed.

After reading quite a few novels based on The Bachelor, the young adult version by Kaitlyn Hill, Not Here to Stay Friends, intrigued me. Sloane McKinney has been best friends with Liam Daniels since childhood. When Liam and his family moves away to California, Liam and Sloane have kept in communication, although they miss seeing each other in person. They finally have a chance to see each other when Sloane visits Liam in California. Unfortunately, Liam has been roped into working as a PA by his TV Producer father, which means there won’t be a lot of time for the two of them to complete their to-do list. After one of the contestants on the new show that Liam’s father is producing, “Aspen Wood’s Future Leading Lady,” drops out, Sloane is set to fill in as one of the 25 leading ladies.

When Liam and Sloane reunite, they have immediate chemistry, but neither wants to rock the friendship. With the addition of Sloane being on the dating show where Aspen is the suitor, it complicates their relationship. With their initial meeting, it took out any stakes in the story as it seemed too obvious that Aspen is just there to be an extra character. While I don’t mind knowing ahead of time who the characters will choose, I love the journey to get there, and I feel this story took it out. This is not my style as I love the slower burns since they give more tension, but other readers may love this approach as it is one not seen in a lot of stories. Their attractions due to, what seemed like, glow-ups, did not quite sit right as it started to feel like the two of them would not be romantically interested in each other if they weren’t “hot.” It may not have been the intention, but the novel made it seem that the reasons for attraction was looks like their personalities weren’t that different and there were no other factors given to the reader to explain the sudden reason for wanting to be a couple.

As the story is told from the POVs of both Sloane and Liam, I wish there were more flashbacks or references to their lives during their time apart. Sure, they digitally communicated, but I wanted more information into how they spent the other moments and how they affected each of them. If you are used to going to the movies with your friend and suddenly you aren’t physically together, you can still see them separately and talk about it, but it is not the same. Despite the missing details in the story, I do love how the actual romance developed between the two characters. They complimented each other well and I rooted for them throughout the story. Hill’s writing style is very smooth as it was enjoyable and easy to follow. The general concept was an interesting twist as the ages of the characters are something different than its source material (a ya book based on an adult show). Overall, I enjoyed this introduction to the author and would read more from her in the future.

**I give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Delacorte Press, for the opportunity to read this entertaining novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

This was so cute!
I was so excited to be able to read an advanced copy of this as I loved the first book by this author.

This one as well as the first and the next follow 3 best friend's who all have their own awesome summer adventure. Better, they all three end up on reality shows! The first one was a baking show, this one follows a dating show and I believe the third is a survival show.

In this one we follow Sloane who is visiting her childhood neighbor/BFF who moved to Cali from Tennessee and she hasn't seen him in like 8 years or something. His dad happens to work as a producer for her favorite reality show and he is in charge of a spin off show following the man heartthrob as he looks for his next leading Lady. Except disaster strikes when one of the girls drops out right before filming starts so they are scrambling to find a replacement and that where our girl Sloane comes in. She's perfect for the part. All she wants to do is spend her time with her bestie who she might be falling for while all Mr heartthrob wants is more dates with Sloane. Sounds problematic huh


So cute and so full of girl power and love! Every one of the females in this book were so great! There wasn't really any vile, snotty girls on or off the show and that was so refreshing and nice.
Can't wait for the next book!

Thank you for the advanced copy!

Really enjoyed this one - a quick read, with just the right amount of fluffy mixed with angst. at times it felt a little flat, but I enjoyed it. Great for a plane ride or travel read over the summer.

I love the concept of this book. The bachelor vibes were so good! Such a fun read! Thank you for the opportunity to read and review!

I really enjoyed this one. The bachelor theme setting combined with a friends to lovers was so sweet. I loved the feminist/girl power touch interwoven throughout the story. Really cute and I would recommend to students.

This was such a fun read. The premise was unique and I loved the characters. Friends-to-lovers is one of my favorite tropes and it was really well done in this book! I also enjoyed that the book was set in California! Overall, I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more books by the author.

I think I need to stay away from teenage bachelor inspired books. The reality dating scene doesn’t work too well when it’s minors, in my opinion. I enjoyed watching both Liam and Sloane realize their feelings for each other. But I also can’t get over how uninvolved their parents were or that they magically started caring at the end

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's, Delacorte Press for this e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.

Ahh It was so exciting to receive this advanced copy of Not Here to Stay Friends from a fellow Kentucky writer, Kaitlyn Hill!

This is a friends to lovers story set against the backdrop of a new reality dating show. It was equal parts funny, charming, and sweet, and I couldn't help but root for the characters. The author included pop culture references, plus references to a fictional reality show throughout the book, and it really worked!

SPOILER ALERT: My main critique is the revenge sequence at the end. I didn't like one of the contestants pummeling Aspen with her shoes; there could have been a more unique revenge plot that didn't involve throwing shoes at someone and making them wheeze.

4.2 /5 ☆
gah, this book was so flipping cute! i am big best friends to lovers fan and i think that this trope was portrayed so well! i loved sloane and liam and their dynamic, i giggled lots in this book! i wanted to read something that was just feel-good and lovely mcs and this was just the thing. i just thought that this was so fun to read, i enjoyed it so much! <3

thank you netgalley for the arc! <3

Not Here to Stay Friends was so sweet! Totally swoon worthy and was like reading the Bachelor behind the scenes.

The Bachelor franchise is my guilty pleasure so i loved the setting and storyline of this book. It was fun to kinda read about what it’s like for the contestants/potentials on the bachelor and i would assume it would be just like this but older + alcohol and more drama 😅

Sloane & Liam were so sweet and i really loved the internal battles they both had with accepting that their friendship was actually more than that for each other. The characters all had a lot of personal growth as well, which i enjoyed reading.

I’m not a big YA reader to be honest but i really enjoyed this!
It’s fast paced, fun and totally swoon worthy! It’s giving everything a friends to lovers romance needs + taking place on a bachelor like setting!

LOVE THE CONCEPT!! Sexy, cute, and fun! New author for me and was happily surprised with how much I liked this genre! Would recommend!

This book was a very cute YA friends to lovers troupe! It had a reality tv theme very much based on the bachelor. I liked the character development throughout and the main two characters were likable. Kept me entertained the whole book!

This was beyond adorable. I love friends to lovers and loved the relationship between Sloane and Liam. I loved the other contestants that Sloane got to know. I would have loved more about the resolution with Sloane's family. This was adorable and so much fun!

𝘕𝘰𝘵 𝘏𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘛𝘰 𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘍𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘴 opens up with Sloane arriving at LAX from Tennessee (remind you of any song?) who's excited to spend a summer touring the city with her bestfriend only to find said bestfriend's had a massive glow up. Added to the tension is the anxiety of fulfilling her role as a contestant on a teen dating show and the unwanted attention of the Lead.

- ~ -

The story is mainly about Sloane and Liam who've been bestfriends since they were children and have kept up with each other despite the miles separating them.
When Sloane gets to spend an entire summer with Liam, she jumps at the chance but is pushed back by both their roles as contender and a PA on the set, respectively.
Things are complicated also due to their flaring feelings and when surrounded by actors not everything is as it seems.

This book like the author's previous one as well as her social media was funny and that definitely made Sloane's personality that much more charismatic.

Each chapter in the story was prefaced with a quote from the "TV show" 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘷𝘦 and honestly it added another layer of charm. The trifecta of chapters 16, 17 and 18 hit home too hard lol.

Sloane and Liam both are shy in their own respects although their chemistry is anything but, they fit together like the last piece of a puzzle and almost the other's only support system.

I love how the author's books always (always? It's only been two so far) portray women empowerment and take a feministic approach and I'm very much here for it. I also appreciated how she gave this story a nice clean ending, instead of a reality-is-a-mess one, which felt very wholesome.

- ~ -

3.91 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘙𝘢𝘯𝘥𝘰𝘮 𝘏𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

This book was cute and so much fun to read. We have Sloane who is visiting her best friend Liam in California for the summer, she can’t wait. But then she finds out that Liam has a job, and what is going to do throughout her whole stay? Well Liam’s dad had an idea, and what an idea it was!!!!!. I loved The Bachelor vibes I got from the book, but with teens, lol. I loved how Liam and Sloane realized their feelings for each other and how everything flowed with them, I also loved the little rivalry between movie star and her best friend.

i absolutely loved reading this book. it was so fun and very enjoyable. i lived for the drama that happened in this book. if you’re a fan of the bachelor you will definitely like this book. it’s like a teenage version of the bachelor but celebrity edition. the perfect combination of two of my favorite show genres, reality dating and teen drama.

both of the main characters are so likeable and i love them so much. sloane mckinney and liam daniels i would die for you. they are my children and i will protect them. both of them deserve the whole world. i loved seeing their relationship develop and how they come to terms with the fact that they have feelings for the other person. it’s one of my favorite parts of the childhood friends to lovers trope.

overall, this book was such a cute and entertaining rom-com. it was everything a good rom-com should be, just enough drama with some jokes and heartwarming scenes. i love kaitlyn hill’s writing and i can’t wait for her future books.

thank you so much netgalley and delacorte press/random house children’s for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review!

rating: 4.5 out of 5 stars

Sloane and Liam have been best friends forever, but unfortunately, they live kind of far from each other. Sloane is taking a trip to visit Liam over the summer only to find out that Liam will be interning for his dad’s company. Liam’s dad is producing AWFLL, a dating reality show and the bachelor is none other than Aspen from the hit show, The Cove.

The day before shooting the reality show, they find out that the show is short by one female contestant, and that is where Sloane comes in to save the day! She does it to spend as much time with Liam as possible.

What goes on between Sloane and Aspen? Do Sloane and Liam even realize their feelings towards one another?

I really enjoyed reading this book as it was really funny and flowed really well. I did think the characters were pretty young to be on a dating show, but at the same time, that’s what it is in real life. The ending was a bit too cheesy for me, but that’s a personal preference.

Ah, what a cute and adorable book this was!

This reminded me of my long-forgotten days of reading and enjoying YA novels. I really liked the premise of this book. Love triangles are always my favorite trope to read about and this was one such.

Sloane and Liam were amazing, comfortable and so quirky together.

Thank you NetGalley and Publisher for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

When Sloane comes out to LA to visit her best friend, Liam, after a few years apart, it’s like they picked up where they left off. Sloane hopes that she can spend as much time with Liam as possible for the summer but her hopes are dashed when Liam says he’s a PA for his dad’s new reality dating show about dating a teen drama celebrity. Shortly after, Sloane gets reeled in as a last minute contestant on the reality show.

This was a cute romcom with engaging characters and a friends to dating trope. Sloane and Liam had good chemistry and I loved the dual POV here.

Thanks to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for this eARC. Not Here to Stay Friends comes out April 4, 2023.