This YA friends-to-lovers romance is set on a The Bachelor for teens type show and it is flawless. I have never been into reality TV but for whatever reason I love romcoms that have a TV plotline. (Shout out to The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun 🥺)

Sloane is a wonderful FMC, I found her awkward humor charming and laughed out loud several times while reading from her perspective. Liam was totally swoon-worthy and sweet too. 😍

Honestly romcom fans will love this young adult book regardless of age, it's such a fun story!! (And to add - I applaud the heck out of these teenagers communication skills 🙌🏻)

I was a fan of “Love from Scratch”, the author’s prior work, so I thought I’d give this one a read. I have to say, I’m not a fan of “The Bachelor” type shows, but this one was appealing. I loved learning about the other girls that Sloane would be vying for Aspen’s affection. I wish there had gotten to be more girls we learned about. And I loved Liam’s quirky dialogue, like “I will not—ah, okay, that felt involuntary” and “All right, so I whacked him with the boom mic”. It had me laughing out loud at parts like that.

I have to say the part of the book I disliked was Aspen and the conclusion of what he did, but I felt like that was supposed to happen. It’s not that I don’t like how he was written or anything like that. I didn’t like the character. He was kind of a jerk, and I wish I could tell you why, but I’m not doing any spoilers. I also didn’t like Ty, one of the workers on set. You read this and you’ll see why.

All in all, this is an exceptional friends-to-lovers story that will have you reading it until late at night when you’re eyes can’t focus anymore. Teens who are fans of the trope, like me, you’ll enjoy this. Oh, also for fans of “Love from Scratch”. You’ll enjoy this as well.

I love a good bachelor inspired book. This book was light and the characters with interesting. I had an overall good time and this is a pretty cute story.

Not Here to Stay Friends is a cute and lighthearted YA story similar to The Bachelor. I did have to keep myself from questioning the morality of certain parts of the story (teenager reality show dating? Odd.) but overall I was able to suspend believe enough to enjoy the story a bit.

Characters

The characters in this book were delightful, and I loved their personalities. Sloane was the female main character, and her love of writing made me want to continue reading this story. Liam was the male main character, and he was so sweet to read about. You could tell that Liam and Sloane worked well together and that they had a love for each other. The supporting cast was delightful, and I loved how each of the girls each had their own personality.

Plot

I’m not one for Reality TV or books in this genre. What drew me to this book was the fact that you would get a behind-the-scenes look at how they film these types of shows. I thought I was going to enjoy the fact that Liam was working on production, and we would get to see what goes on behind the scenes at these types of shows. What I enjoyed most about the plot of this story was the found family elements between the girls staying at Chelsea’s house. The friends Sloane finds there supported each other, and they were all rooting for the other girls even though they also wanted to have time with Aspen as well. The end of the book was wonderful, and I loved how the story ended.

Writing

Not Here to Stay Friends had a delightful writing style. Kaitlyn Hill uses a light tone to tell parts of the story, and you can tell that the characters were having fun during the scene. The more intense scenes in the book have a serious tone and are handled with care. This book had a writing style that flowed very well and was easy to follow. I enjoyed writing in the book and felt the style worked well to tell the story.

Romance

Romance was one of the best things about this book. I could pick out from early in the book where the romance was going to go. The show had an interesting element, and I thought there would be a twist in the middle of the story. Sloane and Liam were so cute, and they were so sweet. They both cared about each other and because they were best friends growing up, they already had a history with each other. Sloane and Liam were passing letters to each other on set, and they went for a drive when Sloane wasn’t on a solo date, and I just loved the moments between the two of them.

Enjoyment

I really enjoyed this book. I had a great time while reading this book. I would recommend this if you’re a fan of reality tv shows like The Bachelor. This book was a lot of fun, and it also talked about things that should be talked about more, like teens doing what they want to do, rather than what their parents want them to do.

4.5 stars, rounded up to 5. This book was so much fun and I enjoyed every second of it. Our main characters were interesting and well rounded, and the romance was adorable. The idea of a teen dating show is terrifying though, please don't show this book to Bachelor producers.

I loved how this book was so similar to The Bachelor! It was cute, funny, and had me smiling from the beginning I love friends to lovers type of books so this was right up my alley!

Received this as an ARC, thank you to the publisher! All opinions are my own.

As Sloane navigates being a contestant on a bachelor-esque show where celebrity Aspen Woods is searching for his next girlfriend, things are thrown into drama and tension when she realizes her feelings toward her best friend Liam, who works on set, are growing by the day.

The story flowed so well and kept me interested every page. I loved it!!

Not Here to Stay Friends was such a swoon-worthy and sweet romance. What a lovely and swoon-worthy romance Not Here to Stay Friends was. Teenage drama abounds on a real-life dating show for teenagers. Sloane and Liam, two childhood best friends, get together again for the summer. When all their plans fall through, they intend to utilize the summer together and catch up. Instead, Sloane is forced to participate in Liam's work assignment at his dad's reality television dating show. Aspen Woods, the show's star and a well-known television actor, charms Sloane while she tries to understand her growing feelings for Liam.

Although I didn't particularly like the friends-to-lovers cliche, I'm pleased I enjoyed reading this one. Sloane and Liam were wonderful. Their friendship seemed to be genuine. I adored how it evolved during the novel. As each of them considers their relationship with one another and the future, there's a significant development in their characters. Although there were some misunderstandings and feelings that were suppressed, the situation didn't feel greatly dramatic. I adored Kaitlyn Hill's writing. I'm looking forward to reading more of her books. The strong female friendships that were portrayed in the book were also something I enjoyed. If you like love triangles, this one might not be as satisfying as others. Highly recommend this!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children's for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

5⭐️

i received this arc at the exact time when i was really craving a good friends to lovers ya romance and let me just tell you, this book !!delivered!!

not here to stay friends follows two childhood besties reuniting to spend the summer in L.A. after five years apart—but when they both get involved with a teen reality dating show, their lives take an unexpected turn for the unreal.

reading this book was a great experience. the plot was fun and exciting and the main characters were actually likeable and sooo cute together. i definitely recommend it to everyone.

A darling YA romance that I absolutely adored. I mean, friends to lovers? Check. Unexpected third wheel that we're sort of catching feelings for? ALSO CHECK. What a fun time. I loved the setting, the characters, the unexpected moments of vulnerability. It ticked all the boxes for me and I'd gladly recommend it to a teen. I loved it as an adult!

I was curious as to where this book would take me. As much as I love the love triangles and the enemies to lovers, tropes like reality shows or friends to lovers don't always work well with me. Add the fact that this book mentions a Bachelor-style setting... and it feels like I am stuck in a Bachelor TV show episode.


But it is precisely because this book's setting is a teen dating reality show that I signed up to see what happens. Also, I will admit that while I am not a fan of the Bachelor/Bachelorette reality shows.... my friend did get me into watching at least a good chunk of the current Bachelor as we mentioned those bachelorettes we liked and disliked.


So, here we go to the pleasant surprise of this book.


Short Summary: Our aspiring writer visits her best friend who is the son of a producer and accidentally ends up becoming the star of a reality show where her best friend that she's definitely not crushing on works as stage crew and she has to compete for the hand of the bachelor who may be into her.


Long Summary: Liam and Sloane have always been best friends. While their family lives may not be that great and they both have their own dreams that don't always get noticed by others, the one thing that remains constant is keeping in touch despite the distance. When she goes to visit Liam to fulfill their bucket list of things to do in L.A. she bumps into many surprises.


Like the fact that Liam is very hot now. Or the fact that his dad will be producing the spinoff reality show of the old TV show that they both grew up watching. Or even that she would end up being the perfect scapegoat to be the last contestant after a twist of fate. And let's not forget all the times she gets caught mocking the bachelor who she's supposed to woo...


Who actually is impressed by her and her general awkwardness.


But, the more she gets into the deep waters of the show and wanting to prove everyone wrong, that she can in fact thrive in a reality show, the more she starts to realize how the star of the show may be a pretty cool guy to be with... just as she realizes that maybe she had been disregarding some buried feelings for her best friend.


With a show's ratings on the line, will Sloane risk it all for love or will she stick to the script until THE END?


Let's face it: I was surprised by how much I liked it. And not just that, but all the times I was chuckling or just laughing at the comedic relief that both Liam and Sloane gave me in their respective points of view brought a smile to my face. The idea of teen reality dating shows in literature is not really seen... so the fact that this exists and that being in a reality show through Sloane's eyes...The author has my respect and my dedication to read more of her work. Admittedly, Liam stole my heart in the way he goes on to step out from his father's shoes to not only pursue his art, but also his heart.


Haha... I promise that's the last cheesy comment from me about this one.



But seriously, add this book to your list and then we can all collectively laugh at how these two best friends survive the summer in a teen bachelor show.

Thank you to Tbrbeyondtours, GetUnderlined for including me on this awesome tour and for gifting me a copy of Not Here to Stay Friends.

My Top Reasons to read Not Here to Stay Friends:
1. 👩‍❤️‍👨Not Here to Stay Friends is a cute YA romcom.
2. 📖 The book is highly bingeable! I read this in one sitting.
3. 🎥 The story is told from dual perspectives: a Contestant and a Production Assistant.
4. 📺 This book is great if you enjoy watching reality dating television shows like The Bachelor.
5. 🎞️ It’s also a behind-the-scenes look at the production of dating competitions similar to UnReal.

I didn’t realize this was considered YA. However, this book was so cute. It was funny. I liked seeing Sloane learn to stand up for herself. The ending was great and funny. It’s a good book and I would definitely recommend it. It’s an easy fast read!

Review

Title: Not Here to Stay Friends
Author: Kaitlyn Hill
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This cute YA book revolves around best friends Sloane and Liam. Sloane heads to LA to spend the summer with her best friend, Liam , whose parents moved him across country from Tennessee. The only problem is - Liam has signed up to work on a reality TV show as a PA over the summer. Think The Batchelor but with a teen TV star as the leading man. After some confusion, Sloane finds herself as a contestant on the show. The 2 friends think they are making the best of the situation by working together over the summer. But — Is friends all they are cut out to be?

Read if you like:
🌴Friends-to-lovers
🌴The Bachelor
🌴 A sorry of best friends
🌴 strong emotion

Thank you to @tbrbeyondtours and @thekaitlynhill for this #gifted eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

If you are looking for other reviews on this book or other books visit www.tbrbeyondtours.com

This was a really cute young adult take on The Bachelor with a little childhood friends-to-lovers mixed in. I also liked the concept of the reality show spinoff for a real show, but wished I had a better understanding of the actual The Cove show which I think could’ve helped immerse myself in the world. I also think the concept of a reality dating show for teenagers is somewhat questionable, but I think the book described everything very appropriately. I really liked it and thought it was cute and entertaining and that Liam was the sweetest thing ever.

4.5 stars

I know everyone talks about enemies-to-lovers, but I feel like social media has forgotten how AMAZING friends-to-lovers can be. I have been on the biggest friends to lovers kick lately, and this was the perfect book to satisfy that craving. I really enjoyed Kaitlyn Hill’s first book (Love From Scratch), but I loved this one.

Not Here to Stay Friends follows Sloane as she stays with her best friend Liam and his dad in LA for the summer. Liam has to work on the set of this new bachelor-esque dating show his dad is making, and Sloane ends up a last minute contestant. As the summer progresses, they realize that maybe they were meant for each other all along. With dual pov, all the drama of a reality tv show, and the warm feeling you get from two friends in love, it has everything you could want in a YA Romance.

When I tell you this book was addictive, I mean it was ADDICTIVE. I started it in the morning, and, with classes and homework and family, I somehow managed to finish it that night. I just couldn’t put it down! It not only had me feeling happy and all warm and fuzzy, but it also had me full-on laughing out loud. I swear, I couldn’t catch my breath from laughing so hard at the end. It was the perfect ending to the dating show portion.

And then there was Sloane and Liam, who had the most adorable and wholesome relationship ever. I honestly just loved them so much, and I really loved getting Liam’s pov. I feel like having dual pov instantly enhances any book, and this one was no exception. I’m really so thankful that I got an eARC, and Kaitlyn Hill has cemented her place as an auto-buy author for me!

This gave me a YA feel on The Bachelor. Very cute, clean and sweet friends-to-lovers. (Who wouldn’t love that?!) Sloane and Liam’s journey was fun to follow.

The age range was a little outside of what I normally like. So I didn’t connect with it as much as a younger crowd would. But I would definitely recommend it to someone that enjoys YA!

This is very The Bachelor meets One Tree Hill and I absolutely LOVED it! A book dedicated to reality tv, which just so happens to be a guilty pleasure of mine, with the superior friends-to-lovers trope?? SIGN ME UP!! I couldn’t handle how cute and oblivious Liam and Sloane are when confronted with their feelings for each other. I think Liam was the sweetest, head over heels puppy dog I’ve ever read about. He is completely obsessed with Sloane and I was definitely enjoying his POVs because they really remind you of how you felt during your first love/crush. Liam is the embodiment of the butterflies in your stomach and I love him so much. This was such a cute, sickeningly sweet book that makes you laugh and warms your heart all at the same time.

Thank you so much @tbrbeyondtours and @kaitlynhill for the opportunity to participate on this tour and read this book. Please follow along on our tour by using the link below.

https://tbrandbeyondtours.com/2023/02/25/tour-schedule-not-here-to-stay-friends-by-kaitlyn-hill/

I really liked Kaitlyn Hill's first book, Love from Scratch, and I was excited to read her next book, Not Here to Stay Friends.

Both books center around reality television - Love from Scratch centers around a television station similar to the Food Network, and Not Here to Stay Friends features a televsion show that has a lot in common with The Bachelor Franchise.

Not Here to Stay Friends begins with a reference to Miley Cyrus' "Party in the USA" as Sloane lands at LAX. This made me laugh and immediately drew me into the story. It is also reflective of the lighthearted tone of the entire novel.

I was a little uncomfortable about the idea that Aspen Woods's Future Leading Lady is a dating show featuring teenagers. It is well known that shows like that thrive off manipulation of its contestants, and it felt wrong to put teenagers into an environment like that. It also bothered me that Liam's dad manipulates Sloane into participating by promising to help promote her interest in screenwriting if she makes it to the top four on the show.

This discomfort was only exacerbated by the fact that Sloane clearly has no interest in Aspen and that Aspen doesn't treat her (or the other contestants) very well. Aspen pushes Sloane to kiss him before she is comfortable and also says unkind things about the other people he's dating to her. He's set up to be so unlikable that it feels wrong that so many people would be fighting for his attention.

Friends to lovers is my favorite romance trope, and I rooted from Sloane and Liam the whole way through the story. In fact, it is so clear that they have feelings for each other from the first time they are reunited at the beginning of the book that it was almost hard to wait for them to get it together.

Liam and Sloane rotate and narrating the story, and the reader is immediately privvy to their romantic feelings for one another. When Sloane first sees him at the aiport, her brain has to "recalibrate" because he "seems so much more...grown up than the Liam who lives in my phone" In the next chapter Liam describes Sloane as "a person who is noticeable, unavoidably not unattractive." The fact that Sloane almost immediately starts dating another guy on TV obviously creates conflict and obstacles, but it's obvious even to the other people in the cast and crew of the show that Liam and Sloane are supposed to be together.

It is clear how much Liam cares about Sloane. He helps Aspen by telling him about things Sloane likes that can be used on the show. Liam also pushes back when Aspen suggests a date that he knows will make Sloane uncomfortable and takes care of Sloane when she has an extreme allergic reaction on a date.

Without spoiling too much, I will say that the ending of Aspen Wood's Future Leading Lady is extremly satisfying. It made me wish that it was a real TV show, so that I could actually watch it play out as it is described.

Katilyn Hill's writing is entertaining and funny, and I look forward to seeing what she writes next. I will say that I enjoyed Love from Scratch a little more than Not Here to Stay Friends.