An awkward meet cute turns into friends to lovers in this new romance!

Hailey Sharp is healing from a rough relationship while she focuses on getting her new salad shop business off the ground, and she has no time or need for a relationship right now. Wes Jansen is a protective big brother and business hot shot who has no intention of falling in love. And together, they made the best of friends. And I mean, maybe they love eachother too? But nope. Definitely just friends. But these feelings are more than friendly a little bit. But they have a guide, its definitely just friendship. Right?

I haven’t read the previous books with these Jansen brothers but I think I might have to now! This was a cute romance involving Wes, the oldest of 3 Jansen brothers.
Dual POV
Friends to Lovers
Awkward meet cute
Strong Fmc who does not need/want to be saved
Him showing vulnerability

I only wish there was a little bit of Wes and Hailey spice! Closed door/fade to black all the way with this one so if you’re looking for a romance without the smut, this would be up your alley!

Personal (and maybe unpopular) opinion. My heart sank when the couple got together before 70% through the novel. That’s A LOT of book left, and there’s nothing I despise more than a 3rd act break up. The start of the friendship and relationship between Wes and Hailey felt so organic, genuine and natural. They really were the best of friends, the chemistry between them was everything. So the quick break ups after they got together seemed to diminish the incredible friendship they had prior to their romantic relationship. I’ll just never get behind that 3rd act break up scene.

3.5 rounded up

A cute, slow-burn, friends-to-lovers romance. I enjoyed this one and the audio was really good!

I didn’t realize it was the third book in the series, but it seemed fine to read it as a stand-alone.

There were some parts that moved a little too slowly for me, but overall it was an entertaining read.

3.5 stars rounded up for 4.

💭Thoughts:
This is the third book in the Jansen Brothers series. I haven’t read the first two yet, though it probably would have been helpful to know some of the backstory. It can be read as a stand alone.

The story started out with promise. I enjoyed Hailey and her cute salad shop. She’s got a lot of baggage, but she was working through it throughout the story. The narrator did a great job bringing her to life and the voice really matched Hailey well. Wes on the other hand was terrible. His internal dialogue was cringy and some of his actions were off putting. The narration for him was okay, but the narrator’s voice felt very monotone to me. I just couldn’t see them as more than friends. The relationship was slow, but it never felt like their chemistry or compatibility was real. There really was very little romance in this book. I wanted more from them, wanted more of a reason to root for them. In the end I was more interested in Wes’s brothers than I was in him.

Overall, it’s an okay book if you like slow burn and closed door romances.

It's easy to control your emotions and just be friends with the opposite sex as long as you set up rules and follow them, right!?! Enjoy laughing at this "Harry Meets Sally" redo that is a fun rom com with great narration on the audio. It was entertaining and brought a lot of emotions to the surface while giving heaping doses of fun! I'll definitely be looking forward to more audiobooks from this author! Her characters are well written so that they are easily relatable and you connect with them right from the start. The flaws that the author skillfully crafted into their personalities make them people that you want to cheer for as they seem so real!

Didn't realize this was part of a series, but I enjoyed it anyway!

A fun slow-burn, this audiobook has great narrators who give you an excellent feel for the characters. It takes a long while to get to any romance as this is mostly a story about new friendships. My favorite part of the book was Wes's relationships with his brothers. They all sounded so interesting and level headed. All in their own respective relationships, they were thoughtful when they gave advice to Wes. The brothers have a business together and those parts of the story were interesting to me as well.

There is some suggestive language when things are about to go down, but mostly a bit too clean and glossed-over for my taste.

I ended up enjoying more of the side stories than the actual main story. Really found a lot of the characters likeable and would read others in this series. Very highly recommend the audio version.

Many thanks to MacMillan Audio and #NetGalley for this ARC.

Playful and very sweet, I can see why so many folks are fans of Sophie Sullivan's Jansen Brothers series. I read A Guide to Being Just Friends as a standalone, and I had no trouble following along.

The audio version is nicely performed by Stephanie Willing and Timothy Andrés Pabon.

This book was cute, I just didn't really connect with it the way I hoped I would. Something about the characters felt a bit shallow at times. I also didn't realize that this was the 3rd in a series. This was a cute rom-com but nothing really stood out for me.

I usually prefer my romance books a lot more open door than this but I found this to be a delightful Rom-Com. I listened mostly while at work and it is a good thing I am alone in the office this week for the amount of times I literally LOLed.

While I think it might have helped with some context to read the first two books in this series prior to listening to A Guide to Being Just Friends it is easy enough to follow without them.

Wes & Hailey both have their hang ups to work on and it does become bumpy for them but since they worked so hard at their friendship before being romantic I think it worked out in their favor. It's fairly obvious to say they are both quite stubborn.

This hit the spot like a sunny day after soggy rainstorm. I adored it!

I received this complimentary Audio-ARC from Macmillan Audio, courtesy of NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review.

A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan is a wonderfully charming slow burn romance. This was a great audiobook for me, I really love rom com type stories as audiobooks as I enjoy getting caught up in the relationships, the backstories, and here the small town vibes, the small business themes, and the broader brother/family relationship themes that connect back to the earlier two Jansen brothers books (not necessary to read those to enjoy this book!).
3 strengths
1.. I like it when the characters are well developed individuals outside of their past/current/emerging romantic relationships. I thought that Hailey and Wes were both interesting people, they had career goals and interests and other relationships that mattered to them. They complemented each other well but I also liked that their relationship at the start was connected to broader parts of their identities, particularly their passions/work lives and creativity.
2. Strong secondary characters! A good romance for me benefits from other characters giving the story and the MCs depth. This book has that, likely benefitting from being connected to other books with the same brother characters.
3. Pacing, the development of Hailey and Wes's relationship felt realistic, it was always a relationship that felt honest in terms of care, respect, and support and that really made the pay off of the slow burn work for me.

Thank you MacMillan audiobook for this wonderful treat, this book kept me company during the East Coast holiday chill and long drives to see family.

What a cute story!
This is a slow burn, sweet romance, that is low on the steam and high on the cute factor.
I had no idea this was book three in a companion series set around a group of brothers. This story is about Wes and Hailey. Hailey just opened her new salad shop in California and is finding it a bit hard to get her new business going. Wes walks into her life through an accidental meet cute, though it doesn't seem so in the moment. Wes is intrigued by Hailey's sunny outlook on life and can't quite let her go. Both characters focus on being friends and, of course, denying any other feelings they have for each other. Hailey eventually pulls them into a romance and has to help keep them there as Wes seems to continue making mistakes one after the other. He gets there though, and this story has a sweet ending.
I enjoyed listening to this one on audiobook and liked the narrator as well. The other two stories in this companion series are now on my tbr.
Thank you to the publishers for my advanced copy.

Book 3 of the Jansen Brothers series. Does work as a stand alone. Closed door, friends-to-lovers romance.

Hailey recently moved to town after a breakup. She opened her own restaurant and is determined to succeed. Wes also recently moved to town to be closer to his brothers and business partners. They fall into an easy friendship. Hailey has sworn off relationships for a while. Wes has given up dating after a series of dating disasters. Both are adamant they want to be single. But as their friendship progresses, both start to fall for the other. Both also keep their feelings buried because they know the other wants to stay just friends.

This book was cute, but a bit repetitive at times. I liked the friendship between Wes and Hailey. Maybe more than the romance.

I listened to the audiobook. I am very happy that this book used dual narrators, as that was something lacking in the previous books. I am not familiar with the narrators, Stephanie Willing and Timothy Andrés Pabon, both did a good job. I do think pacing wise, Wes's chapters were read more slowly, but it was not to the point of me being frustrated.

Now, while this technically is fine as a stand alone, due to the sheer number of characters, it may be easier if you read the other books first. It also may be easier to read in print than listen to the audio form. There were times when I had to pause and think about who was who.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you, NetGalley for the advanced preview of this delightful audiobook. I was very pleased with the latest addition to the Jansen Brothers series. With cute banter and amiable characters, this friends to lovers book was the perfect way to spend a cold, wintery night.

This story was really cute and very slow burn, which had about 38 to 45% through was a bit of an issue for me. I was hoping that it would move a little bit faster, and that Hailey would show much more interest in Wes. I loved Wes so much. I thought that he was such a kind hearted. Gentleman. Hailey was great too, but at times it seemed as if she was more so focused on her own things. It is written very well in such a way where you love the characters in the book. If you love the trope friends to lovers, then this is the book for you.

I think one of my favourite things ever is the friends to lovers trope, and I loved the relationship in this story! Regardless of their feelings, it seemed like each of them was truly a good friend to the other, which is a must for this trope.

Wes’s computer skills and friendship video game were so delightful, and I loved Hailey’s drive as a business owner and community member. She always stuck to her guns rather than accept help from Wes, even though he wanted to help in a myriad of ways. I also loved her work crew as she got more established - I hope we get to see more of them in a new story!

While I didn’t love the previous book by this author, I still enjoyed seeing the cameos from the first two books, and getting to know Wes better.

This narration was fantastic! After listening to some duds over the past while, I especially appreciated this one.

If you love a cute friends to lovers, this is for you!

This is the first book I've read/listened to by Sophia Sullivan, and I enjoyed the premise. Of course, a woman and man can be "just friends." Can they, really (wink wink)?

Haley is a woman designing the life SHE wants after a breakup. She wants to live life and run her business on her own terms. She is no damsel in distress.

Wes is a father figure to his younger brothers, and his nurturing spirit fuels his desire to help others. Make their lives easier and save them from struggling. He does this while putting his secret dreams on the back burner.

I won't say more so as not to spoil the story (I'm not fond of spoilers).

If you identify with either character, you will enjoy this book. I had the audio version and was thoroughly entertained by Haley, Wes, and their salad-eating friends. For this book, I recommend audio for the dual narration!

I received an advanced copy of the book for an honest review.

A Guide to Being Just Friends takes a story that is relatable to much of the population and makes you care for each character. Appreciating the flaws that are in each person just as if they were a friend. The stakes of owning a small business is difficult and known, but after listening to this I felt that I could feel the struggles and celebrate the triumphs with Haley and Wes. This is the perfect book to spend a rainy afternoon with as it will make you warm and excited to eat a salad later!

In "A Guide to Being Just Friends," readers are treated to a charming and heartwarming romance story that is perfect for fans of romantic comedies of all ages. The book follows Hailey Sharp and Wes Jansen as they both come to the realization that love is not a priority for them at the moment. Hailey is fresh out of a difficult relationship and focused on starting a new business, while Wes has no desire to find love and instead wants to be just friends. As their relationship progresses, they encounter a number of twists and turns. While the plot may be somewhat predictable, the journey is still enjoyable and ultimately leads to a feel-good conclusion.

I guess I should have looked at my review of the last book in the series before requesting this one. There were some cute parts but overall, I was bored. The storyline did not grip my attention much to the point I definitely checked out while listening multiple times and can’t even recall what happened despite just finishing it.

Another cute one from Sophie Sullivan! I enjoyed this one or "When Wes met Hailey" as I call it. This was a warm and fuzzy, will they won't they love story that I enjoyed!

This book was so much fun. It was predictable, but cute and quirky. Even though I didn't love the inevitable last act conflict, it redeemed itself with the ending. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. I really enjoyed the narration of this and I've never craved a salad more!