This was so much fun! Swoony romance with great banter. The forced proximity trope is awesomely played out, making for an all out enjoyable read. Highly recommended!

This was a quick read with some of my favourite tropes but unfortunately it fell flat for me. I didn’t particularly like or connect with either of the main characters. This book had a lot of tell rather than show and that made the leads feel pretty one dimensional.

What did work for me was the childhood friends to lovers element. I enjoyed the flashbacks from Isla and Cade’s childhood and the mutual pining from both characters. Add in the brothers best friend element and that added a few more points for me.

Rent to Be
By Sonia Hartl
⭐⭐⭐

Publication Date August 15, 2023

This book had some good things but it also had some not so good things.

I loved Isla's, the female main characters, inner monologue. It was a lot and she had a very chaotic mind but I loved that because I can relate to that. 😂

There was some great conversation about student debt and the push for further education. And there was also some great talk about previous generations. Not really understanding the financial trouble that a lot of the younger generations face.

And the friendships in this we're just delightful to read about.

However, there were some things in this book that I just was not a fan of. The timeline in this book was a little rushed in places and it didn't feel like it truly made sense and was easy to keep up with.

Island didn't really seem to have a lot of consideration for the struggles other people are going through, even if they relate to her own. She seemed like a very inconsiderate individual for most of the book.

And I did not like the confrontation she had with her parents. At the end it felt very unsatisfying and so it did explain a lot about her. I didn't feel like it was any sort of a resolution. Even though it seems like a lot of the book is working out to that moment.

The romance in itself wasn't bad because I very much enjoyed Cade the mailman character.

On the whole this book was a three star. It wasn't terrible but it wasn't amazing. It definitely had the potential to be amazing though.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

i really liked this one! isla’s struggles post-MBA really mimic real life financial situations for a lot of adults that thought a degree would solve everything. i related a lot to that and her hesitation to ask for help. i am not the biggest fan of the miscommunication trope so that gave me a bit of grief in the third act but overall, i really enjoyed this brother’s best friend love story! thank you netgalley and sonia hartl for the arc of this novel!

Isla Jane is living the millennial nightmare. She’s got a shiny new MBA and no way to pay for it, thanks to her dead-end entry-level job, and nowhere to live, thanks to her miserable salary. Going home to her parents is not possible, but for once Isla’s brother may be her saving grace. He’s out of town on business for a month, meaning the guest room in his condo is blissfully empty.

Or so Isla thinks, until she runs into Cade Greenley, her brother’s best friend—who’s crashing there while his own condo is undergoing renovations. When a desperate plan to sleep under her desk miraculously turns into a house-sitting job for one of the big bosses at her office, Isla is certain her luck has turned—with no one, Cade included, the wiser. It’s a perfect solution—until Cade catches her sunbathing at a mansion that is definitely not hers, and she admits she’s house-sitting because she can’t afford rent.

The pair strike a deal—Cade will keep Isla’s secret from her overbearing parents if she agrees to pose as his girlfriend at a few upcoming corporate events. The fun and friendly vibe of his office is a surprise compared to hers, but the biggest shock is that each “date” with Cade feels less and less fake. Suddenly she’s looking forward to every minute they spend together while the chemistry between them sizzles. As Isla’s house-sitting scheme begins to unravel, she'll have to face the fact that her biggest lie of all is the one she's telling herself: that she's not falling in love with Cade.

I absolutely loved this book! The relationship between isla and Cade was honestly one of my favorites that I have read in the last year. Wonderful character building, and just an overall ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ read for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

CW: housing insecure, financial stress/debt, toxic relationship with parents, workplace tensions

Sonia Hart just has an effortless way of her writing that immediately pulls you in. This book was such a reflection on the struggles of being a millennial and just the economic environment for so many. Isla can't afford rent, has been kicked out her apartment, is in a dead end job that doesn't pay a living wage despite her MBA, and can't lean on her family or really anyone for support.

What seems like the perfect situation, her brother is out of the country on business, she can stay at his place and get back on her feet. Instead her brother's best friend is already living there and she'd rather eat glue than admit to him her struggles. I found Isla so relatable and understandable, her inability to rely on everyone else, being told that help is something to be ashamed of. Her growing relationship with Cade was this really sweet tone to the book as she slowly admits her struggles. He doesn't try to fix her just be there for her and support her.

Sonia just knows how to write sexual chemistry and I loved the steam between these two. Because how else should a brother's best friend book start off but by finding him in a towel and one upping each other by taking off your clothes. Can't wait to see what she writes next.

Steam: 3.25

This was a super fast light hearted read. I loved the brother's best friend trope and it was the perfect book to read to split up all the fantasy I've been reading recently. I will say I wish Isla would have actually been in forced proximity in this one with the brother as from picking this up, that's what I assumed would happen is them ending up staying in the same home. This wasn't one that I'm thinking about constantly or one I would re-read, but it's definitely cute and a funny quick read!

Heartbreak to Hire was such an unexpected enjoyable read, that I was instantly intrigued to see what Rent to Be would be like. And let me just say, it delivers 100 percent. It's got banter, it's got brother's best friend, it's got forced proximity, it's got a slow AF burn (just saying!) and it's got fake dating tropes all in spades. Hartl writes with such compelling language that pulls me in and has me desperate to keep reading. It's fun and indulgent, plus the house-sitting exploits had a quirky side plot just for fun. Like seriously, it is well-written and captivating and full of so much tropey goodness that I love to indulge in. I did really enjoy Rent to Be, maybe not more than other higher rated books but this one does very much deserved all four of its stars. Facts are facts.

An endearing story about freshly graduated Isla Jane trying to climb her way out of the financial hole college put her in. A brand-spanking new MBA and making minimum wage as a data entry analyst is getting Isla no where. She just got evicted from her apartment by her two roommates, her parents are the 'walk it off' type who aren't willing to help without further injuring Isla's dignity. Since her brother is out of town, Isla figures she can crash at his condo for the time being. That is until she runs into her brother's (smoking hot) best friend.

This book was so funny and adorable, I fell in love. It's everything I love and much more! The secondary character Neeta was my absolute favorite. She was witty and stoic and fierce. I hope we get to see her again soon!
-Frenemies to lovers
-Brother's best friend
-Fake Dating

Keep in mind this book has a loads of spice- way too much for my preference. Language was also an issue for me, but it did not distract from the plot.


Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC!

Rent to be was such a cute book! It’s lighthearted and a perfect book to read during summer, I cannot wait to reread on the beach! I absolutely adored the characters, it was easy to follow along when you love the MCs but the plot was incredible too. Genuinely an adorable read and I had so much fun

Isla is in the middle of a quarter-life crisis when she gets kicked out of her apartment and continues to get passed over for a promotion. She has her MBA and everyone else says that will open door, but so far, it hasn't for her. She tries to stay in her brothers condo since he is away traveling but when she gets there and finds his best friend, Cade there, she knows she can't stay. Not to mention that she has had the biggest crush on Cade since they were kids. In a desperate attempt to cover up the fact that she got kicked out, Isla goes to house sitting for her boss at work with the hope that her name gets passed around. Cade finds out and helps her keep the secret in exchange for being his fake girlfriend, from her brother and parents who always find something wrong with what she is doing and always seem to be disappointed in her, Will she be able to just stay friends with Cade or will all this time they spend together "fake dating" ruin everything?

This was a cute "best friends brother" romance and you could tell from the start that Cade and Isla had unfinished business. Their banter and how they both defended each other was sweet. Isla put up with her parents always picking at her failures as a kid and I think that drastically impacted how she felt about herself as an adult. I loved how Cade stood up for her in numerous situations.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Who doesn't love a brother’s best friend, grew up together, fake dating romance? I sure do!
They love to annoy each other, they have great banter and their dialogue is funny and heartwarming. I'm not complaining about the spice either, which was good. The build up was delicious, the tension heart-racing and I really enjoyed reading it. The FMC is always heckled as being the failure by her family, which understandably plays a big role in who she is as an adult and why she acts the way she does. The MMC is trying to escape his rough upbringing, the guilt and shame that comes along with it - always trying to prove himself worthy. I just KNEW he was going to be the kind of sweetheart I love to read in my RomComs.

Such a cute book!! It’s lighthearted and a great summer book. The characters are absolutely perfect and it’s so well written. Easy to follow along and understand the plot.

This book was a great read. It is sweet, fast paced, amusing and a lot of fun. I read it in one sitting and I couldn't possibly put it down. I connected with main character from the start and I just wanted to see Isla get her life together and be happy. I laughed out loud many times while reading, and even though there were some cliche moments, they weren't overdone and everything felt natural. I liked the chemistry and banter between MC and her love interest. I wish this book had a dual POV, but don't mind me, high fantasy books spoiled me. Even so, I really enjoyed this book and I read it in a matter of a few hours. This book comes out August 15th and those who get a chance to grab it for a summer vacation should do just that because I believe this book would be an excellent beach read. Even if you're not going on a vacation, but desperately need one, you should read this book. It's relaxing and light and will give you a laugh. Almost as really going on a vacation.
Now...As you can see, I am saying all the best things about this book, but you can notice I gave it four, not five star, rating. That is because the very ending and epilogue felt a bit rushed, and therefore fel flat for me. I wish it was at least twenty pages longer and we got a bit more satisfying end.

Rent to Be is laugh out loud funny! I was was reading on the train and people would stare as I laughed at what I had just read.

It’s a quick read with some favorite tropes and would be a perfect afternoon read.

Rent to Be is everything a romance should be! A wonderful, all consuming read about two friends who've grown up together and suddenly start to view each other differently. It also looks at how a college degree doesn't always bring guaranteed success.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun book with relatable characters.

This was tagged as perfect for fans of Tessa Bailey and Beth O'Leary, I'm a fan of both and I completely agree!! This was a quick and cute read that involves a girl and her brother's best friend - what more can you ask for? The chemistry between Cade and Isla was wonderful and believable, I also appreciated the nods to real life struggles - it made this novel feel grounded in reality which I always appreciate.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Alcove Press, and Sonia Hartl for access to this e-ARC!!

Isla feels like the family screw up. She has a job she hates, outstanding debt, a degree that she's not sure she wants, and she has just been kicked out of her apartment. She plans to make use of her brother's empty condo, but finds it occupied by her brother's best friend, throwing a wrench into her plan. After finding a somewhat unconventional place to sleep for one night, she devises a new plan to turn things around, at least temporarily. However, this new plan is once again disrupted by her brother's best friend and things progress from there.

I wasn't sure how I would feel about this book after reading through a few other reviews. I can see some of the points that reviewers had, but I enjoyed this book overall. While I could not directly relate to either character, I felt that they were portrayed well enough that I understood them and their motivations. I was really angry at the way Isla's family treated/represented her and the way they made Cade feel. I thought the fake dating was a little far fetched, but I am a sucker for that trope so it still worked. Overall, I don't feel comfortable calling this light-hearted, but it was definitely well done and I enjoyed it.

This one had a bunch of everyone’s most favorite tropes. Friends to lovers, brothers best friend, fake dating, etc. definitely a cute and quick read.