I really enjoyed this book. It was so heartfelt and raw reading the love story of Josie and Zac. I felt like I could relate to Josie's anxiety with her health. I've dealt with health issues of my own and it can be tough when you're not feeling well and don't know why. I look forward to reading more of Natalie Murray's books.

This book is a DNF for me. I’m not going to post my review on Goodreads since many people seem to enjoy the book but I was not one of them. I found Josie to be an incredibly unlikeable character and didn’t feel she deserved to end up with Zac.

Josie and Zac have known each other for many years while living in Sydney and, while Zac asked her out once and she declined, they’ve remained close friends. After 14 years, their friendship seems to be in a holding pattern as once Zac moves to Newcastle, he has very little contact with Josie.

Josie is a newscaster and due to some online incidents, she’s sent to work in Newcastle and tries to rekindle the friendship with Zac. There is a lot of angst between Josie’s health anxiety and Zac’s grief in losing his fiancé’. With Zac determined to remain in Newcastle and Josie anxious to be able to return to work in Sydney, their developing relationship seems doomed.

This isn’t a light story with Zac and Josie’s various issues. Josie’s health anxiety was difficult to read as most of us worry about medical issues but not to the same extent where it seems to take over her life. At times, this heavy material was overwhelming. I appreciated the author’s note at the end of the story to explain why this topic was used.

While I sometimes struggled to get through this story, I enjoyed the past and present scenes, the text messages and the slow burn romance.

Thanks to the author, publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book and enjoy a new-to-me author.

Love, Just In by Natalie Murray (comes out 3rd January) is a wonderful contemporary romcom. In fact, there is much more to this tale than its bright cover and promise of friends-to-lovers trope. Of course one always appreciates some steamy romance but to have some real in-depth, realistic issues addressed was a real game changer in my appreciation of this book.

‘It’s time to admit that my life isn’t made up of a series of adorable little ducks sitting in a perfect row. My ducks are injured and losing feathers, and one possibly has a bung eye, but that’s OK. That’s me, stumbling through life.’

Both Josie and Zac fit the bill as leading characters with the quick witted banter and fun encounters but it is balanced beautifully with some much heavier topics which bring a real credence to this book. Written from Josie’s point of view, readers are presented with the long term history of this friendship and how the feelings of both evolve over time. I really did like the ‘Colleen Hoover-esque’ epilogue from Zac’s POV which I thought was a winner.

‘… anxiety can affect anyone, anywhere - even when you’re doing something you love.’

So apart from all the romcom elements both Josie and Zac bring individual trauma’s to this friendship. That brings depth to these emotional connections with both elements of joy and sadness. For many, these traumas could be triggers, however, I found the love and honesty to be refreshing and encouraging. Some of the issues covered include health and cancer scares, living with anxiety and grief.

‘I need to stop thinking about what I’ve lost and start thinking about what I’ve found.’

All up I found Natalie’s book to be a truly thoughtful and a well considered narrative - a perfect balance of friendship and love, anxiety and honesty. This is a contemporary romance you will want to try and find yourself happy that you did.








This review is based on a complimentary copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. The quoted material may have changed in the final release.

I enjoyed this Australian rom-com story. Zac and Josie have been best friends since high school. Two years ago he moved away from Sydney after his fiancee died in his arms and he's barely talked with her since. When she moves to his new hometown of Newcastle to cover another reporter's 6-month leave after she has a panic attack live on TV she looks forward to reconnecting with him. Soon they are reconnecting their friendship and dealing with their secret attraction to each other.

I found Josie annoying at first while dealing with her anxiety, but she slowly grew on me as did her relationship with Zac. It had some of my favorite tropes- friends to lovers and one of my least favorite is miscommunications. Altogether I enjoyed this sweet rom-com set in Australia.

Thanks to Netgalley, Allen, and Unwin, and the author for the ARC of this story.

Sydney TV news reporter Josie Larsen is still single and nearly 30. When she finds herself shipped off to a regional bureau in Newcastle due to a panic attack on live TV, she thinks her life has truly come to an end. Yet, when she bumps into Zac Jameson, her best friend since high school, her life changes. Zac has barely spoken to Josie for the past two years, as he has been struggling to cope after his fiancé tragically died in his arms in a car accident. Now thrown back into each other's lives, Josie and Zac’s relationship changes from friends to lovers, whilst they learn to also deal with their mental health.
This sweet love story unfolds amidst the personal struggles faced by both characters. The author dealt with their mental health concerns with great care and empathy whilst not allowing it to overwhelm the feeling between Josie and
Zac. This romance was touching with plenty of chemistry. A good read!
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

"Love Just In," centers around the societal debate: can a man and a woman really just be best friends without falling in love? Can that relationship continue over a long period of time without one person gaining feelings for the other? Will one person knowingly, or unknowingly back away in fear of their feelings ruining a rock solid friendship?
Josie and Zac have been besties for high school, but after not seeing each other for two years, things get awkward when Josie moves to his town on a new job assignment. Upon reuniting their chemistry is off. Where they used to be self described "motormouths" around each other conversing about everything under the sun, now there is silence. The story flashes back as far as fifteen years ago, to the present day where Josie is overthinking each and every word from Zac's mouth. She is looking for a roommate, a place to live, the steps of forming a new life in a new town working up the ranks as a television news reporter. Zac is still friendly, and helpful however he can be, yet something is off. As they work towards rekindling their friendship and figuring out what it is in the present day, as well as their own personal dramas, the story develops. 
Thank you to Natalie Murray and Netgalley for this early read of a fantastic story. Can't wait to share with friends!

Natalie Murray’s Love, Just In is the strongest friends-to-lovers romance I’ve read in a while. Set in Australia, it features Josie Larsen, a tv news reporter who is trying to earn a promotion to a regular spot on her Sydney news station. After an on-air fumble, she’s moved temporarily to a Newcastle station where her long-time best friend Zac Jameson lives.

The problem? She and Zac haven’t talked—not really—for two years, not since a tragedy reshaped Zac’s life and caused his move. So, while Josie is left with the memory of their friendship, which began when, at 13, he became her first friend at her new school, she’s worried that a memory may be all that’s left.

Josie and Zac navigate the complexities of renovating a friendship that had always been effortless while balancing career changes and challenges. They’re also each dating other people: Josie is casually seeing Zac’s ex-roommate (Zac is *not* a fan), and Zac has been dating Josie’s direct competition at work.

There are hints as to the trauma that caused the rift in their relationship, but Murray takes a while to peel back the layers of that event. Earlier in the plot, however, the author explores Josie’s health anxiety, which is related to the deaths of her aunt and grandmother and is an issue that Josie is contending with throughout the novel.

I thoroughly enjoyed the development of Josie and Zac’s relationship, the history of which is revealed in intermittent flashbacks, and I thought the more complicated backstories for both characters were handled with great sensitivity and power. The subtle shift from friendship to romance is revealed beautifully, and I stayed up way, way too late to finish this compelling romance.

This was a great friends to lovers romance with just a touch of will they/won't they. Zac is definitely book boyfriend worthy although I did want Josie to get out of her own way several times. It got a bit too angsty at times but I did enjoy this book. Add to your TBR!

Love, Just In comes out next week on January 3, 2024 and you can purchase HERE.

I'd forgotten that the cutest sound in the world is Zac Jameson's laugh. The first time I heard it was when I secretly mimicked our Year Eight science teacher, Mr Rosebottom, who spoke painfully quietly and had a twitchy eye. Not kind, but hysterical to thirteen-year-old Zac. He'd laughed so hard that I'd suffered a fierce attack of the giggles too, and Mr Rosebottom had banned us from being lab partners for the rest of the term. Banished to the opposite side of the room, Zac would toss scrunched-up notes at me that said things like: 'Dare you to twitch your eye every time Rosebottom looks your way,' and 'Do you think he speaks so softly so he can hear the voices in his head better?'

Now, Zac's standing three feet away from me, yet it feels like twelve thousand.

Love, Just In is a contemporary romance based in Australia. It's very much friends to lovers, but also deals with a lot of heavy topics such as death of a loved one, guilt, and health anxiety.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, but the first half was difficult to get through. I wasn't a fan of Josie and the decisions she was making. I stuck around because friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and I wanted to see how Josie and Zac's relationship developed. It took a bit longer than I would have liked, but it was worth the wait!

I really enjoyed and appreciated Josie and Zac's willingness to have difficult conversations about their relationship. It felt very authentic, especially with their distance, Zac's past, and the fact that they had been best friends for so long. High stakes, for sure!

I also really loved Zac's character. I was all in from the "Will you go out with me?" in the first flashback scene. It was so sweet! I am glad we got a bit of Zac's POV at the end. I felt it tied the story up nicely.

Thank you you NetGalley for the ARC!

- Friends to lovers
- Paramedic x reporter
- Second chance
- Forced proximity
- Set in Australia
- Slow burn
- Single POV

Love, Just In follows Josie and Zac. The former best friends drifted apart after Zac suffered a traumatic loss. So when Josie relocates from Sydney to where he lives for an assignment, she hopes they can reconnect and re-kindle their friendship.

What I liked:
- Good character depth: Josie suffers from health anxiety, which is often debilitating and holding her back from truly enjoying her life. Meanwhile, Zac is still suffering the effects of that past trauma, and he struggles to let Josie back into his life fully.
- The past and present chapters. I'm a sucker for a flashback!
- The angst. Their story was a lot more emotional than I expected, with tense and tender moments.
- The epilogue.

What I didn't like as much:
- It was very much a slow burn, but this also made it quite a slow-paced read for me.

But if you're looking for a contemporary romance that blends banter and heartwarming moments with grief and loss, check out Love, Just In.

Mental health and anxiety!

Friends to lovers romance that’s complicated, heart breaking and strangely surprising. Set in Australia this is the tale of two friends.
Josie Larson and Zac Jameson have been friends since they first met years ago when Josie changed schools, from a private girls school to the local high school
They did everything together. When Zac asks her to be his girlfriend, Josie said No but even then she’d wondered about a Yes!
They went to university together, had too much to drink together, laughed and mourned—together.
Now it’s fifteen years later and Josie’s a television journalist. Recently she had a panic attack on air and froze. In an attempt to regain her mojo and prove she’s fine, Josie’s moving from Sydney down to Newcastle to consolidate her experience. She has an eye to reclaiming her reputation, and anchoring the Sydney desk in the near future.
Zac is in Newcastle, a paramedic. He’s been through a hard time with his fiancé dying in his arms after a car accident a few years ago. He and Josie had lost touch.
Josie makes contact with Zac and a new chapter begins with plenty of drama, treasured moments and surprises.
The story moves along at a fast pace, poised between the past and now.
An intriguing and absorbing read. I adored it.
There’s plenty of humor, hand in hand with more serious moments of Josie’s health anxiety, an illness that is real, obsessive and lonely.

An Allen & Unwin ARC invite via NetGalley.
Many thanks to the author and publisher.
(Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.)

Friends to lovers is probably my favorite romance trope and Love, Just In does it so well.

There is so much will they won’t they in this book that I was just about as frustrated as the FMC and MMC were. This is told in present with flashbacks to different parts of Josie and Zac’s friendship. The flashbacks are not in chronological order, but are organized more with the moment they correspond to in the present, which makes sense but sometimes got confusing.

Their friendship begins over a mutual interest in music and I’ve found that I really love when there is a connection to music in the story.

Josie is demoted to a regional newstation in Newcastle after a fiasco on air while she was reporting in Sydney, due to her undiagnosed (at the time) health anxiety. There she reunites with Zac her childhood best friend, who is just getting back into work as an EMT a year after his fiancé Tara died in a car wreck they were in together.

The way Murray tackles health anxiety and mental health in this is really wonderful. I’m not sure I’ve read a book where someone is suffering through health anxiety though it is a common form of anxiety.

On their way to finding each other they both date people that are terrible. Zac is dating a coworker of Josie’s and Josie dates Zac’s previous roommate who is just horrible. This is probably my least fav part in the book. I didn’t find it believable that Josie would date this guy because he just seems like a jerk with a drinking problem, but I also get that it’s part of the will they, won’t they build up.

Overall though I found this charming. I loved Josie’s friend and her side story, I also appreciated the backstory with Zac and his relationship with Tara. I read this so fast. Also for my fans of less spice in their romance this is maybe a 2-3 🌶️ level so super manageable and very easy to skip over if it’s not your cup of tea.

Love, Just In is out on the 3rd of January so you don’t have to wait long!

Thank you @netgalley and @allenandunwin for my ARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
#LoveJustIn #Netgalley

Love, Just In was an adorable contemporary romance set in Australia. This story was a best friends to lovers, second chance romance that had all of the feels.

The hero and heroine are both relateable and likeable. I only wish they would have communicated better considering they were in their late 20s and had been friends for so long.

I couldn’t help but cheer this couple on. They had so many obstacles to overcome to finally find each other, and I was there for it!

Before I began reading this ARC, I skimmed through some of the reviews other readers had left. I was excited to read the book, but didn’t have crazy high expectations. So, I was not prepared for the impact this book would have on me. I absolutely adored this story. I cried… SOBS at times! And also found myself smiling from ear to ear while reading… were there some things that maybe I didn’t love as much, for sure. But what really warrants a five star rating for a book? In my opinion, it’s a book that gives you all of the emotions and a book you can get absolutely lost in. I stayed up so late finishing this book last night and would have continued reading it even longer! While I can’t relate to the mental health struggles of the 2 MC, I absolutely think the author did justice to anyone dealing with these issues. I disagree with other reviews saying it felt overdone… and also disagree with reviewers saying they don’t want to pick up a romance book and read about so many dark topics… I feel like these added topics gave the story so much depth, and made it that much more believable, and made it feel so much more real, and I also feel like it was so far from overdone.
I will say I agree with some of the other reviews that there were a few flashback chapters that probably could’ve been cut out to shorten the book, while having no effect on the story.
But, I am still giving this book 5 stars, and I am telling anyone who loves a great story to please read this when it comes out this month!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for an ARC of this book in exchange for honest feedback.

I thought this was ok, IMO. It did have some heavy topics the two main characters were dealing with that made readers emotional/empathetic. I feel like the overall concept of this novel has already been done given the friends to lovers plot/storyline. Just left me with an meh feeling when finishing this. at least the cover was cute!

My other issue with this book. Was that the archive date was before the publication date! Just adding to my irritance.

Thanks ti NetGalley, Natalie Murray and the team of Allen and Urwin for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Available: 1/3/2024
Archive date: 11/27/2023 (ANNOYANCE)

I positively *loved* this one!! The if you loved people we meet on vacation (my least favorite emily Henry book) reference made me a little hesitant but I love friends/estranged friends to lovers and was curious to see where the story would go. For me, this was part love and other words and part every summer after. I loved the flashback moments, I loved the heartbreaking moments, I loved the friends they each had in their corners (shoutouts to Christina and Ross!). There were a lot of feels happening throughout this book but they were approached in a way that added that extra element that I just love (even if it brings me close to tears!) I wish there had been some, other than the epilogue, from Zac's point of view, no miscommunication trope in this one, the moments where he needed to say something he did and it was everything, but for some moments I would have loved his perspective a little bit more. Josie's anxiety I think was handled with care but it felt a little bit like some of Zac's trauma was, brushed off seems not the right words but, not fully handled to the best that it probably could have been.

All in all though, this was such a good read with 🥰🥰🥰 and 😍😍😍 moments (the charm bracelet towards the end anyone??) I loved spending time with these two best friends as they get to know each other again after being estranged for a few years, and if they happen to fall into their feels whilest doing it, I am here for it!!



Thank you Netgalley and Allen & Unwin for the ARC in exchange for my review!

The cover of this book will draw you in and then immerse you into the angst that comes with believing in love again!
I enjoyed the Australian setting for these characters who take you on a journey of discovery. It seems like the storyline came full circle, but the emotional roller coaster became a little frustrating at times.
Josie is working on her anxieties, her old friend Zac is working through his own struggles. The line of communication is slow to open, for me the flow of emotions and breaking down of walls seemed too drawn out. Still, worth the read..

With thanks to Allen and Unwin , NetGalley and the author for the opportunity to read this book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was unable to find this book on Amazon or B&N - unable to review. I will give it three stars. I tried many time to find this book but could not.

Love, Just In is set in Newcastle, Australia which I loved because I am from Australia.
This book had lots of things that I enjoyed especially some of the tropes friends to lovers, alternate timelines and some spice which was nice!!
It touched on some big topics so as always please check those triggers before reading

I adored reading this book and reviewing it
Thank you Netgalley for letting me have a copy of this one