Love, Just In is a really sweet and emotional story of two childhood best friends who lose contact after tragedy and reconnect two years later. Josie and Zac’s connection is undeniable and runs so deep; their shared history lends itself to a really engaging story that is at times so fraught with emotion in the best way. Josie’s struggle with health anxiety is portrayed well in my opinion and I felt myself unable to put this book down, waiting to see what would happen while rooting for their happy ending. Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.

I absolutely loved this book and stayed up until 4AM last night to finish it in one sitting.

This book follows two best friends (Josie and Zac) of 15 years who have been estranged for two years - ever since Zac's fiancee died in a car accident that he survived. Josie, a TV news reporter based in Sydney, gets relocated to the beachside town of Newcastle (where Zac just so happens to live) for six months following a panic attack mid-air. Throughout the book we watch as Josie and Zac navigate being back in each other's lives after two years of silence and Josie manage her way through her work struggles and medical anxieties, which the author does a great job of bringing to life.

✨ Single POV (minus the epilogue)
✨ Slow-Burn Friends to Lovers
✨ 4.5/5 stars

TY NetGalley for the eARC!

Love, Just In is a story about long time friends Zac and Josie. For whatever reason they haven’t talked in two years until Josie takes a job that’s close to Zac.

The timeline is a little wonky. One chapter will be present time then the next chapter will be a certain of years in the past. It was odd that the chapters going back in time were a little random. The event the past chapter details is hinted at before we dive in so that helped me somewhat keep up with the timeline. These chapters also really help get a better picture of Zac and Josie.

These characters are NOT perfect. They both have issues- some of them are a little annoying and some are relatable but I think it’s what makes them good characters.

I received a copy of Love, Just In via NetGalley to read and review.

This is a very incredible book that deals with illness anxiety. The story of Josie and Zac covers the topic with sensitive detail. Josie suffers from it and the effects have a huge impact on her life.
Zac has been Josie’s best friend for fourteen years even though a two year stretch of no contact happened. When she is transferred to his town they reconnect. As they get to know each other again, they find a deeper connection than before. Zac, a paramedic, wants to help Josie but her anxiety and her uncontrolled thoughts stifle her.
It is a very up and down tale that will make your heart ache at times, be joyous at others.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3 stars
2 chili peppers

Josie is a TV news reporter who battles health anxiety in secret. One day on live TV she suffers a panic attack and as punishment her boss sends her to Newcastle to be a reporter there for 6 months. Josie is determined to do well so she can secure a promotion back in Sydney. But she's also nervous to go to Newcastle for another reason - her best friend of over a decade, Zac, lives there and has ghosted her over the last two years after he tragically loses his fiancé in a car accident.

Josie and Zac reconnect and the story is about how they "navigate their neglected friendship and secret attraction to each other while struggling with their careers and mental health".

The book describes this as "Hilarious, sexy and heart-warming". While I found it sexy and heartwarming at times, I did not quite find it hilarious. The main characters battle a lot of health anxiety and grief and this book elicited more sadness and yearning than it did hilarity. Every few chapters there's a brief chapter of flashback moments in their friendship that jump around on timeline seemingly at random - was a bit confusing to follow but I loved the glimpses into their past. Although it made me more mad than anything because of how painfully obvious it was that they clearly liked each other and refused to act on it.

I found the writing style and mental health journey they went through to be done pretty accurately and well enough. However I felt the slow burn of the romance was dragged a bit more than necessary. I've never been a fan of the will they/won't they trope particularly when spanned over many years let alone decades. Other than the romance dragging on I thought the story was quite well done.

TW: Grief/Loss, Car accident, Breast Cancer, Health Anxiety

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review on Love, Just In by Natalie Murray. #LoveJustIn #NetGalley

I read this book in a day because I didn't want to put it down. I genuinely loved it. It's so cute. It also made me cry like 3 times, so I wouldn't recommend reading right before your period starts. Seriously, so cute.

My only criticisms are Zac's shirts. A personal pet peeve of mine is when the narrator changes for the epilogue, but that's just me.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this arc.

Despite the plug for "if you like Emily Henry" in the summary and my love for Australia, this was not my cup of tea. It didn't grab me from the go, dragged too long to get to hero and heroine get-together and I just couldn't fully buy-in -- despite me having numerous breast cancer scares and immediate family with it, which leads me to constant worry for self and my children.

It wasn't terrible. It just wasn't written or structured in a way that resonated with me.

Sydney TV news reporter Josephine "Josie" Larsen is approaching 30 and coming dangerously close to failing at life. Lost in a vortex of other people's career milestones, engagement parties, and baby showers, Josie is perennially single, abandoned by her globetrotting family, and invisible to her boss - except for the one time he tuned in while she was mid-panic attack on live TV. As a punishment, Josie is shipped off to cover another reporter's six-month leave at a regional bureau in Newcastle.

But Josie has more waiting for her in Newcastle than yawn-inducing stories about bicycle lane protests. The city is also the domain of Zac Jameson – her best friend since high school. This should be a happy turn of events, but Zac has barely spoken to Josie for the past two years. Not since his fiancée tragically died in his arms in a car accident and he left Sydney to try and cope with his grief. Now thrown back into each other's lives, Josie and Zac have to navigate their neglected friendship and secret attraction to each other while struggling with their careers and mental health.

Oh, be still my heart. ❤️ Josie and Zac have such an endearing friendship, and watching them support each other and grow closer in ways neither expected was super emotional. This book hit me really hard, as I lost my fiancé in a car accident years ago. Fellow readers, know yourself and read responsibly. ❤️

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the advanced digital reader's copy (ARC) in exchange for an honest review!

Apparently , I’ve been on an Australian kick lately - I think this is my 3rd in a row where the plot has been set “down under” . “Love , Just In” is a cute, friends-to-lovers romcom that kept me fully engaged . Friends-to-Lovers is not my favorite trope , but , like Christina Lauren’s “Love & Other Words” and Emily Henry’s “People We Meet on Vacation” , I loved it ! But , fair warning , there are some trigger subjects such as cancer , medical anxiety , and trauma .
If you’re looking for a cute, HEA this one will be published in January 2024 and it deserves a spot on your TBR ! I give it 4⭐️.
Thank you @netgalley & @allenandunwin for this ARC . & THANK YOU @nataliemurrayauthor for covering such hard topics in a graceful , forgiving way !
#friendstolovers #friendstoloversromance #allenandunwin #netgalley #tbr #bookstagram #lovejustin #advancedreaderscopy #arc #breastcancerawareness #medicalanxiety #anxiety #trama #trope

Love, Just In by Natalie Murray was impossible to put down, with a rom-com grand gesture that left me grinning from ear-to-ear.
The characters were great. They were relatable, real and they certainly managed to steal my heart.
I loved the writing. It was catchy, fast paced and full of wonderfully funny and touching scenes.
I will be reading more from Natalie. This story was very entertaining, I could not put it down.
A sweet and funny friends-to-lovers rom-com.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for the opportunity to read this ahead of its publication date in return for my honest review.

I was drawn to this book because of the title and cover. In practice I struggled to connect with the writing style. Thank you for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

If you are looking for a great friends to lovers romance, this is the book for you! It has all the feels you could want.

Description:
Sydney TV news reporter Josephine "Josie" Larsen is approaching 30 and coming dangerously close to failing at life. Lost in a vortex of other people's career milestones, engagement parties, and baby showers, Josie is perennially single, abandoned by her globetrotting family, and invisible to her boss - except for the one time he tuned in while she was mid-panic attack on live TV. As a punishment, Josie is shipped off to cover another reporter's six-month leave at a regional bureau in Newcastle.

But Josie has more waiting for her in Newcastle than yawn-inducing stories about bicycle lane protests. The city is also the domain of Zac Jameson - her best friend since high school. This should be a happy turn of events, but Zac has barely spoken to Josie for the past two years. Not since his fiancee tragically died in his arms in a car accident and he left Sydney to try and cope with his grief.

Now thrown back into each other's lives, Josie and Zac have to navigate their neglected friendship and secret attraction to each other while struggling with their careers and mental health.

Hilarious, sexy and heart-warming, this is the perfect romcom to sit on the shelves alongside Emily Henry, Sally Thorne and Ali Hazelwood.

My Thoughts:
This was a rollercoaster ride of a romance. These friends since high school were both pushing each other in other directions, but they were the best of friends. Both Josie and Zac were dealing with their own different traumas they were trying to overcome. The traumas and their work had pushed them apart and their friendship was in peril. This is an emotional romance with both sadness and joy. There are some hot, steamy encounters that will get your blood racing. There are heart-warming interludes filled with love and honesty. If you like a good romance, you will love this one.

Thanks to Allen & Unwin through Netgalley for an advance copy. This book will be published on January 3, 2024.

Thank you to NetGalley, Allen & Unwin and Natalie for a chance to read this book.

Love, just in follows our FMC Josie as she tries to navigate her career, being a young woman in general and reconciling with our MMC Zac, who happens to be her childhood best friend.

This book was an easy read, the characters were relatable and likeable and the issues they were facing were things I have faced myself.

I can see this easily being picked up by the ‘booktok’ crowd. Well worth the pickup in my opinion

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
This was unexpectedly sweet and swoony! How could I not love Zac and Josie, best friends since high school with a simmering attraction underneath. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite romance tropes! Not only do we have romance, but we have a storyline that addresses mental health, specifically anxiety over health, straight on. I found myself empathizing with Josie as many of her feelings have been my feelings over the years. Parts of this were drawn out too long but the genuine love and affection these two characters had for each other, the funny banter and the message about normalizing anxiety allowed me to put that on the back burner.

I have found a new. contemporary romance author and I look forward to reading more of her works in the future. I could also see this as a Netflix movie!!

Thank you to Net Galley and Allen & Unwin for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I requested this arc on a whim, and I’m glad I did! It was a bit heavier than I expected, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing.

My reading experience with Love, Just In was pretty inconsistent. I found myself gripped by the first half, and read until around the 60% mark in one night. Then I trailed through the next 20% before speeding through the rest.

1: The Plot

Josie Larson is a TV news reporter. After she has a panic attack on air, she’s relocated from Sydney to Newcastle. It just so happens that her childhood best friend, Zac Jameson, has been living in Newcastle for the past two years after the death of his fiancée.

Josie and Zac reconnect, trying to repair their friendship. As Josie navigates this relationship and her new environment, she finds herself attracted to Zac in a way she didn’t expect.

2: Prose, Narrative, and Story

The writing is really solid. I didn’t find the book hard to follow or the prose difficult to get through. I knew where we were, I knew how we got there.

3: The Characters

Both Zac and Josie are nuanced and messy, which I appreciated. Josie’s obsessive anxiety was really well written. It was hard to read at times because of my own experiences with anxiety, but so, so worth it. The author’s intent felt so genuine. And Zac’s issues were handled well too.

4: Conclusion

This book was definitely a heavier read for a romance, so keep that in mind. Personally, I love romance that breaks my heart and crushes my soul, only to put them back together again with a happy ending.

★★★★☆ (4/5)

It’s not very often we get a full history between characters and it was so enjoyable to get both the past and how that affects their current relationship. The author makes the reader work for the romance with its slow burn telling, but trust me it’s worth the wait. The author does a great job building a good foundation with this story between Josie and Zac.

There is a lot more to this book than its pretty cover and romcom premise. What I liked most about this book is now the author was able to give depth to a romcom story. There still was the quirky dialogue and fun scenes, but this author was able to also bring heavy topics to the story without overshadowing the romcom aspect.

This book made me feel like I was right in Australia. The scenery was vivid and though I have never visited, it felt as if I was experiencing the city first hand.

Thank you to NetGalley and Allen & Unwin for the ARC

I love the Australian setting; having family who live in Newcastle this I found this nostalgic and familiar. Those Newy beaches and the heat!
Josie isn't my favourite main character and I didn't feel as invested in her as I could have - I think this is because both the writing was a bit cringe, and Josie was incredibly un-self aware, especially where her attraction to Zac comes in. Surely she can't be that oblivious?! Current Josie doesn't seem any more grown up than high school Josie.
Otherwise a sweet story, with a happy ending, and very readable.

Big city reporter Josie gets assigned to a six month news job in a sleepy little town, where her former best friend Zac just happens to be. The two had grown apart offer Zac went through the tragic loss of his fiancée, but proximity brings them back together for the second chance they never had. I really enjoyed the past and present perspectives. I didn’t personally love the health anxiety plot line, but I was moved by the authors note at the end of the book detailing why she included it. All in all this was a good one- Do your self a favor and preorder it today.

This is for fans of HEA and Lucy Score who appreciate a smartly written romance that doesn’t shy away from real life situations and quirky characters.

Story is set in Australia with alternating POV of the main characters proving that when you’re best friends with someone of the opposite sex from puberty through young adult hood feelings are complicated. I don’t want to give away the plot, however I wasn't sure where I was being taken until page 50, than I couldn’t put it down..

Language is accessible for North American readers.

I liked the comparisons made in the blurb, so I gave this a chance and I was not disappointed. In romcoms I can get pretty frustrated with the MCs as the act like spoiled or annoying brats, but Josie and Zac were not a pair of bothersome babies. The romance was fun and earned. Thoroughly enjoyed.

Thank you to Allen & Unwin and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.