I really enjoyed The Friendship Study but it was definitely a heavier story than I was expecting going in. Jesse and Lulu had me holding my breath and clutching my heart, whew. I related pretty hard to Lulu and when Jesse brought up the possibility of her having ADHD, I got why!

Crying at how wholesome and soft this book was, this is healing romance at its finest >>>>>

💫 MMC who's healing from a car accident + FMC who's healing from cheating ex/best friend, and they heal from their trauma + insecurities together / BECAUSE of each other
💫 Sunshine who talks a lot + Grumpy who just wants to listen to her all day

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"I read a book during my shift the other night ," I say. "About witches."
"No way." She sits back on her heels for the express purpose of shoving me.
"Way."
"And?"
I shrug. "I liked it better when I heard it from you."
--------------------

💫 Blind date to friends to lovers
💫 Bisexual rep! And neurodivergence rep!

TWs - parental figure in the later stages of Alzheimer's, car accident in the past which resulted in a life changing injury, cheating (FMC's ex cheated on her with her ex best friend), anxiety and panic attacks on page, loneliness experienced by MCs on page

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

This book sensitive and sad, warm and funny, and VERY sexy. I love seeing the bi representation as well as neurodivergence representation drawn so clearly and with such love and care.

This book was a little heavier than I expected, so please check out the content warnings before reading. I appreciate that content warnings were included — I wish more publishers included them.

This was such a beautiful romance. Ruby Barrett excels at creating characters who feel real. There’s a lot of tenderness in her writing and a care for her characters that shines through on the page. As always, her sex scenes are top-notch and fans of high heat romances will be pleased.

Thank you to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC!

I so wanted to like this book more than I did. First off, what I liked: I loved seeing a (mostly) openly bi man in an MF relationship. I so want more romances like this and more uplifting of bi men in romance. I thought Jesse's bisexuality was handled authentically; he had a previous relationship with George before Lulu, and he struggles coming out to a grandfather with dementia. I also loved how mental health was repped in this book, Jesse's emotional struggles with his disability from a car accident and chronic pain, and the chemistry overall between him and Lulu.

First, the story: Jesse, who has all the feelings but has struggled to express himself since the accident that ended his firefighting career, goes on a disastrous first date with Lulu, an accident-prone neurodivergent history professor who specializes in witchcraft and feminism but struggles to fit in with her colleagues.

The two end up in a study together that explores why adults have difficulty making friends. Only rule being study participants cannot have physical relationships with each other. Jesse and Lulu become instant friends, understanding each other on a level that no one else has.

From that premise I was hoping for more of a slow burn than I got. Immediately at the 40% mark they are platonically getting each other off without touching each other. I guess my main issue was the sex scenes just didn't really work for me and felt more awkward than sexy. They seemed superfluous to the plot and did not build their physical chemistry, complete with weird rules meant to manufacture tension. Then in the end the only tension was a series of dumb misunderstandings with each of them getting in their own way and I wanted to shake them more than root for them. And I'm sorry, it's not a crush if they know their feelings and act on them but **misunderstandings happen**. That's just a relationship.

The friends with benefits premise was so thin. I thought it would have set up some interesting conflicts if they hadn't acted on their feelings but this was not that type of book.

This book still had lots of great moments so it kills me to give it three stars but it just didn't pan out for me in the end.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the advance review copy. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

The Friendship Study is a heavier read than I expected, with themes of memory loss, loss of mobility, some pretty heavy grief, and cheating. Our MMC Jesse and FMC Lulu have both been through the ringer, and the trauma they work through is prevalent throughout a large majority of the book. While there were certainly happy/uplifting scenes and plenty of spice, readers should be prepared for a not so light read.

This book was wonderful at representation: bi rep, mental health rep, and neurodivergence rep. The author truly cares about her characters, and each had multiple dimensions to them.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Romance for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this contemporary romance, especially the dynamic between the two main characters. Both felt very real and human. If the book was a little longer I would've liked to have had a little more development of the other characters in the friendship study and their personalities, but the development of the main characters was really great. It does touch on some difficult topics like Alzheimer's and past SA, and the main characters are both dealing with their own recent traumatic experiences, but the book overall had warm and uplifting vibes.

Would definitely suggest to readers who like reading about the love interests getting to know each other as a lot of the book is about the characters getting to know each other and themselves.

4.5/5

I loved this book so much! The MMC, Jesse, ghosts FMC, Lulu, after their first date. They go about their lives very lonely until they both join a friendship study run by their mutual friend at the university Lulu works at. They end up reconnecting during the study and become friends to friends-with-benefits to lovers. I loved both MCs a ton. They were both struggling with things in their lives and were extremely lonely. Jesse, while he kept a lot inside and a pretty quiet guy, was just so sweet, and I wanted to give him a huge hug. And Lulu was so relatable (I mean as I write this I have bruises of unknown origin all over me as well!). She got Jesse out of his shell and both go through a huge transformation together. My favorite part was Jesse getting the cat and the moment that followed between him and Lulu finally giving into their feelings. There were some tough topics, but they were written with care. This was my first book by Ruby Barrett and won’t be my last. I will definitely be adding this to my shelf on release day on February 13, 2024!

This book read like a warm hug. Love Barrett's accessibly pretty prose, the bi rep, and the gentleness of the budding romance. As usual, Barrett's spicy scenes were perfectly done. A favorite for sure!

this cover made me think i was reading a m/f version of like rubyfruit jungle or something. LOVED the vibe of it.

this book is deeply kind and has characters with a lot of pain trying really hard for themselves and each other and the world. i would read spinoffs with the other study participants or the firefighters or the people in the department or honestly like anyone in this book--everyone is written with such love and care and you just want them all to be okay. and i trust that the details of how they get there would be thoughtful and fun and hot because the author proved that over and over here.

This is the second Ruby Barrett book that I've read and they honestly are only getting better. I loved the development of the characters and their relationship together. They really found solace in each other and it was deeply emotional. I couldn't put it down and was so excited to get to the next chapter. Ugh it was just so good read this when it comes out guys!!!!

Thank you SO much to @netgalley and @harlequinpublicityteam @harlequinbooks for an ARC of this book! 🖤

This book was everything I didn't know I needed. As an adult who got diagnosed with ADHD in my late 20s, I've never felt more seen in a book or in a character than with Lulu. Being told you're too much, feeling like you're a lot for people to deal with, not having a filter when you talk because there's so much you have going on in your brain and you want to say it all, feeling all of your emotions with such intensity that you wonder if it's normal to react that way, being overwhelmed with the fear of rejection, the fidgeting.... I could go on and on.

This book represented all of it SO well, and I was in love with Lulu and Jesse just as much as I was in tears with their struggles and internal thoughts. I loved the whole thing from start to finish.

📚 Bi Rep
📚 Undiagnosed Neurodivergent FMC
📚 Friends to Lovers
📚 Friends with Benefits
📚 Slowburn Romance

Thanks @netgalley @harlequinbooks and @rubybarrettwrite for the early look at The Friendship Study. It releases on February 13, 2024.

Is it HOT in here or is it just Ruby's writing? 🥵 The love story between Jesse and Lulu was deeply emotional and had some of the hottest 🔥 scenes ever committed to text.

Jesse has been in a rut ever since an accident ended his career as a fireman. Making matters worse is that his grandpa's Alzheimer's has progressed to the point where he doesn't recognize him anymore. When his friend George suggests that he participate in a university study on millennial friendships, he hopes it's a chance to shake things up and make some cash.

Lulu has been heartbroken and lonely after her boyfriend left her for her best friend. She's living in her hometown again and only has an academic at the local university because of her dad's clout. She's lonely so, she decides to join the friendship study in the hopes that she will learn how to make friends.

The attraction between Jesse and Lulu is undeniable, but the study has a strict "no romance" rule. They won't get caught, right?

Loved the LGBTQ+ and neurodiversity rep in this book!

Steam: 🔥🔥🔥🔥
Tropes: no dating, friends with benefits

The Friendship Study is a wonderful exploration of love and what it means to be your most vulnerable self.

I love Lulu and Jesse so much! These characters have wonderful chemistry. And the spice was soooo good!

I also loved how Jesse gently brings up the possibility to Lu that she might have ADHD. That was handled beautifully.

The 3rd act breakup didn’t feel like a breakup, it felt like a pause that was needed so Jesse could realize his worthiness as a human. That he is worthy of Lulu’s love and friendship.

Thank you to Harlequin Romance and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my review!

This book was well written, a great representation of mental health, the romance was so sweet and had some spice....
Overall, this book was well done.
That being said, I didn't enjoy this book that much.....

It's a me problem, I promise you that. This author did a wonderful job, I just think I might be a little bit burnt out from romance..

Please don't let my experience stop you from reading this book though....it was really well done.
I do plan on reading way more from this author and I WILL give this book a re-read when I am no longer burnt out...and I will update this review once I have read it.

This book gets four stars why?
- Fantastic writing.
- Adorable swoony romance with fantastic spice
- Mental Health Rep

I have pretty much stopped reading cis-het romance novels because the male characters are so badly written, just cardboard objects. I guess it is karma for the men to be objectified, but it doesn't make for interesting reading.

This is not one of those books. Jesse is rounded and real.

From the author's afterword, this is also a very personal book. For seasoned romance readers, some of the beats might be a bit "off" because of that. For example, there is a potential diagnosis of one character, but that isn't resolved. And one character's job contract is renewed, but it isn't permanent. For me, this makes it feel more like a slice of real life instead of the neatly wrapped HEA that doesn't have a next act. I could actually believe another book about these people that wasn't a romance, and I'd read that.

Read this if you've been wanting a bit more out of your romance novels.

I LOVED this book! My first read by Ruby Barrett. I requested because I thought the premise sounded like something I could relate to, and it did not disappoint!

The Friendship Study is centers around Lulu and Jesse, who are lonely after big life changes and events and are trying to figure out what it means to find out where they fit into the world after such things have happened to them.

Plot-wise, I really liked how unique this was to the things I have read lately. Lulu is a history professor, and she is just arrived back in her hometown after her big life event and is struggling to fit back in and find friends. She is deeply lonely and needs social interaction. Jesse is an ex firefighter and after a big car accident (non spoiler) that causes him to no longer be able to do his job, he is in a really deep funk that also causes him to isolate himself from his friends. He is also deeply lonesome, but doesn’t necessarily know what he wants for himself. They find a commonality through George, who is Jesse’s best friend and Lulu’s colleague at the University. One thing leads to the next and here we have Lulu and Jesse enrolled in the Friendship Study, which is being run by George. The big thing is, participants are not allowed to engage in any sexual relationship with each other…

What I really enjoyed the most is our MCs and their personal journies they go on and their journey through each other. Lulu feels most of her social troubles stem from her being too much- I really felt like I related with that; and I like her arc of her finally realizing that maybe she isn’t too much, it is that maybe others are not enough. And on the flip, Jesse having such a well of emotion, he can’t even verbalize, it was kind of frustratingly beautiful to be in his mind through that and work through his journey with him to the place where he finally could get his feelings out there without the mental barrier.

I felt that Lulu and Jesse’s relationship was really sweet and the mutual care and respect was delightful, and not anywhere near stale. The tension was there, and the chemistry was fire! Very steamy 😮‍💨

Overall, I thought this was a great read. Making new friends as an adult is HARD! I think that this book tackled these tender feelings well.

Thank you for an ARC in the exchange for an honest review.

Friends to lovers! Great trope! These characters had other things to overcome but being part of a study in friendship where they weren’t supposed to get romantically involved was a big one! Learning how to make friends and accidentally falling in love at the same time! They just needed a sense of belonging and they’ve got it!!

Wow, I loved this. I think I was just in the perfect headspace for a contemporary with flawed main characters, and this fit the bill. Our male main character, Jesse Logan, is in a pretty deep depression after a serious car accident caused him to lose his job as a firefighter. His grandfather, who essentially raised him and has always been the most important person in his life, has Alzheimer's and no longer recognizes him. The book opens with his best friend and ex-boyfriend George staging a mini-intervention and convincing Jess to go out on a date with Lulu, George's new friend from the university where he works. Lulu is a history professor who is struggling to adjust to being back in her hometown in Pennsylvania after a major breakup drove her back from a university in the UK. Lulu's father is also a history professor in the same department, and it's widely known that Lulu got her job through him, so she's struggling to build relationships and find her place. She and Jesse have an immediate attraction, but neither plans to pursue anything until they both find themselves as participants in a study (that George is running with some colleagues) about friendship among adult millennials. One major rule of the study is that participants can't get involved in sexual relationships, which turns out to be more complicated for Jesse and Lulu than they expect. I really liked both Jesse and Lulu and appreciated that Barrett didn't try to gloss over their flaws and foibles but made them part of the story in a way that allowed for growth and change.

RATING: 4.25/5 STARS

THE FRIENDSHIP STUDY was so incredibly delightful, I could not get enough! There was impeccable tension and just the perfect friends-to-lovers dynamic. I loved Lulu and Jesse together- their relationship was warm and comforting, but also brought the heat in certain scenes. I really enjoyed this novel that centered around loneliness and finding both romantic and platonic companionship.