I cannot remember the last time a book hit me in the feelings the way A Love Like the Sun did. Laniah and Issac have such a beautiful foundation of friendship, trust, and love that watching them figure out and admit their romantic feelings for each other had me melting.

So many of my favorite romance tropes were featured in this book; friends to lovers, fake dating, slow burn. I also loved getting to know the rest of the characters in the book. Laniah's mom, Vanessa, Lex, Katrina, Bridget, and Wilma. They added so much depth to the story and were as complex and wonderful to read about as the main characters.

Even though it broke my heart to read, I loved the storyline about Laniah's health struggles. I felt that they were so honestly portrayed, and was not suprised, but of course sad to learn that they were inspired by the author's own experience being ignored and lied to by her doctor. I am grateful that she chose to write about these experiences that are all too common, particularly among women of color.

I really cannot say enough how much I loved this book. The simultaneous intimacy from years of friendship and yearning from repressed feelings created such delicious tension. I couldn't put it down!

Thank you Berkley for the complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a well written book, and I enjoy the references to the Providence area as well as the social media aspect to the fake dating relationship.

Unfortunately, there are a few too many side plots happening for my liking, some of which that finish up halfway through the book and are barely mentioned again. Speaking of storylines, while I value the importance of Laniah’s medical journey, we don’t see how this connects to the romance until 90% into the novel. It would have been great to see more focus on how these two plots connect.

It probably doesn’t help that this slow burn is so slow that by the time there’s any heat to the relationship, it feels uncomfortable. I love a childhood friends to lovers romance, but watching Laniah and Isaac fall for one another is almost incestuous at times, since there is a heavy focus on how her parents are a second family to Isaac, as he grew up in the foster care system.

If you enjoy an emotional novel with a bit of romance, I’d recommend A Love Like The Sun. I really enjoy Riss M. Neilson’s writing style, so I’ll be taking a peek at her other books soon!

This book totally took me by surprise in the best way. First of all, the cover is stunning. However, it was the fact that the characters in this book feel like real people that really grabbed at my heart. A childhood best friends to fake dating to lovers story, this one somehow felt more realistic than most romance books…and I think it’s all in the talented writing.

This was a cute one! It included a lot of romance tropes that we all know and love (friends to lovers, fake dating, celeb, etc) and it was a fun read.

This was just okay. I liked Laniah and Issac and fully bought into their history and chemistry - both platonic and romantic. But there was so many background plots that took away from the story development. And I really would have appreciated seeing them spending more time together in the present - but I did enjoy their pining.

Sweet friends-to-lovers romance. A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson is a contemporary romance about two best friends who fake a relationship to save the other’s business and reputation. Laniah Thompson is an introverted business owner whose business is currently failing. Isaac Jordan is a social media darling and puts his art, and life, out for the world to see. When he returns home for a visit with his best friend and finds Laniah is closing her business, he hatches a plan to save it. They fake a relationship for the summer and use his popularity to grow her clientele. The only problem is not catching feelings in the process.

Laniah is a great narrator. The story is told entirely from her perspective. She’s introverted and has high anxiety. Couple that anxiety with the fact that something in her body feels off and you have a recipe for disaster. Losing her father at a young age has rewritten Laniah’s outlook on life, and she lives a lot of it scared to love and be loved. Her business is her mother’s dream but also hers as well. She loves helping others find what works for their natural hair and what to avoid.

Isaac is a conundrum. He is just as shy as Laniah seems to be, yet he flourishes under the spotlight. He’s built a brand with his art and style. Now living across the country from his best friend to pursue that art has left a hole in Laniah’s life. She misses him and feels like he is slipping away each day. A fake relationship is not the answer she expected when he planned to help her business. And just putting the label of girlfriend/boyfriend on each other brings a level of intimacy to their relationship that’s never been in question before. Laniah wants him, but she is terrified of losing her best friend. And this fear plays into a lot of the book.

I wanted to love this story, and there are aspects I certainly love, but some of it fell flat. I loved the sweet, easy relationship Laniah and Isaac have. That only comes from knowing someone for as long as they do. I enjoyed Laniah’s relationship with her mom and other friends in the book. I struggled with the spicy scenes. They didn’t flow well with the rest of the story. While I understand that it is a story about how they are developing feelings for one another, there wasn’t any build-up of tension between them before the sex scenes. The scenes themselves also didn’t really match the personalities of the characters. It was like looking in on two totally different people than they were the rest of the book.

Overall, I enjoyed A Love Like the Sun. It reads more like women’s fiction than romance though there are definitely some romantic and sweet moments throughout the story. If you are a fan of friends-to-lovers romance, I highly recommend it.

I appreciated the main character’s story about chronic illness and being misdiagnosed as anxiety. I think we as women can all relate to that or know someone who can. However the love story fell flat for me. It was clear from the beginning the feelings they had for one another, and I found myself skimming over the second half. The writing style was very emotional, so much so that it was overwhelming.

Short synopsis: Laniah’s natural hair are business is sinking, so her Internet famous best fried Issac tells his followers they are dating in hopes of landing an investor for her.

My thoughts: I don’t know what it is about friends to lovers for me, but most of the time it just seems to work! I love watching the feelings develop, as they fight their true feelings. There is always some great tension.

I am also a huge fan of a strong female MC following her dreams. In this one Laniah had a business with the intention of helping others take care of their skin and hair. I loved how supportive Issac was of Laniah, and how he found a way to help her business thrive.

This is a spicy little thing with some amazing flirting and long distance relationship with some major character growth.

Read if you love:
- Friends to lovers
- Fake dating
- Supporting Small businesses
- Internet famous
- Great tension and banter

this was unfortunately a DNF for me -- i wanted to love it, especially after hearing the author share at a berkley influencer event this summer, but something about the writing style and content just didn't connect with me. i don't think it's the book, i think it just wasn't the book FOR ME. sometimes, you just don't click with the characters or even the author, and i think that's what happened here -- i just couldn't fully get into it and kept finding my attention veering, so i called it a day.

I really liked Riss' writing here. A lot of YA authors have been trying to make the transition to adult books but this is the first one I've read that didn't feel like slightly older versions of teen characters. The Romance is slow burn but she leads with just the right tension. I feel like I was peeking into to these two characters lives and I enjoyed how almost lyric her writing was.

As all fake dating romances go, this felt very run-of-the-mill. I knew most of the tropes that would hit me throughout the reading, so I had a really hard time paying attention and staying invested in it.

Fake dating romances can be really good when they introduce a new element or surprise. But this just didn't feel like it brought much to the forefront.

**Thank you to Berkley & NetGalley for the advanced reader copy. I received this book for free, but all thoughts are my own. – SLR 🖤

This is a best friend to lovers, fake dating romance.

The fake dating trope was very mild, in my opinion. The MMC lived on the west coast, and he and the FMC were apart for a lot of the book. The fake dating aspect was mostly through social media posts, with a couple of public dates that came later in the book. Because of this, it was a very slow burn and felt a little dragged out.

In my opinion, there is a miscommunication trope here as well. These two have been close friends since childhood - sharing everything with each other since. The FMC, in particular, really clung to the ideals and statements of love/relationships that the MMC had said in the past and used those as her reasoning for not acting on/stating her feelings. I found this frustrating because they're grown adults who supposedly tell each other everything. She shouldn't put so much on something he said when they were kids. People and circumstances change.

I did enjoy their friendship otherwise. It was fun and playful, and they really supported one another through a lot. I enjoyed the "What I Remember" chapters a lot. They gave great insight into the characters and their background.

I enjoyed the shop and side characters, especially Lex and Katrina. The mother-daughter relationship was very sweet.

I felt that Laniah's reasoning for not wanting love was a bit overdone. I could understand it making her hesitant, but to have her fully deny herself something that is so obvious, true, and strong didn't seem realistic. I did love her conversation with her mom about that topic, though, and how it changed her perspective on those memories.

This book did get spicy- not my personal preference, but I can see others enjoying it. That first kiss though was perfection!

I loved how much Isaac wanted to support and help Laniah and her mother. The tulips...🥹🥰. I loved his video towards the end.

I am really happy the author touched on the topic of women (especially women of color) and their experience with the medical system.

This was an okay read for me. Not bad, but not wow either.

Thanks to NetGalley, Berkley Publishing and author Riss M Neilson for this arc!

This is a childhood besties to lovers, fake dating, slowwww burn romance. I love these tropes & thought this one was pretty heartwarming! I really loved Isaac’s character & thought he was just the sweetest! Laniah wasn't as endearing to me, a little too insecure maybe?... but together they made sparks fly with their swoony chemistry!

It was a little on the spicy side & the language from the FMC was a little raw sometimes, which is not something I’m into, so be aware of that. There is also a third act break up, which in general I’m also not a fan of and it kinda put a damper on things for me.

Overall, it was a sweet love story full of hope, inspiration & finding the happy that’s been in front of you the whole time!

i got an advanced copy of A LOVE LIKE THE SUN i read it and enjoyed it... I liked that charactersespecially Lainia and her mother and the growth of their business.... it was also interesting to learn about the kidney disease that the main character has....interesting to learn the signs and also what person with this problem can and cant do. i would reccomend the book. i did think that it was a bit long

Sobbed like a baby. Like, the tears prevented me from being able to read. It really kinda pissed me off. I was inconsolable. Isaac is gooooooood. Like, so so good. Which really just means this author is that ridiculously good. It wasn’t the best writing I’ve ever read. And it wasn’t some of the other things that make me like a story. But it was, hands down, the best declarations of love I have ever read. It. Made. Me. Ache.

My only criticism, and it’s a minor one, is that I didn’t need the graphic descriptions of the sex. I read my fair share of smut, so I’m not a prude. Truly. But I felt like, in this novel, it actually took a little bit away from my enjoyment of the story. Not because of the fact of the sex, though. Because the sexual tension was killing me, too. I mean, come on. I can still feel it the next day!

I dug it! Like, a lot. 💜💜📚

I am a sucker for a good love story especially for one that turns bestfriends to lovers. I absolutely love Laniah and Issac's bond from bestfriends to pretend to real, you get a little bit of character development through out themfinding each other. There were some parts I loved and some parts that fell flat and at the same time left me wanting more of the story. Even an epilouge would have been great to add. The book as an entirety was a vibe and I love that he falls first while it takes her a bit longer to let him love her and realize that she is worthy of that love. The ending was just a bit rushed. I also felt like I needed more conflict and tension through out the story and I wish it would have dived into their past and present just a bit more. Definitely looking forward to reading this author again in the future. If you're looking for a fun summer romance with HEA ending, this is the book for you.



* I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!*

Laniah and Issac have been best friend's since they were awkward preteens. Now they're grown. Laniah is trying to save the fledgling business she runs with her mom. Issac is an internet star, artist, and model. They live across the country from each other, but Issac comes home regularly to visit. When he learns the business is in trouble, he decides to help the best way he knows how, by starting a fake relationship with her, posting about it to his millions of followers, and promoting the business at the same time. At the same time, Laniah is dealing with health concerns, and trying to be heard.

This is a classic fake dating scheme. The romance is sweet. Issac is everything a person could want in a romantic partner, The writing here is sweet and wonderful, and I loved watching that play out on the page.

The health troubles Laniah faces are unfortunately far too common, especially for women, and more particularly women of color. It's awful and frustrating. The way it derails the relationship is disappointing, but considering how Laniah doesn't like sharing her down moments with Issac, it's not surprising.

I really enjoyed the writing, and couldn't put it down.

I received an Advanced Reader Copy via NetGalley in return for sharing my thoughts on this book. Thanks to the author and publisher for this opportunity!

A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson is a heartwarming and beautifully crafted romance that explores the deep connection between two lifelong friends, Laniah Thompson and Issac Jordan. This story transcends the typical romance genre by intertwining themes of friendship, personal growth, and the courage to pursue one’s dreams.

Laniah, a private and determined woman, runs a small natural hair store with her mother. Issac, on the other hand, is a charismatic, internet-famous entrepreneur living a life under constant public scrutiny. When Issac returns to their hometown and learns of Laniah’s financial struggles, he proposes a bold plan to boost her business by pretending to be her boyfriend. What starts as a strategic move to save Wildly Green soon becomes a summer of self-discovery and the blurring of lines between friendship and love.

Neilson’s writing is poetic and evocative, capturing the tension and steam that build between Laniah and Issac as they navigate their fake relationship. The progression of their romance is beautifully paced, with each moment brimming with emotion and longing. The story doesn’t shy away from addressing deeper issues, either. Laniah’s experiences as a Black woman, especially in dealing with the healthcare system, are portrayed with sensitivity and realism, adding layers to her character and the narrative.

The book’s strength lies in its ability to blend the romance with meaningful subplots, making it more than just a love story. The exploration of Laniah and Issac’s shared history, their individual struggles, and the stakes involved in their business and personal lives make for a compelling and well-rounded novel. The fake dating trope is executed with finesse, and the transformation from best friends to lovers feels organic and deeply satisfying.

Overall, A Love Like the Sun is a tender and poignant slow-burn romance that captivates with its depth and sincerity. Neilson’s debut into adult romance is a resounding success, offering readers a story rich in love, resilience, and the pursuit of dreams. If you appreciate nuanced characters, a poetic narrative, and a story that seamlessly weaves together romance and life’s challenges, this book is a must-read for your TBR list. How can you say no to this beautiful cover?

"A Love Like the Sun” is a radiant, heart-clenching adult debut that explores the dynamics between lifelong best friends.

Laniah Thompson, a homebody who craves privacy, and Issac Jordan, an internet-famous entrepreneur, have been inseparable since childhood. When Laniah’s dream of running a natural hair store faces financial challenges, Issac steps in with a plan: they’ll pretend to be lovers for the summer to boost business. Suddenly business is booming, and Laniah agrees to his ridiculous plan just long enough to catch the eye of an investor and get her dream back on track. After all, she helped him do somewhat the same thing so many years ago.

As lines blur between friendship and something more, the chemistry between them becomes undeniable. Told over three sizzling summer months, this slow-burn romance is about shared history, bravery, and love in its many forms.

If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers stories, “A Love Like the Sun” is a must-read!

“A Love Like the Sun” by Riss M. Neilson was a good book but just not my type of read. I feel like it was written for a younger audience. Some of the language and action of the characters was totally lost on me. I did not understand what the character Issac did for his job. Was he an influencer, a model, an actor or an artist? He was supposed to be an artist but it didn’t work for me. I did like Laniah and her struggles with life were real. The sex scenes were graphic and did not seem to go with what I interpreted about Laniah from the book. Issac and Laniah’s story and relationship was interesting but I didn’t feel connected to them. Thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for giving me the opportunity to read this ARC. All opinions are my own.