A Love Like the Sun is a beautiful, moving, friends-to-lovers romance set in Providence, RI between two 20-somethings who first met at age 13, bonding over being bullied for being poor and then over the loss of their parents at too young an age. They are each other’s champions, and the healthy need Issac and Laniah have for each other keeps them connected even when he moves to Los Angeles and becomes a major influencer and model with videos in which he talks about finding his soulmate while working on his mixed media art. Given how handsome and personable he is, it’s no wonder that his star rises to the point that he’s a paparazzi magnet and has millions of adoring fans. In the meantime, the natural homemade beauty care store Laniah and her mother opened three years ago is closing, so Issac announces on his platform that he and Laniah are dating, confident that it’ll help save their business and attract investors. Will these best friends be able to resist the growing spark between them and can Laniah handle the (often hostile) fandom and media attention?

Although I’m not a fan of the trope where one of the couple resists crossing the friends boundary for fear of being hurt in the future or, worse, makes a decision to end a relationship prematurely to protect their friend rather than letting them have agency, Neilson handles it well. Both Issac and Laniah have struggled with the grief over their parents’ deaths, and Laniah has health concerns that her doctor attributes to anxiety, making her feel like a hypochondriac (which Neilson expands on in her author’s note), but their love for and commitment to each other is solid if she can just get out of her own way. Fans of Kennedy Ryan and Tia Williams will love this! Highly recommended.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Berkley through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

I’m not a huge fan of friends to lovers but this story gradually intensifies their dynamic chemistry with a delicious slow burn I couldn’t resist.

🌿 Longtime best friends fake date and end up reevaluating their friendship. 🌿

I loved the tight bond between Laniah and Issac. Growing up together and being by each other’s sides through many trials and tribulations made me love them more.

The reason for their fake dating wasnt far fetched. Using Issac’s celebrity status to help Laniahs faltering business made sense and having a stable girlfriend in return would help Issac’s image.

I couldn’t wait for them to explore the different feelings they were having for one another and was happy with the level of spice.

There was an added layer to this story that was unexpected. Laniahs fight over her health complications was a welcomed look into what it’s like for women in the healthcare system especially women of color.

Go meet Issac, your new book boyfriend! 🩵

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

💝 Friends to Lovers
🌹 Fake Dating
📸 Celebrity
🩻 Health Advocacy
🥵 Hot Chemistry
📝 Lyrical Writing Style

Spice: 🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

👉🏼 #bookstackcityreviews

🎁 A big thank you to @berkleypub @berkleyromance for this #gifted copy of #ALoveLikeTheSun !!

❓ Who would you choose for a partner in a love story: the hero, your childhood bestfriend or the enigmatic stranger?

A Love Like the Sun is the debut adult novel by Riss M. Neilson, and I will be back for more.

Laniah and Isaac have been best friends since childhood and have loved each other from afar, even if they failed to recognize or put a name to their feelings throughout the years. Each has things in their childhoods to get past that made them run from love or a deeper connection. The story goes from the past to the present and back again, and there is a lot of reminiscing in the present. Memories often get the characters through difficult times and situations. Isaac is always there for Ni, and they are good together, whether best friends, lovers or more. There is a richness to the story, and I loved the chapter titles. The title played a surprising role throughout, and a light was shone on it at the end.

I love the depth of the characters, their friendships, and familial love and relationships. However, the story sometimes moved slowly and was often repetitive, especially when Ni held back from expressing herself or kept secrets. There is a happily ever after and closure with the epilogue, but the ending seemed rushed, so I couldn’t savor what transpired. The discussion questions were thoughtful and a nice addition.

A Love Like the Sun is set in Providence and Los Angeles, and it was easy to visualize the settings. The twists and turns had me rooting for the main characters and for their relationship as best friends to become more as we got caught up in their lives.

The review is posted on NovelsAlive.

4.5 - Wow wow wow. This will definitely be one of my favorite romance books of the year, and I am SO GLAD I finally read one of Riss's books, because I am such a fan!! The way that this book made me feel, cry, the TENSION between Issac and Ni was just *chef's kiss*.

A Love Like the Sun follows Laniah, a small business owner, and her best friend, Issac Jordan. Laniah and Issac couldn't be more different on paper, Laniah still lives in her hometown with her mom and her closest friends, and Issac is a world famous artist. When Laniah's business is on the brink of shutting down, Issac steps in to try and save it, pitching the idea that he and Laniah can start dating to draw attention to her business. And instantly, Issac and Ni are brought into unfamiliar territory: the possibility of being intimate, spending more time together than in recent years, and what that could mean for their relationship.

This book had EVERYTHING that I love in a romance. First of all, best friends to lovers AND fake dating?? That is all I could ever want. The best friends to lovers hit different in this romance. I could literally feel the tension seeping off the pages, being able to see as the reader how obviously both Issac and Ni wanted each other, but also how much they were both pining for each other. Issac was such a dream man, I loved how he constantly showed up for Ni whenever she needed him, even if she didn't want to let him see the scary and bad parts of her life. I love a man who is down bad, and Issac surely was!! Most of all, I loved the undercurrents of such important themes: this book addressed chronic illness, grief and loss of loved ones, and so many other often neglected topics. It made me so happy to see a character as badass as Ni, who suffered from chronic illnesses and chronic pain and symptoms, who was neglected by her doctors, but refused to stop listening to her body! While this wasn't the main topic of the book, it was fleshed out so beautifully and realistically, in a painful but hopeful way. The conclusion of this book was so perfect and I honestly cried for the last 50 pages, praying that Issac and Ni would figure their shit out and get together.

Congrats Riss on a stunning adult romance debut!! I cannot wait to read more of your work! Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for providing me with this advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review!!

This book gave me all the happy-lovey feelings I wanted. The romance that blooms between these two is so heartwarming. I love watching them fall in love and it was clear that these two were made for each other.

This was a slow burn, but when it came time to get down to business Issac took care of Laniah! Think I’ll be claiming him as my summer book BF!

The writing and short chapters made this so easy to read and get lost in. It’s full of love, tension (the good kind), and tenderness! This is a feel-good, happy-tears kind of read and I will recommend this to everyone looking for the perfect summer romance.

Readers should be advised to check content warnings for possible triggers. The characters deal with grief (off-page) and chronic illness.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for the advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

First let me thank Netgalley and Berkley for the ARC of A Love Like the Sun by Riss M. Neilson.

This story had two of my favorite tropes, fake dating and friends to lovers so I had high hopes for it. However it just didn't grab me. I had a problem with some of the dialogue and while I could see the direction and intent Neilson was going for, it just didn't resonate with me. Considering it was friends to lovers, it gave me more of an insta love vibe since Ni's feelings just appeared after her dream of Isaac even though she had never thought of him that way before. By 40% I wasn't excited to pick it up anymore.

I will say that I liked the chronic illness rep and bringing the misdiagnosis issue to light for people who may not be aware. Not sure if it was me of the book but I'm giving this 2.5 stars. I really wanted to like this more but I had more things I disliked about the book than I liked.

A Love Like the Sun by Riss M Neilson
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Laniah is having a rough go of things right now, and the shop she runs with her mother is in serious trouble. When her best friend Isaac comes into town and asks to help she refuses to take his money. Which leaves him with no choice but to help in a much more public way.
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What I liked:
-This was a beautiful Friends-to-Lovers story. Laniah and Isaac have this amazing friendship and they know each other so well. Fake dating is such a fun trope, and I loved every minute of it for Laniah and Isaac. Their banter was so much fun to read and always put a smile on my face.
-Lots of big emotions! Niether one of our main characters have had an easy childhood, so there were some complex back stories to unpack that really made me FEEL both characters feelings and challenges they were working within. I cried quite a bit during the last third of the book.
-Laniah has a lot of great healthcare conversations in the story due to some symptoms she is worried about.
-I loved Isaac’s video at the end. 🥹😭🥰
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4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ A Love Like the Sun is not just a gorgeous cover (although that cover IS gorgeous 😍), it’s a sweet and powerful book about friendship, going for your dreams, and finding your own love story.

3.5/5 stars This book is so heartwarming and i really connected with the 2 main characters - even if the trope used was quite typical. I do think, however this book could use some more editing.

A romance about childhood friends, one who is now famous and the other who is struggling to keep her family's business afloat, who decide to explore if they can be more than friends. Isaac is Black and Laniah is biracial. There really aren't any surprises and despite some childhood loss and trauma, the book is pretty light. A good, easy romantic escape read.

𝐴 𝐿𝑜𝑣𝑒 𝐿𝑖𝑘𝑒 𝑡ℎ𝑒 𝑆𝑢𝑛 was real, raw, and gave the vibes exactly like the title says. This romance novel gave me vibes like lying on a blanket in a lush green grassy field with my eyes closed soaking up the beautiful sun rays. It was warm, radiant, and a feel good love story.

I loved Laniah and Issac’s road to romance. Longtime best friends reunited after months of being apart. Isaac uses his success to help Laniah and her mom’s business get back on its feet by using his success and pretending to fake date Laniah. The power of social media and how fast news travels, Lol. But… are the feelings really fake?

I loved how cautious both Laniah and Isaac were with one another and their feelings because they didn’t want to harm their longtime friendship. They took it slow and made sure the time was right before coming clean with each other. I say that, but I was in the background saying “just tell him” or “just tell her!” I loved the pacing they took with each other, especially Isaac!😏

Raw, rich, and heart-warming -- this was such a beautiful friends-to-lovers story and a stunning debut! The characters were complex, the storyline was vulnerable, and the romance was oh-so tender. Some aspects of the story felt a bit slow and I wish we would have had a bit more tension/yearning before feelings were professed, but overall, I can't wait to see what more Riss has up her sleeve!

A Love Like the Sun is an aptly named book that shows what love between two friends can look like once you stop letting the “What if” in the back of your mind make you question if you deserve the happiness in front of you. Ni and Isaac were such an amazing pair, and I loved the fact that the love they had from their childhood friendship made them show up for each other as adults in ways that opened the door for them to become so much more. Riss M. Neilson created a work of beauty with this book and touched on incredibly timely topics (especially the importance of hair in the black community) in a way I found new and refreshing. It’s the first time I’ve seen our struggles be depicted in a romance like this and I loved every minute of it.

Title: A Love Like the Sun
Author: Riss M. Neilson
Publisher: Berkley
Reviewed By: Arlena Dean
Rating: Four
Review:
'A Love Like the Sun

My Perception:

In "A Love Like the Sun" by Riss M. Neilson, we are introduced to the complex and heartwarming story of Laniah and Issac. Childhood best friends, their lives take different paths as they grow up, with Issac achieving internet fame and Laniah running a small business with her mother in their hometown.

The story unfolds as Issac returns home and discovers that Laniah's dream of running their natural hair store, Wildly Green, is in jeopardy due to financial struggles. In a selfless act of friendship, Issac devises a plan to help Laniah by pretending they are dating. This leads to unexpected success for the business but also brings unspoken feelings between the two friends to the surface.

The narrative beautifully explores themes of friendship, self-discovery, and love while shedding light on important issues such as healthcare discrimination faced by black women. The author skillfully weaves together a story that is both relatable and thought-provoking, addressing topics like family dynamics, unconditional love, and overcoming adversity.

Readers should be aware of content warnings, including the death of a parent, medical discrimination, and kidney disease. However, despite the characters' challenges, "A Love Like the Sun" delivers hope and resilience.

Many questions will be answered, like... What will happen to Laniah and Issac's relationship after their summer pretending to be lovers? Will Laniah's dream of running Wildly Green be fulfilled in the end? How will their shared history and undeniable pull affect their friendship and relationship moving forward?

Overall, "A Love Like the Sun" is a compelling and enriching read that offers valuable insights into the complexities of relationships and the strength found in facing life's obstacles.

I really enjoyed this book and normally I'm not a huge fan of second chance romance/friends to lovers. However, I loved Laniah and the MMC together. I could see how they fell in love with each other but also why they preferred to not see their feelings at first. My issue is that the structuring of the sentences were off and I believe this needed to be edited more.

A Love Like the Sun is a gorgeous, best friends to lovers (he falls first) romance. The butterflies in my tummy were flapping away throughout the novel. Rooting for Isaac and Laniah is easy to do and the progression of their relationship felt so very real.

The secondary plot point (re: doctors being dismissive to women, especially women of color) was unexpected and brave on the author's part. I think far too many women will identify with Laniah's journey as an advocate for her own health.

Neilson nailed her debut novel- can't wait to read more of her work.

Wow - this one put me in all my feels, you guys!! I don't know if it's because I have had 4 mediocre books in a row and this one just hit so much better or what, but I'm 100% praising Riss M. Neilso for giving us this incredible love story. It was the breath of fresh air that I needed, for sure. Isaac is new book boyfriend material, ladies!!

Combining the best friends to fake dating to lovers tropes was beyond chef's kiss. Ni and Isaac were made for each other. Their chemistry was so undeniable that even the unnecessary third act break up only made me roll my eyes a little bit but then moved right on.

Loved the author's attachment to the story. Make sure you read her notes at the end of the book.

A very happy 5 stars A Love Like The Sun.

In this case, you should definitely judge the book by its cover as this story is as vibrant and beautiful!

This story opens with probably one of my favorite dedications of all time.

“For anyone who has ever felt hard to love, to the lovers with wide-open hearts and the ones who like to keep theirs close, to anyone who has ever been afraid to ask for what they need, and for myself. It’s not easy being brave, but I believe in us.”

Wow, that really resonated with me! I love finding new authors that feel like they could be my closest friend based on the stories they write and the characters they introduce me to. Riss M. Neilson is officially an auto-buy author for me and I am honestly shocked this was an adult debut! The story was intriguing, I fell in love with the characters, and loved Neilson’s writing style a lot.

You get to meet Laniah and Issac and while you probably know by now that I am not going to give too much away, know that they have been best friends for years and now they are fake dating. Laniah needs a little help with her hair care products shop and Issac is a beloved influencer that can bring her some attention. If you love this troupe you are going to be smiling from ear to ear! I loved their comfortability with one another, their banter, and being a part of their friendship journey. I love the flashbacks to their childhood and thought that really added layers to their characters.

I loved the world that Neilson created and so many of the secondary characters too. There is love support, and some harder topics like grief and chronic illness explored in an approachable way. There is balance in the light and darkness of relationships. The characters struggle with growth, taking chances, and following their dreams and being along on the journey really had me invested. This was another book I binged and one that is the perfect beach read.

If you are a fan of fake dating, flawed but lovable characters, and the perfect balance of tenderness and realness, definitely check this one out!

I’m a sucker for a friends to lovers story, and this one was done so well!

The chemistry and history between Laniah and Issac was so rich and deep that it made their connection shine in these pages. They’re so playful and goofy together, but at the same time have more serious and tender moments, and I love seeing that balance. Sometimes the “famous person and regular person” trope is hard for me to get behind, but it really works and felt realistic here. The focus on Laniah’s passion and business was great to see, and I loved how big a role her close friends played throughout the book as well.

The only reason this wasn’t a 5⭐️ for me was because of the miscommunication (lack of communication?) towards the end; it’s my absolute least favorite trope, but for others might not be a problem. However, even that couldn’t take away how fantastic the rest of the book was.

Laniah and Isaac have been best friends since they were kids, despite their lives taking very different paths. While Laniah is a low key homebody, Issac is a household name. Even though Isaac has offered to help Laniah out multiple times over the years, Laniah’s privacy keeps her from taking him up in his offer.

But as her small business and ultimately her livelihood begin to suffer, Issac hatches a plan, insisting his best friend put her faith in him. That’s when Isaac tells the world they’re dating. Instinctively outraged, Laniah can’t help but to notice a considerable uptick in sales and general interest in her shop, literally overnight. This is how she comes to begrudgingly buy in on the ruse.

Issac being seen as the ultimate bachelor, the internet is instantly abuzz with the news. Who is the mystery woman who has stolen the heartthrob’s heart? But curiosity quickly turns to cruelty as the masses scrutinize every aspect of Laniah’s life. While it might be something Isaac has developed a thick skin for, Laniah wonders if the price of security is too steep to pay, especially when the lines begin to blur where feelings for her best friend are concerned.

A Love Like the Sun is a friends to lovers romance with a lot to swoon over. Issac is the best friend every girl wishes to fall in love with. While from the reader’s perspective their feelings for each other are obvious, it was still engaging to watch the tension unfold. I will say that the shift once it does, however, namely in the bedroom scenes seemed out of character with the rest of the novel.

This aside, A Love Like the Sun still manages to shine brightly amongst the rest in its genre.

Words are not enough to describe the depth of emotions and feelings I experienced while reading A Love Like the Sun. This book is beautiful, humorous, heart-wrenching, and so much more. A stunning and most needed addition to this world.

Riss M. Neilson immediately pulled readers into her book, using a familiar-feeling writing style and specially-placed flashbacks to the main character Laniah's past and memories. There was prose, familiarity. There was some usage of tropes, but not in the sense of annoyance or the causing of an eye-roll. Neilson masterfully portrayed and crafted them within the story in such a way that they evolved and set such high standards.

This story featured characterization I was excited to see. Riss is always strong in developing and maintaining her main characters, and Laniah was everything I was expecting and more. But I paid special attention to the side characters too, and I was pleasantly satisfied with what us readers received. The bond between Ni and her mom; her relationship with her friends Lex, Bridget, Katrina; her past and present development and growth with Issac. It was all put together, all what I had been longing for and seeking. The emotions, decisions, feelings, clarity... it was beautifully made, intricately placed.

With Riss' last two titles including fantastical elements, this one was a new but most welcome addition. I was interested in seeing the differences in plot, setting, and story--and we were delivered to on all fronts. Laniah faces health concerns, among her growing feelings for Issac and their fake-dating scenario, throughout the story. The ways in which it was brought into the plot and finally brought to its outcome is one I feel many will relate heavily too and identify with. I do wish we were given just a bit more time with this instead of facing it within the last 10% of the novel. However, that being said, the pacing of this book required it to come to its head and end the way in which it did--and while I had wished for that, I also acknowledge that that is how life can sometimes come about and shape to be. The decision Riss made in placing the falling action and conclusion where she had was the right decision, and it made the story all the better.

Woven with juicy tension, wants, experiences both unlike and similar to that of others, worry over one's body and health concerns, and more--Neilson kept us readers enraptured and hanging onto every word. This easily takes a top spot on my favorite titles shelf, and this might just be my new favorite book from Riss. I cannot wait to see what she has in store for us next, and I will be impatiently waiting for new reads to come.