If you enjoy modern fairy-tale romances, you’ll enjoy this Beauty and the Beast story. It has everything including the servants and an AI voice that has much more personality than any real AI computer today.

Bellamy goes to work to refurbish a lovely old house. And she finds there a hunky, large guy who has been living there as a recluse for eight years since his parents died in a car accident.

Of course, he’s immediately attracted to her, but he’s such a grump that she doesn’t realize it for a good part of the book. The story is over the top and after a while I got rather tired of the whole sunny/grumpy trope along with all the fairy tale tidbits.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

4.5 stars! It was almost a 5 star rating but whenever there is a grumpyxsunshine trope I feel like it has to be dual POV to just enhance it. I honestly didn't know what to expect when starting this book but it was surprisingly beautiful. The found family trope in this book really did it for me. Oliver was the perfect level of grumpy for me, he wasn't too much of an asshole and stopped being grumpy at an appropriate part of the book. I loved the main character Bellamy she was so relatable and I felt like her struggles were very justified. I did also kind of have an issue with the 3rd act breakup because to me it feel like a little dramatic, but how everything tied together at the end was very good. I also grew to love all the side characters in this book and the AI made me laugh out loud soooo many times.

“I wish I could say that was the first time I’d heard something like that. My youth, weight and gender they all worked against me in these types of situations (...). I’d stand in front of a group of old white men, and they would always prefer another man. They’d never consider that a woman might be in charge, especially one that looked like me.”

Barely Even Friends is a very easy read, steamy, fast paced and with very lovable characters. The first thing that jumps to the eyes is the Beauty and Beast retelling. I enjoyed how it was done, with obvious references, especially in the beginning, but with a story that –of course– also works completely on its own too.
The book appealed to me for many reasons. Bellamy, the plus-size MFC, was one of them, and I’m thrilled to say that she is a great one. The character isn’t all self-pity or super empowered, but something in between that feels real –and made me feel seen– and the judgments she endures (now or in the past) felt real and familiar. Too young. Not a man. Not fitting the “beauty standards”. These prejudices are real and I loved that they are one of the core problems for Bellamy, one of the reasons why it first became so difficult for her to balance her personal and professional life.
Oliver’s character, even if the whole book is told from Bellamy’s POV, is also very developed and interesting. His arc around grief is more classic, and sometimes the load of guilt is a bit much, but again he is really well crafted and feels real.
I adored both Oliver and Bellamy, how the reciprocated irritation moved into sexual tension and gradually turned into a real relationship. In the end, they revealed to each other, and their wounds echoed one another, eventually helping them grow. The renovation metaphor really worked here, for them both.
I only regret that sometimes changes feel a bit rushed, especially regarding Oliver. Maybe it’s where the dual POV sometimes helps, because the pivoting in the car and library felt a bit rushed or “out-of-nowhere” (or were some pages missing in the ARC?), and the same sentiment lingered over the last part, even if here Bellamy’s POV explained everything as we see the whole situation through her eyes.
I truly enjoyed that read, thank you NetGalley, Mae Bennett and Alcove Press for this ARC. My opinions are my own.

Rate 4.5/5

This book made me feel all the emotions- I legitimately cried for our main characters! It starts out as a nod to Beauty and the Beast- girl comes to castle for her father (in this case for his business) and runs into the wounded beast that wants her gone, and the cast of servants (including Bl8z3) that steal the show. It is, from the view of romance, a terrible meet-cute, but it was perfect here. Ambrose, our housekeeper and tailor, is charming in his old fashioned way where as Rue and Nick keep things light and funny. Bl8z3, the ai home… secretary is the best word, I think, is a charming way to bring out the enchanted part of our contemporary Beauty and the Beast retelling.

As far as our main characters go, Bellamy and Oliver are perfect. She is brightness and determination and he is steady, grounding. The chemisty here is undeniable, though in true romcom fashion they tried their damndest, and I loved their interactions. It was the emotional connection, though, that really got me. Each have their own demons to master before they are ready to committ to one another. I saw a lot of growth here, and I loved that. The thing about romcoms is that the same tropes have been told a million times. What keeps these fresh are characters, interactions, the cute aspects of their connection which is always unique. This one delivered a fun, fresh, sexy read that made me want more. I will be waiting to see if any of our side characters get their own story. With a solid plot, great characters, and a good flow to the story, I would consider this a five star book.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 5 out of 5.
As far as adult content goes, there is language, sexual content (level four spice, not terribly explicit but definitely hot), and emotional abuse (this may be a trigger for some readers). All in all, I would still say it’s appropriate for new adults.

Once again, I recieved this book from Netgalley working with Alcove Press in exchange for an honest review. My thanks!

Words cannot describe how much I loved this book and how proud and happy I am for the person who wrote it.

When Mae announced that her Beauty and Beast retelling got picked up for trad publication, I was ESTACTIC, and I couldn’t wait to get my hands on it.

READ. THIS. BOOK. Not only is it a great Beauty and Beast retelling, but Mae manages to handle some big topics, like grief, with grace. I LOVED everything about this book, from the MCs to the side characters to the conflicts to the shenanigans. EVERYTHING.

Mae - I am so HAPPY for you and so glad I can call you a friend. I can’t wait to read anything and everything you write. 🥰💛

A really sweet debut from author Mae Bennett. A take on our favorite fairy tale, which you can get from the title, it’s changed and modernized enough to be very enjoyable and entertaining. A solid 4-star read.

We have our isolated mansion, our library with ladders, our household staff off misfits (all human, though, except one lovable AI… no candelabra or clock or teapot!), and our characters named Bell (Bellamy), and a beastly acting one who hid himself away after an injury. Bellamy is tasked by the beast… I mean Oliver’s grandfather hires her father’s restoration company to fix up the estate. She ends up living in close proximity to the grump during the project and manages to befriend the recluse. I also appreciated all of the side characters and loved each one, and the LGBTQ aspect with several.

It was a great spin on the classic tale with some unexpected moments and surprises in the storyline that made it better than some other versions I’ve read - I definitely recommend it for that alone! A great debut and I see a brilliant career ahead for Bennett! I’m looking forward to her future releases.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Alcove Press, and this is my honest feedback.

Unfortunately, a DNF for me - I'm simply not connecting with the story or the characters. I've tried to get into it multiple times with no success. As someone who has watched Beauty and the Beast more times than I can count, that's definitely disappointing for me. This is a true retelling, with strong references to the beloved story and some modern twists. Not sure I was a big fan of the modern twists, honestly, but they would've been fine if I'd been more emotionally invested in the characters. And I simply wasn't, so I set it aside. I am looking forward to checking out more from this debut author as her writing grows, especially if I can't mentally compare it to a story I know well.

Barely Even Friends by Mae Bennett was the best most steamy Beauty and the Beast retelling ever! I was so excited to jump into this one and it did not disappoint!
I really enjoyed this read, it was such a cute story with memorable characters.

Thank You NetGalley and Alcove Press for your generosity and gifting me a copy of this amazing eARC!

This is a beauty and the beast retelling. I wanted to like this one so bad because that is my favorite Disney movie. But I just though that this book was bad. I did not care for the story and felt like it was trying to hard to be good.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thank you, Partner @netgalley & @alcovepress for the advanced copy.

Things I loved:
- It’s a retelling of my favorite princess story, Beauty and the Beast.
- The main character’s names: Bellamy and Oliver. 😍
- I really enjoyed the AI character. It gave the story a sci-fi twist.
- The Taylor Swift references!!
- PLUS. SIZE. REP!!!

Read this if you love:
- Fairy tale retellings
- Steamy intimate scenes
- Forced Proximity, Grumpy x Sunshine, and Enemies to Lovers tropes
- HGTV!

4 stars!

I must admit that when I sat down to read "Barely Even Friends" by Mae Bennett, I was a little nervous. Contemporary romance retellings of fairytales often don't work for me, but this one really did! If you overthink it too much, you'll be able to pick it apart, so maybe just don't do that and enjoy the ride. It can be *a little* cringe-worthy at times, but I think it lends to its charm throughout the story. This book is super cute. I liked the plus-size representation in Bellamy, the main female character. She has terrific banter with the grumpy Oliver. She has something to prove restoring the Killington Estate without her father for the very first time. Bellamy is driven and determined and really doesn't get along with Oliver at the start. This leads to some delicious pining between the two of them, but she has had her heart broken before and is cautious about love. Oliver is a very layered character with an emotional journey through grief that feels authentic and realistic. I love how Mae Bennett handles the losses he has gone through. None of the drama there felt ham-fisted or forced. I also really liked the spice in this book. The lead-up to the divulging of their feelings is slowly paced, but in a good way! Some of the lines of dialogue Oliver says to Bellamy are *fire emoji fire emoji fire emoji* chef's kiss. I am surprised how well this retelling of "Beauty and the Beast" worked, and Bennett gets tons of credit for a job well done, bringing what could have been a problematic retelling to life in a fresh, new way. The prose can be a little redundant, but it didn't diminish my enjoyment of the book as a whole. Overall, I think that there's a lot to like about this reimagining!

Thank you to NetGalley, Mae Bennett, and Alcove Press for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Bellamy is put in charge of an extensive mansion restoration. This project will make or break her career. When she arrives at the houses she’s greeted by the resident grump, Oliver Killington. Will Bellamy be able to complete the project on time and work along side the beastly Oliver to make a name for herself??

If you love HGtv with a side of spice 👏🏼 this book was made for you!

Perfect if you like:
Frenemies to Lovers
Grumpy X Sunshine
Forced Proximity
Found Family
Fairytale Retelling
Plus Size Rep

I really wanted to love this story more than I did. I am such a sucker for fairytale retellings. This story had all the potential for me but I was not wowed. I wish there was more tension between the characters to build the enemies to lovers appeal. It read as an insta-love. The house staff being AI/robots wasn’t for me. I was also hoping for a character with a larger conflict like Gaston. Overall, cute story but just not for me. I’m sure there will be many that read and give it five stars!

Thank you NetGalley, Mae Bennett and Alcove Press for an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review!

Tapped out of this one after 50 pages. It was too cutesy for me and the links to the Disney version of Beauty and the Beast stretched my credulity beyond breaking point. Perhaps there's an explanation for why there would be a sophisticated AI (by the name of Bl8z3) wired into every room of a crumbling old house otherwise desperately in need of repair, but I didn't stick around to find out. Presumably Bl8ze is the Lumiere character. I love a Beauty and the Beast retelling usually - it's one of my favourite fairy tales but the references were too obvious for me and I was baffled by the AI character.

Also, my brain cannot read "Bl8z3" as "Blaze".

Barely Even Friends is a cozy, fast paced romance with heart melting character growth. Bellamy is set to the task of a complete overhaul of the crumbling Killington Estate only the heir Oliver, wants nothing to do with her or her ideas of restoring the house. Forced to coexist while Bellamy works on the estate her and Oliver agree to a truce only they can't fight the tension between them. The way Oliver slowly opens up to Bellamy and shows her the softer side of himself is just perfection.

Single POV, Spicy, Forced Proximity, I Hate You/It Turns Me On, Slow Burn, One Bed, He Falls First

A modern day beauty and the beast retelling that felt a little too on the nose. The fact that it took me 5 days to finish a book is never a great sign. I will say I liked the first half of the book more but it felt more like vibes and tropes and there was a lack of stakes that made it hard to feel invested in the story.

Oliver is the “beast” in this story, a recluse who hides away from his family and the company he stands to inherit after a car accident years ago left his parents dead and him injured to the point that he lost his ultimate dream to play professional football. He blames himself for the accident, convinced he’s cursed and somehow, the reasoning for this felt so very flimsy. And the idea that the entire world had turned on him, that the press would blame him and hound him for what was clearly a drunk driver’s fault, seemed far fetched.

Bellamy is the “beauty”, a historical home restoration expert with a penchant for suspenders. She has dreams and loves libraries and is convinced she’s not a forever type of girl because her profession keeps her moving every few months. I felt like so much time was spent on Oliver’s backstory, we got shorted with Bellamy.

The story was ok but the pacing was super slow in the beginning, the romance was okay, the household staff was very on the nose, and Oliver’s grandfather and cousin were absolutely odious.

All in all, it was ok but it wasn’t super memorable or great.

Content notes: grief related to parental death, parental abandonment, toxic family vibes, car accident off page and lengthy hospital stay, mention of therapy

I wanted to love this one so much, but it just wasn’t really for me.

📖 Barely Even Friends
📝 Mae Bennett
🗓️ 06/04/2024
💜 contemporary romance
📱 read on kindle (arc)

⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️🌶️🌶️

💭 overall thoughts:
I really went back and forth on my rating for this one. Something intrigued me from the start, otherwise I would have DNFed.

Unfortunately, I found myself not really wanting to pick this back up.

All the bones were there, but the execution just didn’t work for me.
Since I read this as an arc, I’m wondering if there were possibly edits done and a different version is what will be released.

tropes + topics:
💛 beauty & the beast retelling
😤 enemies(ish) to lovers
🌦️ grumpy sunshine
🏠 temporary housemates (house restoration project)
🔗 forced proximity
💓 single 1st person pov

Thank you to NetGalley & Alcove Press.
All opinions are my own

Barely Even Friends is the perfect modern Beauty & the Beast retelling!

It captures the magic of the fairy tale (or Disney movie) but adds its own twist. I appreciated that Bellamy was not a bookworm. Bennett did something unique with Belle's character with Bellamy. I liked that she had her own personality but you could still see the Belle inspiration. Oliver was the perfect grump. I loved him and how soft he was for Bellamy. He built her bookshelves (my dream act of service haha).

I was not expecting this book to be as spicy as it was. What a pleasant surprise. That library scene!!! OMG! That will live in my head for quite a while. That scene was so hot.

A wonderful debut!! Would recommend if you enjoy Beauty & the Beast retellings or romcom enemies to lovers.

3.75🌟
I got into this book really quick, it was eas and fun to read. I loved Bellamy she was so headstrong and resilient trying to make her dream come true. I loved how passionate she was about her job. oliver my grumpy oliver who's a total softy from inside. I loved seeing their relationship grow. The slow burn was so good. Also the side characters were amazing. Ambrose, rue and Nick I loved their moments. Also how can I forget the AI bl8ze. Also oliver calling bell petal was so cute.
Overall it was a great book i really enjoyed it .
Thank you the author, publisher and netgalley for the e-arc.

3.5 stars - A cute B&B retelling!

This was the slowest burn for me, and I'm not sure if it was because I needed something quicker to get my mind off real-life stuff, but I just felt like the story development moved at a glacial pace. I stepped away and came back after finishing a few other books and am so glad I did.

I loved seeing Bellamy take the role that's predominantly male, so that was refreshing! Oliver was extremely closed off from the world, and rightfully so, but watching her slowly lead him out of his shell was so worth the slow journey. A genuine grumpy/sunshine story with a little home improvement mixed in.

Barely Even Friends is a modern take on the enemies to lovers classic story, Beauty and the Beast. Bell (Bellamy) gets to launch her own designs on a dilapidated mansion with a mysterious, grumpy resident. Oliver is struggling with his lineage in the Killington family, and the tragedy that destroyed his life.

What slowly develops as friendship, quickly morphs into lust and longing. Together, these two construct the perfect plan to make this house a home. Barely Even Friends is a cute, adorable fairytale retelling. Rating 3.5

Thank you, Alcove Press