I didn't really go into this book with any expectations. Bethany Turner has written many romances, but this is the first one I've read. What really drew me in was the cover. It just gave off the rom-com vibes that I live for. Then when I saw it was described as if When Harry Met Sally had a love child with Gilmore Girls' Luke and Lorelai, I was sold. However, to be honest, after reading I see very little correlation.

Cole and Laila have been best friends their entire lives. Growing up in a small Colorado town, they are inseparable. When Cole's grandfather dies and doesn't leave his restaurant to Cole, Cole is devasted. I promise this isn't a spoiler - it's revealed very quickly in the book. Cole, who has been running the restaurant, expected to inherit the restaurant after his curmudgeon grandfather dies. When he doesn't, he spirals into mid-life crisis and decides he wants to move to New York and be a chef there. Laila, on the other hand, is happy living a quiet life as a waitress in their small town. She has no aspirations or desire to move New York, despite Cole's suggestion that she should come with him. Laila, in the end, decides to join Cole in a visit to New York and to convince him not to move. Will their friendship be enough to convince Cole to stay in Colorado?

I had a really hard time connecting with these characters. They are in their mid-late 30s, but this very much read like a YA novel. Cole is a bit insufferable. He is whiney, entitled, and incredibly privileged. Although not inheriting his grandfather's restaurant is surely devastating to someone who has centered their life around it, his reaction to it came off as childish and immature. It very much came off as "fine, if I don't get to own the restaurant then I'm leaving" despite friends trying to come up with alternative solutions to the whole situation. Then there is Laila... she is QuIrKy with her pink, plastic Sophia Loren glasses and supposed to be endearing because she refuses to leave how to cook and has no food at her besides chocolate chips and basically relies on Cole to feed her since he's a chef. This also came off as immature. She's a grown woman who seems to be incapable of caring for herself.

This friends-to-lovers romance is a slow burn. The banter between the two characters fell flat for me. I just didn't feel any sort of love connection between them, and they were incredibly co-dependent. I also don't understand how the two of them don't realize they're in love with each other when they literally spend every second of every day together... and then suddenly out of nowhere they realize it? It didn't add up for me.

To be fair, this wasn't a bad book. It was fluffy and cozy, which fits with this time of year. It's like watching a bad Hallmark movie. It's cheesy, but a nice break from reality. I wouldn't read it again or go out of my way to recommend it, but I can see how other reviewers have genuinely enjoyed this one. Don't expect any spice with this one though. It's a closed-door romance with very little sexual tension. I didn't realize until after I read it that it was actually classified under Christian fiction, so it makes sense. Also, be prepared for an overload of pop culture references.

A Hallmark movie type Romance that just made me mad because it took them so long to realize they loved each other! All the time they wasted. I couldn't finish it.

We LOVE Bethany Turner! This book was an absolute delight! It was so fun to read and discuss. The characters from Adelaide Springs felt like old friends that we got to revisit. Full podcast interview linked below!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

REVIEW: Cole and Laila Are Just Friends

Cole and Laila Are Just Friends by Bethany Turner is such a sweet and refreshing spin on the classic friends-to-lovers story! It follows Cole and Laila, two childhood pals who’ve always had each other’s backs. As they deal with life’s ups and downs, they realize that their friendship might run deeper than they thought.

Turner's writing is witty and heartfelt, perfectly capturing those little moments that make friendship special and the thrill of young love. The characters feel real and relatable; their emotional journeys pull you in. Plus, how the author tackles grief and healing adds a nice layer to the story, making it more than just your typical romance.

Sure, the plot can be a bit predictable sometimes, but the charming characters and those heartwarming moments make up for it. If you’re in the mood for a cozy read highlighting the magic of friendship and love, Cole and Laila Are Just Friends is worth picking up!

Thank you, Netgalley and Thomas Nelson--FICTION, for the free advanced copy for my honest review!

Read: May 2024 - 4 stars

This novel picks up not long after where Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each other left off in Adelaide Springs.

Cole and Laila have been best friends for their whole lives. I completely agree with Laila who said that the term “just friends” doesn’t encapsulate friendship properly. It sounds like a low grade or something. A friendship shouldn’t be “less than.”

I wondered how the author would handle such any sort of romantic transition. It’s one thing to go from friends to more but it’s another thing to go from LONGTIME best friends to more. She handled it really well and it didn’t feel forced or overly dramatic. The change was awkward, kind of goofy, kind of complicated, & silly-sweet. That’s exactly how I think it would be to alter the course after decades of friendship.

Three things that felt off for me:
1. I did feel that I was reading about a couple in their mid-twenties and not about to turn forty. I’ve been through both myself. Their actions, behaviours, etc were fitting of twenty-somethings.
2. I’m not a pop culture and celebrity fan so I definitely could have done with a lot less of that.
3. I had some difficulty getting into the first part of the book. It wasn’t until they were in New York and sightseeing on their own that the book hit its sweet spot and my rating went up. I love Cole and Laila. I couldn’t help but root for them!

I really enjoyed how the book ended. The talk with his Mom, the additional info, the surprises, etc. It all felt…. just right.

I’ve read all of Bethany Turner’s books and her humour is always fun. There was definitely some SWOON in this book!

When it comes to clean rom coms, Bethany Turner is one of my go-tos and I was thrilled to be able to read an ARC of her newest book. Upon beginning, I immediately realized that I had to go read her previous book (Brynn and Sebastian). Although this book can be read as a standalone, I found it much more enjoyable with the background of the previous book. Cole and Laila are best friends who grew up in a small mountain town. When Cole is betrayed by a close family member, he considers moving to New York, and Laila agrees to go with him for the purpose of talking him out of it. I love a friends to lovers story, and this one was thoroughly enjoyable. I loved the New York descriptions and could picture exactly what the author was describing. I did find myself frustrated at the amount of times their inner dialogue made them hold in their feelings as to not ruin the friendship, but overall, this one was an easy, fun read!

Cole and Laila Are Just Friends by Bethany Turner is a warm and witty exploration of friendship, love, and all the confusing spaces in between. The book follows two best friends, Cole and Laila, who grapple with their deep connection and whether it should stay strictly platonic or blossom into something more. I really liked the authors perspective on relatable, humorous characters and tap into the charm and frustrations of friends-to-lovers dynamics.
The book offers a fun take on the friends-to-lovers trope but sometimes struggles with pacing and predictability. The "will-they-won't-they" dynamic is well-drawn, yet it occasionally feels drawn-out, with misunderstandings that can seem a bit forced to prolong the tension. I did however like the slow-burn in the love story itself.
I would say that the book was a great read.

Such a fun read of two long term friends with major changes coming up finally figuring out that they might be more than friends …lots of laughs, great familiar references to rom coms and favourite tv shows. I want to read more!

giving this 3.5 stars! overall it was a cute read, but there were some details that i didn’t absolutely love. the switch between first and third person felt unnecessary and was really throwing me off. also i felt like cole and laila’s romantic relationship lacked build up. he had one dream and then suddenly he’s super into her? it just felt weird to me and i wish there had been more of a steady build to them discovering their love.

the friends to lovers vibe was so fun though and the adventures they went on filled my romcom loving heart with so much joy. so overall i had a fairly good time with this read, it just took me a bit to really get through it.

In *Loyally Luke* by Pepper Basham, we follow the sweet, rom-com journey of Luke, a carpenter who meets Ellie, only to later discover she’s an undercover princess. Set in the fictional country of Skymar, the story centers around the two working together to restore an orphanage. The narrative is predictable, playing on classic romantic comedy tropes like forced proximity, but the chemistry between Luke and Ellie is hard to miss. While their connection is obvious from the start, the lighthearted banter and humorous situations make it an easy and enjoyable read. Luke’s loyalty to his family adds an extra layer of warmth, as his dedication to them remains a theme throughout.
Meanwhile, Bethany Turner’s *Cole and Laila Are Just Friends* also brings a cozy friends-to-lovers dynamic. Cole and Laila have been best friends since childhood, but when Cole’s grandfather dies and leaves him out of the will, he decides to move from their small town in Colorado to New York City. The two friends take a trip to the city together, where they begin to question their platonic relationship. Turner uses humor, pop culture references, and realistic emotions to explore the gradual shift from friendship to romance, with the chaos of their feelings leading to heartfelt conversations. The book’s relatable characters and witty dialogue make it a fun, light read for fans of slow-burn romances.

This one was just ok! I found myself skimming alot of parts but the main characters were sweet. It wasn’t my favorite but was enjoyable

Funny and sweet! This story captured NYC beautifully, and the relationship between Cole & Laila was flawless. I loved the author's writing style - and from the first page, you can't help but root for the main characters. They are lovable and warm, funny and emotional.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the Publisher for the ARC, all opinions expressed are my own and unbiased.

I have read every single book of Bethany Turner's. Why you ask? Because every one has been amazing! I love her writing style, I love how she can pull you into a story from thr first page and keep you turning page after page after page. I love how she can make you laugh and smirk and smile! Every one of her books is delightful and Cole and Laila are no exception. I especially love their friendship aspect of this one! Their close relationship was so much fun to read. They're like an old married couple without really realizing it. And their fake first date...EPIC! I really, truly loved this entire story and highly recommend it to anyone and everyone!

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

Best friends forever until one wants more? Although there was a little bit of the "why can't they just have a real conversation about this issue" disease happening in this story, Cole and Laila were too cute together to get too worked up about it. By the end they finally figure out what everyone who has known them knew all along...


I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Thank you to Bethany Turner, The publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this eARC. All opinions are my own.

I had so many high hopes for this book! It had all the makings for what should have been a knock out of the park. Unfortunately, for me, this book just didn't hit. I found the book to be more of a "telling" vs. "showing" and this dragged the book on for me. As a nearly 40 something myself, I surprisingly found it hard to relate to these characters that were still acting as though they were mid to late 20's and trying to find there way and still living out their college years.

Sad to say this book was a DNF for me but I can see why so many people of a younger age bracket would be able to connect to the characters and enjoy this book - nothing wrong with the book, writing style, plot etc...just wasn't my cup of tea unfortunately.

Thanks to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book!
Cole and Laila are just friends is such a cute story of best friends who fall in love. This book was cute and funny and I would recommend it to anyone who loves romcoms. Their fake first date was adorable!

4.5 I loved this! A perfect friends to lovers where it really was natural that they came together as a couple since they had basically been one forever it was just that easy

Bethany Turner has always been a 5-star read for me. I absolutely adore the little town of Adelaide Springs. The characters are the best. I have previously read and listened to Brynn and Sebastian's story. It is still one of my favorite comfort reads that I always go back to. Cole and Laila are chef's kiss. Love the chemistry between them and the developments throughout the story. I cannot wait for the next book in this series! I will definitely be recommending to other looking for a great rom com with all the perfect small-town feels. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc to review. All opinions are my own.

This was the epitome of rom com. It has cute romance and I found myself chuckling throughout. I loved Cole and Laila together and I love when the two characters make it out of the friend zone. If you love Hallmark movie vibes, then this is definitely it.