What a fantastic plot! I could not put the book down once I began reading it. I hope everyone else enjoys it as well.

First, I’d like to thank NetGalley for providing this ARC to me. I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This was a cute late in life, friends to lovers book set in Colorado and New York City. While the setup of the plot was interesting, I found the execution to fall flat. Cole and Laila’s friendship seemed to work so perfectly, which leads me to ask: why had they not considered dating each other before the age of 40?

To me, the romance was really mediocre. This is simply due to the immaturity of the MC’s. They’ve been best friends for 27 years and the book’s main conflict is that they have trouble talking about their romantic feelings? Doesn’t seem accurate to me. Not to mention that they’re almost 40 and handled it so immaturely!

It was fine, but there were definitely areas I wish were handled differently.

Three stars: ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

What’s better than a sweet rom-com? One set in a small town! Cole and Laila are adorable together. I enjoyed this quick read and can recommend it to anyone since it’s a clean romance.

Best friends for so long and their relationship is out to the test. This book was so cute. I really did enjoy it, it’s a quick and easy read and definitely recommend it

If you enjoy/enjoyed:
🤗Friends to More trope
🗽New York
📺Pop culture references
📖Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other

This. Book.
Well, you guys, Bethany Turner did it. This is my favorite friends-to-more story. Honestly, I think it’s in my top five books.

Cole and Laila are beautiful friends. On multiple occasions I thought I would be fine if they decided to be, “just friends.”😉

They have their own special orbit. They love each other so well. From Cole taking videos and pictures of Laila, letting her shine— to Laila being patient with Cole when he’s a bit of a jerk (he admits to it, I’m not naming names).

You absolutely have to put this book on your TBR. Do what you got to do, this is THE sweetest story. I cried happy tears multiple times, and then a little bit after I was finished with it, it would pop into my head and I would tear up again. That is NOT normal for me. That’s actually why I wanted to record my review, I have so much to say about this one.

It was hilarious, honestly, just laugh out loud funny.

CW-TW: This book is closed door. Kisses only on page. I would like to label it as, “clean” however Cole has a dream 😉😉 about Laila (it’s important to the story and isn’t detailed on the page). The kisses are not very detailed apart from hand placement. Loss of parental figure (current) and parental abandonment (past).

Fans of clean romance and rom-coms will adore this friends-to-lovers story that features Laila and Cole as they navigate some tricky life changes. Things always happen in threes, right? The two have been best friends their entire lives, growing up in a small town in Colorado, but when Cole's grandfather dies, it sets into motion an unexpected train of events, including a potential move, a cross-country trip, a celebrity date, lots of rom-com experiences, and an entirely new future for each of them, possibly together as more than friends. Unlike some fiction, this story felt like something that could actually happen...or maybe that actually did happen...with characters that were completely believeable, relatable, and flawed. I also liked that they were closer to their forties than the typical early twenties we see in these situations.

This was a quick, cute rom com with NYC as the setting. I wasn't blown away by the plot and found myself not fully buying the MCs romantic relationship. I also hate miscommunication and too much is a killer for me personally. While this wasn’t a total winner for me, I can see the charm and think many will find it an entertaining read.

Thank you NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the advance copy.

I thought it was adorable. Cole and Laila were so cute. Colorado has a special place in my heart. Therefore, I loved that the book's setting was in a small town in CO. I enjoyed the exploration of NYC and the "blind" date Cole and Laila went on.
The book was sweet and enjoyable and made me laugh here and there. The frequent pop culture and movie references were fun!

If you love reading a clean and fun Rom-com this book is for you!

TW: death of a loved one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing me with a free eBook copy. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I always enjoy reading a Bethany Turner tale. In “Cole And Laila Are just Friends” she explores the complexities and complications of lifelong friends who discover their feelings have shifted.

I enjoyed the pop culture references even though many were from movies I hadn’t seen and shows I never watched.

Though friends to lovers is not my favorite trope she handled it well. It was delightful and refreshing to read about two people who really cared about each other and would do anything for the other. It was this attitude though that often caused the confusion. lol.

A good read with no spice but lots of tension.

Thank you to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

I would not have requested this title if I had known it was Christian fiction. I also didn't know it was part of a series - I felt like I was dropped into the middle of a family reunion where I knew no one. The story is told in dual POV, yet the FMC's chapters were first person and the MMC's were in third person. Why? It was very confusing. DNF'd early on.

Oh man! This one had me hooked by page one. I enjoyed the story and will be buying a physical copy when it comes out.

- cozy romance
- steamy
- fun read

This book is an ode to NYC and friendship. It takes two longtime friends on an exploration of what would it be like if they were more than friends. What if they actually embraced what could be and risked what might be and what could happen if they failed? This is my love story, so I understood so well the risks the characters had to choose. A sweet story that I loved.

This started out slow but ended up delightful. A little too much of a slow burn for me, esp given how clearly into each other they were. I did really love that neither of them seemed to be aware that they had feelings for the other. There wasn’t a lot of pining or at least conscious pining which was a nice take on this trope.

When I want a rom com that is more, I always turn to a Bethany Turner’s books. They are quirky, funny and just a pleasure to read. A true friend to lovers story Cole and Laila are some of my favorite people and when life hands them lemons, they do what every does, they figure that they need to shut themselves off and try to get through the crap. Nicely for them, they have friends that make sure they don’t have to go through it alone.
If you want a laugh out loud funny book, read Turner’s books. If you like a little depth to your rom coms, read a Turner book. A delightful heart warmer romance with a bit more to it. You won’t regret it.

I'd like to thank the publisher for a Netgalley eARC of this book in exchange for my un-biased opinion.

I'm giving this one a 4 star rating. I absolutely loved the character development of Cole and Laila. I found myself cheering for both of these characters, all the while screaming at them to finally just TALK to each other.

Cole and Laila have been best friends for almost four decades and know absolutely everything about each other. Laila's grandmother always told her that things happen in threes, so it's no surprise to them when some major events happen that send Cole's life in a tailspin. Things end up happening where the two take a trip to New York (away from their *very* small Colorado town), and stay with their quite famous friends. Will they both be ensnared by the lights and glamour of the city?

Some tropes that might interest you in reading this one:
- Small Town (albeit not the whole time!)
-Slowest of the slow burn
- Older characters (so glad to see characters in their 30s!)
- Forced Proximity
- Fake Date (the most fun fake first date ever)
- Banter
- Pop culture references

Favorite quote:
"Thank you, Birdjosh Groban, for the inspiration to cut off the crust of the bread. I honor you on this day."

Lifelong friends find themselves at a crossroads when unexpected feelings threaten to change everything they've ever known. Set in Adelaide Springs, Colorado, this heartwarming romance explores the complexities of friendship, loyalty, and unspoken desires.

Cole and Laila have a delightful dynamic between them. Their easy banter and unwavering support for each other belie the underlying tension of their evolving relationship. As they deal with family betrayal and the prospect of a life-altering move, i was completely drawn into a tale of love, self-discovery, and the courage to follow one's heart.

Cole and Laila's story promises a delightful blend of humor, wit, and undeniable chemistry and readers are sure to be swept away by their endearing journey towards love and happiness.

Thank you NetGalley, Thomas Nelson and Bethany Turner for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Early talk of characters from a previous book, references throughout the book; I would have preferred to read that book first but feel ok with this being a standalone.

Laila and Cole have been best friends all their lives. When Cole losses his grandfather and seems to have lost his bar/restaurant he is heartbroken. Fate seems to be pushing him out of their small town and to NY since a well known chef offered him a job. Laila decides to go with him to see if she can talk him out of taking it. While in NY they stumble into some uncharted waters - taking their relationship beyond friendship.

Overall I enjoyed the story but was frequently confused on who was talking. It was told in third party and alternated between Cole and Laila. The conversations were lots of back and forth without always clarity on who was speaking. Also, hard to believe they’re that close and affectionate but Cole has never considered a relationship and Laila has just been ok going with the flow.

Best friends to (assumed) lovers. Unspoken/unrealized feelings. No spice.

If you enjoy tropes like:

Friends to lovers
Forced proximity
Dual POV
Miscommunication

Then this book is for you. I found this story very sweet/cute but I did find that them being friends for so long and it took that long to realize their feelings for each other? I find that alittle hard to believe, but I went with it to enjoy the read. I did enjoy the pop culture references during the read as well. If you are looking for a light/fluffy read then I would highly recommend this read.

This is my first Bethany Turner book, and I think my high school girls will adore it. It's a very sweet book, and the fun experience traveling through NYC makes this an enjoyable read. I plan to purchase this for my high school patrons, as I can see many of them giving this a 5-star rating. On a personal level, for this genre, I would give it 3 stars (thus the compromised final 4-star rating), because I personally found the main characters fluffy, idealistic, and unrealistic. I enjoyed the first half of the novel much more than the ending. Friends-to-lovers is my favorite trope, but this was just too outlandish for my taste. I missed the mess, chaos, and vulnerability. While the characters reflect my own age, I can't see someone of this age relating at all to these characters. High school students... absolutely.

Oh this was an absolute delight!!

Cole and Laila are friends. Best friends. Always have been. When Cole’s grandfather passed leaving a messy will and throwing Cole’s future into a tailspin, he decides he has to be anywhere but Adelaide Springs where he and Laila grew up. He’s got a job lead in New York and he has to go. Laila heads east with him to scope it out and after one magical day, can he really stay there? Will Laila really go back to Adelaide Springs? Are Cole and Laila really just friends?

Romance readers, you probably know that answer. This delightful story had my heart all warm and fuzzy and bursting. I hope you love it as much as I do!

I was provided a complimentary e-galley on NetGalley by Thomas Nelson Fiction in exchange for an honest review.