I tried reading one of this author's previous novels (Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other), and I think I'm just not the reader for this type of romance novel. I found it hard to connect with the characters, which is of utmost importance to me.

FYI< this book is listed here with the incorrect author (it says by Thomas Nelson, but the author is Bethany Turner)

Cole and Laila Are Just Friends is a quick read because you'll fall head over heels for these two friends turned lovers within the first few pages of the book. Bethany Turner has done it once again, weaving hilarity, pop culture references and swoon worthy moments together for an undeniably delightful read! Whether you get every reference or not, you'll love the authentic care and adoration between main characters Cole and Laila. Plus if you've read Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other, you'll enjoy learning more about Adelaide Springs, Colorado and the friends group at the centre of it all.

Thank you for approving my request, NetGalley. To be honest, I spent a long time in trying to finish the book. I think there was just a bit too much fillers in the chapters and the story was a bit of just circling around. Nonetheless, it's a light read. One that is relatable to people who have best friends from the opposite sex :)

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this!
This is one of my favorite tropes (friends to lovers) set in a later time period in life (the leads are 35+) as they look to figure out the next stage of their life following a large shakeup. I did mostlyenjoy this: Cole is smart, driven, and thoughtful, Laila is loyal to a fault and incredibly observant. Some of their banter is just perfectly snappy and Laila's insights into how love can cross the boundaries of friendship is really beautiful.
That being said: their transition felt so strange? I don't mind pretty PG-13 romances, but I needed at least a little bit more desire here. I find it really hard to believe that Cole NEVER considered his friend until one strangely timed dream, or that these two would need other people to tell them they are in love with each other. The transition just felt really farfetched and unnatural. I also think this was just a little long winded: I needed that payoff sooner.

I really enjoyed Cole and Laila are Just Friends by Bethany Turner, it was so nice to read about older characters who are confident in who they are as individuals and are see how that plays into changes in their relationship. This was such a heartfelt read and I found myself laughing and tearing up along with the characters. I didn’t realize this was the second book in a series, and while it can definitely be read stand alone, I will be reading Brynn and Sebastian’s book so I can fully understand what I assume are nods to their story that are dotted throughout this book. Overall, I definitely recommend this book!

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

#ColeandLailaAreJustFriends #NetGalley

*best friends to lovers
*clean romance

This was a cute story - I rated it 3.5 Stars (rounded up to 4)

I enjoyed both the characters, Cole and Laila, and watching them navigate their feelings toward each other after being best friends for YEARS. It took a life changing event for them to realize they were more than friends.

This book had older characters, and I loved that! It made the “friends to lovers” even sweeter in my opinion.

The author did a great job at throwing in things the audience will love (Gilmore girls and pickle ball… hello?!)

I will say, there were times I felt a little bored and was reading through it quickly vs savoring it. I can’t pinpoint why, but it felt like things were dragging on in the middle and I had a hard time engaging.

Overall it was an easy and clean read that I did enjoy!

Thank you Thomas Nelson Fiction and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I found this book really hard to get into and I sadly had to dnf. I would still recommend this to someone who likes Gilmore girls, small town vibes, and friends to lovers.
"I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own."

I instantly fell in love with this book.
The characters were so easy to become “friends” with! Was my brain screaming the whole time “just get together already!”? Yes. Yes, it was.
The vibe and aesthetic of this book is adorable, think Gilmore girls meets You’ve got mail. Very small town romance meets early 2000’s NYC rom-com.
I’m a big sucker for friends to lovers, and I really did love the characters!
The slow burn in this book is very prevalent, so be prepared for that!
I had a little bit of a hard time picturing them as almost 40 year olds who have been best friends their entire lives and not ever had romantic attraction for each other… but in my mind I pictured them more as mid 20’s (probably since that’s around my age) so I guess for me it was more believable just in the way I was reading it. Their chemistry and banter was fun, and the confusion and miscommunication felt realistic to what friends to lovers in real life might face.
I would also add, I loved the dual pov!
It took me a moment to adjust to the switches from 1st person to 3rd person, but overall I really love her writing style!
A fun and wholesome read I cannot wait to pick up again in the future!
Thank you Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest thoughts and review!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson for this ARC.

Laila and Cole have been friends nearly all their lives, but when Cole’s grandfather dies, their lives shift very quickly. Cole sees if New York might be the new home for him even though Laila wants him to stay in their small town.

I had really high hopes for this book, seeing as it had best friends to lovers / it’s always been you-type tropes. I think a lot of parts fell flat to me unfortunately. Cole and Laila are great characters, but their romance together felt so strange. Cole just one day decides he’s interested in his best friend after nearly 40 years of being friends because of one dream - his feelings felt a little quick and yet their romance dragged on a fair amount as well. It felt more literary fiction than romance. The POV’s were also strange - Laila’s is in first person whereas Cole’s is in third. It took me a second to get used to.

I think their “first date” was really cute, especially with New York as the backdrop for their adventures. I think there was a lot of potential, but I found myself wishing for a better structure to their romance and perhaps less unnecessary, long-winded moments that slowed down my reading.

3.5 stars, rounded to 4

Oh, this book. So many mixed feelings.

I wish I could give this a higher rating. The ‘bones’ of the story were good. I loved Cole and Laila together - love their chemistry, loved their banter - but there were a couple of big issues that prevented me from giving this a four or five-star recommendation.

I have a hard time believing that these two were friends for almost 40 years, and it had never crossed Cole’s mind that they might be romantically compatible. I could buy that he intentionally suppressed or never indulged in those thoughts, but the idea that he never had them at all is pretty unbelievable.

The bigger issue I had, however, was in the writing style. I’m never a big fan of dual POV that switches between first and third person. And I found there were too many lengthy asides, especially in the middle of dialogue - sometimes a page-and-a-half rabbit trail before the next person’s response. I found myself often having to backtrack and remind myself what was last said.

Full disclosure - this was an advanced reader copy, provided courtesy of NetGalley, and in very rough form. Perhaps a properly formatted version of the book would have provided for smoother, less distracted reading.

So, all of that said, this is a lovely book, and I would recommend it but have patience. The idiosyncrasies are worth it to see Cole & Laila’s friendship blossom into something more.

Thanks to NetGalley for this advanced reader copy.

All. The. Feels. Once again, Bethany Turner has written a love story that sucked me from the first chapter and I couldn't put it down. I loved the chemistry between the two characters and the way they loved each other and put each other first. The only negative I would say is how can they not see that they were meant for each other? Loved this book and can't wait to read the next one by this author.

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

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

This is extremely funny, right from the prologue. And that cover art?? Stunning!

3.5 stars for me. Cole and Laila are codependent. Just kidding! Kind of? Cole and Laila are just friends, lifelong bffs to be more exact. After reading his grandfather’s will, Cole decides he needs a change. He wants to move across the country to NYC and asks Laila to join him. Laila is horrified because she doesn’t want to leave their small town, but ultimately decides to join him for just a few weeks. We then watch them slowly realize they’re in love with each other.

Its dual POV, friends-to-lovers, slow burn. I would say this is more for the literary fiction girlies, than romance girlies.

One thing to know: they don’t go to NYC until about a third into the book. I was expecting the setup to be maybe 10% of the book, but this one was slower.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for my advanced digital copy!

Cole and Laila Are Just Friends by Thomas Nelson is a heartwarming and humorous story about two best friends who are forced to confront their feelings for each other when one of them decides to move away. Cole and Laila have been best friends since childhood, and they have always been there for each other through thick and thin. However, when Cole discovers a betrayal from his recently deceased grandfather, he decides to leave Adelaide Springs, Colorado, and move to New York City. Laila is heartbroken at the thought of losing her best friend, but she decides to support his decision. The two friends make a deal to spend one week in New York City together before Cole moves away. They agree to enjoy their time together and pretend that none of this is happening. However, it's tough to ignore the very inconvenient feelings that are blooming out of nowhere. In both of them. Cole and Laila Are Just Friends is a well-written and engaging story that will appeal to readers of all ages. Nelson does a great job of developing the characters and their relationships, and the story is full of humor and heart. I highly recommend this book to anyone who is looking for a heartwarming and feel-good read.

Meet Cole and Laila: friends since childhood whose friendship is so rooted in mutual respect, loyalty, and love for each other you will feel their connection dripping from the pages! This book features the complexities of family and small town living while having a small circle of friends who will never let you down.

Reading this book, I started to understand why friends to lovers is such a popular trope! Cole and Laila have weathered so much together. They are going on 40 (refreshing to see, again, another book featuring older main characters) and know each other better than anyone else ever could. At this point in their lives, the tides are turning for both of them in totally different ways. Cole: a death of a loved one, a new job opportunity and moving across the country. For Laila: realizing her whole life is about to shift because of Cole’s decisions. This ultimately leads to a spontaneous trip to NYC and provides a new look at life …. And each other.

I absolutely loved how many movie/pop culture references were throughout- here’s looking at you, You’ve Got Mail and JFK Jr. 😉 This ramped up the fun factor for me while reading.

Content: None, kissing only

Thank you to @netgalley @seebethanywrite & @tnzfiction for my advanced readers copy.

Additional thanks to @pepperbasham -the Queen of Kissing who piqued my interest with some enthusiastic messages regarding this book! 💋🤣💋

Cole & Laila Are Just Friends releases 6.4.24 🩷🧡

The description of this was so intriguing and right up my alley. However, this book just couldn't win me over. Seeing that the MCs were supposed to be 40 was absolutely unrealistic. They did not act their age and the plot of them being in love with each other for 30 years and not knowing?!? No. Just no, that made no sense to me. I liked the friends-to-lovers aspect but it still felt weirdly paced.

This was a cute romcom. I particularly loved all of the romcom movie references and of course the gilmore girls. I did feel like it was a little annoying watching laila and cole fake date as strangers and then how wish washy cole was about moving to NY. Overall very cute book 3.5 stars.

The tropes here are quite clear:
- friends to lovers
- slow burn (a life of slow burn, I don't know what could be called slower than this).
What I really liked was the setting: New York.
Laila and Cole are long time friends, they are now almost 40 years old and find themselves at an impasse.
When Cole's grandfather dies, Cole finds himself having to make a life-changing decision. He decides to take a job in NY. Cole practically lives in symbiosis with Laila, he asks her to go with him for a mini vacation to NY. And that's where their story begins. I don't give 5 stars to this story because the slow burn was too much, a little unnerving to be honest. And above all because the protagonists seemed to be decidedly under 40, i mean act your age.
But otherwise I found it to be a pleasant and cozy read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thanks to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson.

Thank you so much to Thomas Nelson for giving me a early copy to this book! This is just only my opinion, Things I am going say/Write are only mine opinions after I finished this book!.
I fucking LOVED this book. I literally enjoyed the story and the writing! Every page I read of this book it was amazing!
Some of the references that are in the book make the story even more better! I would recommend this one if you need a sweet not to long book to read! you can really enjoy this one!

I love Bethany Turner's humor and voice. Cole and Laila Are Just Friends did not disappoint. A sweet, lighthearted romance with a witty sense of humor to draw you in to its unique world. I also love the illustrated cover.

Very sweet friends to lovers story. Being a New Yorker I loved all of the references to the touristy attractions and history. I love experiencing New York through the eyes of someone experiencing it for the first time. Cole and Laila have such an adorable relationship. Loved this book.