Just finished this novel. While I think I’m doing the author a disservice because I didn’t read the previous title in the series, I want to say that can sometimes authors make each book standalone enough that you can get by. I didn’t feel that way with this book. I definitely felt like I was missing a lot of information. I didn’t know anything about the other characters they kept referencing - I couldn’t figure out their relationships, their genders, their whereabouts…and their names kept coming up. It made me feel like when you know there were inside jokes I you weren’t a part of.
Back to this story. I felt it was unrealistic. An entire day pretending you don’t know your best friend? Honestly- even when I was a teenager with a lot of energy that was far fetched.
I’ve read a lot of books with the theme of “friends to more,” but this book just didn’t deliver on any heat, or feelings between the two.

Bethany's writing is very clunky. I did like their connection and friends to lovers but sometimes the writing can hurt my head

This story was definitely cute, but the romance aspect was ultimately lackluster. I’ll start with some issues that drove this feeling and then get into some details that were enjoyable and fitting to Cole and Laila’s dynamic. To start, it was difficult to accept their friendship that has lasted almost 40 years never once has been questioned, and then bam! a singular moment of ‘that’s weird, why have I never thought of that?’ catapults a full-fledged gf-bf date. I hardly ever felt that great, anticipatory, bubbling-up tension portrayed in friends-to-lovers. And maybe that’s why some readers will enjoy this, because they slip into a less platonic relationship so naturally, but I was hoping for more. Now, while Cole was juggling the idea of moving thousands of miles away from Laila, I could feel the deep sense that it’d be devastating. Yet the sole factor pushing them into dating was a dream. There are no regaling’s of ‘oh no! we have to share a bed’ before this trip, or close-call drunken nights, nothing. It’s never happened and suddenly it’s time to start a romantic relationship.

I went back and forth between 1:liking that when he’s leaving, they finally want to explore more, and 2:disliking that when he’s leaving states and states away, they want to rashly develop into more. How sensible is that? Hardly. However, it was very /them/ to try and hold onto each other in whatever possible way.

On a positive note, the slow burn was quintessential in a relationship development like that. Even though I wasn’t detecting practically anything other than friend vibes, they were incredibly prominent. I loved to see how Cole and Laila were so tied together and devoted. I also loved the no-epilogue. Usually, I’d never admit to that, but keeping everything suspended was a perfect end. To sum up, “Cole and Laila Are Just Friends” has the bones for such a strong romance, I just sadly, was not feeling it. Thank you to NetGalley, Thomas Nelson Fiction, and Bethany Turner for providing this complimentary eARC! All opinions in this review are my own.

3.5 ⭐️s!

I really liked this. A very sweet, feel good —although, I do agree with the reviews that it’s a little hard to imagine them being almost forty and forty+ with a 28 year timeline (especially with Cole’s temper tantrums), but even still, an enjoyable, sweet read. (and bonus points for the NYC + pop culture content!!)

*Kindly received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the premise of this book and wanted to love it. But the characters read as 20-somethings, not nearly 40. It was sweet but I just didn’t love it

DNF @ 48%. It just was not working for me. The characters were cute, but their relationship was lacking. It fell flat for me.

This was adorable! It is obvious that they are not just friends, but it is so much fun watching them figure it out! They are both so kind, lovable, and sweet! I loved seeing Bryn and Sebastian back too! Here’s hoping for a third book!

LOVED this book!
It was the perfect read. Loved the characters and the development of their relationship.

I LOVED this book! I read it twice, back to back. I technically gave it 4 1/2 stars because I loved it so much. (I'm super stingy with my five stars, reserving them for books that change my life in a significant way.) This was just sheer fun. I didn't understand all the pop cultural references, and it was a bit of a strange premise in my mind, but oh, it was still fun. (How can you get to your 40s and never consider your VERY best friend in a romantic light?) I read it twice then turned around and read "Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other" to get the supporting characters' back story too. Reading that first might have made their part of this story make a bit more sense, but it didn't diminish the fun. There was a bit of character development with the adjustment of dealing with the fallout of Cole's grandfather's death, and so on...I do wish Adelaide Springs was a real place I could visit someday! If you're in the mood for a story with the Best Friends to Lovers trope, be sure to give this one a chance!

I'm SO glad I was given an ARC copy of this by NetGalley!!
#ColeandLailaAreJustFriends #Netgalley

This was a cute story, but I found it too wordy. I just felt like there wasn't enough romance. I normally like closed door romances, but this one just didn't hit for me. I felt like the story was too focused on the characters' lives and not the actual love story. I also wasn't really a fan of the fact that both characters are almost 40, were lifelong friends, but only now just discovered they loved each other. Talk about a slow burn!
I like that Brynn and Sebastian made appearances!
This book didn't really hit for me, but I didn't hate it.

friends to lovers, soulmate, forced proximity, and secretly pining for him, what a great trope i could ask for (my fav trope). i am a very devoted type of bookworm for friends to lovers and i very enjoy them. and i enjoy this book (even cry, and a very good book is a book that could make me cry) so what is the reasons behind this 3 stars? (actually 3.5)

honestly it's very unbelievable to me that a woman in her 30ish nearly 40 could act as Laila act, like if she were in her 20 i could be like "okay, understandable" but the truth is she is not. and that's not very convincing at all had i not been reminded by the description of them going to turn 40.
and cole. what is it dude? what takes you so long to realize? you have been following her tail for like 4 decades and then suddenly you had this dreams and your world turning ups and downs just because some dreams and because both of you sleep together? when you had already reminded us all that you sleep together all the time? (in the past)

and the miscommunication between him and his grandfather. that is just upsetting.

I was so excited to return to Adelaide Springs! Cole and Laila were definitely people you wished the best for when they were introduced in "Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other", and I squealed when I found out that they were getting their own story.

When Cole's grandfather dies, the hits don't stop there for Cole Kimball. He learns that Cassidy's, the bar he's been restoring and has always expected to inherit, has instead been sold, Cole decides he needs a change. Maybe it's finally time to leave Adelaide Springs. With a job offer from a chef in New York, and famous friends who just happen to have an apartment there, it seems like the next clear choice.

But leaving Adelaide Springs might mean leaving Laila, and Cole doesn't know if he will ever be ready for that. When she offers to join him on his trip (and secretly plans to make sure he hates everything about New York), it's the perfect chance for these best friends to find out what happens next.

A friends-to-lovers, slow-burn, modest romance, I loved the banter between these two. The way their trip changed once Brynn and Sebastian were no longer calling the shots. The way they let themselves get lost (but not too lost) in the city. Their blind date. You couldn't help from rooting for these two, and I adored getting to see softer sides of Brynn and Sebastian again as well!

Thank you to the publishers through NetGalley for the chance to read this eARC!

Guys, let me tell you about this book I just read called “Cole and Laila Are Just Friends” by Bethany Turner. It's like a rom-com movie in book form! Cole and Laila are best friends, but when Cole finds out some crazy family secrets, he's ready to hightail it out of Colorado. But Laila, with her small town charm, isn't about to let him go without a fight. So, off to New York City they go for a whirlwind adventure before their lives change forever.

The sweet romance between Cole and Laila is absolutely heart-melting. You can't help but root for them as they navigate their feelings and support each other through thick and thin. It's like the ultimate friendship goals, but with a side of will-they-won't-they romantic tension. If you're in the mood for a fun, heartwarming read, then this book is definitely for you. Trust me, you won't be able to put it down!

Thank you Bethany Turner, Thomas Nelson-Fiction, and NetGalley for the ebook arc. All opinions expressed are my own.

Another great read from Bethany Turner! I enjoyed the journey as Cole and Laila tried to navigate from being best friends to maybe being more. The character development they both went through was realistic and relatable, especially Cole trying to manage his grief and the complicated feelings that came with it. I really liked this book!

Do not walk, but RUN to find this book! I love the friends to lovers trope, and Bethany Turner knocked this one out of the park! There were multiple moments that made me actually laugh-out-loud, which was a pure treat after some heavier books I've been reading. I also didn't realize this was the second book in a duology, which is the icing on the cake!

I had high hopes for this book without really knowing what this book was about, which probably is my fault as to why I ended up not liking it at all. But I felt like the story was really boring and their "will they," "won't they" dragged on absolutely nothing. Not to mention the author wrote as if we just knew everything about each individual character, right out the gate. I've never read a book where the first chapter introduced multiple characters and didn't mention any sort of relationship status or background about the characters. I also felt like the author relied heavily on the dialogue and not on any other description. Normally, it's the opposite. I am stuck reading the over-explanatory thoughts of a person (usually second guessing themselves), but this time I got nothing. No musings, no descriptions of the area, or of the people around them, just boring dialogue. Lastly, I felt like it was super jarring to read Laila's perspective in first person and Cole's perspective in third-person, normally you pick one type of perspective and you stick with that. It just felt weird to bounce from different perspectives within different perspectives (Like an inception of perspectives.)

This friends to lovers, slow burn book is like a Hallmark movie - a sweet, comforting read where Cole and Laila are forced to confront their feelings for each other as they travel from Colorado to New York.

It’s hard to review/recommend a book when it was just an “okay” read - I struggled to connect with the characters as they are supposed to be 40, but some of the dialogue and their actions make them seem closer to late twenties/early thirties. I did actually really enjoy the pop culture references- they were really fun!

**Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own **This friends to lovers, slow burn book is like a Hallmark movie - a sweet, comforting read where Cole and Laila are forced to confront their feelings for each other as they travel from Colorado to New York.

It’s hard to review/recommend a book when it was just an “okay” read - I struggled to connect with the characters as they are supposed to be 40, but some of the dialogue and their actions make them seem closer to late twenties/early thirties. I did actually really enjoy the pop culture references- they were really fun!

**Thank you to NetGalley for the complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own **

Oh my goodness! This book had such high expectations for me. I absolutely loved Seb and Brynn and was so excited when I heard that Cole and Laila were getting their own story. I loved their friends to lovers transition. It felt very natural and not forced. The thrill of only getting 1 day to live out that part of your life that both characters never really acknowledged was genius!
My only wish is that we could have seen the characters in the future. Even a year to see where they are at. I am needy and want it!!!

What a great romance! I could read friends to lovers all day every day. I'll definitely be recommending this one!

Cole and Layla have been friends forever. It takes a possible move across the country to make them realize they may not see each other day to day. Which made them question if it was only a platonic friendship all these years. Pretending to go on a first date with one another made them realize they just might not know everything about one another. They’re at an impasse with Cole needing to leave and Laila having to stay. This was a cute story with cameos from Sebastian and Brynn from the previous book playing matchmakers. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily