For someone who doesn't actually watch reality TV, I love me a reality romance, and Not Here to Make Friends was one of my favorites this year. I loved Murray and Lily so much and I absolutely need to read the other two books in the series ASAP.

Fans of reality shows will love this sparkling and witty romance that combines behind-the-scenes drama with an irresistible second-chance love story. Murray, a driven showrunner determined to produce the perfect season of Marry Me, Juliet, finds his meticulously planned world turned upside down when his former best friend and creative partner, Lily, is cast as the next villain by the network.
The chemistry between Murray and Lily sizzles on every page. Their shared history and constant battle for control only serves to add to the already growing tension between them. Soon it becomes difficult to decipher what is scripted and what is real. Lily's boldness and sharp wit and Murray's determination creates an explosive dynamic between them that had me rooting for their reconciliation, even as they navigate betrayals and missteps.

The witty dialogue and fast-paced plot pulled me in from the very beginning and kept me engaged till the last page. A fresh and fun story of second chances, both in love and in life, wrapped in a dazzling and dramatic package.

I received a complimentary copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

I received an ARC if this book and while I am woefully behind on reading this due to unexpected circumstances, I enjoyed it! The idea of the behind the scenes scheming, the reality tv plots, the complications of friends to lovers and also the pandemic, also kept the storyline going. Lily is one tough cookie and a smart one at that—her masterful manipulations worked so well for her in the tv landscape, but personally, not so much. Murray, also brilliant, but also lives with a bit of blinders on when it comes to Lily. Watching them navigate this world, their new status post trauma, and the machinations behind the scenes was intriguing. I enjoyed this one!

An engaging and spirited novel that explores the complexities of friendship, competition, and personal growth. The story is filled with wit, exploring the dynamics of reality tv. Entertaining and thought provoking.
Many thanks to Atria and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Murray O’Connell is standing on the greatest precipice of his career. As showrunner of the reality dating show Marry Me, Juliet, Murray is determined to make this season a success.

Nothing and nobody will stand in his way.

Except perhaps Lily Fireball, the network’s choice for this season’s villain. Lily has classic reality TV appeal: She’s feisty, dramatic, and never backs down from a fight. She also happens to be Murray’s estranged best friend and former co-showrunner.

What was once a perfectly planned season turns to chaos as the two battle for control. Working in reality television, they’re used to drama, secrets, and romance. But what happens when suddenly they’re at the center of the storyline?

I really enjoyed this story. I thought it was unique and kudos to the author for tackling serious issues. Cannot wait to read more from the author. Will recommend to others.

Fans of reality television will enjoy Not Here to Make Friends. The characters are probably really based on fact and even watered down a little. The book is a quick, solid, satisfying read.

I’ve loved the first two books in this series, but unfortunately, I didn’t enjoy this one as much. While I respect the author for staying true to her morally grey characters, I found the back-and-forth timeline frustrating, and I struggled to connect with Lily and Murray’s story. Their emotional cheating and manipulative relationship made it hard for me to care about them or root for their romance. Although the book stayed true to their characters, it wasn’t my style, and I felt the storyline became a bit overdone. That said, I still appreciate the author’s writing and look forward to reading more from her in the future, but I’m ready to move on from this particular season.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this free e-copy

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.

Murray OConnell is the show runner for Bachelor style show Marry Me, Juliet. He’s worked hard to get to this point, the only problem- he thought he would be doing it with his best friend, Lily Ong by his side. He hasn’t spoken to Lily since the tragic passing of her husband, Jeff, a year ago. When Lily surprising shows up, as a contestant who’s dead set on causing chaos on the show she throws him for a loop. We’re taken back in time when Lily & Murray meet when they begin working on the same reality series. While Lily sets her sights on Murray immediately, she’s quickly halted when she finds out he’s engaged to his childhood sweetheart. The two continue to work together closely & become a dynamic duo. We follow along between a past & present day timeline through their friendship, relationship & career ups & downs.

If you’ve ever been a fan of The Bachelor franchise you’re in for a treat with Not Here To Make Friends by Jodi McAlister. When I started this book I didn’t realize it was book 3 in the series. As I was about 30% through & didn’t feel like I was missing anything I continued on. I loved it. I adored the two main characters undeniable chemistry & banter. It had me laughing at times despite the heavy topics throughout the story. I do plan to go back & read the first two books in this series. Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books & Jodi McAlister for the opportunity to read Not Here To Make Friends. I look forward to reading more by this author in the future.

Lily Fireball is the quintessential reality show villain and she throws herself into playing the part. I admire Lily's strength and self-assuredness and her chemistry with Murray. She and Murray are excellent counterpoints and having her be the villain on the show he's producing is a novel way to explore their relationship.

This book was so fun!! This was the first book I have read in a Bachelor-type setting, but it may have ruined me for all others. The concept felt so unique and the large number of characters were so entertaining. I love a dual-POV romance book, and the history and chemistry between Lily and Murray made the inner-thoughts and dialogues so much more meaningful. I have not read the other books in this series, but this can be read as a standalone (but I loved it so much I will most definitely be looking more into this world!).

For the most part I enjoyed this book! The only downside was that there were some parts that were a little slower paced than the rest of the book. But that's not a game changer!

Out of the story lines in this book, I thought Murray and Lily's story line the best. I think that they had the most chemistry between the two of them.

I liked the fact that this story was set during the aftermath of the pandemic that we all endured. As a healthcare professional who worked through the pandemic, it was a little nostalgic and made me think of some of the patient's that we lost during that time.

This book was very entertaining and I caught myself chuckling more than I thought I would.

I will recommend this book to anyone looking for a new book to read.

I liked this one, it certainly had all of the aspects I would like. It was just a little slow for me. Maybe dense? I think it could have been accomplished in a shorter story. At the end I was glad I read it and was happy with the outcome.

Set during the COVID-19 pandemic on the set of a reality tv show (think The Bachelor type), two best friends/ex-coproducers are once again on the same show. Except now, one of them is a contestant.
Can these two who have been secretly pining for each other for years finally figure out their feelings?

I think I would've enjoyed this more if I had read the first two books in the series (which I didn't know there was). I think it would have clarified a few things/characters that I had questions about when I was reading.

I liked the premise of the story, but I'm just not a huge fan of messy MCs. I really didn't connect with either one of them and I feel like that is why I didn't enjoy it more!

This book was amazing! I didn't realize it was the third in a series, and I still loved it. The writing was fantastic, despite not having watched The Bachelor since I was in university (18 years ago) the series still sticks with you, and it was just so fun to read.

Murray and Lily are reality TV’s power couple, except their personal lives are a bit more Real Housewives and less behind-the-scenes magic. After Lily’s husband unexpectedly passes away, she ghosts Murray for a year, only to reappear as a villain on Marry Me, Juliet. Cue the drama!
We get mostly Murray’s POV in the present and Lily’s flashbacks, revealing their epic, tangled connection. Murray’s obsessed with protecting Lily’s image while she’s making sure he eats more than just takeout. These two are basically soulmates who just need to admit it,and stop being so scared of their own villainous vibes. I picked this up without realizing it was book three, but now I’m hooked and ready to binge the rest. This book had me laughing, crying, and kicking my feet in joy.
Thank you to the publisher, and NetGalley for the eARC and the feels!

Out of the three couples in the series, I enjoyed Lily and Murray’s story the best. They had a lot of passion and history that lent itself to the romance building and HEA.

Lily Fireball was someone that I hated to love. She was built up as such a villain to the other contestants that as I learned what was going on with her story, it became clearer what she was trying to accomplish for herself and what she really needed to do in order to grieve. Murray just needed a long nap. That’s all I have to say about him. I thought Lily Fireball really stole the show.

The story weaving that happened between the three books was interesting. I remember reading the first book and wondering what happened to Lily when she showed up at the convent looking like she just wrestled with a tree - and two books later I find out what actually went down! The forethought that had to go into that is cool to see come to fruition.

Thank you to NetGalley, Atria Books, and Jodi McAlister for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

⭐️⭐️⭐️ 3/5 stars Not Here to make Friends by Jodi McAlister

🌹 The Bachelor/Bachelorette
🌹 reality tv behind the scenes
🌹 friends to lovers
🌹 workplace romance

This book was an enjoyable read with all the drama and excitement that comes with behind the scenes reality tv. At times, I got a little confused by the multiple character names and the story going back and fourth in time. However, it was entertaining and had me laughing and trying to guess what was going to happen. The MC’s Maury and Lily are the producers of a reality tv show like The Bachelor. They met early on in their career and grew into an unbeatable team. Can best friends just be friends or is there more to the story?

I didn't make it very far because this book is set right after the pandemic/in the midst of the end of the pandemic (contestants have to quarantine), which I didn't know going into the book and wouldn't have requested based on this alone. But then it also has a dead spouse plotline that I didn't know going into the book and wouldn't have requested based on this alone. One of them, I could've overlooked because it was a Netgalley book, but unfortunately, both of them would affect my enjoyment of the book, unfairly so to the author.