I. Am. Obsessed. I knew so early into this book that it was gonna be a 5 star read for me!

This book takes the typical the bachelor-esque show story and completely flips the narrative to make a unique and delightful story!!

Murray and Lily are reality producers, partners that get each other more than any one else- even their respective romantic partners see that. When Lily’s husband dies unexpectedly, she’s cuts herself off from Murray for a year- until she waltzes back into the production office- as a planted villain on the new season of Marry Me, Juliet. The two of them are both evil genius masterminds and need to learn how to work together again to tell the story on a season that means so much to them!!

This story is filled with the most delicious pining, the most brilliant masterminding and power shifts, and the fun of reality show filming! Getting mostly Murray’s POV in the present, with Lily’s in the past, it’s easy to piece together the deep connection these two share, and just how intrinsic they are to each other’s survival. His dedication to protecting her image, her dedication to making sure he eats- the things that show their truest feelings for one another, ones they are too afraid to admit and risk the consequences and being seen as villains. They’re not villains, just a little morally grey and THATS OKAY!!

Little did I know upon picking this up that it’s the third in a series…but the series all happens at the same time during the same season- so I definitely will be going back to explore the other couples (who I totally called, even without knowing the other books existed!!) and seeing if I can spot my lil villain and producer love story happening on the side!!

I laughed, I got choked up, I kicked my happy lil feet, I was so overwhelmed by this love story by two people who are so in sync and just need to finally sync up their hearts!!!

Thank you so much to Jodi McAlister and NetGalley for a chance to read this in exchange for an honest review! (Also Jodi pls put out a 4th book with Kumiko’s season because you teased it and now I need it)

For the sake of giving an honest review, I’ll be transparent in the fact that I didn’t enjoy this book. I felt that there was a heavy emphasis about pandemic protocols that really pulled me out of the story; I don’t want to relive times that were difficult in real life when I’m diving into a fictional world. I also didn’t like how the love interest developed; it felt weird to me that it was a longing/married/widowed situation and the whole thing just felt kind of icky to me. I did like the behind the scenes look at a reality television show with a similar idea to The Bachelor. Thank you to NetGalley, Jodi McAlister, and Atria for the chance to read and experience this advanced copy.

I absolutely loved this book!

I went back and read #1 and #2 immediately before reading this, and I would highly recommend not only reading the two previous books, but reading them back-to-back, if possible. This whole series is so wonderful written with the overlapping timelines weaved together, it may be difficult to follow if there’s a large break.

I was skeptical going into this series that it may be boring, being bachelor-esque books where all 3 are during the same season and each starts the season over but with a new perspective. The books are anything but - instead of feeling repetitive or getting sick of the season, we just learn more and dive into new points.

Book #3 especially was easily my favorite. It’s a true villain love story, not only because it’s following the “villian” of the season’s cast, but because both characters are morally grey. We see the ups and downs, true behind-the-scenes, and learn the intricacies of what made this season so complex.

The romance is also my personal favorite from the three - it’s such a long time coming, and it’s clear that the two are truely a match. There’s also a little more spice than previous books - not enough to be spicy, but we get a few extra glimpses into their dynamic.

I’ll be recommending this book, and I can’t wait to see what the author comes out with next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC on this book.

I very much enjoyed Not Here to Make Friends. I was concerned in the beginning that I had not read the 2 previous books in the series, but I feel like this one can stand alone. I am planning to go back and read the first 2 in the series because I enjoyed the story. I am a sucker for the Bachelor and Bachelorette type themed books. If you enjoy that you will enjoy the book with 2 main characters Lily "Fireball" Ong and Murray O'Connell, producers (one former) of the show and a look into their present and past.

I have read a couple of romances based on reality TV before, and I thought this one would be a fun way to visit that world again.
Unfortunately, I couldn't get into it. The zillion of characters made it difficult to keep track of who was who. And the way the main characters were introduced in the story bugged me: they seemed to be only colleagues and friends, married/at one time married to other people, and we get no inkling that Lily was the love interest. This fact came out of the left field, and it was too jarring for me. It was impossible for me to believe in them as a couple.
The other thing that did not work for me was that I couldn't feel the emotions of the characters. For example, Murray re Lily: "That was nothing, though, compared to the way looking at her made me feel." OK, but then I'm not told how he's feeling? I am one of those who needs to see the emotions on paper, else it feels clinical.

Thank you to the publisher for the ARC via Netgalley. All opinions are my own.

NOT HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS is a reality tv romance about murray and lily, two best friends and co-producers of a bachelor-type franchise called "marry me, juliet" and "wherefore art thou, romeo." after working together for years, lily disappears from murray's life—only to come back as the villain in the latest season of "marry me, juliet." murray didn't want to have a villain in the first place, much less his estranged best friend and longtime co-producer. what was a fully planned-out season, down to the smallest detail, is now a fight for control between murray and lily.

i've never been much of a reality tv watcher, but i absolutely eat up reality tv romances and this one did not disappoint. everything about it was absolutely delicious and i read the whole thing in less than a day because i was so desperate to know what happened!! i don't want to give too much away because the twists and turns were one of the things i enjoyed the most, but it's safe to say this was one of my favorite reads.

read if you like:
- reality tv romances
- friends to lovers
- mastermind gets masterminded
- so much pining!!

thanks to netgalley and atria for the advanced copy. NOT HERE TO MAKE FRIENDS comes out june 4th!

I liked this so much more than I even expected to. I love a reality TV concept, so I was really excited, but I could not have expected how layered this story is. It's a storyline inside a storyline inside a storyline? And McAlister does it masterfully. Watching two people who kind of suck absolutely claw their way towards a happy ending that they also don't know if they deserve was so much more satisfying than I knew it could be. Looking further into the series and realizing that "Can I Steal You For a Second?" is sapphic? I am HOOKED on Jodi now.

I received this advanced reader copy from Netgalley and Atria Books.
Publication Date: June 4, 2024

This book provides a behind-the-scenes look at reality TV. Even though I don't watch The Bachelor, I could still follow the storyline. The biggest point of this book is the miscommunication trope. It has a dual point of view and covers 13 years. The leads go through a long journey, which could have been avoided earlier in the book. I appreciated how the two leads discussed how to proceed and move forward at the end of the book. The language was strong in this book and the romance scenes are mild. Overall, this book is a good and fun read.

Thank you so much to netgalley and Atria for the arc of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Unfortunately, I did not realize that that book is the third in a series and that is totally my fault. I had a hard time trying to remember who was who and I didn’t know the back story because I didn’t read the other books.

It is entirely my fault for not reading the other two in the series.

I thought the writing was good and I love the idea of a reality tv show. However, I would need to go back to the others in the series to fully enjoy and understand this one.

I will be rating this one 5 stars because it is my fault that i didn’t read the other two in the series so I would probably enjoy it more if I did read those.

I may come back to this one in the future when I get around to reading the other two.

This was a fun one, especially for reality TV fans, ESPECIALLY bachelor nation. Second change romance isn’t usually my favorite but I was here for this. Lily Fireball was the hero I didn’t know I needed. I could have used a little more 🌶️ but all in all, enjoyed this one!

I've really enjoyed reality dating shows books lately. Its like sitting down to watch trash tv, but finding yourself in it. - In a good way of course.

Murray and Lily are both a part of a reality show called "Marry Me, Juliet." One is the producer and the other is the "villain" on the show. They used to work together and know each other quite well - think friends to enemies to lovers.

The characters are ruthless and feisty, and they draw you in immediately with this. 4 out of 5 for me

This was such an enjoyable read! The dual POV of Lily and Murray really enhanced the reading experience. Jodi McAlister also did a wonderful job of portraying the stress that Murray sometimes found himself under. Really had a great time reading this book!

"Not Here to Make Friends" by Jodi McAlister is a delightful romantic comedy that offers a behind-the-scenes look at reality TV while delivering a heartfelt love story. The book revolves around Murray O’Connell, a reality TV producer, and his former best friend turned reality TV villain, Lily Fireball. The tension and chemistry between them are palpable, and the story expertly weaves their past and present together, creating a rich backstory that adds depth to their relationship.

The book skillfully balances humor with heart, with delightful banter between the characters and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. It offers a glimpse into the complexities of producing reality TV and explores themes of second chances, forgiveness, and finding love in unexpected places. McAlister's writing is engaging and witty, making it a must-read for fans of romance and reality TV.
Happy Reading, enjoy!

I loved the first book in the series, Here for the Right Reasons, so I was really looking forward to getting into this one. Behind the Scenes at reality shows are my guilty pleasure and the look at the Behind the Scenes of the BTS of the first book was a real treat; it also explained why a few things happened in the first one (really need to go back and read the second). I loved Lily and her alter eg0, Lily Fireball, but my problem was with Murray – I just didn’t like him. The romance is cute but I wanted to like him so much more. He never grew on me and made this book not as fun as the first one.

I did have to DNF this book. Unfortunately it was just not for me! The author is an amazing writer but all the characters names and the bachelor type feel didn’t do it for me. I also did not realize this was part of a series, otherwise i may have read the first few books in order to get more background information.

Just gonna be honest and say that I really didn’t care for this one. The male character just kept telling people to do their job and say he was doing his job. Lily FireBall kept saying how she was going to bring chaos but there was almost none to be seen and the flashbacks were so flimsy I almost wanted to skip them altogether. The flow of the book from the producer’s perspective didn’t work at all and came across boring. I never really sensed too much romantic chemistry between the Murray and Lily. I just don’t think the story worked too well.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

why do the characters have the stupidest names?? i dislike reality tv but i guess i also dislike it in book-form, too. this is a book series? i'll avoid the whole.

Not Here to Make Friends was an aptly named story that followed the unapologetic Lily and Murray in their roles of “villain” and producer of a Bachelor style reality tv show.

For a book that had a comedic feel to it, it dealt with heavy topics like racism, mental health, and grief throughout the story in a way that provided depth to the characters beyond the surface level nature of their show.

I enjoyed seeing the behind the scenes peek at what it’s like to run a reality tv show while attempting to pull the strings of a cast of characters who refuse to act as puppets. I loved getting a glimpse of who Murray and Lily used to be while being faced with who they are now, and what those interwoven versions mean for their future.

This was overall a fun, lighter read despite the nature of the topics addressed.

Not Here to Make Friends by Jodi McAlister tells the story of Murray and Lily, two reality show producers on a Bachelor-esque franchise. The story explores their relationship, past and present, as Lily appears as a contestant on the newest season of their reality TV show. I liked the premise of this story a lot, but thought the pacing was a bit off and I didn’t really feel connected to the characters until around half way into the book. I thought the past/present timeline switching was done well to help me understand the motivations of the main characters. Unfortunately, I felt like sometimes too much time was spent in the nitty gritty of the reality TV production aspect, and not enough time was spent developing the characters. Murray and Lily both felt a little flat to me, Lily more than Murray. It was just hard to imagine her as a person outside this very specific context. A cute story, but I wish the execution had been a bit better.

Thank you Atria Books & NetGalley for the ARC!

I was a big Bachelor fan a few years ago, so I jumped at the chance to request this book - I was so happy for the approval!

This book was a perfect beach read: soapy, romantic, sweet. It had a lot of great diversity and representation. The one thing that made it slightly hard to read were the characters with the same name. I know that was on purpose, but it kind of took me out of the story momentarily. Otherwise, it was a sweet read and I was very happy to read it!

Thank you again for the ARC!