Thanks for the ARC from NetGalley.

Normally I don’t like to read about events that have occurred that have been experienced about in fiction. Aside from the “crazies” being mentioned in the book, I loved it.

How to describe the roller coaster ride without giving it away. The lows you felt for the Lilly and Murray made the highs that much better. It felt real and not made up experiences. I’ve felt how Lilly has felt and could understand the crazy ways she does things in the hopes for a brighter day.

Out of the last few books I’ve read I’m glad mental health is being talked about. It’s a real struggle when you try to understand how you’re feeling and don’t see the one person you are trusting your emotions with is not “hearing” you, and grateful that the author allowed for the main characters to discuss the need to get things worked out.

I would highly recommend this book for the funny moments of reality tv, where you forget you are reading a book and want more.

Not Here to make Friends by Jodi McAlister is a great book for reality and dating show fans. With its bachelor and bachelorette vibes, you meet a lot of different characters on their different paths. It is a fun quick read for some lighthearted entertainment.

Thank you NetGalley for an ARC of Not Here to Make Friends by Jodi McAlister

Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC of Not Here to Make Friends.

I really enjoyed this book as a reality tv show fan. I loved the setting as the behind the scenes production of a bachelor style show.

I liked the flashbacks to prior years and felt that really added to the plot. Murray and Lily are not the most likable characters but they worked together well.

I also liked that the characters on the show thwarted the predetermined plans.

"Not Here to Make Friends" by Jodi McAlister offers a refreshing twist on the traditional romance novel, diving deep into the world of reality television and the complexities of relationships both on and off screen. McAlister's witty writing style and sharp dialogue make for an engaging and entertaining read that will keep readers hooked from beginning to end.

At the heart of the story is Murray O'Connell, the ambitious showrunner of the reality dating show "Marry Me, Juliet," and Lily Fireball, the network's chosen villain for the season. As Murray and Lily navigate the cutthroat world of reality TV, their complicated history and simmering tensions add depth and intrigue to the narrative.

One of the novel's strengths lies in its exploration of the dynamics between Murray and Lily, as well as the other contestants on the show. McAlister deftly delves into themes of rivalry, betrayal, and redemption, creating characters that feel authentic and relatable despite their larger-than-life circumstances.

Another standout aspect of "Not Here to Make Friends" is McAlister's keen insight into the inner workings of reality television production. From behind-the-scenes drama to on-screen romance, the novel offers a fascinating glimpse into the high-stakes world of reality TV, filled with twists and turns that will keep readers guessing until the very end.

While the novel's focus on the reality TV setting may not appeal to all readers, those who enjoy a healthy dose of drama and romance will find much to love in "Not Here to Make Friends." With its well-developed characters, clever plot twists, and sizzling chemistry between the protagonists, this book is sure to satisfy fans of contemporary romance looking for something a little different.

- Balanced dual POV, giving adequate background and building an obvious, fun, banter filled relationship between our FMC and MMC
- Clear growth of our FMC, processing of guilt, desire
- MMC was relatable to other overworked and career driven young adults
- Fun for those who like the bachelor, especially if you have any background in film and like the production aspect.
- I wish we had a little more development of the side characters on the page, I would have loved to see more queer representation with the emphasis on “most diverse season of the show”
- Slow burn, understandably given Lily’s story and timeline
- I became really invested around 60% and I couldn’t put it down. I really enjoyed the twists at the end and generally enjoyed the last half of this book. The “scenes” of the show were also very well depicted and felt very akin to what I’ve seen on the show it mimics on tv.

Jodi McAlister does an amazing job depicting the story of contestants on a reality show similar to the Bachelor. Even though this is the third book in a series, it can be read as a standalone. Absolutely loved it!

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My new favorite sub-genre is "romance set inside a reality show, and "Not Here to Make Friends" instantly became a favorite. It's not a simple boy-meets-girl set up. It's a dive into the behind-the-scenes work of the two showrunners of the dating show "Marry Me, Juliet" (think "The Bachelor") with a history of working in sync together.
Murray O’Connell is facing his first season without his co-producer, Lily Ong, who has gone no-contact after the death of her husband. To up the difficulty level more, the show is under pandemic protocols, and his boss just introduced him to the season's designated villain: Lily Fireball, his former partner, determined to blow up her personal life.
How do you feel about chapters alternating points of view? Jodi McAllister carries it off beautifully, with Murray mostly detailing the ongoing plot while Lily fills in their history. There's the comic unreality behind the familiar trappings of a reality show, the contestants determined to not fit into the set narrative, and Murray and Lily clashing and coming together on their own way to happily ever after.
Also, it's set in Australia, so set your internal narrator to "g'day, mate!"
I didn't discover until after I finished that this is actually the third book of a 3-part series called "Marry Me, Juliet," all featuring characters involved in this reality show. I immediately grabbed the first two titles for my TBR pile and will be looking for other McAlister titles.

This is a friends-to-lovers romance about an Australian version of The Bachelor called Marry Me, Juliet (and its spin-off series, Wherefore Art Thou, Romeo and Juliet on the Beach). I didn't realize this was a series until I had already started reading it, but I will say that there doesn't appear to be a reason you would necessarily need to read the other two before this one.

Not Here to Make Friends focuses on producer Murray O'Connell and his best friend and fellow producer, Lily Ong. After Lily's husband dies, she withdraws from the world for a year, only to waltz onto the set of the newest season of Marry Me, Juliet...as a contestant, not as a producer. Murray, who was already struggling to keep Marry Me, Juliet afloat without his best friend, has a terrible time trying to cope with the arrival of Lily as the character Lily Fireball. To make matters worse, his reality show spins out of control from day one and just gets worse as filming proceeds.

Overall, a dramatic installment to Marry Me, Juliet that makes me want to read the other stories involved in this series.

Bachelor/Bachelorette fans will love this behind-the-scenes look. I loved the way the book weaved together two main character narratives, alternating between one from the perspective of the past portion of the relationship and another from the current status of that same relationship.

However, there are some things that held this back for me. As is true with the Bachelor/Bachelorette franchise, there are SO MANY characters to keep track of. Having a glossary of names would have been helpful to track everyone's storylines. Also, there were so many plots and subplots, it was really easy to get lost in the writing. I found myself having to reread sections to figure out what information I needed to take away from the scene in the book.

Overall, it's a light read that's good for someone who enjoys reality TV.

Interesting story about Murray (MMC) and Lily (FMC) who have both been producing/working together on Reality TV for 13 years, and in the meanwhile having feelings for each- when they know they shouldn’t.

This was a difficult book for me to get through, and took longer than usual for me to finish. The story was flat with slow pacing, and picks up a little after 75% of the book. It was difficult relating or liking the two main leads because there was nothing interesting about them. They were morally grey- both manipulative, don’t mind putting others down to get what they want, annoyingly felt like they were the smartest people in the room (for reality TV..like come on), and also the emotional cheating didn’t fair well with me. The other reason it was hard to root for them was because I felt zero chemistry/spark/ connection between them, and much of their interaction felt weird and sometimes didn’t make sense. The side characters were one-dimensional with no personalities, and a lot of the plot felt useless/pointless or dragged on. There is no “villain”.

I did enjoy the double POV and the way it was constructed with one being present and one the other in the past. I did like that we had the present view more than the past, ans it was more interesting. Also- as a warning there is a death that occurs in the book.

This book made me question every reality show I've ever watched. And honestly, that was my favorite part, getting the 'behind-the-scenes' of how a 'Bachelor' show was made. I was really rooting for Dylan JM and Cece, though Murray and Lily had me in a rollercoaster. Ultimately, I liked that they ended up together and that Lily decided to stop being a 'Fireball.' Enjoyable read, especially for a reality TV fan.

This book felt effortless to read. It was an easy read for me. I definitely didn’t know this was a series so I did not read the prior two books. I enjoyed this book, but it felt like something was missing. I didn’t fall head over heels in love with the main characters. I didn’t dislike them, but something was missing from them that usually draws me to them. I think the writing itself was still good, but character wise it just was kinda a miss for me. I think this is definitely a book that other people with different taste would love!

As a long time bachelor fan, I was excited to read this! It was overall a fun read, but the dynamic between the main characters was often confusing. It was sometimes soul-mates, sometimes so toxic sounding I wasn’t sure if I wanted them together or not.

Thank you to NetGalley and Atria Book for a digital ARC of Not Here to Make Friends.

If you watch The Bachelor franchise and enjoy reading, this one is for you! I found it fascinating and felt like I was one of the producers. I loved both characters and the also the contestant drama. Felt very on brand. I also enjoyed the format of the book, with the female MC starting in the past and the male MC in the present. Very well done and I highly enjoyed, Would rank 3.5 if I could.

A very enjoyable read that's fast-paced and has a lot of depth. It reminded me of the show UnREAL (or a bit of Vanderpump Rules) and I love the slowest of slow burn loves that quickly explodes - in both great and hard ways. I couldn't put this one down.

For Fans of the Bachelor/Bachelorette series! I love any books that give an inside look or a fun take on finding love in the reality tv world. This was a cute, easy read that long time fans of that genre will enjoy. There are alot of characters to keep up with (but arent the reality shows like that anyway) and a bit of drawn out writing.

This is a third installment, and perhaps if I had read the first two there would have been more context for me. Overall, readers will find this engaging and fun.

Thank you Net Galley for this Advanced Reader Copy

loved this book. not a fluffy tv romance book, you dive deeper into the backstories and complex issues that surround the shows we all can’t seem to get enough of. this is also one of my favorite ways i’ve ever seen the mis-communication trope, and feature 2 morally grey leads. perfect for fans of UNREAL

This book was not exactly what I thought it was from the title and the description. I'm not going to spoil anything but only say that the characters are so much more nuanced than the publishers summary implies and the story is about so much more than a reality show. Given that, the descriptions of this show and what it was like to be a showrunner on reality tv were also very interesting - a behind the scenes look. I would recommend this book for a mostly "fun" read (although there is sadness too) with an interesting setting.

3.5 stars

Although I'm not one for reality TV these days I did spend a lot time with Survivor & The Bachelor in the early years so this was a fun book and made me nostalgic.

There was so much drama & angst watching/waiting for Murray and Lily to get their HEA. Sometimes I wasn't even sure I liked them but when it came down to it, I was rooting for them.

This is the third book in the series. I didn't realize that at first. I don't think it's necessary to read the other books to enjoy this one. I think I'll read the other two now though.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Atria Books through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Thank you, Atria Books.

Not Here to Make Friends was such a fun read! If you love shows like "The Bachelor" I'm positive you will eat this book up. While to me both characters were a bit unlikeable (will be noted later on in my review), the tension between them was fantastic and you could clearly see how deeply they feel for each other. As a reality dating show fan, I loved the backdrop showing the true nature of filming these shows. It was fun & enticing to watch.

I had a great time reading this (literally binged over just 2 sittings), and landed on a 3 star rating. There were two things I wasn't a huge fan of in this, one being the names of the characters. Because the 2 contestants they were trying to link together on the dating show were both named Dylan, the author distinguished them by writing "Romeo-Dylan" and "Juliet-Dylan". To me it became really tiresome to read the names in this way, and I wished they just simply had different first names. The other thing that I didn't enjoy was the level of emotional cheating. I personally don't like reading about cheating in any way, so it was hard to see how borderline the emotional cheating was in this story.

With that said, I had such a good time reading this book and will absolutely read another book from Jodi McAlister again. I appreciate being given the opportunity to review this!