Shirlene Obuobi may be my new favourite writer, I absolutely loved Jo and Mal separately and together. I felt their depth and the love they had for each other and they way they lifted each other up. It was so raw and emotional, touching on many heavy subjects in a thoughtful way. I will be recommending this book to everyone I know!

A great story with strong characters right from the beginning.

An incredible story that touched on so many themes especially deep ones. I loved how depression was represented as someone who suffers myself it’s amazing when an author knows how to write about it and write about it correctly.

It was quite a unique romance story I myself have read quite a few now and this one is definitely a lot different to these and it’s so refreshing.

A 4.5 rating from me

This was a 3.5/5 read for me. I really liked the premise and had high hopes for this book, however, I was left a little bit disappointed.

Firstly, I don’t quite understand why Jo’s POV was in 1st person and Mal’s was in 3rd. In my opinion, it was a bit of an odd choice to write the book this way. I think this book would have been better if it was consistently written in either 1st of 3rd person.

I struggled to get through this book because I found Jo to be quite an irritable character - but that didn’t draw away from the sympathy I held for her. She had an incredibly tough childhood and had to learn how to do things on her own pretty early in life. She’s very strong, and resilient, but unfortunately, I just couldn’t find her to be likeable.

This book did have an important, eye opening part to it - the look at depression and the effects of social media on mental health was incredibly tough, but very important.

I did like Mal as our MMC, but, I do think there is such a thing as falling way too fast. He was very kind, and patient, and he was always very understanding, but I think he became a bit too attached too quickly. I also think Jo got over Ezra far too quickly. Obviously, she was done with him after he dated her old bully, but, feelings don’t just vanish instantly.

Overall, I’m very 50/50 with this book. I think there would be many who would enjoy this one, but sadly, it missed the mark just a little bit for me.

"Between Friends & Lovers" by Shirlene Obuobi is a beautifully crafted novel that explores the delicate and often blurred lines between friendship and romance. Obuobi’s writing is both poignant and insightful, delving deep into the complexities of relationships, the bonds we form, and the risks we take when those bonds are tested by deeper feelings.

The story centers around two protagonists who have been close friends for years, navigating the highs and lows of life together. As they support each other through personal challenges, career milestones, and the ups and downs of their respective love lives, they begin to question whether their relationship is truly platonic or if it has the potential to be something more. The novel explores the emotional turmoil and uncertainty that comes with considering a romantic relationship with someone who has been a constant and beloved presence in your life.

Obuobi masterfully portrays the characters’ inner conflicts, fears, and hopes as they weigh the potential risks of moving from friendship to romance. The dialogue is natural and engaging, capturing the deep connection between the characters and the nuances of their relationship. The narrative also touches on themes of trust, vulnerability, and the courage it takes to open your heart to someone who knows you so well.

"Between Friends & Lovers" is perfect for readers who enjoy contemporary romance with a focus on emotional depth and character-driven storytelling. Shirlene Obuobi has created a novel that resonates with anyone who has ever faced the challenge of deciding whether to risk a cherished friendship for the possibility of true love. It’s a thoughtful and moving read that will leave readers contemplating the complexities of love and friendship long after the final page.

This book got me to read and enjoy a love triangle plot line?! We live in crazy times!

Between Friends & Lovers follows a 29 year old influencer doctor Jo as she learns to fall in love with someone new after finally accepting that the crush she has on her best friend is unrequited.

I loved that this was a romance that focused on personal growth and friendship as much as (if not more than) it focused on the romance. That being said, the slow burn romance between Jo and Mal was done so well and I found myself rooting for them the whole way through, even when they both made some questionable decisions. I loved that none of the characters were perfect or even pretended to be. They all existed in the grey area that makes book characters so much more real. This is a book that starts off a little slow but really gets it's hooks into you and keeps you invested right until the last page!

Looooved it!! I read this so quickly, struggled so hard to put it down, and I’m still thinking about it days later. Obsessed!

Love it! Love it! Love it!
This book is for all the girls/women who were friendzoned for many years expecting that one day your friend would realise that he is in love with you. All the expectation and the illusion and all the time spent daydreaming that it would be a romantic friends-to-lovers story. That’s what makes this book so real, because most of the time this fantasy doesn’t end up on a romantic story.
I read a lot of books that friends becoming lovers, but I never read one like this. In this book, Jo is in love with her best friend for years until one day she realises how much of her love life has been stuck because of it. And then comes Malcolm! What a great male main character he is! He is sweet and romantic and understanding and so mature. There is no toxic masculinity, no jealousy, and no adults behaving like high schoolers, on the contrary, every interaction between these three main characters is so mature, so real. Jo and Mal’s relationship develops in such a beautiful way.
Also, I love how this book didn’t focus only on the romance, but there is a mix of highs and lows that both characters go through. There are chapters to laugh at, there are chapters to have your eyes itching to cry, and there are chapters that I really wanted to give Jo a big hug.
I couldn’t recommend this book enough. Read it!

Thanks to NetGalley UK and Quercus for sending me this advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to netgalley, the author and the publisher for the advance copy to read.

I loved the sound of this from the blurb and it did not disappoint.

Super easy read, with great romance and characters.

When I read the blurb for this book I was so excited - it did not disappoint!

Jo is in love with her childhood best friend, Ezra, and has been for a long time. When his new girlfriend turns out to be her highschool bully, Jo expects Ezra to defend her. When he doesn't, she knows then and there that she has to make some changes.

As well as being a qualified doctor, Dr Jojo is also a super popular social media influencer who uses her knowledge and platform to talk all things sex and relationships. The fact she is a virgin only makes her more popular and approachable.

Enter Malcolm. He is cute, he is charming and he is in awe of Jo. He is the perfect candidate for Jo to get over Ezra and finally lose the virginity she's been holding on to.

The story is heartwarming, uplifting and also eye-opening at the same time. Jo is a force to be reckoned with, she is confident, straight to the point and takes no bullshit. It was special seeing Malcolm break down the walls she'd so carefully built and show her what love should feel like. She's not instantly likeable because of her boldness and the way she sometimes treats Malcolm, but during the course of the book you learn exactly why Jo is the way she is and that a lot of it is a way for her to protect herself.

This is shown when she faces the backlash from social media. Because not only is she a woman being served hatred from the masses.. she's a black woman being served hatred and we all know how that goes. It could never be the white man's fault. Even though in this instance, it ABSOLUTELY is.

I'm glad Ezra finally, finally stood up for Jo, it was too little too late.

Jo gets the happy ever after she's always deserved and the ending was utterly perfect.

Thank you so much and congratulations to @shirlywhirlmd on your debut novel! It was an honour to read 🫶

Thanks to @netgalley for the ARC

This was such a fun and refreshing read, I love a cheesy romance book as much as the next person but find some of them so unrealistic, it makes me cringe. However the romance is this is believable and healthy which is all the more roamantic. Jo is realistic, practical and the way she thinks about and approaches relationships is so relatable.
I also loved the focus on the importance of other relationships in her life as well as how the author deals with some serious topics in a very sensitive way, I would definitely say this is more of a litfic than straight romance but I really enjoyed it!

🇺🇸I’m usually not a big fan of love triangles, so I approached *Between Friends and Lovers* by Shirlene Obuobi with a bit of hesitation. But, just like the author says it herself: this is not a love triangle. The story is more about falling out of love with the man you once thought was your "one" and ultimately finding yourself and true love through the journey. That’s why I found myself thoroughly enjoying the novel, as it transcends the typical love triangle trope and delves into themes of self-discovery and personal growth.

The trio of characters is wonderfully crafted, making the story a delight to read. Their open communication is refreshing and adds a layer of authenticity to the story. It’s rare to find characters who express their feelings so candidly, and it adds depth to their relationships and interactions.

Josephine, in particular, stands out as an amazing character. She embodies the struggle of being perceived as strong when all she wants is to be seen as human and vulnerable. Her journey is powerful and relatable, capturing the essence of what it means to seek one’s own identity and happiness. I appreciated the honesty of her character and how she navigates the complexities of love and life.

Overall, *Between Friends and Lovers* offers a nuanced and heartfelt exploration of love, identity, and communication. Shirlene Obuobi has crafted a story that is both engaging and thought-provoking, making it a truly memorable read. I absolutely loved it and recommend it to anyone looking for a fresh take on romance and self-discovery.

Jo is a medicine and lifestyle sex-positive blogger (who is also a 29 year old virgin) who jumped ship from practising as a doctor after medical school when the pressure to be perfect became too much. Ezra is that posh White guy that all Brown and Black women in light novels seem to have to love - but Mal is a Black author who meets Jo by accident and falls in love with her: he's learned from his previous relationship and seems too good to be true but is an actually decent man. Note that this is not a "closed door" novel so there are some steamy bits, though full of consent and care.

I didn't really like Jo as a character, even though we learned why she was so wary of love, but I still didn't want her to end up with the rich White boy character. I enjoyed the discussion of PR and promotion for both books and social media. I liked the side-characters most, I think, who were really diverse, Mal's best female friend Kelechi living with a disability that wasn't made a thing of, Jo's best friend was a good strong friend to her. There was also a discussion of mental health which was refreshing.

Review posted on my blog 29 July: https://librofulltime.wordpress.com/2024/07/29/two-book-reviews-mothers-friends-and-lovers/

While I enjoyed the beginning of the book, I have stopped reading the story. As the story went on it was adding information the was relating to the side characters while a big event happened between the three main characters and it was frustrating that I was getting hooked into the event then getting confused.
I stopped the book at 83%
Even though I didn't enjoy the book I would recommend this to others

I’ve never read a book by this author before but I absolutely loved it! Thank you so much for the ARC! I loved this story, it was extremely well written. Will definitely be on the lookout for more books by this author!

Between Friends and Lovers was a much more straightforward read than I was expecting after being promised a love triangle I realised it is really no such thing - or certainly not in the traditional sense. Afterall, only two points of view are written in the book, this felt very telling to me as the third person didn't get his voice heard at all.

There is plenty of pining after someone who doesn't want you, while missing out on someone (who might be great) who does. Some fairly shoddy treatment of a great, if ever-so-slightly dull, guy because he's not the one we're pining after. Lots of questioning about ones capacity to be in a relationship. The nice guy getting treated like a doormat. And eventually, the third person finally gets with the programme and realises they are missing out on the first person.

The whole book feels pretty self-indulgent on the part of the FMC 'Dr JoJo' who is an influencer. Perhaps it's my age but I found her work angst about whether or not to continue as an influencer tiresome, though I'm sure the situation described would be incredibly stressful.

What I did love was the representation! But overall I was hoping for something more challenging.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

As much as I do love to read about a lover triangle, this book just had too many other tropes that I am just not interested in. Like anything with influencers. not my jam. So while I did like reading the book because the writing style was great, so many plot twists were just not for my liking, and that is ok. I know I am not going to read another book which features influencer lifestyle (because it is just not something I can relate to at all). Also, the whole love triangle was not that intense as I would have liked it to be. So yeah. Thanks for the arc, but not for me.

Unfortunately, a DNF. I didn't realise this was the same author who wrote 'In Rotation', but I decided to give this one a try because the story intrigued me. And I got a bit of the way in, hoping it would have strains of 'Seven Days In June' (the occupation of the male love interest was writer), but it felt, for lack of a better word, entirely too crowded in its prose. A lot of ideas were being thrown at the wall without much time being given over to developing them. The first couple of chapters had one of my biggest pet peeves in writing, which was stopping every five seconds to info dump in an attempt to build a main character and losing any attempt at pacing in the process. It was a lot of telling us about who these characters were, rather than actively showing us through their actions. I'm sure it'll appeal to readers who enjoy Obuobi's style, but this one just wasn't for me.

I really enjoyed Between Friends and Lovers. Love triangles can be a tricky trope and sometimes one MC is written to be a horrible caricature in order to make the reader understand why the female MC chose the other guy, but in this story I found the all three characters refreshing real and relatable. Jo in particular was a beautifully strong, independent woman. Loved Mal too! The Mental health rep was handled delicately and well, and I found the social media aspect really interesting, as someone who is older and not a participant in the whole influencer thing, a well written, beautifully developed story with depth and romance, I highly recommend this to other readers. Thanks Netgalley and th publisher for this enjoyable read.

I can understand why this book has so many popular reviews and it is one that sounds really good. But the transitions and writing style is better for me to digest via audiobook and I read this as an ebook.

What a great book!! I felt that the characters were very interesting and excited to read about. I enjoyed the story line and the deeper themes were well written. Would recommend!