I’m not usually one for a friends to lovers trope, but this one was fun. Part of me had a hard time believing that Cole and Laila had been friends for decades and never once had a romantic moment; however, I was able to suspend my disbelief and enjoy the ride. I also enjoyed feeling like I was exploring NYC with them.

WE LOVE TO SEE MCs IN THEIR LATE THIRTIES! Phew my heart! It was very close to breaking a couple of times. The narration on this audiobook is so good, I honestly just assumed I was reading in my own head. You know when that happens? Or is it just me? What kills me is how a female narrator can sound like the male character so seamlessly and vice versa. I genuinely had to go back and listen to a portion to make sure it wasn’t both of them in each chapter. (It’s not… but it could be!) Wild. Talent!

Okay the so the story. This is friends to more, and it’s always been you in the most slow burn, tension-y way imaginable. Will they? Won’t they? Do they love each other? Will they risk it? The FRIENDS references had me losing my cool. We were coincidentally right in the middle of a rewatch and in the final season when I started listening to this book. The emotions were emoting hard! The only moment in this book I didn’t just absolutely adore was when Laila says that baseball is terrible. 😭 She does eventually redeem herself. What great life has been given to the character when I had to remind myself that she isn’t a real person I can convince of the merits of baseball. 🤣👏🏻

Anyway, if you like best friends to lovers, slow burn, closed door, with a lot of witty banter— LISTEN TO THIS! It has some of the meltiest, sweetest moments. My notes are a roller coaster of raw emotions.

This was a cute friends to lovers story. i really enjoyed Cole and Laila's story. The way they loved each other from the beginning was very heart warming.

i listened to the audiobook, it was a quick and easy listen. i really enjoyed the narration.

review posted to Goodreads and Amazon.

This title was everything! From the pop-culture references to a couple who know each other inside and out, it was everything you'd want in a rom-com. I enjoyed every word and had a hard time putting it down. What a joy!

Thank You, NetGalley Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Fiction Audio

I loved every moment of Cole and Laila Just Friends! The characters of Cole and Laila are so well-developed and relatable that you can't help but root for them from beginning to end. Their dynamic is beautifully crafted, showcasing the highs and lows of friendship with authenticity and warmth.

The author has done an incredible job of capturing the essence of what it means to navigate the complexities of growing up and the often blurred lines between friendship and something more. Cole and Laila's journey is filled with humor, heartache, and moments of genuine connection that left me both laughing and tearing up.

What stands out the most is the deep bond between the characters. Their interactions feel so real, and their struggles and triumphs resonate deeply. It's refreshing to see a story that celebrates friendship's power while exploring personal growth and self-discovery.

"Cole and Laila are Just Friends" by Bethany Turner is a delightful and heartwarming tale of friendship, love, and self-discovery. Cole and Laila's bond is beautifully depicted, filled with genuine warmth and humor that draws readers in from the start. Turner skillfully navigates the complexities of their relationship as they grapple with newfound feelings while navigating life-changing decisions.

The small-town setting of Adelaide Springs, Colorado, adds charm to the story, serving as the perfect backdrop for Cole and Laila's journey. Turner's writing is witty and engaging, with well-crafted dialogue that brings the characters to life.

What sets this novel apart is its exploration of the intricacies of friendship turning into something more, without sacrificing the authenticity of the characters' emotions and experiences. While the plot may follow some familiar romantic comedy tropes, Turner injects enough freshness and depth to keep readers hooked until the very end.

Overall, "Cole and Laila are Just Friends" is a heartwarming and entertaining read that will leave you rooting for the characters long after you've turned the last page.

I enjoyed this book. I finished it so quickly. I loved the story of high school sweethearts. I liked that both characters kept to what they wanted and didn't compromise their happiness just for one another.

Since birth, Cole and Laila have been best friends. They live in the small town of Adelaide Springs, Colorado, and up until the passing of Cole's grandfather, everything was going well and both saw a future in Adelaide Springs. But upon the reading of his grandfather's will, everything changes for Cole. Facing changes, suddenly there is the possibility that Cole and Laila could be more than friends.

I listened to the audiobook version of this delightful book, gifted by Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio via Netgalley. Thank you! All opinions and thoughts are mine and mine alone.
The audiobook really added to the overall enjoyment of this book because the chapters alternated between Cole's perspective and Laila's perspective. Both characters had a different voice actor to give life to the story.

Cole and Laila and their best friends were likable characters and I was invested in the story the whole time. This was my first real taste of the best friends-to-lovers trope, and I enjoyed it immensely. The only critique I have with this book is that Cole and Laila's definite more-than-friends feelings they have for each other were discussed almost immediately in the book. I would have liked more of a build-up.

Four out of five stars. This was such a good friends to lovers story of main characters, Laila and Cole. If you love references from You’ve Got Mail, Ghostbusters, Gilmore Girls, and so many more, this is for you. A clean romance between a couple who have been longtime friends and know everything about each other. One day Cole starts to see Laila in a new light. One dream sets off a plethora of thoughts. But it isn’t until he might lose her that it occurs to him he can’t live without her. When Cole‘s grandfather passes away, the restaurant he has so desperately worked hard for is snatched away. So why does he even need to stay in Adelaide Springs anymore. When an opportunity to go to New York and be a sous chef for a famous restaurant becomes available, Cole can’t help but go and have Laila come with him. As they go on this trip, Laila has other ideas. Ideas to make Cole realize that Colorado is where he belongs. Almost as soon as Cole is set on staying in New York, he has to go bad to Adelaide Springs again to settle a few things. His mom has arrived and everything as he thought. Available now on Amazon!! Thank you to @netgalley, @harpercollinschristian, and @seebethanywrite for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook version. #netgalley #coleandlailaarejustfriends

Cole and Laila are Just Friends is a classic beloved Hallmark movie in book form. Lifelong best friends Cole and Laila have always been inseparable, but never more than friends—until now. After the death of his grandfather and a resulting betrayal, Cole contemplates leaving their charming small town for New York City to start fresh. The two take a week-long trip to NYC which forces them to confront their growing feelings and the possibility of transforming their friendship into something more.

V cute friends to lovers clean romance. The only thing that threw me off was the dialogue and character actions feeling mismatched with their ages. In their late 30s, they came across as a bit immature and naive. Despite this, I enjoyed the storytelling and found it to be a very easy listen.

Thanks to Netgalley, HarperCollins Christian Publishing, Bethany Turner, Talon David and Andrew Eiden for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Cole & Laila grew up together in their small town of Adelaide Springs, Colorado. Cole's family owns a local bar turned restaurant that Laila helps waitress at and things seem to be going well until Cole's grandfather dies and his will leaves the fate of the restaurant (and possibly the town) up in the air. When a chance meeting with an up-and-coming New York chef result in Cole getting a job offer in Brooklyn, Cole tags along on his friend's trip to New York to see if it's a move he's willing to make. With Lalia in tow, Cole and their friends Sebastian and Brynn head off on a truly touristy adventure.

I have to say I struggled with the way the relationship is written in this book. I love a friends-to-lovers situation, and I expected the normal situation where they thought about being together but dismissed it, or maybe tried it drunkenly one time and never addressed it, ect...... but the way both of these characters repeatedly, ADAMANTLY, deny EVER have thought of ANYTHING about them being in a relationship despite both being chronically single and almost forty requires a truly expert level of suspension of disbelief. The way the characters interact with each other, both what they say (I have never told a plutonic friend he's "a hottie" seriously) and the way they touch each other (excessive hand holding. forehead kisses, deep hugs) is weird. If I did any of those things to my male friends, especially in front of my other friends, everyone would immediately call me out on it. You will never in a million years convince me that it truly never occurred to either of these characters to get together.

Still, I loved a lot about this book. My favorite part of this book is that the main characters are almost forty. I read a lot and find so much of the genre has protagonists in their early twenties, maybe late twenties, but it's not often I come across a story where the characters are rapidly approaching forty and don't have their lives figured out. As an almost forty-year-old person, it was refreshing to read a legitimate 'I haven't figured my life out yet' story from the perspective of someone older than 22. I also love a good friends-to-lovers trope, it's always cute. I also appreciated a number of the very specific references aimed directly at my age bracket ("You shipped them harder than Mulder & Scully". referencing Dermott Mulroney as one of the most attractive celebrities, ect). Just a really quick, feel-good story. Highly recommended for fans of small-town romance and fans of the Gilmore Girls.

I listened to the audiobook and really enjoyed it.

I have listened to many of Bethany Turner’s audiobooks books and like the others this did not disappoint.

I was gifted a copy of Brynn and Sebastian and haven’t had a chance to read it but I definitely will now.

Thank you NetGalley & Thomas Nelson for this advanced audiobook in return for an honest review.

I thought this was a really good story. I liked the narration and the characters were funny and relatable. I gave this a 4 stars and I’d recommend the audiobook.

"Something tells me you and I are going to be very good friends."
Cole and Laila Are Just Friends is a fresh addition to the friends to more trope. I really enjoyed that the characters communicated strongly when that moment arrived where they teetered from friends to romance. It had its bumps, but it was so realistic which was refreshing; even their reasons for not waking up to those feelings before were super believable. I also appreciated that the characters were in their late 30s/early 40s and the maturity they had as well as the years of history this lent to their backstory. It was neat how the author presented the term "just friends" in the book and allowed that to play into the evolution of Cole and Laila's relationship.
I enjoyed the settings and overall small-town vibe and community. I felt invested in their romance, their friendship, and their town. I listened to the audiobook version of this book and found the narration to be easy to follow along with and differentiate who was talking or which character's voice the chapter was being told in. I'd listen to it again and I recommend it.
Thank you Netgalley, Thomas Nelson, and Zondervan Audio for the advance listening copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I enjoyed this story and the audiobook version, I recommend it.
This is a clean romance.

First thing’s first: thank you Netgalley for the ALC of this book!
Cole and Laila are Just Friends was a super cute friends to lovers book about two lifelong friends who have never been more. Cole is looking to leave his life in small town Colorado behind after his adopted grandfather passes and Cole finds out the restaurant he’d loved and expected his grandfather to leave to him had been sold to a corporation. Laila can’t imagine a life without her best friend in it and they both go to NYC to visit mutual friends and for Cole to interview for a job.
I adored this book! It was so sweet and cute and I firmly believe that friends to lovers is a totally underrated trope. This was friends to lovers done RIGHT. They really felt like best friends in the ways they spoke to each other and behaved around each other. We got intermittent peeks into their shared past, but not so much that it felt like the story was taking place on two timelines. I was kicking my feet and rooting for these two!
4⭐️

This book was an absolute joy from start to finish!

It’s as if the author picked through Amy Sherman-Palladino’s brain and wrote a book that encompassed all of the joy and quirkiness of the first few seasons of Gilmore Girls. All the quick wit, the pop culture references, the quirky small town, and bffs who speak their own shorthand. I haven’t laughed out loud this much while reading/listening to a book in a long time. I was thoroughly entertained and so completely engrossed that I didn’t want to leave this world and these characters when it was all said and done. This book will be getting a spot on my favorites shelf.

The narrators for the audiobook were utterly fantastic. The pacing, the delivery, the emotion, all of it came together seamlessly. I will definitely be listening to this book again.

Favorite Quotes:

"I don't like the expression 'just friends'," I whispered. "I don't like the implication that there's a hierarchy of relationships. And if there is a hierarchy, how dare anyone minimize friendship? Isn't friendship everything?"

There wasn't a singular moment when something had shifted and somewhere deep in his subconscious his soul had whispered, "She matters more than the rest." It had just always been. He'd always known.

"I think, in a way, I'm sort of hoping you realize it doesn't matter where we are, as long as we're together."

*Thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for the alc. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Cole and Laila have been best friends their entire lives: intimately familiar with Laila’s oversized, pink, plastic, Sophia Loren glasses, and trying every single new dish Cole creates in his family’s restaurant . . . even though she has the refined palate of a kindergartener.
When Cole decides to move to New York City from their small mountain town, Laila doesn’t want to lose her very favorite person. She goes to NYC with him for the first few days and not just for his killer chocolate chip pancakes. It’s because she loves him. As a friend. Just as a friend. Obviously.

Highlight I know people will drool over - it’s dual perspective!

This kind of reminded me of Happy Place, in the sense that there was a larger focus on future ambitions and the surrounding supportive friend group.
I have just looked it up and it turns out there I s a book one and that explains the immediate love I felt the author had for all her characters (namely their friends who are a couple). I think I was more invested in their relationship (lol), so will be looking up book one!

”What if we’re so afraid to mess up what we have that we’re actually messing up the best stuff? The stuff we haven’t even seen yet.”

I also enjoyed the peppering of plenty of pop culture and celebrity references. Imagine just being down the street from Taylor Swift’s apartment?! Laila is also a maaaajor Friends fan so expect a lot of episode allusions.
However, I have a feeling this book will become dated quickly with all the popular culture nods.

Major Cons:
The amount of times ‘I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding’ used was waaay too much.
I also found it unbelievable that Laila was such a ‘country bumpkin’ that she didn’t even know what Uber was? Or that restaurants and takeaways are open past 8pm?!

In the end, I just felt the plot extremely frustrating and the lacking communication for two people who say they share everything unbelievable and convoluted.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio for providing the audiobook in exchange for a review.

Best fake dating story. I loved the character continuation from Brynn and Sebastian’s story. I was grinning while reading. Truly enjoyed the story.

First and foremost, a big thank you to Bethany Turner, Thomas Nelson and Zondervan Fiction Audio, Harper Collins Christian Publishing and Netgalley for a free audiobook ARC of this book which allowed me to voluntarily provide an unbiased review. Book is available on June 4th, 2024.

This my first Bethany Turner book. I think I have a new favorite author to follow. Bethany did a great job creating that small town vibe and painting Laila and Cole as best friends. They were very cute together and sweet to each other. Laila and Cole were well developed characters. The plot was complicated but well laid out and thoroughly explained in the end. The romantic subplot was a slow burn friends to lovers. It took awhile to get romantically interesting (chapter 13 or about 34%) and didn’t crossover to lovers until about 75% (chapter 27) the way through. This was a clean romance, no spice and no fade to black.

This title was dual narrated by Talon David and Andrew Eiden. Their performance is very good. Both narrators utilize different voices for each character. The chemistry between Laila and Cole was portrayed perfectly despite not being recorded as a duet.

Overall, I would listen again.

This was such an easy listen. A friends to lovers story with quick witted humor and pop culture references sprinkled throughout. The character had small town charm that made you feel as if you knew them personally.
The narrators for this book were great. The multi-POV was well executed. They really brought the story to life.