This was an entertaining, well-written book. It was sweet, fun, steamy and kept me reading. I enjoyed this book and will continue to look for new books by this author.

When Olive Porter returns back to Sunrise Cove from London to help her best friend, Katie, after a family emergency, she’s surprised that there’s another guest - Katie’s twin brother, Noah, who broke Olive’s heart back in high school - staying at the house.

This was a lower-angst, lovely small town romance that my heart needed this past week. Olive and Noah have quite a bit of history to work out and oh does it take some TIME. If you’re a fan of second chances, best friend’s brother, one bed (in a yurt!) romances, make sure to check it out! Jill Shalvis is a comfort read author of mine and Better Than Friends sure hit the spot.
I received an advanced reading copy, receipt of which did not impact my review.

Another great story by Jill Shalvis, this time with a bit or suspense which I loved!! Second chance romances are some of my favorite, as don't we all wish we could have a do-over in some previous relationship. Tragedy kept Olive and Noah apart when they were younger and when Olive comes back to town to help locate her possibly-missing parents, they are pushed back together despite Olive's reluctance. I loved the found family aspect of this book as well as the relationship with Olive's best friend and Noah's sister, Katie. Emotional, funny, snarky and swoon worthy - just what I expect from a Jill Shalvis story.

This review was originally posted on Books of My Heart


Review copy was received from NetGalley, Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

I love the Sunrise Cove series which is a newer one. Not that I don't love the older series because I do. This series is set in a beautiful place and has characters which shine. They have the quirky, realistic foibles one can love. The humor and banter is always enjoyable.

Olive is a very successful PR person based in the UK since college. She is back home to help out her best friend Katie when her brother and husband are in an accident. Olive lived mostly with her grandmother and the Katie's family, because her parents are unreliable. She loves being back home with Katie and her family. But that includes Katie's twin brother, Noah who is always the one she wants. Olive is nicer about everything than I could be.

Noah is a hot mess, not that he would show it. He is always the one who has to hold things together for his mom or sister. But now he is guilty about the accident and hates his own injury keeping him from his work he loves. Now Olive is here and she was the one who got away.

The story starts pretty slowly building up the characters and situations. There are flashbacks to the senior year of high school when Olive and Noah are fake-dating but want to be real dating. Olive is smart but not popular. Noah is a jock and very popular. Neither thinks they are good enough for the other. The flashbacks work up to the end of the year when Olive and Noah have an accident and she leaves town for college. There are secrets, so many secrets.

Olive loves being back here and truth be told wants to stay but realizes if she does Noah will break her heart, if she is honest with herself. She is very worried when she is not able to get in touch with her parents for a few weeks. Joe uses his job skills to put together lists of places they might be. He goes with Olive to check out a place because the weather is iffy and he has the right vehicle being a ranger. They get snowed in and finally have time to talk.

The emotions are always true and strong with reading Jill Shalvis. There is also humor and really good people. I always must read her newest. Next up is The Love Fix in June.

Book 7 in the Sunrise Cove series. A quick romance, with lots of humor and back and forth banter, between the main characters Noah and Olive! I loved all the other family members in this book too. Jill Shalvis does it again, a winner!

When Olive Porter’s off-the-grid parents go missing, she reluctantly seeks out Noah Turner, her ex and the only person she both trusts implicitly and not at all.

I love Olive and Noah! They have fantastic chemistry, as with all Jill Shalvis’ characters! Their love/hate relationship will keep you laughing and hoping for more! And as with most romance stories, the reader gets what they want. I loved their push-pull antics.

I have said this before and I will say this again, no one does snarky quite like Jill Shalvis! And this novel tickled me! The family interactions and the nosiness had me rooting for all involved.

Need a quick romance with great characters and fantastic humor…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today.

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

I liked the characters in this new book, flaws and all. Olive had returned to Sunrise Cove to help her best friend, Katie, while her husband was in the hospital. I admired her courage as she also had to face Katie's brother, Noah. She'd had a crush on him for years but it was one sided and she'd been hurt enough.

Only Jill Shalvis could write a story that would bring these characters to life with all of their emotions surfacing at once. I liked that I was never sure if Olive and Noah would become a couple or if Olive would return to her job in London and Noah would return to his job in Yosemite. The secondary characters with their secrets and revelations really added to the story.

I am so glad there will be another book in this series! I received an advance copy of this book and I willingly chose to write an honest review.

Another Sun Rise Cove book to make you laugh, occasionally shed a couple tears, and fall in love with these best friends like family. There is also a hint of mystery!

Olive Porter is heading to Lake Tahoe from her present home in the UK to help her best friend Katie after Katie’s husband is injured with his partner Noah (Katie’s twin brother) while working for the National Park service as agents. Joe was injured more seriously, and is in a coma. Noah re injured his leg from a previous accident. Another part of the story. They’re hoping to keep things somewhat normal for Joey, Katie and Joe’s 5 year old son.
But nothing is normal when Olive and Noah are in the same room. They have a long history of love and serious dislike. Olive grew up next to Noah and Katie being raised by her Gram. Her parents were a bit “drifty” as she was growing up, aging hippies even now. They are assumed on a new adventure, but have not checked in as expected. A side twist to this hilarious romantic comedy. Of course, we have a wonderful dog companion named Holmes, and a feisty kitten named Spice.
Ms. Shalvis writes books that make you smile, feel good and want to read again! Highly recommend.

Jill Shalvis never disappoints!
Oh I just love everything Shalvis writes and this was no exception! I loved the characters the how they all contained some depth to them. I adored the setting and found it to be very sweet.
Better Than Friends is book seven in the Sunrise Cove series by Jill Shalvis and this series has got to be one of my absolute favorites!
Once I pick up one of her books I don’t want to stop reading, start to finish. What I like about this series is you don’t have to read in order. They’re standalone. Phenomenal.

Better Than Friends was amazing, I could not put it down and ended up staying up half the night reading Noah and Olive's book. It was so worth getting little sleep. The second chance romance between Noah and Olive is heartbreaking and sweet. There is so much love between Olive and Noah's family, the laughter they share, heartbreak, guilt, and memories. I loved how Katie was portrayed, she has an eidetic memory, her family doesn't treat her any different and accepts her for who she is. When the deadline of returning to their life looms, they have some big decisions to make, and everything has changed now, so do they stay and have everything they ever wanted or let fear take hold and run away again? This was such a great book, and I highly recommend this book.

Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review from author.

Another winner for Jill Shalvis, an author I have been reading for close to 20years. She writes wonderful character driven stories and this is another great read. We are back in Sunrise Cove with Noah and Olive, friends since teenagers when Olive moved in with her grandmother who lived next door to Noah and Katie. Olive had been brought up by hippie parents who lived off the grid, and she wanted a home. Katie became her best friend, and Noah was a crush/ friend who looked after her. The book begins when Olive moves back to her Gram’s house because Katie asked her to come home. Katie had married, had a son, and her husband was in the hospital from an accident, and Katie needed help. Both Olive and Noah still had feelings but neither wanted to act on it. The angst between the two was palatable,and their story flowed very naturally as they finally got their HEA. Another wonderful read by a great writer.

Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis is the 7th book in her wonderful Sunrise Cove series. The story revolves around Olive Porter and Noah Turner, who were former teenage flames many years ago. Olive returns home to Sunrise Cove to help her best friend, Katie, as her husband, Joe, was injured in accident, still unconscious. Olive sees her first love Noah, who is Katie’s brother, with both not having seen each other in decades. Noah also works with Joe, who is also recuperating, but totally concerned about his friend. Noah is a special investigative agent for the National Park Service, where Joe also works. With Olive staying at Katie house, Noah sees her after all these years, looking gorgeous and as well as being very successful.

At first both Noah and Olive continue to ignore each other, but when Olive parents seem to be missing, and not responding to her emails. She seeks Noah to help her find her parents. Noah agrees to help her, but he is determined to not allow himself to fall for Olive, who he felt broke his heart. As they began to be friends again, the memories of the past were raw still, but they navigated their feels into the present; with both dealing with the pain of those emotions and find their way to back to each other.

I loved Katie, who did her best to try and bring Noah and Olive together. She was a fantastic friend and brother, and her young son was a riot. I also love Olive, who you couldn’t help liking her and hoping for her to fall in love with Noah again. Olive was smart, strong, successful and still held back to not getting hurt again, even though she knew how much she began to care for Noah. He was always amusing and wonderful helping his sister and Joey, while Joe was still in the hospital. Of course, due to the past, Noah was a bit infuriating at times, still determined not to allow himself to have a second chance with Olive.

Finally, Joe began to wake up, and eventually back home with Katie and Joey. His closeness to Noah was also his push to try and reconnect with Olive. Joe decided to quit his job, be home a lot more. Olive and Noah succumb to their feelings, with great chemistry. Olive decides to move to Sunrise Cove, where she can be near Katie, and her family; as she can continue her successful business from there.

Better Than Friends was a wonderful, charming, second chance, enemies- to- lovers, small-town love story, surrounded by family and friendship. I was happy that Noah and Olive found their way back. Better Than Friends was very well written by Jill Shalvis.

I know I’m repeating myself but this is how I feel about reading a Jill Shalvis novel. When you read one of her books you know you’re going to get a novel about great friendships, overcoming obstacles and learning a life lesson, and some kooky people in town that will stick their noses into your business- all with good intentions! Better Than Friends certainly has all of the above, with the addition of a story written from two perspectives, so you really understand where each character is coming from and their intentions, way before the characters in the story. Her books are steady, loving, and funny and Better Than Friends is also all of these things.

Olive Porter’s reasons for leaving town seem pretty minor and well, kind of juvenile, so it’s nice to see that she seems to be the only person who really cares about all of these “embarrassing” things that made her pack up and leave. Despite Noah’s reservations over seeing the woman who broke his heart he doesn’t turn his back on her when she needs him and as they solve the mystery of her missing parents they also solve their unresolved feelings. I love a well developed, quickly resolved romance.

Olive has returned to her home town.. This means she will encounter Noah who she has been avoiding for years. When she has no other choice but to ask for his help they are forced to spend time together. This is a story of family, missed communication and friendship. The book is part of a series but could easily be read as a stand alone. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

Solid 4 ⭐️ read.

This was my first Jill Shalvis novel and it was really wholesome and sweet.

Olive and Noah were best friends in school days, and somethings happened that caused them to stop speaking. However, Olive is still best friends with his twin sister, so when tragedy strikes for them - Olive is there and ready to support them.

The family drama in this was unmatched and felt like real time. I was laughing out loud at little family spats and usually anything the little boy, Joey had to say.

There is found family, complex family relationships to navigate, second chance romance, one beddddd, really cute banter, and it was very wholesome. If you’re not super big on spice, these scenes were very mild!

This comes out 1/21/25! Thank you so much NetGalley and Avon for the early read!

Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis

“Ask me what I want, Oli.”
“What do you want?”
“You. I want to be yours.”

Thank you to @avonbooks, the talented @jillshalvis and @hambright for gifting me an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.olkp

I love all of Jill Shalvis’s books so much! If you’ve never read her before then you should know that she excels at writing funny stories that are full of heart, found family and the most amazing characters. Better than Friends epitomizes all of these things and I loved every second that I spent being back in Sunrise Cove.

Olive returns home to help her best friend whose husband was in an accident. Being back in Sunrise Cove rekindles old feelings, especially those she has for her ex, Noah whom she has never quite gotten over. When Olive suddenly reappears looking too good to be true, Noah has to remind himself of all the reasons why giving her a second chance is not a good idea -- after all, he only barely survived her leaving the first time and she has no plans to stay forever.

It’s not hard for me to decide what my favorite part of this book is --- hands down, it is all the endearing characters. There is Olive, our FMC, who is strong because she has to be but is also learning to trust herself and be open to love. There is Owen, who finally lets himself be vulnerable and admit that the one thing he truly wants is for Olive to stay. There is Joey, an adorable 5 year old who has a knack for interrupting every time things are about to get spicy and Gram, a spitfire who is as loyal as they come. But my absolute favorite character is Katie, who is so loveable and perfectly herself in the best of all ways.

This book is silly and sweet and so well written. If you are a fan of second chance then this is a must read!

Thank you NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I liked the characters, but the story itself fell flat for me. I wish there was more development within the story, and I thought the dialogue was unnatural at times. I also wasn’t the biggest fan of the author’s writing style and didn’t love how the sequence of events for certain major incidents in the book.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

Seeing an approval for a Jill Shalvis book makes for a happy day in my inbox!

Jill never fails to deliver on a book that entertains, makes me laugh and gives me a romance to root for.



What I Liked:

This cover is dreamy………..

Olive & Noah. The push and pull between them was intense and I loved it! Their current story, the peeks into their backstory… Oh, it was so good.

The family dynamics in the Better Than Friends. Made for a great story with characters that I could understand their motivation, even if I was annoyed at their roles.



Bottom line: If you are a Jill Shalvis fan, run to get this book on January 21, 2025 (or preorder!)



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

I love my visits to Sunrise Cove and this was no exception. A second chance friendship/romance between Olive and Noah. This book has it all, friendships from high school, family, laugh aloud banter, animals and a little mystery. You can never go wrong with a JIll Shalvis book, I highly recommend. This is part of a series but can be read as a stand alone.

Jill Shalvis has done it again! I absolutely love reading her books because they always hook you in and she makes you love these characters soo much. This second chance, kinda enemies to lovers story between Olive and Noah was soo good. They try to fight against any feeling but when Noah helps Olive look for her parents things change. Love them! Also secondary character are great too. I feel like I could talk about them a lot but I can’t do spoilers cause I would hate to ruin that first time read for anyone but I would 100% recommend this and any other in this series if you haven’t read them yet!