This book was great! It is an age gap, Dad’s best friend. And it was done so well! I would highly recommend this book!

I enjoyed this blend of sleuth story and budding romance, which is well written, fast-paced and full of emotion, intrigue, danger and suspense. The characters are very likable and their longing for each other and their struggles with their pasts palpable.
The story picks up where it left off in the last installment and ends with another cliffhanger, so I recommend starting with the first book in the series.

Cassie Love is an actress who has recently been blacklisted from Hollywood for no apparent reason. That's why she has returned to Pinecrest to start afresh in her late father's private detective agency. Her partner is the enigmatic Lincoln Suco, with whom she had a teenage crush years ago.
Years ago, Lincoln was involved in illegal activities until Cassie's father took him in and saved his life.
New partners Cassie and Lincoln are attracted to each other, but decide it would be better to maintain a purely professional relationship as partners, which nevertheless slowly develops into a friendship.
Lincoln's past catches up with him when his former partner-in-crime Phineas blackmails him into doing him a favor or he will blow the whistle and Lincoln is forced to keep his activities a secret from Cassie.
When the detective agency is hired by a member of the city's most influential family to track down a missing journalist, they have no idea what they're getting themselves into. Lincoln soon realises that his own secret mission and the case of the missing journalist are connected, but he can't tell Cassie the truth without losing her trust and friendship.
During their investigation, they uncover more and more dirty secrets that could ruin the whole town and put their lives in danger...

If you like riveting stories with interesting characters, suspense and a slow-burn romance, you are sure to enjoy this book!

I received a free ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own and left voluntarily.

I need to thank author @eviesterling.sweetromance and @netgalley for allowing me to read an arc of this book.

So, this is the story about a private detective agency. Originally started by started by the lead character Cassandra Love's father. While Cassie was growing up, her father took a young man under his wing in the agency, Lincoln Suco, whom Cassie has a crush on.

Present day, Cassie has just found herself blacklisted as an Hollywood actress and returned home to Pinecrest, Montana to deal with her recently deceased father's affairs and take over his role as a PI alongside Lincoln and his assistant, Quinn.

This is a brilliant book, with lots of twists and turns but this is the 2nd book in this series and I would definitely recommend reading book 1 first as there are a lot references to occurrences in that book throughout this one.

#JustFriends #eviestirling #investigatinglove #ebook #netgalley #arc # bookreview

💖Lincoln & Cassie💖

This is book 2 in the Investigating Love series! It can definitely be read as a standalone, but I do suggest reading the other one first just because it’s so good!!!

Cassie and Linc have some amazing chemistry! They work together so well which makes for a hard to put down book! I am really loving the mystery romance cross over. Another reason I didn’t wanna put this down. Thriller/mystery girlie here so having that plus love was… chefs kiss!😚

Linc has really grown a lot from book one and I just love him even more now.

I like that the questions that I had from the first book have been answered / addressed!

Also… #onebed… need I say more?!

The #cliffhanger has me super excited for the next one!!!

I’ve read so many of Evie’s books now and they’re all just so good. I highly recommend! She’s an #autobuyauthor for sure!

So check this out if you like :

💜 Dads Best Friend
😘 Age Gap
💜 Friends to Lovers
😘 Workplace Romance
💜 Forced Proximity
😘 Small Town
💜 One Bed

You won’t be disappointed!

Evie Sterling has done it again with Just Friends, the second book in The Investigating Love Series! This romance-mystery packs in all the elements that make her books so irresistible—laugh-out-loud humor, sharp banter, and tension that crackles on every page.

Just Friends follows an unlikely duo navigating a complicated web of blackmail, mystery, and suspense, and Sterling keeps readers invested from start to finish. The romantic chemistry is electric, and every twist and turn in the plot only makes it more satisfying. Sterling’s characters are witty and complex, and their interactions bring a perfect balance of humor and drama, keeping the story lively and utterly entertaining.

With no dull moments and a story that’s full of surprises, Just Friends is an engrossing read that fans of romance and mystery won’t want to miss. Sterling’s storytelling shines, delivering yet another gem for readers looking for a fast-paced, feel-good escape that’s as captivating as it is clever.

Just Friends by Evie Sterling is utterly charming, from start to finish! It has just the right amount of humor, romance, and genuine emotion, capturing the magic and chaos of a love story between two people who start out as, well, just friends. This is book two Investigating love series.

The main characters are lovable and relatable, with a chemistry that leaps off the page. Sterling's writing is witty and sharp, making it easy to get lost in the banter and shared moments that build a connection deeper than friendship. Evie Sterling has a knack for capturing those small, intimate details that make a relationship feel real and genuine. The two main characters Cassie and Lincoln started out as just partners and have graduated to just friends.

This book will make you laugh out loud and will hit you right in the feels without you even knowing it is happening. This is a book is the perfect rom com with the friends to lovers trope. I definitely recommend this book.

3.5⭐

This is the second book in this cozy mystery series, along with the ever present question of will they or won't they. We went one step forward to go two steps back. It will be interesting if Cassie's and Link's mysteries are connected.

Putting this out there I don't trust Tommy.

This book was an absolute delight—a steamy, captivating romance that kept me hooked, just like the first in the series. Lincoln, the main character, is so easy to fall for, and watching him and Cassie navigate the challenging 'just friends' zone is incredibly entertaining. Their chemistry makes staying platonic feel almost impossible, which only adds to the tension and charm of their story.

I definitely recommend reading this one along with the first book for the full experience! Huge thanks to the author for the ARC opportunity—I truly enjoyed every page. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Just friends is the second in a series. It probably wouls have been helpful to read the first before this. However this story felt all over the place & randomly thrown together. Parts of it made no sense and seemed to come out of thin air. I liked cassie & lincolns storyline but felt it needed more depth.

Just Friends is the 2nd book in the Investigating Love series. These books can be read as stand alones, but I totally recommend reading book one first- that’s where you will first learn to adore Lincoln and Cassie!

This book was so sweet and packed full of mystery and suspense! I loved the tension and banter between Lincoln and Cassie. Their struggle to remain “just friends” and ignore their chemistry and unspoken attraction was perfection.

If you love a slow burn romance with a mystery focus and tons of twists and turns, you will love Just Friends!

You can expect:
💜 mystery/suspense
💜 friends to lovers
💜 sweet romance
💜 small town
💜 slow burn
💜 age gap

Thank you @eviesterling.sweetromance for the honor of reading this book! 🥰

What a cute small-town romance.
This story follows Cassandra, a former TV detective that returns home, and Lincoln, her childhood crush. They start working together at her late father's detective agency. They agree to just be partners, but that isn't as easy as they hoped it would be

The chemistry between the MC's is impecable and the sense of community you feel throughout the book feels so welcoming.
If you love small-town romances, friends to lovers, and a bit of suspence/mystery... You won't regret reading this one.

*Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for entrusting me
with writing an honest review for this ARC*

✨️💚✨️Book Review✨️💚✨️

Book: Just Friends
Author: Evie Sterling
Rating: 4.5 stars 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5

Another great book by Evie!

I loved the continuation of Link & Cassie's story and as much I really hoped for them to finally get together, I am super excited that we are going to get another book that will get us there.

There was a great mystery in this one again, with lots of suspense and had the don't trust anyone vibes.

You get:
• Sweet Romance
• Friends To Lovers
• Slow Burn
• Mystery/Suspense
• Small Town
• Age Gap
• One Room

Make sure you read book one first! Available on KU, ebook, and paperback.

I did the work and read the first book in this series - something that is pretty vital to understanding what's going on in this book. And while I found both to be pleasant and enjoyable, I don't see myself continuing the series.

The MMC seems pretty immature, given his age. The transitions between chapters were often jarring, the romance is too slow-burn for my taste, and the ending was abrupt.

Might be someone else's cup of tea, but it wasn't mine.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the advanced reader copy of this book, provided in exchange for my unbiased opinion.

Just Friends continues the story of Lincoln and Cassie as she decided to stay and Lincoln promised to help her. Cassie can’t help but enjoy this new life as a private investigator. Lincoln is working hard to earn Cassie’s trust and help find out why no one would hire her back in Hollywood. As secrets come out, will they continues to work together and build their chemistry a little more.

3⭐️s This was a fun change for me. Thanks to @netgalley and Evie Sterling for the advanced copy of Just Friends. You can read both on Kindle Unlimited now. #netgalley #justfriends #kindleunlited #advancedreadercopy #arcreader #bookstagram

I love the premise of this book and the series as a whole. I always seek out books about private eyes because I think they're super fun. This one didn't quite hit the mark for me, though. Something about the writing felt clunky and off. I think this story has a lot of potential, and is probably a great fit for the right reader, it just wasn't my cup of tea!

ARC Review ✨️

♡Lincoln and Cassandra♡

I love how the story picked up where Just Partners left us! This story was super enjoyable, and I really enjoyed the whole mystery mixed with romance. Lincoln and Cassandra decided to be friends. Now, they have to fight their feelings off while working on their cases. Evie never fails at giving us great stories. I always enjoy her books and completely adore the characters she creates. This was such a cute, mysterious read. I can't recommend it enough!

Thanks so much to the author, Haylingbookstorm, and Netgalley for the ARC!

I’m currently at 51% through this book, and I’m finding it challenging to understand the narrator's thoughts and feelings. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to finish it, so I won't be leaving a review.

I appreciate the opportunity from NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. Thank you!

This is the second book in a series and it shows!

Would 100% recommend reading the first book before reading the second one.

I didn’t and as a result I missed parts of the plot. The book does start with a brief overview of the first book, which did help a little, but during the book the characters sometimes refer back to the first book. Without having read that you miss part of it.

Overall, I liked the book, but I didn’t love it. The whole premises is about Cassie and Link, who partner as PI’s. Apparently, in the first book some romance happened, but they decided not to give into it and only continue as business partners.

You could quite quick figure out what was going to happen. Link was keeping a lot of secrets from Cassie which caused tension and eventually blew up in his face.

The end of the book gave you the plot of the next book and it seems as if it is going to be about keeping secrets from each other again, though this time it will be Cassie even though they have just decided to start with being friends after all the secrets Link kept.

Just Friends follows Cassandra and Lincoln, two detectives navigating a new friendship after a complicated history. As they work together at the Pinecrest Detective Agency, their unresolved feelings simmer beneath the surface, especially when a mysterious threat exposes hidden secrets and tests their bond. With each late night and shared laugh, they wonder if “just friends” is truly all they’re meant to be—or if they’re on the edge of something more.

The book is a good mix of friends-to-lovers romance and mystery. Although I didn’t read the first book, I felt I might have connected better with Cassandra and Lincoln’s dynamic if I had. Their friendship is fun to watch develop, with witty banter and undeniable chemistry that makes you root for them. The suspense adds a nice twist, though the mystery’s resolution felt a bit unclear at times.

The slow-burn romance was well done, but I wanted a bit more focus on their romantic connection since the chemistry between them is strong. The cliffhanger at the end is surprising and makes you eager for the next installment. Overall, Just Friends combines lighthearted romance with an intriguing mystery, making it a great read for fans of the friends-to-lovers trope.

Just Friends is the second book in the Investigating Love Series. I never got a chance to read Just Partners, but I believe the book can still stand on its own, if you don't mind a few flashbacks from the first book.

This story follows Cassandra and Lincoln on their journey as they navigate the twists and turns of their business, crime, and most or all their feelings for each other. They seem to have so much that they need to discuss and hash out between them, but in the midst of all that is happening, there never seems to be enough time. As mystery upon mystery is unfolding around them, they start to realize they are struggling with not just their partnership but friendship... so even if they are feeling stronger feelings, it's not time yet to announce them. But will they even get a chance to be more than partners? More than friends?!

I really appreciated the mix of mystery and action throughout the story; it kept me engaged and guessing. The romance was sweet and had its moments, but I found myself wanting a bit more depth and development in that area. I enjoyed getting to know Cassie, Link, Quinn, and Thomas, I look forward to reading more about them!

Overall, it was an enjoyable read that balanced mystery and suspense with romance. I’d give it a solid 3.5, rounded up to a 4.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. This review reflects my own opinion.