It's hard to write a good review of Friends to Lovers without giving too much away. Let's just say that it's a great depiction of how changing the terms of a longtime friendship can be difficult. Joni and Ren can't quite seem to get on the same page, and the flashbacks build anticipation to find out how their friendship was put on ice for a while. I liked the coastal Oregon setting a lot as well.

Some minor quibbles: The character names were all a little out there (Joni, Ren, Thad, Stevie, Sasha, Mavis, etc. etc.) but why not, right? And there were a lot of characters that were just kind of there--I found myself having to search in my Kindle to remember who Greg or Oliver even was when they suddenly had a bit of dialogue. And I don't love when meddling relatives' problematic behavior is just explained away as "they really love you/they just want to help." But those faults don't detract from the main story.

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the opportunity to review a temporary digital ARC in exchange for an unbiased review.

Fans of Emily Henry will enjoy this book. Ren will be everyone’s book boyfriend, and you’ll be frustrated by many of Joni’s life choices. This was a fun read, a little wordy at times and some unnecessary T Swift references that felt clunky but a fun romance overall!

This book made me feel all my emotions - happiness, longing, tension, anger, frustration, hope, and finally love. I cried sad tears and I cried happy tears. Sally Blakely takes us through the course of time to understand Joni and Ren’s ever changing relationship. I felt a pull the entire time I read to know what happened and why current Joni and Ren feel the way they do.

If you loved reading Happy Place by Emily Henry then you will thoroughly enjoy Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely.

4.75/5

This was an enjoyable read that I finished in one sitting, thanks to its shorter length and engaging pace. While the story flowed easily, I found the plotline predictable, and the climax lacked the emotional impact I usually look for. I kept wanting something more to elevate the tension or drama. Parts of the plot, particularly the resolution and the main characters' reconnection, felt rushed. I also wished for stronger communication between the protagonists, as this could have deepened the emotional stakes.

One highlight was the dual timelines, which provided important context for the characters' conflict and gave the story depth. However, the formatting was occasionally confusing, though I adjusted as the story progressed. I appreciated the balance of romance—it wasn’t overly smutty, which kept the focus on the emotional connection. The reveal of what caused the two characters to grow apart for 2.5 years was unexpected, adding a layer of intrigue. Including Ren’s perspective would have been a great addition to explore his emotions more fully. Overall it was a good/easy read.

**Tropes**
- Second-Chance Romance
- Friends to Lovers
- Close Proximity

I truly enjoyed this book! The timing and contrast of the past vs the present felt like a countdown that had me flipping the pages, hungry for more. I loved the development of the characters and how anxiety played a role in the decisions that were made. This feels like a classic romcom but with complex feelings that made it really stand out for me.

Sadly I DNF this book. I could't connect with the characters or the story line. I didn't think this book was very romantic or cute.

DNFed, truthfully I just got bored reading this book, there was nothing special about it, which can be appealing to some or even me at certain times, I didn’t really feel anything while reading what I did.

This book is a solid 4 stars! Its unique storyline was refreshing and interesting! The slow burn left so much angst within the story that I was desperate to see it end. My only complaint is I wish there could have been more depth to Ren and Joni as characters. I also found myself confused on occasion when Joni would think of a memory in present day. However, Sally does a wonderful job with her writing style and I would read more from her.

I like this book. You get a lot of history between the main characters. Full of drama that only close knit family circles can have. It is a fun read

ARC Review:

I couldn’t put this book down. It was such a heart-warming, gut-wrenching, testament to how truly beautiful life can be, especially when you fall in love with your best friend.

Details: friends to lovers, time jumps, playlists, one bed, wedding dates, summer house, joint bach parties, sleep talking, capture the flag, phone calls, worrisome mama, matching tattoos

This was an amazing summer romance to read, but also so much deeper than that. Who are we without our careers? Why do we put our SOULS into our jobs and let the rest of life just pass us by? Why do we wait for the perfect time to be with someone we love? Why is it so hard for us to say what we really need to say? Slow down. Cultivate those deep connections. Love being in love with life.

If you like the vibes of Emily Henry’s books, you’ll like this book!!

I am a little sad there wasn’t the epilogue that I was expecting… IFYKY. ;)

Quotes:

“Let me crawl into your brain and make a home there.”

“I don’t know what comes next, but I let myself enjoy it, a snapshot memory I'll hold on to forever.”

“Talking to him every day again has brightened the colors that had faded for me, and I swear to myself now that I will never let it get that way again.”

“We’ve always chosen each other.”

“Needing someone isn’t some weakness. In fact, it might be the whole point.

“…I’d rather be alone than with someone else.”

“I’m just so fucking tired of not being with you.”

“I see our story for what it is: cool nights and warm hands and soft brown eyes and arcade games and laughter and memory, memory, memory with every rapidly increasing beat of my heart.”

4.5/5

This is the cutest book ever.
It’s well written and immediately grabs your attention and makes you want to keep reading. Joni and Ren have been friends forever. To keep from spoiling it- something happens between them and they go 2.5 years without talking. They are reunited at their families beach house for Jonis sister’s wedding.

This is such a fun read. Definitely read it!!!!

It’s the perfect summer read

I really enjoyed this book and I’m glad I requested it. If you like Happy Place, People We Meet on Vacation, or The Ex Vows vibes, you’ll love this book. The friends to lovers trope is one of my favorites, and this one was so well-written. I absolutely loved Ren and Joni and want the best things for them!

This was a really cute friends-to-lovers romance (obviously, given the title). I liked both of the main characters and actually felt that they belonged together. I also greatly appreciated how the characters/relationships in this book were actually healthy, which is not something you get with every friends-to-lovers romance, or romance in general. The MCs were not toxic and did their best (for the most part) to communicate what they were feeling.

That said, this book isn't anything new. This didn't necessarily diminish my enjoyment of the story, but I always felt like I knew exactly what was going to happen next. I also thought some of the MMC's behaviors were slightly unrealistic. He just goes along with whatever the FMC wants/feels without sticking up for himself sometimes. And I loved his character, so I wish he was a tiny bit more outspoken.

And this is a small gripe, but I also didn't like the way the dual storylines were organized. It was hard to tell what had happened in the past and what was happening currently, but given I read the arc version, I'm assuming this will be fixed by the time the book is released.



Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

I enjoyed the friends to lovers relationship. The pacing of the book was a little off for me, slow at times and then it would speed up. I really enjoyed the duel times lines and getting the history of Ren and Joni. The wedding was a perfect setting for the book. Overall it was a cute story.

Thank you NetGalley, Lauren Ford and Canelo Books for this ARC read!!

What can I say, I just love a cute rom com! Overall this one is a 4⭐️ for me. Low on spice level, which in this case I really actually loved because I feel like it really fit the story. The story was cute, tropes include rivals to lovers, fake dating, and forced proximity, all good ones in my book!

Lauren did a great job with this story. It was fun, quirky, serious at times. It made me laugh and I may have teared up a time or two! It probably took me a total of four hours to read this, It was a really easy read!

I’m so glad I requested this book. As soon as I saw the cover, I immediately hoped this would be something I would love. Friends to lovers is my all time favorite trope, mixed in with some second chance, all is right in the world of Bruna.

I went into this book blindly, the only thing I had read about it was that it’s great for Emily Henry fans, and boy if that ain’t the truth. What a treat 🥲 this book was very fast paced and easy to read, but it also made me feel all the feels. Joni & Ren reminded me so much of Poppy & Alex from People We Meet on Vacation, and I mean this as a compliment because that is my favorite EmHen book.

I loved everything about this book. I wouldn’t change a single thing. The main characters were so well written, I had so much fun with not just Joni & Ren, but all the other characters as well. Also Stevie 😭 I love her so much. Feels like this book was written just for me, I can’t wait for it to be out so I can get a physical copy.

Thank you so much NetGalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for this early digital copy, all opinions are mine & mine only ✨

I don't think this book was very good. It sucked and wasn't very cute or romantic. It felt like a book trying too hard.

Thank you Sally Blakely and NetGalley for this eARC.

When I saw the title of this book, I knew I would be hooked. Best friends to lovers is one of my favorite troupes and I LOVED reading Ren and Jodi's story in multiple timelines.

The siblings in this story were amazing and I would have loved to read their stories before this one!

Great read. Kept me captivated and wanting to keep reading to figure out the mystery of what went wrong and how the MCs were going to fix it.

Loved the playlist, but all I could think of was Invisible String by Taylor Swift... if you know, you know.

5 Star read from a book girly who does not give 5 stars out often <3

AMAZING debut novel, best friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes when they are well written and this one met all my expectations, I love that the author details in much more depth all the insecurities of going from one type of relationship to another and it is not something instantaneous like in many other books, I loved the main characters, especially Ren. The only thing I can say is that it is a little slow paced to read at first but i totally get the intention behind it and it totally hooks you, I would totally recommend it!

I wanted to love this but I just couldn't I thought the characters were never fleshed out enough, I just wasn't invested into the story like I could have/should have been - Ren and Joni have been friends for life- families are best friend right down to sharing a vacation home - striking a deal out of college they decide to always be plus ones to weddings - and they have done that but something has happened at the start of the book we do not know we are at the vacation home getting ready for sister Stevies wedding (daughter named Stevie and Joni - this i did love) - We work our way back in time to the wedding of past and through to present time to find out what happened - it's ok i fought through to the end but I was left wanting more and sometimes I didn't buy it so to speak but like I said it was fine