Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely was a fun read in my favorite trope friends to lovers.

In this book that has flashbacks to their whole relationship, we explore Joni and Ren's friendship and their vow to always be each other's plus one and the evolution of the friendship to true love.

I loved both main characters and rooted for them the whole time - there wasn't a time I didn't want them to get their happily ever after.

This was a great book that I'll happily recommend friends looking for something to guarantee a good read and a happy ending.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

What a read!! This sits at the same table as People We Meet on Vacation and Love and other Words energy. Friends to Lovers falls into my favorite category of childhood friends to lovers to strangers to friends to lovers with time skips and beach houses.

Joni was a frustrating yet relatable character while Ren reads as a classic, good natured book boyfriend. The time skips allow the reader to build the relationship between the two while generating the mystery between what happened if everything prior to this wedding weekend was perfect. I do feel like maybe the story could've moved at a slightly faster pace but there was enough between the side characters and main storyline to get me through.

Overall I enjoyed this story. Beyond a romance it's a book about growing up, learning to navigate being an adult and focusing on your career, family dynamics, and a bit of mental health. Great read, best of luck on release!!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC.

Overall a cute friends-to-lovers read. Joni and Ren’s story was cute. I found the timeline changes to be choppy. It didn’t feel like it flowed as well as I hoped. I found Joni to be frustrating but was glad to see her growth in the end. I would definitely read another book by the other.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

This was a super fun, flirty, and summery read. With a dual timeline, this book looks back at all of the weddings that best friends Joni and Ren go to together as each other’s plus-ones, while the current timeline is prepping for Joni’s sister’s wedding. If you like Emily Henry and Carley Fortune, this is for you. You are sure to fall in love with Joni and Ren!

☀️ “I love him too, still, I know. I never stopped. I don’t think any amount of space or time could stop me from loving him.”

☀️ “You’re it for me, Joni, and maybe there’s some day down the line where that isn’t true, but it hasn’t come yet. No matter how hard I’ve tried to will it. And the truth of it is that I’d rather be alone than with someone else. Maybe there’s something sad in that.”

🩵 friends to lovers (of course! 😂)
🩵 awesome song references (ie, Mr. Brightside and Closing Time)
🩵 it was always you
🩵 dual timeline

(will post to my bookstagram closer to pub date)

Joni and Ren have been the best of friends since childhood. Their parents share a cabin and they spent every summer together. When Joni moved across the country, they decided one way to stay in touch would be to be each others' "plus one" for weddings. And that worked out fine until they got romantically involved after which they never spoke to each other again. Like ever. But they hid that discord from their family and now the families are coming together for Joni's sister's wedding and they have to be together and act like nothing is wrong. I like romances with deep seated tension of mutual attraction, but I get so frustrated when the two people involved JUST DON'T TALK TO EACH OTHER!

Also this book went back and forth back and forth in time which got a little tedious. At some point I was just feeling "tell me what caused the rift already!"

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the advanced reader copy

This was a sweet friends to lovers story with two nice main characters. Given how many romance/rom-com novels that get published each year this novel didn't hold my interest because there wasn't anything new happening in the pages (no real twists or fresh takes on characters, plot, setting, etc.). This might be a great book for someone just entering the world of reading romance/rom-coms but this one didn't rise to the level of sustaining my interest.

I absolutely adored this book. Sally Blakely’s Friends to Lovers is the perfect blend of Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation and Happy Place.

I was so blown away by her writing style, character development, and general vibes she was able to cultivate in the book. I absolutely loved the entire dynamic of families, and I thought it really helped elevate this book to a five star read.

More than that, I of course was so charmed by Joni and Ren. Throughout the book, I had moments of visceral emotions where I could feel the tension between Joni and Ren, as well as the overwhelming love and care between them.

Genuinely, I am so so impressed by this debut book, and I cannot wait for what Blakely writes next.

This is the first book by this author that I've read and it will definitely not be my last! I devoured this book and it was definitely bittersweet when it ended. I loved everything about this book from the friends to lovers, second chance romance, all the angst and tension and love for one another, and I was rooting for these two to end up together.

Joni and Ren have been the best of friends since they were kids but lines and crossed which ultimately ends in them not speaking for 2.5 years. They are reunited at Joni's sister's wedding and old feelings resurface.

This was the perfect fun, summer read!!

If you liked Emily Henry’s “Happy Place,” you’ll love this book! After a falling out, life long friends Joni and Ren are reunited at Joni’s sister’s wedding, where they are forced to face their feelings for each other.

What a wonderful debut novel! Blakely skillfully weaves Joni and Ren’s history and the present together with dual timelines. Each chapter that takes place in the past is centered around a wedding they attended together. I thought this was such a unique approach to dual timelines and it also made their connection seem so real.

I would have loved if there were also some chapters from Ren’s perspective. Loved the inclusion of a playlist at the end! This was such an amazing debut novel—I really cannot recommend it enough. Can’t wait to buy a physical copy and I’m looking forward to seeing what she writes next!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Ren and Joni have been friends through elementary, high school, and college. Still friends, he is her plus one to weddings. Ren is devoted to Joni, it takes time for her to realize Ren's importance to her. Ren is so patient and kind, always trying to help Joni through her trials. Joni needs Ren to stay centered. As issues come up in life, this story stresses the importance of being honest and communicating. Great love story and story of friendship, with fun loving cast of characters.

Sally Blakely's debut novel is a triumph. This friends-to-lovers story explores the complexities of recognizing what's right in front of us. Joni and Ren, lifelong best friends, venture into romance, only to see their once unbreakable bond shattered. After two years of estrangement, they are reunited for a wedding. This book evokes a full range of emotions, with well-drawn characters and a vivid Oregon coast setting that practically lets you smell the sea air.

Thank you #netgalley for giving me the chance to read this book by #sallyblakely. #is a
cute love story about best friends who get a second chance at love. This is a romantic book that I’ll be telling to my friends and family about and strongly suggesting that the give it a try. Might go ahead and buy a bunch to gift.

I liked this book. I think it was well-paced and I enjoyed a lot of the character interactions, especially with the siblings/friends of our main characters. I just didn't really believe in the love story between Joni and Ren. I think the dual timeline just felt kinda choppy and the way they forgave each other came out of nowhere for me. I think if you like Emily Henry or Abby Jimenez or Carley FOrtune, you should give it a try.

I really enjoyed Friends to Lovers! Joni and Ren’s friendship was so beautifully depicted. it felt real, heartfelt, and layered. There was a bittersweet depth to their journey that made their connection even more rewarding. Sally Blakely did a fantastic job showcasing the tension and hesitation of rebuilding trust and love.

Friends to lovers was a cute book. Two best friends that when to events together decide Togo to a summer wedding and try to see if there is any chance of them getting together. But I feel that both characters couldn’t figure out what they wanted and I feel wasn’t enough time as a couple.

Really cute romance! This is a great book to read in the summer on the beach so if you're looking for a vacation read, this might be it!

A great debut novel!! I loved every minute of this story and am sad to say goodbye to Joni and Ren. 10/10 stars!

4.5⭐️

Wow! Wow. WOW! Something about me, a childhood best friends to lovers that becomes a second chance romance, will do it for me every time. Written well it can be a masterpiece. Friends to lovers by Sally Blakely knocked it out of the park!

After Joni's new job moves her across country away from her very best friend, Ren and Joni make a pact: they will be each other's plus ones to every wedding they attend so that they are able to see each other every year as life takes them on two different paths. However about two years ago something happened and Ren and Joni stopped being friends, but due to the closeness of their families have kept up the pretenses.

Presently, Ren and Joni are back staying in the same beach house in preparation for another wedding however this time they have to fake a friendship. How hard can it be pretending to be the once friends they were as new and old feelings come back to the surface?

I just loved this book so much! It had a very similar style to People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry and I just loved how the book flowed together. I could feel the angst, tension and despair between these two people that were without a doubt made for each other. Everything in this book made sense and I loved the struggles that they faced and the side characters that brought this family to life!

Really loved this second chance romance and the slow burn behind this book.

Full review on TikTok
https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZTY9vWXwq/

I loved this book! It reminded me a lot of the ex vows by Jessica Joyce. I honestly liked this one more. The friendship depicted was believable as was the tension. I would recommend to friends and definitely read another book by this author!