I loved this book!! Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes to read. The friendship between Ren and Joni was so sweet to see. It would have been so fun if we could have seen their friendship as children, too. All of the side characters made me love this book even more. The only reason this book isn’t 5 stars is because of the main characters lack of communication!

A sweet love story . The beachy setting is perfect, and the characters are heartfelt and relatable. A great summer read!

I absolutely adored this book! I devoured it in one sitting on a road trip home from vacation—I just couldn’t put it down. The characters completely pulled me in, and I was so invested in their story. The glimpses into the past added so much depth, giving us a richer understanding of their relationship. I will miss Ren and Joni and their wedding adventures!

I am a huge fan of traditional romance, although there are certain “tropes” that I enjoy more than others. “Friends to lovers” is really starting to grow on me. Because of this, I was extremely excited to read this book. Just based on the description (and the title, lol), I knew that this was a book that I would enjoy.

I am hesitant to read books from a new author, because it can sometimes take me a while to get used to their writing style. That was doubly so for this, and this appears to be the first book from this author. I didn’t have any problems with this book, and I liked that it was told in first person.

This book hooked me from the very beginning, and I could not put it down! I really liked the dual timelines, and it helped fill in some blanks in regards to what happened in the past. Oddly enough, I didn’t expect what ultimately happened in the past (slight spoiler).

All in all, I really enjoyed this book, with a very satisfying ending! I cannot wait to see what this author writes next!

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

From the very first page, I was hooked. The dual timeline structure added so much emotional depth, weaving together past and present moments that made their connection feel undeniable. I’m usually a dual POV kind of reader, but the single perspective here still kept me fully engaged—I could feel the unspoken tension in every scene. And Ren? The way he made a playlist for Joni when she moved to New York? That is NOT a best friend move. That is a man in love.

The beach house setting was perfect, adding to the nostalgia and longing between them. I also loved how intertwined their lives were—their moms were college roommates, their families vacationed together every summer, and they even played matchmaker for their college roommates (but somehow couldn’t figure out their own feelings?!). Every side character, from Joni’s sister Stevie to her fiancé Leo, Ren’s siblings, Sasha and Thad, added layers to the story, making the stakes feel even higher.

And let’s talk about the tension. The stolen glances, the Photo Booth moment, the way everyone around them could see what they refused to admit—it was palpable. But just when you think they’re finally going to get it together, you see Joni’s anxiety and fear of holding Ren back from his dream job, making her hesitant to take the leap. It made me so sad to when she left him in Portland, I was yelling through the pages (WHY JONI?).

But in the end, the emotional payoff was so worth it. I loved seeing Joni finally become secure in her love for Ren and knowing he loved her. Ren showing up on Joni’s doorstep? The way the story comes full circle? Absolute perfection. I couldn’t put it down!

4.5 ⭐️

Fun & light-hearted! Friends to Lovers took me back to my own college friendships and romances. Though the timeline was a little confusing at times, especially during flashbacks, the reader gets a sense of the confusing, blurry line between best friend and becoming something more. Sally Blakely does a wonderful job building the inter-relationships and giving sneek peeks of why and how things end up the way they do.

When it comes to book tropes, I’ve always been an enemies-to-lovers kind of girl. But like it’s namesake, Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely has completely won me over to this trope. I could not put this book down, often fighting the sleep from my eyes so I could stay in Ren and Joni’s world a little longer. The author did a fantastic job of handling the alternating timelines without causing too much confusion or separating you too much from what was happening in the opposing timeline. I particularly loved the way the story built anticipation and slowly revealed the truth behind the rift between the main characters and, ultimately, how they came back together. As someone who struggles with an anxiety disorder myself, Joni’s character felt incredibly relatable. Her constant worrying, along with her occasional pessimistic thoughts and assumptions, really resonated with me. I just wanted to reach into the book and hug her through it. And Ren — he’s just about as perfect as could be. From the carefully crafted playlists he makes for Joni to the way he always left decisions up to her and what made her comfortable, never pushing her and always loving her, all those years — he’s the type of character you can’t help but fall for. This was easily a five-star read for me.

Tropes you can expect:
Friends to Lovers
Forced Proximity
Second Chance Romance
One Bed
It’s Always Been You

❤ Thank you SO MUCH to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Sally Blakely for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions in this review are my own.

I always love a book with a good playlist, and this certainly is that! The flashbacks added a necessary tension to the book, and they had similar vibes to People We Meet on Vacation by Emily Henry. There was a deep sense of nostalgia in this book (I mean, it is childhood friends to lovers!), and the nuance of the family dynamics added a good sense of depth. There were some spots where the grammar was a little confusing, but it wasn’t super distracting. The ending was a little forced at times, but I was absolutely rooting for Joni and Ren.

Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this book! Friends to lovers and a past/present storyline are some of my favourite tropes. I really liked having the present storyline being the lead up to Steve's wedding, while flashing back and seeing their friendship grow each summer.

I found this story kept be interested and wanting to keep reading - I was rooting for these characters! I did find the overall conclusion to be satisfying, but the conversations and wrap up to get there were a bit clunky (were they getting together? were they not?)

Overall - an enjoyable read and I will look out for more from this author in the future!

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Carley Fortune, the novel Friends to Lovers chronicles two lifelong friends falling out and their subsequent reconciliation. Ren and Joni are friends who, for reason's unknown, haven't spoken to each other in 2 and half years. However, in order to not cause chaos they have to pretend to get along for Joni's sisters wedding and the two families annual beach vacation. Perfect mix of People We Meet On Vacation and Happy Place, this novel explores themes of love, uncertainty, insecurity, and unwavering friendship.

Despite being an overall enjoyable read, there were many things I took issue with. The primary offense of this book was its pacing. This book goes back and forth timelines, and interweaves a present day narrative with various time jump narratives. However, the book didn't do a good enough job of establishing the characters and their relationships at the beginning of the novel, before the time changed. So it felt as if I had two half stories going back and forth instead of two full stories intertwined. The transitions between timelines was not smooth. Which highlights another inssue of this book, which was a choppy writing style. There was not any metaphors, flowery language, or unforgettable quotes. The writing was subpar and the author could have gotten away with it if the characters weren't underdeveloped.

Overall I appreciate this book for what it is, a fun, quick, beach read, and painfully average.

Thank You Netgalley and Harlequin for an eARC of this book!

Friends to Lovers: 🙌🏻 Net Galley rocks for allowing me to read this ARC and I’m so glad I did. This is a quick and easy read that will keep you engaged the entire time.

I’ll always read a classic friends-to-lovers plot and Joni and Ren were such a likable couple. Bonus points for the awesome playlist at the end. Amazing song references through the book! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I couldn’t put this book down!! Nothing I love more than a second chance/childhood friends to lovers book 🥹

I really thought this book was so well written and it kept me interested the whole time. Even though it’s about Joni and Ren it’s also showcasing the relationships she has with her own sister and mom and the whole family dynamic with Ren’s family too.

I only wish we got more of Joni and Ren together at the end! I could’ve honestly just kept reading because I loved their story so much.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for getting an ARC of this book!

Not really my cup of tea but the writing was nice. The romance was okay in my opinion but I am not a big fan of romance

This book so perfectly encapsulates what it’s like to fall in love with your best friend. And though my own story is different from Joni and Ren’s, I felt the thread of connection throughout this book. There is a tenderness that is so beautiful between them and I truly felt the moments in between their busy lives when the love clicks into place. And that’s truly how it feels, at least to me.

Friends to Lovers hit all the right notes. From their history in Portland to those stolen moments over the years at weddings to the crux of it all when Joni and Ren have that intense eye contact only between two people who know and love each other’s souls. This love story reminds me of how dearly I love love, plain and simple.

Sometimes I have to just sit with a book after finishing it, and this is one of those books. At times, it felt like Sally Blakely was pulling emotions from my own heart and putting them on paper. It was a beautiful and magical story and I just feel warm and tender all over. I absolutely believe in that kind of endless love even more after finishing this book.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing and Canary Street Press for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

This was a very cute, lighthearted read! It follows Joni and Ren, ex best friends with a romantic past that left them estranged. Now they are back together for Joni’s sister’s wedding, and they have to share a room! I didn’t feel a huge connection to any of the characters.
I wish there was less time spent going back in time and more focus on developing the relationship rekindling in the present day of the book. It wasn’t. A standout, but a cute, comfy, easy read. 2.5/5

Joni and Ren are childhood best friends who learn to navigate their relationship as adults when their feelings have changed from platonic to romantic. Joni decides to move across the country for her career; to stay in touch they come up with a creative plan to be each other’s plus ones at weddings. Joni travels to their families shared summer home for her sister’s wedding and runs into Ren. Their once inseparable relationship has shifted over the years and they have to fake being friends now. The more time they spend together however, they are reminded how much they mean to one another and that love is worth fighting for.

Positives The trope friends to lovers has my whole heart, and throw in fake dating? Yes please. . I had the best time reading this cute feel good romance. It truly reads like the perfect summer romance movie.

This was super cute! Definitely for fans of friends to lovers romances.

I really liked how the friendship was written and how it developed into a romance. It felt believable. Joni and Ren have plenty of tension and chemistry to keep the reader rooting for these two to get together.

The summer setting and the wedding are a great setting.

Perfect summer/beach read.

I can’t even explain how much I just absolutely adored this. This was a stay up until 1am, can’t put down, must finish. All the reviews said if People We Meet on Vacation meets Happy Place and it’s so perfect. Ren and Joni’s story had me kicking my feet heart soaring. I would read literally 7 books about their families just hanging out playing capture the flag, going out to bars and drinking pink shots, having babies. Their history and their relationship was just so special to me. This honestly might be my favorite book I’ve read this year. It made my heart so warm. I’m so happy I stumbled upon this one. Thank you so much for the ARC!

liked the premise, but the dialogue at the beginning felt stilted, couldn't really get into the writing style.

I really loved this book and tore through it extremely quickly. Characterization and tension were extremely well done. I do think that the getting together was a little fast, but though the following action was tight. Very sensitive and well written.