A combination of some of my favorite romance books. Reminiscent of both People We Meet on Vacation and Happy Place. I loved the dual timeline and the beauty in their lifelong friendship. Add in the beachy wedding weekend shenanigans and this is the perfect book for summer.

Read if you like:
👧🏻Childhood friends to lovers
✈️Your long distance friendships
🤪Meddling family members
🛏️Forced proximity
1️⃣Single POV
🎶Music and/or movies
🚩Capture the flag

Joni and Ren have been attached at the hip since they were children. They have never been apart for long and do everything together. So when Joni accepts a job offer across the country, and they're afraid their relationship will suffer the distance, they devise a plan. They decide they'll be each other's plus-ones for any wedding they get invited to, no matter what. Their tradition works, until one time it doesn't. Now, Joni is back at the summer house her family shares with Ren's for her sister's wedding. She and Ren haven't spoken in over two years, but Joni is determined to fake it not to arouse any suspicions. But as the week goes on, Joni realizes she can't live a life without Ren and will do whatever it takes to get him back.

This one is for the People We Meet on Vacation girlies, but swap out trips for weddings, and I loved every second of it. Blakely's writing was so effortless and breezy. I loved Joni and Ren right from the start. They had the type of playful dynamic that I eat up. They had such a solid friendship, but you could tell there was an underlying tension between them, so I was waiting for it to come to a head. Because they were such good friends, it felt natural for their relationship to progress into something more. I liked how Blakely included snippets of the past weddings they attended, so we got to see the whole picture of where their relationship went wrong. It was predictable, but I didn't mind. This would make the perfect beach read, and I'm excited to read more from this author.

Friends to Lovers is a beautiful story of life long friends whose connection isn’t something all friends have. It’s a connection only two soul mates could share. When Joni moves across the country, their relationship and their connection is stretched. Their pact to be forever plus-ones to any wedding they’re invited to becomes blurred and stresses their relationship. After being apart for over two years, Joni’s sister is getting married at Joni and Ren’s shared family beach house. Their reunion is awkward, and the weeklong wedding prep is full of every kind of tension. It’s also full of some hilarious moments!

I very much loved this book! The connection between Joni and Ren jumps off the pages and into your heart. It’s so palpable and beautiful, but also heartbreaking. The back and forth of past and present gives such a great glimpse into why their relationship is broken, and left me wanting to keep reading.

My only cons for this book are the lack of details (moments when things are implied but not really said, and then later on referenced as being said) and the short ending. The ending wraps up the story, but we’re left with very little time of Joni and Ren together. Overall, it felt kind of unfinished—like a 3rd draft and not the final draft? Maybe that’s because it was an ARC?


I can’t wait for the book to come out, and for Sally Vlakely to write more!


Spice level—.5-1/5
Age rating—16+ —but really it’s a book about 30yo’s, so a younger person wouldn’t really get it.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Canary Street Press for this ARC. All thoughts are my own.

I really enjoyed Friends to Lovers—the characters felt real and easy to connect with. The emotional depth and chemistry kept me invested. My only struggle was the structure; the story jumps between present day and past events, usually for multiple chapters. Even with clear time markers, it was easy to lose track if it was past or present if you don’t finish all of the chapters of that time period during one reading session. Still, it’s a solid, heartfelt read.

Thank you NetGalley for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion 🩷

I was excited to receive a complimentary copy of Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely from NetGalley. Opinions in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed seeing the relationship between Joni and Ren develop over the years. It gave me The Summer I Turned Pretty vibes with how the families spent time together at the summer house each year. It reminded me of summers I spent camping with the same families each year growing up, so I definitely had a sense of nostalgia. I was a bit frustrated with Joni and Ren for having lost contact; they had been friends for so long so I was mad they let that happen. But as the story unfolded you saw how that was possible, although I felt like Joni overreacted.

I'm a big fan of the friends to lovers trope as it tends to be on the messy side.

I absolutely LOVED this book! Friends to Lovers is the perfect romantic read—whether it’s summer or any time of year. Sally Blakely nailed the chemistry between the characters; it felt so natural and real that I couldn’t help but fall completely in love with them. The story had the perfect mix of heart, tension, and swoon-worthy moments. It’s one of those books you don’t want to put down—and then immediately want to re-read once you finish.

I’ll be recommending this to all my girlfriends. It’s fun, heartfelt, and full of that delicious will-they-won’t-they tension that makes this trope so addictive. I honestly think this will be a huge hit this summer! I’m already excited to see what Sally Blakely writes next.

Friends to Lovers was a great romantic story! I loved following Joni and Ren through life (and other people's weddings as plus ones). I also loved the multi-family beach house. It took me a bit to warm up to the story, and it was hard to remember all of the characters at times, between past and present day, but once I was hooked I really wanted to see how it ended. The ending was perfect for the characters.

I have been pretty tired of the romance books coming out with the same plot and characters/development on repeat. Sall Blakely offers a book that doesn't just fit the normal trope and what I can only be described as popular authors writing quickly to please a publisher as opposed to thinking about their fans and readers.

This reminded me a lot of one of my favorite 90's movies, The Wedding Date. I loved the characters and the plot was very realistic. This is one of the more relatable books in this genre that I've read in awhile.

Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely is a heartfelt debut that beautifully captures the complexities of evolving relationships. Joni and Ren, childhood best friends, have maintained a tradition of being each other's plus-ones for weddings. However, when a line is crossed, their friendship faces an unexpected challenge.

Blakely's narrative delves deep into the emotional intricacies of Joni and Ren's relationship. The dual-narrative format offers readers a comprehensive view of both characters' perspectives, enhancing the depth of their story. The setting—a shared summer home during a family wedding—provides a picturesque backdrop that complements the unfolding drama.

What sets this novel apart is its exploration of the thin line between friendship and love. The tension, the unspoken feelings, and the moments of realization are portrayed with authenticity and sensitivity. Blakely's writing is both engaging and evocative, making it easy to become invested in Joni and Ren's journey.

While the story employs familiar tropes like childhood friends-to-lovers and forced proximity, it does so with a fresh perspective that keeps readers engaged. The emotional payoff is satisfying, leaving a lasting impression.

I would recommend Friends to Lovers to fans of contemporary romance who appreciate character-driven stories with emotional depth. It's a promising debut that hints at more compelling narratives to come from Blakely.

If this doesn't make the Goodreads Choice Awards for Debut Novel, I will be shocked.

With best friends for mothers, Joni and Ren grew up together. They shared their own special best friend relationship and were confident they would remain close when Joni moves across the country for her dream job. After all, they'll always meet up to be each other's plus ones for weddings. Something happens at one of those weddings and the two haven't spoken in two and half years. Joni has managed to stay away from the beach house the families share and their traditional week vacation together during that time but needs to return for her sister's wedding. By unspoken agreement, the two have kept the dissolution of their friendship secret from most of their family (Joni's sister knows but hasn't been given the details of what happened), knowing that it could ruin more than just them. Joni is determined to keep up appearances and ensure her sister's wedding week is perfect - even if she does feel like her life is falling apart after being fired and constantly being reminded of the friendship she lost.

This is told from Joni's POV in multiple timelines. The main timeline is the week of Joni's sister's wedding. There are flashbacks to Joni's and Ren's past, focusing on weddings they attended starting in the most distant past and moving forward to the wedding where they stopped speaking. It is such a perfect beach read and I absolutely loved this debut novel! You can feel Joni's angst and get reprieves with the flashbacks to when her relationship with Ren was good and helped to calm her anxiety. Even as you get these breaks, you know you're going to learn what happened to ruin their friendship and I was constantly wondering if the flashback I was reading would be the one to break my heart. Even the secondary characters, especially Stevie (Joni's sister) and Sasha (Ren's sister). Joni's desire to prove to her family, especially her therapist mother, that she is strong and independent is so realistic and her growth is so well done.

I’m a sucker for friends to lovers trope, and that is LITERALLY what this book is!
I loved the dual timeline; and the author wrote the perfect amount of angst between REN and Joni.
Their love story is the perfect summer read!

Debut novel? I couldn’t tell!

Joni and Ren have been best friends all of their lives. Even when living on opposite sides of the country, they have a standing agreement to always be each other’s plus ones at weddings. Until a falling out causes a rift between them. Three years ago later, they’re both attending Joni’s sister’s wedding, and have to stay at their joint family beach house for a week together and convince their families they’re still friends.

This was a great mix of People We Meet On Vacation and Happy Place by Emily Henry. It was a dual timeline, best friends to lovers romance, with a mysterious falling out, a family beach house, colorful side characters, family drama, and lots of extravagant weddings. It was a perfect summer read with all of the pining, nostalgia and angst I love in a friends-to-lovers romance.

My only complaint would be that I wish Ren and Joni had more conversations in general. There were a lot of wordless conversations and half conversations where nothing was said, and this made sense for the past timeline when they weren’t acknowledging their feelings, but I wished in the present timeline they actually talked out some of their issues more or learned to communicate more in general, especially after not speaking for 3 years. I felt like I came away from this not knowing much about Ren other than his feelings for Joni and that he liked music.

4 stars! ⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Canary Street Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. You really couldn’t keep me away from a book titled after one of my favorite tropes!

This was such a heartfelt and relatable ride from beginning to end. This book mastered the highs of a romcom and the deep emotions and complexities of a women’s fiction. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry! (I found this was comparable to People We Meet on Vacation with the intensity of Happy Place).

Super Quick Synopsis: Joni and Ren, childhood best friends sworn to be each other’s plus ones for life have a falling out that leaves their relationship devastated. Years later, the two are back at their family’s shared beach house… crammed into one room… forced to confront the feelings they’ve buried for each other.

⭐️ What I loved:
- I loved the overall formatting of the book. It kept me super engaged and was a creative way to give history and tell the present story.
- Main characters Joni and Ren were likeable, understandable and relatable. It was easy to root for them and their relationship from the start.
- The writing was great. Easily digestible but beautiful and had some really great quotes I can’t wait to share when the book is published.
- The story did well with balancing the romantic elements with “finding yourself in adulthood” elements along with navigating family relationships. They all blended together pretty seamlessly to make a full-bodied story.
- The dialogue between characters was really impressive, especially when Joni and Ren had some of their bigger talks.
- As a wedding fan, getting to travel to all of the weddings was such a bonus for me!

⭐️ What I didn’t love:
- The family drama aspects felt out of place for me. I could understand the point but was often times annoyed with how big of a part it played on two adult character’s choices. (I am the same age as both characters so I can understand familial pressures but can’t help but feel like at this age you should be able to make your own choices without so much worry about what your parents or siblings may think). So that bugged me along the way.
- For the first quarter of the book I found myself really struggling to take in all of the characters. So many were introduced in such a small time period that I was consistently confused until about the midway point.

Overall, I think this was such a great book. I can’t wait for everyone to be able to read this!

Key tropes:
- Friends to Lovers
- Second chances
- Forced proximity


(Will post review on Instagram and come back with the link!)

If the title foreshadows the premise, the depth of Sally Blakely's novel resides in the journey of Ren and Joni. They are best friends who resolve to stay in touch after graduation by always being each other's "plus one" to future weddings.

Blakely immerses readers through playlists, a variety of flashbacks, witty banter, and a large cast of quirky characters. I relate to the way Ren uses music and curated playlists to express emotions and connect with others, something I specialized in when I was in my 20s. Additionally, the way that Blakely weaves Joni's career path and artistic drive with personal decisions reflects my own early career choices.

I recommend this fun and fast-paced novel to anyone who loves When Harry Met Sally or who needs a feel-good summer read!

Thank you to the publishers for the gifted copy.

#FriendstoLovers #NetGalley

folks, we have a real hit on our hands.

as a best friends to lovers connoisseur, i knew that this would have to hit but i was so unprepared for how much this would make me giddy. it hit every fucking spot in the genre with such easy flow and beautiful writing AND parallels and tethers to the greats and mvps before it like people we meet on vacation, love, rosie, the movie plus one like COME ONNNNN

truly such a winner for me and one of my favorite romances i’ve read in a long time. i love you ren and joni and i need you all to help me blow this one up because the movie potential for this one goes crazy

literally can’t wait to buy a copy when it comes out on my birthday <3

I enjoyed this story! I thought it was fun and an easy read. Thank you so much for the early read!!!!

Joni and Ren have been best friends since they've been young, with feelings at the wrong time throughout their adolescence. When Joni moves across the country to live out her dream job and life, she doesn't realize she's leaving half of her heart behind. As a way to preserve their friendship they make a pact to be each other's plus one to every wedding they attend. This seems like a brilliant plan until there are all the feelings at the same time. Can they make it through one more wedding, where they're forced to share their childhood vacation bedroom, without everything falling apart or is the timing just right.

This book tugged at every emotional string I have. At its core, it’s a beautifully written friends-to-lovers romance that captures the ache of growing up, growing apart, and finding your way back to the person who’s always felt like home.

Joni, our main character, is anxious, ambitious, and deeply relatable. Her career chasing heart is both her strength and her struggle. Ren, her childhood best friend, is the kind of quietly steady presence that makes you root for him from the first page. Together, they have a bond that feels deeply real—built on years of shared history, inside jokes, and unspoken truths.

What I loved most was how the story didn’t shy away from the messiness of life. It’s not just about falling in love—it’s about re-learning each other after time, hurt, and distance. Watching Joni and Ren drift apart when they were younger broke my heart, but seeing them find their way back to each other as adults was everything.

If you’re a fan of emotional slow burns & second chances love this book is for you.

It took me a while to finish the book but overall it was a decent bestfriends to lover story, losing connection and rekindling love. There were a lot of back and forths which got confusing but the storyline is understandable. You understand from the beginning to the end which i loved.

Joni and Rens friendship is so cute! They really trusted each other. Love will find its way back if it was meant to be and for them it was definitely meant to be!

I liked the overall premise of this book but the time changes got a little confusing at times. Easy beach read but you do have to pay close attention at times.