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.

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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!

This book is so cute the typical best friend who love each other and then after a one night the feeling grown more know to each other. Slow burn friends to lovers romance book. It’s duel point of view, it is very well written there really no toxic energy in the book compared to an average romance books.

As soon as I read it was like a grown up Summer I Turned Pretty I immediately requested and so honored to have been given this ARC!

This was such a sweet story. I loved Sally Blakely’s writing style and just the whole book. I enjoyed the spice level as it wasn’t too much; but definitely intrigued and drew you in. I’m a sucker for friends to lovers so this was a no brainer!

Joni and Ren's bond is the kind of friendship that feels both effortless and profound, and I found myself completely invested in their journey. From the very first page, you’re drawn into their world with the kind of emotional depth that makes you feel like you’re not just reading a story, but living it alongside the characters.

The premise is both simple and brilliant: best friends who share a special tradition of being each other's plus-ones at weddings, despite the distance that grows between them. But when the lines of their friendship blur, things take a painful turn. Joni’s return home for her sister’s wedding introduces a tense, yet incredibly relatable, dynamic as she and Ren navigate the awkwardness and raw emotions of a friendship that's been torn apart.

What really stood out in this book was the delicate balance of friendship and romance. The slow burn of Joni and Ren’s evolving feelings for each other is handled with nuance and care, building with perfect tension without ever feeling rushed. I found myself rooting for them, hoping they would find their way back to each other, even as they struggled to confront the past that stood between them.

The writing is engaging, and the setting of the shared summer home for the wedding added a lovely backdrop of nostalgia and warmth, making every moment feel that much more poignant. The secondary characters are well-developed, adding layers of complexity to the story without overshadowing the central relationship.

The emotional stakes are high, and Blakely doesn’t shy away from exploring the messy, painful realities of love and friendship. The ending is both satisfying and cathartic, leaving me with a full heart and a renewed belief in second chances.

ARC provided by Netgalley

I’m not sure I could have loved this book anymore. Sally Blakey has just been added to my must read author list!

Her debut novel gives me Carley Fortune vibes. Her book— while clearly a love story— has so much more depth and storylines. Creating a whole world that feels real and that I quickly became so invested.

Blakely unfolds the history of a friendship and two whole families over years. By moving between the past and the present, we get a full picture of so many family members. Understanding where they come from, their personal struggles, and how that impacts their relationships.

At times it pained me to have to put this book down to do life 😂 I was so invested and curious what would come next. It felt much less predictable than many other books. Giving a really unique, original story.

While there were only a few sexual scenes they were brief and not graphic. If you’re looking for a clean romance, I think you can easily skim over the few scenes.

I so enjoyed this book! Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

Friends to dating story told from a present and past POV. I enjoyed the story being told with different timelines; it kept the intrigue and attention in wanting to know how the characters got to their current situation. It was a light, refreshing, and entertaining read.

I loved this book. It reminds me of a similar book where a wedding is occurring in the days the story is set in and is happening around all the drama between the main characters. I liked all the interloping storylines between the FMC and all the other secondary characters, besides the MMC. I liked the flashbacks, seeing them grow and their love blossom. Joni and Ren's love story is one of my favorites in that they were best friends and then became lovers and I like those romances because relationships, especially lifelong ones, are so much sweeter if its base is in friendship. I won't reveal more because spoilers but I seriously cannot wait until this book is released next summer. Overall, beautiful story!

I want to thank the author Sally Blakely, NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.

This was my first Sally Blakely novel, and I loved it!

This book was so funny, cute, and angsty that I couldn't put it down. Now, it was a single POV, which we all know is not my favorite, but I think it worked really well for this book. I think it probably helped the pacing, which was spot on with the dual timeline btw.

I also really enjoyed the characters...like all of them. There were moments, especially early on where I had no clue who was related to whom, but I soon figured it out! Anyway, I enjoyed all of them, even if I didn't really see any side characters I was dying to hear more about.

Thank you so much to Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for the arc!