This is the perfect friends to lovers trope. A slow burn romance with friendship, second chances and family. Joni and Ren have been best friends since childhood. She moves to Oregon and they agree to meet every summer to be plus one’s at friends weddings. They lose touch two years ago and are reunited for her sister’s wedding. I loved the emotional depth of this story, the angst, the chemistry and the found family. It is such a whirlwind adventure, perfect summer read.

The perfect summer read!!! This was like watching a 2000’s romcom and I’m obsessed!

Loved the flashbacks, I really enjoy second chance romances & Joni & Ren were so perfect!!

Loved the wedding plus one part of the book, it was so cute to see them together at different weddings. I also loved Joni’s relationship with her siblings!

The beach house vibes were also *chefs kiss *

Thank you so much for the arc!!

4.5 This was a really strong romance. I definitely agree with the reviews that say its a combination of people we meet on vacation and happy place. Would highly reccomend.

Friends to Lovers is a heartfelt, breezy read about two lifelong best friends. The author beautifully captures the nostalgia of childhood summers, the messy transition from friends to something more, and the bittersweet tug-of-war between holding on and letting go. With tender moments under sun-soaked skies and star-filled nights, this story is a poignant reminder that sometimes love hides in plain sight—and deciding whether to fight for it or free it can be the hardest choice of all.

This was everything I wanted in a beach read. I loved the relationship of Ren and Joni. I liked that there were flashbacks to explain the rift in their relationship. It was a fast and fun read and the perfect friend to lovers trope come to life.

This is a good friends to lovers, summer beach read. A bit of a slow burn, and the main characters had major communication issues. But if you're looking for a quick summer escape, this will fit the bill.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for access to this eARC.

New to this author but I'm getting "Emily Henry" vibes. We also already know the situation - friends turn to lovers - but we don't know the story or the outcome. The story switches from current time and cuts back over the past few years while we learn what happened in the past and how we move forward. This was a great little summer read for me. There were a lot of side characters that I kept forgetting who they were - but it didn't matter too much. Joni & Ren, along with Stevie were super cute characters.

3 stars

this really did feel a bit like an emily henry novel at the beginning but then it veered off and became its own thing. overall a really sweet summer story.

characters 3/5
i really liked the close-knit sweet vibe of their families together and the relationship between joni and stevie in particular. some of the characters felt kind of one dimensional though. and i’m very confused by that one argument scene in the last 3rd of the book because it felt so out of character for everyone??? joni was a bit annoying at times, especially with her (slight) possessiveness over ren when they’re just friends, but I don’t think it detracted from my enjoyment of the book.

plot & writing 3/5
the writing was very smooth, it was easy to get immersed into the story. i felt very invested in joni and ren’s relationship and the pacing was well done. it did feel like the story was going in circles a bit though, the same issues popping up again and again.

Thank you so much to Canary Press for the E-ARC of this title.
I knew I would love it based on the title alone.
Second chance, friends to lovers are my favorite tropes. Combine them and I'm in book heaven.

Ren and Joni has been best friends since the ripe age of 3. Together, they are the sun and the moon in which everything else just rotates around them. Until everything changes. They find themselves at the opposite ends of the country and their friendship in a state of disarray.
Two years pass of not seeing each other, not speaking, and keeping it all a secret from their family and friends.
That is until they meet once again at Joni's sister's wedding, at the same place they spent endless summers. Where they weaved a basket full of stories, memories, and feelings.

When they both have nothing to lose, they find their way back to one another, melting the happiness and pain of the past and molding it into their future.


This book is dual timeline highlighting the little moments that make up a friendship and the slow burn of falling in love. From stealing hoodies to polaroid pictures. From being plus ones to all of their friends' weddings. All the laughs and the tears. The phone calls and weekend trips from Portland to New York. Time might have passed, but the sun and moon can't exist without the other.

You'll like this if you like:
-Second chance romance
-Forced proximity
-He falls first

Joni and Ren were best friends until they crossed the line that would take them out of the friend zone and caused their whole relationship to come crashing down. They were always each other’s plus one and now they just do it again at Joni’s sister’s wedding. On top of that, they have to act like nothing is wrong.

This was a fun read! I was so excited to get approved for this on NetGalley & glad this one didn't disappoint!

Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press for this ARC!

4.25 stars!

oh my, this was SUCH a treat. this was such a sweet romance of two friends who turn into lovers (duh! that's the title!) and i ate it up. i thought the dual timeline was done so well and i loved how the story was told through weddings.

this was packed with witty banter and an emotional punch. it had strong relationships, character growth and a good arc. i loved getting to know the cast of characters and how everyone was intertwined.

great for fans of every summer after and love and other words!

a big thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this arc <3

Friends To Lovers is (shockingly!) a perfect pick for fans of the friends to lovers trope. With its dual timeline and second chance storyline, I’d recommend it to readers who loved Love and Other Words, Every Summer After, and The Summers Between Us.

I really enjoyed the story and loved the characters, but knowing heartbreak was coming made it a tough read for me.. Being 65% in and finally getting a present-day reconciliation, only to watch things fall apart in the past timeline, gave me too much anxiety! I’m just not in an era of life where I want that level of angst. For those that do, it’s very well done.

That said, I adored the characters: their history, their friendship, their growth, and ultimately, their romance. I finished the book with a huge smile on my face, so in that sense, it’s absolutely a winner.

The writing was amazing. Witty and sharp! Loved the settings, too. I don’t like the miscommunication trope one bit so had it not been for the author’s writing style, I would have bailed. Definitely worth the read.

This is definitely a slow burn romance. There was an “incident” that happened two and a half years ago which put a rift between Ren and Joni.

Best friends who have always been each others plus one. Who have been estranged are now forced back to their families beach house. Joni’s younger sister is getting married and only she knows that Ren and Joni haven’t spoken in two and a half years.

This was a good romance where you get plenty of wonderful characters. There is character development and some growth along the way.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this advanced reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I didn’t have a clue what kind of emotional ride I was getting when I started this book. This book was everything I could want in a book.
It is two best friends who were close until something happened and didn’t talk for over 2 years and came back to face each other for the FMC sisters wedding.
We went back in time and learned about all the weddings the two main characters went to and learned why they stopped talking. We went back to the present and see how they are both drifting back to each other.
This book was beautifully written and I was part way through when I realized the MMC feelings and the FMC wasn’t there yet. I loved how they came together and the wedding helped bring them back. I had so many emotions reading this and this is another book that I will be buying for a shelf trophy.
Thank you so much for the ARC.

In Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely, childhood best friends Joni and Ren have long been each other’s wedding season plus-ones, until one romantic misstep breaks their bond. Back home for her sister’s wedding, Joni is determined to fake their friendship and keep the peace. But as old feelings resurface, she must decide whether to protect her heart or finally fight for the love that’s always been right in front of her.

This was such a sweet and funny summer romance. It felt like a bright breath of fresh air, and I barreled through it on audio in one joyful, marathon weekend session. The story beautifully captures what it’s like to build a lifetime of memories with someone who knows you inside and out. I especially loved seeing how much comfort Ren brought Joni through the years, and watching her finally accept that their bond was always more than just a plus-one arrangement.

It wasn’t like it was some big secret. Ren and Joni both knew the truth, deep down. They just needed the right moment to finally embrace it. The book also offers gentle, meaningful messages about knowing what really matters and not letting perfectionism or career pressures steer you away from what you truly want. Add to that the personal soundtrack woven throughout their story (including a playlist!) and it just felt extra special.

Best of all, the author gives readers a lovely epilogue so we’re not left wondering what comes next. Patti Murin's narration was absolutely perfect. She brought all the emotions to life and is quickly becoming one of my favorite audiobook narrators. I’m giving this a fun 4 stars. I truly enjoyed every minute.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.

I loved this! This story is told from Joni’s POV and jumps back and forth between present day and different weddings she and REN have gone to over the past several years. The romance between them was a delicious slow burn, I never got to the point where I was frustrated that they hadn’t gotten together yet. Agree with other reviews that mention Emily Henry vibes.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC!

Sally Blakely expertly delivers the friends to lovers trope without over dramatizing rules or blurring friendship lines. It’s a well written love story that every character and reader wants to see!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for the early copy of this book!

this is a great summer read, it’s set at the beach and has “beachy days that turn into starry nights.” i really enjoyed that the chapters were short because it helped the story flow. i also liked the writing style. this was a cute read, however i didn’t feel connected with the characters, and i fear this may be because im not a huge friends to lovers girly. i went back and forth between my e-arc and alc — thank you to the publishers!

two best friends joni and ren have always been inseparable. that is until joni moves across the country for her job; but they come up with a creative way to stay in touch. no matter what is going on in their lives, they will always be each other’s plus-one’s every year for wedding season. this has worked for them, until a line has been crossed and their friendship was no more. joni’s sister is getting married and is determined to make the week perfect, even if she has to fake her friendship with ren (while avoiding spilling the truth of why they aren’t friends anymore to her family). is she going to let ren go or is their love story worth fighting for? read and find out ;)

tropes: friends to lovers, second chance, forced proximity, dual timeline

Can I give this book 6 stars? ⭐️ I absolutely loved Ren and Joni’s story! Told through Joni’s perspective, this dual-timeline story is perfect for fans of friends to lovers (duh!) and second chance romance. My heart was in my throat the entire time I was reading! I can’t recommend it enough!