My heart!! This was such a sweet read. I was rooting for Ren and Joni throughout the entire book. Their connection felt real and you could tell how much they cared about each other. I adore them.

I really enjoyed the writing and highlighted so many quotes that just made my heart melt! If you enjoy Emily Henry’s books, would definitely recommend adding to your tbr.

Can’t wait for the release day to get a physical copy.


Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for the arc!

It was evident from the very beginning of the strong bond and connection that existed between Ren and Joni. As she eloquently said when noticing him.across the room, "there you are". Yes, there was separation in which she thought she wss doing him a favor in fleeing so that he could pursue his dream job; however, that came at such a sacrifice that she truly became a shell of herself. She was only existing and buried herself in.work that would never give anything back in.the form of true happiness. That is why her losing said job was so difficult because that was her only form of self worth. I was glad that in the context of Stevie and Leo's wedding how all came to realize the importance of love and strong connections. History does mean something. This is a great love story that it does all work out even in time apart. The right person, the one who supports you and loves you unconditionally, is out there.

this book was comprised of all my favorite tropes - childhood friends to lovers, second chance romance, alternating timelines, forced proximity, YEARNING, tension, a man obsessed ... shall i continue?

If you liked Emily Henrys People We Meet on Vacation and Happy Place and were wondering what would happen if those two books had a baby then you can stop wondering and just read this book.

Ren and Jonis mothers are best friends from college and their families co-own a summer beach house together. They have grown up together and have been best friends for longer than either of them can remember. Ren has been in love wtih Joni most of his life, but it takes Joni a little longer to realize that she also loves Ren. Unfortunately their timing SUCKS and one fateful night implodes their entire friendship. They spend 2.5 years not speaking but are brought back together for a week at the beach house in preparation for Jonis sisters wedding.

I loved getting their origin story in well-timed flashbacks and then watching them struggle with their feelings in the present day. It is so obvious to the reader how much these two love each other but their communication skills after years apart are lacking. They can never seem to get the romantic side of their relationship off the ground and their timing never seems to be right, but their love for each other and their friendship is strong enough to work through all the kinks.

Of course this is a HEA but you will have to work hard for it to get there.

Friends to Lovers gave me strong Emily Henry vibes and I am here for it!

Ren and Joni’s chemistry was insane. They had me giggling and kicking my feet the whole time I was reading.

As someone who tries to limit my book buying, I can’t wait for this book to come out so I can get a physical copy for my shelf!!

I really enjoyed this story and the depth that we got for each of the characters! It gave me warm fuzzy vibes which were great for taking me out of a stressful week. Thank you so much for letting me read this advanced copy!

4.75 ⭐️
joni and ren have always been best friends since they were little kids and their families are very close. they has always been so much chemistry but, both have been too afraid to act on it until one night two years ago. that night ruined their friendship and joni moves as far away as she can. fast forward and joni sister stevie is getting married which means they will be forced to interact with each other. this was such a cute romance book that totally gave me emily henry vibes!!!

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

If you love books by Emily Henry and Abby Jimenez, you will love this book. This book follows two childhood best-friends, Ren and Joni, from being friends, to having a falling out, and the tale as old as time question "Will they or won't they?"

I was kicking my feet and giggling the whole time reading this book. While I'm not usually a fan of books that time jump, this book does it really well that it didn't bother me. I liked that we got to see Ren and Joni really fall in love, and then how they managed the fall out from their friendship breakup. Their chemistry was insane, and there was so many times I wanted to shake both of them to open their eyes and kiss already! I also loved that their lives were both a little messy and complicated. So often I read books where the characters all have established careers and things have always perfectly worked out professionally and it's just their love life that needs work, but that's not the usual experience people have. Life is messy and work is hard, and fitting work into your personal life is even harder. I like how this book captured that.

The one thing I wish this book had was a POV from Ren. I would have loved to get more of an insight to his view on things because it's clear Joni is an unreliable narrator. I'm hoping the author will consider doing a bonus chapter in the future at least.

This is the perfect vacation read when you want to ignore your family and be sucked into the perfect love story.

Best friends since birth, Jodi and Ren were each other’s forever wedding dates. But two and a half years ago, they went from being each other’s person to not speaking. Now they’re back together for Jodi’s sister’s wedding. Can they rekindle their friendship or more?

This book very much gave a mix between Emily Henry and The Summer I Turned Pretty vibes with 30 year olds instead of teenagers. I enjoyed that Sally Blakey used flashbacks of previous weddings the main characters attended to tell the story of their friendship. I wish there was a more catchy title, but I bought into the relationships in the story and really enjoyed this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the eARC.

Joni and Ren have been inseparable best friends since they were three. After moving to NY, Joni keeps in contact with Ren via phone calls and plus one dates to weddings. Somewhere along the way, Joni realizes she has feelings for him, but life gets in the way and they end up having a sort of falling out and don’t talk to each other for 2.5 years.

While back in town for her sister’s wedding, they see each other again for the first time and have to navigate the awkward reunion, and start to explore their feelings for each other again.

This is a sweet second chance, friends to lovers romance that will have you rooting for the main characters.

It has a great summer and beach vibe that had me looking forward to winter being over even more than I already was.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Sally Blakely for this arc in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

**ARC REVIEW**
Thank you Harlequin Trade Publishing, NetGalley & Sally Blakely for this copy of Friends to Lovers!!!! 🤍 BUCKLE UP!!!!!!!!!
I don’t even know where to begin. THIS BOOK HAS ME IN A CHOKEHOLD BRO. I would say it’s a friends to lovers (obviously), but also a second-chance romance. This book gave me the same vibes as Emily Henry’s People We Meet on Vacation AND Happy Place. And I say that to the highest regards!! I love a flashback timeline/story and the reader is trying to figure out what’s happened. I love love love Ren and Joni AND now they hold a special place in my heart. I’ll be screaming about this book from YEARS to come. Anyway, if you can’t tell…. I’m obsessed and clearly giving it a 5 star. Duh.

⭐️: 5.00 !!!
Kindle

4.5 ⭐️ this was everything - who can resist a childhood best friends to lovers story? I loved the story of Ren and Joni so much and I was rooting for them so hard. The story takes all the classic love story beats while reminding us love and life are messy, and that’s okay.

The book was an easy former friend to lovers book. It followed your typical troupe timeline, but I was wishing for a little more depth. I found the reason why they stopped speaking to be a let down. It didn't blow me away but is good a rainy day. Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e- ARC.

Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely is a heartwarming and beautiful contemporary romance. Joni and Ren used to be best friends. 2.5 years ago, they stopped talking to each. Fast forward to the present, they are reunited at their families shared beach house in the Pacific Northwest for her sister’s wedding. The wedding brings them back together after the years long separation. I loved how the author told the story through a dual timeline, it nicely captures Joni and Ren’s story in the past and present.

As a reader, you are rooting for them to realize that they are meant to be. Joni and Ren are like two pieces from the same puzzle, they just fit together. As a reader, you see it through their interactions, overall connection, and shared past, they just have to believe in it too. The author crafts an overall connection between Joni and Ren that was so real and palpable.

Overall, it’s a cute and fast paced romance read that is also very well written. This romance book includes tropes of friends to lovers and a second chance romance. It’s a journey for Joni and Ren, and I loved it.

Sally Blakely’s debut book is wonderful and I’m looking forward to seeing what comes next for this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this e- ARC. I absolutely LOVED this story! Ren and Joni have been friends forever and of course, become lovers, but then go 2.5 years without speaking. I loved the family dynamics, character progression, dialogue, humor, and overall flow of the book. 4.5 stars! Just a wonderful, sweet, heartfelt love story!!

I absolutely adored Friends to Lovers! It's the perfect blend of humor, heart, and a whole lot of swoon-worthy moments. Charlie and Alex are the ultimate friends-to-lovers duo. Their banter is hilarious and their chemistry is off the charts. I was constantly laughing out loud and swooning over their interactions. I loved how their friendship slowly turned into something more. It was so sweet and heartwarming. The small-town setting is super charming, and the supporting characters are lovable and quirky. I especially loved Charlie's best friend, Jess. She was so funny and supportive. If you're looking for a fun, flirty, and feel-good romance, Friends to Lovers is the perfect book for you.

Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely is the perfect slow-burn romance! It’s about two longtime friends who start to realize there’s more between them than they thought. The chemistry builds naturally, and you can’t help but root for them.

I loved how the relationship developed—it felt real and sweet, with just the right amount of tension. If you’re a fan of friends-to-lovers stories, this one’s a great pick. Perfect for when you want a light, feel-good read!

Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Carley Fortune! I loved this one so much, and it gave such amazing summer vibes.

This was an enemies to lovers that definitely gave Emily Henry vibes. She is an autobuy author for me so it’s no surprise that I enjoyed this read. Who can resist a beach setting? The only negative was Joni is a pretty frustrating character.

Friends to Lovers is a heartfelt, swoon-worthy debut that perfectly captures the beauty and complexity of falling for your best friend. Joni and Ren’s annual tradition of being each other’s plus-ones for wedding season is both charming and bittersweet, especially as their unresolved feelings and past heartaches come to light.

The dual narrative adds depth to their story, allowing readers to truly feel the weight of their friendship-turned-romance and the emotional stakes of their choices. The stunning beach setting and warm, nostalgic vibe make this the perfect summer read, while the tension between Joni and Ren will have you rooting for them until the very last page.

Perfect for fans of The Summer I Turned Pretty and People We Meet on Vacation, this is a tender exploration of love, loss, and the question of whether the strongest friendships can turn into something more.

You know the feeling when you don't want to go to the gym, but you know you're going to feel great afterwards? You know it's going to be a good decision after the fact, but going through the work of getting to the afterwards is exhausting. That is how I felt about this book. You know from the title how it ends, but dang I did not want to go through the messy, relationship building part of the book.

Ren and Joni have been best friends their whole lives. When Joni decides to move to New York to follow her dreams, they make a pact that they will be each other's wedding dates no matter what. Of course, life gets in the way and things get complicated. Now, 2 1/2 years after the last time they've seen each other, they're forced to see each other again at Joni's sister's wedding. How will they ever get through the wedding week without drudging up feelings?!

Ultimately, I loved this one. I hated that I had to go through Ren and Joni's past to get to their future, but that is the life I've chosen as a romance reader. Thanks to Canary Street Press and NetGalley for eARC!