I adored this book! It was definitely slow burn, but the childhood best friends to eventual lovers is one of my absolute favorite tropes. The ideas I had throughout the book about what happened 2 1/2 years ago, were all over the place and I still only half got it right.

Definitely recommend!

4.5⭐️ Ren and Joni have been best friends forever- grew up together, did everything together, made a pact to be each other’s plus one to weddings, etc. After decades of friendship, they cross the line from friends to lovers and changes everything. Their story is sweet and I’m a sucker for a good love story. The book is written from Joni’s perspective, I do wish it was also told from Ren’s perspective too.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for my honest review!

It was a great read! The pace was great. The storyline made sense. The characters vibed (obviously haha). Different than what I usually read but I really loved it. I definitely will be recommending to friends.

If you’re a fan of “People we need on vacation” and even “Happy Place” by Emily Henry, you’ll definitely enjoy this. We follow Joni and Ren in the present and past events, and see how their relationship and friendship evolves and then crashes, but how eventually they find their way to each other. There is tension and a bit (ok, a lot) of pining, and the book does a good job at making you want these two to be together. Overall I really enjoyed this, but again I’m a fan of the books I mentioned, so this was right up my alley. ⭐️⭐️⭐️.💫 Thank NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the ARC #FriendstoLovers #NetGalley

A good summer read if you’re into friends to lovers and second chance romances. It reminds me a bit of “People We Meet on Vacation” and “The Ex Vows.” The main characters are both sweet and likable. If anything, I wish there had been more moments between the two of them and fewer family scenes.

My rating: 💘💘💘💘💘

Tropes:
- childhood bestfriends to lovers
- second chance romance
- reunion romances
- forced proximity
- dual narratives
- single POV

This is an amazing friends-to-lovers book that immediately earned a spot on my favorites shelf. I found only one downside, and it has nothing to do with the story—whenever I had time to read, I was already too sleepy 🥲 So it took me almost two weeks to finish it 😅

I loved the characters, their story, their emotions, and the warmth they shared. And, of course, the sensual spicy scenes that offer just a glimpse behind the door.

The book gives off vibes of The Summer I Turned Pretty, People We Meet on Vacation, Love, Rosie, Plus One, and Anyone but You. It’s not a copy of any of these, but it beautifully blends their best elements. So if you love any of them, be sure to add this book to your TBR!

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for providing this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

You think the title gives away everything. This is a heartwarming tail and I could not set it down. Both characters are lovable and you’re rooting for them the whole time it’s Sweet. It’s easy and spoiler alert…I think we know how it ends

Let's start by saying that I don't usually enjoy the friends-to-lovers trope, but this book executed it wonderfully. I’ve given it so many compliments on TikTok!

Here’s what I liked:

😍 Well-written sex scenes; they were vanilla but still impactful.
😍 The reason why the two characters stopped talking made perfect sense.
😍 I loved that the female main character had anxiety, as it provided insight into her thought process.
😍 The side characters were lovable. Although they had limited screen time, the author managed to add depth to each of them.

As for what I didn’t like?

🥲 I can’t think of anything!

ARC Review
Joni and Ren are ex best friends that had a falling out 2 and a half years ago. They are being forced to see each other again for Joni’s sister wedding. Although she is nervous to see Ren, she is also dealing with turmoil in her work life. Follow along as these two attempt to coexist for a week for Joni’s sister. Also, while hiding their falling out from their family.

I absolutely adored this book and read it so fast. The story of their friendship is shown throughout the book as they switch from present day to the past. This helps articulate their friendship as best friends and the bond that they had. I fell in love with these two and the side characters as well. I think Ren is my favorite. Everyone needs a best friend like him! I’m a sucker for any friends to lovers book and this did not disappoint. There was so much angst, tension, longing and many other emotions that kept me reading.

I did not know what to expect fully from this story, but it hooked me from the beginning. I did not want to put this book down! This is Sally Blakelys first book, and I think you should check it out. It was definitely an amazing read. Friends to Lovers comes out July 22nd! 🩵

Sally Blakely has written quite the page turner! You will absolutely FALL IN LOVE with Joni and Ren. Blakely’s writing draws you in from the start. I could not put this book down and I cannot wait to read more from this author! Friends to Lovers is the perfect summer read for fans of Carley Fortune and Emily Henry!

I seriously ADORE this book and the characters!!!! The setting was so cute and it is the perfect beach read for this summer. I got an ARC from NetGalley and read it in a day and a half. I was so shocked to learn this is a debut book as it is such an easy 5/5 for me, I'll be reading anything else she puts out!!

Summary:
Lifetime friends Joni and Ren swear to always be each other's plus ones after moving to opposite sides of the country. This story jumps between past and present showing their development of friendship and relationship. Will they be able to keep their friendship after so much has happened or are they destined to never be friends again?

Thank you, NetGalley and the Canary Street Press for the eARC!

If you love friends-to-lovers and second-chance romance, Friends to Lovers delivers all the nostalgia, longing, and slow-burn angst that make those tropes so irresistible. This heartfelt debut by Sally Blakley is a mix of tension-filled reunions, bittersweet flashbacks, and family drama wrapped in a swoony summer wedding setting.

Joni and Ren have been best friends since childhood. When Joni moves across the country, they promise to always be each other’s plus-one for weddings, keeping their bond alive despite the distance. But something happened to break that promise—something that shattered their friendship completely. Now, Joni is back home for her sister’s wedding, and avoiding Ren is impossible. Forced together under the watchful eyes of their intertwined families, they must pretend nothing has changed… even though everything has.

The chemistry between Joni and Ren is palpable. Their history, their inside jokes, the way they instinctively understand each other—it’s all there, layered beneath years of suppressed feelings and unspoken words. Blakley does a fantastic job of weaving past and present, slowly unraveling what went wrong and making readers ache for their reconciliation. Ren is the ultimate soft-hearted, devoted love interest, and watching him quietly pine for Joni while she wrestles with her feelings makes the emotional payoff that much sweeter.

Beyond the romance, this book also shines in its portrayal of family and friendships. The lake house setting, the wedding chaos, and the warmth of a found family dynamic give the story depth and charm. The only thing I wished for was more time with Joni and Ren after they finally worked things out—after all that build-up, I wanted a few more chapters of happiness!

For a debut, Friends to Lovers is an absolute win. It’s swoony, emotional, and packed with all the tension and tenderness that make friends-to-lovers one of the best romance tropes out there. Fans of Emily Henry and Annabel Monaghan will adore this one.

4.5/5

I loved this! This was such a sweet friends-to-lovers second-chance romance. It gave me People We Meet on Vacation vibes, but without being too close to the same plot line.

I really enjoyed the diverging story lines of the past to present. I was dying to know what happened to make them not talk for 2.5 years. The anticipation really kept me hooked slowly seeing what happened in the past leading up to the big moment while also seeing the angst of how it affected them in the present. The tension of them trying to act normal in front of their family members was so good. The yearning was so clear and I loved it.

I loved Ren and Joni’s friendship and how it grew into more. It was so sweet that they agreed to be each other’s permanent wedding dates to help them make sure they were able to see each other once they weren’t living in the same town anymore. It was clear how important their friendship was and how strong their feelings were even if it took awhile for Joni to realize.

My only complaint is I would have loved to have a little more time of getting to see them actually together as a couple. I will definitely be reading more from this author!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Canary Street Press & Netgalley for the ARC!!!

I absolutely loved this one!!! I'm a second chance lover through & through, and loved the way that Sally Blakely handled this friends to strangers to lovers, reunion style romance!!!

I really enjoyed both Joni and Ren's characters. Being inside Joni's head, we get to see and experience more of her growth throughout the story. I found her to be super relatable and genuine! I think a lot of readers will be able to relate or understand the way she handled a lot of situations in this book. Her fears and insecurities, her overall anxiety over change or being the burden for someone else.

Joni & Ren's love story is written in a dual timeline format, allowing us to see how deep their love goes. Throughout it all, it is extremely evident how much these two love, care for, and need each other. Their bond runs deep and is filled with so much history, tension, and chemistry. I loved the "now & then" chapters and seeing the contrast between their past and their present. In its entirety, it's a classic case of right person, wrong time. I loved them so much and loved getting to see them work through everything!!!

If you loved People We Meet On Vacation by Emily Henry, this is it's sister and she is wonderful, beautiful, and such a great time!!! Highly recommend!

Turns and twists will have you in a love hate relationship with the main character. Sometimes it just takes some time to figure out what you want and need in your life to be happy.

The “People We Meet on Vacation” and “Happy Place” baby I didn’t know I needed! This was such a sweet story of Joni and Ren who are the ultimate friends to lovers story (hence the title of the book).

If you loved “People We Meet on Vacation” and “Happy Place,” I think you’ll love this one too. Such a cute story with some fun side characters too.

This was an ARC read. Thank you to NetGalley, Sally Blakely, and Harlequin Trade Publishing for allowing me to read this early! This was a cute romance story about two people who literally grew up together and then became something more. I enjoyed this book and it was a nice lighthearted easy read. I needed something fun to read as we move in to the spring and this "hit the spot." If you enjoyed The Summer I Turned Pretty, you will love this one!

Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for the ARC.
Overall just a mid book for me. I enjoyed it, but I won’t keep thinking about it.

I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest opinion. I rate it 4 stars. I had been reading some heavy books and needed something light. This fit the bill. I wanted to know the ending and finished it in a couple of days. Joni and Ren are children of lifelong friends and have grown up together. There was a situation that happened that drew them apart for a couple of years, but neither wanted to say anything to their families so they get paired up for a wedding. You can imagine where it goes from there. This is a cute story and perfect to throw in the beach bag or any time you need something light.

This was absolutely fantastic!! It's as if Love, Rosie and Happy Place had a baby which are two of my favorite media pieces! The writing was absolutely fantatsic and I will definitely be reading more from this author. I have been screaming about this on my bookstagram since I started it. This would be the perfect beach read and I really enjoyed how we saw the flashbacks from the characters and the different pov's. They have a story that is relatable to so many and it just felt like a warm hug. I was completely immersed in this story! LOVED IT SM