Thank you to Negalley and Harper Collins for the eARC. I was immediately drawn to this book because of the playful cover and color splashes. The concept behind this book is so cute and set me into feeling like the story is was so real from the start. Joni and Ren have been childhood friends and i love that even when they are separated from each other they manage to keep a connection in the cutest way possible. Finally Joni and Ren come together for a wedding and you can imagine sparks flying. I loved the dual POV in this book. The pacing of this book was good and the page count was perfect for the story..

Oh I absolutely adored this book! It’s no secret (childhood) friends to lovers is my favorite trope of all time, thus why I requested this ARC. And this sweet slow-burn romance does an amazing job illustrating their friendship aside from their relationship. Their fallout was also so well written and I truly ached for Joni.

I will say in the middle of the story, I got a bit confused on what was the past and what was the present during the two weddings. But Joni and Ren reconnecting after years while also having to act as if nothing has happened in front of their families caused for so much tension that I ate up. 

The writing was beautiful and the chemistry from the start had me hooked immediately. It gave such Emily Henry vibes while still being its own unique story and I can’t wait to talk about it with you guys this summer! It comes out July 22nd, so keep an eye out for this heartwarming friends to lovers romance.

This was so cute! Friends to lovers is my favorite trope, and this one did it well. It had a satisfying slow burn, nice flashbacks, and good character growth.

I will say: it threw me off that the flashbacks were multiple chapters each, which took away from the main story at times. But the stories themselves were so cute that I give it a pass.

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

📚Friends to Lovers📚

By: Sally Blakely
Format: E-Book ARC (NetGalley)
Genre: Romance
POV: Single POV
Setting: Oregon
Tropes: Friends to Lovers, Second Chance, Weddings, Beach House, Dual Time Line, He Fell First

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Review: I came across this ARC on NetGalley and applied for and got it. I’m so glad I did!! This is one of the best ARC’s I’ve read in a LONG time. This was such a great love story and I was there for it.

Joni and Ren grew up together, their families intertwined through their mother’s friendship. Their families own a beach house on the Oregon coast that they’ve frequented every summer since they were little. But this time when they gather at the beach house for Joni’s sister wedding their friendship has suffered a falling out.

This story builds over the course of this book taking us back in time to see their love story unfold. And then bringing us back to the present to see their love rekindle.

I love all the vibes in this book; from the Oregon coast beach house, to different wedding venues, small town restaurants and bars, and Portland. I love the banter and playful friendship that turns so intimate and romantic. This book was just so good and I fell in love with Joni and Ren! I highly recommend giving this book a read!

I’m so impressed by this debut novel and the author Sally Blakely! I hope she continues to write because I will definitely read it! 😊

This was the sweetest romance with some of my favorite elements, childhood friends to lovers and second chance romance. It was so nice seeing the romance blossom between Ren and Joni. I loved how they always had each others back through their different gazes of life.

Oh this book had everything I love in a romance novel! Great plot, beautiful setting, memorable characters and a sweet storyline of two friends. Loved it!

I do love a second chance romance, and friends to lovers delivered. This was an extremely sweet story about two childhood friends navigating their feelings for each other as they tried to act normal around family. A permanent plus one for weddings, they cannot help but be together, especially at her sisters wedding festivities. I thought this avenue was so unique and a great idea by the author.
So much angst! I loved the Dual POV and the flashbacks she used to show us the now and the why.

I wish more of the book had been about them being together, but I enjoyed the journey they took to get there.

Sally Blakely’s Friends to Lovers is a story about best friends, Joni and Ren, who have been inseparable for most of their lives. Over the years, they’ve stayed close by being each other’s go-to plus-one for wedding season, even when Joni moved to New York for work and Ren stayed in Oregon. But after a single night when their relationship crosses into something more, everything changes, and their friendship falls apart.

The book takes us back and forth in time: the present, where Joni returns home for her sister’s wedding and is forced to face Ren, and the past, where we see how their unique wedding tradition shaped their bond over the years. Pretending they’re still friends for their families’ sake, Joni and Ren spend the week preparing for the wedding while revisiting their feelings for each other—and trying to figure out if their friendship is worth risking for love.

What I Liked:
- The idea of being each other’s plus-one during wedding season was really sweet and added charm to the story. Those flashbacks were some of my favorite parts because they showed how well Joni and Ren knew and cared about each other.
- Ren was such a lovable character. He was open, honest, and willing to fight for Joni, even when things got complicated. His love for her really stood out.
- The themes of friendship, love, and taking risks were heartfelt, and the story made me think about how relationships change over time.

What Didn’t Work for Me:
- Joni’s choices were frustrating at times. She cared about Ren, but she was so afraid of losing their friendship that she kept pushing him away. Even when Ren was willing to move to New York and give up his dream job to be closer to her, she panicked and ended things again.
- The pacing felt slow, especially in the present-day parts. A lot of time was spent on wedding preparations, and it felt like the story dragged instead of focusing on their relationship.
- Joni’s character growth was disappointing. She said she needed time to work on herself after losing her job and feeling lost, but then she changed her mind quickly, which made her decision feel less meaningful.

The Ending: As the title suggests, Joni and Ren do end up together. Joni finally realizes she loves Ren and wants to be with him, but it takes a lot of back-and-forth to get there. Ren’s patience and commitment are what make their relationship work, and while the ending is sweet, it didn’t make up for some of the frustration I felt with Joni earlier in the book.

Spice Level: 2/5 – There are a few intimate scenes, but they’re light and not very detailed.

Final Thoughts: Friends to Lovers is an emotional story about the challenges of turning a lifelong friendship into something more. While I enjoyed the sweet moments and Ren’s character, the slow pacing and Joni’s indecision made it harder for me to connect with the story. If you like slow-burn romances and stories about complicated relationships, this one might be worth a read.

Rating: 3/5

If you are a fan of Emily Henry you are going to love Sally Blakely’s Friends to Lovers. Thank you Harlequin Publishing for the ARC. This book was well written, had a great dual narrative, and I gobbled it up in one sitting.

I just finished Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely, and my heart is still doing little flips! Sally Blakely has such a gift for capturing the magic of slow-burn romance, and this book is the perfect example.

The chemistry between the two main characters was everything—effortless, authentic, and full of the kind of tension that keeps you glued to the page. Watching them navigate the messy, wonderful transition from best friends to something more felt so real and relatable.

If you love stories that make you laugh, swoon, and believe in love, Friends to Lovers is a must-read. Sally Blakely knows how to deliver the ultimate feel-good romance, and I’ll definitely be recommending this to everyone I know!

4-Star Review of Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely

Friends to Lovers is a fun, romantic, and flirty story about best friends Joni and Ren, who agree to be each other’s plus-one to weddings as a way to stay close after Joni moves. The premise alone is swoon-worthy, but the added tension of Joni’s sister’s wedding—and the emotions it stirs between them—makes it even better.

I didn’t initially realize this book had a second chance romance element, a trope I don’t usually gravitate toward. However, Ren completely won me over! His charm and devotion to Joni kept me rooting for their happy ending, even when their lack of communication had me pulling my hair out at times.

If I could change one thing, I’d wish for a longer happily-ever-after portion. I wanted more time to bask in Joni and Ren’s joy as a couple after all the buildup! Still, the journey to their love was sweet, emotional, and filled with just the right amount of flirty fun. Fans of best-friends-to-lovers stories will find a lot to love here!

I started to read this one but wasn't connecting with the writing. I don't think this book is for me, so I don't want to negatively impact it's rating.

The cover got me! Such a fun cute beach read that I wish I could’ve saved for a vacation. I flew thru it and just envisioned myself on vacation with them.

This is was a really cute and fun read. Blakely did a great job. Her writing made it so easy to fall in love with the story and root for the MCs.

Thank you NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and Sally Blakely for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

4.5 stars!

This book follows Ren and Joni who have been best friends basically since they were born. Their families are close, so close that they actually own a vacation home together. Joni has been avoiding the vacation home (and family) for a couple of years. Throughout the book, it's hinted that her distance has something to do with her relationship with Ren and how they aren't as close as they used to be.

Several years ago, after college, Joni got her dream job on the east coast. So, she had to leave the comfort of her family and her BFF (Ren) in Portland to pursue her career (get it girl!). She and Ren agree to be each other's plus one at all weddings and the story is told through flashbacks of Joni and Ren's friendship as they go to different weddings, intermingled with present day preparations for Joni's sister's wedding. The flashback wedding moment when Joni realizes that she's in love with Ren. Is. Everything!

This book was excellent! It was beautifully written, the characters were well developed and you couldn't help but fall in love with Joni, Ren and their families. I love a second chance lovers to friends romance and this delivered on all fronts.

4 ⭐️
⭐️ Friends to lovers (obvi)
⭐️ It’s always been you
⭐️ Forced proximity

EmHen girlies listen up 📣 this book was made for you.
I would def consider this the love child of People We Met on Vacation & Happy Place, this was so sweet.

Joni & Ren are childhood through teenage through college and into adulthood best friends. They make a pact that they are always going to be each other’s plus ones at weddings, no matter what. Something happens and for some time, Joni & Ren don’t talk and are not friends. This story is about them coming together for a family wedding after not speaking for 2 and a half years and includes flash backs of them at their previous weddings as plus ones, leading up to this event that broke them apart.

I thought this was so cute, fun, flirty and will be perfect for summer time romance season.

Why is this 4 ⭐️ instead of 5? I felt like there were some parts where our characters could have had better communication and miscommunication/lack of communication is my literal Achilles heel. I will say, this was not as bad of an offender when it comes to miscommunication. And sometimes, the jump between past and present was a little confusing but otherwise, this book was SO good and I def recommend.

The title says it all! This book was so beautifully written. The emotions! The love! The heartbreak! Of course Ren and Joni were going to end up together, but the story along the way made my heart ache to get to that point! A truly lovely book.

Friends to lovers has my heart. If you need a comfy cozy read- this is for you! I absolutely adored every second of this.

This is a book that knows exactly what it is and I think it would be a good beach read. The main premise of the story was great. I enjoyed the overall writing style and the timeline jumps. I liked that with each timeline jump we were given an in-depth glance into Joni and Ren's history. I wish the timeline had been a little bit more clear at the beginning of each chapter because there were a few times when I got confused as to when certain things were taking place.

I definitely felt like I could feel every single emotion that the main characters were going through and it made me care about them more. I was rooting for Ren and Joni the whole time, mainly for Joni to just open her eyes and have some character growth. My main issue with the story was the "big bad thing" (that always happens in second chance romances) wasn't all that big and it wasn't all that bad. I would say the scene that takes place right before we are shown what the "big bad thing" is was arguably worse.

I didn't love Joni as a protagonist, but I could see how someone else might be able to identify with her. I just could not get behind the way she handled most of the "tough" situations.

Overall, I think it was a good story that was well executed. If you like friends-to-lovers and second chance romances then you will definitley enjoy this book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Canary Street Press for this eARC!

A friends to lovers, second chance romance, with forced proximity. I’m here for it. I loved this debut novel by Sally Blakely. It was so cute & wholesome. It goes to show that some of the best relationships come from being with your best friend.
I was very frustrated by Joni’s decision to end the relationship without consulting Ren and then them not speaking for 2.5 years. 😭 but they found eachother in the end.
Thank you NetGallery & Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC.