I loved this book! It was a nice fun read. Some parts of it hit close to home and made me really step back and think. I love the relationships that were built throughout and I was rooting for them all the way. I really enjoyed this read.

So fun to pick up this book and find a local connection. A few “open door” scenes, along with a storyline involving childhood friends reconnecting as adults. Enjoyable!

This was a good book, but not great. I enjoyed the romance of Cade and Isla because they were already good friends who fell in love. So many romance books are enemies turn lovers, so this book was a nice change. I was stressed out by Isla’s troubles though. That poor girl could not get it together and it annoyed me. I do think student loan debt is a major problem, but she was such a wreck. I guess all those messes distracted me from the parts I liked. Thank you for giving me a chance to preview this book!

4/5 ⭐️
This is my first read by Sonia Hartl (Heartbreak for Hire has been on my TBR for far too long now) and it was a really fun read. There were some moments where Isla really frustrated me, but overall she is witty and strong. I love the brothers best friend trope ESPECIALLY when they have grown up together and have history. That’s a huge plus for this story!!! But the lack of communication again made me so frustrated, especially towards the end. I was still so happy with how Isla and Cade came together and really enjoyed reading their story.

This book made me laugh out loud and I thought it was so perfect. I loved this so much.
I just reviewed Rent to Be by Sonia Hartl. #RenttoBe #NetGalley
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What a lovely book!
When you start reading, you immediately discover that Isla has problems. She has her MBA but also rent arrears and her two roommates are evicting her. She has a lousy job, and barely earns enough to get by, but when she gets the opportunity to take a job as a house sitter, she grabs it with both hands. Cade is her brother's best friend and practically grew up with her parents because his mother didn't look after him. So she's known him all her life. So they get along very easily, know each other very well, but even from Cade, Isla wants to keep it a secret that her life is falling apart. This is because Isla's parents have always told her that you should be able to support yourself and have made her feel like a loser. Cade, in turn, needs a date for his work outings, so Isla becomes his pretend girlfriend, but gradually Isla discovers what it is to have people around you who love and appreciate you, and find it normal to be respectful with each other. Cade also feels like he always had to prove himself, which is why he tries to act and dress professionally even on company outings. Gradually, their attraction becomes harder and harder to ignore, but when they finally give in, it turns out there's more between them than just the idea that they can't date because of Seb, Isla's brother and Cade's best friend.
I really liked that the story didn't end the moment they got into a relationship, but that the writer tackled the issues you bring into your relationship from your childhood and how a relationship can be a mirror for your own behavior. The relationship between Cade and Isla is also built beautifully; there's not one moment when Isla suddenly fell in love, but a lot of little, beautiful things that made them grow closer and make you fall in love with him. Rainbow bear, I loved it! There's a lot of focus on Isla and Cade's first meeting at Seb's apartment, it's often referenced and I found that scene unnecessary, but that's a minor detail in the whole story.
Isla is a real person; sweet, vulnerable, with little self-esteem but with a heart of gold. She is treated horribly by her roommates but, despite being broke, she keeps going back to shove money for rent under the door.
As the story progresses, you really see Isla grow as a person, trying to break old patterns. That also applies to Cade, although that was less obvious.
Neeta was perfect as a best friend! What a nice person. She tells it like it is, and I love her strong personality.
Seb and Isla’s parents aren’t the cuddly perfect parents you might expect, but that is kind of refreshing in a book. Unfortunately, in life not everyone is nice and loving, but how do you deal with that? This book is a funny read but describes serious topics, makes you think about them but without getting heavy. It's the perfect mix between being lighthearted and seriously good and I highly recommend it!
I received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book and I am grateful for this opportunity. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thanks so much to Alcove Press, Sonia Hartl and NetGalley for the eARC, all opinions expressed are my own.

Isla Jane is unlucky in life, kicked out of her apartment after failing to pay rent, she retreats to her brother’s condo to find it already occupied by his best friend, Cade. Whilst hiding her lack of shelter, Isla creates a brief house sitting career whilst also entangled in a fake relationship with Cade.

I really enjoyed the writing style of this book, I found it easy to read and very well paced. The book covers the best tropes and provides a great tale on the foundations of friendship - I loved how Isla found comfort in Neeta and the way she naturally found herself in Cade’s sphere. I truly enjoyed Cade’s backstory and how their past is intertwined from childhood. Similarly, Hartl creates a great dynamic in Isla’s parents, showcasing their toxic behaviour and how the couple overcome their thinly veiled insults.

Whilst I enjoyed the style of writing and the main characters, I felt that they fell flat, the tension started off great, but the chemistry seemed to be lacking as the story developed.

Whilst the story didn’t land well in my case, I would definitely read other works by this author!

Rent To Be stole a piece of my heart♡
And I officially think Cade can he added into book boyfriend status for me! He was the sweetest!
I rooted for these 2 from the beginning! Isla is relatable, funny, cute and I loved her! Cade was everything you'd want a guy to be...enough said! Lol
These two are so cute as they fake-date and have fun together, navigating a friends-to-lovers relationship!
I want to read this book all over again...loved, loved, loved it!

'Rent to Be' is about a common struggle of millenials- having an advanced degree and massive student loan debt, but being unable to find a good job that pays enough. This is the case for Isla. She has an MBA, but she is working at a dead end job. When she is months behind on her rent, Isla's friends pack up her stuff and kick her out of their place. When Isla has nowhere else to live, she goes to her brother, Seb's, house. Seb is working in London for a month, so she thinks she can stay at his place, but she runs into a problem- her brother's best friend, Cade, is staying there.

Cade, Seb, and Isla grew up together. Cade will keep Isla's secret, if she will fake date him at his company work functions. As they fake date each other, Cade and Isla start to feel sparks. (The fake dating angle was dropped pretty quickly, and I wish that there was more to it. I liked all of their interactions at Cade's company events.)

To make ends meet, Isla starts house sitting. This also helps her find a place to live. Things go wrong for her as she is house sitting. I was very confused about how she was house sitting and working her full time job. It seemed like she couldn't do both at the same time.

Cade and Isla spend more time together, and their feelings start to change. Cade has reservations about it because she is the sister of his best friend. Growing up, Cade spent a lot of time with Isla and Seb's family, but he always felt like they looked down on him or he wasn't good enough for her. This adds more complication to their changing dynamic.

Overall, I liked the chemistry between Cade and Isla. Cade seemed like a sweet guy, and Isla got on my nerves at times. Even though I am a millennial, I feel like millennials get a bad reputation. Isla is the stereotypical millennial, and other than that, I didn't know much about her character. I liked the way that the story wrapped up though.

Thanks to NetGalley and Alcove Press for an ARC of 'Rent to Be', which will be published on August 15, 2023.

In "Rent to Be," we follow Isla Jane as she works an entry-level job while drowning in debt. In this novel, the author highlights some realities of being a young person struggling with your finances while discovering yourself and navigating friendship, family, and love.

Isla, who was evicted from an apartment she shared with her friends because she couldn't afford the rent, transports her belongings to her brother's condo, who was on a work vacation, but to her surprise, she discovers her brother's best friend in his apartment.

Too ashamed to admit to her brother’s best friend, Cade, what had happened, she decides to spend the night under her work desk. Fortunately for her, this overnight stay under her work desk becomes a blessing in disguise. I was so invested in Isabel's journey, her banter with Cade, and her friendship with Neeta. I would have loved it if the author had explored her relationship with her brother a bit more.

Although it was easy, fast-paced, and light, I really wished we could have gotten Cade’s point of view and his relationship with his parents, but as this book was more centered around Isla, I appreciated her views and perspective. This book was warm and such a delight.

Thank you to Alcove Press and Net Galley for this arc.

This book had a lot of potential. I was interested in the characters and the storyline from the beginning, but I was not at all satisfied with the way things wrapped up. I just don't think this one was for me.

This was a tough one for me! I’m going to break the review down into what I liked and what didn’t work for me.

What I liked:
-Isla’s inner monologue (as unhinged as it may be)
-Conversation around student debt
-Conversation around the push for college
-Conversation around the Boomer generation failing to recognize the financial struggle many younger generations face
-The friendships

Things that didn’t work for me:
-The timeline (specifically the office vs house sitting timeline)
-Isla’s disregard for others finances
-Isla’s disregard for businesses
-So many of Isla’s choices took the sympathy that was laid in the groundwork and erased it.
-The confrontation

All in all this was a quick, spicy and fun read that had some elements that didn’t work for me.


Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Quick and cute, but maybe too quick, and too much cute. I really wish I'd see depth in some of these relationships, instead of 'ooh he's so hot and I grew up with him'. But, I enjoy discussion of debt and monetary issues. Okay all in all.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for an ARC of this book!

Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

THIS WAS ADORABLE!! I've already told two friends to look out for this one because I had a fantastic time reading it. The beginning was very similar to Mr Wrong Number, but it shifted nicely into its own story. I feel so bad for Isla, but also feel some kinship. While I've never had to struggle to that extent, I am someone who did the university degree, got the debt, and now works an entry level job. The promise that a piece of paper will change your entire life is... well unrealistic. And seeing a book explore that while also sprinkling in a hot brother's-best-friend romance is *chef's kiss*

This book not only features romance, and some reality, but also standing up to your family and finally calling them out for the barbs they say in jest. I love seeing people and characters grow and say no to toxicity!

I can't wait to see this one hit shelves and hopefully blow up on bookstagram!

I really enjoyed this book. I couldn’t put it down and read it in one sitting. Thank you to Netgalley, Alcove Press and Sonia Hartl for an opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book.

In 'Rent to Be', Sonia Hartl sensitively explores the realities of being a finacially-struggling young person, toxic family, and the shame of it all.

Isla Jane is drowning in university debt working in a dead-end entry-level job which barely pays her enough to live on. After falling behind in her rent after her car needs reparing, her two friends and housemates unceremoniously dump her belongings outside the house and lock her out.

She cannot fall back on her parents as she's known as 'the screw up', unlike her successful older brother. Her working class parents believe that all it takes is hard work and 'pulling up your bootstraps' and you will be successful. Yet, as Isla ruminates, they don't understand that they are merely cogs in the wheel making other people rich.

Given her brother is working in London for a month, and she has a spare key, Isla decides to hide in his condo for the time while she can save money for a new place to live. Unfortunately for her, she discovered his best friend - and her childhood friend too - Cade is living there while his place is being renovated.

Too ashamed to admit to Cade the truth about her situation, she ends up sleeping overnight under her cubicle, until the next morning she overhers her boss's boss seeking a housesitter. Which gives her the idea to housesit for execuatives in her company as a side hustle while she can get ahead on her debts.

Cade of course works out quickly her secret and agrees to keep it from her parents - as a child he was neglected so he spent a lot of time with her family - if she agrees to be his plus one at his workplace events.

I was invested in Isla's journey and growth. I wished she would open up and communicate with Cade, but I could understand her pride. When your family shames you constantly, and compares you to your sucessful sibling, no wonder you have a lot of walls up. Watching Isla allow those walls to fall to let in Cade, stand up for her family was a highlight.

Hartl writes a gentle banter and ease between Cade and Isla. The affectionate 'Rainbow Bear' nickname he gave her, and the recollections peppered throughout the novel showing their shared history, and moments of kindness and solidarity between the two of them as they grew up make this book a delight.

Thanks to Netgalley and Alcove Press for the ARC. I have pre-ordered my own copy (which will be released 15 August 2023).

This was a cute book and I did like it, I just didn't fall in love with it. I would recommend it for anyone who wants a cute and cozy read.

This book centers around Isla Jane. She is at a low point in her life, being kicked out of her apartment, hating her job, drowning under student debt and feeling alone. She doesn’t feel like she can go to her parents for help, thinking they always think of her as a screw-up and failure. She heads to her brother’s condo thinking it would be empty while he was traveling., but Cade is there. Cade is his brother’s best friend and was really part of her family growing up. He knows her so well, they’ve always been good friends - could there now be something more?

The story involves a lot of self reflection on Isla’s part - trying to understand her family, her poor decisions, her needs. She is trying to make better decisions and move forward. I thought the characters of Isla and Cade were well done, you really cared about them and could feel what they’ve been through. I would have liked to know more about the brother and Isla’s relationship with him. The story held my interest, it was an easy read romance that I would recommend . I would give it 3.5 stars.

Thank you to NetGalley and Alcove Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know what to say about this book. It was not what I've expected and I was not happy with the way things wrapped up. It had the potential but I couldn't like the main characters. When I took a look at the cover and name, I've really expected simpler, funnier story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

I really enjoyed this story! It was a quick, cute read and I liked it. I love a brothers best friend trope and this was executed well!