Let's Just Be Friends ended up being a book I could not finish. The story was being told by three different characters at any given time and was hard to follow who was actually telling the story or who was supposed to be the main character. By chapter 19 I wasn't really liking the characters and didn't feel the story line was moving fast enough. Wanted to like this one, just couldn't get into it.

Thank you NetGalley and Katy Turner for the ARC.

I thought this was a cute story but it had a lot going on with it. Escaping off to Scotland sounds like a good idea but it felt at sometimes the plot didn’t know exactly what it wanted to be. I wanted to like it more, but at the same time I wasn’t mad with it.

Holly has been sentenced to work for a year in the small northern town of Eastercraig, Scotland. That may be a bit dramatic, but it's definitely not the Berkshires like she'd been planning. Throw in a cantankerous boss, two overly friendly coworkers, and a pair of dueling brothers, and she has all the ingredients for an entertaining small-town love story. If you enjoyed Jenny Colgan's Little Beach Street Bakery series, this is in the same vein.

All of the characters were fun and personable, and I wanted to join them for their Friday night hangs in the pub. However, the mid-chapter POV shifts made the story slightly hard to follow until I adapted. Also, having so many different storylines made it feel like I was just getting a brief peek into their lives, when I could have spent an entire book reading about each character, including Sporran the seal!

Overall, a cute book with happy endings for all, as promised, but it was lacking some substance. I still had questions about some of the the plot points at the end, and it wasn't really set up for a sequel.

Oooof too much going on and not enough of any one thing. Too many plots and romances, none of them well done or complete. I’m generally not the biggest fan of the ‘run off to the Scottish highlands which is somehow the dark side of the moon’ plot and this just didn’t do it any favors.

I really wanted to like this one more but I just couldn’t get into like I hoped. The story follows the three individuals working at the vet clinic with vet Holly Anderson being the primary mc having arrived in Eastercraig for a year’s placement. Chloe is the receptionist at the clinic and Paolo is the nurse and they welcomed Holly into their fold and the town very quickly. The owner of the clinic, Hugh, gave Holly trouble but he’s like that with everyone it seems.

Each of them are experiencing a few changes in their lives and each have potential romantic interests or desires. Chloe has fancied Angus for awhile but is shy and needs Holly and Paulo’s help to get out of her comfort zone. Palio’s previous relationship just ended and he’s unsure if it’s worth it to pursue something again even if there is an unexpected development. Greg arrived unexpectedly “breaking in” to the house Holly is staying in and they form a friendship with definite attraction but Holly has sworn off dating and men but a lot can change in a year.

I think there was a lot of potential here from the small town setting, interesting characters and adorable animals but it was just missing something but I’m not sure what. In the beginning the abrupt change between POVs threw me but after a couple of chapters it was hardly noticeable. This is definitely a lighter read so if that’s what you are looking for it has potential.


Thank you @netgalley and publishers for this eARC in exchange for my honest feedback.

I absolutely adored this book! Small town ✓ Great friendships ✓ Scotland ✓ Multiple romances ✓

I just knew from page one that this one was going to be a goodie. After a reading slump this book was just what I needed to pull me out and now I want to move to Scotland!

The book primarily follows Holly but I truly felt this was a book for all the staff from the veterinary clinic. In fact I would say I enjoyed some of the side characters more than Holly and Greg which would be considered the mains.

Holly unwillingly moves for a temporary job just move her up the ladder in her career. The locaation is a stunning small town in Scotland. Her new house is right on the water. She instantly clicks with her new co workers except her grumpy old boss. Everything is good but she still has the goal of avoiding men and any other distractions from her career. Enter Greg Dunbar.

Now don't get me wrong I enjoyed Holly and Greg a lot but the 2 other couples that play out in this book were the stand outs for me and I am hoping and praying that the author writes books for them too!

It had all the cute little a small town events like the dog show, the marathon and the ball. Lots of town animals including a seal called Sporran. The pub where everyone hangs out on a Fridays. It just had all the good feels.

The vibes of this book were just so cute, so cozy, so sweet. I just ate it up. I cannot wait to read more by this author!

this was a sweet story! I enjoyed seeing the different types of people come together in their own romance— it reminded me a little of movies like New Year’s Eve where there are several different stories going on that are all connected in some way. It was a little hard to read so many different points of view, made it a longer read than I was expecting, but still interesting and unique to me!
the characters all have their own story here with their own romance and their own internal barriers that are standing in their way. themes of self worth, trust, and friendship ran deep here and I loved that the most.
thank you for the ARC!!!

Let’s Just Be Friends follows the stories of Holly, Paolo, and Chole as they work at a veterinary practice in the Scottish Highlands and try to figure out their romantic lives. I enjoyed the premise of the book and the characters, but I think the multiple POV made it difficult to get the full development of each character and their lives. I think each character could have had a book focusing on their own individual romantic life instead of cramming it all into one book.

I really adored this story! I was so intrigued by the title and the blurb and was so excited to read this. I loved Holly as the main character. She was such a joy to read and I enjoyed being in her mind and felt so attached to her.

Let's Just Be Friends follows three characters (Holly, Chloe, and Paolo) who work at a veterinary practice in the Scottish Highlands. The story mainly follows no-nonense and definitely no-time-for-romance Holly who has been assigned a locum job as a vet in small town Eastercraig, instead of the practice in Ascot she thought she'd be working in. Almost right away she meets Greg -- who lets himself into her house with a spare key from the previous tenant/owner. The rest of the story follows Holly, Chloe, and Paolo as they navigate love, life, and work.

I really wanted to like this book -- I love a good city girl finds herself in small town romance story. I also love All Creatures Great and Small, so I hoped this might have some similar vibes (especially since they actually mention James Herriot as one of Holly's reasons for wanting to be a vet). And in some regards, there are similar vibes -- Hugh the practice owner is ornery and thinks everyone but him is incompetent. You have romance subplots with farmers and the reality that farming is often not profitable. But unfortunately this book just really fell short for me.

The novel switches POV between Holly, Chloe, and Paolo with no initial indication that it as going to be doing that in the description or in the layout of the book. Just switched randomly. You do get used to it, but it definitely threw me off at first. But also because it switches between, I felt like none of the characters got the development they truly needed and there were just too many plotlines. Character motivations and traits were told instead of demonstrated -- same with growth. You just have to accept that these changes happened, but you don't really get shown. Just happened all at once.

Having the three romance plots in one book I think also made it hard for the author to always keep track of the plot. There were several instances where the plot contradicted something that had been said previously. One example that stands out is one time after Holly sees Greg they exchange phone numbers and it's said he's been texting once a week. But then in the next chapter, Holly's narration says she hasn't heard from Greg since the time she'd given him her number, negating the weekly texting from the previous chapters.

Overall, I think the concept is there but the plot should have focused on just one of the couples and saved the others for sequels. All of the plotlines suffered because of this and there were multiple instances where previous parts of the plot were contradicted. However, if the author publishes another book I'd try it because I did like the concept and premise, just think the execution could be improved.

This is my first book by Katy Turner. I really enjoyed her writing and I will read more by her in the future! I do wish there was a little more detail between Chloe and Agnus but this may be the way to set up for the next book.

I was excited for this book - the blurb sounded like the exact kind of story I love. However, I foudn the writing boring. I feel so bad about it but I just could not connect to any character.

Thank You to Katy Turner and her publishers for the opportunity to read and review this book. At first it was slow about a veterinarian who comes to a small farming town in Scotland to expand her knowledge of large farm animals so she can get a better position. Along the way she meets the owner of the clinic a grumpy old man who views her as a intruder, as well as many friends along the way. The sense of community was the most delightful part of this book and the descriptions of the settings was excellent. The ending really made me emotionally in the end. All and all I'd give this book. 3.5 stars. It would be good to read more from this author.

I enjoyed this book. It took a minute to get used to the lingo used and I had to Google some of the slang. It gave a new layer to the book letting me be immersed in the culture. I liked that it had more than one love story to follow. I’d love a second book following these characters!

This book was so cute! The main character is Holly, who is a vet who needs to spend a year working at a clinic in rural Scotland to get more experience with large animals before joining a clinic in a larger city. When she arrives, she finds out that her boss is a grumpy older man. This gave me Virgin River or Hart of Dixie vibes - the dynamic was very familiar. She befriends her coworkers, and several of the chapters are from their POV.

Some of the things I loved about this book were:
The setting: I loved the small town vibe and was able to picture the picturesque location
The characters: I thought there was a good variety of characters represented
The animals: We "meet" a seal, cows, dogs, kittens and more throughout the book
The romance and conflict: I felt like the romance and its challenges were realistic.

One thing I didn't like:
The multiple POVs/storylines. I felt like it was fantastic to learn more about Holly's coworkers, but it almost seemed like they each could have had their own book. By including 3 main characters with 3 storylines, none of them seemed as fleshed out or detailed as they could have been if just focusing on one at a time.

Overall, I'm giving it 3 stars and I'm definitely going to keep this author on my radar.

Thanks to NetGalley, Katy Turner and Joffe Books for an ARC of this book.

"Let's Just Be Friends" by Katy Turner is a charming and heartwarming read that will take you on a journey of love and friendship in a small town setting. The story follows Holly, a determined animal vet, as she navigates through the ups and downs of working with a grumpy older vet named Hugh to gain experience with large animals.

From the very beginning, the characters of Holly, Chloe, and Paolo are endearing and instantly likable, making it easy for the reader to become invested in their individual romantic journeys. The dynamics between the trio are well-written and their interactions are both witty and relatable.

What makes this book stand out is how it captures the essence of small-town life and the sense of community that comes with it. The author's descriptions of the town and its people are vivid, and readers will feel like they are a part of the setting. The story is not just about finding love but also about the importance of friendship and support.

Overall, "Let's Just Be Friends" is an enjoyable and easy read that will leave you feeling uplifted and satisfied. While it may not be the most groundbreaking romance novel out there, it is certainly worth picking up if you are in the mood for a sweet and cozy story.

This is my first book to read by Katy Turner, and it was lovely. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. The characters were so lovable and the storyline was smooth. The transition between characters was also perfect. It was such a fun read.
Thank you Netgalley for the arc of Let’s just be friends by Katy Turner

Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Let’s Just Be Friends is a truly enjoyable read from Katy Turner. As a debut novel, it lands exactly where you want it to. The story unfolds in a really pleasing and engaging way, by the end you’re rooting for all the characters and enjoying every surprise as they come. Following Hannah’s journey from her reluctant arrival in the town, to where she ends up, had me hooked.
I want to live in Eastercraig, wave hello to Sporran and have a drink in the pub.
The only thing I would wish for would be more detail of what happened between Chloe and Angus! Their story needs to be told next.

This book is an absolute charmer. The reader is transported to a little coastal town in Scotland. The main character is a vet, so there is a lot more to this book than romance. We meet a host of characters and their animals. The other supporting characters at the vet clinic are well developed, and we follow their stories as well.

The main character, Holly, faces challenges in her boss, an irascible older veterinarian, and in adjusting to small town life. There is humor, a Scottish ball, and of course, the animals in this unputdownable novel.

This book has so much potential! You can definitely pick up from the first few chapters that this could be her first book. Regardless I enjoyed it! I tended to get a little lost sometimes and some of the British terminology kind of threw me off. Mostly because there being three different couples that this story follows. But it also brought some light to storyline.

However if you generally enjoy romance, enemies to lovers type of book, this is for you. I liked it!