You know you love a book when you start and finish it in less than 24 hours. I couldn't get enough of Finn and Pru, the main characters in The Best Friend Problem. The best friends have one night of passion, which leads to Pru getting pregnant. It was a joy to read along as they attempt to navigate their new relationship (steamy scenes included). I also really like Ankenman's writing style and the fact there weren't too many characters involved. If you're a fan of Christina Lauren or Sally Thorne, read The Best Friend Problem immediately!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

4.5 Stars for The Best Friend Problem
This is a new author to me but not for long because after reading this book I will certainly be checking out her other works and I really hope she decides to give the secondary characters in this book get their own stories. This book captivated me from the ist chapter to the last line, I loved the banter Finn and Pru shared and I had some real laugh out loud moments throughout this witty read.
Friends to lovers are one of my favourite genre’s but this book was so much more than just a friendship that turned into love this book left me feeling that what ever happened in this couple’s life their friendship would remain intact even miss understandings and miss communication would not break the bonds of friendship. If you are looking for a lighthearted witty read with great loveable characters look no further than The Best Friend Problem. Looking forward to more from this author.

I honestly love Best Friend-to-Lovers trope. This one has a bit of a different take on it.

Neither of them actually had true feelings towards the other. Sure, as human beings and attractive ones, there was attraction but the only feelings they had and had admitted to each other was that of friendship.

Which had worked out great for them. There was no complications with their relationship. Pru, though, from the beginning was the one putting any and all brakes on any advancement in any direction. She was, however, completely serious about her becoming a mother. She was completely set on doing it by herself. She did all the calculations and all the logistics about becoming pregnant.

Pru did not bank on acting on the lustful feelings towards her best friend and therefore becoming pregnant.

She handled it pretty well until Finn wanted to get involved more. I didn’t think there was anything wrong with that seeing as how it takes two to tango, so to speak, and Finn was willing.

That was my big hiccup with the whole book is the fact that despite knowing how much work babies are, Pru wasn’t willing to accept help from Finn. I thought she was being really really stupid.

How stubborn must you be before accepting help with babies!! As a single mother!

I am not disparaging the amazing job single mothers do but I am almost 100% positive that if there was willing hands and people to help with raising their children, they would accept it.

Besides that, The Best Friend Problem, was a joy to read and I loved it.

A delightful story. Prudence likes to make plans so she won’t be disappointed. She wants a baby and has it all worked out. Finn is a sexy firefighter and her best friend. They decide to celebrate her plans to have a baby and instead end up making one. Now they have to figure out their friendship and future. The story is filled with funny quips and conversations. There are some really great characters that are bound to make great future books. You will love the sweetness of this friendship and the dreams they are able to achieve.

*ARC kindly provided by NetGalley, publisher and author*

When it comes to best friends to lovers and accidental pregnancy tropes in romance I am the first to admit that I absolutely love them. If I read the blurb of a book and I see these tropes then I am hooked. I know many people avoid these as they think they can be overdone at times, but in this case it definitely works.

Finn and Pru have been best friends since they were kids and it has always been entirely platonic their whole lives. Until one night. Pru decides she wants a baby and in a very modern world knows she doesn’t need a partner for this. She confides in her best friend Finn and tells him of her plan to be artificially inseminated. Finn, who doesn’t completely agree with her plan, supports Pru wholeheartedly. That leads to a passion filled night neither of them will forget any time soon.

I truly loved this book and it will definitely be a re-read one for me. Finn just stole my heart. He was such a kind and honorable hero, he was always putting Pru first no matter what.

This was such an enjoyable 5 Star read for me and I am so glad I had the chance to receive an ARC of it.

“She wanted a baby more than she wanted a man”

Now THIS is the kind of stories I love and adore to read. The stories where best friends fall for each other after years of denial and only coming together because of an unexpected pregnancy are just the best and they legit tug at your heartstrings.

Finn and Pru had been friends from a young age, they grew up together with Finn always being there after the many losses Pru had suffered starting with the loss of her parents. In the present day, Pru lived with her two best friends Mo and Lilly and co-owned a business with them. Finn on the other hand was a fireman who happened to have an adorable fur baby by the name of Bru. As adults, both Pru and Finn had gone through so many relationships, these relationships never amounting to anything because these two didn’t realize that all they wanted was right in front of them.

Cue in, Pru’s lifelong dream of being a mother and you know something is gonna go haywire. One night of celebration results in double the unexpected outcome, leaving Pru and Finn wondering just what they’ll do in this situation they’ve landed themselves in. Of course, their solution was staying friend’s and co-parenting but we all know that never lasts and true to form.. they begin a “relationship” that in the end forces them to admit their true feelings for one another.

I read this book in one sitting and above and beyond fell in love with these characters. Everyone from Finn and Pru to the dog.. this author weaved a story that was so easy to fall in love with and I couldn’t be more happy that I got to read it.

This was an entertaining read and one that curbed my surprise pregnancy trope itch. The Best Friend Problem is a super predictable and kind of unrealistic novel that follows Prudence, a independent to a fault heroine who has decided to take life by the horns and get artificially inseminated. However, when the big day comes she finds out she is already pregnant and her best friend is the father. A time.

I kind of wish that their was a bit more substance and character development with this story as everything felt the same and stagnant throughout the story, I don't feel like their was any development of plot nor character throughout besides the pregnancy, which I wish we saw a bit more of? I'm not sure, I just wish I got...more.

Huge thank you to Entangled Publishing and Netgalley for sending me an ARC for my honest review!

4 star review The Best Friend Problem by Mariah Ankenman

A new author to me, I found myself captivated by this story from the first to the last chapter. Pru and Finn are best friends and after one drunken night of passion, Pru finds herself pregnant. For Pru this is a dream come true, even though it was not how she had planned to conceive.

The banter between Pru and Finn, as well as Pru and her partners/roommates was humorous and at times made for some laugh out loud moments.

I really enjoyed the relationship that Finn and Pru built based on a firm friendship of many years. Even though it took a lot for them both to realize the feelings that they had for one another. It appears everyone else could see it, except them.

Miss communication led to stress and tension at times throughout it all you knew that their friendship would remain intact. Although having said that there were times that I got frustrated with both Pru and Finn.

Hopefully the secondary characters will get their own stories as I for one would love to read their stories.

The Best Friend Problem is a delightful, light-hearted romance. Prudence has amazing friends and a wonderful career, now all she's missing is a family. Too bad her dating history is less than stellar and filled with duds, so that's when she decides to take matters into her own hands... I was super jealous of her relationship with Finn throughout the story, as I wish there were more guys out there like him! Pru is fiercely independent and has a plan for everything, so watching it all go up in smoke is highly entertaining. This story is filled with romance, laughter and a touch of drama. My first read by Mariah Ankenman, but definitely not my last! (Although we really need to talk about the pregnancy cravings she created!)

This book was absolutely charming! I love a good friends-to-lovers story, and this book had a really fun, fresh take on the trope that made for a unique read. I also just adored Pru and Finn, and their dynamic -- both as friends, and as more.

As someone who's been going through fertility treatments, I also appreciated the fairly realistic portrayal of the process leading up to/planning for artificial insemination. I see fertility-related treatments mentioned so carelessly sometimes in romance (like NBD, I'll just go get IVF -- without any regard for cost & what's involved in the process). So it was particularly nice to see something portrayed realistically and honestly.

I'll post a more in-depth review on the blog closer to release date, but I definitely adored this one & highly recommend it!

This was my first book by Mariah Ankenman and I really enjoyed it. I love friends to lovers trope and throw in them not knowing that they were in love all this time or suppressing their feelings and I'm a goner. Oh, and also I love surprise pregnancy books so there was no way i was going to pass up a chance to read The Best Friend Problem! I adored Pru even though I was a little frustrated with her at times. Once I realized why she was holding back, I understood her perfectly and it really made sense why she wanted what she wanted. I loved Finn as well. A sexy, hot tattooed fireman... what's not to love. And the way he was with Pru just melted my heart. The two of them were so perfect together and they just fit. I liked Mo and Lilly as well and I hope this is a series that follows their love lives too. The only complaint I have is that I think this book would have been better in first person. I kept being jarred out of my reading space when I was wondering who "her" or "him" was when it was referring to the main characters. Overall, this was a sweet and funny read that I really liked.

What an amazing surprise! I am a huge romance reader and after a while everything sort of blends together and I am constantly looking for new or new to me authors, that’s where Mariah Ankenman came in! The cover to The Best Friend Problem is what drew me in at first. I am a sucker for babies in novels. I especially LOVE when it’s a SECRET BABY!!!!!


The whole book was great. I loved the writing style. I love the characters and how the banter played our so naturally between them. Pru and her two best friends lived and worked together, so the three of them are really close. Enter Finn her boy best friends since childhood. I loved their connection. They were so cute together.

The whole book was great start to finish. I will definitely be on the looking out for more novels by Ankenman.

I found myself really enjoying this book. I’m an absolute sucker for a good ‘friend to lovers’ trope and while I’m always very much on the fence of an ‘accidental pregnancy’ storyline Mariah Ankenman managed to execute it perfectly.

I really connected with both Finn and Pru.

Pru is very precise and she has a plan for her life. She wants a child and she doesn’t care if she spends the rest of her life as a single mother. She’s a strong character who has always been the mother of her friend group, looking out for them and even helping them avoid disastrous dates. She’s prepared for motherhood and she’s ready for whatever challenges cross her path.

Finn is selfless, kind and wholeheartedly adorable, I’m just wondering where I can find a Finn in my life. He is so supportive of Pru and all the decisions she makes in life. Throughout this whole book he was by her side, taking her to appointments and most of all just being there for her. Together the two make the perfect pair.

This book felt so natural and I honestly had so much trouble putting it down. So if you’re looking for a light-hearted, cute, romantic story this summer then this is definitely one you should pick up!

<i>The Best Friend Problem</i> by Mariah Ankenman is 100%, without a doubt, a massive guilty pleasure read. That is, the book doesn't have a lot of substance, is slightly unrealistic, and largely just feels like a way to enjoy wasting your time. Did I enjoy it? You bet. Would I read it again? Probably not. Ultimately, I kind of feel like I probably should have spent my time on something else more useful, but I was definitely drawn in by the story and it managed to keep my interest throughout the whole thing. It's not a bad book, but it sure isn't a great book, either.

Despite the numerous time I cringed and rolled my eyes while reading this, for the most part I did enjoy it. <i>The Best Friend Problem </i>is overly cheesy, has many unrealistic moments, and even subscribes to the <i>massively annoying</i> plot device of using friends and family members to pester the main characters into recognizing their feelings for each other--as though no one person is able to grow on their own, they have to have their friends all point out the plots to them--but it's still fun.

In truth, I don't find Finn believable as a character. He was kind of flat in a lot of ways and really did fall somewhat to the cookie-cutter version of the man that most women want. This isn't a problem, exactly, if you're not looking for a realistic book. I enjoyed reading his thoughts and I enjoyed his role in the novel, I just frankly don't see him as all that realistic. Also, as I mentioned before, the single interaction he had with his father annoyed the hell out of me. Finn also had a lot of cheesy lines and I hated his stupid pet name for Pru.

In truth, both characters had some moments that made me cringe and roll my eyes. I also hated the sex scenes, but that was to be expected since I typically avoid romance novels because of them. I just think it was all over the top. Past that, this book really is pretty typical as far as best friends sleep together and one gets pregnant kind of stories go. If you've already read one, this book fits the mold pretty well. In fact, it's 100% predictable as a result. As I said, I consider this book a guilty pleasure, so I did enjoy the majority of it. I don't think it was amazing, but it wasn't terrible either.

<i>I was provided a free copy of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.</i>

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I Love Finn! Ohh this was a super cute friends to lovers romance. Pru with her planning and no nonsense ways. I really enjoyed it- read in one sitting. This author is new to me. I really like her sense of humor. I’m going to be looking for Mo and Lily’s story next.

Absolute fun with a heaping splash of romance and a touch of.... I adored this book in the best way.
Familiar trope however Mariah brings this gem a touch of sparkle and genuine love between two best friends, Finn and Pru.
Pru lives life by a schedule, she's a numbers girl. In business with her two best friends who I absolutely loved, they bring so much to the story. Pru is ready to have a baby and has all her ducks lined up, complete with narrowing down her donor choices and of course her finances. She's kept this all to herself, so when the time comes to make the final donor decision, she finally tells her two best friends. Let the games begin! Her friends are super supportive and then there's the bigger question, have you told Finn yet? Finn and Pru have been friends since they were kids, tell each other everything and are always there for each other. Pru's nervous about telling Finn and so she sucks it up and finally tells him. Finn is a true book boyfriend. What a dream this guy is! Finn is a firefighter and while he has the occasional interlude, doesn't want that bigger step, fearing that if something happened to him on the job.... and he's Pru's best friend. So hearing the news from Pru, Finn gets a little jolt. The two have always been attracted to one another but neither wanting to ruin the friendship have never acted on it. Until that one night. What a night it was!
When Pru goes in to the clinic for her exam and ready to go ahead with her insemination she gets the surprise of her life. Once again, carefully scheduled and planned Pru is thrown off track. She has to tell her friends and worse, she has to tell Finn. She's pregnant. Finn's response is priceless as is her friends. Going to the Dr for her check up, Finn is there with her wanting to be a support to "I can do it all, I don't need any help" Pru. Again another mind boggling surprise and the story really hits the outer orbits of space from there. I loved watching these two find their places and their relationship unfold. Absolutely loved it.
This is a fantastic and fun read, full of love, amazing characters and surprises! The writing is perfection and Mariah pulls you right into their story and doesn't let go until the very end.
I am so hoping to see more of Lily and Mo in future books!
It's a 5 star must read!

arc from Net Galley and Entangled for an honest review

This book was so good. I love best friends to lovers books and this one was one of the best I have read. I was pulled in from the beginning and I wanted this book to go on forever. Loved every page.

A cute and heartwarming 'best friends to lovers' storyline (with a baby involved of course). I enjoyed reading this novel, and it was hard not to. With a firefighter male lead and a smart heroine who get caught up in some fertility business, it was hard not to. I felt that the side characters were a lot better developed than in other novels of a similar nature and I was really happy to see that. Not only that, but I hope to see their own romances immortalised in fiction as well. Having said that, I wouldn't say that this novel really stood out to me - it was cute and lovely (and a bit steamy at points that I had to skip :) ) but it wasn't a novel that I would say was one of my favourites that I've read this year.
Overall though, a gorgeous storyline and cute best friend couple.

This was a fun, sexy romance read. Prudence, a master off lists and planning, has had it with it trying to find Mr. Right in order to have the baby she desperately craves. So she embarks on trying to do motherhood alone, with some help from science. Her friends and roommates support her, as well as her best friend Finn, a guy who has had trouble making it past more than the first date with any women. After celebratory drink goes a little too far, Prudence finds that the best laid plans can often go awry and someone who looks so wrong on paper might just be Mr. Right. With a cast full of fun characters and a predictable romantic storyline with a few unexpected twists, this was an excellent summertime read.

I really enjoyed this book!!!
Prudence really wants a baby and has decided enough is enough she is going to do this by herself. Finn on the other hand has no room for babies or a wife in his life due to work responsibilities. After one drunken night Prudence finds herself pregnant with none other than Finn's baby.

This book is sooo sweet. Finn is the perfect gentleman towards Prudence while also dealing with his own feelings. Prudence needs to come to terms that her "single parenting" plan now has her best friend Finn in the mix.

I really enjoyed this book, however there were one or two inconsistencies. One big example is in chapter one Prudence is very passionate about what a massive waste of money motorcycles are. She states she enjoys them however is terrified of them "if she wasn't so terrified of crashing every second she rode this thing..." She then goes on to explain doctors call them "donor mobiles". In chapter ten, Prudence's attitude and beliefs change. Finn shows up to drive her to the doctor. When he doesn't show up on the motorcycle because she is pregnant Prudence thinks if she knew how to drive one "she assumed it would be perfectly acceptable to ride one until her belly got too big".
Did she not think they were terrifying and "donor mobiles" a few chapters back??
Overall I really enjoyed this book and I will definitely be rereading