Cover Image: They're Strictly Friends

They're Strictly Friends

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Member Reviews

i am becoming a Chloe fan. I have been reading her books and they are what books are made of. I like the writing and the characters. Must read

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I received an ARC of this from the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I never actually intended to read this book when I opened it but I was intrigued when I checked it out. You had me at a playlist for each chapter. I loved it. It was perfectly fitting for each chapter and helped set the mood. I haven’t read the previous books but I really didn’t feel like I needed to. This book stood well enough on its own. I thoroughly enjoyed the story though I found it a bit too drawn out, and I fell in love with all the characters. This was light, easy, romcom novel and I devoured this book in a day. This is great for someone like me who needed a break from the heavier novels I usually read. I’m very much looking forward to the next one about Theo.

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This was a fun and sexy romance. Nothing especially different for me personally that made it stand out but it was enjoyable and I liked it.

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I wasn't sure what I expected from this book, just simple romance? It was so much more! I loved that it went into a life changing situation and I absolutely loved how real and raw dealing with it was for the characters. I love Elodie and Lucas and couldn't have picked better characters and situations! Loved it

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This book is quite good and very well written, and combines a lot of tropes I enjoy into a cohesive novel! It's an easy read but has some depth beyond the slightly cheesy light premise! Lots of fun with characters who feel real.

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This is a stand alone, spinoff. With that being said, I felt like I was missing a lot of the story not having read the other series. I think the writing was great and the characters were likeable. I just had a hard time connecting with them without having read the other two. But since it is advertised as a spin off, stand alone, I’m going to rate it as such.

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What a funny, witty book. A well thought out, enemies to lovers relationship. I laughed so much during this but also really shipped the leads together. A must read.

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Sadly, I DNF'd this book. I think it was simply right book, wrong time for me. I loved the matching playlist and hope it was the right book for many others!

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This book was not exactly what I was expecting. Lucas and Elodie have known one another for a while, but despite the attraction they both feel, Lucas holds Elodie at a distance. At first she thinks it must be because he isn’t interested in her romantically, but she learns that Lucas has another reason for putting her off, one that he won’t share with her. This book is one in a series, and the characters from other books appear quite often. I’m not sure what it was, but I just couldn’t get invested in this one. It felt a bit more like a chick lit novel than a true romance. It was well written, but just not quite my cup of tea.

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Where do I start? Firstly, I have been anticipating reading Lucas & Elodie's story since finishing the Tough Love series where I first met them. I fell so hard for Lucas nearly immediately and Elodie barged right in easily. Elodie is one of the strongest heroines I have read, highly intelligent and headstrong but also vulnerable and caring.

As the story begins, Lucas has learned of a life altering diagnosis. He already cares deeply for Elodie but holds her at an arms length convinced she will resent him over time. Elodie, ever committed to pursuing what she wants, doesn't allow Lucas to make grand decisions without her. Doesn't she get a say? she asks. Lucas and Elodie clearly had amazing chemistry.

As the story continues, you get a glimpse into love and life with all its hardships along with happiness. There was absolute swoonworthy love and kindhearted moments mixed realistic obstacles that completely wrenched my heart. I felt literally everything for these characters, their losses were my losses, their victories were my victories. When a book can make feel so much, it is a true gem.

Other reasons this book gets all the stars:
-Extraordinary friendships. True platonic love between Nairne, Zed, Lucas, and Elodie. They all shared experiences with each other, helping one another overcome devastation and heartache.
-Representation. Learning to live with a disability, learning to be the partner to someone with a disability. Going through the pain of a miscarriage and the grieving process it involves.
-Beautifully written sexy times. This book didn't feel overtly sexual and I think it's because Chloe wrote with stunning eroticism that blended easily into the story and felt so real and beautiful.

I cannot wait to see what else Chloe has in store for us. Each of her books get better and better.

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I loved the story and the characters in this book. They were so easy to care and root for. This is my first book by Chloe and I can’t wait to read her next book. The book was hilarious and the dry humour, sarcasm and Harry Potter references tugged are my heart strings. I just wished that maybe she didn’t include so many sex scenes in the book. At least fade some to black just because so felt that it didn’t really help move the story along. Though some I felt did that but definitely not all of them. Lucas was always making me laugh with his thoughts and there were some terribly bad jokes that made me laugh out loud. Elodie was great too. She was so supportive and she listened to everyone’s advice and took it to heart. I can’t wIt to read Teo’s story in the next book in this series.

*Thank you Netgalley for providing me a copy for an honest review*

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I really enjoyed reading Lucas and Elodie's story. The best relationships start with friendship.
They have a real relationship that grabs your interest from the start. What I liked about this story is that it was REAL. It was not all sun and roses. They had their squabbles and heartache like we all do in the real world.
I recommend the purchase of this book.
Thank you Chloe Liese, NetGalley Connect and NetGalley for allowing me this advance copy in exchange for my honest feedback.

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I wasn’t a fan of how this one dealt with a miscarriage, unfortunately. But overall it was an okay read. I do enjoy a good friends to lovers romance and Eloide and Lucas had a good one!

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Can a man & woman only be friends?
In this novel it is obviously a resounding, "NO!" But in the gut wrenching kind of love that every woman wants. This book definitely takes you on a roller coaster of emotions & at time you just want to yell at the characters, "Get your acts together!! You're making life & your relationship so much more difficult than it actually is." But then where would we be with the story?

Lucas is a very English, Englishman & Elodie is a very French lady who butchers English idioms. Lucas is trying to keep Elodie at arms length because he doesn't want to be in a romantic relationship, with anyone. Though he has feelings for Elodie, he can't bring himself to make her his. She knows that Lucas wants her as much as she wants him but he won't make a move & she doesn't know why.

Eventually Lucas let's go & falls head over heels for Elodie but he still hasn't told her everything. And when he does, he doesn't want any help or her enabling him. But in the process he also pushes her away. They go through a tough miscarriage together that is so heartbreaking.

This book will have you up, down & all around with your feelings.

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I found that I had a hard time getting into this novel but I felt a sense of kinship with elodie. The romance is slow and sweet and worth the wait.

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“You said you’d rather be a fool for my love than a wise man without me.”
“Because, that’s love for you, Though I amend my statement. Love works both ways, not exclusively. It humbles and elevates us. It makes both fools and wise men of us, doesn’t it?”

My first book by Chloe Liese and I loved it! This spinoff book about Lucas and Elodie was a well written Heartwarming, sweet, emotional and sexy story. I need to read the first series by this author because I was in love with the Characters of Zed & Nairne.

Lucas and Elodie have been friends for a while, they have undeniable chemistry, and they are perfect for each other, so what is stopping them from being together? Lucas gets a piece of news that will change his life forever, he doesn’t want to burden anyone & he believes he could never get a happy family life because of that. Still, circumstances put him an Elodie living and working together. Even with Elodie and everyone around him making sure Lucas feels loved during this change, he needs to go on a journey of self-acceptance, and he believes that he could be happy and thrive even with a life-changing situation.

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The characters get you right from the start. What I loved about this story is that it's not just some silly romcom. It's got heart and shows you that sometimes you really have to work at something if you truly desire a positive outcome.
The story of how Lucas and Elodie went from Strictly Friends to so much more will have you rooting for them every step of the way. Definitely a book you need to pick up and read.

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I really enjoyed this book, it was cute, but this was not exactly what I was expecting. I loved Lucas' dry humour but his attitudes towards Elodie seems too harsh at times, he was just really irrational and still in denial months after his diagnosis that he'd eventually lose his sight. So I can't say I was a big fan of his personality when it came to dealing with real problems.
Elodie is a strong woman who grew up in a dysfunctional household. I do think she got her job in London a bit too easily considering it wasn't a junior job. Even though she graduated from a great university with a brilliant grade, she had barely any experience in the field so I don't think it's realistic that she got the job right away when it's stated that it wasn't because she was the heir apparent to a huge and successful family company.

Overall it was entertaining and I enjoyed the story.

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I always love international romances and this was no different! The romances and the laughs really had be interested from page one. I was unable to read the advanced copy since I unfortunately did not get a notification of being approved, but I went and bought a copy for my shelf. This is a romance novel you can reread year after year and you'll never lose interest!

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First off I want to say I loved the representation that happened in this book. Lucas going blind is something we don't ever see happening in most books. The way he denied it and avoided it for so long is a very real thing for a lot of people in the disability community because like it was mentioned in the book your angry and grieving all at the same time that it's progressively getting worse. It's hard to explain that to the people you love while it's happening and the way the author showed that was very real.
Lucas and Elodie's relationship is a friend to lover's story which is something that really helps them as their relationship progresses along with his loss of sight.
They're Strictly Friends is a spin-off to the tough love books so we do see Zed and Nairne as they are Lucas and Elodie's best friends. This friendship is one that I love and the conversations they had were important. Nairne's way of helping Lucas coming to terms with things while also showing Elodie how to help or not help in some situations.

Overall I did enjoy this book and how it showed disability in a real and positive light all while being a romance.
I could have done without all of the sex scenes that happened as it was there a way of dealing with things instead of communicating.

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