This book fell flat for me. I found it cute and fun, but when I wasn't reading it I wasn't itching to pick the book up. I was excited for this book because the blurb sounded exactly like something I would like. While I did enjoy the book because the writing and characters were fun. I didn't connect to the characters and just didn't love this book. It was okay and I liked it, but I wasn't blown away. I was mostly disappointed because I have read other books by Sophie Sullivan and really loved them. Hoping it was just a one off and I'll like her other books like I previously have.

Thank you for this ARC in exchange for an honest review! I am working through my backlog, and will be momentarily posting reviews for the stories I have yet to get posted but have finished reading.

Ok it took me forever to read this and it really dragged. I didn’t even know what the FMC looked like! Would have love better descriptions of both characters! This book was cute though and the spice scenes were good! Only wish they started before 70% of the way in

Why did it take me so long to read this book? I'm already a big fan of Sophie Sullivan and A guide to Being Just Friends was another great addition to her roster of books! Who doesn't love a friends to lovers story? I'm also a sucker for the name Wes so I knew this book was made for me!
This book is a slow burn, tender, and romantic! Watching Wes and Hailey fall in love is adorable and their story made me feel hopeful for a sweet love story like this of my own, hahahah!

This book was so cute! I love disastrous meet cutes and I love when the main characters go from strangers to friends to more. I loved seeing the main characters evolution of relationship and I will definitely be reading more from this author.

Really cute and easy read! Your typical friends to lovers story with added banter. Really enjoyed the dynamic between the two main characters and the chemistry they had made the story relatable and real.

One thing about me is that I will read any book that says it is a "When Harry Met Sally" inspired story. It is my Roman Empire.

I have not read any other books by this author, but I will look for future books!

A cute, easygoing friends-to-lovers romance about two people trying (and failing) to keep things platonic. Light, flirty, and full of feel-good moments. Great if you’re in the mood for something sweet and breezy.

I was hoping for something charming and cozy with this one, but it just didn’t totally land for me. The premise had so much potential—two people actively trying not to fall in love? Great setup! But the pacing felt slow, and the chemistry between Hailey and Wes never really sparked the way I wanted it to. The emotional beats were there, just not deep enough to really stick. I did like the idea of a salad shop romance (points for originality), but overall, it felt more like a light salad than a satisfying meal. Not terrible, just didn’t leave a strong impression.

A Guide to Being Just friends can be read as a standalone novel and is an amazing contemporary romance! It’s a friends to lovers romance with a really cute premise of working together. It has a serious and nerdy MMC and a sunshine FMC, which is my favorite trope! Really cute, sweet (albeit little anxiety), and fun read!

🥗🥗🥗🥗/5

How is this my first book by this author? I will definitely be checking out more of hers in the future!

I want to start by saying I got this book on NetGalley so long ago and life got away from me. But I’ve been wanting to read it ever since and I finally got to it. I couldn’t be happier!

This book is silly but so much more emotionally complex than I first thought. The banter between Wes and Hailey was perfect. (Was it weird she has the same name as me? A bit! But that didn’t stop me from reading.) I giggled or full out belly laughed numerous times. And I’m having a blast reading rom-coms lately because I’m constantly smiling.

I liked that this book was slower on the romance, surprisingly. I loved the friendship they created before they admitted their attraction and took it further. And I full on teared up a few times with their honest admissions. Those moments were so emotionally charged and I saw them playing out as if I was watching a movie I was well invested in. SO GOOD!

I liked that Hailey went out of her comfort zone a lot during this journey. And I loved her concept of a salad restaurant. It was so unique and perfect for her. And now I’m inspired to be my most creative and authentic self.

And Wes was so talented but so reserved and holding so much weight on his shoulders, always putting others before himself. While I sometimes wanted to shake him out of his stupor, I also admired how real and raw his story was. It was not only realistic, but it was moving and inspiring in its own way.

I enjoyed the side characters in this book. And I loved the video game Wes made for Hailey. (And his depressed version of it too, honestly!) I liked the character growth. I liked the business aspect and felt like I oddly learned a lot. I LOVED the silly and funny moments and thoughts between the characters. But mostly I loved the way this book pulled at my heart in a way I haven’t felt in a while. It’s definitely worth the read!

I really enjoyed this one. It was hard to put down. It kept me wanting more. The characters are amazing! And I love the title and the story line. Such an amazing book!

This book was sweet and angsty and had me swooning. I adore the Jansen brothers but Wes has my whole heart. Will he be bold enough to turn the woman in front of him into his woman? The banter and the chemistry between them is unmatched.

This one was not my favorite and took quite some time to get through. I wish there would have been more character development to allow me to connect more to the characters.

i love a good sunshine female lead like hailey and a handsome nerd like wes. this was a cute romance friends to lovers romance and i love some good banter. it wasn’t an outstanding romance but i enjoyed it and would recommend to fans of sweet love and low spice!

*A Guide to Being Just Friends* by Sophie Sullivan is a charming, lighthearted rom-com about two people trying to navigate a friendship without crossing the line into romance. The chemistry between the leads is strong, and Sullivan’s witty writing adds a fun, playful tone to the story. The characters are likable, and the slow-burn dynamic keeps things engaging. However, the plot feels somewhat formulaic, with predictable twists that detract from its impact. Some emotional depth is missing, leaving the story feeling more surface-level. It’s an enjoyable read for fans of the genre but lacks the originality to make it truly memorable.

This was my first book by this author, It was pretty enjoyable. I would give this book a 3.5 star rating! It was a pretty Quick and easy read!

With rules set in place, you think it'd be easy to "just be friends" with the opposite sex, right?! When Hailey and Wes meet in the oddest of ways, they strike up an awkward-at-first friendship that soon becomes very important to both of them. They just have to remember all the reasons why they can only ever be friends and nothing more.

I was first introduced to Sophie Sullivan in 2020 with the first in this series, Ten Rules for Faking It and I've enjoyed getting lost in her words. The characters are easily relatable and you connect with them right from the start. This book is the third in the series (# 2: How to Love Your Neighbor) and I'm sad that it's over!

I didn’t realize this was book 3 and can’t wait to go back and read the first 2. I’m obsessed with this couple and so glad Wes got his happy ending

A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan, it was a cute read at times but overall did not capture my attention.