I didn’t read the other two in this series but it was definitely cute! I didn’t really vibe with the FMC but I liked the relationship building. Loved the duel POV! Super slow burn that made me feel like it took a while to get through.

This was a SLOW burn… maybe a little too slow. It was more business than pleasure lol I felt like it focused more on Hailey’s salad Business she just started and Wes focused on his business he has with his brothers. I would have loved the book to focus more on their “friendship” and because it did not I felt like I wasn’t connected to them. I did enjoy the relationship that Wes had with his brothers. Additionally, although this is the third book in the series you can read as a standalone.

Perfectly enjoyable read if a little bland. I think the friends to lovers trope may just not be for me. Likable characters, but I found the story a little boring, perhaps due to things like the heroines singular focus on building her business. Third act breakup, while park for the course in formulaic romance, was annoying.

I love a good friends to lovers romance, and overall, this was a fun and cute story! I appreciated a newer twist on the trope, since these were not best friends of decades or more. It was nice to see two adults meet after both moving to a new city, rather than childhood friends who’ve known each other forever. The side characters were interesting, and though I didn’t know it at the time, this book is part of a series, so it makes a lot more sense when you’re reading about them after that!

There were a couple of plot points that lost me at times (or had lack of follow up — like the lawsuit with the father, the community center, the Ava situation, and most importantly, the guide itself) and I felt like the chemistry and conflict could’ve been better once the characters were actually together, but I appreciate getting to read this book! I do also appreciate the fact that it was a little different from other friends to lovers!

The Jansen brothers are back and they do not disappoint. Wes is nerdy , by the book and totally type A businessman. Hailey is sweet, perky, a new business owner, who has had her heart broken. When they clash initially, we know there’s going to be more to their story. After their initial meeting, they decide to become friends. But as they grow closer and closer each wants more. Can Wes figure out how to fall in love even with the bad memories of his parents dissolved marriage? Can Hailey forget her past experience and learn to trust again.?
Fun, romantic read that I certainly recommend!
Thanks to Net Galley for the advanced copy!

A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan sadly marks the conclusion of the Jansen Brother Series. This book follows oldest brother, Wes, as he makes the move from New York to Los Angeles. Leaving his former life behind proves to be harder than he thought, even with a built in community.

A serendipitous meeting leads Wes to Hailey. After confusing her for a woman he met online, they keep bumping into one another around town. While both Wes and Hailey admit to being jaded by love, they agree they are in need of friendship. Can the two keep things platonic, or will their undeniable chemistry segue into a romance?

I read the first two Jansen Brother books in early January of 2023. As much as I enjoyed the series, I delayed reading this one. I just wasn’t ready to leave their world.

All three books in the series have been amazing, but this one has my heart. It features my all time favorite trope (friends-to-lovers) and tied all of the lose ends up beautifully. Sophie Sullivan’s writing gets better and better with each book.

*The three books that make up the Jansen Brother Series are designed to be standalone books. I highly recommend reading all three in order for the best experience. I had some friends who didn’t and the lack of background knowledge on characters and storylines made their reading a bit more challenging.

Special thanks to St. Martin’s Griffin and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Incredibly cheesy set up and unbelievable dialogue. And as the third in a series, I wasn’t invested in the brothers’ stories enough to keep trudging on.

A very enjoyable read all around. I fell in love with the characters and the writing was exactly what I needed to get me out of my latest book slump!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this book.

I really enjoyed this story, however there were parts of it that made me angry. The two MC’s had chemistry, but I wanted more .

i'm not a super huge fan of the friends to lovers trope or slow burn vibes, but this book was oh so good!! i loved wes & hailey so much!! 💕🥰 i loved all of the sibling banter!! they were all hilarious. i'm definitely gonna have to go back and read the rest of the series!!

This friends-to-lovers/closed-door romance was really good! Our main characters have some stubbornness that was borderline annoying but thankfully they got their act together by the end 😂 This is the last in a trilogy but can definitely be read as a stand-alone because that’s what I did and didn’t feel like I was missing anything all.

I love how fun and positive this book is despite the fact that it touches on some sad family relationships that majorly affect how both Hailey and Wes approach relationships.
Hailey is restarting her life after moving away from her awful ex. She's excited to open a salad shop and willing to put in all the work. Wes is in California with his brothers to get away from their awful father and run their business how they want to. They've both declared they're not looking for a relationship and form a beautiful friendship of support and understanding, but they're perfect for each other and feelings can only be denied so much. Seeing their relationship develop and how things from their pasts keep them from reaching out for what they know will lead to happiness adds great emotion to a story that is as fun as it is romantic.
We also get great looks at how things are going with the two brothers we met before and their perfect relationships, which is a great little bonus. That said, I don't think you need to have read previous books to fully enjoy this one but I do recommend it because those are great.

Happy thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the sweet romance read!

This book was so painfully average it hurts.

I love a slow burn but this slow burn lacked chemistry. I'm not sure how the reader is suppose to believe that Hailey and Wes are destined for love.

There's no chemistry, the characters are boring and unrealistic. Yes these are book characters but Hailey's behavior feels so off from how a real person would speak/act that I was just left constantly annoyed.

Overall this story is just very blah. It gave zero feels.

Unfortunately for me this book was just not my cup of tea. I went into this with excitement after reading the blurb and i feel like the premise was great. The execution for me was just a miss. I'm really not a fan of miscommunication. The story line was very slow, there was a serious lack of chemistry between Hailey and Wes. I ended up dnfing this novel at 62%

A Guide to Being Just Friends is the third book in Sophie Sullivan’s Jansen Brothers series. Hailey Sharp has left LA and a cheating ex behind and is solely focused on building and growing her By the Cup salad shop, creating the life she wants. Now in San Verde, CA, near her cousin Piper and her family, Hailey is making friends and trying to make ends meet.

Taking a break on a very quiet afternoon, Hailey visits the coffee shop next door for a sweet pick me up. However, Hailey didn’t expect the pick up line that came her way with a misspelled name and a fellow’s no show date. When a few days later the same fellow and his two brothers come to the salad shop, the air is cleared and the story really begins.

Wes Jansen, eldest of the brothers, has recently relocated from New York as did his brothers, all of them determined to sever ties with their controlling father. Although each brother has the education and instinct to develop properties and businesses, they want to do so in the manner their beloved grandfather had professed and giving back to the community. As oldest, Wes protected his younger siblings from the horror of their parent’s relationship and demise. This history has convinced Wes that love and marriage are things he never wants. Friendship and companionship with a like minded person would be perfect. As Hailey has pretty much given up on love, their friendship develops as they put together their own guide for being just friends. What could go wrong?

This is such a lovely story told with such heart and laugh-out-loud humor that the reader will be entertained from beginning to end. The characters are well developed. The plot is not predictable. This is a delightful rom-com. I very much enjoyed this story and I do recommend it!

This book was super cute! If your looking for a friends-to-lover, slow-burn romance, go get this now!! Wes and Hailey's love story is so sweet and bolded by a cast of fun and unique characters. What I loved about this book is the journey's each of our romantic leads go on to grow, learn, and find success in their own lives while also receiving support and a number 1 cheerleader in their partner. While there are definitely some frustrating moments, the sweetness and pining makes up for it!
For sure check out this new friends-to-lovers release!

I received an Advanced Reader Copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this book . The only reason I gave 4 stars (4.5) is because at the beginning the salad talk bored me. I genuinely could not put this down. I’m a huge fan of Sullivans writing.

I really enjoy friends to lovers stories, and I also enjoy slow burn stories and this one was great!
If you are looking for a light romance this might be a great book for you.
Thank you netgalley for the arc.

4/5 Stars

This was such a sweet story!

I absolutely loved Wes and Hailey's blossoming relationship as the story progressed. I thought that their meet cute was absolutely adorable and all the side characters made this such a joy to read.

I love reading a slow burn; however, I felt that the story dragged at times and it was hard for me to focus. I wasn't a huge fan of the third act breakup towards the end, but the banter and the love story between the two definitely made up for it.

Overall a good read with great banter and some super sweet moments.

Thank you to Netgalley, St. Martin's Griffin, and Sophie Sullivan for an eARC of this book for my honest review.

The last of the Jansen brothers series and a super funny rom-com story! Wes is such a complex character with his nerdy and analytical outside and his pure golden retriever soft inside. Hailey, the ray of sunshine, chatty, and sweet salad shop owner confuses him and it's the most adorable thing! Swoon worthy romance I recommend to everyone! As well as the previous 2 brother's books