While being stood up on a date made on a dating app, Wes mistakes Hailey for his missing date, Hayden. Hailey sets him straight and they chat a bit. Both haven’t had much luck in the dating arena, so they agree that friendship is what they both need and want right now. When Hailey decides she’s ready to date again, she realizes that she’s caught feelings for Wes, but he made it clear he is not the marrying kind.

This book is a master class in what a rom-com should be…I laughed, I cried, I got mad, I swooned. I love the endearing, relatable characters and their relationships with each other. The writing flows easily and keeps you reading late into the night. A Guide to Being Just Friends is the third and final installment of the Jansen Brothers series, and I am very sad that this is the end, but happy to read more about Chris, Everly, Noah & Grace and where life has taken them. Definite must read in my opinion!

Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC of “A Guide to being just friends” in exchange for my honest review!! First off I requested this book because of the cover and had no idea that this was a series. It’s one of the romance series that follows a few different people and you do not need to read them in order but I think it would have helped me care more about the side characters. I was a little lost on some context but that’s my fault for not reading in order and I will be going back to read the first two!

I really loved Wes as a main character and following along as he relocates from NYC to California to leave his father's company behind and team up with his two brothers. This was a super quick one day read and I really enjoyed the brother dynamic and I always love a book set in California. Overall I would recommend for anyone who loves classic rom-coms as that was what I was reminded of!!

Unfortunately, this wasn't the book with me and I'm DNFing 40% of the way in. I really tried to get into the book but I just wasn't connecting with the main character and the pacing was really slow. I get that it's a slow burn romance, but each chapter just felt really repetitive and nothing was moving.

Hailey was an okay character, but nothing special. Wes seemed very one dimensional and his background was nothing special in my opinion. Part of the problem may have been that I didn't read the rest of the series, but it didn't feel like there was any information I was missing.

My favorite character was the friend Fiona, she had the most personality out of everyone and a fun career in the story! Other than that, no one stood out to me that much.

If you are a huge rom-com lover, this may be the book for you! But before you go into in, just know that it moves very slowly and there isn't much romance in the first almost half of the book.

The Jansen brothers are back in this final book in the series! I definitely recommend reading the books in order - each brother plays a big part in the others' stories, ESPECIALLY this final one, and reading the first two books will give a lot of much needed context!

Synopsis: In A Guide to Being Just Friends, the final Jansen brother, Wes, has relocated from NYC to California to leave his father's company behind and team up with his two brothers. Analytical and determined to avoid the mistakes his parents made in their relationship, he wants companionship but not love. Love is too messy and anything could go wrong.

However, his resolve is tested when he meets Hailey. Hailey is also new in town, having relocated to open up her own salad shop after a breakup with a crappy ex. Hailey has put everything into getting her business started and doesn't want any distractions, but she can't deny that there's something about Wes that she likes.

The two agree to be just friends and help each other out with their businesses and personal lives as two people who are new in town, regularly trading each other favors. But even though they have agreed to be just friends, they keep getting closer and closer and are soon both feeling unexpected feelings. But with their friendship on the line, is Hailey willing to accept a distraction, and will Wes realize that love is worth it even if it's scary?

Review: I really loved how much the two couples from the previous two books in the series were a part of this final installation. Seeing the three brothers finally all together in California made me so happy! We also get some new characters such as Hailey's cousin Piper and some of her friends, who make for great wingwomen that Hailey can lean on.

As the oldest, Wes had some trauma from his parents' messy relationship and divorce that had him shying away from love. Hailey, who definitely believed in love, was just getting out of a bad relationship and needed to pour her attention in making sure her business was successful. It was fun to see them start out as friends and how much they supported each other, and how that slowly turned into attraction and mutual pining. The dual POV was perfect in this book and really helped to see what each character was thinking and feeling. This is definitely a slow burn, but it's so cute once they finally get together! Note that there is only one spicy-adjacent scene and it's closed door, but the sweet romance makes up for it.

Of course their relationship hits some bumps and there is a third act break up - both Wes and Hailey need to learn to communicate, look beyond themselves, and see what they and their partner really want.

Overall this was very cute and worth a read, I'm so sad this adorable series is over. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review. A Guide to Being Just Friends is out on January 17, 2023!

A solid 3 stars. But nothing memorable to make me recommend it. I

I did like how the backstories of the characters from previous books were woven into the narrative without being a data dump. For example, Fiona recognizes Noah and Grace from a magazine article on the house they restored in book #2 and asks them questions about it. This totally jogged my memory because I had forgotten all about book #2.

*I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher and I am required to disclose that in my review in compliance with federal law.

As someone who didn’t even realize this was a series, I can vouch for this book as a standalone. I have read the second in the series, but not the first. Of course, the other characters are included in this book, so reading the first two helps better understand the dynamics and backstories, but it is not essential. I’m struggling a little with reviewing this book because I loved the first 70% -- the characters were likeable, the story was steady but still engaging, and I was rooting for the main characters. However, the misunderstandings were a little too much for me. I didn’t see a lot of growth in the characters, and their disagreements came across as immature. I kept wanting to shake them and encourage both characters to go to therapy to work through the issues they’d previously had in relationships in their lives. Then I felt like they both just magically fixed their communication, commitment, and trust issues. Miscommunication is always a part of romance books that I tend to shy away from because it’s just so hard to describe and resolve in such a limited space. Overall, I really enjoyed this book and I’m sad these characters are finished. I just wish the miscommunication would have been handled a little different. I’m looking forward to seeing what Sullivan writes next!

This is the third book in the Jansen Brother's series. While it can be read alone, it is much more enjoyable if you start from the beginning.
Hailey has just moved to a new city after a break up. All she wants is to get her new business, By The Cup, going and feel like she has control of her life. When she meets Wes, they agree that all they both need is just a friend. As time passes, they struggle with their own feelings and staying friends, especially when they start to date other people.
Opinion
First off, this whole series is fantastic and could be read in a long weekend (because they are just that good.)
The challenges in this book are absolutely primal. The main characters problems with love are at such a basic level that you may find yourself screaming at them to "wake up!" This by no means that the book is basic, because Sullivan has delivered again with the conclusion of the series. This book was a joy to read from the first to the last page.
I simply cannot wait to see what Sullivan has in store for us next. (You know, the brothers do have a sister as well as a single mother that could be written about...)
Many thanks to Net Galley and St. Martin's Press for providing me with an ARC of this book.

My first from this talented author and it certainly will not be my last. Sophie Sullivan writes beautifully with just enough emotion to make sure this reader was fully engaged in the friends-to-more romance between the spirited Hailey and the somewhat staid Wes. Their meet-cute was truly adorable as Wes's dating woes continue and his no-show date at a popular bakery leads him to the new salad-to-go business owner, Hailey. Right from the start you could tell there was something simmering between these two and their very unexpected friendship on the fly leads to what could be the best relationship they've ever had with the opposite sex. That's if their undeniable chemistry doesn't get in the way, of course!

I loved these two and the cute ways they become great friends. Whether it's their weekly Saturday night grocery shopping date or playing video games, these two are truly wonderful together. The Author tears through the months at a good pace and before you know it, Wes and Hailey have caught major feels for one another but never want to jeopardize the good friend thing they have going on. Pushing each other to 'date' all the while stewing that they actually do what the other asks, classic denial that was written perfectly.

Of course, when everything is laid out and their hearts are on the line, nothing is ever as easy as it could be with Wes's fear of simply loving another messing with his head and heart more than once. Since I've not read the first two books featuring his younger brothers, Chris and Noah, I wasn't prepared for his aversion to being in a full-blown relationship and the number their seemingly despicable father did on them while growing up. I really felt for Wes and his reluctance to truly love, simply scared it wouldn't last and he'd be hurt all over again. Not to mention his need to save Hailey more than once and not really understanding that the best way to care for her was to be by her side, not two steps ahead.

The secondary characters like Chris and Noah, together with their significant others, as well as Piper and Hailey's newfound besties, add just the right touch when needed. Especially where Wes is concerned he has more than one 'come to Jesus' moment that leads to him getting out of his own head and grabbing on tight, for good this time, to the wonderful Hailey. Finding his perfect match may have not been on his schedule, but I was thrilled he knew a great thing when he saw it and figured out, with the help of those aforementioned amazing secondary characters that he deserved to love and to be loved before it was too late.

I was thoroughly charmed by this Author's prose and the way this story flowed ever so effortlessly once I dove in. I definitely need to go back and read all about how Chris and Noah found the loves of their lives and why these Jansen brothers are so addictive. But in the meantime, I'm here to say that A Guide to Being Just Friends made me smile and I happily give this well-written love story a big 5 stars!

3.75 ★
1 🌶️

Add to your tbr if you love:
- friends to lovers
- slow burn
- found family

The conclusion to the Jansen Brothers and my first intro to the series! Although you meet the other brothers and their partners, each book can be read as a stand-alone.

I really enjoyed getting to know Wes and Hailey throughout their story. Hailey’s independent streak and need to do things herself was a bit too relatable 😅 but I loved her passion for her job and connecting with people. I’m not sure if you get more info on the brothers’ backstory with their dad, but I loved Wes diving into why giving back to their community was important to him, and how they approached so many decisions trying to be smart for their business and also the community. This is a closed door romance but the tension and build up between them was so good!

Thank you to @netgalley, @stmartinspress, @smpromance for this arc!

This book is swoon worthy! Why have I never read the other two books in this series. I will have to go back and read them. You can read this book as a stand alone but I wish I had read the other meet ups !

I loved the story of Hailey and Wes. They are going to be just friends! They don't want to fall in love. This is One of my favorite tropes.

I also enjoyed seeing their characters evolve and Hailey do well in her business venture. The other characters are highly enjoyable as well.

My only complaint and it's a small one. Is why does Hailey have to get so crazy about Wes trying to help her or sometimes but her something nice. I get it you're a strong independent woman but this part of the story kept coming up again and again.

If you want a little romance in your life pick this one up. It's so cute! I'm off to read her other books.

Thanks to netgalley and St Martins press tor this aRc

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Again, friends to lovers is my favourite trope, that’s why the title already sold me into reading this. I love the Jansen Brothers so far, We haven’t had a lot of Wes in the past two books so I was excited to see what kind of a character he would bw and how his story will look like. I like Wes, he’s a dork with a good heart but sometimes he needs to trust his heart a little more. I didn’t know who his love interest would be and it turns out it’s someone who’s new in town, Hailey, just like Wes himself. Already a perfect match. The plot overall was okay, no complaints. Just like the previous two books, I just wished it had a little more of anything…something. The cringe dialogue/language is back but thank god it was even more reduced than the last book so that’s an improvement. The second book will still be my favourite of all the three. But I still love Wes and Hailey. I love their friendship.

"This changes everything. Our friendship. We can’t go back.”
"That’s okay. What I want is in front of me.”

I really liked this romance! It was the perfect ending to the Jansen brothers. Hailey and Wes’s meet cute was hilarious. Wes mistakes Hailey for his blind date and when she says that he isn’t he doesn’t believe her and thinks that she’s ditching the date! I loved how when he realizes he’s wrong later on he goes and apologizes to her. Next thing you know they end up becoming best of friends. I really enjoyed reading how they develop such an amazing friendship. I love that they truly knew each other. There was a little bit of a slow pacing with the transition from friends to lovers. Once they finally get together things get really good! There are such a cute couple! I Love that for the most part they work through their problems. Wes is upfront that he will make mistakes and that he and Hailey will need to work through them together. I love the ending and I think this is a really cute friends to lovers romance!
While this is the third book in the series it can definitely read as a standalone.

Read if you like:
3rd person dual POVs
Friends to lovers
Hilarious meet cute
Geek hero
Small shop owner heroine
Opposites attract

I received an advanced reader copy of this book.

I have to caveat this with the fact that I have not read the first or the second book in this series so I'm coming in cold. That said, I think this was an okay friends-to-lovers romance. Hailey moves to a new town in California to start a salad shop. After arriving, she meets a guy, Wes, who is in business with his two brothers. Wes and Hailey make an immediate connection, promising they will just be friends, and then (spoiler alert) fall for each other. Cute, but no real surprises and I didn't get overly invested.

Nope. It’s not over yet. I refuse to believe it. We may have seen the last Jansen brother paired up, but I still have so many questions; about their family, about San Verde, about the cast of characters that have loved and supported the Jansen couples all the way through. I’m also kicking myself for not having gone back and read that first book like I promised myself I would. I think it’s safe to say that this book still makes perfect sense without it, but I also think I was correct in my assessment of the previous book that I was missing some context around the dynamics between the brothers and their relationships without that first installment. I really liked Hailey and Wes. They’re adorable, they’re awkward, they’re emotionally wounded, yet they’re the missing pieces that fit each other’s puzzles. It was interesting to me that one of the big lessons of this book was a similar message to what I took away from the previous one: asking for and accepting help is a strength, not a weakness. Though, this one upped the ante by including: opening your heart and life to love, while scary, is also a strength. I really enjoyed this book. I laughed and I learned. I just feel like the Jansen family story isn’t finished being told yet.
I received a complimentary advance copy of this book through NetGalley.

This book was so much fun! I loved every minute of Wes and Hallie's relationship. Their first meeting was hysterical and there were so many more laugh out loud moments. I loved that Hailey was such a strong character. While this is the third story about the Jansen brothers, the book can be read alone. I do recommend the other books in the series too! My only criticism is that the ending seemed a little rushed. It might be that I was sad to see the story end. I will definitely watch for more books by this author in the future. I received an advance copy from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review.

After meeting the Jansen brothers in Noah and Grace’s story, I was excited to meet Wes and Hailey here in A Guide to Being Just Friends.

Both of these characters are intriguing. Hailey and Wes both come to their friendship with baggage and wounds from the past. This leads them to the idea that they can only be friends. Their journey to a developing friendship and growing connections was sweet and endearing.

I enjoyed getting to know both characters and seeing how knowing each other brought about their personal growth. Wes and Hailey were excellent offsets for each other. Add in small, but impactful secondary cast and this is a well written read.

Ms Sullivan is a newer to me author who is moving to my “must read” list and I am curious about going back to read Chris and Everly’s story.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for this good read. It was quite fun to read right from the start. It was easy to read and the story was slow burn to make it more realistic. I liked the length of the book as it did not drag and make it boring to read. If you like a Happily ever after book, this is for you. Well, I do not think I have read one yet that end broken and horrible...hahha. I will read the more from this author as they come. Thanks

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for a digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A GUIDE TO BEING BEST FRIENDS (Or: A Guide To Starting a Business With Zero Marketing Skills)

I’ll preface my review with this: if NetGalley had labeled this as part of a series (it’s the third installment in the Jansen Brothers series), I wouldn’t have requested the ARC. But since other reviewers said it can be read as a standalone, I decided to give it a shot.

In my opinion, you CAN read this book as a standalone, but I wouldn’t recommend it. This story relies heavily on emotional attachments the reader has to these characters from previous books, which means if you haven’t read them, you’ll be dealing with a huge cast of characters you’re expected to root for at the outset without having any meaningful reasons why. And unfortunately there’s very little substance in this book that will make you care about them otherwise.

What this book has going for it: it’s cute, fluffy, and breezy. It requires zero brainpower to read it (take that as you will). But that lack of depth is also really frustrating, and I almost DNFed it several times. The characters are forgettable and there is hardly any plot to speak of.

This book is described as a slow-burn romance, but the love story is largely obscured by talk of business and real estate and community activities involving the many side characters. I wanted more scenes featuring the love interests hanging out and bonding over movies and video games (which only get a passing reference most of the time) instead of talking marketing and investments and community center stuff. (While we’re at it, Hailey’s not the most adept businesswoman—no website or business cards or a single employee [in her takeout restaurant!!!]—yet she gets upset when people try to help her out. Like, how did she really think that was going to go?)

I’d recommend this for anyone who has already read and enjoyed the first two books, and possibly for readers of chick lit and clean romance. But for me, the writing was just too bland/contrived/derivative for me to care enough to want to go back and read the other books in the series.

Hailey Sharp has moved to San Verde to be closer to her cousin and start her own business. By the Cup is salad on the go. She figured that people in California are eating healthy so she thought this would be the perfect fit. She is also getting over a break-up that has left her wanting to be independent. Wes Jansen has followed his younger brothers to San Verde. They have found their niche. Their grandparents drilled into that with great wealth comes community responsibility. Wes has decided to use apps to meet women only the last one went haywire. The barista wrote Hayden not Hailey. When the confrontation happen, both thought the others were crazy. Little did they know that the next day they would actually meet in person. So begins the Guide to Being Just Friends. They are total opposites of each other, yet they feel so comfortable around each other. They value the friendship. Till a kiss happens and everything changes. Hailey has no problem saying the words but Wes goes crazy. It takes a village to get these two back to each other. A fun read!

Such a sweet rom-com. Hailey has fought for herself every step of the way determined to never depend on anyone else again. Wes has sworn off love forever. The two of them accidentally meet and decide to be friends. With their friendship taking flight their stories of dates and family are sure to make you laugh out loud. I have not read the other two books in the series, but I didn’t feel lost at all. A great book to cuddle up wit, just don’t plan on doing anything else until you’ve reached the last page.