3.5 stars rounded to 4! A Guide to Being Just Friends is sweet and charming. Wes and Hailey’s banter was very enjoyable and their dynamic and chemistry made for an entertaining read. This was a friends to lovers troupe which I always throughly enjoy. Highly recommend this one for someone looking for a light, fun romance!

Thank you St. Martin’s Press, and Net Galley, for a copy in return for my honest review.

This was such an adorable friends to lovers romance book! This is the third book in the Jansen Brothers series. It can be read as a stand-alone, but is best enjoyed as part of the series!

This book had the best meet cute! This book is told in 3rd person dual POV and it’s a super slow burn, closed door romance. I loved the characters in this book, and I loved catching up with the characters from the others books in the series. Also, the talk of salads in this book had me craving them!! If you’re looking for a super cute and easy read, I recommend checking this series out!

While this rom-com started off cute I found myself disinterested by the 65% mark. It was just missing that little bit extra that gives a romance it's spark.

Slow burns aren't my favorite to begin with but this felt beyond drawn out. I'm all for slow burns as long as the narrative is still contributing to the plot but parts of this just felt unnecessary and like it could've used additional editing. Thankfully the characters and developing relationship were sweet and thus kept me interesting or else I probably would've not finished it.

This was a cute book and story but something about the characters bugged me. I couldn’t quite put my finger on it but it kept me from loving this book. It was a slow burn, friends to lovers story with some angst and swoon-worthy moments.

Big fan of this series of books. The meet cute (or lack there of) was pretty interesting, with a case of mistaken identity complicating things. The two characters are pretty opposite but in a way that makes sense. But there really isn't much to write home about from this one. I don't think this is a book that will stick with me or that I'll want to pick up again in the future. Just a run of the mill romcom, but honestly I love those anyway.

This book was a sweet yet emotional read about two people who have to love and learn how to get over their heartbreak. Both Wes and Hailey are skittish due to their past and trying to reach their goals. This book has its ups and down and I found myself getting frustrated with both characters throughout this book. While I enjoyed the first half I saw myself struggling and taking longer to read the second half.

I liked the characters, the setting, and the plot of the novel. It was a heartwarming and uplifting read that made me feel good.

Anyone that likes romance will enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sophie Sullivan for this book in exchange for my honest review.

I didn't know this was the third book in an interconnected standalone series when I received this book. I'm not entirely sure any prior knowledge from those previous books would have helped me enjoy this book, but there were some moments where I thought if had a little more backstory, I would I care more about the brothers and their careers. The other two brothers were extremely prevalent, and while I don't think that hindered anything in this book, the constant "I love my partner, you'll just know love when you see like me bro" drove me crazy. It's fine to throw it in to nod to the previous book, but it happened so often. Why?

I don't even know how to put my thoughts down for this one - it was simply boring. The characters were boring, the constant jibjab about Wes & his brothers careers was boring, being a salad shop owner COULD BE FUN and quirky and cute, but the talk of needing business cards 800 times...was boring. It was quite repetitive, I feel like too long of a book for what it was, and by the time we got to the "lovers" part, I didn't even care. I thought Wes and Hailey had a nice little friendship.

This is a closed-door strangers-to-friends-to-lovers romance between two people who say they fight hard against distractions and love, but are constantly going on dates with other people and pining for each other.

This is most likely a me thing, but one quote that really stood out was when Wes thinks, "She smells like Christmas cookies and Hailey". SHE IS HAILEY. Where is the formulaic romance medley of smells -- "She smells like Christmas cookies and patchouli" I see the sentiment in it, I do... he loves her natural scent...but it's a romance book. We don't know how Hailey smells. It seemed extremely out of place to just say that Hailey smells like Hailey. I think the romance readers understand what I'm trying to say!

The "3rd act break-up" happened way too late. Wes had his character development way too late.

Also...where was the guide? Did I just miss it entirely?

This story has a good flow from beginning to end. An interesting first few "meets", and how Hailey and Wes navigate from initial rebuke to friendship, to...the epilogue.
There are references to childhood family dynamics that can affect us for life, and hints, not preaching though, of ways to navigate previous hurts and the walls they may build. Again, HINTS, not lectures. Two thumbs up on that.
There is humor entertained throughout. Two thumbs up for that.
Finally, there is romance and ensuing intimacy without lurid details. Tho high drives for THAT! overall an enjoyable read.

I have voluntarily read and reviewed a copy of this title given to me through NetGalley. This book was just absolutely wonderful. It was just so easy to get lost in and I just couldn’t put it down. I just lost myself within this amazing story. I most definitely will read more by this author.

A slow start romance of two people trying to start a new life in California. I enjoyed the friendship to romance development and the community building.

Thank you Griffin Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts are my own.

This was a cute romance about Hailey Sharp and Wes Jansen. Hailey moves to California and begins a Salad shop. She has big dreams and is excited to be in a new place. Her one focus is to life life in the way that she wants to. Also no distracts! Enter Wes Jansen a anti-relationship person. He does not understand how someone can love and be married to someone. He would much rather have companionship instead of love. So when Hailey and Wes meet in a disastrous meet cute that was not even intended for them, they embarrassingly go their own ways. When they meet again, they decide to be just friends. Especially because that is all they could possibly be. Hailey wants no distractions. Wes doesn't believe in love. That will be enough right? There is no way they end up spending way more time together?

This was a cute romance. I enjoyed the original plot and character development. I thought that the end was rushed a little bit. I also wish that we could have had more of Wes's side of the story. Especially when he decides certain things (no spoilers). I really liked the side characters as well they all were interesting and fun.

Read if you enjoy:
Romance
Friends to Lovers
Salads
Boss FMC
Grumpy MMC

I never read from Sophie Sullivan before so I wanted to give this books a try. I don't know if it's just me but I wasn't into this book very much. I kinda knew where this book was going from the start. It's a bit predictable.

I've enjoyed the books in this series, so I was glad to get a chance to read A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan. It's a slow burn rom com where staying just friends is harder than anyone thinks.

Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for sharing this book with me. All thoughts are my own.

This was such a sweet, funny, charming romance from Sophie Sullivan—I loved the friends to lovers arc and the fun banter along the way.

This book was so cute!! I’m a sucker for friends to lovers so I had a blast reading about Hailey and Wes.

This was the third book in a series of interconnected stand-alones, so I felt like I was missing a lot of backstory in not knowing the characters or their pasts, but I did still have a lot of fun. Hailey and Wes had such a fun and unexpected meet cute and watching them slowly become friends then lovers was adorable. I loved that it was slow burn and closed door and I would recommend this book to people in the future.

I accidentally read the 2nd book in this series and now the 3rd without having read the first. I'm sure I'll get to that one eventually. I enjoyed the book, it was cute and very frustrating at times which I suppose is pretty true to life. I think Wes would have benefitted from some therapy and I wish Hailey had made him grovel a bit more, but I am pleased with how the story ended. Truthfully i got a little bored toward the end, I feel like it could have been a little shorter, maybe.

Perfect to read as a standalone or along with the series, this perfect contemporary romance made my heart flutter and anticipate the next move. A great slow burn of friends to lovers that is great for fans of Emily Henry, Falon Ballard, and Jayne Denker.

I adored Wes and Hailey's relationship so so much! I absolutely loved the banter and the chemistry as friends and love interests! The entire dynamic was adorable and the journey from friends to lovers was PERFECT! They didn't have the typical meet cute and their friendship started off kind of rocky because of a misunderstanding but Wes did everything he could to get into Hailey's good graces and I ate that up! He tore down her walls and I adored how dreamy Wes's character was. Not to mention the friends group in this book was EVERYTHING - I realized this was the third book in a series and I cannot wait to back track to read the first two!

Thank you to St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.