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Sophie Sullivan is back with the third installment in the Jansen Brothers. This time the story is all about Wes Jansen, the oldest of the brothers. I enjoyed the previous two books in the series and was excited to start the third. I will admit that I had some trouble keeping the other two brothers and their girlfriends straight in my mind but that was all my issue and not the authors.

Wes Jansen has always felt responsible for his younger brother growing up and nothing has changed. Wes has made a cross-country move to be closer to his brothers and away from their father.

A mistake on Wes' part assuming a woman in the coffee shop was his blind date leads to a friendship with new-to-town Hailey Sharp. Hailey has just opened By the Cup salad shop and is determined to make her business a success.

The friendship between Wes and Hailey is special but suddenly both are feeling a lot more than just friendship for the other.

This was a sweet and fun book about friendship turning to romance. It is a great vacation read that was enjoyable. I will continue to watch for future releases from Sullivan.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

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The Jansen brothers are back and dishing up another wonderful love story. Love me a good grumpy/sunshine and friends to lovers story.

Happy-go-lucky Hailey Sharpe meets Wes Jansen in a humiliating circumstance and from then forward their paths are crossed. Wes is this uptight perfectionist and Hailey is this bubbly salad shop owner. Just having moved to LA, she joins a book club and a round of friendly gossip. Having more time to spend with Hailey, Wes realizes there’s more to her and decides to take a chance on happiness.

This was a sweet, funny romance as Sophie Sullivan has been known to write. It has the perfect chemistry and angst and heartfelt story that I devour.

Sophie is an ultimate auto buy author for me now!

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Wes and Hailey have what should have been a meet cute that ends up in an awkward misunderstanding. Despite their beginning, they end up best friends with an agreement and 'rules' on how to stay just that. Pining, misunderstandings, and outright disregard for the other person's wants leads to an ending that definitely paid off.

These characters were both endearing and so frustrating. I understand the people that they were, but the stubbornness and rigidity of these two people who obviously cared for each other was a bit much at times. Also, even taking the title into consideration, this was a VERY slowburn that at times felt a bit drawn out.

Overall, I enjoyed it and found myself wanting to get back to it but I wish it moved a little faster.

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this was a cute friends-to-lovers romance, and even though I haven't read the other books in the series, I loved this one. Hailey was an amazing FMC, and Wes... i think I have a new fave book boyfriend. the only thing I didn't like was that Wes was so insistent on not wanting a relationship, even though he himself said how much he liked Hailey.

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Hailey Sharp recently broke up with her boyfriend, moved to a new town, and opened a salad shop. She spends time with her favorite cousin and meets new friends including Wes Jansen. Hailey and Wes have both had disastrous love lives which leads them to thinking they can only be friends.
This book is a sweet slow burn romance where the main characters finally learn that there is always hope for a new romance.

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Thank you to NetGalley and St Martins Press for this ARC! This was a very cute and funny rom-com. I enjoyed the writing and the friends to lovers. My only complaint with this read was the slight miscommunication trope that it had and the MMC was a little infuriating at times, but he got better at the end.

This was my first read by this author, but I’d be interested in reading more!

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I really, really enjoyed this opposites attract, friends to lovers, dual POV, slow burn retelling of When Harry met Sally. Both Hailey and Wes aren't interested in anything more than friendship but as the months go by and they keep hanging out, sparks keep flying that increasingly have them wondering if something more might be worth a try.

As the oldest Jansen brother, Wes has seen his brothers find happiness in love but he's determined it's not for him even though he really hates seeing Hailey go on dates with other guys. I didn't love the third act break/misunderstanding in this one but the grand gesture at the end and epilogue really made up for it. I also really liked how the characters helped one another with their business goals/dreams (Hailey with her online website and Wes with his secret dream of videogame design).

Much thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for early digital copies in exchange for my honest review. I listened mostly to the ALC and was so excited when it arrived I had to drop all my other reading plans immediately! My only small quibble is that I wish this was an open door romance instead of a fade to black one.

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This was a good book I just found myself wanting more. More romance, more chemistry, I like a slow burn romance but I feel like this one didn't have a lot of pay off by the end. There was so much build up and then we barely got to see the couple together.
I did really enjoy the side characters and I'll continue to try out the books in this series.
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

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This was just alright for me. Nothing really unique or different. Normal rom com if that’s what you’re in the mood for.

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Dang i wish it would of said somewhere this was the third book , because it was a good slow burn but dang did i feel like i was missing ona lot I have gone back now to start reading the other two.

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"Sometimes we don't know who we are until we find the right person. The one that helps us see ourselves in a way we never did before."

A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan is the third and final installment in the Jansen Brothers series, but you don't need to have read the previous two to understand this one. I have not read the two other books, but Sullivan does a great job establishing the chemistry and love shared between the three brothers without forcing it, as well as providing backstory for the other two romances without sounding like she was summarizing Jansen Brothers 1 and 2. I will be going back to read about Chris and Noah though!

Summary:
Hailey needs San Verde to be a fresh start--literally. After leaving behind LA and her toxic ex-boyfriend, Hailey has opened her salad restaurant By the Cup in San Verde, California to prove to herself, and everyone in her life, that she can make it on her own. Sure, restaurants aren't the most secure ventures, but it's California, so everyone loves salad, and she knows hers are good. She gets to live near her wonderful cousin, Piper, and Piper's family, her store is right next to a delicious bakery, and despite her ex Dorian being a heinous human being, she still believes in love.

Wes is also new to San Verde. He's spent years living in New York under the thumb of his tyrant father, but after his two younger brothers, Chris and Noah, moved to California and found love, Wes followed close behind. The Jansen brothers are breaking free from their father's hate and are starting their own foundation, and Wes can do his investments and acquisitions from his computer at home. Wes may not believe in love himself--after all, he's only seen the hatred and destruction that follows--but he's happy for his brothers, and is ready to make San Verde is home.

When Wes and Hailey meet, it's anything but love at first sight. But as time passes, the two become fast friends, with Hailey's sunshine balancing Wes' realism, and Wes teaching Hailey how to accept help. Both have been jaded by love before, and have no desire to ruin their friendship with romance, so as a joke, Wes and Hailey create a guidebook to being just friends, complete with illustrations and silly rules. They have a routine, and each is helping the other feel more comfortable in their new homes. Love is not on the table. Not at all.
Or is it?

Thoughts:
This was a classic, cute romcom. Sullivan hits all of the beats, and it's clear that the formula she cracked with her previous two Jansen brothers works. I really liked Wes and Hailey together, and enjoyed how long they stayed friends before inevitably starting to date. Their friendship was so necessary for both characters personal growths, and I don't think the book would have worked without that foundation. I loved seeing them do the mundane--grocery shopping on Saturdays, playing video games together, making homemade marinara sauce--and I especially enjoyed how easily they fit with the other's friends.

My biggest problem with A Guide to Being Just Friends was how formulaic it was, which I've come to expect in romance books, but this one was particularly predictable. The Jansen brothers series reminds me a lot of Tessa Bailey's It Happened One Summer and Hook, Line, and Sinker; both use the same formula: meet cute that isn't actually cute, slowly become friends, sexual tension but refuse to cross that line, start dating after "the best kiss of their lives," one (usually the man) makes a mistake, they break up, big gesture, happily ever after. There's certainly nothing wrong with this formula--the same steps are followed in every successful romantic comedy movie--but after being spoiled by the likes of Emily Henry, I've come to expect more from my romances. My favorite romance books have substance beyond the love plot, and I didn't really see that in A Guide to Being Just Friends.

Nevertheless, this was a great romance to escape the world in and just feel happy. There were numerous "awh" moments, and a plethora of well-done tropes, including grumpy/sunshine, protective man, jaded man learns to love, and a grand gesture.

Overall:
I won't read this book again, but Sullivan hooked me enough to read the first two Jansen Brothers books, and probably anything else she publishes in the future. This was a quick, fun, romantic read, and was a great choice during finals week as a place to escape to for a few hours. I definitely recommend A Guide to Being Just Friends to anyone who loves a classic romantic comedy (both movies and books)! But be forewarned: you will crave salad and brownies the entire time reading this novel.

A Guide to Being Just Friends is being published January 16, 2023 by St. Martin's Griffin.

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Overall a cute read. Wes and Hailey are cute as a couple and it is a fun read. Very slow burn and sweet. I appreciated the writing style. I recently found out that this was the second book in the series but I don't think you need to read the first or read in order. However, I'd be interested in reading another selection by this author.

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I really adored A Guide to Being Just Friends! Hailey Sharp has just opened up her salad shop By the Cup, so she isn’t looking for any distractions; Wes Jansen is not a romantic and is tired of the dating scene—so after a confusing meet-cute, the two decide they’re over dating and they’re only going to be friends. These two are adorable. They’re fun and quirky, and I loved the grump/sunshine aspect of these two. Hailey is independent and determined and just a joy of a heroine, and Wes is sexy and charming. I loved their banter and how they fell into each other’s lives. The chemistry is just wonderful and addicting, and I was just really rooting for these two. This was such a fun conclusion to the Jansen brother series with some perfect classic rom-com vibes, including my favorite When Harry Met Sally. I loved these two and their Saturday night grocery shops, their sweet gestures, and their wonderful friendship. It’s a lovely, heartfelt rom-com I would highly recommend.

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⭐️⭐️⭐️
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Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!
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I don’t know why I’ve picked up three friends-to-lovers (my least fave trope lol) in a row but this one was cute!!! In A Guide to Being Just Friends, which is the third book in an interconnected standalone series, we meet Hailey Sharp, an independent business owner with a pension for sweets, and Wes Jansen, the eldest brother in his family, computer-nerd, and with a deep rooted fear of emotions. The two of them meet under unusual circumstances then decide to become friends, ONLY friends, since they both have had bad luck in the dating department.
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I really liked the premise of this story but I thought it was about 80-120 pages too long, there’s a lot of time that was skipped over which made the story difficult to follow at points, and the same conversations KEPT happening which honestly made Hailey a little unlikeable. All in all, though, this was fun and enjoyable. Would recommend if you like book boyfriends with deep pockets (who doesn’t), and friends-to-lovers. I’m tempted to read the first two books in the series, as I really enjoyed those characters here!

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A Guide to Being Just Friends is the third and final installment in the Jansen Brothers series. This can be read as a standalone, but I recommend reading the first two books for some insight into the secondary characters and backgrounds.

A hilarious meet-cute gone wrong leads to Wes, the oldest Jansen brother meeting Hailey, a restaurant owner who is fairly new to town. Neither one is looking for love, so they decide to write their "Guide to Being Just Friends." 😅 Unfortunately, I felt the slow burn was a little too slow for my taste in the first half of the book. The second half of the book redeemed itself though, making Wes my second favorite Jansen brother! (Chris will always be my favorite! 🥰)

Tropes: Slow Burn, Friends to Lovers

A special thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press & St. Martin's Griffin for this digital ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book comes out January 17th, 2023!

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What a fun read! I love a good romance novel. This one did not disappoint. I would definitely recommend it!

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A Guide To Being Best Friends
Sophie Sullivan

It’s always rough when you jump into a series and don’t know it until about a quarter in and they start introducing characters without really explaining how this group of of people know each other. That’s when you realize the how was mentioned in the previous books. But I can’t hold that against the author, that was my fault.

This novel I fell like had potential, it started out super cute with the mishap between Wes and Hailey, but some where along the line the line blurred and it just lost that initial spark it first has.

Wes and Hailey as individuals and so forth are super cute and likable. Nothing remarkable and memorable to make you swoon but still cute.

I felt the plot to be a bit blah blah blah, I wasn’t to connected to it and was bored often with it. With that said Sullivan did a great job at covering and plot holes up and ending this contemporary romance on a high.

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In the final book of the Jansen brothers series, a friends-to-lovers story gets a modern update with Hailey and Wes. Both focused on their lives outside of love Hailey and Wes meet in an abrupt passing - eventually resulting in a friendship that they both value. Not willing to give up the friendship they both struggle with what it means to be friends and what it means to be more.

I enjoyed the final chapter in this series but it took me a bit to really dive in. I was not sold by the story at first and had a hard time getting through the first few chapters but I am glad that I did. My favorite parts were the explanation of Hailey’s parents - who changed how she approached relationships but without the major traumatic circumstances that typically explain this behavior in this trope.

I also respected many of her reactions and the conversations between Hailey and Wes as they usually are blown off and not always examined in romance novels. It feels like a more grown-up friends-to-lovers story one where the two of them will live happily ever after because of a good foundation.

Overall, this book made me want to go back and read the other two books in the series. And it would be a great book for a fun girls' weekend away.

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Emotions can be a minefield, and sometimes it feels safer to lock everything down and close yourself off. Protect yourself, protect your heart, keep from getting hurt. Wes has this all figured out, and won't find himself repeating the terrible, wrenching, emotional divorce that he watched his parents go through. He meets Hailey, who just had her heart broken and is starting over in a new place. She means to focus on herself, on the new business she's started, and growing both. Neither wants a relationship, so they start hanging out with the understanding that they're just friends and that's it. Will they be able to stay friend-zoned, or will it move into something they can't control?

What a fun, but emotional read! I laughed a lot, teared up, and really identified with parts of both Wes and Hailey. Each character was likeable, and the story focused on all the right things to keep me engaged and feeling like I knew and cared about these people. I was invested in finding out if there would be a happy ever after for them.

This is a closed door romance, but the story was so engaging that I didn't feel like anything was missing. We got everything we needed in this story, and nothing we didn't. I would definitely recommend this book, and will be looking for the first two in the series so I can learn about Wes's brothers.

*I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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I was able to get my hands on A Guide to Being Just Friends early, and I am so glad I did! This a lighthearted, romantic comedy that anyone in the 2022/2023 dating field can relate to.
A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan is about a 20 something year old Hailey Sharp starting over. She broke up with her boyfriend, moved to California near her cousin, and started her own salad shop called “By the Cup”. As she is navigating her new business and her new life, she accidentally runs into a random man, Wes, at a coffee shop. Wes mistakenly thinks Hailey is his online date, and they have an awkward encounter. As you can guess, they happen to run into each other multiple times and strike up a friendship. They talk business, have weekly grocery shopping dates, and hang out with friends. Since Wes doesn’t want to fall in love and Hailey’s focus is her shop, they agree to stay just friends. As you can guess, it’s easier said than done!
This book is a perfect winter read that is quick and light hearted. There is a lot of business topics in the book with Hailey owning a salad shop and Wes being investments, which I really enjoyed since business has been a hot topic lately. This book is also SUPER relatable with what it means to be single in this time and how hard it can be to make it on your own. The only thing I did not enjoy was how predictable this book was. I was waiting for a bomb to drop or twist, but I predicted the end and entire story. 4 out of 5 stars for A Guide to Being just Friends!

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