This is everything you could want in a rom-com.....adorable characters with relatable flaws, witty banter, romantic angst, and full-on LOL moments. A Guide to Being Just Friends is the classic tale of two people who form a friendship that they both desperately need, only to discover that it is morphing into something much, much more, yet the story is told in such a way that it feels fresh. It is so easy to become immersed with the lives and emotional struggles of these characters, and it leaves you wanting more. Thanks to @NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the fabulous opportunity to review this new classic. It will definitely be on my list to recommend!

I fell in love with both of these characters immediately. Both Wes and Hailey posessed characteristics that I could so closely identify with and struggle with on my own. The book itself was beautifully written and for being one huge miscommunication trope, it is done so artfully that you completely understand how and why it happens.

Thank you to St. Martin’s Press and Net Galley for a free copy of the ebook in exchange for an honest review.

Sophie Sullivan is another author that has been on my TBR for ages but I haven’t had a chance to read until now. After reading this, I can’t wait to check out her other books!

Hailey has moved to a new town in California and she has opened her own business. While grabbing coffee one day, Wes mistakes her for a blind date that stood him up and the rest is history. They become friends but they both start developing feelings.

I thought this book was so cute and I loved their banter. I struggled a bit with the monthly jumps but enjoyed seeing the relationships develop. This is another book that had top notch pop culture references. I got similar vibes when I read Josh and Hazel’s Guide to Not Dating, which I also very much enjoyed. Check this out when it comes out in January!

I was given the opportunity to read this ARC by Netgalley and St. Martin’s Press and I’m so thankful! This was a great friends to lovers slow burn story. It was closed-door steam, which isn’t typically a favorite of mine, but I can overlook it for a strong story premise.

Hailey after a bad breakup has moved out of LA and has opened a salad shop (honestly, made me want all the salads) and made some friends with local shop owners and a radio DJ in the area. She was introduced to Wes through these new friends and they immediately hit it off, though neither want a relationship. So they form a friendship and learn to trust each other until they can’t ignore their feelings for each other anymore.

While they’ve earned trust, they both still have issues giving totally in to what they’re feeling and how they approach issues. The conflict felt realistic and believable and they communicated well with each other, even when they didn’t agree.

This was a fabulous story and it was the last in a stand-alone series, I’m going to have to go back and read the others now too.

This was a very enjoyable and nice read! I found the main characters very likeable and loved every moment of this book.

I absolutely loved this story! A fun read, one I definitely didn’t want to stop until I was finished!
I found the characters all to be like people I would have in my own life, very relatable! I was sad when it ended, there could definitely be a part 2 or 3, and I would definitely read them! Highly recommend this one 😊

I LOVED it. I'm talking stay up late, wringing hands, nail biting loved it. The teaser compared it to When Harry Met Sally and that was spot-on.
I did not realize that this was the third book in the Jansen brothers series, and read it without the other two. The way it reflects on the other two relationships is so sweet, and I got enough context that I didn't feel like I was dropped in the middle of the action. It wasn't until I read the author's acknowledgment page at the end of the book that I realized there were other books.
The friends-to-lovers arc was wonderfully constructed, and the characters were so sweet while being realistic, as well. I like the dual POV, as well. The brothers' dynamic was funny and warm, too.

When I started this book I had no idea that this was the third book in the series, but the author does such a good job of introducing the past characters that you don’t feel left out from their stories. With that being said I will definitely be checking out the first two books in this series.

This is a dual POV story about our main characters Hailey and Wes. Hailey just got out of a bad relationship and is starting over by opening her own salad shop By the Cup. Wes has recently moved from NY to CA to be with his brothers and to escape their toxic father and continue their family business. Wes doesn’t believe or trust in love and Hailey has found it best to only rely on herself. When the two meet during a chance encounter they both feel a spark, but decide what they both really need is a friend… NOT a relationship. Thus the Guide to Being Just Friends is born.

I really enjoyed this book. I loved Hailey and Wes and how genuine their friendship felt. This was the perfect slow burn romance which I am so happy did NOT include my most hated trope ever… miscommunication!!! Both Hailey and Wes were upfront with each other at all times, especially Hailey. Hailey was a badass boss lady and couldn’t help but constantly root for her and her success.

This was definitely a feel good read, and I honestly have zero negative things to say about this book.

I was sent a free book and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sophie Sullivan for this ARC!

First of all, thank you to @netgalley and @stmartinspress for this ARC!

I had not read any Sophie Sullivan books prior to this so I was going in blind. My thoughts might not be the same as others who have read this but I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

I felt like the early interactions between the main characters felt ... Teenager-ey and they're not. They're 2 individuals who are both strong willed business owners. I felt like the book went back and forth a bit on the writing style. They had cute back and forth banter at first but then that stopped about a 1/3 in. There were time lapses between the chapters that you'd realize happened after a paragraph or so into the chapter but then a few chapters had the month listed on top of it (didn't make much sense to me).

And there was a plot hole left open on the guys dad? What happened with that whole situation? Or did I miss something? 🤔

I really really wanted to like it because it sounded just like something I'd read. But I was honestly not giddy at the end of the book like I typically feel when a book gets it's happy ending.

Maybe I'm just being harsh?

I really enjoyed the background of Hailey as a character, I feel like it helps to understand where she is coming from throughout the book. The actual feel of the town that Hailey worked in was great, I felt like I could really see the strip of stores. I really loved how Wes was grumpy at the beginning of the book and the scene in Tara’s coffee shop was pretty funny. I enjoyed the background on Wes as well and felt like it was again, understand where he was coming from in different situations. The first grocery store scene was so cute. I did find it frustrating that it took so long for Hailey and Wes to figure it out, I don’t think I have wanted a couple to be together more. When Wes didn’t say I love you back I was floored. There was a weird story that never got brought up again - Tara telling Hailey a different day for the meeting? I would have enjoyed more steamy scenes as well.

A Guide to Just Being Friends
Sophie Sullivan

Genre: Romance
Published: 2023
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 5
Recommended: Yes!

Was pleasantly surprised by this book. I didn’t love the other Sophie Sullivan book I read (How to Love Your Neighbor), but this one was much more enjoyable! Slow burns are one of my favorite tropes in romances and this book delivered that with Wes and Hailey’s story.

*I received this book as an ARC from St. Martin’s Press and #NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so very much for allowing me to read and review!*

This is a cute and unique romance novel. I loved the complexities of the relationship and the twists it took. It really shows the impact past traumas and experiences can have on future relationships and how we can learn from and grow despite our pasts. I did not realize this was part of a series, because it completely works as a standalone. I will definitely have to check out the previous books now. I would recommend this book if you are interested in teasing banter and slow burn romances, but with fade to black romance scenes.

(4/5)
Disclaimer: I didn't know it was the third book in the series, but you can read it as a standalone and I appreciated the found family aspects of the novel itself and it compelled me to read the other two and I'm quite excited to pick them up and see the other brothers stories, since they all have very dynamic personalities.

Synopsis: Hailey Sharp is starting over in a new place after a bad breakup with her ex and she opens a salad shop, which is her dream. After an awkward encounter with Wes, the two end up hitting it off and become genuine platonic friends who support each other through all sorts of various scenarios and life circumstances. Initially neither of them are looking for anything more so they fall into an easy rhythm, but what happens when feelings arise and complicate that?

This might be one of the cutest friends to lovers I've ever read. I tend to be generally skeptical of friends to lovers, because I have a hard time believing they were actually friends, but this book absolutely convinced me of their friendship and their relationship. Some people are meant to be in your life at a particular time and this book proved it for me. If you don't enjoy the spicy novels and just want the fluff and the slowburn of a good friends to lovers I'd highly recommend this book. It made me have little butterflies and I really connected to all of the characters. It has dual POV and Wes is an absolute sweetheart, he watches all the rom-coms with Hailey, they go grocery shopping together, he buys her the thing she wants that is too expensive (as he should!) and he makes cute drawings and is talented at video games and he makes all these things for her and it really reminded me of the things you can do to show appreciation to someone who you admire and love. It was a really easy read, the characterization of Hailey was accurate in my opinion - she is someone who is mistrustful of men and their intentions (understandably, she literally moved to be away from her ex and start over) and because of that and her desire to succeed on her own she does not want to accept help from anyone else. I can sympathize with that, the desire to prove that you've made it on your own and that people are there for you and are not going to throw money at a problem at hand.

Also, this book scratched two weird itches in my brain: firstly it made me crave a salad (which is a miracle in itself, I'm the most unhealthiest person ever) and secondly it made me feel like I was playing the sims or those restaurant games with the shop openings and you're rooting for Hailey to succeed financially and her shop to do well.

I will post a shortened review on instagram, likely in 3-5 days!

Special thanks to netgalley, St. Martin's Press, and Sophie Sullivan for the ARC copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. The book itself releases January 23 2023!

Nice little friends to lovers read for a cute comfy read. I would have liked a little bit more spice but that’s personal preference. I do read all genres so it doesn’t take away anything. I loved the sass of the main female character And the depth of the friendship between these two the way they cherished each other as friends was beautiful and made their relationship that much more amazing.

I LOVE friends-to-lovers romance. It's without a doubt my favorite trope. So, this book had me hooked from the title and concept alone, and it didn't disappoint.

I read TEN RULES FOR FAKING and HOW TO LOVE YOUR NEIGHBOR previously, and it was such a joy to continue to see these characters' worlds and the love present - platonic, familial, and romantic - in their stories. Hailey's a salad shop owner and Wes is a tech guy and when a totally awkward meet-cute has their paths colliding, neither is looking for love.

What I really love about this book is that it shows the power of their friendship as well as their eventual romance and really shows why they cherish each. It's laugh-out-loud funny throughout, sweetly romantic always, and the author knows just when to sneak up and hit you in the heart.

All in all, this is a lovely, enjoyable book that brings back fan-favorite characters and has you falling in love with heartwarming new ones.

An enjoyable and fitting end to the Jansen brothers!

Even though one goes until this novel knowing the “just friends” concept will fall apart, reading about Hailey and Wes building a strong foundation first was lovely

I have not finished the first book in the series yet, and I would advise other readers to tackle them in order. I felt like I was missing some key background on Wes and how the brothers ended up breaking away from their father.

Thanks NetGalley and St Martin’s press for the chance to read this one early! Pretty cute little read :) 3.25 stars. I loved the sweet characters and really rooted for Hailey, with her bravery and spunk. The story was a little slow at times and kinda choppy, but overall a wholesome silly-grinning read!

Picture a meet cute gone horribly wrong, when our leads meet and get off to a rough start. This book delivers with great banter, points of view from both leads Hailey and Wes (which I always love), great friendships and more. Perfect if you love friends to lovers trope with a slow burn. This is the third book in a series but can be read as a standalone. I will definitely read the first two to catch up and get to know the other related characters.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Sophie Sullivan for gifting me an early e-book arc in exchange for an honest review.

So the plot/trope here is pretty obvious due to the title. Friends to lovers isn’t my favorite but when it’s done right, it can be amazing. This was my first time reading this author and I liked her writing.
Couldn’t really relate to Hailey on much but really liked the idea of ‘By the Cup’, had me craving a salad. Wes was not my favorite after he was super rude to Hailey when they first met and his daddy issues were ..boring. I liked the slow burn but when they finally got together it fell flat for me. Maybe this isn’t my trope?

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

A cute story of Haileh and Wes. Hailey owns a salad shop and meets Wes. They become friends and decide to have a guide on how to just stay good friends. Feelings grow and they have to work out how to tell each other their feelings. Some other storylines follow on in the story relating to the main characters families and careers. Overall a cute read. It was just a little bit long and wanted a little bit more of the romance bug recommend for a fun read.
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martins publishers for the advanced cop of this book.