I want to start by saying that the authors writing was good and I love the HEA romance genre! However this book just didn’t do it for me and I ended up skimming chapters. It felt generic- two people who don’t believe in love, have parent issues, and are not the “typical” male/female who try to just be friends. Some of the banter was funny but I didn’t feel connected to any characters! It was a well written book just not for me! Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I LOVED this book! I didn't realize it was a series. Some of the names/storylines sounded familiar so I checked Goodreads and sure enough, I had read the first one! Unfortunately I missed the second but I added it to my cart before I even finished this one. This book was so cute! Like most rom coms, it was a bit predictable but I loved that, especially for a summer read-by-the-pool book. Thanks for the ARC!

Wow! I loved this even more than I can even put into words. This was the sweetest friends to lovers slow burn rom-com I’ve read in a while.

Hailey and Wes don’t get off to a great start. But Wes is a smart man and owns up to his mistakes. He’s a total grump and she’s definitely sunshine and happiness. I loved how different they are but still have so much in common. Hailey is no wimp either, she stands up for herself and doesn’t let life bring her down. I really admired that in her.

I loved the meaning of the title and how it was brought to life in the book. I can’t say enough good things about this. I highly recommend! (Especially if you’re a fan of Ali Hazelwood or Lucy Score.)

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

When Wes mistakes Hailey as his date, the encounter is nothing short of a disaster. Who would have known they’d eventually become close friends and then something more?

I thought this book was super cute. It felt a little like fan fiction to me and I was a bit disappointed they were like no spice in it (it was a fade to black situation) but the story was cute and I enjoyed the characters.

I loved the concept of Hailey’s salad shop: it was unique and fun and her need to prove herself and do things on her own was well written and consistent throughout the story. In walks Wes, stubborn and socially awkward, who wants nothing more than to help Hailey and preserve their new friendship to the point where he doesn’t even realize he’s fallen for her. I liked how his character was written but not a fan of the whole “computer geek is socially awkward” stereotype. Their love story was cute, loved the friendship beforehand.

Overall, a good read!

Kinda like when Harry met Sally...Strangers that became best friends who are trying to stay just friends but instead lovers. This was a beautiful love story and I couldn't put the book down.

I am so honored this book is the first one I get to review from NetGalley. A Guide to Being Just Friends had everything anyone could ask for in a book... I mean who doesn't love a dark haired and blue eyed, grumpy love interest or a sunshines and rainbows, quirky main character. Hailey was one of the most relatable main characters I have ever read. She's gone through some hard times, not only in her love life but also in her day to day life, and showed how she came out stronger in the end. She isn't afraid to speak her mind and doesn't regret her feelings, especially when it comes Wes, in regards to their friendship or the possibility of more.

This book is apart of a series but I didn't feel out of the loop or confused at all while reading. I think the only benefit of reading the other two before this one is the little excitement of seeing the past characters show up here and there. I am usually not a huge fan of "miscommunication" in a story and tend to get frustrated if it is dragged out too long, but Sophie Sullivan did a fantastic job of making it realistic and enjoyable. There were times I found myself laughing out loud because of something Hailey teased Wes (or his brothers) about. The conversations between Wes and Hailey were my favorite part. The teasing, flirty banter and easiness that flowed between them had me wanting more and more. I can't wait to read the other books in this series and the other work written by Sophie Sullivan!

Thank you St. Martin's Press and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this ARC and review it!

Hailey's salad shop was so much fun to read about. I often read stories that feature bookshops or bakeries, so a salad shop was quite refreshing and fun. I appreciated Hailey as a character––her resilience and determination to create a good and stable business––as well as Wes and his desire to do good and help people. I particularly enjoyed how both characters are surrounded by well-meaning, supportive, and helpful friends. Wes and Hailey’s slow burn romance might be the focal point of the book, but I think the connections between the protagonists and the supporting characters is where the book shines, personally; it has made me want to read the other books in this series, so I can learn how the other relationships came to be and how everyone truly connects!

Now onto the few things I wasn't entirely sold on. Hailey never wants to accept any help whatsoever, even if she truly needs it. Yet, she’s more than willing to spread herself and her own schedule thin and bend over backwards for other people; if someone were to do that (*cough* Wes *cough*) she would just end up mad or feeling like she has to defend herself because her pride is too strong. I understand the motivation behind making her character so strong-willed, but I wish she had been more willing to let people in and help her. Wes’ cynical view of relationships and his unwavering need to fix things can also get a bit tiresome too (I am often a cynic as well though, so I have to admit that I also appreciated it).

Additionally, how oblivious they are to their feelings for each other was starting to become boring. Wes and Hailey are so in their own minds that they constantly convince themselves they’re just friends and that is all they could ever be when clearly, reality was staring them dead in the face ever since they met in the bakery. I love slow burn romances (and this one is still no exception) but I wish the characters in these types of tropes and situations wouldn’t be so quick to dismiss an obviously strong connection for a large portion of the book. There was a lot of room for tension to be built and their walls to come down but in every instance like that, the situation got shut down so fast.

That being said, though, I think that these characters’ personalities really compliment each other. Where Wes is closed off and cynical, Hailey is sort of hopeful and slightly more open; where Hailey is more determined to find her own way of getting things done, Wes wants to help and be the problem solver. I really enjoyed this almost opposites attract thing.

Sullivan’s writing is very captivating and she fleshes out scenes and the motivations of the characters so well. I did really adore Hailey and Wes, and the entire book. I wish we had gotten more romance overall, but they had undeniable chemistry and banter from the start so I’m still very much content with their friends to lovers arc.

4.7
July was a horrible reading month for me and this book feels like a breath of fresh air, I absolutely adored it and can't wait for January so I can buy the paperback and fill it with annotations on my favorite parts.

This is my first time reading a book by this author and I am so thankful I did because I am in love with the way she writes.

Wes and Hailey made it into my top 5 friends to lovers, their friendship is so beautiful and the way they transition into being a couple is just perfect.

This book made me cry every five pages because of the way the "fights" they had were resolved so quickly because of how receptive the characters were to each other, how they validated each other's feelings and REALLY listened to each other's concerns, which showed a mature relationship!!! which sometimes is not so easy to find in books.

I loved the fact that there were no unnecessary problems that ruined the plot in this book.

The only reason I'm not giving it 5 stars is because sometimes the divorce of Wes's parents and how he protected his siblings got a little repetitive.

And now I just NEED to read the stories of the other two brothers!!!

(Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review)

In the third installment of Sophie Sullivan’s series about the Jansen brothers we read about Wes, a closed off workaholic who is afraid of love. To counterbalance his cynicism, Sullivan writes our protagonist Hailey Sharp as a happy go lucky restaurant owner (a cutesy salad shop) fresh off a breakup.

After a meet cute gone awry, Wes and Hailey become friends. Best friends in fact, as Wes begins to help Hailey with her business and Hailey gets to know the rest of the Jansens (and their significant others if you’re missing out on Grace or Everly from Books #1 and #2). Unsurprisingly this turns into an unrequited friends to lovers setup and some largely predictable third act conflicts.

Without spoiling more, I’ll say I did really enjoy this! This third book ranked just above the first and just below the second and is probably a 3.5 star read if I think about it. I generally liked both Wes and Hailey and found they had really good chemistry. With that said I found myself having some of the same issues I had with Sullivan’s other books. First, I don’t trust very rich men - even if they are masquerading as “self made” entrepreneurs and fictional. The Jansen brothers wealth is a huge subplot of this book and I just found it irking me quite a bit.

I also had a similar qualm with this book as Sullivan’s others in that the conflict was just a bit too complex for its own good. Lots of side characters and side plots coming together to create conflict for Wes and Hailey, which reminded me of the divorce argument from Ten Rules for Faking It. I think these books would do better with tighter stronger conflicts and by placing more emphasis on the romance. That is why I pick these books up!

Lastly and though this not something everyone will take issue with, these books are fade to black romances. Which while not a problem in itself has made it challenging for me to really invest in the love story.

All this to say, I think this book is fun! I think it’s an easy read (I read it in 24 hours) and I think it’ll fill the void in some readers hearts as they await the next Bergman Brothers book or installment in the Well Met series.

Thank you to St Martin’s Press and NetGalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review!

I was unaware that this book was part of a series before I received a copy. However, it was definitely enjoyable as a standalone for me. I liked Hailey and Wes' characters overall and always enjoy the friends to lovers trope in romcoms, especially when we get both perspectives within the book. Sophie Sullivan is an incredible writer, which is definitely also a bonus with the romance tropes. I'm going to go back and read the first books in this series now :)

Thank you for NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for the ARC of this book.

I wanted to love this book so bad. It falls directly into my category of what I love to read. Unfortunately, I couldn't bring myself to even finish this book. I tried so hard and got over half way and just couldn't push though anymore. I felt like I was sitting on an airplane that was moving to the runway, but never taking off. I really hope I can try again maybe after some time to reread this book.

I just don't think personally this book was the best fit for me. I would most likely recommend it regardless of my experience because I loved the Author's writing style. Her writing was very lovely to read and I enjoyed how she put her all into her book. Like I said I hope that in the future I can give this book a better review. If you're looking for a Grumpy/Sunshine book this one is one you should consider. Please don't let my review detour you from a book you may end up LOVING. I do believe that if I were to give this book another chance in the future I will for sure need to read the others in the series.

read Sophie Sullivan’s other books and enjoyed them, but this one was easily the best!

Wes was intriguing. There is someone dear in my life that has similar “quirks” and it was wonderful to read a story about a character like this that finds not just love, but a very best friend. I think that the “reason” for why he wasn’t interested in “love” was not a very good one, but it still worked. The banter between brothers was cheesy with a few glimpses of funny. Sophie is improving in this area and I look forward to her continuing to do a good job with conversations between characters.

As far as the plot, I think the constant talk about the shop and different salads was a bit redundant. We get it, she makes “different” salads. I loved the “friends to lovers” trope. It was well done. How they met was cute and really helped get the book started.

I can’t wait to see where she will go now that the Jansen brothers story is over!

Apparently, this is book 3 in a series. Neither NetGalley nor Goodreads had it listed this way so I didn't realize that when I requested it. As a result, some of the characters weren't fully developed. I think if I had read the first two, I would have appreciated their personalities a bit more.

Nevertheless, I did enjoy this book. It's basically a Hallmark movie come to life. It's a classic grumpy-sunshine trope and it's super cute.

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for this ARC!

This book was pretty slow and boring in the beginning, but as I read more and more I found myself opening my mind up to who the characters were. There were funny moments, tense moments, happy moments, etc. but I found myself relating to Hailey. Overall, I probably wouldn’t buy a physical copy for my own because 1. I already read it and 2. It’s just not even in my top 15. But it was a quick read!

Thank you Sophie Sullivan and St. Martin Press for this opportunity! This book is set to release on Jan. 16 2023.

Hailey, fresh out of a relationship, has come to San Verde to reset. More importantly to open her own business. After wes mistakenly IDs her as his date, they get off on the wrong foot. Wes’ family loves her salads and he figures he is going to be around hailey more and must apologize. When he does, Hailey accepts and determines that they should be friends. Eventually Wes suggests a guide to just being friends. This is an adorable love story and although I haven’t read the other Jansen brothers stories I will be soon!

Quotes:
life without cookies is just dumb-Hailey
I’m enjoying exactly this place in life-Fiona

What I loved: Taylor swift references. Hands down makes a book 100x better when there is a reference to the great Taylor Allison Swift.

Thank you to St. Martin’s publishing group for my ARC! I loved reading Wes and Hailey’s story!

This was a really cute book. I enjoyed the story and liked the development of the friendship of the two main characters. I enjoyed the side characters and may decide to go back and read the books that involve them. It was a sweet story overall. It dragged a bit towards the 2nd half but otherwise I enjoyed the story.

Part of a series that incorporates characters from (I presume) earlier books. I liked the characters of Hailey and Wes and felt they had a good dynamic. I did appreciate that Wes was the hopeless romantic, though. It was an extremely slow burn, but it was fun once they realized that they had feelings for one another. It was a cute read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

A Guide to Being Just Friends is a contemporary romance focused on a friend-to-lovers where the two main characters strike up a friendship while trying to avoid romantic entanglements. Hailey is working on growing her salad shop and Wes is working with his brothers to expand their many profitable business ventures. Hailey recently got out of a terrible relationship and Wes is failing at finding an acceptable date because his parents' marriage messed him up. So they both have their baggage and are determined to be just friends. And of course, it doesn't work.

I think readers who like low stress and close door romances will enjoy this. The plot is a straight line and easy to follow, and it's not subtle about its connection to When Harry Met Sally. I also liked how Hailey created new female friendships as the story went on. It's a good read for anyone looking for a nice, cute story.

I would have liked to see more complexity though. I felt like the Hailey's personal growth was limited, whereas Wes was expected to make more significant changes. I would have like to see Hailey be less transactional about her relationships (there is so much discussion about owing favors that it got had to track) and less intense about by the difference between her and Wes's financial status. I also would have liked to see Wes develop and grow more about his passion project. I liked his brothers, but the repetition about their love status became tedious. Most of all, I didn't feel the intensity of the connection the way that it was described, especially with how the story unfolded.

Looking for a fresh start after a bad break-up, Hailey moved to a new city and opened a to-go salad business. While visiting the bakery next door, she meets Wes who thinks she’s his date and is standing him up.

After a string of not-so-great dates (and stand-ups), Wes has decided to get out of the dating pool. Having relocated to California to work with his brothers, Wes is no stranger to love. His two younger brothers have fallen head over heels for their respective girlfriends, but Wes doesn’t think it’s for him.

When Hailey and Wes run into each other again they immediately hit it off and realize that they can be friends without dating. Easy right?

I have so much love for the Jansen brothers. Sophie Sullivan has hit it out of the park with her third book in this series! If you’re a sucker for the friends-to-lovers trope then this one’s for you. I loved how driven Hailey was to grow her business and be successful, but wish she had the ability to let others help her with a little more ease. Overall, this was a fantastic read that I am sure I will be coming back to again!

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

“It isn’t because you weren’t enough, Hailey. It’s because I’m terrified you would become everything.”

A Guide to Being Just Friends is a cute slow-burn, friends-to-lovers contemporary romance book. I went into this one not knowing that it was a part of a series and, maybe, if I had read the first two books, this one would’ve been better for me. I found the characters to be a little lacking in depth, despite the first half of the book basically being character insight, and it made it harder for me to zone into the book.

Hailey and Wes’ relationship was simply cute, but I couldn’t always feel like what they had was a real connection. I loved when they went grocery shopping and the scenes involving the video games! Some of the things Wes did and said were almost top-tier, but it seemed like the best parts were almost all before they started dating… If there were more cute scenes like when he made up an acronym while texting her even though he said he hated them, WHILE they were dating, it would have made their relationship a little more believable.

Another thing to note is that the book is about the guide to staying friends, yet it was barely even mentioned in the book? I would have loved it if the guide slowly went from staying friends, as it was supposed to be, to somehow showing that they were the right person for each other, romantically.

In my opinion, this book would have been better set for a young adult audience. I enjoyed the themes present and the friendships made, but it was difficult trying to see what made this an adult book. The ideas of being independent and taking risks could be catered more toward younger romance readers. Although it isn’t necessary, the lack of spicy scenes, also, made me think this was a book for teens.

Overall, this was a cute, but basic read. I’m giving this one a 3.5/5 ⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!