Skip to main content

Member Reviews

Well, this was adorable! It had all of the elements - likable and relatable main character (Hailey moves to a new town and launches her own business--a salad shop called By the Cup--where she meets not-interested-in-love Wes and they strike up a friendship), and much more that made for an engaging and heart-warming romance. This was my favorite book in the series! Thank you, NetGalley, for the ARC! I loved it!

Was this review helpful?

I really enjoyed this book, which is third in the series. Hailey and Wes are just friends, figuring out a new city and new jobs and what they want to get out of life.. turned couple who have to overcome rough pasts and trust issues. I enjoyed the characters and storyline. I have read book 2, but need to go back and read book 1, because I have enjoyed these brothers stories!

Was this review helpful?

Swoony, warm, and entertaining. I loved A Guide to Being Just Friends. Hailey Sharp and Wes Jansen are the perfect characters for a really fun setting. I adored their dynamic, and thought this was such a warm, emotional romantic comedy.

Was this review helpful?

Hailey is starting over. She moves to a new town and opens a business. Wes also being new to the city also looking for a fresh start. Despite a not-so-smooth first meeting, there is something between Hailey and Wes, and they click pretty quickly becoming best friends, but only friends because that's all they need right now an uncomplicated friendship.
.
Sophie Sullivan is such an amazing author her characters are always so unique and grow so much throughout all of her books. so it was no surprise when I absolutely loved this cute book. Friends to lovers a top-tier best trope out there (if you ask me anyway) as well as dual pov in one book are you kidding me the perfect setup for a fantastic book. The slow-burn romance was perfectly done, it didn't feel so much like a slow burn because of how well developed the friendship aspect was written.
.
I literally cannot recommend this book enough, please go pick it up and read it when it comes out January 17, 2022

Was this review helpful?

This book was an enjoyable read. There are a few situations (and thoughts) between the main characters that really made me laugh. Sullivan develops a very close knit group of people that warms the heart. Of course, the storyline is very predictable and the feelings of the main characters happens so quickly that the thoughts and feelings become repetitive for the remainder of the book. Still, it is light, not too serious and a relaxing read.

Was this review helpful?

I found this to be an enjoyable read overall. I read it while on vacation, and it was the perfect type of book. It had enough depth in the character development to make me feel like I was reading an adult book and not one of my 8 year old niece’s “beginning to read chapter books” type of books. At the same time, it was total brain candy and I loved it.

The stubbornness of the two main characters was annoying at times but I got over that pretty quickly and continued rooting for them to find their way.

I read this as a stand alone book (not realizing it was part of a series) and was still able to understand and like it without knowing the full backstory.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC of a Guid to Being Just Friends.

I thought the plot sounded really cute and I was interested in the comparisons to When Harry Met Sally.

I found the story to be cloyingly sweet and each chapter redundant with the MCs primary hang ups being reevaluated without fresh takes. There was a mundane air to the shop plot and I just didn’t feel invested.

It was a pretty fast read and the banter and dialogue were cute.

Was this review helpful?

This book was such an enjoyable read. I loved the tension between these two characters. This was my first read from this author but I for sure would read another.

Was this review helpful?

3.5 stars rounding it up to four! okay i really really enjoyed the first half of the book, watching hailey and wes come together was so magical! i love a good friends to lovers trope honestly! however i felt that some things in the second half fell a bit flat- the storyline with wes protecting his brothers from their dad, hailey’s run in with dorian seemed rushed, the progress of enhancing the community center and i didn’t particularly love how hailey kept harping on wes having money. now its a romance book i am fully in it for that but i just wished some of the side stories were flushed out and the romance was a part of it. but i did really like the author’s writing style and the characters stole my heart from the start. i loved watching wes and hailey learn each other’s love languages and find true happiness through each other. overall it was a very cute read and i plan on reading chris and noah’s books next!

Was this review helpful?

A GUIDE TO BEING JUST FRIENDS is a perfect friends-to-lovers story. The romance is a sweet slow burn with a well-earned HEA.

Was this review helpful?

Thank you, NetGalley for granting me this arc!

This was about a 2/2.5 for me. I did not realize this was the third in a series (but can be read and understood as a standalone) and I, too, felt like there were waaaaay too many side characters.

What I liked was that the friends-to-lovers trope totally made sense and fell in line with Wes and his personality. I did like that they were friends, but I did not feel a strong connection between them at times. I think I needed more of them bonding. More show and less tell.

My other critique is that I did feel like the plot moved too slow for my liking. There wasn’t a lot driving the plot or enough tension between the two leads.

Otherwise, this is a sweet book and I wonder if I would have enjoyed it more if I read the first two in the series.

Was this review helpful?

Every relationship should start off this way. As a friendship and getting to know each other better. Hailey and Wes do a great job of supporting each other-as friends. What they can't seem to see is how and when to move on from that. Each of them has a past to get beyond. They seem to talk about everything else, but can't seem to do that. I am glad they figure it out.

Was this review helpful?

I didn’t not like it. Cute premise. Probably not a book that’ll stick with me, but it was a good book to pass time.

Was this review helpful?

This book was a fun read, and the cover is darling! Our main character Hailey has recently moved to open a salad shop and she had me craving a salad the entire book! She and Wes are a great match and it was a pleasure to watch their story unfold. I appreciated how intentional Hailey in particular was throughout the story, and I found myself rooting for the characters all the way through. I would recommend this to a friend for sure!

Was this review helpful?

A Guide to Being Just Friends was a sweet read. While I found myself wishing for a little more depth at times, I enjoyed myself. Reading this book was like watching a Hallmark movie - safe, cozy, feel-good. A cute book.
3 Stars.

Was this review helpful?

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 1/5
REVIEW:
Hailey is new to town running her salad shop when she meets Wes Jansen in an unexpected way. When they start to hang out for weekly grocery shopping trips and a movie, they decide to be just friends.

I admired Hailey's fierce independence but although it was a strength of hers, it was also a weakness. Same for Wes and his giving, protecting heart. It was a strength of his but could also be a weakness of his.

Falling in love with your best friend can be a beautiful and strong relationship. I love that this book showed how amazing it can be.

It wasn't until I reached the ACKNOWLEDGMENTS that I realized this is the final book in the series! 😂😂 Clearly it can be read as a stand alone book too.

I really enjoyed this book and will absolutely go back to read the other Jansen brother's stories.

Was this review helpful?

This book was really cute, and I had a great time just reading and enjoying it. It was lighthearted and fun!

Was this review helpful?

This was a really good read! If you like your romance novels filled with smut, this is not the book for you. BUT it has a really great story line and is one of the better romance novels I’ve read in awhile. The author did a fantastic job at developing the characters and the story line. Hailey and Wes have amazing chemistry the entire book, but are trying to navigate just being friends, until they don’t!! I’m not one for spoilers, so just give it a chance!!

Was this review helpful?

The Jansen brothers <3 <3 <3

Wes is the oldest of the mogul brother trio and the last to move from NYC to California out from their father's thumb. Hailey is trying to find her footing in this new town after opening up a salad by the cup shop.

After an awkward chance encounter they end up seeing each other again through mutual friends- they call a truce and decide maybe they should be friends since they're both new to the town. Since they've both decided to take a hiatus from dating they dive headfirst into a platonic friendship. Although, the slightest touches and Saturday night grocery trips give them each a sense of security yet excitement...they swear maybe that's just the beauty of being friends!

Hailey while strong and independent still believes in true love, Wes brooding and Mr.Fix-it-all swears he'll never find true love. After both doing some digging they find themselves along with each other.
The story of the last couple of the series is a sweet, slow burn friends to lovers, showcasing the special nature that a friendship turned relationship is built on steady ground. You know what they say! Your partner should be your best friend <3

I'll truly miss reading about this family as all the characters I've been invested in!!! I loved this book and the others in the series as well!

Thank you to NetGalley and Sophie Sullivan for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Was this review helpful?

Wow! This was a great read. I didn't realize that this was a part of a series, but I would say that it did not affect this story at all. This could definitely be a stand-alone. I love the character progression throughout. The story started, with what I thought to be very predictable, but I was pleasantly surprised with the twists that the plot took. There were times I thought I knew what was going to happen and I was wrong. I really liked that because it made me want to continue to read to see what was going to happen next. I'm kind of sad to know that this was the last in the Jansen brother series but I am so excited to go back and read the other two. I really felt true emotions for these characters as they were exploring new friendships or maybe more. I have to admit, the last few chapters really tugged on the heartstrings and I was not sure how this story was going to end. Tears were shed because I felt my heart shattering for this character because I felt like I knew them personally. I really love when a book can draw the reader in like that. I didn't realize how connected I felt until the tears were rolling. I think Sophie Sullivan is super talented with her words and I am pleased to say that she has a new fan. Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Griffin for the opportunity to read an ARC of this upcoming story!

Was this review helpful?