I read the hard copy but also loved the audiobook. I will start with that I did not know this was part of a series and I wish I had read the others first. I will definitely go back and read the others. The friendship that was show is so important and often overlooked in today's time when dating so I loved seeing that blossom into something more. Wes' feelings of families using love as a playing piece is often correct as well. Overall, I loved the story and seeing how Wes' brothers and their girlfriends loved and accepted Hailey too. That is such a special bond.

Hailey has just got her business, By the Cup, started and is focused on that. She recently had a bad breakup and is looking for a fresh start. Wes is tired of using apps to date and when he mistakingly thinks Hailey is a girl, Hayden, that he is supposed to meet who ended up standing him up, he realized he doesn't like dating. He wants to find someone to be friends with but, he does not want to fall in love. He has seen that it has been used as a pawn in his family. We tracks Hailey down to apologize for accusing her of being the girl who was standing him up, he realizes that he really likes her as a friends. They both know they don't want distractions or to fall in love, but they enjoy each others times.

This was a sweet, light and endearing read. When Harry Met Sally is one of my all time favorite movies, so I really enjoyed this reimaging. It's a dual POV with a slow burn. I loved watching Wes and Hailey's friendship build into something more. I apprecriated that the evolution to "more" felt authentic and wasn't rushed. The supporting cast of characters were charming and added another layer to the story. Light steam/closed door romance.

The audiobook narration was well done and made it very easy to listen to.

What a lovely conclusion to the Jansen brothers series !!! Wes took a little bit to grow on me, but overall he turned out to be great. Hailey was so mature and I loved how she ultimately stood up for herself when she realized her and Wes may not have been meant to be after all. As always, the brothers cameos were making me laugh ! I loved Noah’s sense of humor lol so this was amazing

A Guide to Being Just Friends (audiobook ARC) — 4 ⭐️

𝐏𝐮𝐛𝐥𝐢𝐜𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧 𝐃𝐚𝐭𝐞: January 17th, 2023

𝐁𝐫𝐢𝐞𝐟 𝐃𝐞𝐬𝐜𝐫𝐢𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧: When the dynamic ambitious duo Haley and Wes meet for the first time, it was anything but an adorable meet-cute, but with similar goals in mind, they were able to form a friendship. Neither is looking for a relationship, but who knows what happens when they start spending time together…

𝐑𝐞𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰: I enjoyed reading this next book in the Jansen Brothers series! The author’s writing style and short chapters keep me engaged, and I liked the character’s personalities. The narrators of the story really brought the story’s conversations to life. I appreciated Hailey’s ambitious personality, and seeing more of the Jansen family was so satisfying. At the same time, I’m so sad the Jansen’s brothers’ journeys have ended, but I’m holding onto hope that maybe the series will be continued... I guess we shall see. Regardless, I can’t wait for the author’s future stories!

Speaking of the author, I had no idea that she also writes under the name, Jody Holford! Did you?

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝 —
👀 Multiple POVs
🥰 Feel-Good Story
👩‍🏫 Ambitious MC
🔐 Closed Door Romance
💗 Friends to Lovers
🍽 Foodie Inspired

𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐢𝐟 —
🥗 You eat salads everyday
💼 You want to own a business
🎮 You’re a gamer
💍 You don’t need fancy gifts to be happy
🧘‍♀️ You enjoy doing yoga

𝐓𝐖: strained family relationships, divorce

Thank you, NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Macmillan Audio, for providing me an eARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Quick Summary: A love unexpected romance

My Review: A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan was a charmer. This sweet love story brought together a good guy Type A personality with a fool-me-once beauty who had been burned and was on high alert against a romantic entanglement.

Hailey and Wes were two scarred people who bore witness to relationships gone wrong. One person was a giver who questioned her ability to read people correctly, and the other person was an anti-romantic when it came to love. With that in mind, from their meet-cute forward, the two once upon a time strangers became the best of friends. Soon, however, things changed and feelings became unavoidable.

My Final Say: This audiobook was such an enjoyable listening experience. The main characters and their colorful tribe were endearing. Readers will enjoy getting to know Hailey, Wes, and all of their crew.

Rating: 4/5
Recommend: Yes
Audience: A
Status: Clean
Level: 🍡
Series: Yes

Appreciation is extended to the author, to the publisher, and to NetGalley, who provided access to this title in exchange for an honest review. The words I have shared are my own.

* A Goodreads review has been posted.

A Guide to Being Just Friends is a slow burn, friends to lovers romance that is filled with found family, entrepreneurship, salad, “follow your heart” moments, past trauma and of course…love. This was the third installment in the Jansen brothers series and was a fun/quick read. I did find the dialogue between the main characters to be quite awkward and that made it difficult to really connect/buy into the romance. Still a very fun read and I look forward to seeing what Sophie Sullivan come up with next!

Thank you to NetGalley for the publisher advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for this ARC! I enjoyed both of the narrators for this book, I thought they added a lot to the story. I loved the friends to lovers trope in this, but the miscommunication near the end didn’t work for me. This was my first book by this author, but I’d read more in the future!

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.