⭐️3,25

The love between the characters is what I'm looking for in real life. They were so cute and lovely together especially once they really got together. The jealousy scenes on 4th July was just amazing and what I needed. Though there are a couple of things that I didn't really like about the book.

First of all, I really liked Finn. Loved how obsessed he was with Maggie and how he thought about her every time he would look at her. You can literally feel his love for her. We know that the main characters met when Maggie was 15 and Finn 18, though I was a little shocked I didn't think anything about it, because they started with a friendship and got together 12 years later. I really didn't have a problem about it, because nothing weird was said or showed when Maggie was still. a minor, until Finn told her he loved her since she was 15. See, even though I really like when the characters have that "it was always you moments" and "I fell in love with you since we met", I didn't like it in this book because of the age difference. Though, people would say that they only have a three-year age-gap, I was still uncomfortable when he said that.

Another thing, I really didn't like when Finn acted the way he did when Maggie wanted to go and pursue her dreams. The fact that he wasn't really supporting her, because the job was going to be in another town, really made me angry. Especially, after we saw how Maggie supported him throughout his entire football career and when she helped him go through his difficult moment afterwards. I feel like the way he handled the news and the fact that she was thinking about taking the job was just selfish of him. Which is sad, because I really liked him.

One thing that bothers me with Maggie is the fact that she lacks communication skills. Every time there's a problem, whether it was with Finn or someone else she wouldn't communicate which was annoying. Besides that, I really liked her free-spirit, joyful and full of life character. She was amazing.

I feel like the story went a little too long and every time they were going to be together something had to happen, which frustrated me. But, I still liked it and still continued the book because I wanted to see Finn's and Maggie's happy ending.

I hope to have a bonus epilogue of just them enjoying their little life together with eventually kids?

This review will be posted on the release date of the book, June 27, on Goodreads

The book started with a playlist and that immediately got me in a jovial mood. Which immediately crashed and burned because the first paragraphs were about masturbation and the high number of plastic aides to that occupation. It didn’t bode well for the rest of the book, and unfortunately I missed the spark that a story sometimes has, that time when you’re hooked and cannot put it down.
I felt the writer tried too hard with the story. Maggie explaining that she wasn’t attracted to Finn. (You don’t need to spell it out when you’re not, you only explain it when you need to convince someone else.) The comparisons to having an orgasm and getting drunk, or wanting to hit the booze again, wet willies, twerking. Finn freaking out and doubting hosting a huge event at his bar. Him reacting all angry and unreasonable to Maggie’s job proposal and Maggie yelling in response. It all felt like teenagers having the urge to frantically prove they are hip and modern, and behaving insecure or irrational, instead of adults that are just comfortable in their skin and don’t need to prove their worth to anyone, having self-confidence and being steadfast regarding anything that life throws at you. I guess this book wasn’t for me.
I received and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Small town, friends to lovers romance.

I laughed out loud at some of the pranks and stories from Maggie.

I love that she’s a headstrong, free spirit who refuses to give up her dreams.

A little cringey spice but not unreadable.
Would be a great beach/pool read.

Thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for an ARC of this book.

Reasons Why Not to Date the Best Friend is the perfect little spicy beach reach!

Maggie and Finn have been besties since high school, and are absolutely oblivious to the fact that they are perfect for one another. That starts to change when Maggie gets offered a job that would be taking her away from not only Shell Grove but Finn too, and they start to realize their feelings for one another are not so platonic after all.

This was lighthearted and fun, and I loved every minute of Maggie and Finn's story!

📚Book Review 📚
Reasons Why Not to Date the Best Friend
by Melanie Munton
Pub Date 6/27/23

Maggie and Finn have been best friends since high school. They’ve supported each other through happy times and difficult times.

What everyone of their family, friends, and even neighbors in the small town of Shell Grove can see is that Maggie and Finn are made for each other.

Maggie is looking for adventure and Finn six willing to make that happen. But, when Maggie gets a job opportunity that is not in Shell Cove is when they both must face the truth of their relationship.

I enjoyed this beachy read. It’s a lighthearted, yet thoughtful read with some spicy romance scenes.

Thank you @netgalley @authormelaniemunton and Xpresso Book Tours for an electronic book ARC (Advanced Readers Copy) in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

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Spicy friends to lovers set in a small town.

Sea turtles, witty banter, friends to lovers and a Travis Kelce mention! What is not to love in this book. I really enjoyed Maggie and Finn's relationship as it moved from long time best friends into more than.
The author did a great job on the characters. Really showing their unique personalities. I want to move to Shell Grove and become Maggie's best friend to see and get involved in her shenanigans.
This would make a great beach read. A little spicy a lot of romance.

Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Finn and Maggie are best friends. They share everything with each other. They're blind to the fact that they're perfect for each other, even though everyone else can see it from a mile away. Maggie’s friends are all moving forward with their lives, and she's worried that’s she going to be left behind as their lives change.
So, when a once in a lifetime opportunity comes Maggie’s way, she seriously considers making a fresh start. She figures it's better to be the one leaving, rather than the one being left.
When faced with the possibility of Maggie leaving Finn begins to realize how much she really does mean to him and will stop at nothing to try and get her to stay. Will Maggie risk their friendship for something more or will she walk away from the roots she has planted for a fresh start?
Reasons Why Not to Date the Best Friend is a great summertime read that will have you rooting for Maggie and Finn from the beginning. The two of them are very different but balance each other out perfectly.
Maggie’s feelings of being left behind as her friends move forward was portrayed in a meaningful way. I love how they continued to rally and show up for her and were rooting for her and Finn. There were some parts of Maggie’s personality that didn’t seem to fit for me. There were several mentions of her being arrested more than once, but not many mentions of the details and how she was portrayed didn’t seem to fit that bad girl image. The contradiction wasn’t enough to change how I felt about the book, more of an observation.
I was a big fan of Finn’s character he was great! He had his own feeling of self-doubt and insecurities. And Maggie was always his biggest cheerleader in encouraging him to chase his dreams.
I was a big fan of Coors Light Carl, even though he was a minor character, but he provided a great lesson (I’ll leave it at that, no spoilers from me).
I was also surprised at the level of steam; it was a little more than I was expecting. I’ve been noticing that a lot more recently in romance novels.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC for providing my honest review.

OMG I loved this book!! I am a romcom loving reader so this book was right up my alley. I have not read this author's previous two books in this series but I will now. This book was set in a small town with the friends to lovers trope - one of my favourites! This book was quite spicy which was fabulous. The characters were likeable too.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Small town romance. Best friends to lovers.

Maggie and Finn have been best friends since high school. Now that all of their friends are getting married, Maggie is feeling a bit like a third wheel. So, of course, it’s the perfect time for an out-of-towner to make her a professional offer she can’t refuse. But with the possibility of her leaving, Finn starts to realize his feelings may be stronger than friendship.

FYI this one is pretty steamy 🔥🔥🔥🔥

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Watch for Reasons Why Not to Date the Best Friend to come out June 27, 2023.