Cute! I love a fun friends to more story. And Cole and Laila are just adorable and you can definitely see that they are the best of friends. The perfect start to any relationship! I loved how they knew each other so well that they could anticipate what the other was thinking or feeling. That's a gift to have in any relationship. But I will say that I had to suspense reality and my disbelief that these two have known each other their whole lives and are 40ish years old and this is the first time that they are realizing there is more to their feelings than just a platonic friendship. Yes, the author does put some thoughts in both characters' POVs about them brushing off those feelings and just staying friends but now with Cole getting ready to leave their small town, those feelings come rushing to the surface. So if you can suspend reality and your disbelief on those and go with the story, it is really cute and full of humor and great references that older adults will love! Gilmore Girls and many other tv show/movie references, and lots of celebrity references that those in their 40s+ will understand and giggle over. And hey, hopefully others who are younger will catch the references and will enjoy them as well!

The book opens with some sad news that builds up for Cole thinking about moving to NYC where his and Laila's best friends live. We get to go on an adventure in the Big Apple with these two and I loved that!

Content: There is a one bed trope moment that the main characters share a bed. Nothing happens but some looks and thoughts but the thoughts didn't get graphic. Some kisses but nothing further. Clean language.

I received a copy of the ebook from the publisher, Thomas Nelson-Fiction, via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions in the review are my own.

Happy Reading!!!

It’s rare to find a story where the characters are a little older, in this case around 40. It’s refreshing. I enjoyed seeing Cole and Laila’s amazing friendship although it was a little hard to believe that they hadn’t considered dating each other at some point in all those years.

The characters are memorable. It was fun seeing Brynn and Sebastian again. I like the quirky characters like the pta ladies. Small towns are amazing and I hope there’ll be more stories in Adelaide Springs.

This story is a lot of fun and I’d recommend it. Thank you to Thomas Nelson for providing me with a free e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

Very enjoyable story, just like a hallmark movie. I enjoyed this friends to more story. These characters are in late 30s + 40s, they have been best friends for ever, each other's person. when the rug gets pulled out from Cole his life turns on its head. One last birthday together and things shift. The usual things happen, it falls apart but seeing its obvious to everyone but themselves that they were meant to be it comes together for a HEA.
This is a sweet story nothing more than some sweet kisses. I was able to read the ARC and listen to the ALC. Audio was easy to listen to and was also enjoyable.

I'm going to be honest. This was very slow. I almost had to adana's but I pushed through because I wanted to see what happened and I was curious if it would pick up. It didn't pick up for me until about 50% of the way in. If you don't like childhood friends to lovers, this isn't for you. Also if you don't like very slow burns that have 0 pay off then this also isn't for you. If you enjoy love stories where almost 40 year olds act like emotionally stunted 20 year olds while realizing their life long friends may be the love of their lives then yeah you might like this.
One aspect of the book that I did enjoy was the countless mention of 90s sitcoms and romcoms. I absolutely loved that.

Thank you @netgalley and @thomasnelson for the ARC.

I liked the idea of this book, but after getting a quarter of the way through it and still not caring about what happens, I'm DNFing. I like the friends to lovers trope, but this one just felt like it dragged on and to be friends for your literal entire life to the degree that these two were and have the intimacy and proximity that they do with each other was unbelievable to me. For them to have coupled friends that are also in their late 30s and none of them have ever suggested anything more happens between Cole and Laila is REACHING. I talk about a boy once and my entire friend group thinks that he and I are about to start dating lol. I have no desire to read any more of this one and with as many ARCs as I have to get through right now, it just doesn't seem worth it to try to push through any further.

This isn't horrible, but it isn't great. I like them as friends but I guess I just didn't feel chemistry between them. I do think that part of the problem is that they should be about 10 years younger. The fact that they are 40 and acting this way just didn't fit, but what do I know.

I received an arc through netgalley.

A friends to lovers romance for Cole and Laila. I liked how it was told from both points of view and the characters from the previous book are in this story too.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own. Thank you ThomasNelson!
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I’m a sucker for childhood friends-to-lovers so I was absolutely the target audience here, but if that’s not your sweet spot, I don’t think you’ll like this one. It does have cute moments. Cole and Laila play tourists in NY while essentially completing a scavenger hunt of visiting many iconic places from classic rom coms—love that! It’s dual POV, which we also love of course. But it does change from 1st POV in Laila’s chapters to 3rd POV in Cole’s chapters, which I didn’t love.
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I’m normally down for a slow burn, but there was no tension building up and nothing really happens between them until around 85% in. For that reason, I’m calling it contemporary fiction instead of romance because there just wasn’t much romance. This is book 2, and the main couple from book 1 (Sebastian & Brynn Hate Each Other) do make an appearance. I had the same struggle with the writing style as I had in book 1. The internal monologue goes off on a long winded tangent to the point that I’d forget what was happening in the dialogue or at the start of the paragraph to begin with.
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While I don’t think this book is for everyone, I truly loved her books The Do Over and Plot Twist, and totally recommend checking them out!
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Another cute Bethany Turner book. I haven’t read Brynn & Sebastian Hate Each Other yet but I was easily able to follow along with this one.

Yes it’s predictable but Laila is so darn cute and it will have you smiling & rolling your eyes.

I loved the references to Friends and Gilmore through out.

If you love sweet, clean romances make sure to read Cole & Laila Are Just Friends.

Thank you NetGalley & Thomas Nelson for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Netgalley for this ARC.

Cole and Laila are nearing 40, codependent, and have been best friends their entire lives. When Cole’s grandfather dies the lack of communication starts up and Cole starts to have a midlife crisis he claims is not a midlife crisis. Somehow he finally realizes that there’s a possibility he might be interested in his best friend he’s never let himself like before, and chaos ensues.

This book was okay but as someone in their late 30’s also living in their small hometown, I had a really hard time believing their ages. Everyone I’ve ever known has already tried giving their best friend a chance by 30, and I think this story would be a bit more believable if they were ten years younger. It made me sad to think Laila was 39 years old and desperately in love with her best friend and had no other life outside of that.

This was a cute read. Turner has a witty voice that sparkles on the pages. Her characters are well developed, and I enjoyed the friends to more trope. Readers that love a good, clean rom com will want to check this one out.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from Thomas Nelson through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are my own.

I didn’t realize this was a spinoff???? Regardless, I did enjoy this read. 3 stars doesn’t seem like a lot but it is a higher rating from me when it comes to romcoms. This kind of reminded me of Happy Place, which is my favorite Emily Henry book, because the book takes focus on the characters’ futures and ambitions.

I just wish “I let out a breath I didn’t know I was holding,” wasn’t overused. It’s giving early 2010s fiction. It’s giving Wattpad Harry Styles fanfic. And I found Laila to be annoying at times.

If I’m being honest, the lack of communication frustrated me because these two supposedly share everything and have known each other since they could crawl. It also felt flat at times. Still, this might just end up being someone’s favorite book so take my review with a grain of salt. It really just wasn’t for me.

A delightful rom com with loveable characters, witty dialogue, and an interesting romance. The slow burn friends to lovers trope kept me engaged and the chemistry was sparking.
Many thanks to Thomas Nelson Fiction and to Netgalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed reading this romcom. It was witty and fun and very engaging. I'm usually not a romcom kind of reader but the synopsis had me intrigued. I adored these two characters and their connection. It was well written and held my attention from the get go. I also love the cover art. Overall, I will definitely recommend this book.

I absolutely loved this book!! Cole and Laila’s friendship was so special and I appreciated that Cole had never really thought of them being anything more. But the way he took care of her and knew every little thing made it so easy to see how he really felt.

Laila is probably one of my favorite characters and reminds me of myself in ways. I loved her positivity and just wanted to make sure Cole was always happy.

I had to laugh when everyone pointed out to Cole his true feelings - and then that grand gesture at the end! I truly didn’t know what he would decide but absolutely loved the way it all wrapped up!

Cole and Laila are just friends is a fun sequel in the romcom series set in the village of Adelaide, Colorado and it's as fun as the first book. I had started reading the book, but then switched to the audiobook, which I highly suggest as the narration is perfect with acting for Cole and Liala.
This is a story of friends to lovers with Cole and Laila who are in late 30's. I enjoyed the change in scenery to New York City and the comments in reference to pop culture, which the author is the queen of doing in her stories. Having books that have characters who are out of their 20's is welcoming to many of us, but I am always a little sad that their great love was under their noses, and they could have started life together much sooner.
I recommend this to all those looking for a funny beach read as I do all of Bethany Turner's books.
I received a complimentary copy thanks to NetGalley and Thomas Nelson, but all opinions are my own.

Oh my goodness. I loved this story. BASHEO was good, but Cole & Laila are even better. This is the story of two best friends who don't even realize they are in love with each other. I loved watching it unfold. It felt raw & real. Bethany Turner you hit it out of the park!

Quintessential Bethany Turner... 😍

I enjoyed getting to know Cole and Laila in "Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other" (BASHEO), so looked forward to returning to Adelaide Springs.

This story was a mixture of expected parts (great banter and dialogue, heartwarming characters, pop culture) and unexpected (this was not your typical BFFs romance! And there were a bunch of things which caught me off guard too). But the whole package was just what I needed to read.

I'm always fascinated by best friends to more romances. I often wonder how many ways a single "type" of story can go... and Ms Turner showed me a new way of going about this trope. I adored the love and comradery between Cole and Laila in BASHEO, and their friendship seemed even deeper and all-encompassing in this novel.

The romance between them wasn't really the focus in the first half (other "life stuff" was), but their friendship shone without the need for kisses. BUT! Once the romantic thoughts and eventual kisses hit those pages...? Um... 🔥🔥🔥

If you like small town romances, travelling to big cities, peeking into the lives of the "average Joe" and the one percenters, and love characters who'll wrap around your heart while chasing famous pop culture sights... this book is for you.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Cole and Laila are Just Friends by Bethany Turner is such a fun read! This book is for you if you enjoy the friends to more trope, great banter, humor, fun movie and TV references, and likable characters! I really enjoyed everything about this story.

I loved both Cole and Laila! Cole is the “always there for you,” “completely comfortable with” best friend. Laila is fun and spunky and I just loved everything about her. Their contrasting personalities made me love their relationship whether they were just friends or more. They were so compatible. Their first date was so fun and one of my favorite moments in the book! The humor was spot on. I also loved catching up with Brynn and Sebastian who were the main characters in Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other. If you haven’t read their story, while these are easily read as standalone’s, I recommend reading it first because you get to know the town and its residents.

I listened to the audiobook and the narrators were perfect for the characters! They added so much personality and fun to this story! I highly recommend it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own. This is a clean read. 4 stars.

Cole and Laila have been best friends since they were in diapers. They’ve never explored the possibility of being something more than “just friends” (shhh don’t tell them I used that term!). When life events turn Cole’s world upside down, the future of his relationship with Laila is inevitably going to change. Will it dissipate or will they finally let themselves fall for each other, romantically?

Cole and Laila’s relationship is tender, sweet, and loving. In the most platonic way. It’s surprising they haven’t attempted at a romantic relationship before this. While I loved the NYC storyline, I didn’t think their best friends needed to be ultra rich. It wasn’t imperative to the story and it may have been more entertaining if they weren’t rich. The way the author brought in all the sites of sitcoms and movies in NYC was super fun. I would have liked to see more romantic tension, kissing scenes, and sparks flying.