I really wanted to like this book. I was hooked by the summary and proposed storyline, but it fell flat. Really flat.

Cole and Laila Are Just Friends follows the storyline of Cole and Laila as they navigate a new chapter in their lives. It follows your average Hallmark plot; unfortunate disaster, opportunity for a life changing event, conversation that changes your perception of someone you knew, and then everything gets tied up with a neat little bow at the end. The main characters and their friends are in their late 30's, early 40's and have known each other their entire lives. Yet, from the way they behave and interact, they act a if they are in their early to mid 20's and have the communication skills of people who are in college and still developing their friendship. I do not understand how people who have know each other their entire lives, and consistently comment on how intimately familiar they are will each other - for almost 4 decades - manage to lack the communication skills to be openly able to discuss if they have ever had feelings for each other.

While I struggled with the relationships between the characters, I really liked Cole on his own. Without giving too much away, I applauded him for being able to work through his grief and be willing to take the opportunity to move to New York City when he had never lived outside Colorado. He had a lot thrown at him and was willing to change gears when more unexpected changes came up. That being said, I hated Laila. From chapter one, I could not stand how Laila treated Cole and interacted with him. She lost any hope of getting back in my good graces when she berated Cole for seeking an opportunity in New York City after he had lost someone dear to him because she did not want him to leave and thought he was being irrational. She then followed him across the country with the objective to make this the worse experience she could - and her friends were ok with that. No one thought about how he might be feeling or dealing with his grief and how they should be supporting him and what he may want and need rather than just trying to keep him where they are comfortable. All in all, Cole deserved much better than his friends and I wish he would have had the opportunity to meet other people in New York even is he ended up moving back home in the end.

While I liked the general storyline, I struggled a lot with the writing. The way the characters were written make them seem like ignorant young adults in their 20's rather than individuals who are in their 30's and 40's with careers and life experience. I listened to the audiobook version and found myself picking up on a lot of filler words that while they did not necessarily take away from the story, they did not add anything to it either. The only way I can really explain it is when you are writing an essay or something, but instead of having a maximum number of words, there was a minimum number of words needed to complete the assignment. I also struggled with the amount of references in the book and the amount of times random details (like the location of Taylor Swift's home) were referenced in the book. I did enjoy some of them, especially those that referenced Cole and Laila's friendship from their younger years, but I found myself getting frustrated by the excessive amount of pop culture references.

I would like to thank the NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for providing me with this ARC edition in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 Stars - rounded to 4 Stars

Cole and Laila have been best friends for over 30 years - but have never considered being more than "just friends" - or at least never talked about it. When Cole's life gets upended and he decides to move to New York for a job, everything gets a little bit "complicated". Could Cole and Laila be more than just friends or is it a recipe for disaster?

This was such a fun and cute rom-com! It was a super easy and quick read making it an ideal summer beach read. It was fairly predictable - but in a good way! The characters were super likeable and relatable. This is my first Bethany Turner experience but it definitely will not be my last!

The audio narration was great making this an all-around enjoyable listen.

I stopped caring so I'm stopping the book. I don't know if this was 100% the book's fault, but this wasn't grabbing my attention at all. Cole and Laila are supposed to be lifelong best friends, but I didn't feel anything about their relationship - and the fake dating element fell flat too. They didn't have any romantic tension to pull it off. And I know this is just set in the same universe as another book from this author and it's not technically a companion. but Brynne and Sebastian are so heavily featured and I felt like I was missing something having not read Brynne and Sebastian Hate Each Other.

4.5 Stars

Friends to lovers
#MiddleLifeRomance (MC's are about to turn 40)
Bumpkins in the big apple
Everyone else sees the thing going on but the two fools in love.

Well paced.
Low to no heat

I really liked the platonic love that these two had for each other. They knew they were codependent by choice and they knew entirely how much they meant to each other. They however were terrible as realising that they either had to live happily together or unhappily with other people/alone. Everyone around them knew their feelings and seems genuinely shocked that being in love had just never occurred to them.

I loved the 2000's rom-com references and vibe this book oozed.
I will 100% be seeking out more books by this author.

I listened to the Audio of this book and the narration was fantastic. Both narrators were new to me and did a fantastic job.

I really enjoyed this read - it’s my first from Bethany Turner and won’t be the last! This novel is about 2 friends - best friends - the kind of friends you hope to have in your life. Cole and Laila know each other best - when to leave each other alone, when to stay, and when to make chocolate chip pancakes. But when tragedy strikes for Cole, his whole world is turned upside down and that includes how he views his feelings for Laila.
I love these characters and I love Cole’s ideas for Laila’s birthday (ya have to read it to find out!). Who doesn’t love a good story set in New York (at least for part of it)? It’s well written and heartfelt and witty at all the right times. Highly recommend.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This was adorable! It is obvious that they are not just friends, but it is so much fun watching them figure it out! They are both so kind, lovable, and sweet! I loved seeing Bryn and Sebastian back too! Here’s hoping for a third book!

Thank you to Bethany Turner, Harper Collins Christian Publishing, and NetGalley for an eARC of Cole and Laila are Just Friends!

This book is a super cute, wholesome rom-com. Cole and Laila are an adorable duo who have a lot of chemistry and the author does a great job incorporating funny little anecdotes about their antics growing up. There were a few laugh out loud moments and plenty of smiles from me as I listened to the book. I was a bit taken aback, but pleasantly surprised, when I realized the characters are around my own age! (I'm 36). Most rom-coms deal with people in their teens or mid-to-late twenties, but the author did a great job capturing the grown-up-but-honestly-am-I? feel of this age!

While I did enjoy the book for the most part, I found the ending a bit anti-climactic. I was definitely rooting for the couple, but felt like the readers were left hanging a bit. An epilogue would have been great to wrap everything up and show the reader where Cole and Laila are a few years down the line.

There was no spice in this book (see: Harper Collins Christian Publishing lol) so if you come to rom-coms for the spice, this book is not for you. Overal, though, this is an awesome feel-good book and I would recommend it for anyone who needs a pick-me-up! A great summer beach-read for sure!

One of my own personal tropes is the friends-to-more, so it always holds a special place in my heart. However, it can be a precarious position to be in because once that line is crossed, if the relationship doesn’t fly, the friendship may be ruined. I thought this author did a great job balancing this situation.

I listened to this story and loved both the male and female narrators. It was so sweet to watch them give each other space with no pressure, while trying to understand newfound feelings that didn’t even have a hint of discovery until the characters are in their 40s. Unbelievable? Maybe. Fun? Definitely.

I’m also down for celebrity references with swoon and humor and this one delivered in those aspects. I feel like this would be better enjoyed as a companion to “Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other.”

Content: one bed, kisses only

I really enjoyed the narrators for this audiobook. I thought they did a great job with the characters.
I did enjoy the story as well. I do wish that I would have gotten to see Cole and Laila in the future... even if that was a year or 10 years. I wanted to see more of their journey!

I like light predictable novels at times. It's calming. This was one like that. I did not get into this book as much as others, but I liked it.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

Really cute romance with the most lovable idiots as the main characters. Its the perfect friends to lovers, with a side of confusion. I honestly really love how oblivious they were, and i love even more how both of them are willing to give up everything for each other anyway. Really realmy good. Its fun, well written, and a quick read.

The narrators are both really good, and i love their combination. Really recommend the audio as well.

Thank you to netgalley and the author for sending me the book in exchange for an honest review

Loved it!

When you need a story that will make you laugh, smile and swoon, this is the story for you. I liked the banter between Cole and Laila. It was fun to watch. The variety of charaters and personalities was solid.
Bethany's writing is always entertaining.

Still getting into audiobooks, and this one was a winner. A great lighthearted read perfect for those summer days at the beach!

This was such a good transition between Brynn and Sebastian and Cole and Laila. The love story was very friends-to-lovers and highly nostalgic of New York.

A romcom for the ages! This is the epitome of the friends to lovers trope! Such a fun read with amazing tension. I'd been craving a perfect love story without smut and Cole and Laila Are Just Friends delivered!

Cole and Layla have been friends forever. It takes a possible move across the country to make them realize they may not see each other day to day. Which made them question if it was only a platonic friendship all these years. Pretending to go on a first date with one another made them realize they just might not know everything about one another. They’re at an impasse with Cole needing to leave and Laila having to stay. This was a cute story with cameos from Sebastian and Brynn from the previous book playing matchmakers. The narrators did an excellent job. Thank you to NetGalley for this advanced copy. I’m leaving this review voluntarily

Cole and Laila are just friends , are two friends who are really more but don’t want to become more and lose their best friend.

This relationship just didn't do it for me, in transitioning from friends to more than friends, but I love al the chracters around it and like the first book in the series.

"Cole and Laila Are Just Friends" by Bethany Turner caught my eye with its friends-to-lovers premise, but it didn't live up to its potential. The main characters, Cole and Laila, came across as immature and lacked communication, which weakened the narrative. The writing relied too much on telling rather than showing their bond.

Despite knowing each other for almost 40 years, their transition from friends to lovers felt rushed and unconvincing. The pivotal moment where they confess their feelings seemed insignificant and forced, especially for a relationship that spanned decades. The alternating points of view—Laila's in first person and Cole's in third—added to the disconnect.

I enjoyed the numerous pop culture references, and it was a light read.

Thank you to Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for providing a copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this story, but there were whole sections I could have cheerfully skipped over if I hadn't been listening to it instead of reading it. I get it that these two have been best friends since childhood and I get it that they don't want to let "falling in love" get in the way of their friendship, but sheesh! One or the other spends half the book agonizing over being in love with the other while never once broaching the subject! They talk about virtually everything, so WHY???

As I said, I listened to the audio version of this and loved the dual POV with Cole and Laila narrating. Let me tell you, their "first date" is absolutely swoony and marked a turning point in their relationship. I loved the thought and love that Cole put into planning the date for Laila, and I loved how each learned something new about the other - even though they both thought they knew it all.

Readers who love sweet romance with plenty of humor will love Cole and Laila are Just Friends. This is actually a follow-up story to Brynn and Sebastian Hate Each Other, and Brynn and Sebastian both show up and play key roles in this book. While it can be read as a stand-alone story, for me, it was better since I already "knew" the characters from the first book.