This was my first Jill Shalvis book and I really enjoyed it. The tension was palpable between the main characters (sexual tension and also tension based on past events). I love any romance where there is an element of stranding. Good bit of spice though relatively tame.

I really enjoyed this and will be picking up more by her in the future.

This is the story of lives, Olive, Noah, his twin sister and her best friend, Kate, and her husband Joe. Olive met Noah and Kate when they were 14, and she left her parents house and hitchhikes to her grandmother’s house, next door to them. Their senior year, something happened and Olive just left, and didn't come back or contact them. Kate's husband was in an accident and was in a coma, and she needed Olive to come and help her with her son, Joey. When she got their she discovered her brother, Noah, was there also helping his sister. Kate was determined to get them back together,
I enjoy reading stories that show the ups and downs of people's lives, the mistakes, the trial and errors, and all that goes on as they figure it out, to where they end up.
That is what happens here, and I enjoyed their journey's, the changes that were made, and discovering new things about themselves. I received an ARC from Avon through NetGalley, and if you want a story that is more than a second chance, or romance, this is the real deal, of what life does to people.

A sweet, sweet story about second chances of a sort. I enjoyed it and will be checking into more of this series!

This book will be a hit! You can't go wrong with a book about old flames who move away, follow successful career paths, and then end up back in their hometown where they of course kept secrets from each other. These characters were so lovable and the location fit the story well. I really enjoyed reading about their friendships and history together. You don't need to read the other books in the Sunrise Cove series to understand the plot, but I will absolutely be adding them to my TBR list!

3.5 Stars

I am a big fan of this author and excited to receive an ARC from NetGalley to read. This is a fun series and the characters draw you in with their likability and witty banter. While the story centers around Noah and Olive, the supporting characters were the glue and what kept me engaged.

Olive and Noah learn that Noah's twin sister, Katie has called upon them for help as her husband, Joe, is in a coma after an accident. Olive has her own business and while her home base is in London, she is able to work remote while helping her friend. Noah and Olive have complicated history and while both are committed to assist and support Katie, they also know there is an end date and don't want to risk igniting old feelings. Olive's stress is elevated when she cannot reach her parents. They were supposed to go on an extended hiking excursion, but too much time has passed and soon she and Noah are working together to try to locate them. Noah is an agent for the Forestry Service, so he has expert tracking skills. They are in close proximity and begin to drudge up old wounds and it's too uncomfortable for each to face. Both have made mistakes but don't know how to move on.

The first half of the story took awhile to get the story moving, however, by the halfway mark, it kicked in to high gear and you did not want it to end. The family characters were a hoot and very likable which help to elevate the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced reader copy of this book!

This is my first book from Jill and I really enjoyed myself. I thought the characters were lovely and well rounded. I think Katie and Joey might have been my favorite part. I enjoyed the love story and while there was no third act break up I did want to yell at the characters to actually talk to each other a few times. Overall a fun read for my first time in sunrise cove!

Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis has all the ingredients for a real romance banger. Second-chance romance, enemies-to-lovers, (kind of) forbidden romance, mystery, drama, accidents, freakish storms that move in to leave the characters stranded...the pages are jam packed with tropey delight, but it doesn't feel all that tropey. It feels like a beautiful story of real heartbreak and crisis and healing and falling in love, even when you don't mean to.

The only home Olive ever really knew was with the Turner family. Her own parents were flaky at best, and she found real connection with her best friend Katie, and even her twin brother Noah. But after a tragic accident after graduation, Olive fled her hometown in a rush of shame and guilt. Now years later, her best friend needs her. Her husband was in a terrible accident that's left him in a coma. Despite wanting to keep as far away from Noah as possible, she returns home and naturally, runs into him constantly.

This story really drew me in from the beginning with such a complex and intriguing backstory between all of the characters that had be turning pages for more. Turns out Olive and Noah had a little bit of history back in the day, and the sparks are still smoldering! The two main characters are MFEO (made for each other). Their conflicts complement one another and their traumas can really only be healed by each other, too.

It's not only a romance, but a novel of self-discovery. Olive has a complicated history with her own parents, and it turns out they're actually missing, which adds an interesting plot element to all the sparks trying to ignite all over the place. There are some deep themes that tug at your heart strings and keep your mind turning over them long after you finish reading.

Jill Shalvis is a new author for me, but it looks like she's quite prolific! I'm really looking forward to reading more of her work, because this one was a major win for me!

Thank you to the author and publishers for sending me this ARC.

Olive and Noah's relationship is very back and forth, almost too much. They go from wanting to get away from each other, to randomly kissing, to not wanting to bring up their "relationship". The book's synopsis talks about how he's there to help her friend her parents, but it is not the main plot. I felt like finding her parents was a very small portion of the book and didn't have too much of an impact to the story overall. Didn't really have any spice (no details of it, but you will know they DID it.). The characters in this book did have a unique personalities which I liked.
I wish we had a little more about them when they were children; maybe it could've given more to the "mystery" between what happened between Olive and Noah.

Of all the secrets here. All the hidden truths. All the desperate lies trying to be true. Olive is just the person you find yourself liking and hoping for all along. And I mean that. She’s strong and used to taking care of herself, mainly due to necessity and the fact that she can’t find a way to open the door to being hurt again. But she so wants to love and be loved. To belong. Once you find out why she’s been on the outside looking in for so long, you’re going to be angry. I guarantee that. But the holders of the secrets that should’ve been told long ago do their best to be accountable and honest now. The question is, is it too little too late?

Noah is amusing in his own right. He’s a man, so he’s also a tad infuriating at times. But he does mean well and he’s also trying to protect his heart. He just needs to remember that the one person who would always protect his heart and soul is the one he needs to convince to please just give him a chance now. And that means finding a way to not open mouth, insert foot. Or at least pull that foot back out fast!

Even with the family ties, both known and unknown, and the love just begging to be shared, this group of sometime-misfits and full time “there no matter what” friends and family just make it feel okay. Sure, it’s messy. But life’s messy. It’s also full of the things that matter. Isn’t that sort of the point of it all anyway?

If you are looking for a cozy, small-town feel romance with real character growth, I highly recommend you grab this one. Olive returns home to Sunrise Cove after being away for years to help her best friend when her husband winds up in a coma after an accident. She loves her best friend and doesn't mind helping her out, but Olive does not relish the fact that this means she will have to face her friend's brother, Noah. Olive has always had a thing for Noah while growing up. They had an easy friendship that grew distant once Olive left after an accident that left Noah injured.

Noah and Olive both have some real issues they need to deal with. I appreciated being able to watch them talk about what happened in the past while they each figured out what they wanted and where they wanted to go from here. As with any Jill Shalvis novel, I laughed out loud many times while also getting to experience many heartwarming moments. The chemistry between Oliva and Noah was great. I liked that they never had a huge fight or falling out as they could both recognize that their friendship and family relationships came first. I loved the found family for Olive in this book. Overall, it was a great reading experience that made me smile throughout. I highly recommend this one.

This story had it's cute parts but it honestly just didn't do it for me. I felt like so much of the dialogue was unrealistic and there was so much 'mystery' about what happened in the past between Noah and Oli but it fell pretty flat for me when everything came out.

I'll give this author another try but this one just wasn't my favorite

Thank you Netgalley for the advanced reader copy

Thank you to NetGalley and to Avon for providing an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review!

"Old flames reignite in Sunrise Cove in this charming enemies-to-lovers, second-chance, small-town, forced-proximity love story about family, friendships, and true love from New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis."

This book was adorable. *Minor Spoilers*
Olive comes home to Sunrise Cove to help her best friend after her husband is injured in an accident. There, she finds her first love - her best friend's brother Noah - whom she has avoided due to decades long history.

I loved every character in this book. I loved the story line. I even loved the *one bed* trope. If you are looking for a cozy read that still has a great plot, this book is for you!

Olive comes back to Sunrise Cove to help her best friend, Kate deal with her husband in a coma and her son, Joey. She also is facing her past and her long ago love, Kate's brother, Nate. A complicated love story of two people unable to admit and act on their deep love for one another. This is author Shalvis at her best. A good, satisfying read. You root for these two to find their happily ever after. I always enjoy a trip to Tahoe!
I was given an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review.

#BetterThanFriends #NetGalley

Second chance romance by an author who consistently delivers a good read.

Childhood friends reunite when “his” twin but also her “Misfit” bff needs emotional support as well as physical presence. Tragedy had unexpectedly struck creating forced proximity.

You see Olive and Noah figuratively “dance” around each other while a cast of characters, from her Grams, his too cute for words nephew and as with all Shalvis’ novels, the four legged beloved companions deliver sweet moments. Their history is told well throughout the novel and the HEA is hard won and celebrated.

This ARC was provided by the publisher, Avon and Harper Voyager, via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I received an ARC of Better Than Friends in exchange for an honest review, and overall, I would rate it 3 stars. It was an enjoyable read, but I did have some issues with the pacing of the romance. The back-and-forth dynamic between the main characters was a bit much at times and gave me some emotional whiplash. While I appreciate the tension it created, I found myself wishing for a bit more stability in their relationship. If you're a fan of slow-burn, on-again, off-again romances, you might enjoy this one more than I did. Overall, it was a solid read, but the constant push and pull of the romance was a bit frustrating for me.

You can’t escape your past.
“Better Than Friends” Book 7 in Jill Shalvis’ Sunrise Cover series shows every ounce of talent this favorite author of mine has.
I thank Avon and Harper Voyager for giving me an advance reading copy.
With that said, I highly recommend this to anyone who enjoys reading about relationships, families we are born into and those we make and strong adults still sorting through their pasts.
What’s the book about? Read the official description, which is accurate but incomplete. I won’t mention any other threads in the plot because I don’t want to spoil your journey.
Olive and Noah certainly have a past that is complicated at best. I liked both of these characters and can understand each of their motivations and choices. The best part of reading romances like “Better Than Friends” is that I’m guaranteed a “happy-ever-after” no matter how many tears I shed along the way.
Don’t be tempted to skip to the end of this book, but let me tell you that the end is the best part. I had one hour left to read (according to my Kindle) when the threads started being tied up. I’ve read any number of books where it’s obvious the author said, “Oops, gone on too long; got to wrap up.” Then proceeds to do so too quickly for it to make sense.
Not Shalvis with “Better Than Friends.”
I found the final chapters in the book full of emotion, hard choices and surprising revelations. (Plus both tears and laughter on my part.)
Do yourself a favor and read “Better Than Friends” — hopefully when you don’t have anything pressing to do because you won’t want to put it down.

I starting off really excited about this book because the description had drawn me in and I appreciated the quirky yet authentic characters. However, while feel like there was so much potential for a brilliant story, it ended up falling really flat for me.
The storyline was really fragmented and I found it pretty difficult to follow what was going on, especially because the backstory for the characters wasn’t really developed clearly- and was inconsistent throughout the book. I liked how there were almost two parts of the story, one with Olive and Noah supporting Katie and the other looking for Olives parents, but I feel like both storylines individually were so underdeveloped that having them together just made the actual plot of the book completely lost. I also got frustrated about 50% of the way in and almost just didn’t finish because of the repetitiveness in the conflict. From the get go, Noah and Olive kept saying they wouldn’t work out together but there was never actually any explanation as to why and when they talked about it, it was just the same conversation over and over again with minimal plot or character development so it got tiring to read. I also felt that because of this, it was really hard to actually root for Noah and Olive because so little information was actually given on them being together and why they work and it had me questioning if there was much chemistry at all.

There’s nothing I love more during the holiday season than a second chance romance. I loved watching Olive and Noah learn to trust, love, and heal past traumas.

Super sweet and heartwarming romance with second chances. I fell in love with all the characters and of course the animals. This pulls you in right from the start and touched so many emotions. Tried so hard to savor it but ended up devouring it.
Thank you netgalley for the ARC

Better Than Friends by must read author, Jill Shalvis is a story about how family personalities, expectations, and secrets can have long ranging consequences as children grow up. Olive returns to her home town to help her bestie Katie when Katie’s husband is injured. What she didn’t plan on was having to once again deal with Katie’s brother, Noah. These two have always had a complex relationship that neither one has ever been completely honest about because of family influences. Can they overcome years of hurt and finally give into their longing? Prepare to not want to stop reading until they last period. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.