This was such a sweet read. I absolutely would have devoured this in one day if it hadn't been for my horrible cold. I can't wait to start the series from the beginning. I absolutely adore Joe and katie, Joey makes me crack up. Gram is the apple of my eye and Noah's and Olive are everything.

ARC Review — this was my first book by Jill Shalvis & I thought it was a good story!

Olive & Noah have a complicated past. A past that comes back to the surface after decades of being apart when Noah and best friend Joe are in an accident that brings Olive back to Sunrise Cove to help support Joes wife & her best friend, Katie.

The tension between Olive & Noah was there from the start. They clearly have messy feelings and emotions for one another but are both too stubborn to admit it.

Meanwhile, the rest of the family can clearly see the spark between them. I enjoyed reading about how Olive and Noah navigate their situation & watch it turn into a second chance romance.

I rated this one 3 stars because I really had a hard time with the chemistry between Olive & Noah.. I just didn’t feel it. It was very wishy washy in my opinion. The dual POV revealed that both characters had moments of not being interested in one another, and then being completely in love with the other. It seemed too inconsistent. Overall tho, I don’t feel like they had much chemistry.. which made this a slower read for me.

Thank you so much NetGalley for giving me this book in exchange for my honest review.

I love a good Rom-Com. It was funny, easy to read, and just a great romance book with all the feels. It is a Lovers to Enemies to Lovers and a slow burn.😍😍🤩
Spice Level 🌶🌶.

This was such an enticing read for me. The storyline hooked me in right away and the characters development was 10/10.

Cute read

I didn’t read the others in the series but this one can definitely be read as a stand alone book. Olive and Noah take dated back in high school and are reunited when they come back together to help his sister and her best friends when her husband is injured. The book is a quick read. I enjoyed it. You obviously know what’s going to happen. But overall, an easy read.

Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis

Rating: 4/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to Avon, Harper Voyager, Netgalley, and the author for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Publication Date: January 21, 2025

Better Than Friends is a wonderful, heartwarming read that highlights the significance of family, friendships, and healing.

A tragic accident keeps Olive and Noah apart for many years. Now, Olive is a successful owner of a public relations company and is living in London. She comes back to her hometown and stays with her friend Katie in order to help her during a difficult time. Katie married Noah's best friend Joe, who is in a coma from an accident at work as a park ranger with Noah. When life brings Olive and Noah back together, all of the past emotions and unresolved feelings arise.

Overall, this book excellently portrays the way in which Olive and Noah reconnect while navigating their past and rebuilding their relationship. I especially loved the emphasis on supportive relationships. The author does such an amazing job at balancing humor and charm with some deeper topics throughout. I definitely recommend adding Better Than Friends to your TBR!

Tropes:
- enemies-to-lovers
- second-chance romance
- small-town romance
- forced-proximity

This book was exactly what I needed. Shalvis delivers another charming small-town romance with characters that leap off the page. The banter between the leads was top-notch – witty, flirty, and full of delicious tension. 🔥 The story had a great balance of sweet moments and steamy scenes, making it a perfect escape. If you're a fan of contemporary romance with a touch of humor and a whole lot of heart, definitely add this to your TBR!

Pros:

Great chemistry between the main characters
Charming small-town setting
Funny and heartwarming
Cons:

A little predictable (but in a comforting way!)
Rating: 4/5 stars

4.5 Stars!

I was in a book slump and I truly needed to read a story with the perfect combination of plot, character development and sexy times. I found that perfection with Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis.

It's been forever and a day since Olive Porter spent a significant amount of time in her hometown of Sunrise Cove. Living in London, Olive has her own PR firm, which enables her to work from anywhere.

Olive as well as her best friend Katie, were considered misfits in high school. As a result, they bonded instantly and became fast friends. Now Katie needs Olive's help with the care of her young, hilariously funny son. She is needed because Katie's husband, as well as her twin brother Noah, were in a horrific work accident. Katie's husband is in a coma and Noah is home, helping out, rehabbing and feeling guilty.

Olive and Noah share an intriguing history. They fell in love way back when, but due to miscommunication, guilt and stubbornness, have never worked through their emotional issues. Their chemistry is off the charts and they can't seem to stop kissing. Overtime, they realize how important they are to each other and find their happiness.

I really enjoyed Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis. The witty dialogue, the fast-paced storyline, and the amazing primary characters, are perfectly combined to create this well-written read. This is the seventh book in the Sunrise Cove series and it can be enjoyed as a standalone.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.

This has all the humor and well developed characters of a Jill Shalvis novel. It also has a lovable dog named Holmes. You know a writer has affection for dogs and humor when she can talk about an old pup that "had gas that could wipe out the entire ecosystem". That is just a sample of the real life humor you can find in this book.

I love Noah and Olive as characters but Katie is the one that had me laughing out loud the most followed by her son Joey. Sitting around the table with this family is like stepping into your parents' kitchen as an adult. It is genuine and hysterical all at the same time.

I love the way Jill Shalvis brings out emotion from the characters and endears you to each one. You can't help but love them and the way that these characters love each other. Even the dog and cat love each other.

I highly recommend this book and anything by Jill Shalvis. She is a very talented writer and I can't believe it took me this long to find her and all her wonderful stories. Pick up this book and share a piece of home with these characters.

Better Than Friends is a heartwarming second-chance romance that delves into deep family bonds, friendships, and healing after a tragic accident keeps two teens apart for many years. When life brings them back together, the simmering emotions and unresolved feelings resurface. The book beautifully portrays the reconnection of Olive and Noah, as they navigate their past and rebuild their relationship.

What makes this story stand out is the strong, supportive relationships, including Olive's friendship with Noah's sister and their shared history. The narrative is full of humor, snark, and cozy charm, set against the stunning Tahoe backdrop. While the romance remains mostly PG-13 with more hinted than detailed intimate moments, the chemistry and emotional depth are undeniable. This book is perfect for fans of second-chance love, family dynamics, and feel-good stories with heartfelt moments and humor.

Olive and Noah are perfect together. Their journey was one that a lotnof people take and can relate to. Can't wait for the next book.

I have heard alot about this other but this was my first - it says #7 in the series but definitely is also stand alone i got yhr story, it's a second chance love affair book that stems from a tragic accident tearing apart young love and the two being tiied together by friends and proximity the two are reunited by another accident and are given a second chance will it work will it last I couldn't help but root for the MC's - book is also fairly straight laced no spice and will definitely check out her other books thanks net galley for a copy!

Better Than Friends

One of my very favorite romance tropes is second chance, and Jill Shalvis always delivers. I certainly feel the angst and regret that the characters are struggling with. I also enjoyed the suspense she added in with Olive trying to find the whereabouts of her parents.

I will say that despite how much I like Ms. Shalvis's books, this probably isn't my favorite nor one that I will rave about like the ones from the Heartbreaker Bay series.

Overall good read.

Thank you for the advance copy to enjoy!

Another heartwarming story from Ms. Shalvis! Love this second chance at love. Olive and Noah are back to help Katie while her husband is in a coma. They “fake dated in high school”will they date for real as adults? Can they both put the past behind them?

"Better than Friends" by Jill Shalvis is the 7th book in her Sunrise Cove series. This book can be read as a standalone. This book is a sweet romance novel that has you falling in love with the characters and rooting for them.
Olive is back in town to help her friend that is going through a hard time. Noah is also back into town to help his sister, who is Olive's friend. Olive and Noah have history and they are the last person the other wants to see. They are thrown together to help Katie as she deals with her life. As they spend more time together the old feelings come back.
This is a great feel good story. Highly Recommend

Thanks NetGalley for the advanced copy of better Than Friends to read and give my honest review. I absolutely love second chance romances and Noah and Olive are no exception. They both try very hard to deny their love for each other But in the end Love Always Wins. This story will definitely give you hope. It’s a great story.

This was a good story. The second half of the book was so good, I couldn't put it down. Olive had a different upbringing than most and she was best friends with Katie, whose brother was Noah. Olive and Noah were very attracted to each other but would tell the other one. Olive accidentally hurt Noah and suddenly left town while he was still in the hospital. They did see each other since, but kept their distance (mostly). When Katie's husband get hurt and is in a coma, Olive finally came home to help Katie with her little boy and provide support. She and Noah were in each other's orbit constantly and it was fun to see how they reacted every time. They sure took the long way around to admit their feelings, but the end was very worth it.

I got this book from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review

I usually enjoy Jill Shalvis romances, but I found this one rather tiresome. The FMC and MMC have a history going back to high school. She returns to their small town on Lake Tahoe to help out her best friend from high school, who is also the male character’s twin sister. Then they spend the rest of the book yearning and emoting about how they are attracted to each other but can’t get over their personal demons to get together again. Meanwhile, his mother and sister and her grandmother keep pressing them to get back together. Occasionally, they’ll start kissing each other passionately and then the friend’s little boy will come in and interrupt them.

It just got rather tedious.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

This contemporary romance digs in to the choices people make and their lasting consequences. Sometimes those choices land squarely on us, other times we’ve made them because others have backed us into a corner.

Better Than Friends is a great book for readers who like stories built on dialogue, even when the characters aren’t saying what they should. There’s plenty of tension and only one bed in a remote mountain yurt. While there is on-page intimacy, it’s not super spicy. Well rounded side characters, an old dog and adorable kitten, and just enough will-they-won’t-they kept me engaged to the end.

BETTER THAN FRIENDS (SUNRISE COVE, #7)
BY: JILL SHALVIS

About 3.5 Stars!

I've read one of this Author's novels before and loved the feel good story. I've bought many of her books based on that experience, and haven't had a chance to read them yet. I was happy when my request was approved to read an early ARC of this one called, "BETTER THAN FRIENDS." I think overall, this one seemed like it would work better for a younger aged audience. Although, I was engaged in that it kept my interest throughout reading this novel, this was a totally different themed novel than the prior one I read. The difference is that this one seemed aimed towards a younger target audience. It seemed like it would appeal more to a younger female reader in their twenties, or early thirties. This was still a heart warming tale with a lot of humor. I could discuss the more deep end of the pool family dynamics, and those regarding Noah and Olive's, as well. That explains some of the deeper undertones behind the lighter appearance which affect how they relate to each other now. I think if I did it could be spoiler material best left to the reader to encounter.

It's main theme was about a misunderstanding where the main characters, Noah and Olive had ended up getting hurt when they were teens, and they are suddenly thrown together as adults ten years later. They both seemed to get hurt emotionally, back ten years earlier and the way they each dealt with it in the present was the main theme.

Olive was fourteen years old when she hitchhiked to her Grandmother's home from quite a distance to escape her home. Her parents back then seemed to be more interested in their nomad lifestyle going to the Grateful Dead excursions, their attention totally towards self interests, and didn't seem invested in meeting Olive's needs, and inadvertently they didn't seem to realize that they acted like teens rather than parents of one. Olive ended up in a town named Sunrise Cove that is near Lake Tahoe. She also was taken under Noah's and his sister Katie's family's wing who lived next door. Olive and Katie were best friends and she felt and was treated like a member of their family.

Noah, Katie's brother and Olive were involved in an ATV accident after a party by which Olive was driving. What happened was unintentional, but the results being that it would derail Noah's scholarship to a University he had received for his talent playing Baseball. The plan would have eventual potential for Noah playing professional Baseball. Noah never blamed Olive, but that resulted in her disappearing from Noah's life as they both had feelings for each other that were deep. There was a reason for Olive's abrupt exit that the reader learns wasn't her idea.

Now ten years later, Olive is an up and coming successful owner of having started her own company in Public Relation's, and returns to Sunrise Cove as having become sophisticated from her good fortune from living in London. She is staying at Katie's home to help Katie who is experiencing a difficult time. Katie married Noah's best friend Joe, who is in a coma from an accident at work as a Park ranger with Noah. They work together in an investigative capacity in Yosemite, a couple hours away. Katie and her husband have a young son who is five years old and upset that his father is hospitalized. Katie has enlisted help from both Noah and Olive who since Noah was also injured and they're both staying at Katie's home. Noah and Olive have both developed hard exteriors towards each other since they both have been affected deep down by Olive's abrupt departure from Noah's life, but not as Katie's best friend.

When they see each other after ten years with both of them staying with Katie they are if not chilly, towards one another then awkward. Will Olive and Noah pick up where things left off prior to Olive's abrupt departure from Noah's life?

The title is a perfect fit for this novel. It was for the most part a light novel with a lot of humor, with also a nice family support, but the main focus was on Noah and Olive. I liked the deep bond of friendship that existed between Olive and Katie. This can be read as a standalone, since each book in the Sunrise Cove series is about totally different characters. I got that impression from reading the excerpt preview of the next one at the end of this one.

Publication Date: January 21, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Jill Shalvis, and Avon Voyager for generously providing me with my Arc in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own.

#BetterThanFriends #JillShalvis #AvonVoyager #NetGalley
BETTER THAN FRIENDS (SUNRISE COVE, #7)
BY: JILL SHALVIS

About 3.5 Stars!

I've read one of this Author's novels before and loved the feel good story. I've bought many of her books based on that experience, and haven't had a chance to read them yet. I was happy when my request was approved to read an early ARC of this one called, "BETTER THAN FRIENDS." I think overall, this one seemed like it would work better for a younger aged audience. Although, I was engaged in that it kept my interest throughout reading this novel, this was a totally different themed novel than the prior one I read. The difference is that this one seemed aimed towards a younger target audience. It seemed like it would appeal more to a younger female reader in their twenties, or early thirties. This was still a heart warming tale with a lot of humor. I could discuss the more deep end of the pool family dynamics, and those regarding Noah and Olive's, as well. That explains some of the deeper undertones behind the lighter appearance which affect how they relate to each other now. I think if I did it could be spoiler material best left to the reader to encounter.

It's main theme was about a misunderstanding where the main characters, Noah and Olive had ended up getting hurt when they were teens, and they are suddenly thrown together as adults ten years later. They both seemed to get hurt emotionally, back ten years earlier and the way they each dealt with it in the present was the main theme.

Olive was fourteen years old when she hitchhiked to her Grandmother's home from quite a distance to escape her home. Her parents back then seemed to be more interested in their nomad lifestyle going to the Grateful Dead excursions, their attention totally towards self interests, and didn't seem invested in meeting Olive's needs, and inadvertently they didn't seem to realize that they acted like teens rather than parents of one. Olive ended up in a town named Sunrise Cove that is near Lake Tahoe. She also was taken under Noah's and his sister Katie's family's wing who lived next door. Olive and Katie were best friends and she felt and was treated like a member of their family.

Noah, Katie's brother and Olive were involved in an ATV accident after a party by which Olive was driving. What happened was unintentional, but the results being that it would derail Noah's scholarship to a University he had received for his talent playing Baseball. The plan would have eventual potential for Noah playing professional Baseball. Noah never blamed Olive, but that resulted in her disappearing from Noah's life as they both had feelings for each other that were deep. There was a reason for Olive's abrupt exit that the reader learns wasn't her idea.

Now ten years later, Olive is an up and coming successful owner of having started her own company in Public Relation's, and returns to Sunrise Cove as having become sophisticated from her good fortune from living in London. She is staying at Katie's home to help Katie who is experiencing a difficult time. Katie married Noah's best friend Joe, who is in a coma from an accident at work as a Park ranger with Noah. They work together in an investigative capacity in Yosemite, a couple hours away. Katie and her husband have a young son who is five years old and upset that his father is hospitalized. Katie has enlisted help from both Noah and Olive who since Noah was also injured and they're both staying at Katie's home. Noah and Olive have both developed hard exteriors towards each other since they both have been affected deep down by Olive's abrupt departure from Noah's life, but not as Katie's best friend.

When they see each other after ten years with both of them staying with Katie they are if not chilly, towards one another then awkward. Will Olive and Noah pick up where things left off prior to Olive's abrupt departure from Noah's life?

The title is a perfect fit for this novel. It was for the most part a light novel with a lot of humor, with also a nice family support, but the main focus was on Noah and Olive. I liked the deep bond of friendship that existed between Olive and Katie. This can be read as a standalone, since each book in the Sunrise Cove series is about totally different characters. I got that impression from reading the excerpt preview of the next one at the end of this one.

Publication Date: January 21, 2025

Thank you to Net Galley, Jill Shalvis, and Avon and Harper Voyager for generously providing me with my Arc in exchange for a fair and honest review.. All opinions are my own.

#BetterThanFriends #JillShalvis #AvonandHarperVoyager #NetGalley