This slow burn' friends to lovers romance was a fast, laugh out loud read. The character development for Joni and Ren was solid and there is a great cast of supporting characters to provide growth and movement in the plot. The book is well edited and I could not find any errors.

It's exciting to read a debut novel from a new Author. I'll definitely be looking forward to reading anything new Sally writes.
I will update this review with a link to the Instagram post once that is live.

This was such a sweet story, told in flashbacks and the present timeline, about two friends who are perfect for each other. Told from the point of view of Joni, who has just lost her job before a family wedding, the book deals with anxiety and family relationships very well, and tells a very sweet love story.

A fantastic debut! Emily Henry fans will feel right at home with Joni and Ren’s story and Sally Blakely’s writing.

Damn this got me. Best friends for decades, realizing they were in love the whole time. You know exactly how it will end, but that does not matter one bit. You’re enjoying the ride. My heart exploded.

Rating: 5 stars 🌟

Thank you to @netgalley @sally.blakely and @canarystreetpress for the opportunity to read the eARC of this book!

Spoiler free review :)
I absolutely adored this book!! It was full of so much yearning, there were so many times I was yelling at my kindle like “PLEASE JUST SAY YOU LOVE EACH OTHER”!! I do wish that we could have seen some moments from Ren’s point of view but I do still feel that as readers it was clear how he was feeling throughout different parts of the book. I loved all of the characters in this book and also had my moments where I just wanted to shake them, almost like they were one of my friends or family members. I was giggling and kicking my feet at times but also brought to tears many times.

If you love a good friends to lovers trope, take the opportunity to read this book when it comes out on July 22nd!!

I really enjoyed this! I am a sucker for the friends to lovers trope, mostly due to the tension and yearning. Don't get me wrong, there was plenty of yearning, but I wish we saw more of it from Ren. With stories like this, where the protagonist is supposed to be oblivious of the friend's feelings, I want to be screaming at the page, "He's obviously in love with you!". Because of the timeline of the novel, I felt like it was lacking a bit on showing that side of the relationship. All that to say, I really liked Ren, Joni, and the idea of the shared family home. I felt like Joni's perspective of feeling lost and putting too much of herself into work was very relatable. I'm excited to read more from Sally Blakely! - 3.5 stars

This book gave me what I wanted from Happy Place. I really enjoyed learning the past story while living in the present. The characters are relatable and likable. I found myself rooting for Joni to find some happiness and peace in the waves of life. I really had a good time reading this.

I dislike the name of this book though. I think Joni would dislike it too.

This was a 3.5 star read for me.

4.5 stars. Not my genre of choice so I was skeptical, but I loved this book.

Ren and Joni’s friendship was delightful, and I think a love like that is something we all hope for. I liked having flashbacks of when their relationship was really good, leading up to the break, and watching them find their way back to each other. It was such a sweet romance without being cringy or spicy.

I got a little thrown off by the time jumps at times, but I think that was mostly due to the formatting of the uncorrected e-book that I imagine will be different in the end product.

**ARC review. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for letting me read it early.

Fantastic debut. Loved the characters- achingly beautiful how much Ren loved Joni- so sad and hopeful. Capture the flag was excellent!
The two timelines got a bit excessive and I kind of wished we had Ren's viewpoint too.
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for an arc. all thoughts are my own.

Friends to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes, so when I received the chance to review an ARC of this book, I jumped at it.

This story follows 30-year-old Joni and her longstanding friendship with Ren, who she’s known since they grew up together in Oregon. The book goes back and forth from present day, when one of Joni’s sisters is getting married, to the past, which gives us the backstory behind Joni and Ren’s friendship-to-lovership all the way from high school to now.

What I liked:
• there were many moments that Joni and Ren had where you could just feel their friendship growing into more and I liked those. Especially in the middle of the book, there were a lot of these scenes
• I liked that it took place in the PNW
• Ren seemed like a great guy, knew what he wanted, was respectful of boundaries and of women, treats people well

What didn’t work for me:
• there were way too many side characters and names that made it extremely hard for me to keep track of who was who. Having finished the book just this I still can’t tell you who everyone was, especially the girls - Sasha and Stevie especially I got mixed up constantly. They needed to have more different names to allow my brain to remember them.
• maybe I missed it but, the book referred to Sublimity a lot, the place where Ren worked, but I was never clear on what it was. Was it a music label? A bar/live music spot? Both? I still don’t know. This too, was frustrating.
• the pacing of the book was a little disjointed. I had a tough time feeling like I understood Joni’s obsession with her work spilling into affecting her personal relationships because we never saw it, we just heard about it. The circumstances of what that job even was weren’t clear to me. Something pertaining to puppets.
• Joni made decisions for Ren more than once without his input and just based on her assumptions, and I felt this was unfair and that she was playing games with his heart. Once okay it’s a mistake but multiple times it felt almost manipulative and made me less wanting to root for her.

Most of what I had an issue with was not the plot though, it was the manner in which the book was written, where I felt unclear about details I was clearly supposed to know. That’s something I find frustrating as a reader.

All in all I give this 3.5 stars - I think some of the things I’ve pointed out are probably “me” problems that might not affect other readers experiences. I would def read this author again!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It was OK. There was so much lead up only to realize the great problem between the two main characters could have been resolved by simply communicating with each other. In fact, that seems to be the theme of this book. All problems could be dealt with if people simply talked to each other. The book would have been over in 100 pages. I found the FMC not likeable at moments, she made some questionable decisions. She can be very dramatic and morose. And the MMC just kind of exists to fawn over her for some reason. But it's a cute read that doesn't require too much depth.

4/5

Friends to Lovers is everything I’ve been craving in a romance. Joni and Ren’s story is a perfect mix of emotional tension, growth, and unexpected love. They’ve been childhood best friends with a pact to always have each other’s backs, even as wedding dates. But when they cross a line, everything shifts. The emotional push-and-pull between them—full of hesitation and yearning—was absolutely captivating.

Ren is the dream best friend turned lover—thoughtful, patient, and completely in tune with Joni. I loved how he created personalized playlists for her, capturing their shared moments. His tenderness toward her melted my heart, especially when he says he savors even the smallest acts of love. Joni’s character growth was one of the highlights. She starts off relying too much on Ren and learns to find her own strength. Her journey toward self-discovery was raw and real, and though it took time, I loved seeing her evolve.

The alternating perspectives between Joni and Ren deepened the emotional connection, making their transition from friends to lovers feel so authentic and impactful. Sally Blakely’s writing is warm, layered, and beautifully explores the complexities of friendship and love. If you’re looking for a romance that’s tender, realistic, and emotionally engaging, Friends to Lovers is a must-read. Joni and Ren’s story will stay with you long after you finish. I’m officially a fan of Sally Blakely and can’t wait to see what she writes next!

Thanks to NetGalley and publisher for the ARC!

This reminded me of an Emily Henry book! I love second chance and friends to lovers so this was perfect! The tension was so good and angsty. I really liked both Ren and Joni. The plot kept me interested and was a really cute read.

I absolutely loved this book! I’m a sucker for a romance mixed with humor and the rehearsal dinner had me laughing SO much! Perfect book to read when you need some good laughs in your life!

Synopsis: Joni and Ren have been best friends their whole lives. A single choice causes them to drift apart for a time, until life reunites them for a moment. Will they realize they can't stand being apart any longer?

Tropes:
Second Chance
It's always been you
He falls first
One room, two beds
Forced proximity
Friends to Lovers (obviously)
Everyone knows their in love, but her.
Fake Friendship (Kinda? You have to read it to find out)
Open Door (really easy to skip, maybe 2 scenes)

This book kept me up way too late haha. Honestly I am typically not a huge fan of the second chance romance trope, but this one worked for me. My heart went out to the couple the whole time, and I didn't want to put it down until they figured out they needed to be together. I thought the flashbacks were done spectacularly, and just flowed really well.

I love a good friends to lovers novel and this one did not disappoint. The added family dynamics and long long history were an added bonus. I also liked that it was told from just one perspective and didn't hop back and forth as many books of this genre do. The characters were really cool with creative careers and had enough depth that they could have each had their own book. The author did a great job of keeping me entertained. It was a perfect easy read and left me curious how it's all going now - which is what you want in this kind of book.

Thank you netgalley, canary st press and Sally Blakey for an ARC of this book!

This was a super fun, romcom type read. As the title says, friends to lovers, second chance romance , forced proximity.

The story bounces between present day; two childhood best friends no longer but we don’t know why; to years ago when they made an agreement to always be each others wedding dates to stay in contact.

My rating was based off this being very predictable and the friends almost being too perfect during the flashbacks. However it’s still a cozy, feel good read and if these are your favorite tropes you will love it!

This is the perfect friends to lovers book. It was everything I wanted and more. Not realizing that they love each other, they were constantly doubtful, careful, and hesitant. Full of yearning which I think could have been even more emphasized. I can't help but enjoy the pain of "we can stay friends if that's what you want, I'll take whatever you give me" because I know it's not true.

Ren is seriously THE best friend you have that turns into your lover. I was jealous about all of the different, scenario/emotion specific playlists that he created for Joni. When he said he savored any moments of love that Joni gave him, that melted my heart.

On top of the romance, I greatly appreciate character growth and Joni definitely had hers. She went from putting all eggs in one basket to realizing that she had something outside of that too. That she could let it go and start new. Even though she was forced into the situation, and she did take a long time to get to the conclusion, I'm glad she was able to remove herself from what was making her unhappy.

This is a well written book. There are moments when it feels like women's fiction than romance which could be good or bad depending on the reader. All of the emotions explored and what Joni went through felt real, not for the sake of romance. This will definitely be the book of this summer and I can't wait for its release.

Obsessed with Ren and Joni! Sally does a lovely job of integrating romcom vibes with deeper personal conflicts of anxiety, fear, and heartache. Ren and Joni have such a sweet and caring relationship, even when they “weren’t friends”. I appreciated reading a story with main characters nearer to my own age, adding an extra layer of relatability.
Friends to Lovers gave me the same bubbly feelings I got when reading books like The Summer I Turned Pretty series and Happy Place.
As a bonus, love that Sally curated a soundtrack for this story.

Thank you to Sally Blakely, Harlequin Trade Publishing ,and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an ARC of this debut novel!