No need to guess about the trope here! Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakey shockingly features a, you guessed it, friends to lovers trope. And lovers of the trope will not be disappointed.

Ren and Joni have been lifelong friends, and after a job offer causes Joni to move from Portland, OR to NYC, she and Ren make a promise to each other to be each other’s plus one at upcoming weddings. But something happened 2.5 years ago that caused a rift in their friendship, and Joni hasn’t come back to the vacation home her family shares with Ren’s family because of it. That is until Joni’s little sister’s wedding takes place at the house, and Joni and Ren can no longer avoid each other. The writing gives us flashbacks and present-day narration and is a true love-letter to the friends-to-lovers trope.

While I absolutely loved Ren’s character, I couldn’t help but despise Joni’s avoidance issues. She made it difficult to root for her, and because I found her so unenjoyable, this is a 4 star for me!

This book is a slow burn love story between two best friends. Their chemistry is undeniable and it seems painfully obvious to the reader that they are meant to be together. Throughout the book, the characters are a bit frustrating in their need to keep each other at arm's length to avoid the possibility of ruining their friendship. Many times I wanted to reach into the book and smack the main characters and ask why they couldn't see what was so obvious to every one around them. Overall, a good read.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press for the digital review copy. This story was a true emotional escape, and I savored every page.

A Soulful Summer Love Story Steeped in Nostalgia and Second Chances

This heartfelt debut delivers a beautifully paced summer romance that feels like a soft breeze and a long-needed conversation. Set along the misty, windswept coast of the Pacific Northwest, the novel unspools a gentle but emotionally charged love story built on history, hope, and the possibility of starting over.

Told through a graceful dual-timeline narrative, we follow Joni and Ren—once inseparable childhood friends and now tentative plus-ones—who cross paths again after years of silence to attend a final wedding that could rewrite their shared past. The story drifts between timelines like pages in an old scrapbook—sunny afternoons, lingering looks, and long-suppressed feelings slowly rise to the surface. Their bond is undeniable, yet life, hesitation, and the inevitable growing pains of youth have kept them apart.

What elevates this book is its emotional authenticity. Joni’s internal evolution—navigating identity, fear, and the courage to be seen—is portrayed with empathy and nuance. Ren’s quiet, enduring affection is equally moving, the kind of love that simmers just below the surface until it can’t anymore. Anyone who has ever silently loved a friend will find something deeply familiar here.

The writing is both lyrical and grounded, drawing out the tension with a careful hand. It’s romantic without being cloying, sentimental without losing its realism, and ultimately rewarding without resorting to clichés.

Ideal for readers who loved "People We Meet on Vacation" by Emily Henry. This book captures the tender ache of growing up with someone—and finally realizing they were never just a friend.

Friends to lovers is NOT my favorite trope, but I loved how this one did it. I loved the slow-burn, the chemistry they had together, and the way that it felt like a real friendship and not just one made up for a love story. I really liked the writing style and the idea that they would still meet up to be each other’s plus one’s at weddings felt real and plausible which is often hard to find in a romance book. Overall= cute!
4/5 ⭐️
2.5/5 🌶️

4.5 /5 Stars - I really enjoyed this story of friendship that transpired to lovers (hence the title! lol) - it was a great "friends to lovers" trope. While you knew they would end up together, I wanted to keep reading to see why/what caused them to drift in the first place. I feel like there was such a lead-up to this revelation that I felt slightly let down by the outcome. But I still really enjoyed the back-and-forth timelines! This feels like it will make a great movie!

The format was. a little wonky when sent to the kindle, so FYI.

**Thank you to Netgalley and the author for an e-ARC for my review.

3.5 ★
Friends to Lovers was a sweet, enjoyable read that leaned into some of the most beloved romance tropes—and delivered them in a comforting, familiar way. While the story didn’t feel particularly unique or groundbreaking, it still managed to keep me entertained from beginning to end.

There’s something cozy about a well-done friends-to-lovers romance, and Sally Blakely hits all the right emotional notes. The chemistry was there, the slow build worked well, and the moments of tension and vulnerability between the characters added a nice layer of depth.

It may not have reinvented the genre, but it was still a solid, feel-good love story perfect for romance fans looking for something light and satisfying.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Unfortunately, this book is just a retread of the "friends to lovers" theme that I have read a dozen times over by other authors---so the title is spot-on. Reasonably well-written, but all the characters are charmless, angst-ridden and have poor communication skills. In the end, you just don't care whether Joni and Ren get together---you know they are---so do it so I can close the cover. Would probably have DNF'd out of boredom if it were not an ARC.

Thank you so much Netgalley for providing me with a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review

"I think I'm always going to be waiting for just five minutes of you loving me like I love you."

BE STILL MY HEART

Friends to Lovers is an incredible debut novel from author Sally Blakely. It is set to release July 22nd, so add it to your TBR now!

Things I loved:
♥️ Dual timeline, FMC POV
♥️ Portland/NYC settings
♥️ Friends to lovers
♥️ Second chance
♥️ Anxiety rep

Joni and Ren have been friends since they were 3 years old, spending every year of their lives in close contact except for the past two and a half. When Joni’s sister is getting married near the beach house Joni and Ren’s families share, the two are forced to confront their recent estrangement while keeping their rift a secret from everyone else. Will one week at the beach be enough for them to sort through their past regrets?

If you can’t tell already, I really enjoyed this book! Start to finish, I was hooked on the plot. There were times when of course I wanted to shake Joni and Ren and knock some sense into them, but I felt that their characters were so well developed that any miscommunications were understandable if not expected.

Friends to Lovers is excellently written and well-paced. Fans of Love and Other Words by Christina Lauren and If The Stars Align by Nathalie Theodore will enjoy this one!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

This book caught my eye when I saw it being compared to People We Meet on Vacation and The Summer I Turned Pretty. It definitely felt like the child of these two books and will be a cute fun summer read if you enjoyed either of those books!

Joni and Ren are childhood friends. They formed a pact to be each others plus ones to weddings. Over the course of their friendship, their relationship evolves into more until something breaks them apart. Fast forward to 2.5 years later, they are forced together again by another wedding, this time with their families present.

It was cute. I had a good time. I love a cute little friends to lovers….However, I felt it was lacking something and why I gave it 3 stars. It was a good debut novel but it was lacking something for me. I personally could not connect with any of the characters and thee miscommunication felt childish to me given the history between the main characters. I was also not a fan of the flow of the flashbacks, it wasn’t as cohesive as I would have liked and found myself flipping back to the start of the chapters to seee if it was current or a flashback.

Overall, this was cute. If you want a fun summer read, pick this one up.

This was a sweet and fun romcom for the summer! I wasn’t fully invested in the characters and their relationship but I did enjoy the setting and the story and would recommend to the right person! It dragged a bit but the duel timeline was done really well and it was a good friends to lovers set up!

The book delivers exactly what the cover promises: a breezy, emotionally nostalgic romance set against the backdrop of one last wedding-filled summer. Joni and Ren’s tradition of being each other’s plus-ones is charming in concept, and there are genuinely tender moments as the story explores how love and friendship blur over time.

That said, while the setup is strong, the execution occasionally falters. The emotional tension never quite deepens for me, and the conflict that "ruined" their friendship felt like it could have been easily resolved. The pacing also lagged for me throughout. I struggled to get into some parts of the book as it felt slow.

Still, fans of friends-to-lovers romance, cozy summer settings, and low-stakes drama will enjoy this one. It’s a pleasant read, just not one that leaves a lasting impression.

I really enjoyed this read! The idea of a family beach house adds a fun dynamic to read that already has a few of my favorite things: friends to lovers, pining, forced proximity, and second chance romance.

Ren was the perfect MMC, it took Joni a little longer to come to terms with her feelings even though it was obvious to everyone else.

The close relationships between the two families was fun to read- I really want to play a game of adult capture the flag!

Many thanks to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for this read!

Thank you Netgalley & Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of this book! Friends to lovers seemed like the perfect sweet, summer read and I loved the idea of these two friends with such history reuniting at a family wedding. The idea behind them being one another’s ’plus one” and the dual timeline to all the past weddings was fun and kept me interested. That being said, I really disliked Joni & felt so much of what was happening was due to her immaturity and poor communication. It made it difficult to want to root for her and Ren when she continually pushed him away. While the book kept me engaged in the some of the beginning, and most of the middle, the end felt rushed and chaotic which was so disappointing.

This is one of those books that seems to be sticking with me. It's a beautiful story with excellent plot, style, and character chemistry. What a wonderful contemporary romance!

Joni and Ren have been best friends since they were 3 years old. Their parents are lifelong best friends, raising Joni and Ren, and their siblings, alongside each other, from holiday celebrations to dual family vacations. Joni's dream career moves her across the country, and she and Ren refuse to allow their friendship to end because of it. In an attempt to spend quality time together despite time and distance, they plan on daily calls, family trips, and always being each other's plus one to weddings every year. Their plan works over the span of years, until it doesn't. Despite dating other people and living separate lives, the undeniable pull to each other only strengthens through time and distance, and they cross lines that can't be uncrossed. With their friendship seemingly at the end of the line, Joni returns to their families' shared vacation home for her younger sister's wedding, seeing Ren for the first time in years. No one else knows their friendship dissolved, and no one else knows the extent of the boundaries they crossed. Playing the roles they used to play seems simple, although it turns out to be anything but simple. Despite heartbreak, time, and life changes, Joni and Ren will either find their way back to each other or risk the bonds between their families and their next wedding as plus ones.

I absolutely adore this book and will need a shelf trophy. The depth, romance, and character development is absolutely on point. You'll love this book if you liked People We Meet on Vacation (FYI, loved that one too), and enjoy reunion and/or second chance romances, forced proximity, dual timelines, single POV, and friends to lovers tropes.

3.25 ⭐️

One of my favorite tropes is Friends to Lovers, so naturally I saw this title and wanted to read it!

There is lots to enjoy, the dual timeline helped build the tension. It is another book that convinces me I need a summer home with my best friends so our children can fall in love and we all stare happily into the beachy sunset.

However.. the friends to lovers trope typically comes hand in hand with the dreaded miscommunication trope.. sometimes I can let it pass, but this was not one of those times. TWO YEARS.. you are best friends and then just don’t try and fix things after one fight.. I just don’t buy that, especially when the families were so intertwined.

I did think the author did a good job fleshing out Joni’s anxiety after the fact. She comes to realize how ridiculous her worst case scenarios were and how they were holding her back.

There was still many aspects I enjoyed, and even connected to a lot of the places, songs and activities in the book. I think it is still worth picking up for a nice summer romance read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for providing me this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

This was cute for a Summer read and had its moments. It just didn’t leave me wanting more- it’s a story that’s been told before and I’m not sure I needed it.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

Thank you netgalley for this E-arc. Friends to lovers is your typical story of childhood best friends turned romantic partners as young adults. The first half of the book was pretty boring and it took me several weeks to get through it… it finally picked up but wasn’t the book for me.

I just finished Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely, and wow, what a ride! This book is a beautiful blend of second-chance romance and friends-to-lovers tropes, set against the backdrop of summer weddings and family dynamics.

The story centers on Joni and Ren, childhood best friends who have been inseparable for years. When Joni moves across the country for work, they make a pact to be each other’s plus-ones for weddings, no matter what. However, things take a turn when a line is crossed, and their friendship is strained. Now, Joni is back at their shared family summer home for her sister’s wedding, and she must navigate the complexities of rekindling her relationship with Ren.

What I loved most about this book was the depth of their friendship and the slow-burn tension that builds between them. The dual timelines, moving between past and present, added layers to their story and kept me hooked. The chemistry between Joni and Ren was palpable, and I found myself rooting for them every step of the way.

The writing is engaging and heartfelt, capturing the nuances of love, loss, and the complexities of long-term relationships. The pacing was spot-on, and the emotional payoff was well worth the journey.

If you’re a fan of second-chance romances, friends-to-lovers stories, or just looking for a heartfelt read that explores the intricacies of love and friendship, I highly recommend Friends to Lovers. It’s a standout debut from Sally Blakely, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next!

✨𝒜𝑅𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌✨
📖: Friends to Lovers
☀️Releasing July 22, 2025

Joni and Ren have been steadfast childhood friends. After college, Joni moves across the country to pursue her dreams. The years of a long distance friendship takes a toll until their falling out two and a half years ago halts almost all communication.

The years apart nearly broke them both. Reunited at their families’ shared summer home for Joni’s sister’s wedding, they must confront the shared past that haunts them both. Will they move forward or risk losing each other forever?

Tropes:
⏱️Dual timeline
💕Childhood best friends to lovers
👫Reunions and Second Chances
🫂Forced Proximity
☀️Summer Vibes
📼He makes her playlists
👯‍♀️They’re each other’s plus-ones
🔥Slow burn

This story tugs on all the heartstrings and beautifully captures the soundtrack of Joni and Ren’s memories and experiences that define their friendship and the spirit of their relationship that evolves into romantic love.

Weaving between past and present, the author explores their formative friendship through the years. They understand each other wholly and love each other just as they are- at their best and worst and during their highs and lows. Despite the distance and the hurt between them, they continued to support each other’s hopes, dreams, and fears.

Friends to Lovers is an intimate portrait of an endearing and nostalgic friendship that transcends distance, tribulation, and change while transforming into a resilient love. This book reminded me exactly why I love the friends to lovers trope!

Huge thanks to the author, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press, and NetGalley for the review copy

So grateful to the author, Berkley Publishing Group, Ace Books, and NetGalley for the review copy. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Friends to lovers is your typical story of childhood best friends turned romantic partners as young adults. The first half of the book was pretty dry and it took me several weeks to get through it. The book finally picked up in the last third. Clean enough for high schoolers.