✅ Ren & Joni, childhood family best friends who have been estranged from each other
✅ reunited for Joni’s sister’s wedding
✅ friends to lovers
✅ dual timelines
🌶️: yes

This was lovely

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC of this book. That being said, all thoughts and opinions are my own!

✨ Genre: Contemporary romance, friends to lovers
✨ Stars: 4.75
✨Spice: Explicit but the focus is on the intimacy of the scene, not a ton of super specific details, I’d call it descriptive rather than graphic

As the name would imply, <i>Friends to Lovers </i> is exactly that, an adorable, somewhat soul crushing (in the best way) friends to lovers romance that has made me rethink my avoidance of the trope! Friends to Lovers follows a classic story, two people who had a falling out end up being stuck together for an extended period of time at a wedding and ~finally~ realize their feelings for each other. What makes this book special is the dual timeline. We get to see Ren and Joni bumble through keeping up appearances at Joni’s sister’s wedding, but also all the weddings that they were each other’s plus ones for in the past.

There was so much about this book that I loved, from the vulnerability and authenticity of the characters to the realness of their relationship. I found myself loving and looking forward to the brief moments of comedic relief between Ren and Joni. Throughout the book, Blakey did a great job of making it clear that there is still something between the two of them which makes it more reasonable/believable that they will get back together in the end. I also found myself relating Joni in her struggle to feel accepted back in the group - Joni feeling like she’s not actually part of the group even though people are treating her normally is such a relatable feeling and one that I’ve had myself, which is never fun. It’s hard being away for an extended period of time when everyone else has continued as “normal” or at least what feels like normal. Finally, I loved that Joni really found herself throughout this book and her progression and growth as a character felt natural, not like a character who was dropping everything to completely change.

There is one thing that I can't fully get behind - I will never understand why book characters feel the need to lie about getting fired or about big life things in general, like why? I get not wanting to take the spotlight, but it’s a weird, especially since it almost ALWAYS end up in some giant blow up thing where the character ends up in the spotlight anyway. Truly, this was the only thing that I was not a fan of in this book, but all things considered, it could have been much worse!

I had a great time reading <i>Friends to Lovers </i> and would absolutely recommend adding it to your TBR - it makes for a great beach read or a cute read on the way to a wedding!

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the E-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Friends To Lovers is the story of Ren and Joni who promise to be each others.plus ones at weddings no matter where they are in life. At some point their friendship is estranged. They still meet together to be the plus ones at a wedding. They now have no choice but to work through their feelings for each other.
I can see why some readers enjoyed Friends to Lovers. For me, I had a hard time connecting with any characters. I also felt that a spark or banter between the characters was missing. It felt to me more like a romantic drama.
I would recommend this to readers who enjoy this type of trope, it just was not for me.

This was just okay. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it. Sweet and fun read but did not do much for me.

Enjoyable but a bit predictable. A light summer read or a nice palate cleanser. Good chemistry between the characters but nothing special.

This is a friends-to-lovers romance that hits all the right notes. Following Joni and Ren, two best friends who haven’t spoken in two and a half years after their friendship abruptly ended. Now, they're reunited for a week for a wedding, and all the old feelings and hurts come rushing back to the surface.

The dual timelines of story really worked for me and helped me follow Joni and Ren's friendship evolve into something more over several years, while also chronicling their present-day reunion. Watching them fall in love without even realizing it is a truly beautiful and heartbreaking experience. The pining, missed opportunities, and intense connection between them are stunning to witness.

This book perfectly captures the feeling of falling in love with your best friend. The tenderness and deep emotional connection between Joni and Ren are palpable, reminding you of how it feels when love simply clicks into place.

You’ll enjoy this book if you like:
- Friends to lovers
- Second chance romance
- He falls first

Audio Review: This was a book that I alternated between audio and reading. It was a seamless transition with this story, which really elevated my reading experience. Patti Murin is a top-notch narrator and really helped bring the story to life. I’d highly recommend this book as an audio!

Thank you to HTP Books and Harlequin Audio for the #gifted e-ARC and ALC. All opinions expressed are my own.

I loved the idea that this book was compared to People we meet on vacation! Which was one of my favorite books from last year. I really liked that the first half of this book hooked you and made you fall in love with Joni and Ren’s friendship. I would have to say that the second half, where their friendship blossomed into romance was a little less “loved” but it was still a great story!

When I saw that this was a Happy Place x PWMOV of course I sprinted to request Friends to Lovers right away! I can definitely see why this book would be comped with those two titles and as a lover of both I did enjoy this book! I loved the use of past weddings to tell their story that led up to their estrangement while using a present day wedding to see them come back together. Ren has all of the characteristics of an MMC that I love, but he did feel a little too copy and past of Alex from PWMOV. I've seen some reviews that thought Joni, our FMC, was annoying but tbh I saw a lot of myself in her. She is struggling to figure out where her life is going when she already thought it was on the trajectory she always saw for herself. She has a complicated relationship with her mother while also wanting to have that bond she sees her sister has, but is too scared to be seen as letting everyone down.

My biggest issue with the book is that I didn't feel super connected with any of the other characters. I honestly couldn't tell you what any of them looked like and most of them seemed to be summarized by a specific archetype and that's where they sat for the whole book. I loved the setting of the beach house and could fully see all of the different locations they found themselves in, but couldn't tell you what a single person looked like so that took away from be fully immersed in the story.

Ultimately I would recommend this to anyone that loves a good friends to lovers book and for anyone wanting a cute summer romance to read in the late summer.

This was a cute, feel-good friends-to-lovers story that ended up being better than I expected. For a debut, the author did a great job giving us enough backstory to connect with the characters, and Blakely really nailed the pining and yearning—I was definitely rooting for these two.

That said, I wasn’t a fan of the conflict. It wasn’t just miscommunication—it was a total lack of communication, which is even more frustrating. The pacing also dragged, especially toward the end, and I wasn’t happy with how the FMC’s anxiety and panic attacks were handled. Her mom tended to baby her because of it, and that dynamic didn’t sit right with me.

Still, it’s a sweet, summery read. It actually reminded me a lot of People We Meet on Vacation—so if you liked that one, you might enjoy this too.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me a digital ARC for an honest review.

I received an ARC of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun summer book. I enjoyed it from start to finish!

A perfect light summer read.
Friends we meet on vacation meets happy place!
Though it’s not my favourite trope it was properly executed here and I couldn’t put it down! Really enjoyed the writing, the characters and story!

The Summer I Turned Pretty meets People We Meet on Vacation. This worked for me, but friends to lovers is a favorite so keep that in mind.

I didn't necessarily love the reasoning for certain situations in the book but they made sense so I can't fault them.

The tension was great and the longing even better.

Content: explicit language, open door

We have two childhood best friends Joni and Ren, Joni was moving to New York to take a job opportunity, they both decide to make a " wedding pack". It was a way for them make time to see each other. We get flashbacks and present which I enjoyed helped me connect a bit more with the characters, knowing what exactly happened during each time and how it led up to the present.

Tropes:
Single POV
Childhood best friends
Fake friendship
Slow burn
Dual timelines

The middle dragged a bit for me, I couldn't really connect with the character, although I did enjoy Ren character it was enough for me to get really hooked on the story. Overall this was an enjoyable quick easy read.

Thank you NetGalley for the ebook!!

I think this book was aptly named. The title is the trope and the trope is executed to a T. It’s exactly what you would think of. They were friends since children, for the longest time— one was secretly pining for the other all this time (it’s him) and the other was totally oblivious until it just clicked in her mind. Then they tried things, worried about ruining something, fell apart, were absolutely miserable and came together again.
While formulaic, the writing made for a good listen and I still really enjoyed the story. Sometimes you just need a solid, dependable romance to wind down from the day and this was perfect for that!

Thank you Harlequin for the read!

What an awesome summer romance! Loved this story of two friends Joni and Ren who both cared so much for the other they almost lost each other. Agreeing to always be each others plus ones to wedding kept them in touch - but what were they ignoring? I really enjoyed the banter and all the craziness that comes from families sharing a house! Thank you NetGalley and Canary Street Press.

Friends to Lovers was an okay read. There are many thing that worked, the friendship, Ren and his thoughtfulness and how their history is uncovered. What did not work for me, was the m8scommunication trope and the extended family. Like butt out Mom, you know which one I'm talking about. And Joni, girl a job / career is just that, probably not going to give you lifetime comfort. I also thought that she was a bit of a coward.

Overall, this was okay, not memorable.

#FriendstoLovers #NetGalley

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing | Canary Street Press and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Family friends for life of course they would become lovers, throw in a complicated relationship and it makes for a perfect story.

Great for a summer beach read!

4.75 ⭐️

i had HIGH expectations for this one because i saw so many other arc reviews that were so positive about this book and it REALLY did not disappoint. this book had just about everything i love in a romance 😍

the two main characters are family friends that have known each other their whole lives. they’ve always been known to be each others best friend, but what would happen if they realized there was something more to how they felt about each other?

this was beautifully told through a past and present timeline, which is not always my favorite but this one was done sooo right— neither timeline felt like it was carrying the weight of the story. past experiences were told at the exact right moments and the present timeline was still interesting and not just a vessel to tell the past storyline (which is something i sometimes notice in other books) AND the story would not be complete without both timelines being told in the way that they were.

this relationship had YEARS of yearning and tension, and that wasn’t only the case in the past timeline. you could feel it throughout the entire book. like these two characters were just SO entirely meant to be together that anything else feels like an injustice.

there were also really fleshed out relationships with other characters in the book that didn’t feel like filler or an afterthought. the relationship between their families, friends, and with their own siblings and parents had compelling plot lines that added even more depth to the story.

overall, i would recommend this to ANYONE who likes to read romance!

(the only reason this wasn’t a 5⭐️ is because that spot is reserved for my all time favorite books. if i find myself thinking of this book often, it could be bumped up, but it’s rare that it happens in a standalone for me 🤷🏻‍♀️)

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the opportunity to read this eARC.

This was a light, fun summer read following two friends who inevitably become lovers (i.e. the title). The past and present dual timeline was enjoyable. I enjoyed the friendship between the MCs. Overall, a good debut!

Title: Friends to Lovers
By: Sally Blakey
Pub. Day: July 22, 2025

Genre:
Fiction, Contemporary, Romance,

Content Warnings:
Mild Profanity, Mild Graphic Content (Ch. 22)

Memorable Quote:
“I’ve been wasting so much time worrying about what could go wrong that I never paused to consider everything that could go right.”

Summary/Review:
Joni and Ren have been inseparable since childhood, their friendship a constant through every life change that is until Joni moves across the country. Their long-standing pact to be each other’s plus-one becomes the thread that keeps them connected, a tradition both sweet and comforting. But after a falling out that few know about, they find themselves reunited and forced to pretend their bond is as strong as ever, even though it isn’t. With old feelings, unspoken tensions, and plenty of romantic sparks simmering under the surface, could this summer be the one that brings them back together? Or separate them for good?

I was smitten by this warm, cozy and engaging novel. The idea of two best friends making a pact to be each other’s plus-one is already sweet, but watching that playful arrangement start to blur into something deeper had me grinning, swooning, and holding my breath. It’s somehow both a quick, engaging read and a delicious slow burn, filled with fake dating fun, close proximity sparks, and that tender hope of second chances. The emotional depth Sally Blakely brings to these characters is incredible—I felt every shift, every glance, every moment of tension. I read it in one sitting. One tiny complaint, the title gives away the book. Regardless, the writing is so sharp and the ending so satisfying that I closed the book feeling happy and smitten.

*I knocked off a star for my personal preference for mild graphic content.

Thank you to Sally Blakely, Harlequin Trade Publishing, Canary Street Press and NetGalley for the opportunity of an Advanced Readers Copy. I am voluntarily leaving my personal review.

#FriendstoLovers
#SallyBlakely
#HarlequinTradePublishing
#Advancedreadercopies
#ReluctantReaderReads
#NetGalley
#ARC