This was a really fun romance read with lots of enjoyable scenes, a good plot, and lovable characters. There's definitely a lot of humor in the story, which I think is what made it really enjoyable for me. I love Ava and Finn separately and together, and reading about their adventures around London was really enjoyable!

It’s very hot in my part of the country right now. And author Georgia Stone turns up the heat even higher with her new book, The Friendship Fling! This book is most definitely a beach read!

Ava is a barista in a coffee shop. She doesn’t really love her job. Her love life is a series of one night stands. And then Finn walks into the café. He’s in London for six months on a work contract. And Ava can’t stand him. He talks too much, he’s upbeat and he’s got a list of things he wants to do before he leaves the country.

I really enjoyed the back-and-forth of this pair. Each of them have chapters, but it is Ava that drives the tale. The supporting characters are well drawn and have their parts to play.

Now you might think that you know what’s going to happen in this book. And you might be right, but you’ll enjoy the journey to get there! Beach reading for sure!

This was such a cute book it shows that friendship can lead to so much more. Enjoyed how it was not instant love the characters formed a connection before the relationship stared

The Friendship Fling is pure feel-good romance with heart, humor, and just the right dash of spice. Georgia Stone creates characters you can't help but root for—real, lovable, and perfectly imperfect. The friends-to-lovers arc is warm and satisfying, full of sweet moments, flirty banter, and emotional depth that sneaks up on you. I laughed, I swooned, and I didn’t want it to end. A total comfort read that leaves you smiling.

4.4⭐️ The BANTER. The summer romance. The chick flick esque vibes. This was so good and funny it felt like a nostalgic rom-com. If you love a slow burn this one is for you, with all the tension you could ask for between Ava and Finn as they get to know each other and cross boundaries between friends and more. I would recommend this one to anyone who wants a cute and funny summer read for sure.

I just couldn't get into this one unfortunately. It could have been a mood thing, so my rating reflects that.

All I have to say is the banter was bantering in this book and oh my gosh!!! I'm so obsessed. The tension and the slow burn had be swooooooning. I loved this book so much more than I thought I would!!!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the arc <3

This was so much more than a rom com or meet cute!

Ava, a coffee shop worker, who meets Finn, a golden retriever type both find themselves compete opposites embarking on a short-term friendship over one London summer. Ava is not a people person she’s sarcastic extremely blunt and not wanting any type of serious relationship. Finn is only in London working for a summer and he’s made a London bucket list so he asks Ava to help. To Ava’s shock , their mismatched friendship becomes oddly tolerable, and as they work their way through Finn’s list together around the sun-drenched city, from rooftops and floating bars to nights at the museum, their adventures—and Finn’s company begins to feel completely comfortable. She tries to keep reminding herself their agreement and rules. I mean Finn departure is getting closer. She knows they can’t be falling in love over one summer right?

I love a romance abroad story and love when a character has to leave to realize nothing is worth not being with the love of their life!

I just adored how Finn, from day one saw Ava like she was made of stardust. He was like the puppy who wants to play with the cat who keeps swatting and scratching at the puppy. He never gave up on her and simply stuck around which I think is just sweet. Black cat and golden retriever trope all the way!

I enjoyed Georgia's writing. My only complaint is that Finn's POVs just kind of stopped which felt weird to me. I was waiting for more of his POV at the end and it never came!

"If he's the sun, I must be the moon." Ahhhhh. I want to start over and read this again right now!

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Perennial for the eARC!

This book was such a tender read. I was not expecting to feel all the feels. The plot and character development felt authentic to the story and the characters. I was pleasantly surprised and happy that the characters were able to work through their challenges in a way that was not tropey, but added to the complexity of the story. This for me really allowed me to fall in love with the story, Finn, and Ava. This was a love story that really spoke to the ups and downs of life, having friends to support and love you through those moments, and to find the person who just gets you. Finn and Ava really balanced each other out, creating tension and joy when they navigated their friendship. I loved that the characters worked on themselves to become the best versions they could. Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by this book and will recommend it to friends. Thank you to Harper Perennial and NetGalley for the ARC and chance to read.

The Friendship Fling is a friends-to-lovers, dual POV romance. Ava is a snarky barista who isn’t looking for love or friendship. To appease her roommate’s demands that she should try to get out more, she pretends that an annoyingly outgoing customer, Finn, is her new friend. Finn agrees to go along with the farce as long as Ava agrees to help him with his London bucket list. He’s planning to move to San Francisco at the end of the summer, so she’s not worried about getting too attached. Of course, as they spend more time together, they actually become close friends and start to develop feelings.

The story was both funny and heartfelt and I was rooting for Ava and Finn throughout the book. I also loved the London setting and I could see it being a really fun rom com movie.

This was a cute read. My first by this author. I wasn’t always invested in the outcome, but I thought the banter was just right and the dual POV added to the telling of this story.

Thank you to Harper, NetGalley, and the author for an ARC! I liked this book. The premise was cute, the characters were fun, and the banter was top-tier. However, it was missing something for me, and I honestly can’t even articulate what exactly that missing thing is. I loved Finn, but I suppose I just was not completely sold on his relationship with Ava. My favorite relationship though was Ava and Max. This is a sibling relationship unlike any I’ve ever read, and I really really loved it. I would love to see Max get his own book someday! The ending was satisfying, but again something was missing for me. Overall, I thought it was a solid read and definitely one that should be checked out!

The tension and banter in this book is amazing. I love a good book set in London. This one was incredible. I loved Finn and Ava. They had great character development and were so easy to love.

Thank you to Harper Perennial for the e-arc of this book! I totally forgot how much i love a black cat fmc x golden retriever mmc and I am so grateful to Georgia Stone for reminding me. Finn was magnetic, pulling me in from the e-ink display and making me giggle and blush. Ava was such a strong heroine, determined to protect herself from being hurt — which is something so deeply relatable. I also felt for Ava because I have a twin brother too and it ripped my heart out to hear about what happened in the past. Her love for her brother resonated with me to my core. The side characters, especially Josie (my QUEEN), were so funny and added to the story and the characters’ journeys. Their support for the two leads made me smile, as did all their teasing. SUCH. a solid romance book. 4.25 🌟

I enjoyed the dual POV. This reminded me a little bit of Promise Me Sunshine and The Passion Project - just set in London and grief was not a main theme. The banter was really witty and cute. It is friends to lovers so it definitely has that slow burn but with lots of chemistry. I really enjoyed it!

Rating: 3⭐

This is a cute, slow burn, strangers to lovers, summer romance rom com! Ava meets Finn while working at a coffee shop. She has never been one to have many friends, besides her roommate who tells her to get out there more. Ava is also not one for relationships, she's always been one to just want to have fun. Then there is Finn. He is in London working, while also waiting for a new job. He decides to make a bucket list of everything he wants to see and do during his time left in the city. Ava agrees to help him, as long as they remain friends and that is all. As the summer goes, activities are checked off and feelings grow between the two.

This was a cute story for this author's debut! The banter between the characters was funny and cute, especially with it being a back cat fmc & golden retriever mmc. I will say that this plot was pretty cliché and I could tell where the story was going the entire time. I always love a plot twist but there wasn't one here. There is a version of 3rd act breakup in this book, as well. All in all, this was a cute book but it felt too predictable to me. It didn't stand out to me as much as I believe it could have.

This was a wonderful debut slow-burn romance! I thought it had great depth and character development.

Ava is pretty lonely. She has one friend and works at a job she doesn't love. When Finn begins coming into her coffee shop regularly, he makes it his mission to become her friend. They embark on a summer of fun, and eventually romantic feelings develop. But Finn is leaving at the end of the summer and Ava has other challenges coming her way. Can this black cat and golden retriever make a relationship work?

I loved this reverse grumpy/sunshine read! Ava was such a relatable grump. Things in her life have been hard and off kilter for a while. Finn had his own struggles but covered it up with an outgoing, joyful personality. They were great together. I loved their banter and how they truly enjoyed being with each other. There are some real issues standing in the way of their HEA, and I thought they resolved in a believable way. If you were a fan of Passion Project or Promise Me Sunshine, this one will be a hit for you as well.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper for the e-book in exchange for my honest review! I'll be on the lookout for more from this author!

I always love a story set in London. My favorite city in the whole world! This was a fun take on a romance and not your typical plot. It had cute moments and fun experiences. I had a hard time connecting with the story and their relationship never made a ton of sense to me. I never really felt the spark. Not a terrible book just not one I would overwhelmingly recommend.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this book. All opinions are mine alone.

4⭐️ A cute book following Ava and Finn. Finn has a bucket list to accomplish and Ava is willing to help. She’s a sassy barista at a London coffee shop. Finn is country hopping but about to start and job back in the states. As there friendship forms, so does an attraction. But with Finn leaving in the next few months, will Ava be able to take a risk and see whether or not their friendship can be more.

Thank you to @netgalley, @harperperennial, and Georgia Stone for the advanced reader copy.