Ok I liked this book. It was very much of a vanilla romance for me, and it took me a bit to figure out when they jumped from present to past. I was listening to the audio for it. And with 1 person narrating it sooooo hard to follow when it’s jumping all over. The story is cute but definitely needed to be duel or duet for audio.

They grew up as best friends, he fell in love with her in high school but never told her. He didn’t want to force her, and he was scared he’d never love him that way or the same way he loved her. She realizes she loves him later in life and then realized he’s giving up his dream for her so she runs. 2.5 years later they are brought back together and well that’s where it’s fun haha!

This was actually a great audio. I enjoyed the narrators which is super important, especially for a romance. I didn't find this to be cringey or corny at all. I was very pleasantly surprised!

I would give this book 3 stars. Ren was such a good MMC, he was so attentive, sweet, and such a great friend, but I didn't care much for Joni's character. The story and the writing were good; I just couldn't get past not being a fan of Joni. Even knowing the ending and what happened, I just don't understand how you can cut someone off for 2+ years. Be a decent human and COMMUNICATE! I loved the ending so at least it ended on a high note.

*Friends to lovers
*Second chance

So like some other reviewers I had a similar experience of feeling like this book was very reminiscent of some other books or rather pieces of different books and particularly author Emily Henry. Except I had a very different end point as I enjoyed this even more.

It’s similar in that many in this niche sub genre of romance that part contemporary romance, part romcom part beach read, all sound alike with similar base stories. The difference is this is better written than some others. Full disclosure I am NOT an Emily Henry fan; finding her books poorly written and full of fluff.

This book has the fun warmth that (other) readers enjoy with books like “ Happy Place” and “the People you meet on Vacation” but it adds some emotional depth and plenty of subtext making this a much more well rounded read.

I consumed the audiobook which was narrated by Patti Murin. Ms Murin did an ok job overall however it was recorded painfully slow. I’m not sure why this is the case particularly from Harlequin Audio to have the 1x speed be much slower than a typical speaking speed. It has a molasses like quality to it which impacts the experience and the prose. Thankfully it is easily corrected by speeding things up. The issue here is two fold. For one, Ms Murin isn’t consistent in her vocal speed so when you speed it up it can be a challenge in some part with understandability. But also, her natural voice for the FMC is a bit higher pitched so when you speed it up it makes it even worse. But her chosen voice for the FMC was great. It for the age and personality of Joni. On the other side of the coin, her male vocals are NOT a strength but again, speeding it up does make things a bit better and tolerable .

This book comes out July 22, 2025 in perfect time to be a fun summer read that has some grit . A beach read it is not!

I am thankful to have gotten a complimentary audio ALC from Harlequin Audio through NetGalley to read which gave me the opportunity to voluntarily leave a review.

My rating system since GoodReads doesn’t have partial stars

⭐️ Hated it
⭐️⭐️ Had a lot of trouble, prose issues, really not my cup of tea (potentially DNF’d or thought about it)
⭐️⭐️⭐️ Meh, it was an ok read but nothing special
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Really enjoyed it! Would recommend to others
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ Outstanding! Will circle back and read again

Oh, I loved this. This is a mix of friends to lovers and second chance romance, in the same vein as people we meet on vacation. Joni with her existential crisis and Ren with his quiet yearning are both such delightful characters apart and together. All the side characters and their relationships with the MCs and each other are really beautifully drawn too. Leo is very huggable.

The narrator, Patti Murin, is great. She's one of those just under the radar narrators for me, but I always enjoy her narration. Since this author was an unknown to me, the narrator and the genre are the main reasons I requested this book.

Separately, I'm not really a fan of the whole "trope as title" thing and I think it does a disservice to the book. At least in my opinion it makes it look like very little effort is being put into the story overall and they're just trying to maximize some kind of algorithm or search function.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ALC. This comes out July 22, 2025.

Joni and Ren have been childhood best friends for so long that their parents have been wishing for them to get together. After not being in contact for a long time, the two agree that they need to make it work so they are still in each other's lives - can they do it?

I do enjoy a good friends to lovers story and this one was good. I could feel the chemistry between the characters and just wanted them to hurry up and get their acts together! Considering how old the characters were (30!), I'm surprised they didn't communicate better. All in all though, this was a fun debut. I'm excited to read what Sally Blakely writes next.

What an amazing summer read and such a cute second chance romance and childhood friends to lovers.

After agreeing to be plus ones to every wedding they’ve been invited to, we see how Joni and Ren come to the realization that they were always it for one another. However, because they’ve known each other their whole lives their friends and family and long history as best friends, living across the country from each other and their dream jobs become the obstacles keeping them
apart.

After not talking for two years, the two come together one last time as each others plus ones and pretend they’ve been best friends all along. As the days go on,
past heartbreaks come to light and Joni and Ren must make the choice on letting each other go and continuing to stay friends or to finally take a real chance on their love.

I really enjoyed this audiobook but I think because the back and forth between timelines I had a hard time following along in the beginning but after a couple of flash backs over the years between Ren and Joni I was able to catch onto this epic love story between two childhood friends

It reminded me a lot of Emily Henry’s Happy Place and was such a great time reading about their families dynamics and as the book goes on all I wanted was for Ren and Joni to get their happy endings!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for
allowing me to review this audiobook.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Friends to Lovers – Sally Blakely (Audiobook)

This was a true romance I enjoyed quite a bit. My only hold-up was that the story flips between past and present, and at times it blurred together, leaving me unsure which timeline we were in.

Other than that, the narrator, Patti Murin, was fantastic—great pacing, perfect tone, and she really nailed the emotion in the audiobook.

Joni was so easy to love, going through real-life circumstances that made her incredibly relatable. And Ren… he made you feel like you could just melt into him. Childhood best friends, a summer wedding, and a tradition of always being each other’s plus-ones—until one night changes everything. Now they’re back at the family summer home, pretending to be friends while sparks and old wounds simmer just beneath the surface. It’s sweet, emotional, and full of those moments that make your heart ache in the best way.

The playlist was such a great touch.

Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely and narrated by Patti Murin. I enjoyed the narration. This book had you on an emotional roller coaster. Great beach read. I enjoyed it. Thank you to #NetGalley and #Harlequin Audio for this Arc. This is my honest review.

Friends To Lovers is (shockingly!) a perfect pick for fans of the friends to lovers trope. With its dual timeline and second chance storyline, I’d recommend it to readers who loved Love and Other Words, Every Summer After, and The Summers Between Us.

I really enjoyed the story and loved the characters, but knowing heartbreak was coming made it a tough read for me.. Being 65% in and finally getting a present-day reconciliation, only to watch things fall apart in the past timeline, gave me too much anxiety! I’m just not in an era of life where I want that level of angst. For those that do, it’s very well done.

That said, I adored the characters: their history, their friendship, their growth, and ultimately, their romance. I finished the book with a huge smile on my face, so in that sense, it’s absolutely a winner.

The audiobook is performed by Patti Murin and really, what can I say that hasn’t already been said? She’s one of the GOATs for a reason. 10000% recommend.

4/5⭐️
What a wonderful summer read!

Cozy, warm, and heartfelt!! Joni and Ren grew up together and their family and friends are completely intertwined. The pair used to be the best of friends but have had a following out 2.5 years ago when they used to attended every wedding together as each other’s plus one. Joni is keeping secrets not only from her family but from Ren as well. They reunite for the first time in years at Joni’s younger sister’s wedding at their family’s shared summer home. It’s fun, chaotic, and realistic. We get Joni’s POV throughout.

Audiobook was great, narrator was a good fit for the character!

Thank you to Harlequin Audio and NetGalley for this eALC in exchange for an honest review!

Patti Murin does a fantastic job narrating this excellent book! She has such a pleasant tone and really did a great job with the male voices. I felt like I was really able to easily differentiate between the characters while listening.

The book is an angst filled journey between two lifelong best friends who are dealing with their ever changing lives and close knit families while attending a wedding. I really enjoyed it!

I love this book! I enjoyed the flash backs to weddings & showing how their relationship ebbed and flowed. The forced proximity/friends to lovers/second chance romance tropes were done really well & I enjoyed this audiobook so much!
It’s a fun, bingeable book & a perfect summer read!

This one’s a bit of a mixed bag for me. I usually love a friends-to-lovers story, especially when it includes wedding shenanigans and long-simmering tension—but I’m not quite connecting with the characters the way I hoped.

Joanie returns home from Portland for her sister’s wedding, freshly unemployed and emotionally off-balance. She’s reunited with Ren, her longtime friend and go-to wedding plus-one. There’s tension between them right away, and it’s clear something happened in the past to create a rift—but the book is really slow to reveal why they stopped being close, and that’s been frustrating.

The audiobook is solid with one narrator, and Ren’s steady, quiet vibe contrasts with Joanie’s more chaotic energy, which should have worked well… but I just wanted more. More spark, more emotion, more clarity.

I’m sticking with it because I need to know what went wrong between them, but overall it hasn’t completely swept me off my feet—yet.

Friends to lovers is heartbreaking. When one of the friends feelings become more, it just is so sad that the other is oblivious. This book made me cry

In Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely, childhood best friends Joni and Ren have long been each other’s wedding season plus-ones, until one romantic misstep breaks their bond. Back home for her sister’s wedding, Joni is determined to fake their friendship and keep the peace. But as old feelings resurface, she must decide whether to protect her heart or finally fight for the love that’s always been right in front of her.

This was such a sweet and funny summer romance. It felt like a bright breath of fresh air, and I barreled through it on audio in one joyful, marathon weekend session. The story beautifully captures what it’s like to build a lifetime of memories with someone who knows you inside and out. I especially loved seeing how much comfort Ren brought Joni through the years, and watching her finally accept that their bond was always more than just a plus-one arrangement.

It wasn’t like it was some big secret. Ren and Joni both knew the truth, deep down. They just needed the right moment to finally embrace it. The book also offers gentle, meaningful messages about knowing what really matters and not letting perfectionism or career pressures steer you away from what you truly want. Add to that the personal soundtrack woven throughout their story (including a playlist!) and it just felt extra special.

Best of all, the author gives readers a lovely epilogue so we’re not left wondering what comes next. Patti Murin's narration was absolutely perfect. She brought all the emotions to life and is quickly becoming one of my favorite audiobook narrators. I’m giving this a fun 4 stars. I truly enjoyed every minute.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for the advance listening copy. All opinions are my own.

An easy read for summer or relaxing. Joni and Ren have been best friends since childhood. When Joni moves cross country, the two make a pact to be each others plus one to every wedding they are invited. When lines become blurred and their friendship takes a hit, it will take a summer reunion for her sister’s wedding to finally force them to confront what went wrong. The story has some fun misunderstandings and work arounds but it is interesting to read through. This is a sweet second chance, friends to lovers romance that will have you rooting for the main characters. It has a great summer and beach vibe. thought it was a sweet and lighthearted read. If you like contemporary romance with classic tropes and a second-chance vibe, it’s definitely worth picking up. Thank you to NetGalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing, and Sally Blakely

This is an amazing friends-to-lovers book that immediately earned a spot on my favorites shelf. I found only one downside, and it has nothing to do with the story—whenever I had time to read, I was already too sleepy 🥲 So it took me almost two weeks to finish it 😅

I loved the characters, their story, their emotions, and the warmth they shared. And, of course, the sensual spicy scenes that offer just a glimpse behind the door.

The book gives off vibes of The Summer I Turned Pretty, People We Meet on Vacation, Love, Rosie, Plus One, and Anyone but You. It’s not a copy of any of these, but it beautifully blends their best elements. So if you love any of them, be sure to add this book to your TBR!

Tropes:
— childhood bestfriends to lovers
— second chance romance
— reunion romances
— forced proximity
— dual narratives
— single POV

I also want to say that I really liked the narrator, Patti Murin.

Thank you to Canary Street Press, Harlequin Audio, and NetGalley for providing this eARC and ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Harlequin Audio for the audio arc.

If you loved Happy Place and low key (I’m talking LOW KEY) One Golden Summer or The Ex Vows I really think you’d enjoy Friends to Lovers.

This follows two childhood best friends, Joni and Ren who face a falling out but fake their long standing friendship to keep face in front of Joni’s sister’s wedding.

Friends to Lovers features a dual timeline where you see them make a pact to be each other’s wedding plus ones and be the best of friends to present where they have not seen each other for a while and have to fake it till they make it in front of family and friends.

All of which, takes place at a really beautiful scenic setting which makes this such a good beach/summery read!

I liked the audio narration by Patti Murin but I honestly think I would’ve enjoyed this story more as an eye ball read.

Friends to Lovers is one of my favorite tropes, if not my favorite trope, and I love a dual timeline romance. However< this book fell prey to the wrong type of friends to lovers, where the characters simply don't communicate and if they had, the book's conflict would have been wrapped up on chapter one.

I really enjoyed the audiobook narration, though, and I would definitely pursue other audiobooks performed by the same narrator.