Such a cute story! I don't usually read romance, but this was lighthearted, fun and just super cute. The characters were likable and relatable. The narrator nailed the characters personalities and emotions. I will definitely read more by Sally Blakely.

Thank you again for the ALC!

I gave this a chance even though I am not the biggest fan of "friends to lovers". It did not disappoint and was the perfect summer/easy read.

Friends to Lovers was such a good story. It focuses on two best friends, Joni and Ren, who grew up together because their parents were best friends that owned a beach house together. This book ripped my heart out but put it back together again. Normally, I hate misunderstandings that lead to a fall out so I wanted to give it 4 stars, but I realized that just because I was mad about it didn’t mean that it wasn’t beautifully written and most people would like it. There were so many times where I yelled at these people through the book and I loved it. I received an advanced copy of the audiobook and it was a fantastic listen. It made an eight hour car ride go so quickly.

I highly recommend either buying yourself a copy of the book or the audiobook or both. Either one you won’t be disappointed. You should absolutely pre-order Friends to Lovers asap. I will be recommending this to all three of my Bookclubs because I know everyone will enjoy this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC audiobook. Opinions are my own.

Friends to Lovers was a super cute read. Joni and Ren have been best friends since childhood. They have become each other's plus ones to every wedding. Now Joni's sister is getting married and Joni and Ren are in the same place for the first time in 2.5 years since something changed between them. I enjoyed the structure of the book following along with their relationship in real time while having chapters that flashback to previous weddings they've attended to show the progression of their past together. Definitely an easy beach read!

This is one of my favourite Friends to Lovers tropes I have read yet. Would recommend to any Emily Henry fans. A great summer read.
I was lucky enough to receive both an ARC and an ALC from Netgalley and Harlequin Publishing/Audio.
This is an incredibly strong debut from Sally Blakely. Ren and Joni's chemistry is palpable both through the page, and through Patti Murin's narrating.
The character's are real and well-crafted, with the perfect amount of quirks and romanticism and growth for a romance novel. The flashbacks between present day and past are well timed and well executed to seamlessly move the story forward while also adding important and detailed context from the FMC and MMC's long history.
The yearning, and chemistry between these two is so well written considering the actual sex scenes are limited and very modest/demure.
The initial point of conflict from the past, does feel a bit frustratingly illogical and dramatic from the FMC. And while a bit over the top, upon reflection is honestly not entirely unusual for someone in their young 20s handling complex emotions, relationships and major life milestones. As the story goes on there are also additional details that add more context to the extreme reaction, and in the present day FMC doesn't do mental gymnastics to justify her actions and acknowledges she mishandled the situation and takes accountability.
I also always enjoy a romance where the character's family dynamic is well developed - particularly important in a friends to lovers format. Which Blakely executes well. Despite unique jobs, the career challenges both main characters face throughout the story, and how they impact other aspects of their life, feel very real and relatable.

Thoroughly enjoyed, and look forward to reading more from Blakely in the future.

This was a cute friends-to-lovers second chance romance. When Joni moves across the country for a job, she and Ren agree to be each other's plus one's for weddings to stay in touch. When something breaks their friendship, they haven't spoken in years, but are forced to reunite at one last wedding.

This was a little slow at times and the reason for their falling out was underwhelming. I wanted more tension or rekindling of romance from the pair who have such a history together. Overall it's an easy and enjoyable summery read, but not super memorable.

This one was so beautifully heartbreaking. It wasn't necessarily heartbreaking in a bawl your eyes out way but in the sense that you knew something happened but not what and you just want these characters to be happy together. I was hooked on this story from the first couple chapters. The author did a great job of keeping me engaged with the flashbacks. I really felt for Joni. As someone who can get caught up in the anxious thoughts, I really connected with her. Ren was such a great guy. I loved getting to see their friendship together and knew early on that he loved her and just didn't know how to say it. It was torture but also so sweet. I listen to some of this on audio and the narrator did a great job depicting these characters. This was my first book by this author but it definitely won't be my last.

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing for this ARC/ALC copy.

Friends to Lovers was such a sweet and charming slow burn love story.

Joni and Ren are childhood best friends. Their families have known each other for years and spend summers together at the lake. When Joni moves across the country, the two agree to always be each other’s plus one for weddings. For years they meet at different locations, spending the weekend together while celebrating and then sending each other off until next time. The arrangement works until at one event, things get a little complicated and put an end to their friendship.

When Joni’s sister is set to get married at the lake house, Joni and Ren are forced back together for the first time in years and must fake their friendship for their families who have no idea about the rift. But as the days pass, will the two find their way back to each other and the natural rhythm of their friendship…..or maybe even more?

I love the way that Ren loves Joni. The care he has for her and in the way he regards her. It is apparent by the way they look out for each other and the sacrifices they are willing to make, how true and genuine their love for each other is.

If you love a good clean love story with second chances, wonderful supporting characters and that embraces vulnerability and finding oneself, then this is the book for you. The perfect beach or rainy afternoon read.

A huge thank you to Harlequin Audio for the ALC of this book. The production team did a wonderful job, and the narrator Patti Murin was simply fantastic, bringing all the different characters to life. Her voice is easy to listen to. Her vibrance and emotion is felt without which brings depth to the presentation.

This book was super cute on audio. Loved the back and forth between the characters. Their long term relationship was so fun to learn about and see the growth.

The audio narration was really good and immersive. Highly recommend! Especially for a summer beach read.

Friends to Lovers is a perfect summer beach read! It definitely feels like an Emily Henry or Ali Hazelwood book. It is a cute friends to enemies to lovers (which feels like a new spin). The characters are relatable and the setting was cute with the families getting ready for a wedding. This book felt homey to me in a summer camp type of vibe for adults. Definitely worth reading (or listening) to.

Friends to Lovers is everything I look for in a book, and I’ll be recommending it endlessly as the perfect lighthearted, closed-door, beautiful summer read. If you are an Emily Henry, Christina Lauren, or Anabelle Monoghan fan, you will adore this book. Add it to your list!

The reader meets Joni, a recently fired filmmaker living in New York, who returns to her West Coast hometown for her sister’s wedding week. There, she must confront Ren—her lifelong best friend turned stranger—after 2.5 years of complete silence between them. The novel unfolds through dual timelines: present day and flashbacks chronicling Joni and Ren’s evolving friendship over the years. It’s a narrative with banter, tension, and undeniable chemistry. Once I started listening, I genuinely couldn’t stop. Although I hate miscommunication as the main plot driver of stories, the problem(s) that Joni and Ren were navigating felt all too real. I did not find myself annoyed or frustrated by the conversations that were needing to be had. 

One suggestion I have for the audiobook version: clearer chapter labeling would greatly enhance the experience. Since the story shifts frequently between past and present, using markers like “Today” or “Current” instead of vague weekday titles (“Monday,” “Tuesday”) would make it easier for listeners to track the narrative transitions, especially in audio format.Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ARC. It was a gift to listen!

This was a very cute friends to lovers romance. With some family drama and conflict too. :) i got an advanced copy of the audiobook and truly loved the narration.

I really loved the storyline while friends to lovers has been done so much I think the way this started and progressed it felt unique and allowed you to root for them. The conflicts were also very normal and realistic which I enjoyed.

This releases July 22! Make sure to snag it!!

Thank you to NetGalley for the e-arc audiobook of Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely.

Friends to Lovers by Sally Blakely follows Joni and Ren, two best friends, as they attend other peoples' weddings as each other's plus ones. Some mysterious event happened about two and a half years ago that caused Joni and Ren to stop talking to one another. When Joni's sister's wedding approaches, Joni is forced to confront her mistakes, past, feelings, and (former?) friendship with Ren.

I've seen people compare this book to Emily Henry's Happy Place, Henry's People We Meet on Vacation (I'm so sorry I have not read this book), and K. L. Walther's The Summer of Broken Rules. The plot is similar to Henry's Happy Place without being too same-y. The writing quality was on par with K. L. Walther's The Summer of Broken Rules.

Spoilers below

<spoiler> In my most humblest of opinions, this book has a promising premise but needed to improve on the character writing and structure of the story. If the 'big blow out fight' from 2.5 years ago was placed earlier in the story, it would give the book more stakes as the readers would have a vested interest in how those events will come to light. I also really wish we were able to see them happy and working as good friends more frequently throughout the book. I felt like every time we saw them, they were avoiding each other or not in the same room or not talking. Blakely seemed to be trying to replicate Henry's structure but I would recommend looking at Carley Fortune's This Summer Will Be Different for a masterclass in pulling this kind of structure off. I think Blakely is promising. I will be watching out for her and I cannot wait to see her grow and improve as a writer. </spoiler>

4.5 stars!

I am an absolute sucker for a friends to lovers tale that jumps back in time to show the progression of the relationship, and Blakely does it so well in this debut romance!

Joni and Ren's families have always been close, and the pair have been the best of friends for years. When Joni moves away from home, the pair decide they will still see each other often by being each other's plus ones for all the weddings they go to. We follow them over the course of previous years until we see what happened to make them awkwardly estranged as they celebrate Joni's sister's wedding in the present.

I truly love this format, where we watch a couple fall for each other over the years. The connection and chemistry between Joni and Ren is obvious to everyone but them, and as they sat close at weddings and danced together, I was screaming for them to finally make a move!

Also, what a fun idea to have all of the backstory set at various weddings around the country! We saw some side characters multiple times as weddings were celebrated, and I adored the whole fam by the end of the book. They all just want Joni and Ren to be happy, whatever that looks like. 💗

The audio was narrated by Patti Murin, who always does such an incredible job. Her inflection and tone add to the story and make for an easy listen.

This book is a split timeline between childhood best friends with a tradition of being each other’s wedding plus ones. They’re so comfortable and natural together in the past; the present is painful.
Honestly I had a hard time with the progression of this book; it took me a while to get through. The line “It all seems so foolish now” is a great summary. However, at the end after the reveal, I thought the explanation and self awareness were tragically relatable. I may not be happy with her choices, but I understand them.

Our FMC struggles to prove herself at work (leading to workaholism) and is so concerned about the well being of others, she chooses “less painful” paths that are “best” for them without giving them agency. I’m guilty of that.
Ren is such a thoughtful MMC.

Patti Murin nails it again—her narration is always a win. I really enjoyed this one. The back-and-forth timeline was well done and easy to follow, which isn’t always the case with dual timelines. The romance hit the right emotional beats without getting too angsty, and I’ll definitely be checking out more from Sally Blakely after this. Solid listen for fans of the trope.

This story was very sweet. Ren was such a good friend, I felt bad for him most of the book, SInce you are aware that he has always loved Joni. Joni just took a very long time to realize that she had more than friends feelings for Ren. Its nice to see the growth since it takes you back to the past and you see all the things that went on during their friendships. This to me felt more character lead than plot but there are things that do happen that help the story move along. This is a book that you would pick up if you like friends to lovers and fluffy reads. Its a good book to read as a palette cleanser.

The audio was very good. At times it was confusing since I didnt always catch when it was a flashback or present day shenans. There were times where the sentence was reread, but that just could be that it was the next like. In the ebook I did see words that werent together and that chapters would start in the middle of the page. But the book wasnt the final version so that didnt bother me.

Overall a sweet read and would recommend to romance readers who love fluff, friends to lovers.

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own.

Joni has been dreading this weekend for months. She should be happy and ready to celebrate – it’s her sister’s wedding after all. But this weekend will put her face to face with her lifelong best friend and her typical “plus one” for weddings…and the man she hasn’t spoken to in months. Their friendship was close, even when they were miles apart until they took things a little too far at another friend’s wedding and one night changed everything. Will this weekend reignite that spark, or will their drama ruin everything?

This debut novel from author Salley Blakely is the perfect beach read for your summer vacation. Friends to Lovers showcases family drama, romance, and a relatable tale of 20-somethings dealing with friends who settle down before them and will keep readers engaged and wanting more from these characters, even after the last page! This is an entertaining and easy read you won’t want to put down.

I give Friends to Lovers 4 out of 5 stars. This was a quick and easy read – I finished it in one day – so I think it would make a fantastic beach or vacation read. The only real downside I found with this book was the frustrating way the two main characters continued to be serendipitously forced together to complete wedding activities even though they were trying to avoid one another – it was a little too much like a Hallmark movie for me. With that said, this book made me long for the beach and start planning my next getaway!

With discussions of sex and adult alcohol consumption, this book would be best directed to more mature audiences over 16. I think this would make a great girlfriend read along book or women’s literature book club selection. And if you like authors like Emma Lord, Lynn Painter, Emma St. Clair, or Josie Silver, you are going to love Salley Blakely!

I was looking for a lighter romance read after a few darker choices and the title alone caught my eye on Netgalley. I love the cover and the publisher’s blurb for this book, too. I hope you enjoy this book as much as I did!

🌱| What if your best friend was always your forever? Heartfelt. Emotional slow burn. Light and easy romance filled with the swoons.

➜Summer Romance
➜Childhood Friends to Lovers
➜Dual Timelines

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Audio for this ALC.

Patti Murin did a great job with this audiobook.

I really enjoyed this story and they were able to bring it to life and keep me invested.
Joni and Ren have been family friends all of their lives. They are each other's default wedding plus ones and are 'just friends.'
I liked how the weddings served as a flashback point to find out what 'went wrong' in their friendship and you got a good glimpse into their dynamic.
I liked the slow burn aspect to it- you don’t really know what happened until you know.
I did feel like both families needed some boundaries and better communication styles- they were a little too in everyone's business and it stressed me out.
Overall, this was a great story and Patti kept me engaged and giggling throughout the whole story.