I am going to start this review off by saying that I am not trying to be rude or harsh. I will try my best to be objective, but quite frankly I do not have anything positive to say about this book.

I am a fan of Haley's YouTube videos and have been interested in hearing about her writing process since she started sharing about it on social media. From her announcement of the book, to the cover and title reveal, to getting approved for an ARC, I was along for the ride. So it hurts for me to say that this book was very poorly written. It doesn't even seem like she had an editor. I was surprised when she mentioned an editor in the acknowledgements because I genuinely thought she didn't have one.

The amount of "likes" Haley used was distracting to the point that it was almost comical. It felt comparable to a writing piece from an ELA class where the teacher just taught similes. Not to mention, there was very weird phrasing that did not translate well to written text, such as "Uhhhhh", "haha", and "gah-hah" when the character was laughing.

I understand that this book is being marketed as new adult (which is more advanced than young adult), but it felt closer to middle grade to me. The characters and situations that they put themselves in were very juvenile and immature. They were constantly picking fights with each other, and the entire plot felt like one big third act break-up. Right when things would be going well between Blair and Declan, one of them would do or say the wrong thing, and we would be back at square one. I did not feel one ounce of chemistry between them.

I probably should have DNFed, but as I've mentioned in NetGalley reviews before, I try my best not to DNF ARCs. I want to support Haley and her book but I cannot justify writing a positive review because it would be dishonest.

One of Haley's goals is to make the New York Times Bestseller list. While this book certainly was not for me, I still think that this book will make it on the list - but it will be because of her impressively large following, not because of the content of the book.

I’m a little torn on how to rate Just Friends by Haley Pham…. probably around 3 stars.

The writing style didn’t quite click for me, with some dialogue and descriptions feeling a bit overwritten. The romance also felt rushed, especially with a late miscommunication conflict that I didn’t love.

That said, I did finish this in one sitting. The grief storyline surrounding her aunt was moving and written with real emotional weight, and I found myself connecting with those parts more than the actual friends-to-lovers arc.

Overall, this was a quick read with some heartfelt moments, even if the romance didn’t fully land for me.

I am between a 3-3.5 stars.

I went into this book thinking I was really going to love it because small town childhood friends to lovers given a second chance?? That is right up my alley! But unfortunately this book fell flat for me. From the synopsis, it felt like this book was going to be very romance heavy, focused on the broken connection between the main characters but it felt more about the main female character rediscovering what she actually wants and doing things on her accord. I felt that their relationship was kind of just glossed over and was more of a subplot compared to the impact that Lottie left. I had no problem with that but the synopsis did feel a bit misleading to me.

As for the writing, there were many sentences that stood out to me because of how beautifully written it was but at a certain point, I got a bit turned off with the amount of metaphors used. It was A LOT and overwhelming. Many of the sentences could have just been more straight forward.

I don't want to come off or be hard. I still had a great time enjoying it and I did finish this in about 11 hours. Although this book didn't hit the mark for me, I am definitely still willing to give Haley's future books a chance.

This emotional, fun, and warm second-chance romance from debut author/internet personality Haley Pham has truly surprised me! I had no idea I was going to love this as much as I did.

Perfect for lovers of:
- Second chance romance
- Slow burn
- Summer vibes
- Small town romance

Blair has recently returned to her hometown to say her final goodbyes to her aunt, and to support her mother.
When she arrives, she decides to get a job at a new coffee shop in town- only to discover that the manager is her childhood best friend and ex-lover, Declan.
In working together, Blair discovers that leaving may have never been the right choice. But she is set to return to New York soon for a new job.
She will have to decide where her heart truly lies and If changing her life as she knows it could be worth the risk, all while juggling newfound grief.

I loved the vibes in this story!
This was so summery and warm. I can really picture this cute little beach town, the cottage, and the coffeeshop. It’s like I’m on a costal vacation.

There was quite an unexpected emotional element to this. For me at least.
I don’t usually find myself getting too worked up over fictional character grief- but I did think that Blair’s experience with her aunts passing was really sad.
Especially given the pain she already experienced having an abusive relative, and her aunt being her saving-grace.

I thought this writing style here was great, and It is exactly what I adore in a romance book.
It reads so easily and is paced well. I didn’t find it to be overly flowery, or too basic.
I can always appreciate when I am able to read something without constantly having to go back over certain parts to understand.

Overall, this really did exceed my expectations.
I am not someone that tends to flock towards books written by celebrities or media personalities, and I do not give high ratings just because a person has a large following. It is my honest opinion that this is worth the hype!

Huge thank you to Netgalley, Atria Books and author Haley Pham for providing me with the eARC of “Just Friends”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: March 03, 2026
*I will be posting my full review to goodreads closer to the official publication date, as requested by the publisher. I am included a link to my goodreads rating, which will be updated to include the actual review at that time!