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camillehski's review
emotional
funny
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
The premise of a "friendship study" is silly, but the book really wasn't with its serious themes of loneliness and identity struggles. Also aging parents and dementia made it heavier than the average romance, but I love the depth. Very steamy yet sweet and tender.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Sexual assault
sarahsbookstacks's review
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Injury/Injury detail and Infidelity
Moderate: Dementia, Sexual content, and Car accident
dyamonddd's review against another edition
emotional
lighthearted
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.25
poetic cinema. thats all.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Car accident, Sexual assault, and Injury/Injury detail
tenderbench's review
dark
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Mental illness, Sexual content, Blood, Bullying, Infidelity, Injury/Injury detail, and Panic attacks/disorders
Moderate: Car accident, Rape, and Grief
Minor: Death of parent
mklein319's review
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Sexual assault
melissat's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
Ever since Lulu moved back to her alma mater, she has struggled to fit in. Her best friend and boyfriend betrayed her in England, and no one in Philadelphia will trust that she earned this job herself. Jesse is struggling to pull himself out of self-imposed isolation after his car accident. Together, they join a psychology study about making friends as adult millennials and realize immediately that their physical chemistry just might be the only thing stronger than their easy friendship.
Oh my goodness, Lulu and Jesse! Both of these goobers were the softest, kindest, bundles of angst and emotion. I adore the ways that they worked through all of their past hurts to come to a place where they felt able to open themselves up to their love for each other.
Ruby Barrett's writing was, as always, superb. She treats heavy subjects with such tenderness and her spicy scenes are so hot.
I loved the various friendships that were made and revived throughout the book, and the familial connections have such a soft place in my heart. I related so strongly to Lulu as a character and I know that this will be a comfort read for me to return to over and over again.
Oh my goodness, Lulu and Jesse! Both of these goobers were the softest, kindest, bundles of angst and emotion. I adore the ways that they worked through all of their past hurts to come to a place where they felt able to open themselves up to their love for each other.
Ruby Barrett's writing was, as always, superb. She treats heavy subjects with such tenderness and her spicy scenes are so hot.
I loved the various friendships that were made and revived throughout the book, and the familial connections have such a soft place in my heart. I related so strongly to Lulu as a character and I know that this will be a comfort read for me to return to over and over again.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Car accident, Dementia, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Toxic friendship
jennireadsmaybe's review
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
Thank you to Carina Adores and NetGalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for my honest thoughts <3
Holy crap!!! The yearning in this one. The Friendship Study reminds me of why I love friends-to-lovers so much. These characters come to know each other so deeply that it's impossible for me to not want them together. Their chemistry was just off the charts electric!!! It also doesn't fall into the trap that penetrative sex is the end all be all in a relationship (freaking hot!!!!).
Ruby Barrett treads into some often forgotten about territory in the premise of The Friendship Study. Why is it so hard to make friends as an adult? Is loneliness all that we're meant for if we struggle to make friends? Is it too late to discover who we are again? I felt so seen in various aspects of this book.
The bisexual rep in this was amazing!! MF romances often feature a bisexual heroine, but TFS features a bisexual hero!!!! I loved it so so much. Jesse also lives with chronic pain and uses a mobility aid from a previous injury. You could see the care that Ruby Barrett put into the representation. Although it's not confirmed on page during the story, Barrett mentions in the author's note that Lulu will be diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a queer romance or a friends-to-lovers romance. It was stunning!!!
Holy crap!!! The yearning in this one. The Friendship Study reminds me of why I love friends-to-lovers so much. These characters come to know each other so deeply that it's impossible for me to not want them together. Their chemistry was just off the charts electric!!! It also doesn't fall into the trap that penetrative sex is the end all be all in a relationship (freaking hot!!!!).
Ruby Barrett treads into some often forgotten about territory in the premise of The Friendship Study. Why is it so hard to make friends as an adult? Is loneliness all that we're meant for if we struggle to make friends? Is it too late to discover who we are again? I felt so seen in various aspects of this book.
The bisexual rep in this was amazing!! MF romances often feature a bisexual heroine, but TFS features a bisexual hero!!!! I loved it so so much. Jesse also lives with chronic pain and uses a mobility aid from a previous injury. You could see the care that Ruby Barrett put into the representation. Although it's not confirmed on page during the story, Barrett mentions in the author's note that Lulu will be diagnosed with ADHD as an adult.
I would definitely recommend this to anyone looking for a queer romance or a friends-to-lovers romance. It was stunning!!!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Medical content, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Dementia, and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident
Minor: Sexual assault, Panic attacks/disorders, Death of parent, Grief, Biphobia, and Infidelity
30something_reads's review
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Why would Ruby Barrett write this??😭❤️😭
(I mean that in the best way possible.)
Full RTC after coffee
*****
I said full review after coffee and now it's almost 2 months later AND IM STILL NOT OVER THESE TWO!
Ruby Barrett has created something really special with Lulu's and Jesse's stories. I don't think I have ever fully related to both characters in a romance that way that I did with these two.
At it's heart, this is a story about the difficulties of starting over as an adult- professionally, romantically, when it comes to forming new relationships, and rediscovering who you are when life falls apart.
Lulu returns to her hometown to take a professorial position at the local university after deciding to leave her previous position (where she caught her boyfriend and best friend- who were also work professional colleagues- cheating together.) Now she is starting over in a new department and finds herself struggling to connect with her new team and it all feels a little bit hopeless.
Jesse is feeling like a shell of who he once was. He's still physically and emotionally recovering from an accident that left him disabled/ using a mobility device and unable to continue his career as a firefighter- a job that he has built his entire sense of purpose around. In addition, he is struggling with the recent deterioration of his grandfathers health (Alzheimer's) that has left him permanently in a nursing home and unable to remember Jesse. He is feeling regret and guilt over the fact that he never came out as bisexual to the man who raised him.
Trying to put yourself back out there as an adult is hard.
Lulu and Jesse are set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. There is definitely physical chemistry but it ends up being kind of a disaster. They are later reunited as participants in a psychological study being conducted at the university. The study is looking for 30-somethings that are having difficulty forming new friendships in adulthood. They are encouraged to engage in group activities in the hopes of forming bonds with the other participants. The only rule is that they cannot become sexually involved.
This should be great- Lulu and Jesse can start over as friends with zero weirdness. Except, as their friendship blossoms, so does the reminder of their mutual sexual attraction. Don't break the rules.
Bending the rules is not breaking them, right? (They actually get pretty creative.)
Lulu and Jesse were both so special to me and I loved seeing how they grew together as well as their individual journeys. Their 'friends with very specific benefits' relationship was also very sexy. (Though, I won't get into details in order to avoid spoilers.)
I'll gladly yap about this book with anyone who wants to discuss it in detail. Just know that I love them and this book with my whole heart.
(I mean that in the best way possible.)
Full RTC after coffee
*****
I said full review after coffee and now it's almost 2 months later AND IM STILL NOT OVER THESE TWO!
Ruby Barrett has created something really special with Lulu's and Jesse's stories. I don't think I have ever fully related to both characters in a romance that way that I did with these two.
At it's heart, this is a story about the difficulties of starting over as an adult- professionally, romantically, when it comes to forming new relationships, and rediscovering who you are when life falls apart.
Lulu returns to her hometown to take a professorial position at the local university after deciding to leave her previous position (where she caught her boyfriend and best friend- who were also work professional colleagues- cheating together.) Now she is starting over in a new department and finds herself struggling to connect with her new team and it all feels a little bit hopeless.
Jesse is feeling like a shell of who he once was. He's still physically and emotionally recovering from an accident that left him disabled/ using a mobility device and unable to continue his career as a firefighter- a job that he has built his entire sense of purpose around. In addition, he is struggling with the recent deterioration of his grandfathers health (Alzheimer's) that has left him permanently in a nursing home and unable to remember Jesse. He is feeling regret and guilt over the fact that he never came out as bisexual to the man who raised him.
Trying to put yourself back out there as an adult is hard.
Lulu and Jesse are set up on a blind date by a mutual friend. There is definitely physical chemistry but it ends up being kind of a disaster. They are later reunited as participants in a psychological study being conducted at the university. The study is looking for 30-somethings that are having difficulty forming new friendships in adulthood. They are encouraged to engage in group activities in the hopes of forming bonds with the other participants. The only rule is that they cannot become sexually involved.
This should be great- Lulu and Jesse can start over as friends with zero weirdness. Except, as their friendship blossoms, so does the reminder of their mutual sexual attraction. Don't break the rules.
Bending the rules is not breaking them, right? (They actually get pretty creative.)
Lulu and Jesse were both so special to me and I loved seeing how they grew together as well as their individual journeys. Their 'friends with very specific benefits' relationship was also very sexy. (Though, I won't get into details in order to avoid spoilers.)
I'll gladly yap about this book with anyone who wants to discuss it in detail. Just know that I love them and this book with my whole heart.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia, Sexual content, and Injury/Injury detail
Minor: Rape, Biphobia, Car accident, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Death of parent
patelyne's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
The story of Jesse and Lulu, two lonely people who were brought together by George - mutual friend (and in Jesse’s case, ex boyfriend) - who convinces them to join his Phd study about the difficulties millennials have making new friends.
One of the main rules of this study in building friendships is that romance (or hookup with) with any of the other participants while it’s going.
I’m sure you can guess where this is heading?
They are going to strain the boundaries of those rules 🔥
You ever get that fear, when a book opens in a way you love So Much that you’re terrified the rest of it won’t live up? Can’t possibly?
I got that fear in the very first chapter.
Fortunately, I should *not* have worried, because I loved this book the whole way through.
There is so much to love.
First off, it’s a hot af romance - Refreshing plot line where it’s not an awakening thing *and* not just a throw away sentence about a label but is relevant to their characters.
The tension as they’re trying to go as far as possible without technically breaking the rules of the study? Nice. And when they blow past that line? Even better.
The relatability of how hard making new friends as an adult is, especially without ‘work friends’ to fall back on. And the character growth of Jesse, Lulu and all the other study participants.
That, even though Lulu was betrayed by the two people she should have been able to trust most, she hadn’t turned so bitter she rejected the idea of new connections. She’s was just having trouble making them.
Jesse taking back the parts of his life he’d given up on post accident, and finding a new path. And even though it was hard because he didn’t remember him any more, that he’s still unfailingly loyal to the grandfather who raised him.
I appreciated how the things they were dealing with didn’t have easy fixes, it’s not all about getting back something lost but sometimes it’s making something new that will fit better.
I was all sorts of emotional by the end. Messy messy feelings (ugh, lol)
I would happily read so many more books like this one!
Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for the arc!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Dementia
Moderate: Medical content and Car accident
Minor: Sexual assault
alittlebitheather's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This book was HOT. The tension. The longing. The chemistry. Everything was just...so steamy. Plus two bi leads? (I at least interpreted Lulu to be bi, but she could be pan also - which wouldn't change or have an effect on how much I loved this book) Knock me over with a fucking feather. I can't begin to explain how fucking sexy this book was, so please for the love of god, just READ IT.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Dementia
Minor: Car accident