Take a photo of a barcode or cover
3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
As a lover of rom coms, especially those where our MCs go from friends to lovers, I was super excited for A Guide to Being Just Friends. I mean, the blurb freaking references When Harry Met Sally AND 500 Days of Summer. How could that not be my jam???
Well, I’ll tell you…
What I liked about the book:
1. Of course, the idea was cute to me.
2. My favorite characters were the side characters who worked in Hailey’s shop. They probably had the most personality in my opinion and I wanted more for them. The only way I would read another book in this series is if it was about Leo…
What could have been better:
1. This whole story just felt really stiff and I didn’t really feel a connection to anyone. There were hints to backstories, but no real depth to the characters, which was a big miss in my mind.
When I requested this book, I had no clue this was book 3 in the series (though can be read as a standalone). So perhaps I’m missing a lot of the background for Wes in books 1 and 2, but I know I’m not missing anything for Hailey, so there is no excuse there for poor characterization.
2. These characters were too boring to have this much drama! I was legit pissed how many times the “big fight” happened between our MCs. It was like as soon as it was solved, there was something else. Between Hailey never being able to accept help and Wes being a total idiot when it came to wanting her for the rest of his life, but not, like, loving her (what the fuck was that shit?!?), this whole story was a test of my patience.
3. This was too suggestive to be clean, but too clean to be anything other than YA-level dirty. Just pick a lane, don’t tease us.
4. This “guide” was mentioned, but never really flushed out. I wanted a freaking contract like in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Not a passing nod reference to the goddamn title of the book….
Final Thoughts:
I’m sure this would be great for some, but just wasn’t for me. It was too cookie-cutter, clean romance with characters that just didn’t appeal to me.
Final Rating: 2.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sophie Sullivan for this book in exchange for my honest review!
Well, I’ll tell you…
What I liked about the book:
1. Of course, the idea was cute to me.
2. My favorite characters were the side characters who worked in Hailey’s shop. They probably had the most personality in my opinion and I wanted more for them. The only way I would read another book in this series is if it was about Leo…
What could have been better:
1. This whole story just felt really stiff and I didn’t really feel a connection to anyone. There were hints to backstories, but no real depth to the characters, which was a big miss in my mind.
When I requested this book, I had no clue this was book 3 in the series (though can be read as a standalone). So perhaps I’m missing a lot of the background for Wes in books 1 and 2, but I know I’m not missing anything for Hailey, so there is no excuse there for poor characterization.
2. These characters were too boring to have this much drama! I was legit pissed how many times the “big fight” happened between our MCs. It was like as soon as it was solved, there was something else. Between Hailey never being able to accept help and Wes being a total idiot when it came to wanting her for the rest of his life, but not, like, loving her (what the fuck was that shit?!?), this whole story was a test of my patience.
3. This was too suggestive to be clean, but too clean to be anything other than YA-level dirty. Just pick a lane, don’t tease us.
4. This “guide” was mentioned, but never really flushed out. I wanted a freaking contract like in To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before. Not a passing nod reference to the goddamn title of the book….
Final Thoughts:
I’m sure this would be great for some, but just wasn’t for me. It was too cookie-cutter, clean romance with characters that just didn’t appeal to me.
Final Rating: 2.5 stars
Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin’s Press, and Sophie Sullivan for this book in exchange for my honest review!
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
lighthearted
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:
Complicated
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-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
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Plot
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
It was fairly cute. Definitely a good read if you want a cute and slow-ish romance that you don't have to think too hard on. I enjoy a decent strangers to friends to lovers. A part of me really loved that they were friends first and slightly hoped they would stay friends and it would just be a wholesome story. It's perfectly okay that it wasn't, though. I liked it decently enough. That being said, the writing and dialogue is a bit hard to get past. There were things that were said that just didn't seem like any real person would ever actually say them, at least not in the way that they were written.
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
No
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This book (and others I've read by Sophie) was the perfect feel-good rom-com and was exactly what I hoped for. Having met some of the characters in Sophie's other books I felt like they were well-developed but I could also see how they'd feel lacking if you read the book on its own or out of order.
This is everything you could want in a rom-com.....adorable characters with relatable flaws, witty banter, romantic angst, and full-on LOL moments. A Guide to Being Just Friends is the classic tale of two people who form a friendship that they both desperately need, only to discover that it is morphing into something much, much more, yet the story is told in such a way that it feels fresh. It is so easy to become immersed with the lives and emotional struggles of these characters, and it leaves you wanting more. Thanks to @NetGalley, the author, and publisher for the fabulous opportunity to review this new classic. It will definitely be on my list to recommend!