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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
A Guide To Being Just Friends is book 3 of the Jansen Brothers series by author Sophie Sullivan. It is a standalone contemporary romance with a HEA.
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ Friends to lovers
✔️ PG/Closed door romance
✔️ Found family
✔️ When Harry Met Sally vibes
Hailey has just moved into to town to start fresh and kick start her By The Cup salad shop. Wes is using dating apps to try to find someone he just likes.
They meet when Hailey goes to the bakery next door to her shop and Wes mistakenly accuses her of standing him up. When the mix up is cleared up they instantly connect and fall into an easy friendship.
Since neither is looking for a serious relationship, they come up with a guide (in infographic form, hence my infographic edit with my list of how to be a good friend) to being just friends to ensure it lasts. But as the months pass and they spend time together, non-platonic feelings bloom. But will they let themselves fall in love?
I really liked Hailey and Wes’ friendship. I loved the bonds between Wes and his brothers and how they wanted to give back and help their community. The friendships Hailey builds are also heartwarming.
Yet I wasn’t a fan of how stubbornly resistant Hailey was to receiving help or gifts from Wes, nor his mulishness about relationships. I think that the slow burn and closed door romance added a bit to my bangxiety*
I was an overall cute, fun and enjoyable read. I’m sure fans of the series will love this installment. The performance by both narrators was well done, they gave the characters an extra layer and brought them to life.
By the numbers quick review:
★ Hero:
WHAT TO EXPECT:
✔️ Slow burn
✔️ Friends to lovers
✔️ PG/Closed door romance
✔️ Found family
✔️ When Harry Met Sally vibes
Hailey has just moved into to town to start fresh and kick start her By The Cup salad shop. Wes is using dating apps to try to find someone he just likes.
They meet when Hailey goes to the bakery next door to her shop and Wes mistakenly accuses her of standing him up. When the mix up is cleared up they instantly connect and fall into an easy friendship.
Since neither is looking for a serious relationship, they come up with a guide (in infographic form, hence my infographic edit with my list of how to be a good friend) to being just friends to ensure it lasts. But as the months pass and they spend time together, non-platonic feelings bloom. But will they let themselves fall in love?
I really liked Hailey and Wes’ friendship. I loved the bonds between Wes and his brothers and how they wanted to give back and help their community. The friendships Hailey builds are also heartwarming.
Yet I wasn’t a fan of how stubbornly resistant Hailey was to receiving help or gifts from Wes, nor his mulishness about relationships. I think that the slow burn and closed door romance added a bit to my bangxiety*
I was an overall cute, fun and enjoyable read. I’m sure fans of the series will love this installment. The performance by both narrators was well done, they gave the characters an extra layer and brought them to life.
By the numbers quick review:
★ Hero:
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
funny
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
as excited as I was for this book unfortunately this one just really wasn’t for me. I didn’t know that there were two books prior to this one (thats on me for not checking) but it made it hard during certain parts to know what was going on.
Not a bad book, just not for me.
Not a bad book, just not for me.
lighthearted
medium-paced
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
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
lighthearted
medium-paced
Slow burn
Friends to lovers
Angst
Closed Door
This was a pretty standard cute love story. It was written well. If you like clean romances this was cute. This was a romance that had more story in their personal lives than the romance for 40%ish of the read.
I don’t think I am the target audience for this read but it was well done for those that are.
I feel like I would have enjoyed this less if I hadn’t consumed it by audiobook. The actors added that bit of adorable to these two.
Friends to lovers
Angst
Closed Door
This was a pretty standard cute love story. It was written well. If you like clean romances this was cute. This was a romance that had more story in their personal lives than the romance for 40%ish of the read.
I don’t think I am the target audience for this read but it was well done for those that are.
I feel like I would have enjoyed this less if I hadn’t consumed it by audiobook. The actors added that bit of adorable to these two.
slow-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
Once again it was a good romance with communication, slow burn, and no spice (only fade to black), so it was great!
I really enjoyed getting more infos and seeing how the other people of their group were doing, I really liked the found family Hailey got throught her meet-cute with Wes and her shop. That's honestly my favorite part, how they're all a very big happy family of friends.
I have to say I liked Wes better when he was just friend with Hailey, he got a bit on my nerves by being a coward and hardset on his thinking, even if it was understandable. HOWEVER, as a childfree, the ongoing of their relationship and couple got me thinking he'll end up agreeing having kids when he said he didn't want any (with his past and his father), so... that's a very let down plot wise for me. To me, once he said that, it was better they'd end up just staying friends.
I really enjoyed getting more infos and seeing how the other people of their group were doing, I really liked the found family Hailey got throught her meet-cute with Wes and her shop. That's honestly my favorite part, how they're all a very big happy family of friends.
I have to say I liked Wes better when he was just friend with Hailey, he got a bit on my nerves by being a coward and hardset on his thinking, even if it was understandable. HOWEVER, as a childfree, the ongoing of their relationship and couple got me thinking he'll end up agreeing having kids when he said he didn't want any (with his past and his father), so... that's a very let down plot wise for me. To me, once he said that, it was better they'd end up just staying friends.