REVIEW: A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan

A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan: As far as meet cutes go their’s went disastrously bad, but when Wes and Hailey meet for the second time round something just clicks between them, striking up a new fast friendship. Maybe it is the fact that both of them are so determined to start a new chapter in their lives or maybe it’s that they both have no time for relationships. With Wes totally done with relationships and falling in love and Hailey wanting to focus on growing her new salad shop, these two are the perfect pair to be friends and only friends… right?

I just love a good slow burn, friends to lovers romance and this is exactly what we get with Wes and Hailey. I will say that A Guide To Being Just Friends was a bit on the super slow burn side but once things got going I really enjoyed the book. Even though this is book three in the Jansen Brothers series it can be read as a standalone, though I would recommend reading the first two book in this series.

Both main characters were great, I just loved the fact that they started out as friends and we got to see their relationship evolve as they both grew as individuals. Hailey was such a ball of sunshine, after having her heart and confidence crushed by her no go ex, I really enjoyed getting to see her pulling herself up and really giving love another go. I really liked her passion and determination to make her to go salad bar such a success but I do wish she was more open to allowing others to help her. Wes was a great hero, I loved that he was always ready to listen before jumping in on something. More than this I loved that he didn’t see Hailey as this puzzle that needed to be solved. I really enjoyed getting to see him realise that all this planing and detailed list on what he though he wanted in a woman was standing right in front of him.

As far as steam factor goes this book was a pretty mild read. There was some great chemistry between Wes and Hailey. Their banter and playfulness was great but this was more of a closed door romance. The thing that I really enjoyed in this book was the friendship that formed between these two characters, I just loved their weekly grocery shopping dates and really how easily they fitted into each others lives. I will say there were a few unnecessary fights that really didn’t do much to add to the over all read but this was just a minor thing.

The supporting characters in this book were just great, I loved seeing Wes’s brothers and their partners. I just loved Hailey’s cousin Piper, she was a total hoot and so was their bookclub! If you are looking for a light, slow burn friends to lovers read then A Guide To Being Just Friends is worth checking out.

Book Info:

Publication: January 17th 2023 | St. Martin’s Griffin | Jansen Brothers #3

A playful and emotional romantic comedy from the author of Ten Rules for Faking It

Hailey Sharp has a one-track mind. Get By the Cup salad shop off the ground. Do literally everything possible to make it a success. Repeat. With a head full of entrepreneurial ideas and a bad ex in her rearview, her one and only focus is living life the way she wants to. No distractions.

Wes Jansen never did understand the fuss about relationships. With a string of lackluster first dates and the pain from his parents’ angry divorce following him around, he’d much rather find someone who he likes, but won’t love. Companionship, not passion, is the name of the game.

When Hailey and Wes find each other in a disastrous meet cute that wasn’t even intended for them, they embarrassingly go their separate ways. But when Wes finds Hailey to apologize for his behavior, they strike a friendship. Because that’s all this can be. Hailey doesn’t want any distractions. Wes doesn’t want to fall in love.

What could possibly go wrong?