Spotlight & Giveaway: Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis

Posted January 24th, 2025 by in Blog, Spotlight / 30 comments

Today, HJ is pleased to share with you Jill Shalvis’s new release: Better Than Friends

 

Spotlight&Giveaway

 

Old flames reignite in Sunrise Cove in this charming enemies-to-lovers, second-chance, small-town, forced-proximity love story about family, friendships, and true love from New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis.

 
When Olive Porter’s off-the-grid parents go missing, she reluctantly seeks out Noah Turner, her ex and the only person she both trusts implicitly and not at all.

As a special investigative agent for the National Park Service, Noah’s used to living under intense pressure. Or he was until he got injured on the job. Now unhappily recuperating at home while being smothered by his loving but nosy family, he’d love nothing more than a good distraction.

So when Olive shows up looking like a million bucks, he has to do a gut and heart check. Because nope, no matter what, he can’t fall for her again, the woman who once blew up his entire life and never looked back. How ironic then that his own personal hell (Olive) is also his ticket out of town. The question is, will the risk be worth the reward?

 

Enjoy an exclusive excerpt from Better Than Friends 

Olive had three pet peeves: loud chewers, the word “moist,”
and . . . in the number one spot . . . love. And yes, she’d
given it a try, several times in fact, and still had the occasional
eye twitch to prove it, as she’d come out a big loser.

“You’re breathing funny,” Katie said. “You ate something
with nuts in it again, didn’t you.”

Another example of how love hadn’t worked out for her. Olive
loved peanuts, so of course she was allergic. “No, and I’m fine,”
she said into her Bluetooth. Look at her, the master of the little
white lie. After years of honing the skill, she could fool just about
anyone, even her lifelong BFF. “And actually, I’m great. Totally
great. Like one hundred percent great.”

“That’s sarcasm, right?”

Katie Turner-Brooks had an eidetic memory, could solve
complicated mathematical problems in her head and recite
years-old conversations verbatim, but sarcasm eluded her.

“Excuse me, it’s called manifesting,” Olive said. “Because I
really want to be great.” And not halfway to a panic attack . . .

“Then you will be.”

Katie had never understood it wasn’t that easy for Olive. She’d
been a seriously awkward kid who’d been desperate to belong,
and not much had changed. She exhaled and took in her view as
she drove along Lake Tahoe, toward the small mountain town
of Sunrise Cove on the north shore, trying not to feel like that
lost girl all over again. “At my last stop for gas, I bought salami,
an energy drink, and a chocolate cream pie, if that helps explain
my emotional state.”

“What are you worrying about? Almost no one remembers
that time you ran over the town hero.”

At Olive’s silence, Katie sighed. “Aaaand, I still can’t tell a
joke right. I read a book on it and everything.”

“It was a little funny.” Emphasis on little. “But we both know
everyone remembers what I did.” Noah Turner, aka the town
hero, was a lot of things. Voted most likely to make something
of himself. Beloved son. Katie’s twin brother.

And let’s not forget Olive’s high school pretend boyfriend.

“Why do you care what anyone thinks?” Katie asked.

“I don’t. I’m just tired of not having my shit together.”

“Gotta fake it to make it, babe,” Katie said. “You once told
me that.”

The memories evoked an emotion that clogged Olive’s throat,
so she distracted herself by taking in the view. The sky was so
bright and clear, the water such a deep blue, the mountains
blanketed by endless pines, topped with caps of snow, all of it so
stunning that if all of it hadn’t been humming and teeming with
such vibrance, it could’ve been a painting.

Into her silence, Katie said, “You also told me that no matter
how many times you break, you can still put yourself back together.”

“Yeah, well, past me had more hope. And it’d be great if you
could try and forget all the dumb stuff I’ve said.”

“How do I differentiate?”

Olive laughed. “Look at that, a joke!”

“Who said I was joking?”

“Ha-ha.”

“Whatever.” Katie cleared her throat. “Thanks for coming to
help me with little Joey. The library gave me leave for as long as I
need, but it’ll still be so helpful to have you so I can spend more
time at the hospital with Joe. It means a lot.”

“Of course.” Katie rarely asked for help, even though she’d
given Olive everything her own parents hadn’t been able to:
safety, security . . . acceptance . . . “I’m all yours, whatever you
need.”

Excerpt. ©Jill Shalvis. Posted by arrangement with the publisher. All rights reserved.
 
 

Giveaway: We’re giving away 5 copies of BETTER THAN FRIENDS by Jill Shalvis! US only.

 

To enter Giveaway: Please complete the Rafflecopter form and post a comment to this Q: What did you think of the excerpt spotlighted here? Leave a comment with your thoughts on the book…

 
a Rafflecopter giveaway

 
 

Meet the Author:

New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras full of quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill’s bestselling, award-winning novels wherever books are sold and visit her website, jillshalvis.com, for a complete book list and daily blog detailing her city-girl-living-in-the-mountains adventures.
 
Buy: HarperCollins | Amazon | B&N | BAM | Bookshop | Target |
 
 
 

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30 Responses to “Spotlight & Giveaway: Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis”

  3. Diana Hardt

    Nice cover. I liked the excerpt. It sounds like a really interesting book.

  23. Melanie B

    Loved the excerpt! Sounds like a book I’d definitely enjoy reading more of.

  29. Patricia B.

    Nice excerpt. It shows what good friends these two are and gives us a look into their personalities. This sounds like it will be another good read.

  30. Laurie Gommermann

    I’d like to learn more about what transpired after their Senior year of HS to break everybody up. Lots going on to bring things to a head. Hope Olive and Noah will realize love is worth fighting for. I’m looking forward to reading this story.