Review | A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan
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A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan
2023 Publication Date: January 17
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐
T.I.M.E. Best Books By Genre | Best Contemporary Romance Book
Table of Contents
T.I.M.E. BOOK REVIEW
A Fun and Flirty Read
Everyone loves a good romantic comedy, and Sophie Sullivan’s A Guide to Being Just Friends is no exception. With its mix of hilarious meet-cutes, heartfelt moments, and passionate romance, this story will keep you glued to the page until the very end.
Readers looking for What Book Should I Read will fall in love with Hailey Sharp and Wes Jansen as they navigate their way through the emotional rollercoaster of being just friends on their journey toward true love.
This book is ideal for anyone looking for an entertaining read that explores the complexities of modern relationships.
Let’s take an in-depth look at why this book is worth your time...
The Characters
Hailey Sharp and Wes Jansen are the protagonists of the book, but they are so much more than just two people trying to find love. The main characters are well-rounded characters with their own distinct personalities, flaws, and hopes that make them feel like real people.
Hailey Sharp is a driven entrepreneur determined to make her dreams of owning her own salad shop come true. She is funny, smart, and caring, but she also has a stubborn streak that can get in her way at times.
Hailey is determined and passionate about making her salad shop a success while also trying to take care of her "inner circle" as well as herself.
Wes Jansen is a down-on-his-luck romantic who has been hurt by love too many times in the past... starting with the example set by his own parents. He is kind-hearted but also has his own set of issues he must deal with before he can find happiness again.
Wes is passionate about his entrepreneurial success as well where he invests in businesses and communities. But love has not been as successful. He has been hurt before, so he wants nothing more than to be able to be friends with someone without worrying about commitment or getting his heart broken again.
The dynamic between these two characters makes for an engaging story filled with plenty of surprises along the way and laugh-out-loud funny circumstances as their relationship develops. Making it an exciting story full of both laughter and tears which will make readers root for the pair from page one.
The Plot
This book follows Hailey and Wes as they try to navigate their complicated relationship from best friends to potential lovers. As their feelings begin to change, they must confront their own insecurities about love and life that have been holding them back from finding true happiness in a relationship.
While things don’t always go smoothly for these two characters, it makes it all the more satisfying of a read to keep guessing whether they will reach their happily ever after.
The Writing Style
Sophie Sullivan’s writing style is both fun and flirty while still capturing the raw emotion of each scene perfectly. Her dialogue crackles with witty banter while her descriptions make you feel as if you are right there with Hailey and Wes on their journey toward love.
Sullivan's writing style draws readers into the story from page one with its engaging dialogue, vivid descriptions of settings, and unique scenarios. She also allows readers to gain insight into each character's thoughts and feelings which helps us understand their actions better throughout the story.
Sullivan does a great job of making each scene feel like it has a purpose — nothing ever feels out of place or unnecessary — giving the romance novel an overall cohesive flow from start to finish.
Finally, I want to applaud Sophie Sullivan for her continued commitment to writing best contemporary romance novels that focus on building a strong friendship first.
This is my third Sullivan read (all contemporary romance novels on each of the Jansen brothers!) and found each book to be simply delightful while delivering plenty of chemistry without all the steamy details. A tough razor's edge to maintain in best contemporary romance writing!
♡ T.I.M.E. TIP
Although this book is not officially a part of a contemporary romance novels series, I encourage you to try each of the three romance novels that individually focus on each of the three Jansen brothers finding their true (and very unique) love. Each book weaves in the cumulative characters as they are introduced, but each book is a satisfying standalone read.
Perfect for What Book Should I Read readers looking for lighthearted yet emotionally charged best contemporary romance novels about friendship and romance set against an exciting backdrop of big entrepreneurial dreams coming true.
With its engaging dialogue, vivid descriptions of settings, interesting plotline, and well-rounded characters — this book has something for everyone!
So grab your copy today and join Hailey Sharp and Wes Jansen on their unforgettable journey!… ✨😎✨
BOOK DETAILS
Pages: 330
Genre: Best Contemporary Romance Novels
Sub-Genre: Friends To Lovers Romance
Time Period: Present Day
Location: California (US)
Publisher: St. Martin's Press | St. Martin's Griffin
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♡ Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC. I voluntarily chose to review it and the opinions contained within are my own.
BOOK SYNOPSIS
A Guide to Being Just Friends is a romantic comedy written by Sophie Sullivan that is sure to have you alternating between laughing and swooning.
Hailey Sharp and Wes Jansen meet in a disastrous meet-cute but quickly become best friends... Until sparks start to fly! That’s when things start to get complicated.
A Guide to Being Just Friends follows Hailey and Wes as their relationship changes from friendship to something more. Along their journey, they learn how difficult it can be to balance friendship with romance while navigating through past hurts and misunderstandings along the way.
Through these obstacles, they must figure out if they can truly be just friends or if there is something more between them that neither one of them can ignore anymore.
Sullivan expertly captures all of the highs and lows of modern relationships in this truly enjoyable read and keeps readers engaged throughout the entire novel as they wait in anticipation of what will happen next!
BOOK CLUB DISCUSSION
Friendships must be nurtured and grown over time, they don't just happen overnight.
Communication is key in any relationship, whether it's romantic or platonic.
Taking risks and being vulnerable can help open the door to new possibilities in life.
BOOK QUOTE
"Believing in love doesn't make me naive. It makes me brave..." — A Guide to Being Just Friends by Sophie Sullivan
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