Just a Friend

Tate Brothers #1

by Deb Goodman

They say don’t ruin the friendship. But honestly? I’ve never been great at following advice—or avoiding his smile.

Sophie
Every August, Oliver Tate waltzes back into my small town, buys me a milkshake, and pretends it’s totally normal that we don’t call it a date.
It’s our thing.
No kissing. No complications. Just whipped cream, sarcasm, and the tiniest bit of heartbreak (mine).
Falling for him is a terrible idea. My grandparents can’t stand him, he lives on airplanes running his family’s resort empire, and I’m here keeping the world’s most duct-taped mobile library alive.
If I don’t move on soon, I’m in trouble. Because this silly crush? It’s starting to feel a lot less silly.

Oliver
Sophie Lawson has always been my constant—the one who keeps me grounded when my life’s spinning through airports and business deals.
But now that I’m living near her again? Things are different. She almost picked another guy, and suddenly I’m realizing I might’ve made the world’s dumbest mistake by never making a move.
Now every smile messes with my head. Every hug feels like a dare. But she’s rooted here, and I’m built for takeoff. So why can’t I stop imagining what would happen if I finally stayed?
If I tell her how I feel, I could wreck the best thing in my life.
If I don’t… I might lose her forever.
One way or another, we’re about to ruin the friendship—and there’s no going back now.

Just a Friend is a sweet, small-town, closed-door romantic comedy with all of the sizzle and none of the spice! It lightly touches on the past death of a parent. However, there’s also an adorably huge dog named Wilford, the meddlesome antics of Aunt Stella, and no one cheats on anyone. Plus, you'll catch glimpses of all six of those handsome, illustrious Tate Brothers.

Genres: Romance, Friends To Lovers, Contemporary, Clean Romance, Adult, Rom Com, Ebooks

250 pages, Kindle Edition

Published March 3, 2023

About the author

Deb Goodman’s obsession with the written word started at age three, when she realized the old-timey newsprint wallpaper in her family’s bathroom had actual words on it. She yearned to know what it said, but by the time she learned to read, the wallpaper had been replaced with something else—boring, non-worded wallpaper—and to this day she still doesn’t know.

Being raised in a small town in Idaho (like, less-than-500-people small), meant that Deb learned early on the importance of home-grown roots, communities that feel like family, and the benefits of a good, hearty potato. Now, she and her husband and kids live in Utah. They love sports, music, and doing slightly insulting, pretend voices for their little dog, Mavis.

Deb writes funny, no-spice romance where there’s always a small town and a big family. Writing lovey dovey books comes naturally to Deb since, to her, there’s nothing better than reading and writing about how two people fall in love.

Join Deb's newsletter to receive a copy of the book, Just a Road Trip, part of the Tate Brothers series, totally FREE!

Reviews

[Corinne · Rating 1 out of 5]

What was the reason for this book?
What was the reason for two people falling in love?
What was the reason for not communicating?
What was the reason for the dog?
What was the reason for anything?

There was zero depth in this book.

I think I started this book like you start a bad movie.
You know it will be crap. But you will hopefully enjoy the bad scenes, bad lines and bad cutting.

But instead I didn't enjoy the bad sentences or the bad use of words.
The bad character introductions.

We do not know anything about the main people.
What do they do on their free time? What music do they like? What makes them happy? What are they scared of? What do they want in a partner?

Can you be disappointed even if you knew it would suck?


And lastly, who the f*ck EATS a milkshake?!?!?!

[Emily · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was cute but too much telling instead of showing. I didn’t see much chemistry or love between the characters.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.75! Cute lil romance! Nice refresh book!

[Michelle Angus · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was so cute!! I haven’t read anything by Deb before and I was pleasantly surprised at how much I like her writing style.

I love how the book starts out “I hate Oliver Tate!” I was like, oh shoot, she starts out hating him?!?!Sophie doesn’t really hate him, but she is weary of him and doesn’t quite trust in his word anymore. But they are also really good friends, so
shutting down the once a year “meet -up” they have going on is going to be really hard for Soph to do. I loved meeting almost ALL of the Tate brothers in this book and cannot wait to read their stories (I am hoping they all have stories). Cute, sweet, swooney kisses, funny moments, you will love this book.

*I received a copy of this book as an ARC reviewer, but a positive review wasn’t required. All thoughts are solely what I personally thought of this beautiful book. Thanks for reaching out to me Deb and asking me to read your book. It was awesome!

[Sarah (tn.bibliophile) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Friends to more
Small town
Slow burn
Closed door romance

A delightful small-town romance that captures the magic of best friends becoming more. Sophie and Oliver’s annual milkshake tradition takes a heartwarming turn as they navigate the complexities of evolving feelings, family expectations, and personal aspirations. Their journey is filled with sweet moments, endearing characters, and a touch of humor, making it a perfect read for fans of clean, heartfelt romance.

Content Warnings:
-death of a parent (past)
-kisses only
-no language

[Emily · Rating 1 out of 5]

Storyline: 3/10
Boy: 3/10
Girl: 3/10
Lovestory: 3/10
Comments: This book was very foreseeable and did not have a real plot at all and no depth to any of their characters. Oliver and Sophie worked together during the summer at a shake store when they were both in high school and he was visiting his aunt. Now they meet once a year to catch up until he doesn’t show up. She already knows she has feelings but also doesn’t really admit it. They are supposed to be best friends and text each other every day (weird that she never mentions him standing her up), but when he is in town he seems very surprised to see her??
When he sees her, he instantly is intrigued (after all those years?) and it is explained that this deepens after he realizes that she was engaged (they apparently never text about dating? even though that aspect may be a major life aspect). Oliver hired Sophie as library planner because he is opening a new hotel in town with his brothers. Sophie is the librarian in town who drives around in her old school bus that is now the mobile library. Oliver and Sophie do not really have a build up. A kind of cutesy situation in the lake but also random. They both agree that they like each other but are not compatible as she wants to stay in town and he wants to travel the world. There are so many aspects that are mentioned and would have build a nice foundation for more suspense like the dislike of her grandparents against the Tates, that he thinks she was in love with one of his brothers (more jealousy), a scene with her ex fiancé, a small discussion why he didn’t come / why he didn’t say anything earlier.
in the end it is very anticlimactic as both of them want to do what the other one does: she wants to travel with him, he wants to stay in town…

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it!!

Friends to Lovers. Flirty, confident, funny hero. (My favorite 😏) Librarian heroine. Dual POV. No 3rd act break up 🙌🏻 A little bit of family drama, and family rivals/enemies.
What a wonderful story!! I am a sucker for Friends to Lovers and this did not disappoint!!
I love watching the love interests realize their feelings 🥰 Such a sweet story. Highly recommend! The series is to follow all the brothers and I. Am. Here. For. It. We get to meet most of them. They're all unique and I can already tell, are going to be fantastic stories!! 😍😆

💕 RCRS: 2 brief kissing

🗨Some Quotes
I don’t know if it was a good idea to come. It feels sort of dangerous. Not the thrilling kind of dangerous, the I’m-going-to-lose-my-lunch dangerous.

“Wait.” She starts laughing and then covers her mouth with both hands. “I wasn’t serious, Oliver.”
“Are you laughing at my body?” I stick my belly out to make it round and rub my hand over it like I’m pregnant. That’s what I do. I make people laugh. And my favorite person to make laugh is Sophie.
She stands up carefully, widening her stance so she doesn’t fall overboard. “No.” Her expression is serious. “I’m definitely not laughing at your body.” Her gaze sweeps over me for one brief moment before landing on my face again.
Mercy me, Sophie. You can’t look at me like that.

He’s everything. I thought that I loved him for all those years. But what’s happening now? My soul is on fire and set free. What I feel for him is more than I could have comprehended before.

[Lucy ⸆⸉ ོ · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute, kind of enraging, but cute.

I really like Oliver and Sophie, but the amount of problem they dealt with was tiring. On every page it was “I love him so much, but…” and they would bring up the problems they had every single time they thought about each other which was a lot.

I did really like the dual povs, and the boat scene was the cutest thing ever. And they are SO OBSESSED with each other. I just wished they confessed it sooner.🫥

~“she's smiling. I don't think I've ever seen a more beautiful sight.”
~“There were women. And I've dated my fair share.
But then there's Sophie. On a level by herself.”
~“I ache for her, period.”

[Kyra Brannan · Rating 4 out of 5]

a cute short and sweet little romance book

[analise🤍]

awwwwwww

[Liz · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5

[Lucie Et Toi Tu Lis Quoi · Rating 3 out of 5]

🏷️ Sophie & Oliver
✍️Le Style de l’auteur : 2/5
🧑‍🤝‍🧑 Les personnages : 2,5/5
🔍 L’intrigue : 2,5/5
📝 Global : 3 (en vrai 2,75)/5

J’ai lu ce livre suite à un avis que je juge désormais trompeur, parce que oui :
- Il y a une romance mignonne
- Il n’y a pas de smut (de passages épicés, ér0tiques, explicites, etc. quelle que soit la manière dont vous les qualifiez)
- L’histoire est courte
- Et il y a le thème amis à amants.

Et si vous aimez ces 4 points, et estimez qu’ils se suffisent à eux-mêmes, ou répondent à vos envies, vos goûts, votre sensibilité, n’hésitez pas, mon avis n’engage que moi.

Selon moi (je vais mettre ces deux mots 150 fois dans cette chronique, ne vous en étonnez pas), la plume n’était pas fluide, loin de là. Traduction ou version originale, je l’ignore et je ne vais pas m’infliger la lecture en VO en plus pour le découvrir. Certaines phrases étaient incompréhensibles, problème de syntaxe ou de traduction, de relecture ? Je ne sais pas. Il n’y en avait pas tout le temps, mais il y en avait.
Il y avait des coquilles aussi, des petites et des moins petites (je l’admets sans le s à la fin par exemple, le genre de truc qui me fait grincer des dents 😅parce que même si tu l’as pas vu, ton fichier WORD l’a vu !!!)
Et il y avait aussi des incohérences, des choses totalement - et pardonnez-moi le terme - sottes. Je suis hyper gentille comme fille, et même si je suis pas bête enfin je crois, ça m’arrive de dire des bêtises, et d’en écrire aussi sûrement, mais là je ne sais pas, je lisais et je me disais : mais elle (l'autrice) a vraiment écrit ça en se disant que ça allait passer crème ? Genre le lecteur/la lectrice va se dire : boh le perso masculin est un peu nounouille quand même, mais c’est pas graaaaave Cunégonde, ça paaaassse.
Que ce soit Oliver ou Sophie, tous deux prennent des décisions et font des choses totalement WTF et qui m’ont laissée dans l’incompréhension totale. Donc sur ce point, on peut dire qu’ils étaient faits l’un pour l’autre. Etre idiot seul : non, Etre idiots à deux : oui.
Le second point est qu’il ne se passe strictement rien, la narration est linéaire. Les deux protagonistes n’ont pas d’antagonistes à part eux-mêmes, parce qu’à se comporter comme ils le font ce n’était pas gagné…
Et Oliver est un fétichiste des nuques attention TW.
Oui c’est une chronique à charge et sous le coup de l’énervement parce que j’ai lu un avis trompeur…
Je pense que je n’aurais pas été si agacée, si je l’avais lu par moi-même, de mon propre chef, par hasard et sans avoir été « influencée » (je vous jure ça me fait peur du coup maintenant).

Poursuivons, parce que bon ça suffit, les dialogues sont pauvres. L’introspection des personnages, j’en cherche encore la profondeur, mais la répétition, en revanche, je l’ai trouvée.
On est sur une narration cyclique, les mêmes choses se répètent sans fin, au cas où vous n’auriez pas compris. Et même moi qui suite à des soucis, oublie des choses, je m’en souvenais.

La conséquence : un récit qui manque de dynamisme où tout est prévisible, trop prévisible, où rien ne vient compromettre la construction de la relation, même pas un TAB (third act breakup) et à ce stade, j’avais vraiment envie qu’il se passe un truc explosif, juste pour ressentir quelque chose.

Pourtant, pourtant, il y avait de l’idée : Sophie avec son bibliobus (un peu dans l’esprit de tiny book shop si vous connaissez le jeu) et qui adore les livres. Et Oliver qu’elle a rencontré quand elle avait 16 ans et qui vient d’une famille aisée, les Tate. Un homme d’affaires avec beaucoup d’humour, celui qui de tous les frères a le plus d’humour selon ce qui nous en est dit.

Alors, de l’humour je sais pas, mais si c’est vraiment le plus fun des frères Tate, les autres doivent être sacrément tristes, parce que je cherche encore son humour.

Il y avait une base très bonne pour une jolie comédie romantique, mais rien n’a été exploité, rien. Tout est resté en surface, on ne comprend pas pourquoi ils s’aiment, on ne comprend pas pourquoi ils ont l’air de savoir si peu de choses l’un de l’autre, alors qu’ils se connaissent depuis 15 ans, et s’envoient des SMS genre très souvent. Que disent-ils dans ces SMS si fréquents pour qu’Oliver ait l’air de tomber des nues quand Sophie lui parle de quelque chose qu’il devrait savoir, surtout avec ces rendez-vous programmés dans le bar à milkshake ?

Tout m’a paru sans vrais sentiments, sans passion, sans attrait.

Et au final, je ne sais pas s’ils sont vraiment heureux à la fin parce qu’ils ont chacun l’air d’avoir renoncé à leurs rêves pour être avec l’autre, au lieu d’essayer de trouver une solution qui convienne aux deux, c’est comme s’ils ne savaient pas vraiment pourquoi ils s’aimaient. Et on est avec des trentenaires qui ont l’air d’avoir 18 ans ! Vraiment au début, je croyais que leur âge était une erreur, que c’était pas 33 mais 23 ans.

Sur l’absence de smut, puisque ça fait en quelque sorte partie de « l’argument de vente ». Je confirme il n’y en a pas. Il y a des baisers à couper le souffle (enfin pas le mien c’est sûr), mais rien de plus. Alors sur le débat : est-ce gênant ? Non et franchement y a pas de débat à avoir là-dessus, c’est jute le choix de l’auteur/trice, et sa liberté.
Est-ce que c’est pour ça que je suis vilaine et que j’ai pas aimé ? Non plus, j’ai lu The Cheat Sheet sur le même principe de zéro smut et ça a été un coup de coeur, parce qu’il y avait des sentiments et une plume qui savait les manier, idem dans Cultissime de Mariana Zapata où t’attends 1000 pages (c’est un ressenti pas une réalité) pour avoir un baiser, et c’était juste génial.
Donc ça n’a, en aucun cas, influencé mon avis, au cas où vous vous poseriez la question.

Pourquoi j’ai lu jusqu’au bout ? Je suis sûre que vous vous dites qu’il y a pas à être maso comme ça, et vous avez raison. J’ai lu jusqu’à la fin parce que vers la moitié j’ai cru qu’il y allait avoir « plus », que quelque chose allait se produire, en fait j’y ai cru dur comme fer. La seconde raison c’était cette chronique que j’avais lue et qui me promettait beaucoup alors je me suis dit : continue, ça va venir, le truc incroyable est forcément pas loin.

Et comme je l’ai lu jusqu’au bout, j’ai même pas la force de mettre deux étoiles, j’en mets trois, voilà je vous trompe moi aussi ! La boucle est bouclée messieurs-dames. Non en vrai pourquoi je mets 3 ? Parce que je pense que je noterais 2,5 en vrai, mais certains sites pour reviews ne prennent pas la moitié d’une étoile, alors j’arrondis au-dessus comme le centre des impôts.
L’autre raison, c’est que j’ai définitivement arrêté de mettre une étoile, c’est juste impensable pour moi aujourd’hui de balancer une seule étoile, même quand j’ai pas aimé parce qu’il y a un auteur ou une autrice, quelqu’un qui a bossé, s’est investi, a cru en son projet, donc non mettre une étoile, je ne le ferai plus, sauf si vraiment je ne comprends qu’une phrase sur deux, là oui.

Donc ma conclusion, c’est que ce roman pourra convenir à des ado, sans souci tant sur le fond que sur la forme, parce que c’est gentil et mignon.

Comme je le disais, ça reste mon opinion très personnelle donc, ce n’est en aucun cas un jugement si vous aimez, avez aimé ou aimerez. Nous avons tous une vision différente de ce qu’on attend d’une romance et heureusement, sinon nos vies seraient tristes.
Je pense que je voulais surtout pointer cette chronique qui m’a trompée. Alors je ne remets pas en cause le fait que la personne ait pu aimer, ce qui me fait tiquer c’est l’éloge qu’elle en fait (puisqu’elle est une grande lectrice de romances, et jusqu’ici ses avis m’avaient toujours paru justes) alors que les incohérences sont massives, l’intrigue fragile et la plume un peu bancale par moments.


***

I read this book based on a review that I’d call misleading, because yes:
- There’s a cute romance
- There’s no smut (no steamy, erotic, explicit scenes, etc.—whatever you want to call them)
- The story is short
- And there’s the “friends-to-lovers” theme.

And if you like these four points, and feel that they stand on their own, or meet your desires, tastes, and sensibilities, don’t hesitate—my opinion is my own.

In my opinion (I’m going to use those two words 150 times in this review, so don’t be surprised), the writing wasn’t fluid—far from it. Translation or original version—I don’t know, and I’m not going to subject myself to reading the original just to find out. Some sentences were incomprehensible—was it a syntax issue, a translation problem, or a proofreading oversight? I don’t know. They weren’t there all the time, but they were there.
There were typos too, some small and some not so small (Je l’admets—the missing “s” at the end, for example, the kind of thing that makes me cringe 😅 because even if you didn’t see it, your Word document saw it!!!)
And there were also inconsistencies, things that were totally—and forgive me for saying this—silly. I’m a really nice girl, and even though I’m not dumb—well, I don’t think I am—I do say stupid things sometimes, and I probably write them too, but in this case, I don’t know, I was reading and thinking: did she really write that thinking it would just slide by? Like, the reader is going to think: “Oh well, the male character is a bit of a goofball, but it’s no big deal, Cunégonde (Cunégonde is the new Karen), it’s fine.”
Whether it’s Oliver or Sophie, both make decisions and do things that are totally WTF and left me completely baffled. So on that point, you could say they were made for each other. Being an idiot alone? No. Being idiots together? Yes.
The second point is that absolutely nothing happens; the narrative is linear. The two protagonists have no antagonists other than themselves, because behaving the way they do wasn’t exactly a sure thing…
And Oliver is a neck fetishist—warning: TW.
Yes, this is a scathing review written in the heat of the moment because I read a misleading review…
I don’t think I would have been so annoyed if I’d read it on my own, by chance, and without having been “influenced” (I swear, that actually scares me now).
Let’s move on, because enough is enough: the dialogue is weak, and I’m still searching for depth in the characters’ introspection—though I certainly found repetition.
It’s a cyclical narrative; the same things repeat endlessly, just in case you didn’t get it. And even I—who, due to my own issues, tend to forget things—remembered it. The result: a story that lacks dynamism, where everything is predictable—too predictable—and nothing comes along to disrupt the development of the relationship, not even a TAB (third act breakup). At that point, I really wanted something explosive to happen, just to feel something.
And yet, and yet, there was potential: Sophie with her bookmobile (a bit in the spirit of Tiny Book Shop, if you know the game) who loves books. And Oliver, whom she met when she was 16 and who comes from a wealthy family, the Tate’s. A businessman with a great sense of humor—the one who, according to what we’re told, has the best sense of humor out of all the brothers. Well, I don’t know about the humor, but if he really is the funniest of the Tate brothers, the others must be pretty darn sad, because I’m still waiting for his humor to show up.
There was great potential for a charming romantic comedy, but none of it was developed—not a bit. Everything stayed on the surface; you don’t understand why they love each other, you don’t understand why they seem to know so little about each other, even though they’ve known each other for 15 years and text each other all the time. What do they say in those frequent texts that makes Oliver seem so completely taken aback when Sophie mentions something he should already know, especially with those scheduled meetups at the milkshake bar?
Everything seemed devoid of real feelings, passion, or attraction to me. And in the end, I don’t know if they’re truly happy because they both seem to have given up on their dreams to be with each other, instead of trying to find a solution that works for both of them—it’s as if they didn’t really know why they loved each other. And we’re dealing with thirty-somethings who look like they’re 18! Honestly, at first I thought their ages were a mistake—that they weren’t 33 but 23.
Regarding the lack of smut, since that’s sort of part of the “selling point.” I can confirm there isn’t any. There are some breathtaking kisses (well, not mine, that’s for sure), but nothing more. So, regarding the debate: is that a problem? No, and honestly, there’s no debate to be had here—it’s simply the author’s choice and their freedom. Is that why I’m being mean and didn’t like it? Not at all. I read *The Cheat Sheet* with the same zero-smut approach, and it was a favorite of mine, because there were emotions and a writing style that knew how to handle them. Same goes for *Cultissime* by Mariana Zapata, where you wait 1,000 pages (it’s a feeling, not a fact) for a kiss, and it was just amazing.
So that didn’t influence my opinion at all, in case you were wondering.
Why did I read all the way to the end? I’m sure you’re thinking there’s no need to be such a masochist, and you’re right. I read to the end because halfway through I thought there was going to be “more,” that something was going to happen—in fact, I believed it with all my heart. The second reason was this review I’d read that promised so much, so I told myself: keep going, it’s coming, the incredible thing has to be just around the corner.
And since I read it all the way through, I don’t even have the energy to give it two stars—I’ll give it three. There, I’m cheating you too! We’ve come full circle, ladies and gentlemen. No, seriously, why am I giving it 3? Because I think I’d actually rate it 2.5, but some review sites don’t accept half a star, so I’m rounding up like the tax office. The other reason is that I’ve definitely stopped giving one star; it’s just unthinkable for me today to give a single star, even when I didn’t like it, because there’s an author—someone who worked hard, put themselves into it, and believed in their project—so no, giving one star, I won’t do that anymore, unless I really only understand every other sentence—then, yes.
So my conclusion is that this novel will be suitable for teens, with no issues regarding either content or style, because it’s sweet and cute.
As I said, this is just my very personal opinion, so it’s by no means a judgment if you like it, have liked it, or will like it. We all have different ideas about what we expect from a romance, and thankfully so—otherwise our lives would be pretty dull.
I think what I really wanted to highlight was this review that misled me. So I’m not questioning the fact that the person might have liked it; what bothers me is the praise she heaps on it (since she’s an avid reader of romances, and up until now her reviews had always seemed fair to me), even though the plot holes are massive, the storyline is flimsy, and the writing is a bit shaky at times.

[Peyton (Taylor’s version) · Rating 3 out of 5]

good just repetitive

[Piper Brintnall · Rating 2 out of 5]

Well. This book was eh. There is no chemistry between Oliver and Sophie. There’s really nothing exceptional about either character in general. The pacing of the book is slow and the plot underdeveloped. Several things are mentioned but then never finished. For example, Sophie’s fiancé and his father. They are an issue at the beginning but then there is no resolution. Her grandparents are another. She spends the book saying how they’d be so disappointed of her relationship with a Tate and then in the end, all it takes is one conversation between them and Oliver for them to get over it???

Then there are the brothers, who I’m sure, the author is setting up for future books. But none of them are well developed or given much space. I really don’t have a reason to pick up the next book about Alec because I felt no connection to him in this book.

I don’t know if I can recommend this book. It’s really not worth it.

[Korkoi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finally Realising Her True Love -
Sophie and Oliver used to be really good friends when they were younger, but they grew apart as they hadn’t see each other for years. However, when Oliver returned as adult, he realised that even though he was crushing on Sophie, she was crushing on his brother Sebastian. When they got the opportunity to work together, Sophie realised that she had always had feelings for Oliver not Sebastian, but the feud between their families and Oliver’s way of living, made it difficult for them to be together.

They finally accepted that the heart wants what it wants, so they both threw caution to the wind and embarked on a relationship in secret. Unfortunately, small town gossip got back to Sophie’s family and they caused problems for them, but she stood her ground so she could get what she wanted. Going through the rollercoaster rides in their lives helped them finally acknowledge their feelings for each other and gave the the confidence to work towards a happily ever after.

This was an absolutely fantastic story to read. It was wonderful watching the characters figure out their feelings for each other, whilst the different dramas kept cropping. I was really invested in the story so much, that I found it difficult to take a break once I started. You will definitely enjoy reading this book.

I received an advanced copy of this book and I am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

friends to lovers

If you want a partner in life, you have to be willing to choose them. Oliver and Sophie are both dedicated to their separate goals and habits. They have to decide if a relationship more than their long-standing friendship is worth some time and attention.
Clean, contemporary romance.

[Karen Brasher · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just a Friend, Small-town Brothers RomCom

This is a cute friends to more book. Oliver and Sophie are good friends who make a pact to meet every August. They are totally different from each other. He travels the world extensively and she works with the small library in her hometown, never wanting to leave. There is conflict with between his family and hers so there will never be anything more than hidden friendship. But then he returns and asks her to help get the resort library ready before the grand opening. Will this be another Romeo and Juliet type of romance or will this couple be able to have their happily ever after?

[Brooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

So yeah. I'm officially obsessed with the Tate Brothers!

I was so lucky to get an advanced copy of Just A Friend and I devoured it. It was painful to put it down and get a good night's sleep so I did what any (in)sane adult would do. I stayed up way too late reading. Two words: WORTH IT.

Oliver and Sophia are so cute. I am very hit and miss on the friends to love trope but this book was a great mix of longing and loving. 10/10 would recommend this sweet swoony read.

I can't wait to find out which Tate brother's love story is up next!

Thank you Deb Goodman for this fun read!

[Jami Pruitt (My.lovely_readingcorner) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my first time reading a book by Deb Goodman, and I was so glad I read it! I loved it! I loved the relationship of friends to lovers between Sophie and Oliver. I love the tension between them when they reconnect again and Oliver finally realizes that he has feelings for Sophie.

I was able to connect with Sophie so easily because of her love of books and wanting to share that love with her mobile library. Oliver is fun and optimistic. I love how he sees Sophie and loves her many quirks.


I was given an advanced copy from the author for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

[Kayla Hipp · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book up on a Stuff Your Kindle Day a long time ago and I’m officially so mad at myself for keeping it on my shelf for so long! This was such a wonderful and sweet book. I love the idea of two people discovering they’ve loved each other all along because they truly love all the little beautiful things about each other. Oliver and Sophie were absolutely adorable and such likable characters. I also loved all the side characters. I can’t recommend this book enough if you’re looking for a sweet romcom read!

[MaryEllen · Rating 5 out of 5]

That was fun!
This is my voluntary review of a copy I received from the author.

Sophie and Oliver met as teens and have always been “just friends.” Now they are all grown up and... things between them—feelings—have changed.

I loved watching them navigate their evolving relationship. They both have interfering siblings and grandparents that offer advice and/or support/objection.

It was all realistic and an over all fun read.

[Lynn Hyman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends to More

Going from just friends to something more isn't easy. Sophie has been enamored with Oliver forever, through their one date per year. Oliver sees her as a good friend. There are just too many obstacles to overcome for their relationship to be more - including their incompatible visions for their futures. I love the first-person perspectives. I enjoy Sophie's love of books, people, and libraries. It's a sweet story with my required happy ending.

[Abby Huffer · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a super cute start to a new series! Oliver & Sophie have been friends for a long time and while she’s always had more feelings for him, he didn’t see her that way. I really enjoyed watching him realize he was in love with her🫶🏻. I loved Sophie’s passion for books and the library. I loved their yearly milkshake tradition! Cannot wait for more Tate brother stories-they’re so intriguing👏🏻

[Alison Ramsay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends to romance

I really enjoyed this slow burn friends to more romance. I liked both the main characters and how they supported each other. Look forward to the other brothers stories.

[Teresa Munson · Rating 5 out of 5]

great fun

This was a first time read of Deb Goodmans’s writing. It was so fun to read this book. Loved the character development and story.Loved the old friends to lovers genre. I can’t wait to read more about the Tate boys! Bravo!

[Cecelia Gardon · Rating 5 out of 5]

Really Sweet Story

This is a good book, great characters. It has a good plot, excellent antagonists, and great descriptions. I love that it is a clean story.

[Emilee · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is a sweet romantic comedy with small town vibes. Long time friends who finally find love as they work through obstacles to be together.

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

Friends to more...

I loved this book. Deb did such a good job with the friendship between the main characters, and as their fondness grew, it was a great story.

[Jennifer Marchione · Rating 5 out of 5]

Absolutely loved everything. I want to be part of the Tate brothers and stay at their resorts! Love a good friends to lover story.

[Raechel Lenore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am embarrassed by how long it has taken me to read this book! I know it was life that just kept "getting in the way" but I wish I would've somehow squeezed it in sooner, because Just a Friend was such a fun read! I read it over the course of two and a half days which I know is a long time to some readers, but with my reading schedule lately, this was fast for me. And it was easy to do because I enjoyed turning page after page, happy to follow along Sophie and Oliver's life story.
Add in the fact that Sophie is a librarian and overall book loving character - well, I guess I should've known I'd enjoy it. ;)
Sophie and Oliver have been friends for a long time - just friends, of course. But unbeknownst to each other, they've kindled feelings for one another without voicing it for some time. I think they fought against themselves in their feelings more than anything.
But there is definitely a spark between them. Which Oliver's aunt Stella, and his brothers Alec and Sebastian can even see. Probably long before Oliver. ;)
I enjoyed seeing how the friendship morphed into more serious feelings and eventually the define-the-relationship moment.
There wasn't too much angst or frustration which I appreciated because sometimes too much can just be....well, too much. But "Just a Friend" was a well balanced, delightfully amusing and sweet romcom which I am glad to have on my shelves!
I look forward to reading more from this author.

I received a complimentary copy of the book from the author. I was not required to give a positive review, and all thoughts expressed are entirely my own.