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A Love Like the Sun
Lifelong best friends spend a fateful summer discovering what might happen if they were to be something more in this radiant, heart-clenching adult debut.
Laniah Thompson is a homebody who craves privacy. Issac Jordan is internet famous and spends his days followed by paparazzi. She runs a small business with her mom in her hometown. He runs an international brand.
And they’ve been best friends since childhood.
When Issac comes home to Providence for the first time in months and discovers Laniah’s dream is slipping out of reach as she and her mom struggle to pay the bills at Wildly Green, their natural hair store, she refuses to take a dime from him. And so, he does what any self-respecting best friend would do: tells the world they’re dating.
Suddenly business is booming, and Laniah agrees to his ridiculous plan to pretend to be lovers for the course of the summer. Just long enough to catch the eye of an investor and get her dream back on track, like she helped him do so many years ago, he reminds her.
Too soon, though, Laniah knows she’s playing with fire, because for as long as they’ve been friends there’s an undeniable pull they’ve never given in to. And as the lines between art and life—real and pretend—blur, it becomes harder and harder to see where friendship ends and something else begins....
Told over the course of three sizzling summer months, A Love Like the Sun is about shared history, those who make us our bravest selves, and love in its many forms.
Laniah Thompson is a homebody who craves privacy. Issac Jordan is internet famous and spends his days followed by paparazzi. She runs a small business with her mom in her hometown. He runs an international brand.
And they’ve been best friends since childhood.
When Issac comes home to Providence for the first time in months and discovers Laniah’s dream is slipping out of reach as she and her mom struggle to pay the bills at Wildly Green, their natural hair store, she refuses to take a dime from him. And so, he does what any self-respecting best friend would do: tells the world they’re dating.
Suddenly business is booming, and Laniah agrees to his ridiculous plan to pretend to be lovers for the course of the summer. Just long enough to catch the eye of an investor and get her dream back on track, like she helped him do so many years ago, he reminds her.
Too soon, though, Laniah knows she’s playing with fire, because for as long as they’ve been friends there’s an undeniable pull they’ve never given in to. And as the lines between art and life—real and pretend—blur, it becomes harder and harder to see where friendship ends and something else begins....
Told over the course of three sizzling summer months, A Love Like the Sun is about shared history, those who make us our bravest selves, and love in its many forms.
368 pages, Paperback
First published June 11, 2024
373 people are currently reading
35412 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,273 reviews
May 13, 2024
I just finished Riss M. Neilson’s adult debut, A Love Like the Sun, and I’m still feeling its warm glow!
Laniah and Issac have been best friends since childhood, bonded further by the loss of his parents and her father. Everything they do is shared first and foremost with the other, and they’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders and safest space through life’s ups and downs. Together with Laniah’s mom, Vanessa, the three are like family.
As adults, the affection and support is still there, but life has pulled them in different directions with Issac now in California gaining fame for his modeling and successful art videos on YouTube, and Laniah “Ni” using her business degree to help her mom run Wildly Green, a natural beauty products shop in Rhode Island. Ni is feeling their distance more these days.
When Issac finds out their shop is in danger of closing down for good, he suggests a plan to use his internet celebrity and a fake dating scenario with Ni to gain visibility for the store. The assumption is that those who love him will love her by extension and be curious to buy whatever she makes, and then they can just quietly “break up” at summer’s end. Ni is skeptical and extremely private, but Issac asks her to trust him and she does.
Issac and Ni have always been strictly platonic, treating their friendship as something almost sacred, but with this new spotlight on them, are they still just playing their parts? Ni is feeling things for Issac she’s never felt before and the way Issac looks at her now … is she just imagining it? Each new day brings a new facet to their “relationship”.
One thing Ni isn’t imagining is the health symptoms she’s experiencing. Her doctor keeps dismissing them as anxiety, but Ni knows it’s something more. She hasn’t shared this with Issac, not wanting to worry him, but when the truth comes to light, will it be more than they can endure?
I loved Issac and Ni. I loved Ni’s mom, Vanessa, shop assistant Lex, best friend Katrina (Kat), and so many others. It was an engaging friends-to-lovers story with OFF the charts chemistry between the MCs and a storyline that had unexpected depth with Ni’s chronic illness thread. It shed light on the issues women, and even more so black women, face in being underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed when facing health issues.
The themes of not wanting to ruin a lifelong friendship by chancing romance felt believable and resonated with my own experience, as did Ni’s struggle to open up about her feelings and not be so self-protective. Having an MC you can relate to makes the reading that much more special, and I truly enjoyed every minute of my read. If every woman could find herself an “Issac”, we’d all be so lucky! His unwavering dedication and support of Ni was a thing of beauty.
My one and only complaint is that the tonal shift when things got spicy was a little more 'down and dirty' than I prefer as far as the descriptiveness and dialogue goes, but it’s only a couple scenes and that’s just my personal preference - not a fault of the book.
I highly recommend this adult debut for those who enjoy a solid friends-to-lovers romance with emotional depth to it. It does have some heavier themes of grief and chronic illness, but Neilson handles them sensitively and sheds light on worthwhile issues in the process, which she can do with authority since Laniah's health scenario is inspired by her own personal experience!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley and author Riss M. Neilson for this digital ARC to honestly review. It's due to be published June 11, 2024.
Laniah and Issac have been best friends since childhood, bonded further by the loss of his parents and her father. Everything they do is shared first and foremost with the other, and they’re each other’s biggest cheerleaders and safest space through life’s ups and downs. Together with Laniah’s mom, Vanessa, the three are like family.
As adults, the affection and support is still there, but life has pulled them in different directions with Issac now in California gaining fame for his modeling and successful art videos on YouTube, and Laniah “Ni” using her business degree to help her mom run Wildly Green, a natural beauty products shop in Rhode Island. Ni is feeling their distance more these days.
When Issac finds out their shop is in danger of closing down for good, he suggests a plan to use his internet celebrity and a fake dating scenario with Ni to gain visibility for the store. The assumption is that those who love him will love her by extension and be curious to buy whatever she makes, and then they can just quietly “break up” at summer’s end. Ni is skeptical and extremely private, but Issac asks her to trust him and she does.
Issac and Ni have always been strictly platonic, treating their friendship as something almost sacred, but with this new spotlight on them, are they still just playing their parts? Ni is feeling things for Issac she’s never felt before and the way Issac looks at her now … is she just imagining it? Each new day brings a new facet to their “relationship”.
One thing Ni isn’t imagining is the health symptoms she’s experiencing. Her doctor keeps dismissing them as anxiety, but Ni knows it’s something more. She hasn’t shared this with Issac, not wanting to worry him, but when the truth comes to light, will it be more than they can endure?
I loved Issac and Ni. I loved Ni’s mom, Vanessa, shop assistant Lex, best friend Katrina (Kat), and so many others. It was an engaging friends-to-lovers story with OFF the charts chemistry between the MCs and a storyline that had unexpected depth with Ni’s chronic illness thread. It shed light on the issues women, and even more so black women, face in being underdiagnosed or misdiagnosed when facing health issues.
The themes of not wanting to ruin a lifelong friendship by chancing romance felt believable and resonated with my own experience, as did Ni’s struggle to open up about her feelings and not be so self-protective. Having an MC you can relate to makes the reading that much more special, and I truly enjoyed every minute of my read. If every woman could find herself an “Issac”, we’d all be so lucky! His unwavering dedication and support of Ni was a thing of beauty.
My one and only complaint is that the tonal shift when things got spicy was a little more 'down and dirty' than I prefer as far as the descriptiveness and dialogue goes, but it’s only a couple scenes and that’s just my personal preference - not a fault of the book.
I highly recommend this adult debut for those who enjoy a solid friends-to-lovers romance with emotional depth to it. It does have some heavier themes of grief and chronic illness, but Neilson handles them sensitively and sheds light on worthwhile issues in the process, which she can do with authority since Laniah's health scenario is inspired by her own personal experience!
★★★★ ½
Thanks to Berkley Publishing, NetGalley and author Riss M. Neilson for this digital ARC to honestly review. It's due to be published June 11, 2024.
June 23, 2024
Officer, it was a simp-to-simp pipeline situation. He began the book as a simp and ended the book as an even bigger simp. That man was so down bad crying at the gym, during FaceTimes, on social media... Basically, they’ve been friends forever and he's recently reached minor celebrity status. He actively uses his influence to support her and pamper her and help her small business grow…WHICH WAS SO HOT. And don’t even get me started on the HEAT. Riss made us wait, but good lord it was so good.
Friends to lovers x fake dating is a LETHAL combo in my opinion because normal friends to lovers is normally pretty slowburn because they’re like OPPOSED to touching. But with f2l fake dating, even though they're still probably opposed to touching, it necessitates that they get all over each other wayyy quicker. It was still a slow burn romance—because Laniah was absolutely clueless to Issac’s pining—but the tension was so delicious and I never felt stuck in the story.
Laniah also had health issues that her doctor wasn’t taking seriously, which was a super poignant through line. Although it was frustrating to see her not get a second opinion sooner, I think it would’ve ruined what the author was trying to illustrate. Obviously getting her issues figured out in chapter two would’ve been great for her, but a compelling story that does not make. I also knew where the third act was headed, but to be honest, I ate it up. It was dramatic and it hurt and it made sense for Laniah. And I LOVED Issac’s response.
The only thing I had an issue with was the inclusion of a “villain” character/plot. There was already a lot going on and he did NOT get the proper comeuppance to warrant his inclusion. *Spoilers* The book opens with Laniah sending a nude to this guy who literally thumbs down reacts!!! GREAT OPENING. But then he comes back and posts revenge porn of her because he wants clout. His only punishment was getting paid off by Issac’s manager!!! I understand Laniah couldn’t deal with pressing charges, but then just don’t include this plot line!!! Because what???? He gets money and a slap on the wrist??? For committing a crime??? I’m still so angry lol.
It was one of those audiobooks that I simply could not stop listening to. I was running errands and my AirPods were in. I was at dinner and my AirPods were in. I was at a bookstore buying other books and my AirPods were in. But it was also one of those books where I couldn’t physically do anything while listening to it. A staring-at-the-wall-and-taking-it-all-in kind of book. Safe to say, I didn’t get much done in the twenty four hours I binged this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5
CWs: Dead parent (Laniah’s father, heart issues, recounted), Issac’s parents died in an accident when he was young, not being listened to/being gaslit in a medical setting, and revenge porn
I received an ALC from PRHaudio and an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
Friends to lovers x fake dating is a LETHAL combo in my opinion because normal friends to lovers is normally pretty slowburn because they’re like OPPOSED to touching. But with f2l fake dating, even though they're still probably opposed to touching, it necessitates that they get all over each other wayyy quicker. It was still a slow burn romance—because Laniah was absolutely clueless to Issac’s pining—but the tension was so delicious and I never felt stuck in the story.
Laniah also had health issues that her doctor wasn’t taking seriously, which was a super poignant through line. Although it was frustrating to see her not get a second opinion sooner, I think it would’ve ruined what the author was trying to illustrate. Obviously getting her issues figured out in chapter two would’ve been great for her, but a compelling story that does not make. I also knew where the third act was headed, but to be honest, I ate it up. It was dramatic and it hurt and it made sense for Laniah. And I LOVED Issac’s response.
The only thing I had an issue with was the inclusion of a “villain” character/plot. There was already a lot going on and he did NOT get the proper comeuppance to warrant his inclusion. *Spoilers* The book opens with Laniah sending a nude to this guy who literally thumbs down reacts!!! GREAT OPENING. But then he comes back and posts revenge porn of her because he wants clout. His only punishment was getting paid off by Issac’s manager!!! I understand Laniah couldn’t deal with pressing charges, but then just don’t include this plot line!!! Because what???? He gets money and a slap on the wrist??? For committing a crime??? I’m still so angry lol.
It was one of those audiobooks that I simply could not stop listening to. I was running errands and my AirPods were in. I was at dinner and my AirPods were in. I was at a bookstore buying other books and my AirPods were in. But it was also one of those books where I couldn’t physically do anything while listening to it. A staring-at-the-wall-and-taking-it-all-in kind of book. Safe to say, I didn’t get much done in the twenty four hours I binged this book.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.75/5 🌶️🌶️.5/5
CWs: Dead parent (Laniah’s father, heart issues, recounted), Issac’s parents died in an accident when he was young, not being listened to/being gaslit in a medical setting, and revenge porn
I received an ALC from PRHaudio and an eARC via NetGalley. All opinions are honest and my own.
July 21, 2024
I’m having so many mixed emotions about this book. I really think the bones of this story were good but it could have used more editing. I’m not going to judge too harshly I was invested in the story and would recommend if you are a fan of friends to lovers 💓
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April 28, 2024 DNF . I can’t this is too cringe for me
“For anyone who has ever felt hard to love, to the lovers with wide-open hearts and the ones who like to keep theirs close, to anyone who has ever been afraid to ask for what they need" 🥹💖
✨Thanks to NetGalley, Riss M Neilson, & Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ✨
✨Thanks to NetGalley, Riss M Neilson, & Berkley Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review ✨
July 28, 2024
4/5 ⭐️
- I’m a sucker for a friends to lovers trope and fake dating. This one did not disappoint!! It felt so real and truly showed all of the complexities, awkwardness, and swoon worthy feelings of going from friends to being in love!! This story was so tender and the writing truly made me feel allllll the feelings!! Also has one of the most passionate and tender romance scenes that I’ve ever read in a book!!
- I love so many parts of this story. Isaac was such a soft boy and made my little heart so happy to see how he cared for Laniah. Would have loved to get his pov!! This story explores grief, love, chronic illness, and finding confidence in yourself. You see the platonic love between friends and how strong that bond can be too which I loved!!
- The sexual tension was 10/10!! The love story felt authentic and raw. Will definitely be reading more from this author!
- I’m a sucker for a friends to lovers trope and fake dating. This one did not disappoint!! It felt so real and truly showed all of the complexities, awkwardness, and swoon worthy feelings of going from friends to being in love!! This story was so tender and the writing truly made me feel allllll the feelings!! Also has one of the most passionate and tender romance scenes that I’ve ever read in a book!!
- I love so many parts of this story. Isaac was such a soft boy and made my little heart so happy to see how he cared for Laniah. Would have loved to get his pov!! This story explores grief, love, chronic illness, and finding confidence in yourself. You see the platonic love between friends and how strong that bond can be too which I loved!!
- The sexual tension was 10/10!! The love story felt authentic and raw. Will definitely be reading more from this author!
July 6, 2024
A couple of years ago, I fell in love with Riss M. Neilson’s YA books, especially with her writing, so of course, I wanted to read her adult debut, too. While her YA books are raw and imbued with magic, A Love Like the Sun is a contemporary romance, a slow burn, and much lighter.
Two people, already feeling so comfortable with each other, and then starting to fake a date. I love friends-to-lovers and fake dating tropes, but combined, those tropes are even more powerful. Laniah and Issac only needed to add a little more touching each other, and suddenly, their love splashed off the pages. At least for other people and us readers. They themselves were completely oblivious. Or afraid that the other only had friendly feelings. Or afraid they would lose their bond if a romantic relationship wouldn’t work. Even though this story is written from Laniah’s POV, I felt Issac’s pining for Laniah throughout the story, and I loved their flirting. It was so clear that Issac was in love with Laniah (Ni), and he was such a sweet guy.
This story rippled along like a gentle stream, and sometimes, that's exactly what I need. The sun on my face, rustling trees, the soothing of water, and a book that makes me smile. This book meets all those conditions except for the plot twist and the third-act breakup. I really could do without the last one, especially so late in the story. Unnecessary in my opinion. But even with that third-act and the plot twist, I’d rate this one a solid four stars. I still had tears in my eyes reading the last pages.
Thank you so much, Orion Publishing Group, for letting me read this lovely romance early!
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Two people, already feeling so comfortable with each other, and then starting to fake a date. I love friends-to-lovers and fake dating tropes, but combined, those tropes are even more powerful. Laniah and Issac only needed to add a little more touching each other, and suddenly, their love splashed off the pages. At least for other people and us readers. They themselves were completely oblivious. Or afraid that the other only had friendly feelings. Or afraid they would lose their bond if a romantic relationship wouldn’t work. Even though this story is written from Laniah’s POV, I felt Issac’s pining for Laniah throughout the story, and I loved their flirting. It was so clear that Issac was in love with Laniah (Ni), and he was such a sweet guy.
This story rippled along like a gentle stream, and sometimes, that's exactly what I need. The sun on my face, rustling trees, the soothing of water, and a book that makes me smile. This book meets all those conditions except for the plot twist and the third-act breakup. I really could do without the last one, especially so late in the story. Unnecessary in my opinion. But even with that third-act and the plot twist, I’d rate this one a solid four stars. I still had tears in my eyes reading the last pages.
Thank you so much, Orion Publishing Group, for letting me read this lovely romance early!
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June 6, 2024
This was a beautiful and heartwarming romance about friendship, growth, and taking chances. The main characters have been best friends since childhood and have loved each other for so long while going through life together. The tension, steam, and progression of the main characters' romance was so good. I am always here for fake dating but this was done well. I loved the way this book was written, it read so poetic and beautiful. The characters were very nuanced, especially the fmc, I appreciated the author showing the disparities that black women face when navigating the health care system because it was accurate. If you like tender and steamy slowburns then you should add this to your tbr! Some content warnings for this include the death of a parent, medical discrimination, and kidney disease. Thank you to the publisher for this arc for an honest review.
Read for:
- Childhood best friends to lovers
- Black romance
- Chronic illness rep
- Slow burn
- He falls first
- Diverse characters
Read for:
- Childhood best friends to lovers
- Black romance
- Chronic illness rep
- Slow burn
- He falls first
- Diverse characters
May 14, 2024
3.5 STARS!
~~~~
I am a sucker for love. I love reading heartwarming romances that are not full of drama and angst. I’m trying to escape from life when I dive into a story.
This book had such a wonderful vibe to it. Their love was amazing in this best friends-to-lovers story.
The author did an amazing job with the character development and their connection was just on fire. I loved it so much.
But that is not to say I didn’t have some things that rubbed me wrong. What killed it for me was the female lead character who just could not let herself go and love him the way he needed to be loved. As a lover, not just as a best friend.
This book has everything in it that we crave in a romance. The touches, the fire, the first time saying the magic words. And especially the first time getting physical. But she just couldn’t let go soon enough in the story to let us feel everything they were building together.
I love so many parts of the story, but I really wish we could just get an early buy-in so we can enjoy the couple a lot longer in the story. Give us a wonderful epilogue. Bring us that closure instead of a rushed ending. That to me is what makes an amazing story.
Will I read this author again? Absolutely. I love her style and her flair with words. Neilson has the ability to bring sensual passion to light. I can’t wait to see what else she brings us in the future.
~~~
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/a-love-like-...
~~~~
I am a sucker for love. I love reading heartwarming romances that are not full of drama and angst. I’m trying to escape from life when I dive into a story.
This book had such a wonderful vibe to it. Their love was amazing in this best friends-to-lovers story.
The author did an amazing job with the character development and their connection was just on fire. I loved it so much.
But that is not to say I didn’t have some things that rubbed me wrong. What killed it for me was the female lead character who just could not let herself go and love him the way he needed to be loved. As a lover, not just as a best friend.
This book has everything in it that we crave in a romance. The touches, the fire, the first time saying the magic words. And especially the first time getting physical. But she just couldn’t let go soon enough in the story to let us feel everything they were building together.
I love so many parts of the story, but I really wish we could just get an early buy-in so we can enjoy the couple a lot longer in the story. Give us a wonderful epilogue. Bring us that closure instead of a rushed ending. That to me is what makes an amazing story.
Will I read this author again? Absolutely. I love her style and her flair with words. Neilson has the ability to bring sensual passion to light. I can’t wait to see what else she brings us in the future.
~~~
*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
* full review - https://amidlifewife.com/a-love-like-...
April 27, 2024
1.25 stars
A Love Like the Sun begins with a promising setup which is childhood-friends to lovers with some drama sprinkled in here and there. I found myself enjoying the first few chapters quite a lot, but then it started to get boring. This is due to the lack of an actual plot and no real character development. There was nothing driving the story or the characters who could’ve been so interesting if they had more substance to themselves! Another thing that began to bother me was the pacing because there is none—for all I know this book happened over the course of a few weeks or years. This unfortunately led me to skim large chunks of the book because it was just that boring and even cringy at times. Lastly, if you’re going to write explicit scenes, at least write them well… otherwise, leave it at the fade-to-black approach, and we’ll all be much happier.
I did find the very end to be quite cute and satisfying, but overall, I would say don’t waste precious time on this unless you’re looking for a quick filler book, mediocre writing, no plot, and undeveloped characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
A Love Like the Sun begins with a promising setup which is childhood-friends to lovers with some drama sprinkled in here and there. I found myself enjoying the first few chapters quite a lot, but then it started to get boring. This is due to the lack of an actual plot and no real character development. There was nothing driving the story or the characters who could’ve been so interesting if they had more substance to themselves! Another thing that began to bother me was the pacing because there is none—for all I know this book happened over the course of a few weeks or years. This unfortunately led me to skim large chunks of the book because it was just that boring and even cringy at times. Lastly, if you’re going to write explicit scenes, at least write them well… otherwise, leave it at the fade-to-black approach, and we’ll all be much happier.
I did find the very end to be quite cute and satisfying, but overall, I would say don’t waste precious time on this unless you’re looking for a quick filler book, mediocre writing, no plot, and undeveloped characters.
Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
May 18, 2024
As beautiful inside as the cover on the outside. I love these characters and their achey, beautiful, childhood friends to lovers story.
July 3, 2024
4-4.5⭐️ The trope combination is a complete winner in this beautiful new novel featuring both the power of romantic and familial love. The heavier themes of grief and disability counterbalanced with the butterflies of new love, offered the perfect dichotomy and one that helps this book shine a lot like the sun.
🎧 Frankie Corzo brings pitch perfect narration to this emotional and heartwarming story. Her smooth-as-silk voice is as evocative as it is melodic, and I felt more emotionally connected to Ni while reading via audio.
Read if you like:
• best friends to lovers
• fake dating
• celebrity romance
• forced proximity
• small town
Thank you Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.
🎧 Frankie Corzo brings pitch perfect narration to this emotional and heartwarming story. Her smooth-as-silk voice is as evocative as it is melodic, and I felt more emotionally connected to Ni while reading via audio.
Read if you like:
• best friends to lovers
• fake dating
• celebrity romance
• forced proximity
• small town
Thank you Berkley Romance and PRH Audio for the gifted copies.
June 11, 2024
PUB DAY REVIEW
Thank you Berkley Romance for my gifted copies 💕
About: Laniah "Ni" Thompson and Issac Jordan have been best friends since childhood, and the two are no stranger to grief. Isaac spent the latter part of his childhood in foster care following the untimely death of both parents, while Ni subsequently lost her father to heart disease. Their rock solid friendship was their greatest source of comfort, and they remain close to this day.
Though the closest of friends, Issac and Ni couldn't be more different. Isaac is outgoing, free spirited, loves the public eye, and hops around from place to place, never quite able to put down roots, while Ni is a homebody who really values her privacy, and avoids social media at all costs. Issac is a model, artist and social media superstar, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous in California, while Laniah lives in their home state Rhode Island, cleaning hotel rooms and running a small hair product business with her mom, Vanessa. When Issac finds out that Laniah and Vanessa are about to close the doors on their business, he comes up with a plan to use his fame and influence to help his two favorite women stay in business. But will his plan work? Or are things about to get complicated between these two BFFs?
•Childhood friends to lovers
•Fake dating
•Opposites attract
•Slow burn 🔥
•Chronic illness / disability rep
•Grief / loss / heavy themes - check TWs
Thoughts: This book is so special and I loved it! I was seeking an emotional romance novel that pulled me in from the very beginning, so I sampled a handful before settling on A Love Like the Sun. Within the first few pages, I knew it was what I had been looking for, and I devoured it in two days.
The story takes place over one summer, is told in singular perspective (Laniah's POV), mostly from the present, with brief flashbacks to Issac and Ni's childhood. This was a good move, as it helps the reader feel more connected to the MCs.
I'm such a sucker for a childhood friends to lovers. I love that familiarity and the comfort of their shared history. I also love how Neilson navigates their opposing lifestyles and the ways in which fame can bring negativity.
There is a large cast of fantastic side characters here, including tons of great friends, but Ni's relationship with her mama is my fave! These two have such a special bond, and Vanessa is #momgoals. I'd love to read a book starring Vanessa! She deserves her own romance novel. 😉
I loved the inclusion of chronic illness and the ways in which women (particularly women of color) can be misdiagnosed or treated like it's all in their head. This is such an important topic and I hope it starts many conversations amongst readers. I also appreciate the brief commentary on colorism and how this impacts biracial women.
Issac and Ni's romance is so tender, with a genuine and deep love between them, stemming from years long friendship. the way they care for one another, putting the others' needs above their own, was so romantic. Their love and respect and maturity within their relationship is something we don't often see in romance novels, so I really appreciate that. And the pining and tension.... 🔥 🥵 Oh how I love a slow burn, with all that build up! While I wouldn't consider this ultra spicy, it does have multiple on page descriptive sex scenes in the last half.
Overall, this is a beautiful, touching romance novel with high stakes and so much depth. While the romance is at the core here, it is more than just a romance novel. The subplots help carry the story and keep the pace going, adding nuance and making for a well-rounded novel easy to get swept away in. I highly recommend A Love Like the Sun for fans of Carley Fortune, Kennedy Ryan and Tia Williams, or anyone who enjoys a romance novel that'll make them feel 💕
Thank you Berkley Romance for my gifted copies 💕
About: Laniah "Ni" Thompson and Issac Jordan have been best friends since childhood, and the two are no stranger to grief. Isaac spent the latter part of his childhood in foster care following the untimely death of both parents, while Ni subsequently lost her father to heart disease. Their rock solid friendship was their greatest source of comfort, and they remain close to this day.
Though the closest of friends, Issac and Ni couldn't be more different. Isaac is outgoing, free spirited, loves the public eye, and hops around from place to place, never quite able to put down roots, while Ni is a homebody who really values her privacy, and avoids social media at all costs. Issac is a model, artist and social media superstar, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous in California, while Laniah lives in their home state Rhode Island, cleaning hotel rooms and running a small hair product business with her mom, Vanessa. When Issac finds out that Laniah and Vanessa are about to close the doors on their business, he comes up with a plan to use his fame and influence to help his two favorite women stay in business. But will his plan work? Or are things about to get complicated between these two BFFs?
•Childhood friends to lovers
•Fake dating
•Opposites attract
•Slow burn 🔥
•Chronic illness / disability rep
•Grief / loss / heavy themes - check TWs
Thoughts: This book is so special and I loved it! I was seeking an emotional romance novel that pulled me in from the very beginning, so I sampled a handful before settling on A Love Like the Sun. Within the first few pages, I knew it was what I had been looking for, and I devoured it in two days.
The story takes place over one summer, is told in singular perspective (Laniah's POV), mostly from the present, with brief flashbacks to Issac and Ni's childhood. This was a good move, as it helps the reader feel more connected to the MCs.
I'm such a sucker for a childhood friends to lovers. I love that familiarity and the comfort of their shared history. I also love how Neilson navigates their opposing lifestyles and the ways in which fame can bring negativity.
There is a large cast of fantastic side characters here, including tons of great friends, but Ni's relationship with her mama is my fave! These two have such a special bond, and Vanessa is #momgoals. I'd love to read a book starring Vanessa! She deserves her own romance novel. 😉
I loved the inclusion of chronic illness and the ways in which women (particularly women of color) can be misdiagnosed or treated like it's all in their head. This is such an important topic and I hope it starts many conversations amongst readers. I also appreciate the brief commentary on colorism and how this impacts biracial women.
Issac and Ni's romance is so tender, with a genuine and deep love between them, stemming from years long friendship. the way they care for one another, putting the others' needs above their own, was so romantic. Their love and respect and maturity within their relationship is something we don't often see in romance novels, so I really appreciate that. And the pining and tension.... 🔥 🥵 Oh how I love a slow burn, with all that build up! While I wouldn't consider this ultra spicy, it does have multiple on page descriptive sex scenes in the last half.
Overall, this is a beautiful, touching romance novel with high stakes and so much depth. While the romance is at the core here, it is more than just a romance novel. The subplots help carry the story and keep the pace going, adding nuance and making for a well-rounded novel easy to get swept away in. I highly recommend A Love Like the Sun for fans of Carley Fortune, Kennedy Ryan and Tia Williams, or anyone who enjoys a romance novel that'll make them feel 💕
June 24, 2024
I’m not exaggerating when I tell you this is one of the most phenomenal friends to lovers romances I’ve ever read. Isaac is such a sweetheart and so incredibly patient with Laniah. I laughed, I cried 3 times, and the smut was indeed smutty. Perfect. No notes. I’m obsessed. 😭🥹
January 2, 2025
I loved the MMC honestly the simping was simpin and I was here for it. I know this isn't for everyone, as it does have some deeper topics (check triggers). But I enjoyed it! Flowy but emotional and wonderful! All around a wonderful read! Best friends to lovers will always get me!
September 2, 2024
3.75. This is a best friends to lovers book but involves some medical issues, some high celebrity status, some social media issues and a whole lot about pampering yourself in some great beauty products. I loved the inclusion of caring for hair and self and the beauty of art.
June 10, 2024
Sweet story, but not enough conflict or tension for me. It fell flat too quickly and I honestly didn’t feel the love and chemistry connection between the two.
Read
May 30, 2025dnf
i was enjoying this but got bored + do not care to finish :(
i was enjoying this but got bored + do not care to finish :(
July 28, 2024
I was debating giving this 3 stars but I gotta bring it down a smidgen. As a whole I did enjoy it… kind of. I enjoyed it enough to keep going. (And I thought the steamy scenes were well done). But there didn’t feel like a lot of depth in these characters. Issac especially was basically “the perfect partner” with no other personality traits. And I do not care. I DO NOT CARE!! Please have more going on than just “let me take care of you you are my world” etc. I’ve seen some reviewers call the dialogue cringey, which was basically my experience. I felt like so much of what the characters said to each other (including the mom, too) was overly dramatic and emotional but lacking actual depth of feeling. So much talk of people’s “hearts.” Almost an aura of pretentiousness in the way they talk to each other. This is obviously a personal preference and a lot of people won’t be bothered by this. I WAS!!!
What made me REALLY angry was how the medical diagnosis came at the very end and Laniah decides (spoiler alert???) to do the typical “I will lie and say I don’t love him so that he won’t have to suffer a life of pain with me” thing which COME ON!!! IT’S THE YEAR 2024 AND WE’RE STILL DOING THIS?!? NO. WE’RE BETTER THAN THIS. THROW THIS OUT. NEVER VISIT THIS PLOT POINT EVER AGAIN. I also didn’t really like the medical plot line as a whole - it was just barely hovering around the edges, a lot of “I know something’s off but idk,” and then suddenly it’s a big deal at the very end? Like make it a significant part of the story throughout or don’t involve it at all. (Especially as someone with chronic health issues, it’s not fun to have it popping in and out of the story like that. I’d rather it not be in the books I read at all.)
What made me REALLY angry was how the medical diagnosis came at the very end and Laniah decides (spoiler alert???) to do the typical “I will lie and say I don’t love him so that he won’t have to suffer a life of pain with me” thing which COME ON!!! IT’S THE YEAR 2024 AND WE’RE STILL DOING THIS?!? NO. WE’RE BETTER THAN THIS. THROW THIS OUT. NEVER VISIT THIS PLOT POINT EVER AGAIN. I also didn’t really like the medical plot line as a whole - it was just barely hovering around the edges, a lot of “I know something’s off but idk,” and then suddenly it’s a big deal at the very end? Like make it a significant part of the story throughout or don’t involve it at all. (Especially as someone with chronic health issues, it’s not fun to have it popping in and out of the story like that. I’d rather it not be in the books I read at all.)
July 8, 2024
Started with excitement, ended with disappointment. Heroine's decision-making skills were weaker than my WiFi during a storm. The hero acted like her emotional crutch, and his 'platonic' fantasies? Major ick. The drama between those senior citizen sisters was the only highlight. Ended abruptly too. The bullet-point epilogue was the only saving grace, but by then, I was ready to bullet-point my complaints.
December 12, 2024
okay, fine! friends to lovers has rights!!!
February 26, 2025
2.5⭐️ I just could not connect to any of these characters. Only having the FMC’s POV was frustrating because it was mostly her inner monologue and she refused to communicate with the MMC. These may be a one and done for me with this author anyway…IYKYK🙄
June 15, 2024
I've been staring at this blinking cursor for way too long but I still don't know where to start. Maybe I used up all my words on my last (way too long and drawn out) review. Oh dear.
On the whole? I did like this. Some parts more than others. And some of those parts that didn't quite measure up (or measured up too high) were, unfortunately, the characters.
I didn't really have a great time with Laniah for the most part. I understood some of her motivations and worries but oblivious characters, who are repeatedly told they are oblivious to their face, are a struggle for me. Particularly when their internal monologue does not align with their actions and they are hypocritically frustrated when those around them go along with said actions as opposed to knowing what lies beneath. Because how can they. Then there was the constant harping over Issac's ex which drove me to do distraction.
But where I really got her, really felt for her, was with the storyline about her health. That frustrated me for her. It hurt to see what she was being told was all in her head and how she struggled to reason and reconcile that with her gut feelings (a terrible bit of irony and one I do not relish and am not being snarky about!) and, worst of all, seeing how this mirrored the author's experience, too. The health care system is really out there consistently letting women down and, unfortunately, that is even more prevalent for women of colour. Make. it. stop.
Shifting gears to Laniah's love interest and bestie Issac.. I mean. Here's another case of someone who is written just a little too perfectly. I have nothing to criticize because he is fantasy in written form. Which makes it hard to swallow. Some flaws to give him layers would've been nice. Too good, too perfect, is just unsettling in some ways. And for all the build-up to shifting gears into something more, all that worry and uncertainty, I wish we had felt some of that when they finally did become something more. But instead, once again, we have sex scenes that felt more for the reader than the characters.
Also maybe I'm just getting tired of the whole influencer celebrity insert trope. Because one other thing that Laniah had going for her? Being a homebody hermit who shied away from social media. Also also I'm getting tired of exes popping out of the woodwork and acting like moustache twirling villains. This isn't a reflection on Laniah of course just commentary in general.
But. But. I didn't mind the writing, even if I didn't like the writing of the characters, as there were some truly beautiful turns of phrase and descriptions woven throughout. And the way the author handled the grief element was really lovely and heartbreaking.
So there are plenty of positives here and I think this will mostly come down to personal preference and, as always, your mileage will forever vary.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
On the whole? I did like this. Some parts more than others. And some of those parts that didn't quite measure up (or measured up too high) were, unfortunately, the characters.
I didn't really have a great time with Laniah for the most part. I understood some of her motivations and worries but oblivious characters, who are repeatedly told they are oblivious to their face, are a struggle for me. Particularly when their internal monologue does not align with their actions and they are hypocritically frustrated when those around them go along with said actions as opposed to knowing what lies beneath. Because how can they. Then there was the constant harping over Issac's ex which drove me to do distraction.
But where I really got her, really felt for her, was with the storyline about her health. That frustrated me for her. It hurt to see what she was being told was all in her head and how she struggled to reason and reconcile that with her gut feelings (a terrible bit of irony and one I do not relish and am not being snarky about!) and, worst of all, seeing how this mirrored the author's experience, too. The health care system is really out there consistently letting women down and, unfortunately, that is even more prevalent for women of colour. Make. it. stop.
Shifting gears to Laniah's love interest and bestie Issac.. I mean. Here's another case of someone who is written just a little too perfectly. I have nothing to criticize because he is fantasy in written form. Which makes it hard to swallow. Some flaws to give him layers would've been nice. Too good, too perfect, is just unsettling in some ways. And for all the build-up to shifting gears into something more, all that worry and uncertainty, I wish we had felt some of that when they finally did become something more. But instead, once again, we have sex scenes that felt more for the reader than the characters.
Also maybe I'm just getting tired of the whole influencer celebrity insert trope. Because one other thing that Laniah had going for her? Being a homebody hermit who shied away from social media. Also also I'm getting tired of exes popping out of the woodwork and acting like moustache twirling villains. This isn't a reflection on Laniah of course just commentary in general.
But. But. I didn't mind the writing, even if I didn't like the writing of the characters, as there were some truly beautiful turns of phrase and descriptions woven throughout. And the way the author handled the grief element was really lovely and heartbreaking.
So there are plenty of positives here and I think this will mostly come down to personal preference and, as always, your mileage will forever vary.
** I received an ARC from NetGalley and the publisher (thank you!) in exchange for an honest review. **
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This review can also be found at A Take From Two Cities.
June 21, 2024
This was genuinely one of the most beautiful romances I've ever read. I love childhood friends to lovers, but they don't always connect with me. It's so hard to illustrate the depth and closeness of a lifelong, platonic friendship while simultaneously morphing it into something more intimate and romantic. But I've got to say it: Riss M. Neilson did just that, and she did it beautifully.
The story follows Laniah Thompson, a natural haircare entrepreneur who is navigating financial difficulties, budding health problems and the anxiety that comes with having no clear diagnosis, and grief over the loss of her father. Isaac Jordan is an artist turned internet celebrity who moved away from home—and his childhood best friend Laniah—to pursue his dreams. When circumstances fall the way they do, Laniah and Isaac form a fake dating pact to help both of their careers, but it quickly uncovers deeper feelings.
This book is so fucking romantic. I know all romance books are by nature, but it's not just the romance that makes it romantic. It's the beautiful depiction of platonic love between friends, parental love, and self-love. Chronic illness is a huge theme throughout the story, and I don't think I've ever felt so seen as I did in the chapters where it was most highlighted.
I am begging you all to read this book. Please. You'll love it.
The story follows Laniah Thompson, a natural haircare entrepreneur who is navigating financial difficulties, budding health problems and the anxiety that comes with having no clear diagnosis, and grief over the loss of her father. Isaac Jordan is an artist turned internet celebrity who moved away from home—and his childhood best friend Laniah—to pursue his dreams. When circumstances fall the way they do, Laniah and Isaac form a fake dating pact to help both of their careers, but it quickly uncovers deeper feelings.
This book is so fucking romantic. I know all romance books are by nature, but it's not just the romance that makes it romantic. It's the beautiful depiction of platonic love between friends, parental love, and self-love. Chronic illness is a huge theme throughout the story, and I don't think I've ever felt so seen as I did in the chapters where it was most highlighted.
I am begging you all to read this book. Please. You'll love it.
December 6, 2024
4.5⭐️
First of all, if i had a childhood best friend like Isaac I would’ve been ON MY KNEES for that man. Immediately. 💀😭
But seriously, Books like this don’t come around often and honestly it was a beautiful story. I definitely felt the FMC Laniah just really needed to shutup most times but overall it was a solid story, and the author has excellent writing. i swooned so much 😭
I was really yelling at Laniah 50% of the time. Like fr this girl really shouldn’t have been allowed to make decisions for herself because she was making all the wrong ones!! Like girl you mean to tell me you would pass up the opportunity to be in a certified relationship with your best friend who loves you like his life depends on it, and the best sex of your life just because you don’t want to ruin the friendship!!? SOMEBODY GET THIS GIRL SOME HELP. I-😭
I definitely sympathized with her when she got her diagnosis and definitely understood her fears and reasons for not wanting to be with Isaac after her diagnosis. However, love is about being brave and taking the leap and risking heartbreak 🥹 and that’s exactly what she did (finally). When Isaac said “I’ll be brave enough for the both of us” i was like 🥹😭 THATS MY MAN AND I LOVE HIM.
Honestly a 10/10 ending and it made me so emotional and i wonder what Laniah and Isaac are doing now 🥹🫶🏼
First of all, if i had a childhood best friend like Isaac I would’ve been ON MY KNEES for that man. Immediately. 💀😭
But seriously, Books like this don’t come around often and honestly it was a beautiful story. I definitely felt the FMC Laniah just really needed to shutup most times but overall it was a solid story, and the author has excellent writing. i swooned so much 😭
I was really yelling at Laniah 50% of the time. Like fr this girl really shouldn’t have been allowed to make decisions for herself because she was making all the wrong ones!! Like girl you mean to tell me you would pass up the opportunity to be in a certified relationship with your best friend who loves you like his life depends on it, and the best sex of your life just because you don’t want to ruin the friendship!!? SOMEBODY GET THIS GIRL SOME HELP. I-😭
I definitely sympathized with her when she got her diagnosis and definitely understood her fears and reasons for not wanting to be with Isaac after her diagnosis. However, love is about being brave and taking the leap and risking heartbreak 🥹 and that’s exactly what she did (finally). When Isaac said “I’ll be brave enough for the both of us” i was like 🥹😭 THATS MY MAN AND I LOVE HIM.
Honestly a 10/10 ending and it made me so emotional and i wonder what Laniah and Isaac are doing now 🥹🫶🏼
January 25, 2024
Loved you since forever but you’re my best friend????? Fake dating??? Sexual tension?! This book was beautiful. The bond that our two main characters have is something we all wish we had in real life. The way they have shared a life and need to figure out how they navigate this new space for them. Taking chances and risks to figure out what’s worth it. Must read!
August 23, 2024
I did, indeed, cry my eyes out.
Content warnings: grief, death of parents, chronic illness, medical incompetence and malpractice, gaslighting, anxiety, ableism, racism, foster system and bad parents, sexual content, sexual harassment.
Content warnings: grief, death of parents, chronic illness, medical incompetence and malpractice, gaslighting, anxiety, ableism, racism, foster system and bad parents, sexual content, sexual harassment.
July 7, 2025
4 stars.
June 18, 2025
Que bonito y sano es este libro. Isaac y Ni, juntos, brillan tanto como el sol.
July 22, 2024
Thank you to Berkley for the free book.
ESCALATION.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
This unfortunately became increasingly more frustrating the further I went on.
I don’t understand how two people that have been best friends since they were children still don’t fully discuss aspects of their lives. Laniah hid some very big pieces of what was happening in her life from Isaac and I struggled a lot with how that part of the plot went down.
And for a romance, the couple spent very little time together. And too many deep comments were made via text. And I know that can work sometimes, but I really wanted to see more of Isaac and Laniah in the same place working through their friends to lovers feelings.
The story felt haphazard. Ultimately, all of the segments didn’t weave together to create a cohesive book. There wasn’t any character growth and nothing pushing this story forward.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: moderate
- Romance: 3 open door + some innuendo
- Content Warnings: missed medical diagnosis from a doctor, loss of a Dad, medical discrimination, kidney disease
ESCALATION.
BLOG || INSTAGRAM
This unfortunately became increasingly more frustrating the further I went on.
I don’t understand how two people that have been best friends since they were children still don’t fully discuss aspects of their lives. Laniah hid some very big pieces of what was happening in her life from Isaac and I struggled a lot with how that part of the plot went down.
And for a romance, the couple spent very little time together. And too many deep comments were made via text. And I know that can work sometimes, but I really wanted to see more of Isaac and Laniah in the same place working through their friends to lovers feelings.
The story felt haphazard. Ultimately, all of the segments didn’t weave together to create a cohesive book. There wasn’t any character growth and nothing pushing this story forward.
Overall audience notes:
- Contemporary Romance
- Language: moderate
- Romance: 3 open door + some innuendo
- Content Warnings: missed medical diagnosis from a doctor, loss of a Dad, medical discrimination, kidney disease
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