Not a Friend

Crescent Light #1

by Taylor Hannah

A journalist and her musician ex-situationship struggle to ignore memories of their past as they attend a mutual-friends destination wedding in this spicy debut by Taylor Hannah.

Can you ever get over the one that got away?

THEN
Focused on grad school, Olive McLaren isn’t looking for anything serious, but a one-night distraction might be nice. Enter Nate Cassidy, the effortlessly alluring musician who’s all too happy to provide that distraction. With him, Olive experiences something she never has a complicated relationship that’s not quite love but is much more than friendship.

NOW
Olive is ready to spend the weekend celebrating her best friend’s wedding. That is until one ghost from her past shows up. Nate is everything the old Olive always wanted, but was never what she needed. Their past situationship had a bad ending, and she’s spent the last few years trying to get over him. Keyword trying. Navigating the weekend will be difficult, not only because Nate’s there—seemingly around every corner—but because Olive’s now-boyfriend has joined the party. And he doesn’t know anything about Olive and Nate’s history.

RELEASING FALL 2025

Genres: Romance, Second Chance, Contemporary Romance, Friends To Lovers, Forced Proximity, Contemporary, Adult

435 pages, Kindle Edition

Published September 2, 2025

Reviews

[madi · Rating 2 out of 5]

⋆˙⟡ — 2.5 stars
𐙚 spoiler-free review ♡

♡ ⋆｡˚ thoughts
this book had so much potential 😭 messy love triangles, music scene drama, the whole “ex you can’t get rid of” vibe, but the execution just wasn’t there. the pacing dragged so much, and the back-and-forth between past and present ended up feeling repetitive instead of adding depth. i wanted angst, tension, and real build-up… but most of the time it was just miscommunication on repeat.

♡ ⋆｡˚ olive
i wanted to like her so bad, but her choices constantly had me frustrated 😩 she deserved more than guys who treated her like an option, but the way she kept settling made it hard to connect with her. i related to her vulnerability and her need to be wanted, but it hurt to see her keep running back to people who didn’t value her. i just needed more growth from her.

♡ ⋆｡˚ nate
sir… i don't like him 😔 ghosting, commitment issues, brushing off apologies like “oops i was dumb” no. i kept waiting for some accountability or a real explanation, but it never came. his lack of communication wasn’t romantic or broody, it was just frustrating. and the fact that he could hurt olive over and over without ever really making it right made their connection feel shallow.

♡ ⋆｡˚ kieran
i didn’t like him AT ALL 😬 he was clearly not serious about olive, and the way she just… let that slide? yea no. i feel like his role was meant to create more drama, but instead it just made me mad that olive never stopped to demand clarity. he didn’t treat her like she mattered, and that was hard to read.

♡ ⋆｡˚ olive + nate
this relationship was built on the weakest foundation: lies, ghosting, hookups, repeat 😵‍💫 i never felt like nate cared for olive outside of the physical, and that made it impossible to like them together. when they reconnected in the present, i wanted groveling, growth, real conversations.instead, it felt like nothing from their past was ever truly addressed.

♡ ⋆｡˚ final thoughts
this book was heavy on miscommunication, light on real romance, and full of characters who needed therapy instead of each other 😭 i don’t regret reading it, but it’s not a book i’ll think about again ☹️

₊˚ ‿︵‿︵‿︵୨୧ · · ♡ · · ୨୧‿︵‿︵‿︵ ˚₊

𐙚⋆°｡⋆♡ pre-read ♡⋆°｡⋆𐙚
⤷ i’m so excited to finally read this 🤭 i'm in love this this cover!!

thank you so much love notes pr for the arc ♡

[apolimia · Rating 2 out of 5]

completamente decepcionada porque la premisa sonaba genial pero la autora lo arrastro un montón, el protagonista masculino esta simplemente ahí, me saco de quicio no saber lo que pensaba encima a eso sumale que todo el libro se resume en una falta de comunicación, una pena porque no esta mal escrito y se ve que la autora le puso ganas a la hora de escribir a la protagonista pero honestamente una ejecución malisima

[Kelsey H · Rating 5 out of 5]

FMC - Oli: 5 🌟
MMC - Nate: 5 🌟
SPICE: 🌶 🌶

I loved this!! There was so much yearning and tension, my heart was truly hurting alongside Oli's 😢

Oli and Nate had such a hold on me from the beginning. Their chemistry is so palpable, and I was so engulfed in the past and present storylines that I felt like I blinked and the book was done, yet I wasn't done experiencing these characters and their complicated but beautiful story ❤️

The heartbreak felt real, the fights felt real, the love felt real. And now I'm going to go deal with my minor book hangover. 10/10 will be buying and reading this book again!

[Larareads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you LoveNotesPR for giving me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Actual rating 2.75 ⭐️

Unfortunately, I really didn't enjoy this one that much. I usually like books that show the present and the past, but this was just a lot of miscommunication over and over again.
In the past when they were together they were just hooking up, which made it really hard to buy into their present day romance. Also, the past scenes were just sooo repetitive that I got bored and just started skipping whole paragraphs and even pages.

[Anca A · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Review: *Not A Friend* - Taylor Hannah - ARC [18+]
4.6/5✨
3/5🌶️

A wonderful cover have again stolen my attention and because of that I felt like I needed to read it😍. I'm super grateful for receiving this e-ARC from the author and Love Notes PR. Thank youu!!

Olive and Nate had a great chemistry even from the start and one night out at a bar will turn out to be a night when everything changed for them. They've started a sort of friends with benefits relationship but because Nate was part of Crescent Light music band, he was often away on the road, which made it pretty difficult to have something stable between them. What happens when things drift away and they made each other suffer?

That happened in the past and because of their sudden 'split' they were both living with their separate lives, Nate was still single but Olive had now Kieran, her current boyfriend. With the occasion of the wedding of one of their common friends, Olive, Nate and Kieran cross paths and things were about to get a little messy, because of all those build up feelings they both still had. What will Olive choose? Her past or her present?

Even though this was written only from Olive's point of view, this was a captivating story with such a complicated situation between Olive and Nate. They had a beautiful connection which remained a bit in the air and they both felt like there could have been more to their relationship. But that wasn't possible and the tension from the present was pretty high and each look was full of fire and want. Besides that, I enjoyed so much the fun and good vibes the Crescent Light gang and friends emanated, giggling so much at their antics🤭. I didn't like at all Kieran, who was a bit of a prick and I also didn't like how he was with Olive, not understanding her and the friends she had.

I really like these types of books which include music bands, loving those vibes from inside the group. I also loved the uncertainty between the main characters and that strong tension and amazing chemistry between them.

✨Tropes
#SecondChanceRomance
#MusicianRomance
#DualTimeline
#FriendsWithBenefits
#Situationship
#RightPersonWrongTime
#MusicianJournalist
#AnxietyRep

[miranda · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a Friend ARC Review

i was very fortunate to receive an ARC of Not a Friend by Taylor Hannah from LoveNotesPR, thank you so much!! 💜

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5

content warning: situationships, smoking, alcohol consumption, and intoxication, mild body shaming (not from the love interest), miscommunication (situationships, remember?), questionable cheating (it’s complicated), actual cheating (off-page, not the love interest), mentions of child neglect (off-page), anxiety (with on-page anxiety attacks), open door, 18+, explicit sex scenes (with enthusiastic consent).

“somewhere out there in the stars, when all time ceases and the earth fades to dust, a tiny part of what remains of me will still be there, loving you”

i loved everything about this book!! i was hooked from the very beginning and didn’t want it to end. this book does contain a dual timeline and while i’ve come to love dual timelines, i know it’s not for everyone but i really don’t think this book would be what it is without jumping between both timelines. it really created a complex story of love, loss, heartbreak and healing. plus getting to know the characters at different stages in their lives is really special.

olive and nate are such lovable and relatable characters that it was easy to connect with them and their story. their chemistry between oli and nate is electric from their very first interaction. but there were so many times where i just wanted to shake some sense into the both of them and make them realize what was in front of them! but in the end it was all worth the wait.

taylor absolutely killed it with her debut and i can’t wait to see what she does next! and once again thank you so much to lovenotespr and taylor hannah for providing me with this arc 💜

[Mars · Rating 2 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this and I did on some parts but mostly, it just wasnt for me.

This is about Nate and Oli who were in a situationship back in grad school for a few years. We see Oli's POV in this book and she inevitably fell for Nate. Due to some miscommunication, Nate ended up encouraging Oli to go on a date with this guy, basically not talk to Oli for a few months and showed back up in a friend's get together with a girlfriend. With feelings hurt, Oli ended things and moved away. They reconnected a few years later only to "break up" for good until they have to attend one of their close friend's wedding. Oli is in a relationship and Oli is basically confused and conflicted the whole wedding weekend - tripped up because of Nate.

I really liked the past and present structure. In second chance romances, I feel more connected to the story when the past is hashed out. It helps readers have a better understanding of what happened and I think this was done well in this book. We clearly see where the disconnect happened between the main characters. I love the friend group. They're fun, supportive and true friends through and through.

I didnt like how the ending seemed so rush. 95% in and Oli is basically breaking up with her boyfriend and getting together with Nate who all of a sudden is all in. I wish we saw their current relationship after whole ex bf drama was done. Also, what happened to him? He went back to their suite after being a drunken mess and never showed back up again. I didnt like that the issues they had in the past was only addressed through words and now everything is magically okay. Oli seems a bit desperate not just with Nate but forgiving Kieran in the past as well. I had to make sure that was the last page in the book because I couldnt believe that's how it ended. I wish Oli took time for herself after breaking up with Kieran. She was vulnerable and dealing with a lot of self doubt and insecurities. I also didnt connect with Nate. He wasnt honest with Oli and it was hard to believe he was so in love with her and didnt even attempt to contact her to apologize or even say thanks after her article about his band got posted.

I think the book had so much potential but again, it just was not for me. I was letdown but I understand why others liked it.

Thank you to Love Notes PR for the eARC in exchange for my thoughts!

[Alice Lauren · Rating 5 out of 5]

not a friend is a love letter to all the girls that have had shitty situationships and hoped they’d work out

god i loved this book so much. i was hooked from the very beginning, i loved flicking between then and now, revealing oli and nate’s relationship. it felt like i was living in a real life situationship, god it is PAINFUL the longing and yearning, feeling of a relationship without the labels then realising you were never in a relationship at all and that’s exactly what this book had and it made me guttural

oli is such a likeable relatable character, i loved her so much, i feel like we would be bestfriends. and as for nate fucking cassidy… let me just say three things 1. plays guitar and has tattoos 2. is a cat dad 3. looks after her when she’s sick 😫 (all a yes from me!!!)

this is a book that made me absolutely giggle and i may or may not of jumped up and screamed when he handed her his notebook… i mean 😭😭😭😭

such an incredible debut, i can’t wait see more from this author/this series ✨✨✨


(p.s i would personally like to thank taylor hannah for making me feel delusional enough that my nate cassidy is going to come back for me😂)

[Kacey Daniels {hiatus} · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am so sad I didn’t like this one. **Potential spoilers ahead** I just couldn’t get into it at all. The whole book is spent flashing between past and present which of some well doesn’t bother me at all. However the problems was all the flashbacks were spent telling us about this on again off again non serious fling the two had where they weren’t honest with each other and didn’t communicate and then he randomly ghosts her and shows up with a girlfriend then they don’t talk for years then randomly hook up on night which right after he says mean things to her and they don’t speak for another year until they run into each other at this wedding. And she has a boyfriend with her at this wedding. He does act like an ass and they do break up but not until like 90% of the book and then her and Nate get together right after but never really have a conversation about the past and he doesn’t grovel at all. Like this is a pattern with them and they’ve done it so many times before only for it to end up in pain but suddenly with no explanation or conversation or apology they get back together together and just expect it to be different this time for some reason. In the entire book, she spends from the very first chapter worrying about seeing him, excited to see him, etc. etc. which even though I didn’t like the boyfriend doesn’t feel right she does have a boyfriend. It just doesn’t feel like there’s very much romance in this one at all.

Heavy on the miscommunication trope fs maybe even a little emotional cheating and not communication or groveling are just things I could not find romantic in this one at all. The friends and Nate’s notes/lyrics in his book were my favorite parts but both were barely in it.

Thank you love notes PR and the author for the eARC. This review is voluntary and my own opinion.

[Paola · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not A Friend is a nice second chance romance with:
- an independent, strong, and hard working FMC who deserves to find someone who'll allow her to just let go of everything and have some fun;
- a kind, sexy, attentive and sensitive MMC who definitely knows how to have fun and who also happens to be a musician (I mean, swoon!);
- swoony and steamy flashbacks;
- present scenes full of delicious tension;
- two dummies who clearly caught feelings since day one but are too stubborn to admit it.

[Natalie Waddington · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 Star review: Spoilers and a big rant below

The plot had so much potential—Nate vs. Kieran, a messy love dilemma, plus the added music scene vibes—but unfortunately, the execution fell flat for me. The book spends a lot of time flashing between past and present, which normally I don’t mind, but here the flashbacks dragged. Instead of giving depth or insight, they just repeated the same pattern: Olive and Nate in an on-again, off-again fling, built on miscommunication, dishonesty, and ghosting. Most of the time they were together, it was just hooking up. I really wish we had seen more moments of them simply hanging out, developing a friendship, or proof that Nate cared for Olive beyond the physical. Without that, their bond felt shallow, which made the present-day romance even harder to buy into.

And let’s talk about the dynamics: at one point, they don’t speak for two years, and then Olive has a panic attack after a bad day and decides to call Nate? Are you joking? You’re going to reach out to the guy who couldn’t commit to you, ghosted you, and treated you like you were disposable? I just couldn’t wrap my head around it. And then Nate’s “apology” for showing up with a girlfriend while still tangled up with Olive? He literally brushed it off as “a stupid guy who did a dumb thing.” That’s not an apology—that’s a cop-out.

Then there’s Olive’s relationship with Kieran. He CLEARLY did not value her, and after the first time when they were sort of dating and she finds out he was seeing other girls, how did she not stop and say, “What are we?” Girl, after everything with Nate, you’d think she’d at least make sure she was clear on her relationships going forward. But Olive doesn’t do herself any favors—she is equally a coward when it comes to communicating, because she’s so desperate to be wanted. It left me frustrated with her just as much as I was with Nate.

And honestly, there was definitely an element of emotional cheating on Olive’s part. During the wedding weekend, she kept pining for Nate while she was with Kieran. She clearly liked Kieran as a person and enjoyed his company, so why suddenly is she searching for this guy who already broke her heart? It felt so wrong. There’s even a point around the 80% mark where Olive literally acknowledges Nate’s red flags—his lack of communication, his constant need for privacy—and yet, AND YET, she still wants him. Girl, you need therapy. This isn’t romantic; it’s emotional cheating, and it makes Olive hard to root for.

And Nate himself? His rocky commitment issues are never really explained. Other than his dad not committing to his mom (something Nate apparently hated him for), there’s no real reason given for why Nate acts the way he does. Yet somehow, he turns into the very thing he despised. It makes his behavior feel even weaker, like he learned nothing and never tried to break the cycle. And the fact that none of his friends ever called him out on his blatant, hurtful behavior toward Olive? Seriously? There’s no accountability anywhere, which made it even harder to root for him.

When Olive and Nate finally reconnect, it happens without any real conversation about their history—no groveling, no accountability, no effort to resolve the hurt that defined their past. Given how many times they had fallen into the same toxic cycle before, it felt unearned to suddenly expect things to be different this time around. Honestly, it doesn’t make sense to pine after someone who rejected you and made you feel disposable. Do you feel so little of yourself that you still think about this person? I don’t get it.

I almost wish the ending had been that Olive and Nate reconnect, but don’t confess their love for each other—that they take a “let’s start over” approach instead. That would have felt more realistic and satisfying, instead of a full-blown happily-ever-after built on shaky, unresolved history.

Ultimately, while the premise intrigued me, the lack of communication, the absence of genuine character growth, the shallow nature of Nate and Olive’s connection, and the rushed resolution at the end kept me from really buying into their relationship. Heavy on the miscommunication trope, emotional cheating, way too light on romance, saddled with a hero who never redeems himself, and a heroine who doesn’t fight for herself, this one just didn’t hit the way I hoped it would.

[Dimitra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Not a Friend 🎸
Firstly,I want to thank LoveNotes Pr & Taylor Hannah for trusting me with this ARC!
Olive was focused on school & with limited time for love.Just like that an alluring musician,Nate is more than happy to get in a situationship with her.However,after 5 years they will meet again,and believe me those feelings never got away...
THE QUEEN 👑OF THE SITUATIONSHIPS
THE ONE AND ONLY🥁
OLIVE MCLAREN!
The way I loved that girl & related to her was one of its kind.
My girl does not want to believe she is a lover girl but she feels a lot.I think she potrays how every girl feels in between heartbreakes.She is searching for love and when just a glimpse of that happens she is so happy & relieved that she ignores all the red flags-girl I get you,we all have been there.
However,she is so kind,heart working,beautiful and so much more that have nothing to do with the male factor in her life.She is really the girl I would DIE to have as my friend-GIRL I LOVE YOU!
Plus,she hates tequila.I have literally never been so seen in a book.thank you.
On the other hand,Nate is one of the most confusing characters.Not because he is bad,but mostly because we do not know what is exactly going on with him for most of the story.The situation is :he says a GOOD,catchy line and then he vanishes-like bro???
Yet,he is kinda cute and THE DREAM for the girls that fall for musicians-line up women,he is perfect 🫶🏻.
Added,the writing was wonderful.I loved both the narration & the images were really vivid for the reader,like you could literally SEE every place she described!Also,I loved the back & front description,it is one of my favourite ways to write a book.I found it so interesting and you do not lose the reader for a bit because things constantly add up,and us readers want to always know more!

The only aspect that I did not particulary like is the time we gave to romace-basically the time we did not give.I think we should give them more scenes together, both during the active years of the situationship & after.This would make the romance pop more,instead of what we had now-we knew some moments between those two happened but we never saw them on page and this made a emotional gap between the connection of the reader & the character(s).
Apart from that it was so,so cute and I definitely recommend it for those last days at the beach!🩴
out on Sep,2nd 💜
4⭐

[Ernita · Rating 5 out of 5]

First I want to say thank you to Taylor Hannah & Love Notes PR for sending me this ARC 💜

✨5/5

If you know me you know I LOVE second chance down bad and this book is just another added to my list 🤭

I loved the then & now pov it really helped with understanding them as a whole, this book was about a situationship that was always supposed to be more and because of lack of communication had a bumpy road. I’m so glad that they found a way to get into a HEALTHY relationship bc you can tell Oli & Nate LOVED one another. I found myself wishing we had Nate’s POV but I was glad that in every chapter we had a few sentences of his thoughts/pov/ what he felt in that moment. I LOVED when he shared what he was always writing in the leather book, I figured it was songs and band related stuff but I always had a little prediction that he was writing stuff about Oli too and when she read it and we saw that he was 🤭🥰😍 ugh my heart! I hated that she wasted time with that other loser like he didn’t know Oli at all and I HATED how he acted like Nate was so beneath him like…. Get out of here PLEASE.

Tropes:
— Friends w Benefits
— Right person, wrong timing
— Then/Now timeline
— Musician MMC x Journalist FMC

[Amber · Rating 5 out of 5]

What and amazing book. It made my ugly cry at the end in the most positive way and isn’t that what we want in a book? It was so sweet and lovely it made me cry.

In this book we follow Olive & Nate. Nate is a musician who is the singer of a local band called Crescent Light & Olive happens to be the best friend of one of Nate’s best friends (Grant) girlfriends (Gemma) and so they meet eachother and that’s how it all started.

I loved the back and forth between the past (how they met etc.) and the ‘now’ being they are both guests at the wedding of Gemma & Grant. This way you know everything that happened in the past and how they got in the situation they are in now. Olive is at the wedding with her current boyfriend Kieran but he is a total asshole (sorry not sorry).

Although their past is a bit rough and complicated and they never knew what they were to each other, I absolutely love Nate.

The writing was absolutely amazing and really easy to read through. The character development was good. Olive learns to say what she thinks and not hold back what she wants to say and actually Nate goes through the same thing! The both grow throughout the book and it’s amazing to read.

I would 100% recommend this book and I can’t wait to see what the future brings for this series.

[Val · Rating 5 out of 5]

this is like a wet dream for girls who love mutual yearning.

one of the best books I've read this year, and a debut that made me an instant fan. taylor can write a grocery list and I would pay good money to read it😝

Not A Friend was a surprise for me, because I rarely read or come across books that are almost invasive in the way they're written especially in the romance genre. it sort of leaves me with this anxiety in stomach, which also happened with You Between The Lines by Katie Naymon (and hey, if you love that, I definitely recommend you check out their cousins and also lavender, IYKYK)

anyway, it's just like my favourite genre now. invasive romances that are so intimate that you can't stop reading and definitely don't want it to end!

[Sydney · Rating 2 out of 5]

The cover is so pretty but this book is horrible. I didn't like a single character. Oli just needs to go to therapy and get better taste in men. Her boyfriend is horrible because he's just condescending to her all the time and doesn't understand her. Nate is just a typical man and sucks in general. He never fully explained what he did when they were younger and I have no reason to like him. It should have been dual pov but I don't really care.

I received an arc from love notes pr.

[Janine · Rating 5 out of 5]

Olive thought she’d left her complicated past with musician Nate behind. But when they both attend a mutual friend’s wedding, old feelings resurface. As Olive navigates the weekend with her current boyfriend (who’s unaware of her history with Nate), she must confront the question: can you ever really get over the one that got away?

Ah guys, I loved this so much! The story takes place during one wedding weekend, but it switches between then and now. I really enjoyed the dual timelines; they made me so invested. It felt like I was living in that relationship alongside them.

Olive deals with anxiety, and as someone who also struggles with that, I could really relate to her. And Nate? Sure, there are definitely some red flags, but I still loved him. Plus, he’s a musician, so that’s always a bonus. I completely understood why Olive could never fully let go of him.

Olive’s current boyfriend Kieran however, was such an asshole. I was so glad to see him put in his place.

The miscommunication trope is very present, and usually, I don’t like that at all. But here? It just works. It fits the story perfectly and makes it so relatable.

The writing style is amazing. It’s immersive, compelling, and emotional. It really pulls you into the story.

Maybe I loved this more than I should have, but honestly, all the yearning and tension came through the pages and completely ripped my heart out. I am so ready for book 2 and to read more about the Cresent Light Boys!

For everyone who has someone that got away, this book is for you. Not a friend comes out September 2nd.

Many thanks to Love Notes PR and Taylor Hannah for the ARC!

[Lauren (lololovesthings) · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars.

"Not a Friend" by Taylor Hannah was a mixed bag for me. I had a really hard time getting into this book because so many things annoyed me while reading it. There is so much miscommunication going on between the main characters, Nate and Oli, to the point where I wanted to reach through the book and slap both of them upside their heads. My god, HAVE AN HONEST CONVERSATION WITH EACH OTHER AND ALL OF YOUR PROBLEMS WILL BE SOLVED!!! I get that if they had done that, this book wouldn't exist, but their on-and-off situationship really started to irk me after a while. Oli basically spends the entire book emotionally cheating on her current boyfriend, Kieran, and even though he is *~the worst~* for many reasons, she should have broken it off with him to try and re-pursue things with Nate. To me, this taints all of their subsequent interactions because she and Nate are clearly on the same wavelength and just feel like bad people with their emotional dishonesty. Plus, they haven't even spoken in two years, and Oli is still having panic attacks over potentially seeing Nate at her best friend's wedding? Girl, get some beta blockers or go to therapy or something! And Nate! What's with the commitment issues that are never really explained??!? They are perfect for each other so they can stew in their mutual misery. They never felt like a true HEA, only a "happy for now," and I have no doubt they won't last that long. I loved all of the secondary characters, though. This book had a lot of potential that I feel was not capitalized on at all. The execution of this story could have been a lot better.

Thank you to Taylor Hannah and Love Notes PR for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

[alba · Rating 3 out of 5]

cute story!!

i liked the back and forth of the characters and the fact that the story progresses both in the past and in the present

the miscommunication killed me tho but the chemistry was good aaaaand the music was a great add to the story hehe

[Dany Cazares · Rating 3 out of 5]

ARC review
2.75 ⭐️

I really wanted to love this story, but no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t connect with the characters. The plot felt scattered, and I struggled to stay emotionally invested.

Let’s start with the miscommunication trope—something I usually enjoy—but in this case, it felt excessive and frustrating. I kept waiting for clarity or resolution that never fully came. I would’ve loved to see Nate’s POV, especially to understand him. Maybe I missed it, but I never felt like his reasons for pulling away from Olive were fully explained. The moment Olive tried to confess her feelings and Nate showed up with a girlfriend? That hit hard—and I've been there—but I didn’t see a real apology or believable reason from him that justified how things played out.

I wanted to empathize with Olive, especially as someone who deals with anxiety, but her actions constantly contradicted her words. I found myself frustrated more often than not, and I wish the ending had been more fleshed out. Certain sections of the book felt like filler, while other, more crucial moments—especially the ending—needed more depth.

As for Olive’s boyfriend, while I don’t excuse his behavior (especially while drunk), I can understand why he was upset. I’d be uncomfortable too if my boyfriend spent so much time with an ex–friends-with-benefits.

One thing that really bothered me was how often Olive made assumptions without having all the facts. And that ties right back into the overuse of miscommunication in the story.

There were glimmers of potential here—I liked the setup, and the emotional stakes could’ve landed harder with more development—but unfortunately, this one just didn’t work for me.

Thank you so much to Lovenotes PR and the author for this opportunity

[Julie's Reading Worlds · Rating 3 out of 5]

Received as an ARC copy via Love Notes PR, Not a Friend is a contemporary romance that dives into the messy aftermath of a past situationship, reignited during a wedding weekend. Olive, a reserved journalist, and Nate, a charismatic musician, are forced to confront their unresolved history—while Olive’s current boyfriend remains blissfully unaware of her connection to Nate.
What I liked:
💫 The chemistry between Olive and Nate is undeniable, with well-paced flashbacks that gradually reveal their story.
🎶 Nate’s musical world adds a seductive and authentic layer to the narrative.
💍 The wedding setting creates an intimate and dramatic backdrop, perfect for emotional tension.
What didn’t quite work for me:
🔁 Some tropes (right person, wrong time; forced proximity) felt a bit predictable.
🕊️ I wanted more emotional depth from Olive, especially in her relationship with her current boyfriend.
📖 The pacing was uneven at times, with a few introspective scenes that dragged.
Overall, Not a Friend is an enjoyable read with strong romantic tension and a promising debut from Taylor Hannah. I’m curious to see how she develops the rest of the Crescent Light series.

[Emma · Rating 5 out of 5]

thank you to the author and love notes pr for giving me an arc in exchange for my honest review.

olive is just one of the most relatable fmcs i have ever gotten the enjoyment of “meeting” (hehe see what i did there). and nate is just a green flag (minus…. some things..) but he’s a cat dad and i feel like that should earn some points for him.

i personally love when books have flashbacks, especially when it’s a second chance romance. it really gives you the depth (and hides some important parts for really good shock later in the book). and with this book i feel like it worked perfectly.
you get to see why olive could never really let go of nate. and understand why she’s feeling the way she’s feeling in the current day. (i mean shit if nate cassidy was real id also feel the way she’s feeling so…)

kieran…. i hated him off the bat. maybe it’s because im a fitness bro hater and maybe its because of a couple other things (spoilers!!) but boy was i glad too see that man get the boot.

if you are not a fan of miscommunication, this book isn’t for you. i feel like it worked perfectly for this book!

[alice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Arc review ~ 4.5 I loved this book so much more than I expected like it actually consumned me and I havent stopped thinking about it since I finished like I don't know if it's cured my slump or put me back into one

I loved Olive so much and was almost crying at how much I related to her and the way she felt and what she thought like I felt so seen and books like that always have a special place in my heart.

Nate, what a man, he was so sweet and precious and he just got it like he always know how olive was feeling or when she was acting different like he just knew her and I hate the fact they both had so much miscommunication that it kept them apart for so long but I guess it made the story as a whole that much more amazing and their happy ever after that much more precious

[Tianna Earle · Rating 5 out of 5]

SUCH a cute and emotionally impactful contemporary romance. Highly recommend!! The FMC is so relatable and has an inner monologue that kept me giggling. And let's not forget Nate Cassidy. What a man. Dare I say, perhaps the spark of a rockstar musician trend?? Definitely a must read, and I can't wait for the rest of the series!

*I received a copy as an early reader and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

[Spanglishmamiireads · Rating 5 out of 5]

"Like a scar from my childhood, you are a part of me. I don’t know what I look like without you."

Not a Friend is an omen to our younger selves, the one that feared rejection and due to that fear-stayed silent while watching others take life by its horns and receive all that they ever desired. Taylor Hannah single handely wrote the most stunning, organic, and perfect miscommunication trope rom-com I've ever read.

Nate and Olí, while good at expressing themselves professionally, enter a friends with benefits relationship with the option of more lingering in the background. Not knowing how to approach said feelings, they spend many years apart mourning each other and grieving what could have been. When they both attend their best friends wedding, both have to figure out if it's worth to continue life without one another. This book played out like a movie in my head. When I tell you it's bingeable, you cannot stay away AT ALL! The dual timeline allowed us to gain insight on why things went wrong intially and how it intercepts with way things end up playing out. Oli's insecurities and realness spoke volumes. Not because she's a Virgo 👀, but there were many instances where I had to put the kindle down and remenisce on what I was resonating with from her POV. Nate is the most beautiful stupid boy....there is no other way to put it. Time and space, allows him to hone in on his wants and more specifically, the true need in his life.

Cannot stress enough how stunning the friend group is. We get to experience their first moments together and how that love transcends into adulthood. I cannot wait to receive more of them. Also would like to highlight, that Taylor's musical knowledge and passion is felt throughout. This book comes off seasoned, airtight, and like a love song dedicated not only to us, but to the dream Taylor had of becoming an author. On the edge of my seat for more. Forever grateful to Taylor Hannah and Lovenotes.PR for allowing me the pleasure to ARC read this beautiful story 💖

This book releases on 9/2/25 and will be available on KU. Add to your "Want to Read" on Goodreads and add to your TBR. You dont want to miss out on this one!

[isabella lola · Rating 5 out of 5]

i loved this!! honestly everything i love in a book like the second chance romance, musician romance, dual timeline LOVE ITTTTT

i loved oli as a character so much, she just felt so real and down to earth and relatable. i felt so proud of her when she stood up for herself, felt like a long time coming!!! i loved her love for gemma too, like just a true friendship represented and written so well

i honestly loved the writing of this book it was sooo well done like it fully felt like i was just reading oli’s thoughts and i loved the whole structure. i’m a big fan of a dual timeline anyway but this one was so perfectly done, always changing at the perfect moment. also absolutely loved the lines at the start of each chapter - no spoilers but 🤭🤭

really good mental health and anxiety representation too

nate was SUCH a good character and written so well that i felt that i was feeling the same emotions towards him as oli, like i was angry at him when she was but at the end of the day you can’t help but love him because like a man writing songs about her YUUUUUP we love to see it, always my favourite thing about musician romances🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ also the way there was such a clear difference between nate and kieran, especially with oli’s migraines i loooooved seeing that comparison

one thing about me im just a sucker for a musician romance !!!!!

i would’ve loved a deeper dive into oli’s siblings as it felt like they were mentioned a bit and then forgotten about (and i almost lowered my rating because of this) howeverrrrr the end very much felt like a gear up into a second book involving at least one of them👀 absolutely will be reading that if so!

thank you to love notes and taylor hannah for this arc!!

[Rey · Rating 2 out of 5]

So there are so many things that are terrible about this book, and just a few things I liked in the book.

I felt like reading this after I saw a book too video on this and it seemed interesting (a cute read) but um.. it was anything but that.

This book had SOOOO much potential but I fear that it was such a miss.

I give it 2.5 stars.

Maybe it was the fact that I didn't like the characters at all or it was the trope but this book was just not it.

I usually have no problem with second chance tropes, and infact at times find them so cute but if you pair it with miscommunication which was not even done well and not cheating but like almost cheating this book was not it.

I loved having the past and present time line and I really liked having Nate's pov with his thoughts in the beginning of the chapter.

But at the same time I hated that this is a messy love triangle like situationships. It just doesn't sit right with me.

All the characters were terrible people so at the end I was quite frankly not rooting for anyone except that characters who were getting married.

Olive wasn't a good character, Kieran was defined the worst character (how dl you date someone who badmouths all of your friends, let alone your best friend? I'd drop that man in a second) and Nate was just not what I look for in a MMC.

I just feel like if Olive and Nate sat down and talked even for like 2 minutes so much in their past could've been resolved but both of them were so immature it literally had me wanting to haul my tablet against a wall.

I know the book ends on a happy for now note but I just have a feeling that even after the epilogue these are two characters who'd most likely break up again.

[Ren A · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thanks so much to Taylor Hannah & Love Notes PR for the ARC opportunity! I love a good love story that involves a brooding musician, and this one did not disappoint!

The story was mainly told from flashbacks to Oli & Nate's time together from a few years prior, which teases us with "what went wrong?" and keeps you eager to find out. There was a lot of miscommunication during this book, I wanted the two to confess their feelings at so many points, because you know the two are clearly head over heels for each other but they keep their feelings to themselves and try to be nonchalant about their "situationship". In the present time, you wanted to root for Nate to swoop in and win back Oli because her boyfriend Kieran was very insufferable and clearly not the right fit for her. I wish that Oli & Nate were more honest with each other throughout but it did make for some delicious yearning and a satisfying outcome.

I really enjoyed Nate's character, he paid attention to the little things like his sister's favorite author and how Oli had migraines/ what to do to cheer her up. I also found Oli quite relatable in terms of her anxiety and how she let things slide too often. I read that some found the pacing to be boring, I did not find that for myself and even though it was a slow burn, I did keep my interest throughout.

[Viktoriia 🔮 · Rating 2 out of 5]

“Lyricists have this habit of being known as people who are good with words. What happens if we’re actually terrible with them?”

Може мені варто вже змиритися з тим, шо не існує класних second chance роумансів?🤠
This had so much potential fr - fwb, he’s musician, reconnection на весіллі найкращих друзів, щоденник, натяки на found family, а по факту міскомьюнікейшон у кожній 2 сцені + наче і є крихти chemistry між ними, але most of the time it’s giving nothing. Не скажу, що мені сподобався Кіеран, але його якось теж дуже villainized ближче до кінця книги. Та загалом багато діалогів між персонажами були доволі repetitive.. Найсумніше мені через те, що було мало музики. Якщо він вже пише пісні про неї, то дайте мені ці пісні, гайз😔 Із музики були тільки нагадування про те, шо він у бенді + коли Олі писала статтю про групи (егеін, дали б мені хоча б статтю почитать, ехх..).

In conclusion, I really wanted to love this book, але цього якось не сталося. Ставлю 2🌟 за неймовірну обкладинку, сцену знайомства, один непоганий гарячий момент та миле весілля Джеми(?) і Гранта (і то, цього мені також було мало).

Edited: А ЩЕ, знаєте, чого мені шалено не вистачало?!? - DUAL POV, бо 85% книги взагалі не понятно, шо той Нейт собі думає (bro may be cool and mysterious, but it genuinely does nothing for me if he’s empty as a character + his level of yearning was like 3 out of 10, skill issue)

[Ashten Burton · Rating 5 out of 5]

Taylor, Miss Ma'am.
This is a debut novel?! Lordy I'm scared for myself when you find your rhythm because I'm addicted. If it wasn't for finals week, I would have devoured this in a day or two.
Oli is everything, she is real and relatable, and I want to be her best friend. Her hopes and dreams are being screamed out and she gets in her way and I just want to love her and take care of her. And Nate f@#$ing Cassidy is a dream. I want one of him too!
The connection these two have is evident from the first page, and I was here for it. Blending the past and the present was something new to me and now I want to read more with this style. It was such a good way to stay with the story and give us every back round detail we need. I cried, screamed, squealed, and giggled at this book. I also may have scared my husband a time or two while reading with my reactions.
I am so ready for book 2 and to learn more about the Cresent Light Boys! I need more of the boys, and Martinez too!
Congrats on your debut! I'm so excited for what's next!