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Just Friends
It’s easy to put someone in the friend zone. But what happens if you change your mind?
Bea isn’t happy. Desperate for a change, she looks to her friends for inspiration. Every single one of them is paired off, perhaps that’s what she needs too.
So, she starts dating again. But everywhere she goes – amid the hilarious and scarring dates – there’s Peter. Good old, oddball Peter, her closest friend from university. He’s always been firmly in the friend zone but something’s happened lately – he seems taller, more handsome and suddenly making him smile is Bea’s favourite thing.
But how can Bea possibly risk their friendship? And how do you even go about taking someone out of the friend zone? What if Bea and Peter were only ever meant to be just friends…
Bea isn’t happy. Desperate for a change, she looks to her friends for inspiration. Every single one of them is paired off, perhaps that’s what she needs too.
So, she starts dating again. But everywhere she goes – amid the hilarious and scarring dates – there’s Peter. Good old, oddball Peter, her closest friend from university. He’s always been firmly in the friend zone but something’s happened lately – he seems taller, more handsome and suddenly making him smile is Bea’s favourite thing.
But how can Bea possibly risk their friendship? And how do you even go about taking someone out of the friend zone? What if Bea and Peter were only ever meant to be just friends…
304 pages, ebook
First published June 11, 2020
103 people are currently reading
2112 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 207 reviews
June 23, 2020
A fun Friends to lovers romance. This was such a sweet story with some exceptionally engaging characters. The book kicks off with Bae at her BFFs wedding on New Year’s Eve. While at the wedding Bae decide she needs to get her life together. She’s stuck in a job she never really wanted and is about to be the last singlton of her friends. Always in the background is her dear and goofy friend Peter offering her comfort and support. BUT Bae knows better than to get involved with a friend.
Loved loved loved Bae. There was so much authenticity about her character. She was likable and relatable, absolutely someone you’d want to be friends with. Peter was such a good guy so kind yet quirky. Definitely the type of guy I would have put in the friend zone when I was younger and then later regret. I was definitely cheering for the two of them the entire book. Bae also had a great support system with her friends and family, and I enjoyed her character growth especially in the workplace. My only tiny complaint with the story is I wish there had been more interaction between Bae and Peter. I loved when they were together, but they spent way too much time trying to avoid one another. A sweet story with a satisfying ending.
This book in emojis. 🍷 🌯 🐶 ✉️ 🧘🏻♀️
*** Big thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
Loved loved loved Bae. There was so much authenticity about her character. She was likable and relatable, absolutely someone you’d want to be friends with. Peter was such a good guy so kind yet quirky. Definitely the type of guy I would have put in the friend zone when I was younger and then later regret. I was definitely cheering for the two of them the entire book. Bae also had a great support system with her friends and family, and I enjoyed her character growth especially in the workplace. My only tiny complaint with the story is I wish there had been more interaction between Bae and Peter. I loved when they were together, but they spent way too much time trying to avoid one another. A sweet story with a satisfying ending.
This book in emojis. 🍷 🌯 🐶 ✉️ 🧘🏻♀️
*** Big thank you to the publisher for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
May 19, 2025
I’m looking at the rant reviews for this book and I think the main issue here is the marketing. I’d classify it more as women’s fiction than romance, and I know that it could disappoint some readers.
If I hadn’t liked the book, that would have been one of my complaints too. But in this case I didn’t care because it was hilarious and I enjoyed it immensely.
This is the story of Bea—a thirty-something, Bridget Jones–type who hasn’t exactly figured life out and has been single forever. Her inner monologues were spot-on, witty, and a joy to read. She made me laugh so much that I didn’t care that the romance between her and Peter wasn’t in the spotlight.
I would highly recommend this book, but don’t expect butterflies. While the com element is definitely there, the rom is just a subplot. If you’re okay with that, have fun!
If I hadn’t liked the book, that would have been one of my complaints too. But in this case I didn’t care because it was hilarious and I enjoyed it immensely.
This is the story of Bea—a thirty-something, Bridget Jones–type who hasn’t exactly figured life out and has been single forever. Her inner monologues were spot-on, witty, and a joy to read. She made me laugh so much that I didn’t care that the romance between her and Peter wasn’t in the spotlight.
I would highly recommend this book, but don’t expect butterflies. While the com element is definitely there, the rom is just a subplot. If you’re okay with that, have fun!
June 12, 2020
I have a weakness for friends to more stories and that’s what pulled me in to request this book. This is an adults friends story and Bea and Peter were old university friends, surrounded by other old friends, in couples, marriages and other situations.
It took me some time to warm to Bea as a character, I just found her a little dry and difficult to like initially but she did improve on further reading. However, Peter was easy to like immediately, he was an awkward, quirky character but there was just something warm, loyal and genuine about him. From my perspective, Bea needed to earn his favour and work to deserve him, even if that’s not how it was written.
The story moved from dating other people to a realisation of attraction and possibility; there were funny moments and banter along the way. This was a quick and pleasant read that I read fairly easily in a couple of sittings but it didn’t set my heart on fire like I hoped. I didn’t always feel the chemistry like I wanted to but I did like the story development overall.
This is ideal for a weekend contemporary and light read, maybe the beach if anyone gets to go there!
Thank you to Transworld Digital for the early review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
It took me some time to warm to Bea as a character, I just found her a little dry and difficult to like initially but she did improve on further reading. However, Peter was easy to like immediately, he was an awkward, quirky character but there was just something warm, loyal and genuine about him. From my perspective, Bea needed to earn his favour and work to deserve him, even if that’s not how it was written.
The story moved from dating other people to a realisation of attraction and possibility; there were funny moments and banter along the way. This was a quick and pleasant read that I read fairly easily in a couple of sittings but it didn’t set my heart on fire like I hoped. I didn’t always feel the chemistry like I wanted to but I did like the story development overall.
This is ideal for a weekend contemporary and light read, maybe the beach if anyone gets to go there!
Thank you to Transworld Digital for the early review copy.
This review can be found on A Take From Two Cities Blog.
June 6, 2025
DNF
Miss McCulloch has more telling than showing. The conversation is bland. I got bored.
2 stars
Miss McCulloch has more telling than showing. The conversation is bland. I got bored.
2 stars
February 24, 2020
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my eARC of Just Friends which is the debut novel from author Holly McCulloch.
The book is in the friends to lovers genre and is a quirky, quick little read with true to life, likeable characters and a heroine in Bea who could be any one of us! Written from Bea's POV, Just Friends is essentially a snap shot of her life over a year or so, with all its ups and downs and relationship dramas.
It wasn't complicated and I enjoyed rreading it as an interlude between some other 'heavier' books. My biggest criticism is that it's too short - the book basically ends just as it gets going. Other than that, a nice little summer read during an afternoon at the beach 😊.
The book is in the friends to lovers genre and is a quirky, quick little read with true to life, likeable characters and a heroine in Bea who could be any one of us! Written from Bea's POV, Just Friends is essentially a snap shot of her life over a year or so, with all its ups and downs and relationship dramas.
It wasn't complicated and I enjoyed rreading it as an interlude between some other 'heavier' books. My biggest criticism is that it's too short - the book basically ends just as it gets going. Other than that, a nice little summer read during an afternoon at the beach 😊.
May 10, 2023
—2 stars—
Bea was slightly annoying and VERY ✨QUIRKY✨
At some point I will run out of bad romcoms on Libby...and then idk what I’ll do
Bea was slightly annoying and VERY ✨QUIRKY✨
At some point I will run out of bad romcoms on Libby...and then idk what I’ll do
April 15, 2020
3.5 stars.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I want to preface all my thoughts by saying that this book is a hard one for me to review. I finished it last night and am not really 100% sure how I feel about it. However, 3.5 stars is probably the fairest rating to give it.
Just Friends is an adult best friends to lovers story. Our main character is Bea, and she is not happy: she has been stuck in the same job for 10 years without any progress, her card side business has gone sort of stale, and to top it all off, she is single. In order to attempt to put her life back together and be happy again, Bea decides to start dating.
Peter is Bea's best friend, and has been by her side since University. Kind, reliable Peter who always seems to know what to say and where to be. In the midst of all of Bea's failures in the dating world, Peter is always there to save the day. So much so that Bea starts to see Peter not just as her odd best friend, but perhaps as something more? But how is Bea supposed to risk her friendship with him over something she doesn't even know she feels for sure?
I love a good old friends to lovers story. The realisation that that person that has been there for you throughout all your ups and downs is actually the person who you are meant to be with, the person who lights up your world, is a beautiful thing.
And so the reason I had a hard time rating this book was because for the first half of it, I absolutely did not care for Bea as a character. I was struggling with empathising with her and found her to be a really difficult character to love. However, as the story progresses, my feelings for Bea were put in the back-burner and I was able to really enjoy the evolving love story. Peter is an absolute sweetheart and his character saved the story for me and kept me interested in the overall development of it.
I do think Just Friends was a fast paced, enjoyable read all together, and as far as friends to lover stories go, it was incredibly sweet and heartwarming.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
I want to preface all my thoughts by saying that this book is a hard one for me to review. I finished it last night and am not really 100% sure how I feel about it. However, 3.5 stars is probably the fairest rating to give it.
Just Friends is an adult best friends to lovers story. Our main character is Bea, and she is not happy: she has been stuck in the same job for 10 years without any progress, her card side business has gone sort of stale, and to top it all off, she is single. In order to attempt to put her life back together and be happy again, Bea decides to start dating.
Peter is Bea's best friend, and has been by her side since University. Kind, reliable Peter who always seems to know what to say and where to be. In the midst of all of Bea's failures in the dating world, Peter is always there to save the day. So much so that Bea starts to see Peter not just as her odd best friend, but perhaps as something more? But how is Bea supposed to risk her friendship with him over something she doesn't even know she feels for sure?
I love a good old friends to lovers story. The realisation that that person that has been there for you throughout all your ups and downs is actually the person who you are meant to be with, the person who lights up your world, is a beautiful thing.
And so the reason I had a hard time rating this book was because for the first half of it, I absolutely did not care for Bea as a character. I was struggling with empathising with her and found her to be a really difficult character to love. However, as the story progresses, my feelings for Bea were put in the back-burner and I was able to really enjoy the evolving love story. Peter is an absolute sweetheart and his character saved the story for me and kept me interested in the overall development of it.
I do think Just Friends was a fast paced, enjoyable read all together, and as far as friends to lover stories go, it was incredibly sweet and heartwarming.
dnf
June 21, 2020feels disappointing to dnf this since the friends to lovers trope is my absolute favorite but I just couldn’t get into this book
dnf
April 13, 2020DNF at 15%
I cannot stand the protagonist anymore… I'm not rating this because it wouldn't be fair since I've barely started the book, and I want to believe that the story will get better and the girl will grow up, but right now she’s such a judgemental and bitter person that reading her story feels more and more like a chore to endure, and right now I cannot deal with this type of character. Not for me.
I cannot stand the protagonist anymore… I'm not rating this because it wouldn't be fair since I've barely started the book, and I want to believe that the story will get better and the girl will grow up, but right now she’s such a judgemental and bitter person that reading her story feels more and more like a chore to endure, and right now I cannot deal with this type of character. Not for me.
June 11, 2020
This was such a fun read. Super quirky, original and witty. Bea is such a unique character and had me laughing on almost every page. There’s a great naïveté to her that I enjoyed. Peter is the best friend everyone needs & there were so many moments I just wanted to hug him. Absolutely loved it. Definitely looking for more from this author.
I received an arc of this book.
I received an arc of this book.
January 9, 2021
when i came across this book and saw the book cover (yes i judge the book by its cover) and read the summary, i was so, so excited. this is going to be fun, i told myself. it's friends to lovers, i was bound to love it. but... i changed my mind the second i started reading this.
i didn't like bea. she was difficult to read and i expected to like her the more i read but i didn't. i also didn't like how she sees peter, the way she describes peter - it just didn't feel right to me.
i skimmed so many parts because i didn't enjoy it. it has too many unnecessary moments which should have been swapped with something else, preferably more moments between bea and peter. i feel like we were robbed of those moments and as a result, we were robbed of the dynamic between bea and peter. bea's feeling for peter didn't make sense to me. it changed too soon, too drastically. the fun thing about friends to lovers is the obliviousness, the moment of clarity, but we didn't get that in this book and that's just sad.
the saving grace of this book is peter. i liked him the moment he was introduced. i didn't like the way he's described because he didn't do anything weird to justify the nickname. to me, i think he's pretty much perfect. he's such a great friend to bea and he's always there for her and it was obvious to me from the beginning that he was in love with her all along. i just wish we got more of him in this book.
all in all, it was a light read and i enjoyed some parts but other than that, i was disappointed. this book had so many potentials.
i didn't like bea. she was difficult to read and i expected to like her the more i read but i didn't. i also didn't like how she sees peter, the way she describes peter - it just didn't feel right to me.
i skimmed so many parts because i didn't enjoy it. it has too many unnecessary moments which should have been swapped with something else, preferably more moments between bea and peter. i feel like we were robbed of those moments and as a result, we were robbed of the dynamic between bea and peter. bea's feeling for peter didn't make sense to me. it changed too soon, too drastically. the fun thing about friends to lovers is the obliviousness, the moment of clarity, but we didn't get that in this book and that's just sad.
the saving grace of this book is peter. i liked him the moment he was introduced. i didn't like the way he's described because he didn't do anything weird to justify the nickname. to me, i think he's pretty much perfect. he's such a great friend to bea and he's always there for her and it was obvious to me from the beginning that he was in love with her all along. i just wish we got more of him in this book.
all in all, it was a light read and i enjoyed some parts but other than that, i was disappointed. this book had so many potentials.
January 31, 2021
A story that will have you giggling off and on throughout the book.
Bea is just hopeless, she can't see the blatantly obvious in her own life, but then who ever does realise the obvious when its staring you in the face. She has a few close friends but isn't always in the mood for socialising, which I could definitely identify with, but also seems to be a bit of a people pleaser when it comes her friends and work.
She isn't particularly happy with her job, she has a sideline too which she does enjoy but hasn't really done much with at least initially and suddenly decides she needs to stop acting happy and try to be happy.
So she starts dating with some very amusing results. Watch out for a second date, some chilli and a large amount of discomfort, it's hilarious!
I really enjoyed seeing her various exploits, and the book is written in short chapters which makes one more chapter syndrome a lot easier to keep reading! This a a very enjoyable debut, and well although you can possibly guess the ending from the blurb / title or just very early in the book, the journey to get there isn't that smooth, and even I started to doubt it would conclude the way I wanted.
Plus it's just an entertaining read in between, so why miss out on something that can easily take your mind off lockdowns and pandemics! I'm already interested to see what Holly McCulloch writes next and look forward to reading it.
Bea is just hopeless, she can't see the blatantly obvious in her own life, but then who ever does realise the obvious when its staring you in the face. She has a few close friends but isn't always in the mood for socialising, which I could definitely identify with, but also seems to be a bit of a people pleaser when it comes her friends and work.
She isn't particularly happy with her job, she has a sideline too which she does enjoy but hasn't really done much with at least initially and suddenly decides she needs to stop acting happy and try to be happy.
So she starts dating with some very amusing results. Watch out for a second date, some chilli and a large amount of discomfort, it's hilarious!
I really enjoyed seeing her various exploits, and the book is written in short chapters which makes one more chapter syndrome a lot easier to keep reading! This a a very enjoyable debut, and well although you can possibly guess the ending from the blurb / title or just very early in the book, the journey to get there isn't that smooth, and even I started to doubt it would conclude the way I wanted.
Plus it's just an entertaining read in between, so why miss out on something that can easily take your mind off lockdowns and pandemics! I'm already interested to see what Holly McCulloch writes next and look forward to reading it.
February 12, 2021
Cute and simple. This is a great book if you're looking for something short and sweet. They honestly didn't really fall in love during the book, and it was a bit all over the place. Nonetheless, the characters were still endearing, and it didn't take too much time to read. And I'm out.
February 8, 2021
This was a cute easy-going story. But even though I liked it I'm not sure this book had the correct name. Because yes, there's a friends to lovers troop, but overall I believe the story is mainly about adulthood struggles to be happy. Trough all the story we follow Bea's story to find something that makes her happy, how she tries to balance her work, friends, and life, and yes romance is a big part but not everything. And I would have liked a longer ending, because yes I understand what could happen next, but I didn't get the feeling of closure that I deserved the whole book. Other than that this book is extremely cute ( and funny) and I recommend you read it.
2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book that has fewer than 1,000 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads.
2021 Popsugar Reading Challenge: A book that has fewer than 1,000 reviews on Amazon or Goodreads.
January 9, 2021
This book was so bad that I don't even know where to begin digesting it. Prepare yourselves for a big rant.
The main character, Bea, is a thirty-something woman who is unhappy in all aspects of her life - work, relationships, looks... You name it, she's not happy with it. She is stuck. So she makes a resolution to start dating again because that's going to fix a person's self-worth and emotional/mental wellbeing.
Now for some thoughts...
The writing was bad. It felt like someone trying to write their very first fanfic at the age of 11 and sound all grown up, while in reality it sounded like a teenager going through puberty and feeling all the angst.
There was no plot. It was a sequence of events that basically in no way tie together. There are some ridiculous scenes that read like the author attempting to be hilarious and witty and only managed to make me cringe. A lot. If you've read it, think coconut milk and chillies.
The main character, oh my goodness where to even begin. She is petty, insecure and painfully self-degrading while simultaneously giving off a "I'm so much better than all of you" vibes while at the same time also being like the most "helpful and happy" person who fakes her smiles so no one sees her upset etc, while continuing to be the most sad, grumpy and annoyed person I've read about in any book I've picked up in my life. She experienced no growth, other than what I was told by the author because somehow things started looking up and things started going her way, but she remained as sad and unhappy and dissatisfied with herself as she is at the start of the book.
The love interest. He was okay? I don't know what to think of him truly, since he appears maybe in 15% of the book on the whole. 30% of the book in the beginning is Bea trying out many dates (all obviously dramatically terrible), and the other 70% she out of nowhere gets the idea that Peter (the love interest) is good looking and she suddenly fancies him. While spending the whole book until the last 2% claiming that she doesn't. And she sounds like a bully referring to him as Oddly Bodley, since he is meant to be her best friend, so I don't understand what that was about. I cannot see anything to indicate what makes him all that odd...
It was a fast-paced and very easy read, but overall, I was confused, irritated and went through numerous eye rolls and facepalms. It was...an experience.
The main character, Bea, is a thirty-something woman who is unhappy in all aspects of her life - work, relationships, looks... You name it, she's not happy with it. She is stuck. So she makes a resolution to start dating again because that's going to fix a person's self-worth and emotional/mental wellbeing.
Now for some thoughts...
The writing was bad. It felt like someone trying to write their very first fanfic at the age of 11 and sound all grown up, while in reality it sounded like a teenager going through puberty and feeling all the angst.
There was no plot. It was a sequence of events that basically in no way tie together. There are some ridiculous scenes that read like the author attempting to be hilarious and witty and only managed to make me cringe. A lot. If you've read it, think coconut milk and chillies.
The main character, oh my goodness where to even begin. She is petty, insecure and painfully self-degrading while simultaneously giving off a "I'm so much better than all of you" vibes while at the same time also being like the most "helpful and happy" person who fakes her smiles so no one sees her upset etc, while continuing to be the most sad, grumpy and annoyed person I've read about in any book I've picked up in my life. She experienced no growth, other than what I was told by the author because somehow things started looking up and things started going her way, but she remained as sad and unhappy and dissatisfied with herself as she is at the start of the book.
The love interest. He was okay? I don't know what to think of him truly, since he appears maybe in 15% of the book on the whole. 30% of the book in the beginning is Bea trying out many dates (all obviously dramatically terrible), and the other 70% she out of nowhere gets the idea that Peter (the love interest) is good looking and she suddenly fancies him. While spending the whole book until the last 2% claiming that she doesn't. And she sounds like a bully referring to him as Oddly Bodley, since he is meant to be her best friend, so I don't understand what that was about. I cannot see anything to indicate what makes him all that odd...
It was a fast-paced and very easy read, but overall, I was confused, irritated and went through numerous eye rolls and facepalms. It was...an experience.
April 19, 2020
I am going to be honest here. I try to get to 20% before I decide to either continue with a book or leave it, and with this one I got to 25%. It had a really compelling blurb, the trope of friends to lovers is to me what catnip is to cats. I love a trope and so I went into this book expecting to enjoy everything about it.
What I hadn't prepared for was the lack of any excitement whatsoever. It was dead boring, there were scenes that had no weight, the secondary characters seemed more developed than Bea (the protagonist) and I found myself almost shouting at Peter to RUN in any scene where he popped up. Bea was depressing and in a time in the world where there is little warmth and the future uncertain, I just couldn't get aboard her pity train.
So it is with sadness that I have to give this a lower rating than I was expecting to give. Life is too short to read books that don't capture my full attention.
What I hadn't prepared for was the lack of any excitement whatsoever. It was dead boring, there were scenes that had no weight, the secondary characters seemed more developed than Bea (the protagonist) and I found myself almost shouting at Peter to RUN in any scene where he popped up. Bea was depressing and in a time in the world where there is little warmth and the future uncertain, I just couldn't get aboard her pity train.
So it is with sadness that I have to give this a lower rating than I was expecting to give. Life is too short to read books that don't capture my full attention.
June 27, 2022
dnf @ 48%. dialogues boring and simple, banter (if u can even call it that) not funny, tension nonexistent, unlikeable main character, writing reminds me of my first stories on wattpad i wrote at age 12 with the horrible pacing and ending a chapter every time the mc finished with her day and went to sleep. complete no from me, not even sorry.
June 14, 2020
This is Holly McCulloch's debut novel and if this is a standard of things to come, then I'll be definitely buying her next books.
Just Friends centres around the life of Bea. Bea is at that point in her life when all around her seem to be getting married off, having children or moving on with their careers. And, Bea is just Bea not doing those stuff.
So, Bea decides to take action and hit the dating scene. Cue a few hilarious dates, let's just say chillies and coconut milk feature highly in one date. And, this made me laugh out loud. Bea reminded me of Miranda and Bridget Jones. And, I for one love these characters.
There is one constant in Bea's life and that's Peter. Dear old oddley Boddley. He is always around and there for Bea when she needs a friend. We all need a Peter in our lives. The only thing is that Bea hasn't yet twigged on that Peter is her perfect man. Will she ever bring him out of the friend zone? Will she realise too late that Peter is perfect and not Just Friends (see what I did there 😊)
My only negative comment about this book is that it ended much too soon. I could have read about Bea and her life for much longer. Let's hope that Bea gets another outing 🤞🏼
Just Friends is an amazing feel good book that will have you smiling and laughing. It's a perfect book to cheer you up.
Just Friends centres around the life of Bea. Bea is at that point in her life when all around her seem to be getting married off, having children or moving on with their careers. And, Bea is just Bea not doing those stuff.
So, Bea decides to take action and hit the dating scene. Cue a few hilarious dates, let's just say chillies and coconut milk feature highly in one date. And, this made me laugh out loud. Bea reminded me of Miranda and Bridget Jones. And, I for one love these characters.
There is one constant in Bea's life and that's Peter. Dear old oddley Boddley. He is always around and there for Bea when she needs a friend. We all need a Peter in our lives. The only thing is that Bea hasn't yet twigged on that Peter is her perfect man. Will she ever bring him out of the friend zone? Will she realise too late that Peter is perfect and not Just Friends (see what I did there 😊)
My only negative comment about this book is that it ended much too soon. I could have read about Bea and her life for much longer. Let's hope that Bea gets another outing 🤞🏼
Just Friends is an amazing feel good book that will have you smiling and laughing. It's a perfect book to cheer you up.
June 24, 2020
I really don't read a lot of romance but I do find myself gravitating toward it more during the summer and around the Christmas holidays. And let me tell you, Just Friends was a great way to spend a warm summer afternoon.
Bea has sworn off dating but when she sees all her friends around her starting to get married or pair off, she decides to give it another try. Bea has always had a close-knit group of friends and at the center is Peter, the nerd/oddball with whom she attended college. Peter has always been there for her and she considers him her closest friend. However, is Bea refusing to see what is directly in front of her?
I really had fun with Bea. She is smart and snarky and actually showed a lot of growth during the novel. She decides to take some chances and start a new career - something she has always dabbled with but never completely committed to. I also enjoyed the friend dynamic in the book and it was nice to see a book where a group of college friends weren't busy trying to back stab or murder each other (maybe I've read too many thrillers lately). My only issue was at times I wanted to smack Bea because she was having such difficulty seeing things that were so obvious.
McCulloch's writing is easy to get lost in and I can honestly describe this read as sweet and fun. Since this is her debut work, I am really looking forward to what she writes in the future as well. If you are looking to lose yourself in a light summer romance, this is the book for you!
Bea has sworn off dating but when she sees all her friends around her starting to get married or pair off, she decides to give it another try. Bea has always had a close-knit group of friends and at the center is Peter, the nerd/oddball with whom she attended college. Peter has always been there for her and she considers him her closest friend. However, is Bea refusing to see what is directly in front of her?
I really had fun with Bea. She is smart and snarky and actually showed a lot of growth during the novel. She decides to take some chances and start a new career - something she has always dabbled with but never completely committed to. I also enjoyed the friend dynamic in the book and it was nice to see a book where a group of college friends weren't busy trying to back stab or murder each other (maybe I've read too many thrillers lately). My only issue was at times I wanted to smack Bea because she was having such difficulty seeing things that were so obvious.
McCulloch's writing is easy to get lost in and I can honestly describe this read as sweet and fun. Since this is her debut work, I am really looking forward to what she writes in the future as well. If you are looking to lose yourself in a light summer romance, this is the book for you!
May 27, 2022
This book was just.... not for me. Which is a real shame as it wasn't that far off being really good.
I couldn't like the main character, or find anything about her to actively dislike either. She somewhat coasted through the plot relying on everyone else to direct her narrative and not herself. I found her outlook, actions, and thoughts quite juvenile, and her relationships with people around her quite unpleasant to read.
The story itself was somewhat pedestrian with a clear set of tropes and a obvious routing and while I am usually someone who can get on board with that, someone who doesn't mind the obviousness of it all, the pacing, and lack of direction and drive made the payoff negligible at best.
Not my cup of tea.
I couldn't like the main character, or find anything about her to actively dislike either. She somewhat coasted through the plot relying on everyone else to direct her narrative and not herself. I found her outlook, actions, and thoughts quite juvenile, and her relationships with people around her quite unpleasant to read.
The story itself was somewhat pedestrian with a clear set of tropes and a obvious routing and while I am usually someone who can get on board with that, someone who doesn't mind the obviousness of it all, the pacing, and lack of direction and drive made the payoff negligible at best.
Not my cup of tea.
July 3, 2020
Peter is so adorable and must be protected at all costs!!
I was looking for a light, feel-good read and this book certainly fit the description. The main character, Bea, is filled with self-deprecating humour, puns and a love for food that I can 100% relate to. I loved every minute of Bea's clumsy and hilarious journey of self-discovery and learning to love a friend as something more.
A snarky, witty and overall heartwarming take on the popular friends-to-lovers trope.
I was looking for a light, feel-good read and this book certainly fit the description. The main character, Bea, is filled with self-deprecating humour, puns and a love for food that I can 100% relate to. I loved every minute of Bea's clumsy and hilarious journey of self-discovery and learning to love a friend as something more.
A snarky, witty and overall heartwarming take on the popular friends-to-lovers trope.
January 23, 2022
Friends to Lovers
😭
Lite hoppande, assistent till hjälpa nya arbetare.
Olika kort.
😭
Lite hoppande, assistent till hjälpa nya arbetare.
Olika kort.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 15, 2022
This book was okay! It was a little underwhelming as I loved her other book. It was under 300 pages but it felt like foreverrrrr. It’s not so much a romance but more of Bea’s progression as an individual. I usually have no problem with that but for such a short book, the time span was pretty long and I felt as if a lot of it was just a bunch of nothingness and irrelevant details.
Read
March 20, 2022A fun rom-com, full of British humour and a sweet friends-to-lovers trope. This audiobook was easy company on a recent road trip to the city and back with my tween daughter.
January 9, 2021
1.5
Man these reviews can really be deceiving sometimes.
What I’ve realized is that I’m really judgmental and picky when it comes to contemporary/romance books.
I don’t know what I was expecting, I mean the book was cute and all and a really easy read. But most of it was kinda boring to me. There were some parts that I really wanted to skip and just get to the point. It did get better towards the end though.
Man these reviews can really be deceiving sometimes.
What I’ve realized is that I’m really judgmental and picky when it comes to contemporary/romance books.
I don’t know what I was expecting, I mean the book was cute and all and a really easy read. But most of it was kinda boring to me. There were some parts that I really wanted to skip and just get to the point. It did get better towards the end though.
April 5, 2020
This book was provided by NetGalley in exchange for a review. Thank you to Random House UK and Transworld Publishers!
Just Friends is a light and easy friends-to-lovers story that proves true love is sometimes right in front of us.
Bea is a relatable character. She is the definition of a people pleaser, and although she wants to be happy, she’s far from it. As a 30-something, single woman, Bea is still trying to find her place in life. Sometimes she says the wrong thing, sometimes she makes mistakes or gets the wrong end of the stick and I liked that she wasn’t perfect.
But I felt so sorry for Peter! He was described as an ‘oddball’ but I don’t think he did anything that was particularly strange. And I don’t think the inability to dance makes someone odd. To me, he was quite charming and sweet – I actually liked him more than Bea. And the poor man was stuck in the friend zone, the most brutal place a person can be.
It took a while to get started and I really wanted to skim from the first few chapters. I constantly felt like I was waiting for a big moment, or for the chapters to really take off. The plot was lacking, and drifted between secondary storylines, a lot of the time I felt the focus on the romance was stolen by other aspects of Bea’s life. There were a few parts that I felt didn’t add to the book, and those pages could have been used to include more humorous dating adventures or loving moments between the protagonists.
The friendly dynamic between Bea and Peter wasn’t well established so I struggled to pick up on any chemistry between the two. The romance wasn’t intense enough for a dreamy relationship to mature. There could have been more groundwork on the friendship before feelings developed to make the pair seem more compatible. Bea seemed to dread his company more than she liked it, so I didn’t long for them to finally fall for each other. When it comes to friends-to-lovers stories, I like to root for the main couple from the start, but I didn’t get that with Bea and Peter.
I also found it anti-climactic which was disappointing.
I was reluctant to give up on Just Friends because I loved the premise, but even 80% of the way through, I wasn’t feeling the story. It was a relaxed and comfortable read, but not the book for me.
Note to the publisher: the PDF format was really awkward to read, a lot of lines cut off at random points or didn’t end where they were supposed to. It made it difficult to recognise text messages or and where the dialogue belonged.
Just Friends is a light and easy friends-to-lovers story that proves true love is sometimes right in front of us.
Bea is a relatable character. She is the definition of a people pleaser, and although she wants to be happy, she’s far from it. As a 30-something, single woman, Bea is still trying to find her place in life. Sometimes she says the wrong thing, sometimes she makes mistakes or gets the wrong end of the stick and I liked that she wasn’t perfect.
But I felt so sorry for Peter! He was described as an ‘oddball’ but I don’t think he did anything that was particularly strange. And I don’t think the inability to dance makes someone odd. To me, he was quite charming and sweet – I actually liked him more than Bea. And the poor man was stuck in the friend zone, the most brutal place a person can be.
It took a while to get started and I really wanted to skim from the first few chapters. I constantly felt like I was waiting for a big moment, or for the chapters to really take off. The plot was lacking, and drifted between secondary storylines, a lot of the time I felt the focus on the romance was stolen by other aspects of Bea’s life. There were a few parts that I felt didn’t add to the book, and those pages could have been used to include more humorous dating adventures or loving moments between the protagonists.
The friendly dynamic between Bea and Peter wasn’t well established so I struggled to pick up on any chemistry between the two. The romance wasn’t intense enough for a dreamy relationship to mature. There could have been more groundwork on the friendship before feelings developed to make the pair seem more compatible. Bea seemed to dread his company more than she liked it, so I didn’t long for them to finally fall for each other. When it comes to friends-to-lovers stories, I like to root for the main couple from the start, but I didn’t get that with Bea and Peter.
I also found it anti-climactic which was disappointing.
I was reluctant to give up on Just Friends because I loved the premise, but even 80% of the way through, I wasn’t feeling the story. It was a relaxed and comfortable read, but not the book for me.
Note to the publisher: the PDF format was really awkward to read, a lot of lines cut off at random points or didn’t end where they were supposed to. It made it difficult to recognise text messages or and where the dialogue belonged.
May 6, 2020
Just Friends by Holly McCulloch is such a lovely, light and fluffy, somewhat romantical read. Although more than a tad predictable it was an absolute joy to read. I laughed, I sighed…mostly over Peter the friend who has spent entirely too long in the friend zone……and not really a book crier, I was suprised to shed a few happy tears over the ending. Maybe it was the relief of a happy ending, maybe it was my highly emotional state atm….who knows? What I do know is that I REALLY, REALLY liked this book.
I had a little thing for Peter who reminds me of my hubby in that he is so kind, patient, reliable and supportive. What a gem of a man!!!
But for me Bea was the highlight of the novel.
Bea’s character, as a perpetually single 30-something, is completely authentic and relatable, inspiring compassion in the reader. With a lacklustre job, a cardmaking side gig and dreams of running a small business, Bea feels stuck. Alone and still bruised by the loss of her best friend/boyfriend Sam years ago, and having recently ‘lost’ her best friend to marriage, Bea drunkenly decides to start dating again. What follows is an engaging journey of self-discovery…not only the slow realisation and acceptance of her feelings for one of her closest friends, Peter.
Seeing her confidence ebb and flo as she starts to take action to create the life she wants, putting herself out there in her friendships, her relationships (and on dating apps), creating a work/life balance that works for her, boosting her creativity and following her small business dreams (with the help of the dreamy Peter) was by far the greater part of the story. The romance stuff with Peter was just icing on the cake….the very predictable but delicious icing….you know, like vanilla buttercream.
With thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for this advanced copy in return for an honest review.
I had a little thing for Peter who reminds me of my hubby in that he is so kind, patient, reliable and supportive. What a gem of a man!!!
But for me Bea was the highlight of the novel.
Bea’s character, as a perpetually single 30-something, is completely authentic and relatable, inspiring compassion in the reader. With a lacklustre job, a cardmaking side gig and dreams of running a small business, Bea feels stuck. Alone and still bruised by the loss of her best friend/boyfriend Sam years ago, and having recently ‘lost’ her best friend to marriage, Bea drunkenly decides to start dating again. What follows is an engaging journey of self-discovery…not only the slow realisation and acceptance of her feelings for one of her closest friends, Peter.
Seeing her confidence ebb and flo as she starts to take action to create the life she wants, putting herself out there in her friendships, her relationships (and on dating apps), creating a work/life balance that works for her, boosting her creativity and following her small business dreams (with the help of the dreamy Peter) was by far the greater part of the story. The romance stuff with Peter was just icing on the cake….the very predictable but delicious icing….you know, like vanilla buttercream.
With thanks to the publisher via NetGalley for this advanced copy in return for an honest review.
August 16, 2022
POV: Single.
Genre: Contemporary Romance.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers.
Format: Audiobook.
Age Recommendation: 15+
Bea is desperate for a change, she looks to her friends for inspiration. Every single one of them is paired off, perhaps that’s what she needs too. So, she starts dating again. But everywhere she goes is her best friend Peter. He’s always been firmly in the friend zone but lately he seems taller, more handsome and suddenly making him smile is Bea’s favourite thing. But how can Bea possibly risk their friendship? And how do you even go about taking someone out of the friend zone?
This was, pure and simple vanilla. I don't even see how it should be classed as a romance either. Bea was unfortunate. She was bitter and self loathing, playing the victim card constantly. She was unlikable and the whole story was more about her own view twisted view on herself, rather than a nice build into a relationship. There is a few brief moments of Peter, in those moments he clearly was the standout. Every encounter they had was pretty much how best friends would act together. Every other extra character was just filler material. There was no real movement into their relationship - just Bea waking up to herself just a little bit and deciding that everyone else is right. There is no heat and no burn of a normal romance, simply just a women letting people walk all over her for no reasons other than her fear of looking silly if she failed. If I wasn't listening to this and was forced to read it, I absolutely would have put it down.
Genre: Contemporary Romance.
Tropes: Friends to Lovers.
Format: Audiobook.
Age Recommendation: 15+
Bea is desperate for a change, she looks to her friends for inspiration. Every single one of them is paired off, perhaps that’s what she needs too. So, she starts dating again. But everywhere she goes is her best friend Peter. He’s always been firmly in the friend zone but lately he seems taller, more handsome and suddenly making him smile is Bea’s favourite thing. But how can Bea possibly risk their friendship? And how do you even go about taking someone out of the friend zone?
This was, pure and simple vanilla. I don't even see how it should be classed as a romance either. Bea was unfortunate. She was bitter and self loathing, playing the victim card constantly. She was unlikable and the whole story was more about her own view twisted view on herself, rather than a nice build into a relationship. There is a few brief moments of Peter, in those moments he clearly was the standout. Every encounter they had was pretty much how best friends would act together. Every other extra character was just filler material. There was no real movement into their relationship - just Bea waking up to herself just a little bit and deciding that everyone else is right. There is no heat and no burn of a normal romance, simply just a women letting people walk all over her for no reasons other than her fear of looking silly if she failed. If I wasn't listening to this and was forced to read it, I absolutely would have put it down.
February 9, 2021
Bea hasn't been happy for quite some time. It isn't until her best friend's wedding, though, that Bea realizes just how unhappy she is. And when she looks around her, it seems all the happiest people have someone to share their lives with.
So Bea takes the plunge back into the dating world where things definitely don't go as planned. But through it all—work dissatisfaction, disastrous dating, and even some bumps in the road with her best friend—Peter is there.
Good old Peter. The guy Bea has known since school. She would never consider dating him, until she does. Consider it. But she's been down that road before and it ended not only in heartbreak but in losing a friend as well...
Holly McCulloch's debut is a charming and sweet story about love and life!
Bea is floundering. She's working a job she's no longer passionate about and seemingly without the motivation it takes to turn the thing she enjoys into a career.
And her dating life is nonexistent.
Her friends are all happily paired off. Even her mom has her dog to keep her company. And Bea...well, Bea is still looking for the right someone.
And this is the kind of story where maybe that someone has been there the whole time. But whether Bea will give it a shot and whether it will work out are, of course, the drive of the story! And I won't tell :)
Just Friends is quite fun! A flirty and fizzy read perfect to get you through the winter (cough *Covid* cough) doldrums!
So Bea takes the plunge back into the dating world where things definitely don't go as planned. But through it all—work dissatisfaction, disastrous dating, and even some bumps in the road with her best friend—Peter is there.
Good old Peter. The guy Bea has known since school. She would never consider dating him, until she does. Consider it. But she's been down that road before and it ended not only in heartbreak but in losing a friend as well...
Holly McCulloch's debut is a charming and sweet story about love and life!
Bea is floundering. She's working a job she's no longer passionate about and seemingly without the motivation it takes to turn the thing she enjoys into a career.
And her dating life is nonexistent.
Her friends are all happily paired off. Even her mom has her dog to keep her company. And Bea...well, Bea is still looking for the right someone.
And this is the kind of story where maybe that someone has been there the whole time. But whether Bea will give it a shot and whether it will work out are, of course, the drive of the story! And I won't tell :)
Just Friends is quite fun! A flirty and fizzy read perfect to get you through the winter (cough *Covid* cough) doldrums!
April 9, 2020
After a stressful few weeks, this is just the book I needed to read! Lighthearted, contemporary chick lit with a few twists & turns thrown in. Our leading lady, the thirty-something Bea has been single for most of her adult life. Following early heartbreak when her best friend come boyfriend, Sam dumped her, she has vowed to remain “Just Friends” with her male chums ever since. So when she makes a drunken New Years resolution to start dating, she doesn’t even contemplate anything ever happening with her oldest friend, Peter ‘Oddly’ Bodley and instead heads onto Tinder, off to speed dating and into the arms of her extremely handsome boiler engineer. But friends, serendipity and crossed paths may have other plans.
I loved this book, it’s warm and witty right up until the last sentence. Bea is a fabulous main character, and her friends, family, colleagues and dates make a brilliant supporting cast, both for Bea within the realms of the story and for us as the reader. There’s no big surprises in this tale, and the ending is pretty obvious (although wonderfully written), but there are several mellow twists to enjoy before we reach the finale. Highly recommended for light, romantic summer reading, and Peter Bodley has definitely been added to the official Book Boyfriend list.
I loved this book, it’s warm and witty right up until the last sentence. Bea is a fabulous main character, and her friends, family, colleagues and dates make a brilliant supporting cast, both for Bea within the realms of the story and for us as the reader. There’s no big surprises in this tale, and the ending is pretty obvious (although wonderfully written), but there are several mellow twists to enjoy before we reach the finale. Highly recommended for light, romantic summer reading, and Peter Bodley has definitely been added to the official Book Boyfriend list.
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