Don't Want to Be Friends

by Holly Kerr

The best way to find love is to stop hiding your heart.
Former dancer Neely has put her life on hold to circle the world with Shae and Dawson, always on call to fix the issues so Shae can live her best life for their popular travel vlog. Neely’s been BFs with Shae forever and hiding her love for Dawson for almost as long. But unrequited love is almost as painful as knowing your best friend is dying, and Neely is ready and willing to get over Dawson.

Grayson Grant was at the top of his game, with money, fame, and women at his fingertips when an injury took it all away. Now left in limbo, unable to commit to anything or anyone, Grayson is tempted by the idea of being the next reality show star on The Suitor. He’s used to winning, but with viewers watching his every move, he’s going to have to show his heart to find love.

When Grayson meets Neely at a wedding, he has plans to win over the sharp-tongued bridesmaid for the night, but Neely has another plan—they’ll spend a few weeks pretending to be together, where she can teach Grayson to be vulnerable, and Grayson can charm Neely out of being in love with Dawson.

But fake relationships only work if you keep pretending.

Don’t Want to Be Friends is the second book in the Don’t Sweet Romance series, a high-speed dance of enemies-to-friends, friends-to-lovers, and learning to let yourself fall in love. Find out if Neely and Grayson can stop hiding their hearts to get their happily ever after.

ebook

Published February 16, 2021

About the author

Holly Kerr wants everyone to have a happily ever after, full of fun banter and friends to talk about it with.

She’s a lover of water, wine, and dirty martinis, prefers beach to mountain, Star Wars over Star Trek, and really wishes she liked chocolate.

She writes fast-paced, sweet romantic comedy with the door shut, action chick lit about sassy Canadian super spies, and women’s fiction about families and small towns.

Find out more when you sign up for her newsletter, and get a taste with Cupcake Connections, a short story featuring some of her favorite characters. www.hollykerr.ca

Reviews

[Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Same story, different view. It was nice learning more about Neely and how secretly loving Dawson for 13 years hurt her.

I was wondering if Grayson can help her getting over Dawson but the timing couldn't have been worse with him going to be the next Suitor soon.

This book was fun to read but I never expected the latest twist and I don't want to spoil anything so read it for yourself 😉

I received an advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received a copy of this book for free, and I am leaving this honest review voluntarily. Thank you!

In this slow-paced romance, Neely, a former dancer who dropped out of school to travel the world with her best friends meets Grayson, an upcoming reality show star on a The Bachelor spinoff, The Suitor, at a wedding. They immediately hit it off and soon decide to fake date for a few weeks to help Neely get over her best friend, Dawson.

While at first the large cast of characters was somewhat confusing and made them difficult to tell apart, I was eventually able to discern between them (by about the 20% mark.) Unfortunately, I ultimately found it difficult to really connect with any of the characters and the ending was a bit of a letdown. The entire book was spent building up a relationship between Grayson and Neely, and then all of the sudden she was dating her best friend. However, the plot was engaging and relatively interesting, and the book was free of major grammatical and spelling errors.

The female relationships in this book were lacking somewhat. For someone who was so dedicated to her friends, Neely spent a lot of time criticizing her friend Shae (that rant to her mom was extremely rude and unacceptable) . Finally, while the Harry Potter reference at the beginning did serve to show readers how Neely felt, these references are largely overdone and I wish this could have been communicated another way.

Thank you for the opportunity to read this book! Overall, I would recommend Don't Want to Be Friends to anyone looking for a quick and light read.

[Judith · Rating 3 out of 5]

Somewhat confusing storyline. This novel has so many characters that are all either related, about to get married or friends intermingled within the main plot. The requited/unrequited loves of these young people depend on their shyness, insecurities, inability to commit themselves to a statement, clearing up their feelings. If you think you know which couple can be paired up, you, the reader would probably be. wrong. The language and vocabulary, as well as most of the editing, is fine, along with the character descriptions. What I did like about this book is the description of the close, unconditional and deep friendship that Neely, Dawson and Shae have for each other. The storyline leads the reader round and round and only at the very end do we get a resolution to their angst. There is a HEA between Neely and Dawson but is one that leaves Grayson somewhat outside the loop, along with his friend Bennet which had left me feeling somewhat dissatisfied.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jenny · Rating 5 out of 5]

First, I’ll say that I quite enjoyed this book. I wasn’t sure how I would find it because the author broke out of the standard path of dual POV contemporary romance. (I wouldn’t really consider these rom-coms so much…there’s more serious content than humorous moments.) Books 1, 2, and 3 in the series run along the same timeline and include a lot of the same events. The difference is that each book is the perspectives of two different characters. There is another way this set-up differs significantly from traditional books in the genre, but I can’t spell it out. Needless to say, I do understand where some readers might not be happy with the outcome of this book in particular. I came into it with the benefit of having read the Suitor Science series already, so I knew what the outcome would be. If you want warning, even just reading the blurb for the second book in that series will give you a pretty good idea…but don’t read it if you want to be completely surprised. All that out of the way, I was pleasantly surprised that I found all three books engaging and enjoyable. I had worried that I would find rehashing the same timeline boring, but it wasn’t. There was enough new content and the new perspectives and events kept me interested. I really liked all the characters and it was actually kind of fun to move on to the next book and learn more layers of them. Grayson and Neely were so much more than the background characters from book 1. Grayson is trying to find his place in the world after his baseball career ended, and trying to figure out if long term love is for him. Neely is in unrequited love with her friend Dawson, and having spent her life taking care of Shae, has lost herself in being the sidekick. “A lot of things are sad…and I’m tired of being one of them.” It’s a closed door book. I really think it’s best enjoyed after reading book 1, and I recommend continuing on to book 3 after. It really does offer more to the reader’s experience of book 2.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Faye · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is in the same universe as don't tell me you love me as it is the second book in the series yet is a retelling from a different perspective whilst focusing on Neely rather than Shae. The book follows Neely, Shae and Dawson as they return from their travels to attend a wedding. This is when Neely meets Grayson, someone who is looking for love however, Neely is too busy focused on someone else.

I really enjoyed this book, It had me hooked and I kept wanting to read more and more. Despite it being a reselling of the first book, it still had me interested and invested in the characters. It was easy to follow along and easy to understand. I don't think you necessarily need to read the first book to get the main plot for this story, but I would still recommend reading the first book. 

Neely as a character is such a strong independent woman, who puts her friend before herself to make sure that their life is going to their plan. Neely hardly thinks about what she wants, putting Shae first which at the time sounds reasonable as Shae was misdiagnosed and thought they were going to die. Neely met Grayson and I thought their relationship would be the one, they connected really well with each other and I liked their progression. With Neely, shes always loved Dawson and she could never let that go so in the last chapter or so, it was revealed that Dawson had always felt the same way and they both got their happy ending. But this made me feel sad about Grayson. I really did think that Neely and Grayson would be a thing as he was such a nice character. I guess I imagined a different ending so I did get a surprise thats for sure! I just wish Grayson had a good ending because he seems so sweet and genuine so he deserved to be with Neely (at least in my mind). So, the ending to me was bittersweet.

[Kaye · Rating 5 out of 5]

✳️✳️ONE FANTASTIC ADVENTURE✳️✳️
Burning bleepers boo! Holly hit the motherload, unleashing one helluva tumultuous rock-her-world wild ride, delivering this tantalizing rollercoaster with all the frills, thrills and scrumptious feels, tugging those heartstrings and rendering you speechless, flinging this jewel to staggering heights. Mayhem and shenanigans descend in a flurry of free-falls and close-calls while sketchy barriers and frayed perimeters solidify as limitations are amplified and enforced, secrets are revealed, revelations are unveiled and promises pledged, attentive to the dramatic and wicked turns unfolding, reaching deep for every fiber of strength in a fierce surge of preservation, wrapping this gem up sleek, shiny and tight. A churning tempest full of captivating drama, riveting intrigue, underlying currents, heartbreak, electrifying suspense and intense situations converge, revving up the exuberance and vigor, putting our characters through their paces, blasting this baby to life spectacularly. The attraction and chemistry ignites with such intoxicating intensity, exploding with boundless emotions and infinite affection, kicking this jewel into a tailspin with mind-blowing results, uniting them to one another perfectly. The characters are complex, genuine and original with traits and qualities that balance and blend, with amazing depth and diversity, adding enough spice for an extra punch. Throw in 100% on point realism, painting colorful scenarios so vividly descriptive with graphic detail its like you're living it with them instead of on the sidelines, feeling everything the characters feel. Remarkable job Holly, thanks for sharing this awesome little gem with us.

[Rebecca Hill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't Want To Be Friends is the second book in Kerr's Don't sweet romance collection. This contemporary romance features Neely Scalzo and Grayson Grant.

Neely is in love with her best friend, Dawson Jacinto. She's spent years watching him date women, wishing he would choose her, but alas her love for him is unrequited.

"I want Dawson to see me - see the love I have for him, see how good we'd be together. I want him to look at me and know that I'm the one he's meant to be with. And I want him to see all this without saying a word to him."

"I need to get over him. I need to get him out of my heart, except for the safe spot reserved for friends and family. For Dawson to remain my best friend, I need to stop loving him."

When Neely meets Grayson at her brother's wedding, he is quickly drawn to her. He is clearly interested in getting to know her, and she is tired of coveting what she cannot have. Neely asks Grayson to help her fall out of love with Dawson, and he is all too happy to try. Can they fake it 'til they make it?

Kerr delivers another HEA, but with a twist. Curious? Go check it out for yourself.

[lf · Rating 4 out of 5]

Finding happiness when you least expect it

Don't Want to Be Friends is the second book in the Don't Sweet Romance series. This book is a bit different as it is the same story as Don't Tell Me You Love Me but from Neely's POV. Neely is Shae's best friend and this story is about her and one very studly Grayson Grant. But it also involves the third friend in the group, Dawson.
I enjoyed this book in the series as it is well written, has some twists in the story and the same wonderful characters. Neely is a young woman who is there for Shae no matter what, even if that means being around the man she has secretly loved for all these years, Dawson. But when Grayson comes into her life things may seems to be one way but that reality turns into something very different, unexpected and so much more.

I received a copy of this book and am leaving my honest review. My opinions are all my own.

[Emily Pennington · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neely has dedicated all of her time and support to her best friend, Shae, traveling the globe for their travel vlog with their mutual friend Dawson. But Neely needs to “fall out of love” because this one is going nowhere and she doesn’t want to be painfully aware of Dawson’s love life with others.

Having loved Dawson all this time, Neely is at a crossroads and needs to decide what to do to fix this. Would it make sense to find a distraction? Former baseball player Grayson Grant will be on a reality show “The Suitor” to find his true love. But he has 6 weeks free and the enthusiasm to work on Neely��s heart to get her out of love. All she needs is help to forget all about Dawson. Sounds simple, right? Can she fall out of love with Dawson? Can she avoid falling instead for Grayson? Life can get so complicated!

[Ann Tosti · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was expecting. This romance does not follow a typical romance ending, which isn't necessarily a bad thing (unless you totally love the hero- 🙋‍♀️- and want to know if he gets what he wants).
Really, what makes it a lower rating for me is some mistakes that could have been fixed- missing or added words so some sentences don't make sense as is, and timeline confusion. I was sure through most of the book that it said our heroine is 26 but just a few weeks later they are 27. Also, the timeline for their vlog seemed to change a bit as well throughout the story. And the opening was rough to get through. We open at a wedding with so many characters that it is confusing to remember who is who and some don't even matter for the rest of the story.
**I am voluntarily leaving a review after receiving a free copy**

[Paula Williams · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the second book in the Don’t Sweet Romance series. While it’s always helpful to read series books in order, this one certainly can be read as a stand alone. The same story as in Book 1, but from a different point of view is an interesting take and to show what different characters are going through at the same time. I enjoyed learning more about Neely as I read her story on her journey to love. The question is, will it be with Dawson, her forever crush, or Grayson, the new guy, who’s also cast as The Suitor, but trying to help her out of her rut before his gig starts? Many interesting events from Neely’s perspective, with a twist I didn’t expect!

I received an advanced copy to read and give my honest review.

[Mindy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not what I was hoping for

Having read a later book by Ms Kerr I knew the ending so my rating for this book is not as harsh it would have been if I did have the future look. Story has good characters, flirting and was well written, but...stop reading if you don't like spoilers!

Spoiler alert: I didn't enjoy getting invested in a couple who would go two different ways at the end, because I read Grayson's book where he was the hero that got the girl I knew this book would not in a HEA between Neely and Grayson. For me this story took a turn as a bait and switch with heroes, I would have like to get to know Nearly and Dawson (or him as his own character) as a couple rather than Neely and Grayson not becoming a couple.

Volunteer KU based review

[Kristen Lewendon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I don’t know how I feel about this book. It’s a love triangle that isn’t, but is. But isn’t. But is…. I was deeply invested in the characters. After getting to know Neely in the previous book, I knew I wanted to see what it would take to get her to her own happily ever after. This was a well-written story that I absolutely couldn’t put down. However, there’s a twist in the tale that leaves me feeling deeply conflicted. I’m not sure what’s going to happen next for these characters. All I do know for certain is that I’m desperate to find out what it is.
I received a complimentary advanced copy of this book through Booksprout.

[Cathylynn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neely would do anything for Shae and has, she is even working with their friend Dawson whom she is in love with. Now she is thinking that has to stop, it is one sided and she is tired of watching his love life. So enter Grayson he has a several weeks off before he does his reality TV show. He hangs with Neely and she is trying to fall out of love with Dawson. There are some twists and it has a wonderful ending. The characters were well developed and the story flowed well. This is a great story, it was funny at times and it was an entertaining book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Marie Bourgery · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think Greyson was attracted to Neely because she didn’t fall all over him and put up with his antics like the rest of his fans. She wants to get over her long time secret crush for her best friend Dawson but Greyson is going on a reality show to date several women soon. I didn’t hold out much hope for their potential romance. I thought Dawson was a bit of an idiot dating all these terrible women who were more interested in his fame than him. Shae was funny and I loved that she found a way to enjoy the time she thought she had left while traveling around the world with her best friends Neely and Dawson.

[Laura Carter-Alexander · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tired of her long-time crush on her best friend, Dawson, Neely devises a plan to try to stop being in love with him. And she has the perfect candidate in mind. The gorgeous former athlete, Grayson. But he is hiding a secret of his own. Grayson only has six weeks left until he returns to the spotlight of a show called The Suitor. He agrees to her plan thinking that it would be a good way to spend the time he has leading up to the show.

Whether their relationship ends up platonic or romantic, Grayson has a decision to make as his contract demands he stays single until after the show. What happens when family and friends slowly become concerned over their relationship?

[Lisa Benison · Rating 3 out of 5]

Read Don't Stop Me Now Immediately After!

This book is extremely intermingled with Don't Stop Me Now, which I read right after, and did answer all of the questions, but I feel very strongly with all of the overlap, confusion, and different points of view these two books should have either been re-worked as one longer book with all the stories intermingled or as two separate stories with HEAs and just repeating characters. I did like all of the characters, and enjoyed others in the series, but I found these a slog and repetitive. Fortunately they are available on KU so I could skip through the parts that repeated.

[Anita Fuhrmann · Rating 4 out of 5]

When is enough determined to be enough? Especially when it involves unrequited love? A wonderful book that tackles this subject while also demonstrating the truthfulness to the saying...when a door closes, a window opens. Will Grayson be that window for Neely or does her long-time friend Dawson wake up and realize that he is no longer satisfied with being a friend but wants more than that with her? Beautifully written and well-worth reading!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Cherokee - Books With A Chance · Rating 2 out of 5]

I liked the idea of the story, and naturally it would have been to cliche for the M.C. to fall in love from the fake relationship, but.. it left me unsatisfied.

Thats about the only emotion I felt. I didn't get sucked into the characters emotions like I would normally. I had a hard time setting scenes or visualizing characters.

Neely is still in Shea's shadow, and I don't think Dawson deserves her.
Grayson on the other hand did all things right. I want to hear more from him. Why didn't he get his HEA?

[Cynthia Isaacs · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the second book in the series I actually found this one quite confusing at times.
I was expecting a sequel to Don't Tell Me You L9ve Me that would continue on from where that book left off.
However, this book seems to be happening more or less at the same time as the first one but from a different viewpoint. This meant that at times characters were discovering things (such as Shae's illness) that the reader already knew about from the first book.
Once I was able to work this out I enjoyed reading the story from this different perspective.

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Neehly reminds me of myself because I remember loving a guy for a long time until one day I broke out the mold that I was lingering in like my girl Neehly did and became the person she was supposed to be with the one she was supposed to be with. I love the way this author writes because she shows the real girl instead of the on girl of being on all the time and not showing her true self is what I get from the books that I read from this author,.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Nati · Rating 4 out of 5]

Neely’s has been on hold since her best friend Shae discovered she was going to die. They’ve been traveling all around the world with their best friend Dawson. But Neely is been in love with Dawson all her life. Can she face her feelings and probably ruin their friendship or will Grayson help her forget about Dawson? A great story about friendship, family, facing your fears and living your live to the fullest.

[Janet Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romantic Comedy Redux
When I began reading this book I just knew that I had read it before. I went through my notes and no, I hadn't. Then it hit me. This book is the same as book 1 but from a different point of view. Once I realized that I relaxed and enjoyed the book. While very little new really happens, it is different experiencing it all from a different angle and with different insights. What a fresh idea! I received this ARC book for free from Booksprout and this is my honest review.

[K Huskić · Rating 3 out of 5]

It took me a minute to understand/realise that this was the same story as Shae's (book 1) but told from Neely's viewpoint, with her own relationship dramas. Unfortunately, it just felt as though I had read it all before.

I liked Neely in the first book, and enjoyed getting to know her a bit more in this one, however the story just didn't play out how I thought it would. I was actually disappointed in the ending. I love Holly's books, but this one just didn't do it for me.

[Vickie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Two men in your life one you have loved forever but he doesn't love you. You have watched women come & go constantly for years, each one making it harder & harder. Grayson pops into your life and wants to be more than friends. Problem is, it consists bad time. He is scheduled to go on a tv reality show. Which way will things fo? Whom will chose whom and where will it lead? Read to find out!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Vinessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Reading about the intense feelings in this book the push and pull. I welcomed the trials of broken souls, the emotional drama and thr building and repairing and the unexpected passion. The chemistry between the H and h is undeniable and unexpected. The  misunderstandings lead to a bit of wasted time. Connecting with the characters may come easy in this story, following the plot might not be

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Petra Moss · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*
This is the second book about Neely, Shae and Dawson, but it is not really a continuation, but sort of running another story parallel, which does not really work as some of the events already happened in the first book. The next book is supposed to be about Dawson and Pepper, but Dawson is with Neely at the end of this book. Very confusing!

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Amber Pickerill · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an ARC and this is my honest review.
This is the second book in the don't series! We get to see more of Emmett and Shae but this book is Grayson and Neely! Neely is trying to get over someone and Grayson is getting ready to be on a reality dating show, the suitor. Grayson can't really be involved and Neelys heart belongs to another. This is truly the best friendship!
I loved getting to see more of the characters and I can't wait for Dawson's and Peppers story!

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Don't Want To Be Friends is Neely's story and how she has loved Dawson for years but now it's time for Neely to be loved. Grayson is a former baseball player and the soon to be star of the reality show The Suitor. Until then he will gladly help Neely get over Dawson. The storyline is good, the characters are well developed and the ending is interesting. I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book.

[Kristi · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable, heartwarming romance that's well written and easy to get swept up in. The characters are engaging, well developed, easy to get to know and have strong chemistry together. The story flows smoothly through the pages and holds your interest.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.