Shalvis is great at giving her readers cute, heartfelt small-town romances. The characters are the highlight of her stories. And here I love them all, especially Noah’s sister and her son, who provide some of the best moments in the story.

And while I liked Noah and Olive together, I think a little more development needed to be done for why Noah ran so hot and cold. I get that he was hurt by Olive in the past (and another girlfriend did a number on him) but it doesn’t quite explain why he’s all over the place now. Just needed a little bit more to make it easier to follow.

Olive, tho, is not as difficult to understand. With the way her parents (and then Noah & his parents) treated her, she’s going strong with a lot of baggage. The girl needed, and still needs, someone to step up and be there & prove to her that she’s worth it.

Shalvis takes readers on a roller coaster ride as Noah & Olive do the dance of will they, won’t they, can they keep their hands to themselves. Better Than Friends is humorous and sweet and angsty, but not heavy. It’s all about found family and loving yourself & each other, differences and all.

(The series is not connected, outside of the setting, so don’t worry if this is your first.)

**I voluntarily read and reviewed a complimentary copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**