Better Than Friends by Jill Shalvis is the seventh standalone romance in the Sunrise Cove romance series. Shalvis delivered an enemies to lovers, family, forced proximity, second chance romance with a touch of suspense, and the cuties pet duo. This may well be my favorite Shalvis book yet!
by Jill Shalvis
Series: Sunrise Cove #7
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Source: Publisher
Purchase*: Amazon | Audible *affiliate
Heat Level:
Old flames reignite in Sunrise Cove in this charming enemies-to-lovers, second-chance, small-town, forced-proximity love story about family, friendships, and true love from New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis.
When Olive Porter’s off-the-grid parents go missing, she reluctantly seeks out Noah Turner, her ex and the only person she both trusts implicitly and not at all.
As a special investigative agent for the National Park Service, Noah’s used to living under intense pressure. Or he was until he got injured on the job. Now unhappily recuperating at home while being smothered by his loving but nosy family, he’d love nothing more than a good distraction.
So when Olive shows up looking like a million bucks, he has to do a gut and heart check. Because nope, no matter what, he can’t fall for her again, the woman who once blew up his entire life and never looked back. How ironic then that his own personal hell (Olive) is also his ticket out of town. The question is, will the risk be worth the reward?
I love the quirky, sometimes adorable character Shalvis creates and I’ve enjoyed her stories set in Sunrise Cove, a small-town near Lake Tahoe. In Better Than Friends, we meet Olive Porter, a PR Firm owner who returns to Sunrise Cove when her best friend’s husband is injured and her own off-the grid parents appear to be missing. The one person who might find them is Noah Turner, the boy turned man who still owns her heart.
Noah Turner is a special investigative agent for the National Park Service. His twin Katie married his best friend Joe. When Joe & Noah are injured on the job, Noah ends up with a broken leg and Joe is in the hospital in a coma. Sidelined from his job while he recuperating, Noah is doing his best to help Katie and has been staying with her. He is not prepared for the intense feelings he has when Olive returns to help Katie.
The tale that unfolds had me devouring this in a single afternoon. I loved the chemistry between them, as well as the friendship and family bond. Olive lived at her Gram’s house as a teen, when she tired of her parent’s nomad lifestyle. The Turner family lived next door, and they became like a family to Olive. I adored Katie and her awkward inability for hugs and the way she spoke unfiltered truths and facts.
The love story has deep roots and throughout the story we see glimpses into their friendship, feelings and romantic moments from their high school years. It drew me closer to Olive, Katie and Noah. Something happened all those years ago and slowly through past and present Shalvis reveals events. Why did Olive leave Noah, a Dear John letter, their senior year? If you love second chances, enemies to lovers and forced proximity tropes, you’ll want to grab this one. It was sweet, hot, and filled with heartwarming moments and character growth.
I have to mention the secondary characters. My favorites were Katie and her adorable son, Joey. As Noah and Olive struggle to deal with their emotions and heated attraction, Joey was the one to find them kissing. These moments were delicious and hilarious all at the same time. Then we have Katie, who knows Olive is keeping something back about why she left. Amy, the twin’s mother, also has some secrets and where are Olive’s parents? Will Joe wake up from his coma?
Shalvis always includes animals in her stories, and in Better Than Friends we have the Turner family’s elderly dog, who’s on a diet and an adorable stray cat named Pepper. Both provided plenty of laughs and warm fuzzy feelings.
Can Noah and Olive find happily ever after? I recommend grabbing Better Than Friends and discovering those answers for yourself. While this is the seventh novel in the Sunrise Cove series, each offers a standalone romance and can be read on their own.
About Jill Shalvis
New York Times bestselling author Jill Shalvis lives in a small town in the Sierras with her family and far too many assorted quirky characters. Any resemblance to the quirky characters in her books is, um, mostly coincidental. Look for Jill's latest, ONE IN A MILLION, on shelves and e-readers now, and get all her bestselling, award-winning books wherever romances are sold.
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About Kimberly
Kimberly is a coffee loving book addict who reads and listens to fictional stories in all genres. Whovian, Ravenclaw, Howler and proud Nonna. She owns and manages Caffeinated PR. The coffee is always on and she is ready to chat. BlueSky | Facebook | Instagram
