Joni and Ren have been friends their entire lives. Their families are closer than most, even co-owning an Oregon beach home together. All through school and college, Joni and Ren are inseparable. Then Joni takes a job that moves her across the country, from Oregon to New York.

The friends make a pact: they will be each other’s plus-one at every wedding going forward. For a while, their plan works beautifully. Between phone calls and FaceTime, summers at the beach house, and weddings, Joni and Ren’s friendship not only survives but thrives. Until one weekend that, like a deep scratch on vinyl, changes the sound of their relationship forever.

Back together in Oregon for Joni’s sister’s wedding, Ren and Joni have one last chance to rediscover what they lost as secrets of all sorts are finally revealed.

Friends to Lovers unfolds between past and present, and author Sally Blakely writes characters who feel genuinely real—flawed, imperfect, and deeply relatable. Readers witness the friendship grow and deepen, transforming into something rich with a different kind of yearning and connection.

The story is written vividly and with genuine emotion—a satisfying slow-burn romance that hooked me from the start. Plus, there’s a playlist! What more could you want?

Thank you to NetGalley and Canary Street Press for the free ARC of this book in exchange for my honest thoughts and opinions.