Really like this book really gave my a break from study i like the story the romance the characters the confident the main female have and just over all i really enjoyed this book and i want to thank to net gallery and avonbooks for the early access so ya overall i really like this book was really fun read for my 😊

Thank you to Netgalley and Quercus books for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

After reading Obuobi's debut novel, On Rotation, I was super excited to read this one, and it didn't let me down! The book follows Jo, a medical resident turned influencer, Mal, a shy debut author, and Ezra, an actor and Jo's best friend for a decade, as well as her long-term unrequited crush. I was a bit hesitant at first because of the love triangle premise, but I enjoyed it despite that. Ezra was charming and lovable, but at other times arrogant and frustrating. Mal was an absolute sweetheart, and he was so genuine and outgoing in his love, however, it did feel a little bit insta-lovey in how fast his feelings developed. Jo was brilliant and funny and outwardly confident, but was also insecure and struggled to trust people. I really liked that the book, particularly through Jo, explored some deeper issues such as racism and depression and discussed some systemic issues within the medical field. My only criticism would be that I would have loved to have more scenes with Ezra. I thought his chemistry with Jo was amazing, and I wish their friendship could have been explored a bit further on the page.

Would definitely recommend if you're a fan of:

💕 STEMinist romance
💕 Found family
💕 Love triangles
💕 Author characters

BFAL is a dual perspective romance novel, that follows Josephine (Jo) a physician come influencer and Malcolm (Mal) a bestselling novelist as they have a chance meeting and become involved in each other's lives, with readers feeling an automatic connection to bother MC’s - I know I did!
This book follows a love triangle trope, but not the typical one I was expecting, and it was really refreshing, this wasn’t an all-round romantic notion book, as there are some heavy themes such as racism, suicide, depression and emotional abuse. I absolutely ship Jo and Mal, and watching their relationship develop throughout the book was wholesome, but also so realistic, they were figuring each other out together, and the focus on transparency with one another was great, their romantic scenes were full of angst and sweetness but don’t get fooled they were hot and spicy too!
This book has fantastic character development, I felt an instant connection to all three MC’s; Jo, Mal and Ezra, each character's personality shone through the page, and they all felt so realistic. Jo is such an independent, strong and resourceful woman who is aware of her own flaws and trauma, and is always unapologetically herself, I really like that she has a therapist, and that the author included this in the book, it felt very uplifting that the author highlighted just how characters mental health was important, and they were being looked after/supporting each other where necessary, the characters did not just “get better” for the ease of a plot or character arc. Mal is the cinnamon roll character of the story, he comes across as completely selfless and supportive, but also constantly being aware of consent and giving Jo the space she needs, whilst also ensuring that he communicates effectively with her. Then we have Ezra, towards the end of the novel I was really worried he was going to be the villain of the story especially as his privilege was showing in some of his actions, but his redemption arc was completely unexpected and heartbreaking, I completely sobbed at his and Jo’s exchange!
I love the changing format within the book too, with Jo’s email correspondence, and various Instagram posts, which shared captions as well as image descriptions, and the many comment sections on posts felt so realistic towards a public figure with Jo receiving various supportive/offensive comments from strangers who felt the need to comment. I really like that the author did not shy away from the dark side of social media and publicity, with the fact that Jo was receiving various death threats and offensive comments/emails, and the detrimental effect this had on her wellbeing, I really feel like it's not highlighted enough!
There is just so much praise I can sing for this book and the author, I absolutely love Shirlene’s work and she is an auto read author for me, every book I will be queueing to read. This was just another perfect novel, so if you haven't already; I recommend reading On Rotation and Between Friends and Lovers, you will not be disappointed!

Between Friends and Lovers, was a beautifully written romance. I really enjoyed Shirlene Obuobi's writing style, her characters and their development throughout the book really had me wanting them to find their happily ever afters. They were diverse, and interesting and all had their own complex stories.
The book dives straight in, and I think within the first few pages we met the main three characters, Dr Josephine Boateng, a doctor and influencer who is a little lost in her life, Malcolm Waters a very successful author, and Ezra Adelman - Jo's best friend and the man she's been in love with for many years!

The book dives straight into an array of characters within the first few pages which definitely encouraged me to pay attention so I could keep up with the introductions. The multiple perspectives per chapter are narrated by Josephine Boateng, a Doctor and influencer and Malcolm Waters, a very successful author, and Ezra Adelman, Jo's best friend, and the man she's been in love with for many years!
Cue the love triangle!
I love the honesty in this book, Mal is an absolute gentleman, he gives Jo the space she needs to work through her many ups and downs, he falls hard, and first, but he never expects her to be in the same place as him.
I won't give away too much more, but there are a few trigger warnings, check the website for further details, all of these heavier subjects were dealt with such grace.
A beautiful honest read, I can not wait to add more of Shirlene Obuobi's work to my to be read list!

A BIG thank you to Netgalley and Quercus Books for the ARC.

As someone that read Shirlene Obuobi's debut and loved it, I'm disappointed.

I couldn't really love the characters and be fully invested in their lives and relationships.

I liked Jo, although as a human being as well, I frowned at some of her actions.

Overall, this wasn't for me but I recommend it, nonetheless.

This was a perfectly enjoyable romance. The romance between Jo and Mal was sweet and I had a good time reading this book. Although I did think Jo and Ezra had more chemistry than Jo and Mal. I didn't love the story all the time and I was able to put it down and come back to it at a different point.

The Plot: 4/5 The Characters: 4/5 The Setting: 4/5 The Writing: 5/5

Thoughts:

The book dives straight into an array of characters within the first few pages which definitely encouraged me to pay attention so I could keep up with the introductions. The multiple perspectives per chapter are narrated by Josephine Boateng, a Doctor and influencer and Malcolm Waters, who is an author of a top selling novel. Ezra Adelman, a bigshot/ world known actor, is Jojo’s close friend who she has known for many years since saving his life.

The setting begins at a party, where Jojo is hanging out with her best friend (secret love) Ezra and his famous model mother at their top floor penthouse. At this party, JoJo meets Ezras new girlfriend, who happens to be the nasty girl from high school.
Shortly after this encounter, Jojo finds author Ezra in the guest bedroom she’s staying the night in. He happens to be a nervous wreck and in total panic mode, revealing the intention of his arrival to the party being that he wanted Ezras mum Renata to turn his novel into a movie.

I LOVE how Shirlene Obuobi writes! The detail, characters and story was so immersive. The love Mal and Ezra have for Jo is shown through very different styles but heartfelt nonetheless. I judged Ezra for his lack of communication skills with Jo and was really rooting for Mal who honestly is the nicest person and has great emotional intelligence as well as knowing how to be completely considerate and respectful.. he’s also just a smart guy in general who’s very smooth with his words! Hence being a best selling author.

Mal 🥲 “Even if you can't do anything for me ever again. Even if I take care of you like this forever. I’ll be happy to just be yours.” 🥹

This book made me laugh, cry & sit in my feels!! The ending was perfect 💕

Tropes:

Love triangle
STEMinist romance
Best friend romance
Found family
Healthy boundaries
Celebrity


Pro's + Con's:

Pro's: Excellent story telling and character development! The dynamic and balance of Jo and Mal’s relationship is just the cutest.

Con's: n/a 🙃

"Between Friends and Lovers" had so much heart. When I picked this up I was expecting a super traditional, potentially cringey love triangle romance but was pleasantly surprised.

I really enjoyed the direction the romance went in. The couple were soft and kind and communicative with each other and it was nice to see a romance like that win out in the end.

I couldn’t give it a 5 stars because it just didn’t wow me. As far as romances go it leaned on the slightly more litfic side with oftentimes very serious themes. These themes were handled with grace and the author really respected the weight of them.

If you're considering reading this one, I would highly recommend it! But please consider that this book includes mentions and scenes regarding suicide, depression, parental neglect, racism, slurs, anxiety and death.

An enjoyable and easy read! The characters were likable and I enjoyed the normalness and healthiness of the relationship in this novel. The love triangle was a bit lacking for me, the tension could’ve been built a lot more and I also kinda wish we’d have had more Ezra and some chapters from Ezra’s point of view. Some plot points were left hanging which was a shame (her mum, the tv show).

Overall an enjoyable read with diverse and likeable characters. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC, all opinions are my own. 3.5 stars 🌟

Between Friends and Lovers follows Dr Jojo who is a trained doctor but also an influencer. Her followers think she has it all figured out but really she is in love with Ezra, her best friend. Jo finds the perfect distraction from her feelings for Ezra with Malcolm. Malcolm is a writer and very willing to wait for Jo to work her feelings out.

This was a perfectly enjoyable romance. The romance between Jo and Mal was sweet and I had a good time reading this book. Although I did think Jo and Ezra had more chemistry than Jo and Mal. I would recommend this novel as it was quite unique with Jo being a doctor but also an influencer. Plus there was some important conversations around work pressures especially in high pressure jobs with doctors. I am giving this 3.5 stars rounded down to a 3.

This novel centers around Jojo, who juggles her roles as both a social media influencer and a medical professional. Despite her confidence and humor, she grapples with unrequited feelings for her longtime best friend, Ezra. Throughout the story, Jojo navigates her emotions and encounters a new figure in her life, Malcom.

Jojo's resilience shines through as she faces various challenges with poise, a quality that captivates readers. Her upbringing, marked by self-reliance in the absence of adult guidance, adds depth to her character.

Malcom enters the scene as a charming debut novelist collaborating with Ezra's mother. Despite his introverted nature and social anxiety, readers are drawn to his vulnerability.

While Ezra's obliviousness initially evokes frustration, delving into his backstory fosters empathy.

The blossoming relationship between Jojo and Malcom is a highlight, characterized by patience, support, and genuine care. Their bond strengthens organically throughout the narrative, offering a refreshing portrayal of love and appreciation for black women.

Despite typically disliking love triangle narratives, the nuanced exploration of relationships in this book proved compelling. Through Jojo's journey, readers gain insights and experience a range of emotions, from laughter to tears, and everything in between. The novel adeptly addresses weighty topics amidst its romantic storyline, culminating in a beautiful and satisfying conclusion.

The impact of the story lingers long after its conclusion, leaving readers eager to revisit its pages. A heartfelt recommendation accompanies gratitude to Netgalley, Avonbooks, and HarperVoyagerUS for providing an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.