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Blurb
In the vein of Emily Henry’s You and Me On Vacation, Love, Just In is a friends-to-lovers romance with just enough spice to heat up the summer.
Sydney TV news reporter Josie Larsen is approaching thirty and coming dangerously close to failing at life. Lost in a vortex of other people’s career milestones, engagement parties and baby showers, Josie is perennially single, abandoned by her globetrotting family, and invisible to her boss – except for the one time he tuned in while she was mid-panic-attack on live TV. As punishment, Josie is shipped off to cover another reporter’s six-month leave at a regional bureau in Newcastle.
But Josie has more waiting for her in Newcastle than yawn-inducing stories about bicycle lane protests. The city is also the domain of Zac Jameson – her best friend since high school. This should be a happy turn of events, but Zac has barely spoken to Josie for the past two years. Not since a tragic event caused him to leave Sydney to try and cope with his grief.
Now thrown back into each other’s lives, Josie and Zac have to navigate their neglected friendship and secret attraction to each other while struggling with their careers and mental health.
Review
4 stars
This is a gorgeous read! An emotional and heartfelt, slow-burning best friends-to-lovers romance that captured my heart.
Based on the cover and the description, I was expecting a fun, cutesy romcom, and that is not what this book is. Yes, there are moments of fun, but it’s actually quite dramatic and emotional, dealing with serious issues, and I thought it was beautifully written. And set in my home of Australia, I was thrilled to be so familiar with the setting and the nuances, which was a nice treat.
Josie and Zac have been best friends since high school. He asked her out when they were teenagers, and she turned him down, but they remained the closest of friends through school and University, until Zac lost his fiancé in a tragic accident, and he fled Sydney in his grief and cut off all contact. It’s been two years since they’ve really spoken, and Josie has just been transferred to Zac’s new home of Newcastle (about two hours north of Sydney) on a six month work transfer. Not only is it an opportunity for Josie to prove herself as a television reporter, but it’s also a chance to get her relationship with her best friend back on track.
It’s a great set-up, and I was excited to see how their story would unfold. Their initial reunion is awkward, but they slowly find their way back to familiar ground, and I loved seeing them banter and get back into their groove. It’s clear that they’re close, but they have a complicated history, and we see that through chapters from the past, which add context to the present situation throughout the story.
The one thing that is clear is that they are both feeling more than friendship for each other. I could feel the chemistry between them from the beginning, and loved every moment of seeing them interact and navigate their feelings as they try to fix their friendship. It’s an emotional and intense slow burn, and there’s so much build-up, with lots of those fun little hints and triggers that flare a reaction, and I was cheering when their mad attraction finally explodes. Not only is it steamy, but they’re honest and open about it all, and I love their trust in each other as they put themselves out there.
“We jumped off the cliff, Josie. We did that. We can’t climb back up and pretend it didn’t happen.”
But it’s not a simple story of friends-to-lovers. Both Josie and Zac are dealing with some pretty huge issues personally, and they’ve got a lot to work through before they can consider a relationship. And then there’s the fact that career-driven Josie is only in town temporarily. Could they even make a relationship work?
It’s an emotional journey for these two, and I was right there with them all the way as they slowly reveal their truths to each other and support and help each other move forward. It’s beautifully written, and the love story is hard fought-for, but well worth it, and left me with a huge smile on my face.
“I’ve told you a thousand times before that I love you. But what I’ve never told you is that I’m hopelessly in love with you. It’s always been you.”
This is my first read by Natalie Murray, and I really like her writing. I’m looking forward to reading more of her books.
Loved this one – 4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the publisher via NetGalley for an honest review.