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This friends-to-lovers spin on The Bachelor follows two childhood besties reuniting to spend the summer in L.A. after five years apart—but when they both get involved with a teen reality dating show, their lives take an unexpected turn for the unreal. Sloane McKinney feels like a background character in her own life. But this summer will be different, because she’s spending it with her childhood best friend, Liam Daniels, in her dream city, Los Angeles. Sure, she’s surprised to find that Liam just happens to have had a Hot Guy glow-up since she last saw him, but so what? A little attraction won’t ruin her plans for their fun—and completely platonic—reunion. What might, however, is that Liam has been roped into working for his producer dad’s new teen reality dating show, Aspen Woods’s Future Leading Lady. Liam figures Sloane can still hang out with him on set while he fetches coffee for the film crew, or whatever it is that production assistants do. Except it turns out the show is one contestant short . . . and Sloane is the perfect last-minute addition. Once cameras are rolling, the whirlwind of dating teen heartthrob Aspen Woods feels way more real than Sloane expected, and Liam doesn’t exactly enjoy watching it all unfold. But it’s behind the scenes where the drama really picks up. . . . Because wanting to kiss your best friend? That’s a plot twist neither Sloane nor Liam ever saw coming.
Publication Year: 2023
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0Characters
The characters in this book were delightful, and I loved their personalities. Sloane was the female main character, and her love of writing made me want to continue reading this story. Liam was the male main character, and he was so sweet to read about. You could tell that Liam and Sloane worked well together and that they had a love for each other. The supporting cast was delightful, and I loved how each of the girls each had their own personality.
Plot
I’m not one for Reality TV or books in this genre. What drew me to this book was the fact that you would get a behind-the-scenes look at how they film these types of shows. I thought I was going to enjoy the fact that Liam was working on production, and we would get to see what goes on behind the scenes at these types of shows. What I enjoyed most about the plot of this story was the found family elements between the girls staying at Chelsea’s house. The friends Sloane finds there supported each other, and they were all rooting for the other girls even though they also wanted to have time with Aspen as well. The end of the book was wonderful, and I loved how the story ended.
Writing
Not Here to Stay Friends had a delightful writing style. Kaitlyn Hill uses a light tone to tell parts of the story, and you can tell that the characters were having fun during the scene. The more intense scenes in the book have a serious tone and are handled with care. This book had a writing style that flowed very well and was easy to follow. I enjoyed writing in the book and felt the style worked well to tell the story.
Romance
Romance was one of the best things about this book. I could pick out from early in the book where the romance was going to go. The show had an interesting element, and I thought there would be a twist in the middle of the story. Sloane and Liam were so cute, and they were so sweet. They both cared about each other and because they were best friends growing up, they already had a history with each other. Sloane and Liam were passing letters to each other on set, and they went for a drive when Sloane wasn’t on a solo date, and I just loved the moments between the two of them.
Enjoyment
I really enjoyed this book. I had a great time while reading this book. I would recommend this if you’re a fan of reality tv shows like The Bachelor. This book was a lot of fun, and it also talked about things that should be talked about more, like teens doing what they want to do, rather than what their parents want them to do.
0I think I’m becoming a sucker for YA Romance books and “Not Here to Stay Friends” is definitely a YA that I loved.
Sloane is visiting her friend Liam in California and manages to be brought onto a teen version of “the bachelor’. This is definitely not what she expected but she’s going along with the show because it’s going to be a chance for her to get to the writer’s room. Liam works for his dad, as a Producer’s Assistance, but he would much rather do woodworking.
Together the two navigate the taping of the show and their developing feelings for each other in this friends-to-lovers ya romcom.
I loved the dual POV. I loved the relationship between the two. I loved the insight we got into the behind the scenes of a reality show.
Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.
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