"I thought about you every day, Kate,” he says softly into my hair. “I never stopped thinking about you.”

It was an enjoyable, fast-paced, light-hearted and quick read set in a small town with the best friends to lovers trope. Kate Fletcher is the type of person who loves adventures and can't seem to stay at one place for long. When a family errand makes her return to her hometown, she has to face her bestfriend Brody Hawthorne whom she failed to keep contact with for four straight years. But this time both of them can't deny the attraction between them, will it be enough to make Kaye stay?
Overall, this was an engaging read. I liked the writing style and the entire Hawthorne family. While most of them were welcoming with Kate, I could understand why they were so concerned about her growing relationship with Brody. I didn't think that Kate deserved Brody until a certain point in the story but that was because I couldn't understand her point of view before. I'm glad that they could figure out stuff somehow though. This is going to be a series and since Perry's book is next, I'm going to continue reading it!

Thank you Netgalley for providing me the ARC

Overall, this was a cute and fun book. I had some problems with it, but I still loved all the tropes and dynamics. I thought it was a great beach read.

THINGS I LIKED:
I love the entire set-up. It's cheesy, but in a good way and not too cliche that it feels overdone
I like the relationship between the brothers- we don't normally get to read super supportive male familial relationships
I think the way that Kate and Brody's meeting is described really gets to the heart of their relationship and I love that.
I do enjoy how self aware the novel itself is!!! Like it knows what it needs to give and it does just that. Also, the miscommunication is set up really, really well.
It was really funny to watch Kate struggle with being attracted to Brody, but I wish one of the characters hadn't realized until halfway in to keep tension high.
I thought Kristyn was hilarious and I like how she only teases Kate in a gentle way. It felts super realistic.

THINGS I DIDN'T LIKE:
I never enjoy pop culture references. They make books feel like they're trying too hard to be relatable, which instantly makes me feel like it's lacking a certain charisma in other areas and relies on those references as a crutch for connection instead of establishing it genuinely.
Brody is way, way too yearny. I wish that he'd sort of moved on with his life, but then Kate comes back and hits him with the feelings that are still there. He seems weirdly self aware for someone who isn't over his childhood friend. At some point, you "move on" even if it's not genuine.
Kate is meant to seem quirky but she honestly felt weird some of the time in an off-putting way. I wish she'd just let Brody and his brother go on their hiking trip, then catch up with him afterwards. We could have some nice stuck in town pining to do. Also, if she's so impulsive and reckless, why doesn't she say anything instinctually to Brody?
Brody doesn't seem to have any flaws except to have feelings for Kate? I also always hate when he's so obvious everyone knows just by looking at him but Kate has no idea because she's a smart and observant woman, so she should figure it out by now. It would make a better book if she knew but thought she didn't feel the same.

I don’t even know where to begin with how perfect this book was, by far Jenny’s best one yet.

As somebody that pined for my high school best friend for years I felt this all in my core. There were so many pining moments that just made my heart ache because I could relate so well.

I adored how Brody just couldn’t stay away. He recognized it would hurt but he didn’t care because he just wanted to be near Kate.

I loved the instant attraction Kate felt when she saw Brody again. She may have blamed it on Kristyn putting the bug in her ear, but the fact that she worked so hard to see him sooner says otherwise.

Books like this are why the best friend trope is inching its way past enemies to lovers for my favorite spot. Give me all the pining!

I cannot wait to see what Jenny does with the rest of the brothers. My fingers are crossed for Kristyn and Perry to see sparks.

It was such a fun summer read - a friends to lovers trope with a dash of mutual pining. I really liked the friendship between Kate and Brody, which made them having a relationship believable.

I read this book so fast! It is a real page-turner! It was a first time for me to read a book by Jenny Proctor and I am not disappointed! All the contrary! What a great love story! It's so well written, the feelings of the characters are so well described that I could feel them too! I almost gave this book a 5 stars out of 5 but in the end I am giving 4 stars to this book because I found that after a while the story was starting to be a bit too slow and repeating itself. This book could have been a bit shorter in my opinion. But other than that, the story is perfect!!!! You will love it! It's the perfect romance!

How To Kiss Your Best Friend by Jenny Proctor. Review published on Goodreads on 09/06/2022.

This is a simple friends-to-lovers story with just enough tension and conflict to keep it interesting. I binge-read this in two days, I kept thinking about it at work!

Kate is a travel writer and never stays put for long. Brody is her lifelong best friend, bound to their small home town. They part ways as late teens and grow apart, until Kate returns to Silver Creek to see to family affairs.
In that time Brody has grown into a man and Kate struggles to reconcile with the shift in their pure-of-heart friendship in the face of Brody's *ahe/m* new body..

This story had all of the tropes of a friends-to-lovers, slow burn romance in a small town while also tackling tricky subjects like family conflict and the way young adults grapple with their identity.

I would have liked a little more spice (if you know what I mean) but the romance was so sweet I don't mind. All of our main characters - including Brody's large, close-knit family - are well rounded characters with their own backstories and motivations.

I'd definitely reccommend this as a light summer read specifically! I could practically smell the forest when Proctor gave us descriptions of Silver Creek - I wish I could go myself!

This was a nice and easy friends to lovers story. Brody has been in love with Kate forever and when they reconnect Kate is realizing she may have feelings for Brody. But neither one knows that the other wants more than friendship. So lots of mutual pining for the other. It took a bit long for them to realize. Both characters had their own growing to do but mostly Kate figuring out her childhood issues and feeling that she deserves love.
I loved the farm and would want to visit there irl.

This is a great friends to enemies to lovers and I couldn't get enough. The character development is golden and the writing style is amazing.

I loved 60% of the book! Cut that! Almost 70%. At least until the romance began. Cause the author jumped from slow burn to run! I loved Brody! I mean he is only the perfect fiction hero with an incredible body or so we hear in the book, but who is counting, right? Anyway,I didn't like Kate much. She seemed the kind of person who will only be there because she needed something. And I feel strongly about these sorts of people.

4.5/5!!
This was such a cute friends to lovers!!
The chemistry between the two of them was so good & was so entertaining to read!
I wish there were more romantic scenes between them!!! Needed more!!!

I do wish though that there was a bit more mention of kate being unsure about her feelings for Brody before she moved away?? I don’t know, I’m not a huge fan of when one person has been in love with the other for forever & then somewhat “out of the blue” the other person is like “yep! you know what, me too!”.

This was such a cute, sweet (no spice) romcom. It was exactly what I needed to get out of a reading slump, and make me smile while I've been feeling under the weather lately.

Brody and Kate's story has:
- childhood friends to lovers
- dual POV
- one of them has always been in love with the other
- a second chance after years apart
- a small town romance
- a very wholesome family on a beautiful farm (I'd read a book about each sibling if the author wanted to write them all)
- the miscommunication trope in the 3rd act (this is the only con in this list, but I don't mind how it was executed in this case)

All in all I'd recommend picking up this book if you're into any of those tropes.

Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and Jenny Proctor for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

How to Kiss Your Best Friend is a great read. I loved the story and small town feel. I grew up in a small town, so I loved the way this book brought that to life. I would definitely recommend this book to others.

To be totally honest, the friends to lovers trope is one I struggle with. Sometimes it’s just overdone. I am so happy I gave this one a chance. It broke all the typical clichés in this trope to give an emotional, romantic, and overall realistic story.

Some highlights:
- friends to lovers
- small town redefined
-complex characters
- entertaining side characters
- Kayaking
- funny, flirty moments

Tiny summary:
Brody Hawthorne is a part of a large family, and lives in the same town he grew up in. He wants roots. A family of his own,p. But he can only see that happening with his best friend, Kate. Kate Fletcher is a free Spirit, she never stays in the same place for more than a few weeks. Brody has always been her best friend, even after she stopped speaking to him and let the years go by. But after seeing Brody again, feelings start to stir where they never were with before.

Review:
This was a sweet story with plenty romantic moments, and laugh out loud situations. At the same time it was a story filled with emotions and struggles. It was about growth, family, and love. Moving on and accepting life, no matter what it throws at you. I loved relationship between Brody and Kate, and the fact that both had very different views on life but still had a deep connection. Their careers, hobbies, and families deepen the plot and effect their shifting relationship. The pages turn themselves. It was just a very well rounded story, and a breathe of fresh air into a well loved trope.

As the first book in the “Kissing a Hawthorne Brother” series, I can say I am now hooked and can’t wait to see what’s in store for this close knit family.

I was provided an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my
own.

Thanks go to NetGalley for an ARC of How to Kiss Your Best Friend by Jenny Proctor.

I love the setting in North Carolina with the country vibe of a small town. The love interest between Brody and Kate is one of opposites—which I always think is a lot of fun. He's lived this happy, secure life and Kate never felt like she fit in and didn't get along with her mom. After years apart, their energy sizzles.

This is a story about love but also acceptance, giving second chances, and finding your true self.

I thought this was an adorable sweet romance with kissing. It's appropriate for any audience.

Kate's and Brody's was incredibly sweet and full of emotion. The slow burn romance between 2 childhood best friends is the sweetest. They had feelings for each other all along but there were obstacles in the way. Kate finally chose to stop running away, and the last time she ran, she ran straight into her future. Loved this book 🥰🤍

This was a fun, quick friends to lovers read. I really loved Brody and his family. I wish we had gotten more flashbacks to Brody and Kate's friendship to really feel the depth of how well they knew each other. I loved all the brothers and how different they were and am looking forward to reading their stories.

Thank you to NetGalley and Four Petal Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

4 stars. I will admit, that I usually dislike books where the main characters are in love, but neither of them will admit it. And then when one of them goes to admit it, something happens, and it's a cycle that starts all over again. But this book was so cute.

This is small-town, friends to lovers, man falls first, clean romance. It has a dog named Charlie and a bunch of baby goats. Kate is a travel writer and swore she would never stay in one place for too long, including Silver Lake. Brody loves small-town living, especially because his family and their farm are there. After a few years of not hearing from her, Kate texts Brody and tells him she is coming home for the summer.

I really did like this book. I liked the Hawthorne’s. I loved the banter between the brothers. I loved the detailed descriptions of the farm, that made me feel like I was standing right there. Even the details about the lakes and where they went kayaking made me feel like I was there. This is the perfect summer read. I highly recommend it.

Solid 4.5 stars from me!

This was a very sweet, well written, closed door rom com. I sometimes can't handle the cheese factor in the "clean" versions of romance novels, but this one really hit the mark! There is humor, tension, romance - all the elements needed to make a good rom com - and it never once felt "silly" to me. The storyline between Brody and Kate is very believable and authentic! Before reading this book, I had just finished a very.... heavy and intense novel. So How To Kiss Your Best Friend felt like a breath of fresh air! Just what I needed.

Kate and Brody have been friends since childhood and Brody has been in love with her almost as long. They lost touch for a few years but now Kate has returned. Brody is the small town, family oriented, dependable golden retriever type. Kate is from a divorced family, estranged from her mother, and she makes a living out of moving from place to place - chasing adventure after adventure. Brody is 100% sure he is in love with Kate, but he is also 100% sure that their lives are too different to ever risk their friendship over what might be.

Definitely would recommend for an easy summer read - Brody is precious. And I love the whole Hawthorne family. I will for sure be following up with their stories in the future. Thank you to NetGalley and Four Petal Press for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Kate and Brody have been best friends since they were little kids. Only Brody has a secret he’s always been in love with Kate. Will a kiss between the two change everything.? Read to this wonderful story to find out. This story was so cute and pulled on my heartstrings. I love Brody; he’s smart, sweet, kind, patient, and understanding. He’s would be the man any girls dreams and your definitely rooting for him. I loved Kate also but in the beginning couldn’t understand her but as the story goes on you find out her reasoning and in the end I felt compassion for her. Brody is the sweetest with lines like this “I thought about you every day, Kate,” he says softly into my hair. “I never stopped thinking about you.” From hiking, kayaking, math genius, hot chemistry teacher Brody is everything and Kate is about see the grown up version of her best friend. A version all these years of staying away she missed out on will she be able to resist him. I loved Brody’s whole family and their dynamic. I loved their close relationship and how they helped each other through thick and thin. I can’t wait to read the rest of the Hawthorne Brothers love stories from Grumpy Perry who runs the family farm, to movies star Flint and the famous Chef Lennox. I’ll leave with a other quote from the book: “I’d been in love with two women in my nineteen years of existence. Kate Fletcher and Taylor Swift.” This was a sweet clean read. This review will be posted on goodreads for some reason it won’t eat me automatically post through here. Also instagram and Amazon links will be provided.

I'm surprised how much I loved this book. It's a FANTASTIC friends-to-lovers with a swoony, muscley, kind guy and an adventurous, independent girl who struggles to figure out what she wants. There's lots of tension, some adorable moments between them, and lots of character growth for Kate. I honestly related to this book a lot (I totally knew a "Brody" and a "Kate" in high school/college who had the same relationship dynamic), so I think that's why I enjoyed this so much.

This is a quick, sweet romance that will keep you reading. It's a wonderful addition to the friends-to-lovers romance books out there!

Writing Aesthetic/Style: 4
Plot/Movement: 4
Character Development: 5
Overall: 4

Thank you, Jenny Proctor and NetGalley, for the ARC!