This was my first book by Frances Mensah Williams and it hasn't been the last. I thought this was very well written and I quickly became invested in Ruby's world. The settings merged seemlessly and it really felt like you were travelling along with Ruby and Jake. I'm a sucker for a grumpy best friend who's been there all along so I fell quickly for Griffin! Witnessing Ruby go from insecure to confiden was great as well.

The book explores the themes of love, friendship, family, and microaggression. The only thing that I didn't particulary like was the whole 'a child needs a father' as there are plenty of people who grow into adult without a second parent. It didn't particulary impact my enjoyment of the book but it did make me pause a few times.

Overall, a thoroughly enjoyable read and I would recommend.

The premise of this book was really interesting. I really liked Ruby's Character and the care she has for her son. If I'm being honest, I struggled through the first half of the book, but enjoyed the ending. So, if you're willing to stick it out and keep going I'd say the latter half is worth it and you should definitely pick it up!

This was an interesting friends into lovers book Follows a male who’s been longing for the female lead for many many years, but to need his supplement by serial dating where she has just got over her past relationship and trying to raise her kid. She finds out a lot of things that happened if I try to sort things out as he follows her on vacation to see the father of her son a lot of things on raffled and the relationship grows and blossoms and she starts to see him in a more male light and then grow on each other and end up being together because they find her attractive and I really liked each other for a long time I did enjoy this as it was a male falls fast, and I think the character arc was great and I would 100% read more books by this author

The title of this book made me think romantic comedy. There’s much more drama and seriousness than the title conveys. I enjoyed the way the story progressed until the end. Everything was so well paced and explained. Then it just kind of hurried up at the end. All the lessons the characters learned were quickly summed up. I think maybe the back story could’ve been shorter and then the ending wouldn’t feel so rushed to me. It’s a classic premise of friends falling for each other but with way more drama than I’ve ever read. I would definitely recommend this to others.

Wow. Such a good read. I both laughed out loud and was NEARLY brought to tears! I would say what is keeping me from giving it 5 stars is I really hated the fact that Kenny did not tell Ruby himself why he was leaving and left that to Griffen. I was super pissed at Kenny for not attempting to keep that relationship with his son even with the situation with Ruby. Poor Jake. I also felt like the ending was a little rushed.

Other than that, amazing book. Felt very realistic. I absolutely enjoyed Fi's character. Super badass and straight to the point.

I would highly recommend if you are looking for a feel good story with a lot of character growth.

I really, really wanted to love this book. But honestly the characters just did my head in. I didn't find them likeable nor relatable. Sadly, not for me.

I really wanted to love this more than I did. It had all of the ingredients to be a favourite: friends to lovers meets oblivious mc and self sacrificing love interest, but I couldn't get behind Griffin as a character.

If as a reader you can overlook his less than stellar decision making skills and Ruby's stubborn avoidance of change, then this book could be for you

Strictly Friends is a story about finding answers, healing and learning to love yourself despite your flaws. Oh and with some romance thrown in for good measure.
Ruby's son Jake is making up stories about his father, who left when he was only young, and it is causing problems at school. As a result, Ruby decides it is time that she took Jake to properly meet his father and to get some answers about why he left them.
Ruby does dwell a little too much on 'not being good enough' and the fact she didn't believe her ex, Kenny, could have possibly loved her basically because she isn't 'beautiful' enough - which I wasn't a huge fan of. However, this is to be understood when Kenny left her in the way he did, without any explanation. It was also an interesting way of exploring body image.
I did not like Kenny one bit! I feel like we are supposed to start to root for him towards the end and even start to understand why he left (because he felt he came second best to Ruby's best friend Griffin) but his excuses are ridiculous and patronising and I didn't feel like he ever gave a genuine reason. If anything he tried to turn it back on Ruby and blame her relationship with Griffin.
The title 'Strictly Friends' quite clearly gives away who Ruby will ultimately end up with, although there was potential for a love triangle in there, it's a shame this wasn't explored more, as I really like the character of Mac the painter!

I loved the setting of Sorrell Island and think it is described beautifully, I very much felt like I was there! And I loved the side characters that we meet there - Miss Ida is a delight.

Overall, this is a nice, easy to read story about love, life and everything in between.

Strictly Friends by Frances Mensah Williams is a captivating romance novel that skillfully weaves together themes of love, friendship, family, and self-discovery. The story follows Ruby Lamont, a strong and independent single mother, as she embarks on a journey to confront her ex-husband, Kenny, who abandoned her and their son, Jake, six years ago. Determined to uncover the truth behind Kenny's departure and help her son cope with his absence, Ruby sets off to a picturesque Caribbean island.

One of the aspects that I truly appreciated about this book was the well-developed and relatable characters. Ruby is a multifaceted protagonist who is determined to protect herself and her son, while also grappling with her own vulnerabilities and insecurities. Her best friend, Griffin, serves as a pillar of support and a confidant, and their relationship is portrayed in a realistic and endearing manner. The dynamics between Ruby and Kenny, as well as Ruby and Mac, are also intricately explored, adding depth and complexity to the story.

The setting of Sorrell Island is beautifully depicted, and I was transported to its sandy beaches and lush landscapes through the vivid descriptions. The author's skill in creating a vivid sense of place added an immersive quality to the story, making it a pleasure to read.

The romantic elements in the book are intricately woven into the plot, and the will-they-won't-they dynamics between Ruby, Kenny, Mac, and Griffin kept me eagerly turning the pages. The tension and conflict arising from Ruby's conflicting emotions and the advances of both Mac and Kenny added depth to the story, keeping me thoroughly engaged.

In addition to the romance, the novel also delves into important themes such as self-doubt, bullying, and the challenges faced by developing countries in the form of "brain drain". The author tackles these issues with sensitivity and thoughtfulness, seamlessly incorporating them into the story without overshadowing the romance. I appreciated the way the author explored the complexities of relationships, including friendships, family dynamics, and romantic entanglements, and how they can sometimes be intertwined and impact our choices.

One minor critique I had was that I would have liked to see more of Auntie Pearl, as her character was intriguing and added a unique perspective to the story. Nevertheless, the overall plot was well-paced and kept me engaged from start to finish.

Frances Mensah Williams has crafted a compelling story with well-developed characters, a beautiful setting, and a thoughtful exploration of relevant issues. I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and eagerly anticipate the author's next work. I highly recommend Strictly Friends to readers who enjoy romance novels with depth, relatable characters, and engaging storytelling.

Firstly thank you to Lake Union Publishing for my digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Strictly Friends is a cute and easy vacation read, about love, self development, family and a beautiful island.

Thankyou to Netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this ARC.
I really liked the cute front cover and that is what drew me in.
I found this to be a wonderful love story of how people fought all odds to come together to be together.
I love the characters and the storyline.
Thankyou again
4/5 stars

I LOVED THIS SO SO MUCH!! Honestly, Sorrel Island needs to be a real place because the romantic in me wants to visit ASAP. Especially to see Miss Ida, her outlook on the world is so beautiful.

This was a cute story following the MC Ruby through the journey of self-love, acceptance and finally getting the closure she needed. The men in her life actions are somewhat questionable and had me looking at them sideways and full of rage. But this was relatable, funny at times and despite predicting from early where the story was heading, it was a nice journey to get there. Little Jacob is a sweetheart too with his imagination. I highly recommend this to anyone wanting some feel good lovey vibes.

Great book for holiday vibes. I really liked Ruby's Character and the care she has for her son. If I'm being honest, I struggled through the first half of the book, but enjoyed the ending. Overall 3 stars

I fell in love with the book, it was a beautiful story that touched my heart, it made me feel so many things.
I feel that there is a lot that I could learn from this story, about forgiveness and about being honest with ourselves, just as it taught me I think it could teach many people about really important things.
I thought the book would only focus on romance, but I was surprised to see that it is not just a love book, it is also a book about family, self-love, forgiveness, being true to ourselves and moving on.
I liked the author's way of writing, I'm not used to reading in the third person, but the story was clear and very easy to understand.
Regarding the author, I am dying to read more stories written by her, I am sure they will be just as good.

Wow! My first read from Frances Williams and I have to say this will not be my last. I'm an island girl so I can fully relate to the magic that island living can entail. The love story of two friends Ruby and Griffin. After being abandoned by her child father Kenneth, Ruby raised their son Jake by herself with the help of family and friends. However nothing could kill Jake's curiosity. After heading to Sorrel Island to find Kenneth for their son. The journey throughout this book was so authentic I couldn't stop reading because I wanted to know what was going to happen next. A cute read.

The story is pretty predictable but the side characters are all lovely and it's nice to see them interacting.

I disliked Ruby. That mostly ruined this book for me. She's so sanctimonious and yet so insecure it's incredibly frustrating to hear her narrative. She's got the self confidence of a teenager and is desperate for male validation to an embarrassing extent.

Let me just say, I hate giving bad reviews. I really do. I always try to push through the book I’m reading and find something positive, but I can’t with this one. 40% in and nothing is happening, so it’s a DNF for me. I think the book had potential, but it’s just taking too long to get there and I don’t have the patience to wait.

I thought this book was cute enough and I liked the concept, but I found that the execution fell a bit flat. The plot was a little messy, and I feel like the exposition happened so quickly before we jumped straight into the story. The ending was pretty lackluster to me, but I did really like Ruby as a character and Jake as well.

Most of the plot felt very tell-y rather than show-y, which I found to be very annoying, except for the setting - Sorrel Island sounded beautiful and I think it was described very well. Overall, it was exactly fine. It reminded me a bit of Seven Days in June, but didn't quite have the same spark as that book did.

This is my first Frances Mensah Williams book and I really enjoyed it. This story is about complicated relationships, grief, motherhood, and believing in oneself. I felt an instant connection with Ruby, Jake and Griffin. The island of Sorrel sounds beautiful and was a perfect backdrop to this story. The supporting characters of Miss Ida, Auntie Pearl, Mac and Fi added another layer of friendship and family and rounded out this heartfelt novel with some needed moments of levity. I highly recommend this novel - it would make a great beach read.

Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

This is a cute, friends to lovers story. It was a quick read that I enjoyed very much.

Single mom Ruby's son has been asking about his absent father, Kenny and has started making up stories at school.

She decides the best course of action is to go find Kenny. Enlisting the help of her best friend, Griffin, she embarks on her journey.

Along the way, she meets artist Mac, who wants Ruby to be his muse...Now Ruby has to decide which man she wants to be with..

With detailed descriptions and interesting characters, this book was a delght!