Absolutely loved this book. One of my favourites this year. Apologies for late review. I reviewed on Amazon on release date. Camilla Isley is fast becoming a favourite of mine!! This was perfect!

Absolutely loved this, it reminded me a bit of my Best Friends Wedding with Julia Roberts or at least the plot did, but it did also hold a kind of classic romantic comedy heyday feel for me, you know the really good ones with Sandra Bullock, Meg Ryan or Julia, absolutely wonderful feel goood films, just like this book is.

Just like those films I love so much this book is closed door , plenty of tension and romance but rest is up to the imagination. It’s a lighthearted read, full of fun and heart, I loved the dual POV so we get to see both perspectives, I’m a big fan of dual POV Im always a little disappointed if I only get one aspect in a romance, because I’m always desperate to know how the other party feels too. I know I’m a greedy reader.

I love Camilla’s writing and this isn’t my first read by the author and it’s a long way from being my last (I don’t think I’ll get there unless she stops writing) The perfect read for fans of friends to lovers and fake dating, this is sure to be a fantastic read for any lovers of romance, I know it was for me.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

My Rating: ❤️❤️❤️❤️

Disclaimer: I received a review copy for free and am leaving this review voluntarily.

General Thoughts: I have read Camilla Isley enough to know that I'm going to get a fun, enjoyable, lighthearted, funny closed-door fade-to-black romance, and that's exactly what I got. Most of her novels also include STEM themes. Here the main characters were all doctors. This one was a fun "Speak Now" song and "My Best Friend's Wedding coded book. The main character loved Taylor Swift, so there were many Taylor Swift references. If that's not your thing and that will annoy you, keep it moving. I thought it may have been just a tinge heavy-handed, but I didn't mind.

I thought the ending conflict could have been executed better, but I really did enjoy this one. It was a great quick, cute read. Glad to have read it, and I can't wait to see what the author does next.

Steam Meter: 🪵 Fade to black, closed door, sweet romance.

Romantic Tropes
-contemporary
-romcom
-Swiftie coded
-"My Best Friend's Wedding" Julia Roberts coded
-fake dating
-in love with my best friend
-I love her, she loves him, he loves somebody else

You can also find me on Insta @mylastromancenovel.

I am quite sure I say this every time I finish one of Camilla Isley’s books, but… I think this might now be favourite of hers! Lori, Jace and Aiden have been best friends since college and now they all work together. Lori has always been in love with Aiden but he totally friend zones her. Jace has always known this and is her shoulder to cry on when Aiden is getting married. However, in a last ditch attempt to make Aiden jealous, Lori forces Jace to go along with a fake dating scheme. Little does she know that this is torture for him, because he’s always been in love with her.

I thought this would be your standard love triangle, but I was wrong! And let me tell you, when I turned to chapter two after Lori’s POV establishing the friendships and her love for Aiden, to find that Jace was totally gone for her I was ALL IN. I mean this is pure escapism, and romance at its finest, because it is a fantasy - this idea that you could have this attractive friend who is so utterly and secretly in love with you just as you are. Swoon. And I love that Aiden didn’t become a villain in it all - very refreshing. From about three quarters in, it started to remind me of The Cheat Sheet a bit?! In a good way.

What to expect:

- friends to lovers
- fake dating
- he falls first
- love triangle
- closed door but still 🔥

✔️friends to lovers
✔️fake dating
✔️ love triangle
✔️ dual pov
✔️ fade to black
✔️ he falls first

3.25

Reading a book by Camilla Isley is always fun. Her books are so addictive that putting them down is impossible because the story simply flows without you even noticing. I usually stay away from love triangles; it's not a trope I typically enjoy. But this one wasn't painful to read at all.

The characters were fun to read and get to know. I have always loved a great friendship, and I love that element here. Jace, our MMC, won me over rather quickly. He was sweet, so caring and really a great friend. He loves fiercely, and I love that. Lori, our FMC, was fun but a bit annoying at times, especially in the beginning. The I'm-not-like-the-other-girls thing was too forceful, and it came across as arrogant, obnoxious and even mean at times. But it got better as the story progressed. However, I lacked depth for both of them. We learn a bit about their history but only a little about their families or a bit more context, especially Lori's. Also, I felt the second half of the book was a bit rushed and insta-love from Lori's side.

Despite all of that, I enjoyed this one a lot. It was super fun and sweet. If you're looking for a romcom with a super sweet romance and happy ending, this is the book for you.

Thank you so much to the publisher and Camilla Isley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Lori, Aiden and Jace have been friends since college. .When Aiden decides to get married Lori needs a date. Someone to support her on what she thinks will be the worst day of her life, as she has secretly been in love with him forever. She asks Jace, friend and best man to pretend their friendship has turned into something more. Both men couldn't be more difference. Aiden is a dashing doctor, but Jace gives off the bad boy vibe.

I thought picking up the book this might be a lover triangle sort of book but it isnt that at all. It kind of reminded me of 'My Best Friends Wedding' staring Julia Roberts without the gay BBF. It is a clean romance with lots of build up but no action.

The book is fun and very easy to read in one sitting. Not sure what it is about books lately but I am totally over the whole Taylor Swift thing. She was mentioned in the book far too much for my liking. I did enjoy the book but I just didn't love it.

⭐️⭐️⭐️ - It was just okay

Thank you to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

It's Complicated was the perfect palate cleanser. Lighthearted and full of tension and chemistry, I really enjoyed the whole story. Jace is an amazing book boyfriend, having been pining for Lori as long as she had been pining for Aiden, and I loved seeing him do all he can to woo her and realize they were the ones meant to be together. With fake dating, unrequited love (times 2), friends to lovers and Dual POV, this book had some of my favorite tropes. Highly recommend.

This was my first book by Camilla Isley and I really enjoyed it! I can’t believe I hadn’t read her books before but I’m excited to read through her backlog.

This had some of my favorite tropes. That along with the characters and their relationships, it was a great read. Jace and Lori’s friendship was so sweet and when it started to become something more the tension between them had me eagerly reading for more.

Read for:
🤫 Fake Dating
🩵 Friends to Lovers
🔼 Love Triangle
⛔️ Miscommunication
🧬 Dual POV
🚪 Closed Door Romance

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
Spice Level: 🧼 Squeaky Clean

It's Complicated
By: Camilla Isley
Pub date: Feb 23, 2024

Three friends, since the first day they met in freshman year, they have been inseparable ever since. Finishing up college to opening a private practice together. A complicated love triangle ensues with Lori being in love with Aiden and Jace being in love with Lori.
BFF's and a love triangle, what's a girl to do? When Aiden's wedding invitation came in the mail, Lori goes to Jace's apartment so that they may open the invitation together. Distressed and unsure what to do, Lori ends up spending the night at Jace's. When Aiden comes over 1st thing in the morning Lori decides the only thing left to do is to make him jealous by telling him that her and Jace are a couple!

The whole situation becomes entirely complicated. Even more so when Lori begins developing feelings for Jace and has Jace been harbouring feelings for Lori, unbeknownst to her for all these years?

Full of interesting mishaps and laugh out lout moments, this was a fun read!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the e-arc.

OMG! This book was SO much fun! We've got fake dating, unrequited love, a love triangle, and friends to lovers with a happily ever after twist you're simply going to love!

Lori had a crush on Aiden, Jace had a crush on Lori, and Aiden never really had a chance to understand what feelings he might have had for Lori thanks to a secret pact... which I will not be going into so I don't spoil the details. Anywho, one wedding announcement later, and Lori and Jace are presenting an unexpected, but united front to face the music... and falling in love along the way. It's sweet, funny, heartfelt with just the perfect amount of spice, you'll be laughing as much as you're sighing with every turn of the page.

By book's end, there's a happy surprise you won't see coming, but, trust me, you'll gladly be a witness to the events that unfold. A wonderful pick for romcom fans and Romance readers alike, and a great addition to this author's growing body of works!

Ahhhhhh omg I loved it!! 🥰

Lori, Jace & Aiden have been friends for 15 years, after stealing garden gnomes together.
Today the three are inseparable and work together in their own doctors surgery! Yeah! Go Team Best Friends!

But, Lori has a secret. She loves Aiden.
But Aiden is getting married to *Kirsten* 🙄
So, to make Aiden jealous Lori blurts out she and Jace are kicking boots…. Yes, her words. Not mine.

And Jace goes along with it… because he really does have a secret…. HES in love with LORI!

I KNOW!!!!

Throw in a month until Aidens wedding, a brides sister who wants Jace, a trip to New Orleans, six chickens, four cats and a thousand or more rescue books.. and you have, well, it’s complicated.

———

I loved it.
No other words needed.

I fell in love with Lori straight away. She’s so scatty & loveable… but maybe because I too have near enough 1,000 rescued books from charity shops…and book stores… THEY WERE JUST THERE CRYING FOR ME TO RESCUE THEM!!!

I will say, I did hate the “miscommunication trope” thrown in there. They’re what? Nearing on (or in their) 30s?? No. Too old for not just talking things out, no matter how long you’ve been pining for a woman. Just bloody talk!!

It’s Complicated, is the eighth book I have had the pleasure of reading by the phenomenally, talented, Camila Isley. Whenever I pick up one of her books I feel like I am being transported to the romcoms I grew up watching. She manages to write fun, fast-paced stories, that give all the feels.

While I have been a huge fan of Isley’s work for years now, this is my absolute favorite book she has ever written. I am a sucker for the friends to lovers trope, but combining it with the love triangle, and fake dating elements and this is everything I want in a romcom and more!

Please, please do yourself a favor and grab a copy of this book!!!

Special thanks to Netgalley, Boldwood Books, and Camila Isley for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

a classic friends to lovers book but really good fun to read with a well written story. the surrounding characters were also great and added to the overall fun in this book. the ending was just as I had hoped and i really enjoyed reading it!

I absolutely loved this book!! Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review. Three best friends, and two crushes. What could possibly go wrong? I loved this book and am now a huge fan of Camilla Isley. Can’t wait to read more of her wonderful work!

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity!

This was a fun friends to lovers romance that gave you just what the synopsis said. I just expected a little more oomph if that makes sense. In my opinion this could have been explored more in detail.
But for what it was it was quite fun and decent.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review,.

I had so much fun reading this book. I usually despise a love triangle but it was fun to read it in this format where it was blatantly obvious who the main character would end up with. Lori was such a funny main character and the chemistry between her and Jace was really good which made every interaction between them so exciting to read. Jace is such a sweetheart. I absolutely love when a character has been secretly pining for years I think it's my favourite part of the friends to lovers trope.

So happy that Lori, Jace and all of their cats and chickens got to live happily ever after!

It’s Complicated was a brilliant read. It was like a culmination of all your favourite rom coms in book form AND achieved well.

I liked the pacing, which was also descriptive. I feel like this was attributed to the detail that went into the descriptions which made things flow well. Creating a great storyline that was easy to follow. There was a good basis of relationships between the friends. I enjoyed the funny moments within this story, moments that were honestly on the level of laugh out loud.
I’m usually not fussed by texts, but the texts within this story were the best. I’ve never felt the anticipation of what the texts would reveal like I have in this book.

I mentioned this earlier, but it’s exactly like a combo of all my favourite rom-coms and I absolutely loved it. These characters are now living rent free in my mind. I definitely recommend this read.

This book follows three best friends, Lori, Jace, and Aiden, entangled in a web of secret crushes and fake dating schemes. As Jace pretends to be Lori's date for Aiden's wedding, their faux romance sparks real feelings, complicating their dynamic. The book revolves around three friends navigating through the complexities of love and friendship, with two secret crushes in the mix. The characters are well-developed, mature, and communicate effectively, which adds depth to their relationships. Despite some minor issues with repetitive language, the book offers a refreshing take on the friends-to-lovers trope, delivering a heartwarming and entertaining read. Nonetheless, fans of friends-to-lovers and fake dating tropes will enjoy this delightful read.

would like to thank Netgalley and Boldwood for providing me with a copy of this standalone book. The story is told from dual perspectives, following Jace and Lori, who are both in love with their mutual friend Adien. However, things get complicated when Adien gets engaged and Lori asks Jace to pretend to be her boyfriend. This leads to fake dating, lying to their best friend, and some hilarious moments. Throughout the book, we see how their friendship blossoms and how well the friends-to-lovers trope is executed. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and would recommend it to fellow book lovers.

#booklover #booksofinstagram #boldwoodbooks #bookreview #books
6 m

It’s complicated is a fun, cute and lighthearted read by Camila Isley and as usual, I loved this book! Because it’s camila!

Three best friends, two secret crushes - what could go wrong? Lori has been in love with her best friend Aiden since college. Jace has been in love with Lori since college.. complicated. When Lori recieves Aiden’s wedding invite she goes to Jace’s apartment to talk. But when Aiden shows up and Lori answers the door, she makes up that Jace and her are in a relationship. As Jace and Lori put on a show for their fake dating story, Lori starts to realise she may not love Aiden.. but…..that’s you to know.

A friends to lovers romance featuring fake dating is always my jam so I flew through this and was getting so happy with Jace and Lori’s relationship growing - their chemistry was on point! It definitely felt like a realistic story which I enjoyed as well. I am glad with how Aiden handled everything around him as well.

I loved the dual POV so we can see Jace’s pining for Lori, and I did laugh at Lori’s POVs with her house full of cats and chickens because nobody talks about chickens right? So that was an unique point.

Overall this was a really heartwarming romantic comedy and as always, I can’t wait to read more from Camilla!