The Friendship Fling follows Ava, a grumpy barista living in London. When Ava's flatmate challenges her to make a new friend, Finn happens to be in the right place at the right time. In exchange for his friendship, Finn persuades Ava to work through his London summer bucket list before he leaves the city for good. With every passing day, their fake friendship turns into something more. But the problem with summer is that it always ends. What if this last summer in London is just the beginning?

The first thing you should know about this book is that it is FUNNY. I find most rom-coms more cringey than funny, but I loved the sarcasm, dry humour and snarky banter in this book. The hilarious chapter titles were definitely one of the highlights for me! This book is also beautifully written, with some truly gorgeous metaphors.

Ava is a grumpy black cat of an FMC, and being a former barista and an (always) grumpy gal myself, I related to her so much. Finn is our adorable golden retriever MMC and I wanted to wrap him up and keep him safe forever 🥹 I really enjoyed their character development throughout the book. Even the side characters felt dimensional, and there was thoughtful LGBTQ+ and disability representation.

I loved the dynamic between the main characters, and it was beautiful watching their friendship, then relationship develop. This is a SLOW burn, but the transition from friends to lovers felt so genuine. There was also the perfect amount of spice for me in this book. It was tastefully done and didn’t make me cringe like a lot of spice scenes do.

The plot was engaging, and I loved following the characters around London while they completed Finn’s summer bucket list. The descriptions of the settings were fantastic, and I could clearly visualise where the characters were and what they were doing.

I always like a bit of grit in my romances, and the issues the characters were facing in this book were relatable and handled well. I could relate to what both of the characters were going through, and I loved how they were always there for one another, but ultimately let the other do what they needed to do for themselves.

The ending wrapped everything up so well, and I finished this book with tears rolling down my cheeks. This truly is a gem of a book that I would encourage everyone to read. I’m anxiously awaiting news about book two, which I know will be just as fantastic as this one.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stroughton for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

I LOVE THIS BOOK WITH EVERYTHING IN ME.

book review: The Friendship Fling by Georgia Stone
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Thank you @hodderbooks @georgiastonewriters for an eARC in exchange for an honest review - mark your calendars and get your preorders in for this one! Out May 22nd in the UK and June 3rd in the US/Canada (with @harperperennial).

Ava keeps her social circle small, to her flatmate and best friend Josie and her twin Max. But when Josie starts to grow concerned for Ava’s loneliness when she goes away for work, Ava accidentally strikes up a friendship of convenience with a customer who won’t stop talking at the coffee shop. Finn is insufferably cheerful, full golden retriever energy to Ava’s sarcastic, blunt and cynical nature. Together, they work their way through Finn’s London bucket list before he leaves the city at the end of the summer.

A truly funny, laugh out loud rom com - an absolute must read. Even now, after reading it four times, I’m still laughing out loud, crying, everything. It reaches into my heart and gives it a lil tug every time.

Ava is one of my all-time favourite characters, her sarcasm is hilarious. These characters feel like my friends. 🥹 This has become one of my ultimate comfort reads that I’ll go back to again and again.

*Full disclosure: I sat next to Georgia while she wrote a lot of this book and we discussed it basically every day while she was writing it. I was both an alpha and a beta reader. But this is a fully honest review. I have read this book four times for a reason!! I love it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton for this ARC.

Ava Monroe works in a coffee shop in London. One day she meets Finn who grew up in lots of different places and has travelled extensively. His time in London is limited but he has a bucket list of touristy things he wants to do before he leaves for the US. Ava's blind flatmate Josie encourages her to make more friends so she reluctantly agrees to help Finn out.

Both of them have mental scars - Finn feels abandoned by his parents and Ava doesn't permit herself to get too close to people since her twin brother Max got cancer, but luckily survived.

Ava and Finn start spending more and more time together, roaming through London, Finn's sunshine being the perfect antidote for Ava's grumpiness. They become firm friends - but can they ever be more than that?

This story of a slow-burn romance is told in dual POV. I loved all the characters but once it was established that Ava and Finn liked each other but held their feelings back because of the aforementioned problems, the story dragged a little.

I live in London and while there were a few nice things on Finn's bucket list (Up at the O2 is definitely a highlight!) I would have loved to give my own recommendations (why didn't they go to the Sky Garden or had a Sunday Roast?)

But that aside, I liked the chemistry between the two main characters and how they were there for each other emotionally, worked through their problems and tried to discover what they really wanted to do in life. And for once, there was no sibling rivalry, just love!

Altogether this is a lovely, fun-filled story with lovable characters that will tug at your heartstrings. Recommended.

This was so fun! The chemistry between Ava and Finn is undeniable, with every passing day pulling them closer together. I loved the blend of light-hearted fun and emotional depth in their journey. The idea of a fake friendship that becomes something more is always a winner, but what truly captured me was how both characters grew, learning what they needed in their lives, and in each other, before it’s too late. It’s a perfect summer read for anyone who loves slow-burn romance with a dash of adventure and self-discovery. A beautiful reminder that sometimes, the best things in life come when you least expect them, and the end of one chapter could be the start of something much more.