Only Friends is a book I wasn’t familiar with until I saw someone talk about anticipated releases on booktube. It sounded right up my alley, so I decided to request it on Netgalley and I got approved. Today I want to tell you about the book and what I thought!
A big thank you to Netgalley and Atria for providing me with an eARC to read and review. This doesn’t affect my opinion in any way.
Fans of The Regency Vows and For the Love of Austen series will adore this sexy and charming rom-com debut about an aspiring screenwriter and a gorgeous model teaming up to create regency era thirst content for online fans.
After being fired from her day job, unceremoniously ghosted, and facing a bad case of writer’s block, twenty-six-year-old aspiring screenwriter Mariel Rivera is one spilled coffee away from crying on the subway. When she’s rescued from a Times Square kerfuffle by a very handsome model dressed in regency costume, Mariel has no idea her life is about to change.
Dashwood Bennet has been modeling for years, though recently, his current portfolio includes some more risqué shots. However, he never imagined that after his encounter with Mariel, he’d be putting on his regency breeches just to take them off again…in front of the camera.
Dash is the answer to Mariel’s prayers in more ways than one. First, he saved her from an unruly mob. Second, he’s the perfect person to play the Duke of Harding, a character she’s created that captured her attention and won’t let go. Third, he’s more than game to be the face of her spicy historical shorts. And last but not least, he’s her perfect partner both in business and in the bedroom. But being work-partners-with-benefits can complicate things. Will their partnership survive or are Mariel and Dash doomed to not have their happily ever after?
Review
Only Friends caught my eye because I don’t think I’ve ever read a book where characters create any kind of thirst content for online fans. Let alone regency era content. Mari is a struggling screenwriter just trying to figure her life out. She really wants to succeed, but just can’t seem to get anything on paper and little regency era thirst traps come to mind.
Then we meet Dash. He’s very charismatic and you just want to like him. He has his own Only Fans, but that’s not everything it could be. So he’s on board with Mari’s idea. I love the two of them brainstorming and putting together everything they need. Them spending time together left a smile on my face and even if they were not seeing it, they definitely had something going. I love the little bits of them writing scenes in a document together. I do wish we had more of that and the recording of their videos.
Besides the success this brings them both, they’re both dealing with their own things. Mari is trying to feel worthy and really figure out what she wants. Dash is having fun, but also just really wants to be seen. He’s very present and thoughtful and really just needs someone to be there for him. Mari and Dash just not talking (while there were many opportunities) and not having Dash’s POV had me frustrated at this story now and again. That being said, I still had a great time with this story. Dash and Mari were great characters and the side characters were quite fun as well. I’ll definitely read more by this author.
Only Friends was a lot of fun to read and I’d definitely pick up more books like this. If you have any recommendations similar to this one, please let me know! I’d love some more titles to add to my list.
