Just Friends

Never Just Friends Series, Book 1

By: Saxon James

Narrated by: Alexander Cendese, Kirt Graves

Roo:

Five years ago, I walked away from Sunbury, Oregon, and left my best friend behind. The move was supposed to get my life on track. I even had a list: Life-changing epilepsy surgery. Check. See the world. Check. Get over my straight best friend... Not exactly.

No matter where I go or who I meet, I can't let Tanner go. I'm back to tell him how I feel. To get the closure I need once and for all. Only now I'm here and falling for him all over again, it's getting harder to say the words. Because once I have my closure, I'll be gone. And this time it will be for good.

Tanner:

When my best friend, Roo, left for Australia, it was the worst day of my life. I thought we'd have each other always. But Roo needed the surgery so I let him go, thinking he'd come straight back. Five years is a long time.

Now he's here, all I want is to hold on tight. I need to show him what he means to me. The problem is, I'm not exactly sure what that is. My draw to him has always been confusing and different - everyone in town says so. But I struggle to understand it. All I know is I won't survive him leaving again. And I'll do anything to make him stay.

Contains mature themes.

©2020 Saxon James (P)2021 Tantor

MM Best Friends to Lovers

This was just darling!! Wow, I loved it sooo much. It was low-angst, best friends to lovers, unrequited love and bi-awakening. First, Tanner was swoon-worthy with just how wonderful of a person he was. I really loved Roo as well, and thought he was mature through everything. I also loved that they didn't have the complete lack of communication that I would expect from this type of book. I loved it that they were able to talk through what they were feeling and there was not an unnecessary uncoupling. I also really, really enjoyed the side characters and cannot wait to read their stories. This narrations is one of my favorites, especially with two of my favorite narrators being Alexander Cendese & Kirt Graves!! Must read for sure.

The relativity to my own childhood best friend although it wasn’t as happy ending as Roo and Tanner❤️

FLAWLESS couldn’t have been better. Where the movie? I need more of Roo and Tanner❤️❤️❤️

Feel-Good Story

It’s hard to pin down why this very sweet and hot story stands out for me.

It’s got the small town vibe, a sweet MC and a cynical MC and I don’t know why they don’t make me feel like there’s an agenda being pushed, possibly because I didn’t see it as anything but normal. It didn’t occur to me that both MCs have differences which might have seemed too preachy, possibly because it wasn’t preachy. The author didn’t overstep or write heavy-handedly about illness. I wasn’t offended, it felt like representation but not the real point of the story.

Hot and wholesome, it’s a thing.

Everyone should find their Roo.

Fabulous narration

I loved absolutely everything about this book. I've owned the book for years but somehow never got into it. I don't know why, because it was delightful. I'm so glad I got to listen to the audio. The dual narration and dual pov (first person) was just wonderful! Highly recommend!

so cute

It is a sweet story of best friends to lovers as well as grumpy sunshine.

Good story. Good narration.

This was a sweet story with moderate angst. The characters were interesting, and the romance had a dash of steaminess.

The author did a nice job of portraying a demisexual character although the term wasn't actually used. I appreciate how the author highlights the challenges people face in life when they have hidden disabilities.

The thing about being dyslexic... Dyslexia is a little different for everyone. It's probably true that some people find reading to be extremely challenging, but it is dangerous to equate dyslexia with the inability to read. It took decades for me to realize that I was dyslexic rather than just an absentminded flutter head because I was taught that dyslexic people can't read. I read very well. I read very quickly. l have to read everything twice so I learned to skim and then read. Intellectually I understand the difference between right and left, but my brain constantly swaps them. I can't see the difference between trial and trail, but I can determine the difference by the context of a sentence. The point being, I could have saved myself an extra year of college if I had realized that I was dyslexic. Just because I could read didn't mean that letters and numbers didn't start moving around on the page without my permission. Sigh.

Anyway, this was an entertaining story with good performances by the narrators, Alexander Cendese and Kirt Graves.

You had me at best friends!

Oh how I love the friends to lovers trope, especially when it's between two people who been friends since they were young. And Roo and Tanner's story fit that bill perfectly! Ugh, I loved it!

Alexander Cendese and Kirt Graves are a terrific pairing! This is the first book I've listened to this duo and I loved them together.

High school crush

Love that a gay guy is in love with his straight best friend but even more because of the flirty relationship they had. Overall a really good book. Can’t wait to start
The others! ❤️❤️❤️🥰🥰🥰

Great start to the series

I've read this author before. This is a MM contemporary romance set in the USA. Great start to this series. This story is about Roo, an Australian who is epileptic, and Tanner a small town volunteer firefighter. They are best friends during school but Roo leaves to go to Australia for a brain operation. He comes back to Sunbury USA after 5 years to finally tell Tanner, he is gay and feelings for Tanner. Tanner is totally oblivious to his strong feelings for Roo. I listened to the audio book, with duel narrators.

Sweet

This was such a sweet and heartwarming romance. I love the absolute love that Tanner & Roo feel for each other. It’s so sweet and wholesome. It’s pure and beautiful and simple.