Strictly Friends

By: Frances Mensah Williams

Narrated by: Ione Butler

“Like the island sunshine and the samba dancing on the beach and the sweet rum punch, I enjoyed every moment of this delightful book.”—Judy Leigh, USA Today bestselling author

“A heart-warming, gorgeous novel … A perfect curl-up-in bed read.”—Lizzie Damilola Blackburn, author of Yinka, Where is Your Huzband?

“The happy ending that we all love in a romance novel.”—Vasundra Tailor, author of The Secret of Elephants

She’s travelled halfway round the world to paradise. But has it been on her doorstep all along?

When Ruby Lamont’s young son Jake starts telling tall tales about the dad who walked out on them six years ago, it’s time to find out the truth. It’s not that she wants Kenny back in her life—her charming commitment-phobe Griffin, has always been more of a father-figure to Jake—but if she can understand why Kenny broke her heart, perhaps she can finally move on.

Their journey takes them to heart-shaped Sorrel Island, a Caribbean paradise that according to legend was created as an enchanted refuge for lovers. For no-nonsense Ruby, romance is the last thing on her mind. Spoiling for a fight, she confronts her runaway ex, but he’s a changed man, or so he claims. With Kenny seemingly having turned a new leaf, Griffin shows up out of the blue and the tropical heat builds to an inferno.

With sparks of lust and jealousy flying in all directions, Ruby has to wonder whether the magic of Sorrel Island is more than just a legend. As the truth of Kenny’s departure—and Griffin’s arrival—spills out, Ruby must discover whether people really can change—or if she is just destined for heartbreak.

©2023 Frances Mensah Williams. (P)2023 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved.

Critic reviews

“Narrator Ione Butler perfectly captures the tension in Ruby as she struggles to reconcile the past with the present, all the while enjoying life in paradise. Butler entertains with her ability to capture many different accents, and her lively characterizations strike the right note. Williams's (The Second Time We Met) latest romance is perfect for listeners who enjoy love triangles, miscommunications, and character growth. [T]his summer read satisfies.”—Library Journal

“I adore Frances’s books. Strictly Friends is the perfect romance: it has three fascinating hunky love interests and a setting that will make you want to run out and buy a plane ticket for the Caribbean. But it’s more than all that. Ruby is the perfect heroine of our time, feisty, successful, fun, stunning in heels, and yet vulnerable, lacking true self-belief. She is a wonderful, loyal mother to the cutest boy; she is the friend you want to spend time with. Yet in her quiet moments, she represents us all, questioning, unsure, rushing forward into uncertainty. Like the island sunshine and the samba dancing on the beach and the sweet rum punch, I enjoyed every moment of this delightful book.”—Judy Leigh, USA Today bestselling author

“I enjoyed Strictly Friends very much. It’s an easy read that takes you to a beautiful island in the Caribbean Sea. The protagonist is likeable and vulnerable, and this sweet story has the happy ending that we all love in a romance novel.”—Vasundra Tailor, author of The Secret of Elephants

I read it because of the reviews

And I’m glad I read this. First, childhood bullying can affect you into adulthood. This story tapped into that trama and addressed it effortlessly. I read the reviews knowing that it’s more than the title or the cover and couldn’t put this book down.

Decent read

This book was a decent read, although I put it down for a few months. It was easy to pick up where I left off. It was predictable but a decent read.