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Hawthorne Brothers #1
How to Kiss Your Best Friend
He’s a hot high school chemistry teacher living in a small town. She’s a globetrotting journalist running from her past. They used to be best friends. Then one kiss changes everything. Kate Fletcher is my kryptonite. She’s also my best friend. Former best friend? I’m not sure what you call it when we grew up attached at the hip and then she left Silver Creek (and me) to travel the world. The important thing Kate is back. (Temporarily.) And I’m still in love with her. (Permanently.) But something is different now. The attraction doesn’t seem one-sided. I don’t think I’m imagining the heat in Kate’s eyes or the chemistry crackling between us. But will that be enough to keep Kate here, when, for as long as I can remember, all she’s wanted to do is leave? I’m determined to give her a reason to stay. Family. Connection. Roots. And me. I’ll have to start with sparks and fire, but if I take this step, there’s no turning back to simple friendship. And if she doesn’t feel the same way, I might lose her again—this time for good.
309 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 24, 2022
About the author
Jenny Proctor
33 books1,472 followersJenny Proctor is an award-winning author of more than fourteen romantic comedies and an Amazon bestseller. She began her career in publishing in 2013; her writing has been a constant since then, but she's also spent time as the owner and managing editor of Midnight Owl Editors and the chair of the Storymakers Conference. Wired for relationships, Jenny loves public speaking, teaching, and building lasting connections.
Jenny was born in the mountains of Western North Carolina, a place she considers one of the loveliest on earth. She loves to hike with her family and spend time outdoors, but she also adores lounging around her home, reading great books or watching great movies and, when she’s lucky, eating delicious food she doesn’t have to prepare herself.
Jenny was born in the mountains of Western North Carolina, a place she considers one of the loveliest on earth. She loves to hike with her family and spend time outdoors, but she also adores lounging around her home, reading great books or watching great movies and, when she’s lucky, eating delicious food she doesn’t have to prepare herself.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,323 reviews
June 24, 2022
Read if you like:
☕︎ Friends to Lovers
☕︎ Small town setting
☕︎ Hallmark movies
☕︎ Kissing only
4.5★ rounded up.
Summary: After being in love with his best friend Kate Fletcher since the day he met her, Brody Hawthorne has finally decided once and for all to move on. That is until Kate makes a reappearance stirring up old feelings. Kate on the other hand, returns to town expecting to reunite with her old friend Brody. What she finds is a strong and sexy chemistry teacher she cannot seem to take her eyes off of. But is her attraction to her best friend enough to make her stop running and finally want to settle down?
Thoughts: Friends to lovers is by far my favorite trope so needless to say, I was bound to like this one. Not only did I like it, I loved it!! I enjoyed it so much, I did not want it to end. Jenny Proctor has definitely made a fan out of me.
When I read a romance novel, I can always tell whether I am connected to the characters by the way my throat feels during the conflict portion of the book. You know that lump in your throat that comes with emotional duress? If the characters were well developed and the story realistic, I feel that unmistakable tightness in my throat. If it’s not there, that means I do not feel emotionally invested in the characters or their story. Is this incredibly weird? Perhaps. Does it help me to assess a books writing? Definitely. Sure enough, as the conflict presented itself in “How to Kiss Your Best Friend,” so did my aforementioned lump.
All of the characters in this book felt incredibly real and I became emotionally invested rather quickly. I loved the relationship of all of the Hawthorne siblings and the sense of closeness the entire family shares. And Brody, oh my goodness, I am pretty sure their isn’t a more saintly character out there.
I will be low key stalking the NetGalley website, along with Jenny Proctor’s Instagram page, for a sneak peek of book two of this series featuring Brody’s brother Perry coming in October 2022.
Thank you to NetGalley and Four Petal Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
☕︎ Friends to Lovers
☕︎ Small town setting
☕︎ Hallmark movies
☕︎ Kissing only
4.5★ rounded up.
Summary: After being in love with his best friend Kate Fletcher since the day he met her, Brody Hawthorne has finally decided once and for all to move on. That is until Kate makes a reappearance stirring up old feelings. Kate on the other hand, returns to town expecting to reunite with her old friend Brody. What she finds is a strong and sexy chemistry teacher she cannot seem to take her eyes off of. But is her attraction to her best friend enough to make her stop running and finally want to settle down?
Thoughts: Friends to lovers is by far my favorite trope so needless to say, I was bound to like this one. Not only did I like it, I loved it!! I enjoyed it so much, I did not want it to end. Jenny Proctor has definitely made a fan out of me.
When I read a romance novel, I can always tell whether I am connected to the characters by the way my throat feels during the conflict portion of the book. You know that lump in your throat that comes with emotional duress? If the characters were well developed and the story realistic, I feel that unmistakable tightness in my throat. If it’s not there, that means I do not feel emotionally invested in the characters or their story. Is this incredibly weird? Perhaps. Does it help me to assess a books writing? Definitely. Sure enough, as the conflict presented itself in “How to Kiss Your Best Friend,” so did my aforementioned lump.
All of the characters in this book felt incredibly real and I became emotionally invested rather quickly. I loved the relationship of all of the Hawthorne siblings and the sense of closeness the entire family shares. And Brody, oh my goodness, I am pretty sure their isn’t a more saintly character out there.
I will be low key stalking the NetGalley website, along with Jenny Proctor’s Instagram page, for a sneak peek of book two of this series featuring Brody’s brother Perry coming in October 2022.
Thank you to NetGalley and Four Petal Press for an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 8, 2023
2.5 Stars
Lots of miscommunication/no communication which isn't something I particularly like if it drags on for too long. I enjoyed the family dynamics and it had some cute moments. Just okay for me.
Lots of miscommunication/no communication which isn't something I particularly like if it drags on for too long. I enjoyed the family dynamics and it had some cute moments. Just okay for me.
June 14, 2022
i’m in tears. i loved this book so so so so so much. i’m absolutely speechless it was just perfection and everything just everything was amazing. also i NEED the next hawthorne books LIKE NOW IM LOVE WITH ALL THE BROTHERS ALREADY.
UPDATE: THERES GONNA BE A WHOLE SERIES!? AHHH I CANT WAIT OMG I NEED THIS TO NEVER END
UPDATE: THERES GONNA BE A WHOLE SERIES!? AHHH I CANT WAIT OMG I NEED THIS TO NEVER END
February 4, 2023
SO CUTE AND SATISFYING.
I must say, I LOVE it when the guy likes the girl first.
This follows best friends who grew up together but the girl leaves to be a travel writer and the guy stays behind to be a super hunky kayak instructor.
When she comes back, she starts to feel a spark that she didn’t expect.
What I loved:
- the dialogue!! I loved Jenny Proctor’s writing and dialogue here. So witty and real.
-the characters! Brody? Hi, I like you. Kate? I understand your fears. You chose right in the end.
What took a star off:
-the extra bits about Kate’s family and Brody’s kayak lessons😅 more romance please!
I must say, I LOVE it when the guy likes the girl first.
This follows best friends who grew up together but the girl leaves to be a travel writer and the guy stays behind to be a super hunky kayak instructor.
When she comes back, she starts to feel a spark that she didn’t expect.
What I loved:
- the dialogue!! I loved Jenny Proctor’s writing and dialogue here. So witty and real.
-the characters! Brody? Hi, I like you. Kate? I understand your fears. You chose right in the end.
What took a star off:
-the extra bits about Kate’s family and Brody’s kayak lessons😅 more romance please!
June 14, 2022
This is first of a new series, but it dovetails with the author's Some Kind of Love series. But only lightly. You only really see Olivia from Love Off-Limits, and that only periodically. Okay, you get some Tyler and Penelope the goat. I'd want to read the other first, because it gives lots of Stonebrook farm background, but you don't have to.
We've met Brody in other books, but not much. He's the hot teacher with a kayaking hobby hung up on his traveling best friend, Kate. With that, you know everything you need to know about the story.
I mean, sure, Brody is all kinds of hot. He's my favorite romantic lead with that care-taking thing and the competence. His hang-up on Kate for ten years is weak-sauce, but romance authors insist on this being sweet or something. So I roll with it rather than take it seriously (which would have me looking for why he's emotionally stunted and can't form healthy relationships with people actually emotionally available for them).
Kate has all the emotional hang-ups you'd want, anyway. Like, she stole his portion just to ensure she's all distant from the guy who really gets her and puts up with her crap and is always ready to pick her up when life knocks her down. The plot is mostly her getting over herself enough to see that Brody is all that and a bag of tacos and to work through her (kind of overwrought) emotional baggage.
Yes. I am being a bit dismissive of the story. Because it deserves it. I mean, I was engaged and entertained and I'll end up giving it three stars. And I'm interested in the next, not least because it looks like we'll get to work out Perry's grumpy brooding and I'm completely relieved that isn't going to hang over the entire series, the big mopey raincloud. It wasn't bad and had no major flaws. But it wasn't outstanding, or memorable, either.
A note about Chaste: Kate is very skittish, so while the chemistry is high, she spends the story discovering Brody's chiseled abs that go with his soft heart. And I mean that in an observational, not a hands-on, way. So there's some kissing, and some running away, and some make-up kissing. But nothing more. So I consider this very chaste.
We've met Brody in other books, but not much. He's the hot teacher with a kayaking hobby hung up on his traveling best friend, Kate. With that, you know everything you need to know about the story.
I mean, sure, Brody is all kinds of hot. He's my favorite romantic lead with that care-taking thing and the competence. His hang-up on Kate for ten years is weak-sauce, but romance authors insist on this being sweet or something. So I roll with it rather than take it seriously (which would have me looking for why he's emotionally stunted and can't form healthy relationships with people actually emotionally available for them).
Kate has all the emotional hang-ups you'd want, anyway. Like, she stole his portion just to ensure she's all distant from the guy who really gets her and puts up with her crap and is always ready to pick her up when life knocks her down. The plot is mostly her getting over herself enough to see that Brody is all that and a bag of tacos and to work through her (kind of overwrought) emotional baggage.
Yes. I am being a bit dismissive of the story. Because it deserves it. I mean, I was engaged and entertained and I'll end up giving it three stars. And I'm interested in the next, not least because it looks like we'll get to work out Perry's grumpy brooding and I'm completely relieved that isn't going to hang over the entire series, the big mopey raincloud. It wasn't bad and had no major flaws. But it wasn't outstanding, or memorable, either.
A note about Chaste: Kate is very skittish, so while the chemistry is high, she spends the story discovering Brody's chiseled abs that go with his soft heart. And I mean that in an observational, not a hands-on, way. So there's some kissing, and some running away, and some make-up kissing. But nothing more. So I consider this very chaste.
January 1, 2024
4 Stars!!!
Soooo…. How do I do this book justice when really in the grand scheme of things this brought nothing new to the world of contemporary MF romance and it’s sadly so very tame?
First of all this is a friends to lovers trope with an absolute to die for male MC. Brody and Kate haven’t seen each other in 4 years due to Kate avoiding family issues, but that hasn’t stopped Brody from caring and wanting only the best for his bestie. Always supportive, always kind, leading with a quiet confidence that was sexy as hell, it was nigh impossible to not fall hard for this man.
Second, Kate didn’t drive me bonkers, and that is a very difficult thing to do. Kate for sure has some baggage to work through and yes, she has been avoiding any and all confrontation, but her eyes are opened to all things Brody finally, and she has to reevaluate her life goals.
The setting and supporting cast were pretty darn great. Brody’s family owns a farm/event center with plenty of festivals, cute animals, and 3 meddling brothers, a nosy sister, and parents who support any and all in both their inner and outer circle.
I bought this on a whim, and I’m not sorry I did. I obviously immensely enjoyed this. Simply put, I found a new book boyfriend to add to my collection, and I suspect that the rest of Brody’s brothers will soon join him there!
Hawthorne Brothers Series
1. How to Kiss Your Best Friend - 4 Stars
2. How to Kiss Your Grumpy Boss - 4 Stars
3. How to Kiss Your Enemy - 4. 5 Stars
4. How to Kiss a Movie Star - 4 Stars
Love Off Limits (sister Olivia’s story) - 3.5 Stars
Soooo…. How do I do this book justice when really in the grand scheme of things this brought nothing new to the world of contemporary MF romance and it’s sadly so very tame?
First of all this is a friends to lovers trope with an absolute to die for male MC. Brody and Kate haven’t seen each other in 4 years due to Kate avoiding family issues, but that hasn’t stopped Brody from caring and wanting only the best for his bestie. Always supportive, always kind, leading with a quiet confidence that was sexy as hell, it was nigh impossible to not fall hard for this man.
Second, Kate didn’t drive me bonkers, and that is a very difficult thing to do. Kate for sure has some baggage to work through and yes, she has been avoiding any and all confrontation, but her eyes are opened to all things Brody finally, and she has to reevaluate her life goals.
The setting and supporting cast were pretty darn great. Brody’s family owns a farm/event center with plenty of festivals, cute animals, and 3 meddling brothers, a nosy sister, and parents who support any and all in both their inner and outer circle.
I bought this on a whim, and I’m not sorry I did. I obviously immensely enjoyed this. Simply put, I found a new book boyfriend to add to my collection, and I suspect that the rest of Brody’s brothers will soon join him there!
Hawthorne Brothers Series
1. How to Kiss Your Best Friend - 4 Stars
2. How to Kiss Your Grumpy Boss - 4 Stars
3. How to Kiss Your Enemy - 4. 5 Stars
4. How to Kiss a Movie Star - 4 Stars
Love Off Limits (sister Olivia’s story) - 3.5 Stars
December 22, 2023
It was such a cute, swoony and fun read! ❤️
This story revolves around the classic friends-to-lovers theme, featuring irresistible MMC - Brody!!❤️
Despite Kate's absence for four years due to personal reasons, Brody has remained devoted and always wishes the best for his best friend. With his unwavering support, kindness and it's nearly impossible not to develop strong feelings for this remarkable man.
Undoubtedly, Kate has some personal issues to address and she has been avoiding confrontations. However, I liked it when she finally realized the truth of the situation and worked to reassess her life goals.
The dynamic between Kate and Brody was electric and swoony. And it was funny too!! ( Towel scene -👀👀👀👀)
The author did an amazing job of incorporating family dynamics and giving us a glimpse into the lives of the characters' loved ones especially the Hawthorne brothers, which made me feel even more connected to the small town setting.
I really enjoyed reading this one! ❤️
This story revolves around the classic friends-to-lovers theme, featuring irresistible MMC - Brody!!❤️
Despite Kate's absence for four years due to personal reasons, Brody has remained devoted and always wishes the best for his best friend. With his unwavering support, kindness and it's nearly impossible not to develop strong feelings for this remarkable man.
Undoubtedly, Kate has some personal issues to address and she has been avoiding confrontations. However, I liked it when she finally realized the truth of the situation and worked to reassess her life goals.
The dynamic between Kate and Brody was electric and swoony. And it was funny too!! ( Towel scene -👀👀👀👀)
The author did an amazing job of incorporating family dynamics and giving us a glimpse into the lives of the characters' loved ones especially the Hawthorne brothers, which made me feel even more connected to the small town setting.
I really enjoyed reading this one! ❤️
August 7, 2024
dnf. this is just a no. the characters are so cringey
August 23, 2023
How to Kiss Your Best Friend - Jenny Proctor - 4 Stars - A Clean, Sweet, Friends to Lovers Rom-Com!
Alright ya'll, another cute rom-com down! I really enjoyed the characters, family and small town vibes in this one! The Hawthorne Brothers were hilarious and I can't wait to read more in this series. We have a chemistry teacher and professional kayaker - Brody - and a journalist and traveler - Kate. They were best friends growing up but Kate took some time to travel over the years. With so much going on in her family life, she has just taken the time to travel and do life by herself. Until she comes back to her hometown of Silver Creek to sort through her grandmother's house to get it ready to sell and Brody is taken back once more to how much he loves her and has always loved her. He's hoping to reconnect with her and that she will stay in town for good....the story goes on from here.
I had SO much fun reading this one. Kate and Brody had the best chemistry together and it was fun seeing them go kayaking together. What I love most about this one is we have some great family details where we got to know siblings, parents, friends, past details etc., so I felt very connected to this little small town and the people that lived here. I live and grew up in a small town so it's always something I love in books. The humor in this was GREAT too! AHEM - the TOWEL SCENE had me ROLLING ya'll! So funny.
Also great to have a clean, closed door romance with a little bit of sizzle but no explicit spicy scenes. We love to see it!
Friends to lovers isn't always my favorite trope so I will admit I wanted them to talk more to each other at the end then how some of the order of events went down, but it sure made for a great ending! Can't wait to read book 2!
Alright ya'll, another cute rom-com down! I really enjoyed the characters, family and small town vibes in this one! The Hawthorne Brothers were hilarious and I can't wait to read more in this series. We have a chemistry teacher and professional kayaker - Brody - and a journalist and traveler - Kate. They were best friends growing up but Kate took some time to travel over the years. With so much going on in her family life, she has just taken the time to travel and do life by herself. Until she comes back to her hometown of Silver Creek to sort through her grandmother's house to get it ready to sell and Brody is taken back once more to how much he loves her and has always loved her. He's hoping to reconnect with her and that she will stay in town for good....the story goes on from here.
I had SO much fun reading this one. Kate and Brody had the best chemistry together and it was fun seeing them go kayaking together. What I love most about this one is we have some great family details where we got to know siblings, parents, friends, past details etc., so I felt very connected to this little small town and the people that lived here. I live and grew up in a small town so it's always something I love in books. The humor in this was GREAT too! AHEM - the TOWEL SCENE had me ROLLING ya'll! So funny.
Also great to have a clean, closed door romance with a little bit of sizzle but no explicit spicy scenes. We love to see it!
Friends to lovers isn't always my favorite trope so I will admit I wanted them to talk more to each other at the end then how some of the order of events went down, but it sure made for a great ending! Can't wait to read book 2!
June 16, 2022
I love a good best friends-to-lovers trope (a product of being a teenager in the 90s, I'm sure), but as much as I loved this premise, it just didn't deliver what I had hoped for.
I found the inner dialogue to be exhausting; no one talks to themselves this much- especially during a face-to-face conversation. The inner dialogue is verbose and repetitive and it just became super annoying.
I really wish that I had liked Kate more. She had a lot of likable qualities, but her constant, exhausting inner dialogue and indecisivness got old, fast. Brody is an aw-shucks likable guy, so it's hard not to root for him, but I felt bad for him getting steamrolled by his best friend of 19 years before she suddenly has this"aha!" epiphany that maybe she loves him or is it mostly his abs and biceps???
I know that it's been a long time since they've talked to each other/seen each other, but I would have really liked more inside jokes, banter, funny stories from their past- the reminiscing that you would naturally do with your childhood best friend! In lieu of sparks and steam, that friendship connection could have been portrayed stronger. I will say that they display more of that best friend behavior further into the book, but not enough, imo.
Overall, a tad too light and fluffy for my personal taste, but if that's what you're after, it's cute.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Four Petal Press for sharing this digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest review. Cheers!
I found the inner dialogue to be exhausting; no one talks to themselves this much- especially during a face-to-face conversation. The inner dialogue is verbose and repetitive and it just became super annoying.
I really wish that I had liked Kate more. She had a lot of likable qualities, but her constant, exhausting inner dialogue and indecisivness got old, fast. Brody is an aw-shucks likable guy, so it's hard not to root for him, but I felt bad for him getting steamrolled by his best friend of 19 years before she suddenly has this"aha!" epiphany that maybe she loves him or is it mostly his abs and biceps???
I know that it's been a long time since they've talked to each other/seen each other, but I would have really liked more inside jokes, banter, funny stories from their past- the reminiscing that you would naturally do with your childhood best friend! In lieu of sparks and steam, that friendship connection could have been portrayed stronger. I will say that they display more of that best friend behavior further into the book, but not enough, imo.
Overall, a tad too light and fluffy for my personal taste, but if that's what you're after, it's cute.
Special thanks to NetGalley and Four Petal Press for sharing this digital ARC with me in exchange for my honest review. Cheers!
June 10, 2022
“I thought about you every day, Kate,” he says softly into my hair. “I never stopped thinking about you.”
It was an enjoyable, fast-paced, light-hearted and quick read set in a small town with the best friends to lovers trope. Kate Fletcher is the type of person who loves adventures and can't seem to stay at one place for long. When a family errand makes her return to her hometown, she has to face her bestfriend Brody Hawthorne whom she failed to keep contact with for four straight years. But this time both of them can't deny the attraction between them, will it be enough to make Kaye stay?
Overall, this was an engaging read. I liked the writing style and the entire Hawthorne family. While most of them were welcoming with Kate, I could understand why they were so concerned about her growing relationship with Brody. I didn't think that Kate deserved Brody until a certain point in the story but that was because I couldn't understand her point of view before. I'm glad that they could figure out stuff somehow though. This is going to be a series and since Perry's book is next, I'm going to continue reading it!
Thank you Netgalley for providing me the ARC
It was an enjoyable, fast-paced, light-hearted and quick read set in a small town with the best friends to lovers trope. Kate Fletcher is the type of person who loves adventures and can't seem to stay at one place for long. When a family errand makes her return to her hometown, she has to face her bestfriend Brody Hawthorne whom she failed to keep contact with for four straight years. But this time both of them can't deny the attraction between them, will it be enough to make Kaye stay?
Overall, this was an engaging read. I liked the writing style and the entire Hawthorne family. While most of them were welcoming with Kate, I could understand why they were so concerned about her growing relationship with Brody. I didn't think that Kate deserved Brody until a certain point in the story but that was because I couldn't understand her point of view before. I'm glad that they could figure out stuff somehow though. This is going to be a series and since Perry's book is next, I'm going to continue reading it!
Thank you Netgalley for providing me the ARC
May 24, 2022
What a fantastic start to a series with the Hawthorne brothers. They are truly a lovable bunch, each with their own quirks. Brody Hawthorne (aka The Human Calculator) has been pining for his best friend Kate since childhood. And after four years without contact, Kate is back in Silver Creek.
I really loved the effortless way their friendship found its groove again after time apart. Working as a travel writer, Kate isn't stationed in one place long. Despite the fiery attraction between her and Brody brewing (ahem, the towel scene!), how can her lifestyle coincide with his small-town life? I really felt for both sides of this relationship—Kate struggling with being reliable, and Brody continually being sent into a spiral of hope. It was refreshing to see such great communication within a friends-to-lovers romance.
And as someone who loves a touch of adventure in a story, it was a lot of fun to have Brody experienced in whitewater kayaking! I loved the details included. So entertaining! I cannot wait for book two.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really loved the effortless way their friendship found its groove again after time apart. Working as a travel writer, Kate isn't stationed in one place long. Despite the fiery attraction between her and Brody brewing (ahem, the towel scene!), how can her lifestyle coincide with his small-town life? I really felt for both sides of this relationship—Kate struggling with being reliable, and Brody continually being sent into a spiral of hope. It was refreshing to see such great communication within a friends-to-lovers romance.
And as someone who loves a touch of adventure in a story, it was a lot of fun to have Brody experienced in whitewater kayaking! I loved the details included. So entertaining! I cannot wait for book two.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 14, 2023
Every romance book has 4 main stages; meet, attraction, conflict, resolution. While this met each stage, I found some chapters lacking. We know Brody has loved Kate forever, and we have a general understanding of *why*, but I wish there was more history, I wish I had some flashbacks to know what made Brody fall in love, and keep him in love. I also wish there was a real reason Kate fell in love with her emotional crutch rather than just his killer body.
Overall, a good quick read with a HEA.
Overall, a good quick read with a HEA.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 26, 2023
A "friends to lovers" romance with a happy ending, but with plenty of room for improvement. I mean, I wished that the chemistry between Kate and Brody was more palpable and their connection stronger. There also wasn't enough tension or intimacy, just him being in love with her since they were kids and her suddenly (and without any clear reason) falling for him.
But overall a cute summer-y read, so I'll give it 3,5 stars rounded up 💕
But overall a cute summer-y read, so I'll give it 3,5 stars rounded up 💕
April 14, 2024
➳ 4 stars ౨ৎ ⋆ ｡˚
╰┈➤ ”seven thousand, one hundred, and forty-five days.”
“what’s that?”
“that’s how many days i’ve loved you.”
OMGOSH SCREAMING, CRYING, THROWING UP!!
this story follows brody hawthorne, a chemistry teacher and expert kayaker, who has been in love with his childhood best friend, kate fletcher, ever since they first met. after years of battling with his feelings, he finally decides that it’s time to move on … until kate is back in town and his feelings resurface once again. kate, a world traveler, writer, and free spirit, returns expecting to reunite with her best friend again after almost a decade except he’s completely different than what she remembers. readers see this new tension and brewing chemistrysee what i did there lol between them and question if their new dynamic unfolding is enough for brody to finally confess his feelings or for kate to finally settle down in one firm place.
wowww this book’s pacing is just absolutely perfect 🤌✨. nothing too fast but also not too slow! the tension between the characters is tangible and i love how they had depth to their personalities. from what i’ve seen, a lot of romance authors struggle with making their characters actually have some sort of persona, but jenny proctor did an amazing job handling the romance and their background stories.
like literally any other romance book, there were a few boring parts that make you want to start skimming pages, therefore why i’m not giving this 5 stars. but luckily, it’s not something super bad and there is always some element that’s deeper and relevant to the story that still keeps you on your toes. i literally couldn’t put this book down and i read half of it in one sitting! another reason why this isn’t a 5 star read for me is because there is some miscommunication between the characters and i’m not the biggest fan of the miscommunication trope 🤷♀️.
other than that, i compliment proctor for having good writing skills, and for the way i lovedddddd literally any scene that had the other hawthorne brothers because they’re all just so funny and interesting. there were so many instances where i actually laughed out loud! and their family dynamic is just the cutest. can’t wait to finish the other books in this series so i can see every hawthorne brother get their happy ending 🥹 sooooo if you want a cutesy friends to lovers, hallmark movie vibes, clean romance, ANDDD small town setting, i 100% recommend this!!
˚ ✦ . . ˚ . . ✦ ˚ . ★⋆.
. ˚ * ✦ . . ✦ ˚ ˚ ✦
╰┈➤ ”seven thousand, one hundred, and forty-five days.”
“what’s that?”
“that’s how many days i’ve loved you.”
OMGOSH SCREAMING, CRYING, THROWING UP!!
this story follows brody hawthorne, a chemistry teacher and expert kayaker, who has been in love with his childhood best friend, kate fletcher, ever since they first met. after years of battling with his feelings, he finally decides that it’s time to move on … until kate is back in town and his feelings resurface once again. kate, a world traveler, writer, and free spirit, returns expecting to reunite with her best friend again after almost a decade except he’s completely different than what she remembers. readers see this new tension and brewing chemistry
wowww this book’s pacing is just absolutely perfect 🤌✨. nothing too fast but also not too slow! the tension between the characters is tangible and i love how they had depth to their personalities. from what i’ve seen, a lot of romance authors struggle with making their characters actually have some sort of persona, but jenny proctor did an amazing job handling the romance and their background stories.
like literally any other romance book, there were a few boring parts that make you want to start skimming pages, therefore why i’m not giving this 5 stars. but luckily, it’s not something super bad and there is always some element that’s deeper and relevant to the story that still keeps you on your toes. i literally couldn’t put this book down and i read half of it in one sitting! another reason why this isn’t a 5 star read for me is because there is some miscommunication between the characters and i’m not the biggest fan of the miscommunication trope 🤷♀️.
other than that, i compliment proctor for having good writing skills, and for the way i lovedddddd literally any scene that had the other hawthorne brothers because they’re all just so funny and interesting. there were so many instances where i actually laughed out loud! and their family dynamic is just the cutest. can’t wait to finish the other books in this series so i can see every hawthorne brother get their happy ending 🥹 sooooo if you want a cutesy friends to lovers, hallmark movie vibes, clean romance, ANDDD small town setting, i 100% recommend this!!
˚ ✦ . . ˚ . . ✦ ˚ . ★⋆.
. ˚ * ✦ . . ✦ ˚ ˚ ✦
February 25, 2024
cute clean romance 💘
June 12, 2022
" "Seven thousand, one hundred, and forty-five days" he whispers into my throat, his lips close to my ear. I lean back, catching his eye. "What's that?" "That's how many days I've loved you." "
This book stars Kate and Brody. They have been best friends for years. They have the most beautiful and wholesome friends to lovers story. There were so many amazing aspects about this book. One of my favorite things would be all the details of nature. You get to imagine these adventures the characters are going. Brody teachers white water kayaking. While you're reading these scenes, you feel like you are there with him since the text is very descriptive. When Kate talks about all of the places she has traveled to, you feel like you have been there with her as well.
A huge pro for this book would be the family aspect. Brody grew up in a big family. You get to see each of his family members throughout the book. You got to learn things about them and got to see their true personalities. I would love to see more about his family members. They were all so close. It gave me a heart warming feeling knowing how much they care about each other and that they would do anything for each other.
There was one thing about this book that was not my favorite. Throughout the book Kate is torn on if she should stay in Silver Creek or not. She is not sure what she wants to do with her life. At first I enjoyed it. I wanted to know what she was thinking. I wanted to know how she felt about staying and living her her hometown. However, this got to be pretty repetitive. It would get mentions multiple times in every chapter. I just wanted to see her make up her mind.
This is the first book I have ever read from Jenny Proctor. I am so glad and thankful that I got approved for this arc. I will definitely be checking out more of her books since I enjoyed this one so much.
This book stars Kate and Brody. They have been best friends for years. They have the most beautiful and wholesome friends to lovers story. There were so many amazing aspects about this book. One of my favorite things would be all the details of nature. You get to imagine these adventures the characters are going. Brody teachers white water kayaking. While you're reading these scenes, you feel like you are there with him since the text is very descriptive. When Kate talks about all of the places she has traveled to, you feel like you have been there with her as well.
A huge pro for this book would be the family aspect. Brody grew up in a big family. You get to see each of his family members throughout the book. You got to learn things about them and got to see their true personalities. I would love to see more about his family members. They were all so close. It gave me a heart warming feeling knowing how much they care about each other and that they would do anything for each other.
There was one thing about this book that was not my favorite. Throughout the book Kate is torn on if she should stay in Silver Creek or not. She is not sure what she wants to do with her life. At first I enjoyed it. I wanted to know what she was thinking. I wanted to know how she felt about staying and living her her hometown. However, this got to be pretty repetitive. It would get mentions multiple times in every chapter. I just wanted to see her make up her mind.
This is the first book I have ever read from Jenny Proctor. I am so glad and thankful that I got approved for this arc. I will definitely be checking out more of her books since I enjoyed this one so much.
August 16, 2024
Cute, quick and clean read
June 3, 2022
Yum!!
Ummm, yum. Brody and Kate. This was such a fun book to read! I loved Brody's smarts, his deep rooted love for Kate and his generosity. I loved feeling Kate's awareness and attraction to Brody grow to exploding levels. It was sooooo yummy! If the rest of this series is like this one, I'm all in. 😍
Ummm, yum. Brody and Kate. This was such a fun book to read! I loved Brody's smarts, his deep rooted love for Kate and his generosity. I loved feeling Kate's awareness and attraction to Brody grow to exploding levels. It was sooooo yummy! If the rest of this series is like this one, I'm all in. 😍
May 22, 2022
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Steam Level: 🔥 (kissing only)
Trigger Warning: divorce and death of a loved one briefly mentioned
Brody Hawthorne has been in love with his best friend Kate since the fourth grade. But Kate has never felt that way about him, and her jet-setting, adventurous lifestyle is the complete opposite of his. Brody has always envisioned settling down in their hometown of Silver Creek where he's a teacher and whitewater kayaking instructor. Now Kate is back in town to clean out her grandmother's house, and suddenly she's feeling more than friendship thanks to Brody's toned muscles, comforting presence, and close family bonds. Will this finally be Brody's chance to get Kate to settle in one place and take their relationship to the next level?
This is the first book in Jenny Proctor's new series featuring the Hawthorne brothers. I absolutely loved the relationship between the four brothers in this book and how they looked out for Brody. It was so sweet to see them concerned about his heart being broken by Kate after years of unrequited love. And I enjoyed seeing Brody's sister Olivia again after her love story was featured in the previous series. Brody and Kate had some sweet moments together in this book. I loved the scene that involved Brody being locked out of his house in nothing but a towel! And it was fun to watch Kate swoon over his toned body while he taught her how to whitewater kayak. The scenery and kayaking descriptions were really the shining stars of this book, though. I am obsessed with Stonebrook Farm where Brody's parents live and three of his siblings work. And even though I'm not an outdoorsy person, this book totally made me want to join Brody and Kate on their hikes along the river. I also feel like I got a crash course in whitewater rafting thanks to all the lingo and details that were included, but I definitely won't be trying that anytime soon! If you love the outdoors and water sports, then you'll really love this story. Now I'm looking forward to returning to Silver Creek for Perry's book which is up next!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Steam Level: 🔥 (kissing only)
Trigger Warning: divorce and death of a loved one briefly mentioned
Brody Hawthorne has been in love with his best friend Kate since the fourth grade. But Kate has never felt that way about him, and her jet-setting, adventurous lifestyle is the complete opposite of his. Brody has always envisioned settling down in their hometown of Silver Creek where he's a teacher and whitewater kayaking instructor. Now Kate is back in town to clean out her grandmother's house, and suddenly she's feeling more than friendship thanks to Brody's toned muscles, comforting presence, and close family bonds. Will this finally be Brody's chance to get Kate to settle in one place and take their relationship to the next level?
This is the first book in Jenny Proctor's new series featuring the Hawthorne brothers. I absolutely loved the relationship between the four brothers in this book and how they looked out for Brody. It was so sweet to see them concerned about his heart being broken by Kate after years of unrequited love. And I enjoyed seeing Brody's sister Olivia again after her love story was featured in the previous series. Brody and Kate had some sweet moments together in this book. I loved the scene that involved Brody being locked out of his house in nothing but a towel! And it was fun to watch Kate swoon over his toned body while he taught her how to whitewater kayak. The scenery and kayaking descriptions were really the shining stars of this book, though. I am obsessed with Stonebrook Farm where Brody's parents live and three of his siblings work. And even though I'm not an outdoorsy person, this book totally made me want to join Brody and Kate on their hikes along the river. I also feel like I got a crash course in whitewater rafting thanks to all the lingo and details that were included, but I definitely won't be trying that anytime soon! If you love the outdoors and water sports, then you'll really love this story. Now I'm looking forward to returning to Silver Creek for Perry's book which is up next!
Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
February 20, 2024
This surpassed my expectations in such amazing ways! 5 sparkly stars!
Read
July 28, 2024dnf @ 31%
just not feeling it
just not feeling it
March 12, 2023
✨BOOK REVIEW✨
How to Kiss Your Best Friend by Jenny Proctor
When I saw that this was a friends to lovers book I couldn’t get it on my TBR fast enough.
I absolutely adore this book. So much so that I haven’t stopped thinking about it. It was the type of book where I would tell myself one more chapter…ok one more chapter…up until I had no choice but to binge to the end!
Brody has loved Kate for what seems like a lifetime and she has absolutely no idea. When she comes back to town Brody has to protect his heart if he doesn’t want to see it broken all over again.
I absolutely loved the setting for this one. The small town vibes on an ideal family farm. I LOVED Brody and his love of numbers, his heartfelt yearning for Kate and his passion for Kayaking. I love anything with an athletic vein, and a love of the outdoors and this transported me.
Although Kate is clueless at first, she can’t deny that her feelings for Brody are changing and dipping into territory she isn’t ready to think about…he’s definitely had a glow up she can’t stop thinking about. 😘
The push and pull is fabulous. The chemistry and want is there and YES….this is a kissing book. (Rejoice)
So many fabulous moments full of adventure, travel writing, family, tacos, tiny towels (lol) and finding out what you need has been there all along.
I can’t wait to read more @jennyproctorbooks . This is my first of hers but definitely not my last!♥️
How to Kiss Your Best Friend by Jenny Proctor
When I saw that this was a friends to lovers book I couldn’t get it on my TBR fast enough.
I absolutely adore this book. So much so that I haven’t stopped thinking about it. It was the type of book where I would tell myself one more chapter…ok one more chapter…up until I had no choice but to binge to the end!
Brody has loved Kate for what seems like a lifetime and she has absolutely no idea. When she comes back to town Brody has to protect his heart if he doesn’t want to see it broken all over again.
I absolutely loved the setting for this one. The small town vibes on an ideal family farm. I LOVED Brody and his love of numbers, his heartfelt yearning for Kate and his passion for Kayaking. I love anything with an athletic vein, and a love of the outdoors and this transported me.
Although Kate is clueless at first, she can’t deny that her feelings for Brody are changing and dipping into territory she isn’t ready to think about…he’s definitely had a glow up she can’t stop thinking about. 😘
The push and pull is fabulous. The chemistry and want is there and YES….this is a kissing book. (Rejoice)
So many fabulous moments full of adventure, travel writing, family, tacos, tiny towels (lol) and finding out what you need has been there all along.
I can’t wait to read more @jennyproctorbooks . This is my first of hers but definitely not my last!♥️
August 2, 2022
Kate was insufferable, I finished this book more out of stubborness but honestly I didn't like it as much as I wanted it to, Brody was great I liked him just enough but every single Kate pov chapter was almost skippable for me. Reading her thoughts was awful, she was whiney and immature and just too horny for my likeness (i love spicy but she was more like a 13 year old seeing harry styles shirtless for the first time) I felt like I was reading a poorly written fanfiction on Wattpad whenever it was a Kate chapter.
November 3, 2022
Ugh. To based on physical attraction and nothing else.
August 21, 2023
Such sweetness and tenderness in this romcom. You don’t always get that in this genre but it was perfect! Friends to lovers is not my favorite romance trope but every now and then I read one I absolutely love! The found family, white water kayaking mentions, the funny things Kate’s grandma bought from QVC and the history Kate and Brody share made for a delicious story written by a talented author. This is my first book written solely by Jenny Proctor but hopefully not the last! Love that this story is set in the summer time and in a beautiful location! My only critique is the over emphasis on the physical. I want to read descriptions of the character’s looks but not a constant drooling over the guy’s muscles. 4 1/2 stars
September 23, 2023
After loving author Jenny Proctor’s latest book, How To Kiss a Movie Star, I wanted to go back to the beginning of the Hawthorne Brothers series, so I read How To Kiss Your Best Friend.
It was so cute, featuring all of the tropes I love! It’s a friends to lovers story, small town romance and it was so sweet, and a great palate cleanse featuring a closed door romance.
I’m so hooked on this series and can’t wait to start the next book!
*many thanks to the author for sending me a copy for review
It was so cute, featuring all of the tropes I love! It’s a friends to lovers story, small town romance and it was so sweet, and a great palate cleanse featuring a closed door romance.
I’m so hooked on this series and can’t wait to start the next book!
*many thanks to the author for sending me a copy for review
May 18, 2023
Such a fun romcom! Perfect ‘friends to more’ set up, with characters and situations that were wonderful. I loved everything about it!
This first book focusing on the Hawthorne brothers is such a great read! We got a glimpse of the brothers when we got the story of their sister, Olivia, in Proctor’s Love in Bloom book. This story focuses on brother Brody, and his best friend from their growing up years, Kate. It’s fun, sweet, cute, and just so enjoyable to read! Definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year!
This first book focusing on the Hawthorne brothers is such a great read! We got a glimpse of the brothers when we got the story of their sister, Olivia, in Proctor’s Love in Bloom book. This story focuses on brother Brody, and his best friend from their growing up years, Kate. It’s fun, sweet, cute, and just so enjoyable to read! Definitely one of my favorite reads so far this year!
August 28, 2023
3.5 ⭐
It was cute! but it was just average
It was cute! but it was just average
September 10, 2023
G-rated, small-town romance
Brody and Kate first met when they were 9 years old, when Kate and her divorced mother moved in with her maternal grandmother two houses down from Brody's home, in a small, North Carolina mountain town. Brody was a geeky little math genius, and their friendship began when he helped outgoing, cheeky Kate with her math homework. They soon became best friends, and remained best friends for the next nine years. Brody fell in love with Kate from the moment he met her, and over the last 19 years, he's never stopped loving her. Unfortunately for Brody, Kate had no idea that he felt that way, viewed him only as a platonic friend, and left town right after graduating high school. For the past 10 years, she has wandered the world as a travel journalist. Brodie stayed behind in their hometown, finished a teaching degree, and is a middle-school math teacher at a charter school. He also teaches public-funded lessons in whitewater kayaking on the local river. For the first six years of their separation, Kate and Brody stayed in touch via calls, texting, and Kate's occasional flying visits to see her grandmother and mother. But four years ago, Kate's grandmother died and, not only did Kate not return to town for the funeral, but she ghosted Brody, hurting him terribly. During the previous four years, though Brody dated multiple women in an attempt to get over Kate and move on with his life, he could not feel anything other other than mild attraction toward anyone else. Then suddenly, out of the blue, Kate texts him. She is coming to town for a few months to remodel her grandmother's house in preparation for her mother's selling it, and she would like to see him.
This is a G-rated, "best friends fall in love," small-town romance, with a cinnamon-roll hero. Fans of any of those tropes, who are looking for a romance novel with no more than a few kisses, will probably enjoy this novel. I personally felt sorry for Brody and had trouble liking self-centered Kate or feeling she deserved such an amazing guy.
Brody and Kate first met when they were 9 years old, when Kate and her divorced mother moved in with her maternal grandmother two houses down from Brody's home, in a small, North Carolina mountain town. Brody was a geeky little math genius, and their friendship began when he helped outgoing, cheeky Kate with her math homework. They soon became best friends, and remained best friends for the next nine years. Brody fell in love with Kate from the moment he met her, and over the last 19 years, he's never stopped loving her. Unfortunately for Brody, Kate had no idea that he felt that way, viewed him only as a platonic friend, and left town right after graduating high school. For the past 10 years, she has wandered the world as a travel journalist. Brodie stayed behind in their hometown, finished a teaching degree, and is a middle-school math teacher at a charter school. He also teaches public-funded lessons in whitewater kayaking on the local river. For the first six years of their separation, Kate and Brody stayed in touch via calls, texting, and Kate's occasional flying visits to see her grandmother and mother. But four years ago, Kate's grandmother died and, not only did Kate not return to town for the funeral, but she ghosted Brody, hurting him terribly. During the previous four years, though Brody dated multiple women in an attempt to get over Kate and move on with his life, he could not feel anything other other than mild attraction toward anyone else. Then suddenly, out of the blue, Kate texts him. She is coming to town for a few months to remodel her grandmother's house in preparation for her mother's selling it, and she would like to see him.
This is a G-rated, "best friends fall in love," small-town romance, with a cinnamon-roll hero. Fans of any of those tropes, who are looking for a romance novel with no more than a few kisses, will probably enjoy this novel. I personally felt sorry for Brody and had trouble liking self-centered Kate or feeling she deserved such an amazing guy.
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