the setup…
Francesca (Frankie) Gardiner met George St. James when they were eight years old and he came to live next door with his grandmother. Precocious and outgoing Frankie took George under her wing and from that point forward, they were the best of friends through high school. It’s present day and the eve of Frankie’s wedding to fiancé Nate and she fears her best man George might be a no show. He thinks her marriage is a mistake and they haven’t been on good terms. But he shows up and Frankie feels her life is now complete…until she wakes the next morning to a note from Nate saying the wedding is off. Bereft and destroyed, Frankie lets George take control and whisk her off to Tofino, the prepaid honeymoon site, to heal her broken heart and mend their friendship. Hmmm…
the heart of the story…
Frankie and George’s friendship is nothing short of delightful after she pulls him out of his shell. The story transitions from past to present at different milestones in their lives. I got a strong sense of both of them and what shaped their perspectives. It was clear early on that Frankie was clueless about her “friendship” with George who was much better informed.
the narration…
It’s an unusual duet narration style as the point of view is all Frankie’s but George’s voice is heard whenever there is dialogue. I loved it and AJ Bridel was perfection as Frankie and Jack Copland was a delicious George.
the bottom line…
This is one of the best friends-to-lovers stories I’ve experienced in a long while. The dual timeline structure added depth and was so well timed in the transitions. It helped that Frankie and George were beautifully developed characters I couldn’t resist rooting for. The last part of the story was more prolonged than I felt needed but overall, I enjoyed the romance, highly atmospheric setting and their wonderful journey.
Book Info
- Release Date: May 5, 2026
- Narrators: AJ Bridel & Jack Copland
- Audio Length: 10 hours, 51 minutes
- Publisher: Penguin Audio
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Blue Mood Café 
I’m glad that you enjoyed this one as much as I did. Wonderful review.
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