Almost Just Friends (Wildstone, #4)

by Jill Shalvis

Erin Mallon (Narrator)

'Perfect, feel-good fiction' Sarah Morgan on The Lemon Sisters

If you love Holly Martin, Jill Mansell and Debbie Macomber, you'll LOVE Jill Shalvis and her irresistible trademark gift for humour, warmth and romance!

Jill's books are guaranteed to make you smile:

'You can't go wrong with a Jill Shalvis book' 5* reader review

'A heartwarming read with all the feels' 5* reader review

'Another winner... I cannot wait for more' 5* reader review

'A riveting and comforting romance' 5* reader review

Sometimes the life you want is closer than you think.

Piper Manning's about as tough as they come, she's had to be. She raised her siblings and thankfully they've flown the nest. All she has to do now is finish fixing up the lake house her grandparents left her, sell it, and then she's free.

When a huge storm hits, she runs into a tall, dark and brooding stranger, Camden Reid. The spark between them shocks her. Surprising her further, is the return of her sister and brother, each keeping their own secrets. It would be smart for Piper to ignore them all but Cam unleashes emotions deep inside her that she can't deny. And her siblings...well, they need each other.

Only when the secrets come out, it changes everything Piper thinks she knows about her family, herself...and Cam. With the chance of the new life she craves within her grasp, can she find a way to let go and embrace it?

Want more warm, funny romance? Check out the Heartbreaker Bay novels starting with Sweet Little Lies, visit stunning Wildstone, gorgeous Cedar Ridge, spellbinding Lucky Harbor or experience some Animal Magnetism in Sunshine, Idaho in Jill's other unforgettable series.

• ISBN10: 109410518X
• ISBN13: 9781094105185
• Publish Date: 21 January 2020
• Publish Status: Active
• Publisher: HarperCollins Publishers Inc
• Imprint: HarperCollins
• Format: Audiobook (CD)
• Duration: 0 hours and 30 minutes
• Language: English

Reviews

[Nadz@Totally Addicted to Reading]

Almost Just Friends is the fourth book in the Wildstone series, however, it can be read on its own. In this latest offering from Jill Shalvis, we meet Piper Manning an EMT. Piper is completing her plans to go to college. Now that her siblings have all grown up, and she is no longer responsible for them, she can now live her life on her own terms. However, things rarely go as planned as Piper would discover, when her siblings returned home with secrets, which had the potential to turn her world upside down. If that was not enough, her neighbour’s sexy son would evoke feelings she feared and never thought possible. For a woman who bases her life on lists, this spells trouble.

Shalvis weaved an entertaining story which, featured complicated characters. I enjoyed every moment getting to know the characters, who were strong yet flawed. These were persons you wanted the best for and hoped they would get their act together.

This book featured not one but two romances which I loved. I am not a fan of MM romance, but I found myself enjoying the second chance romance between Gavin (Piper’s brother) and CJ.

The connection between Piper and Cam was both sweet and hot. I loved the slow burn and the undeniable chemistry that burned between the couples. I found myself invested in both relationships and had my fingers crossed hoping they would overcome the obstacles that could destroy their happiness.

Of all the characters in the story, Camden’s dad was my favourite. He was funny and charismatic, which added to depth to the story.

It was a pleasure watching the characters grow throughout the story. They claimed their mistakes and attempted to correct them, which resulted in healing and forgiveness for all who were involved.

Drama and angst was prominent in this story, however, they were balanced out by the humour and all the happy events that transpired.

Conclusion/Recommendation
Almost Just Friends is a story about healing, forgiveness, over coming fears and self-discovery. If you enjoy contemporary romance, you will love this book.

[stacey_is_sassy]

I love my family, but I don’t like them sometimes…

I’ve just come back from a 10-day cruise with my family. Not just my little family, my whole bloody family. There were 15 of us in total, setting sail to celebrate my parents 50th wedding anniversary. Congratulations, Mum and Dad on surviving and conquering 50 years of wedded bliss. Love you both so much and I’m proud to be your daughter.

BUT 10 DAYS STUCK ON A BOAT…BLOODY HELL, THAT WAS HARD WORK!

I love them… but, geez, I don’t like them sometimes. Family dynamics are a wonderful thing. One day we’re all happy, happy, joy, joy (that could have been the wine talking). The next day, there are tears, tantrums and screaming matches (too many wine days, not enough water days). I guess it’s been a wee while since I’ve spent days with my sisters and parents. We love, trust and care for each other which gives us the freedom to be honest, straight-forward and even a little blunt. Honestly, a lot of it was a blast and I loved spending time with my family but I’ve never been so bloody happy to be home from a holiday.

It cracked me up that again, Jill Shalvis has written something so relevant to me and my life. Almost Just Friends is all about family dynamics. I recognised the bossy elder sister who lectures instead of listens. I know that little sister who is determined to be strong and independent… with a little help from family. I may also be somewhat like the middle “peacekeeper” who has been known to go off the rails but never meant to be a burden.

Now, all these traits do not define us (the characters and my siblings) as we can and are so much more. The bossiness comes from love and a need to see their family happy and content. The need to show her independence is from an acceptance that she can do anything because of the love and support at their back. That peacekeeper has seen some tough times so now we want everyone we love to avoid the tough times and lead their best lives.

Almost Just Friends is not just about the family dynamics, though. This story is about a woman who has put aside her wants and needs to raise her siblings. The journal she keeps was her way to stay on track and plan for the future. Piper notes what she hopes to achieve and ticks her successes and rewrites what still needs to happen. Things are finally getting to a stage where she thinks things are going smooth…ish and now Piper can start her own adventure.

Of course, when it comes to family, nothing is ever smooth and of course, the love of your life… I mean, the man of the moment, gets to witness every messy detail.

Camden’s younger brother Rowan died, and the last words Cam said to him were in anger. Now, Cam is trying to fix the mistakes of his past and find his own piece of happiness. Days after his arrival home to visit with his dad, a storm blows in changing everything. One woman is the calm in the middle of the storm. Piper challenges him to be better and makes it easy to laugh again. She’s not looking for a relationship but with the sparks they set off in each other, Cam’s sure she’s his permanent light.

I am convinced that Jill Shalvis writes for me alone. It’s like she knows what I want to read when I want to read it. Almost Just Friends had the perfect mix of humour, emotion and conflict, with a healthy dose of sexy times added for my pleasure. There were times that I found the simultaneous family fireworks (real-life and book life) helped me get through the dramas. It’s nice to know that I’m not the only one who loves their family while also wanting to murder them.

If you’re a fan of Jill Shalvis, this is one of her best and if you haven’t tried her yet… DO IT! If you’ve followed the Wildstone series, this is a great addition to the series, if you haven't started it yet… DO IT! I highly recommend giving Almost Just Friends a try.

Stacey is Sassy, received an advanced copy of this story. The copy provided is not the final copy and may be subject to edits and changes.

[Sam@WLABB]

Rating: 4.5 Stars

Upon turning 30, Piper decided her "job" raising her siblings was complete. Her brother was off in Arizona with a career, and her sister had almost earned her college degree. Now, Piper would be able to sell her grandparents' property, and begin her own life. However, her siblings' return to Wildstone, and Piper's attraction to the neighbor's son, may force her to alter her plans.

I say this every time, but I am saying it again! I will never NOT want to read a Jill Shalvis book, because plain and simple, her books make me happy. She always packs them with great characters, fantastic romance, and a multitude of feels.

One of the things I have grown to LOVE about this, the Wildstone series, is her focus on family. Each book has featured a pretty special clan, and I got that once again in Almost Just Friends. It was fantastic seeing the Manning family unpack all their baggage, while finding their way to themselves and to each other.

The Manning family members shared an interesting dynamic. After their parents died, Piper, the eldest sibling, was sort of forced to be the de facto parent. She put her siblings' needs before her own, and basically was their mother. I watched her struggle with choosing to abandon her family or her dreams, and the entire situation required Piper to assume a whole new role in her siblings lives. It was time for her to stop being their parent, and start being their sister. It was really beautiful watching these three work through all their issues. They confronted their past, their present, and their future, and they did it together.

I was also treated to not one, but TWO romances, and I am telling you right now, I was delighted by both of them.

Cam and Piper were two wounded people, who did not tend to allow others into their lives. But, for some reason, they were able to open up to one another in a way they couldn't with other people. This lust at first sight attraction quickly turned into something deeper and real, and I was 100% on board with it. The pair were fire together, and watching Cam, slowly, break down Piper's defenses made me really happy, because it was so easy to see how well they fit together.

Now, the other romance was my favorite kind - second chance! I absolutely needed these two to happen. I cannot believe how important it was for me. I was bent on them working through their past, because I saw such a wonderful future for them. Shalvis treated me to so many beautiful and tender moments between these two, and because I can never stop rooting for love, I found myself excited about every small step they took back to each other.

Shalvis did such a beautiful job blending the two romances in with the family drama. It all flowed so well, and, as always, the balance of romance, drama, and humor was perfect. There were many fun moments, accompanied by many touching and heartfelt moments. And, from me, there was laughter, tears, and swoons.

Overall: Another fantastic addition to a series that gets better and better with every book.

*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

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[kimbacaffeinate]

This is the fourth Wildstone book, but don’t worry it works as a standalone. Piper Manning is finally making plan to go to college after raising her siblings. She’s been fixing up the lake house they called home that their grandparents left them. She plans to give her siblings their share and use hers for tuition…and then they come home.

Then there is Camden Reid the distraction next door. Suddenly life is complicated and all of Piper’s lists and plans are complicated!

[Linda]

*I received a free copy of Almost Just Friends. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review which is honest and unbiased.*

Shalvis' Wildstone series just keep getting better with each book! I loved the sibling dynamics in Almost Just Friends. Piper had done her best to do well by her younger siblings, but that had put her whole feeling of self, and living her own life, on the side burner.
Excellent writing, awesome character development, and beautiful story.