HOLIDAY HAPPINESS: Book Review: Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Better Off Friends

Author: Elizabeth Eulberg

Publisher: Point

Release Date: February 25, 2014

Format Read: Hardback

Description from Goodreads: For Macallan and Levi, it was friends at first sight. Everyone says guys and girls can't be just friends, but these two are. They hang out after school, share tons of inside jokes, their families are super close, and Levi even starts dating one of Macallan's friends. They are platonic and happy that way.

Eventually they realize they're best friends-- which wouldn't be so bad if they didn't keep getting each other's way. Guys won't ask Macallan out because they think she's with Levi, and Levi spends too much time joking around with Macallan, and maybe not enough time with his date. They can't help but wonder... are they more than friends, or are they better off without making it more complicated?

From romantic comedy superstar Elizabeth Eulberg comes a fresh, fun examination of a question for the ages: Can guys and girls ever really just be friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again-- and one kiss away from true love?

Let me just start by saying that the number one reason I was interested in this book is because my best friend is a guy. We're uber close, and I was elated to find a book about a boy-girl relationship that was purely platonic. Except, then I read the book. And while it was not what I expected when i turned to page one, it was a magical read for me and has easily found it's way to the top of my favorites list.

Macallan and Levi have a relationship that is easy for me to relate to, being friends with boys, and their friendship was literally the most heart-warming thing. Between their constant banter, and the romance that comes to play throughout the story, BETTER OFF FRIENDS is definitely a feel-good book. Especially if you love contemporary. If you don't love contemporary, you should still read it because this one just might make you change your mind.

I recommend BETTER OFF FRIENDS to everyone, but most importantly to those who have a best friend of the opposite sex, and are overly familiar with what that entails. The constant assumptions that you're dating, the looks and questions you get from family members when you mention him/her, all of that and more is in this book, and it's so pleasing to see someone else struggle with it. 

Give this one a try. It's a contemporary that will change your standards for the genre.

Happily,

Stephanie