A best-friends-to-lovers standalone romance from New York Times bestselling author Kendall Ryan. She says she needs some help … in the bedroom.Come again? No, really come again.Sweet, nerdy, lovable Keaton. She’s my best friend and has been for years. Sure she likes numbers and math, and thinks doing other people’s taxes is fun. And I like … none of that stuff. She’s obsessed with her cat and … … none of that stuff. She’s obsessed with her cat and reads novels I’ll never understand, and yet we just click. There’s no one I’d rather share breakfast burritos with or binge watch hours of Netflix. She’s my person. And so when she takes off her glasses and asks me to help her improve her skills in the bedroom, I barely have to think about it.
Of course I’ll help her. There’s no one better for the job.
I’ve been there for her through everything, why should this be any different?
But what happens when she’s ready to take her new-found confidence and move on?
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“My own personal sex coach will turn me into a certified love machine.”
“Love is friendship, but it is friendship with fire in its belly.”
Love Machine was a sweet quick read for me. I enjoy friend to lover stories and this one had it all from the start.
Keaton is single and lack confidence in a certain area…. sex.
She decides to deal with this issue in a very orderly and constructive manner- by creating a sex spreadsheet.
Now I personally have a spreadsheet for everything but never thought about having one like Keaton!
She asks her best friend Slate to be her wingman! Slate is sex on a stick and has a reputation to be a womaniser.However, the more involved Slate is the more he realised that he is developing feelings for Keaton.
Is he ready to take the risk of losing his friendship with Keaton? Can Keaton see Slate as something more than a friend with benefits?
If you’re looking for a sexy, entertaining summer read , this one is for you!!
If you are looking for a great best friends to lovers book, or nerdy girl gets the guy, go one click this one. You won’t regret it.
After biting a cucumber, when she was suppose to suck, Keaton realizes she needs help in the sex department. Who better to go to than her best friend, Slate, the guy that can get any ass he wants just by walking into the room.
This book will have you laughing and then you may want to slap Keaton a little also. There are some really really sweet moments (the hotel room and Penny).
This was the perfect read to start my week off right with.
I absolutely love Keaton and Slate. They are both great and so dang cute together.
Wow, that Slate is a charmer! *sigh* I loved this fun and flirty, friends-to-lovers romance. Keaton felt lacking with her experience after listening to her girlfriends stories. She feels her years of climbing the corporate ladder has robbed her of the carefree nights her friends experienced. After too much to drink, she calls her best friend, Slate, to ask for his help in teaching her how to be better in bed. He seemed like the best choice for instructions in the bedroom because of his history as a player, and being incapable of commitment. Slate was shocked but how could he trust his best friend with another man? They already care for each other as friends, and they trust each other completely, so what could go wrong? Slate was so thoughtful, romantic, and swoony. I loved how Keaton learned to be more spontaneous with him, even after developing her sexploration spreadsheet. I really cared for both of them and rooted for their HEA.
Andi Arndt, and Sebastian York were so perfect as Keaton and Slate. They made the fun and flirty couple come alive, and easily made me feel all the passion, heartbreak, joy, and love these characters felt. Even though this audio was quick, and easy, with no real surprises, the combination of Ryan’s heartfelt story, witty banter, and great characters, along with the flawless narration by Arndt and York, made this a complete joy to listen too.
Love love loved this book.
If you are looking for a fun, silly, (at times) steamy romance, you never have to look farther than a Kendall Ryan book. She should on your go to list when you need a quick pick me up read that you know will always leave you smiling and with a happy heart. That said I will admit going into this (even though I know better) with a little trepidation because come on, everyone’s doing the nearly girl friends to lovers book lately and, ugh I was so ready for the annoying nerdy girl and the jerk of a super sexy way too cocky boy. Of course Kendall Ryan didn’t fail me and while we get that geeky girl, though she’s less of a geek to me and more of a work-a-holic who loves her ‘geeky’ job, she’s not the annoying one you just want to bang on the head with your book while she whines about how she’s too geeky for love and the boy…turns out that maybe he’s the quiet sexy boy ‘next door’ that’s just been waiting or his chance with the geeky girl from across the street.
I really really loved Slate, also..kinda in love with that name, Slate…not Slade, Slate. It just rolls off your tongue. 😉 He’s cocky in a non-aggressive way. He knows he’s handsome, he knows he can get what he wants and honestly sounds like if it’s offered he isn’t often opposed to taking it, but at the same time there is something genuinely humble about him. Almost as though he is a bit embarrassed by his (mmmhmmmmm, what’s the world I want) social prowess.
Keaton is a woman in charge of her life. I love that about her. She honestly gives two F*s what anyone else thinks about who she is, what she does, what she wants. She is going to make her life happen on her own terms. She’s the strong independent woman we all want to be, but even with all that she is still lacking something and it’s a deep romantic social connection. What I love about her is that when she decides maybe it’s her ‘fault’ (it’s not) she takes charge and as Merida would say “decides to change her fate.” What’s the best way to go about that, lists of course…no actually it’s ask your cocky sexy as heck best friends since you are in college to help you out and teach you the ways of romance. Too bad, or is it, that romance turns out to be much much more than she ever bargained for.
I loved these two together, Slate is sweet, thoughtful, and even though he may not admit it secretly been in love with his best friend for years. Keaton, is strong and yet scared in so many ways. She’s afraid to open herself up, to let someone love her because the idea of loving and losing is too great for her. She’s hard core friend zoned Slate, but it only takes one text to change it all and I am honestly so proud of this character for just being gutsy and putting her needs out there. They of course have some downs in the middle of their ups. I will admit to getting a little frustrated with Keaton because it felt like she over reacted a time or two, but I think in the end it’s simply her fear talking. Slate, you just can’t help but love him..as well as their group of friends, those ladies are a hoot.
If you are looking for a pick me up kind of book. One to give you lots of lovely feels and leave you happy when you close the cover, look no further. Love Machine is a good time read and another win from Kendall Ryan!
If you are looking for a phenomenal friends-to-lovers romance with a nerdy heroine and a playboy hero then you need to one-click your copy of Love Machine by Kendall Ryan right this second because this book is just that and so much more!
Since I am a HUGE fan of the friends-to-lovers trope, there was no way that I was going to pass up the opportunity to get my hands on this story! So…the moment this story dropped onto my kindle I dove right into it because the cover and blurb instantly drew me in! In less than a few hours I found myself completely invested in Keaton and Slate story and my goodness there were a ton of sweet and sexy times between these two. Their chemistry was intense and off the charts H-O-T! I freaking loved and adored every second of it!
Not only did I enjoy Keaton and Slate, but those secondary characters added so much to the story and I sure hope that some of them will be getting stories of their own in the near future!
Whenever I need a quick read with low angst, a sexy romance and a perfect HEA, Kendall Ryan is my go-to author. Love Machine checks off all those boxes, and it left me with that awesome post-book warm fuzzies feeling that tells me that it was another winner.
I’ve found that cute, nerdy girls seem to be a popular trend lately, but there’s a fine line between adorkable and annoying AF. I was so happy that Kendall Ryan wrote Keaton on the correct side of that line. She’s smart and devoted to her job, but has lately been feeling insecure about her lack of sexual experience. On a whim – and encouraged by alcohol – she asks her hot playboy BFF Slate for help in that area.
I get the impression that Slate had just been looking for a reason to get together with Keaton. He seemed to jump at the chance (after an appropriate amount of hedging), and when these two finally got down to business, it was clear how perfect for each other they were.
Of course, their road to that perfect HEA was not perfectly smooth, which made this story even more perfect. It was real and sweet and adorable and sexy. Friends to lovers is one of my favorite tropes because the couple always has those shared experiences that offer a firm foundation on which to start a romantic relationship. They have inside jokes and know each other’s skeletons and baggage. Slate and Keaton were perfect for each other, and it was fun watching them come to that realization too.
“I had no words to describe the book once i finished. This book had me laughing so hard that i was rolling on the floor and crying!! , If you are looking for an intense toe-curling book then this is the book!! You would be left wanting more after reading this book”
Slate and Keaton have been best friends for 10 years and Keaton has a problem and needs Slate’s help to fix it. It’s the perfect friends to lovers story. Slate is a carefree man-whore and Keaton is a workaholic, but she’s not uptight.
If I say anymore I’m scared I’m gonna give away the story so I’m gonna end this by saying you should definitely one-click this.
I’ve been so busy reading and reviewing ARC’s lately that I decided to change it up and read a book on my timeline. I wanted something easy and witty to read. This did not disappoint. I liked the relationship between Keaton and Slate. I loved the dynamic between the two. (Although, I did find the initial conversation about the “sex education” to be a bit rushed and accepted too easily).
The concept of this book was that Keaton was failing in the sex department and she wanted some pointers on how to improve. This isn’t the first book that I have read that centers on this issue. So, I think I had preconceived notions from the other books I’v read that are similar. Which is why I think the initial conversation seemed to be accepted too quickly. Anyway, Slate agrees to be her “teacher” and of course, feelings ensure and the friendship changes, etc.
It was predictable but still enjoyable to read how their story unfolded. There were plenty of witty quips and banter to make the reader smile.
And, of course, sometimes you just need to read a book that you know is going to be a bit naughty
As you probably know by now, Kendall Ryan is one of my go to author when I am looking for a light and romantic read. And this one is not an exception. The relaxed vibe of the story makes it perfect for your holiday read. But at the same time, pulls you in and gets you invested in the characters’ lives.
Ultimately, as the blurb says, this is a friends to lovers story. But at the same time, it feels new and refreshed. And it doesn’t hurt that both characters are quite intriguing. And of course that Slate is one super sexy man candy 😀
I have to confess, I couldn’t really get the relationship between Keeton and her cat and at time also her thought process but ultimately, this was one quite enjoyable summer read. So be sure to give it a chance when you are preparing your kindle for your holiday 😉
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
First things first: this is only a minor detail but I LOVE the characters’names! If I was in the market for names, Keaton and Slate would definitely be the frontrunners for my next two children. Now that that’s out of the way – I really enjoyed this cute and sexy friends-to-lovers story. Keaton is so cutely nerdy and Slate on so sweetly studly that they are the perfect match. I did enjoy the trajectory of their relationship but I wish we had gotten more about their backgrounds (particularly Keaton) so that we could bond with them a bit more. It also felt a little like two different books: one that details their progression from friends to lovers and another once they figure out they have more than friendly sexy feelings towards each other. It sort of makes sense that the two parts are different, but they don’t really mesh well together – perhaps it was the sudden shift in tone or the pacing, I’m not exactly sure. So while I love that Keaton and Slate get their HEA and it is suitably cute and sweet, I enjoyed the first half of the book a lot more than the second half (and not just because of the awesome sexy times). I’m really looking forward to Flirting With Forever and appreciated the sneak peek we get at Camden and Natalie that we get in the epilogue. 4 out of 5 wine glasses.
One of my favourite plot lines is the whole best friend to lovers saga and this one didn’t disappoint. If you really love these kind of books and love a sweet blissful romance then this one is right up your alley.
Keaton and Slate are the sweetest of sweet characters and have been best friends for 10 years. Keaton feels she needs a teacher in the bedroom as she thinks her skills and confidence are severely lacking. When Keaton decides to ask Slate he agrees as there’s no better person to make her feel comfortable. The only worry is both are scared that it will interfere with their friendship so decide that no matter what happens between them in the bedroom, they must be able to go back to being best friends without any awkwardness. The question is can either of them retreat back to friends status without developing that different kind of love from that of friendship?
This book was really, fun and sweet with a tiny side of angst thrown in for good measure. It’s an easy read and won’t take you long at all to get through as you won’t want to put it down. Keaton and Slate are lovable characters that will have you ohhhing and ahhhing throughout the book. My only downside was that admittedly I do like more drama in these kinds of books. Overall though I thoroughly enjoyed it and I can’t wait to see what the author writes next.
5 Stars
Love Machine is the all new stand-alone friends-to-lovers romance by the amazing Kendall Ryan! It is a fun and sweet but also swoon-worthy novel that made me sigh with happiness and made my heart skip a beat.
I loved Keaton and Slate from the get-go. They had been best friends for over ten years without any interest to become more. That is until Keaton needs help. She feels that she has focused so much on her career that she’s never put time into relationships and making sure her bedroom abilities were top notch. When she asks Slate for help, she knows that it will never ruin their friendship…or so she thinks. What happens when what was supposed to be just helping a friend out turns into more…you’ll just have to read it to find out!
OMG!!!! I could not put this book down. At all. Ms Ryan killed it with this one! From the writing to the characters-it all was incredible! The banter between Keaton and Slate was hysterical and the way they fall was complete perfection. I cannot wait to read more from Ms. Ryan!
Final Score – 5 Stars!
Who doesn’t love a reading a good friends to lovers story? These romantic tales are my most favorite as they are enjoyable to read.
Keaton is single … and looking for someone to teach her lessons in seduction and bedroom prowess. Slate is also single … but not looking to change that anytime soon – or so he thinks. He also happens to be one of Keaton’s best friends. So what happens when two friend embark on “friends with benefits” arrangement? Will feelings get trampled on? Will love blossom? Will a perfect friendship be ruined … or will a new relationship emerge?
I was rooting for Keaton and Slate from the beginning – they completely got one another. There wasn’t another person for them. I loved how patient and serious Slate was with Keaton in the bedroom – he was beyond sweet. And those sexy times? SO intense – their chemistry lept off each page they were on.
Love Machine is a wonderful story about finding love with best person you know & Kendall Ryan completely sells it with her writing.
This is probably favorite ever Kendall Ryan book. It was this amazing slow kind of build up between friends. When one friend is in need, what do you do? You help out right, even if they want you to help them….in the bedroom! It’s fun, it’s sexy, it’s fabulous! Kendall always has a way to make her characters so relatable and fun. They are so real and you just can’t help but to fall in love with them!
“Love is friendship, but it is friendship with fire in it’s belly.” – The best quote ever!!
So, say you’re a smart by not very, erm, experienced girl. And say that your bestie is not only super-hot with plenty of experience, but he also always has time for you. It only stands to reason, then, that you’d turn to him in your quest to get your groove back. And the rest, as they say, is history…
Kendall Ryan’s contemporary romances are guaranteed feel-good reads. I mean, it’s impossible not to enjoy the heck out of yourself when you crack open one of her books. She’s got a handle on all of the tropes, and they never cease to appeal. In LOVE MACHINE, Kendall tries her hand at the ‘friends to lovers’ story, with a touch of the ‘secret romance,’ and, well, she’s got another winner on her hands.
Keaton and Slate are both extremely likable, her for her nerdy earnestness, and him for his desire to be truly available to Keaton, and not just on a physical level. I love that their relationship has stood the test of time, and that they are actually invested in each other. Them making their way to each other seems more like a ‘when’ than ‘if’ scenario, and they are perfect for each other.
The secondary characters are fun and supportive, especially Penny, the cat, who steals the show, and help make LOVE MACHINE the easy 4 stars (and probably one of my top KR reads) that it is. Kendall’s fans, or any romance lover looking for some pure enjoyment, will want to make sure to grab this one right away and put it at the top of their summer TBR pile.
“I belong by her side. It’s where I feel the most right.”
LOVE MACHINE is a witty, entertaining, sexy, sweet, FUN romantic read! This lighthearted page-turner of a romance had me grinning ear to ear, wishing and hoping for a Slate of my very own. Keaton is one hell of a heroine and compliments our hero oh so well. I absolutely ADORED these two together! When it comes to incredible friends-to-lovers romances, Kendall Ryan is the one to look out for. She gives her readers the perfect blend of sexy and sweet, and never skimps on the emotion. There’s no doubt you will FEEL something when you follow along on Keaton and Slate’s journey.
Ms. Ryan is a pro when it comes to bringing her characters to life! If you are looking for a delightful, sexy, and charming love story that will give all the laughs and all the feels, be sure to get your hands on LOVE MACHINE! This trope is a popular one this year, but no one does it quite as smooth as the lovely and talented Kendall Ryan.
Holy moly. This book is hot, steamy, and sexy. Not only is Slate the best book boyfriend a girl can have, he is your best friend. I love Keaton and Slate friendship but it is so much more. Everyone definitely needs to read this book.
Love Machine is a fabulous friend to lovers romance. The characters are great and very easy to relate to. I really enjoyed the unique storyline and that it kept the same Kendall Ryan type writing style. This book made me laugh out loud, squirm in my seat and shed a few tears for them. This book is a complete standalone so five right in and enjoy!
Keaton and Slate have been best friends for over 10 years and never want that to change. After a long night of drinking and feeling sorry for herself she asks Slate for help in learning more between the sheets. He agrees but with the stipulation that nothing changes regarding their friendship. They both agree until feelings they didn’t want emerge and now they face losing everything.
This review makes it sound cut and dry but the antics that surround these two are hilarious and yet devastating. I definitely recommend that this book get put at the top of your must read list!