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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Love Machine by Kendall Ryan is a fun and fast friends to lovers romance. Keaton Henly has a problem. It seems that her focus on her job has lead to some sexual inexperience. In a drunk moment she asks her friend Slate Cruz, who has no trouble finding hookups, to help her. When Slate hears Keaton’s request he tries to help her hook up with guys to allow her to have some sexplorations, but when he finds himself sabotaging the attempts he realizes that he wants to be the one to help his friend with her education.
Keaton and Slate were cute and awkward while still having all their years of friendship to fall on. Something that was nice about this friends to lovers is it was not a case of one or both of them having secret feelings. When the deeper romantic feelings start to develop neither of them see it or believe it. It was a nice twist.
Overall I enjoyed Love Machine by Kendall Ryan and the progression that the characters go through. It wasn’t a simple dawning of realization, it was a fight, but Slate’s drive to always go for what he wants and Keaton’s methodical planning make for an additional opposites attract aspect.
(I voluntarily reviewed an advance review copy of this book I received for free from the publisher in exchange for my open and honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.)
Kendall Ryan has written some of my favorite books. From the stories of the sexy-vixen heroines with the leading alpha males, to her near perfect rom-coms, I have loved them all. This book, however, is the one that has captured my heart in an entirely different way. This, best-friends to lovers story had everything a romance fan could ask for and so much more.
I could go on and on about how much I loved both the characters of this book and the story itself. I could just sense a bit more behind Kendall’s writing in this particular story, it seemed extra special.
As those closest to me know, I love to talk, and I have been reminded, on more than one occasion, that there are times when saying less, says more. I would rather you experience this one for yourself.
I feel like this is a time for me to say less. I encourage you to let your heart and mind be swept up and go on this little getaway of sorts. Let your own thoughts about this book speak to you.
For those lucky enough to fall in love or be in love at this moment; I hope with all of my heart, that your loved one is also your very best friend.
I enjoy a good friends-to-lovers story and Slate’s and Keaton’s story is absolutely awesome! One thing I love about Kendall Ryan’s writing style is that she doesn’t spend a lot of time on whatever issue that’s propelling the book’s couple to being together, and the majority of the book is spent developing the romance. Case in point: the issue that propels Keaton to ask Slate for guidance only lasts 3 pages (might not even be that long). The story really begins to pick up steam by chapter 2.
We get two friends who’ve known each other for 10 years and both have firmly stated it’s a platonic friendship. Or it was until the bachelorette party debacle that has Keaton questioning her skills (or lack thereof) when it comes to sexy times. One drunken text has the possibility of shifting the strictly platonic friendship into something…more. And goodness, the sexiness ramps up quickly, but it’s done so fantabulously that it takes the story to a whole new level. Slate is one masterful teacher and Keaton is one eager student, and them together is something bordering on magical delight!
I absolutely love this friends to lovers book. Keaton & Slate were so cute & sweet in their relationship discovery. I devoured this book in less than a day. So glad I decided to read this one on vacation!
Kendal Ryan has done it again, Her books just keep getting better and better. This one is by far the best she has written. It is absolutely incredible. Slate is amazing. Typical playboy and the best friend of Keaton. This is not your typical best friends to lovers story. Of course they agree to just him teaching her the finer points of a sexual relationship and feelings are not supposed to develop. But how can they not. What Slate does for her especially with Penny it the most touching thing I have ever seen. They think that they are being discreet but their friends know them too well. The only people who do not realize what is happening between them are themselves.
Slate and Keaton are best friends which means they can be themselves with each other. They are comfortable with each other. The don’t have to put up any walls to protect themselves. I loved when in one scene they went out for dinner and she actually ordered something she really wanted without a care of what he would think of her for ordering it. Had she been on a date she never would have ordered it. Their friendship was the base, a strong one at that, to build a relationship on. Even though they both entered into this not thinking that these feelings could develop.
Love Machine is such an enjoyable, entertaining story. A true gem just like the author is herself.