Not So Nice Guy is a standalone romantic comedy by R.S. Grey. This review will be spoiler-free.

“Oh my god. Who is that?” I get asked this question a lot. “Oh him?” I reply. “That’s just Ian.”

Just Ian is the biggest understatement of the century. Just the Mona Lisa. Just the Taj Mahal. Just Ian, with his boring ol’ washboard abs and dime-a-dozen dimpled smile. Just Ian is… just my best friend.

We’re extremely close, stuck so deep inside a Jim-and-Pam-style friendzone everyone at works assumes we’re a couple – that is until one day, word spreads through the teacher’s lounge that he’s single. Fair game. Suddenly, it’s open season on Ian.

He should be reveling in all the newfound attention, but to our mutual surprise, the only attention he seems to want is mine. He’s turning our formerly innocent nightly chats into x-rated phone calls. Our playful banter sports a new, dangerous edge. I want to assume he’s playing a prank on me, just pushing my buttons like always – but when Ian lifts me onto the desk in my classroom and slides his hands up my skirt, he doesn’t leave a lot of room for confusion.

I’m a little scared of things going south, of losing my best friend because I can’t keep my hands to myself. So, I’m just going to back away and not return this earth-shattering kiss – oh who am I kidding?!

Goodbye Ian, ol’ buddy, ol’ pal! Helloooo mister not so nice guy. (Synopsis from Goodreads)

Adorable. Funny. Light-hearted. A sweet friends to lovers romance that will make you smile. 

Friends to lovers is probably the sweetest trope there is. Two best friends who have known each other for years finally reveal their true feelings for each other. I can’t help but sigh. All friends to lovers romance have the same basic plot. There is only one thing that can make a story like this standout. The characters!

Sam and Ian are so perfect for each other, but neither of them knows it. Sam is sweet, hungry, and supportive. Sam was hilarious. Her obsession with dessert proves that she is my kind of girl. Ian is athletic, funny, and encouraging. I fell for him really fast, but he also made me facepalm several times. He was so oblivious. Sam and Ian are already as close as two people can be and spend all their time together, but they both care too much about their friendship to risk losing it.

I liked that on top of being best friends that they were also coworkers. It through another twist into their relationship and showed just how much they had in common. The setting of the school was a fun place to envision.

There wasn’t much excess drama which I really appreciated. The little bit of drama there that was included was handled the way I expected it to be. The big twist did not catch me by surprise, but I didn’t mind. I knew where it was headed and was able to just sit back and enjoy Sam and Ian’s reactions.

The story flowed nicely and I don’t think there was any point that I lost interest. I read it in one sitting and put it down with a smile on my face. The only part that I didn’t particularly like was the final twist and the time jump. I thought the events were a bit rushed.

Overall, I enjoyed the story and gave the book 4 out of 5 stars. If you are looking for a sweet, funny friends to lovers story, then I highly recommend this one!

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