Review: Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Better off Friends
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Point
Publication Date: February 25, 2014
Source: received from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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 in 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 even 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 be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

I wasn’t going to request this one, but then I saw someone on my Goodreads was reading it, and they said it was really good. I’m glad I went back and grabbed it because it was very cute. It was just right kind of book to follow up TFIOS. I needed something happy and Better Off Friends did just the trick.

The story starts off really early on when Macallan and Levi are just becoming friends. I loved that the author did this because you feel like you’ve known them forever. I did find that some parts were a little slow. I think I was just frustrated because it’s obvious that they should be together, but they are two thick headed to see it.

I’ve never been best friends with a guy. (Not counting my husband because we didn't start out that way) I’ve had a lot of close guy friends, but there probably isn’t one that I hadn’t caught feelings for at some point. I do think that Girls and Guys can be “Just Friends” It’s definitely possible, but likely? That’s questionable. I think growing up I always looked for a boyfriend who I could be best friends with, so catching feeling for me was inevitable. I was a hopeless homely romantic in my early years.

There I was, catching feelings. He ended up dating my best friend.  I had no game back then.

Macallan and Levi have a great friendship for much of the book. I loved the coming of age stuff too. The whole graduating up to high school stuff, that shit is scary. I remember shaking like a leaf when I entered my first year.

I loved reading from Levi’s point of view. He is a little whiny and insecure, and that was awesome. That’s how boys can be sometimes, and you don’t often see them portrayed that way.

Overall, I thought Better off Friends was an adorable read. If you’re looking for something light, that won’t make you think too hard, but leave you with a smile on your face… pick this one up. 

About the author:

Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Wisconsin before heading off to college at Syracuse University and making a career in the New York City book biz. Now a full-time writer, she is the author of The Lonely Hearts Club, Prom & Prejudice, Take a Bow, Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality, and Better Off Friends. She lives outside of Manhattan with her three guitars, two keyboards, and one drumstick.

Find Elizabeth:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Read More

Labels: best friends romance, better off friends, elizabeth eulberg, reviews, scholastic

Review: Better Off Friends by Elizabeth Eulberg

Title: Better Off Friends
Author: Elizabeth Eulberg
Series: stand-alone
Publisher: Point
Publication Date: February 25, 2014
Source: received from publisher via Netgalley
Purchase: Amazon | Barnes & Noble

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 in 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 even 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 be just friends? Or are they always one fight away from not speaking again — and one kiss away from true love?

Better Off Friends is actually my first time reading an Elizabeth Eulberg novel. It won't be my last. If all of her other novels are this cute and sweet and genuine -- and from what I hear, I can only assume they are -- I'll be saving them for my next rainy day. Better Off Friends is light and fluffy and the perfect mood picker-upper.

As the title suggests, this is a best friends romance. Or is it? The story focuses on Macallan and Levi who became best friends in the seventh grade when he moved to Wisconsin from California. It was a big adjustment for Levi, but although hesitant at first -- mostly because she was still dealing with the grief from her mother's recent passing -- Macallan decides to befriend the cute surfer boy with long hair. It's over a shared love of a fictional British comedy called Buggy and Floyd -- which sounds vaguely like The Odd Couple -- that they really become friends.

Trouble is, everyone questions how a boy and girl can maintain a platonic relationship. Everyone always assumes that Macallan and Levi are a couple. They do everything together and they unintentionally get in each other's way when it comes to romantic relationships. But it's not until they're older and in high school that they start to question what everyone else already sees:  that maybe there is more between them than just friendship.

I was honestly torn on how I wanted this story to end. I mean, on the one hand, I love a best friends romance. Who knows you better than your best friend?  They know how to piss you off, how to make it up to you when they've pissed you off, all your little pet peeves, the annoying things you do...everything. But because of those things, you don't want to risk losing your best friend, either, if you can't make it work out as more than friends. Also, I kind of wanted Macallen and Levi to prove to everyone that it was possible to be just friends.

I really like the way this story unfolded, too. It's told from both perspectives, but it starts back in 7th grade when the pair first met and then works its way to the present. I really enjoyed seeing their friendship progress over the years, seeing what obstacles and drama they had to overcome and how it changed their relationship. It was also kind of adorable the way they were essentially retelling the story of their friendship, and there were these cute snippets of banter between the two preceding each chapter, mostly rehashing what had just happened in the previous chapter and reflecting on how it could have all been different. Pretty cute stuff.

Like I said, I'll definitely be picking up more titles from this author. In fact, I believe I already have Take a Bow and Revenge of the Girl With the Great Personality on my shelves, so I'm ready for the next time I need a bit of a mood enhancer in the form of a cute, fluffy read. If you're looking for a fun read full of heart, look no further.

GIF it to me straight:

About the author:

Elizabeth Eulberg was born and raised in Wisconsin before heading off to college at Syracuse University and making a career in the New York City book biz. Now a full-time writer, she is the author of The Lonely Hearts Club, Prom & Prejudice, Take a Bow, Revenge of the Girl with the Great Personality, and Better Off Friends. She lives outside of Manhattan with her three guitars, two keyboards, and one drumstick.

Find Elizabeth:

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Goodreads

Read More

Labels: all the feels, all the swoons, best friends romance, better off friends, contemporary, elizabeth eulberg, reviews, scholastic

Awhile on the Pile #13: Take a Bow by Elizabeth Eulberg

Awhile on the Pile/From the Review Pile is a meme hosted by Stepping Out of the Page every Thursday but was also inspired by Rachel at My Reading Pile/Fiktshun. The aim of this meme is to showcase books that you've received for review -- or any book that you own and really want to read/review -- but haven't yet got around to reading in order to give the book some extra publicity.

Here's the book I chose to give some extra love this week:

Title:  Take a Bow
Author:  Elizabeth Eulberg
Series:  stand-alone
Publisher:  Point
Publication Date:  April 1, 2012
Source:  ARC

From the fantastic author of The Lonely Hearts Club and Prom & Prejudice comes a story of all the drama and comedy of four friends who grow into themselves at a performing arts high school.

Emme, Sophie, Ethan, and Carter are seniors at a performing arts school, getting ready for their Senior Showcase recital, where the pressure is on to appeal to colleges, dance academies, and professionals in show business. For Sophie, a singer, it's been great to be friends with Emme, who composes songs for her, and to date Carter, soap opera heartthrob who gets plenty of press coverage. Emme and Ethan have been in a band together through all four years of school, but wonder if they could be more than just friends and bandmates. Carter has been acting since he was a baby, and isn't sure how to admit that he'd rather paint than perform. The Senior Showcase is going to make or break each of the four, in a funny, touching, spectacular finale that only Elizabeth Eulberg could perform.

So, when I picked up this ARC at ALA Midwinter, I wasn't a huge fan of contemporary novels.  I put it in the TBR pile near my desk and promptly forgot about it.  Now that I know I ♥ contemps with every fiber of my being, I'm going to make a point to read this one in the very near future.

If you've already read it or any of the author's other works, I'd love to hear what you thought!

Read More

Labels: awhile on the pile, contemporary, elizabeth eulberg, scholastic