Barely Even Friends is an enchanting romance debut

There are a few things that will make me pick up a book and two elements are a Beauty and the Beast retelling and a cute cover. Thankfully, Barely Even Friends has both.

In addition, this is Mae Bennett's debut romance and there's something amazing about that. Plus she's a Bookstagrammer which feels like such a full-circle moment. You can find her on IG at twiceuponabook and her feed is absolutely gorgeous, btw!

However, we're here to talk about her debut romance: Barely Even Friends. Of course, make sure to check out the guest post Mae did for us. While I don't want to give too much away, it does relate to her book in the best way.

I'd like to thank Kaye Publicity for reaching out to me about this book and sending me a finished copy as it was exactly what I needed so let's get into my thoughts.

Barely Even Friends is an enchanting take on Beauty and the Beast.

As mentioned in my intro, I'm a sucker for a good Beauty and the Beast retelling. Bennett put a fun twist on it, though. Bellamy Price is taking over for her father, Maurice on a huge home renovation but things aren't as they seem. Once she gets there, she realizes that reclusive heir, Oliver Killington is staying there and he has no interest in her work or her. He even goes as far to banish her.

However, Bellamy isn't going to let that deter her as she wants to be taken seriously in her profession and eventually, move up in her field. Meanwhile, Oliver is dealing with the grief of losing his parents and his career hopes all in one swoop. As you can see, these two have a lot of emotional baggage yet it doesn't stop them from slowly falling for each other.

Like the classic BATB tale, Oliver is grumpy and more "beastly" while Bellamy is known for being bookish and beautiful and a hard worker. As the tale is as old as time, the two eventually start to become friends after working together and getting to know each other. Of course, things only get hotter form there.

The one thing I have to note is that Barely Even Friends is steamy. Even amidst disaster, sparks still fly between Bellamy and Oliver. There is one scene involving a shower that isn't as hot as you might think but it ends up being a great time for both of them. Before the two even have any encounters, the sexual tension is so thick and something that will have you turning the pages to finally see them get together.

Barely Even Friends was an utter delight and such a fun take on the classic tale. If you're a Beauty and the Beast fan, you need to add this to your TBR. If not, then it's still worth the read as the romance between Bellamy and Oliver is too good.

Barely Even Friends by Mae Bennett is out now where books are sold.