Review: Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend by Penny Reid

Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend by Penny Reid
Published by Cipher-Naught on April 12, 2022
Pages: 553
Format: ARC
Genres: Romance, Romantic Comedy, Women's Fiction


Amazon B&N Apple Kobo

Winnifred Gobaldi and Byron Visser are not best friends.

Yes, they’ve known each other for years, but they’re not even friendly. Winnie considers them more like casual, distant acquaintances who find each other barely tolerable, especially when he's being condescending (which is all the time).

The truth is, they have nothing in common. She’s a public school science teacher with stars in her eyes, and he’s a pretentious, joyless double PhD turned world-famous bestselling fiction author. She loves sharing her passion for promulgating women in STEM careers and building community via social media, and he eschews all socialization, virtual or otherwise. She’s looking for a side hustle to help pay down a mountain of student debt, and his financial portfolio is the stuff of fiduciary wet dreams. So why are they faking a #bestfriend relationship for millions of online spectators?

When a simple case of tit-for-tat trends between nonfriends leads to a wholly unexpected kind of pretend, nothing is simple. Sometimes, it takes a public audience to reveal the truth of private feelings, and rarely—very rarely—you should believe what you see online.

Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend is a full-length, complete standalone, adult contemporary romantic comedy.

Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend knocked my socks off with its unique and highly entertaining take on fake dating and enemies turned lovers scenarios.

Winnie and Byron. *sigh* Halfway through the book, I closed my Kindle and shouted out loud, “I love these characters!” #truestory The fact that they are so different appealed to me. Winnie is a poor middle school science teacher who uses social media to inspire girls to pursue STEM careers. She’s a vivacious people person whom everyone loves, but the one person she dislikes is Byron. Byron is a brilliant and famous bestselling author and a self-professed grumpy recluse who dislikes almost everyone—apparently, even Winnie. When Winnie discovers she needs to increase her number of online followers to land an important job, Byron surprisingly offers to help. He will pose as Winnie’s best friend—thereby cashing in on his celebrity status—while participating in ten TikTok #bestfriend challenges with her. In return, she will help him “people” by accompanying him to some public events. 

There are too many wonderful things about Winnie to name them all, but her wit, intelligence, and compassion are at the top of the list. I’m 90% introverted, so I was in awe of Winnie’s charisma and ease with people. I also admired how passionate she is about her work. Her best friend, Amelia, is a gem, but I need her to step aside so I can be Winnie’s best friend.

Behind Byron’s disapproving glares is an extremely perceptive, thoughtful, and misunderstood man. I adored him! Seeing Byron throw himself wholeheartedly into the silly challenges was a treat. I didn’t expect him to be so funny, kind, and unguarded around Winnie. He loves who he is—flaws and all—and could not care less about what others think about him. I was fascinated by the way his mind works.

The majority of the book is told from Winnie’s point of view. There are a few chapters told from Byron’s perspective, but I wanted more. As Winnie says, “His thought sauce was delicious.” I could roll around in it all day. This unpredictable book is sweet and romantic—Byron is mayor of Swoonworthy Town—and has the perfect amount of yearning to compliment the humor. I almost suffered death by slow burn with this one, though. The thought-provoking topics discussed, including mental health and social media, really enhance the storyline.

Penny Reid exceeded my expectations with her stellar writing. The combination of sublime characters, a fun and original plot, and unexpected tenderness create an extremely satisfying reading experience. 

Recommended for fans of:
Social media
STEM
Slow burn romances
Grumpy/Sunshine couples
Scones

** I received an early copy to voluntarily read and give my honest opinion. **

Read Ten Trends to Seduce Your Bestfriend today!

Related Posts