Barely Even Friends is a fresh, modern retelling of the beloved, Beauty and the Beast. This steamy frenemies to lover novel will have you swooning as sparks fly with a twist that will keep you engaged to the end. The novel blends the charm of a classic fairy tale with a Succession twist.

Bellamy Price, a determined female contractor is commissioned to restore the Killington Estate. An opportunity of a lifetime, she is determined to make a name for herself in hopes of landing her dream job. Upon review of the estate, unlike her other projects, she was surprised to encounter her grump occupant, Oliver Killington. After receiving a deadline that seemed near impossible, she was determined to not only get this done but not let anything or anyone get in her way.

Oliver Killington, heir to the Killington enterprise, became reclusive after a traumatic car accident that took the lives of his parents and left him injured. Feeling guilty, he took refuge and retreated to the deteriorating mansion as caretaker to spare himself from the world. Until one day, he got shaken up with an unwelcome guest that he was determined not to let her disturb his peace.

With the deadline fast approaching, Bellamy has to find a way to break down the walls between her and Oliver to get things done. After she finds out what lingers behind his standoffishness, they agree to find a way to work together to reach the intended goal. As the project progresses, the house isn’t the only thing that moves along. The only problem is with her heart so protected and closed, could he be the one to open it.

I loved everything about this book. The dynamic between Bellamy and Oliver was a love hate magnet from the start. The banter between them kept those pages turning. His initial resistance to her being there and her persistent ambition created a tense environment that made you want to see where they were going to lead to. As the story goes on, it was nice to see these two characters come together. The emotional walls that each of them held onto slowly coming down, their transition from hating each other to their growing chemistry, makes you want to root for them as compared with our favorite classic. The book is filled with funny, emotional and steamy moments that collectively keep it engaging to the last page. This wonderful debut blends the mesmerism of one of our fairy tales with a contemporary message that you will fall in love with.

Buy on Amazon Kindle | Paperback | Bookshop.org