This might be a slippery slope.
Joel Wilkinson is many things. Funny, charming, charismatic, the best snuggler in the world. The boy who I share a bed with every single night… even though we’re not dating.
Did I mention we also kiss sometimes?
Yeah, it’s definitely a slippery slope, but it’s one I want to slide down—just slowly.
Because here’s the thing, I’m messy at best. And Joel… isn’t.
One more thing about him? He’s the most loving, patient guy in existence. He gives me everything I need, often before I realize I need it.
But I know I’m not in a place to give him the same. Joel has been my friend since I was five. He’s been my safe place in hard moments, never giving up on me no matter what I do. I can’t lose that.
No matter how strong I seem right now, knowing me, if I rush into this, I will mess it up.
So I’m taking it slow, blurring lines I refuse to cross, and praying that I don’t push him too far and make him walk away before we ever truly get started.
Together Like This is the fifth book in the Friends Like This series and the first book featuring Sarah and Joel’s love story. Though it is a new love story, book five is a direct continuation of the first four books. If you haven’t read them yet, head back to the beginning and jump on the roller coaster in Friends Like This.
My Review
This book is heartbreaking and heartwarming for an adult, small-town slow-burn romance. I love that the characters read like a family of friends, with each book involving the readers more and more in their lives, values, and friendships. This book does get into some heavy topics, but I love the advice, friendships, and community they have built and upheld. I’ve enjoyed this series thus far; this is my favorite book yet. I loved the real-life emotional advice and the swoony romantic relationship. Still, I finally felt like one of the friends while reading this book. This is a fantastic read with college-age characters and true life experiences.
The author’s notes are very helpful for this story for anyone who the content of this book might trigger. This is Sarah’s story; she has been a key character in previous books in this series but has yet to find her happily ever after. Hopefully, it isn’t as much of a rollercoaster as her sister Rae and Aaron’s story. Sarah and Joel have been circling each other for a while, both having their reasons for keeping things friendly. Sarah has had some past trauma and has her damage to contend with.
We get multiple povs in this book connecting us with all the characters that matter. Both characters have issues being alone; they both cope in different ways.
One of the things I have come to admire from Bethany Smith’s books is the hard truths she lays down in them; they are realistic and spoken in a way in the story that will hit you in the feels every time. The lines are blurry for Sarah and Joel as they constantly strain them to get what they want but can’t commit to. This may be a slow burn, but the author starts to get a little more new adult steamy in this book, which was nicely described.
I was doing so good even with the heartfelt words about them; the author has to tap into all the feels with the heartwarming letter, and now I’m a blubbering mess. That letter would have hit anyone at any point in their lives, and it was written beautifully. I love that in this book, it isn’t just Sarah and Joel. We also get a little Rae and Aaron, some of the other characters we know and love from the other bonks. These storylines are all interconnected seamlessly.
This book starts to become that romantic story you expect, with slow movements and gestures toward the happy part. Still, their world comes crashing down, and yes, this is the part the author warned about. I love that this group of friends stands together when times are difficult for one of them. They are a fantastic team and come armed with sound advice for life challenges. Each character in this series faces different obstacles.
I admire the honesty between Sarah and Joel; the friendship and support are genuinely what relationships are built on, and the author highlights this perfectly in this story. Baseball is a prevalent theme in this book amongst this group of friends; the author involves it in the story, from the games to the cheerleading. Of course, the relationship in this book may not be a roller coaster. Still, the emotional and family drama is. This ends on a cliffhanger. I want more of Sarah and Joel. I love the way he supports her, and she loves him. This book is truly a fantastic story. I also so want stories for everyone else. This is one epic series of drama, romance, and swoony hot men.
I love the playlist at the end of the book.
If you would like to read Together Like This by Bethany Monaco Smith, you can find this book on Amazon. As an Amazon Assocaite, I earn on qualifying purchases.
If you like this book, you may also enjoy books with these tags and categories Small Town, College, and Friends to Lovers.
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