Easy as Pie by Carina Taylor

My best friend is back in town—and I refuse to let my pesky attraction to him ruin our friendship.

Tripp Sharpe and I have been best friends since middle school. And when he moved away to go to medical school and become a doctor? We’ve kept up by texting, phone calls, and every funny reel we come across.

I have one simple rule for myself: protect our friendship at all costs—even from myself.

But when Tripp moves back to town, I can’t ignore the attraction I feel. If it were anyone else, I’d just avoid him. But it’s hard to avoid a guy who thinks we’re still the same ol’ besties we’ve always been.

Or are we? It turns out some things have changed for him too.

Maybe I’m imagining the long stares, the lingering touches, or the flimsy excuses to spend time together, despite his ridiculous schedule.

And when Tripp asks me to show him how I like to kiss? It seems like I’m not the only one blasting through our friendship rules…

My Review

This closed-door best friends-to-lovers romance is a slow burn with interesting antics and memorable moments. I like the opposites attract trope as well as the romantic comedy. This storyline itself is slow but a sweet read. 

Hazel is a hot mess. She is trying to avoid her best friend as he is back in town, and of course, she is looking her worst right before Mother Nature makes her feel horrible. Her avoidance tactics need a little work, but they are comical. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work, and Tripp, the hottie she is crushing on, still sees her.

Tripp is a nice guy, slightly introverted,  clueless, and hot and swoony. He is a traveling doctor and has a short gig at home. He is happy to reconnect with his best friend, Hazel. But I don’t think he realizes she likes him that way. 

Their internal struggles are genuine as Hazel struggles to hide her crush and keep it in the friend zone, and Tripp just wants to reconnect with his middle school bestie. 

The outdoor memories in the Appalachian mountains definitely ignite something that we are both in denial about.  This story is slow-burn as neither is willing to see what’s right in front of them. Best friends, indeed, make the best foundation for a relationship. 

This story has a lot of forced proximity between the small town, best friends, and working together. They can’t see to get any space and not that storeroom closet. This new adult romance finally gets sweet right at the end of the story. 

If you want to read Easy as Pie by Carina Taylor, you can find it 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: Closed Door Romance, Friends to Lovers, and Autumn.