Best friends (with benefits) would do anything for each other…

Synopsis

A high-flying investor

New Yorker Jake Harrington loves a lot of things about living in London: his lucrative hedge fund job, the way British women melt at the sound of an American accent, being thousands of miles away from the girl who betrayed him. And, oh yes, his just-sex arrangement with his gorgeous roommate, Jess.

His sexy British flatmate

Jess’s deal with Jake suits her fine. No commitments, no risk of being hurt again, just fun and friendship. And friends do each other favors, like agreeing to go on a trip to New York where Jake will have to face his past.

And a vacation that will change everything…

What friends shouldn’t do? Suddenly find themselves feeling something much more complicated than simple lust. When “no strings” is no longer enough, will Jake be willing to take the ultimate gamble?

My review

Jake and Jess are best friends. Best friends with benefits. Jake for sure enjoys his life in London, even if that means that he is far away from his home and family in New York. His hedge fund job made him successful, and the British women for sure love his American accent.
And he knows he can always count on Jess, from rescuing from exactly those women who don’t get the message, to their arrangement. But Jess is also there when Jake truly needs his best friend the most. Even if that means to go to a trip to New York with Jake, where he has to face the girl who betrayed him years ago.
Jess counts her blessings to have a friend like Jake, as she has someone to rely on. And their arrangement suits her perfectly, as that means no commitments or risks of getting hurt ever again. Jess needs Jake in her life, just as friends. But is it really just as friends that they see each other?  

The start of this book threw me a bit off. We see how a young Jake is best friends with Emily and how he, even at his young age, is being a knight in shining armour.
But I didn’t understand at first why we having this bit of information, as I thought it would be a story centred around Jake and Jess, and their relationship. 

Yet it was a necessity, to understand how Jake has been affected by how he has been betrayed by Emily, or at least how he saw it and still feels it. 

Years have passed, and I found it great for Jake that he has someone else as a best friend in his life. Obviously his bond with Jess wasn’t built overnight, but it was lovely to see how these two broken characters have found each other. 

Yes, they may have a arrangement that perhaps I don’t fully understand or agree, but if it works for them, who am I to judge them? Especially to see that beside that specific arrangement, they truly are best friends, they are always there for each other.
They understand each other even with just one look, and they would walk on water for each other. 

I understood the sense of betrayal Jake felt years ago. And while partly he was also to blame, as not making an effort sooner, or taking Emily for granted, I felt the sense of betrayal. And I comprehended how difficult it is for Jake to see the woman again that not only broke his heart, but also was his best friend.
So when Jake goes back for a visit to New York, and seeing Emily is inevitable, of course he needs his best friend by his side.
And Jess, being the best friend she is, how can she refuse? Especially if she can fulfil a dream she once hoped to fulfil with her father. 

Jess’ story for sure broke my heart. She truly felt alone for so long, and seeing how love could hurt and even break people, made her afraid for giving in to that feeling. I could see how nobody truly could understand her pain, even if attempts were made, only to end up in heart – break for Jess again. 

Of course, everyone in New York could see just like us how things truly are between Jake and Jess, even if those two aren’t aware of it themselves.
It’s clear that yes, they are best of friends, but their care and love for each other goes much deeper than just friendship. 

We see glimpses of protectiveness, even jealousy, making it crystal-clear how deep they truly care each other. 

But this isn’t just a story about two people taking their arrangement further, but mainly about two people that have been hurt by love and are afraid to admit those feelings back into their hearts.
It’s also about a story about the depth of feelings, and not understanding them. Because the feelings shown are clearly deeper than Jake and Jess understand.
So that makes this a story about already having the deepest of feelings but not seeing them for what they are. And how fear can blind it even furthermore.
And it makes this also a story about finding the courage to admit those feelings, and find the courage to put your trust and heart in the hands of someone else. And who else better than your best friend to give them too? 

I once again enjoyed reading a story from this author, who just keeps amazing me with great books, taking love over oceans, and showing its strength!