Getting Friendly (Never Just Friends #3) ~ Saxon James

I haven’t yet finished a Saxon James book without a dopey grin on my face, and Getting Friendly certainly did not break this pattern! Getting Friendly is the third full book in the Never Just Friends series, which gets better with each new addition.

I thought that Roo and especially Tanner would remain my number one couple, but Leon and Auggie are at least sharing the top spot. Saxon has developed Leon and Auggie so beautifully that you can’t help but fall in love with them. They are both so unbelievably soft, Leon especially may give off a bit of a tougher vibe, but inside he’s a giant marshmallow. They compliment each other perfectly as they are both starved for affection and are generous in giving each other what they need.

As much as I loved Leon, Auggie definitely stole the show as far as entertainment value goes. The secondhand embarrassment was real, and I lost count of the number of times I facepalmed myself in sympathy. The fact that Auggie was utterly aware of his awkwardness just made it all the more fun and much, much sweeter that he kept trying regardless.

Saxon James has a wonderfully relaxing writing style that grabs your attention and forces you into the world she creates. A world where I was more than happy to remain and just a little sad to leave. I loved that this series has a small regular cast and that these known and loved characters are active within the story. The secondary characters unique to this particular book develop and enrich the story, giving Auggie the means to demonstrate his personal growth as the story progresses.

Like all of Saxon’s stories, this book was full of light-hearted, funny dialogue. Although this book does have its emotional moments, they are never heavy, balanced perfectly with the general feel-good nature of the story.

Getting Friendly can be read as a standalone, but I wouldn’t recommend it. To truly appreciate the story and understand some of the dialogue that assumes prior knowledge, I’d recommend reading at least the first book, Just Friends (Roo & Tanner). This book introduces all the main characters (minus Auggie) and provides enough information that you can fully follow the conversations involving past events.

If you are looking for a funny, romantic, feel-good story with more than a bit of steam, then I can’t recommend Saxon James’ Getting Friendly highly enough. I loved every moment of this book.