Romance

Review: More Than Just Friends by Olivia Spring

July 1, 2026

Synopsis:

The friend zone was never meant to be this tempting…

After distance pulled them apart, best friends Alicia and Noah are finally getting to see each other again. And what better place to reconnect than the Love Hotel in Santorini? Sunshine, sunsets, cocktails… her childhood bestie… and her so-called perfect match. Eight days of pure bliss.

Except Alicia wasn’t ready for Noah’s glow-up. A year apart has turned him from geek to god, and her heart can’t keep up. Broad shoulders, slow, wicked smiles, and a subtle confidence that makes her pulse spike every time he’s near. While the hotel’s matchmaking experiment pairs them with other people who tick every box, Alicia can’t stop comparing or fantasizing about the one man she shouldn’t.

But it isn’t long before their supposedly perfect matches implode in spectacularly awkward ways. Instead of disappointment, Ali can’t stop noticing Noah. Late-night confessions, clumsy touches, and way-too-close moments begin to blur the lines.

Because maybe the algorithm got it wrong. And maybe they’ve been right for each other all along.

Review:

This is the last book in the Love Hotel series, and I’m a bit sad about it. I started with book five and enjoyed it a lot, so I was really looking forward to this one.

This one focuses on two best friends who have been in each other’s lives since they were four years old. Were there moments in their lives where it could have become a little bit more? Yes – but both were afraid of what that might mean for their friendship.
When they are given the chance to visit the Love Hotel (which is usually quite an expensive experience), being part of their friend’s wedding and possibly finding a love match, they both accept the opportunity. When they go on their first dates with their potential matches, it becomes very clear who the real match should be.

I enjoyed the moments of friendship we get to experience through their stories and interactions. It became clear to me early on that Alicia and Noah have a connection, but there was always something lingering. It seems like Noah was more honest about it with himself, which resulted in him distancing himself a bit from her over the last year. When they finally see each other in person again, they suddenly realize that a different environment and a change in perspective might finally give them a chance to move forward on a slightly different path.
It comes with a lot of funny and interesting situations, which I enjoyed (though not all of them equally). The third-act conflict felt a bit unnecessary to me and could have been skipped, in my opinion. At the end of the day, it’s quite clear how everything will end, so that wasn’t a big surprise. Overall, an enjoyable read, though it didn’t quite catch me as much as the previous one did.

🌙 Recension: More Than Just Friends (The Love Hotel #6) by Olivia Spring
📚 Genre: Romance
📅 Release Date: June 14, 2026
📖 Publisher: ‎Boldwood Books
📗 available in various formats – included in Kindle Unlimited
📱 Read as: Kindle
💸 I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 306
⭐️ 3.75/5