{Romance Review} Nothing But Friends by Jolie Day

Nothing But Friends by Jolie Day
on May 26th, 2026
Genres: Fiction, Adult, Romance, Contemporary
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My best friend Holly wants my baby.
Not a relationship, not romance.
Just a baby.
Apparently, I’m the best candidate before she moves back to the UK.
Reliable. Healthy. And, according to her, I have “good DNA.”
If I say no?
She’ll use an anonymous donor.
Which is absolutely not happening.
So I agree.
Then she suggests we do it the old-fashioned way.
We’ve been best friends since we were kids.
We’ve never kissed.
Never cuddled.
Hardly even hugged.
Now we can’t seem to stop.
We do and say things we never would have under normal circumstances.
I thought I could handle it.
I was wrong.
Because there is no universe where I let her leave.

I received Nothing But Friends for free. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

Trust is paramount in any relationship. When a woman without a romantic partner decides she wants to have a baby, who better to have one with than the man she trusts the most, her male best friend? That’s what Holly wants from Dexter. They’ve been best friends since childhood. She’s seen him through all his ups and downs, and he’s seen her through her disastrous marriage and beyond. The two live in apartments in the same building, on the same floor. They have open access to each other’s lives, but Holly is looking for a big change. She wants Dexter’s baby and to move to the UK to live with her newly divorced sister to help with her kids and open a kindergarten together. Dexter is an architect with a thriving firm, and relocating to another country isn’t exactly realistic for him. Holly sees it as the perfect plan. Dexter can visit, but Holly would be the primary parent with all the responsibilities that entails. One thing Dexter and Holly didn’t expect was the feelings that surfaced when they tried to make a baby the old fashioned way.

As the novel opens, I thought of Dexter as a guy who would never go for the arrangement Holly proposes. He never wanted children, he’s extremely happy with his career, and he loves having his best friend across the hall. I loved that Dexter agreed, but wanted to be a father to his child. He makes that clear before they even attempt to conceive. That right there got me. Dexter immediately earned a spot on my swoon-worthy book boyfriend list because he refuses to be a passive parent, even in an unconventional situation.

Holly is so incredibly strong. She’s had Dexter by her side for so many seasons of her life, but she wants to attempt motherhood on her own. I have children. I had difficult pregnancies. I could never attempt pregnancy or raising a child without my husband by my side. Every decision she makes, every burdening feeling, shows how resilient she is. All the steps she takes, she plans to do on her own. For that alone, I admire her.

This book could have been so predictable and still been a good novel. It’s one that feels so good while reading that you don’t even care if you can guess the ending. Jolie Day didn’t follow that script. When I thought I knew where she was leading the dynamic duo, she switched things up and surprised me. That happened more than once, and I love Day for that.

If you’re looking for an unexpected read with an unconventional road to the happily ever after, definitely give Nothing But Friends a try.