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Just Friends is another entry in the ageless category of romantic comedy.
Ms. Sisman attempts to answer the question Can a man and a woman be “just
friends”?
Freya, named after a Norse goddess, is a Manhattan art dealer in her 30s who
begins the book thinking she has found “The One” in her current boyfriend
Michael. He, however, has some reservations and abruptly ends the relationship
at dinner. Freya goes to her friend Jack for solace and he offers her a temporary
place to live. Jack is an already published author currently suffering writer’s
block on his second novel. He is running behind schedule and has used up his
advance, so Freya’s situation provides him with some financial relief.
The middle of the book follows Jack and Freya on a series of funny dating situations.
Jack and Freya alternate between old friends and people who can’t stand each
other. The ending is predictable, but half the fun is seeing how the author
gets you there.
I thought this book was intriguing once I saw its title (I have always wondered
the same thing). However, this isn’t a book of advice, it’s a romantic comedy.
The author does a good job of suiting the characters to what a reader would
expect from this type of book. The main story is between Jack and Freya, but
there are minor characters as well, and their relationships all work out, which
leads to an ending where everyone lives happily ever after.
This is a fun book. It’s not overly clichéd, and the author does not
dwell on the question posed in the title of the book. I assume this is because
she does not think the answer is anything but no. Who knows—maybe they’ll
make this into a movie.
