The best friends-to-lovers trope isn’t everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s always a blast to read when done right. And The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams is, in fact, done right. The dual point of view makes it charming from start to finish, even when you start (affectionately) yelling at the characters to spit it out and talk to each other.
Much of the novel stands out, primarily due to Adams’ writing style and her ability to ensure that you continue turning the page even while it’s two in the morning and you’re exhausted. Her ability to set a scene as simple as a living room is so easy to picture that you’re immediately transported there every time while finding the necessary comfort only this genre can bring.
The Cheat Sheet follows best friends Bree Camden and Nathan Donelson in a will they/won’t they dance towards fake dating until they both finally put their fears aside and turn their friendship into something more. It’s also not just the type of book for diehard sports fans only, but casual or non-viewers, too.
In addition, though I’ll never understand it personally because the trope is God-tier, I get why readers get aggravated with the friends-to-lovers trope when watching them both go back and forth. But that’s part of the story that makes it natural because anyone who’s ever been in this situation knows how harrowing fears of losing the friendship amid the romance are. And through all of this, Adams makes you understand the characters, Bree especially, by creating a tension that’s much more deliciously palpable when they finally get together. It all works out in a manner that feels incredibly organic all throughout the novel.
Another part of the reason the novel works so well is that even while they’re supposed to be fake dating, we’re constantly watching a friendship light itself on the kind of fire that’ll burn through all the right places. There’s plenty of magic behind closed doors that feels achingly intimate still. In addition, there’s all the yearning from the days of their friendship that adds so much warmth to every interaction that it never once feels like you’re missing something.
Finally, while the ending might seem rushed for some readers, it actually makes Adams’ story more earned. It makes perfect sense that Nathan would have planned a wedding immediately after declaring that he wants to do things differently with her, wanting to wait—to showcase that this is what he’s wanted and dreamed of for years and years. Their past rifts and reunions might be callbacks, but all the little details in between thrust us towards understanding the undeniably indestructible foundation that they’ve built. The novel is sweet, gorgeously vulnerable, hilarious, and the ending (as well as every beat in between) undoubtedly feels as rewarding as a game-winning touchdown. Believe the hype with this one. In every way.
The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams is now available to purchase.
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