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Not So Nice Guy

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A full-length STANDALONE romantic comedy from USA TODAY bestselling author R.S. Grey. “Oh my god. Who is that?” I get asked this question a lot. “Oh him?” I reply. “That’s just Ian.” Just Ian is the biggest understatement of the century. Just the Mona Lisa. Just the Taj Mahal. Just Ian, with his boring ol’ washboard abs and dime-a-dozen dimpled smile. Just Ian is…just my best friend. We’re extremely close, stuck so deep inside a Jim-and-Pam-style friendzone everyone at work assumes we’re a couple—that is until one day, word spreads through the teacher’s lounge that he’s single. Fair game. Suddenly, it’s open season on Ian. He should be reveling in all the newfound attention, but to our mutual surprise, the only attention he seems to want is mine. He’s turning our formerly innocent nightly chats into X-rated phone calls. Our playful banter sports a new, dangerous edge. I want to assume he’s playing a prank on me, just pushing my buttons like always—but when Ian lifts me onto the desk in my classroom and slides his hands up my skirt, he doesn’t leave a lot of room for confusion. I’m a little scared of things going south, of losing my best friend because I can’t keep my hands to myself. So, I’m just going to back away and not return this earth-shattering kiss—oh who am I kidding?! Goodbye Ian, ol’ buddy, ol’ pal! Helloooo mister not so nice guy. NOT SO NICE GUY is a full-length romantic comedy. For a limited time, I've also included an excerpt from my #1 bestseller THE ALLURE OF JULIAN LEFRAY!

264 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 9, 2018

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About the author

R.S. Grey

43 books11.6k followers
R.S. Grey is the USA Today bestselling author of over twenty-five romantic comedies. She loves books, chocolate, reality TV, and cold weather. She lives in Texas with her husband, two daughters, and dog. Visit her at rsgrey.com.

Instagram: @AuthorRSGrey

Pinterest: http://www.pinterest.com/RSGrey/

Facebook:
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Author...

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Displaying 1 - 30 of 2,072 reviews
Profile Image for Carol [Goodreads Addict].
2,594 reviews25.1k followers
August 5, 2018
Not So Nice Guy, by R.S. Grey, is one of those books that just makes you smile, all the way through. The characters are just so adorable, even when things are going wrong, they’re still adorable. You know right from the start that they are supposed to be together, that they are meant to be together. This book is the hilarious journey these two had to go on to find that out for themselves.

woman riding her bicycle

Ian Fletcher and Samantha (Sam) Abrams met during orientation when they were hired on as teachers at Oak Hill High School three and a half years ago. They bonded immediately but both were with other people so just became best friends. By the time they were both single at the same time, neither wanted to jeopardize their friendship by admitting how they really felt. Because they both felt more than friendship towards the other. Their lives are so intertwined, the entire school just assumed they were in a relationship.

“For 1300 days, I’ve been best friends with Ian Fletcher, and for 1300 days, I’ve convinced myself I’m not in love with him.”



Ian is the AP Chemistry teacher and Sam teaches journalism and runs the school newspaper. Ian loves to work out to keep his abs of steel in tact. Sam likes to watch him. For both of these two, it’s become a daily torture, their feelings so intense for the other. Sam, though, doesn’t do change well. Ian has just pretty much decided that he is going to start edging Sam towards changing their relationship when word at school gets out that they are not, in fact, together and it becomes a free for all as other teachers try to date them.

best teacher

Here is where Ian really stole my heart. He wanted to be clear with Sam that this was NOT going to be a friends with benefits type of thing. No, he wanted it all. He was in love with her and he wanted to properly date her. To woo her.

Things, of course, don’t always go smoothly and these two had a bit of a bumpy start. But the way Ian was with Sam made me fall for him all the more.



If you enjoy friends to lovers books that make you smile, swoon, sigh, and leave you feeling all warm and fuzzy, then this book is for you. I think that these two might just be my favorite couple so far this year. Seriously, they were so perfect together. So get your one clicker ready for this book. You are going to love it. I hope so anyway. R.S. Grey is quickly becoming one of my favorite authors. Thank you so much for making my day a happier one!


Profile Image for Katerina.
422 reviews17.2k followers
February 15, 2020
Best friends to lovers? ✔️
Naughty teachers? ✔️
Sizzling chemistry? ✔️
Belly-shaking laughter? ✔️
Delectable, I-wanna-have-your-babies male lead? ✔️
Permanent residence in pink clouds decorated with candy bars with unicorns and lovebears as neighbours? ✔️✔️



I THINK R.S. Grey HAS RUINED ME FOR LIFE.
Please send help in the form of liquid courage, sugar and/or carbs.

Not So Nice Guy is the recipe for disaster. It will make you antisocial (I-will-rip-your-heart-out-if-you-interrupt-me antisocial), it will eradicate your ability to conduct basic human functions such as talk (your throat will be parched) or walk (your knees will wobble), and your brain will be able to formulate two words: IAN.FLETCHER. Unless, of course, you consider such symptoms a blessing, and in this case Not So Nice Guy is the recipe for bliss.
It's a matter of perspective, really.
“For 1300 days, I've been best friends with Ian Fletcher, and for 1300 days, I've convinced myself I'm not in love with him. I just really, really like pennies.”

Sam and Ian. Ian and Sam. They've been tiptoeing aroung each other for years, trying to smother their feelings, pretending that friendship is all that bounds them. Until Sam publically admits that they're not dating, and then the race to Ian's pants begins, and it's ruthless and bloody. But something happened between them, the air has shifted and the tables have turned, and Ian realizes that it's now or never, that he has to pursue Sam and confess his love, or he'll lose her to someone else.

Like everything else that emerges from R.S. Grey's soul and transforms into words, Not So Nice Guy is the epitome of fun; low on angst but heavy on tension, humor, witty banters and swoon sessions, Not So Nice Guy is the uplifting novel you craved after every breakup, every crappy day, every time someone told you to come down to earth and stop believing in fairytales, to lower your expectations and compromise; it's here to eradicate your concerns and burdens, to give you wings and courage and hope and faith in all that's fluffy and dreamy. And you know what, R.S. Grey?



R.S. Grey gives the definition to rom-com. Even after 16 publications, she keeps her novels fresh, infused with feelings that make your chest explode, with inner monologues and incidents to crack you up, heated scenes to fog your brain and sweet moments to bring tears to your eyes (if you're a cry baby, like me, happy tears are guaranteed). Sam and Ian were two characters that complemented each other, two co-dependent friends that felt so much more but were too scared to admit it and endanger their friendship. They were funny, snarky and hawt, and the friends-to-lovers trope was masterfully handled by experienced hands that wove their magic until your heart was ensnared. (spoiler alert - it didn't take that long). Plus, I would never predict the turn their story took after an accident involving whipped cream, proving that R.S. Grey will never run out of ideas. She will keep blessing us mortals with lighthearted and scalding novels until my future 72 cats eat my dead body.

*shivers*

Not So Nice Guy was that nice, after all.

*ARC generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review*
**Review also posted on BookNest!**
Profile Image for Anovelqueen .
297 reviews935 followers
August 14, 2020
***3.5 STARS***

Sometimes you need a little laughter with your love. I know I do and this book helped scratch that itch.

Samantha and Ian have been best friends for three years....since new job orientation. They are both high school teachers and they bonded from the first day they met. They know everything about one another and are so close that everyone at their job thinks they are a couple. Once Samantha dispels that rumor their coworkers start asking them both out. That really irks Ian because you know...he has always liked her.

It is a cute and lighthearted read. Low of angst and conflict. Some steam noted between the couple too. It is really a romantic comedy and both of them were silly at times but especially Samantha. It was also refreshing that the hero wasn’t a billionaire but a hard working man teaching students. I recommend this funny friends to lovers romance.

This is my first book by this author but will not be my last!
Profile Image for Warda.
1,258 reviews21.7k followers
February 15, 2020
[4.5 ⭐️]
I mean, if a book isn’t supposed to make you this happy, then I don’t see the point in it.
I devoured it.
Do you even have to ask whether I loved it? I read it twice within the space of a week.


Pre-reading rambles.
Well, this is the best Thursday I have had in a while!
I RECEIVED A DAMN ARC, WORMS!
It’s past 1am and the logic dictates that I must stay up and read this book.

Switching up my #BookTubeAthon challenges and so I kicked out a book and replaced it with this glory.

Let’s goooooo! 🤩

—————————————
We’re being BLESSED with another R.S. Grey book AND JUST GET IN MY HANDS ALREADY! I don’t even need to know what you’re about.
Profile Image for Kim.
731 reviews1,868 followers
September 25, 2018
I'm going to start this off by saying this is probably one of the worst books, if not the worst book I have ever read. I don't understand all the 5 star rave reviews, sorry. This was a complete train wreck and this put me off reading any more books by this author. I deleted the 4 books I still had on my tbr last night. This may sound harsh but trust me, there is so much wrong with this and I feel like I've read a different book than everybody else.

First of all, this is supposed to be romcom. I laughed a few times so I guess they got that covered but this book is absolutely not a romance book. Ian and Sam have been friends for over 3 years and are secretly in love with each other but they supposedly don't know how the other feels. They teach at the same school and share about as much of their time together as they possibly can.

Then suddenly Ian decides to pursue Sam and she doesn't think it's a good idea because she doesn't want to jeopardize their friendship and ruin what they have. So to prove his point that they should be together and be more, Ian decides to facetime her and tries to get her to masturbate on the phone. Which is very weird, awkward and so out of the blue that I frowned the whole time I was reading this part. If felt too soon and forced.

Their transition from friends to lovers is horribly paced and before they even really dated, made out or did actually anything, Sam decides it's a great idea to solve a few days of not talking to each other (because Sam refuses to let Ian woo her into a relationship), to join him into his shower, fully clothed, and give Ian a blowjob. Keep in mind that at this point, we didn't really get a scene where they made out, or explored each other's bodies yet. But yeah, what better way to show you're ready to be in a committed relationship by sucking his balls dry, right? <3

And the book was kind of okay up to this point, aside from the awkward AF phone sex and the BJ, but then something stupid happens with a picture that Sam accidentally sends out to the entire school staff and suddenly everybody knows they are in a relationship. (Also keep in mind that up to a short while ago EVERYBODY in school assumed they ware dating and nobody had any problems with it) But suddenly they can't be because relationships between teachers are "forbidden" (it is in their contracts) and one of them comments on how person A and B are together but apparently it's different because they are married. And at that point I was thinking "how absurd would if be if they got married now" (famous last words)....

And yes, he proposed before I even finished that thought... AND SHE SAID YES. THEY SOLVED A PROBLEM WITH THEIR JOBS THAT COULD HAVE BEEN SOLVED IN A MILLION DIFFERENT WAYS THAT DIDN'T INVOLVE A SUPPOSEDLY LIFELONG COMMITMENT BY GETTING ENGAGED AND MARRYING EACH OTHER SEVENTY-TWO HOURS LATER.

So get this straight: they go from BFFS to god knows what to getting married IN LESS THAN TWO WEEKS GIVE OR TAKE, with zero romance, zero progression or anything logical that comes with being in a relationship with somebody who has been your best friend for years. I have never wanted to throw my Kindle into a wall that bad as I did at the 61% mark of this pile or garbage. I feel like the author just put a few notes with possible events in a jar, shook it and then pulled out a few random things and called it a book. Because none of this makes any sense.

After this they get married in literally 15 seconds in a museum (which is not allowed and security is trying to grab them), they get it on a few times in a hotel and barely 6 months later she is preggo. The end.

So there you go.

————

Buddy read with My Boo

If this turns out to be a book I don't like then it will probably be the last one I'll read by this author. So please don't suck... UPDATE: It sucked.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Patty ~ Wrapped Up In Reading Book Blog.
1,260 reviews10.1k followers
August 6, 2018
*****FIVE STARS*****
{ARC Generously Provided by Author}



For three years, we were best friends who were secretly in love with each other. Three years is a long time to subdue a crush.






NOT SO NICE GUY is a romantic comedy with the friends-to-lovers trope. It is filled with so many laugh out loud moments. I fell head over heels in love with Ian and Samantha’s story. These two were so perfect for each other but seemed utterly clueless to that fact. Waiting for them to finally get together was almost torturous.




Ian and Samantha have been the best of friends ever since they met their first day of teacher's orientation at Oak Hill High School. They live minutes from each other and have weekly Netflix binge fests of the West Wing. Samantha is a total nerd with the funniest sense of humor but also beyond gorgeous as far as Ian is concerned. But she doesn’t see herself that way. She thinks Ian is absolute perfection and in the past, he’s always dated women who looked like supermodels. Never in her wildest dreams would she think that he had feelings for her. Sam has been secretly in love with Ian since the first day they met, and Ian has also been crushing on her. It’s hard to believe that neither had a clue what the other was feeling.




Ian starts to have an inkling that Sam is into him. He can tell by how she is affected by him whenever they are in close proximity. He decides to take things out of the friend zone with Sam, and since she’s afraid of change he knows he has to take things slow with her. But one day she lets it slip in the teacher’s lounge that she and Ian are not dating. Suddenly Ian and Sam are being pursued by the other teachers at the high school. Ian is not about to let another man take what is his so this forces him to ramp up his plans to stake his claim on Sam.




Sam is overwhelmed by Ian’s confessions to her and terrified that if they try to become romantically involved that she may end up losing her best friend. Will she put her fears aside and take a chance on love? Or will she continue to try and play it safe and wind up losing the friendship anyway?






Here are my overall ratings

Hero: 5
Heroine: 4.5
Plot: 5
Angst: 4
Steam: 4.5
Chemistry Between Hero & Heroine: 5



NOT SO NICE GUY releases on August 9th! Add this to our TBRs!
Pre-Order now for only 99 cents!

Amazon: https://amzn.to/2vIxyIJ




Profile Image for Jenny••Steamy Reads Blog••.
987 reviews1,924 followers
August 9, 2018
I have always devoured RS Grey’s writing and her books. This book, holy shit, I LoVeD the crap out of it!! I think I had a permanent smile throughout it.

When a book makes you love so easily, when it makes you literally laugh out loud countless times, it’s definitely a winner. And that’s what this book did for me, made me love hard and gosh, did I laugh



It begins when best friends Ian & Samantha are both teachers at the same high school. They are so close in fact, the rest of the teacher crowd thinks they are dating. Ian & Sam are always together. Lunch together every day, hang out in the evenings, do seminars together, go to the gym together, yet never have they made a pass at each other. They have both hid their feelings from each other but both are vying for each other and it’s becoming a breaking point not to do something about it. They both want each other, dream about doing naughty things to each other. So what’s the problem? Why won’t one of them atleast make a move? “Duh, you’re my best friend and I won’t lose that” and of course because.....



So when does your want overcome your fears? How do you let your guard down and the gates of protection you’ve had around your heart for years unlock?? When the man you’ve loved completely wins and your heart is laying on the ground from all the swooning you’ve done. Oh, and maybe because he’s sexy as hell.



This book, to me, was perfection in almost every way. I loved it. It surprised me, it wasn't what I thought it would be at all, it was more. I enjoyed the hell out of it and of course I’m left with the biggest sappiest smile ever. Hands down recommend this one to all you romance lovers out there. Releasing August 9th, so make sure you pick this up!!













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Profile Image for Vivian Diaz.
552 reviews78 followers
January 26, 2024
5/5 ⭐️ Wow! I didn’t expect to love this as much as I did! This was such a cute friends to lovers! It was a quick and sweet/fun read about two teachers who are friends, falling in love. I really liked the humor here. It was so funny. The chemistry between Sam & Ian was phenomenal. They were great as friends but even better as lovers!

I honestly had a smile on my face the entire time I was reading this. It made my heart so happy with how sweet and cute the transition from friends to lovers was ❤️. The jealousy that they both experienced from both sides was just adorable!! Ugh I just loved this so much!! When he cried at their wedding ceremony, I cried too 😭❤️. It was just so wholesome and romantic 🥹.

If you are looking for a fun, light-hearted, and sweet friends to lovers romance then read this! This was about 250 pages and just what I needed to after a long week!
Profile Image for Jilly.
1,838 reviews6,380 followers
January 5, 2019
This book is adorable and hilarious. It's light-hearted and will just have you laughing and feeling good about life, so only read it when you are in that mood. Sometimes, I don't want to feel-good when I read. I want something that appeals to my cold, dead heart that has violence, gore, and evil villains that make me check my door-locks at night. But, every once in a while, I don't want to think - I just want to laugh. This is the book for those kind of moods. When you just want to shut-off your brain for a change.


My brain can be a real dick sometimes.

So, we have Sam and Ian as our couple. They are both teachers at the same school and have been best friends for the past three years. They are also both super in love with each other, but thinks the other isn't interested, so they stay in the friend zone. And, believe me, they are awesome in the friend zone. He's one of those friends who you could just look at and he knows everything you're thinking. The kind of friend that you can speak in shorthand to, or convey an entire sentence with just your eyes. The kind that you have so many inside jokes with that other people can never walk into one of your conversations and know what the hell you're talking about.



They are so close that everyone at their school assumes they are a couple, so when Sam spills it that they are only friends, things get messy. Once the other faculty members know that these two are available, they are all over them like... uh.... orange on an orange. (note to self: work on analogies)

This was funny, but a little unrealistic. Apparently, this school only employs hot, single twenty-somethings. It's like some horny teenage boy fantasy or something.

Expectation:


Reality:


So, when all the other people are making moves on them, the besties become jealous and Ian realizes that Sam feels the same way about him as he does about her. So, he decides that it's on! And, it's hilarious. He maneuvers her into phone sex, and she's slightly awkward the next day.

Sam: I have no clue what we used to talk about....."What a nice spring day it is," I say wistfully.
We pass a window and it's pouring outside. Tree limbs fly this way and that. A small tornado tosses screaming livestock here and there....




If you are in the mood for a great rom-com, you really need to read this book.
August 9, 2018
Dull reads

Sam and Ian are best friends for three years. They spend 99% of there time together and are codependent. Both have feelings for each other but don’t want to ruin there friendship. Honestly this is some 10th friends to lover book I’m reading since last month. All are on the same lines. They don’t want to ruin there friendship. But inside they are already horny by for each other.

So anyways the way both behave, it felt like they are some high school students and not teachers. Add onto that the Freshman Four, “the popular teachers who run the cheerleading and drill team” and are hot for Ian. But Ian is hot only for Sam. But they did dated other people in the beginning of their friendship, where as usual the male character gets all the right action and the female is left with dull boring guys.

Things change when Ian suddenly feels territorial about Sam and starts seducing her. Sam is obviously hesitant and over dramatic. But when Ian ignores her she cants bear that. She confronts him in his shower and gives him BJ. I thought that was the most stupidest scene of the book. At least I thought Ian was smart enough to not jump into each other right away and instead suggests going on dates. So they date.



To be honest, at times I was bored outta my mind. I felt it dragged.
Sam was truly irritating. She seems rather immature and silly. Ian was Okay.
Profile Image for ~**Anna**~ A Romance Reader.
621 reviews320 followers
August 9, 2018
LOVED IT!!!

I had so much fun reading this book. Ian and Sam are so amazing together. They are one of my favorite couples ever!

I also really liked that there’s no unnecessary drama, OM, OW and that Ian is not a manwhore. Yaay!

This book is going straight to my 2018 favorites. If you are looking for a sweet, fun, romantic, friends to lovers story, look no further!
Profile Image for Sentranced Jem.
1,134 reviews602 followers
August 9, 2018
FOR GOODREADS

PSX_20180808_160459
Title: Not So Nice Guy
Author: R.S. Grey
Genre: Contemporary Romance


You know the saying among book nerds " The book is always better than the movie"? ok... hold that thought.
Now, Think about the best rom-com movie you've always loved. A movie you have watched countless times... a staple in your life. Have you thought about it?

ok.

Now... that feeling you're feeling right now.. right this very minute...the sheer joy.. the utter sense of happiness.
Not So Nice Guy is that book that will bring you that feeling.
One can't help but smile as you read this book.. it's so cute and flipping fun...with a dash of sexiness hahaha
Not So Nice Guy is pure joy.... Ian and Samantha will make you laugh so much, they will you smile until your face hurts, make your eyes bug out with surprise especially when Ian and Samantha get together.

Just thinking about this book makes me want to do a happy dance hahaha

tumblr_npahsmfo4l1sxn2y0o7_500

You are going to LOVE this book by R.S. Grey

For me, This has become one of my favourite friends to lovers romance.
Have I mentioned that Ian and Samantha are both teachers? YUP... Have I also mentioned that Ian is super sexy with a slight possessive streak?  or the fact that Samantha is such a catch but she has no clue that everyone wants to be with her?
See where I'm going with this? Epic Romance Comedy, people!

I devoured this book and I have a feeling so will you.

Happy Reading!

5star

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An ARC was Kindly Provided In Exchange For An Honest Review
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Profile Image for Starr (AKA Starrfish) Rivers.
1,036 reviews358 followers
November 26, 2018
The short of it is that I will be checking out more books by this author, that's how much I liked this one!

I rarely like contemporary romances these days, what with the trash I've been reading and DNFing left and right with my most hated tropes: manwhore, alpha asshole, lust and hard core kinky sex but no love connection, stupid/ crazy heroine, ridiculous descriptions of the guy's junk, cheating, rape, hostage, etc.

Princess Under Cover recommended this to me as she was reading it, and girl, you have redeemed yourself! :P (I've forgiven you just a smidgen for recommending me that crappy Lindsay Sands historical rom that you didn't even bother reading yourself...)

Why I loved it, and MIGHT even re-read it in the future if I still recall it sitting on my shelf:

#1 It was hilarious! Made my cheeks hurt from grinning! Yes, it was a little over the top silly sometimes, because the h was a bit crazy, but she's sooooo CUTE!

#2 It was about best friends who finally got together in the best way possible, and I loved both the friendship and the sex between these 2. Tho the H made me want to get in there and hog tie him so she could have her wicked way with him. He sure was determined to resist her until they were married!

#3 It went through the whole friendship to chemistry to intense lust to marriage to after marriage friendship to their first child. While that might be boring to some people, I thought it was a good way to let the reader live their HEA vicariously.

Now, I did skip some parts or skim more quickly, didn't always read word for word, but for the most part it really held my attention.

And #4 Those sex scenes were pretty rockin! I applaud the author, I truly do. It was fun, yet sweet yet HOTT as hell! Loved them!

So highly recommend to anyone who likes a HEALTHY contemporary romance about friendship, love, sex and laughter!
Profile Image for Sabrina.
3,630 reviews2,292 followers
August 10, 2018
NOW LIVE!
Amazon US * Amazon UK



Now So Nice Guy was a fantastic friends-to-lovers story. Ian and Sam's friendship was so fun to read about and then when it turned in to more it made them even better. I loved that connection they had and how it never went away even when they were starting to take their relationship to something bigger than friends. It was the best part of this book and the reason I adored reading about these characters. There wasn't a ton of drama which was refreshing and made this for a very fun and light read.
Profile Image for Whitney Atkinson.
978 reviews12.8k followers
October 7, 2021
i was going through the books on my wishlist that i'd added years ago and reading their previews to decide whether or not i still was interested in them. once i was only 4 pages into the preview for this book, i immediately bought it on kindle and proceeded to read it in practically two sittings. it was so enjoyable and quick, with a cute plot and fun characters with noticeable chemistry. the only thing that this book did wrong was that all the adults in it behaved like teenagers, and all the teenagers behaved like children. if you can get over the silliness of it that way and suspend your disbelief, it ends up being a pretty charming little read that you can fly through in a few hours. if the friends to lovers trope is your kryptonite, this would definitely be worth the read.
Profile Image for Navessa.
449 reviews12 followers
September 23, 2018

Ugh. This started so well. It was hilarious. Like, ugly-laugh-out-loud-funny. But then things progressed too quickly between the two characters, the humor disappeared, and this turned into some 1950s style sappy romance. All in all, the second half felt rushed and half done.
Profile Image for Beatrice.
1,157 reviews1,713 followers
September 22, 2018
ARC kindly provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.

Samantha Abrams and Ian Fletcher are co-teachers and best friends for three years since they're hired at Oak Hill High School. Their friendship began during the teacher's orientation and they instantly cliqued. These two are quirky together and they read each other's minds. They're so cute often times people assumed they're couple. Over the years, Sam's feelings for Ian developed but she thought it's one-sided. Her actions are pretty obvious and Ian doesn't take a hint. One day she blurted out that "they aren't dating" and ladies starts fawning on her best friend.

Sam genuinely felt bad about the situation because he's supposed to be hers. Sam is an attractive, intelligent and classy woman but she's insecure and overdramatic. Ian is a charming yet shy guy. He's in love with Sam but he never confessed his love for her. She's attracted to him but he can also sense her fear of losing their friendship. Thru his persistence, will Sam finally give in and take a chance of them being an official couple?

I'm on the minority for this one because I didn't enjoy Not So Nice Guy. Romcoms are supposed to be fun and quirky. However, I felt the opposite in this book. The romance was flat and the protagonists annoyed me for sending mixed signals and waiting for someone make a move. Don't get me started with Sam being a drama queen. The plot escalated on the 50% mark and it barely kept me interested plus the last 25% dragged on. It may be a happy ending but it's rushed. Overall, this is a disappointment.
Profile Image for Angie - Angie's Dreamy Reads.
689 reviews13.7k followers
Read
August 5, 2018
4.5 Stars

That's it! I'm declaring it, R.S. Grey is the QUEEN OF ROMCOM. There's just NO ONE who does it better than her. Not one single person. She writes the smartest, funniest, most wickedly charming and ridiculously swoony stories. My cheeks hurt from all the grinning and laughing I did while devouring Not So Nice Guy. I swear, I had a swarm of butterflies in my belly while reading. This story is charming and it has ALL THE SWOON. So so so good. So so so sweet. So so sooooooo sexy. I honestly can't even describe how much I loved it. I just feel like screaming, "I LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVE LOVEEEEEEE THIS BOOK" at the top of my lungs, over and over and over again! It made me happy and content, and there's no way you can go wrong with Not So Nice Guy! It's the perfect read from start to finish.

Sam and Ian are friends. Best friends. The bestest friends that ever did live. They do everything together. And for the past three years they've both been smothering feelings for the other, afraid to make a move and destroy their friendship. But something happens at the high school Sam and Ian teach at and it's apparent to Ian that he can't hide feelings for Sam much longer. And that unearths the funniest, most epic slow-burn, friends to lovers story!

AND LET ME TELL YOU.... It's everything. The swoon. Lord.... I'm a full on swoony mess for this story! In fact, my swoon has swoon and that swoon has even more swoon over this one (<<--- did that make sense? LMAO). Sam and Ian were crazy, a little over the top, but that's what made them so endearing. The theatrics and dramatic flair they had, the sassy and witty dialogue they spat at each other just steals your heart. I couldn't stop myself from falling in love with them. They are so much fun, and it's so hilarious and so entertaining.

Overall, there's not ONE thing I didn't love in this book. It's light and easy with virtually no angst, but it works beautifully. I really think R.S. Grey outdid herself yet again. She always manages to own my heart with every book she writes. She's such a talented writer, always penning the smartest RomCom with the most humorous comedy, the sweetest feels, and the most endearing characters. It's so great, and I can't wait for you to read this! I highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Dali.
1,933 reviews545 followers
August 14, 2018
R.S. Grey’s vibrancy shines through as she puts her unique spin on the friends to lovers trope in “No So Nice Guy.” A story about two teachers who met while starting to work at the same school a few years back but because of a series of unfortunate miscommunications end up repressing their true feelings for one another but becoming best friends.
“Ian and I became friends three and a half years ago, close to 1300 days if some loser out there was keeping count.”

Sam has spent fantasizing about her incredibly attractive co-worker and best friend Ian for the past three years. But it’s not that bad, they’re so in synch with one another – they have a Blue Apron subscription together and have West Wing Wednesday – everyone thinks they’re actually dating until a new teacher asks about their relationship and she’s forced to clarify that they are in fact “just friends.” Chaos ensues. All the single teachers are now after Ian or Sam or both!

Ian has had to hide his very big feelings for Sam for what feels like forever. And now he has to endure watching the male teachers woo her with Valentine’s Day teddy bears and roses? No way! It’s time for him to ditch his nice guy veneer, sabotage everyone else and pave the way for his own seduction of his best friend. He’s sensed her attraction to him, but what if she’s not on board with wanting more?
"Everyone at school wants you," she whispers, eyes wide. "You're mine, and you don't even know it. I've never told you."

Grey pens a delightfully addicting novel with the perfect blend of sexual tension, hilariousness, witty banter and endearing romance.

Ian and Sam are both loveable characters who are a perfect match. He’s the witty, cool and collected sexy guy to her crazy over the top dramatic effervescence. They both burst off the pages with irresistible liveliness.

The book has numerous elements to like and fall in love with, but a significant amount of the novel’s enjoyment comes from Grey’s humor and inventive one-liners that kept me with a perma-smile throughout the story.
“I'll have the moral high road while he explores each of my immoral low roads.”

Not So Nice Guy is a full length contemporary romance by R.S. Grey. It is a standalone friends to lovers rom-com, told from both points of view with a happily ever after, no cliffhanger.

Amazon -> https://amzn.to/2volAVn

* I was given an ARC of this book courtesy of the author via InkSlinger. I am voluntarily reviewing this title. *

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Profile Image for Melanie (mells_view).
1,783 reviews370 followers
August 13, 2018
This whole tightrope walk is getting harder and harder, but there’s no alternative.

This was a sweet and funny, slow-burn, best friends to lovers read. The writing is so darn good. The story is fun to follow, and keeps you turning pages. It’s low angst. Naturally funny. And Ian and Sam are so dang sweet and swoon city, I swear I’m dizzy with a toothache.

If you’re looking for an easy and fun read... you’ve found it!
Profile Image for preoccupiedbybooks.
479 reviews1,432 followers
August 10, 2018
I find myself wondering once again if I'm reading the same book as everyone else?!
This book started out brilliantly, I even wrote an update about this being my favourite R.S Grey book yet! So where did it go wrong for me?
I will start with the positives:


1) The note at the start which told me what percentage this story would end at!! It is one of my pet peeves when a book ends abruptly and then you have an excerpt for another book, but at least this time the author warned me so I knew when the book would be wrapping up!

2) I liked Sam at the start! She was short, funny, got hangry and she liked Jake Bugg! I pictured Emma Stone when reading this.
img src="https://media.giphy.com/media/XxIRpBR..." width="" height="" alt="description"/>

3) The school setting! I liked this a lot, a book set in a school, but about the teachers, not the pupils.

4) The anonymous notes in the sex education talk! My husband is a teacher but with 10/11 year olds and they have to do this and the QS that the kids ask make us laugh every time! Its so cringey!

5) Just the first half of the book in general! It was so funny, the tension was great, and I liked both of the main characters, their banter, and their fear of ruining their friendship if they turned from friends into something more.

Here is where it started to go wrong for me:
1) The second half of this book felt ridiculously rushed! There was no actual romance, and hardly any kissing. GIVE ME MORE ROMANCE DAMNIT!!

2) The awkward phone sex before Ian really knew how Sam felt-it felt way too soon, I mean they hadn't even kissed and he didn't even know if she felt the same way yet?!
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3) The weird shower scene-urgh I kind of felt like Sam felt she had to give him a blow job here and it was odd and I felt weird about it.

4) THE PLOT TWIST!! I f***ing hated it man! Like why?! I still cant believe that it even happened?! So they are starting to date and Sam accidentally sends a flirty (not even that bad) photo to the whole staff, instead of to just Ian, and instead of owning it, she runs out of school, eats too much froyo, throws up, and then they decide to get married?!! Their logic is that they cant date as colleagues, but there is a married couple who teach there and that's fine so why don't they just get married and oh in 72 hours time!!! WTAF??? Yeah you've been friends for 3 years but you don't know each other as a couple yet! Its completely different! Why are you getting married after about a week of dating you idiotic buffoons?!
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5) The pregnancy!! Again why?!!!You have waited 3 years to be together and now are, why don't you take your time to date each other and get to know each other again but in a different way?! Oh nope! As soon as Ian's mum said about Sam glowing I was like nooooooooo please say its not true!!!But alas it was.....

6) Sam did not take her job seriously, rolling out of bed a few minutes before her pupils get there, and only because Ian called her to wake her up! Ever heard of lesson planning or preparation?! Most teachers I know get to school between 7-8am to get everything ready! So unprofessional in so many ways.

7) The epilogue just sucked.

So yeah, although I love the writing style of this, and I did like the characters and the start of the book, the second half was too rushed, the relationship underdeveloped, and it just fell flat for me. Its such a shame as I do like R.S Grey's writing, but too many of her books have not been enjoyable for me now, and a lot of her female characters are similar, so I don't think I will be reading anymore of them...BUT A LOT OF PEOPLE DO LIKE THIS SO MAYBE JUST IGORE ME?! IDK ANYMORE?!!!😭
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Profile Image for Lacey (laceybooklovers).
2,132 reviews11.7k followers
August 5, 2018
You just can't go wrong with R.S. Grey's romantic comedies. Not So Nice Guy is a hilarious friends-to-lovers romance between two school teachers. I thought this was adorable, a little over the top, and just plain old FUN to read. If you love R.S. Grey, you'll want Sam and Ian in your life!

Full review to come!

Thanks to the author for generously providing me an ARC to review.
Profile Image for Jessica .
2,245 reviews14.8k followers
August 9, 2018
I am a huge fan of RS Grey and gobble up every new book she has as soon as it hits my kindle. I can rely on her books to make me laugh and I couldn't wait to pick up this book about two teachers who are best friends but want something more!

For the past three years, Sam has been in love with Ian. The only problem? They're best friends. Sam and Ian never go a day without seeing each other ever since they met during training for the high school where they both teach. So when Ian starts to say some not-so-platonic things to Sam, she's freaking out. Is he for real, or just playing with her? And if she gives in to the feelings she's harbored for years, can their friendship survive?

In the beginning of this book, I was obsessed with Sam and Ian's relationship. Since we get both of their points of view, we got to see how they both interpreted different situations and how they both really liked each other as more than friends, but didn't think the other reciprocated those feelings. Sam is such a hilarious and relatable character and, since I'm a high school English teacher myself, I loved reading about characters who were also teachers. Not to mention there were plenty laugh-out-loud moments in this book!

As we got to about 75% of the way through this book, though, things got a little too far fetched for me. Because of this, I felt a little detached from the romance compared to how obsessed I was with it at the beginning of this book. Their feelings didn't feel as genuine or believable anymore and it was harder for me to connect with their story.

Overall, if you want a fun romantic comedy, you can't go wrong with RS Grey. Not So Nice Guy is an adorable friends to lovers romance that, while a little far fetched at times, will definitely put a smile on your face.
Profile Image for Stacey.
1,446 reviews1,143 followers
September 6, 2018
I liked it, but...

My life is busy and it's taking me longer to read books and I think this may be lowering my enjoyment. I'm not getting to see the highs and lows together which can draw out the drama and make it feel like the lows go on forever. In Not So Nice Guy, every time I came back to read, I was frustrated because Sam was still fighting their relationship. It almost seemed like Ian was the only one taking it seriously. He made all the effort and she just went along for the ride.
Sure, she was concerned they'd ruin their friendship but THREE YEARS of friendship shouldn't be so easy to ruin.

This wasn't a bad story, I just felt that the humour was at times a little OTT, the love was a little one-sided, and there was more lust than love. I think they were surrounded by so much teenage drama with their students that it was making them act like teenagers.

Maybe I should have listened to this one instead of reading, I seem to have a lot more success in the audio versions when it comes to R.S. Grey.

Don't judge by my review alone. 3 stars - I liked it...I just didn't love it.
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