Beachside Kisses With My Best Friend by Kristin Canary: Book Review

 **ARC received for consideration. All opinions are my own.

The Book

What’s a little marriage of convenience between best friends? Just a tasty appetizer for real love!

My life was flowing smoothly until Jordan Carmichael, the adventure tour guy I’ve known since high school, hit a rough patch.

His five-year-old son, Ryder, needs stability after losing his mother, and with her parents fighting for custody, I propose a bold plan: let’s get married for a year.

I want to help him keep his family together, and when Jordan offers to assist me in securing a loan for the local bakery, it seems like a win-win for both of us.

There’s just one tiny hitch—I’ve sworn off marriage after escaping my emotionally abusive ex-husband. I’m terrified of repeating past mistakes and dragging anyone else into my mess, especially Jordan.

But as we draft a contract with rules—including only kissing when necessary to convince the town we’re “really” married—I feel sparks rising faster than a soufflé…

Once I move in with Jordan, all bets are off as those rules crumble faster than a cookie. Late-night talks turn into stolen snuggles, and playful moments leave my heart racing.

Suddenly, we slip into a closeness that feels all too real. It seems like maybe we’ve figured out a delicious recipe for a love that just might last…

But when our secret is exposed, Jordan’s custody case hangs in the balance—and so does my heart.

Can we whisk together this tempting blend of friendship, pretend love, and true emotions without creating a hopeless mess?

Perfect for fans of:

✔️friends to lovers

✔️modern-day marriage of convenience

✔️forced proximity

✔️one bed

✔️single dad

✔️"that's my wife"

Beachside Kisses With My Best Friend is Book 3 in the Hallmark Beach small town sweet romantic comedy series, where a charming yet quirky town on the coast of California comes to life. It’s the story of baker Marilee Moffitt and her best friend, single dad Jordan Carmichael. This dual-POV novel is filled with all the sizzling romantic tension and swoons possible without on-page intimacy. Each book in the series stands alone, but you may want to read them in order for the most enjoyment.

The Author

Kristin is a wife and boy mom who functions best on peach tea and cookie dough ice cream. She writes closed-door romantic comedies with lots of sizzle and spice but no explicit on-page content. A desert dweller, she always has her eye on the next trip to a beach somewhere—and if she can’t travel there in person, then you’d better believe she's going to write about it. Kristin is never fully satisfied with a movie, TV show, or book without a hefty dose of romance in it, and she's grateful to be living a true-life love story with her own crazy little family.

Book Review

Beachside Kisses With My Best Friend is the third book in the Hallmark Beach series. While you'll see some familiar characters if you've read the previous books, this could be enjoyed as a standalone as well. 

Oh, I did not expect the absolutely emotional roller coaster that Jordan and Marilee took me on! Yes, it was very much a romantic comedy with those moments that had me smiling and laughing throughout... but it was also tender and romantic. The way these two loved each other... and Ryder? Just beautiful. Right from the start, I found myself rooting for these two and wanting to see them finally get their happily ever after. They might have taken a long and unconventional road to get there, but what a payoff! Marriage of convenience also happens to be one of my favorites, and this one was done so well... the 'that's my wife' moment!? Um, yes please! There was truly so much to love in this story! While the overall feeling of this book is lighter, it doesn't shy away from taking on some hard topics as well to include mentions of miscarriage, emotional abuse, grief and alcoholism, adding so much depth to their story and making me love it that much more. I've enjoyed every single book in this series, but this one might just be my favorite one yet! 

Beachside Kisses With My Best Friend is a closed-door romance with kisses only and no language. 


You can purchase your copy here: https://amzn.to/4lIdrmv