Book Description 

Poe Myat Sabei has the publishing career that any writer would kill for: her first novel sold at auction, became an international number one bestseller, and is being turned into a Netflix film. But now on deadline for her second book, Poe is facing a catastrophic case of writer’s block. The solution? Book a two-week getaway to an exclusive island resort for her and her best friend Zwe where she’ll undoubtedly be inspired to write her next bestseller.

But the vacation of their dreams disintegrates in a flash when the resort is taken over by a group of masked women who are very armed and very angry. As they try to leave the island before the group can track them down, Poe and Zwe suddenly find themselves facing the kinds of conflicts that only come up when, well, you’re trapped in a life or death situation on a remote island with your (hot) best friend.

My Review 

This was a fun slow burn romance. Poe and Zwe have been best friends for years and they even live together, but they have always been strictly platonic. Zwe has an easygoing personality and seems to go along with whatever Poe wants, so when Poe wants to go to a luxury resort to cure her writer’s block, Zwe goes along with the plan. Their vacation takes a bumpy turn when the resort is taken over, and Poe finds herself annoyed by Zwe’s interactions with the employee who saves them more than she is terrified. 

I am all for friends to lovers and slow burn, but it felt like Zwe’s longtime girlfriend got glossed over a little too quickly. To be clear, they recently broke up, so there’s no cheating, but I felt bad that this poor woman invested in a relationship that was never going to work because Zwe has clearly been in love with Poe for years and likewise, Poe has been in love with Zwe for just as long and neither of  these two silly geese realize that their pining could have been resolved years ago. And if it was just the two of them, that would be fine, but again, I feel bad for Zwe’s ex. 

Even though the book deals with an armed invasion, the tone remains light, although there were a couple of moments where my disbelief was suspended and I began to worry for everyone’s safety. The book definitely has romcom vibes more than romance novel vibes. Yes, there is a difference. No, I can’t explain the difference.   

I would absolutely recommend Here for a Good Time. Despite my concerns, Poe and Zwe are both likeable characters and they have good chemistry together, both as friends and then later as a romantic couple. The resolution was tied up neatly, but it would have been too messy for things to have gone any other way. 

I received a digital ARC of this book from St. Martin’s/NetGalley.