The Half Baked Plan, Love in No Man's Land #2 by Becca Jackson

The Half Baked Plan is the second in the Love in No Man's Land series. It's a light read with friends to lovers.

From the blurb:

Lucas

Fire took out my business, my apartment and almost my life a few weeks back, and now I’m living in my best friend’s house while I rebuild, and he travels the world. He found his perfect match and now It’s time I found mine.

After years on my own, I want a family, but I have zero hope in finding my match while I’m still completely crushing on the hottest builder in the world, and to make matters worse, he’s now my roommate.

I thought sharing a house with Carter would help me get over him. I’d see why he’s never had a boyfriend, or anyone worth bringing around town. I’d discover all of his faults up close and squash the perfect god-like image I’ve cemented in my mind all these years.

Problem is, no matter what annoying habits I jot down on my list, the more time I spend with him the more I’m convinced Carter is everything I will ever need. Now I just have to figure out a way to tell him.

Carter

With Michael traveling the world, it’s just Lucas and me in his house while we rebuild the café, bakery, and apartment. I’m happy for Michael. I really am, but seeing another friend get their happy beginning shines a light again on the fact that I might never get mine.

I’m sick of being everyone’s best friend, yet no one’s boyfriend. I want my happy beginning too. I want someone to pick me. To want me. To love me.

So I do what any single guy would do, I sign up for speed dating. Blind dates suck but I’m never going to find the one if I don’t start putting myself out there.

The problem is, the more time I spend living with Lucas the more I realize, I don’t want any of these random hookups. I want the sweetest guy I’ve ever met. The one who bakes me cookies to make me smile. So now I have to figure out a way to show him I can be an awesome boyfriend. I can be his happy beginning if he will just give me a chance out of the friend zone.

Sheena's Review:

The Half Baked Plan is the second in a series but I read it as a standalone. If I'm honest I probably would have benefited from reading the first book, as I was kind of thrown into the story but I followed it along just fine.

Carter and Lucas are friends who happen to share a house since Lucas' workplace and home burned down. Carter is the contractor rebuilding for him, and Lucas has harbored an unrequited crush on him for years. He creates a list of all the things Carter does that annoys him so he can get over it - of course to no avail.

I do like a good friends to lovers story, because there's a baseline there for them to build a relationship on, and I love that moment of realization between the two. This is no different, it's a slow burn (which I also love) with mutual pining as neither realize they belong together. It's a sweet story, no angst, just little misunderstandings and I really enjoyed it as a light read. There are other stories to tell in this town, and I'd be interested in more in this world.

Rating: 4 Stars

Heather's Review:

The Half Baked Plan is a slow burn, mutual pining friends to lovers roommate romance where the characters really needed to get out of their own way... and finally do!

I have been loving the Love in No Man's Land series and Lucas and Carter's story fits right in with the first book, with everyone around them seeing what they are both to afraid to admit... classic friends to lovers angst over losing what they already have... once they get out of their own way the story is sweet and low angst and a really fun read.

Rating: 4 Stars

The Half Baked Plan is available to buy as an ebook, paperback, hardback, or to read with Kindle Unlimited subscription.