Ashlee Simpson reportedly whole-heartedly approves of her big sister Jessica Simpson’s boyfriend, John Mayer.

After an initial false start last summer, Jessica and John are thought to have got back together at the end of last year - and since Ashlee has been living with Jessica for most of that time, it’s a good thing the pair get on.

A friend of Ashlee’s told People magazine: “Ashlee loves John. She thinks he is great for [Jessica]. More importantly, Jess is happy.”

The friend added that Jessica feels a lot freer with John than she did with ex-husband Nick Lachey: “When she was with Nick, she was really under her family’s thumb. This is a relationship that is all hers.”

The pair have been almost constantly stalked by the paparazzi - particularly when Jessica accompanied John on part of his recent US tour and on their short break to Rome - but Jessica’s friend Christina Milian believes: “Clearly this is a relationship that’s not for the cameras. It’s not about celebrity. It seems like they truly have an attraction to each other, and they’re both clearly very talented as well.”

The couple were spotted at a James Morrison gig last week at the Roxy in Los Angeles then shared cocktails with Ashlee at Parc afterwards. Onlookers report: “They were smooching throughout. “They were holding hands and laughing constantly. Jessica looks really comfortable with him.”