I SO enjoyed Friends with Benefits!!! It was a little slow going for me at first, but once I got about 10% into the book I started to fly! I loved getting to know and spend time with Evie and Theo (and loved the dual POV). The book had a lot of depth and packed a lot of emotional punch, which I liked. I would definitely recommend this book to friends, and will be reading future books by Marisa Kanter for sure!

we were so blessed to have gotten sent an ebook version and physical copy of this book so a huge thank you to netgalley and celadon books for sending these for an honest review! this was our first bookish mail and while i was initially so invested and excited, some huge buts coming next.

1.5 ⭐️ to start, this book was compared to katherine center esq. writing and i strongly disagree. with that comparison, i thought this was going to be a decently clean and closed door read and this was NOT that! i had to skip SO much (check our reading guide for sure if you want to read this!!!) and the author included about every single one of her political beliefs in almost every page of this book. i do not want your personal political beliefs in a romcom so this just left me cringing and upset instead of mushy.

i wanted to like the fmc but she got on my nerves. i loved her job and thought that was such a unique concept, but she was so self centered and there was never any growth, really, in that regard. theo was so sweet and patient to her and she just took advantage of that because he was too scared to lose her. she knew how he felt (so many people told her) and she just continued to abuse that, i felt. also, this had SO. MUCH. gay representation it was unreal. i understand that having representation is important to some publishers and regardless of your belief on this topic, this felt extremely too unrealistic and just was a major distraction for me. the fmc (SpOiLeR) is bisexual and that was never even discussed between her and theo which i believe would have definitelyyyyy warranted at least one convo in a real life relationship. also, the fact that she accredits her grandparents staying together and in love because they didn’t get married is crazy!! and just diminishes the beauty of marriage which was a major no from me.

i did like the representation of having a chronic illness as i know that’s an extremely hard reality for many, including some of my personal friends. some of the writing was witty and theo’s class were the stars of the show for me.

rereadable? no:(

Friends with Benefits is not what you would expect.
This Friends to Lovers novel starts with a different type of benefit - health insurance. Right away, the reader can tell that this marriage of convenience romance novel is much more than a rom-com and addresses a lot of weighty topics. Evie has a once in a lifetime opportunity for a fellowship that could launch her career as a foley artist, but it doesn’t come with health insurance. Since she has a chronic illness, she can’t afford to give up her boring office job that has great benefits to take advantage of the internship. Her best friend needs the higher combined income to qualify to keep his rent-controlled apartment. Evie and Theo have been friends since childhood. They have seen each other through a variety of challenges. Through this story the reader gets a great romance but also a sensitive exploration of the emotional issues of parental abandonment, dealing with chronic illness and the broken health care system and educational system.

Don’t let the subplots scare you off. Marisa Kanter weaves all these issues throughout a great romance story. Eventually, the title phrase takes on the usual meaning and the book gets quite spicy. But even then, Evie continues to consider the marriage a temporary measure. Through a series of fantastic flashbacks, Kanter shows that both friends have been in love all along, but not always admitted it to themselves. The “It’s always been you” plot includes the typical trope of fear of losing a best friend if they try for a romance and the trope of missed chances and bad timing.

This book is great for readers who like:
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️SPICY ROMANCE

💞Friends to Lovers
💞 It Has Always Been You
💞Marriage of Convenience
💞Forced Proximity

Friends with Benefits was such a cute romance that felt like a fun movie. I could feel the emotions and feelings of the characters as I read and connected with their Jewish roots. Evie and Theo have a long history and it takes them way too long to discover what everyone around them seems to already know. This was a fun easy read that kept me interested to the end.

This was a cute friends to lovers story about Evie, a Foley artist, and Theo, a teacher. I loved learning about all the behind-the-scenes details of adding sound effects to film. It really makes me appreciate movies and TV in a new way. I also appreciated the chronic illness rep, which is rare in romance. That said, friends to lovers is my least favorite trope, and the story was a little forced, so I didn't love the plot of this book. But if you're looking for a quick, fun read and don't mind a thin plot, you might enjoy this.

I’m usually not a big on the friends-to-lovers trope—I tend to lean more toward enemies-to-lovers—but Karter totally won me over! It was such a heartwarming, feel-good read that left me smiling.

Evie marries her best friend Theo—not for love (at first), and not for the spicy benefits—but for health benefits that come with teaching. Because, well, America: where you need a job for benefits, but the jobs that get you there don’t come with benefits. And Evie really needs them, since she’s living with Crohn’s disease.

I adored pretty much every character in this book—except Naomi, because seriously, a mom is supposed to mom! That aside, I truly hope there’s a sequel. I’d love more time with the grandparents, the mother (even Naomi!), and the sister. Fingers crossed!

Yes, this is a friends-to-lovers story, but there's more going on here, which adds depth and charm to the story.

Evie and Theo have been the best of friends since childhood, and both secretly desire for this relationship to blossom into something more. Evie has an autoimmune disease in which she is constantly battling people not acknowledging her struggles with an invisible disease, and now the healthcare system too. Theo is an elementary school teacher, an absolute sweetheart, with a big heart, and will do anything to support Evie. He is attentive and always worried if she is in pain.

The pressing need for Evie's health insurance coverage and housing drove many decisions and changes in their relationship. But much of the narrative delved into Theo and Evie’s inner struggles about their feelings for each other and whether a relationship would work (𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘸𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘰𝘳 𝘸𝘰𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺, 𝘰𝘳 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘵𝘩𝘦𝘺 𝘵𝘰𝘨𝘨𝘭𝘦). With the help of flashbacks, we see this has been going on for a long time.

I adored Theo; he really stole my heart. As someone who deals with chronic pain and autoimmune disease, I was so appreciative of someone who saw and heard Evie.

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮’𝐥𝐥 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐝:
💜Friends to lovers
🧡Marriage of Convenience
💜Chronic Illness rep
🧡Dual POV
💜Forced Proximity
🧡Survivor TV show fans

Thank you @celadonbooks for this gifted ebook via #NetGalley.

I would give Friends With Benefits three solid stars. This was fine but I don’t think I would reach for it again, and there are a few pain points. Since this is Marisa Kanter’s first adult novel, I think it still leans a bit into some of the YA language she’s been writing in. It’s pretty simple. On the other hand, the sexual content is quite explicit (a birthday vibrator from grandma?!). It’s hard to believe that Evie and Theo are so quickly in love after being platonic friends for so long (but is their friendship that solid?). I just had a difficult time buying in and enjoying the story.

Thank you, NetGalley, for providing me with an ARC in exchange of an honest review!

Friends with Benefits is my first book by Marisa Kanter, and I’m so glad I picked it up, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience. It’s a sweet, funny, and heartfelt story with just the right balance of emotional depth and feel-good fluff.

I absolutely adored Theo’s character, charming, grounded, and genuinely kind. I found myself rooting for him the whole way through. While Evie was a bit harder for me to connect with (her inner monologue felt a little too chaotic and dramatic at times), her journey still felt authentic and relatable. She comes across as younger and more emotionally volatile than Theo, which created an interesting dynamic between them.

One of the standout aspects of this book for me was the representation of chronic illness, particularly gut issues. It was refreshing to see a character navigating these challenges with honesty and vulnerability. The stress and unpredictability of managing a chronic condition were portrayed with care and nuance, and I really appreciated that layer of realism.

Overall, this book delivered a satisfying mix of swoon-worthy fluff and thoughtful storytelling. It’s a feel-good read that still manages to touch on important themes without losing its charm. I’ll definitely be keeping an eye out for more from Marisa Kanter!

Evil and Theodore are the cutest couple I’ve ever read about. The character development was great I could envision them in my minds eye. The scenes were also detailed enough to be right there with every scene. I thoroughly enjoyed the entire cast.

This book really brought a smile to my face a few times.

I want to thank NetGalley and Celadon Books for this advanced reader copy. This is my honest opinion of this work.

Evie and Theo are long-time best friends. They may also be in love with each other, but neither can admit it because every time they have come close, things have made it seem that the other wasn't interested. When Evie gets her dream opportunity and will have to turn it down due to the lack of health insurance to manage her autoimmune disease, and Theo loses his roommates and rent-controlled apartment, the two decide on a marriage of convenience. But two people who are secretly in love with each other cannot fake love without falling in deeper!

With an adorable cast of characters and the harsh realities of America's BS healthcare system, this is a cute love story. I fell in love with the characters, and hearing about Theo with his students almost made me yearn for the classroom. Instead, I get to influence a whole school and build up our future readers, so I will stick with that!

Thank you to Celadon Books and Net Galley for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

i had a decent time with this one! thank you netgalley. i didn't really connect with the characters or the romance, but it was a good one to get me through my slump.

This was a very interesting story about 2 people who are best friends throughout their life and end of getting married for all the wrong reasons. It was fun to watch the relationship change as a result of the marriage and see where it all ended up.

3.5 ⭐️ (rounded up to 4)

Tropes: friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, forced proximity, dual POV and dual timelines

Evie and Theo were childhood besties that devised a plan to get married after Theo was left without roommates in an apartment he could not afford on his own and Evie’s grandparents sold their house leaving her basically homeless. Not to mention Evie’s chronic health issues and lack of medical insurance. It was a win, win situation, so what could go wrong? Right?

Evie was raised by her grandparents after her mom abandoned her and her sister; I LOVED Evie’s relationship with her grandparents. Evie’s grandmother signed her up for a dance class to give her an outlet, and that’s when she met Theo. They very quickly became best friends and over the years had stolen moments but with Evie’s childhood trauma, her abandonment issues, and her fear of relationships that bled into so many parts of her life, her relationship with Theo included; she didn’t want to do something that would jeopardize their relationship. Over the years she made selfish decisions and it was so hard for her to let herself be truly happy. I think Evie’s character flaws / struggles overshadowed things to much in this book and it was a little repetitive. Theo on the other hand I loved, he was a great teacher [I adored the chapters that included his students], he was so patient and the way he took care of Evie made me love him even more. Overall there were things I loved and things I didn’t but it was still a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley, and Celadon Books for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

✧ thank you netgalley & celadon books for the arc ✧

evie and theo are best friends, who may have always had secret feelings for each other circumstances like rent and healthcare force them to help each other out in a marriage of convenience.

rating: 3.5/5 ⭐️ | spice: 2/5 🌶️

this was very much a book i picked up purely based on the cover haha, so i really had no expectations going in. and maybe because expectations were low, but i enjoyed this more than i thought i would. i actually haven't read that many romance books so this review is just purely based on vibes.

evie and theo's friendship is honestly pretty cute, and i just love the little flashback snippets that showed the evolution of their friendship since they first met. i also liked how the flashbacks gave insight into how early their romantic feelings for each other had developed, but because of fear they never acted on the feelings.

the combination of the friends-to-lovers with marriage-of convenience trope was done pretty well together. but at a certain point, the miscommunication / not communicating just felt like so redundant, and i wasn't vibing as much anymore. not to mention, there was like a third-act breakup... if you can call it that?? third-act fight? so vibe points dwindling since that point.

i think i kind of like them as best friends (with benefits) more than lovers........ haha. oh theo, the patient man that you are. i hate to say this, but evie really started to get on my nerves. i can't really pinpoint what about her annoyed me, but the more i read, the more i couldn't stand her. lowkey think theo might have been too good for her

love story aside, i did like the representation that was present throughout this book — evie's struggle living with crohn's disease, the jab at how messed up the healthcare system is, how ridiculous some rent conditions and policies are.

overall, i did like the book ! it definitely had its flaws, but not a bad read.

This is such a cute romance book and always love a good marriage by convenience troupe. I think some of my favorite parts of the book are the flashbacks. For me, knowing the backstory of how the characters got to where they are at is extremely important and they way the author chose to do it helps makes the story flow at a good pace. There are some hard topics discussed especially around the topics of losing a family member and having an autoimmune disease but in my opinion these topics still did not make the book feel too heavy.

Gosh...I struggled with this book and really can't tell you why. I didn't really like Evie, but i thought Theo was fabulous. I got a me, me, me, vibe from Evie and I get that she had some really bad things happen to her as a child and that can impact your life for years, but I felt that she was using Theo. Theo was just amazing in the classroom and I appreciated that. He also seemed like the voice of reason throughout.

The book wasn't horrible but it just wasn't for me. Three stars because anyone who puts their writing for others to critique deserve that!

This is the perfect quick gushy read with the perfect romance formula down pat.

Evie and Theo are lifelong best friends who secretly have had crushes on one another and bad timings kept on getting in their way. They were dance partners as kids and survivor watching buddies every Wednesday. Until Evie finds herself without a home, a new unpaid opportunity in the field she’s trying to pursue - foley artist which is such a cool job - while living with a chronic illness and she needs health insurance. Theo needs a roommate so they get married!

I love a marriage of convenience especially when it’s between two best friends that don’t know the other is in love with them just as much as they are! The only thing I don’t like is the miscommunication but I loved that Evie consulted a therapist!!

This book is more real life than a whirlwind romance and I really appreciate reading books like that once in a while!

I love that they are survivor fans and listen to survivor podcast. I am going to just assume they are RHAP fans 😌 and she has a torch tattoo for him?!?! 🤭

💜 Marriage of Convenience
🧡 Longtime Best Friends to lovers
💜 Chronic Illness Rep
🧡 Yearning + Pinning
💜 Flashbacks / Dual Timeline
🧡 Family issues/ drama
💜 Foley Artist x Teacher
🧡 Ex-dance partners

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this book! It was incredibly well-written and really had me in my feelings at several points. This book included a lot of commentary on the terrible healthcare system we have in America, and with that had a lot of “invisible” disability representation. It’s not common to see this type/degree of commentary in romance novels, but I thought it was done in a way that added to the story and found it refreshing that it was being addressed.

Thank you Celadon and NetGalley for the eARC of this book. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after reading.

Rating: 4 ⭐️
Spice: 1 🌶️

I received this book free of charge from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Evie and Theo have been best friends for years. When Evie is offered a chance at a dream fellowship (that Theo sent the application in for, unbeknownst to her) she so wants to take it but it doesn't offer health insurance. Evie has a chronic health condition and required insurance. Theo offers to marry her so that Evie can have great insurance while learning more about how to be foley under one of her mentors. Evie accepts and they get married.

Both Evie and Theo have had feeling for the other that they think the other didn't reciprocate. Until one night they end up as friends with benefits.

The story touches on how effed up the healthcare system is in this country and how doctors dismiss women's feelings about their bodies and symptoms. I felt like while it was a fun read, the author didn't really develop the characters and left me wanting more.

Solid 3/5 stars