I was invited by the publisher to review this book. Evie and Theo are best friends, each facing their own financial dilemmas. Evie has a chronic illness, but a fellowship that she has been selected for does not offer medical benefits, while Theo, a teacher, is facing eviction as he cannot afford to live on his own. So, the two get married; this makes sense, because not only do they spend so much time together already, but Theo can stay in his apartment with an extra income and he can add Evie to his insurance plan. While Evie doesn't necessarily want to get married to anyone, she goes along with the plan. Things get muddied however, especially because Theo has always held some feelings for Evie.

I liked the characters in this book, or rather, I liked the jobs and individualism of the characters in this book, but I had a hard time connecting personally with Evie - I think she was a little too flighty and toxic. And overall, I did not feel a lot of chemistry between Evie and Theo. I did absolutely appreciated and connected with the financial struggles and healthcare/insurance challenges raised in this book, as I presume many others will. I do think we need to have more storylines that focus on those real life issues, and I am grateful that the author added a very real layer of substance to this book, so the plot was not just another romance.

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

Thank you NetGalley & Celadon Books for the eARC copy of Friends with Benefits!!

This book takes the classic childhood-friends-to-lovers and marriage-of-convenience tropes and is able to spin them into a story that feels so fresh with lots of emotional depth. It was able to touch on many different topics and themes, like grief, family dynamics, and the education system, and integrate them seamlessly into the story without weighing down the romantic comedy feel.

One of the many other things I loved about this book was the chronic illness representation, the discussions surrounding healthcare, and the commentary on how hard it is to be a chronically ill person in the United States.

I love Evie & Theo so much and I had such a great time following their journey in this book!

I CANNOT GET ENOUGH!! Marisa! What did you put in this book, because I'm obsessed.
I loved Theo & Evelyn's friendship so much! And Evelyn's relationship with Theo's dad?! I cannot! It was so sweet that she brought him breakfast every week.
This book gave major early 2000s rom-com vibes. This will definitely be one of my comfort reads.

This book was really cute- a saw a few of the tropes but overall went in a bit blind on this one. As much as I love and enemies to lovers type of book there’s something about friends to lovers that I have a sweet spot for.

I feel like there are some other books out there with a similar premise of marriage of convenience (specifically best friend marrying to mutually benefit) but I really enjoyed the aspect of addressing our terrible health care system in the process. Evelyn growth was a little frustrating for me but she eventually got there- I also love the chronic illness representation. Theo is perfect- zero notes. The miscommunication (or just lack in communication completely) definitely irked me a bit- but they found their way through it while addressing past trauma without a third act break up.

Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter is a slow burn romance featuring two of my favorite tropes: childhood best friends to lovers and a marriage of convenience. Evie Bloom and Theo Cohen are inevitable romantic partners who have supported each other through their various life struggles. These struggles include a chronic illness for Evie and the grief following the loss of a parent for Theo. Talk about the failures of the American healthcare system were spot on. However as someone who has been diagnosed with colon cancer, I was caught off guard by the focus on a character’s diagnosis, recurrence and death from colon cancer.
IMO it took a very long time for these characters to trust themselves and each other. I typically despise a third act breakup but I was happy with the sweet ending. I would recommend this to romance readers who enjoy a golden retriever MMC and chronic illness representation. 3/5⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this friends to lovers romance. Overall, it was a book I liked but didn't love. Theo was a lovely human to read about and easy for me to love, which I think made Evie's slower (but probably realistic) timeline for growth feel a little bit hard for me. I wanted to love them together more than I did in reality. But it's probably also that I struggle with the miscommunication trope. Otherwise, I loved the representation of chronic illness, diversity, and family trauma. The ending felt a little rushed and Evie's struggle with the idea of marriage felt a little too strong for how the story played out, but it was still an enjoyable read. 3.75/5 for me.

Guys 😭😭😭🧡💜🧡💜
Marisa Kanter’s adult romance debut has NOT disappointed (even though I never dreamed that it would) 🥰🥰🥰
This was possibly one of my favorite books of 2025, it will very likely sit in my top 3 for the year. I know, I know, it’s only March. Did I ask? 😇
Here’s the thing. This book has LAYERS. The title alone is layered! You see the term “Friends with Benefits” and you think of the obvious thing 🤨…and yeah, there’s that. But also! They get married for the BENEFITS 😗✌️ healthcare, rent, dream jobs, etc.
Evie and Theo have been best friends for decades, and maybe he’s always been a little in love with her, so what? So what if when the first opportunity to marry her arises he asks? This could mean NOTHING! 🙂‍↕️ They’re planning to keep their marriage to themselves anyway, not tell absolutely anyone besides people who need to know. But THAT doesn’t last for very long, and there’s a little bit of fake dating peppered in to their marriage of convenience. And of course the whole time, Evie is following her dreams and Theo is trying to figure out what he wants, and they probably don’t communicate enough, but there’s just something so lovely about their relationship even when you’re frustrated with them. 🙃Because to be known is to be loved, and they know one another so well.
We also get to watch them unpack their various parental issues and work through them separately and together. ALSO, Evie has Crohn’s Disease, a chronic gastrointestinal disease. Like I said, there’s a lot to this book, and layers I cannot explain because I don’t want to spoil anything, you’re simply going to have to read this for yourself!
To sum it all up for you, this is a sweet, mostly-gentle (minus the trauma) friends-to-lovers marriage of convenience that features some very supportive grandparents (too supportive? 😳), the realities of living with chronic pain, and the realities that change can be scary, but it can also be for the best. Sometimes all you need is someone to be brave with you 💜🧡

Friends with Benefits is a true friends to lovers romance. It fits the trope perfectly but with added bonuses of characters with more emotional dynamics than the typical trope, diversity representation of chronic illness and LGBTQIA+ characters, trauma and grief undertones, and a unique professional career for the characters (foley sound, which I personally loved). I enjoyed the more rounded edges of this romance, allowing me to feel more engaged with the characters and plot. I also enjoyed the alternating POVs and flashback chapters. While I felt the end was a little rushed and “happy bow ending” than I typically gravitate toward, I found it an enjoyable, quick read.
Note: I appreciate MacMillan audio for providing me an ARC of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Reading this book reminded me of my guilty pleasure -watching reality dating shows. One show that instantly came to mind was Married at First Sight. But unlike the strangers paired on that show, the central characters in Friends with Benefits, Evie and Theo, have known each other since childhood.

The story follows these lifelong best friends as they unexpectedly find themselves in a situation that requires the legal benefits of marriage-so they tie the knot. From that moment on, they begin to wrestle with their true feelings for one another. Theo, a schoolteacher, and Evie, a Foley artist (I had no idea what that was until I read this — super interesting!), navigate a relationship filled with ups and downs, including Theo's grief and Evie's chronic illness.

The author uses a dual timeline to great effect, showing us moments from their childhood and early adulthood alongside their present-day challenges. I really appreciated this structure-it added depth and context to their complex emotions and made their journey feel even more authentic.

Overall, this was a light, funny, and heartwarming read. If you enjoy romantic comedies with a bit of emotional depth, I definitely recommend it.

A friends to lovers marriage of convenience rom com is always welcome. Evie needs health insurance, Theo needs to be married to keep his home. So why shouldn't these two best friends get married? It seems like a good idea (and it is) but things don't go quite the way they anticipated-it gets spicy. I liked that Evie works as a Foley artist (that's a new one in the genre!) and the sensitive way Kanter depicts her challenges in dealing with Chron's disease. Then there's Theo- a school teacher with a good spirit. There aren't really any surprises here but it's an enjoyable journey. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

I really thought I hated this book until about 50% then I really had a hard time putting it down after that.
I started to really like Theo I related to him as a teacher and loved the classroom pieces. I eventually got attached to the story. I loved some elements the book I hated others. I dont think 3rd person is for me. I think it made it hard to connect to the characters in the beginning, but eventually I liked what was done with the writing. There was a lot of representation and not in a show don’t tell kind of way. At first I struggled feeling like the book was trying to so too much but I really enjoyed the character and story development.

-friends to lovers
-marriage of convenience (for benefits)
-different timelines

Other things you might want to know
-Spice mostly chapters 17-18 but other references as well.
-Language
-Other trigger from warning page

FRIENDS WITH BENEFITS by Marisa Kanter was a 3.75 Star read for me.

I enjoyed the diversity in the characters, the way the story flowed with flashbacks that show the development of the relationship and the relationship between the teacher and his students. It was really cool to see a teacher who cares so much. Oh and to see BTS of sound making.

I also liked that not everyone was "perfect". This is a spoiler free review so I am just going to say that there was something about all of the characters that just didn't sit right with me. From MCs, to the grandparents, to other teachers, to the sister, they all were just so self involved while giving the impression that they were trying be helpful to the others.

I always admire anyone who can write their thoughts and create art in the form of books. This particular piece of art just wasn't for me.

Thank you to NetGalley for allowing me to read this ARC.

Thank you, NetGalley and Celadon Books for allowing me to read this book early. The opinion in this review is my own.

This book has a great premise. Evie has a chronic condition that impacts her life in many ways. The job she’s trying to get does not have health insurance, which is a deal breaker for Evie. Theo is an elementary school teacher and doesn’t get a great income. To stay living where he is, he needs to have a household income that exceeds what he’s able to do on his own. Theo has a plan for him and Evie to marry to help each other solve these problems.

This is a cute friends-to-lovers and marriage-of-convenience trope. The writing is decent. The characters have some depth and it’s interesting to read from the POV of someone living with a chronic condition. Evie was a bit obnoxious and Theo deserved better, much of the time. There was some character development with Evie, but it was almost too little, too late. I do still recommend this for a quick, cute read.

Evie Bloom is offered the opportunity of a lifetime when she’s accepted into the fellowship she’s always wanted. The only thing standing in her way is the health benefits she needs to keep her Crohn’s disease in remission. Her best friend, Theo Cohen, is facing a dilemma of his own when his roommates move out, leaving him in jeopardy of losing his apartment. When the two develop a plan to help them achieve both of their goals, they have no idea that it will open up the door to the romance they have tried not to explore.

There are a few things I really appreciated about this book. First and foremost, chronic illness and pain are not widely depicted in romance, although that has been changing more recently, and its inclusion felt like a breath of fresh air for those, like me, who suffer from chronic autoimmune illness. I am also a huge fan of the friends to lovers trope and it was fun to see these complete opposites (in every way) take their longstanding friendship, and finally, finally, turn it on its head.

All that said, at the end of the day, I think this book is ultimately not for me. Marisa Kanter is a YA author and this is her first adult romance. As a result, I feel like this book is sort of stuck in limbo between the two worlds. In one sense, the writing is more simplistic, the characters not quite as developed or complex - something I tend to find in YA because it’s appealing to a different audience. And yet, the sexual content felt *very* adult-like. This disconnect between those elements was quite jarring at times. And while I do not mind spicy books, this felt a bit much for me. I do love a good open-door romance but not with so much…verbiage. Because it felt unnecessarily spicy at times, it didn’t feel as though it flowed naturally as part of their relationship or the story, but rather was more gratuitous in nature.

Read if you like:
▪️women’s fiction
▪️friends to lovers
▪️marriage of convenience
▪️forced proximity
▪️bisexual FMC
▪️chronic pain and illness rep

Pub: May 6, 2025

📖🎧 Book Review 🎧📖 The age old question still exists: does friends with benefits ever truly work? While I may have entered into matrimony in the “traditional” route, I am totally empathetic of the many reasons people decide to tie the knot. Evie’s not a believer in marriage, no judgement, but she finds solid companionship in her bestie Theo (who of course carries a torch for her). Living in Los Angeles is expensive and so when they both could benefit from the perks of being wed, why not marry each other?!? The social worker in me cannot pass by the fact that it’s 2025 and we still live in a society plagued by unaffordable housing and healthcare and systems of oppression that make it nearly impossible to be successful unless you are a heterosexual couple with 2.5 children. But life has a way of throwing us the most unexpected surprises and Maria Kanter delivers one delightful read about platonic soulmates who just may find that a beautiful path to more. It was a real treat to delve into this book in both formats. Kanter’s characters are complex and layered and wonderfully developed on page and then brought to life realistically through GM Hakim and Gail Shalan’s bright narration.

Evie is an ex-dancer, aspiring Foley artist, does not believe in marriage and has had the same best friend Theo since high school. Theo is a teacher with aspirations to change the educational system. Evie is selected for a fellowship, but because of her crohns, needs to have health insurance (which the fellowship does not offer) and Theo's roomates move out leaving him in need of a roommate - the solution - Evie moves in with him and they get married. Even though Evie does not believe in marriage she does she the tangible benefits of marrying her best friend for the apartment and the health benefits. However, one they are in such close proximity the feelings they each have for each other become harder to pretend that they do not exist.

Some things about this book really spoke to me, Evie and I have the same favorite song and she has Crohn’s Disease; however the character was very frustrating to read about other than that. I'm not a huge fan of (ok I really don't enjoy) the miscommunication trope and this story was pretty dependent on an utter lack of communication between the two main characters. Theo’s class of kids added cute comic relief, but the main characters’ contemporaries were not as fun to read (and I love good ancillary characters). As someone whose Crohn’s symptoms were ignored for over a decade and told it was all in my head, and for the hours I have spent on the phone with insurance companies - I really appreciated feeling seen in this novel. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to connect me to the story and the characters otherwise. Also each narrator (the story is told through both Theo and Evie's POV) mispronounced a Hebrew word (different ones) which really bothered me (especially since I loved the Jewish culture in the book).

Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the ARC to review

Review: Friends with Benefits

This book wasn’t for me. The premise was okay, similar to books where two friends marry for health insurance and eventually become lovers (if you enjoy this premise, check out “Would You Rather” by Allison Ashley). However, I had a few issues with this particular book. First, Evie wasn’t very likable. I struggled to understand why Theo was friends with her, let alone in love with her. Was it driven by guilt? Perhaps. Second, the book was written in third person, which didn’t work for me. The writing was choppy, and when discussing emotions, it felt disconnected. A dual POV would have elevated this book. As it stands, it’s difficult to read. Honestly, I would have given up on this book if it weren’t an arc.

I appreciate Celadon Books for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.

I love marriage of convenience so when I saw that trope I knew I had to request it! I love the representation in this book!

I absolutely loved this - the marriage of convenience trope is one I usually steer away from, but Kanter has made me a believer!

Loved the representation in this book. Getting married for the health insurance is a very real, very angst-filled decision, and Theo and Evelyn go through it. There are significant flashbacks throughout this story to depict the couple's history and how the lines have blurred frequently between them in their friendship. And there's a difficult parent, trigger warning. The author does a great job showing why they didn't get together before--but why they are such a good match.

I would say this leans more into women's fiction than romcom territory, but will be very relateable for anyone with chronic illness.

Special thanks to Celadon books and NetGalley for the ARC!