It is definitely a testament to the quality of the writing that I like this book as much as I do, given how much I disliked how the two MCs behaved.

It's a tale as old as time. Boy meets girl. Boy's roommates move out and boy can't income qualify for his apartment. Girl can't leave her full-time gig because she needs the health insurance to combat her chronic illness. Boy and girl marry so that they can keep the apartment and the insurance.

Well, I guess it is a tale as old as (American) time. How bleak.

I'm sure I've read books where getting or keeping health insurance leads to a marriage of convenience, but I really think Kanter does well with this story line. Yes, it sucks that most Americans are hamstrung about what they can do because of our system of tying health insurance to full-time employment. It is actually a (depressing) but perfect set up for marriage of convenience.

(And for all those folks that think reading isn't political, get lost).

Beyond that, however, this is really a friends-to-lovers. Evie and Theo have known each other since they were young kids in her first dance class. They grew up together, as dance partners and platonic soulmates, while each carried a flame for the other. There are several near misses of the two of them getting together, but their lack of honest communication ends up getting in the way.

That is where my frustration ultimately lies. Almost all of the conflict could have been solved by just talking to each other! I know it is hard and both are dealing with issues that push them to retreat (Theo has a complicated relationship with his dad and is dealing with the grief of losing his mother, Evie is dealing with parental abandonment issues). But, seriously, just be honest!

But, at the end of the day, I'm a sucker for a book full of longing and this we get in excess, from both sides. For that, and the deft political story at the center, I found myself enjoying the book.

* Thank you to Celadon Books and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for my honest review! *

Friends with Benefits is a slow-burn, friends to lovers romance that had me swooning one second and yelling, “just kiss already!” the next. Evie and Theo have been best friends since childhood, and now, as adults, they end up in a marriage of convenience. Evie needs health insurance for her dream fellowship, and Theo needs help covering rent. What could possibly go wrong?

Set in a vibrant, queer-friendly Los Angeles, this one digs into the messiness of adult friendships, long-held feelings, and the lovely disaster that is the U.S. healthcare system. Evie’s experience living with Crohn’s disease adds a layer of realism and emotional weight, and the chronic illness rep is handled with care without ever feeling preachy or performative.

The chemistry between Evie and Theo is definitely there, though at times, the leap from platonic to romantic feels a little sudden. Their banter is fun and their shared pop culture obsessions give their dynamic a charming, lived-in vibe. But the miscommunication trope overstays its welcome, making me wish they'd just sit down and have an honest conversation.

That said, this is a heartfelt, funny, and very millennial romcom about love, boundaries, and how complicated it can be to fall for someone who already knows all your baggage. If you’re into friends to lovers, fake marriage hijinks, pop culture references, and thoughtful chronic illness rep, this one’s worth a spot on your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review! 🦋

Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter is a sweet story about a young woman named Evie Bloom who is an aspiring Foley artist but is dealing with a chronic illness. Because of her illness she cannot take an internship with no health insurance to further her dreams. Her best friend Theo is a teacher who offers to marry her so she can pursue her dreams while on his healthcare plan. However, when he’s had a secret crush on her for years, what will happen when they’re in such close proximity?

I really enjoyed this story. I thought Evie and Theo’s friendship was sweet. I also loved learning about Foley artists. However, I would have liked to see more growth from the characters. It seemed like their inner strife was repetitive at times. With that being said, theirs was a sweet relationship that was fun to read.

Thank you to the publishers and to NetGalley for access to an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I wanted to love this more than I did. I will say this: I love a friends to lovers story. I bought the chemistry between Evie and Theo and I was rooting for them for a bit of the story. A little more than half way through, Evie started to bother me, specifically in her treatment of Theo. Her character development surrounding her Crohn’s disease and her love of foley were amazing. I felt like I was learning more about the art of foley as I read and it was such a fun journey to go on with Evie. Theo’s love of teaching and commitment to creating a fun curriculum made him such a lovable character. These things eventually were overshadowed by Evie’s selfishness and complete inability to let Theo make his own decisions. It was redeemed a little bit at the end and I really enjoyed the ending, but a good chunk of the last half of the book had me questioning if I even wanted Evie and Theo together. Evie talks so much about how her mom fucked her up only to end up like her.

HOWEVER. I really did enjoy the way this was written and the jumping between timelines was really well done, in my opinion. Theo was a great character and I loved reading about him. He deserved to be treated better!! I’ll definitely give her other books a try as this was a good book, Evie just irritated me a bit.

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and Celadon Books for the ARC!

A sweet quick read. I enjoyed the characters relationship and how they supported each other.

Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy. My opinions are my own.

3, but let's say more of a 3.5!

Overall, I enjoyed this so much! I loved the history between Theo and Evie and while it gave "duh, you two have always loved each other" vibes, it wasn't so in-your-face that I got annoyed how they could have avoided it for this long. I loved how genuine their friendship really seemed and having some moments of past tension, and ups and downs really played well as opposed to the typical - "We're besties and always have been and we never fight and its all rainbows."

I think this is also a great look into the idea of marriage, versus "your person." Does marriage really change things? And if so, why? It also takes a look at nature vs. nurture and breaking trends you've made up.

Evie was chaotic, but honestly, I love how it matched Theo's thoughtfulness so well. And while I could have done with maybe one less Survivor reference, I did really enjoy this recurring bit keeping them together and playing such a big role in the story. Theo's students were also such a highlight for me! They were so fun and I loved seeing that paired with Evie's Foley job also portrayed as almost a yin and yang of sorts too. Both of their careers being a focus for them and a tie to people they love so dearly was truly heartwarming.

A few things that did bother me though was why Evie was so anti-marriage. There also were a few more things that seemed to just be forgotten. I just wanted a bit more, hence the 3.5 overall.

Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter is a very timely novel about Evie Bloom, who lives with Crohn's Disease, and her best friend Theo Cohen, who would do just about anything for Evie, including having her move in with him and marry her so she could participate in a fellowship that doesn't have benefits, which she desperately needs with her Crohn's. Their marriage is in name only...or is it? A fun book for the summer! Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this novel in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced reader copy of Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter.

Evelyn and Theodore have been best friends since they first met. Theo needs someone to love with and she needs health insurance so she can quit her job and take a Fellowship in Foley art. So their solution is to get married and move in together.

They have both loved each other since 17 but never communicated at the right time. Can they figure out how to make it work???

What happens when two lifelong besties tie the knot… strictly for benefits? Evie and Theo have been inseparable since they were eight. Now at 28 years old, they’re navigating LA housing struggles, chronic illness, dream careers—and a very practical marriage of convenience. Totally platonic, totally fine and totally not about to stir up old, long-buried feelings… right?

This book had me swooning, smiling, and not-so-occasionally yelling at my Kindle. The yearning and tension are so real, and the flashbacks beautifully deepen Evie and Theo’s relationship. While the miscommunication lingered a bit too long for me, the heart of this story still shines through.

Read if you love:
💍 Friends to lovers
📦 Marriage of convenience
🩺 Chronic/invisible illness rep
🎞️ Behind-the-scenes Hollywood
💔 Complex family dynamics
💕 Slowwwww burn

My rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for the eARC in exchange for my honest review!

Evie and Theo have been best friends since he offered her the spot next to him at her first dance class. When Evie's grandparents sell the house she's living in, and Theo's roommates buy a condo, it makes sense for them to get married. Evie suffers from Crohn's disease and needs Theo's health insurance. It's a marriage of convenience. Or is it?
This was a fun read. Instead of watching a rom com, I read one. This book was totally predictable, and I loved every single page. Highly recommended.

Thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an unbiased review.

I adored this book. Theo and Evie (pronounced Eh-vee, since it’s short for Evelyn), have been friends forever. They’ve also been in love with each other forever. But they’re just friends. When Evie takes an internship and needs medical insurance for her Crohns, Theo offers for them to get married so she can use his benefits. Which ignites all their feelings for each other, which neither one will admit.

Theo and Evie are very fleshed out characters. They met at dance class when they were kids. They were partners in dances through high school, until Evie falls during a routine. This is also where she’s finally diagnosed with Crohns (because of course all their doctors told her the stomach issues she had were normal or related to her period).

Evie has complicated feelings about relationships. Her dad left early on, and her mother left her and her sister with her grandparents to ‘take a break’, and now she has a new family and seems to be the perfect mother. Her grandparents never married, so the non-marriage option suits her just fine. Theo had a great family, until his mom died of cancer, and then he and his dad butted heads and never got their relationship ship back on track. But he still believes marriage is what shows the world you are ultimately committed to each other.

Other things I loved. Both Evie and Theo are Jewish, but it wasn’t thrown in the readers face like some other books do (meaning, there want any over explaining, they’re just Jewish). And Evie representing a hidden disability, that is in remission, but she still has to watch what she eats and watch her stress levels so it doesn’t flare up. Also, both of them are in therapy, Theo to deal with the grief of losing his mother and Evie to deal with her Crohns.

Theo and Evie are both very flawed people, but they work well together. It’s not a matter of them finally realizing they both love each other, it’s them putting aside their views on relationships to finally be together.

Seriously loved this one! If you know me, you know I'm a sucker for the marriage of convenience trope, and Friends with Benefits totally delivered. Sometimes the reasons behind those fake marriages can feel a little flimsy, but I thought the setup in this book was really well done and felt genuinely believable.

Evie's job as a Foley Artist was so interesting and unique! I also really appreciated the thoughtful representation of chronic illness. The author didn't shy away from showing the real challenges of navigating healthcare and insurance, which added a great layer of depth to Evie's character.

Theo was just the sweetest. The way he knew all of Evie's dietary restrictions and could read her pain cues was honestly the most heartwarming thing about him. It was so clear he'd been in love with her for ages. Plus, his interactions with his students were hilarious (those kids were so funny)! The "1985" trick to quiet them down was genius.

I'm usually not a fan of third-act breakups because they often feel forced by miscommunication. But while I was internally screaming, "No! You love each other!", I was actually surprised that this one felt more grounded. The book did a good job of highlighting the past trauma both characters carried, making their conflict feel like a realistic (though still frustrating!) hurdle they had to overcome. My only minor quibble is that the reconciliation felt like it took just a little too long.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for letting me read this ARC!

Friends with Benefits written by Marisa Kanter and narrated by Gail Shalan & GM Hakim was a relatable romance with fake marriage and lots of yearning. Friends with Benefits honestly demonstrates the struggles of chronic illness/pain, grief, loss of a parent due to both neglect and death. I did a dual listen/read and equally enjoyed both. The narrators were lovely.

This is a book full of representation and being able to see yourself in the characters - I love that!
Childhood friends to lovers and miscommunication are the strongest tropes. We get alternate POVs with Evelyn and Theo as well as flashbacks to core memories from their past. I personally didn't love Evelyn as the book went on. She pushed people away but wanted them to really stay. I think Theo was my favorite because of how he was as a teacher with his class and his dedication to Survivor (the show). The ending was good when they all got their heads out of their butts to realize what they were missing out on. Thanks to netgalley and Celadon Books for the early copy!

2.5! cutesy friends to lovers romance. easy read
it was very well done!

Thank you NetGalley for this arc!

Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter is a deeply emotional, sometimes frustrating, but ultimately touching story about love, friendship, chronic illness, and the ways we show up for the people we care about.

Let’s start with what worked: the representation of chronic illness in this book was both realistic and impactful. Evie’s struggles with her health were portrayed with honesty and sensitivity, adding a weighty, real world urgency to what might otherwise be a lighthearted rom com premise. I really appreciated how the author didn’t shy away from showing the complexities of navigating a broken healthcare system. I have navigated said system and it can truly be awful, so I appreciated her highlighting this.

Theo was easily the best part of this book for me. His quiet yearning for Evie, the way he supported her, his kind, grounded energy; yes to all of it. We love men who yearn, and Theo delivered. He was the emotional anchor of the story, even when I wanted to shake both characters and scream “JUST TALK TO EACH OTHER!” The miscommunication trope was strong in this one, and it wore on me a bit too much. I love slow burns, but this veered into maddening territory at times.

Evie, on the other hand, was a mixed bag. I wanted to root for her, and I did at times, but her inner monologue often felt chaotic, self-absorbed, and exhausting. She had potential, as her her job as a Foley artist was a fresh, unique angle, but her choices and lack of growth made her tough to connect with emotionally.

The Disneyland setting was a total win for me though! The little references (even if they flubbed the Gatorade vs. Powerade and Mickey’s actual height 😅) added a layer of nostalgia and charm. I especially loved how the park became a symbol of tradition and comfort for Theo and Evie.

That said, the religious themes caught me off guard. As someone who is agnostic, I wasn’t personally bothered, but I do wish there had been some kind of heads up about how much religion would be woven into the narrative. It’s an element that could really impact someone’s reading experience, especially if they’re not expecting it.

Ultimately, this book had a great premise of friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, childhood dance partners turned adults who clearly love each other, but it was weighed down by too many subplots, a heavy dose of miscommunication, and a main character I struggled to root for. I wanted to love it more than I did.

Thank you to NetGalley, Marisa Kanter, and Celadon Books for the eARC of this book.

This book was a pretty realistic look at chronic illness. The story draws you in from the beginning and it is an enjoyable ride.

I rounded up for this one because omg the main characters’ miscommunication/incessant need to NOT talk to one another was SO annoying.

That being said, I did love how much the MMC yearned for the FMC. We love men who yearn.

What I don’t love, though, is the amount of religion that was woven throughout the book. Though I’m not religious, I wish we, the readers, would have been given a heads up of how much it would be discussed in the book. I’m agnostic, so I didn’t mind, but I have a feeling it could others won’t feel the same.

On the very un-religious side of things, this was unexpectedly spicy!! Definitely didn’t think we get so much 3-3.5/5 🌶️🌶️🌶️

(Thank you, Celadon Books, Macmillan Audio, and NetGalley, for the ARC and audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.)

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5/5, rounded up.

I’ll admit, this book took me a bit to get into, though now that I finished it, I’m not really sure why. I loved the protagonist’s occupations and how well they fit them both. I loved the love story and how it progressed, even though the lack of communication had me about to tear my hair out. I loved that the story went back and forth, telling the same big moments from both perspectives, really building the characters. There were a few moments where the backstory and world building felt overwhelming — so many names to keep track of! — but it all leveled out and let the story be told.

There are a couple of little things that probably only Disney adults would pick up on (the Disney parks sell Powerade, not Gatorade, and Mickey is 5ft tall, not 6 :)), but I loved the scenes that took place in Disneyland, seeing how the park became a tradition for Evelyn and Imogen. The references to “upcoming movies” also had me cackling.

Overall this book was a fantastic rom com, and I had a blast reading it! Thank you to NetGalley for sending it my way!

Friends with Benefits is a fun, flirty, and heartfelt romance that blends friendship, fake dating, and all the messy emotions in between. Marisa Kanter does a great job capturing the complexities of feelings that grow beyond friendship.
The chemistry between the main characters is sweet and believable, and the dialogue is full of wit and charm. It’s also refreshing to see a Jewish main character and authentic cultural representation seamlessly woven into the story.
This book is perfect for fans of slow-burn romance and friends-to-lovers tropes. It’s light but layered, with just enough emotional depth to make it more than just a typical rom-com.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC—I really enjoyed this read!