Evie Bloom is an aspiring Foley artist who has an opportunity to take a dream fellowship, but with her health issues, she can’t afford to be without health insurance. Theo Bloom, Evie’s best friend since childhood, can’t afford his apartment on his own once his roommates move out, due to its income threshold rule with an exception only for married people. If Theo marries Evie, they can live in his rent-controlled L.A. apartment, and she can have access to his excellent health insurance while she pursues her dream fellowship. The only problems? Evie is staunchly anti-marriage, and just maybe, there are some unrequited romantic feelings between them.

Best friends to lovers is my favorite romantic trope, so I jumped on this book as soon as I saw it! Evie and Theo, even before their marriage, had a closeness that I suspect most people never experience in real life, between being best friends since childhood and dance partners for years. I really appreciated the chronic illness rep with Evie’s Crohn’s diagnosis adding a layer of reality to the story. I thought the time jumps between their present relationship and key moments from their friendship in years past were well placed. Evie’s constant denials of a possibility of a real relationship with Theo did start to irritate me before the end of the book.

Many thanks to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC of this book.

This was okay. The FMC read a little young to me. She was all over the place when it came to her sense of self. I found it hard to root for such an immature character.

Best friends are both in need of some help so they decide to become each other's safety nets. Evie gets the opportunity of a lifetime and she is torn. She desperately wants to take it, but would have to give up her much needed health insurance. Theo is in a pinch when his roommates move out of his rent controlled apartment. If married, they will meet the financial requirements for the apartment and she can get onto his insurance. What could possibly go wrong? It’s a cute'ish story of miscommunication, hidden feelings, their separate and shared history, some immaturity (mostly her) that eventually lead to them finding each other forever. Predictable, but an easy read.

I can’t wait to discuss this cute and easy read with the author for my book club next month. I truly enjoyed this one.

Friends with Benefits didn't really work for me, unfortunately. I liked the friends-to-lovers premise, though being a non-American I didn't really follow all of the health insurance pieces, but having both characters be already in love with each other and just constantly having miscommunications got so frustrating, so I quit at the halfway mark.

This book would appeal to anyone interested in the “inside baseball” of movie making, who lives for Hollywood and wants to read about the lives of young people in liberal pockets of modern America. Romance, ambition & the realities of life in Hollywood.

1.5 ★

This was exhausting. I need a full day retreat just to recover from trying to finish this book. A marriage of convenience between two childhood best friends so he (Theo) doesn't lose the apartment he can't afford with his teacher salary, and she (Evie) can access his health insurance and apply to her dream fellowship that doesn't come with one, shouldn't be this tiring and frustrating. And it's interesting because it didn't take me long to read, but I wanted to get inside this book and strangle these characters.

“These kids are terrifying.”
“I know.”
“I'm kind of obsessed with them?”
“I know.”

As fun as it is to write rant reviews and hate-read books, I hate doing that with ARCs. I hate not having anything nice to say about an ARC, so let me start with the only aspects of this book I enjoyed: the kids, Evie's job as a Foley artist, and the chronic illness rep. (1) Theo's fourth graders were adorable and had me laughing over their antics. They were so witty and well-spoken, and you can tell they owe that to him. (2) It was so interesting to learn a bit more about Foley work since I only got introduced to it late last year. It's such a cool and underrated career path, and I love characters with unique jobs. (3) I appreciate some good chronic illness representation, and Evie has Crohn's disease. There's a lot of talk about the special care she needs, how difficult it was for her to get a diagnosis since women's pain isn't taken seriously, and all the pain she had to endure before it. Some people in the reviews have complained about these thoughts and her call-outs on the healthcare system, and I need to distance myself from these people, so let me make something clear:

‼️‼️ DNF-ing this book because you found it "too political" when the only thing it does is call out the healthcare system in America and the dismissal of women's pain worldwide, doesn't make you valid or above the rest of us. A book that highlights inequality in the workforce and healthcare is just a book about our reality. Is it valid to want to "escape" when you read a book? Sure, but hate to break it to you: it's not possible. Every book out there is political, yes, including romance books. The way people write characters is political, the background they give them and the way that influences their actions is political, the descriptions characters give their love interests are political. Everything, absolutely everything (again, including the "silly romance book" you're reading) is political. So uhm, no. You don't get to abandon something because it had a character talking about her health struggles and her need for free (as possible) healthcare. That's not a valid reason. Complain about the characters' actions or other aspects of the writing, not because it's "too political"(whatever that means 😒) ‼️‼️

Now, back to Evie and Theo's relationship. I know they've been friends for decades, but telling me they've known each other since they were kids isn't enough for me to believe in them as a couple. It doesn't do anything for their romantic or sexual chemistry if you don't show me moments that build up to that change between platonic and romantic love. I believe they're friends, but I don't feel anything for them as lovers.

“(...) she loved him.
She's always loved him.
Really, it's an exhausting amount of work to <i>not</i> love him.”

Not even Evie thinking this can make me believe her because she spends the whole book pushing him away, downplaying her and his feelings, bringing up whatever excuse she can to let things stay the way they are, cutting off conversations, pretending to know more about his feelings than he does, and being okay with the insane amount of miscomunication they've been dealing with since forever 🙄. I simply don't believe she loves this man, and not even her maturing a bit towards the end can change my mind. I know she didn't have the best childhood and is still dealing with the consequences, but at one point, you're grown enough to have to deal with it and stop hurting people. There's this moment where she asks herself if she's the problem, and I wanted to get inside this book to scream "YES" at her face.

“His whole life, Evelyn Bloom has dictated the terms of their relationship, and it was always enough for him, to just be in her life.”

But here's the worst: while she's the main problem, he doesn't stay as far behind as I first thought. He might be super considerate, sweet, understanding, and pretty obvious with his feelings for her, but he's also a doormat. He lets her treat him the way she wants (and not in a 🫦 way, but a 😬 way) and doesn't fight to be heard until the very end. They were such a frustrating pair that I was pushing myself to keep reading just to see if they could redeem themselves... and they slightly did, but not enough.

Aside from my aforementioned problems with Evie and Theo, I also struggled with the writing. There were pop culture mentions, rants, lots of overdescriptions of food, drinks, and activities, and thoughts going on. It felt like the author was trying to include as many things as she could, but it only ended up feeling overwhelming, unnecessary, and underdeveloped. My head still hurts while thinking about everything that this book had going on, so yeah, not the story I was expecting.

Thank you to Celadon Books and Netgalley for the ARC ♡

This book started off a little slow, but once it started going I was hooked. I think she really handled the disability rep in this book with care. There was also some other tough subjects but they also were written so well. This was my first book by Marisa Kanter and I will definitely read more.

I was so excited about the synopsis of this book, but it the end it was lack luster for me. I felt zero chemistry between the two main characters. I felt like I would really love Evie Bloom! But even the flashbacks couldn't pull me to be invested in this story. I am not sure if it was the writing or what. Now Theo was great, he felt genuine and kind.

In the end this had solid potential, it just wasn't for me.

3.5 stars. I had high hopes for Friends With Benefits and it didn’t quite reach the mark for me. It is a good story but the third act breakup was annoying because of miscommunication. The end does make up for it a little.

4.5 stars!

This is literally about a friends with benefits situation: to get health insurance while she pursues an internship in Foley (sound design), former dancer Evie marries Theo for his health plan. They were childhood best friends who met in dance class, and a fall during a duet where Theo missed getting Evie the support she needed still hangs like a dark shadow over their friendship. The mishap was the start of the long-time coming chronic illness diagnosis that had been swept under the rug, so while it meant Evie had to find a new passion, it helped sort out some health stuff. All the more reason for a marriage of convenience: she needs stable health care, and Theo’s teaching job provides great benefits. Of course, Evie also needs a place to stay, because her grandparents are selling the property they’ve been allowing her to live in, and of course Theo’s roommate is moving out, so Evie can just more in, and in such close proximity, it’s hard to keep ignoring the attributes and assets of person you’ve been in love with half your life, so eventually, one thing leads to another. They still have a lot of processing to do, ranging from the fall to the death of Theo’s mom to his sending in her internship application on Evie’s behalf. And Evie needs to sort through her shit and not sabotage the relationship, once she realizes she’s actually happy.

I loved the deep friendship, the Jewish touchstones from matzoh ball soup to attending a bar mitzvah to Theo articulating his practice. In addition to the Jewish rep, Evie is bisexual and disabled, and Theo takes Lexapro, and it’s all normalized. I love the relatability of stopping at Trader Joe’s for three things and coming home with 2 kinds of goat cheese, and the many cultural references that make up their : Survivor, Billy Joel’s “Vienna,” videogaming (shout out to The Sims!). I love learning something new when I read, and all the details of what goes into sound design, from a dancer matching the on-screen choreography to the tricks of the trade to produce a sound-alike to Evie’s love for spending 40 hours in front of computer, editing and composing, to her desk set up, all lend an authenticity to her story.

More than just a romance, or a book about Crohn’s disease, the novel is also a takedown of the US healthcare system, as the characters rail against insurances and doctors who delayed a colonoscopy as not medically necessary due to young age of Theo’s mother, whose symptoms went ignored until her coleo-rectal cancer spread to her lymph nodes. Librarians will appreciate the support for graphic novels in the classroom. Oh, and the intimacy is excellent, from checking in to make sure the other is okay, to their communication, to the incorporation of a fun box of sex toys that Evie’s grandmother helpfully sent as a wedding gift.

Overall, this romance has a perfect blend of sweet, spice, and issues. The pacing is a tad slow, perhaps due to the flashbacks, dual point of view, and slow burn. For another book about a Jewish teacher with anxiety, check out M.A. Wardell’s Teacher of the Year; for another dance romance, try Take The Lead by Alexis Daria.

I received a free advance reader’s review copy of #FriendsWithBenefits via #NetGalley, courtesy of #Celadon in exchange for a fair and honest review.

The start of this book was a little slow for me, but by about 40% in, I was hooked. I thought the disability rep in this book (the main character has Crohn's disease) was done very well. The book also explored different kind of grief, death of a parent, parental abandonment, and what it means to choose to stay. I would definitely read another romance novel from Marisa Kanter.

Two childhood best friends, one opportunity of a lifetime, and health insurance!

Evie has a fellowship offer, chronic illness and suddenly needs a place to live. Theo has a great job with all the benefits, but these are times when good is just not enough to live in suburban California. When his roommates make plans without him, he needs a roommate and a wife, if he wants to meet the income requirements. Best friends with perfectly aligned puzzle pieces sounds like the perfect solution. Because nothing has to change, right?

I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience and this did not disappoint. There was pining, and moments of clarity, and so much of the general coziness that comes with being known deeply and loved, regardless. I loved the local familiarity as a SoCal suburbanite, and the pages captured the real-life elements that many others have coated in glitter. There is comfort in the air conditioner that doesn’t keep up and the hodge-podge of furniture in shared spaces. I love a lived-in love, and shout out to the family and friends who see the truth before we see for ourselves.

5/5 stars!
Big thanks to Celadon Books, NetGalley and Marisa Kanter for the ARC for review!

I enjoyed this one from the beginning. Two friends who have known each other for a long time. Mutually beneficial so what could it hurt to get together. I loved the plot of this one and would recommend.

I've always loved a good friends to lovers, like give me alllllll the slow burn! There were times throughout this where it felt a bit excruciating that the other had zero idea about their shared feelings. They were a really sweet pairing overall though and following them through the years was really cute, even if a touch frustrating haha. Our support characters were also great, and what I wouldn't give for a novella catch-up with them all! The chronic illness rep in this story was beautifully done and I loved how it wasn't one-size-fits-all or solution-based, as if their love could heal her body. Because it is a daily struggle and being seen and supported by your partner, like Theo did for Evelyn, through it all is such a huge help. Def recommend, esp if you have a loved one dealing with an invisible illness!

First, a big thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of Marisa Kanter’s novel “Friends with Benefits" – “Lifelong best friends say 'I do' to a marriage of convenience, trading vows for a financial safety net and benefits.”

Friends With Benefits alternates between two narrators: the anxious, determined and dairy-free Evie and her lifelong best friend, the easy going, yet driven and Survivor-obsessed Theo. Evie and Theo have been friends since they were barely teenagers when they both joined the same dance studio and spent their formative years as dance partners and best friends alternating hidden crushes on each other that ultimately did little more than crush each of them emotionally. But as we meet the pair near the end of their twenties, each having dealt with a past littered with a handful of failed relationships, severe parental abandonment issues, chronic pain and illness in the case of Evie and a stagnation of career goals in the case of Theo.

I wasn’t expecting this book to contain a deep look at the United States healthcare system for people dealing with chronic illnesses. Marisa does an admirable job explaining the challenging subject of chronic illness in a way that only serves to add to the story and doesn’t detract through overly technical details.

Evie and Theo’s story is also much deeper than it first appears. This is a duo with a lot more behind them than a few instances of bad timing on who was crushing on who at any particular moment.

I can say that I would recommend it to anyone that is flirting with thoughts of taking a dive into the romance genre and definitely to anyone that is already well-read in that particular world. With this being her first foray into adult fiction, Marisa Kanter offers a fresh perspective that will likely set her apart from other authors.

I received an ARC through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Marriage of convenience is my FAVORITE trope and mixing it with friends to lovers was soooo fun to read. I really enjoyed this book more than I thought it would. It had a very formulaic set up, so I thought, but this really surprised me. Theo was awesome and I especially appreciated him throughout the book. My first Kanter book and it won't be my last. 3.5 stars!

Evie Bloom and Theo Cohen have been best friends since early childhood. Evie receives the opportunity of a lifetime internship opportunity at the same time that Theo's roomates move out. Due to Evie needing insurance to cover her chroic health issues and Theo not wanting to move, they two decide to get married out of convenience. I loved getting the back story on these two. Marisa Kanter did a great job builidng these characters, and their love for one another.

This book explores chronic illness, abondonment issues, and loss of a parent.

Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter was a book about Evie and Theo, their backgrounds, their struggles. These characters were friends, nothing more...until they weren't? Meh, this wasn't a book for me. Thanks for NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

The title caught my attention because of the friends to lovers scenario. Both Evie and Theo had a lot of baggage from their childhood. I was repeatedly annoyed with Evie as it seemed to be her way or the highway and while she does have a chronic illness I felt it was used to gain support for Evie's thoughts and actions and give her an out for behaving harshly to Theo. Happy the got over their insecurities but the repeated need for a "beat" would have made me leave Evie awhile back. Theo had some serious patience.