Synithia Williams has become an auto-buy author for me, particularly the Peachtree Cove series. I hope this isn’t the end of the series!

I was scared to read this book due to the subject matter. Infidelity can be gut wrenching, and if it isn’t handled with care, it can level up to reality TV scale drama, and all that’s going to do is increase my blood pressure and anxiety. And we can’t have that. Tracey had to deal with the ultimate betrayal.

Synithia had been setting up the love story between Tracey and Brian for a few books now, and I’m glad we were able to take this journey together with the couple. With as brash and confident as Tracey is, it was interesting to see how self conscious she was with Brian. She felt like Brian always happened to be there to see her stumble. Tracey, in some ways, unfairly assumed Brian judged her, yet his perception of her were so totally different.Tracey was the woman Brian always wanted.

Laughs:
Tracey dealing with her new assistant at the inn gave me laughs and also made me want to scream. Like this girl is low key sabotaging your business with her ineptness, please hire her!

Thank you Netgalley and Canary Street Press for the digital arc.

📚 🅑🅞🅞🅚 🅡🅔🅥🅘🅔🅦 📚
|| 𝓕𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓑𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓯𝓲𝓽𝓼 by Synithia Williams ||
Pub Date: February 11, 2025
Genre: Contemporary Romance, African American, Small-Town Fiction

🌟Thank you to @readmirabooks and @netgalley for the gifted e-copy and ALC.🌟

Synithia Williams returns to Peachtree Cove with another juicy, heartfelt, and drama-filled installment that reminds us why we keep coming back to this small town with a big mouth. In 𝓕𝓻𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓶𝓲𝓮𝓼 𝔀𝓲𝓽𝓱 𝓑𝓮𝓷𝓮𝓯𝓲𝓽𝓼 , we follow Tracey Thompson, a woman who’s done everything “right” only to have her world turned upside down by betrayal, scandal, and the ever-watchful eyes of her nosy neighbors. But instead of folding under the pressure, Tracey decides to rewrite her own story—and it’s one of self-discovery, second chances, and unexpected love.

Tracey’s journey is messy, real, and deeply relatable. Her soon-to-be ex-husband’s affair with her business partner (and the resulting pregnancy!) is the kind of small-town scandal that could break anyone. But Williams doesn’t let Tracey stay broken. Instead, she gives her a chance to reclaim her joy—with the help of Brian Nelson, the charming, plant-loving nursery owner who’s been quietly admiring her since high school. Their chemistry is undeniable, and their “friends with benefits” arrangement is the perfect setup for a slow-burn romance that blossoms into something more.

What I loved most about this book is how Williams continues to explore the complexities of love and healing. Tracey’s pain is palpable, but so is her strength. Brian, fresh out of his own failed marriage, brings a gentleness and patience that balances Tracey’s fire. Their relationship is a reminder that love doesn’t have to be perfect—it just has to be honest.

Here are a few standout quotes that resonated with me:

* “If the whole town is going to talk no matter what she does, maybe it’s time that Tracey stopped trying to be perfect.”
* “Ever since high school, he’s admired Tracey’s strength and sass…”
* “Nothing complicates a simple arrangement quite like love.”

This book is a celebration of resilience, reinvention, and the power of choosing yourself—even when the world is watching. It’s also a fitting close to the Peachtree Cove series, tying up loose ends while leaving us with the hope that love, no matter how complicated, is always worth the risk.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 (4.5)

If you’ve been following the series, this one is a must-read. And if you’re new to Peachtree Cove, this book will make you want to start from the beginning. Synithia Williams continues to be a voice worth reading in contemporary Black romance.

🏷 #FrenemiesWithBenefits #SynithiaWilliams #PeachtreeCove #ContemporaryRomance #BlackRomance #SmallTownDrama #BookReview #blackgirlsread

My favorite of the Peachtree Cove series! I knew at the end of book 2 that I was going to ride at dawn for Tracy, the audacity of her ex-husband and HER business partner😡🔪

Tracy and Brian have been frenemies since high school and even while their work made them cross paths. I would say my only complaint would be that I wish there was a bit more of the frenemies touch. But the benefits were there & then some 😜 They both have complicated & frustrating exes that seem to want to continue to insert themselves where they don’t belong.

I loved Tracy & Brian together. Tracy was finding herself after an exhausting marriage & always playing the “perfect” part. She was over it and didn’t care what anyone thought of her, I loved this for her. Brian embracing Tracy’s true self and seeing them fall for each other made my heart smile.

Thank you Canary Street Press for the NetGalley ARC!

Tracey and Brian are both business owners as well as old high school classmates. Tracey owns a B&B and Brian owns a landscaping company. Brian helps Tracey with events that are held at the B&B. Tracey has just got out of her marriage with her cheating husband who slept with the manager of her B&B. The 2 begin a friends with benefits situation because Tracey mentions that she has been unsatisfied in her relationship. Tracey’s ex reaallllyy was a horrible person. Very abusive to Tracey and damaged her self esteem. Some of their relationship is Tracey learning that Brian will be there for her sexually and in day to day life. Brian fulfills his promise to make sure she is thoroughly satisfied. Over and over again.

Unfortunately, I’m not sure if I’ll finish this book at this time. It’s not bad, I just think the timing isn’t right for me.

I’m about 30% in. I’m not understanding how the two main characters are frenemies, they seem to have a really good working relationship.

This will be a soft DNF for now. I’ll revisit it at a later time.

Currently 3 stars out of 5

I definitely read these books out of order since I didn't realize that this was part of a series. I really enjoyed this book. It was the perfect blend of BIPOC rep and small-town romance. I can't wait to read the other 2 books in this set!

This book was simple and sweet, just like you'd expect from a small-town romance. Of course, there's always drama in small towns so that was definitely thrown in there as well, maybe a bit over the top for my liking. I found Tracy and Brian to be nice, wholesome characters. It was interesting to read about their relationship and how it blossomed from friends with benefits to a more emotional, all-encompassing romance. All in all, a good read.

Special thanks to the author & @canarystreetpress @harpercollins for my gifted copy‼️

Book 3 in the Peachtree Cove series did not disappoint it was a cute and cozy small town romance. I haven’t read the first 2 books yet but if they’re coming like this one I can’t wait.

Tracey Thompson was the owner of the towns local Bed & Breakfast and while things might seem perfect on the outside. Mentally things are falling apart all around her. From dealing with terrible employees, a nasty divorce due to a cheating spouse, a loveless love life, and parents who just can’t get it together Tracey can’t catch a break. But on the upside she still has long time friend Brian who deep down she’s madly attracted to but is too afraid to act on anything. When he agrees to help her out with a wedding their close proximity causes sparks to fly and what should’ve been business only turned into back breaking pleasure with no-strings attached. But we all know how that goes!

This book was so messy I don’t know where to begin. It was funny how they were both dealing with failed marriages from two exes who strung them along at their expense. Tracey’s ex-husband was trifling for EVERYTHING he did and the nerve of her father for recommending she make things work with that man. Brian’s ex-wife was delusional and refused to let go. She annoyed me so bad and so did his mother.

Overall, the book was good but the pacing was a little slow for my liking. The author went heavy on the family and relationship drama which kept me engaged. The characters are likable and the interactions with Tracey’s friends are funny and wholesome. The story was an even balance of humor, romance, a little steamy, and drama‼️ It can be read as a standalone so if it’s been on your TBR here’s your green light to read it.

What a fab wrap up to this series. I love a small town and Synithia can write a small town! The interconnectedness of the small community, and all the interesting characters within it, made for such a wonderful series. This book is fun, sweet, and soap opera dramatic which I adore.

Final rating: 3.5 stars

Frenemies with Benefits by Synithia Williams is a very cute small-town Black romance. Synithia created a refreshing group of supportive friends and I found myself rooting for Tracey and her bed-and-breakfast! Although Brian and Tracey started on shaky footing, they both had understandable romantic reservations. It made their romance worth rooting for. It isn't a requirement to read the other books in the Peachtree Cove series, I still recommend it. Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing/Canary Street Press for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A fun Black rom-com with an active plot that kept my attention active from start to finish. The plot drove the story while the characters had development individually and in the relationship.

I enjoyed this friend to enemy book. It kept me wanting more and more. It was definitely a lot of fun. If you love friends to enemies books than this is for you. Synithia Williams know how to definitely tell a story with slow burn.

In Synithia Williams’ Frenemies with Benefits, Peachtree Cove bed-and-breakfast/inn owner Tracey Thomspon stops trying to be perfect and doing what’s expected of her all the time and starts doing things to make herself happy after her soon to be ex’s public affair with her business partner results in an unexpected pregnancy drags her into the spotlight/rumor mill, yet again. Nursery owner Brian Nelson is more than happy to help her out, and they become friends-with-benefits that inevitably become more.

William’s vibrant, descriptive, and down-to-earth writing flows from one moment to the next. She develops her likable, relatable, complex, fallible, and fascinating characters through funny, sweet, sexy and snarky banter and intensely emotional and steamy interactions and love scenes. Her use of the character’s senses and natural-sounding colorful dialogue that fits her characters and her southern setting adds layers to her narrative, character development, and world-building that draws you in and makes this a page-turner.

Tracey’s intelligent, sassy, and speaks her mind. Her mother and father have fueled the town’s gossip and rumor mill all her life. They didn’t expect Tracey’s marriage to last and have expected the worst from her, too. She’s focused her energy, however, on making her dream of owning a B&B come true, and making it successful. Now, thanks to her ex, Tracey’s back at the center of a public scandal. She’s tired of it. If people are going to gossip about her anyway, Tracey’s ready to have some fun and give them something to gossip about.

Dependable, sweet, cool, and sexy, Brian’s divorced and living his best life, running his plant nursery, and avoiding serious relationships. He’s always found Tracey sexy, and interesting—even in high school, he had his eye on her. Unfortunately, like Tracey, he can’t seem to escape his ex-wife and her drama-filled life.

Williams develops their relationship from high school classmates, to frenemies, to business acquaintances, to friends, to lovers to more with a lovely balance of humor, heat, and emotion. I love their snarky banter and sweet, steamy, funny, sexy, and intimate interactions and love scenes. They are adorable and funny. Brian’s and Tracey’s conversations are so open and honest, except for their deeper feelings for one another. They lead to them becoming friends as they talk, share their life experiences and past, and get to know each other better. I especially love the way he takes care of her and looks out for her, though she’s unaware of it.

Although Tracey knows Brian doesn’t revel in her mistakes and messy life, it drives her crazy that, since high school, he’s always been the one that’s been there for the most embarrassing moments of her life. And he loves offering her unsolicited advice that she ignores. Especially since Tracey had a crush on him in high school and still finds Brian irresistibly attractive. That’s why she loves to push his buttons, making him lose his ever-present cool. But Brian’s had her back when she needs help with plants and florals for her events, and he’s never let Tracey down.

Frenemies with Benefits is a sweet, steamy, funny, sexy, emotional, and fast-paced romance perfect for friends-with-benefit, friends-to-lovers, secret crush, Black love/friendship, B&B, and small-town romance fans.


Canary Street Press provided an advanced review copy via Netgalley for review.

I didn’t realize this was the third book in a series when I started but I did not feel like I had to read the other books to know what was happening.

I really enjoyed this book. I was expecting a romance and while it was full of all of the romance and spice I felt like this book was more than that. I felt like this book was about a woman finding herself after a nasty divorce and moving on to loving herself and being treated exactly how she deserves..like a queen!

I do feel like the title was misleading because this was more of a friends to lovers than frenemies. I loved seeing their relationship grow and develop.

I will definitely be reading the other books in this series.

I was excited to read Tracey and Brian’s story after seeing them in the first two books. I enjoyed their story once Tracey stopped being so stubborn and closed off and Brian stopped being so self-righteous and judgmental. The story was fun and I loved the ending to the series. I didn’t appreciate the parents or the exes either but overall this was a good read.

Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing. Amazing.

I really enjoyed this and I’m normally not a fan of enemy to lovers. I was rooting for her happiness since we found out about her trifling husband in previous books. I also loved that Andre fell first! Cute and straight to the point, love me some Peachtree Cove!

This was my first time reading a book by Synithia Williams and I enjoyed it!! It was a cute and cozy tale of a small town love between two high school classmates that grew despite every obstacle. Tracey and Brian didn’t really fit the “frenemies” title to me because their admiration and respect for each other seemed to be mutual and consistent. There were a couple of time hops in the story that felt oddly placed but overall an enjoyable read. Check it out!

I thoroughly enjoyed this story. Tracey’s honesty and directness about her desires were refreshing, and I appreciated how she didn’t hold back or sugarcoat her feelings. The dialogue felt natural, and the situations were incredibly relatable—it was as if I were right there, experiencing it all alongside the characters.

This is my first time reading a Synithia Williams book. I enjoyed it for the most part and read it quickly, I liked that Tracey was trying to find herself and ultimately reinvent herself after her divorce and Brian was there to help her with it.

The title doesn’t quite describe how Tracey and Brian viewed each other because they were never enemies. Their friendship blossomed into new territory when Tracey wanted to satisfy her sexual needs. I was a little disappointed because it felt like we only got a glimpse into their sexual relationship and never got more than just knowing that they were kissing. There is absolutely no spice which was a huge let down.

I didn’t care for the focus on her parents’ relationship and it became repetitive.

I still liked the book but don’t see myself reading the other books in the series. Thanks to NetGalley/publisher for the ARC.