Frenemies With Benefits by Synithia Williams is the perfect second chance romance set in adorable small town Georgia. The narrator perfectly brings to life the southern accents that you would expect to hear in a small town in Georgia and does such a phenomenal job of bringing Synithia William’s book to life for the listener. Our FMC Tracy is a business woman who through good fortune and smart decision making is successfully running a cozy B&B. However, her personal life is on life support since her ex-husband took a chain saw to their relationship. I will spare you the details, but there is some serious drama with all the exes that appear in this book. As her marriage ends, Tracy decides to embark on a journey to truly discover herself in every aspect. Her friend Brian understands the assignment and starts to help her learn more about so many aspects of herself. Trust me, this is an exploration that you will want to go.

Tropes:
Second Chance
Family Drama
Ex Drama
Rivals to Lovers
Small Town

Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Audio for the ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I really need to go back and read the first two and then read this one. The flow was really good but I want to read the first one and then post my review.

I most definitely will be coming back to read the other copies.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC read!

Frenemies with Benefits is a fiery romance full of second chances, steamy attraction, and unexpected emotional depth. Tracey Thompson, a bed-and-breakfast owner in Peachtree Cove, is trying to move on from a painful divorce when she reconnects with Brian Nelson, a former frenemy. What starts as a no-strings-attached arrangement quickly turns into something far more complicated, forcing them both to face their fears about love and trust. Williams crafts a passionate, heartwarming story of rekindled love, personal growth, and overcoming past misunderstandings.

A perfect pick for fans of contemporary romance with fiery chemistry and heartfelt moments.

I loved the story. The audiobook female narrator took me out of the story a little bit. Her southern accent seemed a bit too fake. I just sped the audio up and it was smooth sailing from there. I love Synthia's stories so definitely pick this up and the others in this series.

"Frenemies with Benefits" was delightful and surprisingly funny! Bed and breakfast owner Tracy Thompson has had a life full of mishaps and disappointments. Unruly and constantly bickering parents (because of her mother's scandalous behavior), lazy employees and, the final straw, a no-good husband. Brian, her schoolmate and fellow small business owner, has seen it all, the good, the bad and the ugly. The small southern town where they live is rife with gossip mongers and Tracy has always been a hot topic. When she decides to take control of her life and live it on HER terms (gossips be damned), things get hilariously interesting. This book is funny, sexy and a lesson on the value of being the captain of your own ship... Four enthusiastic stars!

I unexpectedly fell in love with this book. It took me some time to get used to the accents, but after that, I found love with both the MMC and FMC I love the way that the friends and the friends of benefits relationship was highlighted..

This book was sooo good! I could not stop listening. And the cover is gorgeous! Thank you netgalley for the chance to listen to the advanced copy!

I enjoyed this story. the narration was good. I liked the frenemies to lovers vibe. I felt so bad for Tracey- her dad and her husband.
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It’s a slow-burn, small-town, enemies-to-lovers romance with plenty of heart and just the right amount of drama.

Tracey’s family has been the talk of the town for years, but as an adult, she’s worked hard to keep her name out of the rumor mill. That is, until her no-good husband gets her employee pregnant and then tries to take her beloved inn in the divorce.

Brian has, unfortunately, had a front-row seat to many of Tracey’s most embarrassing moments. But contrary to what she believes, he doesn’t hate her—far from it. He admires her strength and resilience.

When Tracey decides to put herself back out there, jealousy rears its head. Realizing he can’t stand the thought of her with another man, Brian asks her to give him a chance instead. For the first time, Tracey experiences true pleasure and learns what it’s like to be with a man who genuinely respects her.

Yes, they face external challenges, but they navigate them beautifully. I especially appreciated that there was no miscommunication trope. Their friend groups hold them accountable, and they openly communicate their needs and wants, making their romance feel all the more satisfying.

A heartfelt, well-paced romance that I thoroughly enjoyed!

I really enjoyed this book. I am a sucker for relationships of convenience especially when the last thing the pair wants to do is fall in love. I highly recommend this series.

Came for the romance, stayed for the family drama. Frenemies with Benefits was a cute second chance romance, perfect for a beach read!

This is book 3 in the Peach Tree Cove series, and I don’t feel like I missed too much by not reading the first two.

This book was a cute, small-town, cozy romance. I enjoyed the characters and the overall story. I could relate to the FMC and her getting back to dating after a divorce. I admired how the MMC was patient with her but also consistent in letting her know that he wanted to be with her. Of course the HEA was the cherry on top of this story. The audiobook was ok, however, there were times that I felt the narrator over did it on the "southern twang".

This is a cozy, southern, small-town childhood friend with benefits story, almost a second-chance story; I did not really get the "Frenemies" vibe.

It was really hard for me to get into. The pacing really dragged on, and the narrator's voices just did not grab me at first. But it was a quick listen, and the story did eventually come together. Once the deal was made, the pace sped up nicely.

This is a story of love after heartbreak, pulling yourself up post devastation.



Thank you, NetGalley, Harlequin Audio, and Synithia Williams for the ALC.

I am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

I really enjoyed this audiobook. The entire Peachtree Cove series is a favorite of mine. I loved getting Tracey's story and seeing how she out herself first for the first time. After leaving her trash husband and pouring into her business, she found love unexpectedly and was finally treated how she deserved. Brian's need to lift her up and speak to her strengths, made Tracy more confident to tackle her challenges. I recommend this book to those who are looking for a beautiful read of self discovery and finding love after heartbreak. Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced listener copy.

This book would be amazing if I read it myself (which I will do) but the country accent kept throwing me. I'm from the country ...it just irked me.

Story wise though? Yes. Read this.

This is my first title by Ms. Williams, and overall I enjoyed the listen. The character and plot development were meaningful (although at times, the characters’ internal dialogues seemed a tad redundant/belabored) and I had a good sense of what motivated them to do what they did during the story. I will also say that the FMC’s internal monologue during her first planned encounter with the MMC was hysterical - very relatable and so funny.

Adenrele Ojo, of whom I’m been a longtime fan, narrates the entirety of the story. In the beginning, I found the southern accents to be a bit exaggerated, but I could tell as she got more comfortable with the story, that intensity relaxed and sounded more natural. Her performance of the male voices was strong and distinction between the female characters was well-done.

3.75 stars overall. Thanks to NetGalley for this complimentary ALC.

I absolutely loved this book! I loved getting to know the characters and their struggles felt so real, as did their triumphs.
I would 100% read more from this author!!

This was such a cute story! I would 10/10 recommended this read if you love a good friendzone to lovers story. The story was written in such a realistic way that it made it hard to not like. And of course there is the Happily Ever After that we all love in romances. Go read this now! Synithia Williams is an auto buy author for me and this audiobook will not disappoint.

Audiobook Review: Frenemies with Benefits by Synithia Williams
⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (3.5/5)

This was a cute, lighthearted read—perfect as a fun palette cleanser. I was a little hesitant since it’s the third book in a series, but I had no problem following along. The story stands well on its own, and the small-town drama kept things interesting.

One of the biggest highlights for me was the audiobook narrator. She absolutely nailed the vibe of the female lead, bringing the story to life in a way that made it even more enjoyable. I’ve listened to her narrate other books before, so I knew she’d deliver, and she didn’t disappoint.

That said, the story itself fell a little flat. It was entertaining, but it lacked the extra spark that would’ve made it a five-star read. The title also didn’t quite match the storyline—while the main characters had a “friends with benefits” situation, I didn’t really see the “frenemies” aspect come into play. If anything, the tension felt pretty one-sided.

Overall, this is a solid, medium-paced read that’s easy to follow and enjoyable enough for a quick escape. I’d recommend it as a good beach read or something light to break up heavier books. And while this one didn’t fully wow me, I’d still pick up another book from Synithia Williams in the future.

Disclosure: Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the audiobook. All opinions are my own.

4.5 stars
3.5 steamy kisses

I loved this story. I was totally rooting for the main characters from start to beginning. These frenemies definitely had a story that started a lot earlier but it wasnt until certain recent events where they both admitted to begin a relationship where they both reaped from the benefits because these two for sure had chemistry just sizzling and popping until they gave in. I loved their banter, character development, steamy moments, and some of the side characters definitely played their roles too. The author was new to me but I was impressed with her storytelling talent and cant wait to keep reading/listening to her future and past stories.

I recommend to readers who like

Small town romance
(Gossip mill included)
Love triangle (each main character has their cheating exes to deal with throughout the book)
Angst
Steamy moments
Both main characters are the boss of their businesses
Mutual pining
Reformed playboy
Both characters have commitment issues
HEA

🎧

This was sooooo sweet. Tracy and Brian’s journey was everything after both coming out of previous bad marriages. I would say “friends” to lovers.

Tracey’s parents were soooo funny. The Audio for this was really good.


Thank you to netgalley & Harlequin Audio for this.