Overall, I gave this book a 3.75 star rating. I enjoyed this slow, slow slow burn. Friends to lovers romance it was cute. It was sweet, but it just was a bit slow for me. Evie and Theo are the sweetest couple and they grew up together, and there were bumps and bruises along the way, but everyone knew they were meant for each other. I liked the innuendo of friends with benefits, but it legit was real benefits for each of them like a social contract. There was a steamy steamy sex scene, which was nice. I loved Theo as a teacher, and I thought Evie‘s job as a foley artist was a pretty neat one. It’s something we got to learn about. The pace of the book was just a little slow for me overall it was a really sweet romance.

Thank you to @NetGalley and @MacMillian Audio for the gifted audiobook.

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.

🎧 The audiobook did not add or subtract from the storyline, but felt right in line with what the book was trying to accomplish overall. I would rate the audio on par with the overall story.

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

Evie Bloom is an aspiring Foley artist wanting to make it in the world of sound effects. When she receives an opportunity of a lifetime for a fellowship to help her reach her dreams, she’s crushed to see that there are no health benefits which she needs for her chronic illness. To top it all off, her sister moved out and her grandparents’ are selling the home she’s been living in for most of her life. Her best friend Theo Cohen is a fourth grade teacher in LA. His roommates drop on him that they’re moving out of their rent-controlled apartment. With Evie looking for a place to live, Theo offers she moves in with him, but there’s a catch. In order to bypass the income requirement for his lease, they need to be married. Then they both have a place to live, Evie could go on his benefits, and she could pursue her fellowship dreams. What could possibly go wrong?

I loved this audiobook! I’m always a fan of duel narrations, and both narrators did an amazing job. Hearing Evie and Theo’s story unfold was great. It was nice having flashbacks throughout as well to see how they both grew up was a nice touch as well. Evie could be a little frustrating at times, but she absolutely is just a product of her upbringing. Theo is the perfect supportive best friend in every way. Overall this was a really enjoyable listen!

Thank you Macmillan Audio, Marisa Kanter, and NetGalley for the ALC!

Wonderful friends to lovers book.

As someone who works on films and is also chronically ill, I felt especially connected to Evie.
I do think some might find Evie annoying in her resistance to letting her self have things but it feels very true to the chronic pain/ill experience and there being a lot we have to sacrifice just to exist in less pain. I do think Evie and Theo need so much more therapy.

I think the Narrators were good, they put just enough emotion in without overpowering the listening experience of the book.

I really wanted to love this more than I did. I’m a big fan of the friends-to-lovers trope, and at first, I was fully on board with Evie and Theo’s chemistry. I found myself rooting for them through much of the story. Evie’s character development, especially around her experience with Crohn’s disease and her passion for Foley art, was beautifully done. I genuinely felt like I was learning something new, and it made her journey enjoyable in many ways. Theo, with his love for teaching and dedication to creating a fun, meaningful curriculum, was incredibly endearing.

That said, a little over halfway through, Evie started to lose me, particularly in how she treated Theo. Her inability to let him make his own choices became frustrating, and it made me question whether I even wanted them to end up together. It was especially jarring considering how much she talked about not wanting to become like her mother, only to make similar choices herself.

Thankfully, the ending helped redeem some of that tension, and I found myself enjoying how things wrapped up. The writing style and the timeline shifts were well-executed and kept the story moving in an engaging way.

📖🎧 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.

I had no idea what to expect from this book and it’s one of my favorites I’ve read this year! The narration was fabulous and the story drew me in immediately. The story was engaging and the characters were so genuine and lovable. It was fun learning about foley, and new twist O haven’t read about before. I will be searching out book any both this author and narrator.

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).

3.5 stars

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and NetGalley for the ALC to review

Thanks to NetGalley for the audiobook and to Edelweiss for the earc,

This was a really cute friends to lovers book. I loved the chemistry between Evie and Theo. I also thought both narrators did a great job with the narration of this book and it kept me engaged. This is the first book I have read by Melissa Kanter, and I don't think it will be my last. I definitely recommend this book!!

This book was an ALC from NetGalley—I’m still learning the ropes of advanced copies over there, but if this gem is anything to go by, I might just pitch a tent and stay. Friends With Benefits is my first read by Marisa Kanter, and let me tell you, it won’t be my last. She took the classic friends-to-lovers trope, gave it a chaotic millennial twist, and wrapped it in a heartfelt, socially-aware rom-com bow.

The story follows Evie Bloom, a foley artist (yes, she literally makes sound effects for a living—iconic), and Theo Cohen, an elementary school teacher whose lesson plans are cooler than anything I’ve seen in a classroom. When Evie lands a life-changing career opportunity without health insurance (because of course), and Theo risks losing his rent-controlled apartment (because LA), these two do what any rational best friends would do: they get fake married. For the benefits. And no, not those benefits—though those do start looking a lot more tempting as the story progresses.

Evie is fiercely independent and anti-marriage, thanks in part to her mother with commitment issues and delightfully rebellious grandmother. Theo, on the other hand, is a cinnamon roll with a clipboard and a crush—he’s been quietly in love with Evie for years, and this little marriage stunt? Yeah, it complicates things. A lot.

Beyond the romance (which had me grinning, sighing, and possibly texting my best friend to check if he had health insurance), Kanter weaves in some pretty heavy-hitting themes with surprising grace. She takes a hard look at the American healthcare system, grief, the evolving idea of marriage, gender identity, and even how we talk to kids about these issues. And don’t even get me started on Theo’s classroom—his teaching methods deserve their own spinoff series.

Also? Can we please give a standing ovation to Evie’s grandma, who’s not only the MVP of sex-positivity but also dishes out wisdom.

Kanter doesn’t just sprinkle in representation—she commits to it. LGBTQ+ characters are woven into the story naturally and lovingly. Mental health and therapy aren’t taboo—they’re necessary. Pronouns are respected, and sexism is called out, even in elementary school lesson plans. It’s like Kanter took a whole syllabus of social justice and wrapped it up in a heartwarming rom-com.

Final verdict: 5/5. This book made me cry, which automatically earns it top marks in my world. If you love messy, meaningful stories with slow-burn romance, social commentary, and characters who feel like friends, Friends With Benefits is your next must-read.

You’ll like this book if you love a soft, supportive MMC, messy characters who are figuring it out as they go, and romances that aren’t afraid to show the heavier realities of life along with the love story.

We’ve got friends to lovers and marriage of convenience aka two of my favorite combos!

Evie Bloom is a Foley artist (which is SO cool! I didn’t even know that was a job!), and I love a flawed FMC. Give me messy, imperfect characters any day Evie though, she felt like she just stayed stuck instead of growing in a way that made the messiness feel like it was leading somewhere. I just wanted more for her.

Theo was a total cutie pie sweetheart. He was exactly what Evie needed, the steady, grounding kind of guy but sometimes it felt like she leaned on him a little too much without really showing up for him the same way. Still, his love for her never wavered.

What I really loved was how real it felt when it came to Evie dealing with chronic illness and the disaster that is our healthcare system. Her health struggles weren’t just some side plot it actually showed the stress, anxiety, and real-life panic that comes with trying to survive in a system that’s so broken. It made the story feel heavier, but in a good way, and added a real-life dynamic that I know a lot of people will relate to.

The pacing was slower than I usually enjoy, but I’m still glad I read (listened to) it, and I’m really thankful for the parts that felt different and honest.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan audio for the audiobook ARC.

I loved the friends to lover story in this book and a marriage of convenience. Evie wants to take an internship position but without health care benefits, she can not take it due to her chronic condition. (The information provide in this book about the need for good insurance for people with chronic conditions was amazing.) Evie and Theo, almost life long friends decide to get married so she can take the internship but will have Theo's amazing health insurance. From the beginning you can tell that Theo is more into the relationship than Evie, but it evolves and honestly felt very believable to me. #NEtGalley and McMillen Audio for the ARC. Good story.

I really and truly wanted to like this book, I did, but ultimately, it just didn’t hit the mark for me. I personally didn’t like Evie. I found her to be super entitled and, honestly, not a good friend or a good sister. I kind of just felt bad for Theo that he was into her in the first place. I appreciated that the locations in Pasadena were actual places in the city. And many of the side characters were great!

Friends with Benefits was an enjoyable friends-to-lovers, marriage-of-convenience read, featuring thoughtful representation of chronic illness and the LGBTQIA+ community. Kanter skillfully highlights important issues, such as medical gaslighting and critiques of the US healthcare system, which I truly appreciated. The main female character's unique career added an extra layer of interest, making the story feel fresh and engaging. While I found the dual narration in third person a bit unusual and occasionally struggled with clarity during flashbacks, overall, the heartfelt themes and authentic representation made this book a perfect palate cleanser to read in between fantasy series.

3.5 stars.

Some of my favorite things in this story!

*Childhood Friends to Lovers & Spicy
*Disability & Queer Representation
*Forced Proximity & Marriage of Convenience

Our two main characters have been friends since childhood and now they are at a major crossroad in their life. A series of unfortunate events leads to them agreeing to a Marriage of Convenience for health benefits and financial security— Honestly, so relatable in today’s world. However, now that they are around each other much more some feelings they may have both surpassed begin to bubble to the surface.

While I am not typically a fan of the miscommunication trope, I feel like it was well done in this story. We get to experience the story from dual POVs as well as see snippets of their lives and some of the trauma that helps explain some of the flaws leading to their poor decision making. We even get to experience several events from both character perspective. It was not enjoyable witnessing them both continue to miss the plot with each other and excuse it all away, but it was understandable when you think about all of their collective experiences that lead to them being where they are.

So, if you enjoy witnessing character make mistakes, learn, grow, and try again… This is a romance for you.

This was a solid listen that was very well produced and excellently cast.

Thank you to Marisa Kanter, Netgalley, and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen to and review this ALC. I really enjoyed this ARC and I have to say the narration was perfection. Gail Shalan and GM Hakim did a wonderful job bringing the characters to life and elevated the experience quite a bit. I always appreciate a story where the main character's disability or health issues are centered because it feels so much more like real life. I am also a sucker for those sweet second chances and friends to lovers stories, so this one really delivered for me.

This is an entertaining, fun read. Theo and Evie are interesting, flawed, strong, intriguing, complex, wounded, entertaining characters. I enjoyed their romance and the path it took to get to their HEA. The secondary characters added to fabric of the story and my enjoyment. The story is easy to read and get into.

I enjoyed the audio version of this book and the narrators.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a very classic friends to lovers trope. The storyline was quite lovely and the characters were likeable. It's an easy, breezy beach-type of read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I’m always a sucker for a good "fake marriage" trope, and Friends with Benefits delivers a fresh take on it with a unique, heartfelt plot. I loved the real-world stakes woven into Evie and Theo’s story—chronic illness, career dreams, financial struggles—which made their marriage of convenience feel both believable and compelling. Kanter’s attention to emotional detail shines, especially in the way she explores long-time friendship turning into something more.

That said, the middle of the book dragged a bit for me, and I found myself losing interest before things picked up again toward the end. Also, I really enjoyed the narrator of this audiobook and think they made me more compelled to enjoy the story, even during the slower parts. While the pacing kept this from being a total favorite, it’s still a sweet and thoughtful read that fans of Emily Henry and Katherine Center will likely enjoy!

Rating: 3.5 stars!

You. You. You. You. Obviously.

The title is funny once you realize that the relationship is for health benefits and not a "friends with benefits" in the sexual sense. Evie and Theo have a lot of trauma they are working through which draws out the story some. The casual relationships all throughout the book are obnoxious in my opinion.. All characters (main and side) are all over the place in that capacity.

Overall, I enjoyed most qualities about the main characters and their friendship with each other throughout the years.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.