I so wanted to love this book, but I ended up more frustrated with the main characters than rooting for them. Childhood friends to lovers is my favorite trope of all time, but it fell flat in Friends with Benefits. Plus, this book has a marriage of convenience, which I also really love, and which makes it all the harder for me to say this this book wasn't amazing. There is just so much miscommunication that it's a miracle these two somehow managed to pull it together, but in real life, they would have fallen apart.

*This was an e-arc from NetGalley*

Minor spoilers in this review.

How I read it: audiobook from Macmillan Audio
Narrated by: Gail Shalan & GM Hakim

Themes: dual POV, friends to lovers, marriage of convenience, chronic illness, LGBTQ+, found family

Spice: it happened but for some reason I can’t remember it exactly. I did enjoy it while it was happening though!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the opportunity to listen this ARC . I really loved this! The audio itself was well done, and I love when there are two separate narrators for the dual POV. I was rooting for Theo & Evie the whole time and was so pleased with the story telling from the author. The LGBTQ+ themes were natural and blended into the plot.
Someone did mention in a Goodreads review that they did not like that the author included their politics, but the main character suffers from chronic illness and needs health insurance to live, which then becomes a major plot point in the story (marriage of convenience). Unless I’m missing something, that is not political but an issue that many Americans deal with due to the lack of access to affordable/free healthcare. I saw a lot of comment to that review say they wouldn’t read it because of the politics included and I wanted to include in my PSA that I disagree with that take.

I would recommend this book. I gave 4 stars because I like it a lot, but would most likely not re-read it and/or buy it

Friends with benefits follows Evelyn an aspiring foley artist trying to make her break into Hollywood and her best friend since childhood Theo a ln elementary school teacher. When both their lives get unexpectedly shaken up Theo offers Evelyn a proposal- a marriage proposal. Being “Married” Theo can keep his apartment and Evelyn can use his health insurance and benefits- which she desperately needs due to her chronic health condition. Will this fake marriage be what they need to admit their romantic feelings for one another or will they play it safe to preserve their friendship?

I loved this audiobook. I felt the concept and theme were cute and well done.

Read if you love…
💕 Best Friends to Lovers
💍 Marriage of Convenience
😍Second Chance Romance (3rd? 4th Chance?)
🏥 Chronic(Invisible)Illness Representation
🔥 TV Show Survivor
🎧Art of Foley and Hollywood behind the Scenes
📱Pop Culture References
💋 Closed Door Romance
🌈LGBTQIA+ Representation

TW: Mild Spice and Closed door Romance; Contains heavy themes of sex/sex positive characters. Mentions Cancer, Chronic/ invisible illness, remission, parental abandonment, parental estrangement

Overall read, 3.5. I enjoyed the overall story, but this wasn't the book for me. The back and forth timeline really confused me. I'm neurodivergent, and I do struggle with that, so that's on me, not the book. Like I said, overall I enjoyed the story. The book deals with a lot of real world problems, like dealing with the healthcare industry, discrimination as a woman, people undermining you for their own gain, chronic illness, housing issues, and absent parents. I think personally have a hard time with several of these because it's so close to the world we live in. It definitely makes the book relatable, but I like to have that bit of belief suspension.

This book shows despite what the world throws at you, you can make your own way and create your own happiness, but it requires a lot of struggle and work.

Meet Theo and Evelyn. They have been best friends forever. Unfortunately, both of their living situations are about to change, but Evie can move in with Theo if they get married. What?? This is actually a perfect solution as Evie has a chronic health condition and no health insurance at her new internship. Everything is great until they catch feelings (or finally show them).
The narration by Gail Shalan and GM Hakim was enjoyable and provided an excellent contrast in characters. Make this one of your first beach reads this summer- audio or print.
Many thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the advance audio copy. All opinions are my own.

I really enjoyed this one. The main characters are so lovable, and their situation is incredibly relatable. I’m a sucker for a marriage of convenience, and this one was done so well. I enjoyed their banter and their sweet friendship. And the audiobook was very well done!

I really loved this book! The best friends to lovers theme is something I always find so endearing. The writing felt very engaging, and I appreciated the thoughtful character development. It was wonderful how we got to dive into the lives of both characters individually and watch them grow to love each other as best friends and romantic partners. It truly created such a beautiful and heartwarming story overall!

This heartfelt story revolves around childhood friends Evie Bloom and Theo Cohen, who have been unwavering pillars of support for each other through life's ups and downs. Their deep bond weaves a rich tapestry of friendship, yet over time, they encounter various challenges that complicate their feelings for one another. Both Evie and Theo grapple with the desire to chase their dreams, careful not to become a hindrance to each other's aspirations. However, as the years pass, they realize that in trying to protect one another, they have inadvertently caused pain for themselves, all while remaining unaware. The profound love and care they harbor for each other shine brightly throughout the narrative, ultimately becoming the emotional core of the story.

I genuinely recommend this book to anyone who loves the heartwarming journey of childhood friends evolving into something more. The dual points of view beautifully capture their emotions, making for a story that's not only touching but also deeply relatable. It’s a heartfelt read that many will find resonates with their own experiences.

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the amazing opportunity to listen to this captivating book for free! I’m truly grateful to Marisa Kanter for crafting such a brilliantly written story that kept me on the edge of my seat, eagerly wanting more from start to finish! What an exhilarating experience!

Theo and Evie's story was unconventional but so well-developed with their shared memories and mutual respect. Their backstories were poignant, surviving childhood trauma and the end of adult relationships. The LGBTQ+ representation, as well as the Jewish representation, was interesting as both were outside of my normal reading experience. I loved Theo's teacher moments! I can't imagine the book ending any other way!

In Friends with Benefits, Author Marisa Kanter introduces readers to Evie Bloom and Theo Cohen. Evie is offered an internship, but it does not have health insurance. Theo’s roommates move out for one reason or another. They end up married for convenience. Theo can put Evie on his insurance. Theo has a spouse for the lease.
I wanted to like this tale, but it didn’t appeal to me. I didn’t like Evie. The pacing is inconsistent. This was supposed to be a Rom-Com but to me it wasn’t funny.
Thank you NetGalley for the ARC

Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter is a heartfelt romance that will leave you feeling all kinds of emotions. The chemistry between the couple is undeniable, and it’s clear they’re perfect for each other, yet they always seem to be just a step apart. While the tension of the "will they/won’t they" dynamic is charming, I found it a bit drawn out at times. Still, the story is undeniably sweet and full of heart.

This book had a lot of good things going for it. The characters were sweet, it brought light to chronic illnesses, and the audio narration was great.

Parts of the story definitely dragged out for me, though. Both of the main characters had a lot going on (especially Evie). The relationship also just felt like one big miscommunication, which is a trope I have trouble getting into.

Overall, I appreciate a friends to lovers romance, and this was pretty cute.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC!

2.5

Evie has Crohn's and it has determined her life path. She wants to be a Foley artist, but she can't do without health insurance while interning. And you need to intern to get a foot in the door. Her best friend, Theo, also desperately needs a roommate. His solution- they get married. Their combined income will allow him to stay in his apartment and his health insurance will help Evie quit her job. Problem is- they have been in love with each other since childhood.

This started off good, then it slowed way down. The story didn't really move forward for a good while. My interest definitely waned.

I was also frustrated that the pronouns they/them was used for nearly everyone. I am fine with inclusivity and including a gender fluid character. However, not everyone uses they/them. It also makes it super hard when following an audiobook- he/she, him/her, etc... is helpful to know who they are referring to. I also feel like it cheapened the whole thing by making (nearly) everyone use they/them.

Gail Shalan and GM Hakim narrate the audiobook. I always appreciate multiple narrators for multiple POVs. GM Hakim's narration is good. Gail Shalan's is not as good. Especially when in dialogue for someone other than Evie. It sound like her mouth was full of marbles.

I received an advance audio copy in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the relationship dynamic between Theo and Evie. The friends to lovers trope always gets me. I enjoyed watching their relationship blossom over the years.

I loved the duet narration of this one and found both narrators really easy to listen to.

I really liked this story for about the first-half. I love a marriage of convenience and I really liked both Evie and Theo as separate people.

However, as the story went on, I brace frustrated. The trope didn’t quite make sense because they weren’t really lying to anyone about why they got married. They weren’t forced to fake it. And then, these characters just couldn’t get their act together. It was one long miscommunication trope. One long failure to explain and/or share their feelings. It was…frustrating to listen to.

Unfortunately, this one just didn’t quite work for me.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for a free ALC in exchange for my honest review.

The premise is sweet and grounded in real-world struggles like financial insecurity and healthcare challenges, which added some depth to the story. Their friendship felt real, the story was filled with shared history we get to hear about and the easy banter made their connection believable. Watching them navigate their current feelings while trying to maintain their friendship was both adorable and frustrating. Like just talk to each other already! 

While the story had potential, the execution lacked originality for me. The friends-to-lovers trope is one I enjoy as you probably know if you read some of my past posts, but this story didn’t bring anything new to the table. I felt like I’d read variations of this same story many times before, and there wasn’t enough to make it stand out from the others.

I absolutely adore the friendship between Evie and Theo. We've all been there... The mutual "crush" but you're both in denial that the other person might actually like you. Friends with Benefits is a cute, easy read. I highly recommend it to anyone looking for a sweet, RomCom.

When lifelong friends Theo and Evie decide to get married for practical reasons—health benefits and the freedom for Evie to chase her dream job—they think they’ve got it all figured out. It’s just paperwork and pretending when necessary. Easy.

But when the lines between their fake marriage and real emotions begin to blur, they’re forced to ask themselves: What happens when the pretending doesn’t stop once the doors close?

As feelings they both feared to recognize, Theo and Evie must decide if their convenient arrangement has the potential to become something truly lasting—or if love was never part of the deal.

Friendly Marriage of Convenience

I loved this story. Marisa Kanter took friends to lovers and marriage of convenience and mashed it social justice in a way that was fresh and relatable. I really appreciated the inside look into chronic illness and the difficulties it places on that persons life, and how it affects the people around them.

I loved these two characters and their history together. I thought their friendship was so sweet. As I always do in friends to lovers, there were times where I just thought a little honesty could move us forward a little faster, but people are complicated and this story captures that.

Thank you Net Galley, MacMillan Audio, and Marisa Kanter for an ARC audiobook of this story.

I listened to the audiobook version. The female narrator was good, but the male narrator was a bit monotone and unemotional.
The story itself had the usual will they/won’t they subplot and had deep emotional character arcs. The female character comes off whiny, clueless, and demeaning to females, which is in dark contrast to her character’s statements about feminism. The end wrapped up nicely and gave the novel some redemptive qualities. Overall, I gave the story 3 out of 5 stars. It was worth reading, but it’s not one I would reread.

This book was adorable! Friends to lovers is slowly becoming one of my favorite tropes. This book was an easy read and super entertaining.