3.5 Stars - So Much Potential, Slightly Lost in the Echo

If I could rate this book solely on Theo’s devotion to Evie, the invisible illness rep, and the warm, easy-listening vibes of the audiobook narrators, we’d be soaring at five stars. Unfortunately, Friends with Benefits had me stuck somewhere between swooning and sighing.

Let’s start with the good: Theo. Oh my heart. The way he loves Evie—quietly, unconditionally, and always with her best interest at heart—had me melting like butter in a hot LA apartment. And as someone who cares deeply for a person that has Crohn’s, seeing an invisible autoimmune illness represented with such care and authenticity was deeply personal and appreciated. I will be gifting them this book!

Now, onto the “but…”
This book was long. Not “I never wanted it to end” long—more like “why am I reading the same emotional beat for the fourth time?” long. I swear it could’ve dropped 10 chapters and still delivered the same emotional impact, probably even more. The dual POVs, while often enriching, got repetitive…sometimes I felt like I was watching two people take turns re-explaining a fight instead of just… moving on?

Evie and Theo’s emotional hamster wheel of “will they, won’t they, why can’t they just talk?!” had me rooting for them and rage-quitting simultaneously. I wanted to shake them. Lovingly. With a little force.

That said, the concept is brilliant. The representation is gold. The vibes are there. I just wish it moved faster and trusted the reader a bit more. Still, I’ll be thinking about Theo’s soft heart for a while.

Would I recommend it? Absolutely! Especially if you love a slow burn (and I mean slow). Just maybe go in knowing it’s a scenic route, not a sprint.

This was a great book. I share a lot of the same symptoms as Evie and it was a perfect time in my life to read this book. As someone who understands the importance of excellent health insurance, I was drawn to this title. I am also a teacher so having so much in common with the characters made the book more relatable to me. I think the friends to lovers trope was a little forced but I overall really enjoyed the book. I did think some of the things were repetitive--like the focus on Evie's sexuality, however the adorable romance made up for it.

Friends With Benefits, by Marisa Kanter, is the story of best friends since childhood Evie Bloom and Theo Cohen. Theirs has been a relationship where they have shared sorrows, missed timings, but always knew the other had their back. Now, through a series of events, they find they can sort of save each other by getting married. As such Theo would have an opportunity to stay in his rent control apartment when his roommates move out by combining their incomes and getting a bigger break as a married couple. Also, being married will give Evie, who suffers from Crohn’s disease, insurance coverage so that she can leave her Foley assistant position to take a training fellowship to work her way further ahead. And then the adventure begins!

This is a very good story addressing many sensitive topics with humor and heart. The characters are very likable. And the climax is so heartwarming. I very much enjoyed this book and I do recommend it!

Thank you Macmillan audio for the review copy!

This one didn't work for me but it might be just right for other romance fans, take a look at other reviews as what doesn't work for me might not impact others!

Friends with Benefits was a miss for me, strong audio production and narration bolster my review of the audiobook, but the story did not land for me. I found the writing, right from the start, repetitive and the repetitive/writing style issue made the FMC seem very young and juvenile, hard to connect with, throughout the book. For me I need to be cheering on the main characters, waiting for the HEA or big coming of age moment and here I didn't find myself wanting to see the plot through. The romance fizzled for me, felt flat and forced and I say this as a huge fake dating fan, I am usually easily won over by that trope!

For dance lovers, Survivor lovers, Disney adults, and trope lovers, this is a cute read.

Tropes: Friends to lovers, marriage of convenience

Here’s the thing. I really wanted to like this book, but I just couldn’t. There were so many details in the prose that by the time actual plot came around I was too lost from the details to really fully grasp what was going on. It felt like the main character trait of the FMC was being a complainer, it felt very hopeless a lot of the time. Unfortunately I just really didn’t love this book :(

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced copy of the audiobook! I thought the narration was fantastic!

Friends with Benefits is about two lifelong best friends, Evie and Theo, who end up marrying so that she can have health insurance and he can keep his apartment. There are a lot of enjoyable factors to this book. I love Evie’s closeness with her sister and grandparents, despite her terrible parents. I love that Theo and Evie were childhood friends whose relationship ebbed and flowed, which would be totally realistic. I loved how considerate of Evie’s health concerns Theo is, it’s so refreshing to read about a man taking such great care of a women with a chronic illness. Also, I LOVE a friends to lovers trope for a rom com. However, I hate to say but I feel like because this rom com theme is done so often, this one fell flat for me. It didn’t make sense to me that they needed to be married for Theo to keep the apartment. Secondly, there were multiple flashbacks through the story and I found them a bit hard to follow. They jumped around timeframe-wise and at times, did not seem relevant to the plot. Evie has a complicated relationship with her parents, which I’m sure can be relatable but I found that storyline complicated. At one point in the story, Evie is attending a family gathering hoping her half-sister is there, with her mother, but instead of bringing Evie’s biological sister she’s close with, she brings Theo and the younger half-sister has no idea who she is. Lastly, there is a strong theme throughout the book of Evie dealing with crohn’s disease. While I find that completely appropriate and relatable for others, I felt like the coverage of her disease wasn’t properly inserted into the story. It didn’t flow well to me. Overall, this story was a 3-stars for me, narration brought it up to 3.5 stars. The narration was wonderfully done!

The cutest love story with representation everywhere. I loved the characters and how much they loved each other despite all the obstacles. I was cheering for them the whole time! The audiobook was perfect and the narrator was great!

Friends with Benefits is a fun, flirty read that blends classic rom-com tropes with fresh, relatable characters. Marisa Kanter does a great job building tension and friendship between the leads, and the fake-dating setup delivers all the swoony, awkward moments you’d hope for.

The audiobook is a standout—both narrators bring so much personality and emotion to the story, making it feel even more dynamic. Their voices perfectly capture the characters' personalities and really elevate the experience.

It’s not a perfect five for me only because some plot points felt a bit drawn out, but overall, it's a thoroughly enjoyable listen with heart, humor, and heat. Definitely recommend, especially in audio format!

Friends with Benefits is a four star book. It’s a childhood friends to lovers, marriage of convenience story with a one bed trope. I loved the inclusion and honesty about chronic illnesses.

This book handles heavy topics of grief and loss in a great way. I love the support the characters have for each other. This is a classic and cute romcom.

I read the audiobook version. I loved the narration, but listened at 1.5 speed. Anything slower was just too slow. This was a fun listen if you like Jessica Joyce and Ali Rosen.

What a ride!
Friends to lovers is my favorite trope, and bonus as this is a childhood friends to lovers story.
Evie and Theo have always harbored feelings for the other, but both leery of crossing that line.
Their story is a push and pull of epic angst that frustrated the hell out of me. It’s been a minute since I’ve wanted to scream at the characters to pull their heads out of the sand!!!

I reveled in it.

But, I wish they didn’t stay on that path for as long as they did. It felt unnecessarily extended and I felt content yet exhausted and Partially bereft? when they finally got their HEA. It’s like showing up late to a surprise party, reveling in the echos of what was missed.

The alternating male and female narrators delivered this story well, especially when performing a distinct voice for each character. It’s a great sign when I’m so engaged and intent to what comes next.

4 STARS

Thank you to the publisher for the chance of listening to an audiobook ARC for an honest review.

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