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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
I’m usually not a big on the friends-to-lovers trope—I tend to lean more toward enemies-to-lovers—but Karter totally won me over! It was such a heartwarming, feel-good read that left me smiling.
Evie marries her best friend Theo—not for love (at first), and not for the spicy benefits—but for health benefits that come with teaching. Because, well, America: where you need a job for benefits, but the jobs that get you there don’t come with benefits. And Evie really needs them, since she’s living with Crohn’s disease.
I adored pretty much every character in this book—except Naomi, because seriously, a mom is supposed to mom! That aside, I truly hope there’s a sequel. I’d love more time with the grandparents, the mother (even Naomi!), and the sister. Fingers crossed!
Evie marries her best friend Theo—not for love (at first), and not for the spicy benefits—but for health benefits that come with teaching. Because, well, America: where you need a job for benefits, but the jobs that get you there don’t come with benefits. And Evie really needs them, since she’s living with Crohn’s disease.
I adored pretty much every character in this book—except Naomi, because seriously, a mom is supposed to mom! That aside, I truly hope there’s a sequel. I’d love more time with the grandparents, the mother (even Naomi!), and the sister. Fingers crossed!
Best friends Evelyn and Theo find themselves in a predicament that has a pretty simple solution--marriage. Evelyn has suddenly found herself homeless and has an opportunity of a lifetime that she can't take because it doesn't include benefits like health insurance, something she desperately needs as she lives with a chronic health condition. Theo is also facing homelessness because he can no longer afford his apartment now that his two roommates have moved out. The answer? Marry each other, of course. A clause in Theo's lease states that if he is married, the income requirement isn't as strict. Evelyn gets a home and benefits as Theo's spouse. Easy! Except feelings get in the way, of course. Theo and Evelyn have always secretly loved one another and some deep-seated abandonment issues make what should be a simple, transactional arrangement much, much more complicated.
I loved Theo's character so much. He was such a supportive guy for not only his friends but his students. He cared deeply for everyone almost to a fault, especially when it came to Evelyn. I found his constant need to make sure Evelyn was okay both endearing and frustrating because it allowed her to railroad him at times. He did make some boneheaded decisions but based on how he knew Evelyn would react, I don't really blame his character for it.
Evelyn was hard to love for me, personally. I understand how she became this way, but she was quite selfish and I found it hard to like her in some instances. She had a tough life, no doubt. Abandoned by both parents, ending her dance career before it could begin with an injury, and learning she had a chronic illness early in life would make anyone put themselves first. Having to navigate life in such a minute way would be so difficult. However, I felt she often overlooked the good she had in her life because she was so busy feeling sorry for herself. She was so afraid to take chances and that is valid. It just made her difficult to love for me.
There were so many instances of them being able to read each other easily yet there were also so many misunderstandings that I just wanted to reach into my phone and shake them both for being big dummies! It was especially frustrating when it felt like the characters just wanted to be miserable by doing things they knew would hurt the other.
I loved Theo's character so much. He was such a supportive guy for not only his friends but his students. He cared deeply for everyone almost to a fault, especially when it came to Evelyn. I found his constant need to make sure Evelyn was okay both endearing and frustrating because it allowed her to railroad him at times. He did make some boneheaded decisions but based on how he knew Evelyn would react, I don't really blame his character for it.
Evelyn was hard to love for me, personally. I understand how she became this way, but she was quite selfish and I found it hard to like her in some instances. She had a tough life, no doubt. Abandoned by both parents, ending her dance career before it could begin with an injury, and learning she had a chronic illness early in life would make anyone put themselves first. Having to navigate life in such a minute way would be so difficult. However, I felt she often overlooked the good she had in her life because she was so busy feeling sorry for herself. She was so afraid to take chances and that is valid. It just made her difficult to love for me.
There were so many instances of them being able to read each other easily yet there were also so many misunderstandings that I just wanted to reach into my phone and shake them both for being big dummies! It was especially frustrating when it felt like the characters just wanted to be miserable by doing things they knew would hurt the other.
emotional
funny
informative
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
These characters, especially the FMC, were extremely unlikable. While that is not necessarily a requirement, in this case, this certainly affected my overall enjoyment of the book.
I think I may have discovered that I’m not a huge fan of the friends-to-lovers trope. Evie and Theo are best friends, and have a serious attraction to each other that has gone on for over a decade, and yet they don’t seem to realize they’re supposed to be together!? It just seems absolutely ridiculous.
Theo seemed unrealistically patient and Evie was just a little cuckoo.
I think I may have discovered that I’m not a huge fan of the friends-to-lovers trope. Evie and Theo are best friends, and have a serious attraction to each other that has gone on for over a decade, and yet they don’t seem to realize they’re supposed to be together!? It just seems absolutely ridiculous.
Theo seemed unrealistically patient and Evie was just a little cuckoo.
emotional
lighthearted
sad
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I LOVED Friends with Benefits! I’m a sucker for a good “it’s always been you” trope, and FwB really delivered. I loved how piney it was, and how much yearning both Theo and Evie brought to the story. They were real complex people with complex problems - three dimensional, good and bad. And as a chronic illness person myself, whew, the author nailed it, from Evie’s up-and-down roller coaster of health down to Theo’s medical anxiety / trauma.
Can’t wait to read more adult romcoms from Marisa Kanter in the future!
Can’t wait to read more adult romcoms from Marisa Kanter in the future!
Content Warnings
Moderate: Chronic illness, Mental illness, Medical content, Grief, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Abandonment
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes