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3.65 AVERAGE
3.65 AVERAGE
“Friends With Benefits” by Marisa Kanter delivers exactly what I’m always hoping for in a romance: tension, tenderness, and two best friends who are clearly the last to realize they’re in love.
Evie and Theo have been inseparable since forever. So when Evie needs health insurance to take her dream sound-editing fellowship (while managing Crohn’s disease), and Theo needs to stay in his rent-controlled apartment after his roommates couple up, a quick trip to the courthouse seems like the logical fix. Marriage? No big deal. Except, of course, it is.
This story serves up two standout tropes—friends-to-lovers and marriage of convenience—but what really grabbed me was the emotional honesty. Evie’s invisible illness is portrayed with care, and Theo is the golden retriever teacher you’ll want to hug. Their history, revealed through flashbacks, makes their romantic hesitations feel earned. It’s thoughtful, funny, and real, especially in how it tackles chronic illness, grief, and the cracks in our systems.
Marisa Kanter’s first adult novel lands strong. If you’re into heartfelt slow burns with layers beneath the swoon, this one’s for you.
Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter is a slow burn romance featuring two of my favorite tropes: childhood best friends to lovers and a marriage of convenience. Evie Bloom and Theo Cohen are inevitable romantic partners who have supported each other through their various life struggles. These struggles include a chronic illness for Evie and the grief following the loss of a parent for Theo. Talk about the failures of the American healthcare system were spot on. However as someone who has been diagnosed with colon cancer, I was caught off guard by the focus on a character’s diagnosis, recurrence and death from colon cancer.
IMO it took a very long time for these characters to trust themselves and each other. I typically despise a third act breakup but I was happy with the sweet ending. I would recommend this to romance readers who enjoy a golden retriever MMC and chronic illness representation. 3/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
IMO it took a very long time for these characters to trust themselves and each other. I typically despise a third act breakup but I was happy with the sweet ending. I would recommend this to romance readers who enjoy a golden retriever MMC and chronic illness representation. 3/5⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advanced copy. All opinions are my own.
I received an eARC of this audiobook from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I ended up liking this a lot more than I anticipated and the audiobook narrators really animate the characters and make their frustrations empathetic. I really appreciated how the author built the main characters friendship throughout the novel and its different timelines, from childhood to the present. The portraits of dysfunctional parenting, grief, and chronic illness are really thoughtful and well-drawn. At times, the plot and pacing became frustrating, especially as it often relied on the characters simply not talking to each other or getting caught up in their own heads. Still, I really enjoyed the main characters, Theo and Evie, and their relationship. I look forward to reading more from this author and listening to more from these audiobook narrators!
I ended up liking this a lot more than I anticipated and the audiobook narrators really animate the characters and make their frustrations empathetic. I really appreciated how the author built the main characters friendship throughout the novel and its different timelines, from childhood to the present. The portraits of dysfunctional parenting, grief, and chronic illness are really thoughtful and well-drawn. At times, the plot and pacing became frustrating, especially as it often relied on the characters simply not talking to each other or getting caught up in their own heads. Still, I really enjoyed the main characters, Theo and Evie, and their relationship. I look forward to reading more from this author and listening to more from these audiobook narrators!
emotional
lighthearted
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter is a fresh take on the “marriage of convenience” trope, blending romance with real-world struggles. Evie Bloom, an aspiring artist, and Theo, an elementary school teacher, decide to marry - not for love, but for practical reasons. She needs health insurance to pursue her dream fellowship, and he needs to meet income requirements to keep his rent-controlled apartment. What starts as a logical arrangement soon turns into something much more complicated as their long-buried feelings start to surface.
I love the dual POV, which allows you to experience both Evie’s guarded independence and Theo’s quiet devotion. I love how Kanter highlights what people face in today’s world; challenges of healthcare access and financial instability, making you feel deeply relatable.
Overall, this book delivers both swoon-worthy moments and meaningful discussions about modern relationships.
Thank you to NetGalley, Marisa Kanter, and Macmillan Audio for the ALC of this book.
challenging
emotional
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
A great read for those who love the friends to lovers trope, like myself.
Thank you to Netgalley and the Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review
Thank you to Netgalley and the Macmillan Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review
DNF at 11%. boring and amateurish writing. i don't need to know the characters' exact bubble tea of choice nor their shopping list. an entire paragraph was dedicated to listing down every single grocery item theo bought ffs.
emotional
funny
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:
Yes
emotional
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
No
Two childhood best friends, one opportunity of a lifetime, and health insurance!
Evie has a fellowship offer, chronic illness and suddenly needs a place to live. Theo has a great job with all the benefits, but these are times when good is just not enough to live in suburban California. When his roommates make plans without him, he needs a roommate and a wife, if he wants to meet the income requirements. Best friends with perfectly aligned puzzle pieces sounds like the perfect solution. Because nothing has to change, right?
I’m a sucker for marriage of convenience and this did not disappoint. There was pining, and moments of clarity, and so much of the general coziness that comes with being known deeply and loved, regardless. I loved the local familiarity as a SoCal suburbanite, and the pages captured the real-life elements that many others have coated in glitter. There is comfort in the air conditioner that doesn’t keep up and the hodge-podge of furniture in shared spaces. I love a lived-in love, and shout out to the family and friends who see the truth before we see for ourselves.
5/5 stars!
Big thanks to Celadon Books, NetGalley and Marisa Kanter for the ARC for review!