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3.66 AVERAGE
3.66 AVERAGE
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
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
I really enjoyed this one, and contrary to some of the other reviews, I ABSOLUTELY think politics belong in romcoms. I loved that Marisa Kanter didn't hold back from condemning the American healthcare system, AND it made a perfect setup for this marriage of convenience story. I really liked Theo and Evie's individual arcs, and I loved the family dynamics present. Evie has a relationship with Theo's dad that is separate from Theo and feels really complicated for him, and both of their love for Theo's mom was beautiful. I loved the successful communication early on where Theo admits a mistake to Evie right away instead of hiding it just to build conflict in their relationship, and I loved that their marriage vows for the fake wedding were in fact entirely honest. I also really loved teacher Theo and his class—what an absolute cutie of a teacher.
A lot of other reviews suggest that Evie is too immature and selfish, and I'd counter that by saying that Marisa Kanter does a great job of showing how scared Evie is to shake things up in her life when she finally has things figured out. She's also still only in her twenties and has had to fend for herself since she was a kid! Yes, she has growth to do, but on the whole I have a lot of sympathy for what Evie and Theo are both going through.
On the whole, a really cute and relevant read that doesn't ignore the political climate but also doesn't sink into misery about it. Highly recommend!
A lot of other reviews suggest that Evie is too immature and selfish, and I'd counter that by saying that Marisa Kanter does a great job of showing how scared Evie is to shake things up in her life when she finally has things figured out. She's also still only in her twenties and has had to fend for herself since she was a kid! Yes, she has growth to do, but on the whole I have a lot of sympathy for what Evie and Theo are both going through.
On the whole, a really cute and relevant read that doesn't ignore the political climate but also doesn't sink into misery about it. Highly recommend!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Chronic illness, Abandonment
Moderate: Ableism, Cancer, Emotional abuse, Medical trauma, Death of parent, Injury/Injury detail
Friends with benefits by Marisa Kanter is a very cute friends to lovers marriage of convenience story. While I enjoyed this book it wasn’t my favourite.
I enjoyed the representation of grief and chronic illness. I loved some moments between Theo and Evie and their progression from friends to lovers. However at times the story felt repetitive and boring almost to a point where I was thinking of dnfing it.
Overall, I think if you love the friends to lovers you’ll enjoy this book. Thank you go NetGalley for this e arc!
hopeful
reflective
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.
funny
hopeful
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Friends With Benefits
Author: Marisa Kanter
Narrated by Gail Shalan and GM Hakim
Publishes May 6,2025
I absolutely loved the fact that the main character Evie has an autoimmune disease. Kanter did a really good job writing about a chronic disability and the daily struggle it is especially with tummy issues. I really related to Evie because it took her literally breaking for medical professionals to believer her pain and symptoms. Hearing “everything is normal” by a bunch if doctors is the worst feeling EVER. It really put a view on just how broken the medical system in America is.
I loved the connection that Evie and Theo have. He is literally so caring and compassionate to Evie especially with her health issues. I mean come on, he agreed to marry her just so Evie was able to get insurance, it shouldn’t have to come to that for people to get the help they need. I love how the more time they spent together the better the bond thy had and the love they were building.
This was a really good read for those who love the childhood to lovers trope, roommates to lovers, friends with benefits. Chronic illness representation, grief.
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for the ALC audiobook. All opinions are my own.
DNF’d at 8% :( This makes me so sad because I truly did have high expectations for this book, hence why I requested it from @netgalley!
The writing, while already being in my least favorite tense (third-person), was difficult to navigate? It felt very choppy and incohesive, and I often found myself questioning what exactly was being discussed in the present moment.
Evie is wildly immature for someone her age. When a character is the same age as me, I like to find them relatable, as if the dialogue is between me and a friend. If you would have told me she was 16 years old, I would 100% believe you.
There were many opportunities for the book to include elements imagery that would have highlighted Evie’s talents and struggles, but instead, the “fluff” details were redundant (i.e. Imogen living off a further exit x Hinge date ghosting).
Overall, I wanted way more out of this book and I found myself struggling to pick it up every time I grabbed my kindle.
The writing, while already being in my least favorite tense (third-person), was difficult to navigate? It felt very choppy and incohesive, and I often found myself questioning what exactly was being discussed in the present moment.
Evie is wildly immature for someone her age. When a character is the same age as me, I like to find them relatable, as if the dialogue is between me and a friend. If you would have told me she was 16 years old, I would 100% believe you.
There were many opportunities for the book to include elements imagery that would have highlighted Evie’s talents and struggles, but instead, the “fluff” details were redundant (i.e. Imogen living off a further exit x Hinge date ghosting).
Overall, I wanted way more out of this book and I found myself struggling to pick it up every time I grabbed my kindle.
hopeful
lighthearted
relaxing
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
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
informative
reflective
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I am not sure if it was the book or the fact I had a lot going on in my life to why I wasn't able to connect with this book.
I love the fact the author has who has a character has Crohns and sheds more light on the struggle people have to go through. I also loved the play on words of Friends with Benefits. I wasn't expecting the story to go that way. I got pretty frustrated with the Eve especially towards the end to the point I was yelling at her lol.
I had the privilege of listening to the audio. It's a dual voice book. I found it difficult listening when the author switches between time and the character has flashbacks in a present scene. I think because usually I zone out while listening and had to relisten when that happened to follow exactly what was going on. Overall both voices did a great job and were easy to listen to especially the male voice.
Overall I am glad I read it.
I love the fact the author has who has a character has Crohns and sheds more light on the struggle people have to go through. I also loved the play on words of Friends with Benefits. I wasn't expecting the story to go that way. I got pretty frustrated with the Eve especially towards the end to the point I was yelling at her lol.
I had the privilege of listening to the audio. It's a dual voice book. I found it difficult listening when the author switches between time and the character has flashbacks in a present scene. I think because usually I zone out while listening and had to relisten when that happened to follow exactly what was going on. Overall both voices did a great job and were easy to listen to especially the male voice.
Overall I am glad I read it.
Wow. This book was the best kind of surprise.
Full disclosure: I didn’t even read the plot synopsis before I began reading. Simply saw that it was recommended by a favorite author and decided to go in blind. I’m so glad that it did.
This book checked so many boxes for me: a protagonist with a super niche career (it’s always fun to learn about something new!), representation that doesn’t feel trite, and many of my favorite tropes. Most notably, this book has all the long-term pining and angst of friends-to-lovers wrapped in a marriage of convenience plot line. Oh, and miscommunication done well, in a way that feels realistic.
Even the fact that this book was written in the third person, present tense—something I normally loathe—didn’t detract from its charm. In fact, I read this one sitting. Was hooked from the very first page and lost a night of sleep over it.
Theo and Evie have romantic chemistry, yes, but beyond that, you get the sense of just how much they love each other as friends, which makes their mutual hesitance about a deeper relationship very believable. This book is about so many things, but ultimately it’s about learning how to trust someone, even when life has let you down over and over again. And, even more so, about learning to trust yourself to make the right decisions, even if they weren’t modeled for you.
Again, I’d like to shout out the representation in this book, both LGBTQ and chronic illness. Often, representation can feel very performative or “after-school special”, but here it felt like a natural extension of the characters. As someone who suffers from chronic pain and illness, I always appreciate it when it is well handled by an author.
4.5 stars out of 5, and I am looking forward to Marisa Kanter’s future work.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
Full disclosure: I didn’t even read the plot synopsis before I began reading. Simply saw that it was recommended by a favorite author and decided to go in blind. I’m so glad that it did.
This book checked so many boxes for me: a protagonist with a super niche career (it’s always fun to learn about something new!), representation that doesn’t feel trite, and many of my favorite tropes. Most notably, this book has all the long-term pining and angst of friends-to-lovers wrapped in a marriage of convenience plot line. Oh, and miscommunication done well, in a way that feels realistic.
Even the fact that this book was written in the third person, present tense—something I normally loathe—didn’t detract from its charm. In fact, I read this one sitting. Was hooked from the very first page and lost a night of sleep over it.
Theo and Evie have romantic chemistry, yes, but beyond that, you get the sense of just how much they love each other as friends, which makes their mutual hesitance about a deeper relationship very believable. This book is about so many things, but ultimately it’s about learning how to trust someone, even when life has let you down over and over again. And, even more so, about learning to trust yourself to make the right decisions, even if they weren’t modeled for you.
Again, I’d like to shout out the representation in this book, both LGBTQ and chronic illness. Often, representation can feel very performative or “after-school special”, but here it felt like a natural extension of the characters. As someone who suffers from chronic pain and illness, I always appreciate it when it is well handled by an author.
4.5 stars out of 5, and I am looking forward to Marisa Kanter’s future work.
Thanks so much to NetGalley and Celadon Books for providing an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
This was just a nice friends to lovers trope with a dual POV which I’m always a fan of. I enjoyed the narrators and the energy they gave to all of the characters. We get flashbacks of the MCs lives to get context on their relationship from the beginning and it’s really cute. This was close to a five ⭐️, but the FMC frustrated me way more than I’d like at times. The way she tackles conflict bothered me, but as you read along you’ll discover why she navigates it the way she does. We get important chronic illness representation and a vivid depiction of the vulnerabilities attached. If you like Abby Jimenez, B.K. Borison, and Emily Henry then you’ll definitely enjoy!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this 🎧 ARC.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this 🎧 ARC.
I love friends to lovers romance books and when you add in a marriage of convenience, I knew I had to read this one. While I think this book is good, there are others within the genre that I liked more. I appreciate the Chron's rep as I live with someone with the disease and I know how much of a toll it can take physically and emotionally. Even with Evie's condition and my real life experience with her disease, I didn't really care for her character. On the opposite end, I thought Theo was sweet and charming. I didn't really feel the romantic connection between Evie and Theo and I'm not quite sure why, but for me it made the book just ok.
Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you NetGalley and Celadon Books for access to the ARC in exchange for an honest review.