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jerrilynn17's review
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-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
4.75
thebookishnarwhal's review
5.0
I was expecting to read a cute YA book, but man, this was a mature YA book! Frenemies with Benefits by Lydia Sharp is an enemies-to-lovers romcom filled with secrets, some fake dating, and an amazing circle of friends. This story was super cute and I couldn’t put it down! It was witty and charming, while being fast paced and kept me entertained the entire time.
Meet Jess. She is graduating high school. She’s shy and a bit awkward. Oh, she’s also a virgin. It wasn’t planned, but things just worked out this way. With high school behind her, she has her sights set on her brothers best friend. The problem? He’s an experienced college guy coming home in four weeks, and she’s as inexperienced as they come.
Her enemy suggests she find someone to practice with. He suggests she find someone to teach her the basis of having sex, and it’s so outrageous she laughs him off. But the more she thinks about it, the more she realizes he may have a point. She agrees, with the stipulation that their arrangement ends in four weeks, just before her crush comes home. Will it be easier said than done?
I really enjoyed this book. I was laughing and it gave me happy vibes, especially when it came to the characters. The attitude towards sex is what I really loved the most. Sharp talks openly about it being okay to say no, how to be safe, and to be open to your partner about what you want.
Talk about sexual empowerment! Since this story follows characters who have graduated high school, it is very centred around sexual activity. Even though it’s glossed over, it’s still a main focal point. So I do recommend this read but to an older audience.
Meet Jess. She is graduating high school. She’s shy and a bit awkward. Oh, she’s also a virgin. It wasn’t planned, but things just worked out this way. With high school behind her, she has her sights set on her brothers best friend. The problem? He’s an experienced college guy coming home in four weeks, and she’s as inexperienced as they come.
Her enemy suggests she find someone to practice with. He suggests she find someone to teach her the basis of having sex, and it’s so outrageous she laughs him off. But the more she thinks about it, the more she realizes he may have a point. She agrees, with the stipulation that their arrangement ends in four weeks, just before her crush comes home. Will it be easier said than done?
I really enjoyed this book. I was laughing and it gave me happy vibes, especially when it came to the characters. The attitude towards sex is what I really loved the most. Sharp talks openly about it being okay to say no, how to be safe, and to be open to your partner about what you want.
Talk about sexual empowerment! Since this story follows characters who have graduated high school, it is very centred around sexual activity. Even though it’s glossed over, it’s still a main focal point. So I do recommend this read but to an older audience.
lyssreadsbooks's review
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
sofiesbooked's review
4.0
I knew just from the first 20 or so pages that this book was going to be so much fun!! Frenemies with Benefits is a fun upper YA contemporary romance with some great spice!
4⭐️
Jess is graduating high school and is sad to be a shy, anxious virgin. Not at all how she planned or expected things to go. When her brother's (hot) best friend is coming into town for the summer, Jess makes a deal with Ben, her frenemy within her friend group, to teach her how to not be a virgin. Jess and Ben are the outliers of their friend group - they love to bicker and banter with each other but cannot stand to be around one another. The only thing is that it has to stay a secret. This is such great take on enemies to lovers within a contemporary setting.
I love the sex-positive themes within this book even if the plot was a little silly as someone in their 30's. But my inner teen really enjoyed every part of Jess's awkwardness and the growth within their relationship and interactions.
Jess and Ben are really the perfect Frenemies to lovers! The two characters really give "10 Things I Hate About You" vibes ✨
Read if you love:
Contemporary Romance
Forced Proximity
Frenemies/Enemies to Lovers
Fake Dating
Inexperienced/Experienced
He Falls First
Spice content for upper YA
Thank you Netgalley and Entangled: Teen for this eARC to review!
4⭐️
Jess is graduating high school and is sad to be a shy, anxious virgin. Not at all how she planned or expected things to go. When her brother's (hot) best friend is coming into town for the summer, Jess makes a deal with Ben, her frenemy within her friend group, to teach her how to not be a virgin. Jess and Ben are the outliers of their friend group - they love to bicker and banter with each other but cannot stand to be around one another. The only thing is that it has to stay a secret. This is such great take on enemies to lovers within a contemporary setting.
I love the sex-positive themes within this book even if the plot was a little silly as someone in their 30's. But my inner teen really enjoyed every part of Jess's awkwardness and the growth within their relationship and interactions.
Jess and Ben are really the perfect Frenemies to lovers! The two characters really give "10 Things I Hate About You" vibes ✨
Read if you love:
Contemporary Romance
Forced Proximity
Frenemies/Enemies to Lovers
Fake Dating
Inexperienced/Experienced
He Falls First
Spice content for upper YA
Thank you Netgalley and Entangled: Teen for this eARC to review!
heyitsmeg777's review
4.0
NOTE: Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!
It's been a while since I sat down to read a YA rom com novel simply because a lot of them feel too familiar with predictable plots and what not. But the idea of a book that sets out to discuss sex as well as consent and showing the raw ups and downs of falling in love and teenage hood in a way that feels reminiscent to what it's like to be a teenager in our current times, I have to admit this book did a pretty good job. The last time I rea a book like that was Cynthia Hand's With You All the Way which was hilarious and did a good job of keeping us invested.
Now, onto our usual to see what happens.
Short Summary: The resident shy virgin sets out to impress her brother's best friend Andrew but to do that, she'll need help from her enemy to give her a few lessons in getting the boy she wants.
Cue the drum roll.
Long Summary: If there was an award for Least Able To Function Around Cute Boys, Jess Webster would clean up. She can barely talk to a guy, let alone engage in naked things. But now that high school is over, Jess resolves to put her big girl pants on and at last bang bag the longtime object of her desire, Andrew. All she needs is someone to practice on first.
Enter Benjamin Oliver. Jock hot, nerd hot (which is just greedy, really), star quarterback, and all-around pain in Jess’s ass. While Jess would rather nap on a nest of fire ants than be his girlfriend, there’s still something about him that sends a jolt through her stomach, making him her best (and only) candidate for her guy game glow-up.
With summer in full swing and not one, but two, cute boys on the horizon, Jess is pretty sure she’s on the winning side of the bargain. But can her deal with Benjamin stay purely business-with-pleasure? And, the question that Jess soon can’t ignore: does she want it to?
I admit that while reading this book, the beginning did feel a bit cringy and trying a bit too hard to incorporate the Gen Z language "The boomer teacher" had me dying inside, but if we brush aside the try-hard attempt in the beginning to hook readers, the banter and chemistry between Jess and Benjamin--I mean, Ben haha is one that makes you wonder what exactly happens between frenemies who shake on a deal and maybe realize that they had pent-up desires to be with each other.
I did get a few good laughs on the train with this one, so there is that.
Overall: 4/5 stars.
It's been a while since I sat down to read a YA rom com novel simply because a lot of them feel too familiar with predictable plots and what not. But the idea of a book that sets out to discuss sex as well as consent and showing the raw ups and downs of falling in love and teenage hood in a way that feels reminiscent to what it's like to be a teenager in our current times, I have to admit this book did a pretty good job. The last time I rea a book like that was Cynthia Hand's With You All the Way which was hilarious and did a good job of keeping us invested.
Now, onto our usual to see what happens.
Short Summary: The resident shy virgin sets out to impress her brother's best friend Andrew but to do that, she'll need help from her enemy to give her a few lessons in getting the boy she wants.
Cue the drum roll.
Long Summary: If there was an award for Least Able To Function Around Cute Boys, Jess Webster would clean up. She can barely talk to a guy, let alone engage in naked things. But now that high school is over, Jess resolves to put her big girl pants on and at last bang bag the longtime object of her desire, Andrew. All she needs is someone to practice on first.
Enter Benjamin Oliver. Jock hot, nerd hot (which is just greedy, really), star quarterback, and all-around pain in Jess’s ass. While Jess would rather nap on a nest of fire ants than be his girlfriend, there’s still something about him that sends a jolt through her stomach, making him her best (and only) candidate for her guy game glow-up.
With summer in full swing and not one, but two, cute boys on the horizon, Jess is pretty sure she’s on the winning side of the bargain. But can her deal with Benjamin stay purely business-with-pleasure? And, the question that Jess soon can’t ignore: does she want it to?
I admit that while reading this book, the beginning did feel a bit cringy and trying a bit too hard to incorporate the Gen Z language "The boomer teacher" had me dying inside, but if we brush aside the try-hard attempt in the beginning to hook readers, the banter and chemistry between Jess and Benjamin--I mean, Ben haha is one that makes you wonder what exactly happens between frenemies who shake on a deal and maybe realize that they had pent-up desires to be with each other.
I did get a few good laughs on the train with this one, so there is that.
Overall: 4/5 stars.
jennifromthebooks's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.5
thenextgenlibrarian's review
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
4.25
Tropes: fake dating, enemies to lovers and forced proximity.
🎓
Jess struggles connecting with new people. She’s shy and awkward around those she doesn’t know, but has always felt annoyance and attraction around star quarterback and rich boy, Benjamin Oliver. When Jess’s crush comes to stay with her and her older brother for the summer, she asks for Ben’s help. She needs to learn how to seduce someone and quick. Jess has zero experience in the field of dating and Ben is all too eager to help. As the two spend more and more time together over the summer they start to feel more than friends and definitely more than enemies.
☀️
This was definitely not what I thought it would be when I read it. Goodreads compares it to The Kissing Booth and Tweet Cute, which are both YA romances This is NOT for tweens or teens, in my opinion. I believe this falls firmly in the category of new adult romance as there are many, many steamy scenes. I enjoyed it once I realized it wasn’t going to be a YA title, but still found it a bit too long. I adored the cover and the sex positivity message! Fans of Cameron Lund will love this book.
CW: emotional parental abandonment
4.25⭐️
🎓
Jess struggles connecting with new people. She’s shy and awkward around those she doesn’t know, but has always felt annoyance and attraction around star quarterback and rich boy, Benjamin Oliver. When Jess’s crush comes to stay with her and her older brother for the summer, she asks for Ben’s help. She needs to learn how to seduce someone and quick. Jess has zero experience in the field of dating and Ben is all too eager to help. As the two spend more and more time together over the summer they start to feel more than friends and definitely more than enemies.
☀️
This was definitely not what I thought it would be when I read it. Goodreads compares it to The Kissing Booth and Tweet Cute, which are both YA romances This is NOT for tweens or teens, in my opinion. I believe this falls firmly in the category of new adult romance as there are many, many steamy scenes. I enjoyed it once I realized it wasn’t going to be a YA title, but still found it a bit too long. I adored the cover and the sex positivity message! Fans of Cameron Lund will love this book.
CW: emotional parental abandonment
4.25⭐️