I love friend to lover trope. That explains the chemistry between the 2 leads because they are so comfortable with each other. However, I am not a big fan with friends with benefit. Especially with an almost ex-husband and a stepson to make the situation even messier.

However, this is a delightful book that explores much more serious issue such as teenager son dealing with his sexuality. Connor is the cutest and best teenager boy character I have read. So glad Theo and Lexie are there for him even though they are not blood-related but they are family who cares deeply for each other.

I enjoyed this book a lot! I read it so quickly too. I kind of just assumed this was going to be about friends with benefits who turn into lovers, but there was a lot more to it than that. Lexie is playing step mom to Connor while his biological dad is out of the picture. Her best friend Theo, who also happens to be Connors god dad, non-related uncle and pseudo dad decide to start a friends with benefits relationship since everything is so good on every other front and they become a mismatched happy family. Drama ensues when on Connors birthday his dad reappears after almost a year, uninvited. Daryl has a temper and when he finds out his ex wife and ex best friend are sleeping together he pulls Connor out of their lives.

I liked that this was told in multiple peoples perspective. We hear a lot from Connors perspective and at first I was not into his storyline, but as the story went on I looked forward to his storylines; The trials and tribulations of being a 15 year old boy, questioning his sexuality, and navigating his relationships with his friends. This book had a lot more dimension than I anticipated and I loved it.

3.5/5 - Friends with Benefits by Lisa Swift has a good set-up. Lexie is step-mum to 14 year old Connor and owns a restaurant with her best friend, Theo. Lexie and Theo decide they are going to have a friends with benefits type of relationship. You know, with this being a romance, that things don't stay that way, and they develop feelings for each other. At first glance, that is what this book is about. Looking at it closer it is about much more. It is about grief, sexual identity, loss, friendship and so much more.

Lexie is quite unsure of her ability to be a good step-mum to Connor, especially with Connors dad disappearing from his role in parenting. I loved how open and accepting she was of Connor and she seemed to have typical worries that any parent would have. Connor is a pretty good kid that is learning to be himself and understand the world he lives in. He cares a great deal about his step-mum, his godfather, Theo and many other people in his life. He seemed to be quite introspective about his life as well.

This book seemed to have two important stories, Lexie's and Connors. I think that separate from each other, each of these stories would have made an interesting novel. Having both of these stories in the novel felt like I wanted a bit more from each story. I really liked both the main points of views in this book.

In the end, I went into this book expecting a romance, but it wasn't that. It was more of a contemporary drama, with some romance thrown in. This book tackles a lot of different issues, and really seems to tackle them head on, but at the heart it is about family and how your definition of family does not need to be defined by blood, but by the people who love and care about you.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley and the publisher for an open and honest review. All opinions are 100% mine.

Sadly, after trying to get into this book a couple of times I’ve had to decide that it’s just not for me. I wasn’t a fan of the teenage boy POV so I think that’s where I struggled.

I loved this book. It’s a story of a stepmom and teenage son who are living their lives as best they can while the husband is out of the country for his job. I loved the characters and honestly in this book. A definite read!

Friends With Benefits by Lisa Swift is a heartwarming romance. Lexie is stepmom to Connor, and her husband Daryl (soon to be ex) is working overseas. Lexie gets a lot of help from Theo, Connor's godfather, and she and Theo begin a friends-with-benefits relationship. I thought this story was just going to be a surface level romance, but it was actually quite delightful with some wonderful characters. I absolutely loved Connor with all his wisdom and growth as a teenage boy. I would highly recommend this book. Thanks to NetGalley for the free digital review copy. All opinions are my own.

I went into this thinking it was going to be more romcom but what I was left with was the journey of a found family. It's actually very hard to review this book without giving too much away but I highly recommend taking the time to sit back and dive in. I promise you won't regret it.

ARC provided by Netgalley for an honest review.
I enjoyed this friends to lovers story and how the two main characters come together to raise a child that technically isn't theirs but means so much to the both of them. The beginning dragged but picked up in the middle and became an enjoyable read.

I posponed so much the reading of this book and OMG I liked a lot which I didn't expect to bc at first I thought it will be okay but NO
I may say this book is so much more than romance and for me the story is not even focused in that part is much more about the people that surround you and how by the actions they became your family,
The book is narrated through the POV of Lexie, Theo and Connor and overall the story is great and touch some important topics nowadays.
The only think I didn't like was the narrative bc I got a little lost and there were some age errors through the book.

This book was a very cute rom-com
The characters were lovable and very relatable which is always a major love for me.
This was a quick book to read but so full of life. This is truly a beautiful book.
And I one I will definitely be recommending.
Thanks NetGalley Publishers & Author for this book!

Need a story that is uplifting and memorable?

I went into this book thinking it was going to be like other rom coms I've read. I expected head over heels love with the main characters going from friends to lovers and everyone living happily ever after in the end.

Boy, was I wrong, in the best way possible.

I loved this book for the fact that it was different from other rom coms. It was mainly based around family and familial love and the importance of it while also having a secondary relationship friends-to-lovers based love as well. It was not like any rom com I've ever read and I'm not sure it can be strictly classified as one. While it did have certain elements of a rom com, it had other focuses as well that led to a deeper and more important story.

One factor that really caught my attention was the way the author addressed different issues that occur through life, and what's interesting is that we, as the reader, are able to see these problems witnessed by the different characters of the story of different ages. For example, one of the topics that was spoken about was bullying, and the author was able to portray that issue with an adult character and with a teenage character, showing us the difference in experiences and mindsets and perspectives focused around the issue.

At the end, even though it wasn't a rom com I expected it to be, I genuinely loved the way it portrayed different kinds of relationships and finding oneself and being true to it while the characters were able to find love in their own way and in their own time.

Thank you to NetGalley and Hera for the earc for an honest review!

I really liked this one!
My favourite part was definitely the family aspect and Connor because he kept making me emotional, he's just so precious.
There wasn't as much romance as I expected but it didn't bother me as I just loved seeing all the different relationships between the characters and the found family vibe. Having the 3 POV's made it even better.
(Also It was so cool that it was set around where I live too haha)

So heartwarming and refreshing & one I'll recommend.

I really liked the characters and the connection between them. Especially Connor's relationship with both Lexie and Theo. I didn't like how the book went though. It was fun and cute at times but I just found a lot of the book boring. I was surprised to read some parts written from Connor's side since I thought this would be from the perspective of the "oldies." Even with that, I loved Connor! I would definitely read a book with him as the main character while he navigates through life as a teenager.

When I was granted an advanced reader copy of Friends with Benefits by Lisa Swift via Net Galley, I was super excited! The story sounded really fun and exactly the type of read I would enjoy, and Lisa Swift is a new author for me. Overall, the book delivered on all my expectations!

Friends with Benefits follows Lexie, a single step-mom to Connor, and Theo, Lexie’s business partner, as they navigate a friends with benefits type of relationship. Lexie is in the process of divorcing her husband, and Theo is her rock, her shoulder to cry on, her support system...basically, not to sound cliche, Theo is everything to Lexie except her official life partner. They are best mates, and both have stepped in as parent figures for Connor after the death of his mom and his father Daryl (Lexie’s soon to be ex husband) basically abandoning the boy. Theo is a commitment phobe, and Lexie feels like her youth is slipping from her...so they enter a booty buddy type relationship. And, surprisingly, both find that they enjoy their arrangement more than expected...they enjoy the intimacy of their relationship, more so than the sex. They know each other so well, and everything else just slips into place.

I really enjoyed watching Lexie and Theo’s relationship develop. Watching them stumble their way into love was really fun and touching, and I loved the family unit they made with Connor. I especially liked that Lexie was relatable as a lead female character; she had flaws and insecurities, but at the end of the day, she was a good person with good intentions. Theo was fun as a love interest as well; he was just the right level of fun and flirty with a self-discovery arc that was very fulfilling. I thought it was engaging to see that even though Lexie and Theo knew each other very well, there were still aspects of each other they learned about during their arrangement...and it only brought them closer to love with each discovery. Honestly, I would have been happy with the story stick to Theo, Lexie, and Connor as a family unit. My one criticism is that I didn’t enjoy the reintroduction of Daryl at the end of the book, and I didn’t really feel like it served a huge purpose. His redemption arc was just okay for me, and I felt like the story could have been moved along by focusing more on Connor’s struggle with his sexuality or furthering the storyline of Lexie and Theo. I just wasn’t a fan of Daryl honestly. The dialogue in the story was sometimes tedious to read as well, but otherwise, this was a fun romantic comedy with some poignant moments I really enjoyed.

3.75 stars

I love friends to lovers stories and this was it and more.
The subjects in this book stirred a lot of feelings inside of me. Connor's plot line was... I have no words. His struggles, everything he felt was just.. I love the way this was written.
I read the blurb and thought i was going to like it but i ended up really enjoying this book, more than I expected! I started it thinking this was going to be JUST a fun rom-com, but by the end i ended up learning not only about relationships, communication, and different types of love but also about myself.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review

Friends with Benefits is a cute romance full of love and real relationships. The story follows Lexie, a 31 year old stepmom to Connor, a 14 year old boy. His father, Daryl, has been absent and Lexie has taken over guardianship of Connor. Lexie works with Theo, Daryl’s ex-best-friend and they have bonded over the mess that Daryl has left them with. Theo is a a self-proclaimed womanizer and Lexie wants the benefits of sex with no strings attached. Thus, a pact is formed between Theo and Lexie – friends with benefits with none of the romance.

Through the course of the book. we see Theo’s feelings for Lexie begin to change, but the secondary stories that the author seamlessly weaves into the plot are what I really enjoyed. There are three different stories: Theo and Lexie and their budding relationship; Connor and his relationship with all three adults in the novel; and Connor and his relationships with his fellow classmates.

This story is so much more than a romance between two adults. I loved reading about Connor’s struggle with his sexuality and I felt that the teenagers were well-written and acted their age accordingly. I also felt that Connor and his relationship with his absent father was well-written and accounted for a great subplot in the book to show how relationships can be broken and mended if communication stays open between both parties involved.

The only thing that I wasn’t a fan of was the dialogue. There was a lot of dialogue in the book and sometimes it didn’t flow as well as I was hoping for. Some of the dialogue could have been made into a thought by the character or given in a backstory. Other than that, the book was cute, quirky, and perfect for anyone who likes a fun love story.

I really enjoyed reading this book! I went into it thinking it would be a fun rom-com, but ended up finishing the book feeling like I really learned a lot about relationships, communication, and different types of love.

Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for the arc of this novel!

Never judge a book by its cover. Or by its title, apparently.

Going in, based on the synopsis and the title, I was expecting a cute, steamy friends-to-lovers and friends with benefits romance. I would be happy to get just that, but this story took me by surprise and what a lovely surprise it was!

'Friends With Benefits' is a heart-warming, heartfelt love story, but it's also a story of a found family. I loved the message of this book and when I set it aside after finishing it, I was left with feelings of contentment, joy and satisfaction.

I won't repeat the premise, as it's recapped very neatly in the summary. But I will recap myself what I enjoyed about this book most:

❤ found family trope - it's one of my favourites and here, the message is that the standard nuclear family is not the only way to be a family and sometimes, people you can depend on without question grew to be your family in ways no genetic code can guarantee

❤ while romance between Lexie and Theo is part of the plot, it's not the main focus of the story (at least not for me) - Theo and Lexie support each other through major events in both of their lives, grow together and basically raise Connor (Lexie's stepson) together - I would actually say that the main focus is the family they create

❤ one of the subplots focuses on Connor and his realization that he's bisexual - and I loved how this story was handled (mostly) because how Lexie and Theo reacted was to me a pretty perfect scenario of how I would wish my own parents to react to my coming out

❤ Theo definitely is on an emotional journey throughout this book and has some growing up to do - what I appreciated here was how Lexie was incredibly supportive while not allowing Theo's insecurities to poison their relationship; in a gist, she called Theo out on his BS when necessary and took care to take care of her own emotional well-being

All in all, I adored this book plenty! It IS an uplifting, feel-good story and I recommend it to everyone who enjoys sweet, romance and family focused stories.

Trigger warnings: biphobia (as in, a family member reacts badly to coming out and there's plenty of hurtful biphobic remarks)

This was so not what I was expecting! The cutesy cover makes you think it's going to be your average chicklit novel, but this was contemporary fiction at its finest.

The characters are all so adorable & Connor is the cutest teen ever. Covering a multitude of different emotions & sensitive subjects. It will make you laugh, make you cry & hit you right in the feels.!

Many thanks to Netgalley for my ARC in return for my honest review.

𝗜 𝗴𝗮𝘃𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗶𝘀 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝗮 5 ⭐ 𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴

Friends with Benefits by Lisa Swift is a friends to lovers trope. Lexie is a step mom to Connor while his dad (Lexie’s soon to be ex-husband) is overseas for work. Lexie’s business partner, best friend and Connor’s godfather, Theo has stepped in to be the father figure in Connor’s life while his dad is away. When Lexie and Theo end up in bed together after a little too much wine one night, they attempt a friends with benefits arrangement. There’s plenty more drama and love throughout the book. Let me tell you, when I received this as an ARC from the publisher through NetGalley, I did not expect what I got. There was so much more to the book and what happened to all the characters that you don’t see coming in the description. I loved all the areas the author approaches and how each character handles everything differently. Great read!

Lexie Whittle thought she had life all sewn up, with a gorgeous husband, a beautiful home and a delightful teenage stepson. Until husband Daryl left to work overseas…and everything changed.
A year later, Daryl and Lexie’s marriage is over. Lexie is fighting to stay on top of the bills, juggling her job at the Blue Parrot 1940s cafe in Leyholme with being mum and dad to Connor in Daryl’s absence.
The only thing keeping her from meltdown is the support she gets from Connor’s godfather: Theo Blake, Daryl’s former business partner. Theo might be a jack-the-lad, drifting from one woman to another, but Lexie knows she and Connor can depend on him.
After one too many glasses of wine leads to them falling into bed together, Lexie and Theo begin a friends-with-benefits relationship. What starts as just sex soon becomes something deeper.
But when Daryl returns, Lexie is faced with an impossible decision. Will she be forced to choose between her feelings for Theo and the boy she loves as a son?

For all intents and purposes this is a romance story. However, it comes with a twist in shape of her step-son who she has been the primary carer for since her husband chose to go and work overseas. As a step parent this book resonated with me and I enjoyed the fact it stepped out of the realm of 2.4 children happily married. It addresses the issues some step parents have and that the love for that child is no less intense for a step parent than it is for a biological parent. Everything Lexie does is with Connor in mind unlike his father. I devoured this book and cannot recommend it enough I really really enjoyed it.