Jessica Webster wanted to catch the eye of the guy of her dreams, her older brother’s best friend, when they come to spend the summer with her at home. But with her innocence in all things relationships or otherwise, how would she get this college guy to notice her?

Frenemies with Benefits is full of fun and heartfelt moments alike that kept me flipping those pages as fast I could. As a mood reader, this fulfilled so many lighthearted romantic tropes I could ask for. Enemies to lovers! Fake dating! All the angst one could request with the miscommunication. To become a catch, Jess agrees to learn the ropes from her rival, Benjamin Oliver, a known player and all around annoying guy. Little does she know, no strings attached is rarely so simple.

In the vein of Cameron Lund’s The Best Laid Plans, the journey our main character takes from innocent girl to one who knows what she wants was fascinating. Jessie was at times very insecure about her ability to attract a guy emotionally so she put so much into the physical skills to draw Andrew’s eye. I found it was a fine balance to have Jess uncertain about herself and going overboard with her insecurities. But she really came out of her own head when in the presence of Ben. Their banter was absolutely everything. I loved his smirks and her savagery. While Jess said she hated him a lot, I mean, we all knew it wasn’t really right? Although we didn’t get Ben’s POV (would’ve been pretty great, I’m not gonna lie), there was always this sense that he saw her more highly than their apparently horrible first meeting that set them down the path of “enemies”.

The story started out as simply no strings attached kind of a deal, but Lydia kept it steamy without the explicit details. It wasn’t exactly fade to black but the wording was careful to maintain PG-13 so the emotions of such scenes are not taken away in the haze of lust. I appreciated this for the story it was trying to tell, especially surrounding someone’s first time and all the emotions that come with it. The growth Jessie took emotionally, not just sexually, carried the story for me.

As with most no strings attached stories, complicated emotions or unexpected wrenches get thrown into the plan. From here the story gives us some fake dating as well that continues to show the vulnerability of both Ben and Jessie beyond the physical attraction. I felt the pacing and transition was great as nothing dragged on too long before moving with the progression of their relationship. The writing and plot overall is definitely catered to younger readers in the YA genre but I still enjoyed it for what it was. If you’re fans of The Best Laid Plans and Jenny Han’s The Summer I Turned Pretty series, this one’s for you.

Overall Recommendation:
Sometimes you want a book that’s purely fun and full of tropes you enjoy. Frenemies with Benefits gives exactly that, with enemies to lovers and fake dating and plenty of angst stemming from miscommunication. While the premise is pretty full of steamy stuff, the author takes care to write about first times and sexual experiences in a thoughtful manner without the explicit detail to focus on a teen’s thoughts and feelings through her romantic journey. A quick read all around but a fun one I truly needed at this moment in time.

This book had so much potential: the clear boundaries and consent on the page, the sweet evolution of their relationship, the banter and sass, and, of course, the friend group. My only complaint was their ages; this novel made me a little uncomfortable as I have a child the same age on the MMC, and let me be honest, I want to pretend he is not there yet, so if you had made them college-age and contemplating grad school, this would have been a 5star for me.

Okay. I liked the idea of this book. It's perfect for the time in my life. I like that the love wasn't too unrealistic, aside from when she switches suddenly from Andrew to Ben because of [spoilers] but other than that it was fun. Not a huge fan of the cover, though. I think it would have been better in a different style.

This book was so much fun! I enjoyed how sex positive this book was and how much consent was talked about! It is a book I highly recommend and encourage all high schoolers to read. It was informative without being heavy. All around 10/10!!

Cutest YA romcom, but touches the borders of NA! Entangled sure knows to pick the best original stories!

As a huge fan of the Enemies To Lovers trope, I was onboard immediately. Frenemies with Benefits" by Lydia Sharp is a contemporary romantic comedy that explores the dynamics and conplexities of relationships. The story revolves around the theme of "enemies to lovers" and "fake dating," with a focus on sexuality, trust, and communication. The book was a refreshingly healthy portrayal of real relationships, with humor and swoon-worthy moments thrown in. If you are a fan of realistic and modern romance, this is the book for you!

This has been one of my favorite books this year. I was invested right away most likely because the thought of enemies becoming lovers are one of my favorite tropes. It's just so fun to watch the heat between two people sizzle and turn into flames.

The main two characters were so made for each other it was a beautiful thing to see their interest grow, I really felt for Jess, she's just so naïve but when reality settles in and she finally realizes all her feelings it's a beautiful thing to see. Benjamin was also a really great character and I adored him right away. I could totally picture him in my mind especially with those brown eyes that were constantly mentioned.

Overall the book was amazing, I didn't want to put it down and it's a definite must read.

I LOVED this book! The characters were well developed. The story had a fresh dynamic I’ve never read before. What I thought at first would be a stereotypical upper YA spicy romance with familial angst and personal confusion in identity, turned into a sweet romance with second chances and standing your ground in what you believe in. I love that the male lead wasn’t a typical 18-year-old boy. He was sweet and understanding. Nothing phased him and he put his heart on the line despite knowing what the terms of their deal were. The female lead wasn’t all puppy love, head over heels despite the sexual tension. I love the twist the story took, even though I kind of saw it coming, I love that the characters weren’t in a rush to get to their stereotypical happily ever after. I highly recommend this book! Thank you Entangled and Netgalley for the ARC!

great book and loved the mystery through out the book. I loved the characters and how they grew through all of their adventures. I enjoyed this book and this author and will check them out again add them to my reading pile.

Lydia Sharp is a new author to me and I was attracted by the cover and the title!

I enjoyed thoroughly this book, It was sweet, endearing , funny and a real feel good read!
The banter is comedy gold !
Jessica and Benjamin made a pact but we all know how it is going to end… the frenemies…

If you’re looking for a romcom that will make you LOL and swoon, this one is for you!

Thanks to NetGalley Entangled Teen and Lydia Sharp for the e-arc of this book in exchange of an honest review.

Esta lectura comenzó como algo lento y predecible, hasta un poco forzado. Peeero, al avanzar con la lectura no me di ni cuenta cuando ya estaba super atrapada en la historia. No podía parar de leer, quería saber todo lo que pasaba entre Ben y Jess.

Finalmente igual predije algunos de los desenlaces a los conflictos presentados, pero disfruté tanto leyendo cómo se llevaba hasta ahí, que no me molestó que no fuera más desafiante en ese sentido.

Esta historia nos muestra principalmente a Jessica intentando por todos sus medios superar sus miedos, que son bastantes. Pues ella es muy muy tímida e introvertida, le cuesta demasiado establecer conversaciones con desconocidos (e incluso algunos conocidos). Tiene poca experiencia en relaciones románticas por este mismo motivo, lo que le pesa mucho, especialmente ahora que sabe que el amigo de su hermano, en quien ella tiene un crush desde hace tiempo, vendrá para pasar las vacaciones de verano en casa de ella.

Por otro lado tenemos a Ben (te amamos Ben), quien a ojos de Jessica y como primera impresión, vemos como el típico chico mujeriego, bad boy, con el ego por las nubes, quaterback del equipo de fútbol americano, en fin, el más guapo y popular de la escuela. Sin embargo, a medida que se avanza en los capítulos, comenzamos a entender más sus formas de tratar a los otros (especialmente a Jess), sus otras facetas, motivaciones, conflictos, etc. Yo al menos, lo terminé amando. Es demasiado atento para su propio bien, muy respetuoso, todo un caballero.

La verdad, cuando terminé de leer esta historia, quedé con ganas de saber más de ellos. Si Lydia Sharp decide escribir una segunda parte o sacar capítulos extra, definitivamente los quiero leer.

MUY RECOMENDADO!!

Shania posts a review semi on time and not years later?? Say it isn’t so!

Omg. Like OMG! This book did EVERY THING FOR ME! I’ll go through slumps where I just cannot read anything for the life of me and it’s books like this that just make me rediscover the live I have for reading! Nothing and I mean NOTHING is better than a good romance!

The fact that Jess is the only one that calls him Benjamin? And that he’s the only boy that she doesn’t become stupid over? YOUR HONOR THEY ARE IN LOVE!!! (As I write this, I’m already wanting to reread it 😭). I fear this is going to become one of my favorite comfort rereads. You are going to have to pry this book from my cold dead hands!

I love a good “just for practice” book and then tying in enemies to lovers?? COME ON

Thank you to Lydia Sharp and Netgalley for gifting me an early copy of this books!

This was a good read and one that I read though quickly. Realistic and enjoyable story for my older students. Thank you netgalley for this arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for a copy of this book. All opinions in this review are my own.

This book was everything I wanted it to be and nothing like what I expected it to be. This book is technically YA – but it is definitely upper YA, bordering on NA due to the character’s age, and also the fact that it is ~spicy~. But, to be clear, it is spicy but not in an erotica way? Like, sex is present on the page, but very much in a teenagers figuring out their first time/first love, fumbling hands and awkward moments. It is not spicy adult romance, it is newly high school graduated seniors learning things about themselves. I would not suggest anyone under 16 probably read this book (or really high school in general, so I guess 14), but I think all of the content was done in a very age appropriate way. Teenagers have sex, and so this was taking that into consideration without feeling exploitative of the characters. My biggest issue is very much a ME issue, but that was that the names of the characters set off my PTSD. I loved the characters, and they have generic enough names, they just happen to be linked trauma names for me and so it made it hard to read at times. Once I was able to dissociate enough with the names that it didn’t click for me this book was a breeze to read and I loved it. 100% would read again and read other things Lydia writes.

i enjoyed this book so much! i am a SUCKER for "he falls first" and "he falls harder" and this book was the perfect version of that! fake dating will forever be one of my favourite tropes and this book was no exception <3333 i found all of the characters to be very likable (especially ben) and the plot felt fun and fast paced!

i also liked how this was very sex positive and i haven't read anything that tackles sex scenes the way this book did! it was the perfect type of in between where it's not really fade to black but it's also not super explicit, since this book is technically still classified as ya (upper ya obviously).

** Thank you NetGalley for providing me a copy of this book in exchange for a review **

There is something about a fake dating trope that I really enjoy. It’s so silly, but fun. This was a cute read. I thought the banter between Jess and Benjamin was entertaining, and the dynamic they had with one another made their relationship development interesting and believable.

I do dislike in books though when there is a character that seems to be lacking common sense, or just completely unaware, and that made me groan a bit.

Overall this was a fun quick read, with some very funny and sweet moments.

Thank you to netgalley for a free e-copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

2 stars DNF at 80%
It was okay, fun and quick to read to start but just went downhill. A spicy young adult book with the sex talked about more than actually done, and takes place right after they graduate high school and they are 18 year olds. It was just not holding my attention.

I did not understand why they hated each other to begin with and it was not explained besides her calling him Benjamin instead of Ben.

There was a part in the book talking about weight and if Ben would still like her if she gained weight even though she is skinny now and he has only dated skinny girls, it was very uncomfy to read.

Unplanned pregnancy and talk of abortion trigger warning as well for a side character, who then decides to keep the baby and get married to baby daddy.

Money is also a little weird in the book, all her friends are rich but she feels bad having them pay for some stuff but not others. And why the heck is a bridesmaid dress $5,000 like are you kidding me??? I just had to put the book down.

I also saw this from another reviewer that I thought hit the nail on the head: "the message from the main character is "let's get rid of my virginity right away to this guy I am attracted to but kind of hate so I can be really good at it for this OTHER guy that I actually like"."

Thank you to Entangled Teen for sending me an eARC of this book to read and review.

I loved this book. I picked it up and didn’t put it down until I was finished with it. It was so easy to read, and I was completely sucked into the banter, the drama, and the characters.
Right from the first pages, I had a feeling I was going to love the book. Jessie was a great narrator and character. I loved her wit and boldness, and I also loved that she got tongue-tied and nervous. She was relatable and realistic, and I was laughing at so many times while reading.
Ben was so sweet. He was also cocky, arrogant, hilarious, and smart. I loved his relationship with Jessie, and I loved how it progressed from the sex lessons, to the fake dating, to more. I also loved how he was with Jessie during their sex lessons. He was always telling her she was in control, and the focus on consent was really great.
I loved the sex positivity in this book. It was fantastic! It was not spicy, but it was open door and I really appreciated it. There were so many funny and real moments between Jessie and Ben. I liked the awkwardness and the fumbling, and I liked seeing Jessie become confident in herself.
Overall I thought this was an amazing read with great characters, funny situations, sex positivity, and a great narrator and voice.

I want to express my heartfelt gratitude to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for granting me the opportunity to dive into the captivating world of "Frenemies with Benefits" by Lydia Sharp. This book earns a resounding five stars from me.

"Frenemies with Benefits" is a gem in the realm of young adult literature, with a closed-door romance that balances tasteful allure without venturing into explicit territory. It adds just the right amount of spice to keep readers intrigued. What truly stood out for me was the undeniable resonance with the timeless love story of Elizabeth and Darcy from "Pride and Prejudice," albeit with a fresh, contemporary twist. This reimagination of the classic enemies-to-lovers trope was executed flawlessly and brought a newfound excitement to the familiar narrative.

Surprisingly, as a woman in her 30s, I found immense enjoyment in this tale centered around 18-year-olds. This speaks volumes about Lydia Sharp's masterful storytelling. The characters were vividly portrayed, and their love story felt authentic.

One of the book's strongest attributes is its realistic and natural dialogue. Too often, romance novels stumble in this department, but "Frenemies with Benefits" excels, with conversations that flow effortlessly and authentically.

This novel has left me eagerly anticipating more from Lydia Sharp and a voracious appetite for further offerings from Entangled Publishing. Everything I've encountered from this publisher thus far has been a testament to their commitment to quality storytelling, and "Frenemies with Benefits" is no exception.

In conclusion, "Frenemies with Benefits" is a delightful surprise that seamlessly blends the best elements of classic romance with a modern twist. It's a must-read for anyone seeking a captivating and emotionally resonant YA romance. Lydia Sharp has a new fan, and I can't wait to see what enchanting tales she weaves next.

A really fun read, but I will say the second hand embarrassment that was going strong through-out the entire book. The message was very well written and I appreciate how Lydia Sharp explores the awkwardness and nervousness of having a first time and a first time boyfriend. The wit and banter was highly enjoyable and the overall book was well rounded and entertaining, but the plot was slightly predictable in the best way possible. Not in a disappointing was, but a “heck yea I’m right” kinda way.