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⚜️ Book Title - Frenemies with Benefits
⚜️ Author - Lydia Sharp
⚜️ Rating - ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
⚜️ Some Genre/Themes/Tropes: YA/NA Fiction, Romance and fake dating

I received an advanced reader copy (ARC) of this book via NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. This is my honest review.

Okay, wow this one came out of nowhere. I saw a bunch of cute ARC promo packs floating around for this by the publisher so I check out the blurb, it sounded up my alley, so I signed up to try get an electronic copy. I got one and I was not disappointed!

I am a sucker for some good back and forth banter and jabs between characters. Jessie (FMC) and Ben (MMC) were excellent. I loved their interactions and the development of their relationship as the grew to further understand each-other.

This is a real coming of age story with some great lessons. Back when I was 16-19 this would have had such an impact because I had no idea about relationships and I didn’t have my life mapped and not a lot of books I read discussed those topics in this light. I’m older now, not a foot in the grave old but old enough now to be comfortable in myself and this still made my heart happy.

I’m a massive fan of cute teen rom coms and this book hit that sweet spot perfectly! I’m kinda sad that’s over…

I would recommend this book to others. I definitely will look for other books written by this author.

I want to say thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

Note (How I rate): Three stars is a good, enjoyable read. Four is an excellent read and five is a comfort read that lingers with me for life (very difficult to get but not impossible).

Thanks NetGalley for the preview!

This book was a cute and addictive summer read! The romance was hot and sweet at all the right times. I loved Benjamin as a leading man, he had some amazing traits. Jessie was interesting and I liked how she grew her relationships. Especially talking with her mom and reconnecting.

This fills a gap I often see between YA and NA— a book for those later teens who are in the phase of their life where they’re maturing and figuring out life and love!

Frenemies With Benefits is a coming of age that is light hearted, fun, humorous, and romantic. It’ll have you giggling and kicking your feet, and as an adult it reminded me of some funny memories from high school.

I think most of us can relate to what it feels like to be the odd one out, the third wheel, and unsure of what comes next. Seeing life through Jessie’s point of view was a refreshing reminder that it’s okay to not have everything figured out— things will work out how they’re supposed to.

I wish the resolution had been longer, more thorough, and better explained, but I understand that the meat of the journey was over and the author chose to wrap it up quickly.

Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4.5/5)

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

Sigh. This book took me back to my late teenage years when everything was exciting, yet complicated. The book is so relatable in that regard, and I thoroughly enjoyed every second of it!

Jessica might be shy, but she also has this innate inner strength that she isn’t afraid to reveal when necessary. She certainly has no qualms about using her sharp tongue against her nemesis Benjamin. He’s the popular jock-nerd who has a player reputation with the ladies. Jess and Benjamin’s friends are dating, so they are practically forced to comingle…even though they absolutely detest one another.

It’s summertime just after high school graduation, and Jess’s brother is returning home with his friend Andrew in tow. See, Andrew is the one she really wants, so taking Benjamin up on an offer he suggested seems logical in getting Andrew to notice Jess. The plan is going great until, well, it becomes complicated.

Things aren’t always as they seem, are they?

I know you’ll enjoy Frenemies with Benefits as much as I did! You’ll love Jess and Benjamin’s witty banter, magnetic attraction [arches one eyebrow], and moments of comedic relief in this fun and entertaining read. The ending certainly had me swooning as well!

#Spicy #RomCom #EnemiesToLovers #FrenemiesWithBenefits #YA #LydiaSharp #Entangled

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟/5 Stars!

OMG this is most likely gonna be my one of my favorite rom-com reads this year! & I say this whole heartedly as I’m usually not a big romance reader only picking up a few! I’m for sure going to be seeing what all Lydia has to offer as this is my first book I’ve read of hers.

When I tell you I was cheesin’ the whole time and how much I giggled 🤭!! I loved Ben & Jessie from the very beginning, and it was so freaking cute! But it was also a very real feeling.

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟


So many of us as we’re growing up try to mold ourselves into what is expected of us, and are too afraid to show our true selves to someone. Especially when it’s someone we want nothing more than to share ourselves with but have a fear of rejection. Sometimes these fears are so strong, some of us may never know what the results would be if we just bear ourselves out to the truth. Some of us work up the courage to know and never have to second guess what-if’s.


Below 👇🏼 there may be spoilers from my words of how the book could end, so please be cautious of what comes out of my mouth! 🫠

I loved seeing Jessie transform into herself all the while unknowingly helping Ben come into himself as well. They are perfect together, & I can’t wait to read their story all over again!!!

Thank you to Entangled for letting me experience this & Netgalley. I’m running 🏃‍♀️ to preorder now!

“I didn't expect to go back to my room with a smile so big it hurts. I didn't expect to hug my pillow and breathe in his lingering scent. I didn't expect a lot of what happened in the last two hours.”

“Frenemies With Benefits” had me smiling and giggling nonstop for the first few chapters. I absolutely loved the character introductions and story opening. Quickly realizing that perhaps I wasn’t the ideal target audience (teen) for the read, I decided to carry on and appreciate the story for what it was. I’m glad I did!

This book had so many moments of cute banter, great character chemistry, and a swoon-worthy ending that anyone would love! (The character cover art is the absolute cutest!) I also appreciated the author’s note included. It gave a lot of writer insight, which was helpful in assessing the reader’s perspective.

This book is well-suited as a romcom for the older/mature teen reader. It includes:
✨Fake dating
✨Enemies>Lovers>Friends
✨Sexual exploration
✨Grumpy/Sunshine characters
✨Hilarious banter
✨Relatable YA experiences
✨Encourages self awareness and personal control

Thank you to Netgalley, Entangled Teen, and Lydia Sharp for the opportunity to read and review an advance ebook copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was such a cute rom com! Ben & Jess’s banter always made me laugh & I really enjoyed watching their characters grow throughout the story.

It was a sweet, lighthearted read & the ending was just *chef’s kiss*

I really enjoyed this book. It was fun and bantery, and full of some of my favorite tropes. This mash-up of coming-to-age and rom-com, is fast paced and enjoyable. It's a sex-positive book that helps break some of the puritanical ties surrounding sexuality.

This was a really cute ya/na romcom! I’m not really sure whether to classify it as ya or na (which are nebulous to begin with) bc the beginning feels very ya but the last half feels like they aged up at least 4 years. But that’s ok, I’m ok with suspending reality in fiction lol.

I love a good enemies to lovers and this was a really fun and sweet take on the “take my virginity/teach me how to have sex” trope. High school Sadie totally related to Jess being all tongue tied around guys she likes and feeling so incredibly awkward. And Oliver is the sweetest cinnamon roll. He falls first is one of my favorite tropes!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

*found love
*friendship
*slow burn
*romance
*cozy read

This was such a cute book! I loved the banter between the two main characters and the friend support system. The author did a great job of keeping things fresh. This was a great cozy read with some wonderful character development. I will definitely be reading more books by this author!

My only negative was there was a quote later in the book by Ben that stated "Why would I hit on you-or anyone? But especially someone who's not even my type?" Ben dating someone else at the time makes sense for the first sentence but they never really clear up the whole not my type thing. I wish it would have been addressed by him either stating that she was his type all along and he was lying or maybe he didn't realize that she was what he was looking for.

Big thank you NetGalley and to the publisher for the chance to review this book pre-release. Okay, I LOVED this. So cute. I don't know what I was expecting, but it was way better than that! It felt like an elevated YA, and kept me hooked the entire time. A more formal review will be available on my IG/TikTok and Goodreads.

This book was pretty cute! It was fun and quirky! Jess is a FMC that seems pretty normal for an 18 year old who has just graduated from high school. She doesn't know what she wants to do and honestly, it is refreshing to see that. Ben is a cutie! Their relationship is so cute. It was pretty quick to deal with the enemies with benefits relationship but these two had great chemistry! The relationship progressed pretty quick but overall it was a quick read that I would recommend to people!

Enemies that fake date can be very interesting. Which was why I wanted to read this book. Jessica had a huge crush on her older brother’s best friend. So, when she found out that they were visiting for the whole summer, she wanted/ needed to get his attention. Her friend /enemy Ben overheard her plans and suggested he can teach her ways to seduce Andrew by having sex with each other. And of course she agreed to the fake dating and sex because she really wanted Andrew. I didn’t understand why Jessica thought she needed to have sex to be special for Andrew?! I didn’t understand why she liked Andrew since she really didn’t know him. He was just cute. I thought Jessie was a bit immature on that. Though, it was very predictable on whether she gets Andrew’s attention or not. And even though I guessed exactly what will happen, I enjoyed what happened. . Ben was great throughout the fake dating by asking for consent but I didn’t understand him in the beginning. Though as the story progressed I enjoyed how he became someone sweet and genuine. Jessie and Ben were great together. I thought their best friends were supportive and loyal. On a side note, the author explained why she included safe sex, discussions around consent and to be sexually healthy. I was pleased by all of that. Overall, it was a lovely, sweet, romantic, and enjoyable story that made me smile. I definitely recommend it. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC in exchange for my review.

I went into this book not expecting much but I actually really enjoyed it!

Jessica has a huge crush on her oldest brothers friend but she is convinced that there is no way that she could get him to like her being “inexperienced”. So in steps Benjamin, someone she has hated for the past year - but he offers to help her gain some experience & confidence.
Benjamin is also the mayors son, star football player, and all around golden boy.

Cue the friends with benefits that turns into fake dating and then real love 🥹

I loved the banter & the chemistry between the two. I really appreciated how the author turned this into a sex positive YA while keeping it very tasteful (and pretty much fade to black). It also didn’t read like a YA to me - more new adult rom-com that makes you laugh & cry.

Huge thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Frenemies with Benefits by Lydia Sharp is a sweet, face-paced coming of age story with plenty of chemistry and banter. For a coming of age novel, I was delightfully surprised with how sex-positive it was and how the book stressed the importance of communication and consent throughout. It was a quick and fun read!

Frenemies with Benefits by Lydia Sharp is a delightful rom-com that skillfully combines the enemies-to-lovers and fake dating tropes. Jess Webster, who struggles to interact with cute boys, makes a pact with star quarterback Benjamin Oliver to practice her romantic skills before approaching her longtime crush, Andrew. Despite her initial reluctance, Jess finds herself drawn to Benjamin's jock-hot-meets-nerd-hot charm, sparking an unexpected connection.

The chemistry between Jess and Benjamin is palpable, and their banter adds a fun and engaging element to the story. What sets this book apart is its focus on consent, which is a refreshing and important aspect often overlooked in romance novels.

The book stands out as a sex-positive read, promoting healthy discussions about intimacy and relationships. It handles these topics with care and openness, making it a fantastic choice for readers seeking inclusive and empowering content.

Though the story is primarily a rom-com, it successfully explores the complexities of communication and the significance of consent. However, in certain critical moments, communication seemed lacking, which was a slight drawback.

Overall, Frenemies with Benefits is a captivating and fast-paced read that keeps you entertained from beginning to end. It's a perfect blend of romance, humor, and thought-provoking themes. Whether you're a fan of enemies-to-lovers tales or simply looking for a delightful rom-com, this book has something special to offer.

4.4 rounded down to 4/5

We love a good girl gone bad!! & by we, I mean me lmfao. I loved Jess's character so much!

Frenemies with Benefits was such a cute coming of age, enemies to lovers romance, and I loved every minute of it!

I loved everything about this book! Lydia Sharp created such a fun, engaging coming of age romance. The characters, story and pacing were spot on. The perfect rom-com.

I adored the MMC and FMC and how they interacted with each other and the side characters in the story. It was funny and beautiful. This was my first book by Lydia Sharp, but it definitely won't be my last!

One thing though is that I wouldn't necessarily describe this book as YA but maybe more as new adult?

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I received a complimentary copy from the publisher and all opinions expressed are entirely my own.

This is a young adult and enemies to lovers romance and quite amazing. This is a good girl gone bad romance following Jess who has a massive crush on Andrew and doesn't know what to do. She decides to fix it by getting a test subject in the form of Benjamin, Benjamin and Jess strike a deal and what is true always ends up in the open. I absolutely adored this rom-com.

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I was really really intrigued by this book when I first heard about it. Enemies-to-lovers AND fake dating. SIGN ME UP!!
Jess has a crush on his older brother's friend, Andrew, so when she hears that he is going to be staying at their house for a month she wants to get the man. Her biggest disadvantage is that Jess is very inexperienced at anything relationships. Enter Ben, a guy that Jess HATES with a burning passion. Ben is your typical perfect guy, son of the mayor, rich, plays football, hot, etc. To her misfortune, they share a friend group so he has to be with him EVERY. SINGLE. DAY. When he suggests coaching her in sex so that she can get Andrews's attention Jess finds herself agreeing. I mean nothing could go wrong, right? Right?
I really loved this book. It had me giggling and smiling from page 1. I really loved the chemistry between Ben and Jess it was one of the highlights of the book for me. Jess is fun and is pretty relatable, although sometimes she can get into the "I'm not like other girls" trope. Ben is soooooooo amazing. I loved that the book focused a lot on consent since that's something that is sometimes overlooked in romance novels. I also really liked that the book was just more than the romance. I loved Jess and her girls. I had so much fun, especially through the beginning and middle of the book.
My biggest critique of this book is the third-act break-up. It just felt weird and it didn't make much sense. So much of the book is based on consent and communication, yet they can't communicate during ONE scene. I did really love the ending and I am really glad that it ended the way it did.
I would totally recommend this to anyone who wants to have some fun and wants a quick read. I read this in just one sitting!
Thank you so much to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.