This is a friends to lovers story with multiple other themes thrown in. Evie and Theo spend lots of time together, and Theo’s financial stress (he’s an elementary school teacher) and her health problems (Crohn’s disease) plus her job/internship as a Foley artist in Los Angeles with no health insurance lead them (mainly Theo) to decide marrying each other is a solution for these problems. Simple, right? Since they like each other!

Evie is the perpetual fly in the ointment here. She keeps trying to find problems in this new arrangement, because she’s really not a relax and enjoy it kind of girl.

I might have enjoyed the book a little more if the author had not inserted her politics into the story. It’s always a turn-off for me. Also, the pacing was incredibly slow at times. Also, this was supposed to be a rom-com, I think, but Evie and her personality prevented both parts of that genre. Her constant ruminations and her inner turmoil distracted from the plot moving forward.

This one is 3 stars for me.

I received a copy of the digital ARC via NetGalley. My review is voluntary.

Evie and Theo are long time friends who embark on a fake-marriage. I appreciated the thoughtful representation of chronic illness and the challenges of navigating the healthcare system. The MC's deep friendship was super sweet, but the romantic chemistry just wasn't there.

Sincere thanks to NetGalley and Celadon Books for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the ARC of this book.

Best friends since childhood, Theo and Evie get married for certain benefits. But what happens when they're forced to finally acknowledge the feelings they've had for each other their entire lives?

I love a good marriage of convenience trope. This one was a slow start for me, but once it hit a certain point, I didn't want to put it down.
This was an overall light-hearted read for me while also dealing with serious topics - chronic illness, parental death, abandonment, etc.

This book was good, not great. I enjoyed it for the most part but nothing stands out as memorable.

I typically love a marriage of convenience trope but this one just fell flat for me. The fmc was insufferable and it was hard to constantly watch her push people away.

As someone who suffers from a chronic invisible illness, I loved the actuate portrayal of life with an invisible illness and the awful American health care system!

Another great story from Marisa Kanter. Evie and Theo are both so clueless about their feelings for one another. I love how Marisa walks these two characters through little situations to help them realize their feelings.

The ending is perfect.

This was a delightful romance that covers a gamut of topics - chronic illness, death of a parent & abandonment issues. The author covers all topics with grace & you root for the characters to work through their issues. There is spice but nothing gratuitous. A good 4-star romance that gives insight into a side of Hollywood I never realized existed.

Thank you Netgalley and Celadon Books for the opportunity to read an early copy of Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter in exchange for an honest review! Firstly, I absolutely loved the main characters Evie and Theo; they felt very realistic and developed as if they were real people with real struggles and anxieties, and the way that the author moved from each of their perspectives was really well done as well. Their romance and friendship were developed wonderfully, I loved the slow burn of them realizing that they have more than platonic feelings for one another, and I especially loved learning the ways both of them pined for each other throughout the years of their friendship only for something to happen that prevented the two from bridging the step from friendship to dating. The inclusion of Evie's family and career were really fascinating, and overall the plot outside of the romance was entertaining and engaging. I appreciate the opportunity to read this book in advance and I really enjoyed it!

This book has a fun premise, but I think I just timed my reading of it wrong! I had just read a book with an extremely similar plot. I struggle with parts of this trope as well. It seems so obvious that the two should be together and in this type of story the characters are usually acting like they are already dating. I feel like this makes it harder to build tension and get invested. Still a sweet premise, just didn't pull me in like I wanted.

This one was a miss. I can see how they’re relationship naturally switched from friends to lovers especially after they got married but I didn’t particularly like either character enough to be invested in their story

Sadly, this book was not for me. The writing and the story didn't resonate with me. Evie mostly made me sad? And a bit frustrated? I just kept hoping/waiting for me and didn't get it. I can see how others might like this more. Onto the next!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC. All opinions are my own.

This one was firmly not for me. I'm starting to think the whole "we've been best friends for years but we're secretly in love but have never acted on it" is NOT the trope for me. I could not understand how Theo and Evie had been in love for years but couldn't just be honest with one another about those feelings. It could also be that I didn't enjoy the main characters whatsoever. The whole marriage of inconvenience could've worked but they overthought it every single dang step of the way. This book was reallllll low on the romance and real high on the spice. It didn't connect for me and I really wanted both these characters to go to therapy! I wanted to love this one but couldn't.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

<i>Friends with Benefits</i> is a romance centered around a marriage of convenience between two lifelong best friends for the actual benefits - as in health benefits. The story takes us through Evie and Theo's current day relationship while scattering in memories of their friendship throughout to provide a full understanding of who they are to each other.
While their is romance, there are also serious themes centered around the need for this marriage of convenience. At points, it did seem like there was a political agenda that shifted my view on how much of a romance this could actually be. But once the themes were addressed, they became more of a background to the story - such as health insurance and health issues and loss of a parent due to death and abandonment.
I enjoyed the connection between Evie and Theo, especially that they meant at a dance studio and became dance partners in competitive dance. That kind of a relationship is special and lifelong when you find the right people. So having them become married to help each other get through some tough issues was genius. I personally prefer my romance novels to be more of the rom-com type. This didn't have much comedy so it wasn't my favorite.

This was a cute book but it took me awhile to get through it since the storyline never kept me engaged or wanting to read more.

Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter is a friends to lovers romance about two people who have been best friends since childhood. It captures disability, hardship, and so much hope and love.

I enjoyed this romance, and following the two main characters as they learn and grow. The two also follow the fake relationship trope, which is always so fun, because..forced proximity and the push to acknowledge the feelings that may have always been. I especially loved learning about the female MC’s career (which is clever and fun), and the ending of this story was delightful.

Thank you NetGalley and Celedon Books for this advanced reader’s copy.

The plot was excellently conceived and the format was fun, but I struggled to root for Evie as much as I wanted to. That, unfortunately, made it hard for me to connect with the book overall. The writing was excellent though, so I’m sure this is just one that was not for me and others will really enjoy it!

Evelyn (Evie) and her sister Imogen (Gen) were left as children, first by their father and then later by their mother. Evie and Theo have been best friends since meeting in dance class as young children. Evie's dream had been to dance but an injury at a dance competition put an end to that career choice and brought about the discovery that Evie has Crohn's disease. Evie is now working in film doing foley and is selected for a fellowship which she didn't apply for. Theo had entered her name and she won. Theo's two roommates are moving out and he'll need to be married or make enough $$ with his income and a roommate's in order to stay in the rent controlled apartment. Theo suggests marrying so that they can live in his apartment, Evie can go on his insurance and quit her job to take the fellowship. Theo's always been IN love with Evie but will do the marriage keeping things as they always have been - mostly platonic. Good story.

Friends with Benefits was a funny and lighthearted romance book that follows Evie and Theo's journey. Evie is an aspiring artist who wants to attend her dream fellowship; however, that fellowship does not offer health insurance. Evie suffers from Crohn's disease, and she needs health insurance. Therefore, Theo offers to marry Evie, so that she could attend the fellowship, and he does not have to lose his apartment. Theo is a struggling elementary school teacher. Once Evie and Theo got married, sparks flew, and they got closer together.

Overall, I would give this book 3 stars. I liked Theo as a character; however, I disliked Evie as a character. I thought her character plot line was a little confusing. I thought the flashbacks throughout the book were also confusing, and the book overall could have been shorter. I liked the premise of the book though which is why I give it 3 stars. Thank you to NetGalley and Celadon Books for the free ARC in exchange for a review! Out now!

This book has a great premise and is a great summer read. Great disability/invisible illness rep here—and it is clear the author wrote the representation with an understanding of it. I also loved the Ginger Rogers/Fred Astaire/dance thread as well as learning about sound design. I loved the covert system the best friends have of communicating during work. I also thought the book does both the found family and friends to lovers tropes well. I look forward to reading more from this author!

Evie and Theo have been best friends since they first met in a dance studio when they were young. Evie's dream was to go to NYC and be a dancer; Theo's was to make changes in the education system. During high school, Evie struggles with pain but all of her medical tests come back normal. When she falls during a dance with Theo, they discover that she has Crohn's disease. She manages to pivot her life dream to becoming a Foley artist. Theo, racked with guilt for her fall, tries to change his plans to stay in CA but she pushes him to New York. He returns when his mother's cancer returns and their friendship picks up right where it left off. When Evie's forced to move out of her grandparents' home and gets an offer for a Foley fellowship, she has two major problems: 1) somewhere to live and 2) she has to turn down the fellowship since it doesn't come with insurance. At the same time, Theo's roommates are moving out to buy a place but as a teacher, he doesn't make the required salary of rent x3 to stay. Yet, if he and Evie marry, they can combine their current incomes to meet the requirement and Evie would get health insurance. Win-win!

The story is told from both Evie's and Theo's POVs and have "alt chapters" that are flashbacks. I really liked Theo, especially his teaching style. Evie; however, annoyed me. For someone in therapy, she's really good at ignoring/refusing to talk about things that happen and/or his feelings. I'm not expecting that therapy would magically make her fully embrace her feelings and talk about them, but not confronting the things with Theo and her mother that keep repeating seems unrealistic. The problems with America's health care system, especially the lack of listing to women about their bodies, was covered incredibly well. Overall, I enjoyed the story.

Thank you to Celadon Books for the advance reader copy of Friends with Benefits by Marisa Kanter.

Theo and Evie have been best friends for a long time. Evie lives with a chronic illness and when she gets an incredible opportunity for her career, it turns out to not include health insurance. Theo, a school teacher, ends up in need of a roommate when his suddenly moves out. A marriage of convenience would help each of them.

Evie and Theo are sweet together. I liked getting to experience past and present moments of their friendship. I think the yearning between these two will stick with me the most after reading this story. It’s evident the feelings these two have for each other as they’ve navigated their friendship and then must navigate their feelings once they enter a marriage of convenience.

If you enjoy a friends to lovers, marriage of convenience romance, this is one to check out!