When I first started this audiobook, it didn't really grab my attention, so I ended up pausing it for a while. But, when I decided to give it another shot, I found myself getting a bit more engaged. As I got closer to the last 20% of the book, things really picked up for me, and I ended up enjoying it a lot more than I expected.

One thing I did enjoy from the start was the accents the audiobook narrator Adenrele Ojo used. She’s always been a great narrator. She really placed me in the southern area of Georgia and added an extra layer of authenticity to the story. It felt like I was right there with the characters in GA.

I loved Book 2 of the series, and while I haven't read Book 1 yet, I'm looking forward to diving into it soon. Overall, 𝐹𝑟𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑚𝑖𝑒𝑠 𝑤𝑖𝑡ℎ 𝐵𝑒𝑛𝑒𝑓𝑖𝑡𝑠 turned out to be a pretty good read, especially towards the end. Definitely worth giving it a try if you're into romance with a bit of drama and fun! I would say that you may want to read the physical or e-book unless you want to immerse yourself and get that southern feel through the accent the narrator gives.

This book was captivating and fun. Tracey runs a bed and breakfast in a small town which has recent received the designation for Best Small Town. After her divorce is finalized, Tracey just wants to get out there and get to know herself for once. In the process, she ends up in a friends with benefits situation with a guy she’s known her whole life.

Frienemies with Benefits is the perfect mix of drama, great friendships, and self discovery. I loved every minute. My only drawback was the narrator for the audio. Also once again I read a book that was apparently part of a series 😅

📚 5/5
🌶️ 1.5/5

I received an ALC copy from Net Galley

Part of what drew me to this story was the title and the cover. The cover is so beautiful the artist did a great job. The title is misleading. The MCs do not have a Frenemy relationship ever in this story. Both MCs are dealing with divorces causes by a cheating spouse. From the beginning, Brian is supporting Tracy and helping her recover from her fresh divorce. I love that this was a "use me" trope because Brian was jealous of any other man get the chance he always wanted. I love how adult this relationship was. I definitely recommend this book, but the title needs to be reworked.

This audiobook was super cute. I want to visit Peach Tree Cove now! I love Tracey's resilience in going for the things she wants and never giving up. This book is essentially girl power and never letting a man take away your spark. Go Tracey!!

Too Cute!
Your business is never your own in small towns! Everyone in town is watching and whispering while poor Tracey is going through drastic changes in her life, but it seems that Brian has a front row seat. And I'm here for it! For the drama! The denial of attraction! The giving into attraction! The character growth! All of it! I loved how their individual stories are close. It makes you really root for both of their happiness. The narrator did well and it was an easy listen. It had me cussing at people, smiling, and laughing the whole time! I very much enjoyed this book and would recommend!

Peachtree cove was giving great small town vibes.

I loved the vibe of this novel, because being from a small town, I know people will talk. And I appreciated Tracey's thought process on all of her maneuvers, it felt intentional and I really liked it. Both their exes are so messy and never really got the explicit boundary that they were setting, so although that was annoyting, I appreciated that both Brian and Tracey were able to set those boundaries.

It was very cozy and a little slow burn, but I always love when a dude has been kinda pining for someone since highschool. It makes me internally happy for sure.

What a great read! I also read via audiobook and the narrator did a great job.

Thank you to Harlequin and Netgalley for an e-copy.

SPOILERS!

The Peachtree Cove covers are gorgeous but this third book left me frustrated. Even though I usually love Synithia Williams's work, Frenemies with Benefits had problems I couldn't ignore.

The title makes no sense. Tracey and Brian were never enemies. This is a straight friends to lovers story that uses a friends with benefits setup (my least fave trope bc it never works for me). They have an FWB arrangement but they agree to be exclusive (Why?, they're not dating), they leave weekends open (why, they’re exclusive?) and when they get together he has a sweet romantic evening set up. They’re DATING. Brian slid in under the pretense of friendship to get close and convince Tracy they should date.

Hate it every time.

The pacing was rough. We jumped from their first night together to full intimacy to relationship problems without more than a few scenes of them happy as a couple. We needed those moments to make the later conflict matter.

If this review was just on audiobook performance it would be the lowest rating I could give.. Adenrele Ojo usually delivers but her southern accent here was terrible. I switched to the ebook to finish.

What brought my rating back up was the sheer messiness of the secondary characters. The meddling parents and ex-spouses created enough drama to make up for the other issues. Williams knows how to write complicated family dynamics that keep you invested.

She got a lot right: moving on after divorce, authentic small-town life, solid friendships, and Tracy and Brian's character arcs. She understands how family patterns and past relationships shape how we approach love.

I love Williams's books but I'm not sure I'll continue with Peachtree Cove, no matter how stunning those covers are. The series isn't embedding itself in my heart the way her other series have.

3.5 stars, rounded down to 3 for the narration problems and missed opportunities in the romance.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the audio ARC. Glad I could switch to the ebook when the audio didn't work out.

Frenemies with Benefits was a cute second-chance, friends-to-lovers romance that was a quick read. Tracey, owner of the local bed and breakfast, is freshly out of a divorce from where her ex-husband cheated on her. Brian, former model now owner of the local nursery, often collaborates with the Inn to service flowers for weddings/celebrations. Tracey and Brian were always friends back in high school, but Tracey was always embarrassed Brian witnessed almost every one of her downfalls in life. The two of them, now both single, decide to come together for some steamy fun, no strings attached... until feelings start to grow.

This story was cute, but predictable. The star of the show was Adenrele Ojo as the reader. Their narration was so good and brought the characters to life. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and review!

Set in a classic small town with gossip and intertwining character histories. Both Tracey and Brian come from very different but messy divorces and just want to stay friends with benefits. I loved the way these characters communicated their needs and feelings as the story progressed. It was both refreshing and entertaining to read. Adenrele Ojo did a wonderful job narrating this audio version and I highly recommend listening.

I was sent the audio of this book from netgally for review.

Second Chance/ Should have been in the first place Romance <3

This one of those stories that show if he wanted to he would and this man did. Every single time. It is also shows what have a good group of girl friends can and will do for you at your lowest. Tracy has both a man who will do anything for her even go along with being nothing more than a release for her, even when his feeling are showing clear as day. Along with her two best friends Tracy finds her true self.

Brian gets his girl. And like i said he did what needed to be done to keep her. He should her she can relax and just be herself around him. And he takes care her in so many ways.

Now, I have to go back and read about Tracy’s friends and their love stories.

I love Adenrele Ojo's voice so much. She capture the voices so well. Even the male voice. I loved it. As part of this Peachtree Cove series, I am addicted to Williams narrative of the town. Def a must read series

This was such a cute friends with benefits to lovers romance! The male main charcater (brian) really cared for our female main charcater even though they were friends in the beginning.The narrators were very animated which kept me engaged in the story. I also loved that this book takes place in a small town and follows two black people falling in love. I will definitely checkout the other books in this series.

Oh what a lovely story! Love able characters, good plot, nice amount of drama, great pacing and overall a fun read. This felt like a mature love story that was more friends to lovers than enemies to lovers despite the title. This was a warm hug in a book for all the little girls that felt like they couldn’t escape the life they were born into. While not being overly traumatic! There was the perfect amount of chaos, spice and storyline to keep an interesting flow. Towards the middle though it felt a little repetitive but nothing that would make me dislike the story.

I really enjoyed this story... Tracey's growth and the complexities of her relationship not only with herself but with her friends, family, ex-husband(eye roll), her parent's(side-eye) and Brian really made this story stand out.

I know this was a second chance, frenemies to lovers, small town, big on gossip romance novel but it was so much more. It was so refreshing when an author gives you more than you expected. Tracey's journey made me sad, made happy, made me smile, made me realize that we will deserve to be happy. And even though the journey isn't alway easy. In the bed it's worth it and Brian was definitely the cherry on top!!!!

I loved this story so much. That I'm definitely going to read books 1 & 2.

Thank you Synithia Williams and NetGallery for this amazing opportunity! Ms. Williams I'm a fan for life.

I really enjoyed this audio! Adenrele Ojo does it again!

Frenemies with Benefits by Synithia Williams is a heartfelt romance that perfectly balances tension, passion, and emotional depth with a little bit of spice. The story follows two longtime rivals whose fiery chemistry turns into something much more complicated when they cross the line between hate and desire. Nothing like an enemies-to-lovers, small town, slow-burn! Thanks to NetGalley for allowing me to listen to this audio book!

After a hellish year dealing with divorcing her cheating husband, it’s finally final! Tracey is free of his manipulation and jealousy and disrespect. Now, she really needs to get a new candidate to run the front desk of her bed and breakfast, as the last one got pregnant by her ex husband, and her newest is taking weaponized incompetence to a whole new level. Tracey is tired, but thankfully her old high school crush is there to at least save the day with some last minute flower and plant arrangements for a wedding she’s hosting at the inn at the end of the week. Brian, former model and current nursery owner, has been working with Tracey for a while on these arrangements, and is happy to come to her rescue! Brian is also a couple years out of a toxic marriage that he is glad to have put behind him.

This audiobook was very interesting given it all has one narrator for all characters. Now getting into it, everyone in small-town Peachtree Cove seems to mind Tracey’s business. Her ex-husband ruined their picture-perfect marriage by having an affair with Tracey’s business partner… messy right???? Yet people are still making it seem like Tracey’s at fault based on her family history. She may have thought her life was falling apart but she’s finding herself after realizing her marriage may not have been all that she made it out to be. Smhhh I think Tracey is on her way to her happily ever after. This book was funny, and empowering,

Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a honest review.


This book was a goof read. I was rooting for the main characters, they both had gotten out of such toxic relationships, and I just wanted them to win! I did not realize that this book was a series so im invested in going back and reading the other two books from the series.

The FMC parents really worked my nerves. They were a hot mess, they both were very toxic and wanted her to be in a just as toxic relationship. I was glad that she continued to stand up to both of them.

All in all a good read! I dont read enough romance but this was a good read that made me want to check out the rest of the books in this series.

If you are into small town/hallmark type of books, then I think you’ll love this!

I love seeing a woman step into her own, but especially after a messy divorce. Tracy does just that and I was proud of her!

Ryan is your typical sweet guy who will do anything for the woman he cares about.

I think the audiobook was done well, but I do feel like the narration was a little overdone on the country accent or maybe I just feel that way because of wheee I live 😂

Thank you NetGalley for the audio arc in exchange for my honest review!

I'm not a big romance reader, but this book was filled with a lot of things that I tend to look for in a romance:
-Black Love
-Small town feels
-A slow-burn romance

Despite Tracey getting on my nerves at times, I was glad she was able to find her happy ending. Brian was an excellent love interest, and I loved just how patient he was with Tracey despite his current chaotic situation. Also, the spice in this was excellent. This gave me "Stella Got Her Groove Back" vibes, and I loved how Tracey's friends rallied around her as she was reclaiming her time and falling in love with herself again. My only thing is that I don't think this fits the enemies-to-lovers trope but I rarely read romance, so maybe I'm wrong in my thoughts.

Either way. Read this book!

Adenrele Ojo is one of my favorite narrators, so I was so happy to see that she was narrating this story. Thank you to Synithia Williams, Netgalley, and Canary Street Press for the Advanced Listener Copy in exchange for my honest review.