Friends with Benefits, Marisa Kanter
Friends with Benefits, Marisa Kanter
List: $26.99 | Sale: $18.36
Club: $13.49

Friends with Benefits
A Novel

Author: Marisa Kanter

Narrator: Gail Shalan, GM Hakim

Unabridged: 11 hr 3 min

Format: Digital Audiobook Download

Published: 05/06/2025


Synopsis

Lifelong best friends say 'I do' to a marriage of convenience, trading vows for a financial safety net and benefits. Perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Katherine Center.

Evie Bloom pays attention to the details. Her very job depends on it—as an aspiring Foley artist, she’s responsible for every crisp footstep, smacking kiss, and distinct sound in film and television. So when she’s selected for a fellowship opportunity that would make all her career dreams come true, she’s quick to spot the catch: there are no health benefits, and for someone with a chronic illness, that’s a non-starter.

Theo Cohen is an elementary school teacher who can't afford to live on his own in LA, and is facing eviction after his roommates couple up and move out of their rent-controlled apartment. But there is one loophole in his lease: each tenant must meet an income threshold, unless the tenants are married.

For Theo, the answer is obvious. Marry Evie, his best friend since forever. It’s not as if they don’t spend all their free time together anyways. Not only will Theo be able to keep his apartment, but Evie can be added to his insurance plan so she can accept her dream fellowship. It’s such a logical, practical solution. Never mind that Evie doesn’t really want to be married—not to Theo, not to anyone—ever. Or the small, complicating fact that Theo has always been a little bit in love with Evie.

But it doesn’t have to be a big deal. Marriage. It will just give them space to breathe, and much-needed relief from the daily financial stress. It won’t change anything.

It’s . . . going to change everything.

A Macmillan Audio production from Celadon Books.

About Marisa Kanter

Marisa Kanter is the author of modern love stories for both teens and adults. Born and raised in the suburbs of Boston, her obsession with books led her to New York City, where she worked in publishing for a number of years. She currently lives in Los Angeles with her husband, where she writes by day and crochets her wardrobe by night. Friends With Benefits is her debut adult novel.


Reviews

Goodreads review by Nilufer on May 31, 2025

I was so invested in this book as a devoted lover of binge romance reading. I also read the previous works of Marisa Kanter and enjoyed them, which made me extra enthusiastic about this book. But... yes, a big but coming up... I made the mistake of requesting this one without reading the plot first—r......more

Goodreads review by Maren’s Reads on April 30, 2025

Evie Bloom is offered the opportunity of a lifetime when she’s accepted into the fellowship she’s always wanted. The only thing standing in her way is the health benefits she needs to keep her Crohn’s disease in remission. Her best friend, Theo Cohen, is facing a dilemma of his own when his roommate......more

Goodreads review by Jayne on April 03, 2025

OUTLIER ALERT: Although I loved the book's "Friends with Benefits" title/premise, I was not the right reader for this book. WHY? 1) I AM A KATHERINE CENTER FAN. The publisher's blurb promised a lighthearted rom-com for fans of Katherine Center. Katherine Center's new 2025 release just received a glowing......more

Goodreads review by Chris | Company Pants on May 03, 2025

I’m going to be upfront about a few things over the course of this review because, well…I’ll be honest and admit that I skipped ahead a bit and read a few of the reviews that others had written in advance of my time with Marisa Kanter’s debut adult novel, Friends With Benefits, and upon finishing th......more

Goodreads review by Jessica on April 23, 2025

I received a copy of this book for free from the publisher (Celadon Books) for promotional purposes. This was a fun rom-com with a lot of depth! First off, the title is perfect because it sums up the book so well. Two friends, Theo and Evie, get married so Evie (who has a chronic illness) can get goo......more


Quotes

"There are many fake-dating and marriage-of-convenience romances out there, but Kanter’s stands out... Theo and Evie have sizzling chemistry, and their relationship is a satisfyingly slow burn. A romance that balances fun tropes with the frustrating realities of America’s healthcare system."
—Kirkus

"Marisa Kanter's adult debut delves deep into the complexity of romance and friendship and delivers a tender love story that sparkles on the page. This is the kind of read that's good for both the heart and the soul."
Kate Spencer, author of In a New York Minute and co-host of the award-winning podcast Forever35

"Full of emotional depth and pitch-perfect chemistry, Friends With Benefits is a heartfelt, once-in-a-lifetime romance that totally delivers."
—Annabel Monaghan, bestselling author of Nora Goes Off Script and Same Time Next Summer

“Sweeping, romantic, and highly emotional, Friends With Benefits takes an all-too-relevant marriage of convenience and deftly paints a portrait of longing, tenderness, and heat between two friends who are destined for the real thing from page one. Prepare to swoon for Evie and Theo and a love story that lingers long after the last page.”
—Carlyn Greenwald, author of Director’s Cut

"A fresh, cinematic romance seamlessly blended with an exploration of modern adulthood. With Marisa Kanter’s wholly immersive writing, every detail springs to life in vivid color. The kind of book that feels instantly timeless.”
—Rachel Lynn Solomon, New York Times bestselling author of The Ex Talk

"Marisa Kanter’s adult romance debut is lush and vibrant, nestled in an often cruel world made hopeful by Kanter’s fizzy, distinctive voice. I pined and ached my way through Evie and Theo’s journey from best friends to lovers, and loved every minute of it."
—Rachel Runya Katz, author of Thank You for Sharing