One day Lexie Whittle thought she had everything and the next she was left with a big house, no job and her step-son, Connor, when her husband decided to up and leave for work in another country.

Now a year later and her divorce pending Lexie is now feeling like she is back on her feet. That is thanks to one person, Theo Blake. Her ex husbands old best friend, her stepsons godfather and her current business partner. When they decide to take their friendship to the next level, crossing over to friends with benefits they both think nothing will change.

I really enjoyed Friends with Benefits by Lisa Swift. I loved the relationship Lexie had with Connor. How despite the way she entered his life, she loved him like her own son. I loved Theo, and his fearing having his own children but his ability to love and care for Connor in the absence of his father. Swift covered a multitude of topics throughout the book. From bullying in high school to discovering ones sexuality, the loss of a parent and spouse and overwhelming grief that follows. This was more than just a cute romcom, although it def was that.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC copy to read and review.

I love anything about the 1940's so when I read the synopsis about Lexie juggling her job at a 1940s cafe whilst bringing up her step son alone I was intrigued. It was a refreshing change to a romance actually. Boy meets girl, boy leaves and she ends up with more that she bargained for but loves Connor to distraction.

It is the first book I have read by the author but if definitely won't be the last I really enjoyed it, from the cover to the characters who were so easy to get to know and eventually love. It is a book about family dynamics from a different perspective and both Connor and Lexi are fighting their own demons and rejections but doing it together against the odds. A lovely book that left me with a really warm feeling at the end. From the blurb I was expecting the usual cheesy romance but this was something else, and it took me on an emotional roller coaster. so much more than I was expecting.

Thank you to Netgalley and Hera Books for giving me an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

My rating scale
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Absolutely loved it! Gave me a warm fuzzy feeling or made me cry. And took me on an emotional rollercoaster.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - Really liked it. Will read more by the author and other books in the series.
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - It was just okay, didn’t move me, but don’t feel like I wasted me time reading it either.
⭐️⭐️ - Didn’t like this book and probably won’t read other in the series.
⭐️ - I did not care for this book at all and feel like I wasted my time reading it

Lexie Whittle met Daryl Conrad and Theo Blake at the same time, but chose Daryl because he was a safer bet for marriage and family. She fell in love with his son Connor who, after his mother's traffic death, was desperate for affection from her. His father didn't seem to care for him at all. After their mutual business venture goes bust, Daryl takes off for a job in Japan, leaving Connor with Lexie and starting their mandatory 3 year separation before divorce. Struggling with paying the bills, working in the bar she and Theo own together, and raising a teenage stepson become too much for her and she finds herself leaning on Theo, as Connor's godfather, to be a father figure to the boy. After a particularly bad day, they end up drinking too much wine and falling into bed together. Thus begins a secret mutual friends with benefits agreement. But when Daryl returns, Lexie has to choose between keeping Connor or her relationship with Theo.
This was more women's fiction than romcom to me. Each of the characters were struggling with their own emotional issues and trying to be there for each other. I love that Lexie and Theo finally got together after a little prodding from Connor. There were some funny moments, but there was more family drama involved.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley. The views and opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own

Friends with Benefits is a fun rom-com about an unexpected romance between two friends. It was a great storyline with characters you connect with throughput. There is some drama and some decisions to be made that just add a little suspense to this romance. I am voluntarily leaving my honest review after reading this arc.

When Lexie’s husband, Daryl, decides to leave the family to work overseas it spells the end for their marriage. The support she gets from her son’s Godfather is indispensable. One night, after too any wines, they end up sleeping together and so begins a friends with benefits situation. However when Daryl returns Lexie has some difficult decisions to make.

I love the good friends to lovers trope. This one was great.

ARC provided by Publisher via NetGalley.

This book was amazing! I enjoyed the way the author brought the characters to life. The emotions and plot will make you love the characters as much as I did! I promise you don’t regret reading this!!!

And the cover, can I just say it was beautiful! That’s what made me pick up this book and I loved it!

I was more than pleasantly surprised reading this book, I thought it was just going to be some light and fluffy romance, but this is so much more than that. It’s a complex look at the relationships between a woman, her stepson and her best friend, it’s about family we have and the family we choose. It’s so lovely, it’s funny and serious. The writing is wonderful and the characters are just brilliant, so well constructed and full of depth. Definitely going to be one of my favourite reads this year.

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

Have you ever seen the movie Pearl Harbor? Because in a way, that's what this book reminded me of.

I'm not sure what I was expecting. I wasn't as in love with this one as much as I thought I would be. I can't quite explain it, but the writing felt "off". I didn't really like any of the characters and I finally set this one down around the halfway mark.

I thought it was simply going to be a sweet, cute story but it was so much more. I genuinely loved the way it portrayed different kinds of relationships and finding oneself and being true to it while the characters were able to find love in their own way and in their own time.

A really good book and of course a rom com.

We have Lexie who lives with her step son Connor as his Father is working abroad but looks as though Lexie and him will get divorced.

Then her and her business partner Theo who happens to be Godfather of Connor end up in bed together and decide to be friends with benefits before Lexie decides she wants to go dating again.

It kept me wanting to read more and wonder what will happen next will Lexie & Theo end up together.

I would certainly recommend this book.

I loved this book! It was heartwarming and strong. It was exactly what I needed with everything going on in the world! A happy little escape!

I really enjoyed this book. A quick and easy read with likeable and relatable characters and a believable storyline of our time . Lisa really developed the story well and there were some twists to the story which were not expected. Yes the book was a romcom but it definitely had more depth . Loved it and would recommend
Thank you to Netgalley, Hera Books and Lisa for letting me read this book in exchange for an honest review

This book was adorable and I loved every part of it! I was pulled in immediately and fell in love with Theo! I laughed and cried while reading this book in one sitting. I highly recommend it!

Friends With Benefits by Lisa Swift

Thoughts: I thought it was a sweet read. I loved Lexie's relationship with Connor! This is a great rom-com about a non-traditional family, relationships, and self discovery.

Friends With Benefits is about Lexie who is step-mom to Connor. Connor's dad, Daryl, Lexie's soon to be ex-husband is working overseas, leaving Lexie to be with her step-son. Lexie runs a cafe with Daryl's ex-best friend, Theo, who is also Connor's godfather and Daryl's former business partner.

Thank you NetGalley and Hera Books for sharing this copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

Lexie thinks she has a perfect life with Darryl and Darryl's son Connor but then Darryl takes a job in Japan and leaves her running the cafe with his best friend Theo and looking after Connor. When the marriage breaks down and divorce is on the cards Lexie finds herself leaning on Theo until after one too many the inevitable happens.... but is it just a one night stand with the jack the lad Theo?

A lovely fun book that is more than just straight chick lit. There is depth to the characters.... apart from the awful Darryl of course... and you are really rooting for them all to have the happy ending.

Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for this eARC in exchange for a honest review.

I learned something about this book: never judge book by its title.

•• What's this about? ••

Lexie Whittle had a beautiful life with her gorgeous husband, a nice house and her sweet lovely stepson Connor. Until his husband Daryl left to work in Japan.

A year later, Daryl and Lexie's marriage is over.
Now, she is trying to pay the bills, taking care of her stepson and working so hard in the restuarant she has with Daryl's best mate Theo.

Theo, Connor's godfather, has been Lexie's support during the last year. And become in the best friend she ever had.

After one night of too much wine, Theo and Lexie sleep together. After that night, Theo convinces Lexie to have a Friends-with-benefits relationship with no commitment and no feelings.

•• What do I think about it? ••

My first impression was that this was a steamy, romantic story about two friends and their Friends-with-benefits relationship.
BUT IT WAS NOT LIKE THAT.

This is the story of a woman, her best friend and her stepson. And how they learn about each other. It's the journey of a little family and theirs upside downs.

We have three main characters, and I want to talk about each of them:

• First, we have Lexie. She married so young with a man with a child. And she loves that kid with all her heart. She is a strong independent woman. I love her character because it's not the typical divorce woman who just thinks in sex, she cares about other stuffs, specially her son.

• Then we have Theo. Handsome, funny and supportive, he cares about the people he loves (even when he doesn't knows what love is). I really like Theo, he is a really good man specially when he is with Connor. He is not perfect but that makes him perfect.

• The last character is Connor. He is a fourteen year old boy who is the sweetest boy ever. He is very mature by his age. I like the way Connor is. Always trying to be good for Lexie and caring about her. He is dealing with a tough time in his life but he takes it very mature.

I really loved this story, it's not just about Theo and Lexie. It's about family, and the fact that we can choose our family. I loved to dream about the adventures of this three amazing characters.

Oh and by the way, I REALLY HATE DARYL.

I recommend this amazing novel, it's not about a sex between mates. It's about love, family found and the power of a strong woman.

A highly entertaining and fun story that I thoroughly enjoyed.
Good character development, a lot of humor and an entertaining plot.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

The lovely cover for this book grabbed me and whispered “read me.” Since I’m not one for romantic triangles, I was glad that the blurb put my mind at ease. This is a thoroughly English contemporary fiction with heart, romance, comedy, a little heartbreak (a very, very little), and wonderful family relationships.

I had thought the book would be more of a rom-com or just straight romance but there’s a lot more to it than that. Stepmom Lexie and her stepson Connor are the heart and soul of the story and it was delightful to see their close and loving relationship. Stepmoms get such a bad rap but here these two love and care deeply for each other. Connor also loves his godfather Theo and watching these two adults do their best for teenage Connor made me smile.

The way Lexi and Theo go after each other, I’m amazed they thought no one would notice. I like that while the sex is described as orgasmic and of “best ever” variety, there’s also mention of how much it means to them emotionally which thus lays part of the groundwork for when they finally do admit that this is a deeper thing than just fuckbuddies.

Still there are other hurdles to be cleared which, again, are carefully included along the way and not just dumped in all at once. Ditto for the final conflict between Lexi and Theo which is partially caused by and references things from Theo’s past rather than just being something stupid. The last family conflict and its wrap up was a little bit fast based on the depth of emotions and years long buildup but it was still believable.

I loved the chemistry between Lexi and Theo – it really felt as if these were two friends of long standing who were amazed to discover that true love had been staring them in the face all this time. The best parts for me were concerning young Connor who usually steals whatever scene he’s in. I would advise going into the book expecting more fiction with romance than a straight romance – though there is plenty of that as well. B+

Friends to lover trope is a bit tricky to read because it can either be an epic love story or full of disappointments. And thankfully, Friends with Benefits was successful in writing an epic love story.  Lexie was always okay with being in charge of her stepson since she always wanted a family. She did want a husband too but she is okay without one. It's not the end of the world, just the beginning. And she does get moral support from her stepson godfather, Theo. I knew that it was going to be sooner than later for Lexie and Theo to hook up with each other. The sexual tension between them is too much to read. Like I needed them to be together sooner than later. And I was delighted that they did. It happened organic just as their relationship. Relationships should not be rushed, especially with friends.

I do like this author's books very much, and have read them all, and read her alter ego's books too.
This one had a bit more seriousness to it than usual, but still had a few giggles to it and the fab LGBTQ style that Lisa Swift has been noted for.
I really liked the main characters of Lexie, Theo and Connor very much and only wished the best for them all...oh what a rocky road life is.
What a great book.