(this review is based on an uncorrected e-galley of this novel)

High-flying investor New Yorker Jake Harrington loves a lot of things about living in his lucrative hedge fund job, the way British women melt at the sound of an American accent, being thousands of miles away from the girl who betrayed him. And, oh yes, his just-sex arrangement with his gorgeous roommate, Jess. His sexy British flatmate Jess's deal with Jake suits her fine. No commitments, no risk of being hurt again, just fun and friendship. And friends do each other favors, like agreeing to go on a trip to New York where Jake will have to face his past. And a vacation that will change everything... What friends shouldn't do? Suddenly find themselves feeling something much more complicated than simple lust. When "no strings" is no longer enough, will Jake be willing to take the ultimate gamble?

This was a very cleanly written novel. All of the romance is closed door and most of the story is told from Jake's POV. This novel also deals with commitment issues, grief, and other sensitive topics.

✨ BOOK REVIEW ✨

ғʀɪᴇɴᴅs ᴡɪᴛʜ ʙᴇɴᴇғɪᴛs ʙʏ ʟᴀᴜʀᴀ ᴄᴀʀᴛᴇʀ

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️// 5

Mixed feelings on this book because I loved it but it gave off some serious New Girl vibes. Like too many to be a coincidence but who knows 🤷🏻‍♀️

As an avid viewer of the show it was hard to get through this book without noticing the similarities. On the off chance that you are like me and can get past it, this book is actually super cute and fun.

I liked the childhood aspect and the storyline of why the characters are who they are. If I haven’t convinced you yet, let me just say… Jake Harrington 😍 he’s enough of a reason to give it a shot.

Thank you @netgalley and @theboldbookclub for the opportunity to read this before publication in exchange for a review.

This one started out a little slow but got better. I enjoyed the book overall. The characters made me feel like I was watching m two people I really knew.

The third installment of the Brits in Manhattan series did not disappoint. I'm a sucker for friends to lovers and Jake and Jess were no exception. Their intentionality through the book was something else, and how in tune with each other was so fun to watch 💚. The found family we got to revisit in the previous books also got even better and I loved how they welcomed in Jess as she joined them for their time in the Hamptons. I loves the flashbacks from Jess's POV (when she shared how/when she fell for him 🫠🥰🫠🥰🫠) the third act not quite conflict/resolution felt perfect for both the storyline and what we knew of Jake/Jess and their relationship as well as individual backgrounds. Of course I wish there was an epilogue buuuut can't wait to dive into the next book in the series!

Thank you Netgalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for my review!

Thank you Net Galley and Boldwood Books for the ARC!

Jake and Jess are two best friends with a lot of *emotional damage* (to read with your meme inner voice).
Jake is scarred by his childhood best friend and Jess by her lack of roots in her life!
They have amazing chemistry and good banter!

I didn’t know this was book n3 in a stand-alone serie and I would have love to have read the two before because I’m sure I would have loved the character even more (I liked them a lot in this book already).

I’ve actually enjoyed this book. The story was cute and well executed, it would have been 4 stars if not for the slight fat phobic vibe it was giving.
The beginning of the book, when we see Jake’s childhood, the bully is portrait as fat as a negative trait, like the fact that he was heavier implied that he was meaner/dumber. And for me this is a no go. You are a bully regardless of your body shape.
Furthermore all throughout the book we can find more comments about weight (one of the friend Kit was fat and apparently they put him into a regime to get skinnier)….
I don’t know, really I liked the book but as a heavier person myself I felt a little insulted by some conversations.
I think it needs a little editing. (A little aka a lot)

It was ok, a fine read but… yeah it was just ok. Probably wouldn’t recommend as I didn’t really get into it.
Rating 3 stars

I really struggled with this book. The writing is quite simple, and the sentences are short so everything feels disjointed

This is a sizzling contemporary romance that delivers on its promise of passion, humor, and the complexities of love and friendship. This book deserves a solid 4-star rating for its engaging characters and the rollercoaster of emotions it takes readers on.

Jake Harrington, a high-flying investor from New York, finds himself living in London, far away from a painful past. He enjoys the perks of his life in the UK, including his casual and convenient arrangement with his beautiful roommate, Jess. Their "just-sex" agreement seems perfect, with no strings attached and no risk of getting hurt.

Jess, too, is content with their uncomplicated friendship and fun-filled intimacy. Their banter and camaraderie make their arrangement seem lighthearted and enjoyable. However, things take an unexpected turn when they agree to go on a trip to New York together, forcing Jake to confront his past.

Laura Carter's storytelling is sharp and filled with humor, making it easy to connect with the characters and their witty dialogue. The chemistry between Jake and Jess is palpable, and their journey from friends with benefits to something deeper is both heartwarming and steamy.

What sets this apart is its exploration of the complexities that arise when casual relationships evolve into something more meaningful. The emotional depth and vulnerability of the characters as they grapple with their growing feelings add depth to the story.

While the book is a delightful read, I'm giving it four stars instead of five because at times, the plot follows some familiar romance tropes and predictable twists. However, Carter's skill in creating engaging characters and maintaining a captivating narrative compensates for any predictability.

Overall, this was a charming and passionate romance that will keep you entertained from beginning to end. Laura Carter successfully combines humor, chemistry, and emotional depth in a story that explores the blurred lines between friendship and love. If you're in the mood for a contemporary romance with relatable characters and a healthy dose of steamy moments, this book is well worth the read.

I thought this book was a great, lighthearted read. The story was easy to follow and had a very casual manner. I loved Jess’ perspective in particular. I think her story was strong and had loads of potential. I loved her character development and she was arguably the best character in the whole book.

I enjoyed this book! It didn’t capture my attention as well as some books do, but I wasn’t bored. This was my first book by this author and would probably read others!

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Friends With Benefits is a story about Jess and Jake finding love through friendship. Jess lost both her parents when she was a young girl. They had an amazing love and couldn’t live without one another. After they passed she traveled the world with her Aunt and Uncle until she met Jake and she decided to plant some roots. Their friendship bloomed and bloomed into the occasional drunken hookup. Jake takes Jess along to the Hamptons for a week long reunion with his brother and friends at his brothers new house. Jake was nervous to face his childhood best friend, Emily who broke his heart only 3 years ago. Jess and Jake both have to face their fears and make peace with their past in order to realize what they truly have for one another.

I throughly enjoyed the storyline and characters. The plot kept me engaged and I couldn’t put the book down. Overall, it was a great read and I’m looking forward to reading the rest of the series.

I only read the first 2 chapters (8% according to my kindle) and this book is definitely not for me, the writing feels like a first draft and I really don't like our main character Jake's perspective. He came off as a sleazy hook up artist finance bro and I do not want to follow him. It also seems sort of weird for a book that starts with a friends with benefits situation is closed door/fade to black. I don't know who this book is for.

Honestly, I thought this book would be a slam dunk for me. I love the tropes included and I love the genre in general. That being said, this book was just not for me.

The writing style seems very juvenile and in desperate need of an editor. The “arrangement” comes off as sleazy and I couldn’t stop grimacing. I honestly had to stop reading because I disliked it so much.

If there were some major plot edits and better character development I would absolutely try it again, but as is I couldn’t recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book. However, this book wasn't for me. I couldn't really follow the plot and the storyline was confusing to me and maybe that was because I hadn't read the other books in the series. I read to the 20% and couldn't continue with the book anymore. Thank you again for this copy.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I'm really sorry to say this, but this book was not for me.

I thought it was going in one direcion, but it was actually the opposite.

Reading the prologue I got the idea the story was going to be a second chance romance. Nope. Not at all. It's fine, I'm not saying it isn't, but I felt like the prologue was a bit misleading.

For me personally, this book failed to make me feeling attached to the characters. I glanced over many chapters about Jess's past, they were too much too read. Not because they were sad, I menan, they were but not only that, but because they focused too much on her trauma. It was something the reader needed to know, to understand present Jess of course, but they were too much fixated on her being hurt in the past.

Jake... it was refreshing to find this book POVs mainly about the male character, something that doesn't happen so often. But that's the only refreshing thing I can think about in this book. I didn't like him that much, he thought too much about himself, when he realised his feelings for Jess were deeper than he actually first thought, he pressed her too much, uncaring of her boundaries.

Maybe this is supposed to be seen as a healthy relationship? I don't think it is. Jess has deep problems in committing to anything, being living in a place for longer than a few months or a relationship. She caved too soon, I mean, I got the idea that once Jake realised he loved Jess immediately forgot about her past pain and decided it was okay to be with him.

This was a cute, fun read. It was succinct with a tidy story line that I enjoyed. I really liked that this book was mostly from the MMC's (Jake) point of view - makes it different from a lot of other books in this genre and with these tropes. I was also happy with how the story played out, i.e. who Jake ended up pursuing as a love interest.

I enjoyed the banter between Jess and Jake and the friendship/family dynamic in the wider group. It also dealt with commitment issues in a mature way from both Jake and Jess.

The only thing that took away from this book was the flashback scenes - I felt that they were too disjointed from the main storyline and perhaps they could have been implanted a bit more fluidly into the book. It is also a closed door romance book - so take note of this if that is important to you.

This book is part of a series - I haven't read the others and don't think that you would need to read them in order to enjoy this book (but you may just have more of an understanding of the wider friendship group's relationships).

Minor spoilers in rest of review:

Tropes covered include;
- Dual POV
- Best friend/roommate vs childhood sweetheart
- Touch her and die
- Commitment Issues
- One bed


Thankyou to #Netgalley, Boldwood books and the author for this ARC in return for an honest review.

Thank you Boldwood books and netgalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed Jake and Jess' relationship. The angst & emotion, their arrangement, I really liked it all. Although I found their feelings very obvious and I didn't quite understand why they couldn't just get together when they had a clear sexual attraction, I still enjoyed the read!

I'm excited to read the next book in this series!

If you're looking for a friends with benefits to lovers, only one bed trope, I'd recommend this book!!

Pub date: Oct 16, 2023!!

Friends With Benefits: ★★★☆☆ (3)

A cute and fun little romcom. When it comes to romance, I am fully here for the vibes, and this book delivers. I recommend reading for anyone who loves a cute and fluffy romcom to decompress after a long day. This is one of those books you just fly through and don't even realize until it's over.

I enjoyed this story, it was just not what i expected from the title.
It was a 3 star read. A fine mediocre read to finish in few hours. Mildly disappointed tho.

This was a pleasant enough read but there was nothing groundbreaking for me to rate higher. I felt the writing was ok but the story could have had more depth however it is a short read. I did feel the plot felt a little predicable, I was just missing a spark.

Jess and Jake's arragement seems simple enough however beneath the surface there are things they aren't willing to admit and baggage from past betrayals from those they once held dear.

I think I might have connected a little more if I had read the other books however it works well enough as a standalone.