Name: Elisa Bieg's review of Friends Without Benefits by Penny Reid
Item: Friends Without Benefits
Rating: 3
Author: Elisa Bieg

Penny Reid 

There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Finney: 1) She suffers from severe sarcastic syndrome, especially when she's unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her like Nico Manganiello, and 3) She knows how to knit. Elizabeth Finney is almost always right about everything: the musical merits of boy bands are undervalued by society, “benefits” with human Ken dolls are better without friendship, and the sun has set on her once-in-a-lifetime chance for true love. But when Elizabeth’s plans for benefits without friendship are disarmed by the irritatingly charismatic and chauvinistic Nico Manganiello—her former nemesis—she finds herself struggling to maintain the electric fence around her heart while avoiding a Nico charisma-electrocution or, worse, falling in love. Friends Without Benefits is book #2 in the Knitting in the City series. Each book is a standalone, full length (110k words), contemporary romantic comedy novel, and follows the misadventures and exploits of seven friends in Chicago, all members of the same knitting group.

An Unrequited Love Romance

Friends Without Benefits

Kennedy

Penny Reid

Friends Without Benefits can be read as a standalone, is a full length 120k word novel, and is book #2 in the Knitting in the City Series. There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Finney: 1) She suffers from severe sarcastic syndrome, especially when she's unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her like Nico Manganiello, and 3) She knows how to knit. Elizabeth Finney is almost always right about everything: the musical merits of boy bands are undervalued by society, "benefits" with human Ken dolls are better without friendship, and the sun has set on her once-in-a-lifetime chance for true love. But when Elizabeth's plans for benefits without friendship are disarmed by the irritatingly charismatic and chauvinistic Nico Manganiello- her former nemesis- she finds herself struggling to maintain the electric fence around her heart while avoiding electrocution or, worse, falling in love.

An Unrequited Romance

Elisa Bieg

Ok I keep bouncing back between 3 and 4 stars, because I did enjoy some of the dialogue which was quite funny, and I like the childhood frienemies-to-lovers thing they have going on, but the MC got on my nerves too often, and there was a bit too much contrived drama and back and forth. 
So let’s say 3 1/2 STARS and call it a day. 

I will continue the series though, because I love the author’s spin-off series about the Winston brothers (better than the original series IMO) and I want to meet all of Ashley’s friends.

Nicole Cousin 

Another amazing story by Penny Reid!! I enjoyed this one a lot even though sometimes I really wanted to slap Elizabeth senseless. I think as a hopeless romantic myself, there were moments when I just couldn't understand why she thought the way she did or told herself that she didn't deserve love and it drove me nuts. But at the same watching her grow and embrace Nico's love was beautiful and swooning as always.

Nedu

...love was a choice that I was capable of making just as much as it was a risk I was capable of taking

Find this review and more at 
  kimberlyfaye reads.


Hi, my name is Kim and I'm a Penny Reid addict. I'm not even sorry about it. I hate that I waited so long to discover her brilliance for myself, but I have to say that I'm enjoying the hell out of my "read all the Penny Reid books" binge. I read a lot and I've not found many authors who can make me laugh this hard – while swooning all over the place. 

As much as I loved Quinn and Janie, I was super excited at the idea of learning more about this amazingly awesome group of women friends. I love the knitting group. I love how they support each other and their friendship is one of my favorite parts of each of the books. In a bookish world riddled with frenemies and bad girlfriend behavior, it's refreshing to see something different. I thank Penny for highlighting friendships that feel real to me... and that show what friendship really is.

Elizabeth and Nico definitely won my heart. They were both strong, complex characters and I enjoyed them so much. I loved the dynamic between them – from the banter early on to the passion later. I'm a sucker for a enemies to friends to lovers romance. (Which is definitely oversimplifying their relationship, but you get the point.) Even though I knew how things played out with them because of Neanderthal Marries Human, I loved finding out just how they got there. The journey is the best part. Theirs is fantastic, if slightly frustrating at times. (I wanted to shake Elizabeth for not jumping all over Nico at her first opportunity. I adored him.) He was funny, sweet and HELLO! he spoke to her in Italian. *swoony sigh* 

I love the Knitting in the City series. I appreciate how it's making me genuinely laugh one minute and making me tear up the next. Feels for days, people. The characters are so real that I feel like I am friends with them and I honestly wish I could be! Life would never be dull with these ladies and gentlemen around. I'm enjoying this binge so much, but I'm torn. As much as I want to read them all right now, I also kinda want them to last forever. That's the mark of a truly amazing series. 

FAVORITE QUOTES:

  My brain said: Step away from the naughty hottie.
My body said: ... I like cookies.


  If I were honest then I would tell him that I liked him, that I wanted to be more than friends. I would tell him that I wanted to be more than friends with exclusive, full-time, 24/7 benefits. I would tell him that I thought about him night and day and that thinking about him had become a second full-time job.


  Italians who speak Italian should be illegal, or at least come with warning labels–may make your panties explode.


  "I can't stop thinking about your smile. I want to keep it in my pocket, keep it just for me, and take it out and look at it a hundred times a day."

Bridget Howard

I listened to the audiobook of this one and it was fantastic. Very slow burn second chance romance that had all the feels. Totally made me swoon and want to read more from this author! 

Kennedy &
Friends Without Benefits by Penny Reid

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Kennedy &
Friends Without Benefits by Penny Reid