Dex has been in love with her straight best friend Grace for as long as she can remember. When Grace gets married Dex finally realizes that she should move on and after getting very drunk at the ceremony and a few spectacularly awful dates, she finally meets Emma.

Dex and Emma are the perfect fit and immediately sparks fly, their relationship however is sabotaged by Grace, whose jealousy turns her into the worst best friend ever.

The set-up of the story intrigued me, especially as there are many ways you can imagine the different relationships developing and panning out. The side characters are heart-warming and I really appreciate reading about a couple that is actually nice to each other. Both romantic relationships between Dex and Emma and Grace and her husband are convincing. I wish the friendship between Grace and Dex had been outlined more, as one quickly fails to understand how they could have remained friends for so long. Grace quickly turns into a caricature of a villain and I thought it was a shame that in the end one relationship has to be chosen to trump all others.

If you can get through the first few chapters you might like this one enough to continue reading it. Dex Putnam is sweet, loyal and gullible and her supposed best friend, Grace know just how to use these traits. Dex’s has been in love with Grace forever. One of the problems is Grace is straight and comes across as someone who thinks very highly of only one person and that of course is Grace. Even though Juni, Dex’s sister has seen through Graces games for years, Dex just can’t seem to see what is right in front of her. Enter Emma Lawson who is the perfect person for Dex to build a lasting relationship. Grace will do whatever she has to do to keep Dex all to herself. The question is whether Dex can see past Grace to have a chance with Emma. A nice little read.
ARC via NetGalley

Talent is there for the author, I just had a lot of problems with the characters and writing style of this book. The first thing was the amount of perspectives. I prefer either one point of view or two, but the fact that we also get chapters from Grace and Brent were just way too many perspectives. It makes it worse when you really dislike one of the characters (Grace). I wanted to skip over all of those.

The epilogue portion of Dex's feelings seemed rushed and such a quick turnaround of how she had felt the whole rest of the book. I wanted more signs early on that she wasn't so weak and stupid with her relationship with Grace, but it wasn't until the very, very end that she (sort of) gained some balls. I think I just prefer characters to come more into their own.

<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41131652-friends-without-benefits" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img border="0" alt="Friends Without Benefits" src="https://images.gr-assets.com/books/1534125255m/41131652.jpg" /></a><a href="https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/41131652-friends-without-benefits">Friends Without Benefits</a> by <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15816867.Dena_Blake">Dena Blake</a><br/>
My rating: <a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2625956283">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br />
I rec'd an ARC for review from NetGalley/Bold Strokes Books. <br />An intriguing romance with main characters Emma, Dex and her ever present "best" friend Grace. Ms. Blake succeeded in writing a fairly true to life plot that had me reading through the night.<br />4 stars
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<a href="https://www.goodreads.com/review/list/31134832-gail">View all my reviews</a>

Extremely good book from Dena Blake i couldn't stop reading it. I wanted to put Grace in her place a time or two. Just a sweet romance to warm you on a cold winter night.

This book was certainly an experience. A different turn on the ‘best friends to lovers’ trope. So I like the idea and the writing is good, but I still had a hard time enjoying the book, especially in the second half of it when the drama took over.

I liked Emma and Dex as characters, they’re both really cool. And I liked their creative dates, all related to the Season, so it has the potential to put someone right in the mood for Christmas.

But reading about Grace was just unbearable. I understand how hard it is for Dex to see how manipulative and using Gace is, since they’ve had that dynamic since they were teens. I also understand falling for someone who isn’t the best person or isn’t the best for you and still having a hard time trying to distance from them. So the plot is relatable and realistic in that way.

But it’s ridiculous how Grace acts, how her husband behaves and most of all, how blind Dex is, even tho everyone in her life tells her what a terrible person Grace is and that she needs to set boundaries. So reading about her inability to do that and at the same time the shit Grace says and does constantly frustrated me to no end.

I absolutely loved this book. The characters were beautifully written. Every time I had to put it down I couldn't wait to pick it back up. I was hooked by the first page and the storyline kept me drawn into the book, What a wonderful story.

Dex has been in love with her best friend, Grace, pretty much all her life. She really struggles once Grace marries Brent. This is a story of the lengths it takes to try and move on to be available to someone else.

It was unique in that many stories with this theme, you expect to be rooting for the long time best friends to be end game. Not with this one. Grace is pretty selfish and unlikable. In fact, you get quite annoyed with Dex , along with everyone else in her life, that she still devotes so much energy to he best friend.

Emma comes into Dex's life and there is a glimmer of hope. If only should could make anyone other than Grace a priority.

I always say that I love angst. This has it. A lot of back and forth. Push and Pull. Right up my alley.

This felt a little bit dragged out to me at times, but found that I was entertained for most of it. Which is a little funny because I alternatively think that the romance escalated a bit too quickly. There was definitely attraction.

Overall, I would recommend this.

Good book that I didn’t expect to like so much

The characters were interesting to read about


Loved the ending

I received an ARC copy of this book by the Publisher via Netgalley and I am voluntarily leaving my review.

What a read. The first chapter was excellent. The best I have read for a while. I took an instant dislike to Grace practically straight away. The way she was playing with her friends feelings was unreal. With friends like her who needs enemies. Dex was in love with her friend for many years and then the friend (Grace) ends up marrying Brent so Dex decides she has to move on with her life.

Enter Emma. Emma is Brent’s friend. She is also a darling. I could fall for her myself. Emma and Grace do not get on with each other and every time they meet then Grace makes sure she knows it. Emma starts a relationship with Dex and Grace does not like it one bit. Talk about a spoilt bitch. She is one with a capital B.

I enjoyed the story line and the secondary characters were a great bunch. Brent was getting on my nerves a little as I was progressing through the book but Grace I would have liked to have punched her and I am not a violent person.

Highly recommend reading the book and I look forward to reading more by this author.

While I loved that Blake turned the regular lesfic troupe sideways and came up with a fresh, new theme, unfortunately, I had some serious problems with this read. It wasn't with the writing style, but rather some of the choices that were made... Let me try to explain without spoiling...

There's 3 MCs involved, Dex, Grace (Dex's best friend), and Emma. One of the major themes of this one is that Dex is in love with Grace and it's completely unrequited because Grace is straight. I love the change of pace that Blake threw in here by never allowing Dex and Grace to be together, but I absolutely HATED the way that their relationship was portrayed. This is probably one of the unhealthiest relationships that I have ever read about, and it completely turned me off to the novel. I mean - absolute, immediate turn-off.

If you remove Grace from the picture, I enjoyed Dex and Emma's story, but add Grace in and it becomes co-dependent and completely unhealthy. I can't give this one more than 2 stars, not because of Blake's writing, but because of the horribly unhealthy portrait of a relationship that's portrayed. Even in a friendship, we shouldn't be glorifying that type of behavior in others. I will give Blake's work a chance again, because I did like her writing style, but I just couldn't get past the completely unhealthy relationship that kept on being portrayed in this one.

2 stars.

**Many thanks to the publisher for providing me with an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review.**

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The premise of this book is about three people Dex Grace and Emma.

Dex and Grace been best friends for years the only difference is Dex is gay and Grace is not. Dex been in love with Grace that whole time but when Grace gets married she knows it's time to move on.

When Dex meets Emma their chemistry is notices by Grace and this is where the story starts to get annoying. As Dex and Emma grow closer Grace can't stand to lose Dex affection and try to sabotage their growing relationship. I mean I get why Grace was doing what she doing but Dex not seeing it was more annoying then what Grace was doing.

Emma was saint to me because she had to keep pointing it out to Dex and I really would have like to see more of Dex and Emma relationship because it was sweet and you could tell they have soulmate quality.

Even though the book had me at times saying seriously I did enjoy it.

This is the book when the ‘Friends to Lovers’ trope doesn’t work out. When you tell your best friend you are in love with her and she doesn’t return your feelings. This book is real life and I think I loved it more for that.

Dex has been in love with her best friend Grace forever but after Grace gets married she decides it’s time to move on. Grace’s husband, Brent sets up Dex with his best friend, Emma. Emma and Dex hit it off and start falling for one another straight away. They are definitely soul mates but Grace can’t stand the fact she’s loosing Dex’s affections to Emma so easily. Can Grace sabotage something that is meant to be? Or Can Emma hold onto Dex while keeping Grace at arms length?

Without a doubt this is Dena Blake’s best book by far. I think this book has honestly lifted the bar for her other novels. It’s engaging and moves out of a 4 star comfort zone to a blasting 5 star novel.

I really enjoyed Dex and Emma whenever they were alone. They had this beautiful chemistry and soul mate quality from the beginning, Every time Grace showed up so did my anger for her character (her husband isn’t far behind in the annoyance category either), as she just created havoc and her jealousy made her a very unattractive character.

The story line in Friends Without Benefits is real life and the characters weren’t perfect but I think it’s why I connected to it so well. Especially Emma, I think she was something really special and when I read the book a second time before reviewing, I think I ended up having a little crush on her.

Great story with a fantastic epilogue… Did I mention I love a good Epilogue? Because I really do!

5 stars!!!

4.5/5

Dex has been in love with her best friend Grace since the fifth grade. Now that Grace is married, Dex meets Emma. Emma is a breath of fresh air and the total opposite of Grace. Will Dex be able to get over her first and only love, Grace? Will Grace let her best friend be happy? And will Emma be ok with sharing the heart of the one she loves given her history?

Overall the book was a good and enjoyable read. Definitely not the usual story where we all hope the best friend realizes she likes girls too and then they ride into the sunset together. And, although I love those stories, this one was refreshing and very realistic.

I actually likes the fact that you got to see the point of view of the three characters. Especially because you needed to understand Grace's actions and how they were justifiable to her, and perhaps only her in some cases. However, leading to the end of the book in the final chapters I don't think her POV was needed and I would have like to see more of Emma and Dex.

I will definitely recommend this book to fellow lesfic readers.

I received an ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

I had no expectations coming into this book by Blake. Friends Without Benefits is the story about loving someone who will never love you back and finding love with someone else who is right for you but you have to figure out to move on. The story picks up showing Dex pining for Grace as she has married someone else. Dex has been friends with Grace since they were 12 but the problem is Grace is straight and now married. Grace and her new hubby decide to set Dex up but after 3 failed blind dates the hubby decides Dex needs to meet his good friend and Co-worker Emma. Grace is against it but has no reason to go along with it.

The chemistry between Dex and Emma is incredible and exciting. They are both attractive and attracted to each other. And once they fall into bed....FIREWORKS! Blake does a really good job making this attraction believable and fresh. I must admit I love a story where the MCs have sex more than once. Blake certainly does a good job showing them fall into bed with just enough details to expand upon the chemistry.

I did become annoyed with both Dex and Grace. I believe I was more annoyed at Grace attempts to sabbatage Dex and Emma. Even though I was annoyed it didn’t take anything from the story. I think it added to my need to see what was going to happen. The author does just enough to keep me annoyed but not cross the line where it takes away from the storyline.

I did enjoy Friends Without Benefits. I rate this one a solid 4 stars.

Dex Putnam and Grace Standish are best friends. Dex has been in love with Grace forever, but Grace is straight. However, Grace likes to have Dex jumping to her bidding and Dex has been in that zone for too long to change it even after Grace gets married to Brent. Emma Lawson is Grace’s husband’s best friend. Burnt in love once, she has been single for almost a year.

After her marriage, Grace sets about trying to get Dex hooked up. Her attempts fail and that is when Brent suggests introducing Dex and Emma. His matchmaking skills are better than Grace’s and there is immediate attraction between Dex and Emma. However, Grace is unwilling to be less than the most important person to Dex and pretty much gets in the way of the new relationship in every way possible.

Blake writes an engaging book around these and certain tertiary characters. Interestingly, though she does try to paint Grace fairly black, the spoilt, manipulative Grace is still fairly likeable. Dex’s dithering over getting Grace completely out of her life is annoying, frustrating, but maybe understandable on some level. Emma is sweet…too sweet, in fact. Her niceness to Dex is the single most annoying thing in the book. She deserved much better and certainly shouldn’t have been the one making all the effort in the relationship. There are some rather simplistic solutions to the issues between Dex and Emma and Dex never really makes an effort in the relationship.

With the title, we expected Dex and Grace to end up together, but that would have been colossally unjust to a woman as sweet as Emma.

This is a nice, easy fun read without too much angst. There is not much emotional churning and fairly good sex. Go for it for a little drop of happiness on a lazy Sunday.

Dex has been in love with her straight best friend, Grace, since childhood and now, standing at her wedding, she knows it will always be unrequited. Then Dex meets Emma who is gorgeous, vivacious and unbelievable easy to get along with, unless, of course, you’re Grace.

I like my romance novels where the main characters meet, have fantastic chemistry, dynamic dialogue, get together, resolve some minor issues like adults and live happily ever after. I also know that after three books like that I’m utterly bored to tears (so what I think I want and what I actually want aren’t necessarily the same thing). Fortunately, “Friends Without Benefits” is not like that and I was far from bored. Grace makes the story interesting (this is my second book in a week where the object unrequited affection is straight and named Grace) and much as I didn’t like her, I thought she was portrayed really realistically as a person who wants her toast buttered on both sides.

Dex and Emma would have fitted into my “ideal” romance. They’re a lovely couple with great chemistry and they get each other. Their dialogue is witty and interesting and they’re flanked by some good supporting characters. Juni, Dex’s sister, is unashamedly direct as well as supportive. Emma’s family were nice and normal, and good back-up for Emma. Dex’s back-story is portrayed well enough that you can see why she’s enmeshed with Grace.

This was an unexpectedly good read even though there were moments I felt like I was shouting from side lines. I guess it shows I was engaged.

Book received from Netgalley and Bold Strokes Books for an honest review.

Dex and Grace have been best friends since 4th grade, and Dex has been in love with (straight) Grace for approximately that long. When Grace marries Brent, Dex is devastated and gets pretty rip-roaring drunk at the wedding. A mystery woman takes her home and cares for her, but leaves before Dex gets up the next day. Eventually, Dex meets this mystery woman, Emma, and a romance ensues. However, Grace intrudes and interferes at every available opportunity, as she wants to continue being the center of Dex's life, even though she is not in love with her and also married to a man.

Dex and Emma's romance was sweet and could have been an enjoyable focal point of the story, but this book is more about Dex and Grace. I found Grace incredibly irritating, not at all likable, and just wanted her to exit the book. Honestly, I felt that this book got hijacked by its secondary plot. Dex's blind spot when it came to Grace's manipulations also became increasingly hard to believe without starting to dislike her as well. This could have been a better book if it had focused on the supposed main characters a bit more.

If you can stand the situation that the supposed best friend of one of the protagonist forces her to endure, then maybe you'll like this book more than I did. Because Dex may be a little blind and refuse to see what's behind Grace actions. Grace is the quintessential dog in the manger, I hope you know what I mean. And Dex blindness has become more unbearable with each new tantrum and nonsense that Grace has caused.

If we take Grace out of the picture, the story between Dex and Emma is quite interesting. The two meet at a difficult time in their lives and were it not for the constant intrusion of Grace, even though she was but was not so protagonist of the book, the development of that relationship with the baggage that the two have behind them would have been more interesting for me. But Grace is always present and the other secondary characters also do not seem to want to realize much of what he does with Dex and what it can mean for his relationship with Emma.

So this book has been a bit tiresome at times, when some things seemed to be overcome, they reappeared again. But as I say, if you like a bit of drama and some wicked games, maybe this book is for you.

I really liked the storyline of this book which had me interested right through to the end. The characters were pretty good with Dex and Emma being such lovely people they were perfect for each other. Obviously Grace was as annoying as she was meant to be which added to the dramatics of the book.

At times I felt things weren't explained very well or I felt time jumped a bit, like they had spent a night together but then said the last few weeks which made me a little confused around timings.

I would have liked to know what did happen to Grace in the end. She wasn't mentioned at all and thought with Brent and Emma being friends they wouldn't have completely disappeared. But also that Dex said they were taking a break so thought it could be just a short period of time not indefinitely.

Otherwise it was a good book, not my favorite of Dena Blake's but fairly good.