Faking with Benefits

A Friends to Lovers Why Choose Romance

De: Lily Gold

Narrado por: Faye Adele, Shane East, Will Watt, John York

WANTED: Three fake boyfriends. Must be tall, handsome—and willing to teach me how to kiss.

My name is Layla Thompson, and I am undateable.

Seriously. I'm 28 and I've never had a boyfriend. And with my 30s rapidly approaching, I'm starting to lose patience.

Lucky for me, I have three best friends who are eager to help hone my dating skills. Zack, the rugged ex-rugby player. Josh, the sweet boy-next-door. And Luke, the silver-haired divorcee...who just so happens to be my old professor.

After a bad date leaves me crying on their shoulders, the three men are determined to help me find a guy. Together, they agree to be my "practice boyfriends" and come up with a lesson plan packed with fake dates, make out sessions, and classes on flirty texting. In return, I just have to make an appearance on their relationship advice podcast once a week. Easy.

But as my lessons become more and more intense, we soon find ourselves getting in too deep. Every "fake" touch lingers a little too long, and every "practice" kiss ends in fireworks. It's not long before I realize that their friendship isn't enough for me anymore. I want more.

The guys have been teaching me how to get a boyfriend, and now it's time I put their lessons to the test. Three times over.

Faking with Benefits is a sizzling fake dating romance featuring multiple love interests, tons of molten fake relationship heat, and a whole lot of heart. Dual narrated by Faye Adele, Shane East, Will Watt, and John York, with select excerpts performed in duet. HEA guaranteed!

©2021 Lily Gold (P)2023 Lily Gold

I almost DNFed this so any times.

I was looking forward to this book. Saw several reviews, listened to the sample, read the back. And the actual writing is fine, not my style, but fine. The story is okay, I never really got into it if I'm being honest.

The spice was consistent. I would say it was 🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

This book seemed to consider trauma a kink. Everyone had something they were dealing with deeply. Every character was deeply wounded.

I am not sure that the four of them need to be a couple, as much as they all need therapy. I spent the last two days dredging through their trauma dumping on each other. I wasn't expecting that. It's not like they don't have legitimate reasons to have trauma, but the way they deal with it is not healthy and the way they use it constantly to justify everything in their life. It's exhausting.

Fmc. Layla. In her mind it is always Halloween, and her costume is of a woman that is strong, independent, and does not let her past define her. Sadly the truth is the opposite. She could be strong, but she lets every moment of her life be defined by her past, and ends up more often than not crying in a puddle on the floor.

The truth is maybe this book just isn't for me, the actual writing is nice. I can tell that the author worked hard on it. I'm sure there are people out there that will love this book. I read this via audiobook and the voice actors are incredibly meltworthy. Got to love an accent.

obsessed

this book was sexy and heart warming. ill be reading her again. It's very much a happily ever after story but I loved how real she was. ugh just obsessed

Believable

This story was so real and the difficulties each character encounters at so believably real that I LOVED this book. Not to mention two of my FAVORITE male narrators. The only critiques I have are small: 1) in the apology tour podcast chapter I wish they’d had each voice actor dub their own lines like in the podcast transcripts throughout the book and 2) I wish Layla had made the men work a little longer to earn her trust back in the end. However, it was really well done anyway and so beautiful. Adding to the reread/feel good list!

I wish there was more Josh I loved the book but wish there was a bit more spicy scenes with Josh !!

I wish there were more scenes with Josh but other than that it was great !!!

Excellent

This is probably one of the best reverse harem romances I have read. The narrators are fabulous and really sound like the characters do in my head. The characters are distinct and appealing, even in their weaknesses. The witty banter is just plain fun. I could do with less sex because the non-bedroom scenes were the most romantic, but it's still great.

Sweet, Sexy, and Spicy

This book was wonderful. First of all I love full cast narration. A different narrator for each person is clutch. The only thing that would have made it better is if each narrator did their own voice the entire time. I love the fact that boys get stupid and then come back together. I also found the bonus chapter and they were delightful. Can’t wait to read the rest of Lily Gold’s books.

LOVE the narrator's voices❤️

Voice actors were great. The story kept me invested. spice was nice. Worth a listen.

Great

this was a fabulous listen. the accents alone did it for me. it's a great story though too.

For what it is, it’s ok, but formulaic

This is the 4th “why choose” book I’ve read by this author. While I appreciated the “real people” themes in the book (challenging parental relationships, growing up in the system, workaholics, work-life balance, self-esteem issues, etc., and the HEAs, by the third book there was a definite pattern in the style of the men (the sex one, the grumpy ‘last one to come around’, and the playful or romantic/considerate one) . I was hoping for a change of pattern in book 4, but nope. So I won’t read anymore by this author (at least not in this sub genre)

The female characters were ok, though I was wishing they’d be a little bit more…..something I can’t put my finger on.

All in all, it’s ok. I don’t know that I’d actively recommend but the performances were all good and I didn’t walk away feeling like I wanted the time and the credit back.

My recommendation is to look at all 4 title details and pick the one with the storyline most interesting. Once you’ve read one, you’ve read them all. This one was my favorite of the 4.

Best to listen

Absolutely loved the audio book having all four different characters. The podcast the story. It was so well written I couldn’t imagine reading it and enjoying it as much as I enjoyed listening to the book be read to me five star audible and book for me. Absolutely loved it.