What do you think?
Rate this book
Most Likely To #1
Best Friends with Benefits
Valerie Barkin and Alec Rogers survived bullies, awful parents, and seriously shitty social standing the only way best friends can—together. But with the unexpected sexual tension suddenly flaring between them, surviving their ten-year high school reunion might be a different story…
Val hasn’t changed. She still feels like the stringy-haired band geek the popular kids teased, but Alec has definitely changed. He’s now the front man for the Grammy-winning rock band Chronic Disharmony, with the sexual reputation to match. And he’s more than willing to help Val rock the reunion.
And then it happens—a drunken game of Seven Minutes in Heaven—and their fourteen-years-long foreplay comes crashing to the forefront…changing everything.
Seven minutes turns into a weekend of mind-blowing, no-strings-attached sex. But these best friends won't be able to leave their hearts out of it forever, not when the most meaningful benefit could change their relationship for good....
Val hasn’t changed. She still feels like the stringy-haired band geek the popular kids teased, but Alec has definitely changed. He’s now the front man for the Grammy-winning rock band Chronic Disharmony, with the sexual reputation to match. And he’s more than willing to help Val rock the reunion.
And then it happens—a drunken game of Seven Minutes in Heaven—and their fourteen-years-long foreplay comes crashing to the forefront…changing everything.
Seven minutes turns into a weekend of mind-blowing, no-strings-attached sex. But these best friends won't be able to leave their hearts out of it forever, not when the most meaningful benefit could change their relationship for good....
Paperback
First published March 14, 2016
29 people are currently reading
659 people want to read
About the author
Candy Sloane
6 books64 followersCandy Sloane is a pseudonym for a Young Adult & New Adult author who needed to write some naughty books her mother couldn't read. She lives in Portland, OR and loves Lifetime movies. She would tell you more, but this persona is a secret.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
February 22, 2016
Valerie and Alec are besties who haven't seen each other in a while. There's always been something there, though Alec was the first to recognize it. Alec changed and became famous after pursuing his music dream and plays in a rock band. Valerie is awaiting a reply from the London philharmonic while they both attend a high school reunion together. A random spin the bottle game thrusts them into an intimate encounter that gives their spark the right amount of catch. They begin the new facet of their relationship with rules about what lines they wouldn't cross... but rules were made to be broken. They break them in many delicious ways and we get to read it :) This was a cute besties to lovers story with a steady pace and development. However, I will say that after a particularly big misunderstanding, the enlightenment before the big confession was slightly anticlimactic. I would have also liked more insight into their life post the London stage or maybe a epilogue further into the future. It feels like a HFN.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
ARC received in exchange for an honest review.
March 14, 2016
1 - "You don't have to prove anything to me." Star.
DNF @ 57%
Although being honest, I read to 31% and skimmed the rest.
There are so many things that didn't work for me with this one I don't really know where to begin.
0% chemistry between the H/h.
100% cheese with the over the top dirty talking, to the extent my eyes all most rolled out of my head.
40+ uses of the term 'Dirty Girl'.
39 + times too many for my taste.
1 use of the phrase 'musky juices'
1000% sure I never want to read that used to describe a wet pussy in a book ever again.
The sad thing is that hidden between all that was actually a couple and a story that could have potentially been pretty good bearing in mind the issues they had between them in their pasts, and the obstacles they would have had to have dealt with to have a future.
ARC provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
DNF @ 57%
Although being honest, I read to 31% and skimmed the rest.
There are so many things that didn't work for me with this one I don't really know where to begin.
0% chemistry between the H/h.
100% cheese with the over the top dirty talking, to the extent my eyes all most rolled out of my head.
40+ uses of the term 'Dirty Girl'.
39 + times too many for my taste.
1 use of the phrase 'musky juices'
1000% sure I never want to read that used to describe a wet pussy in a book ever again.
The sad thing is that hidden between all that was actually a couple and a story that could have potentially been pretty good bearing in mind the issues they had between them in their pasts, and the obstacles they would have had to have dealt with to have a future.
ARC provided via Netgalley, in exchange for the above honest review.
February 17, 2016
ARC provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
One of my favorite romance trope has always been best friends to lovers and I have always been a sucker when it comes to this specific trope. And Candy Sloane has delivered. She has more than delivered because she has written a love story that truly captures the essence of this specific genre. Ms. Sloane has layered her story, Best Friends With Benefits with heart, raw emotions and of course a plethora of hot steamy dirty sex!!!!!
“She was his Val, but she was also her own woman. A woman if he’d met in a bar now, he would have made sure they ended the night wet and naked and fucking.”
Right off the opening pages, I was hooked. Ms Sloane did an amazing job introducing her raw characters in Best Friends With Benefits. In this sweet, sexy, and dirty love story, readers are introduced to two best friends, who will soon discover a new uncharted territory of their friendship. Lines will be crossed and blurred when sex and emotional feelings are involved. For Valerie Barkin and Alec Roger, their fourteen year friendship meant the world to them. It was always Val and Alec. They were inseparable and knew every facet of their lives. They were each other's shoulders to lean on. The good, the bad, and the ugly were experienced together. And so when Alec drags Val to attend their high school reunion, their friendship got a little more complicated when they were forced to play a game with their old high school friends. And this game changed everything when a hot steamy kiss was involved.
Valerie Barkin knew her best friend was hot and loved by the public since he was a member of the hottest rock band. Val loved Alec but she knew of his rockstar playboy ways. She knew he didn't believe in commitment and marriage and so Val never thought she could change his views. Alec loved Valerie. She was the girl who truly understood and loved him. And so when they were reunited, Alec began to look at his Val differently especially when they finally shared one passionate kiss.
“She had ruined him, by saving him. But he couldn’t let her know it. He would try to follow her rules even if it killed him.”
That one kiss set precedent to a weekend of hot, steamy, passionate sex. Val made rules to their weekend of sex with no strings attached. No feeling would get involved. Just a weekend of sex and then they will go back to being best friends. Well, the rules went out the window when deep emotional feelings begin to emerge. Val wants Alec but will she be enough for this rockstar who plans to never settle down. So will Val be able to change Alec's mind when it comes to marriage and commitment? Or will this weekend be a realization that they are better off as best friends than lovers?
“In some ways it was what he wanted. To kiss every uncharted inch of her, take his time with her pleasure rather than fuck her hard and fast, but he knew how dangerous that was. If he felt like this after one kiss, how would he feel after making love to her? And fuck, God help him, he wanted to.”
Best Friends With Benefits was a fun, sexy, sweet, and steamy read!!!! I love getting lost in a story as two people discover the truth. And for Val and Alec, the truth is that they are more than just best friends. They are two people who have experienced every ups and downs together. They make each other smile and are part of each other's mind, heart, and soul. Their friendship and love is what makes Alec and Val. They are each other's biggest cheerleader and supporter. And so if you are looking for a friends to lover story that is hot, sexy, and emotional then this book is for you.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Candy Sloane
One of my favorite romance trope has always been best friends to lovers and I have always been a sucker when it comes to this specific trope. And Candy Sloane has delivered. She has more than delivered because she has written a love story that truly captures the essence of this specific genre. Ms. Sloane has layered her story, Best Friends With Benefits with heart, raw emotions and of course a plethora of hot steamy dirty sex!!!!!
“She was his Val, but she was also her own woman. A woman if he’d met in a bar now, he would have made sure they ended the night wet and naked and fucking.” Right off the opening pages, I was hooked. Ms Sloane did an amazing job introducing her raw characters in Best Friends With Benefits. In this sweet, sexy, and dirty love story, readers are introduced to two best friends, who will soon discover a new uncharted territory of their friendship. Lines will be crossed and blurred when sex and emotional feelings are involved. For Valerie Barkin and Alec Roger, their fourteen year friendship meant the world to them. It was always Val and Alec. They were inseparable and knew every facet of their lives. They were each other's shoulders to lean on. The good, the bad, and the ugly were experienced together. And so when Alec drags Val to attend their high school reunion, their friendship got a little more complicated when they were forced to play a game with their old high school friends. And this game changed everything when a hot steamy kiss was involved.
Valerie Barkin knew her best friend was hot and loved by the public since he was a member of the hottest rock band. Val loved Alec but she knew of his rockstar playboy ways. She knew he didn't believe in commitment and marriage and so Val never thought she could change his views. Alec loved Valerie. She was the girl who truly understood and loved him. And so when they were reunited, Alec began to look at his Val differently especially when they finally shared one passionate kiss.
“She had ruined him, by saving him. But he couldn’t let her know it. He would try to follow her rules even if it killed him.” That one kiss set precedent to a weekend of hot, steamy, passionate sex. Val made rules to their weekend of sex with no strings attached. No feeling would get involved. Just a weekend of sex and then they will go back to being best friends. Well, the rules went out the window when deep emotional feelings begin to emerge. Val wants Alec but will she be enough for this rockstar who plans to never settle down. So will Val be able to change Alec's mind when it comes to marriage and commitment? Or will this weekend be a realization that they are better off as best friends than lovers?
“In some ways it was what he wanted. To kiss every uncharted inch of her, take his time with her pleasure rather than fuck her hard and fast, but he knew how dangerous that was. If he felt like this after one kiss, how would he feel after making love to her? And fuck, God help him, he wanted to.”Best Friends With Benefits was a fun, sexy, sweet, and steamy read!!!! I love getting lost in a story as two people discover the truth. And for Val and Alec, the truth is that they are more than just best friends. They are two people who have experienced every ups and downs together. They make each other smile and are part of each other's mind, heart, and soul. Their friendship and love is what makes Alec and Val. They are each other's biggest cheerleader and supporter. And so if you are looking for a friends to lover story that is hot, sexy, and emotional then this book is for you.
Review can also be found on Four Chicks Flipping Pages: http://fourchicksflippingpages.weebly...Candy Sloane
March 21, 2016
Best Friends With Benefits is a friends to lovers story set against a backdrop of a high school reunion. I like to live vicariously through stories about unpopular kids who make good, and then attend their class reunion only to find fawning, jealous former bullies. Toss in an unexpected hookup and it seems like the perfect combo. Unfortunately, I didn’t feel like the story lived up to its potential.
Alec and Valerie became best friends in high school. They were two social outcasts who bonded over a shared love of music. Alec was the scrawny kid everyone ignored, and Valerie was the band geek everyone teased. Now Alec is a hot, tattooed rock star, and Valerie is a successful flute player for the Philadelphia Philharmonic. Although they’ve stayed in touch through texts and phone calls, they haven’t seen each other since high school. When they both show up for their ten-year reunion, sparks fly.
I was disappointed Candy Sloane didn’t make more of Alec’s return as a rock god. The reactions of his classmates were underwhelming. Val is just as insecure as she was in high school so she can’t believe Alec could really be attracted to her, despite evidence to the contrary. Frankly, it grew a bit tiresome after awhile as did their constant inability to say how they felt about each other.
The reunion festivities are really fun, and the chemistry between Alex and his “Dirty Girl” is on point. This book definitely enters panty-melting territory. However, the plot is predictable and the narrative is rather clichéd at times.
** ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. **
Alec and Valerie became best friends in high school. They were two social outcasts who bonded over a shared love of music. Alec was the scrawny kid everyone ignored, and Valerie was the band geek everyone teased. Now Alec is a hot, tattooed rock star, and Valerie is a successful flute player for the Philadelphia Philharmonic. Although they’ve stayed in touch through texts and phone calls, they haven’t seen each other since high school. When they both show up for their ten-year reunion, sparks fly.
I was disappointed Candy Sloane didn’t make more of Alec’s return as a rock god. The reactions of his classmates were underwhelming. Val is just as insecure as she was in high school so she can’t believe Alec could really be attracted to her, despite evidence to the contrary. Frankly, it grew a bit tiresome after awhile as did their constant inability to say how they felt about each other.
The reunion festivities are really fun, and the chemistry between Alex and his “Dirty Girl” is on point. This book definitely enters panty-melting territory. However, the plot is predictable and the narrative is rather clichéd at times.
He never wanted to feel this again, but he also knew that if he had to, he could bear it. It was worth bearing for the pleasure on the other side of the knife of love.It’s a nice fluff read and although it’s not horrible, there are a few too many missed opportunities and not enough substance to make it more than average.
** ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. **
March 8, 2016
I have to come right out and say I absolutely love this book. As someone with a best friend who happens to be male I can really relate to the concept of the story.
The author did an awesome job setting up the entire storyline and character development. You really get to know these two and feel everything that they are feeling and going through. A difficult job for an author to accurately describe the angst and anxiety, heat and passion two people can have together.
I love Alec. He is so sure of his feelings for Val but yet he does not want to ruin the best part about being together, their friendship. Poor thing is so twisted up yet so, so Sweet!!!!!! sigh...
This story is super hot and so engrossing you almost feel like you are watching everything that's going on. With many laughs along the way, this is an story that you will love and beg for more once it has ended!
The author did an awesome job setting up the entire storyline and character development. You really get to know these two and feel everything that they are feeling and going through. A difficult job for an author to accurately describe the angst and anxiety, heat and passion two people can have together.
I love Alec. He is so sure of his feelings for Val but yet he does not want to ruin the best part about being together, their friendship. Poor thing is so twisted up yet so, so Sweet!!!!!! sigh...
This story is super hot and so engrossing you almost feel like you are watching everything that's going on. With many laughs along the way, this is an story that you will love and beg for more once it has ended!
March 3, 2016
4 "Stupidly sexy BFF to lovers" STARS
ARC via NetGalley.
Thank you, Entangled Brazen!
Full review also posted on: http://usbrazilbookreview.blogspot.co...
First thing I’ll say about this book is that it’s sooo sexy that I feared I’d have a heart attack while reading it because it was doing strange things to my blood pressure. So if you’re looking for steamy sex scenes, dirty talks and intense sexual attraction, you have a winner.
The title is pretty self-explanatory. This story follows the friendship between Valeria (Val) and Alec until it turns into more than that. They met in school and were inseparable back then, sharing everything about their lives while staying just friends. While their common passion for music brought them together in their teens, it put them in different cities after high school, but their friendship remained strong thanks to Skype, text messages and technology.
Up until the moment they meet again for the first time in a long time for their ten-year high school reunion, the relationship between Alec and Val is completely platonic. But when a game of Seven Minutes in Heaven puts Val and her best friend (now an extremely sexy rock star) together, she realizes she wants him in a way that screams “more than friends”.
She isn’t the only one. Alec wants her just as much – or even more.
What I liked about this “friends to lovers” story most was that neither Val nor Alec had been hiding their feelings for each other for years. Normally, when you have that trope, at least one of the BFFs has been in love with the other for a while and trying to hide that feeling to keep the friendship from crumbling. That didn’t happen here. Val and Alec were friends. That was it. But they were friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long time, so that was probably why the attraction only came to light when they met again for the first time in so many years.
It was worth the wait, though, because the moment they decided they wanted to see each other naked, things turned HOT HOT HOT.
The plot was quite simple and the characters were interesting enough, but what made this book a page turner was the sizzling chemistry between Alec and Val. I enjoyed reading about them and exploring those new feelings as they did. I bet others will too.
Best friends to lovers will always be one of my favorite tropes, and from now on every time I think about a stupidly steamy couple that started out as friends, I’ll remember these characters.
ARC via NetGalley.
Thank you, Entangled Brazen!
Full review also posted on: http://usbrazilbookreview.blogspot.co...
First thing I’ll say about this book is that it’s sooo sexy that I feared I’d have a heart attack while reading it because it was doing strange things to my blood pressure. So if you’re looking for steamy sex scenes, dirty talks and intense sexual attraction, you have a winner.
The title is pretty self-explanatory. This story follows the friendship between Valeria (Val) and Alec until it turns into more than that. They met in school and were inseparable back then, sharing everything about their lives while staying just friends. While their common passion for music brought them together in their teens, it put them in different cities after high school, but their friendship remained strong thanks to Skype, text messages and technology.
Up until the moment they meet again for the first time in a long time for their ten-year high school reunion, the relationship between Alec and Val is completely platonic. But when a game of Seven Minutes in Heaven puts Val and her best friend (now an extremely sexy rock star) together, she realizes she wants him in a way that screams “more than friends”.
She isn’t the only one. Alec wants her just as much – or even more.
What I liked about this “friends to lovers” story most was that neither Val nor Alec had been hiding their feelings for each other for years. Normally, when you have that trope, at least one of the BFFs has been in love with the other for a while and trying to hide that feeling to keep the friendship from crumbling. That didn’t happen here. Val and Alec were friends. That was it. But they were friends who hadn’t seen each other in a long time, so that was probably why the attraction only came to light when they met again for the first time in so many years.
It was worth the wait, though, because the moment they decided they wanted to see each other naked, things turned HOT HOT HOT.
The plot was quite simple and the characters were interesting enough, but what made this book a page turner was the sizzling chemistry between Alec and Val. I enjoyed reading about them and exploring those new feelings as they did. I bet others will too.
Best friends to lovers will always be one of my favorite tropes, and from now on every time I think about a stupidly steamy couple that started out as friends, I’ll remember these characters.
March 16, 2016
may contain spoilers!
2.75 stars. hmmm so this didn't quite work for me at times. I didn't really feel the connection sometimes. it was just ok. it was cute and sweet at times (when hero was singing to her )but not enough. The constant we can't because we are friends or he or she isn't good enough for me was frustrating the heck out of me.. oh the epilogue left me wanting more. not nearly enough into the future:/
safety : hero of course was a manwhore. herione had lovers I think 3 or 4. there is mention of how many women he would have and how he could bang anyone. herione would mention this quite a bit. also hero mentions it several times. it wasn't overly described but mentioned too many times for my liking..no mention of condoms in their past but they always used them. mention of how she is the sweetest best woman he ever tasted. mention of her giving oral.. i Other than those things mentioned it is safe. no ow or om. hero wasn't a bad guy I liked him. hero and heroine have been best friends for 14 years. they both had others. it didn't bother her or him when they would talk about others. In fact hero had some feelings for her first. I think it was me being picky because it really wasn't as bad as it could have been.
2.75 stars. hmmm so this didn't quite work for me at times. I didn't really feel the connection sometimes. it was just ok. it was cute and sweet at times (when hero was singing to her )but not enough. The constant we can't because we are friends or he or she isn't good enough for me was frustrating the heck out of me.. oh the epilogue left me wanting more. not nearly enough into the future:/
safety : hero of course was a manwhore. herione had lovers I think 3 or 4. there is mention of how many women he would have and how he could bang anyone. herione would mention this quite a bit. also hero mentions it several times. it wasn't overly described but mentioned too many times for my liking..no mention of condoms in their past but they always used them. mention of how she is the sweetest best woman he ever tasted. mention of her giving oral.. i Other than those things mentioned it is safe. no ow or om. hero wasn't a bad guy I liked him. hero and heroine have been best friends for 14 years. they both had others. it didn't bother her or him when they would talk about others. In fact hero had some feelings for her first. I think it was me being picky because it really wasn't as bad as it could have been.
March 11, 2016
Forever…who isn’t looking for forever but with your best friend?! Class reunions are hell as it is but when you were an awkward, brace wearing band geek with another dorky band geek as your best friend they can’t get any worse especially if you see yourself as that person you were ten years ago. Valerie had made good on all of that band practice as she became quite the accomplished flutist playing with the Philadelphia Philharmonic and just waiting for her chance at the big times playing in London. During those ten years she did have a couple of boyfriends along the way but the last one sort of sealed the deal for her. Charles didn’t do “forever’s” and since Valerie was sure that was where their relationship was heading she was totally caught off guard by his revelation.
Alec was Val’s best friend in high school and she was his sanctuary when his dad would show Alec exactly how not to treat your son. Alec would sneak into Val’s bedroom and sleep on the floor only to wake up to leave before her parents knew he was there. Al was also looked down on in high school so it became the Al and Val duet…wherever one was, the other was also. They had each other’s back and would be able to tell their deepest, darkest secrets to. After their one life changing thing that happened after graduation from high school it took a couple of years for Al and Val to become the friends they once were. Now ten years later that friendship had never changed. Alec would facetime or talk to Val every chance he got. They would discuss almost everything that was happening to them and in Alec’s case it was him becoming a sexy rock star that had women coming to him at whim. He was living the good life with his Grammy winning band he left his geek life behind. If only he could leave behind the damage his dad and mom had done to him and it was only Valerie who knew all of his secrets and the damage that had done to him.
So back to the class reunion…oh, yeah that was hell since some people never change. The bullies were still the bullies and the geeks were still the geeks. Anyway that’s how they pretty much seen themselves especially in Valerie’s case. She never got over the name calling and it crushed her self-esteem even if she now was an accomplished flutist. So what would her face to face encounter with Alec be like and could they get past their friendship for something “forever”? Could Valerie (aka Dirty Girl to Alec) ever see herself as Alec was seeing her which was a very beautiful, sexy and talented woman? Rules are made to be broken which was good since Alec and Valerie had set up all kinds of rules to protect themselves when it came to possibly stepping over that line of friendship into some pretty hot and heavy lusting. This is a great book that had me reliving my one class reunion I went to having me realize yet again why I don’t go to them anymore! Scratch that…maybe if I had an “Alec” there for me I would definitely look at them differently from here on out! I have to say that I really fell in love with this book and it had me rooting for Alec and Valerie the whole time. You just have to read it yourself to see the journey that it took for Alec and Valerie to make it to the other side of their friendship.
This book was provided as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
Alec was Val’s best friend in high school and she was his sanctuary when his dad would show Alec exactly how not to treat your son. Alec would sneak into Val’s bedroom and sleep on the floor only to wake up to leave before her parents knew he was there. Al was also looked down on in high school so it became the Al and Val duet…wherever one was, the other was also. They had each other’s back and would be able to tell their deepest, darkest secrets to. After their one life changing thing that happened after graduation from high school it took a couple of years for Al and Val to become the friends they once were. Now ten years later that friendship had never changed. Alec would facetime or talk to Val every chance he got. They would discuss almost everything that was happening to them and in Alec’s case it was him becoming a sexy rock star that had women coming to him at whim. He was living the good life with his Grammy winning band he left his geek life behind. If only he could leave behind the damage his dad and mom had done to him and it was only Valerie who knew all of his secrets and the damage that had done to him.
So back to the class reunion…oh, yeah that was hell since some people never change. The bullies were still the bullies and the geeks were still the geeks. Anyway that’s how they pretty much seen themselves especially in Valerie’s case. She never got over the name calling and it crushed her self-esteem even if she now was an accomplished flutist. So what would her face to face encounter with Alec be like and could they get past their friendship for something “forever”? Could Valerie (aka Dirty Girl to Alec) ever see herself as Alec was seeing her which was a very beautiful, sexy and talented woman? Rules are made to be broken which was good since Alec and Valerie had set up all kinds of rules to protect themselves when it came to possibly stepping over that line of friendship into some pretty hot and heavy lusting. This is a great book that had me reliving my one class reunion I went to having me realize yet again why I don’t go to them anymore! Scratch that…maybe if I had an “Alec” there for me I would definitely look at them differently from here on out! I have to say that I really fell in love with this book and it had me rooting for Alec and Valerie the whole time. You just have to read it yourself to see the journey that it took for Alec and Valerie to make it to the other side of their friendship.
This book was provided as an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.
February 22, 2016
She was kissing him now. Screw her stupid rules. They couldn’t stop her from this feeling, from this want. From responding to the sweet gesture he’d offered her that morning. She leaned in to him, slowly at first, so he’d know exactly where she was going—for his lips, his sweet, hot, naughty lips.
She brushed against them lightly, testing, but when Alec pressed against her with more force, opened her mouth with his tongue and dove in deep, she could do nothing but meet his demand—nothing but ride to wherever he was taking her.
ARC received from: Netgalley
Rating: 5*
Trope: Friends-to-lovers
Chemistry: Off the charts Scorchio
One-Sentence Summary: Two friends become more at a high school reunion
Review: Holy smokes, this book is HAWT!!!! I don't think I will ever look at a Coca Cola vending machine the same way again! Seriously, wow. Bring me some of that ice now to cool me down!
I loved the setup of the book. Usually friends-to-lovers romances are a little tricky when it comes to explaining why two characters suddenly decide to cross that line but here Alec and Valerie haven't seen each other in person for ten years and it is sort of believable why.
The setting of a high school reunion is believable as a catalyst as well and it made for some interesting set ups and comic scenes - I kind of feel a bit sorry for Reece though?
As to Alec and Valerie themselves, I love their backstory. Alec has a bit of an angsty background but rather than shoving some angst in there for no other reason than to make you feel sorry for a character, his past does come into play and directly explains his reluctance for a relationship in the present. Valerie also has her own stuff going on, waiting for a job offer in London and trying to understand her conflicting feelings she has for her friend/lover.
It seems like this book is the first in a series and whilst I can't find out anymore information about the followup at the moment, I know I can't wait to read more from this author.
In conclusion, if you are a fan of friends-to-lovers trope - of if you just want a well-written sexy read - you will LOVE this book.
He pointed at the wilting flowers in her hand. “What are those?”
She’d forgotten she still had them. “I was going to Pretty Woman you,” she explained. “Roses are hard to come by on short notice.”
“You brought me flowers?” His mouth quirked up and displayed his dimple.
“What?” She stood up straighter. “You’re the only one who’s allowed to be sorry?”
“Typical Val.” He stepped closer to her, his eyes not leaving hers. “Trying to steal the thunder of my apology.”
Originally posted @ Love's A State Of Mind
March 11, 2016
DNF @ 40%
I'm not really sure what to say about Best Friends with Benefits. It started fairly well but then The Curse of the Dirty Talk raised its head.
"Those are some great fucking tits"
I don't expect a hero's words in declaring what marvellous mountain-like peaks she has to be poetic, just a bit less crude, and generally I was torn between cringing, laughing and crying as the dirty talk just sank this for me. For a start Al calls Val Dirty Girl which I thought a bit naff, and the image implanted in my brain after he declared, "My cock is wailing to be inside you" wasn't one that ever needs repeating.
"With every stroke of their lips, need knotted tighter and tighter, a rope twisting and pulling her insides tauter, until she was afraid they might break. The ember of warmth glowing in her heart slid all the way down to her toes."
Remove the dirty talk though and there is writing that held real promise. But for every moment of hope, it was usurped by embarrassing dirty-talk or humour that felt forced and inappropriate. I know humour is interpreted different by different people but, for example, "Cock-fucius say, fuck first, sleep later"; it's just unfunny and I really wish that authors would remember that the reading population covers a larger demographic than white women.
There will undoubtedly be readers that absolutely love this; best-friends to lovers is a loved trope, it's one I'm a fan of, I know dirty-talk is appreciated by many and I appreciate it. But when it's less crude. However when I'm sat here thinking if I was spoken to that way, I'd either pee myself laughing or tell him to go forth rather impolitely, then I know it's not really a book for me.
Copy received courtesy of Entangled Publishing for an honest and unbiased opinion.
I'm not really sure what to say about Best Friends with Benefits. It started fairly well but then The Curse of the Dirty Talk raised its head.
"Those are some great fucking tits"
I don't expect a hero's words in declaring what marvellous mountain-like peaks she has to be poetic, just a bit less crude, and generally I was torn between cringing, laughing and crying as the dirty talk just sank this for me. For a start Al calls Val Dirty Girl which I thought a bit naff, and the image implanted in my brain after he declared, "My cock is wailing to be inside you" wasn't one that ever needs repeating.
"With every stroke of their lips, need knotted tighter and tighter, a rope twisting and pulling her insides tauter, until she was afraid they might break. The ember of warmth glowing in her heart slid all the way down to her toes."
Remove the dirty talk though and there is writing that held real promise. But for every moment of hope, it was usurped by embarrassing dirty-talk or humour that felt forced and inappropriate. I know humour is interpreted different by different people but, for example, "Cock-fucius say, fuck first, sleep later"; it's just unfunny and I really wish that authors would remember that the reading population covers a larger demographic than white women.
There will undoubtedly be readers that absolutely love this; best-friends to lovers is a loved trope, it's one I'm a fan of, I know dirty-talk is appreciated by many and I appreciate it. But when it's less crude. However when I'm sat here thinking if I was spoken to that way, I'd either pee myself laughing or tell him to go forth rather impolitely, then I know it's not really a book for me.
Copy received courtesy of Entangled Publishing for an honest and unbiased opinion.
March 15, 2016
Did you ever play Seven Minutes in Heaven when you were growing up? What if you got stuck in a closet with your best male friend? That is actually what happens to our hero and heroine in Best Friends with Benefits by Candy Sloane. Typically this is the point when I would tell you that the cover is what jumped out at me, but for this book, it's not. It was the synopsis. I already love a good friends-to-lovers book, but this one took it a step further. You throw in the adolescent games that you played growing up so that you could have an excuse to be close to your crush, without admitting anything, and it almost puts a forbidden twist on it. Fast forward ten years, and realize that they folks are playing this at their high school reunion! While drunk. That made for a mix that I just had to read.
This is my first book by this particular author and I quite enjoyed it. The storyline was engaging, the writing was well done and it moved at a good pace. There were also parts in it that I burst out laughing. They were somewhat immature but given the context they truly worked. You felt the chemistry between the main characters and you got a good feel for the supporting characters as well.
Overall, it was a vastly entertaining read and I would fully recommend it!
This is my first book by this particular author and I quite enjoyed it. The storyline was engaging, the writing was well done and it moved at a good pace. There were also parts in it that I burst out laughing. They were somewhat immature but given the context they truly worked. You felt the chemistry between the main characters and you got a good feel for the supporting characters as well.
Overall, it was a vastly entertaining read and I would fully recommend it!
June 26, 2017
Five Pretty Woman Stars!!
Al and Val's story is the on my list of PERFECT friends turned into lovers trope.
This is my first read from Ms. Sloane, and I have to say I am so looking forward to more of her work, in particular in this series. She set the ground running with two characters that were not only well developed characters, but a story that keeps you intrigued and engaged with both a friendly and heated banter.
What spoke to me the most in this particular story? The emotional dilemma that both characters carried with. I loved that their friendship was so deeply ingrained with them it was so difficult for them to move pass it for a fictional moment:
"You guys have been friends for so long, you probably don't even know that it's okay to fight, to hurt, to lose, to compromise."
That statement alone should tell you that you need to read this story.
Love this story.
Be prepared to be swept away like Julia Roberts was in Pretty Woman.
Ms. Sloane, kudos to you with this amazing story!
Al and Val's story is the on my list of PERFECT friends turned into lovers trope.
This is my first read from Ms. Sloane, and I have to say I am so looking forward to more of her work, in particular in this series. She set the ground running with two characters that were not only well developed characters, but a story that keeps you intrigued and engaged with both a friendly and heated banter.
What spoke to me the most in this particular story? The emotional dilemma that both characters carried with. I loved that their friendship was so deeply ingrained with them it was so difficult for them to move pass it for a fictional moment:
"You guys have been friends for so long, you probably don't even know that it's okay to fight, to hurt, to lose, to compromise."
That statement alone should tell you that you need to read this story.
Love this story.
Be prepared to be swept away like Julia Roberts was in Pretty Woman.
Ms. Sloane, kudos to you with this amazing story!
March 14, 2016
I didn’t immediately reach out and grab this one, but I kept coming back to it and finally decided to take the plunge. I don’t know if it was because I have my own high school reunion to go to this summer (the year isn’t necessary) and I needed to gear up for it or I was just in the mood for a friends to lovers story. In all honesty it was probably both. But what I do know is that once I started it I couldn’t stop. It was a fun, quick and extremely smexy read with likeable characters that had me wanting to hug them as well as smack some sense into them throughout the story.
I really liked Alec and Valerie. Alec, for all his rockstar fame, isn’t all about being famous. He loves the perks but here he is at his high school reunion because of Valerie and outside of using his fame to pull a few strings (the pinball room?) he doesn’t over do it. He’s sweet, a little dorky, smexy as hell and has a huge heart that he doesn’t really know what do with because of the demons he’s still battling from his past.
Valerie I found that I just got. I didn’t have the same experiences that she did when I was in high school, but I totally understood why she felt the way she did and her anxiety over having to see people she’d never intended to see ever again. What I enjoyed about her was that despite the insecurities raging inside of her, she still held her head high and exuded confidence as well she should considering what she has accomplished since leaving high school. She followed her dream and made it a reality.
Al and Val and the way they went from being friends to more was extremely smexy, sweet, a little heartbreaking as well as frustrating as hell (There were quite a few times I wanted to reach out and shake some sense into them both). The chemistry is there on all levels and it’s just about them taking the chance. The reason, well reasons, their progression from friends to lovers worked for me was number one: the setting. The ten year h.s. reunion setting will bring out so many memories, both good and bad, that I got to see not only how they saw each other, but how others had seen them and it really drove home the feeling that they were always meant to be more to each other. Number two: The fact that though they are besties, and have been for a long time, their friendship did take a hit at one point and what came out of it made it easier to understand why they were both so hesitant to reach out and grab what they both so obviously want. But never fear they do get their HEA and I really liked how it all turned out in the end.
The writing was engaging, I enjoyed the author’s style and voice and I was totally sucked into the story from the start. The pacing was well done and I liked how the secondary cast of characters made the story that much more lively and fun without taking away from Al and Val’s story.
The Bottom Line: Fun, quick, steamy read and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s coming next in the series!
~ARC received through Tasty Book Tours in exchange for an honest review ~
I really liked Alec and Valerie. Alec, for all his rockstar fame, isn’t all about being famous. He loves the perks but here he is at his high school reunion because of Valerie and outside of using his fame to pull a few strings (the pinball room?) he doesn’t over do it. He’s sweet, a little dorky, smexy as hell and has a huge heart that he doesn’t really know what do with because of the demons he’s still battling from his past.
Valerie I found that I just got. I didn’t have the same experiences that she did when I was in high school, but I totally understood why she felt the way she did and her anxiety over having to see people she’d never intended to see ever again. What I enjoyed about her was that despite the insecurities raging inside of her, she still held her head high and exuded confidence as well she should considering what she has accomplished since leaving high school. She followed her dream and made it a reality.
Al and Val and the way they went from being friends to more was extremely smexy, sweet, a little heartbreaking as well as frustrating as hell (There were quite a few times I wanted to reach out and shake some sense into them both). The chemistry is there on all levels and it’s just about them taking the chance. The reason, well reasons, their progression from friends to lovers worked for me was number one: the setting. The ten year h.s. reunion setting will bring out so many memories, both good and bad, that I got to see not only how they saw each other, but how others had seen them and it really drove home the feeling that they were always meant to be more to each other. Number two: The fact that though they are besties, and have been for a long time, their friendship did take a hit at one point and what came out of it made it easier to understand why they were both so hesitant to reach out and grab what they both so obviously want. But never fear they do get their HEA and I really liked how it all turned out in the end.
The writing was engaging, I enjoyed the author’s style and voice and I was totally sucked into the story from the start. The pacing was well done and I liked how the secondary cast of characters made the story that much more lively and fun without taking away from Al and Val’s story.
The Bottom Line: Fun, quick, steamy read and I’m looking forward to seeing what’s coming next in the series!
~ARC received through Tasty Book Tours in exchange for an honest review ~
March 17, 2016
Valerie and Alec have been best friends most of their lives. They know each others joys. They know each others sorrows. They know each others secrets. They haven't seen each other in quite sometime except for Facetime. Valerie plays flute for the philharmonic and Alec is lead singer and guitarist for his successful rock band, Chronic Disharmony. When they attend their class reunion weekend, some things have changed, but some things haven't.
Once they arrive at the festivities, they are thrust into the middle of a spin the bottle game. Val's spin lands on Alec and the action begins! It turns out to be the push these two needed to begin a new avenue of their relationship. They decide to go for it, but with rules. But we all know rules are meant to be broken, right? The delectable way they break them-whew! The chemistry leaped off the page. And oh my, the sex scenes were scorchingly hot!!
Their friendship has always been easy, but this new found attraction is throwing each of them for a loop! They tried to make the weekend all about the sex with no feelings-thus the rules, but their attraction gave way to deep emotional feelings for each other. Val wants to be with Alec, but given his rock-star status, she's concerned that she can't ever be enough. Alec wants Val around, but doesn't think he can be what he thinks that she needs and deserves. Can they make it work? Or are they better off just friends?
Candy Sloane has a keeper in Best Friend with Benefits! I love a good best friends to lovers book and I ate up the tension that Ms. Sloane built throughout. There were a lot of feelings that they needed to sort through. I was rooting for them to get to the happy medium I felt they could achieve. It was thrilling, delightful, and very sexy read that I would recommend.
4 stars/4 flames
This book was gifted to me for the express purpose of an honest review. The rating and review are solely my opinion and in no way was I compensated.
Once they arrive at the festivities, they are thrust into the middle of a spin the bottle game. Val's spin lands on Alec and the action begins! It turns out to be the push these two needed to begin a new avenue of their relationship. They decide to go for it, but with rules. But we all know rules are meant to be broken, right? The delectable way they break them-whew! The chemistry leaped off the page. And oh my, the sex scenes were scorchingly hot!!
Their friendship has always been easy, but this new found attraction is throwing each of them for a loop! They tried to make the weekend all about the sex with no feelings-thus the rules, but their attraction gave way to deep emotional feelings for each other. Val wants to be with Alec, but given his rock-star status, she's concerned that she can't ever be enough. Alec wants Val around, but doesn't think he can be what he thinks that she needs and deserves. Can they make it work? Or are they better off just friends?
Candy Sloane has a keeper in Best Friend with Benefits! I love a good best friends to lovers book and I ate up the tension that Ms. Sloane built throughout. There were a lot of feelings that they needed to sort through. I was rooting for them to get to the happy medium I felt they could achieve. It was thrilling, delightful, and very sexy read that I would recommend.
4 stars/4 flames
This book was gifted to me for the express purpose of an honest review. The rating and review are solely my opinion and in no way was I compensated.
March 17, 2016
Best Friends With Benefits is a friends to lovers story set during their 10 year high school reunion. This story had one of my favorite premises unpopular kids who make something of themselves, and then attend their class reunion only to find boring, jealous former bullies. Toss in an unexpected hookup and it seems like the perfect story for me. Unfortunately this one just fell a little short for me.
Val and Alex were nerd kids in high school, but had both made a name for themselves in music. He is a famous rock star and she is playing for a major symphony. They were best friends in high school, but he always wanted more and she was too insecure to realize it. The kept in touch through texts, Skype and phone calls, but haven't seen each other in 10 years. It was a little unlikely that they could/would remain best friends but couldn't take any time out to visit the other. And then bam they meet for the reunion and sparks fly...
I couldn't connect with either Val or Alex for some reason. The plot had so much potential and the reunion parts were fun, but there was so little interaction with classmates and the actual events that it left me wanting more. I was also frustrated by their serious and constant lack of communication and the arbitrary rules they each proposed that were pretty much immediately discarded. Overall it was a fun sexy story that I would recommend for anyone wanting a quick and dirty friends to lovers story.
A review copy was provided by Entangled via Netgalley for an honest review.
Val and Alex were nerd kids in high school, but had both made a name for themselves in music. He is a famous rock star and she is playing for a major symphony. They were best friends in high school, but he always wanted more and she was too insecure to realize it. The kept in touch through texts, Skype and phone calls, but haven't seen each other in 10 years. It was a little unlikely that they could/would remain best friends but couldn't take any time out to visit the other. And then bam they meet for the reunion and sparks fly...
I couldn't connect with either Val or Alex for some reason. The plot had so much potential and the reunion parts were fun, but there was so little interaction with classmates and the actual events that it left me wanting more. I was also frustrated by their serious and constant lack of communication and the arbitrary rules they each proposed that were pretty much immediately discarded. Overall it was a fun sexy story that I would recommend for anyone wanting a quick and dirty friends to lovers story.
A review copy was provided by Entangled via Netgalley for an honest review.
February 21, 2016
One of my favourite romance books I've read in a long time!! I am a huge sucker for any Entangled romance novel. They are always a book I know that I am going to enjoy no matter what the plot.
This book is definitely no exception.
To start, this book is a friends to lovers story, which I love. There is something to be said about having a real connection with your lover other than purely physical.
Don't get me wrong, there is tons of physical connection in this book. Candy Sloane knows how to write one hell of a steamy sex scene.
“In some ways it was what he wanted. To kiss every uncharted inch of her, take his time with her pleasure rather than fuck her hard and fast, but he knew how dangerous that was. If he felt like this after one kiss, how would he feel after making love to her? And fuck, God help him, he wanted to.”
Some of the scenes are absolutely hilarious. The banter and conversations shared between Alec and Val will have you laughing out loud wishing you were apart of their conversation.
This is definitely a light hearted book that I recommend reading!!
4/5 Stars!
This book is definitely no exception.
To start, this book is a friends to lovers story, which I love. There is something to be said about having a real connection with your lover other than purely physical.
Don't get me wrong, there is tons of physical connection in this book. Candy Sloane knows how to write one hell of a steamy sex scene.
“In some ways it was what he wanted. To kiss every uncharted inch of her, take his time with her pleasure rather than fuck her hard and fast, but he knew how dangerous that was. If he felt like this after one kiss, how would he feel after making love to her? And fuck, God help him, he wanted to.”
Some of the scenes are absolutely hilarious. The banter and conversations shared between Alec and Val will have you laughing out loud wishing you were apart of their conversation.
This is definitely a light hearted book that I recommend reading!!
4/5 Stars!
February 26, 2016
Best Friends with Benefits is exactly the kind of book I love to read: funny, sexy as sin and best friends to lovers romance. The book certainly lived up to my expectations---it was FAB! Alec and Valerie shared wicked chemistry and you could see their mutual love for each other throughout the book. Their connection was realistic and easy to relate to. Candy Sloane infused humor throughout the book, making me laugh out loud several times. Cockfuscious is probably my new favorite word, I will never look at Coke machines the same way again and Al and Val's revenge on Reece was absolute perfection. This book gets a definite 5 stars from me for being fun and sexy with the perfect HEA ending that the characters truly deserve.
March 3, 2019
ARC provided by Entangled Publishing, LLC via NetGalley for review
This is going to be a weird review because quite honestly, the book was neither good nor bad. It was just there ...
Friends to lovers story should have enough pent-up tension and anticipation that their union should WOW the reader, at least once. Not so much in this case. The story was fun and entertaining, but the sexual tension just wasn't there. So if we take that out entirely from the book, it turns the book into a great read.
Overall, I would say the premise of this story was great. Who doesn't love a friends to lover trope? And the friendship tension and apprehension was done well. So, I'm middle of the road, with a little tilt towards good, in my review ... take that as you will :)
This is going to be a weird review because quite honestly, the book was neither good nor bad. It was just there ...
Friends to lovers story should have enough pent-up tension and anticipation that their union should WOW the reader, at least once. Not so much in this case. The story was fun and entertaining, but the sexual tension just wasn't there. So if we take that out entirely from the book, it turns the book into a great read.
Overall, I would say the premise of this story was great. Who doesn't love a friends to lover trope? And the friendship tension and apprehension was done well. So, I'm middle of the road, with a little tilt towards good, in my review ... take that as you will :)
February 14, 2016
I really liked Alec and how possessive her could be, "he pressed the back of his body against it. “No one is getting in here.” He would keep that promise, but his position made it so she would have to come to him. “Get over here so I can ride that first rule out of you, Dirty Girl.” I love when a man can admit when he's wrong, “yes,” Alec said, “someone who means something to me.” He touched her arm, forced her to turn to him. “Sometimes you need to be able to admit you’re an a**.” I liked this book I loved Alec.
March 7, 2016
Fantastic! Candy Sloane's Best Friends with Benefits was steamy erotic, emotionally angsty tempered by lighthearted humor but overall readers will fall in love with Val and Alec.
Best friends since fourteen, they parted ten years ago in not so pleasant circumstances and have just slowly rebuilt their friendship (longdistance) in the last five years. They grew up and Alec is now a successful rock star while Val is awaiting whether she has been accepted in the London Philharmonic. It was easy to slip back into friendship when they were both far away, but now, seeing each other face to face leads them to admit that they have some unfinished business of the not so platonic kind. As they give in to their lust, can Alec and Val be able to go back to just being friends or are they willing to take a risk and leave all their teen insecurities behind for a chance of a happy ever after.
For a novella, Best Friends with Benefits was quite detailed, never skimping on emotions, back story and erotica. It was well written and can wring every emotion out of readers with Val and Al's story. The dialogue, not just between the main characters are just spot on when it comes to the fourteen year romance of Val and Alec. This is one story contemporary romance readers will surely wouldn't want to miss.
*ARC provided by the publisher thru NetGalley*
Best friends since fourteen, they parted ten years ago in not so pleasant circumstances and have just slowly rebuilt their friendship (longdistance) in the last five years. They grew up and Alec is now a successful rock star while Val is awaiting whether she has been accepted in the London Philharmonic. It was easy to slip back into friendship when they were both far away, but now, seeing each other face to face leads them to admit that they have some unfinished business of the not so platonic kind. As they give in to their lust, can Alec and Val be able to go back to just being friends or are they willing to take a risk and leave all their teen insecurities behind for a chance of a happy ever after.
For a novella, Best Friends with Benefits was quite detailed, never skimping on emotions, back story and erotica. It was well written and can wring every emotion out of readers with Val and Al's story. The dialogue, not just between the main characters are just spot on when it comes to the fourteen year romance of Val and Alec. This is one story contemporary romance readers will surely wouldn't want to miss.
*ARC provided by the publisher thru NetGalley*
February 24, 2016
4.5 stars - I seriously enjoyed this story! I love friends to lovers stories. I think it is because the history is already there with friends, and you can immediately get a sense of the depth of the relationship. This is true for Valerie and Alec. Honestly, I can't imagine why they weren't together a long time ago. I mean, reasons are given, but it just seems so obvious. They are open and honest with one another and their affection is so clear. Their love story is long overdue and well worth reading. If you love friends to lovers stories, like I do, this is a definite must buy. Even if you don't, just go ahead and do it, you won't regret it
I received an ARC of this book, via NetGallery, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
I received an ARC of this book, via NetGallery, in exchange for a fair and honest review.
March 2, 2016
A HOT read from Candy Sloane, Best Friends with Benefits was a sexy, short, but sweet friends-to-lovers story. I was intrigued by the high school band nerd vibe. Who knew they could turn out to be a rockstar and a professional flutist? Glad Val and Alec worked through their past hurts to get their HEA. The prank on the reunion coordinator was hilarious!
ARC provided by NetGalley
ARC provided by NetGalley
March 5, 2016
This one was Excellent!! I enjoyed it so much and I really like the authors writing style. I'm looking forward to reading more from her. It has a nice pace and the characters were fantastic!
Alec Rogers may be a big time rock star but his best friend Valerie Barkin has always kept him grounded. They are back together again at a high school reunion only now sparks are flying and sexual chemistry is off the charts. They try to fight it but some things can't be denied. Can their friendship survive if they go into this with ground rules?? No strings, no attachments???? A weekend full of hot sexy times may bring them closer than they ever intended!
Definitely a book I recommend!
Alec Rogers may be a big time rock star but his best friend Valerie Barkin has always kept him grounded. They are back together again at a high school reunion only now sparks are flying and sexual chemistry is off the charts. They try to fight it but some things can't be denied. Can their friendship survive if they go into this with ground rules?? No strings, no attachments???? A weekend full of hot sexy times may bring them closer than they ever intended!
Definitely a book I recommend!
September 10, 2019
Reviewed by Heather
Book provided by the publisher
I thought Best Friends with Benefits was very generic and easy to guess what would happen next. Warning to younger readers, this does have very steamy scenes and the book is filled with sexual comments.
The main characters, Valerie and Alec, really irritated me because they were very insecure and always made excuses for not doing what they both wanted. I would like to have seen them act more like adults rather than high schoolers. I feel like the chemistry just wasn't there for them.
I didn't like that Valerie and Alec had miraculously gone 10 years without seeing each other in person after being inseparable in high school. I understand life gets in the way but I wish there had been some interaction between high school and the 10-year class reunion. It made it seem unrealistic.
I did like the way Valerie and Alec joked with each other after 10 years of no face to face contact. That was pretty much the only thing that kept me pushing through the story. Well, I also enjoyed the sex scenes.
Best Friends with Benefits didn't impress me. Not only was the story line worn out, the charters seemed to feel way too much guilt about being attracted to one another.
Book provided by the publisher
I thought Best Friends with Benefits was very generic and easy to guess what would happen next. Warning to younger readers, this does have very steamy scenes and the book is filled with sexual comments.
The main characters, Valerie and Alec, really irritated me because they were very insecure and always made excuses for not doing what they both wanted. I would like to have seen them act more like adults rather than high schoolers. I feel like the chemistry just wasn't there for them.
I didn't like that Valerie and Alec had miraculously gone 10 years without seeing each other in person after being inseparable in high school. I understand life gets in the way but I wish there had been some interaction between high school and the 10-year class reunion. It made it seem unrealistic.
I did like the way Valerie and Alec joked with each other after 10 years of no face to face contact. That was pretty much the only thing that kept me pushing through the story. Well, I also enjoyed the sex scenes.
Best Friends with Benefits didn't impress me. Not only was the story line worn out, the charters seemed to feel way too much guilt about being attracted to one another.
Read
July 12, 2017I hardly ever read these sorts of books, but my friend recommended it. I enjoy the "best friends to lovers" trope. Unfortunately I need more romance or tension, even in friends-to-more stories. The instant lust and panting here overwhelmed everything else. True best friends would have had a little more to say to each other, IMO. I'm also slightly tired of the male "sex god" and the relatively inexperienced woman who suddenly turns into a sex goddess herself because of him. In this case she'd had three other relationships. There's no way I believe she'd never done certain things. I much, much, much preferred The Hating Game and Summer Skin.
March 15, 2016
*I received an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion and review*
Initially posted on PolishedBookworm.com
It's no coincidence that some of my favorite fictional couples started as friends before making the (terrifying) leap to a romantic relationship. The friends to lovers trope is an all-time favorite of mine. From Ron and Hermione in the Harry Potter books and movies to Oliver and Felicity of the CW’s Arrow TV series, the journey from best friends to more is fraught with anxiety, tension, and vulnerability.
Alec and Valerie, the romantic protagonists of author Candy Sloane’s sexy new release, Best Friends with Benefits , perfectly demonstrate why falling in love (and lust) with your best friend is so scary — and ultimately so rewarding.
Despite what Harry told Sally in the iconic film all those years ago, men and women can just be friends (look no further than Kate and Leo as a prime example). However, sometimes, a connection can begin to develop that goes far beyond the initial emotional bond friendship. Finding yourself attracted to a close friend can be unnerving. What if they don’t like you that way? What if it’s one-sided?
Then again, maybe it’s mutual and there’s unresolved sexual tension leaking all over the place — but making the move to a physical relationship could mean risking the friendship.
Best Friends with Benefits deals with both of these fears head on. Being inseparable all throughout high school, best friends Alec and Valerie have worked hard to maintain their connection in the ten years since graduation. With true affection —and the help of FaceTime and texts— they have been able to weather time and distance, rifts and career changes. However, their high school reunion marks the first time they are actually in the same room in ten years. Their deep-seated emotional connection is now complicated by an immediate, and mutual, visceral physical and sexual attraction.
Despite international success as a rock musician and current Rolling Stone cover boy, Alec is, at his core, still an abused boy longing for safety. Alec uses his sex-god status to avoid emotional connection since he doesn’t believe in marriage and commitment (given his family life, it’s understandable). Being used to meaningless (but great sex), Alex initially figures he can manage have sex with Valerie without it causing irreparable harm to their friendship. Silly man! Soon, Alec wonders if maybe he isn’t a forever kind of guy, as long as forever is with Valerie. But what if he isn’t worthy of her? Or worse, what if she doesn’t want him beyond a quickie in secret? Insecurity can cripple anyone when their heart is on the line.
Valerie knew she missed her chance with Alec ten years ago, but she knew a relationship wasn’t in the cards for them. Val still sees herself as the quiet, awkward band geek even though she has grown into a stunning, talented woman. On the verge of achieving her dream position with the London Philharmonic, love with her famous best friend is the last thing Valerie expected. Of course Alec loves her as a friend, but why would he ever consider giving up a smorgasbord of groupies for someone like her? Val’s risk-averse nature almost ruins her chance for happiness —and some SERIOUSLY sexy fun.
The problem with self-denial, is, once the flood gates open there can be no going back.
Unable to resist their attraction, Alex and Val finally give in to their physical needs, and have mercy, is it ever satisfying. Deciding they can handle a weekend affair, Alec and Val embark on a ‘friends with benefits’ farce arrangement. The communication between Alec and Val is always honest, being honest with themselves is the problem. With humor and vulnerability, Alec and Val find their way.
Finding your other half is nerve-racking and overwhelming and all together perfect, especially when they’ve always been right beside you.
Author Candy Sloane skillfully explores the pitfalls, and joy, of sharing your body with the person who shares your heart. Best Friends with Benefits earns its place among the most satisfying friends to lovers stories.
Initially posted on PolishedBookworm.com
It's no coincidence that some of my favorite fictional couples started as friends before making the (terrifying) leap to a romantic relationship. The friends to lovers trope is an all-time favorite of mine. From Ron and Hermione in the Harry Potter books and movies to Oliver and Felicity of the CW’s Arrow TV series, the journey from best friends to more is fraught with anxiety, tension, and vulnerability.
Alec and Valerie, the romantic protagonists of author Candy Sloane’s sexy new release, Best Friends with Benefits , perfectly demonstrate why falling in love (and lust) with your best friend is so scary — and ultimately so rewarding.
Despite what Harry told Sally in the iconic film all those years ago, men and women can just be friends (look no further than Kate and Leo as a prime example). However, sometimes, a connection can begin to develop that goes far beyond the initial emotional bond friendship. Finding yourself attracted to a close friend can be unnerving. What if they don’t like you that way? What if it’s one-sided?
Then again, maybe it’s mutual and there’s unresolved sexual tension leaking all over the place — but making the move to a physical relationship could mean risking the friendship.
Best Friends with Benefits deals with both of these fears head on. Being inseparable all throughout high school, best friends Alec and Valerie have worked hard to maintain their connection in the ten years since graduation. With true affection —and the help of FaceTime and texts— they have been able to weather time and distance, rifts and career changes. However, their high school reunion marks the first time they are actually in the same room in ten years. Their deep-seated emotional connection is now complicated by an immediate, and mutual, visceral physical and sexual attraction.
Despite international success as a rock musician and current Rolling Stone cover boy, Alec is, at his core, still an abused boy longing for safety. Alec uses his sex-god status to avoid emotional connection since he doesn’t believe in marriage and commitment (given his family life, it’s understandable). Being used to meaningless (but great sex), Alex initially figures he can manage have sex with Valerie without it causing irreparable harm to their friendship. Silly man! Soon, Alec wonders if maybe he isn’t a forever kind of guy, as long as forever is with Valerie. But what if he isn’t worthy of her? Or worse, what if she doesn’t want him beyond a quickie in secret? Insecurity can cripple anyone when their heart is on the line.
Valerie knew she missed her chance with Alec ten years ago, but she knew a relationship wasn’t in the cards for them. Val still sees herself as the quiet, awkward band geek even though she has grown into a stunning, talented woman. On the verge of achieving her dream position with the London Philharmonic, love with her famous best friend is the last thing Valerie expected. Of course Alec loves her as a friend, but why would he ever consider giving up a smorgasbord of groupies for someone like her? Val’s risk-averse nature almost ruins her chance for happiness —and some SERIOUSLY sexy fun.
The problem with self-denial, is, once the flood gates open there can be no going back.
Unable to resist their attraction, Alex and Val finally give in to their physical needs, and have mercy, is it ever satisfying. Deciding they can handle a weekend affair, Alec and Val embark on a ‘friends with benefits’ farce arrangement. The communication between Alec and Val is always honest, being honest with themselves is the problem. With humor and vulnerability, Alec and Val find their way.
Finding your other half is nerve-racking and overwhelming and all together perfect, especially when they’ve always been right beside you.
Author Candy Sloane skillfully explores the pitfalls, and joy, of sharing your body with the person who shares your heart. Best Friends with Benefits earns its place among the most satisfying friends to lovers stories.
July 15, 2017
Title: Best Friends with Benefits
Author: Candy Sloane
Publisher: Entangled: Brazen
Reviewer: Mollien
Release Date: March 14, 2016
Genre(s): Rocker, High School Reunion, Romance
Page Count: 178 pages
Heat Level: # 4 flames out of 5
Rating: # 4 stars out of 5
Blurb:
Seven minutes in heaven never felt so good…
Valerie Barkin and Alec Rogers survived bullies, awful parents, and seriously shitty social standing the only way best friends can—together. But with the unexpected sexual tension suddenly flaring between them, surviving their ten-year high school reunion might be a different story…
Val hasn’t changed. She still feels like the stringy-haired band geek the popular kids teased, but Alec has definitely changed. He’s now the front man for the Grammy-winning rock band Chronic Disharmony, with the sexual reputation to match. And he’s more than willing to help Val rock the reunion.
And then it happens—a drunken game of Seven Minutes in Heaven—and their fourteen-years-long foreplay comes crashing to the forefront…changing everything.
Seven minutes turns into a weekend of mind-blowing, no-strings-attached sex. But these best friends won't be able to leave their hearts out of it forever, not when the most meaningful benefit could change their relationship for good.
Review:
This is a fun quick story where two best friends reunite at their high school reunion. Neither one of them expected the weekend to turn out the way it did.
The plot of this book has Val and Alec meeting at their high school reunion weekend. While they were in school they were pretty much the school outcasts. Skinny knock kneed Val “Barking” Barkin, the butt of everyone’s jokes becomes a beautiful concert flautist. Alec is on the latest cover of Rolling Stone Magazine and a Rock God. The two of them have managed to be in constant contact over the years. Skype, text, call they have done it, but they haven’t been with each other since the day after graduation. Now that they are together things take an interesting turn. There is wonderful chemistry between these two and you can’t help but hope that they end up together. The pacing is good, with passion, humor and a practical joke that makes you cringe and wish that you could do something like that to the person that made your high school experience hell. Nice ending, I am sure you will be pleased. Even though it is years after high school, and both characters are successful, they are both holding onto their teen insecurities. Together you will see them help each other and grow.
SCORES on a scale of 1-5 Stars rate each of the Following 5 Categories
PLOT 4 Stars
CHEMISTRY 5 Stars
PACING 5 Stars
ENDING 4 Stars
CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT 4 Stars
Find this book on Goodreads
ARC provided by the author via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review. Reviewed by Mollien from Alpha Book Club
February 26, 2016
Candy Sloane has taken me on a wild and exciting ride too love and of course yuminess. This is the first book I have read by this author and it for sure wont be the last. Miss Sloane is a great writer and has a great gift.
Valerie Barkin and Alec Rogers have survived allot but what made it better was there friendship. But with the unexpected chemistry as well as sexual tension which is o so suddenly sparking between them, surviving their ten-year high school reunion together might be well a different story… altogether.
Val hasn’t changed at all grown more yes but she still feels like that stringy-haired band geek that the popular kids teased, but Alec yep he has changed. He is now the front man for a Grammy award winning rock band Chronic Disharmony, with a sexual reputation to match. And he’ is more than willing to help Val rock there reunion and then some.
And then it happens a drunken childish game of Seven Minutes in Heaven....and their fourteen year long foreplay comes crashing to the front…changing everything they once new.
Seven minutes turns there world into a weekend of mind numbing amazing, no-strings-attached sex.
But will these friends be able to leave their hearts out of it forever? Or will the most meaningful relationship pass them by for good....
A heart stopping tender yet earthy raw sexiest book ever it has great laugh out loud moment and takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions, this book was so hard too put down.
Val is a sweet character very shy and totally needed Al to get her out of the rut she has been in since her break up.
Al omg her is amazing I connected with him straight away he was wow wow amazing, he was so tender and so raw and sexy mmm and the intimate scenes made me weak at the knees.
Hears a favourite excerpt of mine.
“She had ruined him, by saving him. But he couldn’t let her know it. He would try to follow her rules even if it killed him.”
4 Out Of 5 Hearts From Cariad Books
Valerie Barkin and Alec Rogers have survived allot but what made it better was there friendship. But with the unexpected chemistry as well as sexual tension which is o so suddenly sparking between them, surviving their ten-year high school reunion together might be well a different story… altogether.
Val hasn’t changed at all grown more yes but she still feels like that stringy-haired band geek that the popular kids teased, but Alec yep he has changed. He is now the front man for a Grammy award winning rock band Chronic Disharmony, with a sexual reputation to match. And he’ is more than willing to help Val rock there reunion and then some.
And then it happens a drunken childish game of Seven Minutes in Heaven....and their fourteen year long foreplay comes crashing to the front…changing everything they once new.
Seven minutes turns there world into a weekend of mind numbing amazing, no-strings-attached sex.
But will these friends be able to leave their hearts out of it forever? Or will the most meaningful relationship pass them by for good....
A heart stopping tender yet earthy raw sexiest book ever it has great laugh out loud moment and takes you on a roller coaster ride of emotions, this book was so hard too put down.
Val is a sweet character very shy and totally needed Al to get her out of the rut she has been in since her break up.
Al omg her is amazing I connected with him straight away he was wow wow amazing, he was so tender and so raw and sexy mmm and the intimate scenes made me weak at the knees.
Hears a favourite excerpt of mine.
“She had ruined him, by saving him. But he couldn’t let her know it. He would try to follow her rules even if it killed him.”
4 Out Of 5 Hearts From Cariad Books
March 12, 2016
I'd call this 4.5 stars. I truly enjoyed this story. Val & Alec were best friends in high school. They've kept up their friendship virtually, though they haven't seen each other in person in 10 years. They agree to meet up to go together to their high school reunion. Alec is now a big rock star and Valerie plays the flute in the Philly Philharmonic, so they share a love of music. In fact, it's what brought them together originally in school. They were both geeks and loners, and they gravitated toward each other in the band.
Val & Al, as they called each other, were always together in school, and everyone knew they belonged together. Well, everyone but them, apparently. Being there at the reunion, sharing a hotel room, and being attracted to each other causes mucho tension between them. The author does a great job of ratcheting up that tension to glorious effect.
They decide to have a fling, but they decide on "rules" to make sure no feelings get involved. We all know how well that usually works out. Watching their interactions as friends was quite amusing. They clearly knew each other well and had great dialogue. I enjoyed Val's friend Cynthia as well.
They spend the weekend together and they both want more but don't know how to say it. There are some driving forces from the past affecting both of their decisions and they have to come to terms with all that before they can pursue a future. Val has self esteem issues, and Alec had a crappy home life that seriously affects him still.
I really enjoyed this story, and I hope there will be others, as some of their friends had some fun (off-page) at the reunion as well!
Val & Al, as they called each other, were always together in school, and everyone knew they belonged together. Well, everyone but them, apparently. Being there at the reunion, sharing a hotel room, and being attracted to each other causes mucho tension between them. The author does a great job of ratcheting up that tension to glorious effect.
They decide to have a fling, but they decide on "rules" to make sure no feelings get involved. We all know how well that usually works out. Watching their interactions as friends was quite amusing. They clearly knew each other well and had great dialogue. I enjoyed Val's friend Cynthia as well.
They spend the weekend together and they both want more but don't know how to say it. There are some driving forces from the past affecting both of their decisions and they have to come to terms with all that before they can pursue a future. Val has self esteem issues, and Alec had a crappy home life that seriously affects him still.
I really enjoyed this story, and I hope there will be others, as some of their friends had some fun (off-page) at the reunion as well!
March 18, 2016
I received a free copy in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
Where to start with this review? Well, the first thing which caught my attention was the book's theme - best friends to lovers. If you guys know me, then you know that it's one of my favourite themes! So I was very eager to read this book. So did it live up to my expectation?
In a way, it did. I really liked the past history between Alec and Val. It did add complexity to the characters and the necessary background to know them better. But inspite of being best friends, I didn't get the right vibe from them in the beginning. It seemed superficial that they would fall for other each so suddenly. It was one of the points which irked me.
Another point was the language used at times. But this is a very minor one. I did expect very adult language though so I was able to overlook the parts where it was unnecessary.
The chemistry was very good between them. The heat factor was way off the charts. It was a very easy read with the interactions between Alec and Val. Though I would continue to read the series, this was one book which was sufficient only and it didn't have the extra element to make it a special read.
My rating : 3.5 /5
Where to start with this review? Well, the first thing which caught my attention was the book's theme - best friends to lovers. If you guys know me, then you know that it's one of my favourite themes! So I was very eager to read this book. So did it live up to my expectation?
In a way, it did. I really liked the past history between Alec and Val. It did add complexity to the characters and the necessary background to know them better. But inspite of being best friends, I didn't get the right vibe from them in the beginning. It seemed superficial that they would fall for other each so suddenly. It was one of the points which irked me.
Another point was the language used at times. But this is a very minor one. I did expect very adult language though so I was able to overlook the parts where it was unnecessary.
The chemistry was very good between them. The heat factor was way off the charts. It was a very easy read with the interactions between Alec and Val. Though I would continue to read the series, this was one book which was sufficient only and it didn't have the extra element to make it a special read.
My rating : 3.5 /5
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews