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Vets with Benefits

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In the second book of the Angel Peaks series, sparks fly when frenemies Reece and Maddie try to work as a team to help their friends plan a wedding.

Maddie Moreno, the only CPA in the small town of Angel Peaks, has a reputation for being a bit of a hot head. With a whole menagerie of interesting animals and a bad habit of getting into verbal skirmishes, things look like they are about to get interesting when she is asked to be maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding.

Local veterinarian Reece Mackey has had the hots for Maddie since he arrived in Angel Peaks three years ago and she tore him off a strip for parking in her spot. They’ve had a love-hate relationship ever since and he just loves to push her buttons. However, he’d rather push his agenda for getting up close and personal. When he’s assigned the role of best man, he sees it as the ideal opportunity to get intimate with the feisty maid of honor, but will she agree to stepping outside the friends zone?

Throw in an aggressive llama named Dave and a potty-mouthed parrot and you have the recipe for a fun and sexy read.

259 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 13, 2022

29 people are currently reading
67 people want to read

About the author

Sophie Penhaligon

8 books59 followers
Sophie Penhaligon was born and raised in England but has lived in Canada for over 20 years. She enjoys reading and writing sweet and sexy romance novels with loveable characters and interesting locations.

You can find out more about Sophie's books by visiting her website: https://sophiepenhaligon.com where you can sign up to join her mailing list.

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5 stars
75 (49%)
4 stars
53 (34%)
3 stars
17 (11%)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 47 reviews
Profile Image for Linda (NOT RECEIVING NOTIFICATIONS).
1,906 reviews329 followers
June 6, 2022
I feel at a loss with all the high ratings. I was hoping for a light, upbeat romance with great chemistry between the H/h. Adding some animals and humor and it should have been a winner.

Instead, I didn’t care for either Maddie or Reece; I never warmed up to either character. I never could get past the backtalk, instalust and miscommunication.

As another reader mentioned, I thought I was reading a script. Please show me, don’t tell. Since I am in the minority with my thoughts, I’ll tag this “it’s me, not you”.

Thank you to NetGalley and Sophie Penhaligon for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for Inishowen Cailín.
888 reviews53 followers
May 21, 2022
I laughed so much while reading this book. The banter between the characters and the interactions between Maddie and Reece was so funny. I loved how they made fun of each other and flirted at the same time. Their relationship moves quite fast but it's such a fun and lighthearted story it's so easy to get swept along with them.
Both Reece and Maddie were adorable. They both love animals and it was nice to see how very caring they were towards them. They also have a fun-loving and loyal bunch of friends who are a hoot.
I missed the first book in this series but I definitely want to read Sam and Kate's back story.
This was a fun and humorous romance that left me with a smile on my face.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy provided by the publisher.
Profile Image for Buffyanna.
989 reviews43 followers
April 22, 2022
”Is something else bothering you? You don’t seem yourself.”

“No. I’m just trying to be nice, and it’s hard work.”


Maddie Moreno, the volatile and outspoken accountant of Angel Peaks, has made a name for her young self as a woman not to be messed with. When newcomer, Dr. Reece Mackey, arrived three years ago, he got her all riled up by obliviously parking in her spot. She reamed him out. He got her back by taking over the town vet practice. That means something, to a woman who owns a cat, a parrot, a bunny, a snake, a llama, a donkey and two fainting goats!

”What if we just kind of expanded our friendship a bit? You know, spend more time together doing things without the others …”

“So, like enhanced friends?”

Exactly! Enhanced friends.”


Nowadays, Maddie and Reece have settled into a true frenemies dynamic where barbs and insults are traded routinely, but lacking in any vitriol. They spend a lot of time together alongside their four other best friends, two of whom are just about to get married. What happens if Maddie and Reece want to take things further? What if they want to keep it to themselves?

”So, you’re telling me he bit my ass because you failed to sing The Pina Colada Song to him?”

“No, Reece. You failed to sing the song, so he bit your ass. Not my fault.”


Oh. My. Maddie’s brave face and private insecurities! Reece’s patience and overtures of romance! The ridiculousness that they come up with. These two had me laughing so hard and smiling so big that my stomach and face were burning. I couldn’t hide it from my family so I just gave up and resigned myself to looking like I was caught red-handed with mommy porn yet again. And now I am writing this review with “The Pina Colada Song” playing in my head. Thanks, Sophie Penhaligon. Thanks for a high impact cardio workout disguised as a friends to lovers easy read!

(This is my independent review of an author supplied ARC.)
Profile Image for Deepankita.
59 reviews2 followers
May 13, 2022
(4 stars)

When sullen (Maddie) and a golden retriever (Reece) discover their potential in a relationship

The author used the language perfectly to make the reader experience the things that the characters feel. The dual point of view helped me get a lot of perspective regarding both of the characters and I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I took an instant liking to Maddie because of her love for animals and scenes with how she interacted with her pets (DAVE WAS FANTASTIC). All her fussing and sass made her so intriguing that I wanted to know more. She did have a complicated way to react to affection, but Reece more than made up for it. He was warm, carefree and spirited. Albeit, isn't as complicated as Maddie but has a knack of living in the moment. Their relationship was perfect right from the beginning till the end of the book with amazing chemistry. Scarlett's eccentric nature easily made her stand out among her friends, and become my favourite.


The best part about the plot was how Maddie and Reece didn't just wear rose coloured glasses and changed just for each other, but how they grew together, as partners and as individuals. Apart from that, the plot was full of cute scenes that made me smile from ear to ear, excellent setting and a little straightforward storyline.

Thank you Netgalley and BooksGoSocial for the ARC for an honest review.
Profile Image for Kaye.
4,364 reviews73 followers
September 13, 2023
CPA Maddie Moreno and veterinarian Reece Mackey evidently have been snarking at each other for three years. Both have been yearning to know each other better but they don’t know how to stop with the childish put downs and quips. Now as best man and maid of honor for their best friends wedding, they’re trying to work together and sparks are flying.

Their earnest wanting to know the other better won me over in this small town romance. I did cringe at first at some of their banter and antics but Maddie is adorable as someone who has to have held her ground over her three big brothers. I love her care taking whether it was her animals or Reece when he is sick. Reece is slightly less complicated but still has family dynamics too. And in a short book the author lets them work on their communication while moving into a steamy relationship. A light, fun read. I read as a stand alone but it is a second in a series. The wedding is for the couple from the first book. Thank you to NetGalley and BooksGoSocial for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. (3.5 stars)
4,199 reviews22 followers
June 16, 2022
This was such a lovely book! It is a sweet and witty romance that captured my attention from the start and just drew me in. The plot was great and had such unexpected moments, it kept me intrigued and anxious to see what happened next. The characters were well-developed and endearing and you can't help but fall in love with them. The storyline had a nice smooth flow and the romance was wonderful and there were plenty of humorous moments that had me laughing out loud or just generally left me with a smile on my face.
The author did a great job of creating the scenes and making them come to life with her creative and detailed descriptions. I really got drawn into Reece and Maddie's story and couldn't wait to see how it ended. It was a charming and entertaining read and I enjoyed it all the way through. Wonderful characters and an engaging storyline will keep you captivated till the end. This is a lovely story and I'm happy to recommend!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.
Profile Image for Jennifer.
340 reviews1 follower
May 9, 2022
3.5*

After reading the first Angel Peaks book, I couldn’t wait for Maddie and Reece’s story. They have great chemistry with fun banter. After three years of bickering, Reece finally makes his move to take their relationship to the next level. Maddie is such a sweet and caring character, even if she mouths off regularly. The way she cares for animals and Reece when he is sick is heartwarming. Reece was more romantic than I expected. He really sees Maddie for who she is and his determination to make it work with her was sweet. I loved the two of them together. The book was an easy and delightful read with low angst. Their friend group is also well written and I really hope we get Ryan and Scarlett’s story.

Thanks NetGalley for an eARC.
Profile Image for Andy Mark 2.
13 reviews1 follower
April 22, 2022
This is the second book in the Angel Peaks series and it was great to read a continuation of the lives of the group of friends who were introduced in the first book. This book focuses on Maddie and Reece who have know each other for a long time on a friends/frenemies level. There were so many cute and funny moments in this book and it was so refreshing to read a low angst and fun book. Lots of comic moments involving the animals and plenty of sparks flying off from the main characters. I really enjoyed it and look forward to the next in the series.
2,386 reviews7 followers
May 17, 2022
This is book two in Angel Peaks Series . This book is a small town friends to lovers romance . The storyline is good with a happy ending .

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Donna McEachran.
1,600 reviews34 followers
July 15, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley for a copy of this book for an honest review.

I loved Ugly Truths, the first book in this series but this one is even better. Reece and Maddie are perfect but they have a lot to work out in this book. Highly recommend!
Profile Image for Lauren coffeebooksandescape.
253 reviews34 followers
January 28, 2023
𝔹𝕠𝕠𝕜 ℝ𝕖𝕧𝕚𝕖𝕨 • 𝚅𝚎𝚝𝚜 𝚆𝚒𝚝𝚑 𝙱𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚏𝚒𝚝𝚜

~ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮ ✮
~ ℂ𝕠𝕟𝕥𝕖𝕞𝕡𝕠𝕣𝕒𝕣𝕪 𝕣𝕠𝕞𝕒𝕟𝕔𝕖

“𝘛𝘦𝘭𝘭 𝘮𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘰𝘰𝘬 𝘪𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘮𝘪𝘳𝘳𝘰𝘳.”
“𝘔𝘺 𝘭𝘦𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘳𝘵, 𝘮𝘺 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘣𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘣𝘪𝘨, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘺 𝘢𝘴𝘴 𝘸𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘧𝘪𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘣𝘢𝘤𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶𝘳 𝘑𝘦𝘦𝘱,” 𝘐 𝘴𝘢𝘪𝘥, 𝘢 𝘭𝘪𝘵𝘵𝘭𝘦 𝘴𝘶𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘯𝘭𝘺.
“𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘵’𝘴 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘸𝘦𝘪𝘳𝘥,” 𝘩𝘦 𝘳𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘦𝘥. “𝘉𝘦𝘤𝘢𝘶𝘴𝘦 𝘐 𝘴𝘦𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘦𝘢𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘧𝘶𝘭, 𝘴𝘦𝘹𝘺 𝘸𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯 𝘸𝘩𝘰 𝘢𝘧𝘧𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘴 𝘮𝘦 𝘴𝘰 𝘥𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘭𝘺, 𝘐 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘥 𝘪𝘵 𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘯𝘥.”

💕 𝙵𝚛𝚎𝚗𝚎𝚖𝚒𝚎𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚕𝚘𝚟𝚎𝚛𝚜
🦙 𝙽𝚊𝚞𝚐𝚑𝚝𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚒𝚖𝚊𝚕𝚜
💛 𝙾𝚋𝚕𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚘𝚞𝚜 𝚝𝚘 𝚏𝚎𝚎𝚕𝚒𝚗𝚐𝚜
👨‍👩‍👦‍👦 𝙼𝚎𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚕𝚢
💒 𝙼𝚊𝚒𝚍 𝚘𝚏 𝚑𝚘𝚗𝚘𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚋𝚎𝚜𝚝 𝚖𝚊𝚗
🤫 𝚄𝚗𝚎𝚡𝚙𝚎𝚌𝚝𝚎𝚍 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚎

Ahh another emotional but feel-good romance from Sophie Penhaligon! I recently finished book one (Ugly Truths) in this series, and I posted about how brilliant it was because it encompassed some really important and thought provoking topics. If you haven’t given the review a read yet, definitely do.

Now, this one picks up a couple of weeks after the last one finished but with the two best friends as the main characters instead. I mean I’m a sucker for these types of contemporary romance series where all the friends get their happy endings anyway, but this book was magnificent. I wouldn’t recommend as a stand-alone because I feel like you miss some of the background, but Sophie does a really good job of bringing you up to speed!

Anywho, this romance is the best frenemies to lovers, with banter and wind-ups and everything else. This is the kind of sexual tension you could cut with a knife, because you know they both really fancy each other! It had a huge topic on body image and consciousness, and tried to promote body positivity in someone without the supermodel bod. Personally, I felt like Maddie and me could have been described exactly the same. Both short and curvy with blonde curly hair, so I felt this book was made for me.

Also, there’s a really big twist that I wasn’t expecting so I recommend you read this 👀
Profile Image for Book.ishJulie.
790 reviews26 followers
May 13, 2022
Vets With Benefits by Sophie Penhaligon is the second book in the Angel Peaks series, which showcases Maddie and Reese’s love story. There’s something about a good romance that really makes me happy – and I was very happy reading this one!

I love going into the second book in a series, when we already have a background with the characters; knowing everyone’s name and relationship takes some of the learning curve and anxiety away when starting a new book. This is especially true when there’s a group of friends that are so connected like they are in this novel. (These friendships are so strong, and I’m slightly jealous.)

I’m not sure I’ve connected to a character the way I did with Maddie; I want to be more like her when I grow up. She is strong, independent and fierce. She stands up for those she believes in, especially when others wouldn’t. She owns her own business, owned her house outright at 26 and loves animals deeply. She finds such comfort and support in her Nonna, and this had me really missing my Grandma (who was my best friend).

Sometimes it seems like you know where a book is going, but then there’s a little twist that comes along that can throw you for a loop. This book had that – in the best way possible!

Do you like small towns? Do you like llamas with opinions? Do you like the male to take the lead? This is the book for you!

The next book in the trilogy will be a romance for Scarlett, she's such such unique character and I'm looking forward to seeing how I connect with her.

Thank you Sophie Penhaligon for the complimentary eARC to read and review.
Profile Image for Jade Reads Books.
330 reviews3 followers
May 6, 2022
I loved this book!

Vets With Benefits is the second book of the Angel Peaks series by Sophie Penhaligon. It follows frenemies Maddie and Reece as they’re helping their best friends with their wedding as the maid of honor and best man. They were determined to make sure nothing went wrong, so they decided to spend more time together to get to know each other better so that they could work together without bickering every two seconds and help make this the wedding their best friends deserved.

I adored Maddie. To everyone else, Maddie seemed as prickly as a cactus, but inside she wasn’t like that at all. Throughout the years that they’ve known each other, Reece had seen that a little bit through the way Maddie treated her animals (including a beloved foul mouth bird and ass biting camel) and saw more of her personality shine as they got to know each other more.

And REECE! Oh my gosh, I loved him. One of my favorite things about this book was that it has dual POVs so I knew how each of them felt and I loved reading from the romantic veterinarians point of view. He was so patient with Maddie and I loved the way they treated each other.

I would highly recommend this book if you want a fun, light read that will make you smile and one hundred percent root for these characters. It was a lot of fun and I’m really excited for the next book in this series. This was my first book by Sophie Penhaligon and I will be sure to read more!

Huge thanks to Netgalley and the author/publisher for providing me with an arc in exchange for an honest review!
3,473 reviews42 followers
May 8, 2022
Maddie and Reece are in the same friends' group but their dynamic has been more frenemies than close buddies. There's no real fight there, just a pattern of arguing and trading barbs. Reece finds himself attracted to her, especially when she's angry (and she's angry a lot), but he thinks he will have to tread carefully and move slowly in order not to scare her away as she tends to push men away before anyone gets close. Their friends Sam and Kate are getting married, and Maddie and Reece get drafted in the wedding party. The wedding is tough for Maddie as Sam has done things she had a hard time forgiving and trying out dresses with supermodel Kate doesn't help her body image issues. Reece is doing a good job convincing her that she's desirable in his eyes but she is reluctant to go all in and go public with their relationship.

I enjoyed the general style of writing and the story was an easy, entertaining read. I liked that the obligatory last act separation didn't last long, Reece figured out what upset her swiftly and they could resolve it quickly with some frankness and without a lot of pining out of stubbornness. I would have liked some more explanation as to why Maddie acted the way she did sometimes.
Steam level: some sexual content.
Series status: This story stands alone but there are spoilers here for Sam and Kate's book so if you're planning to read both it might be a good idea to read them in order.
I received a Booksprout copy and this is a voluntary review.
Profile Image for Kirsty (BookBlogger).
2,054 reviews63 followers
June 11, 2022
Vets With Benefits by Sophie Penhaligon

I received an advance review copy for free thanks to NetGalley and BookGoSocial and I am leaving this review voluntarily

Maddie Moreno, the only CPA in the small town of Angel Peaks, has a reputation for being a bit of a hot head. With a whole menagerie of interesting animals and a bad habit of getting into verbal skirmishes, things look like they are about to get interesting when she is asked to be maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding.

Local veterinarian Reece Mackey has had the hots for Maddie since he arrived in Angel Peaks three years ago and she tore him off a strip for parking in her spot. They’ve had a love-hate relationship ever since and he just loves to push her buttons. However, he’d rather push his agenda for getting up close and personal. When he’s assigned the role of best man, he sees it as the ideal opportunity to get intimate with the feisty maid of honor, but will she agree to stepping outside the friends zone?

I read this as a standalone and I am not really sure what I was expecting, but this didn't really live up to my expectations. Looking at the reviews I must be in the minority with my thoughts on this book. This is an easy read romance that would make for a great holiday read - it just wasn't for me.

Rating 3/5
Profile Image for Emily Pennington.
20.8k reviews362 followers
May 16, 2022
Maddie and Reece . . .

Although they have no problem putting each other in their places and criticizing when deserved, Maddie Moreno and Reece Mackey have actually had real feelings for each other over the years. In a typical “friends” stalemate, they both worry that if they confess how they feel and it is not reciprocated, one or the other may very well walk away if they can’t deal with relationship changes. Since losing a friend would be intolerable, they are ready to sacrifice something even better out of fear. But with Maddie being asked to be maid of honor at her best friend’s wedding, and Reece asked to be best man, will things go smoothly for them? Will Reece finally make his move to go beyond the friend- zone?

I am glad that they can disagree and not let it tear them apart. To me, that’s a sign of trust in each other that they can be truthful without losing everything. Grab your copy and see how everything resolves. I am not going to comment on the “aggressive llama named Dave and the potty-mouthed parrot” since some things need to be experienced first-hand right from the pages the author has prepared for your enjoyment. It will give you something to look forward to!
Profile Image for MookNana.
847 reviews7 followers
May 19, 2022
4.5 stars. This was such a good time! Maddie and Reece are small town residents who have had fun antagonizing each other for a few years, but when a wedding throws them together, and Reece makes a new year's resolution to finally take action, sparks fly! Their story is sweet, humorous, and spicy. I enjoyed their banter, their friend group, and Maddie's odd menagerie.

I noticed as I was reading that the text was heavily sprinkled with UK slang, phrasing, and speech patterns, even though the book is set in the Denver area and there was no mention of the characters not being American. Everything was understandable from context clues and it didn't ruin the story or anything, but it did sometimes take me out of the action.

I could also have done with less "diet talk" (Maddie spent a lot of time lamenting her body and food-policing herself, which was a bummer in an otherwise fun book) but on the whole this was a fantastic, smile-inducing pick-me-up of a book! I would definitely be interested in checking out the rest of the series.

Many thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!
Profile Image for Jenifer.
2,771 reviews6 followers
April 17, 2022
This was such a fabulous story in the Angel Peaks world. I just adored reading Maddie and Reece's story come together and their slowly morphing from friends to lovers. It's one of my favorite tropes and I think Sophie did a great job in portraying the fears one has when moving a relationship from one stage to the next. It was also done with relatively low drama which made the story all the more enjoyable as you never got that dreaded, "will they/won't they" make it part of the story. But never fear there are lots of little things that occur that keep the two lovebirds on their toes about their developing feelings.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
1,162 reviews5 followers
May 12, 2022
This was an amazing book! This book is the second in a series, but can be read as a standalone - enough background information is provided. In this book, Maddie and Reece are friends but both want more and are afraid to admit it. Maddie is a force to be reckoned with! Luckily, Reece loves that about her.
I completely loved this book. This author is definitely worth checking out if you have not yet discovered her. I cannot wait for her next book!!
I was given this book in exchange for an honest review.
Profile Image for EVANGELIA  MARAGKOPOULOU.
725 reviews8 followers
May 11, 2022
They are friends who bickering all the time . They can 't stop doing it even tho they are attractive to each other . After three years he makes the decision to ask her if they could be more than friends . She agrees and they become couple but they agree to keep it secret from their close friends . What will they do when something anexpected happen ?.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Mia.
283 reviews2 followers
April 27, 2022
Loved this...

Maddie and Reece - were made for each other and what a package they were. Loved them both - their banters, feelings for each other and the uncertainty..

The story was well developed- loved seeing Kate and Sam again.

Would have loved to see more of Dave and our other friends (😁😁)

Curious to know what happens to the other characters (ooh can't wait to see who's gonna be paired with whom and who are the MCs of the next in series). Looking forward to more!!!
Profile Image for Debbie Eyre.
5,918 reviews116 followers
May 13, 2022
A fun frenemies read that’s full of laughter, humour, snark, sass and a whole lotta banter . A well written addition to book one this Small-Town Contemporary Romance Series is fun as we read about Reese and Maddie and their shenanigans as they try to work out what it is they are feeling. It’s a wonderful read full of friendship, romance, a wedding and some fantastic chemistry that’s sets the sparks flying and had me laughing out loud on more than one occasion.
Profile Image for The Book Booth.
193 reviews25 followers
May 12, 2022

I love the enemies to lovers vibe of this book! Maddie, the main female lead in the book is my kind of girl! Spunky and has a ridiculous amount of animals. 🦙

I loved that all my favorite characters from book one (Ugly Truths) returned and we got to see their story continue♥️♥️

Excellent and fun romance with some spice! I can not wait to get my hands on book 3!!!
2,023 reviews10 followers
May 23, 2022
The second book in this series, a great read.
Maddie has always lived in town and Reece has wanted a chance with her since he moved to town. Now they are helping out with their friends wedding and forced to spend more time together will she give him a chance.
Looking forward to the next book in the series.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
7,813 reviews65 followers
May 15, 2022
I had fun reading the storyline it’s fun and well developed throughout the pages. The characters are awesome and had plenty of connection.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.
Profile Image for Gloria.
2,047 reviews12 followers
May 18, 2022
This is a sweet, funny, laugh out loud, steamy romance between two people who like each other but are afraid to make the first move. This is book two of the series. Looking forward to reading more.
Profile Image for AngieA Allen.
452 reviews12 followers
July 16, 2022
I would like to give this book more stars only because the basic premise of the book was really quite good, but it was laced with crass language and a steamy Valentine's Day sex scene that I skipped. I then abandoned the book. I know there is a market for this type of story and I am not going to comment on that; I blame myself as I did not catch the buzz words in the description that should have clued me into that. However, the writing was nice and the characters were engaging; I was rooting for them to, after 3 years of friendship, move their relationship forward. Both Reece and Maddie were reluctant to risk what they had for what was the unknown future. How Reece navigates the situation is very sensative and made good story telling. Maddie's insecurities about her personality and body were relayed in a way that many women would relate to. I wish I could challenge Ms. Penhaligon to write the story again, this time w/o the crass language and the sex scene. I mean, really, we all know when men look at beautiful women, it affects them. She didn't have to state it so baldly. Use some finesse and leave something to our imaginations. Or not; your choice. But I have a choice, too. I would not recommend this book, as is, to anyone.
91 reviews
August 8, 2022
A sweet and steamy story

Good character interaction. Not just a feel good book at the end but several times during the book. A sweet steamy story. Well worth a read.
188 reviews11 followers
January 12, 2023
This is the second book in the Angel Peaks series and it was just as much fun as the first. However if you haven’t read the first one you could easily enjoy this as a stand alone book. Pure delight.
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603 reviews10 followers
August 10, 2025
Vets with Benefits by Sophie Penhaligon is the second book of her Angel Peaks Series, but it was my first book of this series.
And OMG! I really need to read the other books too!

(Usually, I don't read series out of order, but I didn't realise it at first... now that I have finished it, I think it's not that bad to read them out of order because it honestly made me really curious about other people... yeah, it's a bit spoilery but not that much.)

Anyway! Let's go back to this wonderful book!
OMG! I don't know why it took me sooo long to read it! When I discovered Sophie Penhaligon for the first time, I loved her books like Christmas with Hamish and BOOM! I was IN LOVE! ❤️

Vets with Benefits isn't an exception!
This is the wonderful love story of Maddie Moreno and Reece Mackey. Both are friends, but it's more like they like to tease each other all the time. When both have to work together seriously because their best friends wanna get married, they spend more time together, and this leads to other things... that are surprising for them...

OH. MY. GOODNESS!!!
I ABSOLUTELY LOOOOOVED THIS STORY!
Maddie and Reece are PERFECTION!
Wonderful characters with great personality development along their journey.
There's looooots of hilarious banter between them, but also between their friends!
I'd love to pack my bags and move to Angel Peaks to meet these guys and try to be part of this clique!

Like I said before, Maddie and Reece are awesome! It wasn't that difficult to fall in love with them! Maddie is this sassy but sometimes insecure woman. And there's Reece. Dr. Reece Mackey - the sexy veterinary with a good sense of humour and a heart of gold!! ❤️🫠❤️🫠
Besides this wonderful banter, they've perfect CHEMISTRY anyway! I didn't want to stop reading because I just wanted to spend more time with them! 🫶🫶🫶

This love story is the perfect read if you wanna meet wonderful characters in a small town with lots of moments to laugh about, but there's also lots of emotions and sexy, sexy times. ❤️‍🔥🫠🤗

This is my honest review in my own words.
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