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A review by bookswithangeli
Faking with Benefits by Lily Gold
emotional
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
When it comes to RH romance, I've always had my reservations, fearing that the spice might overshadow the depth of the romance. However, Lily Gold pleasantly surprised me by intricately crafting each character with their own struggles, giving every hero a distinct personality.
While I appreciated the unique journey of each hero, I did find a certain lack of chemistry between the heroine and her various love interests. The speed at which the transition happened from 'just good time' to 'head-over-heels' felt a bit rushed. In my opinion, one of the most telling signs of characters falling for each other is their willingness to be vulnerable and peel away their emotional layers. The heroine did show vulnerability, but I felt it wasn't reciprocated equally by the heroes, especially not in her presence. It's hard for me to fully believe in the heroine's deepening connections with the heroes without those heart-to-heart conversations.
Let me break down my thoughts on each character:
Layla- I genuinely admired the heroine. Her backstory and insecurities were consistently portrayed, and it's clear that the author put in the effort to do justice to her character. Still, I hoped for a more mature approach from Layla towards her past bullies. Her bitterness seemed a touch excessive for my liking. Side note, I felt the heroine forgave the heroes too quick.
Josh - Normally, I'm a fan of the quiet and reserved types, but Josh unfortunately faded into the backdrop for me. Despite agreeing with Layla's assessment of him as a coward, his internal struggles did find some justification towards the end. Nonetheless, he could have stepped up more to fight for the woman he loved when she reached out to him.
Zack - I must admit, Zack infuriated me. His actions, in my opinion, were close to unforgivable. That being said, his internal conflicts did carry the most emotional weight among the three heroes. Not a fan of his humor though.
Luke - The dynamic between Luke and Layla puzzled me. He came into the harem later than the two. His brooding nature didn't quite resonate with my tastes. His sudden internal conflict felt somewhat forced, especially given the limited meaningful interactions he had with Layla.
Overall, despite being an RH story, the author managed to infuse romcom feel towards a genre often characterized by its steaminess. My personal preference in romance is to have a solid ground between the MCs before the sex and the love declaration to make sense. This book could serve as a great entry point for those curious about this genre. As for me, I'm inclined to think it might not be the best fit.
While I appreciated the unique journey of each hero, I did find a certain lack of chemistry between the heroine and her various love interests. The speed at which the transition happened from 'just good time' to 'head-over-heels' felt a bit rushed. In my opinion, one of the most telling signs of characters falling for each other is their willingness to be vulnerable and peel away their emotional layers. The heroine did show vulnerability, but I felt it wasn't reciprocated equally by the heroes, especially not in her presence. It's hard for me to fully believe in the heroine's deepening connections with the heroes without those heart-to-heart conversations.
Let me break down my thoughts on each character:
Layla- I genuinely admired the heroine. Her backstory and insecurities were consistently portrayed, and it's clear that the author put in the effort to do justice to her character. Still, I hoped for a more mature approach from Layla towards her past bullies. Her bitterness seemed a touch excessive for my liking. Side note, I felt the heroine forgave the heroes too quick.
Josh - Normally, I'm a fan of the quiet and reserved types, but Josh unfortunately faded into the backdrop for me. Despite agreeing with Layla's assessment of him as a coward, his internal struggles did find some justification towards the end. Nonetheless, he could have stepped up more to fight for the woman he loved when she reached out to him.
Zack - I must admit, Zack infuriated me. His actions, in my opinion, were close to unforgivable. That being said, his internal conflicts did carry the most emotional weight among the three heroes. Not a fan of his humor though.
Luke - The dynamic between Luke and Layla puzzled me. He came into the harem later than the two. His brooding nature didn't quite resonate with my tastes. His sudden internal conflict felt somewhat forced, especially given the limited meaningful interactions he had with Layla.
Overall, despite being an RH story, the author managed to infuse romcom feel towards a genre often characterized by its steaminess. My personal preference in romance is to have a solid ground between the MCs before the sex and the love declaration to make sense. This book could serve as a great entry point for those curious about this genre. As for me, I'm inclined to think it might not be the best fit.
Content Warnings
Moderate: Bullying and Sexual harassment