This book is sweet and funny and Nico is probably my absolute favorite of Reid’s characters. I liked Elizabeth too, but not quite as much as Nico because she was so mean to him. That’s ridiculous because he could get past what she had done years ago, but I just couldn’t let it go. That said, I liked them both very much and really enjoyed their story. It was frustrating the way she kept pushing him away, but his determination to win her over endeared him to me even more. I only wish we’d gotten some of Nico’s POV here because it was strictly Elizabeth’s and I prefer dual POV but the story didn’t need both.
I haven’t read the prior book in the series but if the others are as good as this, the Knitting in the City series will quickly become a staple. Elizabeth is a quirky doctor who tries her best to avoid a blast from her past but Nico won’t go away. He’s determined to win her over no matter how hard she resists. The supporting cast is great, with Nico’s mom and Elizabeth’s friends. I particularly enjoyed the scenes with Dr. Ken Miles but nothing beats the apple fritter scene, trust me. Their story is a great romantic comedy and I’ll probably read it again.
Friends Without Benefits on Amazon
Friends Without Benefits
by Penny Reid
Knitting In The City book 2
Published 2014
There are three things you need to know about Elizabeth Finney:
1) She suffers from severe sarcastic syndrome, especially when she’s unnerved,
2) No one unnerves her like Nico Manganiello, and
3) She knows how to knit.
Elizabeth Finney is almost always right about everything: the musical merits of boy bands are undervalued by society, “benefits” with human Ken dolls are better without friendship, and the sun has set on her once-in-a-lifetime chance for true love. But when Elizabeth’s plans for benefits without friendship are disarmed by the irritatingly charismatic and chauvinistic Nico Manganiello—her former nemesis—she finds herself struggling to maintain the electric fence around her heart while avoiding a Nico charisma-electrocution or, worse, falling in love.
