Reviews

The Book Boyfriend, by Jeanna Louise Skinner

suzanneruth's review

emotional lighthearted medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

mkbeam's review

I can only suspend disbelief so far for a romance novel. The events of the book were not held together with any sort of logic or character motivation. I finally stopped because the bookshop was attacked and burned, then Emmy went to break up with the book boyfriend. He was leaving like she asked and she out of nowhere changed her mind and decided to have sex with him instead. Wtf. 

phitney's review

emotional lighthearted mysterious slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

glyneth's review against another edition

3.0

I liked this book better until the end. Serious spoiler ahead, do not read if you don't want to know the ending!

Spoiler

The turncoat friend at the end, with her husband, came out of nowhere, and I felt like it was grafted on just to end the book quickly. I did not catch ANY hint of anything prior to Lizzie's sudden betrayal in the writing.

I enjoyed that the heroine's schizophrenia ended up not being "magically cured" in the end, so it was good to see that sort of rep on page. I don't know how accurate it is, however.

coffeeteabooksandme's review

2.0

2.5 ⭐️ I really appreciate the mental illness and body image representation in the MC. Pretty much the rest of the book just didn’t click for me. There are a lot of great reviews - it was just a miss for me. I ended up skimming large portions just because many sections didn’t really seem to add to the overall plot.

heirloom321's review

funny hopeful relaxing medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

clericalerrer's review

slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

hayleyisreading's review

adventurous funny hopeful medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? No
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? No

3.0

words_and_dreams's review

emotional funny hopeful inspiring mysterious medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

5.0

The trouble with coveting a thing you can never have, is that it only serves to highlight the distance between you and it. Sea and sky are destined to never meet.'

A fantasy romance that covers mental health, redemption, healing and the power of words with a plus sized heroine and a tudor hero. 

I really enjoyed this on a number of levels. 
Our heroine, Emmy, has high functioning Schizoaffective Disorder. It was refreshing to read a romance where the heroine suffers from a mental health disorder, rather than the stigmatised views of the past. She was extremely relatable and so much of her POV hit me hard.  

Emmy inherits her old friend Maggie's bookshop where after reading from an old book, our hero Jonathan appears directly from the past. He was cursed by a witch to become trapped in the book and gets Emmy's help to try and free him. There onwards feelings and attraction grow. 

There are a couple of twists near the end, one of which I guessed and one which I didn't. Love it when something takes me by surprise. 

I adored all of the references to writing throughout the story and how they help us to express thoughts, emotions and ideas. Words have power so words are a form of magic. Beautiful. 
Writing and words can help so many of us cope, as can reading.

'Most of her notes were incomplete, the scribbled meanderings of a creative mind attempting to make something beautiful out of a blank page.'

This felt like a homage by a romance writer for romance writers. 

The romance was super sweet and steamy and I enjoyed the fish out of water aspect. I look forward to what ever this author creates next. 

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Content Warnings

Moderate: Sexual content and Mental illness

Minor: Emotional abuse and Suicide attempt

kaitdisney's review

emotional hopeful lighthearted sad fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.25