A review by irl_bookworms
The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore

funny hopeful lighthearted reflective medium-paced

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

4.0

I was hooked from the tag line - we love SWs here and reading such positive (albeit privileged) representation in a romance novel is so refreshing. Not only is the physical and mental toll of being a SW addressed as well - but also the amount of emotional labour that goes into it. SWs are rockstars.

Cole is our SW entrepreneur who runs the app VERSTL (side note though: as a French Canadian, I highly doubt a French family would name their kid “Cole” - French folks would barely be able to pronounce it lol I know my dad couldn’t - that name and his family being French took me out of the story for a hot second). Teddy is our Plant Daddy who has just lost his business. When Cole and Teddy meet, they strike a deal - to pretend to date for 1 week so that Cole can have a fake boyfriend for PR. And the moment we see fake dating - we know exactly what’s going to happen and it is so very good.

Cole and Teddy’s physical relationship starts off very slow - like I’m talking cuddling naked slow, so you know, relatively speaking. But I really enjoyed reading about the growth of intimacy between the two of them before they took sex to the next level. It was very much appreciated.

Overall, the plot is fairly standard - exactly what it says on the tin - but we all know it and we love it when we pick it up. I’m excited to see what this author does next!

*I received an eARC from Harlequin - Romance, Afterglow Books by Harlequin, & NetGalley. All opinions are my own*