If you’re a reader, you’re likely familiar with the term “book boyfriend.” It’s basically the fictional man you’d claim as your boyfriend, so going into Book Boyfriend, I had no idea what to expect.
Since it’s Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka, though, it was an immediate TBR addition. Maybe it’s their chemistry as writers or the fact that they’re a married author duo, but I adore their writing and their books in general.
While the two have dappled in both the young adult and adult spheres, their adult romances are easily among some of my favorites. That’s why I knew I had to read and review Book Boyfriend and share it on the book’s release date.
With that being said, I’d like to thank Berkley for sending me an ARC so I was able to read and review this one.
Book Boyfriend is bound to be a hit for romance readers
As mentioned, the concept of a Book Boyfriend is something explored in this book, but starting things off, we’re following Jennifer, who is getting dumped at her job. Yes, you read that right, but she doesn’t want to let that deter her. She decides to take PTO and go to the Elytehum Experience, which is based on her favorite romantasy series: Elytheum Courts.
While things seem great, she ends up running into her co-worker, Scott who she knows is not a fan of the series. Even so, she decides to avoid him and try to win a date with Val, who is her favorite character and book boyfriend everyone is drooling over. From the very start, it’s clear Scott is into Jennifer, but she hasn’t yet figured it out.
Before getting into the romance, though, the plot of this is incredibly fun as the experience has a scavenger hunt, and it’s such a fun part of the story. Seeing the different attendees hunting for clues and enjoying the activities is an amazing touch and makes the story feel real. It’s also nice to see Jennifer get out of her shell and become more comfortable with herself, her love for the series, and making friends because of it. Additionally, I’m really hoping these two decide to give Amelia her own book, as that girl deserves it.
Unfortunately, as much as I wanted to root for the romance, I didn’t like Scott as a love interest for a few reasons. His first interaction with Jennifer was weird, and seeing them getting together felt so awkward. Maybe it was just how he was written or the way he went about “courting” Jennifer, but it ended up bringing down my enjoyment of the story. With that being said, it’s more of a me problem than the story.
Regardless of whether you like this author duo’s other books, I’d say give it a try. Plus, if you enjoy the Well Met series by Jen DeLuca, I think this one will be a hit. Ultimately, this was a case of me not loving the love interest, which hindered my enjoyment.
Book Boyfriend by Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka is out now where books are sold.