Boyfriend by the Hour

First & Forever Stories #9

by Alexa Land

I've never worked as an escort before. I never even considered it.

But when a wealthy CEO makes me an offer, it’s too good to turn down. It's not just about the money, though. He’s never been with a man before, and I love the idea of being his first.

This arrangement comes with an expiration date, and we've agreed there are no strings attached. The only problem? I’m starting to fall for my client.

Is there any chance this could turn into something real? Or am I headed for heartbreak?

This spicy, lighthearted gay romance is set in the world of Alexa Land’s Firsts and Forever Series, and it can be read as a stand-alone.

Genres: M M Romance, Ebooks

190 pages, Kindle Edition

Published May 31, 2023

About the author

Independent MM romance author. For more information, please visit Alexa's blog: http://alexalandwrites.blogspot.com/

Please note: the author does not check messages on this site. The best way to contact them is through Facebook.

Reviews

[Rin (indefinite hiatus) · Rating 2 out of 5]

1.5 stars rounded up.

Technically I DNF’d at 85% and skimmed to the end.

Considering this series has been mostly hits for me, to say this one was a miss is an understatement. I’m actually shocked Alexa wrote this.

The writing felt like it was from a debut author. The dialogue was stilted, the sex awkward, scene transitions awkward. This book has been written before… many many times. It’s drowning in its own trope, but I was still going to give it a generous 3 stars.

Then she threw in the late stage soap opera plot bomb plus a late stage MC injury back to back. 2016 called and they want their overused plot devices back. Seriously.

This was just… shockingly bad.

[Debra ~~ seriously slacking on her reviews ~~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sweet, fun, low-angst story with plenty of cameos from the Firsts and Forever cast. Just what I expect from this series.

[Jane aka Coughy019 (Safety info included)]

No rating since I dnf'd. Started this book a long time ago, got to 34% and was 1) a bit bored and 2) kind of offended that the older MC turned the younger MC into his sex worker because he just didn't want to give up power in their relationship and wanted to put him in a "box". Ew.

Then I skipped ahead just to see if it was going to get better towards the end, saw the twist and was just, ick no thank you. Not my cup of tea.

[Marsha L Respess · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another enjoyable story from Alexa Land. I liked Timothy a lot and love all the people who live in the pink Victorian house and sympathetic to his waiter job and worried about turning 30 in a few months and not knowing what he wanted to do next. Aleksei who worked across the street was taken by Timothy's beauty and sweetness and ate dinner there 5 nights a week and tipped very well and noticed one day that he was walking like he was hurt and found out he hurt his back when he and his friend were surfing and offered to have his driver drive him home. Eventually Aleksei found the courage to tell Timothy about his life and how he had buried his bisexuality for so long and since his divorce he wanted to explore being with a man for the first time and asked Timothy if he would do it as a paid escort. Awkward at first but Timothy noticed that Aleksei was touch starved and liked kissing and touching and cuddling. I liked how soon they couldn't keep their hands off each other and Timothy was falling for him and thought that Aleksei didn't feel the same way since he continued to pay him. The night of the benefit was a bit of a shocker when Aleksei's estranged son turned out to be Timothy's ex-boyfriend and Timothy goes away with a friend to think and Aleksei tries to reason with his son. Timothy's accident made Aleksei realize that he loved him and needed him and he cuts back on work and takes care of him. I loved how they got to travel together and Aleksei asked Timothy to marry him. Next story will be interesting to see about Daniel's plan for revenge against his ex.

[Sylvie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Plenty of heart, plenty of laughs!

Reading a new book by Alexa Land is a great way to celebrate the beginning of Pride Month! And like all of Alexa’s books, Boyfriend By the Hour was sweet, sexy and full of characters that were easy to fall in love with!
This one features Timothy, a waiter who dreams of traveling to exotic places all over the world, and Aleksei, a financier who was born into poverty and has spent years making his business a success. He’s in a bit of a rut, working some 80 hours a week with no time or inclination to do anything but work.He really needs to get out and see what else life has to offer. Fortunately, Timothy is more than willing to step in and shake things up! What ensues are lots of heart-melting moments and madcap adventures. Their spa trip had me laughing out loud!
I love that in addition to Timothy and Aleksei’s story, we also get to catch up with some of the characters from previous books, especially Lark and Dylan, and Jojo and Yolanda. And of course Nana. Always Nana!
As always when a new book by Alexa Land comes out, it goes straight to the top of my personal reading queue, and this one was no exception. Next up is Payback featuring Timothy’s friend and co-worker Daniel. It’s already pre-ordered. Will it also immediately go to the top of my personal reading queue the moment it magically appears in my Kindle library? You better believe it!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This series continues to deliver very enjoyable stories of friends, found family, and beautiful love. In this book, Timothy has been a server at a restaurant for the past eight years. He doesn't really enjoy it, but doesn't have a plan for what might come next. One thing that does interest him is an older man, Aleksei, who sits in his section almost every night. Aleksei seems attracted to him, but doesn't make any moves.

Aleksei is a very wealthy CEO and owner of an investment firm. He is now divorced, but had been unhappily married to a woman he met when very young. His life was mapped out for him with much work in an effort to support his family. Now, he realizes that he is bisexual and is wanting to know Timothy better. He's never been with a man before, but would like to try with Timothy. Since he doesn't think Timothy would be interested in someone like him, he proposes a business arrangement with Timothy serving as an escort for him.

Timothy accepts the arrangement and the two men find they have immediate chemistry. They also enjoy their time together just hanging out. Can these two find their way past a transactional relationship to something more long-term? This low-angst story has cameos by members of the Pink Victorian friend group, lots of passion, and a special love of a lifetime. I can't wait for the next book!

[Alex · Rating 1 out of 5]

I DNF at 65% because I couldn’t anymore.
That was on me, because from the first page I saw it was not gonna be for me.
Men can be shy sure. Billionaires/ millionaires who are CEO AND PRESIDENT of a major corporation don’t tend to be this immature though.
The whole thing was wildly unrealistic, you had a solid start with the stalking but like it all went downhill when the proposition was issued, Aleksei talking about his upbringing and life to give context as to why he wanted to hire escort. It was ridiculous. Than Timothy giving him life advice when he couldn’t fix his own life was a bit ridiculous.
The scene that had me throwing in the towel was the massage parlor. You mean to tell me a millionaire who build a company that big doesn’t know what “happy ending “ is?! You mean to tell me that a person who’s known his whole life that they are bisexual , doesn’t do even a little research? You made him seem like a nerd teenager who doesn’t know left from right let alone a successful entrepreneur.
So yeah it was wildly unrealistic and frankly I couldn’t be bothered to finish it. My free time deserves better.

[Becca · Rating 3 out of 5]

So Timothy really doesn't understand what an NDA is, he tells all his friends about his agreement with Aleksei; that's not how it works!

So this book was a bit meh for me; the characters were okay, but I wasn't super invested in them. The main conflict, I.E the business transaction nature of the arrangement didn't really go anywhere, and then was resolved really easily.

There was a 3rd act conflict, that was so telegraphed you could see it from space, that again didn't really go anywhere.

Alexa Land is an author who can do both humour and angst really well, but this one missed the mark for me, which I am sad about, and felt more like a set up for Daniel's book than anything else.

Also, and this is definitely a me thing, but I hate spanking in sex scenes.

So as I say, this book was okay, but I wanted more from it.

[Maureen · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always enjoy an Escort story and this is kinda, sorta on those lines. Its part of a series I haven't read, its mildly obvious that some of the background characters are from the other tales but it really didn't spoil my enjoyment of this one. Timothy is cute and so eager to help out, but it is Aleksei who will melt your heart, filthy rich but sad, lonely, bisexual curious and a bear of a man ( be still my heart). I was cringing and waiting for the angsty bit that often happens close to the end of these stories, I didn't want to read it, these two are so darned sweet and lovely, but this author didn't let me down, oh boy. All in all a lovely tale, an enjoyable read.

[Alicia Meyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Aleksei and Timothy

I went back and forth on if I would rate this story a 4 or a 5. By the end probably a 4.5 but this was why. The sexy scenes seemed rushed but not rushed, meaning, Aleksei had never been with a man before and while he knew he was bi he just rushed forward with no hesitation other than wanting to wait for more intimate sex. Anyway, I got past that, in the end I really liked the characters and I liked the story in general. I haven’t liked all of the books in this series but I did like this one.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

Loved these two characters. There’s not much to say because her books don’t have too much drama (sometimes I’m thankful for that and sometimes I want more drama) although I did predict what was going to happen toward the end. I saw that from a mile away. Also I’m waiting on Tracy Garcia’s book because I feel like he’s been mentioned for a while!! I’ve read every single one of her books (aside from the MMM) and I won’t stop now. On to the next!

[Leigh Gaskill · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexei and Timothy

This was a sweet and low angst bi-awakening romance between Alexei and Timothy. I found it really endearing that Alexei was so shy at first, but despite this their chemistry was off the charts. I will say that the ‘twist’ really came out of nowhere for me and didn’t feel organic to the story. Still a great read with wonderful side characters.

[Tracy · Rating 5 out of 5]

loved this book!

I have enjoyed this series immensely. And I was looking forward to this book! And it delivered big time! Awesome read! I could so easily have read another100 pages. Loved it. I loved the connection between the MC’s a lot. I look forward to Daniel’s story!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

This author never fails to reel me into the character's stories. I loved Alexei and Timothy's romance. There are just so many side characters that I also want to see get their romances, I hope Alexa Land will find time for them all.

[Debbora · Rating 4 out of 5]

Alexa Land Series never fail to deliver the romance. Loved these two.

[Tracy Perry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved It! It was amazing and sweet, Gah…. So Good!! I so loved Timothy and Aleksei! I can’t wait for Daniel’s book!

[ViVi · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25⭐

[Melissa Polk · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute, though in the end everything was resolved too easily and with little actual communication.

[Paige · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5*

[Laurie Farrar · Rating 5 out of 5]

***4.3***

I really liked the premise of the story. I only wish the dialogue between the MCs had more depth, and the sex scenes could have been less brief.

[Dani Elle Maas · Rating 5 out of 5]

You just cannot go wrong with Alexa Land and this series
no matter what this author keeps coming up with new refreshing stories combined with some familiarness of characters
absolutely one of the best series out there