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The Boyfriend List

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The first rule of being a lawyer: always have a plan. So I’m applying the same principle to my love life.

Step one: List everything I want in a boyfriend.

Step two: Find a man who checks all my boxes.

Step three: Get married and live happily ever after.

My plan does NOT involve all my dates turning into disasters. Or my best friend, London, betting on my love life. 

He bets there’s no way I’ll meet someone who satisfies all my requirements in two months. If he wins, I have to be his date to his sister’s wedding.

There’s no way I’ll lose. But as the two month deadline approaches, I’m less worried that I won’t meet the perfect man… and more worried that London might be the perfect man for me.

Because I want marriage and children. Meanwhile, he has zero interest in relationships, starting a family, or any relationship that might end up like his parent's toxic marriage.

So why is he checking off the boxes on my boyfriend list?

290 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 8, 2025

23 people are currently reading
77 people want to read

About the author

Nicole Lam

18 books177 followers
Nicole Lam is a romance author who loves nothing more than, well, love. In her books, you’ll find emotional twists, heart-rending drama, and two broken people who find each other and choose happily ever after in spite of their problems. Her books feature heartwarming, relatable characters, swoony kisses, and no explicit scenes.

When she’s not writing, you can find her staying in her house for three-quarters of the year to avoid the Canadian winter, curling up with a good book, or learning yet another language.

To sign up for Nicole Lam's newsletter and get a free novella, go to https://www.subscribepage.com/novella

To join her street team and get free books, go to https://forms.gle/8xBaJ8zVZQbqXVgE6

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5 stars
19 (41%)
4 stars
13 (28%)
3 stars
12 (26%)
2 stars
2 (4%)
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0 (0%)
Displaying 1 - 28 of 28 reviews
Profile Image for ♡❀Caroline. K❀♡.
114 reviews25 followers
August 7, 2025
• Friends to lovers
• Asian FMC/ MMC
• Clean Romance
• Dual POV

Going into this, I was expecting a fun romcom. Something light and silly with the main character navigating a string of dates from her boyfriend list. But that ended up being maybe 10% of the book. A large chunk focused on the MMC’s complicated family dynamics and him constantly playing the peacekeeper, which I honestly struggled to get through. Sure, it was somewhat interesting to see the contrast between Gloria and London’s family dynamics, but it wasn't what I signed up for. I did enjoy the cute and tender moments between the characters. Especially when Gloria switches up London's name.

I want to thank BookSirens and Nicole Lam for the eARC. All opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Profile Image for ProseAndPetals.
138 reviews14 followers
August 6, 2025
“Quality- the standard of something as measured against other things of a similar kind; the degree of excellence of something.”

I had a hard time finishing this book. I read Nichole Love's book All to Reel and enjoyed it, but this book was so slow and boring. It was probably because there wasn't a lot of romance for the first 50% and when there was kissing it was very vague and flat. I can do slow burn as long as the reward is good. The characters don’t have to get together and do anything descriptive it just seemed like when they kissed it didn’t affect them that much, especially when they wanted to for many years. Considering this is a romance novel it was bad. People say that there is chemistry between London and Gloria but I just don't feel it. The plot line was a good idea I just don’t think it was executed well for a romance.

I did like the cultural references. There was a lot of food mentioned from the Philippines and China which I thought was cool. I was originally going to rate this two stars, but after finishing it wasn't too bad, just a little boring for me.

Tw: none
Language: 📋
Spice: none
POV: duel, first
Troupe: friends to lovers, son replacing his dad as husband…
Enjoyment: 🧋
Profile Image for Christian Shelves.
278 reviews37 followers
July 22, 2025
Nicole Lam does it again in writing a sweet and swoony romance that conveys depth amid complex interpersonal relationships. Though on the surface, Gloria and London embark on a very rom-commy adventure involving a napkin contract between lawyers, this story takes the time to tackle difficult topics such as familial piety, parental expectations, and bearing others’ burdens, whether warranted or not. I appreciate that heavy issues aren't glossed over and that Gloria and London can confront their individual struggles in order to heal and move on from what has been holding them back. What I love most about this book is how Asian heritage plays a significant role, including the concepts of shame, saving face, and family provision.

As the second book in the Love in L.A. series, it's endearing to encounter Raina and Prince Kostas again. Friendship is written so well that readers will enjoy this element as they read this clean book. The spiritual content is written from Gloria's Catholic perspective given her Filipino background, so it's helpful to learn more about their religious traditions and practices, which the author helpfully explains. This book is a great introduction to P-pop (Pinoy pop) if you're new to that musical genre and provides enough tantalizing Asian culinary treats to make you want to drink a bubble tea as you read along. If you're looking for a book that checks off the list for funny scenes, poignant family moments, and memorable declarations of love, Gloria and London will have you adding The Boyfriend List to your TBR.

Review link: https://christianshelves.blogspot.com...

Many thanks to the author for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Lise Derboven.
122 reviews27 followers
August 28, 2025
When I picked up The Boyfriend List, I was expecting a lighthearted romcom, but the story turned out to be much deeper than that. To be honest, the first half felt like a real slow burn — the pacing dragged a bit and I had to push myself through those early chapters. Because of that, I struggled to really feel the chemistry between the two main characters.

That said, there were definitely aspects I appreciated. The cultural references to the Philippines and China were wonderful to read, adding richness and authenticity to the story. I’m also a big fan of dual POV, and I loved being able to get into both characters’ heads — it gave me a better understanding of where they were each coming from.

A large portion of the book focused on the MMC’s complicated family dynamics and his desire to stay neutral to keep the peace. While it was interesting to see the contrast between the two families, it wasn’t quite what I expected when I picked this up thinking it would be a straightforward romance.

Overall, the book had a lot of potential, but for me, it fell a bit flat.
Profile Image for Gloria Elemide.
106 reviews4 followers
July 31, 2025
Having read three of Nicole Lam's book, it is safe to say she writes beautifully. Gloria and London have a beautiful chemistry and I totally love how they take their time to heal and move on to what is holding them back.

I love the fact that I got to know new things about Filipino and Chinese culture especially the food part which is so unique and interesting.

I love the happy ending, as some point I was really wondering how the whole issues will be resolved but then Nicole Lam did a great job by giving us a sweet ending.

It's so sweet and intriguing to read about Gloria and London's story, their beautiful friendship made the relationship sweeter. I love how they dealt with issues that could have ended their relationship.

This is a solid 4.5 stars for me and I will definitely be reading again.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Jessica Kaye.
Author 5 books13 followers
July 27, 2025
The main characters had immediate chemistry. (I loved the "knowing the difference between your and you're" revenge text)

I was just absolutely in love with the different cultures depicted and explored throughout this book. Lots of delicious food, beautiful languages, and family traditions, all handled tastefully and accurately.

And who doesn't love a good happy ending? I was pretty annoyed about the bad decision he made in the book, but he made up for it in the end, and it was a happy ending all around. Nice clean read.

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Allegra.
187 reviews5 followers
August 18, 2025
This book is a perfect example of why I love closed-door romcoms. The laughter, the tears, the witty banter, and most of all the emotional depth of them. This is a closed-door, swoony kisses-only, best friends to lovers, multicultural, both lawyers, one far from home, the other with a cold family life, and friends who interfere in the best of ways. Gloria and London undergo growth throughout this book, and watching them come together as they navigate their feelings for each other and their complex family dynamics. I won't lie, it took a minute for me to get into this book, but it was well worth it for the powerful story of hope, grace, and reconciliation. I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
Profile Image for Barbara Campbell.
1,743 reviews34 followers
August 20, 2025
Beware .. this story is a bit deceptive.. but in a good way! I thought this was going to be a fun rom-com and it is! But it is so much more. There are some difficult issues that are presented and dealt with here.. family toxicity, stress, career choices, self-protection through self-denial.. but there is also healing, grace, acceptance. Truly a story where you will laugh, get angry and frustrated, weep with sadness and joy… all the feels!

The chemistry and banter between London and Gloria is great! The side characters add so much.. they aren’t just tacked on, they are integral parts of the story.

I love how the Filipino and Chinese cultures were represented throughout the book. I love when a work of fiction teaches me new things and this one certainly did. I need to find a restaurant that serves Filipino food!

I read this in 24 hours.. staying up into the wee morning hours to finish it. And now I must patiently wait for book 3. Looking forward to it!
2 reviews
July 31, 2025
I’m a longtime fan of Nicole’s books and this is one for the stars as well! One of the most heartbreakingly beautiful stories about complex family dynamics, tension and how they affect our lives and decisions more than we can tell.

I loved reading and finding out more about Chinese and Filipino cultures (especially the delicious food) and loved how this has a happy ending!

This is an amazing friends to lovers book and I recommend to anyone who might even be slightly interested!

I received an advance reader copy and I leave this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Brit’s Bookstagram.
95 reviews8 followers
August 8, 2025
I love when I can connect with characters and Gloria is so funny and my thoughts spiral just like hers.

The secret mutual pining between Gloria and London was at another level! I just wanted to scream at them but that defeats the purpose lol.

This was such a fun read! But it also dealt with hard topics and feelings and it really makes you think about burdens that you take on that were never yours to bear.

Their love story was worth the fight and now I want to go back and read about Raina’s!
Profile Image for Kathy Crowder.
158 reviews1 follower
August 3, 2025
What a great book! I loved it!

This is a dual POV story from the FMC, Gloria, and MMC, London. Kisses only but very romantic. It was fun to see the relationship Gloria and London have had since they knew each other for so long. It was great to watch the progression of their relationship from friendship to something more.

This book is second in the series. I recommend reading All Too Reel first. They are both great!
Profile Image for Emma.
191 reviews
August 1, 2025
This was a cute idea for a romcom! Gloria, sick of the losers she keeps finding on dating apps, creates a boyfriend “list” of qualities she’s looking for in a serious relationship. Ironically, most of those items can by crossed off by her best friend London, who has secretly been in love with her for years. London wants to to be the man Gloria deserves but after seeing his parents’ toxic relationship he’s unsure if he has what it takes. These two had some really sweet moments, and I loved how they communicated. There were also quite a few secondary characters that added a lot of charm, humor, and depth to the story.
71 reviews
July 30, 2025
I received this book as an arc. This was so cute! I loved both of the characters and their story of finally getting together. It was so sweet!
Profile Image for Rosalynn.
210 reviews
September 8, 2025
Another great read from Nicole and another great Friends to Lovers story. I’m a sucker for a good friends to lovers and this one did not disappoint. This story is full of laughs, banter and just all around cuteness. I love how Nicole infuses faith elements into her stories.
Thank you to the author for my reveal copy. These words are my own.
Profile Image for Ashley Mauseth.
10 reviews3 followers
July 15, 2025
I enjoyed Gloria and London’s story. I liked that there was a decent amount about Filipino and Chinese culture woven throughout the story.
It was a quick read but had depth to it.
Profile Image for funkelbunt.liest.
321 reviews5 followers
July 29, 2025
4,5 stars rounded to 5

The Boyfriend List is the first book by Nicole Lam that I’ve read. It is book 2 in the Love in L.A. series, but it can be read as a standalone.

It’s a sweet, funny and clean friends-to-lovers romance and I loved getting to know both Gloria and London and to learn more about their cultural (Filipino and Chinese) and family background which influenced immensely how they saw things and how they acted in certain situations.

The strong friendships in this book and how important themes like guilt, responsibility, expectations were portrayed were my favorite parts. While London mainly struggles with his role in his family, Gloria is at a point where she has to make a decision career-wise and I loved her thoughts about it and how she decided in the end, without painting the other option in a bad light, since it was simply a personal decision. Faith is an important aspect in both Gloria’s and London’s lives, but I would say it’s a book with rather light faith themes.

After reading the title and blurb I was a bit surprised by how quickly the romance between the two best friends developed. I expected something a bit different. Gloria’s “boyfriend list” was actually pretty ridiculous, but I don’t think it was even supposed to be taken seriously and I think the title is a bit misleading since the list becomes inconsequential earlier than I would have thought.
The relationship between London and Gloria also confused me a bit, especially considering how London thought about marriage and family while dating a woman who had completely different dreams.

I still absolutely loved both characters and their friendship and rooted for them as a couple. As a reader some things seemed a bit too easy while other obstacles seemed completely unnecessary.

Even though the romance was one of my least favorite parts of this book, I definitely enjoyed it for its other qualities like adorable and relatable characters and being lighthearted while still having depth.
I will definitely check out Nicole Lam’s other books, probably starting with All too Reel, which is the first book of the Love in L.A. series and since has interconnected characters.

* Thank you to the author for letting me read an advanced copy of this book. I received a copy of this book via BookSirens and I leave this review voluntarily. The expressed opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Book_Lovers_Quest.
146 reviews3 followers
August 2, 2025
This story follows Gloria whose main focus has been her career until her love life decides to take her on a little detour. With her career in a state of transition Gloria soon discovers her job is no longer satisfying and needs a change. Not just from her workplace but also from the way she has been selecting her future love interest. With the help of her best friend she creates a list of qualities she needs in a man. Little does she know her perfect man is right in front of her.

London on the other hand has known he is head over heels for Gloria since the day they met back in college, but now that he knows what type of guy she is looking for he is unsure he meets her criteria and even if he did would his family approve or will his family crisis become more of a burden for him.

This story was so compelling when reading of the many obstacles the characters encountered as they navigated through their own life challenge making both
FMC and MMC very relatable. While the book was compelling it was also very endearing.

The author did a fantastic job of including the Philippines culture, traditions and family spiritual upbringings which was very present throughout her book. I really enjoyed reading about all the savory foods within her pages.Made me so hungry or maybe I read it while I was hungry and her description of each food made the cravings for something delicious more enticing.

✨Thank you to the author Ms. Nicole Lam and the team from BookSirens for providing me a a copy of this book in return for my honest review.
Profile Image for Rachel.
373 reviews8 followers
July 14, 2025
💚Asian MMC & FMC / Chinese & Filipino
💙Best friends to more
💜Work place romance
💛Food, food, food & of course bubble tea
❤️First Kiss
💚Faith elements
💙Sweet and Clean romance

I hate writing a review and giving the book away so I'm not going to do that! But I will say this

I absolutely loved having Asian main characters, I also loved that they were different cultures and reading little snippets about those cultures. I learnt that there is such a thing as P-Pop, I mean I think I knew this but didn't know this (if you know what I mean😂)

Also the learning continues - filial piety, did not know there was a term for this, but have always respected what is often missing in our own culture (Australian) without the guilt associations obviously! but I really appreciated that the theme ran through the book, making it stand apart from all the other books I have read.

Thankyou for allowing me to read and review this book as an ARC 😍
Profile Image for Madisonn.
82 reviews
August 14, 2025
3.5 stars. Super cute friends-to-lovers. Thanks to BookSirens and Nicole Lam for the ARC!!

~Tropes~

💼 Friends-to-lovers
🇵🇭 Coworkers
🍚 Dual POV

Overview: After several failed dates, Gloria Romero makes a “boyfriend-list” after a suggestion from her friend and coworker, London Young. After seeing the list, London who has had a crush on Gloria for years starts to check off some of the boxes. Gloria searches for her perfect man while London works up the courage to ask her out.

Thoughts: This is a super cute and funny rom-com but it also has several deeper themes. London has a dysfunctional family he feels responsible for, and while the ending there is nice, it also feels very fairy-tale like. It’s also pretty long, and while it doesn’t really feel that way, it does seem like there could be some cutting here and there. Overall, it’s super cute and I love the characters. 🩵
Profile Image for Tammy Lunsford - Escape to Books By Tammy.
2,022 reviews66 followers
August 5, 2025
Gloria and London have been friends for a long time, but there is a chemistry there between them that is simmering just below the surface. They both have some things in their lives that need to be addressed so that they can live in the here and now and more fully appreciate what is right in front of them. I love a friends to lover trope.

This was a sweet romance with some funny scenes and a light faith thread. It was perfect that they are both lawyers because who better to argue than two people who do that for a living.

This sweet romance has just the right amount of romance, family and comedy to make it an enjoyable read.

Thank you to BookSirens and the author for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for Barbara Hackel.
2,805 reviews46 followers
July 11, 2025
This book is so much more than just about a couple falling in love. It's about family and rolls children take within their family unit. It's about culture about families, both his and hers. It's about dreams over the years and being the person that is needed. I was fascinated by so many aspects of the book beyond the romantic plot.
A beautiful story told with truth, good and bad. I laughed, sighed, almost cried, and when it was over, still wanted more! I have enjoyed everything that I have read by this author, but this was probably the most engaging of all. As much as I wanted to get to the ending, I didn't want it to end.
36 reviews
July 14, 2025
This was a fun read.
The writing was witty. It was light-hearted, while also dealing with some tough topics and situations.
Some scenes did seem a little over the top but still fun.

I also got to know new things about Filipino and Chinese culture and food, so that was also a unique and interesting experience.

Some things happened too quickly and conveniently for my liking. (I'm being vague here to keep the review spoiler-free).

Overall, 3.75 stars (rounded up); would recommend to those who enjoy clean rom-coms.

I received an advanced copy of this book from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Profile Image for Shell.
144 reviews4 followers
August 10, 2025
This was a cute friends-to-lovers romance that had the classic "just tell each other how you feel!" frustration. There was more to the story after they got together but the tension fell flat for me and I struggled to stay engaged with the story after that. I kept reading because I wanted to know what happened, but I felt a bit frustrated with the characters. I definitely wanted to yell at London to go to therapy.
I enjoyed the insights into Filipino and Chinese culture, and the hard-won HEA.

Content warning: complicated family dynamics
Romance level: 3 (non-descriptive kisses only)

I received a complimentary copy, and all opinions expressed in this review are my own.
Profile Image for Jen.
174 reviews6 followers
August 7, 2025
This was an adorable friends to more romcom! I loved both Gloria and London! They were relatable and had an awesome dynamic. I loved how their relationship developed after London found Gloria’s boyfriend list. So many hilarious and sweet moments. Gloria’s nicknames for London 😂 😂😂 the romance was kisses only. Giorgio was my favorite side character and I cannot wait his story! A fantastic read and highly recommend!

I volunteered to read an ARC copy of the book and all thoughts are my own.
Profile Image for Gracee.
67 reviews
August 15, 2025
Super cute. I'm normally not a fan of closed door books but this one is really good and I loved all the extra details. It was a cute story. The transitions between characters were really smooth. Overall cute. However had trouble with all the extra details abt characters family issues because of how much of the story this took up. It felt like there were moments that focused to long on the families dynamics.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Profile Image for ChriseBee.
123 reviews4 followers
August 3, 2025
I loved it. The Boyfriend List is entertaining as a fun, sweet, slow burn romance between longtime friends who are coworkers. I smiled, laughed out loud, and rooted for these characters who felt like good friends. Gloria and London were relateable, hilarious, and cute as friends and a couple. I enjoyed their witty banter and supportive friendship.

It was beautiful to see the Filipino and Chinese cultures represented through their traditions, family relationships, and food. I wish the book had photos so I could see the delicious meals described. I wanted to taste everything even though I'm a picky eater. I definitely craved bubble tea whenever that was mentioned. Gloria and I have that love in common.

There were relationships with good friends, coworkers, and relatives that made this story richer. The book highlighted the complexities of family relationships and the different challenges life throws at us, but it also emphasized the power of love through it all.

Thanks to Nicole Lam for the opportunity to read an ARC of The Boyfriend List. I can imagine this book being adapted to a movie that I'd love. I definitely plan to read All Too Reel because I now want to know more about Raina and Kostas.
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