Pan Book Boyfriend.

by Emily Wibberley

Devoted fangirl meets hesitant fanboy in this swoony contemporary love letter to readers who adore fantasy worlds, from the beloved authors of The Breakup Tour.
 
Jennifer Worth lives to escape into the world of her favorite romantasy series Elytheum Courts, where the romance is sweeping and the men are brave, chivalrous . . . and winged. Newly single and craving connection, she travels to an immersive fan experience celebrating all things Elytheum, only to see the last face she expected—Scott Daniels, her work nemesis, whose disinterest in Jennifer’s favorite series and standoffishness have made their publishing jobs feel like a feuding fae court.
 
Except the Scott she encounters there, in his secondhand cosplay outfit, is . . . different. Swaggering, flirtatious, confident. Unlucky in romance himself and inspired by Jennifer’s love for the swoonworthy men of Elytheum, Scott is determined to remake himself into the perfect book boyfriend.
 
Jennifer has no interest in helping the man who vexes her every workday and dismisses her fictional fantasies, but as the immersive convention activities force them together, they’re surprised to discover magic like none Jennifer has ever read about. But is enemies-to-lovers romance only for books, or can Jennifer and Scott bring the trope to life?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Books About Books, Audiobook, Fiction, Contemporary Romance, Enemies To Lovers

Paperback

First published February 25, 2025

About the author

Emily Wibberley attended Princeton University where she graduated Magna Cum Laude. She now lives in Los Angeles with her husband, Austin Siegemund-Broka, with whom she is author of The Roughest Draft, as well as several love stories for teens.

Visit her and Austin's website at www.emilyandaustinwrite.com.

Reviews

[ellen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️
a really sweet rom-com with a super fun plot!! ate this one up in just over 24 hours

[Cara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Buddy reading with my gorgeous girl Megan❤

REVIEW TO COME💞!!!!!!!!!

[Nilufer Ozmekik · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jennifer Worth, an avid fan of the romantasy series Elytheum Courts, lives for the sweeping romance and brave, winged men in her favorite fictional world. Seeking connection after a breakup, she heads to an immersive fan experience only to encounter her work nemesis, Scott Daniels, whose standoffishness and disinterest in her beloved series has made their publishing jobs feel like a feuding fae court. At the convention, however, Scott is different—confident, flirtatious, and inspired by Jennifer’s passion for Elytheum’s swoonworthy men, determined to remake himself into the perfect book boyfriend. But as sparks fly, Jennifer questions whether this enemies-to-lovers romance is real or just a trope they’ve stumbled into.

Now for my review—I’ve always enjoyed the addictive romance novels written by this real-life married author duo, and even their YA works hold a special place for me. When I got the chance to read their latest book, with its sizzling enemies-to-lovers trope and a romantasy scavenger hunt setting, I was intrigued! However, despite my admiration for the authors, I struggled to connect with this one and must admit it’s my least favorite of their works.

Scott, in particular, rubbed me the wrong way from the beginning, and I hoped for a reason behind their initial feud that might redeem him, but it never came. In fact, my dislike for him only grew, making it hard for me to root for him or the romance. I found myself wishing for a more entertaining work nemesis, someone like Erik or Fred, who could inject more charm and humor. Jennifer, on the other hand, felt immature in her obsession with finding a "fantasy man," confusing fiction with real life in a way that came across as impulsive. The scavenger hunt, while meant to be fun, felt long and disconnected, especially since the world of Elytheum Courts seemed like a foreign language to me, and I lost interest in the plot.

Though I appreciated the witty banter and chemistry between Jennifer and Scott, I couldn’t fully buy into Scott’s passion for her given his earlier disdain for her romantic ideals. His change felt more like physical attraction rather than genuine emotional growth, leaving me unconvinced of their long-term potential.

I’m giving this book three stars for the banter and sparks, but I found myself preferring the supporting characters like Amelia, Brit, Laurel, Erik, and Fred more than the leads. Here’s hoping the duo’s next book will be more to my liking, as I’m still a devoted fan of their writing.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this digital reviewer copy in exchange for my honest feedback!

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[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 stars

First thing first, I thought the concept of this book was so cool. I mean, an theme event that takes place in the 'world' of your favorite book series... how awesome is that! I had fun with that aspect.

Jennifer Worth just had a break up and gets away to the book trip of her dreams. Where she finds her annoying coworker, Scott is there as well. I loved the friendships Jen created while there, but I struggled with the romance between the main characters. They felt so much younger and immature than they were supposed to be.

I love Emily Wibberly and Austin Siegemund-Broka's writing style but this one wasn't my favorite of theirs.

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 4 out of 5]

i cant even begin to explain just how fun this book was to read, i felt like it truly is a love letter in a sense to all the romance readers, all the enemies to lovers fans and to all fandoms. it showed a really beautiful story of just how amazing the book community can be.

i loved how this centered around a beloved fantasy world in a week long experience as i see these experiences happening IRL and they look so fun and like everyone has the time of their lives there, the book truly helped me with my fomo on missing out on these experiences 😂🩵

the enemies to lovers in this book was SO insanely good, i was kicking my feet and giggling every single time scott and jennifer interacted with one another bc of their pettiness and just not being able to help being flirty at the same time. however there were some times where it felt like scott was just being plain old mean 🥲 maybe that was just the way i read it, idk but what i do know is jennifer is better than me because some of the things he said would have made me cry my eyes out 😂

also the side characters forever have my heart, all of them were so so sweet and funny

this entire book was such a fun concept and was really unique in my eyes, i loved every single minute of it and sort of have my fingers crossed we will get a bit more insight into amelia’s HEA one day 🥹

some tropes:
enemies to lovers
grumpy/sunshine
coworker
found family

i had the absolute pleasure and best time buddy reading this with my hunny cara it made the experience of reading the book a thousand times better!!! ily sweets 🩷

[lexie · Rating 2 out of 5]

RELEASE ME FROM THE SHACKLES OF SJM IN CONTEMPORARY ROMANCES

this book is an acotar au where the mmc learns how to become rhysand to seduce the fmc 😃 now read that again 😃😃😃


thank you to netgalley and berkley for the arc

[Elle G. Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I feel like the authors asked themselves, “what do readers love” and wrote this book based on it. Book Boyfriend is such a fun and unique romance that any reader should be able to get behind. Incorporating the characters’ own love for fantasy world and fae, I feel like we can all relate to this one! That is, if you’re a fantasy reader. Otherwise, you’ll probably love it anyway because our FMC is a reader AND there’s an enemies-to-lovers tropes which is one of the most superior in the genre 😉.

All in all, this was a really fun read. It’s filled with witty banter, the characters have great chemistry (after they get over their feud of course), and the plot is original. Including cosplay and a love for romnatasy books make this one easy to fall in love with.

𝗠𝗬 𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Dab · Rating 4 out of 5]

Happy Release Day!



All I want for Christmas is a book themed event like that!

I loved the theme, the program, the community and everything on that campus. I wanted to be there 😭. Jennifer’s new friends were amazing, her roommate was hilarious and the actor playing Val was the cutest and he deserves a HEA.

So the background was great, but the romance itself unfortunately less so. It wasn’t bad, but there was very little magic. The pacing was off, they turned from sworn enemies to lovers in no time and I didn’t exactly understand why. On top of that the reason why they were “enemies” in the first place didn’t score Scott any points either, so, despite the title, he wasn’t a book boyfriend material and I’m docking a star for it.

Also, there is no epilogue! I need it, I need love declarations 😭!

I would love to read about Amelia and her book boyfriend 😏.

Overall still four stars.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

——

Thanks to NetGalley and Pan Macmillan for the arc ❤️

[Liv Kaelin · Rating 2 out of 5]

Sadly this one was not a win for me. This had a super fun concept--our FMC meets a guy cosplaying as her favorite book boyfriend from her favorite romantasy series, and the romance sparks from there. Unfortunately the FMC was the main issue I had with this book; she behaved very immaturely through the majority of this book and it drove me absolutely nuts. Otherwise, this was an entertaining rom-com.

2.5 stars rounded down. Thank you so much to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Stacee · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5 stars

Idiots to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and I loved the idea of this, sadly it fell pretty flat to me.

I don't really want to list all of the things that I didn't like, so I guess I just say that I needed more conversation, more showing instead of telling, and even a sliver of chemistry would have worked wonders.

Overall, it was an interesting idea and I did skim through to see how it ended, but I could have easily DNF'd.

**Huge thanks to the publisher for providing the arc free of charge**

[Sophie Sullivan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was wonderfully enjoyable. A perfect, sexy and swoony read for anyone who has ever wished a bookish setting was real!

[Alexa (Alexa Loves Books) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Book Boyfriend is the latest adult romance novel from these two married co-authors. I'd picked it up solely for the authors and that title without actually knowing anything about the plot, but I was pleasantly surprised to discover that it had a bookworm heroine who was living out a week at a fantastical event inspired by her all-time favorite fantasy series and her clashes with her self-proclaimed work nemesis who happens to be there as well. Sounds like a fun premise, especially if you're a bookworm with similar reading inclinations, don't you think?

This book didn't quite pack the emotional punch that other titles I've read from these authors have (I still think about how The Roughest Draft and The Breakup Tour both made me cry to this day whenever I see them on my shelf), but it did keep me entertained! I enjoyed getting to live vicariously through the main character's experience of seeing her favorite fantasy series come to life with the setting, activities, details of the weeklong event she attended - it seriously made me wish that I had that opportunity too. There were also plenty of banter-filled conversations and rom-com level shenanigans involving her work nemesis that made me chuckle or swoon or raise my eyebrows, depending on the context they were in. I found that seeing the interplay between the fantasy of the event itself and the reality of life in the real world interesting to witness, especially as that formed the crux of the conflict for the couple.

There are a few things that didn't work well for me in this book. For starters, there are a lot of cheesy lines and passages that tie back into reading, fantasy, etc; while I'm not opposed to these (and even ended up earmarking some of them to keep track of), it felt more heavy-handed than I'd like and would pull me out of the narrative. (I believe this is also true of The Breakup Tour, but I didn't notice it there quite as much.) I also didn't love that we only get our heroine's point of view; I've found in general that I like getting both sides of the story, so to speak, when it comes to romance. I'm pretty sure the decision to use only one perspective was made for specific narrative reasons, but I think I might have liked it better if I could have gotten a stronger sense of who the hero was outside of the heroine's observations. And lastly, for the purposes of this list, I just didn't end up feeling personally invested in our main couple. I didn't feel like I knew the hero as well as I wanted, and as for the heroine, she just wasn't a personality I jived with (despite the fact that we both love books wholeheartedly).

I did end up finishing this book much faster than I expected to, thanks to the easy to read writing style employed. But while there were parts of this tale that did elicit that warm, syrupy feeling of joy and contentment, or a bright flare of amusement, this book unfortunately was pretty average when compared to the body of work these authors have produced.

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars

I loved this book so much! I knew I would from the very first chapter, which was hilarious! The FMC's personality and snarky wit was perfection. This book was fun, and romantic at the same time. The romantasy readers are going to really relate to this book, for sure.

There were only a few minor things that stopped me from giving this book the full 5 stars, and besides that it would have been utter perfection. There were two parts in the book where the FMC just did not react the way I would have reacted in that situation, at all. And maybe that's just a personal thing, but I just couldn't connect to the main character when to me, she was behaving so oddly and almost backwards to what I personally would have done. Secondly, in the last part of the book, the FMC was acting pretty juvenile for her age. Besides those things though, absolute perfection, I loved it so much!!

The FMC, Jennifer, was funny, relatable, a little bit immature but that also could have come just from being insecure and vulnerable also.

The MMC, Scott, was perfection. For some reason I kept picturing him as this nerdy guy with glasses (even though it NEVER says he has glasses!), so I kept trying to alter my mental image of him. I loved his personality though, it almost gave me autism vibes in the way he was so kept-together, and logical, and how he took notes and things. (The book also never says anything about autism.) I absolutely loved it, because he was so different from Jennifer, but he was her rock, and he was SO smart and insightful!!

I also loved how over the course of the book, all the characters really changed and developed. Not just the main characters but ALL of them, even the side characters!

When this book is released on February 25, 2025, I am absolutely buying myself a physical copy for my shelves. (Or a "Book Trophy", as my husband calls them, haha.) Actually, I'll pre-order it. This one is a keeper!

Thank you to NetGalley, Berkley, and authors Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka for the ARC!

Now excuse me while I go read the entire backlist from this writing duo ;)

~~~~~~
Favourite Quotes:
“I hope you find a girl willing to settle for everything you’re willing to offer her. Barely texting me back, showing up late to half our dates, never taking an interest in my interests. What a total package!”
-
Forget the wedgie in my shorts. Scott is the wedgie in my soul.
-
Then he removes his sweater, revealing an off-white button down. With his deft, deliberate hands, he proceeds to roll the sleeves to his forearms right in front of me. It’s vulgar. Obscene. Good god, we’re in a library, I want to reprimand him
-
Scott starts to smile. “I’m not sure my hair swoop is grounds for you to give up your dreams,” he says delicately. “No, it is!” I insist. “It’s that good!”

[Angelika · Rating 4 out of 5]

"The “book boyfriend” doesn’t mean fiction or fantasy. It doesn’t mean courts of hulking men, or glowers or glamours, wings or horns.
It only means kindness, loyalty, honesty, and loving hard enough to never let go."

This book is a love letter to reading, fandom, romance and all of us book girlies who feel like we'll never find a man as amazing as our book boyfriends.

Jennifer and Scott are work rivals who find themselves trapped on a week-long nerdy celebration for Jen's favourite Fae romantasy (very similar to ACOTAR - the series all of booktok is obsessed with) where suddenly Scott seems to behave in a very suave, sexy manner that baffles Jennifer.

I won't give away anything about the plot but I will tell you this - it's insanely good if you're a fangirl. If you're a person not super into fandoms and fanfiction and fantasy worlds, what are you even doing here?

This delivers exactly what you want it to - a hope for fangirls worldwide that we don't need to give up on our high standards to find love. There's not much smut, definitely a lot less compared to Do I Know You, but this isn't exactly advertised as a smutty book so everyone knows what they're getting into. It's sexy enough for the smut lovers to not feel blue balls and closed door enough for the people who like their romance without explicit sex.

I will be honest however, I was very disappointed that this book wasn't dual POV. With this author duo, I assumed that dual POV was a given but there's not even an epilogue from Scott's pov. And that SUCKS. Because he's exactly the kind of man that every single book girl wants in her life. But well.

Why 4 stars? Half a star taken because I was very disappointed because of the lack of dual POV and the other half because honestly the first 20% of the book didn't grab me like I wanted it to... it's a very slow set-up AND we don't see enough rivalry or bantering.

[Mia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first half of this book. The banter between Jennifer and Scott was so good, and the plot was really fun. But I was getting frustrated by the third act because Jennifer was behaving very juvenile. Otherwise, it's a very cute read.

ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Chelsea · Rating 1 out of 5]

The concept of the book was enough to make me buy the book. A girl obsessed fantasy novels and finding her real life “book boyfriend” gets invited to a week long “experience” of her favourite fantasy series? If this doesn’t speak to every book girlie out there.

BUT it was terrible. I was bored. 39 chapters and I tapped out at 35. The FMC, the MMC. Both completely unlikeable. Together and alone.

[Jenna ♡ (Jenna's Corner) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Oh, oh yes. This book snatched my attention from the blurb...and it was exactly as detailed. Jennifer, a massive fan of the popular romantasy series Elytheum Courts, goes to the immersive experience after a public breakup. Instead of finding handsome, rugged, winged men like you would find in Elytheum, she finds her work nemesis, Scott.

This book felt like a love letter to book lovers everywhere. Jennifer who yearns for a swoon worth romance like I'm sure we all do! I found myself relating to her in almost every sense of the word. I just loved the way she made me laugh and the way she genuinely cared about making friends and immersing herself in the bookish experience! It was so fun to read about her :)

On the other hand, Scott, was another story! I thought Scott was quite mean at times and honestly...it hurt my feelings *cue me closing my kindle for a moment of self reflection* It was truly something. I did love the part where he did ~the lean~ you could tell mans was committed! I enjoyed his character more at the end then at any other part.

The supporting characters MADE this book. Erik and Fred...you both have my whole heart. I won't go spoiling everything but that one scene...UGHHHHHHH I love it I love it I love it. Every single one of the supporting characters was completely unique and I loved hearing about them and their stories. It made me feel like I was right beside them celebrating Elytheum.

Overall, I gave this book 3 stars! I thought the plot was so darling and it truly felt like a hug. I tore through this book- finding time to read it whenever I could.

Thank you Berkley Romance and Netgalley for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

[The Bookish Elf · Rating 4 out of 5]

In the world of contemporary romance, few concepts capture the imagination quite like the idea of a "book boyfriend" – that fictional character who embodies everything we want in a partner. Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka's latest novel, Book Boyfriend, dives headfirst into this concept, creating a meta-commentary on romance novels while delivering its own enemies-to-lovers story. While the premise sparkles with potential, the execution occasionally stumbles under the weight of its own ambitions.

The Fantasy Experience We All Secretly Want

Jennifer Worth lives for escape. A marketing professional at Parthenon Publishing, Jennifer finds solace in the pages of her favorite romantasy series, Elytheum Courts, where fae lords and mortal queens fall in eternal love. When her boyfriend dumps her in the lobby of her office building (an appropriately humiliating beginning), Jennifer makes an impulsive decision to attend an immersive Elytheum fan experience—only to discover her office nemesis, Scott Daniels, has also made the trip.

What follows is a week of cosplay, scavenger hunts, and the gradual revelation that Scott isn't just attending the event; he's actively studying how to become the perfect "book boyfriend" after his own romantic disappointments. As they compete and collaborate through the week's events, Jennifer begins to wonder if the fantasy she's been chasing exists not in fiction, but right in front of her.

The novel's greatest strength is its premise. Wibberley and Siegemund-Broka have crafted a love letter to fandom that understands both the joy and potential pitfalls of fantasy obsession. The immersive Elytheum experience feels richly developed and genuinely enticing—I found myself wishing such events existed for my own favorite book series. The authors capture the community aspect of fandom beautifully, particularly in the friendships Jennifer develops with fellow fans Laurel and Brit.

Characters: Page-Turning or Page-Skipping?

Jennifer proves a relatable protagonist for anyone who's ever sought refuge in fiction. Her inner monologue balances humor with vulnerability as she confronts her tendency to romanticize relationships. Her character growth feels organic as she learns that while fantasy offers escape, reality can offer something just as magical if approached with courage.

Scott's evolution is more uneven. His transformation from dismissive coworker to Val-inspired suitor sometimes strains credulity, particularly in how quickly he masters the persona. The notebook where he records his observations about becoming the perfect book boyfriend is a clever device, but its deployment occasionally feels more plot-convenient than character-driven.

The supporting cast shows promise but varies in development:

- Erik (Jennifer's roommate): Initially one-dimensional in his self-absorption, his eventual reconciliation with his brother provides one of the book's more touching storylines
- Amelia (Jennifer's friend): Her professional disillusionment contrasts nicely with Jennifer's romantic disappointments
- Fred/Val (the actor playing Jennifer's book crush): Strikes the perfect balance of fantasy and reality

When Prose Meets Fantasy

The writing flows easily, with dialogue that often sparkles with wit and warmth. The authors excel at capturing the giddy feeling of falling for someone against your better judgment:

"I hold him, wrestling with myself. I know I've used fantasy as an escape, and the real world offers none of its forgiveness. It's devastating to imagine my dreams coming true, only to lose their luster when Scott and I fight, or I don't get into an MFA program, or long distance strains our relationship to breaking."

However, the prose occasionally stumbles into repetition, particularly when describing the characters' emotional states. Some passages belabor points already well-established, while others rely heavily on telling rather than showing. The story might have benefited from tighter editing, especially in the middle sections where the scavenger hunt subplot sometimes overshadows the emotional core.

The Highs and Lows: What Works and What Doesn't

Strengths:

1. Genuine understanding of fandom psychology - The authors perfectly capture why people fall in love with fictional worlds

2. Well-executed enemies-to-lovers trope - The transition feels earned through meaningful interactions

3. Thoughtful exploration of fantasy vs. reality - Jennifer's journey toward accepting real-world imperfections feels genuine

4. Fandom-building - Elytheum Courts feels like a series that could actually exist, with enough detail to make readers wish it did

5. Supportive female friendships - Jennifer's connections with her fellow fans provide depth beyond the romance

Weaknesses:

1. Pacing issues - The middle section drags with repetitive emotional beats

2. Underdeveloped professional stakes - The publishing workplace feels like a backdrop rather than an integral setting

3. Occasionally overwrought prose - Some emotional descriptions veer into melodrama

4. Convenient plot devices - Several coincidences strain credulity, particularly regarding the scavenger hunt clues

5. Jennifer's character arc - Her fear of commitment sometimes feels inconsistent with her earlier characterization

Final Thoughts: Worth the Read?

Book Boyfriend offers a charming reading experience despite its flaws. For anyone who's ever fallen in love with a fictional character or found community in fandom, Jennifer's journey will resonate on a fundamental level. The novel excels when exploring the tension between fantasy and reality, asking thoughtful questions about what we sacrifice when we hold out for perfection.

At its heart, the book suggests that real relationships can be better than fictional ones not despite their imperfections but because of them. When Jennifer eventually realizes that "magic and heroism exist in the ordinary as easily as the extraordinary," the message lands with genuine emotional impact.

Book Boyfriend is a flawed but ultimately winning romance that offers both escape and insight. Like the fantasy conventions it portrays, it provides a weekend's worth of enjoyment that might leave you looking at your own bookshelf differently. You might close the covers wishing for more depth in places, but you'll likely find yourself smiling nonetheless—and maybe eyeing your own favorite fictional heroes with new appreciation.

[BernLuvsBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I listened to this on audio and it was beautifully narrated by Patti Murin - highly recommend listening, there is even some singing which just kicks things up a n notch from simply reading lyrics!

I’m a huge Ashley Poston fan. I LOVE how she weaves elements of magic into her romance. In Sounds Like Love, Ashley incorporates magic, music, grief and love in such a perfectly crafted way. Joni Lark is a renowned songwriter, grappling with burnout and a creative block when she attends a concert and meets ex-boy bander, Sebastian McKellen. It is not a meet cute for the ages. Sebastian puts everything but his best foot forward and the two part ways after an impactful kiss only to find themselves inexplicably connected telepathically. Not only can the two hear each other’s thoughts but they also hear the same unfinished song playing in their minds. As the two work together to find a way to get out of each other’s heads, they decide to finish the song together in the hope that it would break their telepathic connection.

Ahhh, isn’t that just such a whimsical premise for a romance! I loved how the relationship evolved between these two and how they went from strangers, to friends, to lovers. This romance stole my heart because it was filled with so much hope and HEART. My recommendation - add this one to your TBR!

[audrey ♡ · Rating 2 out of 5]

need to gather my thoughts, rtc

[Shannon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Romantasy lovers won't want to miss this new enemies to lovers romcom from married author duo Emily Wibberley and Austin Siegemund-Broka that sees Jennifer, an obsessed fantasy series fan forced to spend a week with her workplace rival, Scott when they both show up for a the same event designed to challenge fans of the Elytheum series. Full of forced proximity tension, secret pining and fun fantasy inspired events and tasks that Jennifer and Scott have to complete for a chance to solve a puzzle and win a grand prize at the end of the week. At times this book felt a bit slow-paced like not a lot was happening but by the end I was won over by Jennifer's character growth and her realization that losing herself in fantasy isn't always the best way to live and that real life can be its own kind of magic, especially when you find the right people to share it with. Good on audio narrated by Helen Laser. Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy and @prhaudio for a complimentary ALC in exchange for my honest review.

Fav quote:
"My whole life, books were my refuge. I have cherished my favorite stories for their power to enchant and divert me...from loneliness and heartache, into the company of characters I considered friends and loved ones and into places I viewed as wondrous escapes from my own world. And I was...wrong. The purest gift of reading isn't finding escape. It's finding yourself."

[Athena of Velaris · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly can't fully express how adorable this book was. Like being given a warm hug on a crappy day! It's so nice to read a book that fully understands what it means to be a lover of fantasy books.

Read if you like...
📚Grumpy sunshine
📚He learns to be a book boyfriend to make her happy
📚SO MUCH hurt comfort
📚He remembers everything she's ever said
📚Dramatic horse-riding in the rain
📚Workplace rivals to lovers
📚Family found that bonds over fantasy books
📚Accurate fandom representation
📚Challenges based on the characters' favorite books
📚Slowburn that is so painfully beautiful
📚They make each other better
📚A reading retreat anyone would love to participate in
📚Hilarious dialogue and great pacing
📚Swoon-worthy romance

[Brynn | readyourworriesaway · Rating 4 out of 5]

Jennifer Worth’s favorite romantasy series, Elytheum Courts, is the perfect escape. When Jennifer attends an immersive fan experience, the last person she expected to run into is her work nemesis, Scott Daniels. Both of them are unlucky in love and find some common ground. Scott is hoping to learn some pointers during the fan experience so that he can become the perfect “book boyfriend.”

This was such a fun concept! As someone who is not a fantasy reader, it allowed me a glimpse into that world! It was the perfect fit for me because I got a taste of fantasy without actually having to read a fantasy book 😂

I flew through this story and had fun with getting to know the side characters.

Noe I want to attend an immersive book experience/convention for some of my favorite romance book series!

I love this writing duo and I’m so excited to add BOOK BOYFRIEND to my collection of their books 🙌

[Susan Z (webreakforbooks) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This romcom is set in the world of a fantasy Fandom conference. Since I am not a lover of fantasy, I found this one hard to relate to. I just was not the right audience.

I did love this duo's earlier book Do I Know You, so I will definitely pick up their next one.

[Grace · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25

[Andy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you to Berkley Publishing Group and NetGalley for a free digital copy of this title in exchange for an honest review.

I did not like this book. At all.

Now, I am not typically a contemporary romance reader, but I can appreciate a good one when I see one. Know that my negative review of this book does not stem from the genre itself, but rather the multitude of issues this particular book contains.

First, there’s the logistical issues.

The timeline makes absolutely no sense. The book is supposed to take place over the course of a week, and yet it simultaneously feels like a single day and an entire year pass. The relationship between the two main characters progresses far too fast to be a week, and yet… nothing happens.

And don’t even get me started on how Jennifer supposedly made it from North Carolina to NYC in 6 1/2 hours.

Now, to the meat of it.

First off, the characters. Scott has no personality. Well, no, that’s not exactly right. Scott’s personality is hating Jennifer, and Jennifer hating him. We can infer that he’s detail-oriented from some clues, but that’s about it. We get one little tidbit about him pursuing a doctorate at some point, but it has no bearing on him as a character. He is, quite literally, a blank slate.

Jennifer is a bitch, while also having no personality. Her personality is that she’s a fangirl. And listen, I’m a fangirl too. But it’s not my entire personality.

The buildup was not even buildup. Scott and Jennifer didn’t hate each other enough to make it a true enemies/rivals to lovers. And their reasons for hating each other were the most high school immature shit I’ve ever read. And then all of a sudden it’s raining and they’re kissing? Where was the tension? Where was the intrigue? Maybe it’s because these characters are flat as a piece of paper that the romance felt like no-mance.

Usually with romance of any genre, I get the giggling, kicking my feet, twirling my hair feeling at certain lines, characters, or scenes. The number of these I experience throughout a book directly impacts my rating. I can confidently say I experienced a whopping zero throughout this book.

Why did they break up 90% of the way through the book. Holy shit, at that point I didn’t even care because I knew they would get back together. Again, zero tension. And AGAIN, over the most juvenile shit! Jennifer needs to grow up! She is a big fucking baby throughout this entire book while also somehow managing to be a Mary Sue.

Also, why are they always running? I swear these guys were training for a marathon. Running the obstacle course, running through the rain, running back to the dorms. Real people don’t run that much. And when they DO run, they get out of breath. But our magical amazing flawless personality-less heroes apparently don’t abide by the limits of human physiology. Because they run great distances and are somehow completely fine after.

I actually don’t think you could fit more shitty book metaphors into this if you tried. I am SICK of hearing about how “life is fantasy” and “hope is magic.” Good fucking gosh find something else to talk about.

The only scene I enjoyed was the Fred/Erik duel scene, but that was probably because it didn’t involve Jennifer or Scott at all.

So, what’s the final verdict?

Amelia and Fred should’ve been the main characters.

[Kristensbookkorner · Rating 3 out of 5]

Jennifer Worth is a huge fan of romantasy books, specifically the Elytheum Courts series. So much so that she went to a convention about Elytheum Courts to clear her mind from her breakup with her ex-boyfriend. I loved all the friendships she made while she was at this experience. However, while she is there she runs into her work nemesis Scott Daniels who seems to be a big fan of the Elytheum Court series as well. We don’t dive deep into why they dislike each other and I feel it would have been more meaningful if we had some background on that.

I just didn’t find Scott to be a likable character. I was hoping toward the end my mind would change on him but it unfortunately didn’t. And Jennifer acted very childishly toward the end. It was the banter that they had that really saved them for me.

Overall, I enjoyed the premise of this book and I really like the supporting characters, especially Laurel, Erik, and Fred.

Thank you so much Berkley Romance for a free copy!

[MaKenna · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was so cute. I thoroughly enjoyed the nerdiness of the book series within the series. Jennifer after a break up goes to a week-long immersive experience into her favorite fantasy romance series. I loved how the authors made this fantasy book come alive within the time of this book. I found myself guessing things that might happen but for me this is a plus. It gets me into the story so much more! I was kicking my feet during this book. I had such a good time. Overall it was so fun and the story was super cute. If you’re looking for a book about books this is a great choice! Very seamless story for having two authors! Thank you to NetGalley, the authors and Penguin Random House for the free copy of this book to review!

[Susan • BryantParkBooks · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you @PRHaudio and @berkleyromance for my gifted ALC and ARC.

This month, the #winingdownbookclub read Boof Boyfriend. I listened to the book using the PRH audio app.

This wasn’t our favorite pick. While our group reads tons of romance, we don’t all read fantasy and you really need to enjoy fantasy to enjoy Book Boyfriend.

Jennifer is an absolute fanatic for the Elytheum series and I love that for her. She takes a week off of work to visit a college in North Carolina and participates in a fan event that immerses you the fantasy world. But her fun is diminished when her work rival is also at the same event. Can she really forget reality when Scott is also there?

The two main characters have very little chemistry for me. It seemed to me that they got together because there was no one else and they were both available. While I love the trope of enemies to lovers, Jennifer and Scott make much better enemies.

[elisabeth · Rating 2 out of 5]

die grobe idee von dem buch ist eigentlich ganz cute aber die ausführung konnte ich leider null erst nehmen. (außerdem, what do you mean der typ geht auf dieses fantasy retreat weil er unlucky in love ist um sich die charakterzüge des „book boyfriends“ anzueignen, damit er beliebter bei frauen ist? warum gibt ihr das nicht direkt den ick wenn sie davon erfährt…)
emily wibberley und austin siegemund broka haben auch eines meiner all time favorite romcom bücher (the roughest draft) geschrieben, deshalb war das hier leider eher eine enttäuschung 😃

hab gerade eine review gesehen in der steht:

RELEASE ME FROM THE SHACKLES OF SJM IN CONTEMPORARY ROMANCES
this book is an acotar au where the mmc learns how to become rhysand to seduce the fmc

und das beschreibt es ziemlich gut🧍🏼‍♀️