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Book Club Boyfriend
Not yet published
Expected 14 Jul 26In this simmering enemies-to-lovers romance, a divorced actress invites the surly writer who rejected her to live in her pool house when they both find themselves at a crossroads.
Producer Blair Kellermoon is having a rough time of it. She’s newly divorced, her youngest kid is off to college, and the movie project of her heart has just fallen apart. Oh, and she’s still stinging from being publicly humiliated by literary novelist Jack Branksome, who declined her offer to feature his debut novel in her popular “Books with Blair” book club. Blair was Hollywood’s rom-com queen in her acting days, but she’s having trouble navigating this phase of life. She needs a win. And some company—she’s not too proud to admit that she’s lonely.
Jack Branksome doesn’t mind being called a jerk. If having standards makes you a jerk these days, he’ll wear it as a badge of honor. What Jack’s not used to is writing to deadlines. After the runaway success of his first novel, all eyes are on him, and he’s genuinely afraid he won’t be able to deliver. But when he has to apologize to Blair for yet another gaffe and they begin texting, she surprisingly becomes the only person he can confide in about his fears. When she impulsively invites him to finish his book while living in her pool house, the idea should be everything he sunny California skies and an even sunnier California hostess. But maybe some of her annoyingly chipper, can-do attitude will rub off on him. Or maybe some time spent reading and writing with Blair will change everything.
Producer Blair Kellermoon is having a rough time of it. She’s newly divorced, her youngest kid is off to college, and the movie project of her heart has just fallen apart. Oh, and she’s still stinging from being publicly humiliated by literary novelist Jack Branksome, who declined her offer to feature his debut novel in her popular “Books with Blair” book club. Blair was Hollywood’s rom-com queen in her acting days, but she’s having trouble navigating this phase of life. She needs a win. And some company—she’s not too proud to admit that she’s lonely.
Jack Branksome doesn’t mind being called a jerk. If having standards makes you a jerk these days, he’ll wear it as a badge of honor. What Jack’s not used to is writing to deadlines. After the runaway success of his first novel, all eyes are on him, and he’s genuinely afraid he won’t be able to deliver. But when he has to apologize to Blair for yet another gaffe and they begin texting, she surprisingly becomes the only person he can confide in about his fears. When she impulsively invites him to finish his book while living in her pool house, the idea should be everything he sunny California skies and an even sunnier California hostess. But maybe some of her annoyingly chipper, can-do attitude will rub off on him. Or maybe some time spent reading and writing with Blair will change everything.
400 pages, Paperback
Expected publication July 14, 2026
401 people want to read
About the author
Jenny Holiday
37 books1,846 followersJenny Holiday is a USA Today-bestselling and RITA®-nominated author whose books have been featured in The New York Times, Entertainment Weekly, The Washington Post, and Buzzfeed. She grew up in Minnesota and started writing at age nine when her fourth-grade teacher gave her a notebook to fill with stories. When she's not working on her next book, she likes to hang out with her family, watch other people sing karaoke, and throw theme parties. Jenny lives in London, Ontario, Canada.
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Displaying 1 - 26 of 26 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
book club boyfriend ꒱ 4.5 stars
⌗ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: mar 14, ‘26 ⌇ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: mar 15, ‘26
review with slight spoilers
i absolutely love the way this book was written, the plot sounded so interesting to me and i am so glad i requested this book.
the dual pov in 3rd person was something i was not expecting but it was a perfect stylistic choice. the story was also really good, this book was very much strangers to friends to lovers at least to me. not really slow burn, at least in my opinion, but there’s is a bit of angst which i think is written wonderfully.
blair kellermoon, i honestly really enjoyed having an fmc who was older and more mature. she doesn’t follow the typical route of a romance fmc considering she was not only married but had fully grown children. i also think her ocd and anxiety disorder was written very well and realistic. her way of rationalizing situations was very much a breath of fresh air. i loved learning about her backstory and how books and film were a part of her life because i think it was really important to who she was.
jack branksome, as much as i wish we got to see more into his book i do think that the choice to give the readers such little detail about it was the right call. it was a little crazy that he decided to temporarily move in with a relative strange but you what it worked out. i had the laugh of a lifetime when he shook edward’s paw i think it was genuinely my favorite part of the book. i really liked how much he noticed her and her struggles and tried his best to help her even without her knowing. his character was also really enjoyable even when he was being a jerk, i think that the fact that it wasn’t so much purposeful but just a result of his upbringing made him a lot more palatable.
the relationship, i really like their dynamic as friends and i think it transferred over fairly well when it came to their relationship. it wasn’t smooth sailing at the beginning but i think they needed to work on themselves before really getting together. im glad they had their happy ending.
overall, i absolutely enjoyed this book and want everyone to give it a chance. contemporary romance is one of my favorite genres and this book was written extremely well. the characters and story are very cohesive in moving the plot forward and i was honestly totally hooked on how this book would end.
── preread
got this on the read now section because it sounded so interesting so lets see how it goes
ⓘ thank you jenny holiday, forever publishing & netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review
⌗ 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘥: mar 14, ‘26 ⌇ 𝘧𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘦𝘥: mar 15, ‘26
review with slight spoilers
i absolutely love the way this book was written, the plot sounded so interesting to me and i am so glad i requested this book.
the dual pov in 3rd person was something i was not expecting but it was a perfect stylistic choice. the story was also really good, this book was very much strangers to friends to lovers at least to me. not really slow burn, at least in my opinion, but there’s is a bit of angst which i think is written wonderfully.
blair kellermoon, i honestly really enjoyed having an fmc who was older and more mature. she doesn’t follow the typical route of a romance fmc considering she was not only married but had fully grown children. i also think her ocd and anxiety disorder was written very well and realistic. her way of rationalizing situations was very much a breath of fresh air. i loved learning about her backstory and how books and film were a part of her life because i think it was really important to who she was.
jack branksome, as much as i wish we got to see more into his book i do think that the choice to give the readers such little detail about it was the right call. it was a little crazy that he decided to temporarily move in with a relative strange but you what it worked out. i had the laugh of a lifetime when he shook edward’s paw i think it was genuinely my favorite part of the book. i really liked how much he noticed her and her struggles and tried his best to help her even without her knowing. his character was also really enjoyable even when he was being a jerk, i think that the fact that it wasn’t so much purposeful but just a result of his upbringing made him a lot more palatable.
the relationship, i really like their dynamic as friends and i think it transferred over fairly well when it came to their relationship. it wasn’t smooth sailing at the beginning but i think they needed to work on themselves before really getting together. im glad they had their happy ending.
overall, i absolutely enjoyed this book and want everyone to give it a chance. contemporary romance is one of my favorite genres and this book was written extremely well. the characters and story are very cohesive in moving the plot forward and i was honestly totally hooked on how this book would end.
── preread
got this on the read now section because it sounded so interesting so lets see how it goes
ⓘ thank you jenny holiday, forever publishing & netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC, this review is based on my own thoughts and opinions. This book was really good I liked the development of each character and how descriptive the storyline was. I also enjoy the deeper meaning that takes place throughout the book between both characters. Blair and Jack’s relationship with each other is was full of humor and banter. This book was a true slow burn and grumpy/sunshine, and enemies to friends to lovers book. Overall this book was really enjoyable and entertaining to read.
Thank you Net Galley for the ARC, this review is based on my own thoughts and opinions. This book was really good I liked the development of each character and how descriptive the storyline was. I also enjoy the deeper meaning that takes place throughout the book between both characters. Blair and Jack’s relationship with each other is was full of humor and banter. This book was a true slow burn and grumpy/sunshine, and enemies to friends to lovers book. Overall this book was really enjoyable and entertaining to read.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
⭐ 3.25 |❤️ 3/5
Book Club Boyfriend combines two of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers with epistolary romance, and the premise felt tailor-made for me. Before I dive into my thoughts, the most useful thing I can tell you upfront is that despite the cover and title signaling that this is a contemporary romance, this actually reads much more like women’s fiction for the first three quarters of the story. If you go into the book knowing that, you’ll enjoy it a lot more than if you don’t.
There is a lot that I genuinely enjoyed. The epistolary format is charming and suits the characters perfectly (Jack for the ease he finds in communicating through written word and Blair for the safety she feels in communicating through text rather than in person given her bouts of social anxiety). We are along for the ride with ex-actress-turned-mogul and producer Blair as she navigates her post-divorce life which includes anxiety, panic attacks, loneliness, and OCD. Her post-divorce emotional journey feels very real as well as her relationship with her adult kids, which paint a full picture of who she is: a thoughtful, emotionally intelligent, considerate, loving person.
If you are a fan of celebrity memoirs or thinly veiled fictional takes on public figures, Blair's story might be a draw for you. Her background shares so many details with a specific, very recognizable public figure that it's hard not to notice. Whether that makes the book more fun or more distracting will really depend on you as a reader.
Blair and Jack’s dynamic is one of enemies to friends, where there is a mutual, deep understanding and unwavering support of each other. They ground each other and just make sense. It’s a deep friendship that feels truly earned. Their relationship is characterized by thoughtful, quiet acts of service, where they show care through small acts rather than through words, where nods towards a childhood memory are more meaningful than a grand gesture could ever be although there are some truly satisfying ones of the latter variety too. It makes sense for two neurodivergent people whose difficult relationships with specific parental figures left them better equipped to show care through small acts than through words, since words in their childhoods were often weaponized. They have charming inside jokes like their synonym battles, which just make sense for them. The final quarter also delivers sharp, natural banter and warmth that made me wish that this energy had been present throughout.
That said, this didn’t fully work for me as a romance reader, but I want to be specific about why so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.
I noticed other reviewers calling this a slow burn that’s too slow, but I’d posit that the issue isn’t pacing. It’s a genre expectation mismatch. For most of the book, there is no romantic tension, pining, flirtation, or awareness of attraction beyond a few brief acknowledgments that the other is attractive. Their relationship is one of deep, gradually earned friendship, and then it goes from 0 to 100 suddenly. If you go into this expecting women’s fiction about a woman rebuilding her identity post-divorce, there is a lot to love. If you are coming into this for an enemies to lovers romance, it's a much longer wait than most romance readers will have patience for.
The prose in the first 75% had a rhythm that didn’t quite flow for me, with word choices that occasionally pulled me out of the story. It leaned heavily on telling rather than showing, which created further distance between me as a reader and the characters. As someone who has personally dealt with anxiety, panic attacks, and OCD-like tendencies, I found the way Blair’s anxiety was depicted to be particularly hard to connect with. For example, it read more like an explanation of what a panic attack feels like rather than the experience of having one. The Death-Made Prince handles a FMC with OCD and anxiety in a way that is visceral by comparison. You feel it with her. Here I felt like I was reading about it rather than experiencing it alongside Blair.
The banter in the earlier parts of the book leaned on tired regional stereotypes and felt repetitive, with the jokes often being explained after delivery, which kept them from landing. Late in the book, Allie, a secondary character, is introduced, whose banter with Jack felt very natural, warm, and fun by contrast, which made the earlier conversations stand out even further. The banter between Blair and Jack, along with the prose more generally, did significantly improve in the final 25% of the book, where it feels natural and has good rhythm.
Jack's POV has a detached quality in his early chapters that could read as a stylistic choice for a neurodivergent (autistic-coded) character, but it felt effortful and disappears entirely in his later chapters without gradual transition. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries handles an autistic-coded lead without ever feeling labored.
Romance readers should know that the heat level is inconsistent. The first intimate milestone is closed door while later scenes are open door. The third act has a symmetry that feels intentional but required both leads to suddenly behave in ways that felt inconsistent with the emotional intelligence and self awareness that the story spent most of its time building, which made the ending land less satisfyingly than it could have for me.
I noticed some continuity details and a plot thread that is introduced with enough specificity to feel significant but doesn’t pay off, which pulled me out of the story. For example, an emotionally loaded conversation about Blair facing a significant personal milestone alone for the first time post-divorce is introduced early on and then never mentioned again. There is no emotional response from Blair then or after. As a reader, I would have expected it to at least be referred to again leading up to it, to see it unfold on page or if not, mentioned once it passed. Hopefully this ends up being a non-issue in the release version after final edits are made.
With all that said, when the book is at its best (I genuinely loved a lot of the final 25% of the story), it really got to me and delivered on its emotional moments. The challenge is that getting there requires patience, and by the time the story fully clicked for me, I wasn’t sure I was still rooting for them as a couple the way I wanted to be.
If you are craving a mature, professionally accomplished, established lead navigating her life post-divorce and enjoy a friendship-first dynamic and don’t require romantic tension early on, this might be the book for you.
This review is based on an ARC provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Book Club Boyfriend combines two of my favorite tropes: enemies to lovers with epistolary romance, and the premise felt tailor-made for me. Before I dive into my thoughts, the most useful thing I can tell you upfront is that despite the cover and title signaling that this is a contemporary romance, this actually reads much more like women’s fiction for the first three quarters of the story. If you go into the book knowing that, you’ll enjoy it a lot more than if you don’t.
There is a lot that I genuinely enjoyed. The epistolary format is charming and suits the characters perfectly (Jack for the ease he finds in communicating through written word and Blair for the safety she feels in communicating through text rather than in person given her bouts of social anxiety). We are along for the ride with ex-actress-turned-mogul and producer Blair as she navigates her post-divorce life which includes anxiety, panic attacks, loneliness, and OCD. Her post-divorce emotional journey feels very real as well as her relationship with her adult kids, which paint a full picture of who she is: a thoughtful, emotionally intelligent, considerate, loving person.
If you are a fan of celebrity memoirs or thinly veiled fictional takes on public figures, Blair's story might be a draw for you. Her background shares so many details with a specific, very recognizable public figure that it's hard not to notice. Whether that makes the book more fun or more distracting will really depend on you as a reader.
Blair and Jack’s dynamic is one of enemies to friends, where there is a mutual, deep understanding and unwavering support of each other. They ground each other and just make sense. It’s a deep friendship that feels truly earned. Their relationship is characterized by thoughtful, quiet acts of service, where they show care through small acts rather than through words, where nods towards a childhood memory are more meaningful than a grand gesture could ever be although there are some truly satisfying ones of the latter variety too. It makes sense for two neurodivergent people whose difficult relationships with specific parental figures left them better equipped to show care through small acts than through words, since words in their childhoods were often weaponized. They have charming inside jokes like their synonym battles, which just make sense for them. The final quarter also delivers sharp, natural banter and warmth that made me wish that this energy had been present throughout.
That said, this didn’t fully work for me as a romance reader, but I want to be specific about why so you can decide if it’s the right fit for you.
I noticed other reviewers calling this a slow burn that’s too slow, but I’d posit that the issue isn’t pacing. It’s a genre expectation mismatch. For most of the book, there is no romantic tension, pining, flirtation, or awareness of attraction beyond a few brief acknowledgments that the other is attractive. Their relationship is one of deep, gradually earned friendship, and then it goes from 0 to 100 suddenly. If you go into this expecting women’s fiction about a woman rebuilding her identity post-divorce, there is a lot to love. If you are coming into this for an enemies to lovers romance, it's a much longer wait than most romance readers will have patience for.
The prose in the first 75% had a rhythm that didn’t quite flow for me, with word choices that occasionally pulled me out of the story. It leaned heavily on telling rather than showing, which created further distance between me as a reader and the characters. As someone who has personally dealt with anxiety, panic attacks, and OCD-like tendencies, I found the way Blair’s anxiety was depicted to be particularly hard to connect with. For example, it read more like an explanation of what a panic attack feels like rather than the experience of having one. The Death-Made Prince handles a FMC with OCD and anxiety in a way that is visceral by comparison. You feel it with her. Here I felt like I was reading about it rather than experiencing it alongside Blair.
The banter in the earlier parts of the book leaned on tired regional stereotypes and felt repetitive, with the jokes often being explained after delivery, which kept them from landing. Late in the book, Allie, a secondary character, is introduced, whose banter with Jack felt very natural, warm, and fun by contrast, which made the earlier conversations stand out even further. The banter between Blair and Jack, along with the prose more generally, did significantly improve in the final 25% of the book, where it feels natural and has good rhythm.
Jack's POV has a detached quality in his early chapters that could read as a stylistic choice for a neurodivergent (autistic-coded) character, but it felt effortful and disappears entirely in his later chapters without gradual transition. Emily Wilde's Encyclopaedia of Faeries handles an autistic-coded lead without ever feeling labored.
Romance readers should know that the heat level is inconsistent. The first intimate milestone is closed door while later scenes are open door. The third act has a symmetry that feels intentional but required both leads to suddenly behave in ways that felt inconsistent with the emotional intelligence and self awareness that the story spent most of its time building, which made the ending land less satisfyingly than it could have for me.
I noticed some continuity details and a plot thread that is introduced with enough specificity to feel significant but doesn’t pay off, which pulled me out of the story. For example, an emotionally loaded conversation about Blair facing a significant personal milestone alone for the first time post-divorce is introduced early on and then never mentioned again. There is no emotional response from Blair then or after. As a reader, I would have expected it to at least be referred to again leading up to it, to see it unfold on page or if not, mentioned once it passed. Hopefully this ends up being a non-issue in the release version after final edits are made.
With all that said, when the book is at its best (I genuinely loved a lot of the final 25% of the story), it really got to me and delivered on its emotional moments. The challenge is that getting there requires patience, and by the time the story fully clicked for me, I wasn’t sure I was still rooting for them as a couple the way I wanted to be.
If you are craving a mature, professionally accomplished, established lead navigating her life post-divorce and enjoy a friendship-first dynamic and don’t require romantic tension early on, this might be the book for you.
This review is based on an ARC provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is another winner for me from Jenny Holiday. I find her contemporaries to be really good, Canadian Boyfriend is one of my all-time favourite romances.
This one is about a minor character from Into the Wild though I would say it works perfectly on its own.
It features MC in their 40s, both extremely sucessful but also dealing with some serious personal issues. It's a slow-burn, very slow-burn enemeies-to-friends-to-lovers romance. I found it really engaging and enjoyed it a lot though I must admit I found it deviating from the expected romance pacing. There is no real pining, no thought of any romantic/sexual relationship for most of the story. They do see the other as obectively attractive but each of them is focused on making it through their own issue, separately and together, that love and romance are not even on the horizon. And it worked, for me at least. I got the know both MCs quite well, I got to see their progression from enemies to friends and it was slow and took effort and it felt just right for them.
The last quarter of the book fits more traditional expectation of romance - sexual chemistry, romantic gestures, third-act break-up and finally I-love-yous. They felt natural for these characters and I liked them a lot as well.
There is a lot in this story about messy family dynamics, childhood trauma, adults failing their kids but also other adults being as good parents as possible.
There is also a lot about writing and creativity which was interesting to read though I am alsways hesitant when we have writer MCs, a bit too meta for me, I think.
Now, a few words about the things that didn't work so well for me. I was inordinarily bothered by the way the heroine described her panic attacks, it was childish and immature and clased with her very pragmatic, very direct approach in all other aspects of her life. Along the same lines, I felt the hero's issues with his father and his childhood trauma were kind of swept under the carpet. He was in denial throughout the whole story, then, Boom! a big realisationa and immediate resolution.
Overall, I would recommend this book if you are looking for contemporary romance (very slow-burn) with older MCs dealing with messy families while slowly realising they are just perfect for each other, with all their peculiarities and minor obssessions.
PS: Getting a personal crow army is now on my to-do list .
CW: child neglect, manipulation, childhood trauma, panic attacks (on page), OCD, general anxiety disorder
This one is about a minor character from Into the Wild though I would say it works perfectly on its own.
It features MC in their 40s, both extremely sucessful but also dealing with some serious personal issues. It's a slow-burn, very slow-burn enemeies-to-friends-to-lovers romance. I found it really engaging and enjoyed it a lot though I must admit I found it deviating from the expected romance pacing. There is no real pining, no thought of any romantic/sexual relationship for most of the story. They do see the other as obectively attractive but each of them is focused on making it through their own issue, separately and together, that love and romance are not even on the horizon. And it worked, for me at least. I got the know both MCs quite well, I got to see their progression from enemies to friends and it was slow and took effort and it felt just right for them.
The last quarter of the book fits more traditional expectation of romance - sexual chemistry, romantic gestures, third-act break-up and finally I-love-yous. They felt natural for these characters and I liked them a lot as well.
There is a lot in this story about messy family dynamics, childhood trauma, adults failing their kids but also other adults being as good parents as possible.
There is also a lot about writing and creativity which was interesting to read though I am alsways hesitant when we have writer MCs, a bit too meta for me, I think.
Now, a few words about the things that didn't work so well for me. I was inordinarily bothered by the way the heroine described her panic attacks, it was childish and immature and clased with her very pragmatic, very direct approach in all other aspects of her life. Along the same lines, I felt the hero's issues with his father and his childhood trauma were kind of swept under the carpet. He was in denial throughout the whole story, then, Boom! a big realisationa and immediate resolution.
Overall, I would recommend this book if you are looking for contemporary romance (very slow-burn) with older MCs dealing with messy families while slowly realising they are just perfect for each other, with all their peculiarities and minor obssessions.
PS: Getting a personal crow army is now on my to-do list .
CW: child neglect, manipulation, childhood trauma, panic attacks (on page), OCD, general anxiety disorder
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Net Galley for this ARC. Based on the cover, I thought this was going to be a fluffy rom com, but I was pleasantly surprised at the depth, emotions, and layers this book had. On the surface Blair still has it all: a nice house. two great kids who she has good relationship with, and a job she likes, but she is feeling lost after her divorce and is plagued by feelings of loneliness and as she calls them cyclones (panic attacks). Jack is a successful writer, who is struggling to write his second book. Blair and Jack meet via Zoom for a business call. Blair wants to ask him to let her choose his book for her book club, but Jack rudely declines her offer. After Jack realizes his mistake of being rude to Blair, they start a text relationship and get to know each other. I loved the banter and wit of these texts as they showed heart, humor, and gave good insight to the characters. Blair then offers Jack to stay in her guest house to help him get a fresh perspective to hopefully write his book. As they get to know each other, they start becoming friends, show their true selves to each other, and start to fall for one another. I really enjoyed enjoyed the slow burn of their relationship, seeing them both work through their past traumas, and begin to heal and love. If you are looking for a fast and easy read with a deeper romance and good plot, this is the perfect read for you. :)
April 1, 2026
Charming, real, and perfect for the readers of contemporary romance that are looking for characters beyond the college years.
Blair is a semi-recent divorcee, being one half of a Hollywood power couple who is now living a more quiet life while she continues builds her own producing company.
Jack is a writer who prefers to be a lone wolf, eager to write his next novel. His first book climbed the charts, its readers (including Blair) being deeply moved by the story.
One thing about success, is that it is often short lived. Jack is feeling the pressure to create his next story but the inspiration and motivation is severely lacking. While Blair is dealing with her own inner term oil and is thus making her world smaller and smaller.
Blair has a proposition: Jack can come live in her pool house to finish his novel. A change in scenery and routine may be just what he needs to spark his creative streak and Blair has ulterior motives of her own.
This story is a slow burn but with so much depth. Both characters have learned to adapt to their own challenges for years so when they are pushed together they are each delusional to the fact that they are not masking it well. This could be that they unknowingly have let the other see a part of themselves they have hid from everyone else or more simply that they are exactly what each other have needed. Either way, I enjoyed the literary banter between the two and the maturity they each possess. This was such a lovely read!
Blair is a semi-recent divorcee, being one half of a Hollywood power couple who is now living a more quiet life while she continues builds her own producing company.
Jack is a writer who prefers to be a lone wolf, eager to write his next novel. His first book climbed the charts, its readers (including Blair) being deeply moved by the story.
One thing about success, is that it is often short lived. Jack is feeling the pressure to create his next story but the inspiration and motivation is severely lacking. While Blair is dealing with her own inner term oil and is thus making her world smaller and smaller.
Blair has a proposition: Jack can come live in her pool house to finish his novel. A change in scenery and routine may be just what he needs to spark his creative streak and Blair has ulterior motives of her own.
This story is a slow burn but with so much depth. Both characters have learned to adapt to their own challenges for years so when they are pushed together they are each delusional to the fact that they are not masking it well. This could be that they unknowingly have let the other see a part of themselves they have hid from everyone else or more simply that they are exactly what each other have needed. Either way, I enjoyed the literary banter between the two and the maturity they each possess. This was such a lovely read!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 28, 2026
3.5 ⭐️
Okay listen… I did enjoy this. I really did. But also??? These are grown ass adults who are supposedly friends and yet we are doing ridiculous miscommunication, complete with ghosting and multiple rounds of unnecessary drama. Like…please- Use your words
That said- there’s a lot to love here. Dual POV, The texting-to-real-life slow burn, The cozy vibes, Movie nights, comfort food, random bonding, a suspiciously green pool… and honestly, the crow army stole the show
I do wish there had been less internal monologue and more actual interaction between Jack and Blair. More conversations = more tension = a bigger emotional payoff. It took a while for them to get out of their own heads and into their feelings because when they did it was messy, human, and believable
Also… tiny gripe: the title is doing some false advertising. That “book club” shows up briefly and then basically disappears, which felt a little misleading
Overall: quirky, cozy, a little frustrating, but still a fun time- especially if you’re here for chaotic feelings and emotionally stunted (but lovable) humans. And, obviously, the crows!!
Okay listen… I did enjoy this. I really did. But also??? These are grown ass adults who are supposedly friends and yet we are doing ridiculous miscommunication, complete with ghosting and multiple rounds of unnecessary drama. Like…please- Use your words
That said- there’s a lot to love here. Dual POV, The texting-to-real-life slow burn, The cozy vibes, Movie nights, comfort food, random bonding, a suspiciously green pool… and honestly, the crow army stole the show
I do wish there had been less internal monologue and more actual interaction between Jack and Blair. More conversations = more tension = a bigger emotional payoff. It took a while for them to get out of their own heads and into their feelings because when they did it was messy, human, and believable
Also… tiny gripe: the title is doing some false advertising. That “book club” shows up briefly and then basically disappears, which felt a little misleading
Overall: quirky, cozy, a little frustrating, but still a fun time- especially if you’re here for chaotic feelings and emotionally stunted (but lovable) humans. And, obviously, the crows!!
Review of advance copy received from Edelweiss+
4.5 stars rounded up to 5
Blaire, former actress turned producer/celebrity book club leader (think Reese Witherspoon), is a lonely divorcee and empty nester struggling in her career and with undiagnosed anxiety.
Jack is a judgmental and isolated grump dealing with imposter syndrome, childhood trauma, and a bout of writer’s block.
Despite him rejecting her interest in featuring his debut novel in her book club, Blaire impulsively invites Jack to stay in her pool house to complete his next book. Over the course of months – in true slow burn fashion – these two opposites grow to understand each other on a deeper level, develop a unique friendship, and ultimately succumb to their attraction.
While I was expecting more of a rom com feel from this grumpy/sunshine, “enemies” to lovers story, Book Club Boyfriend was a serious and sophisticated read. Their complicated relationship was filled with small moments and beautiful gestures steeped in deep meaning. Overall, reading this was time well spent!
Blaire, former actress turned producer/celebrity book club leader (think Reese Witherspoon), is a lonely divorcee and empty nester struggling in her career and with undiagnosed anxiety.
Jack is a judgmental and isolated grump dealing with imposter syndrome, childhood trauma, and a bout of writer’s block.
Despite him rejecting her interest in featuring his debut novel in her book club, Blaire impulsively invites Jack to stay in her pool house to complete his next book. Over the course of months – in true slow burn fashion – these two opposites grow to understand each other on a deeper level, develop a unique friendship, and ultimately succumb to their attraction.
While I was expecting more of a rom com feel from this grumpy/sunshine, “enemies” to lovers story, Book Club Boyfriend was a serious and sophisticated read. Their complicated relationship was filled with small moments and beautiful gestures steeped in deep meaning. Overall, reading this was time well spent!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The slow burn to end all slow burns. The grumpiest sunshine to ever grumpy sunshine. It’s romcom trope perfection! Jack is the perfect angsty curmudgeony author and Blair is the perfect blonde bombshell Hollywood actress turned producer valley girl.
Except they are obviously both so much more than that. They are both so unique and battling personal issues and Jenny did such a great job tackling the mental health approach in a genuine way for each of their circumstances.
I loved their “older age” (they are not old as they are my age/younger than me ha!) giving them more life experience and wisdom.
My only issue/loss of a day comes from the spice. I loved their slow burn and I obviously love a HEA and love that they get theirs…it just seemed like *BAM* sex…then *BAM* love. And all at the VERY END. Very abruptly. Maybe just a little more after? Or a little more else up to coming back together? Otherwise they were perfect!
Thank you to the author, the team, and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC. I truly enjoyed it and can’t wait to check out more!
Except they are obviously both so much more than that. They are both so unique and battling personal issues and Jenny did such a great job tackling the mental health approach in a genuine way for each of their circumstances.
I loved their “older age” (they are not old as they are my age/younger than me ha!) giving them more life experience and wisdom.
My only issue/loss of a day comes from the spice. I loved their slow burn and I obviously love a HEA and love that they get theirs…it just seemed like *BAM* sex…then *BAM* love. And all at the VERY END. Very abruptly. Maybe just a little more after? Or a little more else up to coming back together? Otherwise they were perfect!
Thank you to the author, the team, and NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC. I truly enjoyed it and can’t wait to check out more!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Thank you Forever & NetGalley!
This was such a fun read with a really refreshing twist on the typical rom-com dynamic.
Blair Kellermoon is a former rom-com star trying to be taken seriously as a producer, and I loved that aspect of her character. Seeing an older FMC navigating career struggles, reinvention, and self-doubt felt both relatable and realistic. She’s bubbly and warm, but there’s also a vulnerability underneath.
Jack, on the other hand, is very much the grumpy, slightly insufferable (but obviously soft inside) author type and their dynamic worked so well. The texting friendship turning into real-life proximity gave us all the cozy, slow-burn vibes: movie nights, comfort food, random bonding moments… and yes, even befriending crows (bc they are the best!!!) and dealing with a suspiciously green pool. It was quirky in a way I genuinely enjoyed.
That said, it did feel a bit too long for my liking. Some parts dragged and could have been tightened to keep the pacing sharper. I found myself losing momentum in the middle, even though I still cared about the characters.
This was such a fun read with a really refreshing twist on the typical rom-com dynamic.
Blair Kellermoon is a former rom-com star trying to be taken seriously as a producer, and I loved that aspect of her character. Seeing an older FMC navigating career struggles, reinvention, and self-doubt felt both relatable and realistic. She’s bubbly and warm, but there’s also a vulnerability underneath.
Jack, on the other hand, is very much the grumpy, slightly insufferable (but obviously soft inside) author type and their dynamic worked so well. The texting friendship turning into real-life proximity gave us all the cozy, slow-burn vibes: movie nights, comfort food, random bonding moments… and yes, even befriending crows (bc they are the best!!!) and dealing with a suspiciously green pool. It was quirky in a way I genuinely enjoyed.
That said, it did feel a bit too long for my liking. Some parts dragged and could have been tightened to keep the pacing sharper. I found myself losing momentum in the middle, even though I still cared about the characters.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I enjoyed this book! Blair and Jack were great on their own, but had some great banter between them, with their texting, and later in person as well! They were both well-developed characters, a little quirky and awkward, and second guessed their interactions with each other at times, making this a very relatable relationship. I loved how they became deep friends very quickly - they may not have known each others’ favorite color or even whether they had siblings, but they discussed deep topics that really revealed themselves to each other. I also appreciated that both Blair and Jack had mental health and personal history issues that came to the surface during the course of their relationship - it was great that they dealt with these and supported each other during these crises. I’m not a big fan of spread-out timelines in books in general, but the author wrote this timeline well and it turned out to be essential to their story.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advanced copy - this is my honest and voluntary review.
Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the free advanced copy - this is my honest and voluntary review.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
ARC
Advanced Reader Copy of Book Club Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday releasing July 14th, 2026!!
A great grumpy/sunshine slow burn romance under 300 pages. Opposites attract in this unique pairing between Jack, a reserved and standoffish writer, and Blair, a sassy, extroverted, successful Hollywood actress and producer. A tender friendship develops between them when Jack temporarily moves into Blair’s pool house to resurrect the second novel he is struggling to write. Early morning walks, tv series binges, and occasional non-date dinners collide these two into feelings they fight hard to ignore.
I usually don’t like 3rd person POV but it worked in this book. I enjoyed the internal dialogue of the characters as they fought or questioned their feelings toward each other. This made the slow romance even better, i.e. the cabin IYKYK! Their relationship, albeit awkward for them, was never uncomfortable for the reader. If you enjoy nerdy thesaurus banter, mental health nods, slow burn romance, successful and divorced FMC with grown kids this book is for you!
Thank you so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for allowing me to read this ARC via NetGalley!
Advanced Reader Copy of Book Club Boyfriend by Jenny Holiday releasing July 14th, 2026!!
A great grumpy/sunshine slow burn romance under 300 pages. Opposites attract in this unique pairing between Jack, a reserved and standoffish writer, and Blair, a sassy, extroverted, successful Hollywood actress and producer. A tender friendship develops between them when Jack temporarily moves into Blair’s pool house to resurrect the second novel he is struggling to write. Early morning walks, tv series binges, and occasional non-date dinners collide these two into feelings they fight hard to ignore.
I usually don’t like 3rd person POV but it worked in this book. I enjoyed the internal dialogue of the characters as they fought or questioned their feelings toward each other. This made the slow romance even better, i.e. the cabin IYKYK! Their relationship, albeit awkward for them, was never uncomfortable for the reader. If you enjoy nerdy thesaurus banter, mental health nods, slow burn romance, successful and divorced FMC with grown kids this book is for you!
Thank you so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for allowing me to read this ARC via NetGalley!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Blair Kellermoon is a famous, divorced, mother to a grown daughter, and incensed when Jack Branksome, a crotchety novelist, turns her down for including his most recent work in her book club. When they begin a decent texting friendship and Jack decides MN is too cold for his current yips, Blair invites him to sunny LA to recuperate and work. He immediately regrets his rash decision when he realizes texting conversations might consist of different things, and thus begins these two's friendship. I really loved how "slow" this one moved, how precious the synonym exchange was, that the daughter thought they were sweet and was for it, and how the book club boyfriend comparison WAS truly there. It's a touch long, and glaring flaws absolutely exist, but I judge romance couples quite harshly typically and thought these two were a shoo in for soulmates. Thanks so much to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the eARC. All opinions are entirely my own.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
It took me a little while to realize Jack is the same maybe sometimes drunk author from Into the Woods, and that was primarily because of the way Blair Kellermoon came across as real person fanfic character based on Reese Witherspoon. She’s a former actress. She’s blonde. She’s southern. She has two young adult kids and the daughter is her mini me. She is a producer. She has a book club with special edition stickers at Target. It was too much. Honestly, I almost moved this to DNF very early on for that reason alone. Since it was an ARC I stuck with it, but struggled to connect with the story when the reminders were so frequent. If you just completely forget Reese Witherspoon exists and keep reading, it’s a decent story…
The character growth and backstory with Jack were good. I liked his whole misanthropic grump thing and the way he connected with Blair’s daughter, but this will never make the reread list because of the Blair thing.
I mostly downloaded the ARC because it said they were feeding crows.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for ARC access
The character growth and backstory with Jack were good. I liked his whole misanthropic grump thing and the way he connected with Blair’s daughter, but this will never make the reread list because of the Blair thing.
I mostly downloaded the ARC because it said they were feeding crows.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for ARC access
March 27, 2026
⭐️ 3/5 | 🌶️ 3/5
Third person POV, dual perspective: Blair & Jack
Linear timeline, organized in 3 parts
Like others have mentioned, this is a slow burn, and for me, it didn’t quite deliver the big, exciting HEA I was hoping for. There’s a lot of internal dialogue, and I wish there had been more interaction between the characters. More conversation might have built the tension and made the story, and the ending, feel more impactful. Additionally, maybe it wouldn’t have taken so long for them to figure out their feelings for each other.
Thank you Forever and Grand Central Publishing for an electronic ARC of this book which was provided to me via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Third person POV, dual perspective: Blair & Jack
Linear timeline, organized in 3 parts
Like others have mentioned, this is a slow burn, and for me, it didn’t quite deliver the big, exciting HEA I was hoping for. There’s a lot of internal dialogue, and I wish there had been more interaction between the characters. More conversation might have built the tension and made the story, and the ending, feel more impactful. Additionally, maybe it wouldn’t have taken so long for them to figure out their feelings for each other.
Thank you Forever and Grand Central Publishing for an electronic ARC of this book which was provided to me via NetGalley for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Meh, I didn’t care for this one. Definitely not a feel-good romance. The writing was fine, but I didn’t like the main characters. Jack came across pretentious and self important, which was part of the plot, but he didn’t ever become likable. Blair was a little bit better, but I just felt indifferent toward her. In fact, I feel like Jack and Blair were indifferent toward each other through most of the book. By the end, I was hoping they just stayed as friends. It’s a pass for me.
Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever, for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever, for providing this book for review consideration through NetGalley. All opinions expressed are solely my own.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
3.75 out of 5 stars (rounded up to 4 stars)
Blair and Jack have a not so pleasant first encounter when Jack rejects having his novel chosen in Blair’s nationally known book club. After a quote he makes gets misinterpreted Jack sends Blair an apology text, through continued messages they form a bond.
This was a slow burning romance and I wished we could have seen a bit more of the developed relationship. Some of the time jumps through me off a bit. But it was nice to read a romance between a mature couple, and I loved reading the witty banter between the two of them.
Blair and Jack have a not so pleasant first encounter when Jack rejects having his novel chosen in Blair’s nationally known book club. After a quote he makes gets misinterpreted Jack sends Blair an apology text, through continued messages they form a bond.
This was a slow burning romance and I wished we could have seen a bit more of the developed relationship. Some of the time jumps through me off a bit. But it was nice to read a romance between a mature couple, and I loved reading the witty banter between the two of them.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Kindle Copy for Review from NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing and Forever.
I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.
A former rom com star turned producer meets a best seller writer. They become friendly as she invites him to stay at her beach house. They will start bond over movies and will end up working to solve the mystery of the green pool. It is a sweet romance where love hits when you least expect it.
I received a free, advance copy of this book and this is my unbiased and voluntary review.
A former rom com star turned producer meets a best seller writer. They become friendly as she invites him to stay at her beach house. They will start bond over movies and will end up working to solve the mystery of the green pool. It is a sweet romance where love hits when you least expect it.
March 15, 2026
Book Club Boyfriend is a warm, witty romance with a lovable grumpy-meets-sunshine dynamic. Blair, a former rom-com actress trying to rebuild her career, and Jack, a brilliant but difficult author struggling with writer’s block, form an unexpected connection when he ends up staying in her pool house. The pacing felt a little slow in the middle, but the heartfelt moments and charming romance made it a satisfying read overall.
March 16, 2026
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Thank you to NetGalley, Jenny Holiday, and Forever for the ARC!
Book Club Boyfriend was such a pleasant surprise. I expected a light rom-com, but it ended up having so much more depth, heart, and character development than I anticipated. Blair and Jack felt incredibly human and relatable—even as a famous actress and author—and their dynamic was witty, charming, and completely endearing.
This was a fantastic, unexpected read and I loved every minute of it.
Thank you to NetGalley, Jenny Holiday, and Forever for the ARC!
Book Club Boyfriend was such a pleasant surprise. I expected a light rom-com, but it ended up having so much more depth, heart, and character development than I anticipated. Blair and Jack felt incredibly human and relatable—even as a famous actress and author—and their dynamic was witty, charming, and completely endearing.
This was a fantastic, unexpected read and I loved every minute of it.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
enjoyed reading this book. It was well written and I enjoyed getting to know each character. The characters were well written and relatable. The interactions between some of the characters was full of humor. The grumpy/sunshine troupe is one of my favorites. I look forward to reading more from this author.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I always love Jenny Holiday, and this new release is no exception. She creates such a vivid, lifelike characters — Jack and Blair came right off the page for me.
If you’re looking for a quieter, character-driven romance, this is for you. The perfect book to start off my spring. Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advanced copy!
If you’re looking for a quieter, character-driven romance, this is for you. The perfect book to start off my spring. Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advanced copy!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I really enjoyed how this was a romance between MCs in their late 30s. Sometimes it’s nice to be able to relate to the MCs even if it’s just in sharing pop culture references, lol! Jack and Blair didn’t come together easily, but they dud in a way that felt real. It was all very messy and human.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This book had great character development, with Blair and Jack feeling deeply human—flawed, complex, and relatable despite their glamorous careers. Their slow-burn, grumpy-sunshine dynamic is romcom perfection, elevated by genuine emotional depth and humor.
Blair’s authentic portrayal of anxiety and OCD, along with her refreshingly mature perspective as an older FMC with a rich backstory, adds meaningful representation. Jack’s angsty yet endearing nature and quiet attentiveness make him just as compelling.
Their evolving friendship-turned-romance, personal growth, and well-earned happy ending made this an engaging, heartfelt contemporary romance.
Unfortunately, the title is a bit misleading. There is only one mention of a book club at the beginning. Then it’s not mentioned again, except in the context of reminding Jack that he turned down Blair’s request for his book to be featured in her celebrity club. Beyond that, there’s no other indication of any type of book club.
This was an ACR review, with the book provided by NetGalley. Publication date is set for July 14.
Blair’s authentic portrayal of anxiety and OCD, along with her refreshingly mature perspective as an older FMC with a rich backstory, adds meaningful representation. Jack’s angsty yet endearing nature and quiet attentiveness make him just as compelling.
Their evolving friendship-turned-romance, personal growth, and well-earned happy ending made this an engaging, heartfelt contemporary romance.
Unfortunately, the title is a bit misleading. There is only one mention of a book club at the beginning. Then it’s not mentioned again, except in the context of reminding Jack that he turned down Blair’s request for his book to be featured in her celebrity club. Beyond that, there’s no other indication of any type of book club.
This was an ACR review, with the book provided by NetGalley. Publication date is set for July 14.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
The characters and dialogue were extremely enjoyable, but time moved in a way that was just strange enough to take you out of the story occasionally.
Review of advance copy received from Publisher
Estelle from Forever gave us a Read Now widget today from NetGalley.
10* stars. How I loved this book! It was deep and emotional and just what I needed right now. I could relate to this book so much especially because of where I am in my personal life right now. I adore this author and thank her so much for this book. The only thing I wish after finishing it is that we would have received more from these two characters. Hopefully at some point we will get it perhaps in this same world.
10* stars. How I loved this book! It was deep and emotional and just what I needed right now. I could relate to this book so much especially because of where I am in my personal life right now. I adore this author and thank her so much for this book. The only thing I wish after finishing it is that we would have received more from these two characters. Hopefully at some point we will get it perhaps in this same world.
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