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Operation Boyfriend
Sharing a king-sized bed while maintaining some personal boundaries? Check.
Convincing his family they're madly in love? Easy.
Ignoring their sizzling chemistry? Impossible.
Dean Hollis has a plan to survive his sister's tropical destination invent a boyfriend so his mom will stop worrying about his perpetually single status. The only problem? Now he needs an actual date.
Enter Taylan Carter—charming, gorgeous, and in need of a vacation he can't afford. When Dean offers him a deal—pretend to be Dean's boyfriend for a week on a private tropical island in exchange for an all-expenses-paid luxury getaway—how can Tay refuse?
But between sunset swims, probing family questions, and a rival trying to steal his fake boyfriend, Tay's finding it harder and harder to remember this is all just pretend. And as for Dean, the workaholic American surgeon with walls higher than the hospital where they both work? He's discovering that keeping things professional with Tay might be the one operation he can't successfully complete…
One desperate lie. One luxury resort. One very real attraction. Operation Boyfriend is a delicious fake-dating romance that whisks you away to a tropical resort where stolen kisses feel a little too real. If you’re looking for the perfect beach listen, this book is for you.
Convincing his family they're madly in love? Easy.
Ignoring their sizzling chemistry? Impossible.
Dean Hollis has a plan to survive his sister's tropical destination invent a boyfriend so his mom will stop worrying about his perpetually single status. The only problem? Now he needs an actual date.
Enter Taylan Carter—charming, gorgeous, and in need of a vacation he can't afford. When Dean offers him a deal—pretend to be Dean's boyfriend for a week on a private tropical island in exchange for an all-expenses-paid luxury getaway—how can Tay refuse?
But between sunset swims, probing family questions, and a rival trying to steal his fake boyfriend, Tay's finding it harder and harder to remember this is all just pretend. And as for Dean, the workaholic American surgeon with walls higher than the hospital where they both work? He's discovering that keeping things professional with Tay might be the one operation he can't successfully complete…
One desperate lie. One luxury resort. One very real attraction. Operation Boyfriend is a delicious fake-dating romance that whisks you away to a tropical resort where stolen kisses feel a little too real. If you’re looking for the perfect beach listen, this book is for you.
Audible Audio
Expected publication May 12, 2026
13 people are currently reading
213 people want to read
About the author
Zarah Detand
19 books454 followersWriter of M/M romances. Chaos monkey. Coffee snob. Cheese is her love language.
People in love with other people is her jam, with a particular penchant for snappy dialogue and a slow burn that is all the more satisfying once it finally catches fire. Playing with tropes of the famous-meets-non-famous variation? Bring it on! Fake relationships? Yes, please. All's fair as long as everyone gets their happy ending.
People in love with other people is her jam, with a particular penchant for snappy dialogue and a slow burn that is all the more satisfying once it finally catches fire. Playing with tropes of the famous-meets-non-famous variation? Bring it on! Fake relationships? Yes, please. All's fair as long as everyone gets their happy ending.
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April 17, 2026I received this audiobook through NetGalley.
Operation Boyfriend was a sweet contemporary MM romance and overall a solid read. Dean and Tay were both very likable, which made it easy to stay invested in their story, and the pacing worked well overall for a quick read.
This was an easy story to get into, and the chemistry between Dean and Tay gave it that light, sweet feel that made it enjoyable. A few parts did feel a little more drawn out than they needed to, but not enough to take away from the story completely.
Overall, this was a cute, enjoyable, solid read.
Operation Boyfriend was a sweet contemporary MM romance and overall a solid read. Dean and Tay were both very likable, which made it easy to stay invested in their story, and the pacing worked well overall for a quick read.
This was an easy story to get into, and the chemistry between Dean and Tay gave it that light, sweet feel that made it enjoyable. A few parts did feel a little more drawn out than they needed to, but not enough to take away from the story completely.
Overall, this was a cute, enjoyable, solid read.
April 28, 2026
Operation Boyfriend is MM fake dating, workplace romance featuring Dean and Tay. Dean is a workaholic doctor whose top priority has always been his patients; Tay is a resident doctor who is doing his residency work at the same hospital where Dean works. Dean's family is aware of his workaholic tendencies and is always asking him about his dating life; in order to appease his family, Dean lies to his family that he has a boyfriend and will be bringing him to his sister's wedding. The problem is... Dean does not have a date to the wedding. Dean enlists his good friend to find him someone who will be willing to be his fake boyfriend for this wedding abroad. Tay, who is busy trying to survive medical school and in dire need for some time off, agrees to be Dean's fake boyfriend.
The audiobook was very entertaining, loved how Tay's cheerful personality brought Dean out of his shell. The chemistry between Dean and Tay was fantastic; Dean's family was hilarious and the story was very wholesome. Such a perfect read for the spring/summer season.
Thank you Dreamscape Select | Storm Publishing for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
The audiobook was very entertaining, loved how Tay's cheerful personality brought Dean out of his shell. The chemistry between Dean and Tay was fantastic; Dean's family was hilarious and the story was very wholesome. Such a perfect read for the spring/summer season.
Thank you Dreamscape Select | Storm Publishing for providing this audiobook for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Read
April 11, 20264 stars; review to come May 2026
March 29, 2026
**Reviewer received digital Advanced Reader Copy thanks to NetGalley**
Operation Boyfriend is a story of a doctor, Dean, struggling to have his family give him some grace about not having someone to bring as a plus one to his sisters wedding. After getting the idea from his friend Greg, Dean ends up bringing a fake boyfriend to the wedding. The issue is, this fake boyfriend is a colleague and fellow doctor, Tay, and the plus one is for a week long trip to a romantic private island.
Throughout the plot you see Tay grow more confident in his feelings, and watch Deans walls come down. I really enjoyed reading this book. It warmed my heart AND made me want a vacation myself, hahaha!
Operation Boyfriend is a story of a doctor, Dean, struggling to have his family give him some grace about not having someone to bring as a plus one to his sisters wedding. After getting the idea from his friend Greg, Dean ends up bringing a fake boyfriend to the wedding. The issue is, this fake boyfriend is a colleague and fellow doctor, Tay, and the plus one is for a week long trip to a romantic private island.
Throughout the plot you see Tay grow more confident in his feelings, and watch Deans walls come down. I really enjoyed reading this book. It warmed my heart AND made me want a vacation myself, hahaha!
April 19, 2026
Thank you to Storm Publishing, Dreamscape Select, and author Zarah Detand, for providing me with the eARC and ALC of “Operation Boyfriend”.
If you know me, you know I cannot resist a fake dating trope. Mix that in with MM romance and you’ve got a hit! I enjoyed immersive reading this one. If you have the chance that’s the way to go.
I see a lot of myself in Dean. He’s “cold” at work, not because he thinks that’s how he should act but because that’s how he gets through his day and his job as a surgeon. So while he may seem grumpy he’s really a teddy bear for the right people. And those people truly do mean a lot to him. And yes he is a bit slow on his emotions but we all get scared to make the jump at times.
Taylin was a fun surprise! While he is outgoing and hardworking. He also has a lot of doubt and fear, and that is so perfectly portrayed. We all have those moments where we question what we are doing. He thankfully had some good people to help him realize how great he is. And let’s be so real, no one is going to turn down a free beach vacation!
And the spice!! So good, I loved the getting the lead up to vacation and then the set up. Perfect setting, perfect amount of attraction and spice.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice Level: 🌶️
Dual 1st POV
Punisher: Storm Publishing
Pages 272
MM Romance
Fake Dating
Coworkers/Doctors
One Bed
Forced Proximity
Slow Burn
Banter
At 89.8% the audio was messed up. It began to skip like you lost service. Otherwise Jamie did a great job and reading both Dean and Taylin’s parts.
🎧 Single Narration 9h 5m at 2x
🎙️ Jamie Day
Narration Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publisher: Dreamscape Select
TW: Abusive Dad (mentions).
If you know me, you know I cannot resist a fake dating trope. Mix that in with MM romance and you’ve got a hit! I enjoyed immersive reading this one. If you have the chance that’s the way to go.
I see a lot of myself in Dean. He’s “cold” at work, not because he thinks that’s how he should act but because that’s how he gets through his day and his job as a surgeon. So while he may seem grumpy he’s really a teddy bear for the right people. And those people truly do mean a lot to him. And yes he is a bit slow on his emotions but we all get scared to make the jump at times.
Taylin was a fun surprise! While he is outgoing and hardworking. He also has a lot of doubt and fear, and that is so perfectly portrayed. We all have those moments where we question what we are doing. He thankfully had some good people to help him realize how great he is. And let’s be so real, no one is going to turn down a free beach vacation!
And the spice!! So good, I loved the getting the lead up to vacation and then the set up. Perfect setting, perfect amount of attraction and spice.
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
Spice Level: 🌶️
Dual 1st POV
Punisher: Storm Publishing
Pages 272
MM Romance
Fake Dating
Coworkers/Doctors
One Bed
Forced Proximity
Slow Burn
Banter
At 89.8% the audio was messed up. It began to skip like you lost service. Otherwise Jamie did a great job and reading both Dean and Taylin’s parts.
🎧 Single Narration 9h 5m at 2x
🎙️ Jamie Day
Narration Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Publisher: Dreamscape Select
TW: Abusive Dad (mentions).
May 11, 2026
Oh no there is only one bed!!!! They’re in a honeymoon villa in an overwater resort !!! They start to like each other????
Incredible !! I really loved this book. I felt like the pacing was great, the main characters were realistic and nuanced, and I also loved the side characters too.
Dean is a successful heart surgeon but feels familial pressure to pretend he has a boyfriend to get his mum off his back, (valid), in the lead up to his sisters destination wedding.
Tay is a more junior surgeon who admires Dean and desperately needs a holiday. Facilitated by a mutual friend/coworker, they pair up to pretend to be a couple to survive a week in paradise.
I felt that the conflict was reasonable and realistic, it was resolved in appropriate ways, and I truly believed in the love of the characters.
Thanks Storm Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC!
Incredible !! I really loved this book. I felt like the pacing was great, the main characters were realistic and nuanced, and I also loved the side characters too.
Dean is a successful heart surgeon but feels familial pressure to pretend he has a boyfriend to get his mum off his back, (valid), in the lead up to his sisters destination wedding.
Tay is a more junior surgeon who admires Dean and desperately needs a holiday. Facilitated by a mutual friend/coworker, they pair up to pretend to be a couple to survive a week in paradise.
I felt that the conflict was reasonable and realistic, it was resolved in appropriate ways, and I truly believed in the love of the characters.
Thanks Storm Publishing and Netgalley for an ARC!
May 6, 2026
If you’re looking for a quick summer MM romance, this one is a good rec!
9h of audio made it super easy to complete reading in 2-3 days.
Two doctors so there’s a bit of a workplace romance situation, destination wedding (Dean’s sister’s) in a paradise location and fake dating thrown into the mix, duh.
While they did fake date, it wasn’t how this trope is usually executed. It was more of a cause for Dean and Tay starting their… thing but not that big part of the overall plot.
I enjoyed how even tho Tay had a crush on Dean initially, the story didn’t lean into thirsting after each other or any type of insta tropes. No insta love or even insta lust.
They started getting to know each other for the sake of the fake dating ruse and genuinely became friends first before turning throwing intimacy to the mix and eventually going for a real relationship.
The iloveyou felt a bit rushed but at the same time it was fitting.
There was a bit of a third act drama. Not exactly a breakup but also not not a breakup. I promise it’s well executed and makes sense and they resolve it pretty quickly WITH COMMUNICATION 👏🏼
There were a couple of spicy scenes and they had an easy type of relation with flirty banter than made me giggle couple of times.
Each time they kissed or a word “babe” was thrown in there I smiled SO wide.
My only takeaway is that chapters were quite long. It didn’t make much difference as I was mostly listening to the audiobook in bigger chunks of time but I prefer if chapters are 10-15min long. There most were in 25-35min territory.
Because it’s MM romance with one narrator, sometimes I needed to focus to figure out whose chapter it was.
Overall it was nice, low drama, cute and easy read with a mix of medical setup, fake dating and paradise destination wedding setting.
Audiobook length: ~9h
Narrator: Jamie Day
Dual POV but single narration
The narrator did a great job! I didn’t have issue understanding anything and I was able to listen with my usual speed which is 2.0x
ALC provided by Dreamscape Select through NetGalley
9h of audio made it super easy to complete reading in 2-3 days.
Two doctors so there’s a bit of a workplace romance situation, destination wedding (Dean’s sister’s) in a paradise location and fake dating thrown into the mix, duh.
While they did fake date, it wasn’t how this trope is usually executed. It was more of a cause for Dean and Tay starting their… thing but not that big part of the overall plot.
I enjoyed how even tho Tay had a crush on Dean initially, the story didn’t lean into thirsting after each other or any type of insta tropes. No insta love or even insta lust.
They started getting to know each other for the sake of the fake dating ruse and genuinely became friends first before turning throwing intimacy to the mix and eventually going for a real relationship.
The iloveyou felt a bit rushed but at the same time it was fitting.
There was a bit of a third act drama. Not exactly a breakup but also not not a breakup. I promise it’s well executed and makes sense and they resolve it pretty quickly WITH COMMUNICATION 👏🏼
There were a couple of spicy scenes and they had an easy type of relation with flirty banter than made me giggle couple of times.
Each time they kissed or a word “babe” was thrown in there I smiled SO wide.
My only takeaway is that chapters were quite long. It didn’t make much difference as I was mostly listening to the audiobook in bigger chunks of time but I prefer if chapters are 10-15min long. There most were in 25-35min territory.
Because it’s MM romance with one narrator, sometimes I needed to focus to figure out whose chapter it was.
Overall it was nice, low drama, cute and easy read with a mix of medical setup, fake dating and paradise destination wedding setting.
Audiobook length: ~9h
Narrator: Jamie Day
Dual POV but single narration
The narrator did a great job! I didn’t have issue understanding anything and I was able to listen with my usual speed which is 2.0x
ALC provided by Dreamscape Select through NetGalley
April 15, 2026
3.5/5 stars
Operation Boyfriend is a contemporary MM romance about two doctors fake dating. New cardiothoracic surgeon Dean Hollis needs a date to his sister’s destination wedding in a private island. His best friend suggests senior surgical resident Taylan Carter as his fake boyfriend who can get a much-needed week-long luxury vacation in Cambodia in exchange. But can they keep things professional or will their fake feelings become too real?
This just wasn’t a hit for me, but it may be down to personal taste. I was not expecting the medical stuff to be so involved in all honesty. As a physician myself, I choose not to consume any sort of medical media in my downtime so this just was not right for me. The first 30% was just all pre-trip set up with them getting to know each other and a bunch of medical/hospital stuff that I could have used without. Maybe it’s just weird of me because I do like having doctor characters as they can be very relatable, but I do not want their stories to be centered around the medical field.
I liked both Dean and Tay, each of whom are given strong backgrounds that shape who they are as doctors and people. Their romance was cute and felt completely inevitable from the get-go, but I think the book undercuts any drama or tension by the way it sets it up. There was just really no obstacle getting in their way. It’s supposedly the power imbalance as an attending and senior resident, but that is not actually as big an impediment realistically with it being frowned upon as the worst outcome. There also wasn’t much stakes because even before their trip with that long build up, both already knew they would catch feelings, compromising the need for the fake boyfriend set-up in developing their romance. The third act drama was also really just terrible timing and made to be so much bigger than it ever needed to be.
Operation Boyfriend is a cute fake-dating MM romance between two doctors that just was not to my taste.
*Thank you Storm Publishing for the eARC via NetGalley
Operation Boyfriend is a contemporary MM romance about two doctors fake dating. New cardiothoracic surgeon Dean Hollis needs a date to his sister’s destination wedding in a private island. His best friend suggests senior surgical resident Taylan Carter as his fake boyfriend who can get a much-needed week-long luxury vacation in Cambodia in exchange. But can they keep things professional or will their fake feelings become too real?
This just wasn’t a hit for me, but it may be down to personal taste. I was not expecting the medical stuff to be so involved in all honesty. As a physician myself, I choose not to consume any sort of medical media in my downtime so this just was not right for me. The first 30% was just all pre-trip set up with them getting to know each other and a bunch of medical/hospital stuff that I could have used without. Maybe it’s just weird of me because I do like having doctor characters as they can be very relatable, but I do not want their stories to be centered around the medical field.
I liked both Dean and Tay, each of whom are given strong backgrounds that shape who they are as doctors and people. Their romance was cute and felt completely inevitable from the get-go, but I think the book undercuts any drama or tension by the way it sets it up. There was just really no obstacle getting in their way. It’s supposedly the power imbalance as an attending and senior resident, but that is not actually as big an impediment realistically with it being frowned upon as the worst outcome. There also wasn’t much stakes because even before their trip with that long build up, both already knew they would catch feelings, compromising the need for the fake boyfriend set-up in developing their romance. The third act drama was also really just terrible timing and made to be so much bigger than it ever needed to be.
Operation Boyfriend is a cute fake-dating MM romance between two doctors that just was not to my taste.
*Thank you Storm Publishing for the eARC via NetGalley
April 14, 2026
Note: I was granted access to an e-ARC of this work in exchange for an honest review.
Despite the colorful cover, the playful title, and the fake dating included in the premise, Operation Boyfried isn’t really a rom-com, but that’s not a bad thing — it still makes for a lovely, hopeful, heartwarming read, perfect for the beach or any time you need something sweet and romantic that’s not too complicated and doesn’t have too much drama.
There is a sort of grumpy-and-sunshine setup, but it’s sedated, not as extreme as it is in more comedic-style romance novels; this detracts from the fun somewhat, but it add a realness, a relatability that one can’t help but admire and be charmed by. Both main characters are lovely, imperfect, and aside from the “I love you” maybe coming a bit fast, the rest of their relationship development is well paced and realistic, fitting to the setting and circumstances.
I might have liked a more solid background and more interaction with the side characters, because the book features strong sibling connections and great friendships, and it’s a pity to have those relegated to such a minor role; but as it is I’d still recommend this to lovers of contemporary romance as the perfect low-stress beach/vacation read!
3.75 STARS
Despite the colorful cover, the playful title, and the fake dating included in the premise, Operation Boyfried isn’t really a rom-com, but that’s not a bad thing — it still makes for a lovely, hopeful, heartwarming read, perfect for the beach or any time you need something sweet and romantic that’s not too complicated and doesn’t have too much drama.
There is a sort of grumpy-and-sunshine setup, but it’s sedated, not as extreme as it is in more comedic-style romance novels; this detracts from the fun somewhat, but it add a realness, a relatability that one can’t help but admire and be charmed by. Both main characters are lovely, imperfect, and aside from the “I love you” maybe coming a bit fast, the rest of their relationship development is well paced and realistic, fitting to the setting and circumstances.
I might have liked a more solid background and more interaction with the side characters, because the book features strong sibling connections and great friendships, and it’s a pity to have those relegated to such a minor role; but as it is I’d still recommend this to lovers of contemporary romance as the perfect low-stress beach/vacation read!
3.75 STARS
May 3, 2026
This book is perfect if you’re looking for a romance meets The Pitt and loves fake dating. When Dean finds himself lying to his family about bringing his boyfriend to his sister’s wedding on a private island, he realizes he actually has to bring someone. With his grueling schedule at the hospital as a surgeon and his general distrust of most people, there hasn’t been a lot of time for romance. Enter Tay - charming and in desperate need of a vacation. But as time goes on, both of them are finding it difficult to keep pretending this is just an act.
I’m a sucker for fake dating, so I was genuinely excited to read this book. The set up and build up to their relationship was entertaining and felt romantic. The tension when they got to the island was evident. It was the ending that felt anti-climactic and started to drag a bit. I wanted a little more emotion and growth from both of them, and it felt a little one sided.
Overall, a fun summer read for romance readers! Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
3.5/5⭐️
I’m a sucker for fake dating, so I was genuinely excited to read this book. The set up and build up to their relationship was entertaining and felt romantic. The tension when they got to the island was evident. It was the ending that felt anti-climactic and started to drag a bit. I wanted a little more emotion and growth from both of them, and it felt a little one sided.
Overall, a fun summer read for romance readers! Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for an eARC in exchange for a fair and honest review.
3.5/5⭐️
April 19, 2026
This was a cute and light MM fake dating romcom. The story follows Dean and Tay. They work in the same hospital and agree to fake-date to attend Dean’s sister destination wedding. They were both sweet and you could feel the yearning from both of them.
There was some glitching in the audiobook at the end of chapters 14 and 15 but it didn’t really take away from the story, just was annoying. I had some trouble differentiating the narrators voice between characters, too.
Overall this was light and fun and would be good for a summer read.
My favorite lines from the story were, “He’d probably finished a pushy treadmill run already, or hand washed his socks, or something equally disciplined.” And “The drink in my hand was sweet, stronger than it tasted. Rum? Jet fuel? Either way I couldn’t feel my teeth.”
Thank you Dreamscape Select|Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
There was some glitching in the audiobook at the end of chapters 14 and 15 but it didn’t really take away from the story, just was annoying. I had some trouble differentiating the narrators voice between characters, too.
Overall this was light and fun and would be good for a summer read.
My favorite lines from the story were, “He’d probably finished a pushy treadmill run already, or hand washed his socks, or something equally disciplined.” And “The drink in my hand was sweet, stronger than it tasted. Rum? Jet fuel? Either way I couldn’t feel my teeth.”
Thank you Dreamscape Select|Storm Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC!
April 25, 2026
Okayyyy, I picked this up cuz she looked cute and easy—fake dating coziness at its finest. But goddamn, there was a surprising amount of depth here. These dudes were fully developed, with robust backstories and fantastic character arcs to boot.
Thank you Net Galley and Dreamscape select for the ALC.
Thank you Net Galley and Dreamscape select for the ALC.
April 27, 2026
*ARC Review*
Operation Boyfriend was such a cute, fun, and easy read that felt perfect for when you just want to relax and enjoy a lighthearted romance. The story moves at a really comfortable pace, making it easy to get swept up in the characters and their chemistry without feeling overwhelmed. The narration style flows smoothly and keeps the tone playful and engaging, which makes the whole experience even more enjoyable. The romance delivers sweet, flirty moments balanced with just the right amount of spice to keep things exciting. Overall, it’s a charming feel good read!
March 26, 2026
“There’s people, and then there’s you.” UGH. Always one of my favorite lines.
This is one of the cutest stories I’ve ever read. Very Grey’s Anatomy vibes, which could be a hit or miss, but in this case, it’s a hit.
The plot runs at a nice place, never too slow and never too fast. Our main characters meet over coffee after one needs a date to a tropical wedding and the other just wants a vacation from his crazy work schedule. Typical antics ensue, and they fall in love.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait for the next book at Devon Memorial Hospital!
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!
This is one of the cutest stories I’ve ever read. Very Grey’s Anatomy vibes, which could be a hit or miss, but in this case, it’s a hit.
The plot runs at a nice place, never too slow and never too fast. Our main characters meet over coffee after one needs a date to a tropical wedding and the other just wants a vacation from his crazy work schedule. Typical antics ensue, and they fall in love.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book, and I can’t wait for the next book at Devon Memorial Hospital!
Thanks to NetGalley for the eARC!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
OPERATION BOYFRIEND by Zarah Detand is a bubbly and predictable MM fake-dating rom-com that serves as the perfect 'palate cleanser' between heavier reads. When two opposites are forced to play the part of the perfect couple, the staged sparks start to feel a little too real. While it doesn't reinvent the trope, Jamie Day’s narration adds a layer of charm that makes this a fun, low-stakes afternoon listen."
Intro
A classic MM fake-dating romp featuring a straight-laced guy who is tired of being the only single person at his sister’s resort luxury wedding. He enlists a charming and somewhat chaotic work acquaintance to play his doting boyfriend for the weekend.
The lines between "performance" and "reality" get blurry fast amidst wedding cake, family drama, and unexpected chemistry.
One desperate lie. One luxury resort. One very real attraction.
~Setting: Primarily set within the hectic bubble of a wedding weekend. The setting creates a "claustrophobic but cozy" atmosphere where the characters are forced into proximity, accelerating their connection.
Character Highlight:
~Dean: The "buttoned-up" doctor protagonist who needs to learn to loosen his tie and follow his heart.
~Taylan: The "effortlessly cool" and playful counterpart (medical resident) who brings much-needed spontaneity (and a bit of mischief) to Dean's structured life.
Highlights
~Vibe: Sweet, tropey, and lighthearted. LGBT romance
~Themes: Fake-to-real love; opposites attracting; finding your voice.
~Author Writing: "Warm and witty," "snappy dialogue," and the "will-they-won't-they" tension.
~Themes: Authenticity, Risk vs. Safety, Chosen Family
~Standout: Even though you know where the story is headed, the "slow-burn" realization that they aren't just acting anymore is handled with a lot of heart.
~Takeaway: Sometimes the most 'fake' relationships lead to the most honest versions of ourselves.
~Recs: Great for fans of Alexis Hall or anyone who loves a solid 'grumpy vs. sunshine' dynamic.
My thoughts...
"I’ll admit, the cover for Operation Boyfriend was so cute I couldn’t resist it for a quick audio 'palate cleanser.' Since this is normally not my genre (rom-com). While narrator Jamie Day brings a lot of charm to the performance, the fake-dating storyline felt a bit repetitive for me, and the explicit content overshadowed the romance. While the plot is predictable, the "chemistry-first" approach keeps the pages turning. It’s a light, tropey MM rom-com that will satisfy die-hard fans of the genre, but it lacked the narrative depth I usually look for in my reads."
It’s a light, breezy, and "sweetly low-stakes" romantic comedy that leans heavily into the "fake dating" and "only one bed" tropes. Sometimes the "perfect" person is the one who helps you break all your own rules. This book is like a glass of sparkling cider—bubbly, sweet, and easy to consume, even if it doesn't leave a long-lasting "kick."
A perfect "palette cleanser" between heavier thrillers or historical reads.
Audio Standout 🎧
~Jamie Day brings a "dynamic and youthful energy" to the narration.
~The narrator's ability to switch between the nervous energy and the confident drawl helps differentiate the POVs.
Special thanks to Dreamscape Select and NetGalley for sharing an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3.5 rounded to 4 Stars
Pub Date: May 12, 2026
May Newsletter
Intro
A classic MM fake-dating romp featuring a straight-laced guy who is tired of being the only single person at his sister’s resort luxury wedding. He enlists a charming and somewhat chaotic work acquaintance to play his doting boyfriend for the weekend.
The lines between "performance" and "reality" get blurry fast amidst wedding cake, family drama, and unexpected chemistry.
One desperate lie. One luxury resort. One very real attraction.
~Setting: Primarily set within the hectic bubble of a wedding weekend. The setting creates a "claustrophobic but cozy" atmosphere where the characters are forced into proximity, accelerating their connection.
Character Highlight:
~Dean: The "buttoned-up" doctor protagonist who needs to learn to loosen his tie and follow his heart.
~Taylan: The "effortlessly cool" and playful counterpart (medical resident) who brings much-needed spontaneity (and a bit of mischief) to Dean's structured life.
Highlights
~Vibe: Sweet, tropey, and lighthearted. LGBT romance
~Themes: Fake-to-real love; opposites attracting; finding your voice.
~Author Writing: "Warm and witty," "snappy dialogue," and the "will-they-won't-they" tension.
~Themes: Authenticity, Risk vs. Safety, Chosen Family
~Standout: Even though you know where the story is headed, the "slow-burn" realization that they aren't just acting anymore is handled with a lot of heart.
~Takeaway: Sometimes the most 'fake' relationships lead to the most honest versions of ourselves.
~Recs: Great for fans of Alexis Hall or anyone who loves a solid 'grumpy vs. sunshine' dynamic.
My thoughts...
"I’ll admit, the cover for Operation Boyfriend was so cute I couldn’t resist it for a quick audio 'palate cleanser.' Since this is normally not my genre (rom-com). While narrator Jamie Day brings a lot of charm to the performance, the fake-dating storyline felt a bit repetitive for me, and the explicit content overshadowed the romance. While the plot is predictable, the "chemistry-first" approach keeps the pages turning. It’s a light, tropey MM rom-com that will satisfy die-hard fans of the genre, but it lacked the narrative depth I usually look for in my reads."
It’s a light, breezy, and "sweetly low-stakes" romantic comedy that leans heavily into the "fake dating" and "only one bed" tropes. Sometimes the "perfect" person is the one who helps you break all your own rules. This book is like a glass of sparkling cider—bubbly, sweet, and easy to consume, even if it doesn't leave a long-lasting "kick."
A perfect "palette cleanser" between heavier thrillers or historical reads.
Audio Standout 🎧
~Jamie Day brings a "dynamic and youthful energy" to the narration.
~The narrator's ability to switch between the nervous energy and the confident drawl helps differentiate the POVs.
Special thanks to Dreamscape Select and NetGalley for sharing an advanced listening copy in exchange for my honest thoughts.
Blog review posted @
JudithDCollins.com
@JudithDCollins | #JDCMustReadBooks
My Rating: 3.5 rounded to 4 Stars
Pub Date: May 12, 2026
May Newsletter
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Zarah Detand’s Operation Boyfriend begins with a split-second decision that sets everything in motion. Dean Hollis, a thirty-three-year-old doctor, finds himself under quiet but persistent pressure from his family to not attend his sister Charley’s destination wedding in Cambodia alone. In an effort to deflect those expectations, he tells his mother he is already seeing someone—a statement that is entirely untrue at the time. What follows is a carefully constructed solution suggested by his colleague Gregg: invite Tay Carter, a medical resident who could use both a break and the financial relief of an all-expenses-paid trip, to act as his boyfriend for the wedding. Their initial meeting—awkward, honest, and unexpectedly open—establishes the foundation for an arrangement that requires them to convincingly present a relationship neither of them has yet experienced with each other.
What makes Operation Boyfriend stand out is how grounded it feels in the realities of its characters’ lives. Both Dean and Tay exist within the demanding world of medical training, and Detand uses that environment not just as a backdrop, but as a defining force in how they think, communicate, and form connections. Dean is structured, controlled, and often emotionally guarded, shaped by both his career and his past. Tay, in contrast, brings warmth, humor, and a more openly expressive personality, though he is equally shaped by pressure—financial strain, family expectations, and the constant need to prove himself in a competitive field. Their dynamic is not built on instant chemistry alone, but on gradual familiarity, shared vulnerability, and the small, consistent exchanges that begin even before their trip, such as the “questions” they use to build a believable backstory.
The supporting characters play a subtle but important role in shaping the narrative. Gregg acts as both instigator and bridge, creating the opportunity for Dean and Tay to connect while maintaining a grounded, almost casual presence in the story. Charley and Dean’s mother reinforce the emotional stakes tied to family expectations, particularly surrounding relationships and personal fulfillment. These interactions never feel exaggerated; instead, they reflect the kind of everyday pressures that quietly influence major decisions.
Detand’s pacing leans heavily into character development, allowing the relationship to unfold through conversation, internal reflection, and shared planning rather than dramatic plot twists. This slower progression works in the story’s favor, especially as it highlights the contrast between what Dean and Tay are pretending to be and what they gradually begin to feel. The “fake relationship” trope is handled with restraint, focusing less on performance and more on what happens when that performance begins to reveal genuine emotional truths.
Overall, Operation Boyfriend is a thoughtful, character-driven romance that prioritizes authenticity over spectacle. Readers who enjoy stories where relationships develop through layered interaction and emotional honesty will find it especially engaging. It shares a similar appeal to The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun, particularly in its exploration of vulnerability, identity, and the tension between external expectations and internal growth. Detand’s novel ultimately succeeds by allowing its characters to evolve naturally, creating a story that feels both intimate and believable.
What makes Operation Boyfriend stand out is how grounded it feels in the realities of its characters’ lives. Both Dean and Tay exist within the demanding world of medical training, and Detand uses that environment not just as a backdrop, but as a defining force in how they think, communicate, and form connections. Dean is structured, controlled, and often emotionally guarded, shaped by both his career and his past. Tay, in contrast, brings warmth, humor, and a more openly expressive personality, though he is equally shaped by pressure—financial strain, family expectations, and the constant need to prove himself in a competitive field. Their dynamic is not built on instant chemistry alone, but on gradual familiarity, shared vulnerability, and the small, consistent exchanges that begin even before their trip, such as the “questions” they use to build a believable backstory.
The supporting characters play a subtle but important role in shaping the narrative. Gregg acts as both instigator and bridge, creating the opportunity for Dean and Tay to connect while maintaining a grounded, almost casual presence in the story. Charley and Dean’s mother reinforce the emotional stakes tied to family expectations, particularly surrounding relationships and personal fulfillment. These interactions never feel exaggerated; instead, they reflect the kind of everyday pressures that quietly influence major decisions.
Detand’s pacing leans heavily into character development, allowing the relationship to unfold through conversation, internal reflection, and shared planning rather than dramatic plot twists. This slower progression works in the story’s favor, especially as it highlights the contrast between what Dean and Tay are pretending to be and what they gradually begin to feel. The “fake relationship” trope is handled with restraint, focusing less on performance and more on what happens when that performance begins to reveal genuine emotional truths.
Overall, Operation Boyfriend is a thoughtful, character-driven romance that prioritizes authenticity over spectacle. Readers who enjoy stories where relationships develop through layered interaction and emotional honesty will find it especially engaging. It shares a similar appeal to The Charm Offensive by Alison Cochrun, particularly in its exploration of vulnerability, identity, and the tension between external expectations and internal growth. Detand’s novel ultimately succeeds by allowing its characters to evolve naturally, creating a story that feels both intimate and believable.
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
Dean is a workaholic, with no signs of slowing down. With his sisters marriage around the corner, he's being pressured to bring a plus-one that means something to him. In a bid to get his mother and sister off his back, he lets slide that he's seeing someone and he's coming along. Only, he's dreadfully single with no chance of that changing in the near future. Enter Tay, an overwhelmed resident in training who needs a break, and is willing to step up for a week long all-expenses paid vacation with the hottest doctor on rotation.
*****
I am absolutely obsessed with the writing style of this one. It grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go! I loved that we get both Dean and Tay in a state of constantly working until they dropped, despite being in very different places in their lives. Dean, a successful resident living alone in a cold apartment, locking his heart away after being raised in a violent home and burying himself in work. Tay, living to make everyone around him feel contentment and joy, raised in a large loving family, while currently living with a roommate in a vibrant and chaotic home, and scrimping to get by. Together they were polar opposites, and I loved that they pulled the best out of each other just by being good friends and making each other feel seen, and not by pushing them towards it.
The author sprinkled in so many beautiful metaphors and similes within how each lead saw the other, that you couldn't help but feel the love pouring out of them - even if they didn't realize it yet. I was enraptured by how the light playing on their faces and bodies was described in different scenes, that it felt like this was an entire book of golden-hour moments, and was an absolute visual delight. The slow progress felt intentional, and full of love, and even the third act conflict felt logical for who the characters were. One, impulsive and bursting with feelings, the other reserved, and needing time to process and respond to big moments.
I found every possible moment I could to pick this back up and finish reading it, and I loved that these two men found such a beautiful happily ever after together.
*****
I was sent a complimentary advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for sending this my way!
*****
I am absolutely obsessed with the writing style of this one. It grabbed me by the throat and refused to let go! I loved that we get both Dean and Tay in a state of constantly working until they dropped, despite being in very different places in their lives. Dean, a successful resident living alone in a cold apartment, locking his heart away after being raised in a violent home and burying himself in work. Tay, living to make everyone around him feel contentment and joy, raised in a large loving family, while currently living with a roommate in a vibrant and chaotic home, and scrimping to get by. Together they were polar opposites, and I loved that they pulled the best out of each other just by being good friends and making each other feel seen, and not by pushing them towards it.
The author sprinkled in so many beautiful metaphors and similes within how each lead saw the other, that you couldn't help but feel the love pouring out of them - even if they didn't realize it yet. I was enraptured by how the light playing on their faces and bodies was described in different scenes, that it felt like this was an entire book of golden-hour moments, and was an absolute visual delight. The slow progress felt intentional, and full of love, and even the third act conflict felt logical for who the characters were. One, impulsive and bursting with feelings, the other reserved, and needing time to process and respond to big moments.
I found every possible moment I could to pick this back up and finish reading it, and I loved that these two men found such a beautiful happily ever after together.
*****
I was sent a complimentary advanced reader copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Thank you to NetGalley and Storm Publishing for sending this my way!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Lucky enough to receive an ARC from Netgalley. Thank you to Zarah Detand and the publishers!
I am a HUGE Zarah Detand fan. I've gobbled up every single book she's written (and then reread and reread and listened to the few audiobooks over and over). Operation Boyfriend might not be among those that I infinitely reread, but a really enjoyable read nonetheless.
Dean is a surgeon and has an overbearing family and needs a fake boyfriend to keep them off his back. Tay is a broke resident (? I am not great with doctory stuff. But Detand is!) with a secret crush on Dean. Cue fake dating, forced proximity, only one bed, instalove, and vacation romance!
As with all of her previous books, it's obvious that Detand has done her research. The characters lives and jobs are full and rich with detail. The characters' careers aren't just place setting. Both characters are individuals with their own voices. Detand's signature warmth, humor, and yearning are here in abundance, as well as her very distinct writing style.
Unfortunately, that distinctly British voice does occasionally break immersion, at least for me personally. I wish she would have just gone ahead and made these characters British instead of American. The book is set in New York City, and as a former NYC resident the city itself felt very generic, as though this could be set in any random city anywhere in the world.
The reason this wasn't quite for me (past the above small quibbles) is the rushed nature of the romance. The characters get to know each other via text for a couple months ahead of time, but this isn't much of a focus before their week long family wedding vacation. A week is purely not enough time for the romance to develop in my opinion. This is probably just a matter of personal preference (I really prefer a lengthy slow burn). This book could have either done more groundwork on their romance or been about 50 pages longer and I would have enjoyed it more.
Still, a pleasure to read, and a perfect summery vacation read. I'll always recommend Zarah Detand. These are some of the most all around well written books in the genre, save only KJ Charles, and this is the first of her books that has even come close to being a miss for me.
I am a HUGE Zarah Detand fan. I've gobbled up every single book she's written (and then reread and reread and listened to the few audiobooks over and over). Operation Boyfriend might not be among those that I infinitely reread, but a really enjoyable read nonetheless.
Dean is a surgeon and has an overbearing family and needs a fake boyfriend to keep them off his back. Tay is a broke resident (? I am not great with doctory stuff. But Detand is!) with a secret crush on Dean. Cue fake dating, forced proximity, only one bed, instalove, and vacation romance!
As with all of her previous books, it's obvious that Detand has done her research. The characters lives and jobs are full and rich with detail. The characters' careers aren't just place setting. Both characters are individuals with their own voices. Detand's signature warmth, humor, and yearning are here in abundance, as well as her very distinct writing style.
Unfortunately, that distinctly British voice does occasionally break immersion, at least for me personally. I wish she would have just gone ahead and made these characters British instead of American. The book is set in New York City, and as a former NYC resident the city itself felt very generic, as though this could be set in any random city anywhere in the world.
The reason this wasn't quite for me (past the above small quibbles) is the rushed nature of the romance. The characters get to know each other via text for a couple months ahead of time, but this isn't much of a focus before their week long family wedding vacation. A week is purely not enough time for the romance to develop in my opinion. This is probably just a matter of personal preference (I really prefer a lengthy slow burn). This book could have either done more groundwork on their romance or been about 50 pages longer and I would have enjoyed it more.
Still, a pleasure to read, and a perfect summery vacation read. I'll always recommend Zarah Detand. These are some of the most all around well written books in the genre, save only KJ Charles, and this is the first of her books that has even come close to being a miss for me.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Just by looking at the cover and title of the audiobook, I thought this would be a cute RomCom by Zarah Detund. I read the blurb and was ready for some fake dating goodness. Not to say that there wasn't. But in the beginning there are some pretty somber moments that reminded me of my own past experience. I love when I can personally relate to a book, so I pushed in and became invested.
Hopefully this isn't a spoiler, but Dean and Tay are both doctors. There were moments where I felt sad for patients. We also get a quick peek of their professional doctors POV.. you never really think about how they feel after treating a patient. It got a little emotional for me. But with that said, when they finally got to the destination wedding island trip, it picked up with sunny skies and smooth sailing!
Fake Boyfriend tropes have been done before but I liked this book for the simple fact that the MMC's give me Felix Unger and Oscar Madison when it comes to certain things. I'm aging myself here; for those who don't know, those two characters are from a show called The Odd Couple, where Felix was very anal about cleanliness and neatness. Oscar was more messy and chaotic. In this book you'll see who's who.
Faking love can be difficult, but when you take the time to get to know the person, it can come together. If you're brave enough! And that's why this romance works! There's kind of a Co-workers-Fake Boyfriend-Buy the audiobook so you can see for yourself, vibe to it! Speaking of which, Jamie Day's narration was a little monotone but it was also pretty soothing! He also was differentiate his voice for different characters. It bothered me at first but after a few hours, it was comforting. Even when he spoke at the same level at Tay or Dean's POV and inner monologue.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It had some realness to it but also the fake dating aspect of, is it real? The "will they? won't they?" energy when they're back home you'd expect. Definitely want to read Zarah's backlist because MM romances are a favorite genre of mine! I so appreciate her, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for letting me listen to this ALC in reciprocity for my honest review. At the end of the day, this is pretty much the perfect Summer read!
Hopefully this isn't a spoiler, but Dean and Tay are both doctors. There were moments where I felt sad for patients. We also get a quick peek of their professional doctors POV.. you never really think about how they feel after treating a patient. It got a little emotional for me. But with that said, when they finally got to the destination wedding island trip, it picked up with sunny skies and smooth sailing!
Fake Boyfriend tropes have been done before but I liked this book for the simple fact that the MMC's give me Felix Unger and Oscar Madison when it comes to certain things. I'm aging myself here; for those who don't know, those two characters are from a show called The Odd Couple, where Felix was very anal about cleanliness and neatness. Oscar was more messy and chaotic. In this book you'll see who's who.
Faking love can be difficult, but when you take the time to get to know the person, it can come together. If you're brave enough! And that's why this romance works! There's kind of a Co-workers-Fake Boyfriend-Buy the audiobook so you can see for yourself, vibe to it! Speaking of which, Jamie Day's narration was a little monotone but it was also pretty soothing! He also was differentiate his voice for different characters. It bothered me at first but after a few hours, it was comforting. Even when he spoke at the same level at Tay or Dean's POV and inner monologue.
All in all, I really enjoyed this book. It had some realness to it but also the fake dating aspect of, is it real? The "will they? won't they?" energy when they're back home you'd expect. Definitely want to read Zarah's backlist because MM romances are a favorite genre of mine! I so appreciate her, NetGalley and Storm Publishing for letting me listen to this ALC in reciprocity for my honest review. At the end of the day, this is pretty much the perfect Summer read!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you to Dreamscape Select and Zarah Detand for the ALC copy in exchange for my honest opinion ! all following thoughts are my own
Operation Boyfriend is a fake dating MM romance that follows Dean Hollis, a workaholic surgeon, and Taylan Carter a surgical resident that works in the same hospital.
Dean doesn't know much more than work, but when her family (especially his mom) keeps asking him about his dating life, and if he's bringing a date to his sister tropical destination wedding, he starts panicking and says he has a boyfriend.
After hearing this, his friend Greg suggests asking Taylan to be his fake boyfriend to the wedding.
Taylan, being broke and in a desperate need of a vacation, accepts. Let's be honest, who would refuse an all paid vacation in a luxury resort on a tropical island ?
I'm a big fake dating fan, add to it the medical background and the tropical destination wedding setting and I was SOLD.
I really liked Tay and Dean as individuals, how they act, their career, their background but especially their relationship with their respective friends and siblings.
I enjoyed a lot the fact that we didn't immediately jump into the wedding/vacation setting and that we got to see Tay and Dean interact, and become friends before the trip.
Once on the island, the friends quickly became more. Even if they wouldn't admit it at first. Tay managed to break dean's walls and after a few stolen kisses here and there, they finally realized it was maybe not so fake after all.
With this "end date", aka the flight back to the US, looming over them, they enjoyed their vacation as much as they could while individually being afraid that their relationship was more of a heat of the moment thing and it wouldn't last once back home. But as we can expect, even if they encountered a few bumps on the road, they ended up happy together at the end of the book. I would've rioted otherwise and you would be reading a totally different review.
All in all, a cute contemporary fake dating MM romance. Pretty fast paced but still very much so enjoyable.
I had some trouble distinguishing who between tay and dean was talking at time with the audiobook but with some getting used to it was a fun audiobook to listen to.
Operation Boyfriend is a fake dating MM romance that follows Dean Hollis, a workaholic surgeon, and Taylan Carter a surgical resident that works in the same hospital.
Dean doesn't know much more than work, but when her family (especially his mom) keeps asking him about his dating life, and if he's bringing a date to his sister tropical destination wedding, he starts panicking and says he has a boyfriend.
After hearing this, his friend Greg suggests asking Taylan to be his fake boyfriend to the wedding.
Taylan, being broke and in a desperate need of a vacation, accepts. Let's be honest, who would refuse an all paid vacation in a luxury resort on a tropical island ?
I'm a big fake dating fan, add to it the medical background and the tropical destination wedding setting and I was SOLD.
I really liked Tay and Dean as individuals, how they act, their career, their background but especially their relationship with their respective friends and siblings.
I enjoyed a lot the fact that we didn't immediately jump into the wedding/vacation setting and that we got to see Tay and Dean interact, and become friends before the trip.
Once on the island, the friends quickly became more. Even if they wouldn't admit it at first. Tay managed to break dean's walls and after a few stolen kisses here and there, they finally realized it was maybe not so fake after all.
With this "end date", aka the flight back to the US, looming over them, they enjoyed their vacation as much as they could while individually being afraid that their relationship was more of a heat of the moment thing and it wouldn't last once back home. But as we can expect, even if they encountered a few bumps on the road, they ended up happy together at the end of the book. I would've rioted otherwise and you would be reading a totally different review.
All in all, a cute contemporary fake dating MM romance. Pretty fast paced but still very much so enjoyable.
I had some trouble distinguishing who between tay and dean was talking at time with the audiobook but with some getting used to it was a fun audiobook to listen to.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This is a cute, fluffy contemporary queer romance with a fake-dating setup with beach vibes, two very likable main characters, and an easygoing storyline that makes it a quick, enjoyable listen.
Dean and Tay were both easy characters to root for, and their dynamic had that sweet, low-angst charm that works well for this kind of romance. The fake-boyfriend setup was fun, the workplace connection added a nice layer, and the overall story had a light, cozy feel. This is not necessarily a book that reinvents the fake dating trope or delivers some huge emotional gut punch, but sometimes that is perfectly fine. Sometimes you just want a soft, sweet romance that does what it came to do and does not make you emotionally fight for your life before bedtime. This book does tend to lean more towards an insta-love situation, so if you’re not into that, I’m not sure if this book will appeal to you. Dean, in particular, fell extremely quickly for Tay. I enjoy that trope so I’m not complaining in the least, but for some the pre-existing workplace connection and the brief period of texting and voice messages might not work.
My biggest issue was actually with the audiobook narration. While the narrator’s voice itself was fine, the pacing and cadence were distracting for me. There were frequent pauses within sentences that did not feel natural or connected to the punctuation, and at times it almost sounded like the narrator was stopping to catch their breath between words. That pulled me out of the story more than I would have liked, especially during scenes where the dialogue or emotion needed a smoother flow.
Even with that issue, I still enjoyed the story overall. Operation Boyfriend is a sweet, light, low-drama romance with charming characters and an easy fake-dating plot. It made for a pleasant, fluffy listen, even if the narration style did not work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this advanced copy audiobook in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
Dean and Tay were both easy characters to root for, and their dynamic had that sweet, low-angst charm that works well for this kind of romance. The fake-boyfriend setup was fun, the workplace connection added a nice layer, and the overall story had a light, cozy feel. This is not necessarily a book that reinvents the fake dating trope or delivers some huge emotional gut punch, but sometimes that is perfectly fine. Sometimes you just want a soft, sweet romance that does what it came to do and does not make you emotionally fight for your life before bedtime. This book does tend to lean more towards an insta-love situation, so if you’re not into that, I’m not sure if this book will appeal to you. Dean, in particular, fell extremely quickly for Tay. I enjoy that trope so I’m not complaining in the least, but for some the pre-existing workplace connection and the brief period of texting and voice messages might not work.
My biggest issue was actually with the audiobook narration. While the narrator’s voice itself was fine, the pacing and cadence were distracting for me. There were frequent pauses within sentences that did not feel natural or connected to the punctuation, and at times it almost sounded like the narrator was stopping to catch their breath between words. That pulled me out of the story more than I would have liked, especially during scenes where the dialogue or emotion needed a smoother flow.
Even with that issue, I still enjoyed the story overall. Operation Boyfriend is a sweet, light, low-drama romance with charming characters and an easy fake-dating plot. It made for a pleasant, fluffy listen, even if the narration style did not work for me.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to listen to this advanced copy audiobook in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thank you Dreamscape Media for the #gifted copy in exchange for an honest review!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️🌶️🌶️ moderate
Dean Hollis has a problem: he was invited to his sister’s tropical destination wedding, but he doesn’t have a date. His mom is already on his case about being Forever Single™, but there’s no time to date when you’re a workaholic cardiothoracic surgeon. His solution? Bringing along a surgery resident, Taylan Carter, to be his boyfriend for the week. After all, Tay is charming and gets a free luxury vacation, and not bad to look at. But as they start to fall for real, Dean feels like he’s jeopardizing Tay’s chance of potentially matching into a competitive surgery fellowship due to the perceived special treatment. Can they operate a couple?
First and foremost: I give Zarah Detand major props for nailing the medical authenticity, including the nuance of being competitive for surgical fellowships. (Though it’s probably unrealistic to assume that two surgeons get the same week off…but I’ll let that one slide!😏) But it wasn’t just the authenticity of medical training that stood out to me: I genuinely loved the slow burn will they/won’t they aspect mixed with the tropical destination wedding and beach read vibes. There’s a lot about family pressures, but also family support and affirmation that is rare to see in a MM romance book. Both Dean and Tay had depth, and both were living authentically queer lives. Things do get quite, well, hot… it is a tropical setting after all. Jamie Day perfectly narrates both characters, making their pining for each other even more enjoyable. This is my first Zarah Detand book, and I’m SO looking forward to more!
Reviewed as part of an #ARC from #NetGalley.
Read this book if you:
🧠 have no idea where the left recurrent laryngeal nerve runs
🩺 yearned for more (and for better treatment of) Levi Schmitt and Nico Kim from Grey’s Anatomy
🏖️ have ever said, “A hot new bombshell enters the villa!”
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨
🌶️🌶️🌶️ moderate
Dean Hollis has a problem: he was invited to his sister’s tropical destination wedding, but he doesn’t have a date. His mom is already on his case about being Forever Single™, but there’s no time to date when you’re a workaholic cardiothoracic surgeon. His solution? Bringing along a surgery resident, Taylan Carter, to be his boyfriend for the week. After all, Tay is charming and gets a free luxury vacation, and not bad to look at. But as they start to fall for real, Dean feels like he’s jeopardizing Tay’s chance of potentially matching into a competitive surgery fellowship due to the perceived special treatment. Can they operate a couple?
First and foremost: I give Zarah Detand major props for nailing the medical authenticity, including the nuance of being competitive for surgical fellowships. (Though it’s probably unrealistic to assume that two surgeons get the same week off…but I’ll let that one slide!😏) But it wasn’t just the authenticity of medical training that stood out to me: I genuinely loved the slow burn will they/won’t they aspect mixed with the tropical destination wedding and beach read vibes. There’s a lot about family pressures, but also family support and affirmation that is rare to see in a MM romance book. Both Dean and Tay had depth, and both were living authentically queer lives. Things do get quite, well, hot… it is a tropical setting after all. Jamie Day perfectly narrates both characters, making their pining for each other even more enjoyable. This is my first Zarah Detand book, and I’m SO looking forward to more!
Reviewed as part of an #ARC from #NetGalley.
Read this book if you:
🧠 have no idea where the left recurrent laryngeal nerve runs
🩺 yearned for more (and for better treatment of) Levi Schmitt and Nico Kim from Grey’s Anatomy
🏖️ have ever said, “A hot new bombshell enters the villa!”
Follow me on Instagram for more book reviews!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
This low-angst romance absolutely had me in my feelings in the best way. Dean needs a date for his sister’s tropical island wedding, and from the second he meets Tay, you just know the chemistry is going to be something special.
What follows is such a sweet, swoony story. They get to know each other through a series of questions sent back and forth over text and voicemail, and it’s honestly one of the most charming parts of the book. I love how both of them are so open, so willing to be vulnerable, and so intentional about letting each other in. Their banter is playful and fun, but always kind and supportive, which just makes you root for them.
By the time they arrive at the destination wedding, they’ve already built this really solid foundation of friendship. Add in some languid, sun-soaked days, tender conversations, and a little fake dating magic, and it’s no surprise that things start to feel very real. Honestly, there is nothing really all that fake about their relationship other than the pretense of its start. The spice is spicy, but with enough of an emotional component to further the story and their connection.
Dean and Tay are the greenest of green-flag men. They listen, they remember, they show up for each other in the softest, most thoughtful ways. Their communication feels genuine, even when it’s a little awkward or imperfect, and that just makes them all the more endearing.
This book is pure comfort…warm, soft, and full of heart. This is my first Zarah Detand read, and I am excited to have found a new-to-me author that I can read more of! She’ll definitely have her own little section on my bookshelves if her other books are as good as this one!
Thanks to #NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.
What follows is such a sweet, swoony story. They get to know each other through a series of questions sent back and forth over text and voicemail, and it’s honestly one of the most charming parts of the book. I love how both of them are so open, so willing to be vulnerable, and so intentional about letting each other in. Their banter is playful and fun, but always kind and supportive, which just makes you root for them.
By the time they arrive at the destination wedding, they’ve already built this really solid foundation of friendship. Add in some languid, sun-soaked days, tender conversations, and a little fake dating magic, and it’s no surprise that things start to feel very real. Honestly, there is nothing really all that fake about their relationship other than the pretense of its start. The spice is spicy, but with enough of an emotional component to further the story and their connection.
Dean and Tay are the greenest of green-flag men. They listen, they remember, they show up for each other in the softest, most thoughtful ways. Their communication feels genuine, even when it’s a little awkward or imperfect, and that just makes them all the more endearing.
This book is pure comfort…warm, soft, and full of heart. This is my first Zarah Detand read, and I am excited to have found a new-to-me author that I can read more of! She’ll definitely have her own little section on my bookshelves if her other books are as good as this one!
Thanks to #NetGalley and Storm Publishing for the ARC.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Spice Level: 2/5 Open-Door / Explicit Open-Door
Dean Hollis had to invent a boyfriend so his mother would stop worrying about him and leave him alone about having a date for his sister’s upcoming destination wedding. Dean is set up with Taylan (Tay) Carter and they hit it off well. Dean makes the offer of a tropical vacation if he would agree to be his date to his sister’s wedding. Tay takes him up on that offer and they spend a wonderful week in Tropical heaven where they find they have real feelings for each other. What will happen to their relationship when they come back to real-life?
I received this audiobook from NetGalley and the Author in return for my honest review. I am a sucker for forced proximity romances and this is another that didn’t disappoint for me. Dean is a Cardiac Thoracic surgeon and Tay is an upcoming doctor who did a rotation underneath Dean at one time and Tay had a bit of a crush on Dean then. So, that adds another aspect to their story. It isn’t just two people meeting for the first time and connecting for a fake dating / forced proximity scenario. Dean is kind of married to his work but Tay helps him learn that there is more to life than what is inside the operating room. But, will Dean be able to balance a life outside the operating room? Will Tay achieve his desires?
Jamie Day is the narrator for this audiobook. I would say that the narrating kind of brought down the tone of the book for me. No, this book isn’t all rainbows and sunshine but the parts that should have been rainbows and sunshine were kind of somber. Also, the tones used for both characters were so similar that I was getting confused between whose chapter was whose.
🏖️ Forced Proximity
🏖️ Fake Dating
🏖️ Destination Wedding Setting
🏖️ M4M
🏖️ Mutual Pining
Dean Hollis had to invent a boyfriend so his mother would stop worrying about him and leave him alone about having a date for his sister’s upcoming destination wedding. Dean is set up with Taylan (Tay) Carter and they hit it off well. Dean makes the offer of a tropical vacation if he would agree to be his date to his sister’s wedding. Tay takes him up on that offer and they spend a wonderful week in Tropical heaven where they find they have real feelings for each other. What will happen to their relationship when they come back to real-life?
I received this audiobook from NetGalley and the Author in return for my honest review. I am a sucker for forced proximity romances and this is another that didn’t disappoint for me. Dean is a Cardiac Thoracic surgeon and Tay is an upcoming doctor who did a rotation underneath Dean at one time and Tay had a bit of a crush on Dean then. So, that adds another aspect to their story. It isn’t just two people meeting for the first time and connecting for a fake dating / forced proximity scenario. Dean is kind of married to his work but Tay helps him learn that there is more to life than what is inside the operating room. But, will Dean be able to balance a life outside the operating room? Will Tay achieve his desires?
Jamie Day is the narrator for this audiobook. I would say that the narrating kind of brought down the tone of the book for me. No, this book isn’t all rainbows and sunshine but the parts that should have been rainbows and sunshine were kind of somber. Also, the tones used for both characters were so similar that I was getting confused between whose chapter was whose.
🏖️ Forced Proximity
🏖️ Fake Dating
🏖️ Destination Wedding Setting
🏖️ M4M
🏖️ Mutual Pining
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4 Stars
Probably the easiest 4-star rating I’ve given out this year, Operation Boyfriend ensnared me immediately with its charming cast of characters, feel good vibes, and well-earned M/M romance, all wrapped in an effortlessly enjoyable narrative.
I honestly thought I was getting to the point that I was a bit over the fake-relationship trope, as a long-time romance reader, but it turns out I was just waiting to read this particular book to remind me that it’s a trope I love when handled well—and handled well it most certainly was here.
Although not especially groundbreaking, I ended up loving the way the doctor MCs Dean and Tay got to know each other on a deeper level, through unique text and voice note questions, even before they began to physically pretend to be boyfriends in front of Dean’s family.
Turns out, this made all the difference for me, because I found myself loving the slow-building emotional connection and intimacy Dean and Tay were developing in the early chapters, making their transition from fake-to-real during their week-long island getaway (for Dean’s sister’s wedding) all the more believable and satisfying.
I also hugely appreciated that this was super low-angst, at least in terms of relationship conflict. There’s the prerequisite relationship speed-bump at the 80% mark, but it was handled well and overcome quickly, with the kind of grovelling and impassioned declarations that left me all smiley and swoony in the aftermath.
This is my first M/M romance by Zarah Detand and I enjoyed it immensely. I have a feeling I’m about to have a lot of fun exploring her backlog!
***A special thanks to Storm Publishing and Zarah Detand (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Probably the easiest 4-star rating I’ve given out this year, Operation Boyfriend ensnared me immediately with its charming cast of characters, feel good vibes, and well-earned M/M romance, all wrapped in an effortlessly enjoyable narrative.
I honestly thought I was getting to the point that I was a bit over the fake-relationship trope, as a long-time romance reader, but it turns out I was just waiting to read this particular book to remind me that it’s a trope I love when handled well—and handled well it most certainly was here.
Although not especially groundbreaking, I ended up loving the way the doctor MCs Dean and Tay got to know each other on a deeper level, through unique text and voice note questions, even before they began to physically pretend to be boyfriends in front of Dean’s family.
Turns out, this made all the difference for me, because I found myself loving the slow-building emotional connection and intimacy Dean and Tay were developing in the early chapters, making their transition from fake-to-real during their week-long island getaway (for Dean’s sister’s wedding) all the more believable and satisfying.
I also hugely appreciated that this was super low-angst, at least in terms of relationship conflict. There’s the prerequisite relationship speed-bump at the 80% mark, but it was handled well and overcome quickly, with the kind of grovelling and impassioned declarations that left me all smiley and swoony in the aftermath.
This is my first M/M romance by Zarah Detand and I enjoyed it immensely. I have a feeling I’m about to have a lot of fun exploring her backlog!
***A special thanks to Storm Publishing and Zarah Detand (via Netgalley) for providing an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
4.5 that I'm rounding up to a 5
Operation Boyfriend is a sweet, quick, fast-pasted romance that tells the story of Dean and Tay. Both work in the same hospital and have crossed paths briefly, but Tay, a few years Dean’s junior, is very much intimidated by him.
With his sister getting married, his mother turns her sights on Dean, so much so that he invents a fake boyfriend that he’s been seeing. But now he’s dug himself into a hole that he can’t get out of. Their mutual friend Gregg suggests Tay as a potential candidate, mostly due to the fact that he’s been working so hard he desperately needs a vacation, and an all expenses paid trip is exactly the break he needs.
The two meet for coffee and sparks immediately fly. They agree to the fake dating, starting by sending each other text message questions to get to know each other. It soon graduates to voice notes, and a friendship blossoms, despite the fact that they’re so busy, they barely see each other in person. Once the wedding finally comes around a few months later, they are comfortable enough around each other to make it believable. But at this point, are they really just acting, or have real feelings started to develop?
I love that this was a dual POV, because you really got in the heads of both of them and felt their insecurities and hesitation while seeing their feeling start to blossom in real time. Both Dean and Tay are fully established characters, though I will say that Dean’s backstory is a little more focused on than Tay’s. I get why though- it’s his family the wedding revolves around, so it makes sense.
I hadn’t even realized, but I’ve read many of Zarah Detand’s books before, and I’ve always enjoyed them. This might be recent bias but I think this is my favorite one so far!
Operation Boyfriend is a sweet, quick, fast-pasted romance that tells the story of Dean and Tay. Both work in the same hospital and have crossed paths briefly, but Tay, a few years Dean’s junior, is very much intimidated by him.
With his sister getting married, his mother turns her sights on Dean, so much so that he invents a fake boyfriend that he’s been seeing. But now he’s dug himself into a hole that he can’t get out of. Their mutual friend Gregg suggests Tay as a potential candidate, mostly due to the fact that he’s been working so hard he desperately needs a vacation, and an all expenses paid trip is exactly the break he needs.
The two meet for coffee and sparks immediately fly. They agree to the fake dating, starting by sending each other text message questions to get to know each other. It soon graduates to voice notes, and a friendship blossoms, despite the fact that they’re so busy, they barely see each other in person. Once the wedding finally comes around a few months later, they are comfortable enough around each other to make it believable. But at this point, are they really just acting, or have real feelings started to develop?
I love that this was a dual POV, because you really got in the heads of both of them and felt their insecurities and hesitation while seeing their feeling start to blossom in real time. Both Dean and Tay are fully established characters, though I will say that Dean’s backstory is a little more focused on than Tay’s. I get why though- it’s his family the wedding revolves around, so it makes sense.
I hadn’t even realized, but I’ve read many of Zarah Detand’s books before, and I’ve always enjoyed them. This might be recent bias but I think this is my favorite one so far!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Thanks to Zarah Detand, Storm Publishing, and NetGalley for the ARC! As always, my opinions are my own.
Dean Hollis is a meticulous, Type A, emotionally locked-down cardiac surgeon who did not get enough of a favorable view of relationships from his parents to ever want to fall in love. Tay Carter is a stressed-out and broke surgical resident who is pretty sure he's no kind of a romantic catch. Dean needs to reassure his worried mom by bringing a boyfriend to his sister's tropical destination wedding. Tay needs a vacation and can't afford one. Faking a relationship for a week is a perfect, common-sense decision for both of them... right?
This is a lovely low-drama romance with lots of yearning and a couple of hot, well-written sex scenes. The characters take the potential ethical issues and power dynamics of a workplace romance more seriously than I'm used to seeing in romance novels, which I very much appreciated! Their immediate physical attraction is balanced by growing appreciation and respect; they study for fake dating like they studied for medical school, and genuinely like each other by the time the trip starts. What we get is not a roller coaster ride, but a slow falling into trust: "maybe I could really have this."
This is the first of Detand's books that I've read (it won't be the last!), but she's an established author and the quality of her writing is a cut above a lot of the romances I read. The side characters are well developed and I loved the family relationships. This was a lovely book for a stressful time.
(I hesitate to even mention this, but there are a couple of vocabulary slips that had me double-checking that these guys are supposed to be Americans. That's a hazard with a British author and publisher! It's not a big deal.)
Dean Hollis is a meticulous, Type A, emotionally locked-down cardiac surgeon who did not get enough of a favorable view of relationships from his parents to ever want to fall in love. Tay Carter is a stressed-out and broke surgical resident who is pretty sure he's no kind of a romantic catch. Dean needs to reassure his worried mom by bringing a boyfriend to his sister's tropical destination wedding. Tay needs a vacation and can't afford one. Faking a relationship for a week is a perfect, common-sense decision for both of them... right?
This is a lovely low-drama romance with lots of yearning and a couple of hot, well-written sex scenes. The characters take the potential ethical issues and power dynamics of a workplace romance more seriously than I'm used to seeing in romance novels, which I very much appreciated! Their immediate physical attraction is balanced by growing appreciation and respect; they study for fake dating like they studied for medical school, and genuinely like each other by the time the trip starts. What we get is not a roller coaster ride, but a slow falling into trust: "maybe I could really have this."
This is the first of Detand's books that I've read (it won't be the last!), but she's an established author and the quality of her writing is a cut above a lot of the romances I read. The side characters are well developed and I loved the family relationships. This was a lovely book for a stressful time.
(I hesitate to even mention this, but there are a couple of vocabulary slips that had me double-checking that these guys are supposed to be Americans. That's a hazard with a British author and publisher! It's not a big deal.)
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
This was such a fun book! It’s a shorter MM romance, but it never felt rushed or lacking and everything I wanted from the story was there, just without any filler.
The fake dating trope was done so well. Dean needing a boyfriend for his sister’s tropical wedding and Tay being the perfect (and very willing) solution set this up for peak chaos and chemistry right from the start. And honestly, putting two overworked medical professionals in a fake relationship with built-in proximity was the best way to cause a spiral.
What really stood out to me was how natural their relationship felt. The progression from coworkers → fake boyfriends → something real was smooth and believable, especially with their busy schedules constantly pulling them in different directions. It made those quieter, more personal moments hit even harder.
Also, their dynamic was top tier. They’re both sarcastic, a little sharp around the edges, but genuinely sweet underneath it all. The banter had me smiling the whole time, and the chemistry absolutely delivered because it was flirty, tense, and yes, very spicy when it needed to be.
I also appreciated that the conflict stayed pretty low angst. There’s a bit of tension toward the end, but nothing overly dramatic or drawn out, which honestly fit the tone of the story perfectly. It kept things light with a summer vibe and was super bingeable.
This felt like the perfect beach read because it is fun, romantic, a little indulgent, and easy to get lost in. It was my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last.
Thank you to NetGalley, Zarah Detand, and Storm Publishing for the eARC of this book.
The fake dating trope was done so well. Dean needing a boyfriend for his sister’s tropical wedding and Tay being the perfect (and very willing) solution set this up for peak chaos and chemistry right from the start. And honestly, putting two overworked medical professionals in a fake relationship with built-in proximity was the best way to cause a spiral.
What really stood out to me was how natural their relationship felt. The progression from coworkers → fake boyfriends → something real was smooth and believable, especially with their busy schedules constantly pulling them in different directions. It made those quieter, more personal moments hit even harder.
Also, their dynamic was top tier. They’re both sarcastic, a little sharp around the edges, but genuinely sweet underneath it all. The banter had me smiling the whole time, and the chemistry absolutely delivered because it was flirty, tense, and yes, very spicy when it needed to be.
I also appreciated that the conflict stayed pretty low angst. There’s a bit of tension toward the end, but nothing overly dramatic or drawn out, which honestly fit the tone of the story perfectly. It kept things light with a summer vibe and was super bingeable.
This felt like the perfect beach read because it is fun, romantic, a little indulgent, and easy to get lost in. It was my first book by this author, but it won’t be my last.
Thank you to NetGalley, Zarah Detand, and Storm Publishing for the eARC of this book.
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Thank you so much for the opportunity to read it.
Summary:
“Dean Hollis has a plan to survive his sister’s tropical destination wedding: invent a boyfriend so his mom will stop worrying about his perpetually single status. The only problem? Now he needs an actual date.
Enter Taylan Carter—charming, gorgeous, and in need of a vacation he can’t afford. When Dean offers him a deal: pretend to be his boyfriend for a week on a private tropical island in exchange for an all-expenses-paid luxury getaway—how could Tay refuse?
But between sunset swims, probing family questions, and a rival trying to steal his fake boyfriend, Tay finds it harder and harder to remember this is all just pretend. And Dean, the workaholic American surgeon with walls higher than the hospital where they both work, discovers that keeping things professional with Tay might be the one operation he can’t successfully complete…”
This was my first MM romance book and it did not disappoint. What an amazing read!
I really enjoyed this book. The writing is fast-paced and humorous.
Highlights:
- Each chapter alternates between the two main characters. One chapter is from Dean’s perspective, the next from Tay’s. This makes it easy to get to know them and understand what they’re thinking and feeling.
- I loved the daily questions they asked each other to get to know one another better.
- I felt deeply for patient Brooke.
Even as a straight person, I found this a delightful book. Dean and Tay are incredibly cute together. There is a little bit of spice, but not to much (about two/three chapters). I’m not a big fan of a lot of spice, so the amount was perfect for me.
In short: if you love fake boyfriends, MM romance, and one-bed tropes, this is the book for you. Go read it!
Summary:
“Dean Hollis has a plan to survive his sister’s tropical destination wedding: invent a boyfriend so his mom will stop worrying about his perpetually single status. The only problem? Now he needs an actual date.
Enter Taylan Carter—charming, gorgeous, and in need of a vacation he can’t afford. When Dean offers him a deal: pretend to be his boyfriend for a week on a private tropical island in exchange for an all-expenses-paid luxury getaway—how could Tay refuse?
But between sunset swims, probing family questions, and a rival trying to steal his fake boyfriend, Tay finds it harder and harder to remember this is all just pretend. And Dean, the workaholic American surgeon with walls higher than the hospital where they both work, discovers that keeping things professional with Tay might be the one operation he can’t successfully complete…”
This was my first MM romance book and it did not disappoint. What an amazing read!
I really enjoyed this book. The writing is fast-paced and humorous.
Highlights:
- Each chapter alternates between the two main characters. One chapter is from Dean’s perspective, the next from Tay’s. This makes it easy to get to know them and understand what they’re thinking and feeling.
- I loved the daily questions they asked each other to get to know one another better.
- I felt deeply for patient Brooke.
Even as a straight person, I found this a delightful book. Dean and Tay are incredibly cute together. There is a little bit of spice, but not to much (about two/three chapters). I’m not a big fan of a lot of spice, so the amount was perfect for me.
In short: if you love fake boyfriends, MM romance, and one-bed tropes, this is the book for you. Go read it!
Review of advance copy received from NetGalley
Bahhh, okay. This was a cute, easy beach read, but the writing style just wasn’t for me.
I listened to the audiobook, and overall the production quality was solid! Jamie Day has a great voice, and he did make an effort to distinguish between the two POVs, which I appreciated and thought he did pretty well. That said, I do think this is one that would have really benefited from dual narration. Since it’s a dual POV, having two voices would have helped bring more clarity and energy to the characters. At times the delivery felt a bit choppy, but I think that had more to do with the writing style itself than the performance. Some of the phrasing is very stylized, which didn’t always translate smoothly to audio.
The biggest hurdle for me was the writing. There were a lottttttt of similes and more abstract metaphors, and some of them pulled me out completely. Lines like “voice the shade of secrets” just didn’t land for me, and the short, stacked descriptors (“He kissed me. Slow, unhurried, thorough.”) started to feel repetitive. At times, the writing felt a bit over-explained, with emotions spelled out rather than allowed to come through naturally. It just wasn’t a style I personally connected with.
That said, the concept is fun, the title is great, and the spice was well done.
Overall, this one just came down to personal preference for me, but it could definitely work for other readers.
A 2.5 I'm going to round up to 3.
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Select/Storm Publishing, and Zarah Detand for the ALC!
I listened to the audiobook, and overall the production quality was solid! Jamie Day has a great voice, and he did make an effort to distinguish between the two POVs, which I appreciated and thought he did pretty well. That said, I do think this is one that would have really benefited from dual narration. Since it’s a dual POV, having two voices would have helped bring more clarity and energy to the characters. At times the delivery felt a bit choppy, but I think that had more to do with the writing style itself than the performance. Some of the phrasing is very stylized, which didn’t always translate smoothly to audio.
The biggest hurdle for me was the writing. There were a lottttttt of similes and more abstract metaphors, and some of them pulled me out completely. Lines like “voice the shade of secrets” just didn’t land for me, and the short, stacked descriptors (“He kissed me. Slow, unhurried, thorough.”) started to feel repetitive. At times, the writing felt a bit over-explained, with emotions spelled out rather than allowed to come through naturally. It just wasn’t a style I personally connected with.
That said, the concept is fun, the title is great, and the spice was well done.
Overall, this one just came down to personal preference for me, but it could definitely work for other readers.
A 2.5 I'm going to round up to 3.
Thank you to Netgalley, Dreamscape Select/Storm Publishing, and Zarah Detand for the ALC!
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