Booked Boyfriends, Bad Decisions

by A. Blossom

Some girls collect book boyfriends; others collect bad decisions.

Harlowe Daye is a popular romance book content creator who has been invited on the biggest brand trip of her career. The problem? It’s a couples' retreat, and she doesn’t have a boyfriend to bring. After a string of failed attempts to find a plus one before she loses the opportunity of a lifetime, she turns to the one man who has always been ten toes down for her ex’s brother. He also happens to be her best friend.

Hasheem Hart is always the one pulling people out of fires. When folks need him, he shows up, but when it’s Harlowe, he shows up without a question. He knows agreeing to play her fake boyfriend on a Valentine’s Day couples’ trip is a bad idea, but he says yes anyway.

When pretending to be a couple gets a little too messy, Harlowe is left wondering if booking her best friend as her booked boyfriend is the worst bad decision she’s ever made.

Genres: Friends To Lovers, Fake Dating, Spicy

183 pages, Kindle Edition

Published February 18, 2026

About the author

Author Blossom is an upcoming best selling author born and raised in Saint Louis, Mo. It was there that she developed a love for reading and writing early on. A. Blossom knew she had a passion for writing after she wrote her first story for the girls in her eight-grade class. A. Blossom wants to pen love stories that show black women and men of all skin tones, shapes, and sizes.

When she isn’t writing, Blossom spends her free time with her husband and her two small children. A. Blossom is excited to embark on this journey and invites readers to let love grow. Blossom can be reached on these platforms:

Email: authorablossom@gmail.com

Instagram: author_blossom

Facebook: Author A Blossom

Twitter: @AuthorBlossom

Reviews

[*Ebony I* · Rating 4 out of 5]

More than friends

This was a cute friends to lovers story. This is a story made just for us romance book girlies! Harlowe is a book influencer and gives romance book recommendations on social media. She is freaking out because she is about to lose the opportunity of a lifetime that will help expand her platform, but in the nth hour her best friend Hasheem swoops in to the save the day. Hasheem is a firefighter, yes you know he fine af. He was also so attentive, caring, and protective. What starts out as just fulfilling an obligation, becomes WAY more than either of them expected. You already know best friends over a decade have crazy chemistry. 

I'm making this sound so sweet, but it was messy af. The messiness of the exes, the lies, the fear, and the hater. Chile...

Harlowe was trying to pmo, but she got herself together. Sometimes we have to go through the mess to receive our blessings.

[Rein · Rating 3 out of 5]

Cute But …

Let me get this straight, you out here living in a whole book fantasy on a paid vacation then go home and throw the book out!! Girl bye.

This was cute until it wasn’t. It’s one thing to get in your feelings about some comments made because you dated your man’s brother BUT when your man is your best friend and you go to him for everything usually; how you going to punk out and just avoid him completely! So for the actions of this whole emotionally immature woman I could only be disappointed.

[Natasha · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ lol

Thank you to A.Blossom for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This book was MESSY in the best way and I ate up every single second of it. If you love fake dating and best friends to lovers, this one is going to have you locked in from page one because she really had me at hello.

We start off chaotic and honestly… the mess never fully lets up. Just when you think things are settling, another layer unfolds, and I loved that emotional tension throughout the story. But underneath all the drama was a love story that felt so real, so intentional, and so worth the ride.

Let’s talk about Hasheem for a second because that man STANDS ten toes down on what he wants. The way he was so intentional about Harlowe…Yeah… I melted. The intimacy was top tier, not just the spice (which was SPICING, okay 👀), but the emotional closeness, the care, the attention. He wasn’t just showing desire, he was showing devotion.

And Harlowe and Hasheem pushing past their fears and finally trusting their love had me seated for EVERY minute of it. Their growth, their vulnerability, and the way their friendship evolved into something deeper was chef’s kiss.

This book gave:
✨ Fake dating tension
✨ Best friends to lovers excellence
✨ Messy emotions + beautiful payoff
✨ Spice with PURPOSE

[Monique · Rating 4 out of 5]

(3.5⭐️) This was a cute Valentine’s read. I loved their banter & their friendship, they had a nice easy going chemistry. But poor Harlowe REALLY needed a Xanax. She was wound so tight the whole book😩. Hasheem was applying all the pressure behind her despite her objections and outside forces that tried to attack their relationship. Him being a for real book boyfriend inside of a book felt like being trapped in the matrix though🤣But I adored how he paid attention to her & was able to calm her when she crashed out (which was often). He was so mature in his communication as well.

I will say though I kept rolling my eyes when she kept saying “I can’t date my ex’s brother”. Girl that was in high school🙄If it didn’t lead to marriage and/or a baby the statute of limitations is over.🤣I also didn’t like how she acted post trip, it was kind of immature.

So yeah a cute story. Got some good spice, some giggles, and a nice dose of drama.

[CoCo · Rating 4 out of 5]

It was cute!

This was a cute quick read. It did make dating a content creator seem awful though. Lol They made it work.

['The Book Queen' · Rating 3 out of 5]

Surprised 3.5 Stars.

I was truly surprised that I liked this story. I was not expecting this turn of events. Dating brothers at different times, and falling in love with the next brother was different. Shrug.

[Cassandra Jerido · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good…but

Harlowe’s overthinking messed up the whole flow of the book. The book was well written and I definitely love Hasheem. However, Harlowe was beyond irritating. Hasheem had to really love her to put up with all of that craziness. There was nothing endearing about her.

[LayLay · Rating 3 out of 5]

Harlowe irritated me this whole book lol. Cute and short read though

[Chichilovestoread · Rating 5 out of 5]

A firefighter huh

Harlow man was right under her nose whole time!!

This was so good and Hasheem aka Hashsy is definitely “forever mine” material. Never gave only bestie lol.. they were playing theirselves with that. Especially finding out their history.. chileee please . lol

[Toya Davis-Stokley · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a good friend to lovers read, so I knew I was in for a treat. Miss Harlowe was just a whirlwind of energy with her life and content creation. Excited about this brand retreat is all she can think about, except there's one issue. It is a couple's retreat, around Valentine's Day! 👀 Sis can't even pay anyone to be her plus one, so she recruits her bestie to be her fake man for the trip. What's the worst that could happen? 🤯

Hasheem will do anything for Harlowe, and she knows that. However, he knows that going on this trip with her is a bad idea. It could change everything between them, then what? But he does what he always does and bails her out. Here we come Zanzibar!

Upon arrival there is an accidental kiss between the two that changes the game! They both immediately begin to think what if. Can this work between us? Should we do it? This is so damn messy!! Harlowe is on the fence, however, Hasheem is all in. He has loved her from the beginning, but now his true feelings have come to the forefront. Then here comes the drama... A person close to the couple works for the company and is not happy about their coupling, making things even messier. Truths are spilled angering Hasheem and making Harlowe run for the hills. 🤬 I loved the intention and persistence Hasheem showed when Harlowe allowed her fears to rule her good sense. He never wavered on his stance and stood ten toes down for what he felt for her. Enjoyable read. 👍🏿

[Kyeshia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had been dying to get this book since i saw it in a rec video a while back & im starting to think i like friends to lovers more than second chance lol

Harlowe & Hasheem had to take the time to realize how they really felt over the years of them knowing eachother beyond all the doubts and fears and drama. Harlowe was not so easy to win over bc of her own personal hang-ups & fears but this made her so relatable.

Hasheem wasn’t with too much drama including where his past meets his present in this story and i love it. He handled everything accordingly when in reality he had every right to go above & beyond with how he felt. He protected harlowe despite everything & personally if i could give this more stars i really would

[perfectlyamberb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book boyfriends 😍

This was some good mess, but it was also a sweet story about friends taking that next inevitable step into loverhood. Hasheem was definitely a book boyfriend. He showed up for Harlowe every time, always trying to show her the potential of what they could be. Super cute!

[Terry Young · Rating 4 out of 5]

friends to lovers but a bit messy

Hasheem and Lowe…. They were just so cute together especially when they got out their heads. Simone was so delusional that I felt for her in a sad way. lol glad everything worked out though and they got their HEA

[Veronica Speaks · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Quickie! I loveeeed it

I wish it were a tad bit longer, but it was a great quick read! I had so many “smh” moments because I just knewwww they shouldn’t have been crossing that boundary.

[Brownskinnedreader · Rating 4 out of 5]

Listen, I love this book. It's usually hit or miss with Friends to Lovers but this one right here! Chef's Kiss! Harlowe did get on my dang nerves when it came to how she was treating Hasheem. I felt like she caused a lot of her own stress. Hasheem is now on one of my book boyfriends list.

[Ashanti Burton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute and short holiday read. Friends to lovers with fake dating. Fast paced with a lil drama. I enjoyed reading.

[Cardi Blue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Messsss

This was quality mess. And Hashy put it downnnnnn. I’m glad Lowe got out of her head. But whew Simone needed hands put on her. She tried it.

[Georgy Sandra · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is friend to lovers done right. Hasheem applied the perfect amount of pressure and I ate that up!

[Tatiana | Chapters & Cents · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 🌟

[Ayanna First of BourbonStreetBookers · Rating 5 out of 5]

😍😍😍

This was sooo messy but sooo sexy and cute. This man knew what he wanted and Im here fa it! 📚🚒 Great read!

[jaeden ᥫ᭡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Stories like this are why I’m delusional. Lord when is it my turn??

[Readwithchan_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Booked Boyfriends, Bad Decisions by A. Blossom was reallyyyy a good story. Like seriously, this book was crazy as hell but in the best way possible. From the beginning I was locked in, flipping through the pages trying to see what in the world was about to happen next. Every time I thought I had it figured out, something else popped off.

The drama, the secrets, the messy decisions… whew. It had me sitting there like “ain’t no way…” more than once. That’s the kind of story that keeps you up reading because you need to know what happens next.

And I’m not even gonna lie… this book had me side eyeing some of these other content creators that be posting their husbands and boyfriends like they the ultimate book baes. After reading this? I’m like hmmmmm… y’all sure about that? 🤣

Jokes aside, this was a wild, entertaining read that definitely kept my attention from start to finish. If you like messy, dramatic stories that keep the pages turning, this one is worth picking up. I was thoroughly entertained the whole time. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

[Latrice Maria · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ Cute! This was every hopeless romantic book girly’s dream. Although I found myself saying “HARLOWE, PLEASE BE FOR REAL” a few times 🙄 baecation me please.

🌶️ Spicy but not too much
🤫 Fake Dating
😘 Friends to Lovers
🏖️ Vacation Romance

[Jay Will · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hasheem was so attentive and the perfect calmed to Harlowe's overdramatics. I get the whole exes situation but baby those folks were just placeholders. Sometimes the messiness can turn into exactly what they needed.

[KweenBee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Too Many Things

Harlowe was one of my least favorite FMC's that I have read about this year. All of her back and forth emotions and overthinking was exhausting and her worry about what other people thought - to the point where she constantly tried to run was borderline immature. I was ready to DNF during almost all of her chapters then Hasheem would come and save the day and I would keep reading. I really liked Hasheem's character a lot- and in all honesty I wish that he had found someone else. Also, the premise of this book of her being with her ex's brother was more than messy, because they had been together for 4 years! That was just too many things. Last, while a lot of back and forth happened, the book still felt kinda underdeveloped. Overall, there were some funny and cute moments, but this was not one of my favorites from this author.

[Bianca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good story

A nice little read although I will say that Harlowe got on my nerves letting other people's opinions effect her decisions. Her acting the way she did when they got back home made me wanna knock her upside the head. Overall a good read from a good author.

[ReaderGirly❤️ · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is going into the "I Told You So" column of evidence for why I've NEVER believed a man and woman can be just friends as adults. And this is why, women should always be leery of the female best friend.

Harlowe has been invited on a couple's vacation to Zanzibar on account of her success as a Booktoker who showcases books about Black romance. Only problem, Harlowe has plenty of book boyfriends, but no man in real to play her fake date for the brand trip. Her solution: she asks her best friend Hasheem, who's the brother of her ex, to go on the trip with her and pretend to be her man. The problem: aint nothing fake about how they're feeling.

From the start, you knew Harlowe and Hasheem were feeling each other. What man you know makes it his mission to bring his friend flowers every valentine's day? What man you know just casually out here rubbing on women's feet when they're tired? Yea okay. Harlowe and Hasheem been knew they was feeling each other, and it didn't take long on the vacation for them to kiss, and then eventually have sex and decide to try their relationship outside of the vacation too. And be warned, there is definitely some mess with this book. Hasheem is the little brother of Harlowe's ex, which not gonna lie, had me side eyeing her a bit. Never mess with the family, sis. But she and Hasheem had originally tried their hand at flirting before his brother Marcus swooped in and took Harlowe right from under his brother, so I excused it (lol). And they had such a fun, flirty, secure friendship that only got better once they let their emotions take over and do what they'd been feeling all along. I loved how Hasheem knows Harlowe is his from the first kiss they share, and how even when she was ignoring him after being scared of losing him as her friend, he took her fear and made sure she knew she had nothing to worry about with him. They were truly a fun, sexy, beautiful couple.

And remember how I said there's mess? There's another little surprise waiting for them both when they get to the resort--Hasheem's ex, who ended things with him due to his relationship with Harlowe. I won't spoil how that ends, but I like how the author kept throwing kinks into their relationship, because we got to see how they resolved each problem, each time. Well, how Hasheem handled the problems. That was the one reason I couldn't give this book five stars. Harlowe wanted so desperately to find a date for the brand trip, because it was the opportunity of a lifetime. They were paying her $30k to promote their products, the resort, and her romance content. And yet, when she finds Hasheem in a weird situation, goes all Love & Hip Hop Atlanta in public, embarrassing herself. And even later when they all have a dinner together, spills her full story to prevent Simone from doing it. I just felt like she was a bit all over the place near the end with how she was acting. Even her ignoring Hasheem when they got back home was messed up after he'd given her so many assurances and given her word that they would try when they got back from vacation. Hasheem was certainly more patient with her than I'd have been. But I'm glad they worked it out

I think you'd love this book if you also read and loved:
-This Song is for You D. Michelle- another friends to lovers book
-Only for the Week-Natasha Bishop- vacation story, girl is dating her ex's best friend
-Love at a Funeral- woman is dating the cousin of her ex

[Kristal Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Booked boyfriends, bad decisions

“Love is messy, and sometimes the right person has been standing in front of you the whole damn time.”

This quote basically sums up this book for me. What can be more messy than dating your best friend’s brother? The answer to that is dating your best friend’s brother, introducing your best friend to your friend and your friend now becomes your best friend’s ex and now you and best friend enter a fake dating turned real deal relationship!

Harlowe and Hasheem had a beautiful friendship. They were clearly each other’s person but a trip across the world as fake boyfriend/girlfriend had them both coming to terms that maybe just maybe their feelings weren’t so platonic all along. If I had a best friend who loved on me the way Hasheeem did Harlowe, I couldn’t ever see another relationship lasting as long as we were friends. Hasheem was what book boyfriends are made of. He knew his best friend through and through and respected her overthinking even when it hurt but he wasn’t willing to let her go without a fight. I was glad to see them work it out because there were times I was screaming for Harlowe to get it together and stop focusing on what other people thought, especially people who you don’t know and who don’t know you or your situation.

If you’re a fan of the fake dating or best friends to lovers trope, this is a great and enjoyable read.

[Lizzy Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

I HATED IT HAD TO END 😩

COME THROUGH AUTHORESS A. BLOSSOM 👏🏽👏🏽👏🏽. I THOROUGHLY ENJOYED THIS BEST FRIENDS TO FOREVER LOVERS STORY❤️‍🔥.

SIMONE REALLY TRIED TO PLAY IN HASHEEM & HARLOWE’S FACE. HER LIES FINALLY CAUGHT UP TO HER AND SHE STILL TRIED TO DOWN PLAY IT LIKE SHE WAS THE VICTIM WITH HER HEAUX AZZ🙄🤬. IN THE END SHE GOT WHAT SHE DESERVED

WHEN MARCUS HAVE HIS BROTHER HIS BLESSING THAT WARMED MY HEART🥰. THEN THAT FOOL HIT US WITH A CURVEBALL 😳. ALTHOUGH I HAD A FEELING IT WAS MORE TO THE ISH WITH SIMONE ENDING HER ENGAGEMENT WITH HASHEEM, I NEVER EXPECTED THAT 🫖😳.

HASHEEM & HARLOWE❤️‍🔥! DESPITE HIM BEING IN LOVE WITH HER WHEN THEY WERE YOUNGER HE WAS SHY AND REALLY DIDN’T KNOW HOW TO EXPRESS THOSE FEELINGS TO HER AND INSTEAD CHOSE TO BE HER BEST FRIEND. FAR FORWARD SHE’S IN A BIND AND AS ALWAYS HE STEPS UP TO HELP. THAT’S BAECATION WAS THE TRIP THAT DIDN’T KNOW THEY NEEDED. IT ALLOWED THEM TO TRULY EXPLORE THEIR TRUE FEELINGS FOR EACH OTHER. DESPITE THE MESSY ISH GOING ON AROUND THEM HASHEEM STOOD FIRM ON HIS LOVE FOR HIS LOWE AS WELL AS NOT ALLOWING THE OPINIONS OF THEIR EXES OR FAMILY TO COME BETWEEN THEM. NOW THAT DANG HARLOWE IRKED MY MOTHERFUDGESICKLESTIX NERVES WITH HOW SHE ACTED AFTER THEY WERE BACK FROM THEIR TRIP🙄. HASHEEM WAS TRUE BOOK BAE IN REAL LIFE. HE WAS THE EPITOME OF A MAN WHO PAID ATTENTION AND MADE ISH HAPPEN FOR HIS GIRL. HIM SITTING OUTSIDE AND READING BOOKS THAT HE BROUGHT HER RATHER ON DUTY OR OFF WAS EVERYTHING😍. I’M GLAD SHE GOT HER ISH TOGETHER AND ALLOWED THAT MAN TO LOVE HER OUT LOUD🥰.

[Shamoya Radcliffe · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review: thanks to A. Blossom for allowing me to read this early.

I was smiling the entire time reading this one ☺️ this was the one perfect Valentine’s Day themed novella. Fake relationship/ best friends to lovers/a little messy/ a little bit forbidden.

This follows the FMC Harlowe, she is a romance book content creator who gets invited on this couples retreat brand trip, but the thing is while she raves about swoon worthy romances she is in fact single. Now she is stressing trying to find the perfect boyfriend to book for her trip. When all fails she had to asked her best friend to do her this one favor and be her fake boyfriend for a few days.

Hasheem being the friend he is couldn’t say no to Harlowe and after one kiss between the two, they both started to feel things. Harlowe was an over thinker and certified crash out, but Hasheem was the calm to her raging storm. Everytime she almost flies off the rails he reels her back in.

I loved how attentive Hasheem was, he constantly checked in and made sure she is comfortable. He really was her best friend and has always shown that through his acts of service. He was the perfect book boyfriend

There was just enough drama/ plot / and the perfect friends to lovers love story.