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Devon Memorial #1
Operazione boyfriend. Un romance MM fake dating e spicy
Una storia indimenticabile che, tra bugie innocenti e una chimica che cresce pagina dopo pagina, celebra il potere dell'amore che nasce dove e quando meno ci si aspetta.
Prendi Dean Hollis: un giovane chirurgo che lavora giorno e notte, sacrificando qualsiasi forma di vita sociale.
Quando la sorella lo invita al suo matrimonio, pur di non fare la figura dell'eterno single, finisce per dire che porterà anche il suo nuovo, "inesistente", compagno.
E poi Taylan Carter: un impacciato specializzando in medicina, affascinante, bello come il sole e soprattutto al verde. Il candidato ideale per il ruolo di "fidanzato". Dopotutto dovrà fingere solo per una settimana e in cambio rimedierà una vacanza gratis in un bellissimo resort di lusso su un'isola tropicale. Poi le loro strade torneranno a dividersi…
Facile. O almeno, dovrebbe esserlo.
Perché tra un letto da condividere, bagni al tramonto e parenti fin troppo curiosi, la linea tra finzione e realtà inizia a sfumare. Tay si ritrova a dimenticare che è solo una messinscena, mentre Dean – abituato ad avere tutto sotto controllo – scopre che restare professionale in sua presenza potrebbe essere l'unica "operazione" destinata a fallire.
In fondo, fingere di essere innamorati è semplice. Esserlo davvero è tutta un'altra storia.
Prendi Dean Hollis: un giovane chirurgo che lavora giorno e notte, sacrificando qualsiasi forma di vita sociale.
Quando la sorella lo invita al suo matrimonio, pur di non fare la figura dell'eterno single, finisce per dire che porterà anche il suo nuovo, "inesistente", compagno.
E poi Taylan Carter: un impacciato specializzando in medicina, affascinante, bello come il sole e soprattutto al verde. Il candidato ideale per il ruolo di "fidanzato". Dopotutto dovrà fingere solo per una settimana e in cambio rimedierà una vacanza gratis in un bellissimo resort di lusso su un'isola tropicale. Poi le loro strade torneranno a dividersi…
Facile. O almeno, dovrebbe esserlo.
Perché tra un letto da condividere, bagni al tramonto e parenti fin troppo curiosi, la linea tra finzione e realtà inizia a sfumare. Tay si ritrova a dimenticare che è solo una messinscena, mentre Dean – abituato ad avere tutto sotto controllo – scopre che restare professionale in sua presenza potrebbe essere l'unica "operazione" destinata a fallire.
In fondo, fingere di essere innamorati è semplice. Esserlo davvero è tutta un'altra storia.
262 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 12, 2026
About the author
Zarah Detand
21 books472 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.
May 15, 2026
To get his family off his case about dating, Dean needs to produce a semi-serious boyfriend as his date to his sister's wedding—except he's very single and doesn't have the time or inclination for a relationship right now. And Tay could really use a vacation—except he doesn't have the cash to spare. A meddling mutual friend sees an opportunity for both of them...and soon they're plotting a fake relationship for the ages.
This was 1) fluff and 2) adorable. I'm kind of (and by kind of I mean very) over the reduction of romance novels to TikTik-friendly tropes (in this case, mostly #fakedating and #onebed), but I genuinely appreciate the way the fake dating part of things plays out here. To start with, Dean and Tay go into this with clear expectations and a lot of prep work. They're doctors, so they're well versed in studying, and they're determined to do this right; they know that to pull this off they need a level of knowledge about and comfort with each other well before the wedding. And what that means is that by the time the wedding trip rolls around, well into the book, they already know each other pretty well and, better, like each other as people and not just as strangers who are (surprise! except not actually a surprise here) sharing a bed.
The conflict is relatively mild and realistic (no evil villains!); aside from their own hang-ups, Dean and Tay need to consider the fact that they have different seniority levels at the hospital, and gossip could have serious implications for their careers. It's not over-dramatic, which was really nice. Ooh, also, there's very good banter.
Solid beach read; would read more.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
This was 1) fluff and 2) adorable. I'm kind of (and by kind of I mean very) over the reduction of romance novels to TikTik-friendly tropes (in this case, mostly #fakedating and #onebed), but I genuinely appreciate the way the fake dating part of things plays out here. To start with, Dean and Tay go into this with clear expectations and a lot of prep work. They're doctors, so they're well versed in studying, and they're determined to do this right; they know that to pull this off they need a level of knowledge about and comfort with each other well before the wedding. And what that means is that by the time the wedding trip rolls around, well into the book, they already know each other pretty well and, better, like each other as people and not just as strangers who are (surprise! except not actually a surprise here) sharing a bed.
The conflict is relatively mild and realistic (no evil villains!); aside from their own hang-ups, Dean and Tay need to consider the fact that they have different seniority levels at the hospital, and gossip could have serious implications for their careers. It's not over-dramatic, which was really nice. Ooh, also, there's very good banter.
Solid beach read; would read more.
Thanks to the author and publisher for providing a review copy through NetGalley.
June 27, 2026
Well for once it was easy to imagine the setting of somewhere hot!! It was 33 degrees celsius INSIDE my house as I was reading this, which is frankly an insane temperature considering that I live further north than almost all of Canada, and I consider 8 degrees celsius to be t-shirt weather 😂😂😂
This was definitely a fun read though and also my first read (but definitely not last!) from this author. Tay was so sweet and sassy, and I absolutely loved how he was ready to declare his love like five minutes into the trip! I think Tay may also be the first MC I've read that's Turkish (that I can remember) and I loved the mentions of Turkish food - it was sooo nice when I visited, and I loved almost all the food I tried too, except for sheep brain soup.... less time remembering that experience, the better honestly 😂
Dean was an interesting character too, and even though he messed up a few times and came across as hot and cold, I actually really liked him and Tay together and their snarky games during the wedding event were so entertaining. Dean trying to cook for Tay was endearing and funny, and I liked how they resolved their conflict with the workplace situation.
Looking forward to the next book, and I'm absolutely going to go find more books from this author to read!
This was definitely a fun read though and also my first read (but definitely not last!) from this author. Tay was so sweet and sassy, and I absolutely loved how he was ready to declare his love like five minutes into the trip! I think Tay may also be the first MC I've read that's Turkish (that I can remember) and I loved the mentions of Turkish food - it was sooo nice when I visited, and I loved almost all the food I tried too, except for sheep brain soup.... less time remembering that experience, the better honestly 😂
Dean was an interesting character too, and even though he messed up a few times and came across as hot and cold, I actually really liked him and Tay together and their snarky games during the wedding event were so entertaining. Dean trying to cook for Tay was endearing and funny, and I liked how they resolved their conflict with the workplace situation.
Looking forward to the next book, and I'm absolutely going to go find more books from this author to read!
May 12, 2026
Operation Boyfriend by Zarah Detand
Contemporary diverse M-M romance. LGBTQ.
Doctor Dean Hollis needs a plus-one for his sister’s destination wedding. A co-worker sets him up with Taylan Cartel, who Dean has already met. There are sparks as they meet for coffee and agree to pretend to be a couple in the high end resort. They just have to get their stories straight. And not let anyone in the hospital know about their relationship. And sleep in the same room, same bed at the resort. And fool everyone at the wedding that they really are a couple.
What could go wrong?
🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Jamie Day. An excellent performance, I really thought it was two different narrators until I double checked. Specific voices for the two MC’s plus a few of the secondary characters. Emotions were clearly heard.
These two just fit together. Opposite in some ways, the same in others. Emotional, steamy, and enjoyable.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.
Contemporary diverse M-M romance. LGBTQ.
Doctor Dean Hollis needs a plus-one for his sister’s destination wedding. A co-worker sets him up with Taylan Cartel, who Dean has already met. There are sparks as they meet for coffee and agree to pretend to be a couple in the high end resort. They just have to get their stories straight. And not let anyone in the hospital know about their relationship. And sleep in the same room, same bed at the resort. And fool everyone at the wedding that they really are a couple.
What could go wrong?
🎧 I listened to an audiobook narrated by Jamie Day. An excellent performance, I really thought it was two different narrators until I double checked. Specific voices for the two MC’s plus a few of the secondary characters. Emotions were clearly heard.
These two just fit together. Opposite in some ways, the same in others. Emotional, steamy, and enjoyable.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley and Dreamscape Media.
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.
May 17, 2026
4.25 stars
Fake relationship isn't usually one of my favorite romance tropes. HOWEVER, Zarah Detand absolutely made it work for me here.
Yes, there's the fake boyfriend setup - but there's also an actual PLOT and a relationship that develops naturally alongside it. Dean and Taylan are reintroduced through a mutual friend, and they slowly become friends first. They spend time together, get to know each other properly... and then the FEELINGS arrive.
OH, THE INTERNAL FEELINGS. SO MANY OF THEM. I was completely invested.
I especially loved how distinct their voices felt. Dean is the quieter, more serious one, while Taylan is charming, easy-going, and flirty. Watching Taylan slowly chip away at Dean’s "fortress of solitude" brick by brick was incredibly satisfying. But it goes both ways - Dean also pushes Taylan to think more seriously about his future, his talent, and his career choices.
They were just SO GOOD for each other.
This was such a lovely, lovely read. Sure, I got frustrated during the brief breakup. Honestly, Taylan… there had to be a BETTER moment to confess your feelings 😅 But the reunion absolutely made up for it.
And I adored the supporting cast too—the friends and family members really helped make the story feel warm and complete.
Another winner from Detand for me!
Fake relationship isn't usually one of my favorite romance tropes. HOWEVER, Zarah Detand absolutely made it work for me here.
Yes, there's the fake boyfriend setup - but there's also an actual PLOT and a relationship that develops naturally alongside it. Dean and Taylan are reintroduced through a mutual friend, and they slowly become friends first. They spend time together, get to know each other properly... and then the FEELINGS arrive.
OH, THE INTERNAL FEELINGS. SO MANY OF THEM. I was completely invested.
I especially loved how distinct their voices felt. Dean is the quieter, more serious one, while Taylan is charming, easy-going, and flirty. Watching Taylan slowly chip away at Dean’s "fortress of solitude" brick by brick was incredibly satisfying. But it goes both ways - Dean also pushes Taylan to think more seriously about his future, his talent, and his career choices.
They were just SO GOOD for each other.
This was such a lovely, lovely read. Sure, I got frustrated during the brief breakup. Honestly, Taylan… there had to be a BETTER moment to confess your feelings 😅 But the reunion absolutely made up for it.
And I adored the supporting cast too—the friends and family members really helped make the story feel warm and complete.
Another winner from Detand for me!
June 23, 2026
I needed a doctor romance!
I love this book and I’m excited to continue on the series. I’m always looking for a new fresh settings and plots. I love the idea of doctors and a hospital. Add in a fake date and a wedding…. So fun! I swear I was only frustrated with the characters a couple of times but I think that’s just how doctors are! So it was very realistic. I definitely recommend it! Especially if you want a new fun romance setting!
I love this book and I’m excited to continue on the series. I’m always looking for a new fresh settings and plots. I love the idea of doctors and a hospital. Add in a fake date and a wedding…. So fun! I swear I was only frustrated with the characters a couple of times but I think that’s just how doctors are! So it was very realistic. I definitely recommend it! Especially if you want a new fun romance setting!
June 25, 2026
I was actually bummed about this one. It had its good moments but it seemed unfinished at times. For being doctors they were almost immature.
Example. At one point, Dean was 2 fingers deep in Tay and he makes a joke? It completely ruined the moment for me. There was so much random conversation during sex it wasnt gold for me.
“Hey. Dean?” He made a questioning sound, followed by a teasing nip at my nipple. My hips jolted. “Why—” I broke off, my thoughts cracking apart when he twisted his fingers. Stars cartwheeled through my vision. “Why did the banana go to the doctor?”
“Seriously— now?” He sounded fond, though, almost painfully so, and it lit some kind of spark behind my sternum, a brightness that I wasn’t ready for. I willed it away, tried to keep it light.
At times I tell the characters apart in their speech and thoughts. I had to look for context clues or check the beginning of the chapter.
Also, some scenes ended abruptly... They would be chatting at dinner, their legs brush under the table and you turn the page to them waking up the next morning....🤔 (Not an exact example)
Another example...They packed their bags and are talking about breakfast....you turn the page and their plane had landed in NY.
I did not appreciate Tay recounting his hook ups to Dean. Even talked about how great this one dick was....yuck for me.
There was a secondly character Tom who flirted with Dean when they were introduced. Tay was jealous and made himself know. Later, Dean was paired with Tom during a challenge. Tay's jealousy ramped up as Tom touched and laughed with Dean. After the games Tay kissed Dean passionately. Tom just disappeared from the book after that....There was no resolution or even conversation about the jealously.
Spoilers for the ending.
Dean and Tay arrive back home at the airport and Tay's bags are taking forever. Dean gets a text... his long time, 18 yr old, patient is finally getting a new heart and she wants him to do the transplant.
When he stepped back, I released him with a smile. “Go, okay? Good luck.”
“Yeah.” He grinned at me, shaken and bright. “Thanks.” Already halfway gone, and God, I should let him leave. He had to, of course he did, but I just… Fuck. The words had been pulling at me all throughout the flight, and now, now. A way to anchor us, give him a reason to come back. Maybe. Deep breath. Okay. I raised my head and held his gaze. “I love you.”
Quiet, and yet it landed like an explosion. Time ground to a halt. He blinked at me, eyes stunned wide, while my idiot heart was throwing itself against my ribs, trying to escape. Please, Dean. Please. A tiny shift of his weight towards me? Maybe. And then, suddenly, his walls slammed down, hard enough to bruise. His attention flicked away as he took a step back, blindly fumbling for his suitcase.
“I— okay.” Voice clipped. “I need to go.”
My God! THAT IS WHEN HE CHOOSE TO LAY THAT ON HIM!!
That man had a desperate patient to get to and Tay throws out an I LOVE YOU...and expected Deans brain to be working!!!
Ughhhh it was fucking frustrating then Dean spent hours upon hours transplanting a heart and staying with her, passing out exhausted with Tay on his mind . The next day he got up early and went back to his patient again with Tay again on his mind. He messaged Greg their mutual friend to help work through his feeling.
All the while Tay was bad mouthing him to Rory...and Fuck Rory. What a shitty fucking person.
And actually fuck Tay too. He knew Dean better then anyone and actually explained everything perfectly to Rory but he let his dumbass talk himself out of a perfectly reasonable explanation. Toxic fucking friends....Rory should have been reassuring not aggressively fucking stupid.
" I rubbed at my tired face. “I think he was just… overwhelmed. Fresh off the flight, a patient of his just got a heart and they called him in. He’s not exactly great with emotions and vulnerability. Not part of the surgical curriculum, let’s face it. Plus, he’s got family baggage.”
“So fucking what?” Rory was just a beacon of eloquence today, weren’t they? I couldn’t work up even a hint of amusement, too drained to feel much at all. “Sure, patient emergency, big deal. Still. He doesn’t feel the same? Least he could’ve done is send a ‘Talk later’ from the cab. Stop making excuses for him.”
“You’re…” I bit the inside of my cheek, leaned into a quiet spark of anger. “You’re right. I— yeah. He could’ve sent something. Anything.” Rory leaned forward, halfway across the table.
“Repeat after me: I deserve better.”
“I…” My pulse thudded in the quiet space between us. “Yeah. I do.”
“Say it.”
I inhaled, chest tight. “I deserve better.”
The 2 days after the flight landed Dean finds Tay on the landing at work and professes his love to him...It was sweet he wants them to work gives him a house key!!
Tay does not say it back because QUOTE: Those words are to fragile to rush"
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! UGHHHH He didnt mind throwing them out at an airport when he knew Dean was in a hurry to save a patient.
Over it...not for me.
Example. At one point, Dean was 2 fingers deep in Tay and he makes a joke? It completely ruined the moment for me. There was so much random conversation during sex it wasnt gold for me.
“Hey. Dean?” He made a questioning sound, followed by a teasing nip at my nipple. My hips jolted. “Why—” I broke off, my thoughts cracking apart when he twisted his fingers. Stars cartwheeled through my vision. “Why did the banana go to the doctor?”
“Seriously— now?” He sounded fond, though, almost painfully so, and it lit some kind of spark behind my sternum, a brightness that I wasn’t ready for. I willed it away, tried to keep it light.
At times I tell the characters apart in their speech and thoughts. I had to look for context clues or check the beginning of the chapter.
Also, some scenes ended abruptly... They would be chatting at dinner, their legs brush under the table and you turn the page to them waking up the next morning....🤔 (Not an exact example)
Another example...They packed their bags and are talking about breakfast....you turn the page and their plane had landed in NY.
I did not appreciate Tay recounting his hook ups to Dean. Even talked about how great this one dick was....yuck for me.
There was a secondly character Tom who flirted with Dean when they were introduced. Tay was jealous and made himself know. Later, Dean was paired with Tom during a challenge. Tay's jealousy ramped up as Tom touched and laughed with Dean. After the games Tay kissed Dean passionately. Tom just disappeared from the book after that....There was no resolution or even conversation about the jealously.
Spoilers for the ending.
Dean and Tay arrive back home at the airport and Tay's bags are taking forever. Dean gets a text... his long time, 18 yr old, patient is finally getting a new heart and she wants him to do the transplant.
When he stepped back, I released him with a smile. “Go, okay? Good luck.”
“Yeah.” He grinned at me, shaken and bright. “Thanks.” Already halfway gone, and God, I should let him leave. He had to, of course he did, but I just… Fuck. The words had been pulling at me all throughout the flight, and now, now. A way to anchor us, give him a reason to come back. Maybe. Deep breath. Okay. I raised my head and held his gaze. “I love you.”
Quiet, and yet it landed like an explosion. Time ground to a halt. He blinked at me, eyes stunned wide, while my idiot heart was throwing itself against my ribs, trying to escape. Please, Dean. Please. A tiny shift of his weight towards me? Maybe. And then, suddenly, his walls slammed down, hard enough to bruise. His attention flicked away as he took a step back, blindly fumbling for his suitcase.
“I— okay.” Voice clipped. “I need to go.”
My God! THAT IS WHEN HE CHOOSE TO LAY THAT ON HIM!!
That man had a desperate patient to get to and Tay throws out an I LOVE YOU...and expected Deans brain to be working!!!
Ughhhh it was fucking frustrating then Dean spent hours upon hours transplanting a heart and staying with her, passing out exhausted with Tay on his mind . The next day he got up early and went back to his patient again with Tay again on his mind. He messaged Greg their mutual friend to help work through his feeling.
All the while Tay was bad mouthing him to Rory...and Fuck Rory. What a shitty fucking person.
And actually fuck Tay too. He knew Dean better then anyone and actually explained everything perfectly to Rory but he let his dumbass talk himself out of a perfectly reasonable explanation. Toxic fucking friends....Rory should have been reassuring not aggressively fucking stupid.
" I rubbed at my tired face. “I think he was just… overwhelmed. Fresh off the flight, a patient of his just got a heart and they called him in. He’s not exactly great with emotions and vulnerability. Not part of the surgical curriculum, let’s face it. Plus, he’s got family baggage.”
“So fucking what?” Rory was just a beacon of eloquence today, weren’t they? I couldn’t work up even a hint of amusement, too drained to feel much at all. “Sure, patient emergency, big deal. Still. He doesn’t feel the same? Least he could’ve done is send a ‘Talk later’ from the cab. Stop making excuses for him.”
“You’re…” I bit the inside of my cheek, leaned into a quiet spark of anger. “You’re right. I— yeah. He could’ve sent something. Anything.” Rory leaned forward, halfway across the table.
“Repeat after me: I deserve better.”
“I…” My pulse thudded in the quiet space between us. “Yeah. I do.”
“Say it.”
I inhaled, chest tight. “I deserve better.”
The 2 days after the flight landed Dean finds Tay on the landing at work and professes his love to him...It was sweet he wants them to work gives him a house key!!
Tay does not say it back because QUOTE: Those words are to fragile to rush"
ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?! UGHHHH He didnt mind throwing them out at an airport when he knew Dean was in a hurry to save a patient.
Over it...not for me.
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 19, 2026
A sweet summer read, a fake-dating setup done right!
This works so well for what it promises to be. We have Dean, who is desperate to get his family off his back about his lack of a serious relationship. With his sister's wedding fast approaching, he has a bit of a problem: it's a very luxurious destination wedding. Enter Tay, who could really use a vacation, doesn't have a lot of money to spare, is single, and has had a crush on Dean for years. Then there's Gregg, Dean's best friend, who obviously knows his buddy well and proposes that Dean invites Tay to be his plus-one for the wedding. What could possibly go wrong?
The whole thing was sweet, but it also tackled some serious topics throughout. With the dual POV, we get into the mindset of both Tay and Dean, discovering their insecurities and how they work through them internally. As they're both doctors at different stages of their careers, we also explore how a relationship might affect their professional dynamics and power balance. In my opinion, everything resolves very nicely and with genuine consideration for everyone involved.
If you're looking for a sweet summer read with a bit of spice, this is definitely the one.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
This works so well for what it promises to be. We have Dean, who is desperate to get his family off his back about his lack of a serious relationship. With his sister's wedding fast approaching, he has a bit of a problem: it's a very luxurious destination wedding. Enter Tay, who could really use a vacation, doesn't have a lot of money to spare, is single, and has had a crush on Dean for years. Then there's Gregg, Dean's best friend, who obviously knows his buddy well and proposes that Dean invites Tay to be his plus-one for the wedding. What could possibly go wrong?
The whole thing was sweet, but it also tackled some serious topics throughout. With the dual POV, we get into the mindset of both Tay and Dean, discovering their insecurities and how they work through them internally. As they're both doctors at different stages of their careers, we also explore how a relationship might affect their professional dynamics and power balance. In my opinion, everything resolves very nicely and with genuine consideration for everyone involved.
If you're looking for a sweet summer read with a bit of spice, this is definitely the one.
Thank you to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy.
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!
June 11, 2026
Notes I took while reading:
Dean's phone conversation with his sister at the start was weird. It sounded like he told her the truth about how he'd just lied to their mom to get her to stop worrying about him being single, but then the conversation continues to her asking him to bring his boyfriend? I guess Dean saying: "Look, I just didn't want Mom to act like I'm a failed social experiment because I'm single" was a rebuttal to the idea that things between him and his fake boyfriend was "serious" rather than the fact that there was no boyfriend in the first place.
I liked their meet-cute well enough. It wasn't immediate instalove and set up a decent reason for why they both agreed to fake dating.
I didn't like how the story basically timeskips key moments between them. I thought them texting the "fifty first questions to find four soulmate" thing was going to be the vehicle to show them getting to know each other, so I was shocked when the very first question happened in the background (then weirdly retold after Tay sent the second question). It happens again when the story tells us that Dean and Tay barely saw each other in October, but had continually texted in lieu of physically getting together. It was already weird that the story didn't find excuses for them to actually meet up, so it was even weirder for the story to timelapse the texts since that was literally the only evidence we could've seen to them getting more familiar with one another. It made Dean's "within two weeks of knowing him, I way letting my walls wear thin" tread close to unjustified affection because why exactly did Dean start to feel comfortable enough around Tay to bring his walls down when we hadn't seen them interact much outside of summary paragraphs?
"We managed to align our breaks once... Our chat was focused on logistics..." WHY WAS THIS SUMMARIZED? I get summarizing events when they're repetitive, but we'd literally only seen these two interact in person ONCE. This date should've shown us how their dynamic has since evolved after getting to know each other via texts.
The scene where Dean comforts Tay after he'd just felt with a domestic abuse case was sweet. It was a good way of having Tay learn about Dean's history and also speed both of them getting realistically closer.
I liked the simmering attraction between Dean and Tay, though I don't think there were quite enough hurdles between the two to have me believe that neither of them would've asked to revist the terms of their fake dating to be less fake. Two generally reasonable men, who indicated physical and emotional attraction to one another seem like they should've been able to talk more openly about trying to see where this went. I think Dean's "I don't want to ruin this with sex" schtick didn't really land because him declaring that Tay was "one of the people in his small circle" came on way too quickly. Even though he and Tay had meaningful interactions, I needed a whole lot more than half a month of texting to believe that Tay had suddenly shot up his relationship ranking given he's been characterized as a guy who's supposedly closed off and guarded. It would've helped too to actually have seen evidence of how sex had ruined friendships for Dean in the past, particularly because Dean's personal trauma was around not being able to feel like he could open up to people and not some sex related issue. The story just begs you to assume that sex = can't be friends without explaining why and I couldn't agree with that assertion at all since there was no evidence presented as to why that would be the case. Them later bringing up the logistics of them working together made sense as a blocker, but it lacked the emotional backing.
When they did have sex, it really just emphasized how little actual conflict there was standing between them. It was then super weird to read about Dean trying to enforce just being friends with Tay when he'd clearly already indicated both physical and emotional attraction. The question of WHY was always on the forefront of my brain the entire time Dean was fighting against his attraction.
Ugh, that really ruined my enjoyment of this book. Dean literally lived out a fantasy romance and all he could think about was his things couldn't continue when they got back because of some unspecific "I suck at relationships" thing? Because Tay possibly could've worked under him at work?
When they left the wedding, I realized that Theo's supposedly shitty friends never made an appearance despite being foreshadowed like three/four times. Why even mention Theo's rich, assholey friends if they literally were never going to be a problem? Was it just because the author wanted to emphasize that Charley's fiancé/husband was rich but not spoiled? Honestly, Theo didn't even need to be rich for how little it mattered. The story could've just taken place in Hawaii or something for since the supposed extravagance barely showed up. Yeah, Dean and Tay stayed in a villa and had a week of activities but none of that screamed super wealthy anyway because it could've just been a hotel room and planned outings. Even them making fun of pretending to be super snobby could've still worked without any changes.
Saying "I love you" after only being together for a week will never ever feel right for me. Dean and Tay got on well and had a handful of meaningful interactions, but none of it truly felt like it warranted one of the strongest declarations you can make in a romance novel. LOVE is the end game and should be treated as such. I needed a hell of a lot more than seven days of pleasant conversation and sex to even get anywhere close to the four letter word.
When Dean excused himself from the selection process because he said he had a possible connection to a candidate (aka Tay), I literally rolled my eyes. Why the hell did he even see his relationship with Tay as an issue if there was protocol around personal connections? Was Dean literally that scared about being gossiped about that he was fighting the idea of dating Tay? That was the main hurdle to getting with the man he supposedly LOVED? How fucking weak was that "love" if "I don't want people at work to talk" was the main competing idea (which would've been fine if Dean's relationship with his reputation was actually developed to be super important, but it wasn't so this was disappointing)
The ending was fine, but really just suffered by being the bookend to a story that I had issues with. Also, the epilogueS were too indulgent. Pick one scene and go with it, not three separate ones (I get they're optional reading, but still doesn't make them any less egregious)
This was close to being a great novel for me, if only the conflicts were actually better formed. Dean's internal fight against the romance never made sense because there wasn't anything truly strong blocking him from starting things with Tay. He's supposedly closed off to relationships because of his abusive dad but that isn't explained or connected to the present. Just having parents in an abusive relationship doesn't automagically equal "I don't do relationships with people". It still needs to be connected to a personal belief AND executed as such by the character, which the story never does for Dean because it's never elaborated on why his experiences made him believe he couldn't have a future with Tay AND he literally never acted like a person who was fearful of relationships (he's reluctant at the start of fake dating, but wouldn't anyone be in his position?) Then after Dean does get close to Tay (because there was nothing emotionally he had to work through) the story tries to use "we're coworkers and there's a power imbalance" as the main thing keeping the two apart and that's also weak because it wasn't even against their hospital's policy to date coworkers AND Tay had a choice between departments.
Tay by comparison was fine (mainly because he wasn't the one standing in the way). He's kinda boring as an MC because he doesn't have anything else going on and isn't developed beyond "I want to see where things go with Dean".
TL;DR: The book is melodramatic because there's nothing actually real keeping Dean and Tay apart, but the book acts like there is. Everything is just in Dean's head (with poor justification). Both MCs felt shallow since there wasn't anything going on for them outside the romance (Dean's connection to the transplant patient only showed in like three scenes, Tay's money issues and work literally only showed up at the starting and ending chapters)
Dean's phone conversation with his sister at the start was weird. It sounded like he told her the truth about how he'd just lied to their mom to get her to stop worrying about him being single, but then the conversation continues to her asking him to bring his boyfriend? I guess Dean saying: "Look, I just didn't want Mom to act like I'm a failed social experiment because I'm single" was a rebuttal to the idea that things between him and his fake boyfriend was "serious" rather than the fact that there was no boyfriend in the first place.
I liked their meet-cute well enough. It wasn't immediate instalove and set up a decent reason for why they both agreed to fake dating.
I didn't like how the story basically timeskips key moments between them. I thought them texting the "fifty first questions to find four soulmate" thing was going to be the vehicle to show them getting to know each other, so I was shocked when the very first question happened in the background (then weirdly retold after Tay sent the second question). It happens again when the story tells us that Dean and Tay barely saw each other in October, but had continually texted in lieu of physically getting together. It was already weird that the story didn't find excuses for them to actually meet up, so it was even weirder for the story to timelapse the texts since that was literally the only evidence we could've seen to them getting more familiar with one another. It made Dean's "within two weeks of knowing him, I way letting my walls wear thin" tread close to unjustified affection because why exactly did Dean start to feel comfortable enough around Tay to bring his walls down when we hadn't seen them interact much outside of summary paragraphs?
"We managed to align our breaks once... Our chat was focused on logistics..." WHY WAS THIS SUMMARIZED? I get summarizing events when they're repetitive, but we'd literally only seen these two interact in person ONCE. This date should've shown us how their dynamic has since evolved after getting to know each other via texts.
The scene where Dean comforts Tay after he'd just felt with a domestic abuse case was sweet. It was a good way of having Tay learn about Dean's history and also speed both of them getting realistically closer.
I liked the simmering attraction between Dean and Tay, though I don't think there were quite enough hurdles between the two to have me believe that neither of them would've asked to revist the terms of their fake dating to be less fake. Two generally reasonable men, who indicated physical and emotional attraction to one another seem like they should've been able to talk more openly about trying to see where this went. I think Dean's "I don't want to ruin this with sex" schtick didn't really land because him declaring that Tay was "one of the people in his small circle" came on way too quickly. Even though he and Tay had meaningful interactions, I needed a whole lot more than half a month of texting to believe that Tay had suddenly shot up his relationship ranking given he's been characterized as a guy who's supposedly closed off and guarded. It would've helped too to actually have seen evidence of how sex had ruined friendships for Dean in the past, particularly because Dean's personal trauma was around not being able to feel like he could open up to people and not some sex related issue. The story just begs you to assume that sex = can't be friends without explaining why and I couldn't agree with that assertion at all since there was no evidence presented as to why that would be the case. Them later bringing up the logistics of them working together made sense as a blocker, but it lacked the emotional backing.
When they did have sex, it really just emphasized how little actual conflict there was standing between them. It was then super weird to read about Dean trying to enforce just being friends with Tay when he'd clearly already indicated both physical and emotional attraction. The question of WHY was always on the forefront of my brain the entire time Dean was fighting against his attraction.
Ugh, that really ruined my enjoyment of this book. Dean literally lived out a fantasy romance and all he could think about was his things couldn't continue when they got back because of some unspecific "I suck at relationships" thing? Because Tay possibly could've worked under him at work?
When they left the wedding, I realized that Theo's supposedly shitty friends never made an appearance despite being foreshadowed like three/four times. Why even mention Theo's rich, assholey friends if they literally were never going to be a problem? Was it just because the author wanted to emphasize that Charley's fiancé/husband was rich but not spoiled? Honestly, Theo didn't even need to be rich for how little it mattered. The story could've just taken place in Hawaii or something for since the supposed extravagance barely showed up. Yeah, Dean and Tay stayed in a villa and had a week of activities but none of that screamed super wealthy anyway because it could've just been a hotel room and planned outings. Even them making fun of pretending to be super snobby could've still worked without any changes.
Saying "I love you" after only being together for a week will never ever feel right for me. Dean and Tay got on well and had a handful of meaningful interactions, but none of it truly felt like it warranted one of the strongest declarations you can make in a romance novel. LOVE is the end game and should be treated as such. I needed a hell of a lot more than seven days of pleasant conversation and sex to even get anywhere close to the four letter word.
When Dean excused himself from the selection process because he said he had a possible connection to a candidate (aka Tay), I literally rolled my eyes. Why the hell did he even see his relationship with Tay as an issue if there was protocol around personal connections? Was Dean literally that scared about being gossiped about that he was fighting the idea of dating Tay? That was the main hurdle to getting with the man he supposedly LOVED? How fucking weak was that "love" if "I don't want people at work to talk" was the main competing idea (which would've been fine if Dean's relationship with his reputation was actually developed to be super important, but it wasn't so this was disappointing)
The ending was fine, but really just suffered by being the bookend to a story that I had issues with. Also, the epilogueS were too indulgent. Pick one scene and go with it, not three separate ones (I get they're optional reading, but still doesn't make them any less egregious)
This was close to being a great novel for me, if only the conflicts were actually better formed. Dean's internal fight against the romance never made sense because there wasn't anything truly strong blocking him from starting things with Tay. He's supposedly closed off to relationships because of his abusive dad but that isn't explained or connected to the present. Just having parents in an abusive relationship doesn't automagically equal "I don't do relationships with people". It still needs to be connected to a personal belief AND executed as such by the character, which the story never does for Dean because it's never elaborated on why his experiences made him believe he couldn't have a future with Tay AND he literally never acted like a person who was fearful of relationships (he's reluctant at the start of fake dating, but wouldn't anyone be in his position?) Then after Dean does get close to Tay (because there was nothing emotionally he had to work through) the story tries to use "we're coworkers and there's a power imbalance" as the main thing keeping the two apart and that's also weak because it wasn't even against their hospital's policy to date coworkers AND Tay had a choice between departments.
Tay by comparison was fine (mainly because he wasn't the one standing in the way). He's kinda boring as an MC because he doesn't have anything else going on and isn't developed beyond "I want to see where things go with Dean".
TL;DR: The book is melodramatic because there's nothing actually real keeping Dean and Tay apart, but the book acts like there is. Everything is just in Dean's head (with poor justification). Both MCs felt shallow since there wasn't anything going on for them outside the romance (Dean's connection to the transplant patient only showed in like three scenes, Tay's money issues and work literally only showed up at the starting and ending chapters)
May 17, 2026
I both love and not-love this book. I almost DNFed it, but I'm also glad I did not DNF it.
I’ve been fooled by the blurb.
Reading the book info, I thought the story would center around the tropical wedding destination, the fake-dating, and all that. The hilarity of that taking place and unfolding. But no. It wasn’t until almost halfway to the book that we'd actually get to thatpart. Majority of the story focuses on Dean and Tay’s careers as doctors. For the first quarter of the book, a lot of the scenes took place at the hospital, and there were very little face-to-face conversation between Dean and Tay. It’s boring and depressing, and I felt like I signed up for a different book and got handed the wrong one. I thought I’d be getting a romcom, but what I got instead was a supporting story about an eighteen-year-old patient who’s become increasingly bitter over the long wait for a new heart, and a moral question about whether or not she was a bad person for thinking that the only way she’d get her operation was if someone died and she could have their heart.
Dean is a complex character and there were times when I wanted to punch him in the face.
I struggled to get to know him and connect with him, since it felt like Dean himself didn’t even know who he was. He couldn’t even connect with himself and his own emotions. He felt alienated from them. He is so good at walling-up and hiding within himself that seeing his sister in love and happy, with the man she chose to spend the rest of her life with, got him wondering why and how. Even if the answer was as simple as “because she learned to open up and let people in,” Dean still struggled with the concept, and even the theory itself.
For someone seemingly so easy, confident, and sunshine-y, Tay sure is riddled with a lot of insecurities.
He is as fragile and as big of a coward as Dean. He’s so good at faking it, that he started coming off as not-so-genuine to me. It’s like, he's not really showing me what he’s all about and who he truly is. If there’s a wall hiding Dean, there’s a veil over Tay.
I think Dean and Tay are bad narrators.
The story is told in first person, but it doesn't make me feel closer to the characters at all. Feels like I’m only looking from the outside in. Almost as if they didn't want to be known by the reader either. Their POVs also sound about the same. I sometimes forget whose head I was in and who's talking to me. Zarah Detand could’ve just stuck to one narrator and it wouldn’t have made that much of a difference.
But, yes, this book is a 5-star read for me. For the very reason that I find it realistic.
Well, close. Believably close. And I like it. My frustrations with Dean and Tay also made them real to me. Real people are simply just that frustrating… and difficult, and complicated, and whatever, right? Dean and Tay’s relationship (in my opinion) also doesn’t cackle and pop like fireworks, the chemistry’s hard to see, it’s more muted and slow, somewhat boring, their sex scenes almost comical, and the mismatch between their characters is evident, but it feels authentic in a way. Not too fictional. And I really like it.
I’ve been fooled by the blurb.
Reading the book info, I thought the story would center around the tropical wedding destination, the fake-dating, and all that. The hilarity of that taking place and unfolding. But no. It wasn’t until almost halfway to the book that we'd actually get to thatpart. Majority of the story focuses on Dean and Tay’s careers as doctors. For the first quarter of the book, a lot of the scenes took place at the hospital, and there were very little face-to-face conversation between Dean and Tay. It’s boring and depressing, and I felt like I signed up for a different book and got handed the wrong one. I thought I’d be getting a romcom, but what I got instead was a supporting story about an eighteen-year-old patient who’s become increasingly bitter over the long wait for a new heart, and a moral question about whether or not she was a bad person for thinking that the only way she’d get her operation was if someone died and she could have their heart.
Dean is a complex character and there were times when I wanted to punch him in the face.
I struggled to get to know him and connect with him, since it felt like Dean himself didn’t even know who he was. He couldn’t even connect with himself and his own emotions. He felt alienated from them. He is so good at walling-up and hiding within himself that seeing his sister in love and happy, with the man she chose to spend the rest of her life with, got him wondering why and how. Even if the answer was as simple as “because she learned to open up and let people in,” Dean still struggled with the concept, and even the theory itself.
For someone seemingly so easy, confident, and sunshine-y, Tay sure is riddled with a lot of insecurities.
He is as fragile and as big of a coward as Dean. He’s so good at faking it, that he started coming off as not-so-genuine to me. It’s like, he's not really showing me what he’s all about and who he truly is. If there’s a wall hiding Dean, there’s a veil over Tay.
I think Dean and Tay are bad narrators.
The story is told in first person, but it doesn't make me feel closer to the characters at all. Feels like I’m only looking from the outside in. Almost as if they didn't want to be known by the reader either. Their POVs also sound about the same. I sometimes forget whose head I was in and who's talking to me. Zarah Detand could’ve just stuck to one narrator and it wouldn’t have made that much of a difference.
But, yes, this book is a 5-star read for me. For the very reason that I find it realistic.
Well, close. Believably close. And I like it. My frustrations with Dean and Tay also made them real to me. Real people are simply just that frustrating… and difficult, and complicated, and whatever, right? Dean and Tay’s relationship (in my opinion) also doesn’t cackle and pop like fireworks, the chemistry’s hard to see, it’s more muted and slow, somewhat boring, their sex scenes almost comical, and the mismatch between their characters is evident, but it feels authentic in a way. Not too fictional. And I really like it.
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 16, 2026
3.25
This book was fine. There were parts I enjoyed, but I also found myself getting bored at times. Never a good sign when you don't see how the audiobook could possibly have 2+hrs left in it (the answer is too many endings).
The actual relationship between Dean and Tay was good. Fake Dating and Only One Bed are two of my favorite tropes, so I enjoyed those aspects. I really appreciated that Detand wrote adult characters who conducted themselves and communicated like adults. I also appreciated her nods to medical shows like Grey's Anatomy and ER; Dr. Carter, Dr. Wilson and "the carousel keeps turning".
I honestly wonder if part of my struggle with this book was the narrator. I found Jamie Day's narration utterly flat. Even in the spicier scenes he was basically monotone. His voices for both Dean and Tay sounded the same to the point that if I paused a chapter and came back a few hours later I couldn't tell who was speaking and would have to go back to the beginning of the chapter to find out who's perspective the chapter was from. I even resorted to speeding up the listening speed a bit (which I very rarely do) in the hopes to make the narration slightly less monotone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select/Storm Publishing for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.
This book was fine. There were parts I enjoyed, but I also found myself getting bored at times. Never a good sign when you don't see how the audiobook could possibly have 2+hrs left in it (the answer is too many endings).
The actual relationship between Dean and Tay was good. Fake Dating and Only One Bed are two of my favorite tropes, so I enjoyed those aspects. I really appreciated that Detand wrote adult characters who conducted themselves and communicated like adults. I also appreciated her nods to medical shows like Grey's Anatomy and ER; Dr. Carter, Dr. Wilson and "the carousel keeps turning".
I honestly wonder if part of my struggle with this book was the narrator. I found Jamie Day's narration utterly flat. Even in the spicier scenes he was basically monotone. His voices for both Dean and Tay sounded the same to the point that if I paused a chapter and came back a few hours later I couldn't tell who was speaking and would have to go back to the beginning of the chapter to find out who's perspective the chapter was from. I even resorted to speeding up the listening speed a bit (which I very rarely do) in the hopes to make the narration slightly less monotone.
Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Select/Storm Publishing for access to this audiobook ARC in exchange for my honest review.
May 17, 2026
Based on the cover, I thought this was more of a romcom than it actually was.
Somehow the fake dating for an island wedding trope didn't work for me here. The pacing was very slow in the first half of the book and close to too fast in the second half. I also couldn't see the chemistry between the two MCs, Dean and Tay.
Somehow the fake dating for an island wedding trope didn't work for me here. The pacing was very slow in the first half of the book and close to too fast in the second half. I also couldn't see the chemistry between the two MCs, Dean and Tay.
June 16, 2026
Fun little medical setting fake dating romcom style book. I liked how careful Tay and Dean were with each other while still being together. I do wish that the description of possible other side character being interested in Dean and Tay having to get territorial would have been more, but the little bit that was there was fun to read.
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
May 23, 2026
Thank you NetGalley, Storm Publishing and Zarah Detand for the opportunity to read this arc for an honest review.
This was unexpected, it surprised me, in a good way, how much depth the characters turned out to have.
Dean is our resident introvert who could almost be considered a workaholic, he’s romantic and has some trauma to dissect, loved him.
Tay fell first and is for sure the most emotional stable one and extrovert most likely. This could belong to forced proximity, though like the love already there but I admit it probably made it easier.
The side characters are also lots of fun from Greg (Dean’s best friend), Rory (Tay’ roommate) to even Charley and Lex their sisters who I was waiting to have a interaction where they were both in the same room. They say what needs to be said at the right time, quite wise they are if I may say so myself. Charley does appear but even just Tay sending his sis messages was enough to actually tell me their alike.
Here’s some quotes I really enjoyed:
"I want you. But I want your friendship more than I want your
body."
"Promise me something," I said, already backing up to shrug off
my shirt. His gaze tracked my fingers, voice distracted.
"Yeah?"
"Don't ever use your powers for evil." That got his attention. "My powers?"
I waved a hand in his general direction-everything, all of him.
"That smile could start a war."
“Strange how I'd spent so much of my life chasing silence-a pillow over my head as a kid, a few uninterrupted hours of sleep during a night shift, the first rental place I'd been able to afford alone. But somehow, what I'd really needed was the right kind of noise.”
This was such a fun read, I’m still lacking time but little by little I’ll keep on reading!
This was unexpected, it surprised me, in a good way, how much depth the characters turned out to have.
Dean is our resident introvert who could almost be considered a workaholic, he’s romantic and has some trauma to dissect, loved him.
Tay fell first and is for sure the most emotional stable one and extrovert most likely. This could belong to forced proximity, though like the love already there but I admit it probably made it easier.
The side characters are also lots of fun from Greg (Dean’s best friend), Rory (Tay’ roommate) to even Charley and Lex their sisters who I was waiting to have a interaction where they were both in the same room. They say what needs to be said at the right time, quite wise they are if I may say so myself. Charley does appear but even just Tay sending his sis messages was enough to actually tell me their alike.
Here’s some quotes I really enjoyed:
"I want you. But I want your friendship more than I want your
body."
"Promise me something," I said, already backing up to shrug off
my shirt. His gaze tracked my fingers, voice distracted.
"Yeah?"
"Don't ever use your powers for evil." That got his attention. "My powers?"
I waved a hand in his general direction-everything, all of him.
"That smile could start a war."
“Strange how I'd spent so much of my life chasing silence-a pillow over my head as a kid, a few uninterrupted hours of sleep during a night shift, the first rental place I'd been able to afford alone. But somehow, what I'd really needed was the right kind of noise.”
This was such a fun read, I’m still lacking time but little by little I’ll keep on reading!
June 23, 2026
Falling for Operation Boyfriend: A Heartfelt Recommendation
The story centers around Dean Hollis, a doctor in NYC, whose sister Charley is getting married in Cambodia. His family is pressuring him to bring a date to the wedding, and that's where Taylan Carter steps in. Taylan is in his final year of residency, with those captivating dark eyes and raven hair. He's openly gay and has mentioned needing a break but can't afford one, which sparks Dean's brilliant plan.
Dean offers Tay one incredibly dreamy week on a private island—complete with luxury overwater villas and all expenses paid—in early December, just so Tay can pretend to be his boyfriend at the wedding. It seriously sounds like a rom-com pitch, and it totally works.
What makes it even better is when Tay suggests they do a clickbait article he found called “Fifty Questions to Fall in Love” — one question a day to get to know each other and make their fake boyfriend scenario feel genuine. Their banter is just perfection.
Also, the side story about Brooke had me tearing up and feeling all the emotions—such a powerful addition.
Honestly, this was my first book by Zarah Detand, and it blew me away. It was fun, heartwarming, and so enjoyable. I just wish there was a sequel because I loved Dean and Tay’s story so much! I highly recommend it if you're looking for a fun, relaxing read.
The story centers around Dean Hollis, a doctor in NYC, whose sister Charley is getting married in Cambodia. His family is pressuring him to bring a date to the wedding, and that's where Taylan Carter steps in. Taylan is in his final year of residency, with those captivating dark eyes and raven hair. He's openly gay and has mentioned needing a break but can't afford one, which sparks Dean's brilliant plan.
Dean offers Tay one incredibly dreamy week on a private island—complete with luxury overwater villas and all expenses paid—in early December, just so Tay can pretend to be his boyfriend at the wedding. It seriously sounds like a rom-com pitch, and it totally works.
What makes it even better is when Tay suggests they do a clickbait article he found called “Fifty Questions to Fall in Love” — one question a day to get to know each other and make their fake boyfriend scenario feel genuine. Their banter is just perfection.
Also, the side story about Brooke had me tearing up and feeling all the emotions—such a powerful addition.
Honestly, this was my first book by Zarah Detand, and it blew me away. It was fun, heartwarming, and so enjoyable. I just wish there was a sequel because I loved Dean and Tay’s story so much! I highly recommend it if you're looking for a fun, relaxing read.
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!
June 10, 2026
This was such a sweet and cozy read!
I really loved Dean and Tay, how they grow together and how they bring out the best in each other. I wish the book was longer because I couldn't get enough of their story. The narrator Jamie Day showed the depth in each character with the use of their voice, deeper firmer voice with Dean and softer with Tay. I'm happy we got both of their povs. So we got to listen to their feelings, reflection and also how they read each other. The spice was chefs kiss, it showed their connection and the depth of their feelings and trust. It was a really heartwarming and loving story.
I got this book for free as I'm an ARC reader, and I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily.
I really loved Dean and Tay, how they grow together and how they bring out the best in each other. I wish the book was longer because I couldn't get enough of their story. The narrator Jamie Day showed the depth in each character with the use of their voice, deeper firmer voice with Dean and softer with Tay. I'm happy we got both of their povs. So we got to listen to their feelings, reflection and also how they read each other. The spice was chefs kiss, it showed their connection and the depth of their feelings and trust. It was a really heartwarming and loving story.
I got this book for free as I'm an ARC reader, and I'm leaving this honest review voluntarily.
May 31, 2026
Thank you to Netgalley and Dreamscape Select for the ALC.
I kind of knew what I was getting myself into and didn’t expect a life changing book: two doctors fake date on vacation and fall in love. The problem is there are no stakes. It is a will they won’t they story where the conflict is poor communication and the character’s own anxiety’s.
I think shorter chapters could’ve made this more interesting and could’ve made the book able to dig deeper with the characters and their interactions with the surrounding characters.
I feel like both not much happens… and everything happens too slowly. Obviously this is not my first mlm romance and not the worst but there needs to be some other conflict as we knew these characters already had feelings before they went on vacation, which makes the rest of the story lackluster.
I kind of knew what I was getting myself into and didn’t expect a life changing book: two doctors fake date on vacation and fall in love. The problem is there are no stakes. It is a will they won’t they story where the conflict is poor communication and the character’s own anxiety’s.
I think shorter chapters could’ve made this more interesting and could’ve made the book able to dig deeper with the characters and their interactions with the surrounding characters.
I feel like both not much happens… and everything happens too slowly. Obviously this is not my first mlm romance and not the worst but there needs to be some other conflict as we knew these characters already had feelings before they went on vacation, which makes the rest of the story lackluster.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 12, 2026
Thank you Storm Publishing and NetGalley for this ARC, out today.
Fake dating, one bed and a wedding to attend. It was such a fun read, a perfect read for one afternoon. Loved the premise of the hospital background and workaholic doctors.
Both Dean and Tay are cute and very likeable, however Dean's sister was a star of the book for me.
Fun read if you like MM romance, fake dating and one bed tropes.
Fake dating, one bed and a wedding to attend. It was such a fun read, a perfect read for one afternoon. Loved the premise of the hospital background and workaholic doctors.
Both Dean and Tay are cute and very likeable, however Dean's sister was a star of the book for me.
Fun read if you like MM romance, fake dating and one bed tropes.
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!
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