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Book Boyfriend: A Witty Friends to Lovers MM Romantic Comedy
A secret crush leads to not-so-secret romance in this delightful romantic comedy from Kris Ripper
There are three things you need to know about Preston “PK” Kingsley:
1) He’s a writer, toiling in obscurity as an editorial assistant at a New York City publishing house.
2) He is not a cliché. No, really.
3) He’s been secretly in love with his best friend, Art, since they once drunkenly kissed in college.
When Art moves in with PK following a bad breakup, PK hopes this will be the moment when Art finally sees him as more than a friend. But Art seems to laugh off the very idea of them in a relationship, so PK returns to his writing roots—in fiction, he can say all the things he can’t say out loud.
In his book, PK can be the perfect boyfriend.
Before long, it seems like the whole world has a crush on the fictionalized version of him, including Art, who has no idea that the hot new book everyone's talking about is PK’s story. But when his brilliant plan to win Art over backfires, PK might lose not just his fantasy book boyfriend, but his best friend.
There are three things you need to know about Preston “PK” Kingsley:
1) He’s a writer, toiling in obscurity as an editorial assistant at a New York City publishing house.
2) He is not a cliché. No, really.
3) He’s been secretly in love with his best friend, Art, since they once drunkenly kissed in college.
When Art moves in with PK following a bad breakup, PK hopes this will be the moment when Art finally sees him as more than a friend. But Art seems to laugh off the very idea of them in a relationship, so PK returns to his writing roots—in fiction, he can say all the things he can’t say out loud.
In his book, PK can be the perfect boyfriend.
Before long, it seems like the whole world has a crush on the fictionalized version of him, including Art, who has no idea that the hot new book everyone's talking about is PK’s story. But when his brilliant plan to win Art over backfires, PK might lose not just his fantasy book boyfriend, but his best friend.
304 pages, Paperback
First published April 26, 2022
101 people are currently reading
6182 people want to read
About the author
Kris Ripper
89 books408 followersKris Ripper lives in the great state of California and zir pronouns are ze/zir. Kris shares a converted garage with a kid, can do two pull-ups in a row, and can write backwards. (No, really.) Ze has been writing fiction since ze learned how to write, and boring zir stuffed animals with stories long before that.
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April 27, 2022A striking slow burn romcom that very much takes place in one character's head. It's narrated by PK, who may be neurodivergent in some way: his thoughts are very much a squirrelling mass of associations and tangents and tangles, while his actual vocalisations are pretty inarticulate.
PK is hopelessly in love with his best friend Art, and completely unable to voice this even when Art moves in with him. He even writes a romance novel with a thinly disguised version of himself and Art, and then can't mention it to his best friend/roommate, instead persuading himself it would be better to make a Grand Public Gesture of the type often done in romance novels/movies. I have never made a secret of how much I hate the Grand Public Gesture, and I am pleased to report it goes exactly as horribly as one of those absolutely would, and iscomprehensively eviscerated in the book as the selfish, self-centred, manipulative and humiliating thing it is. Thank you, Ripper.
Given the very strong character voice, the book will absolutely stand or fall on whether you like (want to spend time with) PK. We don't get a hugely strong sense of Art as a character (we get a strong sense of how PK feels about them, which is not the same thing). The secondary characters Wade and Ray are lovely, as are PK's parents (here's to a healthy and loving parent-child relationship!). But it's the PK show, and he won't be everyone's cup of tea--squirrelly voice, somewhat enraging hesitation and self-deception, only vaguely aware of his privilege, absolutely gross as a flatmate. In other words, he's flawed, and real, and he does learn, and in fact while Art is dreaming of a Grand Romantic Gesture they don't want in reality, PK is quietly doing a hell of a lot of acts of love for them that go unnoticed. I wolfed this down with pleasure.
PK is hopelessly in love with his best friend Art, and completely unable to voice this even when Art moves in with him. He even writes a romance novel with a thinly disguised version of himself and Art, and then can't mention it to his best friend/roommate, instead persuading himself it would be better to make a Grand Public Gesture of the type often done in romance novels/movies. I have never made a secret of how much I hate the Grand Public Gesture, and I am pleased to report it goes exactly as horribly as one of those absolutely would, and iscomprehensively eviscerated in the book as the selfish, self-centred, manipulative and humiliating thing it is. Thank you, Ripper.
Given the very strong character voice, the book will absolutely stand or fall on whether you like (want to spend time with) PK. We don't get a hugely strong sense of Art as a character (we get a strong sense of how PK feels about them, which is not the same thing). The secondary characters Wade and Ray are lovely, as are PK's parents (here's to a healthy and loving parent-child relationship!). But it's the PK show, and he won't be everyone's cup of tea--squirrelly voice, somewhat enraging hesitation and self-deception, only vaguely aware of his privilege, absolutely gross as a flatmate. In other words, he's flawed, and real, and he does learn, and in fact while Art is dreaming of a Grand Romantic Gesture they don't want in reality, PK is quietly doing a hell of a lot of acts of love for them that go unnoticed. I wolfed this down with pleasure.
March 4, 2023
|| 2.5 stars ||
What I loved about this book is that there was sooo much pining and longing. It’s the slowest of slow-burns with absolutely zero smut.
The way PK (he/him) is desperately in love with his best friend, Art (they/them), had me by the throat, and it was very cute how much he adored them.
He was so obsessed with them, but he just didn’t know how to tell them, so he wrote a whole damn book about it, just so he could get his feelings out.
That sounds adorable, right? Yes, it does. I don’t accept a no to that.
The problem, however, lies in how this is written. The whole thing was generally one big monologue and there were only a few actual interactions or dialogues.
This did not only mean that not a whole lot happened, but also that we did not really get to know Art or PK’s relationship to them.
The amount of times Art and PK genuinely talk in this book can be counted on one hand, I think. We didn’t see much of their friendship, let alone a blossoming love story.
So, all in all, I liked the idea of this book. A lot. But unfortunately the execution was severely lacking, especially with regards to the connection or chemistry between them. I was just generally missing some relationship development or actual romance.
And in the end, I feel like we got way too little. I was a bit over it all: my patience was running thin, and the pay-off wasn’t worth it.
Also, I want to put this out there: PK is an idiot. A (sometimes) lovable one, perhaps, but an idiot nonetheless. So if that kind of character annoys you, consider yourself warned when it comes to this book
What I loved about this book is that there was sooo much pining and longing. It’s the slowest of slow-burns with absolutely zero smut.
The way PK (he/him) is desperately in love with his best friend, Art (they/them), had me by the throat, and it was very cute how much he adored them.
He was so obsessed with them, but he just didn’t know how to tell them, so he wrote a whole damn book about it, just so he could get his feelings out.
That sounds adorable, right? Yes, it does. I don’t accept a no to that.
The problem, however, lies in how this is written. The whole thing was generally one big monologue and there were only a few actual interactions or dialogues.
This did not only mean that not a whole lot happened, but also that we did not really get to know Art or PK’s relationship to them.
The amount of times Art and PK genuinely talk in this book can be counted on one hand, I think. We didn’t see much of their friendship, let alone a blossoming love story.
So, all in all, I liked the idea of this book. A lot. But unfortunately the execution was severely lacking, especially with regards to the connection or chemistry between them. I was just generally missing some relationship development or actual romance.
And in the end, I feel like we got way too little. I was a bit over it all: my patience was running thin, and the pay-off wasn’t worth it.
Also, I want to put this out there: PK is an idiot. A (sometimes) lovable one, perhaps, but an idiot nonetheless. So if that kind of character annoys you, consider yourself warned when it comes to this book
February 19, 2022
When I started reading Book Boyfriend, I immediately laughed out loud. A guy who only has three towels, one for, ahem, plumbing issues, and one that’s too fancy to use. So that leaves one for daily use. One? One! Okayyy … Like a friend said: Not very hygienic and romantic.
After that chapter, I was so ready for a humorous and sweet romance. I was up for a slow burn with longing and pining, and a best friends to lovers trope because it’s one of my favorite. But after a couple of chapters, I got restless although I still laughed, until I suddenly realized what was bothering me. PK and Art lived in the same house, but there was little to no interaction. And when they interacted, there was little to no dialogue. I realized that Book Boyfriend is more or less an inner monologue. And even though it’s incredibly fast-paced and humorous, with great side characters, fantastic queer rep, and wonderful character growth, I even got more restless. Because I wanted to get to know Art and didn’t get anything. Okay, they broke up with Roman, worked at a bookstore, painted their nails, wore skirts, and … That’s about it, I guess.
I wasn’t prepared for mainly inner thoughts. It’s a bit like Bridget Jones, I guess. Humorous, awkward at times. But I didn’t want a gay Bridget Jones; I wanted a romance. I wanted to swoon, to feel butterflies in my belly, and most of all, I wanted to get to know Art, and smile at PK’s and Art’s romantic interactions.
Book Boyfriend is not a bad book, by far even. I loved the last part of the story, PK’s character growth was outstanding, and they finally had conversations, like they talked, and I had those feelings I wanted to feel. I just had other expectations when I started reading. And therefore it might be an it’s me, not you thing. So check out other reviews if you want to read this story!
I received an ARC from Carina Press & Carina Adores and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
After that chapter, I was so ready for a humorous and sweet romance. I was up for a slow burn with longing and pining, and a best friends to lovers trope because it’s one of my favorite. But after a couple of chapters, I got restless although I still laughed, until I suddenly realized what was bothering me. PK and Art lived in the same house, but there was little to no interaction. And when they interacted, there was little to no dialogue. I realized that Book Boyfriend is more or less an inner monologue. And even though it’s incredibly fast-paced and humorous, with great side characters, fantastic queer rep, and wonderful character growth, I even got more restless. Because I wanted to get to know Art and didn’t get anything. Okay, they broke up with Roman, worked at a bookstore, painted their nails, wore skirts, and … That’s about it, I guess.
I wasn’t prepared for mainly inner thoughts. It’s a bit like Bridget Jones, I guess. Humorous, awkward at times. But I didn’t want a gay Bridget Jones; I wanted a romance. I wanted to swoon, to feel butterflies in my belly, and most of all, I wanted to get to know Art, and smile at PK’s and Art’s romantic interactions.
Book Boyfriend is not a bad book, by far even. I loved the last part of the story, PK’s character growth was outstanding, and they finally had conversations, like they talked, and I had those feelings I wanted to feel. I just had other expectations when I started reading. And therefore it might be an it’s me, not you thing. So check out other reviews if you want to read this story!
I received an ARC from Carina Press & Carina Adores and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
April 26, 2022
***HAPPY PUBLICATION DAY💌
Thank you, Carina Press, for the advance reading copy.
As much as I was looking forward to a book with queer main characters falling in love amidst books and reading as much as the cover and the blurb, boy and they, am I disappointed?
You bet!
I enjoyed the humour in the writing. I wasn't expecting that! The main character was agonizing over his "best friend" Art who didn't seem to know how much he was in love with them. And I was pretty helpless as PK seemed to accept it and was ready to do anything to keep his feelings safe and secret when in fact he wasn't doing okay at all about it.
I wanted more chemistry between the characters. I couldn't help feeling it was more one-sided (yes, the story has been written this way and I was supposed to be okay with it but...).
I liked the second part of the book much more. I feel the writing was much better. I am surprised with the change in the writing style as compared to the first half.
It's a feel-good story which will make you smile and sigh with relief with the happy ending.
Thank you, Carina Press, for the advance reading copy.
As much as I was looking forward to a book with queer main characters falling in love amidst books and reading as much as the cover and the blurb, boy and they, am I disappointed?
You bet!
I enjoyed the humour in the writing. I wasn't expecting that! The main character was agonizing over his "best friend" Art who didn't seem to know how much he was in love with them. And I was pretty helpless as PK seemed to accept it and was ready to do anything to keep his feelings safe and secret when in fact he wasn't doing okay at all about it.
I wanted more chemistry between the characters. I couldn't help feeling it was more one-sided (yes, the story has been written this way and I was supposed to be okay with it but...).
I liked the second part of the book much more. I feel the writing was much better. I am surprised with the change in the writing style as compared to the first half.
It's a feel-good story which will make you smile and sigh with relief with the happy ending.
April 26, 2022
2.5 stars
Kris Ripper is one of my favorite authors, which probably explains how I stayed up way too late reading a book I don't think I liked that much. The crisis point comes around 60%, right when I was about to go to bed, and I got legit choked up on PK's behalf and needed to know he was going to be ok before I could sleep. I sped through the rest of it because Ripper's storytelling really does work for me even when I don't love the story.
But I wasn't a fan of the extreme stream-of-consciousness writing style used here. It's too heavy handed, and backing off even a little would have made this a much more pleasant experience. (The first time I picked it up, I read the first chapter, realized I couldn't deal with that right then and read a few more books before I came back to try again. I was able to get into the flow pretty quickly after that.)
I would have struggled with this one even with a different writing style, though.
It's supposed to be best friends to lovers, but there were large chunks of the book where I was convinced that while Art was PK's best friend, PK was not Art's. (It didn't help that you have Art telling PK in Chapter 1 that he came to PK's after his breakup because "You're the only person I know in the city who has a spare bedroom." And apparently they've barely even seen each other for over a year because Art was living with a boyfriend who didn't like PK. What kind of friendship is that supposed to be??) At one point, I genuinely thought PK's delusions about his and Art's friendship were going to be part of the storyline.
It's single POV, and I could feel and understand PK's love for Art loud and clear. But we just don't see them spend much time together, and we're so firmly embedded in PK's thoughts above all else that when they are together the only details we get are essentially "we spent a lot of evenings watching tv together after work that month" dropped into pages and pages and pages of internal angsting that really left the impression that there wasn't much else to say about those evenings.
There are only a handful of interactions over an 8-month period that have even a hint of Art caring for PK in *any* way at all, and we witness maybe two handfuls of interactions between them total, most of which show Art as completely dismissive of PK. It feels like a friendship Art is over on anything but a surface level, like Art is still friendly with PK and certainly sees him as roommate material but not much beyond that. I could even understand how they got to this place, since you get the impression that PK's emotional constipation over his feelings for Art caused them to drift apart -- not because Art realized it, but because it caused PK to practically shut down around Art since he couldn't figure out how to say what he really wanted so he ended up not saying much at all -- but mostly it just made me really sad.
There's finally a moment toward the end that convinced me Art actually does consider PK his best friend, and that it's just a flaw of the book that made me doubt it.
Unfortunately, I did not finish this convinced that these two will actually make it as a couple.
**This book was provided for free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley**
Kris Ripper is one of my favorite authors, which probably explains how I stayed up way too late reading a book I don't think I liked that much. The crisis point comes around 60%, right when I was about to go to bed, and I got legit choked up on PK's behalf and needed to know he was going to be ok before I could sleep. I sped through the rest of it because Ripper's storytelling really does work for me even when I don't love the story.
But I wasn't a fan of the extreme stream-of-consciousness writing style used here. It's too heavy handed, and backing off even a little would have made this a much more pleasant experience. (The first time I picked it up, I read the first chapter, realized I couldn't deal with that right then and read a few more books before I came back to try again. I was able to get into the flow pretty quickly after that.)
I would have struggled with this one even with a different writing style, though.
It's supposed to be best friends to lovers, but there were large chunks of the book where I was convinced that while Art was PK's best friend, PK was not Art's. (It didn't help that you have Art telling PK in Chapter 1 that he came to PK's after his breakup because "You're the only person I know in the city who has a spare bedroom." And apparently they've barely even seen each other for over a year because Art was living with a boyfriend who didn't like PK. What kind of friendship is that supposed to be??) At one point, I genuinely thought PK's delusions about his and Art's friendship were going to be part of the storyline.
It's single POV, and I could feel and understand PK's love for Art loud and clear. But we just don't see them spend much time together, and we're so firmly embedded in PK's thoughts above all else that when they are together the only details we get are essentially "we spent a lot of evenings watching tv together after work that month" dropped into pages and pages and pages of internal angsting that really left the impression that there wasn't much else to say about those evenings.
There are only a handful of interactions over an 8-month period that have even a hint of Art caring for PK in *any* way at all, and we witness maybe two handfuls of interactions between them total, most of which show Art as completely dismissive of PK. It feels like a friendship Art is over on anything but a surface level, like Art is still friendly with PK and certainly sees him as roommate material but not much beyond that. I could even understand how they got to this place, since you get the impression that PK's emotional constipation over his feelings for Art caused them to drift apart -- not because Art realized it, but because it caused PK to practically shut down around Art since he couldn't figure out how to say what he really wanted so he ended up not saying much at all -- but mostly it just made me really sad.
There's finally a moment toward the end that convinced me Art actually does consider PK his best friend, and that it's just a flaw of the book that made me doubt it.
Unfortunately, I did not finish this convinced that these two will actually make it as a couple.
**This book was provided for free by the publisher in exchange for an honest review via NetGalley**
May 12, 2026
• m/m • friends to lovers • adorably hopeless MMC • single POV • 1st person narrative •
Libby loan - Admittedly I was unconvinced by the self proclamation of this book being ‘a witty friends to lovers romantic comedy’ - call me a cynic but I prefer to observe these things for myself 🧐😅 but I was drawn in by the fact that it was an 8h audiobook 😆
But this really was witty! The entire book was thoroughly amusing and did genuinely have me smirking and chuckling throughout. And not in an overt cringey trying-too-hard way —which I was kind of expecting.
Our MMC PK (Preston Kingston Harrington the third lol - I would go by PK too) is a bit of a clueless emotional overthinker but outwardly presents as an emotionally stunted, derpy hot mess.
He’s in love with his long time best friend Art who turns up at his place after breaking up with his boyfriend. Who btw, PK never liked, but never made it obvious.
There is drama, interfering parents, a side of fake dating, a sibling out of rehab, a big fat secret, and a grand gesture… 😅
Poor PK, she means well 🤦♀️😅
The ending was a bit drawn out with the dramaaaa but overall I actually really liked this.
I loved the first person narrative — and I’m a fan of third person almost always!
In real life, the thought of my best friend secretly pining over me for years is bulk creepy, but this was quirky and fun and I love when other people’s hotmessness makes me feel totally put together 😅
The audiobook was really good!
4+⭐️
Libby loan - Admittedly I was unconvinced by the self proclamation of this book being ‘a witty friends to lovers romantic comedy’ - call me a cynic but I prefer to observe these things for myself 🧐😅 but I was drawn in by the fact that it was an 8h audiobook 😆
But this really was witty! The entire book was thoroughly amusing and did genuinely have me smirking and chuckling throughout. And not in an overt cringey trying-too-hard way —which I was kind of expecting.
Our MMC PK (Preston Kingston Harrington the third lol - I would go by PK too) is a bit of a clueless emotional overthinker but outwardly presents as an emotionally stunted, derpy hot mess.
He’s in love with his long time best friend Art who turns up at his place after breaking up with his boyfriend. Who btw, PK never liked, but never made it obvious.
He stared back at me with big, tragic eyes. "I broke up with Roman."
Fuck yes. This wasn't a crisis at all. Cue the marching band, this was a cause for celebration.
"Oh no," I said
There is drama, interfering parents, a side of fake dating, a sibling out of rehab, a big fat secret, and a grand gesture… 😅
“And"-she lowered her voice in a way completely guaranteed to freak me out—"this is an important evening because we're introducing Preston-or maybe it's reintroducing him-to a young man”
Art, the traitor, leaned in. “Oh who? Tell me everything.”
"I'm not marrying some son of your sorority sister's just because he's gay, Mother.“
“No one’s addressing you dear“
Poor PK, she means well 🤦♀️😅
The ending was a bit drawn out with the dramaaaa but overall I actually really liked this.
I loved the first person narrative — and I’m a fan of third person almost always!
In real life, the thought of my best friend secretly pining over me for years is bulk creepy, but this was quirky and fun and I love when other people’s hotmessness makes me feel totally put together 😅
The audiobook was really good!
4+⭐️
July 26, 2022
4.25**** stars
Uuugh!! I wish I had the ebook along with the audio for all the quotes I would’ve loved to share with you from this.
I love Kris Ripper books. Not specifically for the romance parts but for kind of educating me on queer identity and community, on kink (not in this one) and equality and so much other stuff - all with zir stories and zir characters. I love that. And Kris’s books are also so enjoyable to read.
********
This one was so heartfelt. I usually have a hard time with slow burn (and this was the slowest slow burn that ever burnt slow), longing and pining, unrequited love and when people don’t dare to open up about their feelings… but somehow I enjoyed this story immensely. The whole plot outside the romance part evolving around writing and publishing a book was very interesting. Also meeting Art as a character and as a gender-queer person.
And as for the romance… omg, PK is so damn confused on what is the right thing to do and how to make his best friend Art see his feelings for him. It was adorable. But I also was suffering a great deal with PK *lol
For the audio: Pete Cross did an outstanding job narrating this. Truly. His voice fitted PK perfectly and his acting skills were awesome. He gave this story so much additional life.
Uuugh!! I wish I had the ebook along with the audio for all the quotes I would’ve loved to share with you from this.
I love Kris Ripper books. Not specifically for the romance parts but for kind of educating me on queer identity and community, on kink (not in this one) and equality and so much other stuff - all with zir stories and zir characters. I love that. And Kris’s books are also so enjoyable to read.
********
This one was so heartfelt. I usually have a hard time with slow burn (and this was the slowest slow burn that ever burnt slow), longing and pining, unrequited love and when people don’t dare to open up about their feelings… but somehow I enjoyed this story immensely. The whole plot outside the romance part evolving around writing and publishing a book was very interesting. Also meeting Art as a character and as a gender-queer person.
"Carter? This piece of absolute shit you sent me. I want it.“
[Adams, Romance Editor]
And as for the romance… omg, PK is so damn confused on what is the right thing to do and how to make his best friend Art see his feelings for him. It was adorable. But I also was suffering a great deal with PK *lol
For the audio: Pete Cross did an outstanding job narrating this. Truly. His voice fitted PK perfectly and his acting skills were awesome. He gave this story so much additional life.
April 6, 2022
I think this is one of those 'it's not you, it's me' type of situations. Maybe I'm not the right target audience for this book. I don't know. I read it fairly quickly but, representation aside, I honestly can't remember a single thing I like about it, which is a shame.
One thing I can tell you is that I'm still trying to figure out why PK has people like Art and Wade in his life, when they constantly belittle him. They were awful towards PK from the beginning, with Art stating that they only sought PK's help because he was the only one who had a spare bedroom and not because he was supposedly their best friend. And with both Art and Wade stating multiple times that they didn't think PK had any speck of emotional intelligence. It doesn't matter if you say something offensive followed or preceded by "no offense", because it's still offensive.
Although I enjoyed Art's representation, I can't name any other thing I liked about them. I felt like they were always trying to one-up PK and it got boring and annoying after a few chapters. They acted like they were doing PK a favor, when it was the other way around. And don't get me started on Wade. What on Earth was going on with him being a trophy son? Yikes. The only interesting thing about him was his partner.
Reading from PK's perspective was tiring. I get what the author was trying to do but there was so much going on in his head that I ended up skipping a few descriptive paragraphs every once in a while and I could still follow the story pretty well. Not to mention that some of the expressions seemed like they were taken from a Tik Tok video. We had too much without having much at all. I wish Kris Ripper would replace some of that verbiage with signs that PK can write a book about romance because, contrary to what Art and Wade say, he actually has emotional intelligence! After reading the whole book even I am questioning the veracity of that. I also felt like their conversation where they laid it out on the table was lacking emotional depth. And what about the back and forth between being sure you're in love with your best friend but still question it by the last chapters?
I have to say, though, that I was really pleased with PK's coworker, Maggie, and his parents. They were very supportive throughout the whole story, the kind of people he should surround himself with more often.
I received this e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin) and Netgalley!
One thing I can tell you is that I'm still trying to figure out why PK has people like Art and Wade in his life, when they constantly belittle him. They were awful towards PK from the beginning, with Art stating that they only sought PK's help because he was the only one who had a spare bedroom and not because he was supposedly their best friend. And with both Art and Wade stating multiple times that they didn't think PK had any speck of emotional intelligence. It doesn't matter if you say something offensive followed or preceded by "no offense", because it's still offensive.
Although I enjoyed Art's representation, I can't name any other thing I liked about them. I felt like they were always trying to one-up PK and it got boring and annoying after a few chapters. They acted like they were doing PK a favor, when it was the other way around. And don't get me started on Wade. What on Earth was going on with him being a trophy son? Yikes. The only interesting thing about him was his partner.
Reading from PK's perspective was tiring. I get what the author was trying to do but there was so much going on in his head that I ended up skipping a few descriptive paragraphs every once in a while and I could still follow the story pretty well. Not to mention that some of the expressions seemed like they were taken from a Tik Tok video. We had too much without having much at all. I wish Kris Ripper would replace some of that verbiage with signs that PK can write a book about romance because, contrary to what Art and Wade say, he actually has emotional intelligence! After reading the whole book even I am questioning the veracity of that. I also felt like their conversation where they laid it out on the table was lacking emotional depth. And what about the back and forth between being sure you're in love with your best friend but still question it by the last chapters?
I have to say, though, that I was really pleased with PK's coworker, Maggie, and his parents. They were very supportive throughout the whole story, the kind of people he should surround himself with more often.
I received this e-Arc in exchange for an honest review. Thank you Carina Press & Carina Adores (Harlequin) and Netgalley!
April 20, 2022
Kris Ripper has a new romance coming out on April 26, 2022! Book Boyfriend is the tale of PK Harrington, who charmingly stumbles upon authoring, by way of purging his long term, unrequited crush on his bestie.
I adore Kris Ripper’s writing style, especially when the story is from the point of view of a slightly geeky sweetie pie, who’s just a scooch socially awkward. PK is 100% adorable, and his clever, witty ramblings will have you falling head over feels for him.
I chuckled out loud, over and over, as PK ruminates about the many peculiar and perplexing aspects of writing! Even for those of us who do little more than bore you all with our expository BS, many of the sensations are the same, and it tickled me pink to have PK validate it all.
Book Boyfriend is set in New York City, and Kris Ripper totally captures the flavors of the place which make it so special. Ze’s stories are always engaging, and in addition to the marvelous character study of PK, the supporting cast is a joy, and there’s a captivating romance as well.
As always, I LOVED IT, and I can’t wait to see what Kris Ripper brings us next.
thank you to Carina Press and Harlequin via NetGalley for providing an ARC of Book Boyfriend for my honest review, all opinions are my own
I adore Kris Ripper’s writing style, especially when the story is from the point of view of a slightly geeky sweetie pie, who’s just a scooch socially awkward. PK is 100% adorable, and his clever, witty ramblings will have you falling head over feels for him.
I chuckled out loud, over and over, as PK ruminates about the many peculiar and perplexing aspects of writing! Even for those of us who do little more than bore you all with our expository BS, many of the sensations are the same, and it tickled me pink to have PK validate it all.
Book Boyfriend is set in New York City, and Kris Ripper totally captures the flavors of the place which make it so special. Ze’s stories are always engaging, and in addition to the marvelous character study of PK, the supporting cast is a joy, and there’s a captivating romance as well.
As always, I LOVED IT, and I can’t wait to see what Kris Ripper brings us next.
thank you to Carina Press and Harlequin via NetGalley for providing an ARC of Book Boyfriend for my honest review, all opinions are my own
August 16, 2023
A chaotic mess of a man with good intentions falls for his non-binary BFF and instead of communicating his feelings like a grownup, accidentally writes a romance novel about their relationship. And doesn't tell the friend, thinking this will be a romantic grand gesture....
PK is such a disaster, but charming. Definitely a slow-burn romance and a great option for people who are looking for no-steam books as this does not have any sex scenes. Book Boyfriend was cute, though I need PK to take a deep breath!
PK is such a disaster, but charming. Definitely a slow-burn romance and a great option for people who are looking for no-steam books as this does not have any sex scenes. Book Boyfriend was cute, though I need PK to take a deep breath!
August 4, 2022
Kris Ripper is a good writer, but he has a tendency to do long drawn-out narratives that make me lose track of what is or has taken place. Preston (PK), and Art have been best friends since...well almost forever. When the breakup between Art, and what to me, sounded like the worse "boyfriend" in the world...I knew that PK was going to try to make him see what he could have, offering Art a place to mend his broken heart was icing on the cake. Problem #2 was that PK couldn't just come out and tell Art how he fell...how he had always felt...so PK decides the best way is to write a book. The conversations that PK has with himself are absolutely hilarious. Too bad he couldn't just say these things to Art... but, that would have defeated the entire idea of the book:) I agree with some other reviewers that the ending needed something more It was an intriguing story with a kind of an offbeat plot line, and I would consider it to be "low-heat"...but well worth the time to read.
put-aside
April 25, 2022I am so glad I discovered Ripper a couple of years ago - zir books have been a balm in these uncertain times. Characters that are imperfect but doing their best, reaching towards love while keeping found family close? That's utterly my thing.
So I eagerly picked up Book Boyfriend about PK, a flighty disaster-type who is in love with his best friend Art... but can't say anything because Art is fresh off of a breakup. A breakup that left them with no place to live, so they moved in with PK. Natch.
The set up, the love interests, all of that is fine, but being inside PK's head is like getting the POV of a pinball in the machine - captivating if you're in the right place for it, dizzying if you're not.
Sadly my brain is not cooperating so I'm putting this aside for now, but I'll be back once my head is ready for the ride.
Thanks to Carina Press for providing a review copy.
So I eagerly picked up Book Boyfriend about PK, a flighty disaster-type who is in love with his best friend Art... but can't say anything because Art is fresh off of a breakup. A breakup that left them with no place to live, so they moved in with PK. Natch.
The set up, the love interests, all of that is fine, but being inside PK's head is like getting the POV of a pinball in the machine - captivating if you're in the right place for it, dizzying if you're not.
Sadly my brain is not cooperating so I'm putting this aside for now, but I'll be back once my head is ready for the ride.
Thanks to Carina Press for providing a review copy.
June 28, 2022
This book deserves five stars for the deconstruction of the “Grand Gesture” ALONE. A++++ at showing exactly all of the screwed up coercive reasons that the grand gesture is the opposite of romantic. “Talking out your romantic feelings with the other person and coming to a honest mutually understanding resolution” doesn’t have the same alliterative ring to it, but it’s a lot more interesting to read!
I was mildly worried for the first 3/4 that I wasn’t seeing what was so special about Art that made PK fall in love with them, and it’s nothing personal against Art at all, who I can definitely tell is very lovable in a general sort of way. It’s just that most of PK’s feelings started years before the timeline of this book that the specific wonderfulness of Art is kind of hidden under PK’s all the way obsessive “I’M SO SECRETLY IN LOVE WITH YOU” inner monologue (to the point where I ). Also sometimes it can be irritating when a book skips over the parts where the characters actually fall in love. But luckily this book is still very compelling to read about poor PK pine for his best friend and not be able to express himself emotionally to them, and eventually we realize, he’s pretty terrible at expressing his emotions in a healthy way, ever. He’s reminiscent of some of my favorite favorite flawed, anxious and slightly neurotic AJH narrating protagonists (Ardy and Luc in particular come to mind). And like my favorite side character Wade does frequently by the end of the book, I want to snap some sense into him. Art and PK are model examples of “humans can’t smell” (or “idiots to lovers”) . It’s one of my favorite book endings I’ve read in a while. This is my first Kris Ripper book, but it won’t be my last!
I was mildly worried for the first 3/4 that I wasn’t seeing what was so special about Art that made PK fall in love with them, and it’s nothing personal against Art at all, who I can definitely tell is very lovable in a general sort of way. It’s just that most of PK’s feelings started years before the timeline of this book that the specific wonderfulness of Art is kind of hidden under PK’s all the way obsessive “I’M SO SECRETLY IN LOVE WITH YOU” inner monologue (to the point where I ). Also sometimes it can be irritating when a book skips over the parts where the characters actually fall in love. But luckily this book is still very compelling to read about poor PK pine for his best friend and not be able to express himself emotionally to them, and eventually we realize, he’s pretty terrible at expressing his emotions in a healthy way, ever. He’s reminiscent of some of my favorite favorite flawed, anxious and slightly neurotic AJH narrating protagonists (Ardy and Luc in particular come to mind). And like my favorite side character Wade does frequently by the end of the book, I want to snap some sense into him. Art and PK are model examples of “humans can’t smell” (or “idiots to lovers”) . It’s one of my favorite book endings I’ve read in a while. This is my first Kris Ripper book, but it won’t be my last!
February 21, 2022
4.5 stars. This is the story of PK and Art, best friends since college and now in their mid 20s. PK has had feelings for Art for years and is too awkward, shy, and, afraid to ruin their friendship to do anything about it.
The book is very new adult. I almost stopped reading within the first 20 pages of starting this book. The way it is written, the MC is talking to you, the reader, in a very spoken language kind of way that is sometimes over the top. For instance:
I either got over the language or quickly got used to it because I loved the rest of the book and the quirkiness of the characters. The main character, PK, is such an introspective overthinker. I can definitely relate. I was happy with the ending and this sugary sweet story.
*I was honored to be provided with an ARC of this book by Netgalley.
The book is very new adult. I almost stopped reading within the first 20 pages of starting this book. The way it is written, the MC is talking to you, the reader, in a very spoken language kind of way that is sometimes over the top. For instance:
Since I don't have a lot of experience with crying people I was a little *eek emoji* about it on my way down.
I either got over the language or quickly got used to it because I loved the rest of the book and the quirkiness of the characters. The main character, PK, is such an introspective overthinker. I can definitely relate. I was happy with the ending and this sugary sweet story.
*I was honored to be provided with an ARC of this book by Netgalley.
July 18, 2022
I feel so bad saying this but I'm disappointed. Halfway through, it felt like something that I would re-read a thousand times and love it from the bottom of my judgmental, cynical heart but NO. No matter what you say I just didn't like their dynamic, it felt like PK was too involved in it and loved Art so much and most of the book I wanted to jump in there and give him a hug.
While in case of Art, he just wasn't the most likeable person and I don't know how to describe it but Art wasn't Mr. Right for PK. Also at times the inner monologue was too long (—which was funny but still too much) and nothing much happened in the whole book.
So yeah, I liked it but was disappointed because this had a lot of potential :(
FINAL RATING :- 3 STARS 🌟
While in case of Art, he just wasn't the most likeable person and I don't know how to describe it but Art wasn't Mr. Right for PK. Also at times the inner monologue was too long (—which was funny but still too much) and nothing much happened in the whole book.
So yeah, I liked it but was disappointed because this had a lot of potential :(
FINAL RATING :- 3 STARS 🌟
November 10, 2022
I have no idea how I feel about this one so let's settle on three stars.
November 27, 2022
Rep: pansexual MC, (questioning?) trans LI, pansexual SCs, lesbian SC
This book was so relatable and so infuriating at the same time!
PK is secretly in love with his best friend ever since they shared a drunken kiss five years ago. (Yes, FIVE! YEARS!)
So when Art is suddenly standing in his foyer, crying and looking for a place to stay because they just broke up with their partner, PK finally sees his chance.
But how will he do it? Talking feelings is pretty hard and very scary.
I absolutely loved the style of writing. PK is a total mess of unspoken feelings and thoughts and crippling anxiety.
This book is written kind of like an inner monologue of chaotic thoughts and exactly the way people actually think in the moment.
It made PK super relatable and I enjoyed it a lot. It was hilarious most of the time!
But it also made me want to shake PK a lot, because he never EVER actually talks or does the things he is thinking about.
He is so uncomfortable with his own feelings and always afraid to do the wrong thing, when actually talking would be the perfect thing to do.
It was so relatable but also infuriating at the same time.
I flew through this though.
The romance is the slowest of slow burns you will ever read in your life. The book takes place over several month of them living together, but their relationship isn’t really developing at all.
I would have wished for there to be more actual interactions between these two. Especially cute ones! More conversations and scenes with them together.
You don’t get to experience them interacting a lot, only PKs thoughts will actually show you that he is interested in Art in a romantic way.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Art isn’t developed well, but in most scenes they actually have a conversation Art is often mean and I just didn’t get any love vibes at all from them.
The romance seems pretty one sided up until the very last page sadly.
For the main part of reading this book I really loved it and was willing to give a 5 star rating.
I love slow burns, the pining, the yearning. I could even understand PKs utter helplessness.
Sometimes it just feels that it’s better to never know than to get rejected. You cannot change yourself completely to fit someone’s dream partner. They’ll either fall in love with you the way you are, or it just doesn’t happen.
The way your parents raise you is often responsible for the way that it’s not quite easy to show and talk about feelings. PK is definitely one of these people.
His parents are rich and have to „maintain their appearance“. You get why he acts the way he does.
Sadly the drama in the end was just too unnecessary and over the top for me. I finished the book and I still don’t quite understand the justification for such a massive reaction and the following drama of that proportion.
Also some things just didn’t end up making sense to me in hindsight. (More in the spoilers.)
PK can not read minds, so for me the whole situation and misunderstandings weren’t only his fault, but also Arts.
This book did a good job in showing how romance on paper and romance in real life just aren’t the same. Most epic romances that work on TV or in books just wouldn’t work in real life. Sometimes romance is cleaning the bathroom or making dinner. It doesn’t always need ballons and fireworks.
For the most part I absolutely loved this book, the ending just sadly ruined it for me a bit.
P.S.: Short note about the side characters:
I absolutely loved Maggie and her weird bird. They were hilarious!
Wade was also a gem. I loved him! Also figuring out you’re not that gay as you thought? Hiding a straight passing relationship from your parents? Amazing.
This book was so relatable and so infuriating at the same time!
PK is secretly in love with his best friend ever since they shared a drunken kiss five years ago. (Yes, FIVE! YEARS!)
So when Art is suddenly standing in his foyer, crying and looking for a place to stay because they just broke up with their partner, PK finally sees his chance.
But how will he do it? Talking feelings is pretty hard and very scary.
I absolutely loved the style of writing. PK is a total mess of unspoken feelings and thoughts and crippling anxiety.
This book is written kind of like an inner monologue of chaotic thoughts and exactly the way people actually think in the moment.
It made PK super relatable and I enjoyed it a lot. It was hilarious most of the time!
But it also made me want to shake PK a lot, because he never EVER actually talks or does the things he is thinking about.
He is so uncomfortable with his own feelings and always afraid to do the wrong thing, when actually talking would be the perfect thing to do.
It was so relatable but also infuriating at the same time.
I flew through this though.
The romance is the slowest of slow burns you will ever read in your life. The book takes place over several month of them living together, but their relationship isn’t really developing at all.
I would have wished for there to be more actual interactions between these two. Especially cute ones! More conversations and scenes with them together.
You don’t get to experience them interacting a lot, only PKs thoughts will actually show you that he is interested in Art in a romantic way.
I wouldn’t go as far as to say that Art isn’t developed well, but in most scenes they actually have a conversation Art is often mean and I just didn’t get any love vibes at all from them.
The romance seems pretty one sided up until the very last page sadly.
For the main part of reading this book I really loved it and was willing to give a 5 star rating.
I love slow burns, the pining, the yearning. I could even understand PKs utter helplessness.
Sometimes it just feels that it’s better to never know than to get rejected. You cannot change yourself completely to fit someone’s dream partner. They’ll either fall in love with you the way you are, or it just doesn’t happen.
The way your parents raise you is often responsible for the way that it’s not quite easy to show and talk about feelings. PK is definitely one of these people.
His parents are rich and have to „maintain their appearance“. You get why he acts the way he does.
Sadly the drama in the end was just too unnecessary and over the top for me. I finished the book and I still don’t quite understand the justification for such a massive reaction and the following drama of that proportion.
Also some things just didn’t end up making sense to me in hindsight. (More in the spoilers.)
PK can not read minds, so for me the whole situation and misunderstandings weren’t only his fault, but also Arts.
This book did a good job in showing how romance on paper and romance in real life just aren’t the same. Most epic romances that work on TV or in books just wouldn’t work in real life. Sometimes romance is cleaning the bathroom or making dinner. It doesn’t always need ballons and fireworks.
For the most part I absolutely loved this book, the ending just sadly ruined it for me a bit.
P.S.: Short note about the side characters:
I absolutely loved Maggie and her weird bird. They were hilarious!
Wade was also a gem. I loved him! Also figuring out you’re not that gay as you thought? Hiding a straight passing relationship from your parents? Amazing.
February 22, 2023
Agh, loved it! Perfectly, perfectly itself. So funny, so moving, not a word wasted and every single character is so precise. (PK’s right btw, his parents are aspirational.) And the book is structured so well…
I know some of the reviews/reactions to this book have strong opinions about the narrator. I frankly LOVED the whole deal but if it would be helpful a good comp is Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall - super neurotic person making bad choices that negatively affect him and the people around him but also you’re rooting for him to figure his shit out and/or get out of his own way, and it’s really satisfying to see him realistically begin to accomplish that. (On the other hand if PDIATC just stressed you out, you may have issues watching PK simply refuse to take any action in his own life… and then do so only via Grand Gesture/interpersonal disaster. Although fwiw I thought the way the fallout from that was handled was excellent - beyond realistic but with just the right amount of humor/slow gaining of perspective.)
I know some of the reviews/reactions to this book have strong opinions about the narrator. I frankly LOVED the whole deal but if it would be helpful a good comp is Paris Daillencourt Is About to Crumble by Alexis Hall - super neurotic person making bad choices that negatively affect him and the people around him but also you’re rooting for him to figure his shit out and/or get out of his own way, and it’s really satisfying to see him realistically begin to accomplish that. (On the other hand if PDIATC just stressed you out, you may have issues watching PK simply refuse to take any action in his own life… and then do so only via Grand Gesture/interpersonal disaster. Although fwiw I thought the way the fallout from that was handled was excellent - beyond realistic but with just the right amount of humor/slow gaining of perspective.)
May 23, 2022
Never have I ever struggled this hard to finish the book. IDk if this is a case of "It's me, not the book" but hats off if you enjoyed reading this book.
The first few pages were kind of funny but after a few chapters It just gets boring . I really didn't like the long series of monologues which was just all over the place, I love a good stream of consciousness , but this one was just annoying.
This book had so much telling and no showing, like we get glimpses of PK and Art having conversations through the monologues, but that's all.
It didn't have any chemistry and the ending was the only time they had a real conversation.
I liked the character growth of pk, but I don't know more that 3 facts of Art so that' s where It's at.
The first few pages were kind of funny but after a few chapters It just gets boring . I really didn't like the long series of monologues which was just all over the place, I love a good stream of consciousness , but this one was just annoying.
This book had so much telling and no showing, like we get glimpses of PK and Art having conversations through the monologues, but that's all.
It didn't have any chemistry and the ending was the only time they had a real conversation.
I liked the character growth of pk, but I don't know more that 3 facts of Art so that' s where It's at.
August 30, 2022
I am so torn about this book. For the first half, I didn't really like the main character, he was way too bumbling and there was an exerpt of the book he went on to to write and publish and I genuinely wished that I was reading that book because it sounded like its main character was more put together than the main of this one.
And then it started to feel a bit more like a Kris Ripper book, somewhere in the middle. I even came to really love the side character of Wade who is at first introduced as this douche that Preston knew in childhood and who comes back into his life as their mothers are trying to set them up together.
But Arty... that's who I really wish had been the main character of this book, despite the fact that I usually love characters who work somewhere in the publishing sector.
Art, whose heart was not only on his--and then their, as their pronouns change halfway through the story--sleeve, but also manages to speak aloud the words that they are feeling.
I chuckled to myself at the indictment aimed at the bowels of Twitter, and it's honestly starting to make me wonder if anyone on Book Twitter ever has a good time, because this is not the first narrative I've found that includes it.
And then we get into the last third of the book, and suddenly it becomes... kinda preechy? Like, I'd really started liking both Wade and Preston, but then they have this conversation where Wade almost seems like the mouthpiece of the author criticising the way that the Grand Gesture works in romance novels, and actually is kinda harsh to Preston in telling him what he's done wrong. Preston who has just done the Grand Gesture in this story and is now parted from Art.
By the end of this scene, Preston really has no other option than to cry and then agree with everything Wade's told him, or else be the villain. Which is... sort of the narrative of that same Social Justice Warrior Tweeting above, and not something generally viewed as recreationally enjoyable.
Don't get me wrong, Preston is a huge mess and he needed to wake up to reality, but seeing him get brow beaten because he's done what every other romance novel suggests is romantic seems a bit much. It's clear all the way through that he only goes through with making a Grand Gesture because Art said that he didn't have a romantic bone in his body and Preston was trying to prove him wrong.
So this has turned into less of a review and more a response to the commentary we're given as part of this novel, something that's a really big part of the plot. And this being the way the pay off was structured just kinda... didn't work for me. I guess it's realistic that Wade being someone who has known him to be clueless for this many years might have gotten annoyed with the continuing behaviour, but yikes, pick a time to tell Preston when he isn't already down. It felt like watching a kicked puppy. And Art just ghosting Preston for weeks isn't all that woke or grown up either.
Nobody was covered in glory in this book, is all I'm saying. Which is the case at this critical point in pretty much any romance. It just would have been nice to see a bit more of that on the page in this book.
~
Similar to: Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution
And then it started to feel a bit more like a Kris Ripper book, somewhere in the middle. I even came to really love the side character of Wade who is at first introduced as this douche that Preston knew in childhood and who comes back into his life as their mothers are trying to set them up together.
But Arty... that's who I really wish had been the main character of this book, despite the fact that I usually love characters who work somewhere in the publishing sector.
Art, whose heart was not only on his--and then their, as their pronouns change halfway through the story--sleeve, but also manages to speak aloud the words that they are feeling.
I chuckled to myself at the indictment aimed at the bowels of Twitter, and it's honestly starting to make me wonder if anyone on Book Twitter ever has a good time, because this is not the first narrative I've found that includes it.
And then we get into the last third of the book, and suddenly it becomes... kinda preechy? Like, I'd really started liking both Wade and Preston, but then they have this conversation where Wade almost seems like the mouthpiece of the author criticising the way that the Grand Gesture works in romance novels, and actually is kinda harsh to Preston in telling him what he's done wrong. Preston who has just done the Grand Gesture in this story and is now parted from Art.
By the end of this scene, Preston really has no other option than to cry and then agree with everything Wade's told him, or else be the villain. Which is... sort of the narrative of that same Social Justice Warrior Tweeting above, and not something generally viewed as recreationally enjoyable.
Don't get me wrong, Preston is a huge mess and he needed to wake up to reality, but seeing him get brow beaten because he's done what every other romance novel suggests is romantic seems a bit much. It's clear all the way through that he only goes through with making a Grand Gesture because Art said that he didn't have a romantic bone in his body and Preston was trying to prove him wrong.
So this has turned into less of a review and more a response to the commentary we're given as part of this novel, something that's a really big part of the plot. And this being the way the pay off was structured just kinda... didn't work for me. I guess it's realistic that Wade being someone who has known him to be clueless for this many years might have gotten annoyed with the continuing behaviour, but yikes, pick a time to tell Preston when he isn't already down. It felt like watching a kicked puppy. And Art just ghosting Preston for weeks isn't all that woke or grown up either.
Nobody was covered in glory in this book, is all I'm saying. Which is the case at this critical point in pretty much any romance. It just would have been nice to see a bit more of that on the page in this book.
~
Similar to: Lark & Kasim Start a Revolution
April 20, 2022
Reread April 2022, ALC received from LibroFM, thanks!
Still SO, SO good. Definitely one of my top reads this year.
The audio is fantastic, I thought the narrator did a great job of capturing PK’s chaotic voice.
This comes out on April 26th and you should totally buy it in the format of your choosing. All the stars go to these loveable dummies.
_____
Received from NetGalley, thanks!
Wow, getting to write the first review for this, no pressure! 😅
This book was so good. I SO enjoyed it, I read it all in one sitting within hours of being approved for it, staying up until 2am to get it done.
The book is about PK and Art, who have been friends and/or roommates for years, and PK has been in love with Art for most of this time. But he can’t find a way to tell Art, so instead he writes a romance novel about them and what he wishes their relationship could be.
I loved all the stuff about writing and publishing, I loved that basically the whole book was about books! PK works in publishing and Art works at a quirky indie bookshop, like, how absolutely perfect.
There was A LOT of angst/pining in this book, which isn’t something that I usually like. In fact, I’ve recently complained (in reviews) about books that were too angsty. But for this, it just worked and I didn’t mind it? Maybe because I liked both of the characters so much. PK is a bit of a loveable disaster and Art is just plain lovely.
Art has a great arc and a reveal near the halfway mark (trying for no spoilers!) and I love how it was written and I love how PK handles it. The book is told from PK’s POV and I love how hard he tries and then doesn’t have to try anymore.
One thing I found really interesting with this book was how Ripper has you being totally on side with PK, like, totally agreeing with what he’s doing, but then all of a sudden you’re not anymore and I think I was actually muttering “no, no, no! this is a bad idea!” at midnight, hopefully not waking my sleeping partner. I’m not entirely sure what happened that changed things, it was just this subtle shift, where you could all of a sudden see the consequences before PK could, and it was a bit painful.
I liked the side characters, they felt like real people, especially Wade and Ray. I found Wade especially interesting and the weird relationship he has with his parents around his queerness.
I could absolutely rant about all the things I loved so much about this book, but I don’t want to have to hide this behind spoilers.
The book is out April 26th, so you should absolutely preorder it because it’s just really super lovely. 🥰
Still SO, SO good. Definitely one of my top reads this year.
The audio is fantastic, I thought the narrator did a great job of capturing PK’s chaotic voice.
This comes out on April 26th and you should totally buy it in the format of your choosing. All the stars go to these loveable dummies.
_____
Received from NetGalley, thanks!
Wow, getting to write the first review for this, no pressure! 😅
This book was so good. I SO enjoyed it, I read it all in one sitting within hours of being approved for it, staying up until 2am to get it done.
The book is about PK and Art, who have been friends and/or roommates for years, and PK has been in love with Art for most of this time. But he can’t find a way to tell Art, so instead he writes a romance novel about them and what he wishes their relationship could be.
I loved all the stuff about writing and publishing, I loved that basically the whole book was about books! PK works in publishing and Art works at a quirky indie bookshop, like, how absolutely perfect.
There was A LOT of angst/pining in this book, which isn’t something that I usually like. In fact, I’ve recently complained (in reviews) about books that were too angsty. But for this, it just worked and I didn’t mind it? Maybe because I liked both of the characters so much. PK is a bit of a loveable disaster and Art is just plain lovely.
Art has a great arc and a reveal near the halfway mark (trying for no spoilers!) and I love how it was written and I love how PK handles it. The book is told from PK’s POV and I love how hard he tries and then doesn’t have to try anymore.
One thing I found really interesting with this book was how Ripper has you being totally on side with PK, like, totally agreeing with what he’s doing, but then all of a sudden you’re not anymore and I think I was actually muttering “no, no, no! this is a bad idea!” at midnight, hopefully not waking my sleeping partner. I’m not entirely sure what happened that changed things, it was just this subtle shift, where you could all of a sudden see the consequences before PK could, and it was a bit painful.
I liked the side characters, they felt like real people, especially Wade and Ray. I found Wade especially interesting and the weird relationship he has with his parents around his queerness.
I could absolutely rant about all the things I loved so much about this book, but I don’t want to have to hide this behind spoilers.
The book is out April 26th, so you should absolutely preorder it because it’s just really super lovely. 🥰
April 4, 2022
First of all, I would like Netgalley, Carina Press, and Carina Adores for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I'll be honest - I didn't complete Book Boyfriend, by Kris Ripper, in its entirety. From reading the blurb, I anticipated that this book would be right up my alley. MM romance? Check. Best friend in love with his best friend? Check. Writer MC? Check. But the style in which Book Boyfriend was written just didn't jive with me.
Some positives though: Kris Ripper is absolutely hilarious. This book was very Bridget Jones-esque and from the first chapter there were some ridiculous scenarios that just painted a picture in my head that had me cackling. Art dripping all over the floor, having only his computer in a trash bag, and PK only have three towels in his entire apartment? Hilarious! Ripper clearly got the voice of PK spot on. I felt as though it was his character telling the story, and not an author writing about a character telling us a story. That takes real skill and it was impressive.
Sadly, as the book progressed, I seemed to fall out of love with the inner dialogue moments and my attention was drifting all over the place. Even though this book didn't work for me, I have to recommend it based on the writing (the author's voice) and representation alone.
I'll be honest - I didn't complete Book Boyfriend, by Kris Ripper, in its entirety. From reading the blurb, I anticipated that this book would be right up my alley. MM romance? Check. Best friend in love with his best friend? Check. Writer MC? Check. But the style in which Book Boyfriend was written just didn't jive with me.
Some positives though: Kris Ripper is absolutely hilarious. This book was very Bridget Jones-esque and from the first chapter there were some ridiculous scenarios that just painted a picture in my head that had me cackling. Art dripping all over the floor, having only his computer in a trash bag, and PK only have three towels in his entire apartment? Hilarious! Ripper clearly got the voice of PK spot on. I felt as though it was his character telling the story, and not an author writing about a character telling us a story. That takes real skill and it was impressive.
Sadly, as the book progressed, I seemed to fall out of love with the inner dialogue moments and my attention was drifting all over the place. Even though this book didn't work for me, I have to recommend it based on the writing (the author's voice) and representation alone.
April 26, 2022
A Joyfully Jay review.
5 stars
Book Boyfriend is so, so, so good. And it’s the sort of book that I think will either work wonderfully for you, or not as well, depending on how you feel about PK. Let me explain. Preston Harrington the Third — PK — is one of the most voice-heavy characters I’ve read in a very long time. His personality is right there in your face the whole time, and I think you’ll either learn to love him, or grow very tired of him. He’s lazy. He’s selfish. He’s self-centered, thoughtless, smug, and walks that very fine line between obnoxious and earnest. His thoughts about how Art should have known he was the better choice than Roman, about how much better a boyfriend he’d be than Roman, can grate with the entitlement.
But when you look beyond that, you can see how some of this indifference is self-protection.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
5 stars
Book Boyfriend is so, so, so good. And it’s the sort of book that I think will either work wonderfully for you, or not as well, depending on how you feel about PK. Let me explain. Preston Harrington the Third — PK — is one of the most voice-heavy characters I’ve read in a very long time. His personality is right there in your face the whole time, and I think you’ll either learn to love him, or grow very tired of him. He’s lazy. He’s selfish. He’s self-centered, thoughtless, smug, and walks that very fine line between obnoxious and earnest. His thoughts about how Art should have known he was the better choice than Roman, about how much better a boyfriend he’d be than Roman, can grate with the entitlement.
But when you look beyond that, you can see how some of this indifference is self-protection.
Read Elizabeth’s review in its entirety here.
September 28, 2024
Best Book Evar Award 2024
Most Relatable Protagonist 2024
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
Most Relatable Protagonist 2024
🥰🥰🥰🥰🥰
September 15, 2022
Slow burn romance between Preston "PK" Kingsley (he/him) and his best friend Art (they/them). Best friends and occasional roommates since college, PK has been in love with Art for much of this time, but has never said anything about his feelings towards them.
I really like Kris Ripper's writing and the complicated, complete characters ze creates. I personally loved PK's chaotic, tangential, hyper-restless, unreliable, self-obsessed thoughts. PK is the narrator, so I think a reader's enjoyment of this book is based on whether you like PK or not. It worked for me and his very VERY flawed attempts to reveal his feelings for Art. The book is 95% pining and angst from PK's perspective. I personally am here for all the angst, so again, YMMV, but I really enjoyed it.
I really like Kris Ripper's writing and the complicated, complete characters ze creates. I personally loved PK's chaotic, tangential, hyper-restless, unreliable, self-obsessed thoughts. PK is the narrator, so I think a reader's enjoyment of this book is based on whether you like PK or not. It worked for me and his very VERY flawed attempts to reveal his feelings for Art. The book is 95% pining and angst from PK's perspective. I personally am here for all the angst, so again, YMMV, but I really enjoyed it.
May 28, 2022
I've give this a C at AAR.
After reading the blurb for Kris Ripper’s Book Boyfriend, I was looking forward to reading a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance about a somewhat hapless writer who has been in love with his best friend forever, who ends up pouring out his feelings on paper because he’s too scared to say them out loud. Well, that last part is largely true – but the romance and the love interest character are basically relegated to the background while the PoV character stumbles his way through life and into becoming a best-selling author through lots of inner monologues which, while they can be very funny, are also chaotic and rambling.
PK Harrington (who works as an assistant editor at an unnamed publishing house) is called to the lobby of his apartment building one evening to find his best friend and former roomie Art standing there, bedraggled (it’s raining) and looking very upset. Art has just broken up with their boyfriend – about which PK is secretly delighted, thinking that maybe, finally, this is his chance with Art, who he’s been in love with ever since they shared a drunken kiss one time when they were at college. PK offers Art his spare room for as long as they need it (which he hopes will be forever), and before long, Art has properly moved back in.
PK is thrilled, obviously, but still terrified about telling Art he loves them, so instead, PK starts writing down a few ideas about how Art makes him feel – and soon those ideas have grown into an entire book based loosely around how he and Art met, the things they’ve done together and PK’s undying love for them. PK shows the manuscript to a friend at work, she loves it, takes it to her boss, who also loves it, and suddenly, he has a book deal. But he daren’t tell Art, because he’s sure Art will recognise that the book is basically about them and how PK feels about them, and starts to see it as the sort of grand romantic gesture Art professes to love and that happen in romance novels all the time – right?
Even though the book I read wasn’t the book I was expecting to read, I liked a lot about it. It’s funny and quirky, and very meta in the way it looks at how publishing works and the sorts of problems authors face. (And I totally agree on the author’s stance on the Grand Gesture!) I liked PK for the most part; he’s self-absorbed and clueless and basically needs to grow up (he’s, like, twenty-six but he reads, like, you know, much younger) but he’s endearing, and his stream of consciousness monologuing can be oddly relatable. On the other hand, it can be quite distracting; some of his inner ramblings are SO tangential and jumbled up that I found myself skimming them to get back to the point – and the story.
Art, as I’ve said, is really a secondary character, and we never get to know much about them other than their taste in nail-polish and books. Even though they move in with PK at the beginning of the book, the two of them have very little time together on the page, and they have zero chemistry; I had no idea why PK was so desperately in love with Art, and no idea of their feelings towards PK. There IS an HFN here, but it’s last-minute and unsatisfying.
I liked Wade, a childhood frenemy of PK’s – he’s snarky and really doesn’t give a shit; although I liked him less in the last third of the book when he lectures PK about what he’s done wrong, not only when he’s at a real low, but in a way that comes across as a bit preachy. And Art doesn’t exactly cover themself in glory, either, sometimes disparaing or belittling PK, and, at one point, ghosting him for weeks.
Being in PK’s head is both fun and exhausting, but I was please that, towards the end, he tries hard to understand what went wrong and works to put it right, learning to really listen and to talk meaningfully. Book Boyfriend isn’t a bad book by any means – but if you’re looking for a romance filled with chemistry and longing, you won’t find those things here, and that’s ultimately why I can’t quite give it a recommendation.
After reading the blurb for Kris Ripper’s Book Boyfriend, I was looking forward to reading a slow-burn friends-to-lovers romance about a somewhat hapless writer who has been in love with his best friend forever, who ends up pouring out his feelings on paper because he’s too scared to say them out loud. Well, that last part is largely true – but the romance and the love interest character are basically relegated to the background while the PoV character stumbles his way through life and into becoming a best-selling author through lots of inner monologues which, while they can be very funny, are also chaotic and rambling.
PK Harrington (who works as an assistant editor at an unnamed publishing house) is called to the lobby of his apartment building one evening to find his best friend and former roomie Art standing there, bedraggled (it’s raining) and looking very upset. Art has just broken up with their boyfriend – about which PK is secretly delighted, thinking that maybe, finally, this is his chance with Art, who he’s been in love with ever since they shared a drunken kiss one time when they were at college. PK offers Art his spare room for as long as they need it (which he hopes will be forever), and before long, Art has properly moved back in.
PK is thrilled, obviously, but still terrified about telling Art he loves them, so instead, PK starts writing down a few ideas about how Art makes him feel – and soon those ideas have grown into an entire book based loosely around how he and Art met, the things they’ve done together and PK’s undying love for them. PK shows the manuscript to a friend at work, she loves it, takes it to her boss, who also loves it, and suddenly, he has a book deal. But he daren’t tell Art, because he’s sure Art will recognise that the book is basically about them and how PK feels about them, and starts to see it as the sort of grand romantic gesture Art professes to love and that happen in romance novels all the time – right?
Even though the book I read wasn’t the book I was expecting to read, I liked a lot about it. It’s funny and quirky, and very meta in the way it looks at how publishing works and the sorts of problems authors face. (And I totally agree on the author’s stance on the Grand Gesture!) I liked PK for the most part; he’s self-absorbed and clueless and basically needs to grow up (he’s, like, twenty-six but he reads, like, you know, much younger) but he’s endearing, and his stream of consciousness monologuing can be oddly relatable. On the other hand, it can be quite distracting; some of his inner ramblings are SO tangential and jumbled up that I found myself skimming them to get back to the point – and the story.
Art, as I’ve said, is really a secondary character, and we never get to know much about them other than their taste in nail-polish and books. Even though they move in with PK at the beginning of the book, the two of them have very little time together on the page, and they have zero chemistry; I had no idea why PK was so desperately in love with Art, and no idea of their feelings towards PK. There IS an HFN here, but it’s last-minute and unsatisfying.
I liked Wade, a childhood frenemy of PK’s – he’s snarky and really doesn’t give a shit; although I liked him less in the last third of the book when he lectures PK about what he’s done wrong, not only when he’s at a real low, but in a way that comes across as a bit preachy. And Art doesn’t exactly cover themself in glory, either, sometimes disparaing or belittling PK, and, at one point, ghosting him for weeks.
Being in PK’s head is both fun and exhausting, but I was please that, towards the end, he tries hard to understand what went wrong and works to put it right, learning to really listen and to talk meaningfully. Book Boyfriend isn’t a bad book by any means – but if you’re looking for a romance filled with chemistry and longing, you won’t find those things here, and that’s ultimately why I can’t quite give it a recommendation.
April 29, 2022
This book is written in the style of someone with ADHD telling you a story, and you wanna snap your fingers at them and tell them to focus. (I say this as someone with ADHD.)
July 18, 2022
i hate the way this book is written. i feel like i'm reading a poorly written wattpad fanfic. i couldn't get past a few pages before having to put it down. sorry :(
April 7, 2022
This is probably the slowest of slow burns I've ever read within the span of one book, and somehow it made all the sense in the world even though it made no sense at all. This is a main character you will want to shake, but like, fondly. He's so hopeless, but you can also only root for him to figure things out, which, you know, takes him a while.
I just can't imagine going: I'm in love with my best friend, but instead of just like, you know, telling them or asking them out, I'm going to give zero hints but write a book about them instead and hope they will catch on. And then being the shocked Pikachu meme when they don't, in fact, catch on.
I would have probably gotten tired reading this book, but the thing is, it was so funny, and the pining was SO good!
Btw, for everyone it might concern, I want to mention that this book does not have any sex scenes!
I just can't imagine going: I'm in love with my best friend, but instead of just like, you know, telling them or asking them out, I'm going to give zero hints but write a book about them instead and hope they will catch on. And then being the shocked Pikachu meme when they don't, in fact, catch on.
I would have probably gotten tired reading this book, but the thing is, it was so funny, and the pining was SO good!
Btw, for everyone it might concern, I want to mention that this book does not have any sex scenes!
June 29, 2023
This was such an enjoyable audiobook. New to me narrator Pete Cross did a stunning performance bringing these characters to life! I do love an imperfect messy MC and PK Harrington the 3rd was exactly that. Not always the most aware of the right thing to do when it comes to people and their feelings, especially those of his best friend and long time love Art. Best friends from college, they take their sweet time to find their way to one another. This was a sweet slow burn of a romance that kept my interest all the way through. I loved getting to follow PK’s internal world and his journey into becoming an author as well as the behind the scenes stuff at the publishing house he works at as an editorial assistant. The characterisation of PK and Art’s families and friends was equally strong. Build up to the third act conflict was signalled to the reader in a very kind, clear way and resolved in a credible way. They may have been jackasses but I loved them both.
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