I'm admittedly not the biggest fan of YA romance, but this book was incredibly charming. It had an interesting plot (sure, you might have to suspend your disbelief a little, but it works here), a romance that I actually cared for, and some very touching and poignant trans representation.

Looking forward to Powars's next book!

This was THE MOST FUN BOOK I've read in a long time!

Sixteen-year-old Noah has recently transferred to a new high school after transitioning. Determined to prove his gender and fit in with the other guys at his new school, Noah decides to join the school's Borrow a Boyfriend Club, where members can be hired for dates (Ouran High School Host Club vibes for sure!). But to join, he'll first have to prove himself to the grumpy leader, Asher, through a talent show. As Noah spends more time with the Borrow a Boyfriend Club, he enters an exploration of gender, self-identity, and what masculinity really means to him.

This was a really beautiful and thoughtful book that dealt with its characters and themes in a way that shows a lot of care. At the same time, it's laugh-out-loud funny, so fast-paced you'll want to read it in one sitting, and features a very fun annoyances-to-lovers dynamic. Love this book!

I can’t believe it took me so long to get to this book! Super heartwarming, the kind of book I would have reread over and over as a teen. (Alas, today, my TBR is too long for me to be rereading books with such vigor, hence why it took me until June to read an ARC of a book that released last September.) Noah, Asher, and all the members of the club are incredibly endearing and funny, to the point where I laughed out loud several times while reading. I need Page’s next book ASAP.

Giveaway!
QOTD: What is your next anticipated book release?
Today is my stop on Colored Pages Book Tours’ Promotional Tour for The Borrow a Boyfriend Club by @pagepowars! The book follows a trans teen who joins a boyfriend borrowing service masquerading as an Italian Club to prove he’s one of the guys, especially to its frustratingly handsome leader. The Borrow a Boyfriend Club will be coming out on September 12 from @getunderlined but you can enter the tour-wide giveaway to win a copy today!
How To Enter: -Follow me (@Rampant_Reading) and @coloredpagesbt
-Like and comment with your next anticipated release
Extra entries:
-Share this post via stories
-Tag friends in different comments!
-Visit the #TheBorrowaBoyfriendClubTour hashtag for more chances to win!
Note: The giveaway will end at 11:59 pm EST on 9/10 and is only for US/CAN residents.
Here’s a Synopsis of The Borrow a Boyfriend Club:
Noah Byrd is the perfect boy. At least, that’s what he needs to convince his new classmates of to prove his gender. His plan? Join the school’s illustrious (and secret) Borrow a Boyfriend Club, whose members rent themselves out for dates. Once he’s accepted among the bros, the “slip-ups” end.

But Noah’s interview is a flop. Desperate, he strikes a deal with the club’s prickly but attractive president, Asher. Noah will help them win an annual talent show—and in return, he’ll get a second shot to demonstrate his boyfriend skills in a series of tests that include romancing Asher himself.

If Noah can’t bring home the win, his best chance to prove that he’s man enough is gone. Yet even if he succeeds, he still loses . . . because the most important rule of the Borrow a Boyfriend Club is simple: no real boyfriends (or girlfriends) allowed.

And as long as the club remains standing as high as Asher’s man bun, Noah and Asher can never explore their growing feelings for one another.

4 stars. Though I had some minor quibbles with the writing, ultimately The Borrow a Boyfriend Club is the literary version of Ouran High School Host Club that readers have been waiting for: camp, fluff, and hilarity included.

Thanks to Netgalley and Delacorte Press for the ARC of this! I'm catching up on some reviews I didn't get to before they released, so in addition to reading the ARC, I also listened to the audio copy of this from the library.

This was a cute story, even if the premise is obviously pretty silly. It was very queer in the best ways, and I liked the characters a lot.

4.25

Setting: Michigan
Rep: gay trans protagonist; queer love interest

This was a sweet YA with fantastic trans and gay rep and a fun premise! Noah had such an authentic voice and I'm glad to see I can still enjoy YA books!

Some of the best transgender representation I’ve read in YA. Loved the witty, almost absurd sense of humor and how quirky the characters were.

A feel-good romcom with heart and edge, BORROW A BOYFRIEND CLUB is like stepping inside of an anime in the best way. I can't wait to read more from this author.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Page Powars’ stellar debut is equal parts charming, poignant in exploration of teen love, and and heartwarming in queer romance. Powars crafted a book full of comedy and heartfelt scenes that truly stole my attention. It has inclusive queer representation which I am always looking for, and a great coming of age story that every reader can find a part of themselves in.

A heartfelt and funny story about a trans boy who wants to be seen as what he truly is. The entire idea of borrowing a boyfriend as a school club is absolutely ridiculous but the humor is on point. I love the way to members of the club transform and the focus becomes found family. The talent contest was an added element of ridiculousness that worked out perfectly

This was such a fun and feel-good book! I love me a trans protagonist and Noah in this was a real gem. He joins his school’s secret boyfriend borrowing service in order to prove his gender (mostly to himself).

I had a great time with this. In fact, there was so much in it that I really gravitated towards. I loved the club itself and all the members. I loved Noah and the messes he continually got himself into. I loved Asher, the club’s leader who Noah starts to fall for.

In all honesty, where this book fell for me is with the romance. I got glimpses of why Noah and Asher would fall for each other, but I wanted more. I needed more. The yearning! The pining! There were ways to make me really root for these two, and instead I found myself rooting for there to be more chemistry between them.

Overall, a good read and I’m excited to see what Page Powars does next!

Amazing and fun book. The concept overall was amusing and well executed. A very good lighthearted read and the perfect sort of romcom I desperately want to see more trans characters in.

"The Borrow a Boyfriend Club" by Page Powars is a delightful and heartwarming tale that celebrates friendship, love, and the unexpected turns of life. Powars weaves a charming narrative centered around a group of friends who embark on a playful yet meaningful mission to assist each other in navigating the complexities of relationships. The book skillfully explores the dynamics of friendship and romance, offering a refreshing take on the power of support and solidarity among friends. With endearing characters and witty storytelling, "The Borrow a Boyfriend Club" is a feel-good read that entertains and leaves a smile on your face, reminding us of the beauty of connections and the surprises that life often brings.

This was a book that I chose based on the title. I thought it sounded like a really fun read, and I'm so glad I read it.

This is Noah's story. Noah has transferred from his old school to a new school on the other side of Ann Arbor because as Noah transitioned into the boy he's always known himself to be. He felt othered and uncomfortable exploring his masculinity, and therefore, is terrified of being seen as anything but extremely masculine at his new school. He finds the Football and Lamborghini Club at his new school, the manliest club he can find, and tries to join. He learns instead that the Football and Lamborghini Club is a front for the Borrow a Boyfriend Club, an exclusive club where students can "rent" a date for any occasion. Noah is given the opportunity to join, but the club's president, Asher, drives him crazy.

As Noah begins to really explore what being a man means to him, and as he gets to know his new friends in the Borrow a Boyfriend Club, he realizes maybe all this isn't an exact science. There's a lot more to masculinity-or femininity-than he thought.

This book felt pretty realistic, and I really enjoyed the entire thing. I laughed out loud at a lot of parts, and I wanted to hug Noah several times throughout and tell him it would be okay. This would be a great read for anybody, really, because I think it really helps with empathy and understanding, and there were some pretty great talking points throughout, whether there are parents, friends of teens, or teens themselves asking these questions or going through the same process.

*An ARC was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

Listen. I've read enough cute YA rom-com contemporaries to fill a library and this one? This nugget of Midwest-rooted job and bromantic belonging? This was something special. This was something fierce and loving and as joyful as it was hilarious. Powars is one of the new YA voices to look out for.

Noah Byrd is a sixteen year old who recently transferred schools after transitioning. He is determined to pass as a boy at all costs, so he joins the manliest club the school has to offer: The Football and Lamborghini After School Club. The club turns out to be a front for the illustrious Borrow a Boyfriend Club, a business where members take borrowers on a date for a fee. Noah thinks this is an even better opportunity to cement himself as a boy to the entire school, but he has to prove himself worthy of membership to the club’s icy president, Asher, first.

This is a super cute YA novel with queer representation that doesn’t feel performative. I have read several books where it feels like authors are trying to check a box with queer or POC characters, but this tells Noah’s story in a funny and realistic way. Noah goes through typical teenage issues like trying to fit in at a new school and dealing with romantic feelings while also highlighting trans-specific issues like feelings of self-worth and worries about being outed. Noah and Asher’s enemies-to-lovers storyline is paced well, and I like that there was something else going on (the talent show) that kept the plot moving. It made the will-they-won’t-they dynamic less frustrating. The subplot with Asher and Sebastian was not developed enough, though, especially the part where Sebastian comes to watch the talent show. I wish more time would have been dedicated to Asher working through his feelings, but otherwise I really enjoyed this. Thanks to NetGalley, Delacorte Press, and Page Powars for this free ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you so much to the author for sending me an eARC!

THE BORROW A BOYFRIEND CLUB tells the story of Noah, a trans teen trying to gain acceptance to his new school's exclusive "Borrow a Boyfriend Club" in order to prove to his classmates (and himself) that he's the perfect boy. After bombing his interview, the club's prickly president Asher gives Noah a second chance to prove himself. But Noah wasn't expecting to start caring about the club — or Asher — in the process.

This was a fantastic YA read — not just one of my favourites of this year but potentially one of my favourite YAs of all time. The voice and humour were so spot on, the story felt fresh and original, the characters were all so well-developed, and it truly felt like it was aimed at today's teen readers. I loved every second of it.

I highly, highly recommend this book and cannot wait for Powars' future work.

Noah just transferred to a new school. And the first thing in his to-do list is to sign up in a club that would immediately let everyone know that he's a boy. But the only option he has is the Football and Lamborghini club. But the club isn't what it seems. And it looks like it's not going to be easy to get in.

This was such a very informative book for me. It was so cool to learn what it might be like in Noah's shoes. Especially, the way he feels. I really like the journey and character development for Noah. And the romance was very realistic. I loved how emotional get funny this book can be.

The characters are amazing, and I wish I got to learn more about the minor characters. I also feels like the "loose ends" were resolved too easily.

Overall, this book was really good and I learned a lot from it and very entertaining too.

* I recieved this as an ARC