A frothy MM romance with lots of charm that begins with a grim set-up but quickly gets fun once the two guys get together.

Teddy Hughes has lost his home and his business and his life is falling apart. But then he meets Cole, who needs a fake boyfriend for a business deal. Sparks fly and they discover lots about each other-- and themselves. The best kind of romantic comedy. The cover is very amateurish, though, so don't be put off by it.

This was really sweet! Obviously: love a fake relationship plot. So messy and it seldom ends well, which means it always entails peak drama. But the author grounded the primary emotional issue re: the fake relationship in their characters, in Cole and Teddy's individual past traumas, rather than letting it fall solely on a miscommunication, as many authors are prone to doing, so all the wonderfully soul-wringing angst we get as readers also feels weighted and real. On the whole just a really good book, with a stellar secondary cast to bouy our love interests through their romantic plot. I really enjoyed this, and I think lots of other romance readers will too!

The Boyfriend Subscription is a solid 3.75 read

I really loved the characters. I felt so bad for Teddy losing his plant store and everything that he was going through. Cole was great and I felt like they complimented each other well. Their chemistry was there from the beginning and the steamy scenes were great! It was a great mix of plot and sex.

It's a M/M retelling of "Pretty Woman". I love that movie and thought the nods back to that movie were fun to see. I love a good queer retelling and this definitely fits the bill.

My only complaint about the book is how often it changed the POV. I love a dual POV because we get to go inside the minds of both characters. However, the POV switched too often here. Just as you were getting into one character it switched. Felt like I was being jerked around a bit.

It was funny, emotional at times and just a fun read.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

DNFed. I like it conceptually, but the writing style was rather jarring, what with the CONSTANT POV switching in a single chapter. It wouldn’t give me a chance to really become comfortable with anyone.

I received an ARC from NetGalley for an honest review.

I thought that I was going to like this a lot more than I did. I made it a few chapters in and decided to DNF it. I saw that the author had previously written y/a books and this was their first adult romance and it shows. The writing style feels very juvenile to me and there are points where these very adult characters act like they are awkward teens. There is nothing wrong with books with these elements, but this is supposed to be a steamy rom-com.
It also feels like the characters were shoved into the plot without any regard for who the characters are. It literally feels like Teddy is uncomfortable with everything he is doing, but the plot must move forward.
Additionally, the point of view changes very rapidly to the point that I don’t notice the change or that I forget that it changed completely.

Okay so I really liked this. I'm a huge fan of Pretty Woman and all the little references throughout made me so giddy!

Teddy and Cole are well paired for each other. Their differences are exactly what the other needs to move past their past family and relationship issues. My one complaint with the book is the insta-love. The majority of the book takes place over 3-4 days so their feelings seem a little quick for the real world. But I was willing to overlook it because it was just oh so sweet.

Funny and emotional without being cringy. Definitely a great, quick read!

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Oh boy, this book was not it for me.

I don't know if was the writing style, the pacing, or the plot that was so confusing to me, but I could not get into it.
I didn't find the characters to be likeable or relatable at all, and while it is true that I may not be the target audience for this book, I wanted to at least like one thing about it. Alas, that did not happen. There was too much insta love and manipulation going on for my liking. And if I am honest, I don't think this is a couple that would ever last.

If you like gay smut, I guess you should read this book.

I liked the plants. There.
Sorry to the publisher for this negative review. I do appreciate the ARC.

Such a great queer M/M romance retelling of Pretty Woman for the modern age. I loved how the author both paid homage to the classic and adapted it in a fresh way where Vivian's character is both a sex worker AND a millionaire. Add in a cuddly, down on his luck 'bear' in Teddy who is fresh off a divorce and going bankrupt thanks to his wealthy ex's vindictive family and this was a highly charged, emotional and fun love story. I couldn't get enough and I was already a huge fan of Steven's! Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital and galley copy in exchange for my honest review!!

Steam level: open door

I haven't had the pleasure of reading author Steven Salvatore before , though I do love a good queer young adult romance, so I am going to have to check them out. The Boyfriend Subscription is his first Queer Adult romance and I must say he knocked it out of the park. I absolutely loved this book and was invested in both characters right from the start.

Teddy's life has been dismantled by his rich ex-husband's family, and he has to move back home and start all over. His bestie takes him to a straight bar to drink away his sorrows. Cole is the wealthy owner / creator of a very popular queer friendly sex app. After a stressful party he escapes to a straight bar for a breather which just so happens to be the same bar Teddy's at. What follows is an instant connection that leads to a fake relationship business transaction that means more very quickly.

TEDDY !!!! That man from the first chapter steals your heart, and he can keep it because he is precious with his honest love of love, his plant babies, his ramblings, and just everything single aspect of his character. He was just such an easy character to connect to, you felt his joy and his devastation, and you want nothing but the best for him. Then we have Cole, who desperately needed Teddy in his life. To remind him that he's not alone, that he's worthy a love, and a safe place to be himself without performing. He may be rich and successful, but he has anxiety issues that he has coping mechanisms for he still struggles behind the face he puts on for the public.

Together they were endlessly entertaining. Whether they were getting to know each other, getting dirty in the sheets, or simply cuddling, I couldn't get enough. Their relationship is so heartfelt and while its fast-paced it just felt right. Swoony, steamy, fun, emotional and sweet are all the way I'd describe them together.

Overall The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore is 100% worth a read. An MM romance between opposites that has pretty woman vibes, a fake relationship, positive sex work rep, a lovable plaid wearing ginger, plants, crystals, snuggles, steam , humor, a dash of drama, family, friendships, and a satisfying HEA.


Trigger warning : there is the sexual assault of a side character that's described by the victim.

Another book I was able to read in one sitting! This is a short, quick read that's an lgbtq retelling of Pretty Woman. While not being believable enough at times, this had me turning the pages and thoroughly enjoying it.

Teddy, a debt ridden plant-lover, meets Cole, a well-off guy who doesn't believe in love. This has fake dating, and opposites attract tropes with a whole lot of extra drama on the side. But, did I mention a little spice? Yes, please!

While not my favorite, I still think this is worth a read!

Out March 26, 2024!

Thank you, Netgalley and Publisher, for this Arc!

Wow, that was... a hot mess. What a shame, too, because the description was so promising!

There was so much going on in this story that I'm not sure where to start. (tl;dr: the problem was that none of it really hung together.) All in all, it felt like an early draft of something that could be really good, but it has a long way to go before reaching that point. I don't just mean the myriad typos, grammatical errors, etc.—although while I recognize that ARCs aren't final versions, this was riddled. Also, the continuity errors and weird characterizations got to the point where I started to wonder whether this was "written" by AI. Given that it's coming out from Harlequin, I would hope not... but then again, I'd also hope that Harlequin would have had the ARC in better shape before circulating it.

The fundamental problem, though, was that no one's behavior made sense—and tons of potentially interesting plot threads were discarded by the wayside. I keep coming back to the feeling that this was an interesting rough draft that could turn into something special... but hasn't yet. Unfortunate.

My thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for an advance copy of this book.

I think this book had a lot going for it, but it just fell short of it's potential. There were just a lot of loose threads. Why was Cole's longtime friend trying to destroy him? Teddy only does monogamy- how is he going to deal with being in a relationship with a sex worker? Does Teddy really move immediately in with Cole (after saying he needed to take time to figure himself out)? Is there really no blow back from Cole's family after finding out about VERSTL? The book was well written, I just wanted more from the story.

I loved this book so much! SO much! I raced through it it just a couple of sittings. I couldn't put it down.
First, this is definitely fun MM romcom with some of my favorite tropes, fake dating and the microtrope of taking your "fake" date to a family wedding. It is for sure reminiscent of a favorite movie, Pretty Women. Except this time the sex worker is the rich one and the normal guy is getting paid for his time and companionship.
I loved Teddy and Cole. I love the way Salvatore described them. Mouth watering, sexy, and beautiful and in Teddy's case not the conventional hot romance guy way. But the way Cole looks at him wouldn't make you think for a second that he's not stunning. I loved that from the first time they met they both looked at each other without judgements. And even through all the ups and downs I never doubted their connection. And OMG the spicy, the chemistry, the scenes are so romantic yet so hot! I loved these two together so much.
The story had plenty of conflict, but not too much that I was overwhelmed. There were lots of side characters to love, like Teddy's bestie Kit and her girlfriends that make the cutest throuple. And I love the women of Cole's family, powerful, smart and beautiful. We love strong supportive women.
But at its core this is really a story about two people looking for love and acceptance. They are two men that are lonely and scared to love but find what they might need in each other. I also appreciated how the story addressed relevant topics like class, sex work, and queer relationships.
I only have a couple of critiques that really didn't effect me loving the book though. Sometimes, I got a little confused by the POV switching, but maybe that was just because I was reading a digital ARC. Also, the Jason story line didn't really feel tied up enough but I didn't like him so I didn't really care. And I just wanted even more of Teddy and Cole together at the end. But that is probably just me being greedy.
So overall five stars, I absolutely recommend it. I would love more books like this about healthy queer relationships, healthy poly relationships and positive stories of sex workers.
A huge thank you to Afterglow books/ Harlequin and Netgalley for this ARC.

3.5 Stars

I quite enjoyed the first half of this story. Teddy was down on his luck and about to move back home to pick up the pieces but then he meets a charming stranger, Cole, and is sucked into a fake dating arrangement that quickly turns into a whirlwind romance. I loved Teddy, he had been screwed over and as a result, lost his beloved retail plant business. When he meets Cole, he figured he had nothing to lose with a hot hookup but he never expected Cole’s offer to hire Teddy to play his fake boyfriend to help secure a finicky investor and to take home for his sister’s wedding. But, he could use the money and there’s something about Cole that keeps drawing him in.

I appreciated the sex positivity throughout the book and also the body positivity. There was also a fair amount of humor that had me laughing out loud. Later in the book, though, I wasn’t as keen on how quickly they had fallen in love. It was a matter of days. Given each of their histories, it felt a little rushed. I would have loved a longer build-up to that. There was also considerable drama in the later chapters with others coming in to sabotage their relationship, which was barely a minute old. I also would have loved an epilogue or something because it ended quickly and I wanted to see where they ended up!

I really enjoyed this book and found it pulled at my heartstrings more than expected! Teddy and Cole were both wonderful characters and so sweet together.

When I heard this described as a queer, modern twist on Pretty Woman, I was so on board! I've enjoyed other books by this author, and I went into this book expecting great things. I was not disappointed. This book DELIVERED. I loved both of the MCs and felt invested not only in their relationship but also in their success and lives. The story itself moved at a good pace and I didn't want to put the book down. I was impressed at how they managed to lack communication when it came to feelings and their relationship while still communicating on other important aspects. Usually in romance books its all or nothing, so I liked that balance.

I only had two real complaints. For one, the two different POVs had very similar voices, making it hard to differentiate between the two at times. I had to doublecheck multiple times to figure out who's head I was in. Second, it switched back and forth in awkward places. It really threw off the flow for me when it switched POVs in the middle of a scene or conversation only to switch back soon after. (As this was an early copy, it's possible this might be fixed in the final version.)

Overall, this was a GREAT read, If you're looking for a good fake dating romance, this might be the perfect pick

(4.5 stars rounded up)

Teddy is an author and was owner of Plant Daddy, a nursery/garden center in NYC, until being forced out and bankrupted by his ex husband and his family. With nothing left, he’s resigned himself to moving back to his mother’s in Louisiana.
Cole came from a wealthy family, but turned his back in it all to make his own way. He runs the VERSTL app for sex work gone mainstream, and is looking to branch out into a connected fashion brand.

This is Pretty Woman vibes with a twist - Cole, the technical “sex worker”, is the wealthy man doing the hiring of the down and out Teddy to act as his boyfriend.
Cole needs a boyfriend to make himself seem more settled to a potential fashion business partner, and also as a date for his sister’s wedding. And even though it’s Teddy’s last week in the city, he can’t turn down $1000 a day. Especially not to spend time with a hot af guy whose company he actually enjoys.

I couldn’t make myself put this down and ended up reading it in a single day! It has all the classic fake dating elements including scrambling to keep stories straight and the dual ‘this isn’t fake for me’ moment. Plenty of top notch spice to keep things going.
It’s overall a fun read, but with just the right amount sadness/seriousness to balance the story (can’t be helped what with Cole’s anxiety, Teddy’s uncertainty for his future and more scheming side characters and secrets all around than they know what to do with)
All this is wrapped up with a marvelous grand gesture, probably one of my favorites I’ve read tbh

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin for the arc!

Plants, lumberjacks, and harnessed hotties? SIGN ME UP.

Teddy lost his marriage, his plant shop “Plant Daddy” and now he will be losing his status as a resident of New York City. With no money coming in, and no prospects of a job, it’s time to head back home to Louisiana.

Cole’s business is booming, but he’s never felt more isolated and tired. Being a successful entrepreneur of a popular application called VERSTL, linking connections between consumers and sex workers, means his personality is always “on”.

The two find themselves in a chance meeting, and one thing leads to the next. Cole could use someone on his arm for upcoming events, Teddy could use money, thus the two enter into a boyfriend subscription.

Steven Salvatore wrote raw and honest characters that come off of the page. There was a bit of steam, some angst, and a little dash of deceit — a.k.a. the perfect combo.

I highly recommend this book to people looking for something quick and enticing to read.

Thank you to Harlequin (Afterglow) and NetGalley for providing me with an eArc in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed the overall concept of this book, as well as the main characters. The writing style was fine. The pacing was a little slow for me, with too much focus on the physical relationship for my taste. I’m not the target audience for this book—I wanted more emotion and character development.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC.

This was my first book by the author and it definitely won’t be my last! This story was quick, sweet, and entertaining with a decent amount of spice. The characters were interesting, the plot was messy (in a good way), and I loved the rapid changes in POV within the chapters. This is a book I definitely recommend :).

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.