First and foremost, this book needs a trigger warning! (I know TWs are subjective but my philosophy is to always to err on the side of caution and include them.) There is a fairly graphic and emotional description of a character experiencing SA and for a book marketed as a romcom, this was unexpected and triggering enough that I was unable to finish the book.

Now for my review...

I wanted to love this book and I should have based on the fact it has all my favorite tropes. However, it just fell flat to me. If I had to describe this book in one word, it would be "inconsistent". The pacing and timing was off in places. First you are experience the story in first person/real time and a chapter later you get the story in a series of flashbacks. The chemistry between the two main characters was on again/off again with way too many unnecessary miscommunications. When they were together, they were great. When they were apart it was one big 'oh my god, he said this thing that I am taking out of context and now I hate him because he's betrayed me' incident after another. It got old fast. Lastly, it could have used one more edit to catch some grammar mistakes.

Like I said, this book has so much potential and I should have loved it. It was just too easy to pick apart and never pulled me in.

This was a lovely fake dating read, with lots of queer, sex-positive discussions and content. I loved how the MCs helped each other out of their traumas and anxieties, and I loved the banter! Also, the third act makeup 😭

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

A relatively fun, quick read. It's been years since I've seen 'Pretty Woman', so I can't speak much to any comparisons between the two. But that didn't take anything away from the book for me, and I think the book more or less stands on its own--some things might have more mileage, though, if you're more familiar with the movie. For me it was just not long enough for the amount of plot and emotions that get thrown at us. I did appreciate the strong pro-sex work stance this book has.

But it just ricocheted too much for me--the book itself is, for the most part, briskly written. It felt like we didn't linger long enough, anywhere. That made it harder for me to get attached to the characters, or get invested in the conflicts--I just wanted the book to slow down.

But it was still a nice read for a quiet afternoon or two, it just didn't work for me. But I do get the feeling, especially considering that the joy the author had while writing this absolutely leaps off the page, that this book will find its intended audience in no time.

I loved this book! I devoured it in only a few sittings and wish there was more to read. The story line was paced very well and the characters were easy to love!

A modern day reimagining of the film Pretty Woman with complex but sweet main characters. Although this novel deals with heavier topics, like the perception of sex workers, it keeps a lightheaded and fun tone. Readers will root for Teddy and Cole to find their happily ever after!

Thank you Afterglow Books and Netgalley for this eARC. A fun, sexy, steamy, sweet read! Teddy has just lost his livelihood. His husband left him and then his ex father in law sued him for Plant Daddy, the plant store he owned. Out at a bar for what will one of his last nights in New York he meets Cole. Cole is one of the sexiest men Teddy’s ever laid eyes on. Cole snuck away from a party thrown in honor of his company VERSTL, an app the connects sex workers/entrepreneurs with consumers. Cole founded the company after walking away from his father’s money and demands. When his old life collided with his new one he had to get away. Teddy and Cole are instantly drawn to each other and when Teddy finds out what Cole does, and has no judgement the two spend a lovely evening together. Then a plan forms Cole needs a “boyfriend” for his sister’s wedding and a business meeting. All Teddy has to do is pretend for a week and Cole will give him money. Can the two convince the people in Cole’s life that they’re dating? Can they do it without falling for each other? Or will their complicated pasts interfere? I am a huge fan of Steven Salvatore’s work! Steven always writes complex characters that make you feel so damn much! Cole and Teddy are both so sweet and charming, incredibly confident in their own ways, and hurting in their own ways. Their story is touching, funny, tender, and so very spicy!! Perfect for romances fans! Can’t wait to read it again!

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest, spoiler-free review!

Themes: Grief, love, sex
Representation: Gay MCs, Black and Lesbian SC, Polyamourous SCs
Content Warnings: Grief

Premise: Teddy lost his plant business and the love of his life. Cole doesn’t believe in love but after a press incident, he may need a fake boyfriend. The two of them meet and get involved, but will they fall in love?

Personal Comments

I thought this was a fairly lighthearted read that still focused on some more serious issues. Although some of the characters fell a bit into stereotypes, I thought that it overall, had great representation. Although I didn’t like how insta-love-y it was in the beginning, I liked seeing Teddy and Cole grow as people. I liked how the author tackled both of their mental health issues and I thought that the story and the emotional growth of the characters felt realistic despite it being only a one-week time frame.

As for some other things, I thought that the chapters were a bit long, although I didn’t mind it too much.

Characters

Cole: Cole is the millionaire and founder of VERSTL, an LGBTQ+ app for sex workers. He does not believe in love because of past events as well as parental pressures. He’s an extravagant character that has a lot of flair. As you read on, you can understand why he acts the way he does. You’ll start to understand his strained relationship with his parents as well and why he does not believe in love. However, ultimately, his views have changed.

Teddy: At the beginning of the book, Teddy loses his plant business after a divorce. I thought that the author did a decent job representing the grief that Teddy had with losing his husband and letting go of a place that he cared so dearly about: it’s not something you get over easily and it isn’t fair. Teddy’s character arc is above finding love after grief and figuring out that he too deserves love.

Their Relationship: Although I’d say the first meeting between them felt rushed and slightly awkward (albeit that people do meet like this in real life), I liked that throughout the book the two characters supported each other and their chemistry developed. Also, if you’re a fan of smut, this book does have a lot of it. I’m pretty neutral about it.

Other Characters: I liked the relationship between Teddy and his best friend and Cole and his sister. It’s important to have familial and platonic relationships. So I thought that the support of Teddy’s best friend and Cole’s sister was a nice touch.

Plot

The Beginning: I thought that the beginning of the book was slow to start. However, I liked how the author introduced the backstory of the main characters. I thought that it was well-developed and helped to establish the plot and character development in the book.

The Middle: Some parts of the book were slow in the middle (which tends to happen in most books). However, there was enough tension and character development to keep the story moving. I’ll let you decide what you think of the middle for yourself.

The End: I thought that the ending of the book was well-resolved. You have the dramatic third act, which typically happens in a romance novel. Then it’s followed by a sweet moment or epilogue. This book tied up the loose threads and ended off right where it needed to.

Other

Format: The book was written in first-person present tense with alternating perspectives. I thought that it was fitting for it to be written in this tense because a, it’s a romance book, and b, it’s character so it makes it easier to see the character development. However, I’d say that perhaps the author could’ve made it clear when they switched between the different characters as sometimes I’d need a second to adjust to who the narrator was. Also, if you aren’t a fan of long chapters, then this book isn’t for you.

Themes: I thought that the themes were well-represented in the book. It’s important to talk about mental health and grief. And through the characters, Steven Salvatore represents the impact of heartbreak and relationships on one’s life. Anyway… the themes were refreshing to see and it was great to have an LGBTQ+ narrative on mental health that doesn’t negate it.

Final Rating

Personal Rating: 3.5/5
Characters: 4.5/5
Plot: 4/5
Formatting: 3.7/5
Final Rating: 3.9/5 (round to 4 stars)

Date Read: November 26th, 2023
Date Reviewed: December 3rd, 2023

When they tell you it’s a queer retelling of Pretty Women, it is. And it’s absolutely DELIGHTFUL! Teddy has had everything ripped away from him by his horrible ex when he meets entrepreneur Cole at a bar one night. A one night stand turns into a week of playing boyfriend and the callbacks to Pretty Women are just nostalgic enough for those of us who grew up with it. The story itself is so sweet and beautiful that I know it’s going to be a reread for me.

I LOVED THIS. The two MMCs are really adorable and the author writes them with enough quirks to make them feel real - not two dimensional OR overwritten but rather like people you could actually meet. The romance was SOOO well done - slow enough so that you could feel the tension but fast enough that you're not out of your mind yelling at the book KISS ALREADY. I really appreciated all the discussions in the book about relationships, sex work, safe intimacy practices, and classism as well. And the side characters are just as loveable and real as the main characters - so much so that I would read a whole other book about them. My critique is mainly that I would have liked the ending to be longer. We get a hint of what their HEA is going to look like, but the book feels like it ends relatively abruptly and the plot resolves a little too easily. But overall this is a really quick, sweet, emotional read that had me tearing up at the end. Would totally recommend.

“The Boyfriend Subscription” by Steven Salvatore is a fun and sexy queer romance with 90’s rom-com “Pretty Woman” vibes. Cole and Theo have chemistry immediately and even though they are both struggling with their own reasons for avoiding feelings, intimacy…love—they end up going back to Cole’s hotel room together and spending the night together. It’s not intentional by any means, but the feelings are there, and Cole isn’t ready to let Theo go just yet. In this fake dating/billionaire (or at least very very wealthy) romance, these two men find a way to move past their own hangups and find love with each other. I thought this book was super cute. The intimacy between Theo and Cole is definitely there and the side characters are all a lot of fun when they become a part of their fake-dating ruse. The only thing I wasn’t a huge fan of in The Boyfriend Subscription is that it is very insta-lovey. They only know each other for a few days before saying they love each other. Not that it isn’t possible to love someone that quickly, especially when someone breaks down the walls you’ve had up for so long. I personally just tend to not enjoy insta love too much. There were also a few times when it was difficult to differentiate between the two characters and know who was narrating. The POV switches mid chapter, and it doesn’t always flow as well as it could. Overall, I really enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend!

I was really excited and expected to love this...but I literally couldn't get past the first page. I have a visceral dislike of present tense, which sets my skin crawling. I could *maybe* stand listening to this as an audiobook, but reading it is just too hard to focus on and nothing drew in me to make me focus on the 1st person storytelling (which I occasionally can make up for it being PT.) Because this is my own issue and not necessarily the author (or editor's) fault: I'm giving this a median 3.

I give "The Boyfriend Subscription" a solid 3 out of 5, just based on my own experience with it. I'm sure others will love this book and will (and have!) rate it higher. For some reason, it never entirely grabbed me the way I wanted it to. I got through it as quick as I could, but elements of its overall make up weren't my favorite.

As for what I liked, I did love the sex positivity of it all, as well as the general "Pretty Woman" theme, especially in the first third, but I did find the pacing a little slow throughout. I did like the way it tackled elements of trauma and self-worth, particularly oriented around living up to our parents expectations.

As for what I liked a little less, the "instalove" between the two main leads happens to be one of my least favorite tropes, and unfortunately this element of the book impacted my overall enjoyment, especially going into the final stretch. This is no fault to the author, just a personal preference. Unfortunately, throughout the book, I found the author fell into a habit of "telling" rather than "showing." This might have just been a me problem, but I also didn't like the constant POV shift mid-chapter. It made it challenging at times to remember who was which as sometimes their voices blended together on the page, despite being much different characters.

All in all, I wanted to like this book more than I did, and for all of its strengths that it does have, I was looking forward to wrapping it up. As I said, others will likely enjoy this book more than I did, but it was just okay for me.

Thanks to Afterglow Books by Harlequin and Netgalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review. (less)

This romance is a M/M (sort-of) take on the movie "Pretty Woman" and features two appealing heroes who both have issues in their past. Teddy has lost his home and business following a divorce and just happens to meet Cole, a wealthy businessman who developed a very successful app for connecting people and sex workers. When Cole finds himself in need of a temporary boyfriend, he offers to pay Teddy enough to help him start over, but the two soon find themselves having real feelings. Recommended.

A fun and unique twist on the fake dating trope! Teddy and Cole’s relationship was sweet, sexy, and complicated in all the most compelling ways.

I found this premise to be quite interesting and unique! The billionaire romance and fake dating tropes are always fun, and the layered twist of Cole’s emotional state as the creator of VERSTL made for some fun challenges for the couple to overcome. As expected, the bedroom scenes were very hot and the dirty talk was fantastic. I loved the easy body positivity showcased as well, with Cole loving Teddy’s plus size and hairy shape. The two made for a wonderful pairing and I was so glad they got their HEA. If I did have one critique, it was that it bordered on almost too much instalove. To paraphrase Kit, they were saying they loved each other after, like, three days. I didn’t mind it, as I certainly understand the feelings they were having as they brought out these changes in each other, but it was still a bit quick. I also thought there’d be more of a buildup/confrontation between Cole and his father after hyping it up so much throughout the book, but I did enjoy the tenderness of the scene when they finally talked.

Overall, this was a sweet and spicy romance that I absolutely adored. Congratulations to Steven Salvatore. I can’t wait for everyone to pick up their copies and blow up the internet discussing this wonderful book.

A bit clunky!

This was okay! I didn’t really vibe with the writing. While very queer and I love that, it just felt messy and not super connected.

I really wasn’t bought in, but for some reason, I was able to get through it. So, that’s a plus at the very least. I also really liked the concept. A queer Pretty Woman romcom? It’s what the world needs.

It just didn’t leave a super lasting impression. That’s okay, though. Not every book needs to!

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for this advanced copy.

Such a fun read. And love all the romances

Very cute adult romance debut from Steven Salvatore! To me, everything in the book feels very authentic. It's also very clear that Steven is a fan of Pretty Woman, as there are plenty of references to the film throughout the book on top of it being a modern day retelling. I really liked that the sex worker was the rich character in this version as it provides a fun change from the original! Overall, very cute and unique romance!

This book was incredibly emotional, sweet, and steamy!
Teddy and Cole’s relationship is one that will be in my heart for years to come! They are just absolutely made for one another!

First and foremost this a queer Pretty Woman retelling, I loved all the little nods to the original. I went in hoping for a fun, sexy story and this ended up being so much more than that.

A lot of difficult topics were covered in a very thoughtful and respectful way. I was pleasantly surprised by the lack of body shaming and positive view of sex workers. I loved both Teddy and Cole right from the start. This story also had many other great supporting characters, I especially loved Kit and Mallory.

This is a shorter book and just flew through it. I enjoyed the duel POV and the style of Salvatore's writing. I really enjoyed this book, it was just the sweet and thoughtful treat I was hoping for!

Thank you NetGalley and Harlequin for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Afterglow Books for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

I had high hopes for this based off of the other reviews I read, but ultimately I was let down. I love the concept and I loved how sex work was portrayed in a positive light; but the humor and slightly ridiculous premise felt a bit juvenile when dealing with a real world issue. The humor itself also just not my cup of tea, in addition to it often feeling ill-fitting, it was just not funny (the excessive use of "daddy" for example). Though I guess I can see how it may appeal to a different audience!

I would have enjoyed it a bit more if it was longer and the characters and their relationships were more fleshed out - I think shorter, pulpy novels/novellas may not be my scene! Oh well.