such a sweet, lovely story! it took me some time to get into and it annoyed me with the lil miscommunication thing at the end. i also didn't feel as connected to one of the mcs - bastian. but despite all that i enjoyed how cute this romcom was. such a pleasure to read. the connection between the mcs was slowly developed and grew into something so much more powerful and i loved seeing it happen. fun!

Received an ARC of this upcoming romance, <b>Boystown Heartbreakers</b> from Rising Action Publishing Co. through NetGalley and was happy that I did! When it comes to romance, I’m down for just about any trope — why reinvent the wheel, if you can simply make the ride more enjoyable? Initially I was drawn to this book because of the cover (I love this cover style, which seems to have dominated the past several years) but also the blurb seemed promising. Bastian is a thirty-year-old gay hairstylist who has been through heartbreak after heartbreak, keeping a running tally of the “wrong men” written on his wall. He is reminded of a promise made to him by his best friend, Andres (a motorcycle riding restaurateur), that if Bastian was still single and unhappy in his thirties then they would give being a couple a go!

I think within the narrative the premise was delivered a little too matter-of-factly which seemed to quickly evolve into rather strong flirtation from Andres. There is a quick bit of exposition that details their friendship (and it is a rich, sweet history — perfect for this particular trope!) but as a reader I felt a slower introduction to their friendship and dynamic would have made more sense and strengthened my investment in their relationship and the stakes involved. Andres definitely has charisma though and combined with his “cantaloupe in his pants” ass I don’t know if I would have had as many reservations as poor, sweet Bastian! It definitely felt like the author had a good sense of who these characters were, and I wish that had come through more clearly in the beginning.

After my initial reservations, however, I found myself swept away with the story. There were moments when I wanted to shake Bastian and encourage him to accept better treatment in his personal and professional life and in those moments it was clear that I had connected with the story. Swooning for Andres was much easier. Although, as previously mentioned, I didn’t appreciate his clinical approach to initiating the relationship (and thus our story) he was a pleasant leading man (I wish we had more glimpses into his past!) All things considered, I found this to be a charming, debut romance that makes for a quick, fun read! Kudos for also delivering important messages about work/life balance and highlighting issues unique to cosmetologists/hair stylists..

This is a different review than usual. I’m not going to talk about this book. It’s okay. As an in-between. Or to dream away for a couple of hours. Just an easy, uplifting read that we sometimes need. That’s it. Instead, I’m going to talk about third-act break-ups. I’m known as the hater of this weird invention. Especially if there’s miscommunication. Or jealousy.
 
Romcoms have evolved over the years. While in the 90s and 00s, those stories were mainly about white, heterosexual couples, in which the stiletto heel was hot, nowadays romance is finally getting acknowledged and rebranded to feelgood romance (I myself love the word romtrom), with diversity in couples, and touching more difficult topics. There’s still a HEA, there’s still lots of banter and fun, but there’s also depth. Just read Here You Go Again by Alison Cochrun, which is about death and is out April 2.
 
In my opinion, the third-act break-up also needs to evolve. We (readers) don’t need them for the sake of lengthening the story. Or to get more drama. Miscommunication is the worst of all. I want more healthy relationships. And yeah, those can be difficult, too. It might be healthy to step away from someone you love for a while. But not because of something futile. So, I challenge you, authors, to write stories without the usual, full of drama third-act break-up. I’m sorry, K.C. Carmichael, for using your debut for this rant. It’s sweet enough (Andres was so cute), and I love the friends-to-lovers trope. I just didn’t like Bastian’s jealousy. I know internal monologues can do bad things to us, but I just wanted to scream at him! Talk for God’s sake. Talk!! Sadly, he didn’t.

Omg super cute. I love Bastian and Andres!

It does have the miscommunication trope, so if thats not your thing I'm warning you now.

Friends to lovers
Miscommunication

I feel like it was a coming of age story for 30 year Olds. Bastian still had so much growing to do, and Andres was the man for the job

Thank you to netgalley and Rising Action Publishing Co. for allowing me to read this book. This was such a cute romance especially with the queer rep.

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for this ARC.

This was such a cute romcom. I loved the friends to lovers queer love story. So good! I loved the salon and all of the characters. Such great writing.

I'm usually not much into the friends to lovers trope, but I'll make an exception for this one.

I requested this book via NetGalley because I was looking for a new queer romance to read and I liked the cover, but had never heard of the author before. I'm so glad I clicked on it, because I enjoyed every second of it.

"Boystown Heartbreakers" is a story about Bastian Russo, who has been quite unlucky in his love life, which has lead to him closing off his heart so he can't get hurt and add another name of his list of heartbreaks. Cue his best friend and eligible bachelor of Chicago, Andres, who wants nothing more than Bastian to be treated right, preferably by Andres himself. But what are the complications of dating your best friend? What if it inevitably goes wrong?

I swooned so many times whilst reading this. It is adorable, it's wholesome, it's really sad and at times a tad frustrating, but it's also so filled with love. I usually lose interest when two characters get together and live their happy little lives, but I could not get enough of Bastian and Andres and honest to god just wanted them to work out as if they were MY best friends.

The writing isn't astounding and it's not necessarily an entirely new concept, but it's a quick, wholesome, very cute read that doesn't feel superficial and is worked out well. Andres and Bastian are my friends now, it's as simple as that. Go read it, it's literally so good.

This was a thoroughly enjoyable (best) friends to lovers romance! There were realistic personal problems, and you can really tell that the author has experience in the kind of job Bastian has. I always love it when you have these little details that come from personal experience and give a book an extra layer of immersiveness!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC!

I really enjoyed reading this book overall, especially exciting when it's a queer romance, definitely recommended.

✰ 2.75 stars ✰

​​“...kissing Bastian like he’s the only thing that matters in this world. Like he’s waited to taste Bastian for a lifetime, despite the fact that they’ve been here before.

It’s different this time. After everything, there’s a new intensity to the connection between them. A new level of devotion that makes Bastian’s heart sing once his clothes are removed and Andres is nestled above him,

“I love you,” Bastian whispers again into Andres’s ear as they sink into a steady rhythm.

“I love you too,” Andres says back. “I always have.​”​

It's pretty much a given that if it's friends to lovers then I'm all about giving it a chance, like the premise that Boystown Heartbreakers promised to deliver. ​Yes, it makes me emotional, okay? 🥺 It may not have been the most original of stories, but there was a relative calmness to Bastian and Andres' gradual ease of childhood friends to lovers that I didn't quite mind.

​“There’s too much at stake. Too many years. Too many memories. Too much happiness to be soured by being arrogant enough to think he can find and hold onto romantic love with Andres.”​

After many a heartbreak gone sour, that hair stylist, Bastian diligently records on a list ​on his closet wall, his best friend since they were five years old, Andres offers him the proposal that rather than endure another unworthy and unsavory relationship - why not just date him instead - his childhood friend and confidante for the last twenty-five years.​ 'I’ve been best friends with Andres since we were​ kids. I know better than anybody here how amazing he is.​ 😊 It's a match made in heaven, it's the answer to all his woes, without the added baggage of getting to know someone first - unsure if it'll work out, because Andres reassures him constantly that even if it does - their friendship will stand the test of time. 🫶🏻🫶🏻

But, does it? Or more importantly, will Bastian let i​t? For risking their friendship for the sake of love - can it be love - is something he can't afford to lose.​ '... he’ll be damned if he’s going to take the risk​ and end up adding Andres’s name to that list when Bastian inevitably ends up fucking up any chance of success between them.​' And no matter how happy he is with Andres - how comfortable and safe and secure he feels in his arms - his overwrought worries of taking that extra leap to love is something that nestles deeply within him. It was difficult to be in Bastian's conflicting head about how to proceed with Andres' suggestion, but believably so. 😔

It's a classic entrée, tipped off nicely here with that fluctuating dynamic that persists in Bastian's mind of whether or not he's willing to go the extra mile. Was it frustrating? ​At times​, yes - but Andres was ​so very sweet - very much the picture perfect boyfriend and best friend one could possibly have. He loved Bastian - without saying it - he wanted him to realize it on his own - and even when Bastian did - it was his own fear of past examples that prevented him from acting upon it.

​“He and Andres know each other inside and out, for good and bad, hopes and dreams, and their history; though it brings Bastian an intense amount of comfort, it scares him immensely.”

Even though the concept is nothing new or original, it was a heart-warming read, if not exhausting,​ because yes, who would want to jeopardize years of friendship for the sake of just seeing which way it will go​? Bastian's inner struggle that Andres' past record shows that he's just going to be a fling for him - that it's nothing serious and they can call it quits whenever, would make anyone annoyed. 'Kiss him, dammit! that deep yearning keeps yelling. Get over your bullshit and kiss him!' Yes, it's hard to fight it! 😭 But, it's the subtle way in which they become a part of each other's existence - the light-hearted happiness that Andres gave him - simply a step up from their existing friendship - ​the casual acceptance of gravitating into more touching, more kissing, more welcoming closeness without fear - was very endearing. ​

As much as Andres is known for playing the field - being so perfect - it just never dawned on Bastian that he could desire him - be crazy about him - his average normal best friend. But, as they spend more time together, all the little dates, the motorcycle rides that just felt so intimate, I was actually curious to see what could possibly go wrong? 😅 Also, the spice is relatively tame, but I could still feel the emotions that they were feeling at their most intimate - just something so tender and warm and open-hearted about it. That trust with that one person who knows you inside and out - that you can have this with them - to work to prove that it's something tangible - that it can last. 🩷🩷​

“Bastian opens his eyes wide and nibbles at Andres’s thumb that is pulling gently at his lower lip. “So I should stop writing that erotic novel I’m crafting about us?”

“Why write it when we can live it?” Andres asks and cuts Bastian off with a kiss.”

​While the 3rd act breakup was built upon misunderstandings and jealousy - yes, it did happen in the most contrived of ways - I appreciated how it actually served as a positive take to their friendship. It ​acted as a reminder for Bastian that he couldn't simply take Andres' love for him for granted - ​a role reversal where he had to earn his love again to Andres - for them both to realize that the love they have for each other is real and worth taking a chance on.​ 🥹 I liked that Andres let himself be vulnerable - that he let himself be recognized as someone who also had something on the line in their chance - that his love for Bastian wasn't just a one-off thing for him - and Bastian realizing that made their coming back together even more rewarding and worthwhile. 👍🏻

It was a very much slice of life kind of read - the romance is there, but so, too, is the development of the characters' lives and their lifestyles. Set in Chicago, I liked all the little nods of appreciation to the culture and vibes of it, as well as how Boystown, itself, played such a pivotal part of Bastian's life; my aunt lives in Chicago, so I can definitely affirm that the winters are famously cold there! 🥶 The supporting cast were also welcome participants in Bastian's plight and I appreciated the gradual way in which the author allowed their stories to smoothly unfold. And with Bastian being a hairstylist, there was also ample attention to the work-style of their occupation - complete with angsty customers, alarming demands​ for hairdressing, and cancellation woes and troubling time constraints, which also was a prime focus of the narrative. 👍🏻

“He must​ have had the same realization that Bastian is having now that is making his​ heart burst from the inside: they were never meant to just be friends. Just​ being friends was never going to be enough. And the love that is possible​ between them is worth risking everything for.”​

It didn't quite take away my enjoyment of the story,​ as it was a major part of Bastian's life ​and was a nice outlook to it that I respected their work ethic, and also because of how he would re-work his schedule to spend time with Andres​, too. But, yes, it did tend to make the read a lot longer than necessary and then the ending became a little too - ah, not cheesy, but a little too sweet for my taste. 🙁 I could have done without the extra mile, and none would have been the wiser.​ And the writing was warm and welcoming, while also humorous, at times, too! After another particular bad date of Bastian's, I really chuckled at this dialogue, here --

“Where are you going? I thought we were having a good time?”

“If this is your idea of a good time, you are sorely in need of a life coach.”

Daniel looks stung and surprised that Bastian is as sharp with his tongue as he is with his cutting shears. “Aren’t you going to at least pay for your portion of the tab?”

“No,” Bastian says, grabbing his phone from the table. “Consider this your monthly asshole tax.”

It was funny, okay? I had a good laugh with it, and well, it was worth sharing! 😄

So, taking into account my personal preferences, it was a debut that was enjoyable, to some extent. The writing style worked at times, and sometimes it didn't - like, why do authors insist on using 'Sure' for their characters' thoughts - but, I tried not to let it bother me too much. For it was a light palette-cleanser that brought a smile to my face at seeing two friends realize that they were each other's end game and soulmates right from the start. 🥰🥰

*Thank you NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.​ Quotes shared may be subject to change or removal in the final version. (less)

As far as romance novels go- this was wasn't the worst I've read. But it wasn't the best either.

Starting with what I did enjoy, I found Andre very likeable. The scenes with him really popped to me. I think his character felt the most fleshed out. Every other character, however, didn't quite feel up to par. The side characters fell flat. Expect for maybe Laura. But she could use some development. And then there's Bastien.

I have a love hate relationship with his character. He's just- hard to read at times. There are inconsistencies in some of the things he says in his inner monologue, I didn't feel connected to him in any way- there wasn't a ton of depth to him outside of his relationships to the people around him. Bastien wasn't for me.

Something else I really disliked was the third-act breakup. This is more of a personal preference thing, but I hate a third act break up. By the end of Boystown Heartbreakers, I was ready for the book to just end.

And the rest of what I didn't like was a collection of nitpicky things that I won't go further into. There was so much potential for this book to be really good, but it didn't meet that potential.

I really enjoyed this story, I thought that it was well written and the author has a great writing style, the descriptions and characterisation was great and I loved the pace of the story – it kept me fully engaged from start to finish

It is a story of what’s night under your nose and I loved how the plot developed.

It is a love story with a leap of faith and it was thoroughly enjoyable

It is 4 stars from me for this one – highly recommended

Thank you Rising Action and Netgalley for this eARC, these opinions are my own. Such a swoony story! Bastian has found himself unlucky in love his list of names ever growing on the wall of his closet started by a previous tenet. But that’s about to change with Ryan, they’ve been together for a while and things are going well. Until they aren’t and Bastian has to add another name to the list. Work long hours for an ungrateful boss and not always caring clients at a salon he doesn’t have much time to find a new prospect. His world is rocked though when his lifetime best friend suggests the two of the give dating a go. Andres has been a solid presence in his life since he was little if things didn’t work out it would kill Bastian. But all his friends and his family would love to see them together. Can Bastian open his heart to the risk? Could their friendship survive the heartbreak Bastian is sure would come? Or could this be different? Both Bastian and Andres are sweet, caring, and so adorable! I think many readers will be able to relate to Bastian and his insecurities, I know I did! A friend to lovers romance that had me unable to put it down! Hoping for the best but waiting for the other shoe to drop! Heartwarming and full of love, perfect for romance readers! Can’t wait to read it again!

Bastian and Andres have been best friends since they were five years old. They have both been there for each other through everything. When Bastian's boyfriend breaks up with him at the start of summer - Andres is not only there to help him pick up the pieces but also with an offer for them to try dating. Bastian is very resistant to the idea - as much as he sees the possibilities. The fear of damaging their friendship and something going wrong is very real for him. Andres and Bastian are very adorable together. The entire story is told from Bastian's perspective - but we can clearly see Andres's feelings and experience through his actions and the supporting characters.

The main issues I had with this is that I didn't particularly love Bastian. He is definitely a ball of insecurity - with some very sharp edges. He has a talent for not communicating well and has a tendency not to let others in.
Andres is a sweet man who clearly is over the moon for Bastian. It was hard to watch Bastian somewhat take advantage of Andres without sharing his own feelings or really showing how he feels in a real way. This was a clear example of how all the love in the world isn't enough if you aren't communicating well. It made for a difficult read at times. I should also say I don't love books written in the third person - so that didn't work for me particularly well.

Overall - its a very sweet story with some 3rd act angst that broke my heart a little.

I received this book as an ARC via NetGalley, but these opinions are all my own.

I really liked this Chicago based MM romance! I loved the setting of a high end salon. The conversations with and about clients were very real. I liked that the main characters were not in their first youth, but rather were at that point in adulthood when one reassesses what's important and what one wants from life. The descriptions of Chicago, and especially the Art Institute, were so vivid (having grown up there, I really appreciated that). My only criticism is that Andres could have been more fully fleshed out as a character. I felt I knew Bastian very well, but Andres, not as much.
I would highly recommend this to readers of queer romance!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

A good story of two best friends that lead to a cute romance. It was a nice story. I just wouldn't call it spectacular or memorable. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for my ARC in exchange for my review.

I really enjoyed this book a lot. I was hooked from the very beginning. The story; the characters, and everything in between. It was all enjoyable!