Title: The Boy Friend
Author(s): Mika Jolie
Series: Platonically Complicated, #1
Also in this series: Rules of Engagement , Paging Dr. Hookup, What Happened in Vegas: A Laugh out loud Enemies-to-Lovers Romantic Comedy
Published by Self-published on April 23, 2017
Pages: 330
Genre(s): Contemporary Romance
Source: Author
Format: ARC, eBook
Purchase: Amazon|B&N
Rating:
Heat Level:
According to the law of attraction, women and men can’t be friends.
Contrary to this myth, my friendship with Coriander Phillips does not rest on unrequited love or un-actualized lust. We’ve been inseparable since the day I pulled one of her pigtails and she punched me in the gut. She’s hilarious, fun to hang out with. Together, we’re like peanut butter and jelly, spaghetti and meatballs, wings and beer. A match made in heaven. She’s the bomb. Did I mention she’s smokin’ hot? I’ve checked her out…maybe once or twice. Hey, I’m a guy. Seriously, no awkwardness, no secret yearning for our relationship to escalate beyond the purely platonic. I’m the boy friend—the loyal shoulder she cries on, the dispenser of coffee, sympathy, hugs, advice, and affection with no expectations. Until the invisible line between friends and lovers became blurry. Now I want more. I want her. All I have to do is convince her we can be more than friends. Right? If only it were that easy.
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There is an age-old argument that says men and women cannot be friends without crossing the line between friends and lovers. Dean Morello thought whoever came up which such an idea was dead wrong.
Dean’s best friend was a woman named Coriander (Cori) Phillips. They have been friends since the day he pulled her pigtails and her response was to punch him in the gut. Twenty-three years later their friendship is as strong as ever, but it is about to face its ultimate test. When Cori announced that she wanted a baby and everything that came with it, Dean knew then that things would never be the same if she is successful in finding the one who could fulfill her desires. It did not help that he found himself having sexual fantasies about her. However, that was one line he was not willing to cross and besides nothing is wrong with having fantasies. Cori is hot, so any red-blooded male would have fantasies about her. He, however, would start to view things differently the night they shared their first kiss. Will they explore this intense attraction and risk their friendship or will they deny their feelings to preserve the very thing they hold dear?
When a story has you laughing from the first page, you know you are in for a treat.
‘OKAY, HERE’S THE DEAL, I’m going to share my story with you. Let’s get a few things out of the way. There’s going to be sex. Some details might be a bit explicit. I curse like a motherfucker. The plot will be a little wonky and will not always follow some forced narrative. Sure, there will be conflict, climax, resolution . . . Bullshit, bullshit, bullshit. But don’t expect me to be a fucking Prince Charming. I’m the tall, dark, and handsome Casanova the nuns warned you about. Hearts will be broken. Tears will be shed. Friendship will be tested. Eventually, I’ll realize the mess I’m in isn’t fictional, and I’m the motherfucking star of my own story. With me so far? Okay. Grab a Pinot Grigio, a warm fuzzy blanket, and join me on this wild ride. Explicitly Yours, Dean Conrad Morello.’
With an introduction like that, who would not want to read more? I sure did. The story held me captive and putting it down proved difficult. The more I read, the more entrenched I became in the Dean’s and Cori’s relationship.
The story was told entirely from the Dean’s POV, which I found refreshing and realistic. Seeing everything unfold through his eyes and his reactions, as a result, made it easy to understand to relate to him. At first, he may come off as an unlikeable character due to his man whoring ways, but as the story progresses, his true nature, that of being a devoted and caring individual shines through. However, it would have been nice to get the story from Cori’s perspective as well. Because I only got Dean’s perspective, I never got a handle on how she actually felt.
This is not my first time reading the author’s work. Therefore, I have some experience with her writing style, which is vivid, thereby making you feel like you are a part of the story. This story was no different. What I enjoyed most is the way the narration was executed. The author had the male protagonist speaking directly to the reader. Her writing had a great balance of wit, sass, and emotion.
I am not a fan of stories that are filled with unnecessary drama. Thankfully, this was not the case in this instance. It had the right amount of drama, humour and angst combine to make for an entertaining read. The pacing was perfect and I never had the chance to be bored. I kept flipping the pages as I was eager to discover how things between Dean and Cori would unfold.
Verdict
‘The Boyfriend’ is a great story with great characters and a beautiful storyline. If you are looking for a swoony, addictive romance with just the right balance between angst, heartbreak, and hilarity, with light-hearted banter, a sexy love story, then you need to try this book.
About Mika Jolie
Mika Jolie is the bestselling author of the Martha’s Way series. She lives in New Jersey with her Happy Chaos—her husband and their energizer bunnies. A sports fanatic and a wine aficionado, she’s determined to balance it all and still write about life experiences and matters of the heart. Let’s face it, people are complicated and love can be messy. When she’s not weaving life and romance into evocative tales, you can find her on a hiking adventure, apple picking, or whatever her three men can conjure up. She loves to hear from readers.
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Ooo interesting. I do like seeing ones from the male POV now and again.
Lovely review Nadene…sold!
It looks like a good romance there, it’s always nice!
I never say no to romance 😉
This is definitely right up my alley! I love friends to lovers romances. Also, that cover is sexy. ;D Great review, Nadene! 🙂
Thanks. I believe you would enjoy this one. Thanks for the visit. ☺
oh I love a good banter. This has a really interesting set up. Glad you are enjoying the authors writing 🙂
You make me WANT to read this book. Seriously, this sounds awesome. Thank you for sharing. I’ll check it out.
Love your review, honey. Awesome! ???
Thanks Geybie. I had a great time with this one. I hope you do read it.
A swoony romance does sound good! Great review and I love the cover! Thanks for sharing.
It is good. Thanks for stopping by.