3/5 stars

*spoilers*
I'm putting this on the lower side of three stars. This book started off so strong. I liked the characters and enjoyed the romance and all the relationships at the beginning of the book... Then the surprise pregnancy showed up. I'm not really a major fan of this trope and honestly didn't feel like it even needed to be used.

This one sounded like a lot of fun, so I was eager to jump into a new-to-me author.

I liked Samira and Rory. They're both good people who are looking to be their own people. Both are smart and loyal and maybe looking for a little acceptance (even if it's in different ways.) Together they have instant chemistry. I loved Samira's cousin and mom and couldn't get enough of the food descriptions.

Plot wise, it was just okay for me. At about halfway, there's an obvious turn into a plot device that I don't care for, so it was a bit of bummer (and something that likely would have kept me from requesting this book.) I will say that I loved seeing the older woman/younger man trope and Rory's stutter was something that I had never read before. I especially loved the scenes of him and the kids.

Overall, I did want to see the MCs get their HEA; unfortunately, I don't think this will be a story that sticks in my head.

**Huge thanks to Berkley for providing the arc free of charge**

The Boy Toy is one of the best romantic comedies that I've read in a while. It was the perfect escape read for 2020 and all of its ridiculous glory. First of all, the characters were of multicultural background and mixed marriage background, so that is a plus. Secondly, they were around my age. It's nice to read a romantic comedy where the characters are not right out of college age or in college. I had an easier time identifying with the main character because she is the same age that I am. The plot was well-thought out and the romance was very steamy. It was well written and a really fun read. Thank you for the review copy!

R E V I E W🌟
CW: infertility, infidelity, parental loss and divorce.

I had so much fun reading this one! I read The Boy Toy in the beginning of November when everything was so incredibly stressful and it was the perfect reprieve. This was such a sweet romance but it touched on some very important topics.

This was the perfect romance to read during this tough time. I was transported to Melbourne, Australia and got to live my best life with Samira and Rory!

This was such a sweet love story, I absolutely love the fact that it starts as a booty call!! But I adored that it slowly developed into something solid, somewhat a relationship but it was still all iffy. It was perfect for them, and much better than insta-love or a happy ending so early.

Samira was my absolute FAVE!! I loved that she was such a strong character and stood her ground no matter what - she went after what she wanted!!! Also the age-gap was perfect! I love that it was a moving point in the story but that it wasn’t the main focus, that the story was allowed to flow aside from there being an almost 10 year age difference.

Also don’t read this while hungry! The foods described made my mouth water!

#bookreview #theboytoy #bookstagram #bibliophile #bookstagram #berkleyromance #latinaswhoread

An interracial romance mixed with the May-December storyline made for one entertaining read! It was satisfying to read about an accomplished older woman with a younger (also accomplished) man who both comes from completely different cultural worlds. They not only face issues like any other couple, but they have the age and culture differences to consider as well. One thing to note about this novel is there is a TON of delicious Indian food described and it will make you hungry no matter the time of day you’re ready!

Samira is a 37-year old physical therapist, who also specializes in dialect and speech therapy. She is originally from Los Angeles and has been living there for the last decade. She finds herself in her home city of Melbourne, Australia to help her cousin, Pia, launch her health center business. She now has to face her match-making mother who Samira still blames for being a part of her failed marriage to Samira’s ex-husband, Avi. As a divorced, single, childless, older woman, Samira is definitely feeling the cultural pressure, but she’s unsure that she wants to give in and become what her culture expects of her. The struggle between the traditional world on her Indian mother’s side and the more “modern” world on her, now deceased, American father’s side was well-balanced in this novel was really enjoyable to read about. It was well-written and very relatable, even if you don’t fit into this exact struggle.

Rory is a 27-year-old stuntman who has been facing the challenge of being in the acting world while having a stutter. He is determined to help set-up a speech therapy program for underprivileged children with the therapist that helped him in his youth. Unfortunately, stunt work doesn’t pay as well as the speaking roles so he decides it is time to finally speak on camera and is going to audition to host a new reality show in the Australian outback.

These two characters meet in a bar really early on in the novel and hook up during their first meeting. Throughout the story, they then have to try and navigate their feelings for each other as Samira is still planning on returning to Los Angeles when her six month stay ends. There are also the cultural backgrounds to consider as Samira knows her mother wants her to marry an Indian man and is determined to set her up with a handsome Indian ER doctor named Manish.

The two characters face a lot of obstacles, both individually and as a couple, that the author managed to balance well, even though, there was a lot to cover. Divorce, arranged marriages, and fertility issues are just some of the ones Samira faces while Rory faces having a stutter and his own family issue. I loved how both of them worked through everything and it was written in a very relatable manner as they each had to work towards self-acceptance of their flaws and where to set up their own boundaries. Their journeys weren’t perfect, but they were realistic, which gave the story another layer of fantastic-ness.

There is one “twist” in the novel that’s semi-predictable and takes up the last half of the book. It’s a very heart-warming storyline, but I wish that it happened a little later in the story and we could focus on the carefree fun between Samira and Rory before we go into any storyline that required more depth. I just wanted no-strings attached fun between them while they build their relationship more compared to them just immediately feeling comfortable with each other (while also having a crazy strong attraction to the other). As the story changes points of view between Rory and Samira, I would have preferred them to contemplate the nuances of what makes them a potentially great couple. Then, they could potentially slowly reveal these thoughts to the other throughout the novel. It’s just one thought; however, the story was great as-is, too. There’s no denying that these two greatly enjoy being with each other.

Overall, I greatly enjoyed this story and found it to be an easy read with a lot of depth. I didn’t expect to have so many topics covered in this story and they were done well. The author managed to navigate everything a very relatable and heart-warming manner that made for a fantastic read. Based on the brief insight into her next novel, I will definitely be picking it up in the future to read. I’ve become a fan and cannot wait to see what happens next!

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this ARC to review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

3.5 Making Choices Stars
* * * 1/2 Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
There have been more multicultural stories happening in novels, TV, and Films. The more out there, the more exposure and understanding of different cultures happen. In The Boy Toy, we have 37-year-old Samira Broderick. a woman who had an American white father and an Indian mother growing up in Australia.

In keeping with the Indian culture, Samira followed her mother's guidance and married the "Nice Indian Boy. Unfortunately, the union was not good, he cheated, and she divorced after trying for it to work. She moved to Los Angeles and has been working as a physical therapist.

Now Samira is back for the next 6 months to assist her sister with her new health business. This is a time for her to maybe have a little fun and that happens when she meets and beds Rory, a 27-year-old stuntman. He is not Indian and when the mother starts again for Samira to look for an Indian man, complications happen.

What was supposed to be fun, starts to be so much more. Rory is a good guy who has his own challenges. Together, they make a couple who will have to see if things will come together against all odds. There were sweet times and a full look at how two people will need to dig deep and decide what is important.

This was a pretty standard romance with a somewhat standard twist, but it isn’t without a few extra little nuggets in there to help set it apart, marginally, from the rest. I have read another book quite recently that is extremely similar to this one, minus the setting and with a different medical issue for the main man.

First, this is about an older, divorced woman dating a younger man.

Second, she is of Indian/Australian descent with a very traditional mother who is dead set on her marrying a “nice Indian boy” even though the last man she set her up with turned into a two-timing cheat after her daughter married him.

Third, Rory (the younger man) is a stuntman needing to make more money to support himself and a charity that is near and dear to his heart. So even though he has a stutter, he’s set on trying to gain himself a hosting role on a television series.

Fourth, it takes place in Australia, which is a place you don’t read about too often when living in North America.

Basically to sum this book up you can say this is a one-night stand that turns into a multi-night stand that turns into a relationship. As I said I think this is a pretty standard romance for what it is and I've read 3 or 4 books recently with this theme. This book has some steamy bits, but it doesn’t go into a huge amount of detail (for those of you who want to know EVERYTHING that happens). But still, it’s a pretty sex driven relationship and the reader gets to hear about it in varying amount of detail.

I did find it weird that Samira had spent 11 years in LA and intended to go back to her life and job there in 6 months, but she wasn’t in constant contact with her friends or business associates. The author kind of reminds you here and there but it's not a prominent feature in Samira's life. I also can’t get over how her cousin reacted to her news at first, given they both share a similar condition. She wasn’t wrong calling herself a b***ch, but really. Rory’s reaction was more…expected.

Conclusion

I did enjoy this book, though I thought of it more as one of those fluffy books I tend to read when I only have a few minutes here and there to squeeze in a few pages. It wasn’t a challenge for me to put this book down and pick it back up at a later date. In comparison to the last couple of books I’ve read, in general, this comes in as just an average romance story. Not bad, but not something I’m going to remember the title of for years to come.

Thank you to Berkley Romance and Netgalley for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This one felt very similar to Ties that Tether which I read recently. We've got a heroine who has a lot of pressure from her single mother to choose a husband from her own culture and she ends up having a fling with a White man, risking alienation from her mom and the other Indian aunties. It's a fast paced book that's really cute and steamy but also covers alot of serious topics such as infertility and speech impediment. I'm hoping for a follow up featuring Manny!

I loved that The Boy Toy covered cultural differences, pregnancy issues, and the development of a romance when it wasn’t expected. There was so much packed in that it never gave the plot a moment to slow down, and I didn’t want to put this book down! This is a book that I think would make an adorable movie, especially depending on who would be cast as Rory. Samira is definitely a woman that I’d love to be friends with in real life, and seems like she would be fun to play in a movie!

If you liked Ties that Tether, you’ll enjoy this one. You can grab The Boy Toy on November 17th! Enjoy the sneak peek at the end of Nicola Marsh’s next book.

SUPER STEAMY AND FUN. While this dealt with serious issues, much like Ties that Tether, it was different enough that it wasn't a huge issue. I enjoyed both characters and learning more about Samira's cultures. I flew this through one and would recommend to romance fans! I'd definitely read more from this author.

Oh, wow. I did not expect to totally love this one! The author touched on so many heavy topics, but kept it light, without making light. I know nothing about being australian, much less an indian-american, australian, single woman. Nicola also touches on infertility, cultural and racial bias and expectations, infidelity, disabilities, and so much more. On top of that, this was a super cute romance with enough steam but not too much. I will definitely read more of this authors work!

Nicola Marsh offers up a nice twist on the typical one night stand.. While classified as a rom- com, this book also touched on several more serious topics with thoughtfulness and insight. I enjoyed the complexity that is explored in the various relationships of the characters.

I wasn't sure I was going to love this book since I usually prefer a slower physical burn, but the relationship between Rory and Samira won me over because both characters were so likeable and felt very "real." The stakes keeping the couple apart weren't too high, but also didn't feel contrived - it was a nice balance. Rory was a dream hero, but there were times I actually preferred Manny! I'm thrilled the author is writing a story for him because he was totally charming and worthy of his own love story!

The Boy Toy was a fast read for me. I enjoyed reading the book. The romance felt okay, but I did find myself rooting for the other guy, and he was not even a competition. What made this book not become a typical romance book was Samira being half Indian and the speech impediment of Rory. Overall, I would still recommend this book to people who want to try to read romance books.

Samira moves back from LA to Melbourne for a temporary consultant contract at her cousin’s therapy center. At 37, she is divorced, unable to bear children, so all she needs right now is... a Boy Toy. Enter stuntman with a speech impediment, 27 year-old Rory. What Samira thinks is only going to be a one-night stand, their paths cross. Could this be fate?

Don’t be deceived by the super cute cover! It started off light, flirty, and steamy, but this story had depth—a peek through Indian culture in the eyes of a biracial heroine, issues surrounding ostracism, infertility, and a hero with a speech impediment. Marsh wove in all these themes smoothly into the development of the characters and the plot line to make for an entertaining read. And the short chapters passed the time quickly.

Fans of Ties That Tether, Tools of Engagement, and/or The Marriage Game - be sure to check this out!

Okay, so I have some complicated feelings on the primary plot of this book. Let me warn you, there be spoilers ahead.

No, really.

I'm about to spoil a MAJOR plot point of the book.

So here's the thing. This book features a main character in her late 30s, who previously struggled to get pregnant in her first marriage. She has come to terms with her fertility issues; in fact, it's something she commiserates about with her cousin, who is going through IVF with her husband.

And then she has a fling with the titular "boy toy" ... and gets pregnant. After one broken condom.

Now, let me add the disclaimer, that I am already not a huge fan of the "accidental pregnancy" trope, and I hate when it's not disclosed in the synopsis ahead of time. (Some rare exceptions exist, but they are rare.) But I found the use of it in this particular case exceptionally troubling, and here's why: it adds to the myth of the "just stop trying so hard & it'll happen" mentality when it comes to infertility.

I've been pretty open about my own struggles with infertility. My husband and I went through fertility treatments for two years, before I finally became pregnant with my twins via IVF.

Now, yes. It's true that there are cases where women going through fertility treatments do miraculously get pregnant when they're "on a break" from treatments, or after giving up treatments. But these stories, while widely circulated, are in fact very rare cases. It's not common at all, and perpetuating these stories only makes couples' fertility struggles all the more difficult. That's partly because of the hopes that can be pinned on becoming one of those stories, but even more so because well-meaning friends, relatives and casual acquaintances like to bring these stories up. They think they're being helpful, by offering "advice," or a hopeful anecdote. But these stories are, more often than not, hurtful and painful reminders of a couple's struggles.

Now, in her author's note, the author briefly mentions that she has experience with infertility herself. I don't know her exact circumstances and her exact experience, and everyone copes with their infertility journey differently.

But I still firmly believe that perpetuating stories of these "miracle pregnancies" after infertility are hurtful and damaging. And inserting a surprise pregnancy into a book where the heroine has already dealt with infertility, without any warning, is almost cruel. If I'd been reading this book while still going through fertility treatments, I might have had a full-blown meltdown from it.

Anyway, I guess my complaint is two-fold: first, that this plot line exists at all -- and second, that there is no content warning given ahead of time. Given that 1 in 8 couples will struggle with infertility, I think a content warning is more than fair.

As far as the book itself, the characters were certainly captivating. But once I realized where the plot was going, I lost interest in the book. I still finished reading it -- at first, I kept going, because I hope my instincts were wrong. But nope, sure enough. Surprise pregnancy. I was so excited by the set-up of this book, but the surprise pregnancy plot line, coupled with the heroine's past infertility, left me feeling disappointed and frustrated.

Based on early reviews, other readers certainly found plenty to enjoy. But for me, these things turned me off too much to really appreciate the better aspects of the story.

Such a cute and fun read! Perfect distraction in life right now. Really enjoyable characters and story and hard to put down!

Samira is returning to her childhood home in Australia after being away for five years. She's already preparing for the barrage of questions from her mother about her relationship status. She'll be surprised if her mother hasn't already been matchmaking in anticipation of Samira's return.

It's one of the reasons, after her failed marriage twelve years prior, that Samira left Australia for LA to start her own physical therapy practice. Samira has grown used to living her life on her own terms, her own timeline. But she has agreed to help her cousin, Pia, with her startup clinic. So Samira is back for six months and already dreading the confrontation with her mother that she knows is coming.

Pia suggests a casual fling will ease her stress. Samira is fully against it, until she meets Rory.

Rory has been working as a stuntman as a way to make money, but also as a way to keep from having to reveal his stutter. It's something he's had to work around his entire life, and also something that holds an immense amount of shame for him. But when the opportunity to audition as the host of a new reality show is given to him, he's nervous that someone will finally catch on about his stutter, but he could also use the money to help others that are dealing with the same thing. The night he meets Samira he's just trying to work off the nerves he's built up over his audition.

Neither Samira or Rory are thinking of starting anything serious. But they'll both learn that sometimes the best things aren't the things you plan.

I'll admit I was initially drawn into this story about an older woman and a younger love interest. I thought that would be the main focus of the book. I wasn't prepared for everything else that Nicola Marsh throws into the story, but it was a lovely surprise. There's a lot packed in here, but I think that Nicola Marsh handles everything really well. It doesn't feel too packed. I think of it along the lines of, people do not just deal with one thing at a time, we're multi-taskers if nothing else, contending with different things from all aspects of our lives. Sometimes those aspects intersect as is the case with Samira's relationship status being connected with her failed marriage which crosses with her overall relationship with her mother and the connections to what is traditional in the Indian community.

And sometimes are issues run parallel with each other such as with Rory's lifelong struggle with his stutter, but also the fact that he doesn't have a great relationship with his father since his mother left them when Rory was really young. The point being, we're always dealing with something, even the small things. It's part of what makes us who we are, part of what informs our lives.

I really liked the comparison between Rory and Samira's different (yet very similar) relationships with their parents. Both have single parents, both have trouble communicating with that parent. This was a very singular journey for each of the characters. I loved when they separately cleared the air with their respective parent, when they saw things from the other perspective.

If anything I thought there could have been just a bit more focus placed on Rory and Samira together. I felt like it was more of an individual journey they each had to complete in order to come together, which was great, but didn't leave as much time to focus on what makes their relationship click.

Although maybe that, in itself, is the answer, non-answer. When someone's right for you they're just right. There's very little explanation needed.

Overall, an impressive read that shines the light on many topics. I know there will be another book featuring a secondary character (as told to us in the sneak peek at the end), there are definitely a couple of characters that a I feel deserve their own HEA so I hope Nicola Marsh gets around to everyone in due time.

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

I read this right after Ties that Tether by Jane Igharo, and they are very similar in some pretty critical ways. Both feature daughters of immigrants who get involved with guys who are unacceptable to their mothers. In this case, Samira (Sam) is back in Australia from LA for 6 months to help her cousin set up a state of the art medical facility and she has a one-night stand with Australian stunt-man/actor Rory, who is 10 years her junior, not at all Indian, and happens to get her pregnant. Sam has a lot of baggage from a failed marriage (with a cheating spouse) and failed attempts to conceive, so of course there are lots of obstacles. But also of course, this is a romance, so there's an HEA and it's very cute and sweet.

This is the first of Nicola Marsh’s novels I have read - and I’ve got to tell you, I’m going to be purchasing more tonight!

The Boy Toy is just the type of escape from real life I needed right now. With everything going on in the world; Nicola Marsh takes readers to Melbourne where we meet Samira, a 37 year old Physical Therapist who comes back home to help her cousin/best friend out with her new clinic. Samira is a divorcee who isn’t looking for love but on her first night back she goes for a drink at a local bar and quickly is introduced to Rory after he ‘saves’ her from an awkward encounter with a very young surfer dude. Ten pages in and these two are having a very steamy first night together.

What follows is a well developed story between Rory and Sam - filled with twists and turns which will leave feeling all the feels between these two. Great character development, humor, and love - what more can you want in a great rom-com that will leave you wanting more of these two?