This is the gay Pretty Woman retelling that we did not know we needed! I didn’t read the blurb, only liked the cover, so I hate to admit that it took me a minute to get the connection. But once I did I was obsessed and went back and reread the beginning to appreciate it in a different light. It took all the things we love from the source material- Kit, shopping, class disparity, the doorman, their names, sex work, date for hire, a grand gesture, and then flipped it all upside down and added more meat to the plot. 😉 I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the Plant Daddy and Cole, two lonely souls, get their happy ever after in one another! Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

Great representation, adorable build-up, and cute references to Pretty Woman, with enough twists to make it fresh and believable characters.

*I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

So this is my first Salvatore book, and I quite liked it. Plenty of rom-com tropes abound, but they're still fun (including a few spins on Pretty Woman -- some work better than others, to be sure). As for the sexy times, they feel organic rather than cliched, but still plenty hot/fun. Cuddling and sex as connected intimacy is always hot, and this book does a great job connecting both and extending it to become part of the characters' identities.

To be honest I picked this up because of the cover. To find out it is a queer Pretty Woman with the sex worker as the rich guy?? Yesss! I really enjoyed it.

Teddy- The Plant Daddy, just lost his nursery due to a messy ass divorce and a vindictive ex father in law meets sexy Cole out at a bar. They have a hot one night stand that turns into a fake dating for a week.

I really loved the characters and all the plant talk. It was quite funny and extremely dramatic. Was a great time.

Thanks to NetGalley and Harlequin for an eARC.

I was hooked from the tag line - we love SWs here and reading such positive (albeit privileged) representation in a romance novel is so refreshing. Not only is the physical and mental toll of being a SW addressed as well - but also the amount of emotional labour that goes into it. SWs are rockstars.

Cole is our SW entrepreneur who runs the app VERSTL (side note though: as a French Canadian, I highly doubt a French family would name their kid “Cole” - French folks would barely be able to pronounce it lol I know my dad couldn’t - that name and his family being French took me out of the story for a hot second). Teddy is our Plant Daddy who has just lost his business. When Cole and Teddy meet, they strike a deal - to pretend to date for 1 week so that Cole can have a fake boyfriend for PR. And the moment we see fake dating - we know exactly what’s going to happen and it is so very good.

Cole and Teddy’s physical relationship starts off very slow - like I’m talking cuddling naked slow, so you know, relatively speaking. But I really enjoyed reading about the growth of intimacy between the two of them before they took sex to the next level. It was very much appreciated.

Overall, the plot is fairly standard - exactly what it says on the tin - but we all know it and we love it when we pick it up. I’m excited to see what this author does next!

*I received an eARC from Harlequin - Romance, Afterglow Books by Harlequin, & NetGalley. All opinions are my own*

I found this book to be a little all over the place. While I enjoyed the two characters, the two "villains" were too much for me. I think the story could have been shorter and without as much details or plot. I though everyone was just a tad too petty for me to be cheering for them. It was delightfully funny and silly which is incredibly hard to do. I never rate the comedy in romance as I never actually find them funny but this one was. 6

So I haven't been in a romance mood but this was well done and fun from what I finished of it. I'll recommend to the right audience but it wasn't for me.

The Boyfriend Subscription by Steven Salvatore is an updated and queerified Pretty Woman retelling. I was completely sold from the moment I read the premise. I loved the plant shop/small business owner meets an app designer aspect, the app concept itself, even the app name I thought was clever. The Pretty Woman fairytale is always a winner and while this didn’t quite capture the magic of its source material, it was absolutely an enjoyable, romantic read with very lovable characters. I also enjoyed the great sense of humor throughout the book. (There were several jokes poking fun at straight people that I found especially funny.) And I liked how Salvatore developed the dramatic parts to create a really interesting source of conflict for all the characters.

I’m not sure I completely vibed with Salvatore’s writing style. Here are a few of my thoughts I jotted down while reading:
Cute bordering on cutesy.
Needs more showing, less telling.
Too many POV switches - hard to keep up.
The Pretty Woman analogy feels a little muddled. (Why is one character both Edward AND Vivian?)
Is this asking me to have sympathy for the ultra-rich?
What was the deal with Ben?
Does it make sense that Vivien’s business is so big that he’s made it on the Forbes 30 Under 30 list and an interview in the NYT but his father doesn’t know he runs this business?
Jason’s story was unfinished.
What about the house in NY?
Where is Teddy gonna go?
GIVE US AN EPILOGUE FOR THE LOVE OF PETE!!

But overall the reading experience was a good one. I never felt like putting the book down. It was funny and sweet and, like the movie, addresses the perennially relevant topics of social/class differences and sex work, and in deeper and more thoughtful ways than PW could. It also had loads of positive messaging about the queer community and an up-close and personal take on queer relationships like I haven’t seen in many other books. I would definitely recommend checking it out.

3.75 stars out of 5

"The Boyfriend Subscription" by Steven Salvatore is a delightful and heartwarming LGBTQIA+ romance that combines sizzling chemistry with an engaging story of personal growth and unexpected love.

Teddy Hughes, a kind-hearted and down-to-earth man, is struggling to recover from a series of personal setbacks. When he meets Cole Vivien, a successful entrepreneur with striking good looks and an intriguing proposition, Teddy's life takes an unexpected turn. Cole needs a fake boyfriend to present a more traditional image for a potential investor, and Teddy is the perfect candidate. What starts as a business arrangement soon becomes much more complex as genuine feelings begin to emerge.

One of the strengths of this novel is its well-developed characters. Teddy is a relatable and endearing protagonist, while Cole is a fascinating mix of confidence and vulnerability. Their interactions are filled with witty banter and simmering chemistry, making it impossible not to root for them as a couple.

The story is both steamy and sweet, striking a perfect balance between romance and personal growth. As Teddy and Cole navigate the complexities of their fake relationship, they discover unexpected depths in themselves and each other. The emotional journey they embark on is heartwarming and beautifully portrayed.

Steven Salvatore's writing is engaging and filled with humor and heart. The pacing of the story keeps readers invested from beginning to end, and the author's exploration of themes such as love, trust, and self-discovery adds depth to the narrative.

While "The Boyfriend Subscription" incorporates elements of the classic fake-dating trope, it also offers a fresh and modern take on LGBTQIA+ relationships and the complexities of identity and self-acceptance. It's a story that celebrates love in all its forms and showcases the importance of being true to oneself.

In summary, "The Boyfriend Subscription" is a charming and captivating romance novel that will leave readers with a smile on their faces. With its engaging characters, genuine emotions, and witty dialogue, it's a must-read for fans of LGBTQIA+ romance and anyone who enjoys stories of unexpected love and personal transformation.

Hot, emotional, VERY New York... This book is propulsive from the first page. The Pretty Woman trope is perfectly subverted and heck: I just loved it.

The Boyfriend Subscription is a modern, dual-POV queer twist on Pretty Woman. We meet Teddy saying goodbye to his beloved plant shop after his still-fresh divorce. Teddy meets Cole, a wealthy entrepreneur and sex worker, at a bar where the two hit it off. Cole winds up offering to pay Teddy to be his boyfriend for his sister's wedding, and the fake-dating tropes commence. Teddy and Cole have lovely chemistry together and grow separately and together while tackling their loneliness and self worth. The plot itself felt rushed at times, and the ending left a lot of subplots unresolved, but overall this was an enjoyable read, and it is clear the author is writing from personal experience in a way that enhances the story.
Thanks to Harlequin and NetGalley for the ARC.

I really liked this book!

I liked the spin of reverse Pretty Woman, whereas the sex worker was the one who was rich.

There were some technical issues but it's an ARC so that's okay and the love was pretty quick but I really liked Teddy and I really liked Cole. I do wish we could have seen them more after; after the wedding, seeing them together as a couple not just as a paid escort.

This book literally made me cry, especially from Teddy's POV.
I really hated Jason. I feel like I will be spoiling if I said more but I did really like this book.

I'm a total sucker for books that take traditionally heteronormative romance storylines and tropes and reimagine them through the experiences of queer people, and in that sense, this book was great! It's loosely based on the story from the movie "Pretty Woman" and honestly most of the things I didn't like so much in the book are things taken right from the movie, so I'm not too mad about it! It was a steamy and quick read. I wished for a bit more character development in the main characters at least, I feel like there wasn't enough information to make you connect with either of them, which made it harder to care about the slightly silly (but ripped straight from a movie) plot of two people starting their relationship as a business transaction and falling head over heels in love over the course of a WEEK. I think if the character development were a bit stronger then the plot would be easier to swallow. There were also points in the book where the POV seemed to switch abruptly without a heading or paragraph break to indicate it was switching, which made some points in the book a little confusing. But overall, points for originality in reimagining the storyline into what it is in this book. With a few small tweaks here and there, I think it could be a very solid book!

This was a very funny and swoon worthy story! I liked the characters and the overall romance but my goodness the DRAMAA of it all, LOL it was a rollercoaster of emotions but I still had a good time reading it.

Cute book! I enjoyed the story and the characters. I liked the commentary on the class distinction. There's a bit I would have liked more of, like more resolution with Jason. Some of the drama was a tad over the top, but overall it's still an enjoyable story with a good message which is about learning to love yourself.

This was a really unique book, even while being a take on a popular film. I liked almost everything about it except for the over-the-top drama at the end and the fact that the narrator switched so often I found myself double checking who was speaking way too many times. I might always remember this book simply because it introduced me to the echeveria plant and I decided to get one after reading about it!

The Boyfriend Subscription was so cute. Billed as a queer reimagining of Pretty Woman, it was a fun, quick read that paid homage to the original movie (adding in classic lines and moments without outright reusing them) while maintaining it's own narrative. You could tell it was crafted with love and appreciation for the film, but the changes brought new life to a familar story. Also - I loved all the characters and, even though I knew it was coming, was so happy for them to get thier happy ending.

Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC!

This was a fun and interesting take on a Pretty Woman retelling. Teddy is a botanist and author, hitting rock bottom when he’s forced to close his plant store after a messy divorce. He meets Cole, an entrepreneur who created a wildly popular OnlyFans-ish app for sex workers, on which Cole also stars.

After a night together, Cole offers to pay Teddy to be his fake boyfriend for a week - he has business events to attend, and also his sister’s wedding. Teddy agrees, and as he experiences Cole’s lavish lifestyle, they fall in love.

There were a lot of things I loved about this book - it was so fun to see the familiar Pretty Woman moments reimagined. The moment they finally kissed on the lips made me absolutely melt. Making the wealthier partner be the sex worker was an interesting twist, and the sex positivity was nice to read. Teddy was an absolute sweetheart, and Cole’s character growth was lovely. Teddy’s friend Kit and her partners were a blast, as was Cole’s sister.

The book lost a star for me due to the drama at the end - it was predictable but overdone, misunderstandings on top of misunderstandings until I couldn’t keep track of who thought what. The drama with Teddy’s ex never quite made sense either.

Great book overall, and I’d definitely read more from this author!

A steamy romance with thoughtful commentary on sex work, loneliness, and belonging. The first half was enjoyable, but the second half had some pacing issues and came off as a bit rushed, at least in its current form. The conflict that drove Teddy and Cole apart felt a bit rocky, and what happened with Jason was very unexpected (for which I hope there will be content warnings included in the final book) and didn't quite seem to be resolved by the end. Still, there's a lot to enjoy here and I'd definitely read more of the author's adult romances.

Loved so much that once I got 20% into the book I ordered all of Steven’s other books. This was the sweet, sexy, gay Pretty Woman we’ve always needed. I loved the representation of sex workers (although this did focus just on wealthy, high-level sex work) and REAL bodies. I really fell in love with these characters and was rooting hard for them.

This story was pretty close to insta-love, but I felt like they made it work and feel realistic.

Must read!