This was so cute. I thoroughly enjoyed the nerdiness of the book series within the series. Jennifer after a break up goes to a week-long immersive experience into her favorite fantasy romance series. I loved how the authors made this fantasy book come alive within the time of this book. I found myself guessing things that might happen but for me this is a plus. It gets me into the story so much more! I was kicking my feet during this book. I had such a good time. Overall it was so fun and the story was super cute. If you’re looking for a book about books this is a great choice! Thank you to NetGalley, the authors and Penguin Random House for the free copy of this book to review!

Book Boyfriend is contemporary romance for the romantasy reader! Jennifer goes to her dream fantasy series come-to-life experience “The Elytheum Experience” and unexpectedly runs into her critical co-worker and work rival, Scott.

As we met Scott and as Jennifer recounted how they first had a falling out I’ll admit I wasn’t very fond of Scott, but just as Jennifer was drawn in by his new found book boyfriend tricks, I found myself falling prey to them as well. Jennifer partakes in challenges during the experience that feed her rivalry with Scott as she attempts to understand why he’s infiltrated a space where she believes he doesn’t belong. Competition and hilarity ensue, and their chemistry becomes impossible to deny.

Each of the side characters were dynamic and interesting from the found family friendships made to the character actors hired to enhance the experience. I especially enjoyed the Lord Valance moments🤭

I also liked the many ways the author compared romantasy to real life and how Jennifer was able to grow and learn lessons from the messages and characters in her books.

I think there’s a little of all of us romantasy readers in Jennifer’s character💕 Book Boyfriend turned out to be both a fun and reflective read! Add it to your tbr!

**Thank you to Berkley Romance and NetGalley for providing me an advanced copy! All opinions are my own**

If you’ve ever dreamed of stepping into your favorite fantasy world, this book delivers that experience with a fun, fandom-filled twist. Jennifer is fresh off a breakup and heading to a week-long immersive event for her beloved Elytheum Courts series, only to find her work rival, Scott, crashing the party. Sparks fly, but is their romance the real deal or just a trope playing out in real time?

I loved the bookish love letter to fandoms, the immersive setting, and the fun supporting characters. The romance had its moments, but Scott’s personality didn’t always work for me. Still, a solid read for romantasy lovers!

Book Boyfriend was a cute and light-hearted read, and a love-letter to fans of romantasy books, their worlds - and of course, their winged book boyfriends. Jennifer Worth is ready to escape real life for a week while away at the Elytheum Court immersive experience. What she didn't expect was to find her work rival, Scott Daniels, also in attendance. I enjoyed reading along Jennifer's journey during the week while she made new friends and learned more about herself and her strengths - and also watching her and Scott fall for each other. The pacing was a bit slow in the middle, but it picked up again and their HEA was well-earned! Thank you to Berkley Romance for the free copy of Book Boyfriend, receipt of which did not impact my review.

“He’s kissing like he wants to destroy me. He’s kissing like he’s wrestling with a dream so he can hold onto it forever. Like I’m the dream, instead of stuck in one.”

Review Title & Vibes:
OK, if you’re a nerdy romantasy girlie, this book is for you. It’s for anyone who loves to escape into a good book, and for those who wish for a little more magic to permeate everyday life. The Hating Games meets cosplay of your favorite romantasy series.

Jennifer Worth is our hopeless romantic burdened by a lackluster love life. Her coworker/nemesis is Scott Daniels. When they both end up at a fanfic-lovers dream experience - both can’t deny the very real chemistry.

•I love the friendships, side character personalities and dynamics were so fun!
•I love the cosplay & mystery-solving plot-line.
•I loved the grand gestures. There were some swoon worthy moments.
•Even though the timeline was quick - I loved the character growth.

Audio Notes:
Helen Laser was wonderful! I was captivated by her character voices and enchanted by the seemingly magical moments! The longing for a real life HEA was felt throughout the entire performance. I would definitely recommend this audiobook.

Rating: 4.25⭐️ | Spice: 3🌶️ | Audio: 5🎙️
What to Expect:
Rivals to Lovers
Workplace Romance
Grumpy x Sunshine
Fandom / Fanfic
Found Family

Recommended to...  
All you romantasy girlies who secretly crave a real life experience of your favorite fanfic.

🌶️

I absolutely adored the writing style in this book. I think it was probably my most highlighted books, with witty and relatable lines sprinkled all over. I adored the main characters once they were together, but when they were enemies I was not a fan of the MMC. His behavior seemed a bit toxic, and the turnaround was rather abrupt without an explanation of what triggered the change. I loved all the side characters, and over all it was a fun read.

❤️ Tropes ❤️
💋 enemies to lovers
💋 forced proximity
💋 grumpy v sunshine

Jennifer knew she was going to get dumped, but in the lobby of her office during lunch seemed a bit over the top, especially since he brought all of her belongings from his place in a cardboard box she had to lug back to her office in a walk of shame. But the worst thing? HE saw the whole thing. Scott. Her adversary. Her annoying coworker. The thorn in her side, the one always ready to criticize her. To degrade her reading choices. On the positive side, she no longer has a conflict with the weeklong immersive fantasy experience that her best friend has been organizing with the author. One phone call to make sure she still had a ticket available for her and she jumps in the car with her box of belongings, not even stopping at home to pack. No reason to mope when she can escape into her favorite romantasy world. Everything looks perfect when she arrives, only there is one glaring mistake right in the middle of everything her mind could imagine. And his name is Scott.

Title: Book Boyfriend
Author: Emily Wibberley &Austin Siegemund-Broka
Genre: Romance
Tropes: Enemies to lovers, Slow burn
Format: eARC
Rating: 3 Stars

Summary:
Jennifer worth is a devoted fangirl who enjoys escaping reality by reading her favorite romantasy. For a week, she can do just that when she attends an immersive experience revolving around her favorite series. Jennifer is determined to find the hidden clues and win a date with Val, her favorite book boyfriend. She becomes even more driven to win when she discovers her co-worker/ enemy is attending the event and is determined to beat her in the race to find the clues. Unlucky in love, Scott is taking diligent notes of what it takes to become the perfect book boyfriend and he’s testing these new skills out on Jennifer. Learning the real versions of each other, will they remain enemies or can these two bring the enemies- to- lovers trope to life?

Thoughts:
Overall, I enjoyed reading this book. I love a read with book loving main characters. I enjoyed the banter between the main characters, and I found myself laughing out loud as the MMC attempted to master the classic book boyfriend moves like the lean, the eye brow life, etc. Loved the concept of living out a week in your favorite romantasy! How amazing would that be? This was a slow burn romance, and I found myself wanting even more interactions between the main characters. I did find the beginning a bit slow to get into, but I am happy that I read on to get to the swoony romance in the second half.

Great for readers who love witty banter, bookish MC’s and enemies to lovers.

Thank you to Berkley Publishing and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this eARC in exchange for my honest review. Reviews posted to NetGalley, Amazon, and GoodReads.

DNF at 50%. I really wanted to love this book. It had so much potential and themes that I was really intrigued by, however I just could not suspend disbelief enough to stay interested in plot and the romance was not as compelling as I wanted it to be. I commend the authors for the super fun idea, I just don’t think the execution was quite there for my personal preferences, I have enjoyed other titles by this duo in the past.

Swoon!! I really enjoyed this bookish read!! Enemies to lovers is probably my favorite trope and this one didn't disappoint. Jennifer and Scott were just perfect!! The audiobook was absolutely such a fun listen!!

*Thank you partners @berkleyromance and @prhaudio for the #gifted e-galley and audiobook in exchange for an honest review.*

The title alone drew me into this one. I thought the setting of a immersive book festival was lovely but it was hard to appreciate the fictional world (that was very ACOTAR coded) all the characters loved. The competition/scavenger hunt was so fun and definitely something I would partake in. This ended up dragging and was a bit too long for me but you may enjoy all the details provided.

Unfortunately I could not get into this book. I tried but it fell flat for me. I could not engage with the plot being in the midivil scenes.

When Jennifer Worth gets dumped on her lunch break, she’s not heartbroken as much as frustrated about another failed relationship. She uses it to her advantage though and hightails it to an experiential weekend hosted by the author of her favorite fantasy series. The Elytheum Experience is just what she needs to forget all about her ex and immerse herself in her favorite world. But that all comes to a screeching halt when she sees her work nemesis Scott Daniels there, the person who has criticized her love of the series. As his motives become clear, Jennifer starts to realize she may have misunderstood Scott after all.

I enjoyed this one! It’s the third book I’ve read by this duo and it is now my favorite. It did take a bit for me to get into and some of the fantasy jargon was lost on me being that I’m not a fantasy reader, but I felt like it really came together around the mid-way point. Once we started seeing Jennifer and Scott interact more, I was invested. I really liked their banter and competitiveness and thought they had good chemistry. When their fighting made way to flirting, it put a smile on my face. Scott learned some book boyfriend ways by studying the series and they worked; there were definitely some swoony moments. I think he was genuinely a good guy, but just scared to get his heart broken.

I also loved the side cast of characters in this! Erik, Jennifer’s roommate, had me laughing out loud and the friendships she formed with Brit and Laurel were touching. And we can’t forget her former colleague and best friend, Amelia, who is the orchestrator of the experience. While this was a romance, it was also about finding your people, those you can be yourself with.

There is also important messaging around being careful not to get so immersed in our favorite fictional worlds that we forget to see and appreciate the possibilities in front of us. We should definitely have high expectations for our love interests, but it’s okay if they’re not carbon copies of our book boyfriends.

I’d recommend this to those who enjoy rivals to lovers, fantasy elements and found family.

Book Boyfriend by Emily Wibberley & Austin Siegemund-Broka is an interesting, intriguing & heartwarming romance about a romantasy reader & felt like an ode to the readers, the fandoms & everything in entails.

Book Boyfriend is great for those looking to read about…
📚 Enemies to Lovers
📚 Opposites Attract
📚 Romantasy Scavenger Hunt
📚 Close/Forced Proximity
📚 Fandoms of Book Series
📚 Workplace Rivalry

This is a lovely letter to fandoms & the beautiful community you create when you find shared love for a story. I’m in awe whenever authors write books within books. It feels like double the work & this one had such a complex story that was interwoven into the novel in a really interesting way.

Book Boyfriend was an endearing adventure & will feel like coming home to the fellow readers & fans.

Massive thanks to NetGalley & Berkley Publishing for the gifted copy, which I voluntarily read & reviewed.

Book Boyfriend is a book meant for book lovers, especially Romantasy readers. Jennifer and Scott are work enemies that end up at the same week-long Romantasy book experience, based on her favorite book series, Elytheum. There are great side characters that really add to the story. I also liked the mystery, solve the puzzle, hunt that they go on and all the talk about their favorite characters and the fictional world of Elytheum. However, as much as I love this husband and wife duo and their previous works, this one wasn't a big hit for me. It's an easy listen and could be fun for readers who get obsessed with fantasy series, but this is probably my least favorite by this author duo.

Maybe I shouldn’t have read this after Onyx Storm?

Jennifer works in publishing. She is a romantic and believes her true love is out there. Scott works for the same company and believes Jennifer is living in a fantasy. After he rejected her friendship, they immediately became enemies and have not liked each other for a year. When Jennifer gets broken up with at work, she decides to attend a Romantasy immersive experience her friend helped to create about her favorite book series. She goes to escape her reality for a week and heal, but then her dreams are crushed when Scott, who has forever dissed her favorite series, is there too.

I really wanted to like this book. I have enjoyed so many of their other books but I could not with this one. Part of my issue was the romantasy series stuff. Now, I had just read Onyx Storm which is part of the Emperyium series, so reading about a fact Elytheum series felt too close. It also felt very A Court of Thorns and Roses which did not enjoy. I just felt like I was trying to read two books at once because Jennifer and this experience are so Elytheum heavy, that you feel like you can’t connect with the experience if you’re not an Elytheum fan. Maybe if this had been written more like the book Fan Girl by Rainbow Rowell where in between chapters were snippets of the Elytheum series? That might’ve made it feel more real than Jennifer just referencing it every once in a while.

Also, I am not convinced at all that these people like each other. It’s supposed to be enemies to lovers but I just did not get it. She asks him to get a drink to become friends the first time they meet, he says no, and then they continue to harass each other at work for a full year. Then once they’re out of the work setting at this experience, she finds him attractive? And apparently because he say her checking him out he realized he also finds her attractive? I kept thinking maybe he had had a crush on her the whole time and went to the experience to understand her more and win her over when he came back to work, but that was not the case at all.

She pretty much spends the whole time harping on why she dislikes Scott and it boils down to not liking him just because he doesn’t like her. I don’t find that very solid. I actually ended up skimming the whole second half of the book because I could not with these characters anymore. I found her to be whiney and overly tied into her fantasy world (which all of the characters accused her of) and I found him to be flat and have no personality other than the fantasy character whose traits he was trying to emulate.

I’m so disappointed because I have previously really enjoyed this duo’s books, but the last two have just not done it for me. Maybe their magic has worn off for me? I don’t know. I’d be willing to give them one more shot if the concept strikes me, but definitely not the top of my list anymore.

I think if you are super into romantasy and like romance of convenience this book might be for you. I would not describe it as enemies to lovers and found a lot of it to just be frustrating and annoying. Just not for me.

Book Boyfriend is a fun, immersive romance that blends fandom, fantasy, and the enemies-to-lovers trope in a unique setting. Jennifer and Scott’s dynamic is filled with sharp banter and plenty of tension. The book does a great job capturing the excitement of fan communities, and the side characters add plenty of charm. It’s an entertaining read for romance fans—especially those who love a good convention storyline.

This is a cute romance perfect for a Valentine's Day read. Jennifer is looking for her perfect book boyfriend, and Scott is trying to make himself into the perfect book boyfriend. Workplace enemies in real life they both end up at the same week-long fantasy adventure trying to find clues to win the ultimate prize. It's a fun quick read with a swoon-worthy happily ever after.

Book Boyfriend by Emily & Austin follows Jennifer as she attends an immersive fan experience for her favorite series, Elytheum Courts. The last person she expects to run into is her work nemesis, Scott Daniels. Neither of them have had luck in their romantic endeavors, and they bond with each other over that fact. Scott planned to pick up some pointers at the fan experience so he could become the perfect “book boyfriend”.

My thoughts: I really like the concept of this book, but I found the pacing to be a bit slow. I did really like the side characters, they were full of heart. I also liked the growth that both Jennifer and Scott go through! Overall, it was a decent read, but it didn’t exactly live up to my expectations.

Thank you to Netgalley and Berkley for allowing me to read this e-arc!

Thank you so much to Berkley Romance for the eARC of this one via NetGalley! These are my honest thoughts.

Unfortunately, I just wasn't in love with this one. It was a little slow and hard to get into. I've liked previous Emily/Austin books (The Roughest Draft being my fave), but this was just not connecting the way I wanted it to. Maybe I'm too old for this target audience? From the beginning, it was slow to engage, and I felt like the fmc was a little immature from the get-go. The concept was great, but I needed just a little bit more from this story.

Jennifer Worth’s favorite romantasy series, Elytheum Courts, is the perfect escape. When Jennifer attends an immersive fan experience, the last person she expected to run into is her work nemesis, Scott Daniels. Both of them are unlucky in love and find some common ground. Scott is hoping to learn some pointers during the fan experience so that he can become the perfect “book boyfriend.”

This was such a fun concept! As someone who is not a fantasy reader, it allowed me a glimpse into that world! It was the perfect fit for me because I got a taste of fantasy without actually having to read a fantasy book 😂

I flew through this story and had fun with getting to know the side characters.

Noe I want to attend an immersive book experience/convention for some of my favorite romance book series!

I love this writing duo and I’m so excited to add BOOK BOYFRIEND to my collection of their books 🙌