i’ve been reading all of mason’s work for years now and they keep finding ways to impress me. everything gets better and better all while maintaining the staples of what makes their books so good.

everyone loves some fake dating, and it takes a lot of skill to make such a well-known trope feel fresh and exciting. but mason does a great job of implementing that in a rather original scenario, allowing for the really interesting part of the story, the characters and their development, to grow and change.

Eli and Peter had such a wonderful romance full of awkward moments, intense pining, uncertain feelings, and euphoric releases. the way their journey is plotted was perfect and each beat it hit at the right time. i really enjoyed their developing friendship before everything turned fully romantic.

and all of this wouldn’t be effective without characters you can root for and love. Eli and Peter are two excellent people that i felt a connection to. i loved their journeys and the lessons they learned. i loved the themes of taking charge of your own life and fighting for the best you deserve.

just a really, really wonderful and important book.

Mason Deaver truly does know how to craft a compelling and engaging love story that is equal parts hilarious and soulful.

The Build a Boyfriend Project is a fake dating rom com with a healthy dose of self discovery, fucking up and finding out, and oh so many feelings.

What I adore most about this book is how it balances humor and stereotypical romcom shenanigans with deep and meaningful conversations about identity, community, and self worth.

The plot is predicated on Eli - our MC - writing an article about "making a better boyfriend" out of Peter when, in reality, Eli wants to interview Peter about growing up gay & Korean in the southern US. Deaver explores how a lot of big city coastal & northern queers are quick to write off the South entirely. They talk about the problems in the South - the racism, the homophobia, how those things can make one miss out on so much - while also reminding the reader that these issues are not isolated to the South.

I've lived in the PNW my whole life, I'm used to living in a place with pride flags on every other street corner year round. So I found myself in Eli's shoes, listening and learning alongside him. Being reminded of how easy it can be to write off a place as "backwards" and "wrong" when you don't talk to the people who actually live there, who come from there. When you don't live there, you don't always know that the good memories are indeed possible and can exist in abundance.

This novel is a reminder to the big city coastal queers (like me!), that not everyone got to be out in high school or even college. Not everyone had parents who "get it" or queer teachers in school. It's a reminder that some people are "late bloomers" because they weren't given a chance to bloom until now. And a reminder that regardless of reason, there isn't anything actually wrong with being a "late bloomer."

In the acknowledgements, Deaver thanks the people that made it to The Pink Pony Club a little later in life. Thanks them for being here now, no matter how long it took them, because them being here is what matters most.
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Now, we side bar for a moment so I can talk about one specific line that altered me chemically:
"[Eli] knew he should never look at his body as anything other than a work of art. Because it was, because he'd gotten the chance to make it himself."

The way Deaver writes trans bodies will always be famous to me. This line made me cry and has been rotating in my mind ever since I read it. Trans bodies are works of art, transness is an act of intimate personal creation, and I love seeing that voiced in stories.

Ok that is all, back to our regularly scheduled book reviewing.
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When we zoom out and take in the rest of the novel, what do we see? We see a romcom that is honestly just so fun and funny. And it's never at the expense of depth, nuance, or drama. This is not a book full of empty laughs, it's a heartfelt love story that also had me fucking wheezing.

I love a shenanigan filled love story. If you talk to me for 0.2 seconds you'll quickly learn that I adore Mason's other work but specifically The Feeling of Falling in Love. I love TFOFIL for the fake dating shenanigans, and the poignant discussions of self and community, and the portrayal of trans bodies- all things I also adore about TBABP. TBABP feels like a natural progression for Deaver as an author, it's their first adult romance and it has everything I love about their YA work but obviously more grown up. TFOFIL is for the trans kids who don't think they'll ever get a love story, and TBABP is for the queer adults who feel like they're falling behind.

In short, I adore this novel. And - unsurprisingly - recommend it wholeheartedly.

The Build-a-Boyfriend Project is my first book by Mason Deaver—but I know it won't be my last. Deaver turns "practice dating"—an oft-used trope that could in a less skilled writer's hands feel tired—into something that feels warm and charming, like coming home with two incredibly charming and real main characters who worm their way into your heart.

The book follows our protagonist, Eli—long-suffering assistant at a publication who's hoping to make a break into a staff writer position. He began working at the publication with a lofty idea of it—the old days, where articles that meant something were prioritized; unfortunately, since then, the site has gone the way of so many other modern news outlets, prioritizing clickbait headlines and ad revenue traffic. In the midst of all this, he's set up on a blind date with a man named Peter that goes horrendously wrong; Peter's late and constantly checks his phone, ducks out early to work and spills half the meal on Eli.

What begins as Eli's pitch to cover Peter's struggles with dating as a gay Korean-American from the South becomes shaped by his boss as the titular "Build-a-Boyfriend Project", where Eli and Peter will fake-date in an effort to teach the other man how to become boyfriend material. Eli just learns along the way that, while he might have been rough around the edges, Peter might have been made of the right stuff all along.

I ate this book up. There's no better way to put it. In one night, I'd read a good helping—then the next, a bit more. But once I was about 40% of the way through, I couldn't stop. Fake-dating for any reason is a trope straight out of fanfiction—for good reason! It's charming! You know that the couple is going to catch real feelings long before they do! But for the same reasons, it's often overdone and worn out. But Eli and Peter were written so deftly, with experiences and struggles of their own that made them stand out as characters that it hardly mattered that I knew where they were going; I was captivated by every word. They were both incredibly unique characters that broke out of typical archetypes, and when they came together, the dynamic between the two was so believable that it was easy to watch them inch their way into each others' lives.

Because they were so well fleshed out, it was also so easy to not feel so frustrated when the characters made mistakes. They made mistakes because they were humans with their own motivations and struggles and wants and flaws, not because the book required a little bit of conflict. It's something I struggle with a lot in books—bumps in the road feeling forced—but all of the ups and downs in Eli and Peter's relationship felt honest to who they were as characters and the way their relationship had been built.

Sure, there are things I wish we'd seen fleshed out a little more—Eli's boss at the publication he worked for felt a little one-note (it's traffic! we don't care about hard-hitting journalism anymore! clicks, clicks, clicks!), making Eli's clinging to the hopes of the future sometimes feel exasperating. Similarly, Peter had dreams aligned with writing that I wish we'd dug a little more into—the way that tied into where his character ended up felt a little too easy. But you know what? It hardly mattered to me, because I was so pleased for them as if they were my own friends instead of characters I was reading on a page. I yelled at Eli the way I'd yell at a friend to get out of a dead-end job, I cheered for Peter the way I would one of my dearest friends achieving their dreams.

BRB, making a Letterboxd list of all of the films featured in the chapter titles and doing a marathon just to chase these feelings all over again.

Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager for an eARC in exchange for my honest review!

This charming romcom features lovable characters and a captivating plot that will delight any romcom fan. With great LGBTQ representation, it's a refreshing and inclusive read. While it is a bit spicier than I usually prefer, it was still manageable and enjoyable. The perfect slow-burn romance makes it a fun and entertaining read for any romcom enthusiast.

Mason Deaver, the writer you are. I'm so glad they are getting into adult romance. I needed a romcom and knew this was going to hit the spot. Spoiler (not really): It absolutely hit the spot. The Build-a-Boyfriend Project is exactly what I want in a queer romance and I can't wait for Mason Deaver to reach an even wider audience with this book.

Would have given 4.5 if that was an option. I received this book for free as an eARC in return for my honest review. Having read other of Deaver’s books I was excited to give this one a read. Eli and Peter are lovely characters. I found Eli hard to like at times, but I think that was the point of his character. His flaws made the story. Going into this knowing the “fake dating” trope, I expected the pit falls. While I truly appreciated was how the story was wrapped up. That deviated from the norm a bit. Overall, my big wish would be to have had more depth from Peter. I would have loved for this to be dual POV and gotten to see a bit more from him. Otherwise. Loved it!

Deaver's adult debut is so close to perfect that I'm happy to give it five stars anyway. Perfectly aged up plot, voice, characters, and sentence level craft. The plot to Build-A-Boyfriend Project is predictable in a way that makes the entire story SO exciting to read, because it's a love-letter to all of the romances that came before it. I knew going in exactly what I was about to get out of it, and Deaver managed to execute it in a way that still had me giggling and kicking my fee the whole time.

I loved Peter's character grown, and Eli's, but Peter's specifically. My only criticisms in that after the third-act break-up, it feels like Deaver is maybe OVERLY concerned with making sure the reader understands that Eli is at fault, to a point where I feel like Eli is taking on more of the blame for what happened than he even deserves— as in, Keith gets off entirely scott free, after knowingly and purposefully doing something so beyond morally and ethically deplorable. Why did Eli end up the ONLY bad guy in that situation, to the point where I as the reader felt like I wasn't supposed to be upset by what Keith did?

Eli can learn his lesson without taking on the entirety of the blame for the article going out there! Keith doesn't get the moral superiority just because he wasn't afraid to do something hurtful to advance his own career and teach Eli a lesson. Justice for Eli, a little bit.

Anyway, that is the only criticism I had, everything else was so good that I couldn't put this book down even while I was supposed to be working. Devoured it in two days.

This was so good! I really loved the love story, and I wasn't angry at the third act conflict. A realistic third act conflict is so important to me. I loved seeing the growth of the characters even though we were only in the head of one character. I don't really know how to describe this book except to say if you like romance, you should read it. If you like well fleshed out characters that you would love to meet in real life, you should read this book. I have read two books by Mason Deaver, and I have really loved both.

4.5 stars. Containing the same heart and swoon that any good romcom should have while also remaining grounded and nuanced, The Build a Boyfriend Project is an incredible adult romance debut from Mason Deaver that leaves me excited for more to come.

A charming romcom with lovable characters and great development! Eli’s fake-dating scheme with awkward yet endearing Peter turns into something real, forcing him to face his fears. Though predictable at times, the humor, heart, and slow-burn romance make this a fun and entertaining read for any romcom fan!

Mason Deaver’s The Build-a-Boyfriend Project is a heartfelt and hilarious rom-com that blends technology, friendship, and self-discovery into one delightful package. With their signature warmth and wit, Deaver crafts a story full of awkward missteps, unexpected feelings, and tender moments. Perfect for fans of quirky, character-driven romances, this book is as charming as it is uplifting—a true joy from start to finish

DNF at about 25% I’ve had issues falling into story’s by this author in the past so it’s on me for trying again

*I received a free eARC of this book through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.*

This is a beautiful, messy romance, with realistic characters that I also fell in love with. I find that often the main character of a rom-com style romance is a terrible person, does not do any self-reflecting, continues to suck but finds someone either equally terrible or willing to submit their will to the terrible MC, and that is supposed to be happily ever after. Eli is not a great person at the beginning -- he's put himself in a terrible position both work- and relationship-wise, and seems to have no plan or desire to pull himself out -- but he learns that he cannot continue to live in his current patterns with any sort of joy or growth. To see a character accepting that they may not get the happily ever after they dream of but doing the work anyway is a refreshing change. Peter is a delightful little cinnamon bun, and I'm so happy he got his dream. Also, Michael is the worst. This is my second Mason Deaver book, and I'm adding him to my always-read list.

I absolutely adored this book and think it is perfect for anyone who loves a good RomCom. Eli, our main character, is lovable and so perfectly imperfect in all of the best and most relatable ways. I also especially loved the representation of Eli being trans without it being a huge point of the plot - we need more representation like this that normalizes both transness and queerness. The main love interest, Peter, is also such a down-to-earth and genuine character and the author does an amazing job at highlighting Peter's experiences as a gay Korean-American from the South - both the good and the ugly. Overall, this has definitely been one of my favorite reads this year and I can see myself re-reading this time and time again.

Mason Deaver is so fuckin’ back, baby! To be clear, they never left and they have never once disappointed me. But this adult romance puts them back on the map in a major way and I’m so excited to finally have their voice in this space!

If I had to say one thing about this book it’s that it’s so stinkin’ adorable. Like, yes, it does have this zany, fun fake dating premise, but the two main characters themselves have such incredible natural chemistry and their budding relationship is just so soft and sweet.

I think everything in this story hangs together so perfectly because the concept of second chances is reflected in every single aspect of the story, from the thematic work to the plot itself. Not only is Eli essentially forced to give Peter a second chance to redeem himself after their truly horrific first date, but both Eli and Peter are navigating what it means to have a second chance at life in so many ways.

For Peter, as someone who grew up having to be closeted throughout their early adolescence, he’s finally getting a chance to live openly and experience all the “firsts” that many people often get to experience earlier in life. And as a trans man, Eli can also relate to that, because he grew up having a lot of important milestones and making foundational memories in a body and in a presentation that doesn’t align with his sense of self. And in a lot of ways, now that he’s transitioned, he’s experiencing the world for the first time in a completely new way.

I love that connection, that theme of second chances, being woven throughout the story. And because of that, it’s just a beautiful love letter to queer adults and trans adults who not only often have to start over later in life, but who are denied the opportunity to find and access community when they need it most. So often, there’s not a blueprint for how to find and connect with other queer people, especially as adults, and especially when you don’t know how or where to access safe spaces.

So many queer and trans adults who are starting over have to bumble their way through these different experiences on their own, just hoping for the best. And this story tells us that it doesn’t have to be that way, which is such an important message.

I think part of what makes this relationship so endearing to me is not only that both characters work really hard to make it safe and to establish clear boundaries, but because through their connection, both characters are almost getting a chance to feed and heal their inner child in a sense. Especially for Peter, because Eli is a bit more experienced, and he’s able to guide Peter through these experiences with the gentleness, grace, and thoughtfulness that he didn’t get to experience himself.

Honestly, I just don’t have a single bad thing to say about this. It made me smile so much and hope so much. It’s laugh out loud funny, it’s full of these really fun fake dates, it’s deeply romantic and also steamy in ways that cis-het romances could never pull off. It’s just absolutely wonderful and I couldn’t *not* give it five stars.

@mason_deaver The Build-A Boyfriend Project. Releasing August 5, 2025. Eli, an office assistant / wanna be staff writer for a webzine is fresh off from a break-up with a long time boyfriend and coworker. He is convinced by friends to go on a blind date with Peter. The date was disastrous but it leads Eli to an article idea, which if successful, may help him obtain a staff writer position at the webzine. What will it take for him to makeover the "dud" date into Mr Wonderful? I enjoyed seeing the relationship evolve between Eli and Peter and having a trans man as the lead character was refreshing. The storyline is what it is. I've read dozens of similar books AND loved them all, just like I can watch @thereallacey Lacey Chabert in a thousand Hallmark movies and never get bored. I recommend this book with 4 out of 5 🌟's. If the title changes before publication... I don't like the "Build-A" in the title. I don't think it reflects what the book is about and it may mislead some readers. Maybe Dating 101 ... Thank you @netgalley @avonbooks @harpervoyagerus for giving me the opportunity to have an early read of this book. #lgbtqiaplus #romancebooks #mmromance #ftmromance #ftm #romcom #gayromance #queerromance #love #bookstagram #library "buildaboyfriend #libraryreads

If How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days had a glow-up, got rid of the sabotage, added a truckload of feelings, a sprinkle of awkward charm, and gave us a heartfelt journey of self-discovery, THIS would be it.

Picture this: Eli, a journalist hustling for a big break, goes on a date with Peter, a walking disaster of a man who is late, spills food all over Eli, and—cherry on top—FORGETS HIS WALLET. I mean, come on, Peter. If “block and delete” had a mascot, it’d be Eli after that date. But nope. Instead of running for the hills, Eli decides, “You know what? Let’s turn this hot mess into content!” because capitalism, am I right?

So Eli writes two stories. The first one is all about Peter’s cringe-worthy awkwardness, Eli’s “I’ll teach him to be a better boyfriend” plan, and all the messy first impressions that make you want to scream, “ELI, WHAT ARE YOU DOING?” The second story, though? Oh, that’s where the magic is. That’s where we get to see Peter’s layers: the tough upbringing, the lack of a support system, and the fact that, beneath the spilled drinks and awkward vibes, he’s just a sweet, endearing human who deserves a chance.

But here’s the catch: Eli totally skips the fine print in their fake-dating agreement. You know, the one that says, “DO NOT CATCH REAL FEELINGS.” Spoiler alert—Eli fails miserably. As their friendship grows, the feels creep in, page by page, until you’re clutching the book like it’s your emotional support blanket.

This book is sweet, heartfelt, and filled with all the LGBTQ+ rep and issues handled with care and authenticity. The friendship-to-relationship arc is tender and oh-so-satisfying, and the emotional tugging? Chef’s kiss. This was my first book by this author, and let me tell you, I am READY for more. Great pacing, lovable characters, and a story that hits you right in the heart.

When I first started reading, I wasn't sure if this book would be able to pull me in an hold my attention, however, the further into the story I got, the more invested I found myself. From the beginning I didn't see any appeal in Keith and I was afraid Eli would be too caught up with him to move on, but I was pleasant surprised how easily Eli was willing to jump into things with Peter, even if they were rocky and fake at first. Peter was loveable and adorable and won me over immediately. He was easy to root for.

Peter was obviously nuerodivergent of some sort, probably somewhere on the autism spectrum, and I kind of wish the book had addressed that more instead of just passing him off as a generally awkward dude. In fact, I almost wish we could have seen some parts of the story from his POV.

I also kind of disliked how the whole article issue was hanging over the romance the whole time, a bomb waiting to drop. It made it hard at times to really get behind the forming relationship because I knew once the article came to light, everything was going to get screwed up. I did appreciate that Peter didn't forgive Eli right away.

The book ended on a sweet, satisfactory high note, just the way a romance should. For Deaver's adult debut, I say it's a hit.

La vida de Eli no es como la imaginaba. Su novio de siete años rompió con él, y ahora tiene que verlo todos los días en el trabajo. Su sueño es convertirse en escritor para la revista en la que trabaja, pero su jefe lo tiene como recepcionista. Eli quiere renunciar, pero no quiere que los cinco años que ha soportado se desperdicien, así que decide aguantar hasta que se le presente una oportunidad.

Una amiga le organiza una cita a ciegas con Parker, pero resulta ser un desastre. Parecía que Parker no quería estar allí y se la pasa en el teléfono, pero en realidad es que no tiene experiencia en citas y no sabe qué hacer. Entonces, Eli se le ocurre ayudarlo y enseñarle a coquetear para documentarlo y escribir un artículo. De este modo, ambos se beneficiarían: Eli conseguiría un ascenso y Parker podría encontrar novio.

El libro estuvo entretenido, pero Eli no me terminó de gustar, ya que sentí que era demasiado duro con Parker, quien era un panquesito que no le hacía daño a nadie. Además, me hubiera gustado conocer más la historia de Parker a través de sus propio povs, ya que su personaje se me hizo mas interesante.



Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars ish. A feel good romcom! Loved the characters and the development. A predictable third act breakup but still an overall entertaining book to read for any romcom lover out there! I was definitely rooting for Eli throughout this book!