Title: Boyfriend for Hire
Author: Kendall Ryan
Release Date: February 19, 2019
I’m the guy you call when you need to impress your overbearing family, your boss, or your ex. Yeah, I’m a male escort, but not just any escort, I’m the escort. The one with a mile-long waiting list and a pristine reputation that’s very well-deserved.
I’m the guy who’ll make you feel beautiful, desired, and worshipped . . . all for a steep price. I’m hired to make you shine, and I always deliver.
I’ll be whatever you want me to be for one night—except my true self. This is just a job, a role I play to earn a paycheck.
But I’m not the guy who falls for a client. Not once in six years.
And then I meet Elle. Her friend has hired me to escort her to a wedding, but Elle doesn’t know we’re just pretending.
There’s a fire between us I never expected. A connection I haven’t felt in so long. One kiss, and I’m losing all control.
But what will happen when she finds out who I really am?
Kendall Ryan's books are always super fun - I've reviewed two here on the blog, and I've read countless others. They're usually quick and enjoyable reads; the story lines engaging, and the characters relateable. As soon I saw the opportunity to review Kendall's newest book, I couldn't really resist. And, like all of Kendall's other books that I've read so far, I finished Boyfriend for Hire in one sitting, and it might just be my favorite out of Kendall's recent releases.
I was very interested in reading Boyfriend for Hire because it kind of features one of my favorite tropes, but with a twist - fake dating. I say kind of, because the fake dating is one-sided. The story starts with Christine, our heroine Elle's friend, asking Nic, our hero, to escort Elle to her wedding. See, Elle just got dumped by her now ex one week before the wedding, and because the ex is a douche of epic proportions, he'll also be attending the same wedding... with another girl. The last thing Christine wants for Elle is to not have a good time. Here's the thing though - Nic is a professional escort, and Christine is actually hiring him to accompany Elle. Another point to note - Christine doesn't want Elle to find out that she actually hired Nic. A recipe for disaster, if you ask me!
From the get go, it's easy to deduce what the story's main conflict will be. Does this in any way affect my reading enjoyment? Not really. To be honest, I was excited to see how everything will fall into place. I do like angst... Well... A little amount!
The story flowed smoothly - we start with the events of the wedding (including an encounter with the previously mentioned douchebag ex), and then days after the wedding, we see Nic and Elle trying to figure out if they have a future. Elle is optimistic, and Nic is confused. We learn more about both characters, and I liked how we were shown Nic grappling with lying to Elle, and what falling in love with a client means for him. On the flipside, we all see how excited Elle is because Nic is everything she wants in a boyfriend, and Nic truly is so romantic and caring towards her! I personally would have loved more emphasis on how the conflict was resolved later on - I feel like things were resolved a bit too quickly. I don't, however, mean that anything felt inauthentic - just a personal preference, really.
I really adored both of our main characters. I feel like Kendall did a good job of showing us how multi-layered they are - Nic is more than an escort, and Elle is more than a paralegal terrified of taking the bar exam. They have hopes, dreams, and plans for the future. I especially related to Nic - he placed all his dreams in the back burner because this current job of his pays well, and next thing he knows, six years have passed. He can't remember the last time somebody wanted him for him. It's always jarring to see something you're going through playing out in a book, and it made me especially invested in Nic and Elle's journeys.
All in all, Kendall wrote another winner. I love how Nic and Elle both grow, and I loved seeing them eventually breaking free of their comfort zones and fighting for their dreams. It's also fun to note that Boyfriend for Hire introduces us to the hero of Kendall's next book, and it already promises to be another great book!
Rating: 4.5 Stars
I have been curious about this book. I wanted to read it anyways, but after your review I have to. It just sounds like such a good time. Great review!
ReplyDeleteThank you, Deanna! It's a super fun book! I like how it wasn't too angsty.
Deletehehe I kind of like these kind of tropes :D it looks like a ton of fun
ReplyDeleteI'm a sucker for these tropes too, Lily! And yes, this book was such a fun read!
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