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4.08 AVERAGE
4.08 AVERAGE
emotional
slow-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
No
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
Eli, an assistant to the editor at a Buzzfeed-esque mag that's fallen from hard-hitting articles to listicles, has given up on dating. However, he hops back on that horse for one last first date with Peter. It's a cringe-worthy abomination of a date. But what if Eli turned Peter, guileless and unpracticed at dating, into a project and wrote about it so Eli can finally make the jump from assistant to staff writer? And what should Eli do when his evil himbo editor demands a schlocky takedown demeaning Peter's inexperience instead of the careful exploration of growing up gay and Korean in small town Georgia that Eli has planned?
A poignant read with a smidge of spice (not closed door - yay!). Definitely will check out Mason Deaver's future books.
A poignant read with a smidge of spice (not closed door - yay!). Definitely will check out Mason Deaver's future books.
lighthearted
reflective
slow-paced
I never rate books that are . 75 cents haha but it just wasn’t a 4 star read for me. I didn’t like the miscommunication at first. I didn’t care about Eli’s workplace and it had to do a lot with that. The best explanation I can give this book is based upon two movies. Hitch mixed with Mr Deeds. I didn’t grow a connection with Eli and Peter as much as I thought I would.
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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.
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.
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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!
emotional
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
sad
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I received this book as an e-arc from Avon and Harper Voyager and NetGalley. My review is my own opinion.
I went into this book thinking I could guess where it was going from the summary and I was wrong in the best way. I had a great time reading and had a good few laughs, aww cute and some bitter sweet moments.
This was the first book I've ever read that one of the MMCs was trans and I enjoyed reading the different perspective/learning some new things that sent me down some new rabbit holes of education. I adored Eli's family and friends as they were supportive but realistic through the book. Peter stole my heart and his arc had me smiling as he we the readers learned about his experiences, many which I personally resonated with. Eli's arc also was realistic and I found it refreshing that he was able to own up to his actions after messing up.
Although this was my first time reading a book from Mx. Deaver, I look forward to reading more of their works in the future! My only note is that I wish there would have been a mini montage or something of that nature between the last chapter and epilogue (it would have been on brand for the movie references)
I went into this book thinking I could guess where it was going from the summary and I was wrong in the best way. I had a great time reading and had a good few laughs, aww cute and some bitter sweet moments.
This was the first book I've ever read that one of the MMCs was trans and I enjoyed reading the different perspective/learning some new things that sent me down some new rabbit holes of education. I adored Eli's family and friends as they were supportive but realistic through the book. Peter stole my heart and his arc had me smiling as he we the readers learned about his experiences, many which I personally resonated with. Eli's arc also was realistic and I found it refreshing that he was able to own up to his actions after messing up.
Although this was my first time reading a book from Mx. Deaver, I look forward to reading more of their works in the future! My only note is that I wish there would have been a mini montage or something of that nature between the last chapter and epilogue (it would have been on brand for the movie references
Spoiler
and I'm nosy to find out what happened in the time skip!
emotional
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
adventurous
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
Thanks NetGalley for the arc!
This is such a feel-good, early 2000s rom-com book! This is the first book I've read with trans representation and I believe it was beautifully done. The author didn't shy away from difficult topics and fully delved into them while maintaining the lighter feel of this book. I'll admit that I knew pretty much nothing about this population, so this book opened my eyes to so many things! I'm glad every group is being represented and I hope the author continues his work in spreading awareness and inclusivity!
This is such a feel-good, early 2000s rom-com book! This is the first book I've read with trans representation and I believe it was beautifully done. The author didn't shy away from difficult topics and fully delved into them while maintaining the lighter feel of this book. I'll admit that I knew pretty much nothing about this population, so this book opened my eyes to so many things! I'm glad every group is being represented and I hope the author continues his work in spreading awareness and inclusivity!
lighthearted
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
Character
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
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.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.
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.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for my advanced copy.