tristatereader 's review for:

The Borrow a Boyfriend Club by Page Powars

4.75

challenging emotional funny hopeful tense 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: No

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Noah Byrd is a trans boy who transfers high schools in the middle of the year due to transphobia at his old school. He’s ready for a fresh start and his goal is to be accepted by his new classmates just as he is: a boy. He decides the best way to ensure that he is seen as himself is to join the elusive and highly coveted ‘Borrow a Boyfriend Club’ at school (disguised as an Italian culture club). But the President of the club, Asher, seems devoid of all emotion. He heartlessly cuts Noah about 5 seconds into the 1st round of interviews. Noah is able to finagle a 2nd try, but this entails wooing Asher. The two begin to form an unlikely bond, but the archaic rules of the club hinder the progression of their relationship.

This is the book that queer kids, adolescents, and adults need to read. While Noah struggles with his own self-acceptance, his classmates whole heartedly embrace the boy he is without giving it a second thought. Noah’s battle with imposter syndrome broke my heart, but his incredible support system put the pieces back together. And y’all know I love my character growth… Noah’s was so inspiring and beautiful to watch.

Also, I loved legit everyone in this book. Even the unlikeable characters wormed their way into my heart. For legal purposes, this is a joke (or is it?), but I would commit crimes for Lenny. PLEASE Page tell me what I need to do to get a Lenny book or short story or drabble 😭 I would do anything to see that boy achieve everything he’s ever dreamed 🥹

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s for this ARC. Look for The Borrow a Boyfriend Club on 9/12/23💕

‼️ IMPORTANT ‼️

The author has teamed up with The Ripped Bodice for a very special campaign. Please consider checking out the link in his bio and donating a copy of The Borrow a Boyfriend Club to organizations created to help trans youth access stories like Noah’s. You’ll also receive a copy of TBABC theme song as a thank you, which I personally can’t wait to hear 🕺🏻