Final Rating:
Date of Completion: 06/12/2024
Published by: Hollywood Upstairs Press
ISBN: B0D3QNLM7M
‘The Boyfriend’ is my first McFadden read, and while the final reveals lived up to the hype, the journey there was a bit of a mixed bag.
Similar read: The Midnight Feast by Lucy Foley
Cover:
Writing:
Storyline:
Main character(s):
Secondary characters:
Romance:
Narration & Audio:
The storyline unfolds through dual timelines and perspectives, with two mysteries that collide in an impressive climax. The narrators, Victoria Connolly and Robb Moreira, did a great job with dynamic deliveries that brought the characters to life and heightened the story’s atmosphere. However, before the surprising final reveals, I struggled with the writing style, which seemed too casual and unsubtle – this constantly made me cringe and pulled me out of the story.
Ninety percent of my social life these days consists of drinking coffee with friends. But oh well. There are worse things.
I also had a hard time settling into the present timeline, as it is centred around Sydney Shaw, a character who is bitter about being single and desperate for a relationship. After a terrible date leads to a handsome doctor coming to the rescue, Sydney is quickly swept off her feet, and I have to admit their initial connection and banter seemed cute. However, as glaring red flags emerged, it was hard not to roll my eyes as Sydney brushed them away because of her mystery man’s attractiveness and skills in bed. These traits made her character frustrating and hard to connect with. Her bleeding disorder and relationship with her baby-focused mother also had the potential to add depth to her character, but they were not explored and added little to the story. Even more unsatisfying was the fact that the mystery aspect in this timeline was overshadowed by Sydney’s romantic troubles and poor choices. Sydney’s friends were equally hard to care about and connect with, as their interactions felt shallow and mean. There was also another character who clearly cared for Sydney, but their second-chance romance did little for me as it had little depth.
All I want is a decent man who doesn’t have a drinking or a gambling problem, who is fun to talk to, who has a nice smile, and who likes me as much as I like him. Is that really such an impossible dream?
In contrast, I found the ‘before’ timeline much more engaging. The tense, creepy atmosphere gradually drew me in and made me invested in uncovering the killer’s identity. Tom, with his internal conflicts and rough family dynamic, was an interesting main character. Secondary characters like Slug and Alison also stood out to me due to their personalities and roles in the story. I only wish they could have shown up in the present timeline.
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