Boyfriend by the Book by Laura Briggs {Review}

Boyfriend by the Book by Laura Briggs

Published July 19th 2016 by Self-published



Jodi Nichols isn’t the most romantic girl on the planet. She doesn’t get mushy over fictional love stories, or picture herself getting swept away by a handsome hero. She’s much too grounded in reality—and much too busy working as a concierge at the luxurious Regent hotel. Helping customers is Jodi’s passion in life, and while romance may be on the back burner for now, she is nursing a little crush on Levi, the cute and friendly deliveryman for the hotel packages. And unless she’s imagining things, Levi feels the same way about her.

But Jodi’s friends think she’s turning into a lonely workaholic. They try to fix her love life, buying her a copy of the bestselling relationship guide that claims women can find true love by channeling the wisdom of famous storybook heroines. Jodi thinks it sounds crazy—no way is she acting like Jane Eyre or Lizzie Bennet to find a man! But when Levi suddenly grows distant and Jodi’s chances with him seem to fizzle before her eyes, she wonders if her friends might have a point after all. Disheartened and lonely, she decides to give the so-called relationship guide a whirl, with unexpected consequences.

Before you can say ‘Pride and Prejudice’, Jodi is up to her neck in handsome, brooding men that seem too much like fictional heroes to be true. Her attempts to think like the greatest heroines in romance lead her to meet everything from a modern Mr. Rochester to an angsty Heathcliff, and even a Darcy-esque novelist. But when a former crush re-enters her life in the form of a modern day Romeo, Jodi wonders if there might be something to this ‘inner heroine’ thing after all. Now, if she could just stop thinking about Levi, then maybe her happy-ever-after will fall into place…or is something still missing from Jodi’s storybook romance?

Boyfriend by the Book is a perfect feel good read for curling up with on a rainy day or a summer afternoon, with lots of laughs and surprises to keep the reader turning pages!

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

My Review: 4 Stars

Jodi isn't your typical girl. She doesn't melt through movies and books and isn't very romantic at heart. Her friends are determined to help her find love and to see the world outside of her job. She's a concierge at a luxury hotel and lives and breathes for work, enjoying the challenge of dealing with difficult customers. Although Jodi is a workaholic, she is likable and semi-clueless about life, which brings her down to a human level. When her bookstore working friend gives her a dating manual, Jodi's life suddenly feels like she's living in a Jane Austen world.

I enjoy the way that Jodi is able to compare these men to book heroes, as well as drawing bits of herself to the surface that are like each heroine. Although it seems a little too contrived that each hero is represented and they all suddenly appear right before her eyes, it's still a fun story and interesting to see the comparisons. Each of the men has similar personalities and quirks to their fictional counterpart, but with modern spins, and it is fun to watch Jodi deal with them and learn more about herself and what she wants and needs out of life.

I tried to predict from the start who she would end up with and it was a fun process to see if my prediction was true, as there are a few twists and turns that left me second guessing myself. This is a great read for those who enjoy a light-hearted, clean romance with ties to the beloved Jane Austen.

Content: mild romance. Clean!

*I received a copy in exchange for an honest review*

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Buy Link

About the Author

Laura Briggs is a professional writer whose debut short work from Pelican Book Group "Only in Novels" garnered attention in the book review world and with fans of both Christian and contemporary romance. Since then, she has continued publishing novels both traditionally and independently and both Christian and mainstream Sweet Romance, as well as co-authoring a series of Grimm-esque fantasy-themed fairytale retellings known as The Dark Woods Trilogy.

Best known for secular contemporary romances "The Wedding Caper" and "Late to the Wedding", Briggs's latest releases include the Regency-inspired lighthearted romance "Dear Miss Darcy" as well as a return to her Inspirational Romance roots with the playful but poignant "Ghosts of Romances Past" from Pelican Book Group. When not writing, she reads, relaxes, and spends time with her cats and dogs.