Boyfriend with Benefits

By: Allison Temple

Narrated by: Toby James

When Bailey’s new boss turns out to be his childhood bully, a.k.a. Jake the Jerk, it’s time to call in backup for the upcoming corporate retreat in Vegas. Too bad Bailey works too much to date. His best option is to ask his very straight roommate to play the part of temporary boyfriend, even if Gordo is better with pythons than he is with people.

Except Bailey and Gordo haven’t even checked into the hotel and Jake the Jerk is already everywhere. The pressure is on for Bailey to prove he deserves to climb the corporate ladder, but it’s hard to talk shop as Gordo goes from backup to an increasingly attractive distraction. Bailey’s trying to keep his cool, schmooze the executives, and stick to the plan, even though Gordo’s not playing by any of the rules. They’ve always been just friends, but maybe it’s time to be boyfriends...with full benefits.

Boyfriend with Benefits is a 37,000-word contemporary M/M romance novella. It features fake boyfriends who might not be so fake, a hotel room with only one bed, and a James Bond moment in a tiny blue bathing suit. Happily ever after guaranteed.

©2020 Allison Temple (P)2021 Allison Temple

charming

I found this story to be relentlessly charming, and whether that was due to the plethora of tropes (fake boyfriend! Friends-to-lovers!), the sheer awesomeness and patience of Gordo, the friend-turned-love interest Bailey didn’t know he needed but who is kinda perfect for him, or the way the story’s pacing made it feel like everything happened at just the right time— or more likely, a combination of all these things, I really enjoyed it. I was also lucky enough to get an ARC for the audiobook version of the story, and for me, the narration was nicely done and a pleasure to listen to.

Cute short story

This was a cute short story with a fake boyfriend troupe. Although the main characters have known each other for years, there is still so much learning to do. I love when there are surprises between the couples. Jake is definitely a snake and his nickname was well earned. This is my first Toby James book. I thought he did a great job of telling this story and will look for him again.

So much fun to listen to!

Oh my word! I'm thrilled I received an advanced copy of this audiobook. It's so well done, both the story as well as the narration. I adored Bailey and Gordo!
Oh, Gordo! <sigh> What an amazing character with so many layers! Honestly, I just can't say enough about how much fun this is to listen to! There's plenty of romance and steam, of course. But the dialogue and snarky commentary really make it a joy! Five stars and so much recommendation!!

Sweet and funny!

Lovely book with fake boyfriends and roommates to lovers tropes.
Bailey is slightly neurotic and, let’s face it, he assumes a lot about his roommate and he can be quite thoughtless in his remarks sometimes… let’s call it a sort of PTSD from being bullied when he was young…
I loved Gordo, he’s so laid back and caring and a hunk of a man, and he proves himself so different from what Bailey initially depicts him (the book is entirely from Bailey’s POV).
So, again… a sweet, funny, adorable quick read!

Cute, Fun, Entertaining

I read this book when it first was released in ebook for, and I was delighted to listen to it for the first time. Having read books from Allison Temple before, I have certain expectations when I dive into a new one. She did not disappoint me. She’s good at writing complex and oh so lovable characters like Gordo. They’re always so huggable, too. Bailey’s not lacking in that department, either.

This was such a sweet story, with a lot of tender moments making my heart go pitter-pat, but it also had moments that had me chuckling. It was a fun way to spend my morning. I sat down with my cup of caffeine, and dove in. I liked what I found, so I snuggled in for the duration. This kind of story is like a big, warm hug. I feel lighter after reading it, and I would definitely encourage you to do the same. Everyone needs a hug, and everyone needs someone like Gordo in their life.

I’m not sure if I’ve hear anything by Toby James before, but I’ll keep my eyes peeled as I enjoyed his narration if this book. He did a great job with each character and kept up with his voices so it was easy to know who was talking when.