The Summer Boyfriend by Christina Benjamin – Book Review

With the weather so hot, it is hard to feel the fall vibes I want so desperately. So, instead, I have decided to try and soak up as much summer vibes as I can by reading The Summer Boyfriend by Christina Benjamin. Think beaches, dogs, and true love! This book definitely let me stretch out summer a little bit more before I light my cinnamon apple candle and drink my pumpkin spiced latté!

Disclaimers

I received a gifted copy of this book in exchange for an honest review, which in no way impacted my rating/review

Clicking on the title of the book will bring you to book depository, where you can purchase it. This is an affiliate link, which means I will make a small commission from every purchase made, with no impact on you.

Rating: 4/5 Stars

Content Warnings: Ocean, drowning, death, mild latrophobia, attempted rape, physical altercations, fade-out sex scenes, teen pregnancy, sexual assault, physical/domestic abuse, violence against animals, rape kit, chronic illness

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I mean, what more can I say. This was a classic Benjamin romance, full of interesting characters with complicated lives. I always struggle with putting down one of Benjamin’ books.

In my experience, Christina Benjamin always creates some of the most vivid characters I have ever read. Never will you find a stagnant, boring character with no backstory and no personality. Both Hayden and Joy had ups and downs, and this is why I love the books in Benjamin’s Boyfriend Series so much. It is not only focused on the romance, but also the characters lives. Benjamin also creates strong friendships, which I would love to see more of in YA.

While I love the characterization in this novel, I wasn’t a huge fan of one of the main characters, Hayden. This is because of his macho attitude. He made many heteronormative comments, such as when he was offended that someone would think he was gay, even though he was “totally fine” with other people being gay. He also was adamant to Joy that he was a MAN™. Hayden was also super possessive of Joy, which is just something that I personally can’t stand. He saw Joy more as a sexual being than a human, however, this did change as the story progressed. I just did not connect with Hayden, as a character, like I did with others in the story. Of course, I won’t mention Brock. I hated him, but I was supposed to. He was the villain of the story, not Hayden.

Also, I mean, how could I say no to a book set in Hawaii. Of course, that will put me in the summer mood! As a testament to Benjamin’s writing, I was sad I wasn’t in Hawaii with the characters because I could feel the beach vibes! The descriptions of the setting were wonderful and immersive, making me crave a glass of pineapple juice and a private beach to myself.

Overall, this book was a fast and fun read, perfect for these last couple of weeks before fall officially starts, September 23. I loved the characters, setting and the fact that there was a pet dog! Why is that not more common in books?