Boyfriend with Benefits

By: Allison Temple

Narrated by: Toby James

Length: 3 hrs and 49 mins

Publisher's summary

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.

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 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!!

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.

A really good story, fun listen!

I absolutely adored Bailey and Gordo! Bailey asks Goro to be his fake boyfriend during a corporate retreat, Gordo decides to be himself and not follow the plans. There’s a good amount of heat and steam. Overall, this was great, loved it. Toby James was a new to me narrator. It took me a bit to warm up to him but overall he did great!

Boyfriend With Benefits

I was pleasantly surprised by this book.
A new take on some old tropes (at least in my opinion).

Toby is a new narrator to me and I was impressed by the wonderful job he did.

Highly recommend.

I received a free copy of this audiobook from the author via Neon Rainbow ARC reviews and am voluntarily leaving a review.

The Crickets are in the Pantry!

This story was delightfully funny and adorable! I laughed out loud the entire first half at all the office emails, his new boss Jake the Jerk and just all the exaggerated thoughts in Bailey's head about the Company merger and his roommate Gordo! This narrator was fantastic with all of Bailey's inner musings! This one is told only in Bailey's POV which works extremely well because Gordo remains a mystery!! I have to say I want my own GORDO! He is big hairy redhead and I loved all the very visual descriptions of him! Loved it when he picked Bailey up and carried him!!! There is so much more to Gordo then meets the eye and I will let you listen for yourself! This book is the perfect length for loads of laughs, some steam and some super sweetness! Gordo's love for rescuing animals is beyond adorable! This audible left me happy and sappy smiling!!!

Enjoyed!

Boyfriend With Benefits is such a sweet, sexy fun read. I devoured this book in an afternoon and had the biggest smile on my face when done. It's such a feel good read. I went into this book blind, not even reading the blurb. I was surprised by who the love interest turned out to be and so very happy!
Gordo is the perfect calming balance to Bailey's more high energy personality. I loved how clueless Bailey was about Gordo, but he was quick to jump on board and realize how he truly felt about his friend. These two are sweet, hot and perfect for each other!
Toby James does a great job of bringing this story to life!

Friends to lovers romance

This was an adorable and sweet friends to lovers contemporary romance.

Absolutely loved this short novella.


The characters were likeable and well fleshed out and the writing style was engaging.

The narration was enjoyable and appealed to me.

Definitely recommend