The Boyfriend Academy

De: J S Strange

Love is forbidden. Truth is dangerous. Survival is everything.

'An absolute masterpiece' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Ganymede’s is no ordinary boarding school. Behind its spiral towers and manicured lawns, boys are forged into the men society demands – strong, obedient, perfect. Graduate, and the world is yours: a home, a career, a wife. But fail… and you’re no longer useful to society.

For Dylan Cecil it should be simple: keep his head down, survive graduation, and earn his place. But when his friend, Blake, disappears, Dylan can’t silence the questions gnawing at him, even as whispers of danger shadow the school’s gilded halls.

As June’s trials close in – eight tests that will decide who is worthy of manhood – Dylan is haunted by Blake’s absence and drawn to Roman Edwards, a boy as magnetic as he is unknowable.

In a world rebuilt on order and obedience, Dylan must decide: will he become the man the academy wants – or the man he really is?

Praise for The Boyfriend Academy

‘Everything I love about dark academia – a gripping mystery, compelling characters and an immaculate school setting, all woven behind a sweet and tender love story’ Lucy Jane Wood, Sunday Times bestseller of Rewitched

‘A coming-of-age love story, a few secret societies, and seven harrowing tasks […] you get a page turner that kept me guessing until the end. A story of hope and finding one’s strength… I will be thinking about it for a long time’ Laurie Gilmore, #1 New York Times bestselling author

‘A dystopian Dead Poets Society… an exciting new voice in speculative fiction and I can’t wait to read more from him’ Anna Fiteni, author of The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire

'Ambitious, haunting and politically charged, The Boyfriend Academy presents a sweeping dystopian vision through the intimate lens of a forbidden queer relationship that leaves a lasting impression’ Zac Hammett, author of See You at the Finish Line

'Dark Academia at its best… blends forbidden love, dangerous trials and secret societies. In a world where questioning is dangerous, mystery and romance collide… an absolute must read!’ Tamara Price, author of The Alchemist’s Daughter

'Brooding, tense and seriously atmospheric… Consider me hooked on J S Strange!’ Hannah Doyle, author of The Long Haul

'Bold, audacious…and like nothing I've ever read before’ Hayley Dunlop, author of It’s Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas

'A brilliant blend of dark academia, mystery, murder and forbidden love' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I adored this book so much. I absolutely devoured it and I am left gasping for more. Chilling and deeply personal' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I was hooked from every chapter.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'I don’t remember the last time I stayed up until 4am because I couldn’t put a book down' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A gripping dark academia dystopian with a beautifully written queer romance at its core. Tense, atmospheric, and unforgettable' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'A brilliant, politically and emotionally charged book. You won’t be able to put it down!' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

'Dark, thought provoking and emotionally resonant, it is a story that asks difficult questions about power, desire and what it means to be free.' ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

©2026 J S Strange (P)2026 HarperCollins Publishers

Reseñas de la Crítica

Readers LOVE Boyfriend Academy!!

'Dark Academia at its best! The Boyfriend Academy blends forbidden love, dangerous trials and secret societies woven into a tapestry of Welsh culture. In a world where questioning is dangerous, mystery and romance collide. Jack Strange has created characters you'll fall in love with whilst cleverly challenging heteronormative culture – an absolute must read!’ Tamara Price

'Forbidden love, secret societies and mysterious goings-on, The Boyfriend Academy is an atmospheric page-turner you won’t be able to put down’ Georgia Stone, author of The Friendship Fling

‘Romantic and heartbreaking with forbidden love… will stay with you long after the last page’ Helen Glynn Jones, author of The Last Raven