Rent a Boyfriend | A Fake-Dating Romance with Surprisingly Complex Plots

4/5 stars

Chloe is desperate to get out of an arranged marriage to Hongbo. Her parents just want her to be happy and supported throughout life. Chloe would like that too, but not like this. To get out of it, she enlists the help of a Rent A Boyfriend service, a company specifically created for things like this. The people she can hire have been trained and briefed and will surely impress even the strictest of Asian parents. As she continues through her plan, she begins to fall for Drew, the boyfriend she rented. The only problem is, he is nothing like his fake persona and will definitely not be approved by her parents. Chloe keeps it up thinking she has no other option and learns of family secrets along the way. 

I do love a fake dating scenario. Rent a Boyfriend was a fun romance that also featured many deep moments. It was more than just Chloe getting out of marrying Hongbo. She dealt with a dysfunctional family and had to grow up pretty quickly as she uncovered a secret her parents were hiding.

The story felt a bit long, but overall was a solid timeline. Like i mentioned, it was so much more than Hongbo. While being engaged to him was the catalyst to everything, much of the book was devoted to Chloe’s relationship with her parents and her budding relationship with Drew. 

I appreciated the representation. Even though I am an Asian transracial adoptee, I could relate to Chloe feeling out of place and the need to be two people. I related to her challenges embracing her culture while also paving her own way. Overall, this was a great novel by Gloria Chao, and I might go as far as saying it’s my favorite of hers so far!