Boy Toy: A Romantic Comedy

I absolutely LOVED this hilarious romcom! I'm *still* swooning for Liam! Sarina Bowen and Tanya Eby had me laughing out loud so much that I swear I had to stop, wipe the tears from my eyes, and catch my breath a few times! Boy Toy is the 3rd book in the interconnected stand alone Man Hands series, but you don't have to read any of the other books to enjoy this one (though I HIGHLY recommend that you do since they're equally hilarious!) Liam. Sigh. Seriously, he was adorkably amazing. I loved him right from the start and his inner monologue (especially 14 year old Liam) was THE BEST! He was everything you hope a book boyfriend will be and then some. Not only was he kind, loving, intelligent, protective, loyal, and sexy, but he was also amazing with children and could cook! The authors weren't lying when they said readers would be calling dibs on this hero! I've loved Sadie since I met her in Man Hands and couldn't wait to read this book. Her story has been the most realistic of the three, and I found her fears and concerns regarding starting a relationship with Liam to be honest and valid. There was a certain element of taboo since she used to babysit for Liam's family, but it was easily overlooked since the age gap wasn't too big (6 years) and Liam's maturity (unless he was channeling 14 year old Liam) made him seem a lot older. Kate and Amy also added some great comic relief and I really enjoyed Kate's linebacker skills. LOL If you're looking for a fun, low on drama, snort because it's so damn funny rom com, you do not want to miss Boy Toy! *I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this book*

I received a free copy through the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion. 4 stars — OK, this was a totally adorable conclusion to the Man Hands series. Which, don’t get me wrong…you don’t need to read the previous two books to enjoy this one at all. But given the glimpses of Brynn & Tom and Ash & Braht that we got, I have no doubt newbies will want to go read them as well. I seriously loved so much about this story, I was completely sucked in and it made me excited to be reading again! But I will admit there were moments where I felt like something was missing. Like, occasionally it felt a bit slower, and even repetitive at times (though that might just be in the ARC, could be fixed in the final copy). Both Sadie and Liam were characters that I mostly loved and adored, but with a few annoyances or reservations. For example, while I understood Sadie’s reservations on the age difference, I was also annoyed with how long it took her to let that go…not to mention to realize that Liam was nothing like her ex, Decker. It occasionally made me feel like Liam could do better, you know? I think I just only understood her insecurities up to a point. Perhaps I needed a flashback to an actual scene with Decker in the past so I could better feel how much he truly damaged her. Now saying all that, I really did appreciate Sadie’s struggles in this book: with her own insecurity, with accepting that her girls would have to go to daycare, with missing out on parts of their lives, with dealing with her prick of an ex and the realizations she came to about her first marriage (even if it took a while). I appreciated that we got to really feel the struggle of a smart, successful woman juggling her career with being a mom. I rooted for her, I just also lost patience with her. And then there was Liam. Liam was a total sweetie, and I loved who he was now and all the things he was passionate about. On the con side of things, I got strangely tired of the 14 year old Liam references (but that could have been just me…sometimes my humour just doesn’t connect). It just felt…not quite like him. Or maybe it didn’t fit the rest of the picture *I* drew in my head of Liam, if that makes any sense. But on the pro side, as I said, I absolutely ADORED his passion for childhood development, how smart he was, and how much he truly loved and cared about children. He was so good with them, and I loved that his f’d up childhood led to something so wonderful. He was just so comfortable in himself and so it made him really easy to love. I LOVED the chemistry between Sadie and Liam, their first kiss was OMGOMGOMG…but I was also surprised by how many times the steamy scenes were cut short. It just struck me as odd. There’s nothing wrong with it, I just noticed it is all. It’s probably because I was greedy and wanted more. As I said, I loved the glimpses of Brynn/Tom and Ash/Braht, and particularly being reminded of how much I LOVED the women’s friendship. They were hilarious together, and I loved seeing such strong friendships. As I’ve often mentioned in my reviews, I’m not usually a kid person, but Kate and Amy were pretty adorable and definitely added to the story. Occasionally it felt like the twins were older than their <3 years old…but I also don’t have children, just a 3 year old niece to base that off of. So I’m chalking that up to my own inexperience. So that’s my strangely up and down review. As always, my 4 star rating speaks for itself — these two authors know how to give good romance, great characters with depth, and a heaping helping of giggles to go with it.

Readers were holding their breath collectively in anticipation of Sadie’s story after the bombshell Sarina and Tanya dropped at the end of Man Card. I’ve got to be honest and say I have always felt a little skeevy with the whole older woman/younger man scenario, probably because I am a middle-aged woman lol. However, Sarina and Tanya prove that age is just a number and maturity is the real issue where relationships are concerned. Again it isn’t that the woman has to be immature in order to gain the attention of a younger man (no mutton dressed as lamb here) but rather the man has to have a level of maturity that surpasses his years. Liam is that man and oh so much more. I think I felt my ovaries explode with just how wonderful and nurturing Liam was. Having practically raised his younger siblings in an affluent but cold household, Liam has forged his own path studying the complexity of childcare and nurturing. Something that comes naturally to Liam – seriously there should be classes for prospective fathers where Liam shows that what a ‘real’ father should be. The only thing I found a little unsettling was the fact that Sadie used to babysit for Liam when he was fourteen. Anyone else picturing Liam Payne and Cheryl Cole here!!!! Anywho, Sadie has come a long way since realising what a total douche her ex-husband was. The comparisons between Liam and Dex the Douche merely emphasise how wonderful Liam is. I loved the use of psychology within the narrative and embracing not only your inner child but your inner teen lol. Sadie’s character growth and improving confidence are a direct result of her time with Liam. Allowing Sadie to undertake the self-reflection of her disastrous marriage that she has successfully avoided until now. Having taken a direct hit to her self-esteem not only from her ex’s wandering but also the verbal abuse he threw at her before they split; Sadie has to discover the woman she was always meant to be and the man who compliments that woman (LIAM!!!!!) Although there is a hint of angst, it is just a hint. All the rest of Boy Toy is pure swoon-fodder 😍💞💝 It was great to catch up all of the characters in the Man Hands series and witness the progression of their relationships and the bonds of friendship that strengthen with each passing year.