Author: Elodia Strain
Publisher: Bonneville Books/Cedar Fort
Published Date: August 2011
Softcover; 217 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance
ISBN# 978-1-59955-905-6
Reviewed by: Shanda
FTC FYI: Free review copy from publisher in exchange for honest review
First Things First
This is an unusual read for me because it’s a novel based on a movie instead of the other way around. I have previously read one novel based on a movie and it was less than great (then again, so was the movie.) Luckily, this was not the case with My Boyfriend’s Girlfriend.
I haven’t seen the movie version of My Boyfriend’s Girlfriend yet and I’m grateful for that because there is a twist near the end that I was not expecting at all. I felt the impact of that unexpected turn of events more strongly in written form than I think I would have on-screen. Now I look forward to seeing how things play out in the movie compared to the novel.
For almost the entire book I really wasn’t sure who I wanted Jesse to end up with. Both Ethan and Troy are very likable, attractive, and interesting men. I finished the book in just a few hours. I kept turning pages, anxious to see who Jesse would choose, or even if she would choose between them. I won’t give anything away except to say that I was at first surprised and then very satisfied with the ending.
Now the Rest
I usually like to read a book before the actors are assigned to parts in the movie version because I want to picture them in my head first. However, there were a few instances of dialogue that I might have found a bit annoying except I could easily imagine Alyssa Milano saying those lines.
Jesse’s internal dialogue is where Elodia really shines. Entertaining internal dialogue is what made me a fan of Elodia Strain when I first read Previously Engaged a few years ago. Elodia did a wonderfully job meshing Jesse/Alyssa Milano’s voice and actions, putting them smoothly and believably into words on paper to create a fun and enjoyable read.
My biggest complaint is something mostly likely beyond Elodia’s control (not having seen the movie I’m not sure how this character plays into things in the film). I didn’t care for nor see the purpose of Maddy in the story. I found her irritating and overbearing. I was really bugged by the fact that she was so openly rude to Jesse in front of everyone numerous times and nobody said a thing. Why? If it was supposed to be funny, I missed the point.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I really enjoyed My Boyfriend’s Girlfriend. I recommend it to readers who like fun, easy-going romance. The unexpected twist bumped my rating up to 4 stars. I really appreciate that My Boyfriend’s Girlfriend is clean. There was no language and the sexual content is limited to kissing.
Learn more about My Boyfriend’s Girlfriend here.