REVIEW: The Boyfriend Fix – Lee Pini

Renowned surgeon Ben McNatt is up for the job of his dreams, and when he gets it, he’ll be the youngest chief of neurosurgery in his hospital’s history. His success rate is flawless, but his perceived lack of compassion is hurting his chances. He’s always viewed relationships as a distraction, but a loving partner might change his colleagues’ ideas about his heartlessness. He’ll do whatever it takes for this promotion—even pretend to date. The natural choice for his fake boyfriend is the cute guy at the coffee shop.

Jamie Anderson is in student loan debt up to his eyeballs. He has three roommates, and not in a quirky found-family way. He works sixty hours a week as a barista, and his boss won’t stop hitting on him. He’s even given up on love. He makes do with fantasies about the hot doctor that comes in for coffee every day like clockwork.

A fake relationship might solve Jamie’s handsy boss problem too. And there’s no way it will lead to real feelings when that’s the last thing either of them wants.
So why are they having so much trouble convincing themselves they aren’t falling for each other?

Reviewed by Linda Tonis

Member of the Paranormal Romance Guild Review Team

Jamie Anderson is a barista with a master’s in Russian history. He has been at his job for two years working 60 hours a week. He is heavily in debt shares a small apartment with two other men and his prospects are not looking good. His boss Andy is constantly making passes at him and the fear of losing his job keeps him from openly telling him off.

Ben McNatt, a Neurosurgeon at New York Presbyterian Hospital visits the coffee shop every day, he loves the coffee, but it is the barista that is the real reason he goes there. Ben is in the running for Neurosurgeon-in-Chief, but he is told by a friend that the chances of him getting the job are next to impossible. The powers that be think he has no heart and his bedside manner with patients and their families proves it.

Ben is arrogant and believes his talent is all that matters but the promotion will prove he is the best and that is what he craves. Ben stopped treating people because he cared. He now does it to prove he is the best. He has no time for relationships, nor does he want any, he can’t care for anyone when he cares mostly for himself. Then he is given a suggestion that may work, get a boyfriend and show he has a heart. His choice is the barista he is attracted to.

When Ben approaches Jamie with his idea of them being fake boyfriends Jamie accepts. Jamie has always been attracted to Ben and is willing to help him get the job he wants he also wants Ben to attend his bosses weekend party in the Pocono’s which hopefully would keep him from making constant advances. It is a two-way street for Jamie and Ben both hoping to get what they want by playing this charade.

Their act shows signs of working but the unexpected happens they begin to really enjoy being with each other. Neither Jamie nor Ben wants to really pursue a close relationship. They are happy being alone but spending enough time together could prove how wrong they are.

Ben hopes for the promotion and Jamie hopes attending his boss’s party with a promise of introducing him to someone who could give him a better job. While they try to ignore the elephant in the room, their growing attachment to each other, they keep their eyes on the prize, a promotion and a new job.

The only reason this book didn’t get five stars is that it was slow moving at times and the story was drawn out. Jamie and Ben were wonderful characters, each of them with problems but wanting what they seem unable to reach for a HEA.

Surprises, secrets, lies and sex.