Book of the Month is a monthly book subscription box. Each month, their editorial team picks out their favorite new hardcover books, and you can choose which one you want to receive on the first of the month for $17.99/month. You can also add up to two additional books for only $9.99 each. (This box was named one of the best subscriptions for avid readers in the 2024 Subscription Box Awards.). They currently have a promotion for October where you can get your first book for just $5!
This box was sent to us at no cost for review. (Check out the editorial guidelines to learn more about how we review boxes.)
My BOTM Pick for August: The Boyfriend by Freida McFadden; Retail Value $29.26
Back of Book Summary:
She’s looking for the perfect man. He’s looking for the perfect victim.
Sydney Shaw, like every single woman in New York, has terrible luck with dating. She’s seen it all: men who lie in their dating profile, men who stick her with the dinner bill, and worst of all, men who can’t shut up about their mothers. But finally, she hits the jackpot.
Her new boyfriend is utterly perfect. He’s charming, handsome, and works as a doctor at a local hospital. Sydney is swept off her feet.
Then the brutal murder of a young woman―the latest in a string of deaths across the coast―confounds police. The primary suspect? A mystery man who dates his victims before he kills them.
Sydney should feel safe. After all, she is dating the guy of her dreams. But she can’t shake her own suspicions that the perfect man may not be as perfect as he seems. Because someone is watching her every move, and if she doesn’t get to the truth, she’ll be the killer’s next victim…
My Summary
Sydney Shaw just can't seem to find the right guy. Ever since her year-long relationship with Jake fizzled because he was too dedicated to his work as an NYPD detective, the dating apps have resulted in nothing but bad dates.
It's on the worst of these bad dates when a sexy stranger happens upon Sydney pinned up against a brownstone wall by her disgruntled date. Just as suddenly as he appears to interrupt the assault in progress and save the day, Sydney's knight in shining armor disappears without sharing his name.
The two won't meet again until after Sydney's friend and neighbor has been found dead in her apartment. As the two begin dating, Sydney realizes this stranger may be the love of her life ... or he may be the killer dating and torturing women throughout the city.
The Verdict
Although she's a well-known thriller author, I'd never before read a Frieda McFadden novel, making my October BOTM Club book pick my first.
It will probably be my last.
I blame myself. The Boyfriend was clearly the romance novel option from the October BOTM Club list, and no matter how hard I try, I can't seem to like the genre.
Instead, I spent my time curled up with my new book rolling my eyes and pushing myself toward the end. Sydney was the sort of main character who I didn't love to hate, I simply hated her.
After more than a year of hit after hit in my BOTM Club box, I was bound to essentially come upon a book I didn't like. This isn't a failure of the subscription box so much as it is a statistical probability. It's also part of the magic of a subscription box for books — sometimes you're going to find an author you fall in love with. Other times you're going to find an author whose work just isn't quite right.
Value — Was This Box Worth It?
Was the October pick worth it? If you love books where the heroine is always in danger and a handsome man is guaranteed to fix her problems, this book would be worth it for you. Love books that you can read in a few hours on a Sunday afternoon? Again, this book is for you.
Financially, this BOTM Club book pick is definitely a win. The BOTM Club starts at $17.99, depending on your chosen subscription, and this hardcover is listed at almost $30 on Amazon.
Of course, the first month of a subscription is $9.99 with free shipping, so if this is your entree to a Book of the Month subscription, you come way out ahead.
The Cost: $9.99 + free shipping (This price is only for your first month).
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To Wrap Up:
Can you still get this book if you sign up today? Yes! But you will need to order it as an add-on.
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