Hey Friends,

Today, I want to discuss ‘The Boyfriend’ by Fredia McFadden, a captivating mix of mystery, drama, and romance. If you haven’t read it yet, you can skip this post. I’d love to hear your thoughts in the comments if you have!

Book Review – The Boyfriend

• The Setup: Sydney Shaw, a 34-year-old looking for love, experiences a disastrous date with a catfisher named Kevin. She is rescued from the situation by a charming, handsome doctor, whom she begins dating.
• The Thriller: A series of brutal murders occurs, with the killer targeting women after dating them, leading Sydney to suspect her new boyfriend is not as perfect as he seems
• The Timeline: The story jumps between Sydney’s present-day perspective and the past, which explores the life of Tom, who deals with an abusive father and a complex, violent romance with a woman named Daisy.
• Suspicion Arises: When Sydney’s best friend Bonnie is murdered, Sydney begins to notice chilling inconsistencies in Tom’s story—including the discovery that his real name is Brewer, not Brown.
• The Ending: The novel features unexpected twists, revealing the true nature of the killer, with the story focusing heavily on themes of obsession, manipulation, and the dangers of online dating.

The Big Twist (Spoilers)

The “perfect boyfriend” isn’t the killer, but he isn’t innocent either.

• The True Killer: The murderer is actually Sydney’s other friend, Gretchen, who is revealed to be Daisy from Tom’s past.
• The Motive: Daisy has remained obsessively in love with Tom since high school and has been systematically killing any woman who gets too close to him.
• The Ending: To save Sydney’s life, Tom agrees to go on the run with Daisy, disappearing into the night.
• Final Sting: After Sydney reunites with her ex-boyfriend Jake, she receives a mysterious package containing a lock of hair from her stalker, Kevin, and a note from Tom implying that Kevin will never bother her again.

My Notes

In the present, Sydney and her best friend begin exploring a dating app in search of companionship. Sydney goes on a date with a man named Keith, who initially gives her a strange vibe. Feeling uneasy, she contemplates leaving. As she attempts to escape, the situation escalates. She decides to stop at an apartment that isn’t hers to convince him to go home, but he insists on entering. When Sydney declines, Keith grabs her arm, making her feel very uncomfortable. Suddenly, a man appears out of nowhere and tells Keith to leave.

Meanwhile, Bonnie falls for a guy she met on Cynch. When Sydney inquires about him, Bonnie describes him as a great guy, but no one knows his name or any details about him. Bonnie and Sydney meet Daisy (Grethen) at a yoga class. She comes across as sweet and outgoing, and both friends quickly become close to her, unaware of her hidden past. Randy, Sydney’s boyfriend, works as the maintenance guy for their apartment complex. Bonnie is unsettled by Daisy’s boyfriend, as he gives her the creeps. Tragically, Bonnie is murdered in her apartment, and it’s Sydney and Randy who discover her body. Jake, a detective and Sydney’s ex-boyfriend, is introduced as a workaholic.

In the past, Tom, a doctor, had a backstory from high school involving a girl he was infatuated with. Tom had a best friend named Slug, who was considered odd by others due to his habit of eating bugs. Slug had a peculiar way of doing things and was known to have only one friend, Tom. Tom’s mother was beautiful, but his father struggled with alcoholism. In high school, three female students were murdered, and there were whispers that Tom or Slug might have been involved. The tension builds as Sydney reflects on the strange events surrounding her. Despite the unsettling encounter with Keith, she finds comfort in her growing friendship with Daisy, unaware of the secrets lurking beneath the surface. As she navigates this web of new and old relationships, Sydney grapples with her instincts and doubts, trying to piece together the puzzle that surrounds her life.

Tom’s past continues to unravel, revealing more about his complex relationships and the shadows of his youth. The whispers about the high school murders linger in the background, creating an uneasy connection between the past and present. As Sydney and Jake delve deeper into the investigation, they must confront the chilling possibility that someone close to them could be hiding a deadly secret.

With each new revelation, the stakes become higher, and Sydney realizes she must rely on her wits and courage to uncover the truth. As the lines between friend and foe blur, Sydney is determined to protect herself and those she cares about, even if it means facing the darkest parts of the human heart.

You can not tell me that this was not a twist.

If you have read this book, what did you think about it? Leave me a comment below if you would like me to start back on my book reviews.

Happy Reading!!