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My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour #2!
Thank you so much to all the bloggers and reviewers on the My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour organized by Rachel’s Random Resources and here’s post #2 about the tour! For post #1, click here.
Here are some excerpts from the reviews. To see the full review, click on the links. I am so grateful for all your positive reviews and so touched that my words found a home.
Thank you to Satisfaction for Insatiable Readers for this great review: “A great pick for Contemporary Romance fans, and book lovers alike, for the love and laughs, but also the chance to see a bookish ending that’s all deserved!” as well as this lovely quote:
“Today’s the day all your bookish dreams come true! How so? Well, because a particular author took a particular idea đź’ˇ that every book lover has had at some point or another, and made it a reality… in a story at least!”
Satisfaction for Insatiable ReadersMalloch Books gave this lovely review on Instagram. Their feed has many great book recommendations, so definitely follow them on Instagram: “This ticked so many boxes for me: community, library, book-based romance. I found this to be a perfect summer read with lots of swoon worthy moments and happy little dances along the way. I found Rupert adorable, he gave major Labrador vibes, and I just wanted to hug him.”
This review definitely made do a happy little dance 🙂
Books, Life And Everything also gave this lovely review: “This is a well written, enemies to lovers romcom, with a varied cast of characters and a great community feeling.”
“There is plenty of humour in the story and a wry look at people’s reading habits and likes. I enjoyed all the sessions which Lily led in her book club – her love for reading is quite infectious. Most of all, the secondary characters add real colour and humour to the story to go alongside the growing romance which you feel is inevitable.”
Books, Life and EverythingYorkshireCarly’s Book Reviews recommended My Book Boyfriend as “the perfect summer read,” but also made this interesting point:
“I enjoyed that the two main characters Lily & Rupert are both huge book worms, because mainly it’s the female protagonist that loves books so it was quite refreshing and the romance was adorable.”
Yorkshire CarlyMore Reviews from My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour #2
Thanks so much for these reviews too! I agree that book readers are definitely sexy, don’t you?
“Rupert was an ideal bookish hero with oodles of swoonsomeness and proved book readers are sexy. “
The Enchanted Emporium Bookshelf“I could see this as a Hallmark movie, it’s that cute.”
Inspired by PMDDI also recommend following these bookstagram accounts for more great book reviews:
“This was a cute, heartwarming, enemies-to-lovers story and I really enjoyed it.”
https://www.instagram.com/mrsljgibbs/?hl=en“It was wonderful to read about books in a book.. . I love New York and books set there always have a special place in my heart. The setting was accurate–felt like I was in downtown.”
https://www.instagram.com/bookishllly/“Strobos gives us a quick and light read, with realistic characters showing community as well as friendship, my heart felt warm for them all. . . This is an author I will be picking up again and a series I will be following.”
https://www.instagram.com/nlcraigwrites/Let’s Talk
Thank you again to all the book bloggers and to Rachel’s Random Resources! Next up is the book tour for Love Is an Art!
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My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour
Thank you so much to all the bloggers and reviewers on the My Book Boyfriend Blog Tour organized by Rachel’s Random Resources!
It was amazing! Here are some excerpts from the reviews. For the full review, click on the link for each blog.
My Book Boyfriend was such a cozy, lighthearted, and heartwarming read! The bookish theme absolutely won my heart. I was looking for a quick read for my long flight back home for the semester break, and this was just perfect. The story played out like a rom-com movie in front of my eyes. It was so enjoyable!
Lily and Rupert had sizzling chemistry from the very beginning of the story. I really enjoyed seeing how they worked through the conflict that divided them! The witty banter, along with their bookish conversations, just made me melt. One of my favorite parts of the story was the realistic dispute between Lily and Rupert. Many enemies-to-lovers books have a supposed “enmity” just for the sake of it, but the way the trope was implemented in My Book Boyfriend was perfect!
I loved seeing how Lily and her friends came together to save the community garden. The community vibe was present all throughout the story, which made reading it so touching. The NYC setting was such a bonus too!
Highly recommend!
What Irin ReadsMany of the book bloggers have been reviewing my books since the beginning, and it makes me so happy that they keep signing up to review another one. I consider that the hugest compliment! And I’m also so thrilled that new bloggers have signed up.
Reviews from Returning Bloggers
Thank you to Zooloo’s Book Diary for this review: “I devoured this in one setting. I knew I would. Kathy’s writing is so easy to lose yourself into. She writes real characters, whose plight are relatable and generally feel pretty real! I feel like this could be a story your friend is going through. I adore Lily and Rupert.”
As you know, Splashes Into Books always creates a rhyming review–and I’m always blown away by her ability to do that. She called My Book Boyfriend a “fab, fun read.” And here’s part of the review:
“Can she trust him to be true or is he leading her astray,
Can they be together, come what may?
A fun read full of character and dilemmas, too,
Where sometimes you hope your dreams can come true!
For my complimentary copy of this book, I say thank you,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading it and this is my honest review.”
But definitely check out the full poem review at Splashes Into Books!
Tizi’s Book Review brought some tears to my eyes as she wrote: “There are authors that you don’t even need a blurb of their books to know that you will read it anyway. And Kathy Strobos is for sure a great addition to that kind of list of mine!” As did Tara’s Bookish Blog: “Kathy Strobos has proved to me again why she’s one of my go to authors, for HEA, for feeling happy and warm and making the world feel a better place.”
So we were already on a sure thing for me in knowing I’d enjoy this book, but in case these things aren’t ticking your boxes, I shall add that Kathy’s writing is wonderful, it’s engaging, the kind of writing where you forget your reading and two hours later you swear it was only 5 minutes ago you opened the book. She writes fantastic characters, ones I love or fall in love with, never perfect, always realistic, relatable and flawed people you really connect with.
Tara’s Bookish BlogThank you so much to Beauty Addict for this touching review (and definitely check out the rest of her review on her site):
“Having already read and loved Partner Pursuit and Is This For Real? by Kathy Strobos – I knew I was going to love My Book Boyfriend just as much – and I totally wasn’t wrong.
Beauty Addict
My Book Boyfriend is a beautifully written story with fantastic characters – a total must-add to your TBR pile this summer.Thank you so much for these reviews too!
“This was a great summer read, it was a real page turner… A great quick cozy read
https://www.instagram.com/scotsbookworm/This was a cute romance. . . This made me reminisce about all the times I visited my younger sister when she lived in NYC.
https://lisalovesliterature.bookblog.io/Such a cute, easy read with a great take on the enemies to lovers romance trope. . . I flew through this so fast, I was instantly hooked.
https://www.instagram.com/insomniacbookwormbookreviews/Let’s Talk
Thank you again to all the book bloggers! I’m going to do a Part 2 to cover the rest of the reviews. Such positive reviews make it all worthwhile!
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Go on a date with Love Is an Art
Go on a date with Love Is an Art! The paperback is now out on Amazon!
Here’s the blurb:
He hates lawyers. So I’m a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I can’t paint.
Tessa: There’s something about the way the blond guy laughs and leans in to listen. My gaze keeps returning to him. The only problem is, we’re at an art gallery after work, and I’ve swapped my lawyer suit for a paint-splattered shirt. I’m pretending to be a struggling artist, acting as bait to entice a scammer who conned my friend out of thousands of dollars.
I look pathetic. But still, I approach Hot Guy.
Our glances meet, and an awareness shimmers across. He offers to buy me a drink–we’re definitely flirting–and then he asks me what I do.
Just when Scammer Guy is in earshot.
I have no choice but to say I’m an artist. I can tell Hot Guy later I’m not.
But then he says he hates lawyers. Now what?
Zeke: She’s the worst artist I’ve ever seen.
And I hate that that makes me suspect that she’s lying to me. After my ex-girlfriend cheated on me, trust is in short supply.
She makes me laugh, and it’s one adventure after another with her. Definitely different from my workaholic lawyer ex.
Maybe it’s time to give love a second chance.
All is fair in love and litigation, but when truth and deception clash, can you trust your heart?
I’d like to take you on a date with Tessa and Zeke in Brooklyn.
Go on a Date with Tessa and Zeke in Love Is an Art
Zeke and Tessa have their first date in DUMBO, Brooklyn. DUMBO stands for Down Under the Manhattan Bridge Overpass. That’s the Manhattan Bridge framed by the buildings.
Then Zeke and Tessa walk down to the waterfront and see this pathway, which has such a beachy feel.
And indeed it leads to beach down by the East River.
From there, let’s head back to the restaurants. Look at that beautiful Dutch architecture. I just love the rounded windows.
And walk up to rooftop of this building. There are more restaurants up top here so Zeke and Tessa grab dinner. Here’s a view out one of the windows.
Here’s one last view to leave you with! But the date continues now with a bike ride. And much more.
Thank you!
Thank you so much to all the readers, reviewers and bloggers who have already left such positive reviews of LOVE IS AN ART. I can’t wait for you to meet Tessa and Zeke!
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My Book Boyfriend: #1 in American Humorous Fiction
My Book Boyfriend achieved #1 in American Humorous Fiction on Amazon and received a Best Seller orange flag! In addition to the Top New Release flag! A HUGE THANK YOU to all my readers! I am still so happy.
Thank you also for all the great reviews!
My Book Boyfriend: #1 in American Humorous Fiction
I particularly appreciate these reviews who find My Book Boyfriend humorous.
“I’ve been searching for a writer like Sophie Kinsella . . . fun and witty and I’ve found her!” – Thank you Ellen! (Amazon review)
“It was Cozy with just the right amount of comedy and romance!” – Thank you Vex (Amazon review)
“Lily and Rupert were fun main characters, and the cast of minor characters really added humor to the story. I was so glad that Rupert wasn’t cast as a heartless billionaire; instead he was a book-loving good guy. This book will be adored by fans of Hallmark movies. – Thank you Southern Chick! (Amazon Review)
BONUS CHAPTER!
Don’t forget to sign up to my newsletter for an exclusive newsletter excerpt: Chapter Ten at The New York Public Library Gala from Rupert’s perspective.
The New York Spark Series
I’m also super excited for you to read Tessa’s story next in Love Is an Art! Tessa is Miranda’s roommate in Caper Crush, and she is one who finds the lawyer for the community garden in My Book Boyfriend when Tessa can’t serve as the garden’s lawyer because it’s a conflict of interest for her law firm. Love Is an Art is at the proofreader now. So I am so thankful for those reviewers who want to read the next book in the series.
“Loved it all and I can’t wait for the next story in this series. They had great banter as a couple. Must read.” Thank you D. Rivera!
“I found this a delightful story, with wonderful characters who don’t give up on their hopes and dreams, but look for compromise as well, and will look forward to reading more by the author. It’s definitely 5 star material.” – Thank you Helen! (Bookbub)
Thank you to my readers!
I still can’t believe it!
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Love Is an Art Cover Reveal
I’m so thrilled to reveal the cover for Love Is an Art, my fake identity romantic comedy! Isn’t it absolutely gorgeous? Thank you so much to my cover designer, Lucy of COVER EVER AFTER. I can’t wait to hold the paperback in my hand. I’ve been writing this since 2021, and I’m still revising it as we speak.
Love Is an Art Blurb
He hates lawyers. So I’m a lawyer pretending to be an artist. Forgetting one tiny detail: I can’t paint.
Tessa: There’s something about the way the blond guy laughs and leans in to listen. My gaze keeps returning to him.
The only problem is, we’re at an art gallery after work, and I’ve swapped my lawyer suit for a paint-splattered shirt. I’m pretending to be a struggling artist, acting as bait to entice a scammer who conned my friend out of thousands of dollars.
I look pathetic. But still, I approach Hot Guy.
Our glances meet, and an awareness shimmers across. He offers to buy me a drink, we’re definitely flirting, and then he asks me what I do.
Just when Scammer Guy is in earshot.
I have no choice but to say I’m an artist.
I can tell Hot Guy later I’m not.
But then he says he hates lawyers.
Now what?
Zeke: She’s the worst artist I’ve ever seen.
And I hate that that makes me suspect that she’s lying to me.
After my ex-girlfriend cheated on me, trust is in short supply.
Tessa makes me laugh, and it’s one adventure after another with her. Definitely different from my workaholic lawyer ex.
Maybe it’s time to give love a second chance.
All is fair in love and litigation, but when truth and deception clash, can you trust your heart?
*The romcom books in this series are interconnected standalones set in the same world. Each can be read as a pure standalone with a guaranteed happily ever after.
Love Is an Art will release on October 10 in e-book and hopefully sooner in paperback.
New York Spark Series
This is the second book in the New York Spark series. The main female protagonist is Tessa, a corporate lawyer with a passion for doing what is right. She helped Lily in My Book Boyfriend by finding a lawyer for the Oasis Community Garden. She was also in The New York Friendship series as Miranda’s roommate in Caper Crush.
Love Is an Art Cover Reveal
I love cover reveals! Thank you so much to all my readers! I hope you love Love Is an Art!
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My Book Boyfriend: #1 in New Releases for Humorous Fiction!
My Book Boyfriend is #1 in New Releases for American Humorous Fiction! I am so happy! I can’t believe My Book Boyfriend got an Amazon best seller orange flag! Thank you to my readers!
Woohoo!
For the blurb, click here!
Such Positive Reviews from Advance Readers!
I love this five star review:
“This was absolutely delightful. The plot was well-paced and captivating.”
– JessicaAnd also these reviews:
“The perfect beach read.” – Thank you Ellen!
“A super cute romantic comedy! I liked it VERY much. It has sweetness and sass… Heartfelt and witty, with endearing characters..” – Thank you Marianne!
“I really enjoyed the dry humor in this story.” – Thank you Quinn!
“This was a great read especially if you love books and NYC. It was well written and told from dual points of view. Lily and Rupert are different in every way and are on the opposing sides of saving the community garden, except for their shared love of books. That gave them great chemistry and quite witty banter as they got to know each other and understand each other’s opposing points of view on the garden. Her friends and “found family” were amazing and well written characters and I hope to see more of their stories. Enjoy!” – Thank you Lisa!
“rupert?? omg HIM! kathy’s men are the biggest green flags… they’re moss flags.
he’s a reader, he’s smart, he’s stylish, has such a good nature, a little protective, cocky but not too much… he really is THE book boyfriend.”
@dreamlibrarycard on InstagramThank you to my readers for making My Book Boyfriend #1 in New Releases in American Humorous Fiction!
I still can’t believe it!
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She loves her community garden. He wants to bulldoze it.
The short tagline for my next book, My Book Boyfriend, is: “She loves her community garden; He wants to bulldoze it for housing. When feelings grow, will they blossom or turn to rubble?”
A laugh-out-loud, enemies-to-lovers, feel-good romantic comedy! It releases August 10. It will be on sale for 99 cents for August, and then the price will increase to $2.99.
(Thank you to my critique partner, Giulia Skye, for the short blurb, and I highly recommend her books.)
Conflict
In this book, I finally had my two love interests in direct conflict, as recommended by several classes on writing romance. As Linnea Sinclair says in her classes, “conflict is two dogs, one bone.” (I’m excited to take her upcoming classes this August and September.) It certainly makes writing that enemies-to-lovers snappy banter easier. But I have a hard time making them enemies such that they truly hate each other. I still think that the absolute best enemies-to-lovers is Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game.
She Loves Her Community Garden
Community Gardens in New York City – the Elizabeth Street Garden
As a result, I researched community gardens in New York City. The website of the Elizabeth Street Garden in the Little Italy neighborhood of New York City was particularly helpful. Here are some pictures of this lovely garden that is under the threat of demolishment.
We may have had too much fun blurring faces. 
No, the park was not filled with headless zombies! 
This article was also incredibly interesting and full of information: https://www.cnn.com/2022/11/07/us/elizabeth-street-garden-nyc-development-ctrp/index.html
If you read My Book Boyfriend, I think you will recognize many of Lily’s arguments for supporting the garden from the above article.
Anyway, I hope you enjoy reading all about how Lily loves her community garden and Rupert wants to bulldoze it!
Let’s Talk
What are you reading? What are you watching?
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Caper Crush is on SALE!
Caper Crush, my opposites-attract romantic comedy e-book, is on sale for $0.99 for the first time!
And I’ve created a teaser video, working with the studio, Warraich Group. So much fun!
Here’s the blurb:
Somebody stole my painting! The one I need for the career-defining Vertex Art Exhibit.
I have mere weeks to find my painting or lose my artist dream forever—but it’s going to mean working with William.
William Haruki Matsumura. Good-looking, if you like the Secret Service type. You know, law-abiding, protector of women and children. That’s all fine, but I can never tell what he’s thinking. Which drives me crazy.
He insists on coming along to do “damage control.” As if “accidentally” wandering into certain areas is “breaking and entering.” I may be an emotional artist, but William shouldn’t dismiss my investigative skills yet.
William is definitely my opposite, and if there’s one takeaway from my parents’ divorce, it’s that opposites might attract, but it doesn’t last. But detecting with William is kind of fun—and fluttery. I definitely can’t trust these feelings, or can I? However this caper ends, I think this may be more than a crush.
Caper Crush Is ON SALE and Reaches #27 in Women’s Humorous Fiction! #Top30AmazonBestseller
Here’s a picture of it on the Amazon charts:
Let’s Talk
I really love Caper Crush, and so I’m super happy to see it selling so well now. I definitely think that some scenes were inspired by the k-dramas that I’ve become addicted to 🙂
Anyway, I highly recommend it. And although I may be biased (just a little), it also won an Independent Press Award for Distinguished Favorite in Romantic Comedy. And you can see my previous post here for other reviews.
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My Book Boyfriend!
I’m thrilled to announce that I’m releasing another book, My Book Boyfriend, in a new series, New York Spark on August 10, 2023! Available to pre-order here. And I hope you find many book boyfriends in this series 🙂
Thank you to my newsletter readers for helping me pick the title of my new series.
New York Spark!
Welcome to the New York Spark series! It features a group of friends living in New York City:
Lily – a librarian
Tessa – a lawyer (She is Miranda’s roommate from Caper Crush and Kiara’s sister from A Scavenger Hunt for Hearts)
Iris – A cyber-security analyst
Maddie – a reporter
And more to be determined! One of their favorite places to visit is a bookshop that also serves hot drinks and cookies called Banter & Books. It’s a spin-off series from the New York Friendship Series.
My Book Boyfriend
Tall, dark and handsome. That’s what I thought the first time I saw Rupert Evans in the library.
But then I found out he was the developer who just sent my community garden a cease-and-desist letter because he plans to raze the garden and construct some towering monstrosity there.
The only one who is going to cease and desist is him. That community garden is my found family.
But then he asks me out at book club night.
Suspicious, right?
I’m attractive but I’m not the type hot bachelors are lining up around the block to ask out. Let’s be real. I’m still in the brunch date spot with my next-door neighbor after a year of my pursuing him.
Rupert is trying to butter me up and lead me down the garden path so I concede. Never.
He has no idea what we’ve planned to stop him. Our little community group may look like a bunch of frail roses, but we’ve got thorns. As long as I weed out these pesky feelings for him, I know we can win.
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A Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite!
Caper Crush is a 2023 Independent Press Award Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite. Woo hoo!
Independent Press Award Distinguished Favorite. In 2023, the INDEPENDENT PRESS AWARD had entries worldwide. Authors and publishers from countries such as Australia, Canada, Germany, India, Japan, Norway, Scotland, and South Africa participated. Submitted books included writers based in a variety of cities: Albuquerque, Atlanta, Cape Town, Halifax, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai, New York City and many others. Submissions came from well-known indie publishers such as Barefoot Books; Friesen Press; Greenleaf Book Group, Koehler Books; Loyola Press; Merack Publishing; Red Chair Press; Red Hen Press; Rowman & Littlefield; Rutgers University Press; SAE International; She Writes Press; and TouchPoint Press. And now Strawbundle Publishing!
Caper Crush also placed as a QuarterFinalist in the Screencraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition.
Caper Crush is a Quarterfinalist! One day, I hope to write a screen play version.
Caper Crush
Caper Crush is my opposites attract, slow burn romantic comedy caper wtih a mystery.
Here’s the blurb:
Somebody stole my painting! The one I need for the career-defining Vertex Art Exhibit. This upcoming art show is my chance to finally be recognized as an artist—after ten years of waitressing and being asked if I still have that “lovely painting hobby.”
I have mere weeks to find my painting or lose my artist dream forever—but it’s going to mean working with William.
William Haruki Matsumura. Good-looking, if you like the Secret Service type. You know, law-abiding, protector of women and children. That’s all fine, but I can never tell what he’s thinking. Which drives me crazy.
He insists on coming along to do “damage control.” As if “accidentally” wandering into certain areas is “breaking and entering.” I may be an emotional artist, but William shouldn’t dismiss my investigative skills yet.
William is definitely my opposite, and if there’s one takeaway from my parents’ divorce, it’s that opposites might attract, but it doesn’t last. But detecting with William is kind of fun—and fluttery. I definitely can’t trust these feelings, or can I? However this caper ends, I think this may be more than a crush.
K-Drama Recommendations
I’ve also been meaning to write a post with some more K-Drama recommendations. Here are a few new favorites.
Love to Hate You (Netflix)
An enemies-to-lovers romantic comedy. A woman who hates losing to men meets a man (one of the top romantic actors) who she thinks is a misogynist and decides to teach him a lesson.
Call It Love (Viki)
Call It Love Poster Another enemies-to-lovers K-drama. In Call It Love, Woo-joo wants revenge on her father’s mistress and decides to target the son of her father’s mistress. Only he is a good person, and she’s falling in love with him and wants to protect him. I’m watching this one right now and loving it. Kim Young-kwang and Lee Sung-kyung are conveying their characters brilliantly and with such subtle nuance. They are both very talented actors, and their previous shows, Gogh, The Starry Night and Weightlifting Fairy Kim Bok-joo, have been among my favorite k-dramas.
Let’s Talk
I’m so thrilled that Caper Crush is a 2023 Independent Press Award Romantic Comedy Distinguished Favorite and that it placed as a quarterfinalist in the Screencraft Cinematic Book Writing Competition.
What are you reading or watching right now?
Happy Spring!