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A review by aforestofbooks
Rent a Boyfriend by Gloria Chao
5.0
Thank you to Simon & Schuster Canada and Netgalley for an e-arc of Rent a Boyfriend. This was one of my highly anticipated contemporary releases of 2020, and it definitely exceeded my expectations!
I don’t even know where to start with these reviews because my feelings are so complex and hard to put into words. Gloria Chao’s books are incredible. I go into them knowing it’s going to be relatable, and it’s probably going to hurt and make me cry, but also make me smile, and yet I’m still surprised every time. It goes to show how so many experiences are universal and that you really aren’t alone. Cultures may seem different on first glance, but there are just as many similarities.
I really felt for Chloe. So much. The reason I was drawn to this book was because of how easy it was to picture myself as Chloe. I am her in so many ways, and watching her make the decisions she made was like following me in the future.
There’s one moment that really stood out to me. Drew tells Chloe that her decisions came from a place of love, from wanting to try and make her parents happy, even if it was just temporary, to keep the peace, though at the expense of her own happiness. That this makes her a good person. Someone who is selfless and cares. And the guilt she feels for lying to her parents and also wanting to be happy and herself, just proves how difficult it is and how she’s only trying to do her best. She isn’t a bad person for making the decisions she did. And Drew understands how difficult it is to accept that and live with that, because he’s gone through it himself. And while Chloe stays silent, and Drew realizes she needs time to accept these feelings, it just hit me how his words are similar to ones I’ve heard. And it hurt to realize how similar of a position I am in as Chloe, and how one day I’ll go through this too and come to accept that my happiness and well-being is just as important.
I loved this about Drew’s role in this story. He’s Chloe years in the future, having accepted that the decisions he made were for the best, that he tried to keep his relationship with his family together, but it was his parents who chose to break it apart. It’s a lesson for a lot of us. To extend that olive branch, yet also stay true to ourselves. And give the other side the opportunity to reach out and grab that olive branch back. And if they choose not to, you tried, and there’s nothing more you can do except move on and try to heal.
Drew was a lovely character. He’s so kind and patient and observant. I also love how emotional he is and how openly he cries. It’s still rare to see guys showing emotion in books.
A couple other things I liked about this book were the conversations on culture. I understood why Chloe felt so disconnected from it. There’s a lovely part at the end where Chloe comes to realize that the good parts of her Chinese culture are hidden and forgotten behind all the toxic stuff. And it reminded me of how Pakistani culture is like that too. I’ve always said the toxic aspects outweigh the good, but that’s not completely true. We focus a lot on the toxic parts that we forget the good things that come out of it too.
I love how the ending contrasts with how things went with Drew and his family. I did not expect Chloe’s dad to come around so quickly, but her mom’s reaction was exactly what I would have expected. I am glad that they didn’t disown her, but I also like how realistic this was. It wouldn’t have made sense for her parents to immediately accept Drew and what Chloe had done. Yet, the opposite extreme would have left me quite miserable, so I’m glad things ended on a hopeful note.
Also, I totally love how Drew and Chloe got together to make Rent for your ‘Rents even better. They’re totally going to be a power couple in that company.
Overall, I recommend this book to everyone, but especially if you’re South Asian and looking for a contemporary book that you can relate to. This one hits on so many points, and I even almost cried? Or maybe I did cry and I’m blocking that out of my memory. 4.5/5 ⭐️
I don’t even know where to start with these reviews because my feelings are so complex and hard to put into words. Gloria Chao’s books are incredible. I go into them knowing it’s going to be relatable, and it’s probably going to hurt and make me cry, but also make me smile, and yet I’m still surprised every time. It goes to show how so many experiences are universal and that you really aren’t alone. Cultures may seem different on first glance, but there are just as many similarities.
I really felt for Chloe. So much. The reason I was drawn to this book was because of how easy it was to picture myself as Chloe. I am her in so many ways, and watching her make the decisions she made was like following me in the future.
There’s one moment that really stood out to me. Drew tells Chloe that her decisions came from a place of love, from wanting to try and make her parents happy, even if it was just temporary, to keep the peace, though at the expense of her own happiness. That this makes her a good person. Someone who is selfless and cares. And the guilt she feels for lying to her parents and also wanting to be happy and herself, just proves how difficult it is and how she’s only trying to do her best. She isn’t a bad person for making the decisions she did. And Drew understands how difficult it is to accept that and live with that, because he’s gone through it himself. And while Chloe stays silent, and Drew realizes she needs time to accept these feelings, it just hit me how his words are similar to ones I’ve heard. And it hurt to realize how similar of a position I am in as Chloe, and how one day I’ll go through this too and come to accept that my happiness and well-being is just as important.
I loved this about Drew’s role in this story. He’s Chloe years in the future, having accepted that the decisions he made were for the best, that he tried to keep his relationship with his family together, but it was his parents who chose to break it apart. It’s a lesson for a lot of us. To extend that olive branch, yet also stay true to ourselves. And give the other side the opportunity to reach out and grab that olive branch back. And if they choose not to, you tried, and there’s nothing more you can do except move on and try to heal.
Drew was a lovely character. He’s so kind and patient and observant. I also love how emotional he is and how openly he cries. It’s still rare to see guys showing emotion in books.
A couple other things I liked about this book were the conversations on culture. I understood why Chloe felt so disconnected from it. There’s a lovely part at the end where Chloe comes to realize that the good parts of her Chinese culture are hidden and forgotten behind all the toxic stuff. And it reminded me of how Pakistani culture is like that too. I’ve always said the toxic aspects outweigh the good, but that’s not completely true. We focus a lot on the toxic parts that we forget the good things that come out of it too.
I love how the ending contrasts with how things went with Drew and his family. I did not expect Chloe’s dad to come around so quickly, but her mom’s reaction was exactly what I would have expected. I am glad that they didn’t disown her, but I also like how realistic this was. It wouldn’t have made sense for her parents to immediately accept Drew and what Chloe had done. Yet, the opposite extreme would have left me quite miserable, so I’m glad things ended on a hopeful note.
Also, I totally love how Drew and Chloe got together to make Rent for your ‘Rents even better. They’re totally going to be a power couple in that company.
Overall, I recommend this book to everyone, but especially if you’re South Asian and looking for a contemporary book that you can relate to. This one hits on so many points, and I even almost cried? Or maybe I did cry and I’m blocking that out of my memory.