The Boyfriend

4.3 | 111,711 ratings

Price: 17.5

Last update: 12-23-2024

About this item

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...

Sugarcane Market Boutique

The Queen of Psychological Thrillers Does It Again – The Boyfriend is a Must-Read!

Reviewed in the United States on October 10, 2024

Freida McFadden has once again proven why she is the reigning Queen of Psychological Thrillers! As someone who has devoured all of her books, I can confidently say that The Boyfriend is her most gripping and twisted story yet. Just when I thought she couldn’t possibly outdo herself, this book completely floored me with its suspense, tension, and mind-bending twists.

The story pulls you in from the very first page and keeps you on edge until the shocking finale. McFadden’s talent for creating complex, unreliable characters shines here, leaving you questioning everything and everyone. The pacing is perfect; I found myself unable to put the book down, desperate to unravel the mystery.

Every chapter had me guessing, and just when I thought I had things figured out, McFadden expertly threw in another twist that left me stunned. The psychological tension in this book is palpable—it plays with your mind in the best possible way, keeping you hooked right until the explosive ending.

I’ve read all of Freida McFadden’s books, and they keep getting better and more unpredictable with each new release. Her writing is sharp, her plots are ingeniously crafted, and she has a unique ability to delve into the darkest corners of the human psyche.

I cannot wait to get my hands on her next release, The Crash, coming in January 2025! If it’s anything like The Boyfriend, I know it will be another unmissable thriller. Freida McFadden is a master at her craft, and The Boyfriend is a perfect example of why she continues to dominate the psychological thriller genre. Highly recommend!

Ashley

I would have never expected that twist

Reviewed in the United States on December 4, 2024

I really wanted to give this book 5 stars, but I couldn’t get past how frustratingly naive Sydney was made to be. Throughout the story, there were so many red flags and questionable moments that she just ignored, and it was infuriating. I kept wanting her to dig deeper, to ask the obvious questions, but instead, she let things slide in a way that felt completely unrealistic. It was hard to stay fully immersed in the story because I kept getting frustrated with her choices—or lack of them.

That being said, the twist completely blew me away. I never saw it coming. I had so many theories while reading, and every time I thought I’d cracked the mystery, the story took another unexpected turn. None of my guesses came close to the truth, which is a rare and exciting experience as a reader. The unpredictability and tension had me hooked, and I found myself racing to finish just to see how it would all play out.

Overall, while Sydney’s characterization made it hard to fully enjoy the book, the clever plotting and shocking twists more than made up for it. If you love stories that keep you guessing and constantly surprise you, this one is absolutely worth picking up. I just wish the main character’s actions had been more believable, as that would’ve pushed this to a solid 5-star read for me.

Gaokaying M.

My first Freida McFadden Read!

Reviewed in the United States on December 5, 2024

This is my first Freida McFadden read and i thoroughly enjoyed this. The first chapter got me hooked and then the rest was just history. You think you got the problem figured out but it was just twists after twists. The MFC Sydney at times was a little annoying to me at times but I get where she’s coming from, in her early thirties and wanting to find the one. But overall, the pace and the story itself was really good: the fact that this was a duo pov too was interesting because you think you know everything when you read from their perspective. That’s where the twists come in at odd angles. You don’t know until it’s revealed. I am anticipating the authors other titles now, any recommendations?

Kayla

A fast-paced, easy read that will shock you at the end.

Reviewed in the United States on October 22, 2024

This story starts with Sydney going on what could be called the worst first date of all time. The guy she met on a popular dating app looks nothing like his profile photo, he makes her split the bill, pressures her to drink, and then answers a call from his mother on their date. And then he's aggressive when Sydney doesn't want to kiss him, or go on another date.

But a mystery man comes to her rescue but then disappears back off into the night. Until weeks later, she's on another date and runs into her mystery man again. Things take a different turn and they start dating. Until certain pink flags start popping up...

So Sydney's character drove me a little crazy. She's 34 years old and it seems like her whole life revolves around dating. Yes, that could be how the story is written and we just don't learn more about her. But I think the other thing that drove me nuts about Sydney is that I know Sydney's in real life, and I immediately thought of these people and how much their behavior drives me nuts. Just the sort of laser focus on dating and weddings and having kids and it's like everything else barely exists. *As a caveat, you should do exactly what you want in life, but sometimes I feel like people sort of miss the forest for the trees when they do this*.

Tom is the other POV we see in this story and we're seeing his past: from his first love, Daisy, to his father's death, to the mysterious happenings in his hometown.

I know Freida McFadden is known for her big twists and I'd say this one was done quite well. I had suspected it to some extent just because some things were too obvious; kind of like in CSI when they aggressively interview the first person 10 minutes in; you know it CAN'T be them since there's another 40 minutes of the show left.

I would definitely recommend this story if you're looking for a popcorn thriller that's an easy read, and fast paced. There isn't a massive amount of character development, but the story moves quickly and this one is a quick read that will leave you wondering what the hell just happened.

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