I received an advanced reader copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review via netgalley and the publishers.

I was on the fence with this book as Kelly is a robotics engineer who creates her perfect man, Ethan, who is in fact a robot. Long story short she falls in love with him (even has sex with 'him'?!?) however she realises by the end that this 'reality' is not realistic. As weird as I felt this concept was, it is probably how the world is going now and is probably more realistic now with the creation of all the AI robots. I felt like the author had a good idea but unfortunately for me it just didn't deliver.

I love the majority of the humour in How to Build a Boyfriend from Scratch, it brought relief to what was otherwise a pretty dull narrative. There were some comments that just didn't hit as intended and the character development was poor. A real shame as there was promise with this book.

A very interesting take on the AI discussions going on in the world at the moment! Raises some really interesting ethical questions, but I did also find it a little unbelievable at times.

Unfortunately, I have not been able to read and review this book.

After losing and replacing my broken Kindle and getting a new phone I was unable to download the title again for review as it was no longer available on Netgalley.

I’m really sorry about this and hope that it won’t affect you allowing me to read and review your titles in the future.

Thank you so much for giving me this opportunity.
Natalie.

This was an enjoyable read. It had a unique concept compared to your typical romance story, and I really liked the way it was done!

As a lover of romcom but not normally a reader of sci-fi, I wondered where I would sit with this. But, after a little trouble getting into the swing of it, I loved it.
Kelly really does build herself what she thinks is the perfect boyfriend for her sister's wedding.
This was laugh out loud funny and just what I needed to take my mind off the world right now.
Thank you so much for the ARC.

I love SFF, and I love romantic comedies, and I truly believe that the world would be greatly improved if there could be more overlap between the two genres. SFF has tropes a-plenty for mining for romantic comedy, and there’s literally no limits to the romcom hijinks available when you add in the potential for space flight, time travel, robots, and/or spells. Until now, the only one I’ve previously encountered was Crosstalk – if you know of any others, please bat them my way.

The premise to this seems simple enough – there’s a woman who is dedicated to her job, but what her mother really wants is for her to get a date for her sister’s wedding. Fortunately, Kelly’s job is in robotics, and she’s currently working on a project to create an AI robot so lifelike that people can’t tell it from a real human being. We then get the set-up of Kelly trying to work with the consultant psychologist on the project, who we are told is hot, and having a sparky fall out with him over how the robot should work.

As a fan of romcoms, I thought I had sussed the premise there and then. Kelly was going to build her robot boyfriend but also have a will-they-won’t-they with the psychologist, learn to deal with her issues, and realise that she’s actually in love with the real, human man and not with her robot. That’s the sort of structure you’d get in a wacky hijinks romcom set up like this.

Except we don’t see the psychologist again (which is why I can’t actually remember his name right now) and thus I lost track of my usual uncanny ability to see how the plot was going to spool out. I instead had to rely entirely on Kelly making the right judgements and, honestly, at times I really didn’t trust her.

When the book started, I could really relate to Kelly. She seemed down-to-earth and easy to understand in her social anxieties and resignation to her family’s wedding fervour. As the story progressed, however, it seemed to become clear that Kelly clearly had a lot of issues she needed to address. Her control-freak nature made sense as a result of her fear of failure and her social anxieties, but while I thought the bland, no-risk apartment and wardrobe was a great way to telegraph this, I was a bit blindsided by the plan to steal parts from work to build a robot boyfriend and get away with it.

Hear me out: I have social anxiety. I am currently working on trying to build a robot that is indistinguishable from a human being to act as a companion for people who are lonely and who need care. I have the ability and parts to build that robot, so I do. But instead of telling anyone, I smuggle it out of the building and pretend he is a real human, and I intend to decommission him as soon as he has served his purpose, thus massively increasing my levels of anxiety. It seemed strange to me that Kelly didn’t twig that she could get away with an awful lot if she simply made notes of everything she had taken and kept a record of it as a ‘research project’ to test out the functionality of her final companion robot, that way she was entirely covered if anyone tried to pull her up on it. But perhaps that is just me, and my anxieties about being potentially caught out in a lie massively overwhelm any potential benefits of lying in the first place.

I did enjoy seeing Kelly learn to love herself and be less risk averse as she spent time with her robot boyfriend. It becomes an exercise in her finding self-confidence, and Ethan – programmed to ‘love’ and support her – is the perfect protective shield between Kelly and society. He encourages her, anticipates her needs and wants, and protects her. With no real needs or wants of his own, he is able to dedicate himself to being entirely what she wants him to be, and to keeping her happy.

I’ve historically had some problems with human-robot romances. I read Chobits and found myself very uncomfortable with the way it ended; I was less uncomfortable in The Long Way to a Small Angry Planet because there was an established society for AIs, rules and cultures. In this, though, there was no previous AI rule. Ethan is essentially in this a tamagotchi. Just one with… additional functionality. For me, I would have preferred to have it balanced with a real person who actually helped Kelly get outside of her head and maintain perspective. As it was, with no outside input, and only a robot designed to do what makes her happy, some of her behaviours got better while others got worse. And when she ended up lying to the robot that she built because she was embarrassed by how out of things had got, I began to entirely lose sympathy for her.

It pulled back for a satisfying ending, but there was a long bit in the third quarter or so where I was baffled by some of her behaviour and the choices she was making. When I got to the end, I could see why there hadn’t been a second character with her through the journey, but personally I would have preferred that dynamic of two people, and the robot as an additional player. I really enjoyed the narrative tone, though, and got a lot of chuckles out of some of the lines and their delivery.

If you’re looking for a fun, fluffy book, however, and an SF romcom at that, this is an easy read and one that isn’t going to cause any upset.

Briefly:

A fake relationship romcom except instead of hiring someone to pretend to be her boyfriend, or blackmailing a friend, Kelly builds herself the perfect man. And then can’t bring herself to un-build him.
I vacillated between finding Kelly very relatable and finding her choices completely baffling. Perhaps her initial relatability was the reason I struggled to handle when she later made choices I wouldn’t have made myself.
There is some great humour in it, however, and several lines made me laugh out loud. Particularly some of the early scenes with Kelly’s family, which were pitch perfect.

Rating: 3/5 – I enjoyed it a lot and i’m so happy it exists, but I’m unlikely to read it again because it didn’t quite hit the notes I personally wanted it to. I think many other people will love it, and I hope they do!

😊 This novel is also called The Plus One 😊

How to Build a Boyfriend from Scratch is Sarah Archer's début novel, an awesome work of humorous fiction. The novel features vicenarian Kelly, a single, socially awkward robotics engineer and valedictorian. Kelly is a guest at her sister's upcoming wedding, however she has no 'plus one' for the occasion. Following some disastrous dates, her career and expertise in robotics give her an idea - to create her very own purpose-built boyfriend that she names Ethan. Meant to only be a short term solution for Clara's nuptials, will Ethan stick around afterwards, or will he be cast aside as not fit for purpose?

There are a variety of characters in this light-hearted novel and the clarity of Sarah Archer's writing makes it easy to follow. The mix of characters is eclectic and adds enrichment to the story. I enjoyed the company of Kelly who was probably the most fun to read about and there were many amusing moments in the book. I also liked Priya, and the author's portrayal of her friendship with Kelly.

I enjoyed How to Build a Boyfriend from Scratch so much, I didn't want to put it down! I thought this book was relaxing, joyous, romantic and simply loads of fun. A very highly recommended read overall. My thanks must go to Sarah Archer for writing such an charming book! 😊

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel at my request from HarperCollins via NetGalley and this review is my unbiased opinion.

As you might have guessed, this book is about a slightly awkward woman who builds herself a robot boyfriend to get her family off her back about her non existent love life, and ends up falling for him.

I really loved Ethan, the love interest. Personality-wise, he was definitely not what I expected from a robot boyfriend, as he was sweet and funny and felt properly real. In fact, I loved him as a character much more than Kelly, who I found a bit annoying to start with. She does improve towards the end though!

The plot was impressively unique - it has elements of sci-fi but still felt realistic enough that it makes you wonder whether robots like Ethan aren't too far away …

This story was full of heart and humour, and I really enjoyed it!

I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book but hadn't fully grasped the blurb description. So when Kelly actually does build a boyfriend I was a little surprised. If you are in the UK and a fan of the TV series Humans then this book will be for you - maybe with a more lighthearted feel to it in the main. Although the book does scratch the surface of a few deep issues.

Reminiscent of several films that require someone needing a plus one at a wedding, tormented by their family for not having a beau readily on hand; but the first one I think where the boyfriend is actually created by a robotics engineer. The book is called "The Plus One" in the USA.

I liked the fact that Kelly is a smart woman and she is a robotics engineer. However, she does unfortunately still fall foul of society's view of her, mainly her Mother, who wouldn't be amiss in a Jane Austen novel.

I was amused by the book and it did have a few little twists that I didn't see coming. More farce than romance at times, as Kelly opens her mouth to say what's she's decided, but never really does. Leading to some interesting situations. Leaving me exclaiming more than once "oh no". Kelly also has a boss that could be in the Devil Wears Prada and I feared for her and her job all the way through the book.

There were a few comments made by characters that I was uncomfortable with, however, I guess they are made by people in society so only a reflection of that. They were brief and fleeting and it was easy to read them and move on.

A laugh out loud read that I absolutely adored!

Kelly needs to source a date for her sisters wedding but isn't the most confident person when it comes to her romantic life - so what's the best way to tackle this? To literally build a boyfriend from scratch! As an engineer, this seems like the perfect option for Kelly, but is it?

I absolutely loved the originality behind the story line and found the writing style to be intriguing, funny and just downright enjoyable. A really fantastic read I would highly recommend!

I enjoyed this book although it did get off to a slow start. I am glad I persevered as it picked up and was a light hearted good read. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advance copy

I did find this book slow to get into and nearly gave it up but pleased I persevered through the first few chapters. We all know sons and daughters with parents who “need to get them married” and moms who despair over daughters especially not having a plus one. The story had a sense of humour and I easily visualised Ethan and how he was put together from every girl’s fantasy. I am not sure I was happy with the family dynamic and wonder if Kelly would have taken all the negatives on board without feeling deflated. I guess the story line is a little far fetched in some respects but fun to read and I would recommend this book to read on holiday where there is so much going on around you, you do not have to overly concentrate on it and you want a bit of fun in your reading

Over all I thought this book was OK.

The story wasn't anything overly special and if I'm honest, it dragged in places, I think it lacked a certain humour to some of it.

It is a light-hearted, easy read. Ok if you're looking for a story that you don't necessarily have to concentrate on.

Funny, yet fascinating.
Kelly knows a lot about AI, but very little about real people and relationships...until she ‘meets’ Ethan. Gradually she starts realising things about friends and family that she’d always known in the back of her mind, but never actually noticed. And learning things about herself, too.
Great fun, but with deeper levels too.

This was an easy read book that wasn't just your usual human robot love story. This story was about a woman who even at the top of her career still struggles with loneliness and isolation. Kelly is at the forefront of technology but struggles going on a simple date. Reading the story you can understand why she built Ethan but I struggled with her developing feelings for him. Due to her character and past history. Some of the story arch's also didn't lead anywhere, her dad's relationship with her for example. The story was predictable but the humour and situation keeps you turning the page. Overall a fun quick story great for a holiday read.

I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. Kelly is very likeable, and although the premise requires a bit of a leap of faith, it’s not predictable, and the ending came as a surprise. There are some character arcs that feel incomplete and a little rushed, but it’s generally a satisfying read, and very enjoyable.

Rating: 2.5 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review.

I see a lot of myself in Kelly, minus the whole being a genius thing, and I completely understand how hard it is to date when you are socially awkward. Add on the fact that she’s basically ignored by her parents and sister who honestly don’t care for what Kelly does and seem to want to take control of aspects of her life that benefit them.

I would have liked to have seen more of Ethan and how he was slowly evolving and in part believing he was human. I was desperate to see more of Ethan’s struggles and for me it felt like it was all brushed under the rug.

While it was a good, relaxing read about a woman learning to find herself I found myself struggling to fully immerse myself in the story that Sarah Archer has created. This book is a lot different to most contemporary books I’ve read and I will admit the idea of a robot boyfriend was hard for my mind to comprehend.

Although I didn’t get on with this book I will definitely be looking out for more of Archer’s work as I did really enjoy her writing style and humour.

I enjoyed this very much, I thought I wouldn’t at first as it seemed slow to start, but once I was a quarter of the way through I was hooked. There were so many funny parts, the banter between characters was brilliant. A wonderful summer read, light hearted and romantic. Just what you need, thoroughly recommend reading it.


Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

2.5 – 3 stars

This title is called The Plus One in the US but here in the UK, we like to really spell it out and to be honest, I prefer the UK title and cover. HOW TO BUILD A BOYFRIEND FROM SCRATCH was such an up and down read for me. I struggled to get through the first 20%, then it became rather interesting and from there I had wavering interest that peaked and troughed.

This book is pretty much what it says on the tin, full of quirkiness in terms of the heroine, Kelly. Ethan, said boyfriend was really interesting but he just didn’t get enough word time. I longed to get more insight into Ethan, who or what he was, how he was evolving and more than anything the dynamic between Kelly and Ethan. I just felt deflated that the focus was more often than not on Kelly, her work and infuriating family relationships.

There was some fantastic dialogue and banter between the characters, especially Ethan and Kelly when we actually saw them together and those moments were gold. It told me that this author has such potential in terms of narrative but it was inconsistent.

“Is Confibot giving you grief again?
Want me to give him a talk, mandroid to mandroid?”

“So did you see how that was supposed to be funny” she asked him as they walked to the car afterward.
“I think so,” he said. “Breasts are funny, anuses are funny, penises are funny, and testicles are funny.”

I had an issue with one throw-away comment by the mother with regards to downs syndrome which I found offensive, as the author didn’t deal with it. Therefore, she should not have written this in her narrative.

So reading my review, which to me seems full of contradictions, you can probably see how conflicted I was reading this. I loved the idea of the book, I enjoyed some of the content, there were pacing issues and I didn’t enjoy other elements. I wasn’t overly satisfied in the end.