Page 1 of Dad Bod Book Boyfriend for Christmas

Prologue

Welcome to the Book Boyfriend Dating Agency

In a world where reality often fails to live up to the fantasies we find between the pages of our favorite books, one company dared to ask: What if you could actually meet your dream book boyfriend?

Enter the Book Boyfriend Dating Agency, the brainchild of a group of hopeless romantics and tech geniuses who believed that everyone deserves a chance to live out their literary fantasies. With cutting-edge technology and a vast database of eligible bachelors, the agency promises to match you with the book boyfriend of your dreams.

Imagine sipping coffee with Mr. Darcy, exploring the streets of Paris with a charming French aristocrat, or even spending an evening with a dangerous, yet alluring mobster. At the Book Boyfriend Dating Agency, the possibilities are endless.

But there's a catch... The line between fiction and reality can blur when you least expect it.

So, if you're ready to take a chance on love and embark on an adventure straight out of the pages of your favorite romance, look no further than the Book Boyfriend Dating Agency. Your dream date awaits.

Get ready to swoon, laugh, and maybe even find your own happily ever after. The Book Boyfriend Dating Agency is open for business, and your story is about to begin…

Jake

“It was wonderful to meet you, Shelli,” I say, pulling my big brother’s fiancée into a hug. I catch Carter’s eye and give him a playful wink. “You did good, bro,” I add with a grin, releasing his future wife. “What app was it again?”

“Book Boyfriend Dating Agency,” Shelli says, a shy smile lighting up her face. “Best accidental swipe I ever did.”

The smile she sends Carter’s way is soft and filled with quiet awe as if she’s still pinching herself that he’s hers. I watch the way she looks at him, her eyes full of wonder and warmth, with a spark of heat beneath the surface. She’s glowing, practically radiating love, and Carter is just as captivated, his hand resting protectively at the small of her back. They share a silent moment, completely wrapped up in each other, and something inside me softens at the sight.

“Might have to do a little swiping myself,” I say pointedly, half-joking, though there’s genuine longing beneath my words.

Looking at Shelli and Carter, I’d be crazy not to want what they have. My brother has a new steadiness, a quiet pride that seems to fill him and spill over whenever he looks at her. It’s not a puffed-up, arrogant pride. It’s soft and slow, a kind of pride that makes him reach for her hand just to hold it and look at her like she’s the most precious thing in the world. It’s clear he adores her, and she adores him right back.

I’d feel damn proud to have a relationship like that—something real, something lasting, something that makes the rest of the world fade into the background.

Shelli and Carter say their goodbyes and step out into the chilly night.

I turn to help Mom with the last of the dishes, the two of us working in the comfortable silence we’ve fallen into over the past year. We’ve developed a quiet rhythm since losing Dad, one of shared grief and quiet strength. It’s unspoken, but we know we’re here for each other, holding steady through the changes.

Mom slides the last plate onto the drying rack, her hands lingering over it for a moment before she turns to me, her eyes soft. “You know you don’t have to stay here,” she says, her tone gentle but firm.

I shake the suds from my hands, reaching for the towel and giving her a questioning look. “What do you mean?”

After Dad passed, I moved back into my old room. It felt like the right thing to do: be here for Mom and the family. My girlfriend at the time didn’t understand, and I can’t say I blamed her. She didn’t want to live in her boyfriend’s mother’s house, and honestly, I wasn’t ready to commit and find a compromise. She was a great girl, but I knew deep down that she wanted more than I could give. After Dad died, it felt like a part of me… closed off.

“I mean,” Mom continues, patting my arm gently, “you need to live your own life. You know you’re always welcome here, but it’s okay to go out there and build something new. I’m okay.”

I frown, glancing around the kitchen. Every corner of this place is filled with memories—the aroma of Dad’s pancakes on Sunday mornings, the laughter that filled the room during holiday meals, the warmth and love that made this house ahome. I’ve spent so many happy years here, and while there’s a sadness now, I’m grateful for all the joy that still lingers.

“I know you are,” I reply softly, feeling a mixture of guilt and gratitude.

Mom watches me for a moment, her expression thoughtful. Then she smiles, a little mischievous twinkle in her eye. “Maybe you should try that dating agency…” She trails off, her smile widening. “Imagine having a woman like Shelli by your side. I want you to be happy like Carter.”

Usually, I’d brush off a comment like that with an eye roll or a laugh, but tonight, something inside me shifts. I think of the way Shelli looked at Carter, the love and warmth between them, and how he’s become a better man with her by his side. And I get it. For the first time, I truly understand why people want that one person to share their life with, to make the highs sweeter and the lows easier to bear.

“Me too,” I murmur, the weight of the realization settling in as we leave the kitchen.

I want that same love, that same partnership. Maybe it’s time to go out there and find it.

Riley

“Just try it,” Christy whines, nudging my shoulder playfully. Her eyes are wide with excitement as she leans in, practically bouncing with anticipation. “Honestly, Carter has never been so happy. Imagine if you got to meet someone, fall in love, and get married…” She trails off, staring dreamily into space, a grin creeping across her face. Suddenly, she hugs herself, her whole body brimming with excitement as if she’s picturing her own personal rom-com montage.

I give her a skeptical look, crossing my arms over my fluffy bathrobe. “Your brother isn’t married yet,” I remind her.

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