I have to admit that I wasn't totally in love with the main character Christa until about chapter 3. I was pretty indifferent. I didn't hate her, but I wasn't completely rooting for her. I continued to read because I was in a mood. I figured my aversion was of my own doing not due to the writing or characterization. I'm grateful that I continued on. I received this book through Bookbub's edeals which I love when I'm in between ARCs.
Christa literally ran away from a proposal at the Eiffel Tower by a romantic French man. Who does that? Christa--the commitment phobic gal. What should her girlfriends do but stage a relationship intervention showing her exactly what she's doing wrong in each and every relationship she's had beginning with her first love to the French man. During this journey, Christa is forbidden to date, flirt, or have any type of romantic relationship with the opposite sex. She's to focus on being single and enjoy single life. Find herself. Figure out what when wrong in her romantic life. Step 1--Thursday night boyfriend sessions where they evaluate her previous boyfriends. Step 2--return to her exercise regiment, ...ok she usually quit after a few sessions which is why the gals signed her up for a Boot Camp courses in the park to ensure Christa attends, Max (Maddy's geeky older brother) will escort her. No one warned Christa that geeky Max is now hot as sin or that he's had a crush on Christa since the girls were teens. But Max also pushes Christa out of her comfort zone both in and outside of the boyfriend sessions.
One kiss changes everything between them. Is she willing to risk her lifelong friendship with Maddy for Max?
Would her friends ever forgive her for betraying their trust?
Can Max forgive Christa for not being honest with him or herself? ( )

The boyfriend sessions
By: Belinda Williams
Published: Pan Macmillan Australia
Released: 23 October 2014
The Word: Refreshingly honest contemporary romance that will leave you to ponder some pretty big life questions.
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The Boyfriend Sessions is the first in a series – City of Love, by Belinda Williams. It encompasses the messy emotion of daily life perfectly and encourages you to reflect on your own. There are some steamy scenes, but the book focuses more widely on navigating life rather than intimate sexual encounters.

We follow Christa – a bubbly, bright, happy-go lucky 28 year old who has left a trail of disastrous relationships in her wake. After yet another devastating relationship Christa’s friends hold an intervention and prescribe her six months men free – six months of living the single life to rediscover herself.

Between weekly ‘boyfriend sessions’, where Christa and her friends discuss her failed relationships over a few bottles of red and some Thai takeaway, her freelance graphic design work, and her renewed interest in keeping fit – Christa thinks the six months will be a walk in the park. That is until Max appears on the scene. As Christa delves deeper into her relationship history she also falls deeper for Max. Will denying her feelings for Max be her undoing or can she take the leap and give Max and love a chance?

This book really struck a chord with me – not just because it was set in Australia – but because I felt it discussed a lot of the issues that I face on a daily basis as a 28 year old female. Often when reading New Adult books the females have it all sorted by 25, they have the perfect career and living conditions but have just struggled with their love lives. At 28 I feel I am nowhere close to achieving those things and Christa seems to be in the same place in life. Although she has a good job, supportive friends and a nice apartment, Christa is generally not happy with where she is in life. Her job is unrewarding, her love life has been complicated and she is just going through the motions of daily life. I really felt that Christa reflected life of a late 20 year old, and she wasn’t built up as a fantasy as often NA books can portray.

She had a tight knit friendship group that despite having their secrets and different personalities worked and supported each other – they were a family in their own way. It was a refreshing take away from the usual bimbo yet funny best friend and mean and narky girls you usually encounter in books. I really enjoyed the dynamics of the group, with each friend brining their own unique perspective on Christa’s love life.

Max…. this man is unbelievably perfect. He is tall, well-build, good looking and has all the assets, but he is also a great friend to Christa. (He might just make me swing away from loving the bad boys…might) He complements and encourages Christa to achieve more from her life and patiently waits for her to figure out what she wants in both love and in live. He is a geek at heart and this feature makes him down to earth and just that smidge more adorable.

It was a really refreshing and honest read and it made me reflect on my own life and what I want to achieve. Williams demonstrated how life can be messy and complicated but demonstrated how this makes it all the more beautiful. I definitely learnt a few life lessons from this book. It was a great contemporary romance. ( )