Reviewed by Ro
TITLE: Boyfriend Without Benefits
SERIES: Jilted Exes Club #3
AUTHOR: Riley Hart
PUBLISHER: Self Published
LENGTH: 230 pages
RELEASE DATE: December 3, 2025
BLURB:
Anthony
I’m the last single member of the Jilted Exes’ Club, and I have no plans to change that.
I’m fulfilled with my work at the club, dance classes, yoga, and the Exes. Plus, I’ve been extremely preoccupied with one Kason Maddox, the LA Rebels’ goalie. Let’s just say that since we’ve become friends, my eyes might drift in his general direction a little too much. But it’s only looking. And looking never harmed anyone…
Eventually, our texting sessions lead to dinners out and ending our nights watching our favorite shows. But when the paparazzi catch sight of us and the photos go viral, I suddenly find out I’ve had a boyfriend and didn’t know—a boyfriend without the benefits. And I’m thinking we should reconsider the benefits in this relationship if we are going to be in one.
Kason
So…I thought we were dating. Turns out, the guy I was dating had no idea that’s what we were doing. Friend-zoned without even knowing it. Cool. The equivalent of taking a puck to the face.
But due to an innocent little photo or two, now everyone thinks we’re together, so we have three
1- Stop hanging out to silence the rumors.
2- Hang out as friends and ignore the gossip blogs.
3- Start dating—and both of us are aware of said dating this time.
I know which one I’m rooting for. And if I have to use a little dirty talk and some praise to shift things in my favor, I’m game.
REVIEW:
This is the third entry in the Jilted Exes Club, a club made up of three men who were cheated on and deceived by the same slimeball, Malcolm. They came together to support each other and ended up close friends. They are lovely together. Two of the three, Donovan and Hayes, have met the loves of their lives, but Anthony is the last one standing and he’s fine with that. People leave you and just cause you pain. So he has his friends and their guys and he’s great. Anthony has had a rough past. His mom disappeared when he was a kid and he was foisted onto an aunt and uncle who plainly said they didn’t want him. He didn’t have friends and, until he found dance, he had nothing. When he turned 18 uncle turned over a bunch of money to him to go away. So he did.
One of the friends in the group is Kacen, who plays pro hockey with Rylan, who is Hayes’ partner. Kacen has a loving family, a great friend group, and is just a kind person. “I don’t get it…the cruelness in people, the way kindness has become a weakness.” Kacen, I felt that right into my soul. Kacen likes to hang out with Anthony and thinks he is witty and snarky, which he is. So they start watching queer soap operas together, practicing meditation and yoga together, and finally, Kacen asks Anthony out to dinner. They have a great time, except Kacen was asking Anthony on a date, and Anthony thinks it’s a friend hang out. Even when he is asked if it’s a date, “No, just a friend thing.” Usually I roll my eyes when someone doesn’t know this, but I got it with Anthony. He has no experience with dating except for the loser that is Malcolm, so he doesn’t realize the getting picked up at the door, the paying for dinner, the little touches: they all mean date! “He’s being even more playful than usual, innocently flirting with me in that way friends can get sometimes.” Again, I got it, because he, Hayes, and Donovan are like that with each other – innocent and touchy.
It takes them being outed by the paparazzi for Anthony to realize, oh wait a second. Even then, he was a clunkhead. Kacen has to ask, “We’re not dating?” for Anthony to say,“Wait. We are dating?” And sharing secrets, being annoyed by paparazzi, and with the support of their incredible friends, they really are dating. “I can’t wait to tell everyone you asked me to go steady.”
I am sorry to say, when they ask, “Who doesn’t like Alfredo?” I had to grimace because I hate it. Sorry Anthony and Kacen.
If I had rated the book in halves, I would give the first half a 4.5, because I loved how patient Kacen was, how lovely the Jilted Exes are, and how much growth Anthony makes. The second half is when they start having sex, and there was just too much sex for me, and the scenes were pretty long. So that brought it down a bit
This was a good wrap-up to the Jilted Exes Club series, and I loved how even Malcolm, trying his usual garbage, couldn’t bring these men down anymore. They’ve grown up, grown past him, and are happy.
RATING: 
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