From bestselling and award-winning author Mason Deaver comes a delightful second-chance romance with trans representation! Trapped on a cruise together, exes Owen and Jacob are forced to confront why their relationship went off course…but in such close quarters, maybe they’ll finally be able to right the ship. A year ago, Owen Henson had a close-knit group of friends who felt like family and a boyfriend who made his heart race just by walking into the room. But now? Everything’s unraveling. His friends seem to be moving forward without him, and his happily-ever-after shattered when his boyfriend Jacob packed up and left for the United Kingdom to join a research team. The last thing Owen needs is for Jacob to waltz back into the city like nothing happened, showing up at their friends’ annual Christmas party looking just as annoyingly handsome as the day he left. Or for their friends to spring a surprise six-day, seven-night cruise up the West Coast to Alaska as a bonding trip for the group. How is Owen supposed to keep it together around the man who broke his heart, all while pretending he’s fine? Totally fine. But then Jacob tells Owen that he’d like to be something even more complicated than exes. He wants to be friends. Skeptical, Owen agrees to the plan but as they spend time together among the gorgeous Alaskan backdrop and cruise-mandated activities, Owen feels his walls coming down and he might just discover that he can’t help but fall in love again. An emotional second-chance romance set on a breathtaking cruise, where two former flames must decide whether to let go or risk it all for a love that refuses to sink. Tropes Forced proximity - Exes - Second chance - Cruises - Dating in secret - Meddling friends "Deaver sticks the landing. This should earn Deaver a whole new set of fans." - Publishers Weekly “I was swept up in Eli and Peter’s endearing romance about how searching for love can lead to finding yourself. Funny, honest, and full of fake dating tropey goodness, Eli and his cinnamon roll hero are your next must-have book boyfriends. Put this rom-com to the top of your 2025 TBR pile!” - Samantha Young, New York Times bestselling author of the On Dublin Street series “Sweet and sexy,  The Build-a-Boyfriend Project  is a delightful romance about taking chances and embracing the unexpected. Disastrous first date to possible true love…what could be more delicious?"  - Ashley Herring Blake, USA Today bestselling author of Iris Kelly Doesn't Date "Deaver’s adult debut will win fans with Peter’s awkwardness and quiet appeal...The romance is lighthearted without glossing over the societal challenges experienced by Peter and by Eli, who is a trans man." - Library Journal “The  Build-A-Boyfriend Project  is an addicting story full of hard-hitting emotions, balanced perfectly by a whip-smart and hilarious voice. An adorable love interest will have you rooting for a well-earned happily-ever-after until the very end. The trans masculine representation was glorious, and it was so exciting to see Eli’s experience as a trans man on the page. Mason bravely does not shy away from difficult topics, and it’s validating and gratifying to see Eli’s realistic struggles. Mason has knocked it out of the park with this heartwarming romance.” - National Book Award-Winning Author, Kacen Callender “From the frustration of feeling creatively stagnant to the anxiety of exploring romance and love for the first time as a queer adult, Deaver captures the awkwardness and vulnerability of your late twenties in a fake-dating romance that’s full of charm, authenticity, and so much yearning. Eli and Peter’s messy, tender love story speaks to anyone who’s ever felt like an outsider, capturing at once the heartbreak and joy of finding yourself and your people.” - Emma R. Alban, USA Today Bestselling Author of Don’t Want You Like a Best Friend " The Build-a-Boyfriend Project is full of heart, full of charm, full of swoons and, most importantly, full of things to say about life, love, and becoming who we want to be. Mason Deaver has built a winner!"  - Adib Khorram, USA Today Bestselling Author of I'll Have What He's Having "Deaver’s adult debut is told solely through Eli’s point of view and features lovable characters, especially sweetheart Peter, whose journey to confidence is incredibly endearing....More rewarding is the thoughtfully done exploration of growing up queer in different types of communities and Eli’s affirming trans identity. The queer characters at the heart of this romance make it shine." - Kirkus Reviews Mason Deaver  is the bestselling and award-winning author of young adult books like  I Wish You All the Best , an NPR Concierge pick with a movie adaptation; and  The Feeling of Falling in Love , which earned a starred review from BookPage.  The Build-a-Boyfriend Project  was their adult romance debut. Born and raised in a small town in North Carolina, Mason now calls San Francisco home, with three feline roo