
The Boyfriend Academy - J S Strange
J S Strange
- Pages · 432 pages
- Publication Date · 09/04/2026
- Genre · Modern & contemporary fiction (post c 1945)
`WOW, what a book. I don't remember the last time I stayed up until 4am because I couldn't put a book down. Absolutely loved. I was on the edge of my seat' ★★★★★ Ganymede's is no ordinary boarding school. Behind its spiral towers and manicured lawns, boys are forged into the men society demands - strong, obedient, perfect. Graduate, and the world is yours: a home, a career, a wife. But fail. and you're no longer useful to society. For Dylan Cecil it should be simple: keep his head down, survive graduation, and earn his place. But when his friend, Blake, disappears, Dylan can't silence the questions gnawing at him, even as whispers of danger shadow the school's gilded halls. As June's trials close in - eight tests that will decide who is worthy of manhood - Dylan is haunted by Blake's absence and drawn to Roman Edwards, a boy as magnetic as he is unknowable. In a world rebuilt on order and obedience, Dylan must decide: will he become the man the academy wants - or the man he really is? Love is forbidden. Truth is dangerous. Survival is everything. Praise for The Boyfriend Academy 'An absolute masterpiece' ★★★★★ 'A brilliant blend of dark academia, mystery, murder and forbidden love' ★★★★★ 'I adored this book so much. I absolutely devoured it and I am left gasping for more. Chilling and deeply personal' ★★★★★ 'I was hooked from every chapter.' ★★★★★ 'I don't remember the last time I stayed up until 4am because I couldn't put a book down' ★★★★★ 'Tense, atmospheric, and unforgettable' ★★★★★ `Brilliant, politically and emotionally charged . You won't be able to put it down!' ★★★★★ 'Dark, thought provoking and emotionally resonant' ★★★★★ `Everything I love about dark academia - a gripping mystery, compelling characters and an immaculate school setting, all woven behind a sweet and tender love story' Lucy Jane Wood, Sunday Times bestseller of Rewitched `A page turner that kept me guessing until the end . I will be thinking about it for a long time' Laurie Gilmore, #1 New York Times bestselling author `A dystopian Dead Poets Society. an exciting new voice in speculative fiction and I can't wait to read more from him' Anna Fiteni, author of The Wicked Lies of Habren Faire
'Ambitious, haunting and politically charged, The Boyfriend Academy presents a sweeping dystopian vision through the intimate lens of a forbidden queer relationship that leaves a lasting impression' Zac Hammett, author of See You at the Finish Line
'Dark Academia at its best. blends forbidden love, dangerous trials and secret societies. In a world where questioning is dangerous, mystery and romance collide. an absolute must read!' Tamara Price, author of The Alchemist's Daughter 'Brooding, tense and seriously atmospheric. Consider me hooked on J S Strange!' Hannah Doyle, author of The Long Haul
'Bold, audacious.and like nothing I've ever read before' Hayley Dunlop, author of It's Beginning to Look a Lot Like Christmas
Only at Gulp Fiction
Book Lovers' Happy Hour
An hour and a half at the bar, with three cocktails matched to your taste and three books chosen for you. Tell us what you like when you book, and we'll have them waiting when you arrive.
- 1½ hours
- £60 per person
- 3 cocktails, 3 books
Up to four of you can come — book a place each and choose the same time slot, then tell us who you're with. For larger groups, email gulpfictionbooks@gmail.com and we'll arrange it.
Collect in store
Order online and pick it up from the shop. It's free, and usually quicker than the post.
Find us
Units 28–29, Covered Market, Oxford OX1 3DU. Mon–Wed 10–5, Thu–Sat 10–10, Sun 11–4.
Book a table
The bar is open late Thursday to Saturday. Reserve a table for a drink among the books.