As the concluding installment in the Ruby Oliver series, Real Live Boyfriends continues where the prior volumes left off. Ruby Oliver's time with psychiatrist Doctor Z has helped her mature, although she is still erratic and a little conceited. At the book's outset, Ruby and her lover, Noel, are blissfully dating. Ruby never needs to wonder if Noel enjoys being around her, wants to kiss, or finds her amusing because he's her real boyfriend. He always picks her up on time, calls when he says he will, and they always eat lunch together since their relationship is genuine and obvious to everyone. Ruby feels secure and at ease in her relationship for the very first time in a long time.
However, things start to change for Ruby when Noel goes for his summer break in New York City. Noel is initially very engaged, constantly phoning Ruby and sending her love poetry. Ruby is unconcerned when Gideon Van Deusen comes by and asks for a Band-Aid. She still finds Gideon quite attractive, and she doesn't think twice about telling him whether she has a partner.
However, there is something unusual about Noel's recent behavior, which Ruby believes is insufficient reason to cheat on him with the boy of her dreams. She boldly rejects Gideon's attempts, but when Noel's conduct abruptly shifts, she starts questioning the nature of their relationship. Noel's phone calls suddenly stop. He neither sends any emails nor answers the phone when Ruby calls. It is obvious that he does not want to spend time with Ruby, and she is furious. At the very least, he could explain to Ruby what went wrong. Rather than talking to Ruby, Noel opts for the silent treatment, sulking and moody all day.
After a heated argument, the two break up. Ruby and Gideon start dating, however he's not as perfect in real life as Ruby had always fantasized. Even his kissing is a little sloppy. Nonetheless, he is a sincere gentleman who genuinely cares for Ruby. He calls, writes, and comes to pick her up on time. Ruby, on the other hand, is constantly preoccupied with Noel.
One afternoon, she runs into Noel's brother in the zoo, who tells her that Noel witnessed his friend's death in a bicycle accident while he was in New York. His friend had passed away in front of him, and Noel was powerless to help him. Ruby is devastated, how could she have been so egoistic and self-absorbed as to believe that Noel's abrupt change in attitude was associated with her? She never bothered to ask if Noel was doing okay. She rushes to his place in the middle of the night and gets him out of bed. The two begin kissing before they even exchange words, and soon Noel is in tears. He shares all of the details of the accident and his feelings with Ruby. The two can now communicate in a more mature and polite sense than in their previous euphoric young infatuation. Ruby Oliver has matured into a young woman, and in the process, she finds real love.
