It would make a reasonably useable surface for a temporary fix. You could leave it in place and put your deck right over it when you're ready.

The only problems might be:
If the gravel is "pea stone", which is rounded, it can be hard to walk on. Better if it's crushed stone, with angular sides.

Furniture legs will probably sink into it unless they're wide at the bottom.

If it takes a long time to get the deck installed, you will be pulling weeds out of it. Probably not too bad at first, but after some time, the crevices between the stone will fill with small bits of organic matter and create a nice environment for seeds to lodge and germinate.

I'm sure it would be better than nothing in the interim.

I seem to recall a while back someone posted a similar question and was thinking about gravel for a temporary inexpensive patio outside of a rental. I think some folks recommended those wooden patio blocks. I don't know much about them, maybe someone else here can chime it. I don't know where you would get them. I think I might have seen some once in a catalog but can't remember. I bought a temporary wood path and it was great. It came all threaded together and rolled up and then I just set it down and pegged it with stakes and when I didn't need it anymore I rolled it up again and have it stored in the garage.

Is it "dry" you're after, or "flat?" Surely it's not muddy when you'd want folks to be out there. If you'd have to level it anyway, you might as well put a better surface on.

Search "floating deck" on this forum for a budget deck idea - but be sure to make adequate supports on a sloping surface.

If the gravel seems to you to meet your needs, tell your boyfriend you've got nothing to lose but the cost of landscaping fabric and a few hours of work. You've got the gravel! If it doesn't work, you rake it up, put it back where it started, and go to plan B.

KarinL

We took out our deck, as it had been painted when we bought the house, but found out later it had never been sealed! We put down pea gravel due to lower cost cuz' we could not afford to do brick or slate at that time. HATED IT!!! Its miserable under your feet to walk on, and it became the big neighborhood litter box for about five outdoor cats- wonderful... SIGH. This was three years ago. We were able to afford to redo it this year and we went with slate in the back. AHA, cats GONE, yippee! We have crushed 3/8 or 3/4" rock elsewhere, and the cats don't go in it.

To see our recent landscaping projects and our roses we grow, ck out my Picture Trail:

careytearose

Here is a link that might be useful: look at Landscaping Projects, Favourite ROSES We Grow albums