Pacing was off and I found it hard to connect the with characters. I liked the brother better than the main guy which isn't what you want in a rom com book

Short and sweet romantic comedy which left me slightly disappointed in the length. If you're looking for a quick, fun read, this one will do.

Urban planner Olivier Huang has been freelancing since his previous company went out of business, a situation that only exacerbates his feelings of failure as the only unsuccessful child in his Chinese-American family. When he runs into Fay Liu at an open house, he feels awkward about the fact that he's just received an invitation to interview at her boutique planning firm, and keeps it a secret, even as the two begin to embark on a fake-marriage thing while they visit other open houses.

I have LOVED all of Lang's previous romances, but this one fell flat for me, in large part because it feels underdeveloped (this is a novella, rather than a novel-length book, as previous Lang books have been). Both Oliver and Fay are interesting characters, characters with whom I wanted to spend far more time with. I hope that in future books, Lang's publisher allows her more room to do what she does best: explore complex, intriguing characters in depth.

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Mary Jo – ☆☆☆
This was a cute book about two acquaintances who met again by happenstance and quietly form a quirky relationship. Both Fay and Oliver are awkward with each other. Oliver hasn't been in a serious relationship for a while and Fay is unsure how to date now that she's divorced.

The romance between Fay and Oliver is a slow one, but not necessarily filled with heat. I didn't think Fay and Oliver had much chemistry although they have a lot in common.

This was such a light, sweet summer read. I love a good novella to cleanse the palette after a heavy read, and that is exactly what this one was. Two adorable urban development planners, Oliver and Fay, cross paths after not seeing each other since college. The hot physical attraction and intellectual attraction leaves them both eager to reconnect, but the one twist is that Oliver is up for a job at Fay's firm and she doesn't know it. Between the tension, chemistry, and light storyline, this is a slam dunk for a summer read.

I dunno what I expected since Ruby Lang is a new author to me. This was a bit shorter than I thought. Novella like the background was dropped straight in the story not much build up. I like the whole urban planner, real estate architecture part. It's mostly American Chinese in characters which was interesting, Oliver and Fay were not typical at all .It had a good plot just needed more build up for any believable romance, IMO. The writing was ok it was simple straightforward

This s a delightful novella about two city planners re-building their lives and falling in love in the meantime. I have read the previous series by this author, Practice Perfect, and I really enjoy her voice and writing style - direct, somewhat abrupt but really fitting to the characters and the stories she tells.

I liked both MCs here quite a lot. Fay had all the professional success but her personal life was in shambles as she was trying to navigate her it as a new divorcee. Oliver was in more fraught situation than her since he had neither personal, nor professional success (in his own eyes, at least).

I liked how they got together, the pretense which gave them the freedom to be themselves and to do the things they wanted but under normal circumstances would be hesitant to try. I also love the personal growth they undergo, on their own and while being together. The conflict felt real and it forced them to re-evaluate a lot of things about themselves and what they want their lives to be in the future.

The story had great secondary characters, Oliver's brother really stood out and I'd love to read his story some day. hey both have complicated relationships with their families.

As a minor drawback, the story was too short and last quarter felt rushed, I would have loved to see more of Fay and Oliver together, adjusting their lives to the new direction they chose for themselves. It feels especially relevant for him because he did make profound changes to his life/future plans.

Playing House, the first book in the Uptown series by Ruby Lang, is a short novella featuring two urban planners in New York City. In just about 100 pages, there isn’t much time to develop a complete love story, but it’s a fun read nonetheless. Fay and Oliver, who have been casual acquaintances for years, run into each other at an open house. Fay is being harassed by a stranger, so she latches into Oliver when he walks in and they’re mistaken as a couple by the realtor. They continue this ruse as they attend more open houses together, all the while starting to develop romantic feelings for each other. After divorcing a year before, Fay is just getting back into dating while Oliver is struggling with his feelings of inadequacy since losing his job and having to move in with his successful younger brother. He’s working freelance and is waiting to hear if he’ll get an interview with Fay’s small firm. However, he fails to mention it to her because he fears she’ll think he’s only using her to get a job. She has trust issues, so it’s not a big surprise what happens next. There isn’t much character development given the brevity of the story, but it’s a cute and sexy read for what it is. Hopefully we’ll get more of their story in Book 2.

I received a complimentary ARC of this book from Carina Press through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.

This was fine -- novellas are generally not really my thing, but it sounded interesting so I thought I'd try it when I saw it on NetGalley. I think the main reason I didn't like it more was that there's a lot of telling instead of showing, especially in expository dialogue. It may just be that Lang's writing style isn't for me. However, if you're looking for diverse, own voices contemporary romance, I would suggest giving this a try.

I was provided an e-arc by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

A sweet story and a quick read, Ruby Lang’s novella Playing House is a fun spin on romance. Centering around two characters who are both Chinese-American and both Urban Planners, I had a lot of fun with the theme of this book around architecture and pretending becoming reality!

Out-of-work urban planner Oliver Huang is on a tour of the historic Mount Morris home when he finds himself the recipient of a snuggle and a kiss from long-time acquaintance but NOT long-time lover Fay Liu. Much to Oliver’s confusion, fellow-urban planner Fay gazes adoringly at him, calling him her boyfriend Olly to deflect the attention of another man on the tour who is clearly pursuing her.

Oliver is happy to play along with Fay. She feels good snuggled up against him. But it is complicated, Oliver doesn’t know what this means. He’s up for a job at Fay’s firm and he doesn’t want to cross any lines. But then again, Fay is beautiful, smart, interesting, and funny. How is he supposed to turn that down?

Newly divorced Fay isn’t sure if she is ready to put herself back out there. She hasn’t even unpacked in her new place yet since she became single. But she can’t get Oliver out of her head… A girl needs friends, right?
As the two begin scheduling non-dates to tour luxury real estate all over Manhattan, they find themselves playing at being a couple so often that suddenly it’s not clear whether they are playing house or falling in love. Bonding over their love of old architecture, strategically-placed windows, and large closets (good for making out in), Fay and Oliver begin to fall for one another. Perhaps they aren’t playing house after all…

This one is a mix of sweet and steamy!!! There were a few scenes that made me blush on the train as I wondered if the man next to me was reading over my shoulder! This is a super fast read—more novella than novel I would guess (not sure what the exact definition is to categorize this). I didn’t worry about the length though because this is already billed as book 1, so it promises to have more to follow. I don’t think we are quite done with the theme of love and architecture….

I will say that this book could have actually been a bit longer. Not only because I was enjoying it and wanted more, but also because I did find it to be a tad jarring the way it leapt straight into the meat of the story. I like a bit of literary foreplay in my romance books! The ending is adorable but also a bit rushed. I did think we jumped straight to the HEA and I wanted a bit more depth as we wrapped up their love story!

One of my favorite parts of the book was actually getting to read about the homes they were touring. There’s a lot of descriptive architectural language in here and I was quite tickled at the idea of touring a beautiful home as foreplay!

All in all a cute book that is a fun read-in-an-evening pick!

Thank you to Harlequin Publicity for my copy. Opinions are my own.

Ok, cute quick story.
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Not the best I’ve read...but certainly not the worst.
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I read this little one in the span of a lazy, rainy morning 💙.
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Let’s talk about what I liked:
• New York City. I love it when NY is featured as a character in her own right.
•The quickness of the read. The downside of this is I didn’t have time to become super invested in the characters.
•The steam was well done and the build up was well executed.
•Overall. A pleasant read. 🌟🌟🌟💫
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#lovestory
#quickread
#bookish
#booksandbooks
#thesoutherngirlreads

I've enjoyed this short novella quite a lot.

Oliver and Fay meet by chance during an house tour,they are old acquaintance because they work in the same environment but they hadn't seen each other in a long time.
They feel comfortable and happy in each other's company so they decided to see other houses together.
Will they start a relationship?Or for them it's only a funy game?

I liked these characters and their journey,they are not too young and their lives problems and decisions to take are real and relatable.
I'll absolutely read the second book in the series.

I need more of this story. It's too short and has so much potential to be a best seller. Lovely and reliable characters but there's not much development in it as it's way too short. It's more like watching an episode of Friends between Chandler and Monica.

The writing was good but honestly, the story could be more than this.

4 Stars / 2 Steam Fans

This was a quick funny, sexy, and sweet fake coupling story. Fay and Oliver were friends during college but went their separate ways until they are both on a house tour in New York. As urban planners they are both interested in the communities they live in. When a guy becomes overly pushy with Fay, she sees Oliver as a way out of the creepy situation. Oliver plays along and this starts the two of them off on a fun adventure of make believe. But what happens when things change and people catch feelings? I look forward to reading more Ruby Lang.

This specific video review will be included in the August 2019 wrap-up.

For other video book reviews check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.

I debated on whether or not to write this review. I’m not sure how helpful it’ll be.

This is about two two city planners, Fay and Oliver. (confession: I had to look that up on the blurb)
See, this is my issue. I couldn’t even remember their occupation. I honestly can’t even remember much of the plot.
Oliver is currently unemployed, he’s just been working as a freelancer. Fay is a partner at her small
firm. The book starts off very oddly and I think that just threw me off from the start.
It was like starting a series on episode 2 and episode one is nowhere to be found. I was trying to get a grip on the story - which mind you, this whole book was pretty short. And I still struggled to finish it.

For it being written in the third person POV, I wish there was more witty dialogue. There wasn’t much for me to form a connection to these two characters or care about their connection to each other.

I don’t enjoy writing negative reviews, this novella just wasn’t for me.

"Playing House" by Ruby Lang was a cute, sweet, quick read. There was a surprising amount of character development for such a short story, but even so, I wish more had been said about what happened with Oliver's father. Oliver was so worried about being "feckless" like his father was, but it's unclear exactly why he and the rest of his family thought his father was that way. The only time I remember his father's behavior being directly mentioned is when Oliver's mother tells him that he is "too nice" like his father, who apparently used to help others before he helped his own family because he was afraid of letting other people down. When he could no longer do that, he left. What exactly does that mean, and how is it relevant to Oliver's situation? Oliver's worries seem to center on the fact that he doesn't have a full-time job but has instead been freelancing since his former company closed down. Is it just that he's worried about letting his family down because he's not making a huge salary like his brother and sister? I'm not sure who else Oliver is expected to (or would want to) help besides his family, except possibly Fay.

Also, I was expecting the fake relationship between Oliver and Fay to be a bigger part of the story, but it ended up barely being a factor. Truthfully, it was kind of disappointing to me because that's usually a fun trope, and I was looking forward to seeing what kind of mischief "Olly and Darling" managed to create.

Overall, while this was a cute story and I enjoyed it, I think it had the potential to be so much more if it had been expanded into a full-length novel rather than a novella. It seems like there's a lot more that could have been explored here.

*ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

“Delightful, hot and unforeseen. Playing House was unexpectedly a lovely story. This was my first time reading a book of Ruby and I enjoyed her writing skills. The story was shorty, I wouldn’t considere it as a full length novella but it was good.

Oliver and Fay shared a special connection. Two urban planners who met up again at a house tour. Oliver ended up helping Fay from an awful stalker. Their love blossomed wonderfully.

It was a lovely story, well-developed and the characters were refreshing and genuine. I highly recommend you this book.”

3.5 stars. This cute and flirty m/f romance novella includes fake relationships, HGTV_esque tours of homes in New York, and great chemistry. A little slight in terms of relationship-development and conflict, due to the novella format. Overall, a sweet, fun, and light-hearted read with two Chinese-American protagonists!

Playing House starts with fake dating between acquaintances that run in the same circles for years when happenstance ensures they get closer than ever before. I love the sparse history between the two that turns out to mean more than anyone could’ve guessed.

It’s a short novel, packed with plenty to love and enjoy, with my only caveat being could’ve been longer! I would’ve been quite tickled with more fake dating time, more of the real deal, or any stage in between really.

Don’t get me wrong though. The characters are well done, the plot worked through, and it sticks the landing so it’s not like there’s anything missing necessarily. I just would’ve liked more time there, is all. So obviously, I can’t wait to get the next installment in this series. I’m particularly interested in Oliver’s little brother’s story, and as well as Fay’s business partners.

THE RUNDOWN:
› Cute, short, & sweet.
› Quick & easy read
› Left me satisfied & wanting more
› Knew nothing about urban planning going in. Enjoyed their mutual geeking out and community concern
› Love their touch flirting and comfort & calm between them.
› The enthusiastic consent.
› The hot & realistic sex scene with a bed on the floor.
› Yesssss my lost struggling millennial cohorts.
› Real talk about feelings re: traditional jobs and freelancing for Oliver and Fay’s upstart business with friends.
› Fay’s apartment unpacking stalemate and her BFF chats.
› Oliver crashing with his gay younger brother
› Already itching for more of this series!
›Haven’t read any of Lang’s work before and will be soon!

Short and sweet is the perfect description of Playing House. Charming and humorous, this novel will be a complete delight for contemporary romance fans.

Oliver Huang is going through a serious slump. He’s lost his job, which means he can’t afford an apartment and is forced to live with his far more successful younger brother. His mother implies he’s as shiftless as his father – who deserted them years ago – and family gatherings on Sunday afternoons seem to be held for the sole purpose of having everyone tell him “that his lack of ambition is a disappointment.” He can barely remember the last time he went on a date but he does remember that she dumped him. When he sees casual acquaintance Fay Liu on the historic Mount Morris home tour and winds up spending the afternoon playing her significant other, it’s the best thing that’s happened to him in a long time.

Fay can’t remember the last time she had fun. She’s been all work and no play since the very successful launch of her business and the subsequent crash and burn of her marriage. When she attracts a particularly pushy admirer while on the Mount Morris home tour, she exhausts all her usual arsenal of predatory pest deterrents and is desperately seeking help when she spots Oliver, who is willing to play her boyfriend in order to discourage her determined suitor. She’s known Oliver for years since they are both urban planners and they work in “such a small community”, but this is the first time Fay has spent real one on one time with him. She’s happy to get to know him better and maybe move their relationship from confrère to friend. But Oliver makes architectural details sound like foreplay and his good looks and gentlemanly demeanor work like an aphrodisiac on her too long denied libido; she laughs easily around him and feels genuinely happy and hopeful for the first time in a long time. By the end of the afternoon she’s moved him from potential friend to potential friend-with-benefits. When he fails to ask for her number when the tour is done, she gets his from a buddy and texts him, arranging to meet up again.

Neither mentions the word date as they walk through Marcus Garvey Park and climb the stone staircase outside Mount Morris Fire Watchtower while playing “a game of building-nerd-I-spy where they tried to identify landmarks and streets.” But they both wonder if that’s what this is.

When they’re done with the game at the watchtower they go inside a couple of open houses to get a closer look at the interior of the local architecture. Then meet again the next day to go through another open house. For some people, exploring homes for sale is a slog but for these two discovering hidden period details in homes and checking out the traffic patterns in neighborhoods is sheer bliss. They bond over crown molding and transom windows and delight in sharing the joy of finding the hidden potential in fixer uppers.

But with their own lives in need of some major renovations, neither is sure this is the right time to take their relationship forward.

Playing House is an amusing, character-driven romance between two lovely people who are better together than apart. Oliver’s kind, calm nature makes a perfect foil for Fay’s driven, forthright personality, and their shared career and culture make for strong similarities between them that adds depth to their physical attraction. The story spends most of its page space on personal growth, and the emotional aspect of the relationship. Fay makes it clear from almost the very beginning that she doesn’t want “a giggle and a cuddle. I don’t need a fling. . . I want something serious with someone serious.” I loved that this was an adult relationship with two people who were done with playing the field and were looking for something more.

That said, the tale could have used a bit more sensuality. In the single sex scene there is so much double checking that this is what they both want that as a result the entire process came across as mundane. Fortunately, the author redeems it with plenty of post-coital glow and tenderness. I loved how Oliver spent the time Faye slept off their lovemaking doing something special for her. He expresses concern that it’s “a sign that he already cared too much” but for me it showed what a fantastic, romantic, thoughtful guy he is.

We know from the start that the obstacle to their relationship will be work related since Oliver has applied for a job at the firm that Fay owns and is very interested in the position. Fay has delegated the hiring process for that job to one of her partners and is blissfully unaware Oliver is a candidate for the position. He’s equally unaware that she doesn’t know, and stays silent only because he can’t figure out how to bring the issue up during their outings. When she does learn about it from her business partner, it causes tension between them. I liked that the author uses that conflict to both move the relationship forward and have a character growth moment for Oliver. Both Fay and Oliver are still working out who they are after the significant recent life changes they’ve been through and it makes sense that each new hurdle they face will have them learning something new about themselves as well as each other.

Another reason the issue between them is work-related is that very nearly every aspect of their lives is work-related. They both absolutely love being urban planners and “geeking out over architectural details is Oliver and Fay’s shared love language”, and for both of them, their sense of self-worth very tied to their careers. For Oliver, a lot of that comes from his own father’s inability to hold down a job. While Oliver is currently doing freelance work and making an adequate living at it, he can’t see anything but corporate employment as success. His mother calling him “shiftless” the minute he loses his job confirms the idea that success lies in being employed by a lucrative firm. Fay loves her work and the success of her small company and can’t imagine a world where that isn’t important to her, but she often feels self-conscious because people tell her she is too driven and achievement oriented. She’s developed the perception that this is unfeminine and will result in her never having a strong romantic relationship. Both of them need to change their mindset regarding these concerns before they are able to move forward with their relationship.

Playing House doesn’t have an HEA but it has a lovely HFN which left me very hopeful for the couple’s future. The humor is perfectly done, making the story comical rather than farcical and the author does a lovely job of capturing the hopeful emotions that course through us as we start a new, meaningful relationship. This is a perfect read for those who enjoy lighthearted contemporary romances.