This book is AMAZING! Such a wonderful lead character, Anna is determined and not your typical inguenue. She knows what she wants, and Ben is NOT it.

But he exceeds her expectations, and while they are at odds at work, they are falling for each other in life.

This is not your typical romance novel, The characters of Anna and Ben are much deeper than your quintessential romantic leads, and the reader is the better for it. Highly recommend!

Ben Stephen’s never makes time for serious relationships, He sticks to the casual flings and keeps his focus on his work in advertising. After presenting a huge ad campaign for a billion dollar company Ben lucky out when not only does he knock it out of the park, he gets the attention of the star of the commercial Anna Gardiner. While everyone knows movie star Anna not everyone gets to see all she has going on being the scenes. While waiting to hear back about a major movie role Anna is thankful to be distracted by this ad campaign and the man running the show, Ben. Anna is looking for ways to launch her career even farther and her manager thinks he has just the solution, fake dating Ben.

In true Jasmine Guillory fashion, Ben and Anna are two more characters that I absolutely loved! There is a different spin on this book as opposed to the others in this series because this one focuses a lot on mental health. Are these books a tad predictable? Yes, but that doesn’t take away from the fun and flirty-ness that fills the pages!

I love that Jasmine Guillory has created her own universe with these novels. This is one of my new favorites. It has all of Guillory’s signature style—lots of sexy things happening between sexy people, competent men who are willing to go to therapy to work on their shit, interesting families, beautiful food, and in this novel a love story between a talented ad exec and a movie star. I simply couldn’t put this book down.

Jasmine Guillory in fine form - all that a reader would expect from a JG book. Fast, charming, satisfying.

Jasmine Guillory makes good romance. Her stories for so well. She create tension in such good ways. I enjoy her books but this one didn’t work as well for me as others. Miscommunication is a big player in the conflict of this story and I get super frustrated by conflict that can be resolved by a simple convo. This is all me and not the book. It’s an enjoyable celebrity romance but didn’t fall right for this reader.

3.5 STARS

Ben Stephens is doing life the way he wants: a job he loves helping to create major ad campaigns along with a serial dating habit comprised of only casual relationships. He has no real drama in his life until a previously unknown relative pops up. Through a serendipitous event, Ben is able to take the lead on a commercial featuring a movie star, Anna Gardiner. Ben has a hard time keeping his cool around this seriously attractive woman unable to resist flirting with her.

Anna Gardiner has been through some recent rough spots in her profession. The viper pit of Hollywood is enough to shake anyone’s confidence and hers took a serious hit after she began having anxiety attacks. Now back on her feet, Anna is determined to shine in the spotlight hoping this ad campaign will give her the needed boost to make the major studio players take notice and jump start her career.

Both Ben and Anna know that mixing business with pleasure rarely works out and while they resist the inevitable for a while, a family emergency of Anna’s brings then close together. Anna’s agent turns their hidden relationship into a carefully crafted maneuver to boost Anna’s marketability pretending that Ben is her real boyfriend. Ben agrees to go along with the ploy to help Anna out and enjoy the spotlight; however, this relationship is supposed to have an end date despite their growing feelings for each other.

Ben and Anna both have some family and relationship issues to overcome before they can be a couple in real terms. Anna’s life especially makes serious commitment very difficult with successful Hollywood relationships and marriages being the exception rather than the rule. Anna has had to deal with self-esteem issues as well in that she is not a stick thin, blond, blue-eyed actor whom the studios seem to favor for major roles. This book is number six the Wedding Date series, but can be read as a standalone.

Another well done romance from Jasmine Guillory. Like her others, this features multi-dimensional, real characters who are complicated and full people.

Sadly I don't think this author is for me. Though her books seem to be quick reads I just don't LOVE them. I love the multicultural characters and truly wanted to love her books. They just fall flat for me. 100% I think that it's ME and not the author so please give this series a try because I'm sure you're going to love it lol

B O O K R E V I E W

While We Were Dating- Jasmine Guillory

This is book #6 of the Wedding Date series, of which I have only read The Wedding Date. I do however know of the characters in the other books and loved seeing them mentioned in passing in While We Were Dating! Guillory has truly made her own world of the San Fransisco Bay area.

In this book, you follow actress Anna Gardiner as she and a guy she's working with on an ad campaign develop serious chemistry. Her agent encourages her to take the opportunity and turn her fling into the ultimate fake relationship to help her seem more relevant in hopes of winning at an award ceremony. Obviously, someones feelings have to get in the way, right?

What I liked:
-always down for a good fake dating trope
-the attention to mental health, weight, and diversity in the film industry
-how attentive Ben's character was
-steamy!
-character tie ins from previous books

What I didn't like:
-was a little too heavy on the film industry aspect (just for me, it's not something I'm particularly interested in)
-didn't really love the whole "new sister" angle, seemed rushed and forced to me

I recommend this book to lovers of Helena Hunting, Mia Sosa, Sarah Desai- and also to lovers of The Wedding Date series!

I want to begin this review by first stating that Jasmine Guillory is the author who first convinced me that the romance genre was worth exploring and reading. I first read The Wedding Date just after she published The Proposal, and then eagerly waited for each story to be published. I love this series.

While We Were Dating continues the world Guillory has created from The Wedding Date, this time focusing on Ben, Theo’s brother, and introducing the reader to Anna, a famous Hollywood actress. They meet when Ben’s advertising agency pitches a series of commercials that Anna will star in. Anna loves the company’s work and then insists it’s Ben who should take the project lead. They work well together, and when Ben shows himself to be supportive during a family crisis, their awareness shifts to a one-night fling which then shifts to a “fake” Hollywood relationship in order to boost Anna’s career.

This iteration of The Wedding Date might be my least favorite of the now six novels. The “fake-to-real" trope tends to be my least favorite of the romance tropes in general, and Hollywood is never my favorite setting. I loved meeting Nik and Maddie, and Olivia’s story was one my favorites. I didn’t really enjoy being inside of Anna’s head, and perhaps it was because she was the one representing Hollywood. As a person, I don't enjoy capitalistic exploitation of emotions and that was all I could think about while they were ‘fake’ dating. Anna’s world was not one I wanted to be apart of, and was never convinced that Ben should ultimately join such a contrived and stressful world.

That said, I loved seeing the other couples, especially Theo & Maddie’s escapade with the two of them dodging the paparazzi, and the Nik and Carlos cameo was a fun one. Guillory still writes in a lot of flirty banter, and steaminess of the scenes hits a little later in the novel than some of the others, but it was worth the wait. These two have fun together, and while it wasn’t my favorite setting or style, Guillory still has her magic. I would still recommend for fans of the series or anyone who likes a Hollywood romance!

While We Were Dating is such a fun, charming read! It follows Ben and Anna as they pretend to be dating, but spoiler alert...they are actually dating! Anna needs good press to impress a studio so she can be the star in a movie she wants to work in. Ben needs to spend more time with Anna because the sex is good and Anna is just so fun to be around! But what happens with they have to "break up" for the media? Pick up While We Were Dating and find out for yourself! Also, you'll fall in love with Maddie and Theo all over again, and there's also a quick cameo from Nik and Carlos!

While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory is the 6th book in her wonderful The Wedding Date series. I have enjoyed reading Guillory’s fun romantic stories, and looked forward to reading this new one. While We Were Dating was a fantastic fun read, and the best one yet, in this series.

Ben Stephens, our hero, is the brother of Theo (a previous book hero); and he is happy in his job in an advertising agency. When his boss is caught in a traffic jam, he is assigned to handle the presentation of a very big account; Ben is thrilled, since he technically created most of it. As he makes the presentation to the company, he is shocked when Anna Gardiner, a beautiful major movie star, enters the room to listen. Ben will keep his cool, even though he is in awe of Gardiner.

Anna decided to attend the ad agency presentation, since she is part of the campaign, prior to the release of a new movie, as well as using this to get attention for a new movie. Anna is determined to win the roll of a lifetime, which she feels could win her an award. She finds herself very impressed with Ben, and pushes the company to choose Ben’s company to win the advertising campaign and make him the leader.

When they begin to work together, the chemistry between them was sizzling, with both being very comfortable spending time flirting with each other, which will lead into a fun steamy fling. They were great together, enjoying the sexual chemistry between them, with both know when the campaign ends, they will each go their own way. I loved the banter between them, how they each helped one another with personal issues; Anna with having anxiety and panic attacks, and Ben with his abandonment (his father), as well as commitment fears.

Anna’s manager convinces her to use her relationship with Ben to put her in the limelight, giving attention to her in hope of landing the movie she is dying to win. Though when the ad campaign filming is over, Anna decides to tell Ben about her making appearances with him promoting their “fake relationship”, which will last until her current movie is released. Ben agrees, as he wants to spend more time with Anna, which he soon will realize that he is falling in love with her; but he knows Anna doesn’t want a permanent relationship, since she is totally focused on her career, even though she has enjoyed Ben’s company. Will Anna walk away when everything is over? Will Ben tell her he loves her?

Another great thing about this was giving us a glimpse at makings of Hollywood, movie making, commercials/ads, and the paparazzi, as well as putting their faces out there to promote themselves. I also enjoyed seeing Theo and Maddie playing a part in this story. Anna’s friend Penny was a blast.

What follows is a lighthearted heartwarming fun story centering on a romance between two people in different stages of their lives and their struggles. Anna was a great heroine, smart, fun, outgoing, lively, not to mention a beautiful movie star; who was determined to win the movie role, at any cost. Ben was such a fantastic character, and he was so good with Anna, being sweet, charming, fun, not to mention sexy. Their romance was hot, steamy and charismatic, and they made a great couple.
While We Were Dating was a delightful, charming, fun and steamy story Once again, Jasmine Guillory gives us a fantastic and enjoyable story, which you need to be reading.

In classic Guillory fashion, her characters pulled me in! While We We’re Waiting is another romantic hit and I’m so glad I got my hands on it. Anna and Ben have an electric connection and their natural playfulness made me giggle out loud multiple times. Anna’s struggles (outside of the celebrity aspect) were super relatable, especially over this past year. The fact that Ben jumps to her aid is a pleasant surprise as it’s not everyday that you meet a respectful, smart, good-looking, and sweet guy who is willing to drop everything to help you in a time of need. I love that both of them are in therapy and acknowledge that it’s a work-in-progress.

As always, it’s a joy to watch the new characters interact with the ones from past books. (Which made me want to read all of them over again!) This book may not have been profound but it was healing, comforting, and perfect for what I needed. Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

Verdict:
Guillory fans will be pleased! You’re gonna want this one.

Spicy factor: 🔥🔥
Could add more but was still delicious!

I'm a huge Jasmine Guillory fan, and could not wait to read her latest. It does not disappoint!

Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. When he lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star, Anna Gardiner, however, it’s hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she’s also down to earth and considerate, and he can’t help flirting a little…

Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she’s got the movie role she covets. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation?

But their light-hearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they’ve barely shared with those closest to them.

Can they turn their flirtation into something more? is it possible to find their happily-ever-after? I love this book, and highly recommend it!

Really great addition to the Jasmine Guillory universe. I just love that all the stories are connected. Anna and Ben have a funny and steamy dynamic. Good anxiety rep and talking about Black mental health. Also good discussions around body image. Overall, really loved it!

I hate to say this, but this book was a bit disappointing. I've been a fan of Jasmine Guillory's past books, but this one just felt blah to me. I couldn't get myself invested in the characters and subsequently their relationship together. I liked the conversations about mental health and therapy, but thankfully, those topics are much more common in romances these days, and I can think of others who have done them better. Not a bad book by any means, just slightly forgettable, and I wasn't motivated to keep turning the page.

While We Were Dating is Jasmine Guillory's latest installment in her 'Wedding Date' series. This story follows Ben, who is Theo's (of Theo and Maddie from The Wedding Party) younger brother and a marketing/ad rep in the Bay Area, and Anna, who is Hollywood's up-and-coming starlet and working on Ben's latest ad campaign. The two immediately find themselves magnetically pulled to one another, which fully snaps into place when Ben suddenly finds himself driving Anna on an overnight trip to Palm Springs during production. Anna's life comes with certain complications, many involving the paparazzi and future filming deals. When she asks Ben to pretend to be her boyfriend, he jumps at the chance. What could go wrong? It's not like he's in love with her! Or?

This was such an enjoyable read! Jasmine Guillory always writes a strong female character, which I have loved! Anna was especially demanding, as she was comfortable asking for whatever she wanted while still being perceived as respectful and kind. I enjoyed the depth each character had, with Anna's prior episodes of anxiety coming back and Ben's struggle to please everyone (including a newly discovered half-sister) in the wake of his father abandoning him in his childhood. As with any Guillory book, I found myself wondering who a next installment could be about within this series! My hopes are for Simon, Anna's assistant, and/or Penny', Anna's winemaker best friend!

If you loved - any of Jasmine Guillory's previous books, You Had Me at Hola by Alexis Daria, The Brown Sisters Series by Talia Hibbert, Emily Henry's books, or One to Watch by Kate Stayman-London - you'll love While We Were Dating!

This book just confirmed that Jasmine Guillory is my favourite Romance author as I immediately fell into the story she weaved.

Ben works in advertising and due to the rest of his team being delayed was the lead on a big pitch, sitting in the audience is the star of the ad, Anna, who immediately likes the pitch, but only if Ben is the lead. When a family emergency happens, their flirting turns into something more, but is Ben up for the Hollywood life, and is Anna ready to invite someone else into her life?

I loved the characters of both Ben and Anna and really loved their relationship. I like that Guillory didn't take long to start their romance and it all felt very natural and sweet. The growth of the characters were great and I really loved the entire story.

Jasmine Guillory strikes again! This time with the charming and lovable Ben Stephens, brother of our beloved Theo. When Ben's ad agency wins a project with movie star Anna Gardiner, he's thrown into a 'workplace' romance that becomes a PR scheme. In a classic, will they or won't they make it real while they're pretending it is real for the public, Ben and Anna might just be the perfect support system they both need. I loved falling right back into Guillory's world and characters and especially loved the way she so seamlessly (as always) made her characters relatable and REAL. She manages to weave romance in, while still tackling difficult issues like mental illness and complicated familial relationships.

This was a light, fun, really enjoyable read that found solidarity in the world of celebrity, Hollywood, surfaces using the techniques that have made other novels set in this world so appealing.