While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory

I read this on the beach, and while it served its purpose for that, I didn’t really love it. Personally, I like a little more drama and mess in my romance novels (judge me if you want 🤷🏾‍♀️) and this book was lacking in that department for me. I did appreciate them talking about mental health and therapy, though.

I also want to note that I haven’t read the series so maybe that played a part even though it’s a stand alone story.

While We Were Dating is the sixth book in Jasmine Guillory's Adult Romance series, The Wedding Date. If you are unfamiliar with this series, they are all companion novels with some connecting characters. You can read them in any order, or as standalones.

In this installment, we follow Ben Stephens, who is the younger brother of Theo Stephens, the leading man of The Wedding Party. Ben, who is known as a bit of a ladies man, works for an ad agency. When he is sent to pitch an important ad campaign featuring movie star, Anna Gardiner, he's nervous. Turns out, he had nothing to worry about. Ben is charming and he knocks it out of the park; making a great first impression with Anna.

Anna is at a turning point in her career. She is popular and well-known, but she really wants to get to that next level. She views this ad campaign as a great distraction while she waits for her latest movie to drop. She's anxious about what the reception to her role will be, but she remains hopeful that amazing things will come from it.

After Ben's company wins the campaign, Anna makes sure Ben is the lead on the project. He could be just the right kind of distraction she needs. Anna generally doesn't mix business with pleasure, but there's always room for exceptions.

Due to an unusual set of circumstances, Ben and Anna spend quite a bit of one-on-one time together and their light flirty banter quickly evolves into something more. As the two are forced into a bit of a fake-dating relationship in order to aide Anna's image, the lines blur even further. Is it real, or is it not? It's so hard to tell in Hollywood.

I had a lot of fun with this one. I enjoyed Ben and Anna so much. Both of their characters worked for me and their banter together was adorable. As with the earlier books in the series, I appreciate how Guillory included some important real life issues. Her characters are never just laser focused on love and romance. They always have issues they are working through and for me, I feel like they always grow in a satisfying way.

In this one, Anna's celebrity was interesting to read about. I think frequently about how anxiety-inducing it must be to live that sort of fishbowl lifestyle. It must be challenging and exhausting to separate who you really are from all that constant chatter.

Ben is a breath of fresh air in Anna's life. He's a sincere person, who having worked in the past as a back-up dancer, is used to the buzz and craziness that comes with the entertainment business. He doesn't get blinded by all that. He just sees Anna.

While I felt this one was wrapped up a little abruptly, I'm still very happy with the ending. My heart is full and I've got a big ole smile on my face!

Thank you so much to the publisher, Berkley Books, for providing me with a copy to read and review. I will definitely continue to pick up anything else Guillory chooses to write. She's got her own style and I'm here for it!

When I finished "While We Were Dating," I said aloud "this book is SO GOOD," sat basking in the perfection of the novel, and then immediately put the first five books in the series on hold at my local library. This novel is an absolute gem and Jasmine Guillory has me HOOKED. I can't believe I have waited this long to read one of her novels, but "While We Were Dating" has immediately catapulted her to the top of my can't miss authors list. This book has something for everyone, the fake dating trope, frank discussion of mental health, spicy romance scenes, laugh-out-loud moments, and a cast of supporting characters that are just as charismatic and well-written as our leads. Every single page of this novel is so well-crafted and well-executed that it truly was a delight to read. I was so invested in Ben and Anna and could not read quickly enough to see how their story would end.

Fate throws Ben Stephens and Anna Gardiner together when they collaborate on a high-profile ad campaign. Ben unexpectedly finds himself leading his company's pitch after his bosses find themselves delayed on the way to the meeting. He finds himself not only nervous to be pitching such an important project, but also a little starstruck when Anna Gardiner, the actress who will be leading the campaign, shows up to attend the meeting. She is impressed with his good looks and his sharp wit as he outlines a campaign she feels sure will help catapult her back to stardom.

As their professional relationship grows they find it impossible to ignore the chemistry that is developing between the two of them. When Ben steps up to help Anna through a family emergency she can't help but open up to the kind, gentle-hearted man who goes out of his way to make her life a little easier. She shares her struggles with anxiety, her desire to regain her old confidence, and her plan to unlock the next level of stardom for herself as she gears up to promote a high-profile film, and works to land her next big role. As her agent makes it clear that she needs a leading man to help keep her name in the press and raise interest in her professional life, Anna turns to Ben and proposes that they turn their casual fling into something a little more serious for the paparazzi. Ben can't refuse any opportunity to spend more time with Anna, and as they take their physical and emotional relationship to the next level, the only question he's left with is how he can make it out of this "relationship" without breaking his heart in the process.

You will not find a novel that is more well-rounded or more well-executed than this one. The writing is superb, the chemistry between Anna and Ben is palpable, and Guillory does an excellent job of adding depth by examining both Anna and Ben's mental health struggles and how that affects their ability to open up to one another. "While We Were Dating" is truly a must-read for fans of the romance genre.

I have loved Guillory’s books in the past but this one was harder to engage with than others - I never really got a grip on the characters

I have no idea how Jasmine Guillory continues to release books that are so good but also stick so close to her tried and true formula for a romance book. Strong heroines, sweet heroes, conflict that takes a little more than just a quick conversation to resolve, love letters to California, and law-adjacent careers! While We Were Dating wasn’t my absolute favorite (I think that’s Party of Two so far for me), but it hits a comforting spot. A great read!

Jasmine Guillory is always going to give you a charming, funny, diverse romance novel that tackles big issues. But to do this with fake dating and famous/not famous? You're in for a treat. I loved this book and I adored getting to see Maddie and Theo again.

Jasmine Guilllory continues to reign supreme when it comes to adorable, low-drama romances. An actress and ad lead begin a secret relationship that turns into a publicity stunt to help her career even though their feelings are very real. Cute and feel-good and even features some good anxiety / mental illness rep!

This was so much fun and the characters were fleshed out so well, it was hard not to feel like I knew them!

I obsessively read anything Jasmine Guillory writes, but this was easily my favorite book of hers. Only the most talented writer can make a famous actress a relatable main character without it being cringey, but Jasmine managed to do just that. I loved it!

Jasmine guillory has done it once again. I absolutely loved this book! I loved the characters so much. I loved the discussion of mental health and therapy, it really helped myself figure out things with my own mental health and what I should do. I kind of felt like the surprise sister plot was a little unnecessary but it was well done. Again, a great book and I’ll read anything JG writes

I’d give this a 3.5 but rounded up! Jasmine does it again with fun characters, a cute plot and a really readable read. The point of conflict, which I found to be trying and too drawn out in some of her others, is just the right size. It well satisfies my love of a fictional celebrity romances and the fake dating trope never disappoints. I’ll always look forward to a new Jasmine release and this doesn’t disappoint!

I’ve been a Jasmine Guillory fan since ling before I joined booksta and I still preorder all of her new releases.

Jasmine Guillory books are consistently fun, sweet, and heartwarming reads. This story exists within the Wedding Date universe so we get some appearances from some of our other favorite characters, which I love. I enjoyed how mental health and other important and deeper conversations were had all while still being a light and fun read.

Read if you like: Celebrity romance, any of Guillory’s other books

⚠️TWs: Fatphobia, panic attacks, mental illness, racism

Fake dating done really well, but of course it is, as it's Jasmine Guillory. Watching these two catch feelings, and finally come clean, was a delight.

Another great book by one of my favorite authors . This one did not disappoint. I wasn’t a fan of Theo in While We Were Dating, I ended up loving it. I liked how the author weaved in mental health. This is a great continuation of the Wedding Date series. Loved Theo and Maddie , Ben and Anna.

Fun romance from Jasmine Guillory, who always delivers! I liked the characters, their story and the ending. I will recommend for purchase!

Howdy! This week I read Jasmine Guillory’s newest in The Wedding Date series: While We Were Dating. The more Jasmine Guillory I read, the more disillusioned I become with its quality. I enjoyed While We Were Dating, but it didn’t blow others out of the water.

Anna Gardiner is on a mission to get herself back to the Oscars. After a year facing anxiety and panic attacks, she’s getting back on the horse with an advertising campaign led by Ben Stephens, a sweet and funny flirt who also happily drives celebrities hundreds of miles in a family crisis. Their flirtation quickly blossoms into friendship and hookups.

When her manager catches their chemistry, he suggests a plan to help Anna launch back into stardom: the two should fake date in the months leading up to a huge movie premiere that will heavily influence the future of her career. It’s just what Anna needs…and maybe Ben is, too.

I have to say, I noticed last night that there were a lot of times where I genuinely laughed, like it was just too funny to keep inside, or how often I smiled at how sticky sweet the dialogue was. With the exception of Royal Holiday (review here, I’m sure you’ve all picked up how much I hate this one), this is what Guillory excels at: her characters are real, and feel real to the reader. Their emotions are accurate, not overstated. Their problems are legitimate. This book, in spite of being about celebrities, is genuine, grounded in reality, and lovely to read.

Like I said, it just didn’t blow me away is all. It’s a fun story! I love the de-stigmatization of mental health issues, and the healthy relationship behavior displayed throughout this book, too: too often you read romance and there’s at least one really problematic element that just makes you cringe, but Guillory is so good at covering all her bases. Even when behavior is unhealthy, her characters call it out and change. Their growth throughout the book makes the romance stronger, and their story feel more real. I love it. It feels grounded in truth and actual experiences even when the story is fantastical and whimsical like this one; for example, Guillory writes Anna with anxiety in this book. Her panic attacks sound like real panic attacks to me, a haver of panic attacks, lol. Her responses to the way people treat her in regards to her mental health also sound like real responses. I have a whole other level of appreciation for romance books where the characters have lives outside of their loves lives, and Guillory nails that time and time again. Ben and Anna both have their own set of issues that they’re working through, but it’s clear throughout that they’re stronger together, and make better decisions when they have each other to reflect with.

Even with that sticky sweet dialogue that made me smile as I cringed, I also must say that Anna and Ben’s chemistry was cute and didn’t feel forced. They have an easygoing friendship from the start, in part because of the way they both interact with other people. They’re both open and friendly, so there’s never any ice to break. They’re both very warm characters, and their dialogue was fun and humorous. I liked them both a lot (maybe not as much as Nik and Carlos, or Maddie and Theo, but quite a bit).

The more I write, the more I realize I just don’t have anything bad to say. It’s not a bad book! It’s just not my favorite. I don’t know if I love Guillory’s books as much as I used to, but after reflecting on my reading experience I still couldn’t tell you exactly why that is. Any other readers who have been around since the beginning starting to feel that way, or is it just me? Nothing wrong with tastes changing, I just couldn’t tell you exactly what it is that changed for me. I still like and recommend Guillory’s works. But I’m not knocking down the library door to read them anymore. You know?

So I feel comfortable giving While We Were Dating just 3.5 stars. Didn’t love it, definitely didn’t hate it. Would I recommend? Maybe. Depends on whether you’re a casual romance reader or if you’re like neck deep in all these new releases and new authors now like I am. I’ll let you make that call.

Happy reading friends. 🙂

I have been loving this series. I feel like it just keeps getting better and better. If you haven’t read this series yet, I highly recommend it!

This romance is great for several reasons - therapy as a part of normal life, body positivity and dealing with anxiety. I like that Guillory has made this issues part of her romance writing. The drawback about this book - I didn't love the female lead in this romance - she just kind of rubbed me the wrong way. The male lead kind of made up for it because he was just dreamy!

Jasmine Guillory never disappoints with her romances, and this one was no different. Really cute and would recommend.

Asalways, I loved this Jasmine Guillory bool. She always writes fun romances! The actress character. Anna, was my favorite!