Another brilliant installation in Jasmine's Wedding date series, I absoluley loved both main characters and the splash of hollywood was marvelious!!!

Jasmine Guillory continues to provide fun reads, featuring two likeable main characters. I love that the characters in The Wedding Date series are interconnected in some way, but the novels also work as standalones for those that haven't read the ones before. Definitely a charming story!

I hope Jasmine Guillory writes a million books in this series. While We Were Dating is her 6th book in the series and it features Ben Stephens and Anna Gardiner. Ben works for an ad agency and is going to be working on a new commercial starring Anna Gardiner. Anna is a talented actress with a big heart. When a casual fling possibly turns more serious, can the two make it work?
I love that these books allow past main characters of the series to come back and be present for the story. This is another fantastic addition to the series.

Since the first book in this series all the rest have been a hit or miss for me. And this one was a bit of a miss. I wanted so much more from this book. I thought since it had a celebrity, I was going to get a glitzy, whirlwind romance, but what I got instead was a road trip.

Ben works in advertising and this project he’s been working on is the biggest account he’s ever landed. The person they have for the ad is none other than the stunning actress, Anna Gardiner. As they work together to make the ad come alive, they get closer and closer. Until suddenly they’ve shared more than they thought with each other. But once they’re caught together, they make the decision to fake date to help boost Anna’s image. But what does Ben get out of that? And will that be ok with the two of them once it’s all said and done?

Ok, so lets get to what I didn’t like. THE ROMANCE. It was so boring. I wanted it to be so much of a whirlwind that I was jealous because I’d never know what it was like to be with a celebrity. But it was nothing like that. And when it finally was, it wasn’t real! And let’s be honesty, the hottest part of this romance was the car ride to the hotel room. I wanted more of The Wedding Party glitz and glam. I understand that their personalities are just different, but this could have used more pizazz. And the overall spice was a 2 like classic Guillory with a little more than fade to black.

The reason I gave it 3 stars still was the story telling and the representation that was shown. As a Black woman with anxiety, I understood SO MUCH of this side of Anna. And then when she mentioned that her parents always said “all she needed was prayer” or something like that, I felt for her. Black families are so quick to pass off mental health struggles as something that can be pushed away or dealt with by prayer and I felt so bad for her. I have been there and it is not fun. Unfortunately the family diversity with Ben fell SO. SHORT. Absolutely nothing happened plot wise with her and I felt like it was just something for him to “do” while he was with Anna. It turns out it was another way to introduce a new character. Who knows if there will be a book with this new person now. We shall see.

This wasn’t what I wanted this book to be lol It sounds so weird when I say it like that because I didn’t write it, but Idk how else to say it. This book needed some more glitter and personality. I was hoping for a huge celebrity when we got like B list instead. Hopefully things will be back to “normal” in the next book! (Is there one? Please say yes. I don’t want to leave off on this one!)

The lives of Hollywood's rich and famous usually don't entertain me, but Anna and Ben are adorable. This wasn't my favorite in the series, but I'll keep reading.

This was such a fun and escapist read—par for the course with this author. They're great for days when I want to spend my whole afternoon in the book knowing it will have a satisfying romance.

I’ve loved Jasmine Guillory’s books, but this one didn’t really do it for me. I am not sure why since the emotional growth and destigmatization of mental health (anxiety in particular) is spot on for my reading preferences. Maybe I just wasn’t in the right time for reading this.

This is the sixth book in The Wedding Date series, and honestly, I’ve enjoyed them all so much. You can always count on Guillory to give you a sexy, feel-good story where you’ll completely fall in love with the characters.

Ben Stephens works for an advertising agency and he ends up being the lead on a big campaign staring Anna Gardiner, a gorgeous movie star.

Anna is trying to reboot her career and get some good press, which is why she agreed to the ad campaign. What she didn’t expect was to meet a tall drink of water that would see through the fame and really understand her as a person.

Anna’s PR manager cooks up a scheme to get her more press, which involves a fake relationship with Ben. He’s happy to go along with it…until things start to get real.

I absolutely love a fake dating trope and these two characters were just so loveable. Sure, they had baggage and anxieties to overcome, but ultimately they supported each other and brought out the best qualities in the other. They were an absolute delight to read about.

I'm so sad that this is the conclusion to Jasmine's romance series she started years ago with The Wedding Date! I've loved getting to know all the characters in this universe. That being said -- While We Were Dating was not my favorite of this series, that one will be held by Party of Two! Anna and Ben were a cute couple but it felt a little bit forced... which may have been the reason why it took me several tries to get into this story compared to all of her other ones that I tend to devour. I loved the inclusion of mental health and the impacts of being a high profiled actress. I can't wait to see what Jasmine decides to write next!

3.5 - 4 stars.

This book was a lot of fun! Lighthearted, sometimes hilarious, and full of so much heart. It's exactly what I look for in a rom com, and it's lovely to know that Jasmine Guillory has not lost her touch - every single book of hers I've read has been delightful. I wished this one had just a bit more about Anna's life and stardom. I feel like we got a bit of a taste, but not really, and it would have been interesting to dive more into it. I also wish we'd seen more from Ben - outside of his relationship with Anna. I feel like he was a very compelling character, and while we do see him in therapy, it would have been great to see more of his interactions with other people, outside of his relationship with Anna.

Overall, I had so much fun reading this book! :) I have some guesses as to who the next book MIGHT be about, and I can't wait!

If you’ve read a book by Guillory, you know she doesn’t skimp on the steamy scenes🔥⁣
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The one started out strong for me. It had a unique plot//Ben meets Anna when he’s the head for an advertising shoot with Anna being the actress, butttt it didn’t really hit the mark for me that much⁣
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As the book progressed Anna got more annoying to me, I said what I said😂 and the side plot with Ben and his sister felt extremely irrelevant ⁣
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Overall, I enjoyed the first half much more than the second and of course will continue to read books by her!

As a fan of Jasmine Guillory, I started this book expecting a fun and flirty read. I didn’t anticipate getting so much more substance from each of our main characters. Not to mention a realistic peak behind the curtain of the celebrity life style. I think most of us have had a fleeting fantasy of dating our celebrity crush. In While We Were Dating, an average man named Ben unexpectedly finds himself living out this dream.

A former backup dancer meets an Oscar-nominated actress.
Ben Stephens is working at an ad agency in San Francisco when he meets Anna Gardiner, a well-known Hollywood actress. They’re beginning is fun and light hearted. No heated pick-up lines. Just two mutually attracted people that genuinely like each other. The lusty journey between these two takes-off after only a few chapters.

I appreciated that Guillory wrote Ben as a compassionate and patient man capable of guiding friends and family through a crisis. Like most humans, he’s great it at for others but not himself. In this area, Anna gets to eventually step to the plate for him when he finally admits his vulnerabilities.


A woman on a mission… and it’s NOT to find a man.
Lets all give a round of applause to a woman driven to fulfill her own success! Anna Gardiner overcomes a personal mental health crisis, and executes a plan to land a big movie role. Her end game is an Oscar win. Sure, finding Ben on the way was extraordinary, but it wasn’t where she peaked. After a rough year personally, nothing would stop her from succeeding in her professional life.

I related Anna’s year-long struggle with her mental health to the long pandemic year we endured globally. I wonder if Jasmine Guillory was weaving in some of her own experience during the pandemic “lock-down” at home into Anna’s life. Anna chose to stay away from the public for a year. When she meets Ben, she’s just starting to regain a public life again. It’s unusual and scary for her. Isn’t that how we’ve all felt in the last few months?

While We Were Dating was the perfect book for readers like me, that enjoy a fun story with a splash of spicy romance. Honestly, their connection to each other felt real and made me giggle while curling my toes. Anna and Ben learn so much about keeping their own self a priority while also lifting up the other. That’s what lovers do, and I hope it makes readers pause to think about what a healthy relationship looks like.

Ben Stephens is a perpetual flirt who has never cared for serious relationships – he’s too busy with dating app hook ups, a busy job to prove himself at, and a fair amount of family baggage he’d rather not think about.

Anna Gardiner is an actress who’s determined to launch herself and her career into the stratosphere. After a rather rocky year on the personal front, she’s all business and working her butt off trying to get back into the fold; and get back on the horse in the men dept with a bit o harmless flirting…

When Anna stars in a ad campaign that Ben is leading, both of their no-funny-business-at-work policies are put to the test: both seem to have met their match when it comes to flirting ability, level of physical attractiveness and general fun but also very caring person vibes. From day one on set Ben and Anna’s story is less of a will-they-won’t-they than a will-they-actually-make-it?

While We Were Dating was an enjoyable read. Both main characters where fun to get to know, and neither really had any of those uncomfortable characteristics or fatal flaws that you just KNOW are going to dictate the story. All the action and challenges seem to flow quite naturally in this book, which I liked.

The only drawback with this one is that it didn’t stick with me, and ended up taking me 6 weeks to finish. Maybe this is a function of me being wayyyy to busy over the past few months, or maybe it’s just not meant to be that kind of book.

To me this is a perfect book to keep on the nightstand for when you need a bit of wind-down reading before bed, or a few good chapters in the bath (or if you’re like me and tend find yourself in an “eyes are bigger than your stomach” situation work wise and sometimes only get literally 10 minutes to sit down all day and need some quiet time to get your head on straight…) because I could read a few chapters, put it down, then come back a few weeks later and jump right back in. Does it sit there begging you to finish it? No. But is it one that you definitely WANT to finish when you’ve got the time? 100%.

While We Were Dating is book 6 in the Wedding Date “grouping” of books; although you don’t need to read the other to enjoy this one, if you have read them you’ll enjoy the characters from the other books popping by in this one for a quick check in!

Loved this! During pandemic I rediscovered the magic that is contemporary romance. The author responsible was Jasmine Guillory and I am forever grateful. The Wedding Date changed me and soon thereafter I devoured every single follow-up.

I literally waited and counted down the days to While We Were Dating and it’s safe to say it was worth the wait.

Charming with depth wish a dash of steam. I highly recommend this!

This book was a big bowl of comforting catnip for me. Anna and Ben are just too cute together! I love reading about actors navigating celebrity for their jobs, and Ben is our proxy as he helps Anna dodge paparazzi, while being dazzled by glimpses behind the scenes. He is such a sweet gooey cinnamon roll, and I loved that he uses his ethical slut skills to help meet Anna’s needs, in and out of the bedroom. Anna initially tries to avoid the messiness of acting on her attraction, but her kryptonite is Ben’s ability to listen to her and respect her boundaries. Nothing is sexier to Anna than a man who will give her space upon request, and then kiss her senseless when she asks for it.

Fake relationships are also one of my favorite tropes, so I was thrilled when Anna decided the best way to turbocharge her career was for her and flirtatious Ben to play pretend for the cameras. And bantering on road trips is one of my favorites too. When they end up on an epic California drive early on…which includes only one bed, I was a goner, and so was Anna.

Oh, and the mental health rep was a delight. I adored that Anna is supremely competent in her work, while also struggling with anxiety. At the beginning of the book, she’s getting her groove back after a difficult year, and boy, did I empathize!

Overall, I loved this low-conflict celebrity romance with all the fun of dating in the public eye, and little of the stress. The book never lets the tension build too intensely before letting Anna and Ben talk to each other and work out any misunderstandings. Their support of one another made me grin and sigh with happiness and I think readers who enjoy watching characters succeed in the face of marginalization would enjoy this as well.

Another great romance from Jasmine Guillory! I love how she goes super in-depth into the characters' professions and their individual interests outside the romance. Her books are the easiest page-turners in the romance community -- so fun yet insightful!

Jasmine Guillory is quickly becoming one of my favorites and automatic download kind of authors! Her books are interesting, entertaining and engaging. I loved the storyline here as we have an adorable couple who not only find love but humor along the way. This is not to be missed!

I love this series, but this one didn’t hook me as quickly as the rest of the series. I’m not sure if it was me (admittedly, I’ve been in a reading slump) or if I didn’t connect to the character of Anna because she was a Hollywood actress. As relatable as Guillory attempted to make her by having her have anxiety issues, she still fell flat for me. The matchmaking while at first was cute, wound up being cliched with the fake relationship. Overall I enjoyed it, but not as much as the others in the series.

Ben Stephens is a hard worker for his advertising agency. But he's typically looked over for bigger pitches. When an unfortunate accident has his boss sidelined, Ben ends up pitching the product solo. One person he did not expect at the presentation - Hollywood star Anna Gardiner. Anna will be the star heading the product and she immediately connects with Ben and wants only him on the project.

When Ben and Anna end up spending a lot of time together shooting footage for the campaign, their easy friendship slowly morphs into something more. Ben and Anna end up confiding in each other, sharing their deepest secrets and spending a lot of time together. Soon their relationship takes on another role. Ben and Anna end up fake dating to garner publicity for Anna. There's a movie she is really interested in and maybe this will finally get Hollywood to notice her so she can be cast in the starting role. But is the relationship between Ben and Anna just for show? Can they handle a Hollywood relationship together?

So many parts of While We Were Dating had me laughing out loud. I loved the sweet and tentative start to Ben and Anna's relationship. They were genuinely so sweet and cute together. The references to Northern California often had me laughing out loud (I'm a native Northern Californian). The relationship that Anna has with her father really hit home for me. I'm so close with my dad and I loved the way Anna's relationship with her dad was portrayed.

Although I loved the banter and the easy way Anna and Ben's relationship started, I'm not quite sure they were suited for one another. I understand that Anna is a Hollywood star and her livelihood is dependent on which role she gets, but she was so hot and cold with Ben. She was attentive and then ignored him. They were fake dating, but also together? It was all a bit confusing and not very convincing.

The mental health representation is While We Were Dating was so well done. I liked that both Ben and Anna were open and honest about their mental health. Anna with her anxiety and Ben with issues of abandonment. I truly am so happy to see so many more romances talk about mental health openly.

While the relationship between Ben and Anna may not have been my favorite, I still enjoyed this sweet romance!

Jasmine Guillory writes fun and flirty love stories that have a great balance of tough topics being tackled. I easily got caught up into every single novel in this series and recommend it for romance lovers!

This book, which surrounded Ben and Anna's love story swept me up into the world of movies and glam. It was so much fun! I also really enjoy fake dating tropes...of course we know they are going to fall in love with each other while pretending, but it's still fun to watch take place.

I loved that Anna talked about her mental health struggles and authors are writing about this more often lately. It's a topic that many people around the world face daily, and to have characters that they can relate to is so very helpful.

Thank you so much to @berkleypub and @netgalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.