Jasmine Guillory does it again. I loved The Proposal and The Wedding Date, and When We Were Dating brings the reader back into that same bright world. The centering of positive and successful black characters is like almost no other contemporary romance author, and she does a fantastic job capturing a very specific character voice for both Ben and Anna in this book. I loved how the book starts off, and that there's action within the first 30%. I also think that Guillory did a great job of creating realistic and complex family situations for both characters, which is awesome. Additionally, I think Guillory did an awesome job of bringing up mental health and therapy as a major topic of this book. I'd like to see WAY more talk about realistic therapy and mental health in books and this one hit that on the nose!

The sex scenes are fire, they are really well done. Plus, this has the fake dating trope, which is super fun! I really enjoyed Ben's side story with his half-sister, and while I would've liked more of the story in this book, I'm excited with the cliffhanger ending for one of Guillory's next books.

I do feel like there could be a bit more showing and less telling with characters such as Theo and Simon, especially at the beginning. I think the magic of Guillory is that when she writes, you really feel the character, and she did more of that as the book progressed.

There are many reasons I love Jasmine Guillory’s writing style, but the main reason I love her books is that she has the ability to make me 100% in on all of her couples from the get-go, and Ben & Anna were no exception. Y’all, this book was sweet, funny, and S T E A M Y!! Something I absolutely loved about While We Were Dating was the fact that Ben and Anna both went to therapy, actively used their therapists tips, and Ben talked about his feelings! It was so refreshing to see therapy represented in such a positive light. If you like glamour, a sweet love story, and open door romance, While We Were Dating is the perfect read for you! Thanks to Netgalley for proving an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

While We Were Dating is a fun ride, heartstopping moments to fake dating scenario and every cup of tea for celebrities. This story is fast-paced narrative with its interesting romance to read and talk about.

As always Jasmine Guillory writes the best people and stories. I always devour her books and this was no different. I loved these characters and watching them try to overcome their own insecurities.

Thanks to Berkley Pub for the digital arc of this title.

One sentence review: While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory is an enjoyable celebrity romance with an unusual fake dating scenario thrown in to keep things interesting.

This story centers around Anna Gardinar, an actress trying to make herself a household name as she vies for her dream role. Ben Stephens is in charge of an ad campaign that Anna is participating in. As the two meet, their chemistry is undeniable. I'm going to leave the plot there as half the fun is watching the events unfold in the story.

My thoughts:

- I thought that both Anna and Ben were inherently likable characters. They both have interesting careers that I enjoyed learning more about.
- I like the way the book addresses mental health. Both characters in the story are candid about the fact that they are in therapy and how it really has been helpful to them in dealing with their everyday lives.
- There is a fake dating scenario in the plot that was a little awkward. Basically if you are already sort of dating, is it really fake?

Overall I think this is a solid romance that I enjoyed. If you are someone who has enjoyed Guillory's previous books, I suspect you'll probably enjoy this one. If you are new to her work, while this is part of a series, I do think all of these books do well as stand alones.

Ben Stephens has spent most of his life just casually going through it.....dating, work, family....all of it. When Ben surprisingly gets to be the lead on a big time advertising pitch, he ends up charming the main actress involved, Anna Gardiner. When Anna states that she wants Ben to head up the promotions, he is more than excited for the task. As Ben and Anna spend more time working together, the sparks begin to fly. When Anna has a family emergency 7 hours away, and no flights left in the day, Ben volunteers to drive her there. Spending all that time together, Ben and Anna start to trust each other and even start telling each other their deepest secrets. All of a sudden these two finally give in to their desires.

When their short-lived real life fling turns into an opportunity to advance Anna's career, Ben jumps at the chance to spend more time with her. The problems begin when real feelings start to get involved. What sounded like the perfect ruse, ends up with people having hurt feelings. It will take a lot of confronting old hurts for these two to find their happy ending, but in the end they do.

I really enjoyed this super sexy story, While We Were Dating by Jasmine Guillory. I really enjoyed Anna. It was fun seeing a different take on a popular actress's life. I also enjoyed Ben. It was interesting seeing the connection he had with Anna. They were so different, but so similar in their lives and they just fit. Overall it was a fun story with entertaining characters that had me laughing out loud, swooning and even tearing up.

Happy Pub Day! 🧡🧡🧡🧡🧡

Ben Stevens lands an ad campaign with movie star Anna Gardiner. There is obvious chemistry between them despite their attempts of staying professional. 🍔🔥🧡

As always, I loved Jasmine Guillory's new book. Her ability to create this universe is fantastic. All the fun banter and steamy scenes, plus appearances of couples from her previous books! If you have loved her other books, you will love this one as well! ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Thank you @netgalley and @berkleyromance for an ARC in exchange for an honest review! ❤️

#whileweweredating #jasmineguillory #romance #chicklit #series #booklover #steamyromance #booksofinstagram #bookpost #romantic

Fake dating turns into real romance with a side of Hollywood glitz and glamour⁣
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This was my first Jasmine Guillory book and I loved it! I listed to the audiobook which was fantastic. Initially, I was worried that I might feel lost because I hadn’t read the previous books in the series but this worked perfectly as a standalone. I know there were some cameos by characters from other books. While I’m sure fans of the series enjoyed them, I didn’t feel like I was missing anything not knowing them. You don’t know what you don’t know, right. ⁣
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I loved the mental health aspect of the book, focusing on anxiety. It was done well with a positive stance on therapy. There was also a refreshing body positive message. Ben was an amazing leading man! He was smart, gentle and respectful. I liked his respect for Anna and the way Guillory showed a positive example of consent through him. ⁣
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If you’re looking for a satisfying romcom I definitely recommend 𝘞𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘦 𝘞𝘦 𝘞𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘋𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘯𝘨. Anna and Ben have wonderful chemistry, there is flirtatious banter and this book has some good steam for my fellow steam lovers!

Another great romance read from Jasmine Guillory! She is a go-to author for me; anything she puts out, I have to have it! I really enjoyed this, the fame element and celebrity trope was really fun. I also obviously love the diversity in the novel! Go Jasmine!

Are you a fan of stories with the ‘fake relationship’ trope? What about with a romance between two characters that have tangible, passionate chemistry together? Are you a fan of Jasmine Guillory’s The Wedding Date series? Would you love to see an expansion of this world and Guillory’s characters? If so, look no further than her latest novel, While We Were Dating.

When Ben Stephens lands the lead for a huge ad campaign at work, he feels on top of the world. Moreover, this ad will feature Anna Gardiner, a beautiful and lively movie star. When the two of them encounter each other during Ben’s pitch meeting, there is an instant attraction between them.

But Ben is content with casual relationships, his life filled with work projects and family problems. Anna wants to focus on her career and book her next movie that will put her back in the spotlight in time for awards season. When the two of them indulge in mutual flirtation, it’s meant to be harmless fun. However, when Anna experiences a family crisis and Ben is there at the right time, their friendship shifts into something more intimate.

As Anna’s chances at landing her dream film role are impacted by ‘lack of box office draw,’ both she and Ben agree to a fake relationship to build good publicity around Anna. But will Ben remain satisfied with playing the role of a dutiful boyfriend until he is no longer needed? Or, perhaps, will Anna and Ben find exactly what they need in each other?

While We Were Dating is a charming and delightful love story. While that remains the primary focus of the tale, Guillory does not shy away from addressing relevant concerns such as racism, body image issues, and mental health. The commentary is impassioned and thoughtful, and it invokes a lot of inner contemplation on these prevailing issues in modern society.

Jasmine Guillory’s characters are also wonderfully loveable. Ben is a sensitive and intelligent man, confident in his abilities and open with his affection toward his loved ones. Anna is a powerful woman who knows what she wants in life and has a fierce determination to accomplish her goals. Her inner reflection of body positivity is incredibly refreshing and beautiful.

But these characters also have flaws and experience setbacks that only drew me in to like them even more. Ben attends therapy, but struggles to confront his own inner turmoil in his life, such as his estranged half-sister and his growing love for Anna. Meanwhile, Anna, while outwardly exuding assurance and sultriness, suffers from crippling anxiety attacks. She’s even momentarily on board with using and discarding Ben for a chance at her dream job.

The chemistry between Ben and Anna was visible right from the beginning. The instant attraction between them was initially physical, for sure, but their encounters with one another during the ad campaign eventually causes them to grow closer. After that, they are blessed with having an intimate friendship-turned-relationship throughout the novel. Guillory does a wonderful job establishing Anna’s feelings of security around Ben and Ben’s desire to share his tumultuous family affairs with Anna.

Despite them initially believing that their coupling was purely for business (and pleasure), Anna and Ben have a healthy relationship. They get to know each other on a personal level very well, something that many fictional relationships lack. Both of them share their pains and help each other through crises in their family and mental health. Anna and Ben’s relationship is enviable for sure!

Jasmine Guillory’s While We Were Dating is a gorgeous story filled with sizzling chemistry, funny and relatable characters. It’s the celebrity love story that everyone will want in their life.

Ben Stephens (brother of Theo Stephens from The Wedding Party) is too busy for a serious relationship. He has his career in advertising, casual dates, and family drama to keep him plenty busy, thank you very much. Movie star Anna Gardiner is on a mission to make herself a household name and book an Oscar-contender role. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring Anna, they both can’t help but to flirt a little. But their harmless flirtation becomes serious when Ben helps Anna with a family emergency, and they open up to each other. When they have the opportunity to turn their fling into something more to help Anna’s Hollywood career, will Ben be happy playing a background role in Anna’s life and leave when he’s no longer needed?

Jasmine Guillory expands her Wedding Date series with another swoony, fabulous story. Ben and Anna had such undeniable chemistry and were such wonderful equals. Anna was sharp and ambitious, but also struggled with anxiety and the fame that came with being a movie star. Ben was emotionally intelligent, Anna’s biggest champion, and also went to therapy to work through his father’s abandonment. I thought that Jasmine did an amazing job of normalizing therapy and the importance of prioritizing your mental health. I loved rooting for these two characters, and I’m sure you will too! While you don’t need to read her previous books before reading this one, I did love meeting Ben in The Wedding Party. This is one also has cameos from Theo and Maddie from The Wedding Party and Nik and Carlos from The Proposal. It’s so fun to get glimpse into the lives of the characters that I had grown to love.

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Romance for this wonderful gifted eARC!

Such a great summer read! Ben and Anna are characters that you will root for from the beginning. They're brought together when Ben is chosen to manage an advertising campaign that features Anna as its star. Ben is such a genuinely sweet guy and Anna is very down to earth for a celebrity, but both fear commitment. What made this book stand out to me was Guillory's treatment of mental health challenges. Her characters are honest with each other about their struggles and how they use therapy to work through them. Don't get me wrong, this book has all the funny and romantic moments you'd expect from Guillory, so you get a little bit of everything. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this book.

Another score for Jasmine Guillory with While We We’re Dating. Anna is an up n coming movie star trying to find the role that will launch her into the kind of stardom and pick of roles most actresses dream of. The last year hasn’t been easy for her personally so when she meets Ben during a commercial shoot, she’s ready for some fun.

Ben is the epitome of a ladies man and so he doesn’t doubt his confidence and allure even for someone of Anna’s stature. Except he isn’t as happy go lucky as he seems.

I’m not going to lie there are parts of this book that are H.O.T. I loved both Anna and Ben but the two of them together was fire. They seemed to be the same side of the coin.

Now that I’m done with this one, I have to wait for her next magnificent book!

Let’s just say, this is one of my favorite books from this series. Party of Two will always be my number one (it features one of the restaurants I grew up going too) but While We Were Dating is a close second!

What I Loved:
🌴: workplace/celebrity romance with a little bit of forced proximity thrown in.
🌴: the classic California road trip pit stop at In-N-Out
🌴: the chemistry between Ben and Anna. The steam was just perfect.
🌴: the conversation about Anna’s anxiety but also her being a strong and independent woman.
🌴: a glimpse of some past favorite characters

Have you read this series yet? It’s such a fun one.

I usually love Guillory’s books but this one kind of fell flat for me. I loved all the characters as usual and really hope it’s Penny that gets the next book. I just wasn’t a fan of how Anna treated Ben at the end and then it was all fixed up too quickly. Still good, still recommend it, this just wasn’t my favorite.

Anna and Ben get along great and they are immediately drawn to each other. They were a fun couple and this book has some funny moments. However, I think I prefer romances where there is more of an emotional connection before the physical connection, especially when it’s a steamy read. There’s a side storyline that didn’t add a whole lot to this story but I’m guessing it’s going to show up in the next book. I really enjoyed the behind the scenes look at Anna’s life as a celebrity. Mental health is addressed very well and I appreciated how it was normalized between Anna and Ben. From the books I’ve read, Jasmine writes female characters who are successful in their careers and not willing to give that up for a man. 👍🏼 I also think it’s great to read about healthy female friendships. I think if you’ve ready any of the books in The Wedding Date series, you should check this one out.

Thank you @Berkleypub @Berkleyromance for the free digital arc. Thank you @PRHAudio for the complimentary audiobook!

While We Were Dating is a Hollywood fairytale romance with a good heart and a sense of humor to go along with the glamour. It’s easy to fall into Anna and Ben’s romance thanks to the likeable characters and Jasmine Guillory’s engaging style.

One of my favorite things about The Wedding Date series is that it always features characters who are committed to their careers and a heroine and hero who support and respect their partner’s work. Anna is an Oscar-nominated actress who is focused on getting a role she loves and knows will take her career to the next level. While she courts the director and tries to sway the studio’s opinion, she’s in an ad campaign that Ben is leading up. Ben is smart, funny, and the two of them click right away. Light flirtation becomes something more real when Anna has a family emergency and Ben is there for her. Ben may have easy charm and not want to commit but he’s a person you’re grateful to have in your corner in a crisis. He doesn’t think twice about going out of his way to help Anna even when they barely know each other. He’s kind, which sounds like a bland word but really isn’t; in fact, it’s what grabbed me the most about Ben.

Anna is talented, funny, and though she’s a successful actress she’s totally relatable. She also has anxiety and after going through a year where she felt isolated and panicked before getting help, she’s managing better. I loved that Guillory focused on destigmatizing talking about mental health in While We Were Dating. Anna and Ben talk about mental health in an honest way. Ben is open about being in therapy and though Anna is more guarded (how could she not be as a famous actress?) when it’s just the two of them she’s also refreshingly vulnerable. This gave an emotional depth to what would otherwise be a fairly breezy fantasy of a love story. All in all, I thoroughly enjoyed While We Were Dating. It’s flirty, sensual, and fast-paced with strong beats of emotional honesty.

I have read all 6 books on The Wedding Date series and have loved all of them. While We Were Dating is such a fun romance with some fake dating, fun banter, real world mental health issues and tons of steam! 🔥
I also enjoyed the Hollywood aspects of this story! Jasmine Guillory’s writing makes you turn the pages quickly. I’m not sure if she will have more books in this series but I would automatically read any of her books.

Another of my MOST anticipated books of 2021 that DID NOT DISAPPOINT!!

If you love Jasmine Guillory’s Wedding Date series this is another great addition. Theo’s brother Ben gets his own story this time about his adventures “fake dating” plus-sized actress Anna who is trying to make a name for herself. When the two hit it off during an ad campaign project Anna proposes Ben help her boost her image.

I REALLY enjoyed this dual perspective romance with diverse characters, ultra STEAMY chemistry and a super strong mental health rep (Anna suffers from depression and anxiety and Ben regularly sees a therapist to help work through his issues).

If you love a great open door romance with depth look no further. The author does a great job helping de-stigmatize mental health, especially among the Black community.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC but I mainly read this one in audio with the estimable voice talents of Janina Edwards as returning narrator. Highly recommend this one for your summer reading pleasure!

The Wedding Date series is one that pulled me into my love of romance books. I always have so much fun reading these and I’m happy to say that this one does not disappoint. It was fun, flirty and HOT (possibly more so than her previous books, I’m not complaining but it’s probably good for some of you to know this).

As always I absolutely fell in love with the characters and their story. I felt like Ben and Anna were both so sweet and perfect for each other. The way their relationship plays out, and the way they grow individually just felt so organic.

I think this is my favorite in the series, I loved the romance, the characters and I also loved the little shout outs to all the body positivity and mental health awareness.