Football and fake dating - two of my favorite things come together in this romance between Taylor, a woman struggling to get her fitness business of the ground and drowning in debt and Jamar, a former football player willing to do whatever it takes to get back in the game. The relationship between Taylor and Jamar was full of chemistry, vulnerability and understanding. I felt like they truly saw each other and were able to push one another to get out of their own heads, push through their mental roadblocks and seek out their best future. I appreciated that the characters were going through challenges that were so true to real life, it did not feel like a fairy tale, it was very relatable. I also love reading books set in Austin so that was an extra treat.

Recommend this book for fans of Friday Night Lights, Catching Jordan and sports romances.

Ah this book was so fun! I loved the male lead and he made it for me! This was a perfect follow up to the first one and it makes me love her more! The characters were well developed and he romance was sweet as pie!

The follow-up to Rochon's widely acclaimed The Boyfriend Project, The Dating Playbook centers the story of Taylor, a struggling personal trainer/nutrition expert, and Jamar, an injured NFL player who needs to get back in shape. To cover for the fact that they're training together, they begin a long fake romance cover, which I was all set to love, except I found the language and framing around working out, pushing one's body, and negative value assigned to "bad" foods like baked goods distracting from the story at heart. While I love the emphasis on female friendships as a tool for accountability and camaraderie in adult women's lives, this one ultimately fell flat. Still looking forward to the third in this friend trio's story, though!

3.75 stars

After reading The Boyfriend Project last year, I was curious about Taylor and was pleased when I found out her book would be next.

Taylor is driven and tenacious. She’s determined to succeed in her personal training business, and she’s been doing the best she can, but she’s deeply in debt and she keeps getting turned down for amazing job opportunities because she doesn’t have a degree in fitness and nutrition. That doesn’t stop her, though, and when she gets the opportunity to work with former football star Jamar, she knows it’ll not only help her dig her way out of debt but also get her name out there in a much-needed way.

This book was a lot of fun. I liked Taylor and related to her financial struggles and her desire to succeed no matter what. Fake dating is one of my favourite tropes, and I enjoyed how it played out for Taylor and Jamar. Their interactions were fun and their banter was great, although there were times when I thought their chemistry was lacking a bit. As with The Boyfriend Project, I enjoyed the friendship between Taylor, Samiah, and London. I felt for Taylor because while Samiah and London were super supportive and had her back no matter what, it’s difficult to have friends who are basically geniuses with thriving careers while you’re puttering along and nothing seems to be working. I also appreciated how this book openly talked about learning disorders and grief.

With The Boyfriend Project, I felt there was too much detailed tech stuff that was way over my head. With The Dating Playbook, it felt like too much health/fitness/nutrition stuff. I love books that deal with food, but not necessarily in this way; there were times when it stressed me out because I got stuck on all the things I’m ‘doing wrong’ with my own nutrition. I read to escape, not to feel bad about something that stresses me out enough as it is in real life!

Overall, I enjoyed The Dating Playbook, and it's my favourite of the two books so far. I’ll look forward to seeing these characters again in London’s book.

I love the fake dating trope. It's fun to see how the hero and heroine fall so unwittingly in love as they try so hard to pretend they are already smitten.

Can I just say Taylor and Jamar are #couplegoals ? They are adorable from the word go! Even as they are pretending to date they are so cute together with flirty fun banter. They don't realize it but they are becoming more friends to lovers. Jamar is so supportive of Taylor encouraging her in her dreams. He's so respectful and such a gentleman, you can't help but have heart eyes for him. 😍
Taylor is such a "cool chick" the kind you wish you were friends with but Jamar is wishing for so much more...Their chemistry is palpable.

I loved the return of the friends from The first book in the series, The Boyfriend Project: London and Samiah. These ladies are such wonderful friends and continue to support and encourage each other in the book.

I also loved that this book deals with some real world issue like financial troubles and learning disorders. It added even more depth and realism to this story.

Overall this was such a sweet and fun read with two people that you really liked, rooted for and enjoyed watching them fall in love. A truly delightful read and example of Black love that we need to see so much more of in romance.

Thank you to Forever Publishing @readforeverpub for gifting me this advanced reader copy.

Taylor Powell is a personal trainer who is deeply in debt and working her butt off to find a way out. Jamar Dixon is the handsome ex-NFL player who wants to secretly hire Taylor to get him back to NFL shape.

This is delightful. I really enjoyed both Taylor and Jamar, and their chemistry was excellent. Like, oof. Spicy. Both characters are driven by a need to prove themselves, though for different reasons. Highly recommended.

Although you don't need to read The Boyfriend Project to enjoy this book, it lays important groundwork for the female friendship in the book which is central.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I was so glad to be back with my friends from The Boyfriend Project, and Taylor’s story was such a treat. I loved that they had instant, palpable chemistry, and I laughed because they really thought they were gonna be able to keep their hands off of each other. I didn’t like it quite as much as the first book, but it was super enjoyable, and the relationship between Taylor and her friends was absolutely stellar. And now we just have to wait for London’s story!

I enjoyed reading The Boyfriend Project last year following Samiah so I was beyond excited to see The Dating Playbook reveal! Taylor is the youngest of the girl gang and has so much passion for personal training. After a set back from losing a job because she didn’t have a degree, Taylor is struggling to maintain a steady income from her Taylor’d Conditioning business. Luckily she manages a deal with Jamar Dixon that she can’t say no to. The trio (Taylor, London, and Samiah) are such girl bosses and friend goals! I love how supportive they are to each other no matter their lifestyle differences. Taylor was such a strong character and I loved her positivity no matter what obstacles she faced. She really grew throughout the book as she faced some humbling moments as well as some huge revelations and wins for her future success. The way Jamar was such a gentleman and so considerate of Taylor’s dreams and wishes *insert heart eyes! It was such a cute fake dating romance but there was so much more to it. Going back to school, learning disorders, and struggles of a steady income were explored throughout the book. I highly recommend especially if you have a love for sports romance!

A HUGE THANK YOU TO NET-GALLEY, FARRAH ROCHON, AND FOREVER PUBLISHER FOR ALLOWING ME TO READ AND REVIEW AN ARC OF THE DATING PLAYBOOK!

4.5 stars rounded up!

I loved this book! This was the first book of Farrah Rochon’s that I’ve read and I really enjoyed it. It’s second in a series and as long as you don’t mind some spoilers from the first book then you can definitely read this one without having read the first. I loved Taylor and Jamar’s characters. I can be hit or miss with fake dating tropes but this one was really enjoyable for me. If was fun reading about the interactions between a fitness trainer and a football star. This book talked quite a bit about learning disabilities and I thought that was nice to see being discussed in a book. I think a lot of people will be able to relate. This book definitely made me chuckle and even tear up a few times. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a fun, romantic read!

The Dating Playbook is a great fake dating romance between a personal trainer and her client, a former NFL player that wants to get back in the NFL. In order to keep Jamar's training a secret Taylor accidentally says they are dating. When both wish their romance was real, they have to decide what is more important their professional or personal relationship and how to navigate both. I loved Taylor and Jamar and their stories were interesting. Taylor feels like her family doesn't accept her, and Jamar worries about what everyone thinks of him after his injury. There are interesting parts about the life of a personal trainer.

The Dating Playbook is the second book in The Boyfriend Project series. It can be read as a standalone but I think The Boyfriend Project is important to understand the relationship between Taylor, Samiah and London. Their friendship is an important part of the book. The Dating Playbook is a must read for fans of The Boyfriend Project. I can't wait to read London's story.

Thank you Forever and NetGalley for The Dating Playbook.

After reading The boyfriend project, I was looking forward to reading more of other girlfriends' and their stories, so I definitely had very high expectations. This was about a fitness expert Taylor who is hired by Jamar, an ex -NFL player and how they end up in a fake dating scenario. This fake relationship in front of media also ends up in forced proximity trope which fuels the angst between them. I enjoyed their fun banter and sizzling chemistry. It is definitely steamy !!!

Also the author manages to bring in more awareness about learning disability which is really appreciated. I could so relate to all the meal prep and healthy recipes talk right now. But I am absolutely biased towards the main character in the previous book due to my personal affinity to women in STEM and it was annoying to see Taylor ending up in such dire situation when she clearly was so talented. This clearly stresses the importance of formal education/degree which I definitely agree upon. Overall, a quick, fun and steamy read!

I can't wait to read London's story right away!!

I really enjoyed The Boyfriend Project last year, so was excited about this one. I don't think it quite measured up to The Boyfriend Project, but it was a solid. I love a fake dating troupe and a strong girl squad- both of which were delivered in this book. A very solid second book in the series, which is often not true!

I did not like this book. I could not get inside the heroine's head at all and just when I thought I understood the hero he took some wild stances on things that threw me. For a series framed around a female friendship... the women and their relationship is woefully undercooked, as well. Also, I consume way too much media about diet/wellness culture and fatphobia to not cringe at the need for a trigger warning re: disordered eating because of the way she talks to her fitness clients.

It was a cute story. Seemed like the story missed some aspect of the couples development such as those little moments or details that make the characters come off the page

This was a fun romance with strong main characters. Taylor and Jamar were relatable and I loved the fake relationship aspect. Their strong personalities carried this story. I also enjoyed how Taylor and her friends support each other and push each other to be better. This is my first Farrah Rochon story, but definitely not my last.

This was a fun, steamy, open door romance between a physical trainer and a football player trying to get back in the NFL. I enjoyed how well the author blended the light with the more serious. Jamar helps Taylor with her anxiety and learning disability in order for her to apply for school. The two start off with a professional relationship that turns into a fake dating turned real relationship situation. Fans of the Boyfriend Project will enjoy the cameos with Samiah and London. Definitely a must-read for anyone who loves sports romances with strong female characters. Much thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for my ALC of this heartfelt #ownvoices romance.

After The Boyfriend Project, I knew I needed to continue with reading Taylor's story. Taylor is trying to build her company, but she's broke and it's not exactly easy to become an Instagram gymfluencer. After some questionable business decisions, Taylor is even more desperate than ever. In comes Jamar, a retired football player who was knocked out of the game his rookie year with an injury. He will do anything to get back on the field, and thinks Taylor is the coach to train him back to peak shape.

I related to Taylor so much, and Jamar's story was so incredibly sad and touching. The main trope in this romance is fake dating, in order to hide the fact that Taylor is training Jamar - they pretend to date so the time they spend together isn't unusual. I loved still getting to see Samiah and London, and this book seems to pick up pretty immediately after The Boyfriend Project ended.

I highly recommend for all romance lovers out there. I also cannot wait for London's story, which I'm feeling pretty confident will come next!

**Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for an early copy in exchange for an honest review**

A heartwarming, fun romantic comedy. The chemistry and banter is spot on with enough heat and tension in this fake dating, sports romance that it is hard to put down. A great read with relatable characters.

Ahh this series is so much fun. I enjoy the female friendship, the relationships, and the diverse career paths and growth of the characters. This book made me smile a lot and also made me want to seek out healthier food and fitness ;) ;)

Some of the obstacles that Taylor overcame throughout the book really spoke to me and I really enjoyed the support she received from her friends and Jamar as well. These modern books in this (presumed!) trilogy are a great addition to the contemporary romance genre in the #ownvoices vein.

Fans of The Boyfriend Project will be happy to be reunited with those characters in this book and I can guarantee the chemistry between Dixon and Taylor is well worth the read.

Thank you to Forever for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Netgalley for the ARC of The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon in exchange for an honest review.

Publishing Date: August 17th, 2021.

The Dating Playbook is just adding to my addiction to sports romances lately. Jamar is an ex-NFL player looking for a new personal trainer who somehow comes across Taylor Powell. This “forbidden romance” is flirty and fun fake dating romance that has a few bumps in the road.

I felt like the beginning and end were really good but the middle was a little slow for me and it took me some time to get into this book. The chemistry and banter kept me going throughout the book but I needed a little bit more action.

I loved the continuation of the girl gang from the first book The Boyfriend Project, where they became friends when they all found out they were dating the same man. They are great friends and had some amazing supportive vibes.

If you like a slow-burn sports romance you will enjoy this book, but I think there are some better more faster-paced books out there with similar tropes.