5 ⭐️
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Thank you so much to NetGalley for the e-ARC of this book! I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
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This book was such a genuine surprise! As someone who was lukewarm on the first book in this series and isn't a sports or fitness person, I wasn't expecting to connect to this book, but Taylor and Jamar's romance definitely sucked me in. (I'm such a sucker for a fake dating trope!)

The Dating Playbook is the second story in The Boyfriend Project series. (Important to note, in the first book Samiah, Taylor, and London are three-timed by their mutual scheming boyfriend, Craig, and they all go viral in a YouTube video when they confront the cheater together.) This book picks up after Samiah's love story and focuses on Taylor, a personal trainer/fitness instructor/food prep wizard who is struggling to keep her small business afloat, dig herself out of debt, and get the kind of success she wants without having a college degree. She meets Jamar, a former NFL player who had to leave the game because of a shattered knee he sustained during a game. He wants to get back in shape to play again and wants Taylor to be his personal trainer due to her no-nonsense approach. After a rocky start, the two decide that working together may be the best thing that could happen to both of them.

I was really surprised how connected I felt to these two characters. The first book was a 3 for me, so I didn't go into this one with high expectations, but I was so charmed by their relationship. The fake dating trope, the just-one-bed trope...I'm such a sucker for all of it. I don't want to give too much away, but the way they clicked and cared for each other was just such a delight to get lost in. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and was so glad to have a chance to read it early.

I can't wait to read London's story next year!

I will be the first to say that while I love romantic comedies, I'm very hyper-critical of each one I read. The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon is one of the good ones. I rarely laugh out loud at jokes in books because they're usually corny or awkward, but I found myself laughing out loud SIX TIMES. I had to keep track in my phone because I was so surprised!

The Dating Playbook follows the budding relationship between Taylor Powell, a fitness coach and general jack-of-all-trades when it comes to health and wellness, and her new client, ex-NFL player Jamar Dixon. Together they navigate the rollercoaster that is the media, the growing tension between them, and personal heartbreak.

Although packaged as a classic romcom, Rochon is exceptionally talented at weaving in serious emotions like grief and anxiety to create the perfect balance of light and heavy. The range this story holds keeps it from being just another formulaic romcom, instead favoring themes of healing, both physically and mentally.

One thing I did think could be stronger was the developing relationship between Taylor and Jamar. It seemed a bit fast-paced and I would've loved a slower burn and more resistance, but I understand the constraints of the timeline.

All in all, I really enjoyed this book and I'm excited to read London's story next year!

4.5/5, rounded up

Talk about books that have you HOOKED! I literally could not put The Dating Playbook down once I got into it. Fake dating and forced proximity have to be two of my favorite troupe and so this was a delight to read!

Farrah Rochon has done a fantastic job of drawing you into the story and making it feel like your own. From the character's backstories to the individual characters arcs for Taylor and Jamar to the flirting and teasing, everything was spectacular. I cannot recommend this book enough.

The Dating Playbook is just the cute Adult Romance you need to get you out of a slump.

I didn't realise that this was book 2 in a series so I will definitely be visiting the bookstore to grab a copy of Samiah's story.

This was such a delightful read! I loved Taylor and Jamar's story - they both have interesting backstories and I really enjoyed reading both and learning more about them. I enjoyed the realness of the book - there's one part where they come across a dilemma and in true form, there's no magic answer - the issues and themes in this book just made it seem a lot more real and I thoroughly enjoyed it. I liked how Farrah wrote about Taylor's struggle with money, and her learning disabilities - and how she wrote about Jamar's guilt and how it shaped his life. I loved seeing Samiah and Daniel happy and I cannot wait for London's book next year - even though it was Taylor/Jamar's story, it was great seeing how the girls were doing. This book was exceptionally written and I think everyone should read it!!!

Great character & plot development ♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️
Realistic take on a traditional trope. I saw myself in the main character for a plethora of reasons!

I read this book before I read the book “The Boyfriend Project” and that is perfectly fine because enough background context is offered throughout the story.

I loved how Rochon gave us layers with the characters. Chapters weren’t too long. Maybe delve a bit deeper into Jamar’s psyche.


Thank you #Netgalley and the Publisher’s for this ARC. This was the best read of Summer 2021🔥🔥🔥

This one falls solidly at 3.5 stars for me.

As someone who LOVES football and fitness I thought this book would be a touchdown for me (ha see what I did there) but was left feeling meh. I think the fact that I am such a fan of the two careers of our main characters prevented me from fully buying in. Personally, I didn't think either career was explained in a way, or in enough detail that was completely authentic and believable.

Jamar and Taylor are both likable enough as protagonists and I appreciated the back-story of both and how they helped each other work through their own struggles. I liked that Taylor began to go through the process of being diagnosed with a learning disability as an adult, and we can see how these things can be overlooked in children, I'm genuinely curious as to what learning disability she has but loved the promotion of testing accommodations so she can be successful at school.

What I will say about the book is that the pace was excellent. I never felt any aspect of the book dragged on too long. The quickness could potentially allow a reader to finish it in one day and wonder where the time went. Considering the plot was over the course of a few months, I thought it was well spaced out and progressed appropriately.

Farrah Rochon continues to write steamy, tender, fresh, fun and relevant romances! I love her authentic, diverse and vulnerable characters, the sassy banter and the vivid description of Austin, TX. Her swoonworthy steam is like no other! Couldn’t get enough of this book!

This book was really cute! I finished it in less than a day. For fans of The Boyfriend Project, you will love Taylor's story, though this can be a standalone book. The love interest is swoon worthy and I loved how their relationship progressed. I did think it was slow or drawn out at some points, but overall a very enjoyable book.

I think I loved this book even more than the first one and that was saying something! The Dating Playbook is a fantastic romance filled with heart, love, swoon, and heat!

Team TayJam! The second in the Boyfriend Project series scores a touchdown! The chemistry from Taylor and Jamar was great from the start! I was able to relate to both characters and the struggles they went through in the book. This was a relatable and great romance! I recommend this for fans of Jasmine Guillory, Christina Lauren and Talia Hibbert.

You guys!!! I freaking loved The Dating Playbook even more than I liked The Boyfriend Project which is where we first meet Taylor, Samiah, and London after that crazy viral video!!

Taylor and Jamar are soooo cute! I liked them immediately, their banter, the give and take, the funny come backs, the sexual tension, they just seemed to click and have amazing chemistry.

Taylor is kind of down on her luck right now because she's pretty broke and having a hard time trying to make ends meet, trying to grow her personal training business "Taylor'd Conditioning" has been harder than she thought and hasn't really taken off like she wanted it to.

Due to an injury everyone has written Jamar off, he's already getting advice that he should go into coaching but Jamar wants to get back into the NFL and show everyone that he can be the player he has always been but even better! Due to all the speculation he wants to hire an outside trainer that no one knows about so that he can train in secret and he wants Taylor.

I would categorize this as fake dating, close proximity, football romance and a splash of slow burn! As always I am living for the friendship between these amazing women, every time they have scenes together I am in awe, I just love it! I can't wait for the next installment of this interconnected series!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Taylor has always thought of herself as the black sheep of her family. Her fitness company is struggling due to poor business decisions. Her dream job has been snatched away from her and three months earlier she was in a viral video where she found out she was one of several women dating the same man. Jamar, an injured professional football player, shows up at one of her pop-ups to check out Taylor’s classes after seeing her viral video and some of her classes on the internet. He hires her on the spot to be his private trainer to help him get back in the shape to return to the NFL. After an innocent slip of the tongue to a reporter, Taylor and Jamar come up with the idea to create a fake dating relationship to keep everyone from knowing Jamar is training for the NFL, hence the Dating Playbook.

Farrah Rochon has written other books about football players and romance. This reminds me of that series. Even though this was a fun read, this book didn’t have the usual umph as her other books. I would have liked to see more of Samiah and London and maybe touch more on Jamar’s short NFL career. But I did appreciate that she touched on grief and learning disabilities, especially in women. I can’t wait for the next installment.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance ebook!

Admittedly, I'm a sucker for a good romance novel. But I also own that I don't understand football OR do much in the way of physical fitness. So it was anybody's guess if I'd like a romance novel about a personal trainer and an NFL player fake dating each other to save face for her business and his career.

Except that I also LOVE fake dating, in almost every form, and this was no exception. It wasn't super heavy on the sports/fitness jargon, so I didn't have any trouble following what was going on. There's lots of fantastic flirty banter and enough individual development that both Taylor and Jamar feel like well-rounded, dynamic characters. The depth and personality they take on shows how two people can build each other stronger, work as a team to be the best versions of themselves. Even when that means delivering a little tough love or helping someone grieve the future that changed without him.

I'm definitely going to go back and read the first book in this series, and I'm already looking forward to the next release!

Thank you to NetGalley, Farrah Rochon and Grand Central Publishing for the free e-book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so excited to see another Boyfriend Project novel! The first one was super entertaining and this one was even better in my opinion. You can definitely read this one as a stand alone and still understand what is going on. Fake relationships are one of my favorite romance plots and this one is definitely up there now! I loved learning more about Taylor and all the issues that she is dealing with. This one is so fun with some serious stuff thrown in, and I really enjoyed it!

Really enjoyed this book! The tension between Taylor and Jamar was written well, and I respected reading about a character who not only was struggling financially, but also had a learning disorder.

While the book is a fake dating trope, it’s so much more than that. It’s about grief, healing, growth and going after your dreams. I really enjoyed Taylor’s friend group, too.

Since Taylor is a fitness coach there is a decent amount of discussion about exercise and nutrition, but I didn’t find it hard to follow or anything like that!

Overall a cute book! Thank you for the ARC!

Thank you to the publisher for the gifted copy of “The Dating Playbook”

I loved reading about the already familiar characters: London, Taylor and Samaiah! It felt like getting together with old friends. I loved the first book, so having this reunited feeling was oh so good!

The differences between Samiah and Taylor are clear right from the beginning. I think the author really showed some chops here. Her characters are different, unique and diverse as well. This book was extremely different than “The Boyfriend Project” and could definitely be read independently. However- why would you want to when both books are so enjoyable?

I loved that the book highlighted the important role that health takes on in regards to an athlete’s individual identity. When people who identify as athletes are injured, it can become a real trial both mentally and physically. The author nailed this and wrote it well. What happens when an athlete can’t be active due to injury or illness can be so debilitating.

There were some minor informational mistakes, but I have a background in orthopedics and sports… so I wouldn’t expect most people to catch them. With that being said, they were small and almost insignificant and they didn’t detract from the storyline in anyway. As a reader, they actually made me appreciate the author’s clear attempt to apply research and make the story as authentic as possible. Things that the author portrayed well show that! For example: climbing stairs in crutches is so hard! Taylor has to watch countless YouTube videos to be able to do it.

Also to note: When Taylor moves into the pool house Jamar is downright adorable. I knew I loved him then!

Recommendation: This book is sure to please romance lovers and works as a stand-alone or the second installment of “The Boyfriend Project”. I can’t wait to read London’s story next!

I absolutely loved The Boyfriend Project so when I realized that this book was a stand-alone spin off centered around Taylor, I knew that I needed to read it.

This has the same witty charm and steam as it's predecessor, yet that is where the comparison between the two books ends. Taylor's project was to grow her fitness business and she is struggling to do just that. A couple of bad moves has left her in debt, she is losing out on positions as some people can't see past her lack of college degree, and she is really struggling to believe in herself. But then Jamar "Diesel" Dixon enters the picture and seems to be the answer to all her problems; all she needs to do is train him in secret so that he can make a return to professional football. Everything seems perfect until all of a sudden Taylor finds herself in a fake relationship with Jamar for the 'gram, and they are forced into spending all of their time together. Oh, and while they both want a real relationship with each other, they are also determined to keep their relationship strictly professional.

I loved every moment of this, and while it could just be a fluffy romance novel, Farrah Rochon writes about so much more. It is a story of believing in oneself, mending relationships with family and friends, overcoming guilt and grief, and the realization that sometimes when one door closes another one opens elsewhere.

This was a fun romance, I loved it! Taylor Powell is just hanging on to her personal training business when an injured NFL player shows up to a class. He needs training under the NFL radar, but people seeing them together assume they’re a couple. It’s a nice take on the friends to lovers trope. 5 stars.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

After reading The Boyfriend Project last year, I couldn't wait to read the next one in the series, The Dating Playbook!

Taylor, who runs her own fitness training business, is trying to get her business off the ground and have enough money to put some food on the table. When Jamar Dixon, a NFL player who is currently out because of an injury, seeks Taylor out hoping for some training to get himself in top shape to return to the NFL it seems like he could be the answer to all of Taylor's problems. He's offering her a large steady paycheck, a consistent client, and he's willing to full endorse her business when he finally gets back in the league. With some fake dating and serious chemistry, this book is one you don't want to miss.

I love the friendship that Samiah, London, and Taylor have and that they can talk and work on the hard things. I do feel like there was a lot going on in this book and wished that more was expanded on, I kind of felt like we got a little bit of everything and not a ton of anything but I loved all the background and goals these characters have. Taylor is a smart woman and it's nice to see her start to advocate for herself and not to be ashamed that she might need some more help than she's currently receiving. Jamar is smart, tough, and has a good heart, and it's nice to see that he is willing to listen to other people's perspectives, and to try to work on healing and moving forward. Overall, I really liked this story. It was a quick, easy read and I enjoyed it even more than The Boyfriend Project!

This was such a cute book. I loved the first one so I have been waiting for this one. As someone who lives in Austin it is really great to see all of the places from around the city. Taylor was a very relatable character.
I really felt like i could relate to her story of all the pressure she had and being the odd one out in the friend group.
I wish more time had passed between the first book and second in terms of timeline. The story moves a little quick
but i finished it in a day and I enjoyed it