A fun fake dating story with richly written, multi-dimensional characters - not only the two romantic leads of the story, but also the friends and family in the background. There is also a great storyline about learning disabilities here which is so well done.

Loved this one as much as the first! I wish it would become a tv series as it just has the perfect writing and plot for it.

I am a member of the American Library Association Reading List Award Committee. This title was suggested for the 2022 list. It was not nominated for the award. The complete list of winners and shortlisted titles is at <a href="https://rusaupdate.org/2022/01/readers-advisory-announce-2022-reading-list-years-best-in-genre-fiction-for-adult-readers/">

Farrah Rochon always writes amazing characters and she does it again with The Dating Playbook.

Taylor is an incredible trainer, but her client list isn't helping pay the bills. She needs press to get more people to train and quick.

Jamar has received news that no professional athlete wants to hear. The injury from his last game is probably a career ender. He needs to rehab and rebuilt his body, but he wants to do it quietly and without anyone knowing what he's doing.

So these two strike a deal. They'll fake date it, but really, she's training him to get back into top shape and his presence will bring in more clients for her.

No romantic attachments. Easy right?

Yeah, not so much and boy is there chemistry between these two. A fun, flirty, and fabulous read, Farrah's follow up to The Boyfriend Project had me lose sleep.

And it was sooooo worth it.

*Thank you to the publisher for giving me an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.

Loved this title. Sorry about not being able to read it on time but I truly loved it when I had read it. I plan buying this one tile.

This book was ok. It didn't wow me, but it wasn't bad either. Farrah Rochon has a style/flair her own, and I like that! There is more depth to her characters than a traditional romance, and I like that too. However, this particular book of hers was too sports-heavy for my taste. I'm not really a fan of Football, and kind of lost interest a bit early in the book and never really got back into it as much. I look forward to her other books and hope that the sports theme doesn't quite show up like this again!

everyone knows Farrah Rochon knows what she's doing and this book was such a fun and good time. I LOVE me a good fake dating trope and this brought me right out of a reading slump.

I didn't like it as much as I liked the first book. The heroine in this one was little annoying to me. I could almost tell I wasn't going to like her from the first few pages. You hear her thoughts as her friends are ordering more drinks, and she's worried about how they'll split the check. Not that you shouldn't be worried about how you'll split the check, it was just I could tell in that instance what kind of character she was going to be. And it didn't really get better for me after that. If they liked the first book in this series they'll still like this one as its a continuation of the story, I just wasn't a big fan of this one.

Sports romance and fake dating, sign me up! I really enjoyed this second book by Farrah. Although the sports aspect wasn’t a huge part, and Jamar was frustratingly stubborn, I really loved reading their friendship turn into feelings. Farrah is definitely an author to keep an eye out for! She has had two amazing books so far!

The Boyfriend Project was one of my favorite romance reads when it came out, so I was eager to get my hands on the next installment. The Dating Playbook could be read as a standalone, but those who read the previous book will enjoy appearances by that book's couple and the Squad's viral story.
I liked both Taylor and Jamar as characters and their dynamic as a couple. Their romance had moderate steam, great support, and lots of fun banter and laughs. I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series and following these characters into their next chapters.
Many thanks to the publisher for the advance copy.

This book wasnt the best one that i read by her.. Gave the same thrills and kinda same pattern as other books. But i would say read it for sure.

THE DATING PLAYBOOK BY FARRAH ROCHON | BOOK REVIEW
JANUARY 7, 2022 LEAVE A COMMENT
I received this book for free from Publisher, Purchased in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

This post contains affiliate links you can use to purchase the book. If you buy the book using that link, I will receive a small commission from the sale.

The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon | Book ReviewThe Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon
Series: The Boyfriend Project #2
Also in this series: Would Like to Meet
Also by this author: Would Like to Meet
Published by Grand Central Publishing on August 17, 2021
Genres: Fiction / Own Voices, Fiction / Romance / African American & Black, Fiction / Romance / Contemporary, Fiction / Romance / Romantic Comedy, Fiction / Romance / Sports
Pages: 368
Format: eARC, Paperback
Source: Publisher, Purchased
Buy on Amazon
Goodreads
five-stars
When a personal trainer agrees to fake date her client, all rules are out the window in this "fun, heartfelt, and totally relatable" romantic comedy named one of the best of the year by USA Today, NPR, and Entertainment Weekly (Abby Jimenez, NYT bestselling author of Life's Too Short).

When it comes to personal training, Taylor Powell kicks serious butt. Unfortunately, her bills are piling up, rent is due, and the money situation is dire. Taylor needs more than the support of her new best friends, Samiah and London. She needs a miracle.

And Jamar Dixon might just be it. The oh-so-fine former footballer wants back into the NFL, and he wants Taylor to train him. There's just one catch—no one can know what they're doing. But when they're accidentally outed as a couple, Taylor's game plan is turned completely upside down. Is Jamar just playing to win . . . or is he playing for keeps?

USA Today Best Rom-Coms of 2021
NPR Best Romances of 2021
Kirkus Best Romances of the Year
Vulture Best Romances of 2021
SheReads Best of the Year nominee – Romance


When you start your reading for the year and are battling the rona, you want to ensure you are reading something really good. Enter The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon. I knew going in to expect excellence. Plus, I would be reading a book that is a romantic comedy with a trope that I just love. I knew I would enjoy the second of this series — but I did not realize how much! The Dating Playbook completely delivered on my expectations.

The second book of the trilogy follows Taylor. To recap — three Black women go out on a date with this guy named Craig — thinking he was exclusive to each one. The women find out about each other and somehow a video of what happens when they find out goes viral. They end up becoming a support system to each other and great friends. The first book, The Boyfriend Project was about Samiah. The second book is about Taylor Powell.

Taylor is a fitness expert. She has these work out routines that will whip you right into shape. Taylor is trying to get her business Taylor’d Conditioning off the ground, but hitting a brick wall. The bills are coming due and she’s broke. Enter Jamar Dixon. Jamar wants to get back into playing football professionally after having to leave the league early when he blew his knee out. He turns to Taylor for help getting back into sporting shape. This is awesome for Taylor, except that she needs to keep training him a secret. When the two are caught out, Taylor blurts the one thing that comes to mind – that they are dating. And thus one of my favorite tropes begins — FAKE DATING.

I genuinely loved The Dating Playbook. It made me want to work out, ha. Rochon makes it sound fun — same with shopping for vegetables. I found myself genuinely rooting for Taylor and Jamar. I wanted Taylor’s business to succeed and really get off the ground. When it came to a pivot that Taylor had made with her goals, I was so excited. Also, I loved the vulnerability she exhibited for feeling less than because of not being good at school or having her degree. Taylor compares herself to London and Samiah and doesn’t feel as together as they are. However, she sells herself short — overall, she is awesome. She is kind, passionate, and knowledgeable. Jamar is an admirable love interest with such drive. Recommend for a solid romantic comedy lead starring two Black leads.

The Dating Playbook follows Rochon’s first book in the series, The Boyfriend Project. I was highly anticipating Taylor’s story after meeting her as a side character in TBP. I love her ambitions, her strength, and her feisty personality. I’d really like her for a real-life best friend, please!

This fun book might have been my first ever “sports romance.” And I’m not sure it’s even considered that, but it does feature a personal trainer and a football player as main characters so I think it could be. It got me interested in picking up another football romance!

Jamar was a hard character for me to like (so stubborn!) but I enjoyed the fake-dating romance between him and Taylor. Usually when I read the fake dating trope, one of the main characters wants to impress or needs to fool family or coworkers, but Rochon put a unique spin on the trope when her characters used it as a cover-up for what the relationship really was. I loved it!

Just like in The Boyfriend Project, the friendship between Taylor, Samiah, and London was so refreshing. They call each other out and support each other. I can’t wait for The Hookup Plan and London’s story next!

Farrah Rochon is back with another book in the Boyfriend Project series, and this time we are following Taylor as she gets herself in a fake dating situation with a professional football player. I really liked Taylor in the first book in the series so I was so excited when I read she was getting her own story, and it did not disappoint! Cute and relatable, Taylor and Jamar's story is charming and easy to read. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a cute romance, and for anyone looking to diversify their romance reads as this story features two Black leads. Can't wait for the third book in the series!

Book 2 in the series and I still love the friendship between the ladies. Taylor and Jamar’s story is ye olde fake dating. It’s a cute fun steamy romance. Good story and great writing. I liked it I’m looking forward to London’s story.

4.25 Stars / 3 Steam Fans

Taylor and Jamar kept me on the edge of my seat with their sexual chemistry throughout The Dating Playbook. Taylor trying to get her fitness business off the ground and Jamar making his comeback in the NFL was a fun journey. A few moments lulled a bit, but overall, the balance of women's fiction with Taylor's self-journey and romance between Taylor and Jamar was beautifully balanced. I am looking forward to the final book in the series.

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Really enjoyed this one - I love this series so much and I honestly cannot wait for the next Farrah Rochon book to publish!! Thanks for the opportunity to read!

Sweet and sincere, this second book in the series is well-worth the read.

The relational growth of Taylor and Jamar was good - from fake dating to friends to lovers. The family dynamics, the battling with guilt and struggle against death and disability, it’s all real and very engaging.

Cannot wait for London’s story next.

CW: death of friend (car/motorcycle, off page), guilt, grief, anxiety/panic attacks (on page), learning disability, lots of food talk

Taylor Powell hoped that after going viral, it would be the boost she needed for her fitness business to really take off. When it didn’t, Taylor is left struggling financially and what she needed to do to fix it. When Jamal, an ex-NFL player, turns up to a pop-up fitness class and insists that she be his personal trainer so that he could get back in the NFL.

This was a good story. I really loved Taylor. She knows how to do her job and really has a passion for it. Her insecurities and anxiety were entirely relatable. She was an easy character for me to connect too and I loved seeing her go on her journey. It was fascinating to see her at get to know Jamal more and learn about herself in the process. Her journey really was just chef’s kiss.

Jamal has his own journey with things he is struggling with. Coming back from a knee injury, he does throw himself fully into the training determined to come back. His story and journey is hard to talk about without spoiling a lot, but I really did love his journey. It was good and I really liked the directions his story went in.

The romance between these two was something else. I could really feel the tension between them and the chemistry was there for them. The little grip I have about it is that it did feel a little insta-love? That may be the wrong word, but the attraction was there from the beginning, so there was constant thoughts about how they needed to be professional. I would have liked that to been a little less.

I’d also really like to talk about the food talk throughout here. I hadn’t seen anyone talk about it in reviews, so it caught me off guard and did end up upsetting me. Taylor talks a lot about food. She does want her clients to eat better, but it’s the way she talks. How if they have this they need to workout longer. Or they can’t have this because of x, y, or z. It was a lot to handle, so be careful going into this one.

Overall, The Dating Playbook was a good follow up to The Boyfriend Project. The female friendships are still there and the chemistry between Taylor and Jamal is there too. This great follow up has left me excited to see the next book in this series.

So I was a big fan of the first book The Boyfriend Project. So I was super excited to get a copy of this from the publishers.

This book has my favorite trope which is fake dating and sports. I’m a sucker for this and the story had be vested in it from the start. I love how we got to see characters from
the first book as well.

The romance was soo cute and I liked that the author tackled tough subject matters as well. Overall a great read and I would recommend it!