Thank you NetGalley, author Farrah Rochon, and Forever publishing for giving me a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
5 stars
While this is a second book in this series, this book can be read as a stand alone.
This book had some of my favorite troupes-faking dating and forced proximity. The main characters were so well developed. Taylor was such a great character in the first book and was really excited to continue her story after the ending of the first book. She was such a strong woman. I loved how much she wanted to achieve her dream. But I also liked how vulnerable she was and was able to face the challenges of self doubt as she completed her self-discovery journey! Jamar was such a sweetheart! I appreciated how much he wanted to support Taylor in achieving her dreams. The chemistry between Taylor and Jamar was very realistic and angsty! I thought they made a very supportive couple! The ending was picture perfect! Overall, this book was well done and I can't recommend it enough to those who are fans of sports romances! I can't wait for another new release by this author!

DNF @ 71%

PAIN.

Here I go again DNF’ing as I’m near the finish line. It’s just that I’m not the right reader for this one. There’s nothing bad to say about it, I just wasn’t itching to get back to it and WELL...

Maybe I hyped it up a little too much in my head, and let’s not forget that gorgeous cover, but I just wasn’t all that into it. I hope people who loved the first book in this series love this one just as much!

This book was well written but just wasn’t super engaging for me. I felt myself getting bored or putting it down. I loved the representation, and thoughts of old views were challenged and great character growth. But something was still lacking for me.

One thing you should know about me... Give me a fake dating trope, and I'll read it every time.

So when I received this book, I dived in and I must say that it did not disappoint. The Dating Playbook was such a cute, fun, swoony rom-com.

The book follows Taylor, a personal trainer who is struggling to make ends meet, and Jamar Dixon, an NFL player making a comeback who is in need of a personal trainer. Jamal is intrigued by Taylor's online videos and approaches her about becoming his trainer. Then sparks fly of course.

I loved the relationship between Taylor and Jamar, the sexual tension, the banter, and the chemistry was spot on. Their relationship felt so organic and genuine. And although they were dealing with their own issues, some of which were pretty heavy. I appreciated how the author managed to intertwine their stories so well.

But what I loved most of all was the strong female friendships. I didn't read the first book, I know, but from what I understand they were all dating the same guy and that's how they met. That makes their relationship even better. I love how they support each other and ride for each other. Truly a testament to strong female friendships.

Highly Recommend this book. Perfect Rom-Com read.

This book was enjoyable, but I felt myself putting it down lots. So it wasn’t the most engaging. I did love all the representation and how much growth the characters went through. Though this growth still felt like it was done with the romantic interest. I wish some of this growth was more independent.

Lighthearted, spirited, and fun!

The Dating Playbook is a passionate, cheeky tale that mixes the feisty, driven Taylor, who’s determined to do whatever it takes, even if it means fake dating a sexy, former NFL star, to prove she’s a formidable trainer with or without a degree, and the hardworking, motivated Jamar, who may finally discover there’s more to life than football.

The writing is smooth and sweet. The supporting characters are engaging, fun-loving, and endearing. And the plot is a charming tale filled with witty banter, shameless flirting, red-hot chemistry, emotional moments, self-discovery, family, friendship, light drama, and strong female friendships.

Overall, The Dating Playbook is a humorous, entertaining, uplifting read by Rochon that is another fantastic addition to what is ultimately turning out to be a wonderful Boyfriend Project series.

Well I’m now officially a @farrahrochon super fan! I freaking loved the first book in this series, it was sexy, smart AND funny and I had such high hopes for book two. My expectations were exceeded and I think I may have even loved this one more?! Here’s a little list of what I loved!

🏈 Fake dating!! Enough said.
🏈Strong portrayal of female friendships with bad ass women supporting each other 👏🏻👏🏻
🏈Wickedly funny banter between Taylor and Jamar
🏈Smoking hot chemistry between #Tayjar 🥵


So basically I loved everything about it, it was emotional and heartfelt, funny and endearing and spicy and sexy. Perfect combo for me! ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Taylor Powell has dreams of being successful when it comes getting her fitness consulting business on the map. How can she work on getting her name out there, especially since she had a previous bad experience that slowed her down? Meanwhile, she is running short on funds and tall on bills and other expenses. Her two friends, Samiah and London are in her corner, but sadly that isn't enough.

When she is approached to Jamar Dixon to be his personal trainer Taylor definitely sees dollar signs. He is a professional football player working to get back into the NFL, but needs help as he had a bad injury which required surgery. He needs to get into top shape. Jamar is practically a household name, so having him as a client would definitely get Taylor's name and business known. However, there is one issue and that is a major issue. Jamar wants to keep his training with Taylor on the down-low.

Since Jamar is adament about keeping this private, how better for the two to spend long hours together than acting as if they are dating? Okay, Taylor goes for it. There is a problem that makes itself known almost before the two even gets started. They are attracted to one another, something Taylor refuses to act on. In fact, both Taylor and Jamar walk into this with baggage. Will they be able to climb over their past hurts and turn their fake dating into something real? Something permanent?

I really loved this second book in the Boyfriend Project series. Both Taylor and Jamar were solid characters. Factor in the continuity with Samaih and London's characters, and this proved to be a relatable read, enjoyable from start to finish.

Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.

4.5 Stars.

This was an immensely cute and emotional and relatable read and a fantastic second installment to the Boyfriend Project series. This novel features Taylor, a second member of the friend group that formed in Book 1 when three women found out they were dating the same no-good Craig and went viral. No worries if you haven’t read Book 1 though, this stands alone perfectly well and even being a stickler for reading series in order, I am happy enough recommending that you can start with this book if you want.

The premise is that Taylor, despite her best efforts, is struggling to make a success of her personal training fitness business, when she gets the opportunity of a lifetime to train Jamar, an injured NFL player who’s trying to make a comeback. The only problem is that he doesn’t want the added pressure of the media knowing he’s attempting a comeback and so when discovery is imminent, they engage in a fake dating relationship to throw everyone of. The only problem is that they’ve caught feelings for one another but there’s no way Taylor is going to hook up with a client, especially having been burnt before in the past.


I’m usually a little 🙄 about the fake dating trope. It’s not one I typically gravitate towards because it’s so unrealistic. But I loved the way it developed here. What’s great about this one is that with Taylor and Jamar, there is strong character development, and these are the sorts of characters that everyone can relate to- we’ve all battled insecurity and the feeling of not being good enough, we all know what it feels like to have broken dreams, and most people are acquainted with grief in some form. Outside of that, Taylor had so many real elements to her that I thought aren’t necessarily always romance heroine characteristics- for example she’s tangibly in debt but trying to hide it from those around her, and she struggles with an undiagnosed learning disability which she only realizes as an adult despite having struggled all her life.

The way this is written with the emotion and support and gentleness wrapped in humour and one liners and a well-executed flirtation made this an absolute joy to read. There is angst because of the baggage both characters carry, but it is bearable and you wouldn’t call this high angst. The love languages are well captured here and the protagonists have many swoon-worthy moments in how they show love and support. They actually communicate (novel idea for a romance) and when they don’t, there is a conversation about not communicating in the moment. The conflict here is mostly internal and due to (character) growing pains and never lies or flimsy misunderstandings that could be cleared with a single conversation. This is a soothing and comforting, unproblematic sort of read. I enjoyed the normalized representation of disabilities from deafness to learning disabilities to ADHD without making this a book about any of those issues or having to intro and fetishize any of those issues- and make them main character traits. There is a good level of heat, but it’s also not an erotic romance.

On the whole, I found this to be really well/balanced and a really nice book. I enjoyed this and I highly recommend it if you’re looking for a nice calming read. My caveat is that this is a book starring a fitnessgram personal trainer- it is thus, by definition riddled with diet culture and somewhat orthorexic statements by the heroine on nutrition and fitness- bearing in mind that Taylor works with clients with stringent weight loss or fitness goals. If you might be triggered (e.g. have or have had an ED), as lovely as this is, it might be one to skip.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This is the second book I’ve read by this author, and I do enjoy the storyline of this book. The characters were easy to like, and the romance felt natural. My only problem is that the pacing felt very slow throughout the book. There were several parts that could’ve been cut down or eliminated to make this story flow better. I also didn’t understand the conflict that happened at the end or throughout the story. It was definitely more realistic than others I’ve read, but it didn’t feel like a true climax to the story.

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

I really enjoyed this book! I was looking forward to it after the first in the series. The strength in the women's friendships was great. I also liked the chemistry between the main characters. I love a good game relationship and sports story.

The second book in 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘰𝘺𝘧𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘯𝘥 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘫𝘦𝘤𝘵 series can be read as a stand alone, and it's a fun fake dating romance with some depth to it and fantastic dialogue. Taylor and Jamar have terrific chemistry and there's just the right amount of steam. I also adore the friendship between Taylor, Samiah and London. I'm looking forward to the next one!

Thanks to Forever Publishing and NetGalley for a copy to review.

Oh my gosh, I adored this book! Taylor and Jamar. They were so much fun! Farrah Rochon is a new favorite author of mine and I can't wait to read what she writes next.

I liked the first book better and I even like Taylor better in the first book. She showed that she wasn’t as strong in this book and that kinda let me down. However the romance was very good with just enough spice.

The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon was a fantastic follow-up to last year's The Boyfriend Project. We of course first met Taylor in The Boyfriend Project as Samiah's friend, but now she’s back with her own romance. Taylor, a fitness trainer struggling to grow her brand, is hired by Jamal, a former NFL player, to help him rehab his knee after a devastating injury. They fake a relationship to keep his comeback a secret…but fake relationships + real feelings lead to steamy hookups. .

Taylor and Jamal both had insecurities and struggles that felt very authentic and relatable, and I loved watching them help each other grow. The Dating Playbook was a super cute, steamy romance, perfect for reading by the pool (which I did). I can't wait to read London's story and see what Rochon has in store for our favorite pediatric surgeon.

This was another great book from Farrah Rochon! She does women supporting women so well! I love how important the friendship between Taylor, Samiah, and London is, and I can't wait to read London's story - I have a feeling I'm going to like her the most!

Jamar was an absolute sweetheart and his dynamic with Taylor was so cute. Fake-dating isn't my favorite trope but their connection felt so so and real very quickly.

I also thought it was very cool the different kinds of representation and acknowledgment of ableism that Rochon wrote about!

A clever and energizing fake dating romance about a struggling fitness trainer falling for an injured football player. Smart, diverse, and with loads of female camaraderie, this is a warm-hearted story with a unique focus on fitness and love!

Taylor can’t seem to get her fitness business off the ground, so when Jamar, an ex NFL football player offers her the chance of a lifetime to train him back into the NFL, she calls him back almost immediately. While Taylor tries to keep their relationship strictly platonic, a reporter forces them into a fake relationship that is way easier to “fake” than both Jamar and Taylor planned. Can they keep their friendship under wraps until Jamar can make it into the NFL?

I love that, once again, Rochon put a major focus on the female friendship. I love the three ladies in this series so much! Plus, the connection between Jamar and Taylor is healthy and palpable. This book made me want to get up and start exercising and I also really loved how learning disabilities were brought up. We got to see a character who was both empowering and struggling. Taylor is adorable, relatable, and truly invigorating. She is one of my favorite characters in a romance this year! Such a motivating read, full of life and happily ever after!

Fake dating meets sports romance? Yes please.

Taylor Powell is an amazing personal trainer, but lately some previous financial choices, and all the bills that go with that, are kicking her butt. Jamar Dixon shows up asking for her to train him, so he might just be the miracle that will turn Taylor’s life around. Jamar is a former football player who wants back in the NFL. But he doesn’t want anyone to know that that’s what he’s trying to do. When a reporter starts asking a few too many questions, Taylor and Jamar accidentally announce that they’re dating. As they start fake dating publicly to back up that lie, suddenly it’s hard to tell the difference between what’s real and what isn’t.

Right off the bat (wrong sport, I know), I enjoy Farrah Rochon’s writing, so I knew I would enjoy this book. Her stories manage to be both funny and hard-hitting (trigger warning: death of a friend). We got to see Taylor and Jamar both work through some really big struggles in their lives. As a whole, they’re also really supportive of one another (although there were a few moments of frustration as well). Seeing Samiah and London again, and seeing them really supporting Taylor, was also amazing. They’re such a great example of strong friendship.

My main frustrations really are just about Jamar and Taylor being there for each other. I think there were some places where they were a little too tough love and not enough supportive love. I think that they each had some deep-rooted insecurities/issues and they were mostly “resolved” in only a couple of pages through the other person calling them out on their irrational thoughts. While those types of discussion are important, sometimes trying to really understand where the other person is coming from is equally important. I do believe that they care about one another, but I’m not sure that always extended to their emotional states as much as I would have liked. Obviously, this didn’t impact my enjoyment of the story too much, but it does mean that this book isn’t a new all-time favorite. I just wanted a little bit more cinnamon roll with these strong individuals.

If you liked Samiah’s story, The Boyfriend Project, I definitely think you’ll also enjoy The Dating Playbook. Getting to see this friend group more is really fun, and I’m definitely looking forward to London’s story. Unlike a lot of romance series where the stories are really standalones, I would definitely recommend reading this series in order. I think it would be pretty confusing to just jump right in with this book. It’s a quick read, but you’ll still manage to laugh and cry and get immersed in Austin.

Taylor is a fitness coach down on her luck, and under a mountain of debt. Jamal is a formal NFL player looking to get back into the game. When he sees her videos and attends one of her classes, he knows immediately that she’s the one that can get him back into top physical condition.

The problem? They’re both insanely attracted to each other, but Taylor is set on keeping their relationship as professional as possible, she won’t make the mistake of getting involved with a client again.

Lines are blurred when instead of telling a reporter that he’s training again, Taylor instead tells him they’re dating. … and feelings just start to become too hard to ignore.

I liked that this book was more than it seemed on a surface level. Jamar is dealing with some pretty heavy guilt, and grief. Taylor is struggling with a possible learning disorder, that makes wanting to continue her education and getting her degree very stressful and difficult. Together they navigate these difficult things, and it brings them closer together.

3.5 Stars over all for me!

Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for sharing this eARC with me in exchange for a review!

Rochon has become a go-to contemporary author for me with her newest series, which feels like it’s as much about the friendship between these women as it is any romances they end up finding along the way. Taylor is a confident character who harbors secret insecurities about her shortcomings, but she had great chemistry with Jamar from the start and I’m a sucker for the trope when a couple tries to fake date and fails almost immediately. Never not delicious!

content notes: heroine diagnosed with a learning disability/ADHD, hero deals with pain from an old sports injury

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from the publisher via NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.