This is a strangers to lovers romance that does something unique in that it focuses on a male point of view. Khalil was a little too perfect and I found the dialogue between him and and Vanessa to be unbelievable. Gia De Cadenet does an excellent job of tackling mens mental health which is something I've never seen attempted before. A diverse cast of characters and a really sweet story but not my favorite romance. This book ended up not being for me, but I appreciate the opportunity to read and review it.

Definitely weightier than the cover implies: de Cadenet deals pretty rawly with severe depression, racism, and sexism. I loved both characters, and it was really good to have such strong representation of men’s mental health and confronting some of the gendered expectations around mental health and masculinity.

This deep, heartfelt romance delivers on more than just a sweet happily ever after. It disposes of constructed angst and elaborate meet cutes for real struggle and an everyday, happenstance meeting that lights a spark. It makes the ending that much more satisfying to feel reality settled in these pages, a slightly better reality perhaps, but one still burdened with its less benign aspects.

Vanessa meets Khalil when she walks into his barbershop for a touch-up. There's an instant connection, but both have reasons to be wary. Vanessa has a rule against dating white guys (even super attractive French-Algerian guys like Khalil) after years of personal experience with fielding microaggressions and worse both personally and professionally. Khalil is fighting the demons of his mental health and internalized toxic masculinity about showing emotions and asking for help when dark moods rise.

What ensues is a cute, awkward crush phase with sweet, tentative flirtation via shy texts and attempted in-person banter. Attraction is present but at a low simmer for some quality slow burn material for the first half. This slides into a whirlwind in the second half that perfectly suits the characters. The author conveys the emotions so clearly that I also felt swept up in the romance. There's consent and respect and taking time for clear discussion of likes, dislikes, and boundaries *swoon*. Khalil is gentlemanly without being overbearing or self-centered, and Vanessa is patient, caring, and present when Khalil needs her most.

Trigger warning: I had to put the book down at 80% when Khalil's depression isolates him and triggers memories of a past suicide attempt. Seeing that on the page was overwhelming for me in my own mental state, and I'm not sure I can recall a read that left me more emotionally mangled in this particular empathetic vein. I know that this is a personal topic for the author, and the experience is real and visceral on the page. It's a powerful read, and I was able to pick it back up and get to the happily ever after at a different time.

I love this author's style, balancing a tender love story with an unflinching look at race, gender, and mental health. This is the beginning of an exciting new series, and the preview of the sequel already has me begging for more.

This was just okay for me. I don’t have a lot to say really - there were some good bits sprinkled in. I also really struggle with pet names in books, especially when they are overused - which is the case here. Liked the mental health rep.

This book is a 3.5 for me, but I just can’t round it up to a 4. I really wanted to love it more. I totally fell in love with the main characters and supporting characters. I could totally relate to a lot of Vanessa’s concerns as well as the mental health struggles of Khalil. The most important thing for me in a romance is always if the love feels genuine, and I totally bought their relationship. I was rooting for them the entire time! I loved the geniuses and vulnerability of Khalil as well as the stubbornness and patience of Vanessa.

However, the middle of this story and certain storylines felt like filler almost to the point of being distracting. It almost felt like the author was trying to remind us the Khalil was supposed to be a “player” and that Vanessa had her “List of Requirements”. It all just felt force, and the player role didn’t fit Khalil’s character at all. Even the story conflicted this narrative. I also felt like we could’ve brought in some of those factors in different ways that felt more organic.

With all of that being said, I finished the book in one seating. I honestly can’t wait to see if Darius and Lisa become a thing and a new love for Karim.

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

I'm torn on this one. The middle turned into a lot of sex and I got bored and almost stopped reading. But the ending and the portrayal of depression was really fabulous and real, and I loved the way that real solutions and positive behaviour was shown yet it didn't feel like there was any one instant fix.

4.5 Stars

Getting His Game Back follows our two main leads Khalil and Vanessa. Despite the cover and name this is not a sports romance but sports plays a part here and there.

Khalil co-owns a chain of barber shops with his best friends, played basketball in college and with his group of friends today. He also suffers from depression, something the author portrays on paper quite well. From the start we are seeing Khalil a few months after his most recent episode and we watch a steady decline in his behavior with his business and relationships as we move through the pages.

Vanessa is a highly motivated and successful black woman in tech, running her own business and breaking down every barrier she reaches. When she stumbles in Khalil’s shop after her usual spot was set a flame, sparks fly between these two (pun very much intended).

Due to prior relationship dramas the two are hesitant at first. However they openly talk about what it means to be in an interracial relationship (something both of them had pos/neg histories with) and how society would and will view them.

Their relationship will face many ups and downs, miles a part, depressive episodes, and life in general. But these characters are strong and their love is something I really enjoyed seeing unfold.

TW: Talks about depression and SAD, portrays scenes where an MC spirals, toxic relationships (historical)

Thank you to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review! I cannot wait to be able to read more from this author.

This was a great story about an interracial relationship, both dealing with demanding jobs that they excel at, with some personal demons mixed in. I was sucked into the story from the very beginning and was cheering for Kahlil and Vanessa to be true to themselves while also opening themselves up for love and all that entails.

Really enjoyed this book! Such a fun read with great character development! Such a fun one and great to grab!

I have mixed emotions about this book because I didn't feel like I am the target audience for his hip, urban interracial romance but it is extremely well written and addresses depression with caring. This is a perfect read for young adults and good debut novel for a talented author. I received an advance reader copy of Getting His Game Back from the publisher via Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

Getting His Game Back is not the typical interracial relationship story. I love that it was told from two different points of view, and this romance is anything but ordinary. Kahlil Sarda and Vanessa Noble break first impressions from the start. The exploration of mental health and defining one's racial identity are key points in this steamy romance. Are they willing to break the stereotypes and find love?

GETTING HIS GAME BACK is a hard one to rate. I was instantly intrigued and was very into it for the first 20%. However, the slooooow burn was too drawn out for me and nearly lost me. Individually, I loved both Khalil and Vanessa. They were both so full and interesting. Vanessa was such a strong, badass woman and Khalil had some many layers and was the ultimate cinnamon roll. However, I was never fully convinced of their chemistry together. The middle lost me a bit and felt it quickly progressed without me feeling and believing it. Then towards the last 20% of the book, I was again captivated and hooked. There are so many valuable discussions and topics addressed in this book (mental health, interracial dating, women in tech, etc.). I wish the whole book would have been a little deeper and richer in discussion while showcasing the love better.

Also note that the book is not a sports related book as the cover image and title may suggest.

I'm going to be honest with you when this book started I really liked it. I think Vanessa and Khalil had great dynamics and I thought they were really cute together. I also really liked the reservations both of them had for getting into this relationship. It was really well explained and I also think they communicated about that really well. However, when they actually got together this book went a bit downhill for me. I just don't like romance books where there's no plot besides the romance and this was exactly that. There was just no plot and I got bored real fast once the back and forth between our two main characters was gone. I also feel like when we got into Khalil's mental health at the end it was just a huge tonal shift from the rest of the book. I'm also just not a fan of how his mental health was handled in this book because it kind of made it seem like romance can fix your depression and overall just made me feel like these two were just way too co-dependant on each other. So yeah, I really liked it in the beginning but towards the ending it was hard to even remember why I liked it so much at the start.

Vanessa is a successful app designer with a growing business. Khalil is part owner of a chain of barber shops. Their attraction is mutual, but both are scarred from past relationships and too many assumptions about multiracial couples.

But the biggest barrier to their happy ever after is Khalil’s shame over his mental health struggles. He doesn’t believe any woman, particularly someone as strong as Vanessa, could love a vulnerable man.

This romance is unique, from its Detroit setting to its non-stereotypical male protagonist. The characters will stay with you long after you finish the book. We need more non-alpha he-men main characters in books. #GettingHisGameBack #NetGalley

I really enjoyed this book, but based on the cover I thought this was a sports romance! It’s not, it’s the story of a guy who has struggled with issues and contemplated suicide. With the help and love from those around him he can face his depression.

Khalil owns a chain of barbershops with his best friend Darius. A black woman named Vanessa comes in because the her regular salon burned down, and they hit it off.
Vanessa is busy starting her own tech company and travels frequently. She’s been burned by men in the past, by a white guy her family disapproved of. She’s got a list of the qualities that make up her perfect man, and Khalil checks off quite a few boxes, except for the important one to her family, he’s not black.

Khalil’s moods are fine as time goes by and their relationship deepens, but Fall is coming, the time when his issues traditionally return. He’s never told Vanessa about his depression, so when he starts acting differently she doesn’t understand what’s happening to him and their relationship.

Can Khalil open up to Vanessa, and get professional help again? Can Vanessa accept him now?

The book addresses interracial relationships, depression, and looks at the characteristics that make up a good man. I recommend this book, 4 stars.

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

Getting His Game Back is a contemporary romance and it’s also Gia de Cadenet’s debut novel. Based on the cover, I was expecting a rom-com, but while it does have some humorous moments, this is a more serious love story that tackles some pretty big topics, like mental health, the challenges interracial couples can face, and even gender stereotypes.

It follows Khalil Sarda, a young man who has been dealing with depression and seeing a therapist. He’s feeling much better than he did a year ago and is hoping to leave his depression in the past as he focuses on his chain of barbershops and thinks about dating again. A self-professed ladies’ man, Khalil thinks the dating will be the easiest part of his recovery, that is, until Vanessa Noble walks into his shop and sets his heart aflutter. Vanessa is a career-driven Black woman working in the male-dominated tech industry. She has no time for romance because she’s too busy stomping on every stereotype that gets thrown at her. That is, until fate and a fire at her favorite hair salon, sends her running to Khalil’s shop because she desperately needs her hair done prior to a huge presentation. Vanessa has no interest in dating anyone who isn’t Black because of some bad past experiences, but after chatting with Khalil, she has to admit the temptation is there.

I really enjoyed watching Khalil and Vanessa get to know one another. Both characters are so likeable and they’ve both been burned by past relationships, so I liked that hint of vulnerability we see as they consider the possibility of romance with one another. I especially liked the frank discussions they have with one another about interracial couples. Even though he looks white, Khalil is actually French-Algerian and the product of an interracial relationship himself so he knows firsthand the challenges Vanessa speaks of and the microaggressions that have been directed toward her. I also thought the author did a wonderful job exploring Khalil’s depression and the impact depression can have on a person and on all their relationships. I loved the respect and support Vanessa and Khalil showed one another, and I especially loved that Vanessa doesn’t let Khalil push her away when his depression resurfaces and threatens their relationship. They’re a team in every sense of the word, and I was 100% invested in their relationship and hoping they would find their way to a happy ending together.

While not the rom-com I was expecting, Getting His Game Back is still a satisfying read and a wonderful love story that I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys romances that explore weightier topics.

I would rate this 3/5 stars. The chemistry was instant between the 2 main characters. I cannot speak to the amount of crap that women of color experience from white men, but if the things mentioned was just the tip of the iceberg, then holy crap men are revolting. Reading that tid bit I can understand Vanessa's resistance to dating non-black men, as she's been burned before. "Getting your swirl on?" They can't really expect that to work without sounding demeaning can they?!

I enjoyed their instant attraction and easy banter back and forth. I also enjoyed the mental tripping and awkwardness in the initial interactions. They absolutely fell in lust quickly and the dance they did going from business associates, to friends, to lovers was a fun ride, for the most part. The texting back and forth was cute and I liked the relationship building that was, especially since technology is such a large part of Vanessa's life with her career. I also like that they whole book happened over a few months and it didn't feel too rushed or "insta-lovey." Khalil clearly wants Vanessa from the get go and we get a nice slow build up and then once they get together it takes off running. The scenes were steamy and well written. Their relationship from then on gets a little to cheesy for my liking and uses a lot of nicknames which I also don't care for. They develop deep feelings for each other and Vanessa sets aside her checklist falling hard. The conflict had a good buildup and Khalil's actions pointed toward where it was going, but I don't think that all of the characters that close to him would be able to ignore some of the things that went on. The books starts out with Khalil in therapy for some "mental breakdown" and never really went into detail until the end. I didn't like how he just brushed everything he'd been working for aside and slipped, but I don't have anything to compare personal experiences to. I also didn't like how for as much as they felt about each other that Vanessa was willing to walk away after the first big fight. I felt it shows her not being as committed as she seemed and it felt like a disconnect.

For as much of Khalil kept being described as "a player" by his friends and brother you don't really get to see that much. Other than the block party, I didn't really feel like he fit the description, but a mental break changes people I guess. I wasn't too thrilled with Darius as a best friend either. He was too much of a sideline character and didn't confront Rod when needed, just fought with Khalil about it, and didn't notice that Khalil was losing weight and obviously wasn't doing well? I know he had a lot going on with his dad, but come on, he's your best friend.

Overall a good read that takes on a couple hard subjects that need to be talked about more. There were some weird pacing and chapter breaks but otherwise flowed well.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

𝗚𝗘𝗧𝗧𝗜𝗡𝗚 𝗛𝗜𝗦 𝗚𝗔𝗠𝗘 𝗕𝗔𝗖𝗞 is a lot less about basketball than the cover would suggest (although I'm still going to lean into the basketball puns because why not?), and the "his" in the title is key - although this is a romance about Vanessa and Khalil, it's really more Khalil's story. Is men's fiction going to be the new thing?

Slam dunks🏀:
👵🏾 Sassy senior characters - Vanessa's grandmother Ma-Max and her friend Arnetta were a lot of fun.
🧠The depiction of depression and that it's a male character dealing with mental health issues for a change.
📱Showing BIPOC women in STEM and the issues they face.

Bricks❌:
👩🏿‍🤝‍👨🏽There are a lot of secondary characters, many of whom were discussed like the reader should already know them - I actually googled to make sure there wasn't a first book I missed.
🐌There's slow burn and then there's SLOOOOOWWWW burn - it was clear Khalil and Vanessa liked each other and I didn't get what took them so long to get together.
💬The dialog felt stilted and cheesy at times.

Thanks to Ballantine Books & NetGalley for the copy to review.

This book is a mix of lightheartedness with heavy, intense issues. CW: anxiety, suicide attempt, marital issues, racism, discrimination.

The story was a little up and down for me. The beginning was cool. I haven’t read any books lately where the woman is described very well and I feel that the author nailed it with Vanessa. Vanessa’s character was very likable and she’s hardworking, responsible, and caring.

Khalil is a people person, and (I would say) a people pleaser. He’s gone through a lot of stuff. His character was pretty cool too- successful business owner (three barber shops), loves to play basketball (he’s a really good player), involved with different charity organizations, and is known to be very attractive. The one thing I didn’t like about Khalil was that he always had to say Vanessa’s name or nicknames whenever he’s talking to her. It was getting kind of annoying.

I think this was a good book, but it just lacked some things for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.