Thanks to NetGalley for providing me an eARC of this book in return for a fair and honest review.

True rating: 3.5/5

Getting His Game Back is a romance between the barber recovering from a rough patch of his life Khalil Sarda and the app-goddess tech genius Vanessa Noble. This book was enjoyable and a quick read. Unlike most romances where the woman is the main character and the man is the love interest, I think Khalil is the main character of this story because he has the most dynamic character arc. I think this book did a great job at showing how good communication should work in relationships and the 3rd act conflict was not just due to poor communication skills. While I did enjoy this romance, it was a little more serious and less of a bright rom-com like the cover implies so that is something to be aware of when picking it up. Overall though it was an enjoyable experience to read.

Getting His Game Back is set to publish 25 January 2022.

CW: suicide (attempted, off-screen/in the past), depression

wanted to like this book a lot more than I did. The depression representation was so very important, but it wasn't quite enough to redeem some of the things that put me off.

Spoiler
Unfortunately this book lost me with some of the race conversations where Vanessa would treat Khalil the exact way she didn't like to be treated. It was very insensitive if her and she did it so many times.

I did like the chemistry between Vanessa and Khalil but in the end I only finished the book to see how his depression would be handled.

I received an advanced copy of this book through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

At first when I had received this ARC, there was a lot that I was excited about: a strong, hardworking, Black MC and a mixed love interest who shares his experience going to therapy for his depression. But as I read on, there were things that I wished were done differently, because how the way this book was written, ultimately I really had just left it not wanting more.
First of all, the chemistry leading up to the moment they get together is kind of lackluster. Sure, it seems like it's an insta-love story where Vanessa helps Khalil build his app and they kind of fall in love the more time they spend together, but I thought it was just kind of flat. I wish more feelings were spilled out on the page, something happened sooner than the 50% mark.
What I think left the worst taste in my mouth though was Vanessa dismissing Khalil because he was mixed-race. Because she didn't think he was going to give her what she wanted because he was a half Black person. And she kept like asking him why he decided to go to an HBCU given who he was, all this stuff about him getting in touch with his culture? I don't know how the author wanted to write Vanessa's journey with trust, but I didn't love that she had written Khalil's race in more of a negative light than a positive. It made me, a fellow mixed-race POC, feel what I felt growing up, like I never truly belonged in one place or the other.
So in all, I did like that this book handled dealing with depression well, but once I got through the flaws in the beginning it was hard to continue on. It was just a fine book for me.

Deeply Emotional Debut

Khalil and Vanessa meet when she pops into one of his barbershops for a touch up and despite neither being in the market for a relationship find themselves drawn to one another. But after a few negative experiences with interracial dating, Vanessa isn’t sure she can trust her heart to Khalil. After suffering an emotional breakdown and still not feeling whole, Khalil isn’t sure he can be the man Vanessa needs.

The chemistry between Khalil and Vanessa is palpable and leads to some deliciously steamy scenes as well as some really humorous and cute couple moments. I loved seeing a man freely seeking therapy and the exploration of interracial relationships from both partners’ lived experiences and perspectives.

But the heart of this story is the emotional wounds that both Vanessa and Khalil must face and overcome. Discrimination, racism, depression, feelings of inadequacy, therapy, and attempted suicide are all carefully but frankly discussed. So while the fabulous illustrated cover shows the playful side of them as a couple, the story is deeply emotional and could be triggering for some readers.

From his part in Khalil’s story and the preview at the end, I’m very excited to read Karim’s story and more of Gia De Cadenet’s writing.

I received a complimentary review copy of this book but all opinions are my own.

Thank you for providing me with an advanced copy of this book.

Getting His Game Back is a debut romance novel that tackles interracial dating, gender norms, and mental health. Khalil is a barber and business owner of Algerian and French descent, whose mental health struggles and bad past relationship has kept him out of the dating game for a year. Vanessa is a Black woman whose made a big name for herself in the tech industry, who has decided to date only Black men going forward, after being burned by white men too many times. But once they meet, they can’t quite keep themselves apart.

Khalil and Vanessa are well developed characters, and while their first meeting bordered on “insta-love,” de Cadenet does a admirable job making them suitable for each other. This is not an interracial romance for the sake of it. Vanessa doesn’t “learn she was wrong” to have discounted white men because she wasn’t. She swore of white men because she didn’t think they could ever understand her or her experiences as a Black woman. But Khalil shows himself as a man who seeks to understands and who is comfortable in Black spaces, even prior to meeting Vanessa: Khalil‘s business partner and best friend is a Black man; he went to Morehouse, an HBCU; his barbershops are in Black neighborhoods and he hosts a community block party in these areas; he mentored Black boys; and he has previously dated Black women.

The beginning of the novel was somewhat slow for me. We don’t know much about the characters until they’re thrust into their insta-love-esque first meeting. This made it somewhat difficult for me to be excited watching their romance bloom. I found some of the dialogue to be cheesy and not how people would talk in real life. However, the latter half of the novel really made it worth it for me. At this time, the topic shifted towards Khalil’s mental health, which I thought was portrayed wonderfully. For those who experience depression or other mental illness, it may be difficult to read these sections of the book. However, Vanessa’s reaction to Khalil’s depression could also be viewed as comforting, as it highlights that those with mental illness are deserving of love, and that those you love will be there for you, even when you think you’re at your worst.

Overall, I enjoyed this novel and think it was a strong debut from de Cadenet. It was a solid 4 star read for me, and I would be interested in reading more from her in the future!

I love that this book is unconventional. It’s a love story between a black woman and an Algerian/French man. There should definitely be more books like this one. It also deals with depression in relationships and women in the stem profession. I am glad to read any books that elucidate these issues, but all of them at once is a bit heavy for me.

If you’re dealing with your own issues and read for the escape, then you may be like me and want to steer clear of books that details someone else’s lows. I get too caught up in the emotions of characters to shake it off. If you’re unaffected, I fully recommend reading this one. The world needs more like it.

It’s not a sports romance. Despite the basketball and the title it is not a sports romance. The hero, Khalil, is a barber and the heroine, Vanessa, is an app developer. Can you tell that I was surprised to find that this was not a basketball romance. Vanessa and Khalil have an instant connection when Vanessa comes in for a haircut. The pair start dating but family, race, and mental illness takes its toll on the couple, but they find a way through.

This book didn’t click for me. As a white woman living in the suburbs I am not the target audience for this book and that’s okay. I didn’t have anything in common with either Khalil or Vanessa. I do appreciate the mental illness representation. This book also overly used “babygirl” as an endearment and it just made me gag and made the intimate scenes very un-steamy to me. Overall, I’m not mad that I read this, but I don’t see myself returning to it.

I LOVED LOVED this book. This is probably one of my favorite reads of 2022 so far. In this book we get to read how a lead lives with suffering from depression almost daily. We get a look into a interracial relationship and feelings and emotions from both ends. I'm so impressed with the authors writing and how she gave all her charters a strong voice. I would definitely be re-reading this book again. I can't wait to get my hands on the 2nd one coming out soon. Oh and can I let you guys know there is some serious steam up in these pages...I'm talking about hot..HOT..HOT!

After a year of working through his depression, Khalil is ready to get back in the dating game. And then he meets Vanessa an incredible tech entrepreneur. She’s so busy with her career and has been burned by relationships in the past but Khalil makes her rethink her stance on relationships. But can they both get past their old patterns to really make this relationship work?

Oof, I’m not sure why but I was not expecting the steam from this one, and it was so steamy. Plus that chemistry. Wow. Vanessa is a badass, strong woman and I adored her character. And Khalil is the perfect book boyfriend - what an incredibly kind and respectful man. There was so much to love here.

In addition to the wonderful characters I was rooting for the whole time, this book tackles interracial relationships and racial.gender stereotypes beautifully. This book is honest and real and emotional and so beautiful.

There were some parts in the beginning where the writing felt a bit choppy and I got a little confused over timelines and the jump from one character to another. But that was resolved fairly quickly and once I got beyond that I loved this book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine Books for the advanced copy!

At first glance, Getting His Game Back seems like the latest rom-com book. Khalil is a successful barber, growing his businesses and spending time with close knit group of friends. He’s trying to navigate his own definition of success while dealing with depression on his own. In walks Vanessa, she’s independent, successful on her own and absolutely gorgeous. Vanessa is on her own quest to find the perfect man and when she meets Khalil, she realizes her own definition of perfect is subjective. Getting His Game Back has incredible layers that look in depth at interracial relationships and what it takes to push back against your own expectations. Author Gia De Cadenet also pushes past the sexy, romance plot and explores how depression influences men and relationships. I appreciated the raw honesty and willingness to allow readers to explore the complexity people with mental health issues often face. There’s a lot of romance, chemistry, and fun intermixed with these heavy topics, but readers should be aware that these topics are discussed. All and all, Getting His Game Back is a great debut novel!

A sincere thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Khalil is thrown off his game when he meets Vanessa, a successful app developer and consultant. From their first meeting, he is drawn to her, but work-driven Vanessa doesn't think she has time for a relationship. Can he convince her to take a chance on him?

Getting His Game Back is a charming love story about two people who love each other in good times and bad. Khalil and Vanessa contend with the complications of being an interracial couple and mental health. Both pose obstacles to their relationship. These complicated, sensitive topics are addressed directly, realistically, and with open dialogue among the characters.

I loved Khalil's character! The sexy cinnamon roll hero is a perfect gentleman who is kind, supportive, and concerned about his family, friends, and community. His battle with depression is heartbreaking. Khalil is always there for others, but he must learn to let people be there for him as well.

After this excellent debut, I'm looking forward to the next book in this series, Not The Plan, about Khalil's twin brother!

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine for an early digital copy of this book.

In her debut romance novel, Getting His Game Back, Gia de Cadenet weaves together a wonderful love story while also racing head-on to talk about tough issues. Set to be released on January 25th, this novel shows both the ups and downs of a relationship and how the ones who truly love you are always there to lift you up.

From the title and cover of this book, you would think it was a fun sports romance; however, you’d be wrong. Yes, there may be mentions of basketball scattered throughout the story, but this book’s main focus is on a growing relationship between two people who try to deny their attraction to one another initially and the ups and downs that relationship brings. This wonderfully-written novel focuses on not just a blossoming relationship, but what happens when that relationship is tested by outside forces.

Be warned: this book deals with some heavy topics like race, toxic masculinity, societal expectations, and mental health, but de Cadenet handles all of it with grace. The incorporation of the tough topics with Vanessa and Khalil’s romance is done very well and adds such depth to this fabulous story.

I legitimately binge-read this novel in a day and I adored it! Despite wanting more closure at the end of the story, I still enjoyed this book. To be honest, if the epilogue would’ve been just a little more robust, this would’ve been a five star read for me. However, I still highly recommend this fantastic and touching book to anyone looking for a potential top read of 2022!

*I received an ARC from Ballantine Books in exchange for my honest review.

This book sounded promising but I had a difficult time getting into it and relating to the characters. The portrayal of depression in the back half was realistic. I just do not think this book was for me.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I was expecting a cute rom com, but received a whole lot more. There were layers to this book that took it beyond a standard rom com. The way Gia De Cadenet wrote with care about mental health was breath taking. The role of friendship was developed well and thoughtfully. The most relatable component to this book for me was the journey for a mixed race couple. I really enjoyed that there was a voice for multiple perspectives on the topic.

I rated this book a 4/5 stars.
Made my heart pitter patter romance moments: absolutely!
Well developed characters: yup!
Well written mental health: very much so!

This is a 4 instead of a 5 star book for me because I thought the ending was a little rushed and had a few lose ends for secondary characters.

I can't wait to read more from Gia De Cadenet!

Khalil is a white man who had a mental health crisis last year that has left him reeling. He's lost his confidence with women, with his business, and with many of his relationships. He is medicated and seeing a psychiatrist, but is nervous and concerned that it will happen again. Vanessa is a black woman who is a driven and talented tech guru and in demand by many. She doesn't have much time for a relationship, and she is definitely not looking to date any men but black men going forward because of bad experiences in her past. When Vanessa meets Khalil at his barbershop, they both feel an instant attraction. Will Khalil be able to open up enough to have a relationship with Vanessa, and will Vanessa be able to put her concern about inter-racial relationships behind her?

This book was so much than I was bargaining for, but in the best way possible! Not only is there steamy chemistry between these characters, but there are real life issues that are not glossed over in any way. Gia De Cadenet tackles racial issues between white men and black women dating without pulling punches. I was educated in so many ways about struggles that women of color face in their dating lives that I never would have guessed at. Mental health issues are also a large part of the plot of this book, and are handled authentically, and genuinely. Khalil's struggle with depressive episodes are amazingly detailed and thorough. I thoroughly enjoyed this book, and the serious topics that were covered while still being a beautiful and spicy romance!

Thank you to Random House Publishing and Ballantine for providing me with an ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book. I read it so quickly, the representation was great and the characters were so lovable. But I will say it was a bit triggering.

TW: Depression, microaggressions, suicidal thoughts, reference to past attempt

Khalil and Vanessa’s relationship was so real and sweet I really really loved it. While Vanessa is a black woman and that comes with a sort of experience I will never live I really resonated with her as a woman of color. Her hesitation to date outside her race is something I can definitely relate to. Which made Khalil’s character all the more lovable to me. He has definitely made the list of book boyfriends from here on out.

Khalil’s struggle with depression was also incredibly relatable. While I have not been diagnosed, mostly because of my nervousness about starting therapy and the stigma it faces in my community, I do think I have seasonal depression. The discussion of depression in this book and the general representation of it was so incredibly accurate. It was scary seeing my own thoughts and actions as the seasons change put into words, and also seeing how Khalil’s loved ones reacted as well. I want to stress that there is a reference to a past attempt and suicidal thoughts that can be triggering, though they are not heavily centered. For me, it was honestly the accurate depiction of depression that really hit home and left me reeling after reading it so please keep that in mind.

Other than being aware of the trigger warnings I really really highly recommend this book. I think the way Gia wrote such an amazing romance, with one great spicy scene, while also tackling bigger issues was truly wonderful. It was such a great read and I am so thankful to have had the chance to read it.

I hope some of the other characters get their own books but whether or not they do I will definitely be reading anything else the author writes!

Thank you Netgalley and Random House Publishing Ballantine for the opportunity to read and review.

This was the first book I read in a long time that dealt with an interracial relationship. It also dealt with mental health. It was hard to read the interracial parts at times because of what the couple had to go through, that's the point the author is trying to get across and does very well. I liked how she dealt with mental health issues too, it really needs to be mainstream and not made to feel like an embarrassing issue, which it still can be at times in some places. I loved the slow burn of the romance in this book, one of my favorite tropes. I would highly recommend this book to anyone, very well written!

Overall this was a cute book. I enjoyed the characters quite a bit, but I felt the story lagged a bit in a few places. I enjoyed the interracial romance and I thought Khalil and Vanessa were perfect for each other. I enjoyed the way they took pride in the success of their businesses and wanted success for each other’s business too.

Vanessa was such a strong character and I’m so happy that she was able to be great at tech and also help out Khalil in helping to build up his barber shop business. We need strong BIPOC female characters in STEM and as business owners and Vanessa delivered on that!

She was also so great as a partner to Khalil even when he was going through a depressive period and was there for him as much as she could be without overstepping boundaries. It’s important to see that mental health being taken seriously by authors and showing that therapy and a support system helps a lot.

One of my quibbles with Vanessa was that she was so stuck on not dating a white man due to a previous experience but Khalil wasn't completely white. He comes off as white, but he’s French and Algerian, so he wouldn’t be seen as white in Europe and he’d still be considered biracial here in the US. I think there was a lot of consideration that Khalil did in making sure that Vanessa as a black woman was feeling safe and respected in the relationship and I absolutely loved that, but it didn’t feel like there was the same level of consideration for Khalil.

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 Detroit romance with some heft stars

I thought at first that this one was a light romcom, now it does have some definite romance, but also has some very realistic portrayals of depression and interracial relationships.

Our two main characters are Khalil and Vanessa. Khalil owns several barber shops, played college basketball, and has been known as a player off the court as well. He also has depression, and I thought the author did a great job realistically writing about this.

Vanessa is a highly successful black woman with a tech company. She wanders into Khalil’s barber shop for a haircut, and you can see the sparks fly! The two are really cautious with each other because of prior bad relationships. They also openly talk about interracial relationships, which was refreshing and authentic.

Just as they are becoming a couple, Vanessa has to leave for several business trips and Khalil’s depression becomes a factor. I loved reading how Vanessa grappled with this and how difficult the path can be as the depressed person pushes everyone away.

This was a promising debut and I look forward to reading future books from this writer!

Getting His Game Back was a great read! I loved the diversity and the focus on interracial relationships. Vanessa was such a likable character and the type of character I love to root for in a romance. She's intelligent, independent, and a loyal friend. Khalil was also such a great book-boyfriend and the way he was with Vanessa throughout the book. The topic of mental health was so well done in this book and I appreciate how the author didn't shy away from the lows a person can experience with depression and didn't slap some quick fix on it because it's just not realistic. The focus on resources and the importance on a support team was really great! The secondary characters were well used/mentioned throughout the story and were great support for the main characters. There was some definite steam in this one and you could feel the tension just jumping off the pages!! My only complaint was that it was a little slow in some parts in the middle of the story, but things really picked up for the last chunk of the book! Overall, I really enjoyed this story and would love to read more from this author!