Khalil is getting back on his feet after a major depressive episode. He's ashamed, though, to admit to anyone that he's in therapy. After all, real men don't need help, right? At least, that's what his ex-girlfriend told him.

Vanessa is tired of being fetishized when she dates white men. As a Black woman in STEM, she gets enough of that at work. Still, she can't help but be attracted to Khalil. Turns out, he's half French, half Algerian, so he knows a little about mixed race relationships. And the way he treats her is a dream come true.

Until autumn rolls around, and he changes. As his depression returns, he pushes her away. Can she convince him that she's there for him, no matter what?

Despite the cute rom com cover, this is a book about depression and suicidal ideation. The author does a great job of dealing with these subjects in the context of a romance. These are believable, fully fleshed-out characters. We get to see all aspects of their lives, including their family, friends, and careers. The subject of depression—especially male depression, exacerbated by toxic masculinity—is handled deftly.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballentine for granting my wish for this one!

I loved that this tackled masculinity, mental health, and the challenges of interracial dating with characters that were so easy to love and root for. Both characters were good people, kind and respectful to each other, and doing their best to be there for each other - even when what they thought was best was wrong. Overall, I enjoyed this so much!

As a fan of contemporary romances that have a bit deeper, I was really excited to dive into this one. There were a lot of conversations at the beginning of the novel about race and interracial relationships. Later on in the book there were many more serious conversations about depression and suicidal tendencies.

The pacing of the story was a little odd to me as the main characters got into a relationship about 20% through the book, hit a rough patch about 70% through, and then didn’t really resolve their issues until like the 90% mark.

3.5 stars rounded up to 4

My 3 things:
1. This is probably the first book I’ve ever read that focuses on male mental health. I think it’s done SO well, and it’s something we could use a lot more of in books.
2. Interracial dating is another one of the stories main focuses. It was seamlessly integrated in a way that educated and made you think. Ma-Max has my heart 😂
3. This book also hits on women in tech. At this point you’re thinking how in heavens name does she do that all in one book. My answer- I have no idea but none of it felt forced or contrived and it was so enjoyable to read.

Kahlil and Vanessa are probably my favorite romance of the year but this book is SO much more than just the romance.

Thank you @netgalley + @randomhouse for the eArc!

2.5 stars
I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Getting His Game Back was a massive disappointment. I’m not entirely sure what I expected, but it wasn’t this.
I will start by saying I do think the mental health rep was written well. That and the other serious topics may have dominated the book a bit more than I expected, a frustrating pattern with these trade paperback “rom-coms,” but I did like that there was an emphasis on getting help with your mental health in particular, with Khalil working with a therapist at various points throughout the book.
And in theory, I did feel like the characters worked. Khalil, as I already noted, is well-rendered in his struggles with depression. And while I can’t speak to the specifics about Vanessa’s identity as a Black woman, I did like the way she was written. She’s successful in her field, and I loved seeing her wanting to keep her focus on that, only to have her priorities shift entirely.
However, I wasn’t super engaged in the romance. I do appreciate that the interracial relationship as a concept was discussed, with Vanessa’s initial resistance to them, but other than that, I wasn’t super won over. They do have some chemistry, but as things slowly progressed, I just wasn’t sure I bought into it, especially as they exchanged “I love you’s.”
The pacing of this book was super off…and noticeably so. The book takes place over the course of months, with the passage of time documented with a subheading indicating the new month at the beginning of the relevant chapter. I don’t mind books that take place over a long period of time…it’s somewhat refreshing, given how some couples seem to fall in love within a matter of days or weeks. But each time a new month would come up, and I still hadn’t progressed much into the book, I wondered how much longer it would take. And while I didn’t miss the superficial drama that takes place in many romances, it didn’t feel like there was much challenging the romance, as much as it challenged the characters individually and kept each of them from pushing the romance forward out of their own reluctance. As a result, the book felt much longer than it should have been.
I didn’t enjoy this as much as I hoped I would, but I can see its merits, provided it finds the right readers. If you go in prepared for the heavy topics and are in the mood for a slower-paced read, it’s possible you’ll enjoy it more than I did.

Getting His Game Back by Gia De Cadenet was pretty cute! It made me laugh, made me nervous with anticipation, and made me say “awww,” which is really all I need from a romance novel.

It also tackles some issues of mental health, gender and race in a serious way. I felt the writing could have been a little stronger, as sometimes I felt like I was being told information vs. shown information, but it didn’t take away from my overall enjoyment of the story.

Synopsis: Vanessa Noble is a tech goddess. No, literally, her industry nickname is “App Goddess.” However, when it comes to relationships, she hasn’t had much luck, despite her various attempts. But when Khalil Sarda, a man who checks every one of her boxes but one major item, comes along, she can’t help but fall fast and hard. Although he thinks Vanessa is amazing, Khalil has been fighting his own battles for the past few years. So, will these two be able to make it work? (TW: depression, brief mentions of micro-aggressions, brief mentions of emotional abuse)

I rarely don’t finish a book, specifically if I’ve received an advance copy. This was slow to get started and didn’t ever really
Pick up the pace. I skipped to the last few chapters and found I really hadn’t missed much in the middle

A couple of things I think the way Kalil navigating his mental health and Vanessa's work in STEM (tech) were handled really well.

After that I'm not sure how I felt about the way IR dating was discussed. There was a lot of amount of time spent on his ethnicity and that he is white but not white white. He also passed because he was down for the community. Eek. I think the reasons she shared about her discomfort made sense to be hesitant but it got repetitive. Also, Vanessa has a list. Is that still a thing? I thought we agreed that the list should be left in 2000s. Idk even Kalil's need to take care of Vanessa financially felt dated. I think he was supposed to be old school but something read off.

I thought the awkward exchanges were sweet because even at 28 you can still be unsure with dating and the way the eased into their relationship was sweet. So I think maybe with more editing or maybe this book could have been a novella it would have read better.

CN: depression (anger), therapy, potentially cheating, microagressions in work and dating, interracial dating concerns, servitude, dementia

Thank you to Random House Publishing-Ballantine, Dell, and NetGalley for this advance copy of Getting His Game Back.

Getting His Game back is the debut novel from Gia De Cadenet and after reading it I'm definitely looking forward to reading more from this author. In this book we have Khalil-he's an HBCU grad who co-owns a chain of barbershops who loves doing for his family, friends, and community. He is white-half Algerian and half French. He is also secretly battling depression. Vanessa is known as the App Goddess in the tech world. She is a young black woman who is building her multimillion-dollar company, loves her friends and family, and due to horrible experiences dating white men, she no longer dates them. Neither of them is looking for love, but that's when love finds them.

I won't lie. When Khalil said "Got you, fam" I was like "*eye roll* oh gosh here we go." But I didn't stop reading and I'm glad I didn't. There is a lot going on in this book, but it doesn't come across as word vomit. Yes, this book is about interracial dating, but it is more so about mental health and masculinity. De Cadenet used great descriptions when discussing depression. I felt I understood what Khalil was thinking; how even the smallest of tasks and problems felt like mountains to climb due to his state of mind. I enjoyed how De Cadenet didn't stick to typical gender roles. Everything felt very equal. I really liked each main character, although I feel like Khalil was the true main character of this story. We get to know a lot about him, but I didn't feel like I knew Vanessa as deeply. I did love what we did find out about her though. There was a great supporting cast as well.

I truly appreciate that the characters involved behaved like adults during the difficult times. I appreciated how these characters supported each other. How even when things got tense and ugly, people behaved like adults and talked things through...eventually. There was compassion and forgiveness. The support shown to Khalil was beautiful. Something else that was beautiful were all the sweet moments between Khalil and Vanessa. The small touches, hand holding, forehead kisses, taking care of each other in big and small ways....*sigh* I want my own Khalil.

Gia De Cadenet is a wonderful writer and I look forward to reading her future books. I appreciate her keeping it real about interracial dating. The interracial dating experiences that Vanessa had does, unfortunately, happen in real life. I appreciate her keeping it real about depression instead of glossing over it. If you are looking for a lovey dovey romance, this book is not for you. If you are looking for a romance that feels like real life where "stuff" gets in the way and things aren't always sunshine and rainbows, but in the end love prevails, then this is a book is for you.

"Getting His Game Back" was a solid 2-star book for me. It had so much potential at the beginning; the characters' introductions were strong, their motivations clear, and their personalities established. Toward the middle, things started to fall apart for me...

Vanessa is introduced as a strong, intellectual black woman who has conquered the STEM world. She can't quite conquer her love life, though, especially when so many men are determined to focus on her race more than any other aspect of her.

Khalil is driven, funny, and sweet to the core. He meets Vanessa when she appears at his barbershop doorstep, desperate for a last-minute haircut when her usual salon burns down. He is immediately taken aback by her charm and beauty, and so the slow-burn romance begins.

Their journey to falling in love is paced well, but toward the middle of the book, it seems like they all of a sudden decide they're madly in love. Corny nicknames (that are WAY overused) ensue, and it feels like everything the book was setting up starts to fall apart. Vanessa's business is mostly forgotten as the plot focuses on Khalil's depression.

The author did a tremendous job handling sensitive subjects, including racism, interracial dating, and most importantly, Khalil's depression. The way that Khalil doubted his masculinity because he dared to show his emotions in front of his girlfriend was a spot-on example of the devastating effects of toxic masculinity, and Vanessa's reaction to it showed just how it should be treated and how this cultural norm can be dismantled.

Overall, I thought the book had more potential at the beginning. The romance was sweet, but it felt too rushed after a point and the plot lost its focus.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A character driver romance between Vanessa, a successful businesswoman and app queen and Khalil, the owner of several barbershops.

I enjoyed this book. It gave excellent representation to interracial relationships and mental health. The characters were great and had a good connection which allowed them to talk so openly with each other.

This story focuses on two people. Khalil and Vanessa. Vanessa is a black female who isn't sure that dating outside of her race is a good idea. Khalil is a whom has some mental health issues and isn't sure that it's the right time to start dating.

This book covers a lot of things. There's interracial romantic issues, mental health, spousal abuse and sexual discrimination on the job. I found it hard to get through this book because there was so much going on. Because of this I had a hard time keeping everything straight. I found that I had to go back and re-read so that I could understand what was happening. I really wanted to like this book, the cover is so great that I just knew I was going to love it. But it just fell short.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Dell for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

I am generally a person that judges a book by its cover, so when I saw the basketball hoop, I immediately assumed that this was a sports romance and hit request incredibly fast. Prior to starting, a friend warned me this was not the case (which I am glad she did), so I went in with open expectations.

Getting His Game Back is a heavier romance, but is a story that definitely needs to be read and discussed. The book broaches tough subjects, like interracial dating, depression and suicide. I absolutely loved both Khalil and Vanessa and were rooting for them the entire novel. Vanessa was an absolute bad ass. I loved seeing a powerful Black woman in STEM heading an app company and traveling across the country. She speaks frankly about dating and her reservations about it. She's bold, yet deeply caring at the same time.

The book centers around Khalil's depression and his attempt to get back into dating after a break down the year prior. He's in touch with his feelings, sees a therapist and takes medication. As a man, this is something that is not depicted and I love that it was embraced. Yet as he is struggling, he allows Vanessa in and accepts help. With Vanessa, he is all about consent, being vocal about what he wants and doesn't play games.

My only hang-ups with the book was the switching of the POV, especially in the middle of chapters. At times, there felt like a lot going on in both Vanessa and Khalil's lives and it was hard to keep straight who's who when the action ramped up. Other than that, this is a wonderful debut novel!

Vanessa and Khalil meet when she needs a haircut but this meeting leads to so much more. She's an app developer who has struggled with dating, especially interracial dating. He owns a chain of barber shops and has struggled with his mental health. Can they find happiness? Well this is a romance and there's a bit of steam as their relationship grows. I liked the diversity and the fact that both own their entrepreneurial business lifestyle. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read and a nice debut.

The main characters in Gia De Cadenet’s debut novel have a lot on their plates, and that’s even before they meet each other. Vanessa is a dynamic app developer and entrepreneur who is doing well in an industry unused to black women’s leadership. Khalil is the co-owner of a local barbershop chain in Detroit. After a suicide attempt the year before, he is receiving treatment for depression, but has yet to let any friends or family know, not even his twin brother. Vanessa walks into Khalil’s barbershop for a touch-up to her hair, and after several more appointments, texts, and phone calls, their relationship grows.

The buildup is slow and quite lovely, but one of the reasons it is slow is that both Vanessa and Khalil are battling their own reservations. Vanessa has had bad, beyond cringeworthy, experiences in interracial relationships, so one of her criteria for dating men is that they are black. Khalil is an Armenian-American and despite his name, manifestly white. Vanessa learns that Khalil’s experiences have made him more culturally sensitive than most white men, but she must decide whether that is enough to waive her guideline. For his part, Khalil suffers under the common illusion that as a man it is his job to take care of family members, friends, and Vanessa, but that he should never burden them with his “stuff.” He bottles his emotions until they come out as anger or depression. In protecting his loved ones, he winds up pushing them away.

It may sound like a very serious book, but it feels both real and warm. Gia De Cadenet’s depictions of the micro-aggressions Vanessa deals with regularly as well as Khalil’s experiences with depression are eye-opening and nuanced. But there is plenty of flirtation, humor, and passion, too. Some of my favorite scenes occurred when Vanessa is lunching with her grandmother, Ma-Max, and her best friend – the snappy dialogue was a treat. Sometimes, when Vanessa and Kahlil were discussing race or depression, it sounded a bit like model dialogue, but then again, both characters have a lot of experience to draw on when choosing the right thing to say.

I really loved the resolution of “Getting His Game Back,” too. I look forward to Gia De Cadenet’s next book!

CW: Depression, suicide

Grade- A-

Smexy Books review: https://smexybooks.com/2022/01/review-getting-his-game-back-by-gia-de-cadenet.html

Let’s start by saying that Khalil was absolutely swoon-worthy, and I’m going to add him to my book boyfriend list for 2022.

Mental health is a theme in this book. I would even say that it is the protagonist in this story. Khalil suffers from seasonal depression, but he doesn’t have a name for it. He’s unaware of it and falls victim to it every year. He is in therapy, which yesssss because that is a serious step to take, and he is successful, caring, funny, and beautiful.

Another central theme is interracial relationships. This is a struggle that you don’t truly understand until you’re in one or are close to one. I remember a time I had a boyfriend who was white. He and I were getting an oil change on his car, and some black men walked up and blatantly and crassly expressed that they didn’t like our relationship—people would also stare at us while in public. After a while, I noticed that I wasn’t allowed to go to his grandparents' house and that he was constantly referring to me as his “black girlfriend.” i got away from the point. Still, anyway, Vanessa has had bad experiences when in an interracial relationship, so she decides that her man would have to be black. But then she meets Khalil, and he proves her and her grandmother wrong. As I mentioned earlier, he is swoon-worthy.

Instalove, but it felt right. I swooned right along with both characters. Also, can I just say I’ve never read a sex scene from the male perspective, and i loved it?

I feel like I’ve given all the spoilers, so I won’t spoil the journey.

Read this if you’re looking for the following in a book: interracial relationships, mental health, a male character in therapy, the successful female lead, Instalove.

Possible triggers: depressions, seasonal depression, depressive state, mentions suicide.

This book missed the marked for me. I feel the cover is very misleading, as it gives off fun rom-com / sports romance vibes... it wasn't really either of these things. The story started out strong and then fizzled from about the 20% mark. There was a lot of "telling" me, instead of "showing" me too, which I struggle with.

Things I liked:
- mental health rep (especially in men)
- a closer look at interracial relationships and the dynamics within them
- some very sweet romantic parts to the story
- successful and strong heroine in the Tech industry
- the MC's friendships, supportive and loving side characters, and the family dynamics

What I struggled with the most:
- I struggled with how Vanessa, a woman in tech who is used to being looked at differently, is so quick to categorize Khalil as white, even after he tells her he's not and is from a biracial family.
The book kinda centers around her preconceptions and struggles being in an interracial relationship (due to family history and a prior relationship) and based on the facts/arguments laid out, I could totally see where she was coming from. HOWEVER, she just kept repeating herself over and over again, and I felt it really weighed me down.
- Some certain events occurred that just were WEIRD to me (i.e. a foot massage occurs at a dance club with olive oil... enough said).

Just don't think this book was for me, which is OK, and it may hit differently for others but I had a hard time getting through this one. I also struggle with sad books and this gets DARK at times. Khalil's mental state is big part of this story and is an important part of Khalil's, one that should def be told, but for me personally, it was hard to read about it for as long as I did.

Rating: 2.5 stars

Getting His Game Back surprised me in the best way possible. The blurb and cover underplayed how awesome and inclusive the story really was! Seriously, the book openly discusses both depression and interracial relationships and in a lot of ways it also works to break down traditional gender expectations / dynamics. The value of strong personal friendships is explored and the value of self-reflection. On top of all of that, this was honestly a perfect romance. I was so caught up in the romance actually that everything else almost melted away because the author did such a great job of normalizing everything. I'm excited to see what this author writes next and cannot praise this book enough.

I loved this book! I want to jump inside the pages and give Khalil a hug. Don’t let the illustrated cover make you think this is a romcom. It’s definitely a romance but it’s really intense and will hit you right in the feels. I love insta-love in books and I very much enjoyed how clearly gone for each other Vanessa and Khalil were right from the start even if they didn’t realize it. It’s kind of a slow burn it’s about half way through the book before we get a kiss.
Vanessa is a great heroine. She’s cool and impressive. Super successful and know what she wants. Takes zero bullshit from all the trash men that have crossed her path. She loves and takes care of Khalil when he needs it without like compromising herself or her career. Girl does it all. I love that Khalil loses like all of his game around her.
I always like to mention the spice level of a romance in my reviews. It’s definitely there, one (maybe two) fairly detailed scenes and the rest are more like it’s happening but you don’t get the details of exactly what they are doing. Not closed door but also not like erotica or anything. It was the perfect amount for this story from my perspective.
What really did it for me with this book was the mental health shown in Khalil. His depression really hit home for me and while it’s emotional to read I do like seeing mental health represented in romance.
100% recommend reading this as long as you can handle reading about depression. The book was great. Release day is 1/25! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy of this book!

3.75 stars

Nice to read a sexy romance with some layers to it. Not only is this a good love story, but it also addresses some of the challenges of an interracial relationship in an honest and blunt way, and provides some insight into depression and how it can creep up on someone in a paralyzing fashion.

Khalil is a White part Algerian MBA who partners with his friend Darius in owning several unique barber shops. Khalil is pretty evolved, and a genuine kind and caring man. But he suffers from depression which he keeps hidden from his best friends and family, especially after his last girlfriend questions his manliness after he gets emotional. Vanessa is a strong and successful businesswoman who is known as the App Queen for her tech prowess. They start off in a business relationship but soon give in to their strong connection.

Things are going well, so well that Khalil starts skipping psychiatrist appointments and goes off his meds. It's not long until he begins to spiral down and doesn't have the perspective to catch himself. Since he hasn't shared his problems with those who care for him, they are puzzled and helpless to try and figure out what's wrong. Luckily, Vanessa loves him enough to do some research on depression and she helps him regain his footing to where he can start taking steps to recover.

Thanks to the publisher and to Net Galley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review.