The Dating Playbook was so much fun (though it does have a side of serious).

I want Taylor to be my BFF. While she has some struggles and insecurities she also is a fantastic person and has the right attitude. I can relate to her insecurities, as I have some of them myself. She desperately wants to make something of herself for herself (which is awesome!) but struggles with what she has to do to get there. Her newfound BFF's (from the viral situation) are wonderful and supportive, especially once Taylor comes clean about all the things.

Jamar got hurt is rookie season in the NFL and wants to make a comeback to honor his late friend Silas. I thought this part was so well done. Jamar's struggles with the death of Silas, the early departure from the NFL, how to come back all felt so real. He did a lot of back and forth and I appreciated how he went through his decision making.

Taylor and Jamar are couple goals. While it starts off as a fake relationship you can clearly see how they gravitate towards each other. Taylor has principals and I appreciate how she stood by them, and that Jamar didn't pressure her to change her mind, he understood her reasoning and accepted it. Of course they eventually get together and I enjoyed every last minute. Their banter is so much fun, and they're so sweet to each other.

Highly recommend!

I absolutely loved this book!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and the author for my advanced audio copy of this book!

Last year I read The Boyfriend Project and really enjoyed it. The Dating Playbook is even better. They are companion novels so you don't have to read book 1 to enjoy book 2 but I highly recommend it. Farrah Rochon is an author that has officially become an auto-buy for me. I will read anything she decides to publish in the future.

What I Loved-

*The Audio- Audiobooks have been saving my life. If you are an audiobook lover please add The Dating Playbook to your list. This audiobook was narrated by Rebecca Lee and she did a fantastic job of keeping me sucked into the story.

*The Romance- Taylor and Jamar made an amazing couple. They had great chemistry. I really wanted this couple together throughout this whole book.
The Dating Playbook has a fake dating trope which is really hit or miss for me. In this case it was a hit.

*The Friendship- The friendship between Taylor, Samiah and London takes a backseat in this book but I love this group of ladies! I cannot wait for London to get her own book!

*The Representation- I don't think this is a spoiler: Taylor has a learning disability. I could identify with her struggles and I think it will make Taylor relatable to other readers out there.

*The Conflict- The conflict in this book was very realistic and in no way over the top. It was very well written / executed.

Overall- Highly Recommend. One of my favorite romances this year.

After reading the first book in this series, I was interested in seeing where the camaraderie between the women who met in such an unconventional way would move next. I was happy to see their friendship continue to blossom but felt a disconnect with the other two characters that I didn't feel in the first book? I enjoyed learning more of Taylor's story and think that her journey to gaining understanding about her learning disability as an adult will be powerful for plenty of readers going through a similar journey. I'm not sure if I'll finish up the series with the final member of their group but would be inclined to pick it up if it is offered as an audiobook with the same narrator, who did well with dynamic reading and voices.

Thanks to Forever Pub for the arc/alc of this title.

One sentence review: What do you get when you combine a personal trainer with a football player trying to recover from a career ending injury - one hot romance that you need to read now!

The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon is book 2 of the 3 book series that started with The Boyfriend Project. This book centers around Taylor, a personal trainer who is struggling to make ends meet. Jamar Dixon is in need of a personal trainer and has been intrigued by Taylor's online videos and approaches her about becoming his trainer.

My thoughts:

- I loved that Samiah and London from The Boyfriend Project are a part of this book. The friendship between these three is so interesting to watch.
- I think this book would easily stand alone. The previous book provides some context for the friendship between the three women but otherwise the story stands alone.
- I liked the interaction between Taylor and Jamar. I particularly loved the respect and support that Jamar provided for Taylor.

I highly recommend this book to sports fans or to people who really enjoyed The Boyfriend Project.

NARRATION: I really enjoyed the narrator on this one. She has a pleasing voice and really help bring the characters to life.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Hachette Audio for the ALC in exchange for an honest review

CW: anxiety, learning disorder, panic attack, grief, death of a loved one (past), family tension

I would recommend if you're looking for (SPOILERS)

-m/f friends to lovers
-sports romance
-fake dating
-forbidden romance elements
-great friendship
-close-proximity

This is the follow up to the Boyfriend Project and I was so excited to read Taylor's story. This can definitely be read as a standalone, but to get some of the backstory and just for a great read I'd start there.

I enjoyed so much of this. Taylor's drive yet lack of confidence, frustration over going back to school and her journey with self-awareness and acceptance. The discussions on the importance of mental health and therapy. She was confident and I really liked that, she knew what she wanted out of life even if she wasn't there yet.

And Jamar. He was driven as well with his own goals. I love how the story slowly developed where his motivations were coming from, how it wasn't only football but grief and guilt. This story was so layered. And the chemistry, the banter between these two. Phewww these two were working up a sweat in and out of the gym.

What stopped this from being a perfect read for me was the plot holes, and Jamar's dismissal of Taylor's concerns about dating a client. She respected his need to hide his return to football but he couldn't respect her decisions which really made me struggle with liking Jamar and being fully on board with their relationship. The book made some plot decisions so this was never fully considered, so I enjoy the second half more because I just went with it and ignored it.

Overall I would recommend this one for a banter-filled romance of two people learning to accept themselves. I'm so ready for London's story.

Rating: 4
Steam: 3

The Dating Playbook is thoroughly entertaining and laugh-out-loud funny. This is the 2nd book in the character-based Boyfriend Project series which started when 3 young women discovered they were all being catfished by the same guy, decided to get back at him, and became great friends in the process. The Boyfriend Project was Samiah's story, and The Dating Playbook focuses on Taylor, but also has updates from the other characters. Taylor is a personal trainer working on building her career and trying to get out of debt. She starts working with a famous football player who's trying to get back into the NFL but he wants to keep this quiet, so they pretend to be dating instead of training. There's lots of talk about sports training, nutrition and health which I found really interesting, as well as sparks flying in all directions!

Farrah Rochon has a unique talent to makes her stories so much fun while also building understanding and empathy. This story seems like a lighthearted, slightly steamy romance with a fake-dating trope, but also has great representation of BIPOC characters, as well as issues like anxiety, ADHD and other learning disabilities. The audiobook version narration by Rebecca Lee was perfect.. she really embodied the personalities of the characters and made them come to life for me!

I really enjoyed the first book in the series but I thought this one was even better. I can't wait to read the 3rd book to hear London's story and find out what Taylor and Samiah will do next.

Thank you to Netgalley and to the publishers for providing me with this audiobook. This does not affect my opinion of the story.


The Dating Playbook is a story about Taylor, who seems to not have her life together. Not only is she in financial trouble, but considered the black sheep of her family because of her career choices. Determined to get her life together she becomes the new fitness instructor of the once NFL player and very good-looking Jamar. But things have to stay professional between them even though sparks fly.

This book was really cute and had a fast-paced plot. This book is ideal for people who like sports romances and strong female characters. Sadly this isn't a romance that stands out to me. There was just something forgettable about the characters. They weren't written badly in any way, but there wasn't anything special about them either. Nevertheless, I had a good time listening to this book and I would recommend it for the depiction of female friendship and for the will-they wont-they moments.

3.5 stars

Taylor Powell is fighting to make her fitness business a success, but she's struggling financially. Jamar Dixon is looking to get back into the NFL after an injury took him out of the game and he's convinced that Taylor's brand of drill sergeant training will do the trick. But there's more heating up than the workouts she puts him through.

I'll be up front, sports romance isn't really my thing and I also don't love all the focus on food (not eating carbs, swapping foods etc.) and exercise for weight loss. It makes sense for the characters, just not something I prefer to read and heads up to others who might feel similarly. And the characters do some kind of dumb things because they don't want to face their fears. That said, I think there's a lot to like here. The development of their relationship is great and they try to be careful about blurring lines when she's employed by him. I also loved the way this dealt with learning disabilities in adults that have gone undiagnosed, and the attention on traumatic brain injury among football players. Overall a solid romance, even if it wasn't quite my preferred trope combo. The narrator does a good job with the audiobook and it's easy to listen to. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Love stories like The Dating Playbook are always sweet. Taylor is fabulous and fit, but broke in this novel. In an effort to earn some quick cash, she decides to set up an affordable paid fitness class and runs into the handsome black man Jamar during the class, unaware that he has been eyeing her and wants to workout with her in order to get into shape for football season. While Jamar and Taylor work together, Jamar prefers to keep his training low-profile as Taylor needs the cash to get out of debut, so she accepts falling for Jamar day after day, but is unwilling to violate her policy of not dating clients. The storyline has a lot of spice and sweetness in it, and I was sucked into the story. My favorite character was Jamar because his role in the story went beyond football; he went through a lot off-screen as well. If you're looking for a romantic beach read, then this is the novel for you.

Thank you so much for this audio Arc!

Taylor has hit a major wall in her life. She’s broke, she’s feeling inadequate due to her lack of a degree and her personal training business isn’t paying the bills. Despite all that she’s spunky and upbeat. She meets former pro football player, Jamar, when he hires her to get him back in shape to return to the NFL. They have immediate attraction but decide not to act on it. Until they’re caught by a reporter and Taylor tells him they’re dating as to avoid outing his secret plan to get back in the game.

Along their journey of working together they discover each other’s demons and heavy pasts. They trust each other with their secrets and fears. Can Taylor really go back to get her degree? Can Jamar deal with his reasons for wanting to play pro? Will they give in to the attraction?

I love a good rom-com & have heard great things about Farrah Richmond first book. This story was a bit predictable for me. It was clear early on these two would date (which is always the point of a romance novel.) But they were lacking a bond in my opinion. They seemed to just jump right into it- almost making me think I missed it. I’m also not a huge sports/nutrition/fitness follower so maybe that’s where this fell a bit short for me. Taylor and Jamar were missing a spark. I loved the narrator and Rochons style of writing. I’d definitely like to read her first book!

First time trying an audiobook, and the narrator's pacing and tone really helped me become immersed in the book. I loved the representation, and it was such a light hearted rom-com which I found very easy to read. However, at times it did feel a bit insta-lovey which is a popular book trope, just not one I'm in to.

Looking for a fun, cute, humorous perfect for summer read? Well look no further Farrah Rochon has done it again, if you enjoyed The Boyfriend Project you will need The Dating Playbook in your life. I loved the dynamic between the two main characters, you could tell they had chemistry right from the star. Their fun playful banter was so fun to read. Plus one of my favorite tropes as of lately, that's right fake dating.

In the Dating Playbook we follow Taylor who is a struggling to pay her bills working as a personal trainer. She loves everything about fitness and being a personal trainer it is her dream job to build an empire surrendering this love. Taylor has started a social media based Taloy'd conditioning program to help her try to get back on top of her bills. When Jamar comes to one of her park fitnness sessions which could be the answer to her financial woes. Jamar is an ex NFL player who is secretly trying to make it back into the game, he is looking to hire Taylor to help get him back into top notch shape after his injury. The only problem is Jamar wants to keep his comeback a secret so naturally they decide to fake a relationship. They decide to make a Dating Playbook to make sure things stay realistic yet stays professional. Nothing could possibly go wrong with this scenario right?

Cute, funny, romantic and with a sprinkle of serious topics.

“The Dating Playbook” by Farrah Rochon is the second book in “The Boyfriend Project”-series. I have not yet read the first book, and I had no trouble following the storyline in book two, as the series are stand-alone books.

“The Dating Playbook” is Taylor’s story. She is a fitness trainer with financial struggles. She finds herself accepting a job offer from an injured football player. While her job is to get Jamar back on the field playing football, she cannot help noticing the sparks flying around whenever she is close to him. But because it is important to Jamar that the working relationship remains a secret, they agree to pretend to date in the hope to fool reporters and other gossip columnists.

As the readers follow Taylor and Jamar in a classic fake-dating-perhaps-turning-into-something-more theme, the story takes several serious turns dealing with topics as grief and guilt, learning disorders, and college degrees or rather the lack thereof.

I had the privilege to listen to the audiobook version which is narrated by Rebecca Lee. It was awesome! Her voice is a perfect match to what I imagine Taylor would sound like.

Thanks to @HachetteAudio and @NetGalley for the opportunity to listen in advance <3

I will come back on August 17th and publish reviews on Goodreads, Instagram and (Audible, if available there).

The Dating Playbook is a romcom with a personal trainer and an injured NFL player. Taylor is struggling to pay her bills without a college degree and Jamar desperately wants to prove he can play football again. When Jamar hires her to train him in secret, they have to pretend to be a couple.

This was a cute summer romcom. It felt like most of the others in the genre though it did have an interesting twist with a character having a learning disability. Jamar was such a smooth talker but also wasn't an annoying player. I did feel like certain aspects of their relationship seemed to progress out of nowhere. Also, I wish that when important things happened to Jamar, that he had been the point of view at the time. Like one time when a very important decision happened it came out of the blue and I wish we could have seen his thought process. For me, this was a 3.5/5. I listened to the audiobook and I will say the narrators were phenomenal. I really liked the way they played the characters and I swear when I think of Taylor I hear her voice. Sometimes narrators seem like they're just reading the story but these two actually sounded like they were the actual people.

If you like stubborn women, a relatable character just trying to pay bills, or a hotshot football player with guilt issues, then this is the one for you.

I received a copy of this audiobook free from Netgalley and Hachette Audio in exchange for an honest review.

I loved this rom-com following a sports trainer and her new client, a recovering NFL player!

The two leads have amazing chemistry, and what's refreshing about this novel is that neither one hide that. They try to remain professional as a trainer-client relationship, but they don't lie to each other or themselves about their feelings.

The love interest in this book was especially likable. He was gallant, hot, and had great depth. He's determined to rejoin the NFL after sustaining a knee injury. As you delve into his story, you'll learn more about the survivors guilt he carries after the passing of his high school best friend.

The audio version of this book was highly enjoyable; I listened to it while reading along with my ebook version and I preferred both methods of reading equally. This book was a quick, cute read, if not very surface level. It didn't leave me with much to think about, however I really enjoyed the ride and the way the author tied everything up.

I also got the galley of the book, but when I started reading I knew I woudn't be able to stop. Then I saw the audiobook and figured this was the perfect opporutnity to keep reading (while at work). The narrator of this book make it so easy to listen to. I found myself hearing her voice when I switched back to reading.

The Dating Playbook is a fun contemporary romance featuring Taylor, a personal trainer, and Jamar, a running back trying to make it back into the NFL after a bad knee injury.

My favorite aspect of this book was how realistic it felt, from their career struggles to their family relationships. I also valued several interactions in which Taylor and her friends, as well as Taylor and Jamar, talked about what it is that she wants (including what's holding her back and what possible next steps might be). That sort of communication on the page is awesome.

The language Taylor used around food and exercise sometimes didn't work for me. I don't like to think of exercise as a punishment for eating particular foods, and I don't like to think of certain foods as "bad." I understand that training to make the NFL is extreme, but those messages just aren't healthy ones for me to see.

Still, I enjoyed this one! I listened to the audiobook and found it easy to follow along with. Now to anxiously await London's book -- I have a feeling hers is going to be my favorite in the series.

I think this was my first audibook performed by Rebecca Lee and her narration was fantastic! I would definitely listen to her again and I hope she does the audio for the next book in this series! I really think she'd bring London's story to life perfectly!

A huge thank you to Forever Pub for an ARC of The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon! This is the second book in The Boyfriend Project series. I enjoyed last year’s The Boyfriend Project, and I ended up loving The Dating Playbook even more!

Read this one if you enjoy:
-Fake dating tropes
-Sports romance
-Strong female friendships
-Empowered women

I loved the sports romance piece! The male lead is Jamar, who has a lot of emotional depth, and he’s a former NFL player who hires Taylor to be his personal trainer. He’s trying to make a football comeback, and Taylor hopes to expand and publicize her company, Taylor’d Conditioning!

More importantly, Taylor is 1/3 of the fierce friend group with Samiah and London! They all bonded after being catfished by the same man and developed a strong sisterhood. They push each other to become the best versions of themselves and aren’t afraid to give the tough love.

I can’t wait for the next book to hear London’s story and see how Taylor’d Conditioning has taken off!

I read the book a while ago on Netgalley but this audiobook??? PERFECTION! My chief complaint of audiobooks is when books have two Black characters who use AAVE and slang, they pick a narrator who is NOT even versed or "for the culture". It shows. This is not the case with Rebecca Lee. She had me laughing, crying and hollering. Her inflection on things was PEREFECT!

I loved The Boyfriend Project, so I was extremely excited to read the next book in the series. The Dating Playbook focuses on Taylor's love story. I would say it can be read as a standalone/out of order, because we only see Samiah from book 1 on their girls' nights.

Rebecca Lee is the perfect narrator for this series. I loved when the narrator's voice perfectly matches my mental image of the characters! The production quality of this audiobook was smooth and well-edited, and the narrator spoke clearly enough for me to speed it up. Thanks to Hachette Audio for allowing me to access this advanced listener's copy on Netgalley.

Taylor is such a good MC. She's an amazing personal trainer and is determined to get her business off the ground, but keeps hitting roadblocks. Namely, her lack of a college degree. Until a famous runningback shows up to one of her pop-up classes and hires her as his full-time trainer.

The fake dating trope is one of my favorites, although it didn't take long for Taylor and Jamar to realize they weren't faking it. They made the perfect couple. Can you think of a more perfect match than a personal trainer and a football player? Their banter was top-notch (including Jamar's corny jokes), and I enjoyed how competitive they both were in their workouts.

I loved the learning disability representation and how Taylor overcame the stigma to get the accommodations she needed to be able to go back to school. The message here is that you can still be successful even if you don't excel at school, and that everyone's path to success looks different.

As always, I'm already looking forward to the next book. Can't wait for London's story in book two!