Playing Flirty by Shameez Patel
Contemporary romance. Diverse. Best friend’s brother and enemies to lovers troupes.
Rose Marie Jones loves games, game night and cosplay. Her long-time lackluster boyfriend has mostly disappeared from her life, and her job is tension filled because of a demanding boss. She puts her exuberance into games and has even built a game herself. She’s convinced to enter a gaming contest and William, a game designer, is exactly the person to help her. They have had a contentious relationship up until now, but laying her hopes out in front of William opens another direction for their friendship. Maybe a little bit of lust thrown in the mix.

An entertaining opposite attracts romance with cosplay humor and forbidden love that the two make sexy and playful. While both are adults, it reads almost YA/NA, although work issues are clearly adult. Loved all the costumes and the realistic game result and the promise of a fun long-term adventure.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley.

This book started out slow, and I found the first 25-30 percent a little hard to engage with, but as I got deeper in I enjoyed it more and more, and there was a surprising level of depth. The premise was a lot of fun and I liked that the book was a little dorky without being all inside jokes and gate keeping. I liked the FMC and MMC, and even though the dynamics of their friend group were a bit confusing (there were a few side characters I kept forgetting about), I think the whole thing worked.

4 stars

ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

great book and I loved the action and the romance . I loved seeing the friends and family. I loved that they were able to figure things out. Overall a great book .

It’s really a 3.5 stars but I don’t confidently want to give it 4. Still, I really liked it! Quick read, likable characters, fun for fans of romance and gaming alike. I didn’t like how much the soon to be ex boyfriend was in the book - that’s not my favorite trope, even if it was obvious he was not the One. I hate to see characters growing closer knowing one is in a relationship, so if that’s not your thing, this might not be for you. And I just felt like I wanted to know William a little better. There’s this air of mystery around him, like he’s a Bad Boy and not right for Rose, but he’s just an intelligent, hot, successful, thoughtful guy. His backstory wasn’t quite enough to justify that reaction to him for me

My board game playing, fantasy reading, LOTR loving, geeky heart was all over this book. It embraces the nerd girl in all of us. And I'm not sure what I loved more. The slow burn romance between Rose and William or the absolutely amazing friend group featured. Can I join your group please. And they way they all unconditionally supported each other.

I really enjoyed watching Rose come into her own. Both personally and professionally. It may have taken her some time but she realized she was in a relationship that was wrong for her. And the strength it took to stand up for herself at work. Add in the confidence to submit her board game idea and we have a perfect low key bad ass female. And I think William is now in my top book boyfriends list. Someone who will nerd out with you and support your dreams whole heartedly, yes please.

This book just spoke to me in so many ways. I hadn't heard of the author before receiving my ARC but will definitely be checking out her other works.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Forever Pub for my copy in return for an honest review!

TW: gas lighting, sexual harassment, workplace harassment

Thank you to @readforeverpub & @shameezwrites for the gifted copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

𝐓𝐢𝐭𝐥𝐞: Playing Flirty
𝐀𝐮𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐫: Shameez Patel
𝐏𝐚𝐠𝐞𝐬: 352

𝐒𝐞𝐭𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠: San Diego, CA
𝐌𝐚𝐢𝐧 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬: Rose designed a fantasy board game when she was younger but never did anything with it even though it was her dream to be a Board Game Designer. She took the safe route, becoming an Investment Analyst. She works with her best friend, Shaun who is about to marry her other best friend, Neema. William, Shaun's half brother/roommate is a videogame designer. He has playboy tendencies and always needs to make things into a competition with Rose. When Rose decides to finally submit her game to a contest, she seeks William's help.

𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐬 𝐁𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐡𝐚𝐬:
• Rivals to Lovers
• Best Friend’s Brother
• Second Chance
• Nerdy Vibes - cosplay, D&D, LOTR, Hobbit, etc
• Found Family
• Forced Proximity
• Lots of Flirty Banter

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐋𝐢𝐤𝐞𝐝:
• Game Nights with friends!
• Ongoing competition between Rose & William
• When Patrick gets the boot
• The towel scene 🥵
• “Meetings” on the balcony
• Rose’s mom was hilarious
• Great side characters

𝐀𝐝𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬: I absolutely loved this book! The characters, the side characters, the story…everything! The chemistry between Rose & William was fantastic!

I had a feeling at the beginning of Gandalf's identity! I was really hoped that Rose would figure it out sooner!!! I wanted to jump into the book and smack not only Patrick but Jeffrey Markham too! I really appreciated how they were dealt with.

My only complaint is that in the middle it started to drag a bit.

𝐂𝐖: Workplace Harassment

What a charming geeky rom-com

Rose has her life all planned....down to the spreadsheet, but can this work for someone with such a fun and game loving spirit?

Just when she thinks she will begin marking her life goals her 2 BF's get engaged. Leaving her questioning everything.

Her BF's brother William is a good-looking and grumpy game designer that has always eluded Rose. When the opportunity to submit a board game she's invented comes up, William is the natural choice to help her.

It was very relatable how much both William and Rose doubt themselves and feel unworthy of true love and connection. Using "games" to hide their feels.

A great story of growing and finding long lost love, connection and direction.

This is a delightful read for fans of lighthearted, geeky romance who enjoy stories about found family, board games, and the thrill of competition, making it a perfect fit for readers who crave a charming and humorous tale of love and self-discovery.

This book was the absolute cutest with some steamy romance and an absolutely incredible cast of characters. From the very beginning, I was just absolutely hooked and the way that I ate this book up...! I've never read anything by Shameez Patel before but that will absolutely be changing!

The tension, the banter, the witty comments were all so well done. I also absolutely loved all of the gaming talk - that nerdiness just truly touched my soul. There was some workplace tension that was a bit of a subplot, but I do feel as though it was handled decently!

Thank you to NetGalley, and Forever (Grand Central) publishing for this e-arc in exchange for my honest review.

Playing Flirty was absolutely delightful! It’s cute, fun and full of nerdy references with a rivals-to-lovers romance.

Between her love of games and struggles with both her personal and professional life, Rose was incredibly relatable. It was so easy to root for her to succeed with her board game (which sounds like it'd be A LOT of fun!) and her budding romance with William.

Rose and William were adorable together! Pretty much all of their interactions had me smiling, especially once they started their game of “playing nice". I just loved how competitive they were with each other. The banter and tension between them was perfect so seeing their relationship evolve was amazing.

I loved all the gaming and LOTR references! They made me want to rewatch the movies (again) and finally start reading the books.
I really liked the found family vibes from Rose’s friend group. Their game nights were definitely a highlight.

This is the perfect rom-com if you’re a lover of all things nerdy! I'm looking forward to reading whatever Shameez Patel releases next!

Playing Flirty is the ultimate love letter to gamers & nerds. There were SO many references and nods in this book that were fun to read as someone who identifies as both! 💖

I love a rivals to lovers story, and Playing Flirty absolutely crushed it. Rose and William’s personalities complement one another so well, and it was so sweet getting to see their relationship shift and unfold. (Also as someone who is super competitive when it comes to board games/competitions in general, I deeply resonated with both of their competitive energy 😂)

This book is a great fit for you if you agree with any or all of the following:
- love rivals to lovers (+ in particular: secret initial relationship)
- enjoy reading about a solid friend group that gives found family vibes
- find yourself getting way too worked up over games and/or competitions (👀)
- are looking for a story that perfectly encapsulates the chaos that is figuring out what you want from your life when your “perfect” 5 year plan turns out to be a wash
- want a romance that will have you smiling at the end because of how everything comes together :)

This book was such a fun read, and I am thankful I got a chance to read it early. If this sounds like your kind of read, it came out yesterday, so you should go pick it up !!!! 💖

i can’t express just how much i loved this book, so i’ll do my best!!

let me start with the characters - i felt like i knew them so deeply, their personalities, their interests, their quirks and flaws. it was so refreshing to see so much of the character building on page!

the whole setting and vibe was also incredible - as a girl who considers herself a gamer (even if it’s just of the cozy and goofy variety) the vibes we’re actually immaculate the entire time. board game nights with friends are one of my favorite ways to fill my cup in my own personal life, so i loved living through theirs as well!

now for the romance - the PINING!!!! the tension started so early on, and while it was a fun grumpy sunshine trope, it was nice because William was like the epitome of “grumpy except when they’re alone” kind of energy. their tension was amazing, their banter was incredible, their relationship was beautiful to watch blossom. and his protective nature was so hot LOL

I also really liked the family aspect - both in William's and Shaun’s relationship with their father and with each other, as well as arose and her parents and getting to know more about their upbringings.

last thing… the epilogue?! MY GOD MY HEART. sobbed. so cute!!!

thank you Forever for the eArc of this novel!

Thanks to librofm + Netgalley I was able to read an ARC of this enemies to lovers romcom full of gameplay and nerdy joy. I loved how the game nights were such a big part of this title, and how Rose who’s always had her life planned out finds a way to embrace change and fall in love.

Patel wrote great tension between Rose & William with witty banter and a fabulous group of friends and co-workers that made this story fun to read. I always adore Forever Publishing titles and was thrilled to listen to this one, the narration made it even better! I've loved seeing an uptick in books with a focus on gameplay and females going after what they want in the industry and the growth between the main characters.

This was such a cute nerdy romance. And when I say this is nerdy, I mean NERDY. The book centers on the characters love of board games and video games and there are hobbit and comic con references and I absolutely adored that. A charming romance about Rose, who is a corporate worker during the day but fantasizes about getting her board game made into a real game. The highlight of her week comes during her board game nights with her delightful group of friends and of course William who always seems to have it out for her. Rose and William have a competitive and fun relationship and although she thinks he hates her (of course) the two grow closer throughout the book due to their love of games.

The highlight of this book is just how charmingly geeky it is and how well the characters get to know each other. For it being a relatively close door romance, the book is not lacking in sexual tension and once Rose realizes that William is interested in her, the book really takes off. I also loved Rose's journey through this book as someone who realizes that she doesn't have to give up on her dreams and what she wants and I admire the way she takes her future into her own hands.

Thank you very much to Forever and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an early copy in exchange for an honest review.

This geeky romance will steal your heart with witty banter, fun loving characters and a budding romance.

Rose Marie Jones lives for game night with her friends. Her best friend's half brother is her arch nemesis. He may be fine looking, but his personality does not match his good looks. He is actually rather grumpy. William Ashdern is a game designer who is serious about life and has no time for silly things. Rose is a happy person, but she has recently gotten her heart broken. She has resigned herself to the fact that romance is not in the cards for her now, so she will just enjoy fun game nights with her friends. In this process, somehow Rose has gotten under William's rather thick skin. These two were made for each other. They just do not know it yet.

This fun romance was the perfect start for the new year. If you want a fun romance with characters that you will fall in love with, you have found the perfect book.

Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this ARC. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This is my first book by this author, but the synopsis (and cute cover) had me intrigued. This is such a cute, nerdy, closed-door romance. I really enjoyed all of the characters and the dynamic of their friend group. I was able to relate to Rose in some ways so this made her a very likeable character. William is grumpy, mysterious and I do wish we had his POV. There were some things that needed to be more flushed out and I think would have given the story more depth. I read this in one sitting so I was definitely invested in the story and the characters. This is great if you are looking for a quick, cute romance and even though this is about gaming (different format of games) you do not need to be a gamer to enjoy this.

A huge thank you to @netgalley and @hachetteus for the E-ARC, it in no way influences my review.

4.5 stars!

I really enjoyed this. The characters in this book are gamers, and this is not something I have personally seen before. It's so reflective of todays society however, I think there is a huge population of people this would be true for. I really enjoyed this aspect of the story. Rose and William are great characters, and I loved our supporting cast and crew of game night as well. This is a book about finding one's self, learning to trust your feelings for others and has a wonderful happily ever after! It also features a diverse cast of characters which is important to me.

Overall, lots of fun! This is a new author for me, and I will be watching for more!

Playing Flirty by Shameez Patel was a wonderful rom-com!
The story is well-written, engaging and delightful on all levels.
The characters are realistic, funny and so very awesome you'll wish they were real.
Their banter was just amazing.

A great nerdy romance for board game fans. I really enjoyed the gaming aspect to this, and how the two main characters turned everything, including their feelings for one another into a competition. They called them getting along as the "playing nice game", and it was just really cute 🥰

🎮 Two Geeky Gamers
🎲 Rivals to Lovers
🎮 Best Friend's Brother
🎲 Found Family
🎮 Slowww Burn
🎲 He Falls First & Hard

I do have to say the beginning was a bit of a slow start. Nothing really drew me in until I hit like 15 or 20%, which is fair enough but still I could see someone DNF'ing quickly because of that slow start.

There was also a lot of storylines happening all at once, and instead of making the story complex, it sort of muddied the waters for me a bit.

The one shining star in this was the chemistry and banter between Rose and William. They really brought the TENSION from the very first moment. They both wanted to win constantly, and even at flirting with on another they constantly wanted to one up the other and it made their scenes together really fun. Also add in the fact that they were hiding any sort of romantic relationship from their entire friend group, and it just added to the saucy tension.

Rose and William's romance overall was super sweet, and honestly at a certain point I just wanted everyone else to just go away 😅. Don't get me wrong I really enjoyed the found family between everyone at game night, but sometimes I just wanted everyone to leave so the two of them could get back to being cute together lol.

Now this last bit is just a personal preference thing for me, but I did not realize that this was semi closed door. Not even closed door necessarily... I honestly might have preferred that. This was like wait until 90% thinking your going to finally get this saucy moment only to get like two sentences where it sort glosses over anything that happened and you wonder if anything even happened at all 🙃. ALL THIS WORK AND WHAT DID IT GET ME, NOTHING.

I'm being dramatic and it's not the authors fault. I didn't know I signed up for, so that's on me. I have seen a few people call this spicy too so maybe it's a me thing. If you are looking for a fairly clean romance, then this honestly would be a very good one. It's just not my typically my jam.

Okay and I know I said last thing already, but I have a little gripe with some side characters that I need to get out... If you want absolute zero spoilers than just stop here and disregard the rest of this review 👍🏼

Firstly, Shaun did not get enough grief for the things he said to William. Like he RIPPED into that man on two occasions and both were highly uncalled for. Then he thought he could make it up to William in the end by bringing their dad in and having daddy say "sorry" to him? Nope, hated all of that and Shaun can fall in a hole for all of that nonsense 😡

The second thing that confused the ever living crap out of me was Claire and Lincoln. I SWORE when the book started and they came to game night that they were a couple. Then later we hear about Claire and her husband Dean?? And their marriage isn't doing great (okay fine makes sense we're gonna put her and Lincoln together in the end I assume) but NOTHING! Unless the author is planning on doing a spinoff book for Claire and Lincoln idk what the point of all that nonsense was and it certainly distracted me from the main plotline.

With all of THAT being said, this was a really cute romance, that I read in basically two days (for me these days that's quick). Nothing revolutionary, but certainly a great book to read on the weekend when you want to decompress and dive into the minds of some horny nerdy gamers 🤭. AND for a debut but Shameez Patel it was really good. I'm very interested to see what this author writes next 🥰

Thank you Netgalley and Forever Publishing for an ARC of this one in exchange for my honest review 💞

Quick easy ready which will be especially enjoyable to people with an inner nerd like me. Decent chemistry between the leads and an interesting premise. 3 🌟