Role Play

Off the Books #1

by Kay Cove

She wanted to write a bestseller. She wasn't ready for the plot twist.

Being an indie romance author was supposed to be a dream come true. But after publishing umpteen books, I still haven’t “made it” and now I’m just waiting for the dark cloak of insignificance to completely snuff out my career.

I decide to roll the dice on a marketing guru who swears he can yank me out of obscurity. But after a frantic search for “book boyfriend material” and an unexpected bar encounter, I accidentally blow my entire budget on an escort.

Forrest is a charming single dad by day and hotter-than-sin escort by night. But before I can fire him and ask for a refund, he reminds me how I got here in the first place… I’m in desperate need of inspiration.

He might be a walking red flag, but Forrest is ready to be my muse, which means spending the next three months helping me “research” my next bestseller. (Hey, I’m manifesting here.) Our game plan? Act out all the romance novel tropes that make a bingeable love brooding billionaires, masked men, cowboys in small towns, and even swoon-worthy green flags.

Forrest plays all the book boyfriend parts perfectly. So perfectly I’m starting to wonder if his feelings for me might be real, or if he’s just earning his paycheck. I’m not sure if I’m trying to write a love story or live one out.

After all, there is no such thing as happily ever after with a professional escort…right?

Genres: Romance, Forced Proximity, Fake Dating, Contemporary Romance, He Falls First, Friends To Lovers, Found Family

507 pages, Kindle Edition

First published September 9, 2025

Reviews

[megan ◡̈ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

happiest of pub days to these two cuties 😭🩵

oh my god this book was so charming, i was hooked on sora & forrest from the very start. it has been awhile since a romance audiobook had me audibly laughing as much as this one did.

sora is a total undercover spitfire and i loved every last thing about her. she was extremely relatable and i enjoyed getting to watch her grow as an author and into someone who doesnt have to take shit from anybody even if they are family. the way she was able to flourish with a bit of push from forrest was really beautiful to read 🥹.

forrest, god. sora is exactly like me bc i too would climb that man like a tree and never let go. though he was likable right away, i had the tiniest bit of doubts about him upon meeting him when i absolutely shouldn’t have. this man is the biggest walking green flag i have read in months. he is a wonderful father and does a really great job at combating the ways her biological mom has started raising her to be spoiled and ungrateful but thankfully with forrest and sora both in the picture more unexpectedly dakota quickly unlearns those behaviors and becomes the star of the show honestly 😭🩵

these two together are honestly magic. the circumstances in which these two get together are so insane but SO beyond fitting for the two of them lmao. theyre both chaotic messes in their own ways but the perfect blend of chaotic that makes you think they were put on earth simply to be together nad become this insane power duo.

there are so many things to love about this book and i am sooo happy i have finally dipped my toes into kay’s books. i cant wait to explore her back list and i just happened to stumble upon book 2 being taio…. oh boy 🙈🤭

[Kay Cove]

Available now!

Download today or read for FREE with Kindle Unlimited
Amazon: https://bit.ly/44Iu7na

Narrated by: Caden Hart & Kasi Hollowell
Listen today!
Audible: http://bit.ly/41dRtPv

Goodreads: https://bit.ly/4lu8BYP

You’ll want to add 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐚𝐲 to your TBR if you love:
✨ he falls first
✨ banter
✨ single dad
✨ forced proximity
✨ cowboy
✨ touch her and ☠️

[mary ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Writing this at 1am while giggling and kicking my feet

The first thing that caught my attention was one specific trope Author FMC x Escort MMC. It intrigued me a lot and oh boy I was not ready for this at all.

“When you doubt yourself, I’ll believe for both of us. When your heart breaks, I’ll fix it. When you talk, I’ll listen. When you write, I’ll read.”

I loved Sora she was very determined to make her career as an author work, even after four years of getting rejected by multiple publishers she kept on going, but lately she can’t write anymore, she feels like this is not working, and on top of all that her parents feel like this is not the right thing for her until she stumbles upon Forrest.

Forrest is a walking talking red flag or that’s what I thought of him at first. He’s actually the perfect book boyfriend, single dad, hot as hell, brings your fantasies to life, annnnnd he’s an escort. It’s not what he dreamed of doing, but just like Sora, he’s struggling. He would do anything to support his daughter and show her how much he loves her.

“I love you,” he says softly. “Whether we’re in Wyoming or New York or anywhere else in the world. Home is wherever you are.”

The romance? Everything. The tension between them had me hooked from the start. Their banter was sharp, addictive, and the way Forrest constantly challenged Sora but also saw her for who she was made me melt. The spice was definitely there but it never overshadowed the emotions it only made their connection burn brighter. The little gestures Forrest did for her, the way he made her feel safe and desired, made him impossible not to fall for.

I kiss her like I mean it—because I do.
Like she matters—because she does.

This book was full of emotions from both the pasts of the MCs and their present. They both had struggles and they were very close in that area. I loved how they grew together, and how Sora’s dad made amends it was such an emotional scene. The slow burn was a chef’s kiss and the ending was perfect.

__________________________________
Instagram
Facebook

[Isabella Grace · Rating 5 out of 5]

"ꜰᴏʀ ᴏɴᴄᴇ ɪɴ ᴍʏ ʟɪꜰᴇ, ɪ'ᴍ ɴᴏᴛ ᴘʀᴇᴛᴇɴᴅɪɴɢ. ɪ'ᴍ ꜱʜᴏᴡɪɴɢ ꜱᴏʀᴀ ᴍʏ ᴛʀᴜᴇ ᴄᴏʟᴏʀꜱ, ᴍʏ ʜᴜᴍʙʟᴇ ʟɪꜰᴇ ᴀʟᴍᴏꜱᴛ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴀᴡᴀʏ ꜰʀᴏᴍ ɴᴇᴡ ʏᴏʀᴋ ᴄɪᴛʏ, ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʜᴇ'ꜱ ꜱᴛɪʟʟ ʟᴏᴏᴋɪɴɢ ᴀᴛ ᴍᴇ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪ'ᴍ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀɪᴢᴇ."

This book is every book lovers LITERAL DREAM COME TRUE!!! I don't think there has ever been an "author x escort" trope, but let me tell you, I NEED MORE!!! This worked on SO MANY LEVELS! Add in that he is a single dad??? AND A GOOD ONE?!?! 😍 Ate it up for breakfast lunch and dinner...the moment I started reading I was SAT...and I read this over 400 page book in one shot. I could not get enought.

Sora is our author FMC...strong, determined...but life is literally kicking her 🍑 right now. She's a struggling author whose books have not been doing well. Her parents are trash....literally. Her mother has zero confidence in her and her father is a well known author himself, yet he refuses to help his daughter with tips or encouragement...content with watching his own daughter fail...I literally hate him so much. Sora is on the verge of giving up and becoming a finance girly with her mother when fate intervenes.

Forrest is our MMC...hot single dad with a heart of gold. He's an escort by night, trying to do right by his daughter...listen...even men need to do what they need to do sometimes. He runs into Sora on more than one occasion when he's met with a proposition by her. She needs help with her book...she wants to hire him to help her live out "book boyfriend" tropes in a way to gain inspiration...and this comes at the perfect time because he currently needs a place to stay with his daughter and the money she's offering doesn't hurt. They decided to enter into a fake dating situation that will benefit them both...giving Sora the inspiration she needs and Forrest and his daughter Dakota the home they need.

These dates and experiences that Forrest does for Sora?? I WAS GAGGED!!!! I was so jealous, yet kicking my feet squealing while I was reading. He was everything you could possibly want...so hot and sexy and executed every trope with perfection...I was a PUDDLE on the floor 🫠🫠🫠

Watching the relationship bloom between Sora and Forrest was so much fun...it was truly like they were meant to be...and I know that sounds cliche...but truly they were. Nothing really made sense until they found each other. The made an amazing and encouraging team. Always there to support each other and lift each other up.

I loved how fast Dakota was drawn to Sora and how purely Sora loved Dakota like her own child. She did any and everything to make sure that little girl was happy and taken care of at all times...And Forrest? He was there to take care of his girls too. 🩵🩵

There is no OW/OM drama...no third act breakup...just a feel good book with enough spice to make you need to change your panties...or boxers....halfway through the book. This is definitely at the top of my favorite Kay Cove books, and I cannot wait for the next book!

Thank you so much to Kay Cove for the incredible opportunity to ARC read this amazing book!🩵🩵🩵

📚Contemporary Romance
🩵Single Dad
📚Struggling Author Heroine
🩵Interracial / Multi-Cultural Romance
📚ANGST
🩵Fake Relationship
📚Cinnamon Role Hero
🩵Forced Proximity
📚Found Family
🩵Roommates to Lovers
📚Secret Romance
🩵RomCom
📚Will They, Won’t They
🩵Escort MMC
📚Writer FMC
🩵Book Trope Themed Dates
📚Possessive MMC
🩵He Falls First
📚BANTER
🩵No 3rd Act Breakup
📚Dual POV
🩵HFN

[Katie Beasley · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a solid 4.5 stars for me! I was so pleasantly surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The only reason it wasn't 5 stars was that it was a TEENSY bit to long for me. I loved the originality of this plot. It felt very meta to me. The main characters role playing different tropes for book inspiration- I haven't read anything like it! Can I also say that I have not had the pleasure of reading a book where the guy is an escort! Just so original to me. I loved the characters- Sora and Forrest. They were living such different lives but when they met it was like fate. She needed help experiencing the things she was trying to portray in her books. Forrest didn't realize it yet, but he was trying to find a way out of his circumstances. I LOVED Forrest- he was HOT. Dirty talker. Swoon worthy. A wonderful dad to his daughter that legit changed his life to accommodate her. And supportive- OMG supportive. I loved their insta connection and how nothing felt forced. The idea of things getting blurred because of their circumstances was very cute, and laughed out loud at some of these role playing scenarios. But overall I loved watching them come to the realization that they didn't want any of this to be pretend. That it hadn't been pretend for a while now. That they both felt whole and complete with the other person. Just SOOOO perfect :)

Sora is searching for inspiration. She has been an indie writer for several years without success. And then she meets Forrest who happens to be an escort and who she pays under dire circumstances to help her through some things. Well plot twist- he doesn't do refunds and decides that he is going to make it his life mission, outside of caring for his daughter, to help her become successful. He will be her fake boyfriend. They can act out tropes to see if any call to her for inspiration for her next novel. Additional plot twist he now needs a place to stay for him and his daughter so they are also going to be Sora's roommates. How did she think this was a good idea? She is scared she is going to blur the lines. She can't get lost in the fantasy that is Forrest. He literally does this for a living. Except he hasn't worked in a while except to help her. And it seems that the more time they spend together the more things don't feel fake or forced at all. In fact they eel beyond natural. Like this was how things were always meant to happen. She realizes she wants this. She wants him and Dakota in her life as more than a job. She wants this for real, but does he want her too? Because he still has this job that she doesn't think she can get behind, and she is ready to lay it out for him if he would just change his circumstances.

Forrest is making a great living. He is an escort. He had to change things up to afford tuition for his daughter's school and support his dad's ranch. But for a while he has wanted a connection with someone. The challenge is that no woman in their right mind would be ok with his lifestyle. But all f that changes when he meets Sora in the coffee shop. And then a few nights later at a party. It's like fate is trying to throw them together. And so he pursues it. She pays him while under the influence and he refuses to give it back but instead offers to help. Offers an arrangement of sorts. He can play her fake book boyfriend- help her role play out tropes to see if any catch her fancy. If anything helps her get inspiration for his next book. Oh and he also wants to move in with her with his daughter. Too much to ask? Too bad. Because there is something about Sora that makes him want to take the mask off. There is something about the way she is around Dakota that makes his chest tingle in the best way. There is something so wonderfully domestic about all of this with them. And the chemistry is unreal. He finds himself reminding himself again and again that this is fake. But his feelings really aren't. But how could this work really? He is in debt. He needs this job. Until he realizes he can't do it anymore. It's wrong with how he feels. He just hopes he hasn't jumped ship too early, and that Sora feels the same way about him.

This was just delicious! I finished it in two days. I was captivated by the story. I loved the reunion of Sora with her family. I loved how much parenting was such a big role in this book. I also loved the other escorts and can't WAIT to read their books. This book made me laugh. It made me smile. It made me want to give Sora a BIG hug but Forrest did it for me. I definitely recommend this one for an original take on a romance!

Thank you to Valentine PR and Kay for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review :)

[Sandy (Sandy.Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ (4.25 stars)

This was such a fun and refreshing take on a romance. Watching the characters intentionally step into and act out some of the most popular romance tropes was genuinely entertaining, and honestly, I’d be down to try something like that myself. It added a playful, self-aware layer to the story that made it hard to put down.

One of my favorite parts was the MMC’s relationship with his daughter. The way he prioritizes her and is willing to do whatever it takes to make sure she is safe and deeply loved really tugged at my heart. That same care and protectiveness naturally extended to the FMC, and I loved seeing him make her feel secure and valued in ways she hadn’t before.

It was especially satisfying to watch the FMC slowly come out of her shell and truly step into herself as a writer. Seeing her embrace who she was always meant to be felt earned and empowering, and it added so much depth to her character arc.

And then I realized the next two books follow the MMC’s friend and I actually gasped. Aghhh. I cannot wait to keep reading this series.

Overall, this was a charming, trope-filled romance with heart, humor, and growth. A really enjoyable read that left me smiling.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

Forrest is a single dad escort, and Sora is a struggling romance author trying to get her books noticed in a market oversaturated with dragon loving readers.
Their paths cross in the most unexpected ways that somehow turns into a fake dating arrangement 🤭

Sora’s father is a famous author, and her best friend (and social media manager) is the sweetest hype woman. Sora herself has never been in love, and Forrest is looking for a place to stay with his daughter. She drunkenly paid him $10k to help her, so he’s determined to follow through with a twist.

He proposes something wild: they’ll role play classic romance tropes to help inspire her writing.

What starts as a mutually beneficial arrangement turns into something more. I loved the playful “research sessions” between Forrest and Sora, and their character growth was heartfelt and real. This book was such a fun, creative, and charming read!

Thank you so much for this arc to Kay Cove and her team. I had the best time going through the millionaire romance trope and the cowboy romance trope!

Available in Kindle Unlimited, paperback and audio.

[Anca A · Rating 4 out of 5]

#Review: *Role Play* - Kay Cove - ARC [18+]
4.4/5
3/5🌶️

I haven't read anything by Kay Cove until now and I was pretty curious about this one. Thank you Kay and Valentine Pr for accepting me for this e-ARC!🤗

What happens when an escort falls for an aspiring romance indie author? Well that's a really complicated situation.🤭 Forest had to take this job when things got complicated in his life and needed a way to earn money for his daughter. He wasn't a married man and things with his kid's mother will only get more complicated throughout the story.

Sora truly wanted for her books to be recognized by more readers but she never had the luck on her side in this industry, which almost made her give up on her passion. The irony was that her own father was a super known author but he never gave Sora the right tips and tricks for succeeding as a writer. So, after Sora met Forest, she may see in him that someone who could help her out and, maybe, get her out of that state she was in. But of course that things got more complicated when a kid was involved and when Forest needed a place to stay, Sora had the best house to take him and his daughter in. That's the part where things got really blurred and made both of them think that maybe there could be more there if they were willing to try. But can Forest get past the fact that his job might be a huge problem for anyone who would be part of his life?

Funny thing, Sora in my language means 'sister' and it's the first time when I get to see this name in a book. She was really genuine and I hated how much she struggled with her writing path when she could have had an easier road because of her father. But that was fate because otherwise she wouldn't have met Forest and little Dakota, who instantly clicked with her. Throughout the whole story their bound became even more tighter, making them question what to expect from what they've built together.

This story had a plot which I don't often encounter, with the writer and escort part. It was super nice to see all their interactions and how vulnerable they were in some instances. I loved how cute their relationship was and how they were just there for one another in difficult times.

✨Tropes
#StrangersToLovers
#RomanticComedy
#Angsty
#FakeRelationship
#CinnamonRoll
#FoundFamily
#RoommatesToLovers
#SingleDad
#SecretRomance
#WillTheyOrWontThey
#WriterFMC
#EscorteMMC

[Melissa · Rating 3 out of 5]

This story had some cute moments, but overall it felt disjointed and far too long. For a contemporary book with little world-building and almost no plot, 450+ pages is excessive. I’d be open to trying more from this author, but I’m not rushing to pick up another.

[Michelle Cuéllar · Rating 4 out of 5]

Calificación real: 3.8

Muchas gracias a los editores de Page and Vine en Edelweiss por dejarme leer esta novela antes de tiempo. ❤️

Nunca había leido nada de la autora y me enamoré por completo con el estilo de escritura de Kay Cove! Siempre me parece interesante cuando una novela explora de una forma casi metalingüística por la forma en la que una autora critica como la industria editorial puede, a veces, ser voraz. Como una escritora principiante, no pude evitar querer extender mis brazos e ir a abrazar a la protagonista.

Por otra parte, como lectora de romance, no se imaginan como suspiraba cada vez que Forrest y Sora tenían escenas juntos. Me gustó como hay un buen balance entre desarrollo de personaje y la propia dinámica que ambos tienen como pareja. Si eres alguien que disfruta de una novela de "papá soltero", te recomiendo que le eches un ojito a esta. 😉

[Beyza · Rating 2 out of 5]

2/5⭐️

[Sarah]

This one was so cute and fun, and I loved the interesting twist on the role playing. Definitely a recommended book and great audio!

ALC for IG Live with author

[Anastasiya · Rating 5 out of 5]

My god, if I could give this book ten stars, I would.

What I expected was a cute, light, witty, and fresh take on an underused trope. What I didn’t expect, although probably should have, was…a love letter. A love letter to romance authors and, dare I say, to the genre itself. Maybe it’s me, but this book is deep, and Kay Cove did it by taking you on the wittiest, most hilarious ride while she was at it.

You can read this book in two perspectives, either as an author or as a romance reader. If you’re an author, this book says “I see you, I acknowledge your journey and your struggles, you’re doing great.” As a reader, this book poses the question “what are you hoping to find in these stories you read?” “How do you pick and choose what you read next?” “Are you reading to feel love as it really is or what you wish it was – easy?”

With Sora and Forrest, Ms. Cove highlighted the reality of sacrifices and the hard choices we are forced to make, as well as the harsh reality of fighting for dreams that don’t make sense on paper. And yes, from the reader’s perspective, Sora also underscored the reality of living your life instead of just disappearing into stories where HEAs are guaranteed.

The spice was there and, when it happened, it was well written. But, in my humble opinion, it wasn’t the star of the show. The plot was, which in this day and age is hard to find in spicy romance. No miscommunication tropes here, my friends. Sora and Forrest are both complicated and emotionally mature characters who make this story feel so real, you’re emotionally invested from page 5.

While I didn’t cry, this book made me seriously reflect whilst laughing (I looked crazy on the train), snorting, kicking my feet, and raising my eyebrows from the sheer wit. I did feel like the ending was a bit rushed, but…I honestly don’t know if that’s because it was or, more likely, because I just didn’t want the book to end.

What you’ll get:
- Emotionally intelligent and mature FMC and MMC
- Well written spice
- A hilarious 4-year-old…who’s too intelligent for her age
- Hilarious romance trope reenactments which are totally professional and solely for research purposes…of course
- Healthy representation of, and surprisingly deep, MMC friends
- A journey towards overcoming the need to please everyone, thus pleasing no one
- Healing parent/child relationships…and parental second chance romance?
- A reminder to always read the packaging (iykyk lol!)
- Laughter, laughter, laughter…and microwaveable meals (with the exception of cookies)

[Kaity · Rating 5 out of 5]

I want to be Soya when I grow up. She got to try out so many tropes with a hot and swoony book boyfriend come to life (for her, not me, sadly) which is the DREAM. As he is a hot single dad, happy to walk into a romance book shop, completely unfazed to act out all the tropes she needs to write.

Those spice scenes were so damn hottttt! This book has it all for a romance reader. It feels like a love letter to a romance readers, and maybe to romance writer too.

Thank you Kay and Page and Vine for an advanced copy.

[Lauren 🍓 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5 ⭐️

Kay Cove with another book that I absolutely loved!!

Sora and Forrest are actually the cutest, sweetest people and Dakota is the the most adorable child and they formed the most precious family

[Ingrid · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, I am so excited for the Off the Book series! I have been anticipating this release since Kay Cove’s announcement. Thank you Valentine PR & Literary Management for the ALC.
.
.
Forest is a devoted single dad, willing to do whatever it takes to give his daughter Dakota the life she deserves—even working nights as a male escort. Enter Sora, a down-on-her-luck author whose dream of being published is slipping through her fingers. Their meet-cute? A coffee shop, a cookie, and instant sparks.

When fate throws them together again at a wedding, a wild idea hatches: what if Forest plays out every book boyfriend trope to help her capture the perfect romance novel? From fake dating to forced proximity to the ultimate slow-burn tension, Forest becomes Sora’s living muse.

But here’s the catch: the lines between pretend and real blur fast, and suddenly neither one is playing anymore.

✨ Tropes:
• Single dad with a heart of gold
• Forced proximity
• Cowboy, Masked me(boyfriend tropes)
• He falls first 💘
• Touch her & die energy

This is equal parts fun, steamy, and heartfelt. Forest is the ultimate cinnamon roll with a dirty edge, and Sora’s determination makes you root for her every step.

If you love a romance that mixes trope-play with genuine emotion, this one’s a winner.

[Kaelea Babner · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay this was so cute!! This was my first book by this author and I’m definitely not disappointed. I loved the whole set up of this book! I’m not gonna ruin it for people who haven’t read it yet, but love how she involves popular tropes in the story 😍 I’ve definitely never read anything like this!

I love me a single dad, and Forrest was sweet with his daughter. But also, baby mama was a total mean girl. The way I rolled my eyes the entire time she was talking in a chapter. I can’t stand girls like that.

This book was super freaking long, but I was thankful enough to have gotten the ALC for this, and the narrators had me cracking up at certain parts. They really just gave an extra boost of enjoyment for me. The pacing was perfect.

This book will have you smiling, giggling, rolling your eyes and mad as heck. But the ending is perfection and I can’t wait to see what’s next! PS, you’re going to fall in love with this man. There’s nothing he wouldn’t do for his woman and his after, and it shows. Plus…a city man who used to be a cowboy?? Yes please. Take me back to that ranch 🤠

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

Role Play was such a fun and refreshing read! I loved getting a glimpse into the life of an indie author, it was so fascinating and added such a unique layer to the story. The escort angle also felt fresh and original, something I’ve never read before. What I loved most was how the author balanced laugh-out-loud humor with real depth and vulnerability in the characters. I was hooked from the start and honestly sad when it was over. This was my first book by this author, but definitely won’t be my last!

The duet narration was great! Caden Heart sounded exactly how I pictured Forrest, he nailed every role and voice perfectly. Kasi Hollowell captured all of Sora’s quirks and charm beautifully. Together, they made the story feel so alive and elevated the book!

🌶️🌶️🌶️

[Destiny Graham · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️, this was such a refreshing romance!
-Escort/Single dad MMC
-Indie author FMC
-Forced proximity
-Spicyyyy

I was genuinely kicking my feet and giggling the entire time!
This book was so witty & comical in the best way!
Not gonna lie, I’m so jealous of Sora bc GIRL. She got to live out some of our favorite book tropes😭
If that’s not a green flag from our MMC, I don’t know what is! & He’s a single daddy??🤭 TEHEHEHE
I had such a fun time reading this one! All the characters had me cracking up & the romance was just so sweet!
(and spicy😉🌶️)
I need to read more of this author asap!! I loved her writing style!!

[booksvanereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

absolutely loved Forrest and Sora. their banter was gold.
the set up, the plot, the fake book boyfriend dates, all the tropes, everything was *chefs kiss*

i loved the exploration the characters had throughout the book, felt like different stories all being told in one leading to the same happy ending.

no third act break up 🫡
((little bit of longer chapters but the banter and spice made it so much better))

Forrest and his dirty talk?! 🥵🥵🥵
Sora and her intrusive thoughts? 😂😂

honorable mention: Taio as a side character. can’t wait for book 2 for him.

tysm valentine pr for the early arc. ✨🫡

[ashlee · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sora + Forrest

-single dad
-strangers to roommates to lovers
-author x escort
-spicy research
-great banter

this had one of the most unique plots i've read in a long while & i loved the character dynamics & the meet-cute! everything was so intricate with their families as well & it gave it so much depth! super cute!!

[⋅˚₊‧ ୨bree୧ ‧₊˚ ⋅]

dnf’d at 25%. i was quite bored and gave up. it’s a soft dnf for now.

[Lyndslmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

i was in a reading slump for a long time and this got me out of it. IM FREE

[Judy Portelles · Rating 4 out of 5]

I loveee a single dad romance. Forest was the sweetest and I loved him with his daughter. The chemistry between Forest and Sora was so good. Definitely listen to the audiobook the narrators did such an amazing job with the characters

[Amelia · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a very fun story with autumnal vibes, I was smiling a lot of the time!
The FMC, Sora, was so full of snark, I just loved it. Her lines had me cracking up at times!
It was a very unique twist for the couple to explore "role playing" various romance tropes, I enjoyed that a lot!
I loved that the side characters all had so much personality. That really added a nice depth to the story.
Ty to the author and Valentine PR for the ARC!

[CNA · Rating 2 out of 5]

I tried y’all. I really did. In fact I’ve tried four of Kay’s books. And they come so close to me liking them, then she inevitably does something in the plot or with the characters that gives me a huge ick factor and I just can’t. So much ick factor snuck into this one for me. And if I’m supposed to think Taio is hero material for the next book… the dude who thinks you can be in a relationship with someone, but sleep with other people and it’s not cheating if it’s for “work”…? That dude is the “hero” in the next book? I’ve deleted Kay from all my socials since reading that part. All that being said, there were LOTS of really good parts. Really sweet, good parts. So I’m very torn on a rating here. But… the ick factor prevails and 2 stars it is.

[Allison Thommen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Six stars.
No notes - literally my new favorite book of all time.

[Amelia Blackmon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Role Play is the first book in the Off the Books series written by Kay Cove.

What to expect:
*Escort MMC x Author FMC
*Book trope themed dates
*Single dad

Sora is a struggling author who is desperate to figure out how to get her career off the ground before her mother makes her come work for her in the finance world. When she accidentally runs into Forrest a couple of times, she develops a plan that may help her out.

Forrest is a single dad by day, an escort by night. All he wants is to provide for his daughter without his ex finding out how he is paying his bills. When he runs into Sora for a second time he dives head first into her plan to hire him to take her on trope themed book boyfriend dates to see if that will help boost her creative writing vibes.

The trope themed dates were so sweet, the conversations between the MMC and his friends when they visited their local bookshop were hilarious!!

No OW/OM drama, no cheating or third act breakup. Ends with a HFN.

Thank you to Page & Vine and Simon & Schuster for the opportunity to read and review this title.

Format: ebook
Genre: Contemporary fiction, Romance
Overall score:⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice level:🌶️🌶️🌶️
Characters: Sora (FMC) & Forrest (MMC)

[Gabby · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Come on, cookie girl…”

This book was refreshing in a way that gave new perspective into the minds of indie authors who are just trying to share their hearts with us readers. Not the ones who are chasing fame or trying to hop on trends. The authors that are trying to share a story with us that give us a piece of them and we don’t even realize that. Sora was that indie author that made me feel all the things for those authors that don’t get the recognition and made me love indie authors more than I already do.

The book is about two people who are just trying to make their lives better and worth something but aren’t able to do that just yet until they find each other. Sora is a struggling indie romance author with big shoes to fill. Forrest is an escort who is just trying to make ends meet to give his daughter a life. These two meeting was kismet, when they both needed each other and didn’t even realize it.

Sora’s sarcasm is on point in this book and I loved her quick wit. And her bleeding heart made me love her even more. She just wanted to make it as a romance author, to tell a story that was more than just the physical aspect of it but the actual journey the characters take. Getting into the mind of an indie author in this book seriously had me so caught up in it. I will be thinking about this every time I read a new author.

Forrest was the best dad in this book and this man was so freaking cute to Sora. I love how he challenged her and made her think of things differently. Also, the role playing of different tropes was everything in this book and really showed how much he would do for the ones he loves in his life.

Some of the scenes in this book had me full belly laughing. I don’t want to give anything away but I will be thinking of those scenes for a while. The banter with the side characters, chefs kiss. Taio and Saylor were absolutely hilarious. Sora and Daphne’s relationship was so sweet and I loved how much of cheerleaders they were to each other, true friendship.

The back forth between Sora and Forrest was everything in this book. They caught each other off guard so many times and I just ate it up. Never be over the dark romance scene though. Lives rent free in my mind.

The bond between Sora and Dakota, Forrest’s cute daughter, was everything. Sora was so patient with her and showed up for this little girl.

The spice: perfect. This man brought his A game and poor Sora did not know what she was getting into with this man. Like I said before, the dark romance scene, rent free!

Tropes:
🩵Angsty
🩵Cinnamon role hero
🩵Cowboy
🩵Fake relationship
🩵Forced proximity
🩵Found family
🩵Interracial/multicultural
🩵Roommates to lovers
🩵Secret romance
🩵Single dad
🩵Will they or won’t they

[Cassies.EndlessReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sora is an independent author struggling to get her books to stand out, especially after some not so nice reviewers tore her down. So she hires Forrest, a male escort, to help her tap into all the tropes and fantasies that romance readers love… she just didn’t expect to fall in love too.

“If I take you home and stay…” I take a step closer to her. “… what do you want to do?” Nearly trembling, she asks, “What does ten thousand dollars get me?” I take another step, closing the gap between us. Her chest is pressed tightly against my abdomen as I speak in a growly whisper against her ear. “It gets you anything you want.”
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

This was seriously such a fun read! Creative dates like a billionaire on the yacht, a scary masked man chase through the woods (so hot), a paintball war to simulate that whole touch her and die vibe, a sexy cowboy, a single dad! All the tropes we love, all while falling for each other!!
While it was fun and spicy, it also had such a good story. While Sora was falling for Forrest, she struggled to figure out what was real and what was fake all for the sake of story telling. Forrest struggled at being a single dad and needing to keep his job, but feeling as if he was betraying Sora.
When these two finally faced their feelings, it was so amazing! No over analyzing, no third act break up, no miscommunication. They were all in!

This is the first in a series about male escorts who fall in love! Can’t wait to keep reading!

“You’ll see, sweetheart. I’m going to romance the heck out of you. By the end of tonight, you’ll be the one dropping down on one knee.” I burst out in a raucous laugh, but the funny part is… the way he’s looking tonight… I wouldn’t rule it out.”