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Playing for Keeps: A Novel
Lambda Literary Award winner and national bestselling author Alexandria Bellefleur returns with a steamy Sapphic rom-com about two rival publicists who are forced to work together when their mega-famous clients—a popstar and a quarterback—begin to date.
Poppy Peterson’s life is finally back on track and she’s thriving as the publicist of the NFL’s most promising quarterback (and her childhood best friend), Cash Curran. So, she doesn’t appreciate when he makes an impulsive and public pass at America’s popstar darling, Lyric Adair. When Lyric’s notorious publicist Rosaline Sinclair reaches out, Poppy is ready to face her wrath, but instead learns that Lyric is equally interested.
As Cash and Lyric embark on their ill-advised whirlwind romance, Poppy and Rosaline are forced together, each determined to protect their own client from the other. Poppy is frustrated by Rosaline’s cool demeanor, while at the same time, as a legend in the industry, she’s determined to impress her. But, no matter what she does, she can’t shake the feeling that Rosaline doesn’t like her.
That is until one steamy night, when the two women contend with their unexpected feelings and begin a messy romance of their own. But with paparazzi, tabloids, and stalker fans nipping at their heels, Poppy and Rosaline’s loyalties will be tested in ways they could never expect.
A high energy, Sapphic, and deeply sexy romance, Playing for Keeps has everything readers expect from Alexandria Bellefleur and more!
workplace romanceforced proximitysecret relationshipfound familyhurt/comfort
Poppy Peterson’s life is finally back on track and she’s thriving as the publicist of the NFL’s most promising quarterback (and her childhood best friend), Cash Curran. So, she doesn’t appreciate when he makes an impulsive and public pass at America’s popstar darling, Lyric Adair. When Lyric’s notorious publicist Rosaline Sinclair reaches out, Poppy is ready to face her wrath, but instead learns that Lyric is equally interested.
As Cash and Lyric embark on their ill-advised whirlwind romance, Poppy and Rosaline are forced together, each determined to protect their own client from the other. Poppy is frustrated by Rosaline’s cool demeanor, while at the same time, as a legend in the industry, she’s determined to impress her. But, no matter what she does, she can’t shake the feeling that Rosaline doesn’t like her.
That is until one steamy night, when the two women contend with their unexpected feelings and begin a messy romance of their own. But with paparazzi, tabloids, and stalker fans nipping at their heels, Poppy and Rosaline’s loyalties will be tested in ways they could never expect.
A high energy, Sapphic, and deeply sexy romance, Playing for Keeps has everything readers expect from Alexandria Bellefleur and more!
workplace romanceforced proximitysecret relationshipfound familyhurt/comfort
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First published January 6, 2026
126 people are currently reading
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About the author
Alexandria Bellefleur
17 books4,663 followersAlexandria Bellefleur is a bestselling and award-winning author of swoony contemporary romance often featuring loveable grumps and the sunshine characters who bring them to their knees. A Pacific Northwesterner at heart, Alexandria has a weakness for good coffee, Pike IPA, and Voodoo Doughnuts. Her special skills include finding the best Pad Thai in every city she visits, remembering faces but not names, falling asleep in movie theaters, and keeping cool while reading smutty books in public. Her debut novel, Written in the Stars, was a 2021 Lambda Literary Award winner and a 2020 winner of The Ripped Bodice Awards for Excellence in Romantic Fiction.
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dnfed
November 26, 2025thanks to the publishers for the ARC, I got about 100 pages into this one and decided to temporarily DNF it. this feels soooooo inspired by taylor swift and travis kelce it's kind of taking me out of it lol. might come back to it in the future!
January 19, 2026
this book is heavily inspired by travis and taylor. i'm so done 😭
August 25, 2025
alexandria bellefleur wrote poppy peterson in honor of evan buckley and rosaline sinclair as the fitzwilliam darcy in this essay i will…
“poppy. no one calls me penelope” connected across the space time continuum fr
Only Alexandria Bellefleur could hand me a romance novel during these unprecedented times and leave me feeling hopeful despite it all. Bellefleur’s latest, Playing for Keeps, is a romance novel of epic pop culture references, twitter exchanges, meta curveballs, and of course an unconventional sapphic romance between two clashing publicists. As newbie publicist to an up and coming NFL star, Poppy Peterson attempts to have it all with celebrated publicist Rosaline Sinclair, while a powerful popstar and a football himbo engage in a poorly timed but nevertheless endearing romance. Playing for Keeps does not wait around to kick off this delightfully chaotic narrative, and in Bellefleur's signature style it's a witty and highly engaging romp through the trials of PR and modern fame. Bellefleur continues to play it close to home in the Pacific North West, a setting plentiful in queer romance and culture (complete with easter eggs to her former novels). The Alexandria Bellefleur Cinematic Universe—the ABCU as it were—is a dynasty entirely of its own and watching it flourish continues to be a joy for readers everywhere. Playing for Keeps marks a new shift for Bellefleur, unequivocally displaying her power in subverting the space between fiction and reality, with marvelous results.
Read my review
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing the advance review copy.
Bookstagram | Blog
“poppy. no one calls me penelope” connected across the space time continuum fr
Only Alexandria Bellefleur could hand me a romance novel during these unprecedented times and leave me feeling hopeful despite it all. Bellefleur’s latest, Playing for Keeps, is a romance novel of epic pop culture references, twitter exchanges, meta curveballs, and of course an unconventional sapphic romance between two clashing publicists. As newbie publicist to an up and coming NFL star, Poppy Peterson attempts to have it all with celebrated publicist Rosaline Sinclair, while a powerful popstar and a football himbo engage in a poorly timed but nevertheless endearing romance. Playing for Keeps does not wait around to kick off this delightfully chaotic narrative, and in Bellefleur's signature style it's a witty and highly engaging romp through the trials of PR and modern fame. Bellefleur continues to play it close to home in the Pacific North West, a setting plentiful in queer romance and culture (complete with easter eggs to her former novels). The Alexandria Bellefleur Cinematic Universe—the ABCU as it were—is a dynasty entirely of its own and watching it flourish continues to be a joy for readers everywhere. Playing for Keeps marks a new shift for Bellefleur, unequivocally displaying her power in subverting the space between fiction and reality, with marvelous results.
Read my review
thank you to netgalley and the publisher for providing the advance review copy.
Bookstagram | Blog
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
OK! Hmmmmm…. This is a tricky one?
So, the writing was good. The story was filled with a lot of cute moments and nice scenes that I enjoyed. I can definitely see some readers liking this novel a lot. There was a lot of spicy content (far more than I expected going in) and I think it was well written, so align your thoughts about this novel with your desire for spicy scenes. There were two romance plotlines and both of them had a wealth of cute moments, even if you may need to suspend disbelief for a bit. There was a lot of banter that I really liked, and the characters went well together; I saw some satisfying genuine chemistry on the page.
One of the characters struggles with alcoholism and the author did an excellent job of portraying this issue from the angle they chose. I think this element of the novel (which can be tricky) was done excellently and that’s a big thumbs-up from me.
The downsides….. First off, I found the romance plotline to be incredibly weak and underdeveloped. It was basically just sex and then at some point you assume there is a relationship there; both the protagonist and the reader were likely equally confused as to when and why that happened, and MC#2 had to explain it to us. The romance/relationship just somewhat “happened”. There WERE some great scenes there, but the overall package left a lot to be desired. This might have worked better as a dual POV.
The last section of this novel is what really wrecked the experience for me. Up until the 3rd act I think it could have been a perfectly fine novel, though it leaned a bit hard on spicy content to prop up the overall experience. Then we got the most frustrating and annoying 3rd act breakup I have read in a while.
The ending also left a lot unresolved. There were entire plotlines (such as Poppy’s relationship with her family) that were left (in my opinion) entirely unresolved. This made me wonder why they decided to spend so much time and word count on this plotline if it ultimately didn’t go anywhere (or at least, it didn’t give a satisfying resolution from where I am sitting). I felt like the ending was abrupt and unsatisfying, and a poor ending always takes a lot away from the reading experience for me.
As for the audiobook: the narrator was good. All of the tweets and text messages in this novel however did NOT translate to audiobook very well. It got incredibly repetitive and also difficult to follow. I imagine it would be better in text format but it didn’t work for the audiobook very well.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
So, the writing was good. The story was filled with a lot of cute moments and nice scenes that I enjoyed. I can definitely see some readers liking this novel a lot. There was a lot of spicy content (far more than I expected going in) and I think it was well written, so align your thoughts about this novel with your desire for spicy scenes. There were two romance plotlines and both of them had a wealth of cute moments, even if you may need to suspend disbelief for a bit. There was a lot of banter that I really liked, and the characters went well together; I saw some satisfying genuine chemistry on the page.
One of the characters struggles with alcoholism and the author did an excellent job of portraying this issue from the angle they chose. I think this element of the novel (which can be tricky) was done excellently and that’s a big thumbs-up from me.
The downsides….. First off, I found the romance plotline to be incredibly weak and underdeveloped. It was basically just sex and then at some point you assume there is a relationship there; both the protagonist and the reader were likely equally confused as to when and why that happened, and MC#2 had to explain it to us. The romance/relationship just somewhat “happened”. There WERE some great scenes there, but the overall package left a lot to be desired. This might have worked better as a dual POV.
The last section of this novel is what really wrecked the experience for me. Up until the 3rd act I think it could have been a perfectly fine novel, though it leaned a bit hard on spicy content to prop up the overall experience. Then we got the most frustrating and annoying 3rd act breakup I have read in a while.
The ending also left a lot unresolved. There were entire plotlines (such as Poppy’s relationship with her family) that were left (in my opinion) entirely unresolved. This made me wonder why they decided to spend so much time and word count on this plotline if it ultimately didn’t go anywhere (or at least, it didn’t give a satisfying resolution from where I am sitting). I felt like the ending was abrupt and unsatisfying, and a poor ending always takes a lot away from the reading experience for me.
As for the audiobook: the narrator was good. All of the tweets and text messages in this novel however did NOT translate to audiobook very well. It got incredibly repetitive and also difficult to follow. I imagine it would be better in text format but it didn’t work for the audiobook very well.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing a free ARC. This honest review was left voluntarily.
August 5, 2025
I LOVED this story!
This was such an endearing and interesting sapphic romance, that I think tons of readers would enjoy.
Poppy is the publicist for famous football player, Cash. Rosaline is the publicist for famous musical artist, Lyric.
When Cash and Lyric start dating, Poppy and Rosaline must work together to navigate the challenges of representing their clients in their new relationship.
From the start, the two women aren’t exactly fond of each other. Rosaline is known for being intense, scary and cold- and Poppy is quite intimidated by her.
Eventually tensions rise, and feelings develop as the two women start spending more time together.
Shared red carpet and sporting events become something bigger- and they find themselves becoming increasingly infatuated with each other.
When problems arise with their clients, they must decide who and what is most important to them, and if their relationship can endure the conflict.
This was such a fun read! I hardly wanted to put it down.
The romance in it was great. I think Poppy and Rosaline are so cute together!
They have somewhat of a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and it really comes through in a beautiful “opposites attract” kind of way.
I also really enjoyed that we get to see two romance stories play out here, since we are following Cash and Lyric as well.
It feels like reading two stories in one, which is quite unique.
I felt deeply sorry for Poppy throughout this entire story.
From her challenges with addiction, to her experience growing up with older parents who were “already done being parents” by the time she was born, she really did endure so much. These sorts of things add some heaviness to the story- but they also add realness and relatability.
Poppy truly came through as a very real person with real struggles- and I felt very connected to her for that. I think a lot of other readers would too.
The writing is fantastic, and very smooth.
It feels mature, while not being complicated or confusing.
I do think it would have been extra great if it was dual point-of-view, so that we could get some insight into both women’s individual thoughts and feelings, but honestly it is still fabulous the way it is.
Bravo to this author! This is my first book of hers, but it certainly won’t be my last!
Huge thank you to HarperCollins Publishing and author Alexandria Bellefleur for providing me with the eARC of “Playing for Keeps”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: January 6th, 2026
This was such an endearing and interesting sapphic romance, that I think tons of readers would enjoy.
Poppy is the publicist for famous football player, Cash. Rosaline is the publicist for famous musical artist, Lyric.
When Cash and Lyric start dating, Poppy and Rosaline must work together to navigate the challenges of representing their clients in their new relationship.
From the start, the two women aren’t exactly fond of each other. Rosaline is known for being intense, scary and cold- and Poppy is quite intimidated by her.
Eventually tensions rise, and feelings develop as the two women start spending more time together.
Shared red carpet and sporting events become something bigger- and they find themselves becoming increasingly infatuated with each other.
When problems arise with their clients, they must decide who and what is most important to them, and if their relationship can endure the conflict.
This was such a fun read! I hardly wanted to put it down.
The romance in it was great. I think Poppy and Rosaline are so cute together!
They have somewhat of a grumpy x sunshine dynamic, and it really comes through in a beautiful “opposites attract” kind of way.
I also really enjoyed that we get to see two romance stories play out here, since we are following Cash and Lyric as well.
It feels like reading two stories in one, which is quite unique.
I felt deeply sorry for Poppy throughout this entire story.
From her challenges with addiction, to her experience growing up with older parents who were “already done being parents” by the time she was born, she really did endure so much. These sorts of things add some heaviness to the story- but they also add realness and relatability.
Poppy truly came through as a very real person with real struggles- and I felt very connected to her for that. I think a lot of other readers would too.
The writing is fantastic, and very smooth.
It feels mature, while not being complicated or confusing.
I do think it would have been extra great if it was dual point-of-view, so that we could get some insight into both women’s individual thoughts and feelings, but honestly it is still fabulous the way it is.
Bravo to this author! This is my first book of hers, but it certainly won’t be my last!
Huge thank you to HarperCollins Publishing and author Alexandria Bellefleur for providing me with the eARC of “Playing for Keeps”, in exchange for my honest review!
Publication date: January 6th, 2026
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
A fun sapphic romance that definitely feels a little Taylor Swift/Travis Kelce inspired, except the romance is between the publicists of two celebrity clients! When a NFL quarterback and a pop star begin dating, their respective publicists must work together to craft the right narrative and protect their clients. Poppy works for her best friend Cash and is good at what she does, but is intimidated by the infamous Rosaline Sinclair, representing singer Lyric Adair. Sparks may be flying between their clients, but Poppy and Rosaline quickly become intimately entangled as well. But mixing work and pleasure can get messy...
This was fun, very sexy, and different sort of take on a celebrity romance where it's celebrity adjacent people. Very enjoyable read and the audio narration is great! I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
This was fun, very sexy, and different sort of take on a celebrity romance where it's celebrity adjacent people. Very enjoyable read and the audio narration is great! I received an audio review copy via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
January 4, 2026
4.5/5 ⭐️
1.5/5 🌶️
This book has been on my radar for ages, and since I’ve read (and enjoyed) several of Alexandria Bellefleur’s other books, my expectations were already pretty high. Happy to report: they were met.
This story is super cute. The easiest way to describe it? Imagine if Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s publicists fell in love… and everyone was queer. That’s the energy. High-profile clients, media chaos, forced proximity, and two professionals who absolutely should not be catching feelings—but obviously do.
One of the things Bellefleur does best is writing queer characters with so much care, especially bi representation. It never feels like a checkbox; it feels lived-in and thoughtful, which I really appreciate. The romance is soft, swoony, and fun without losing emotional depth.
On audio, this was an easy, cozy listen—perfect for errands or winding down—while still delivering plenty of banter and heart. If you enjoy workplace romance, queer love stories, or romances that feel very of-the-moment in pop culture, this one is a win.
Overall: charming, thoughtful, and just plain fun. Exactly what I was hoping for when I finally hit play. 💖🎧
Thanks to Alexandria, their publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced audio copy of this book!
1.5/5 🌶️
This book has been on my radar for ages, and since I’ve read (and enjoyed) several of Alexandria Bellefleur’s other books, my expectations were already pretty high. Happy to report: they were met.
This story is super cute. The easiest way to describe it? Imagine if Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s publicists fell in love… and everyone was queer. That’s the energy. High-profile clients, media chaos, forced proximity, and two professionals who absolutely should not be catching feelings—but obviously do.
One of the things Bellefleur does best is writing queer characters with so much care, especially bi representation. It never feels like a checkbox; it feels lived-in and thoughtful, which I really appreciate. The romance is soft, swoony, and fun without losing emotional depth.
On audio, this was an easy, cozy listen—perfect for errands or winding down—while still delivering plenty of banter and heart. If you enjoy workplace romance, queer love stories, or romances that feel very of-the-moment in pop culture, this one is a win.
Overall: charming, thoughtful, and just plain fun. Exactly what I was hoping for when I finally hit play. 💖🎧
Thanks to Alexandria, their publisher, and NetGalley for an advanced audio copy of this book!
August 14, 2025
this did not work for me at all. the fake articles and tweets at the beginning of almost every chapter were annoying to read (the internet lingo was cringy), the banter was forced, the jokes didnt land, the romance was super rushed (rosaline and poppy have like 3 basic interactions and then poppy is like "omg im developing feelings"), and the third act was just absurd. alas, this was a big flop.
January 9, 2026
Thank you for the E-arc Avon and Netgalley!
As someone who's read Alexandria's work for awhile, I felt like this was really lacking so much. I was left disappointed and honestly have just decided that I have outgrown this author's work
This book starts off with one clear detail, Cash and Lyric are just Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift copied and pasted with a few changes. This already had me hesitant to continue reading because like every person of color out there, I am tired of the mainstream white woman propaganda being constantly thrown in my face.
I did appreciate some of the changes within Cash and Lyric, for example Cash is a bisexual football player and Lyric is a Brown woman but the similarities of TS and TK are very present in the room. And the "inspiration" of TSxTK speaks louder than the actual changes that were made.
Despite this book being about Poppy and Rosaline with Poppy's specific POV, the plot is like 60% Cash and Lyric and 40% (maybe even lower) Poppy and Rosaline. How do you sideline your own main Sapphic relationship for TSxTK fanfic.
I cannot even point out when Poppy ended up falling for Rosaline and vice versa. You have Rosaline calling all the shots and Poppy just follows because even when we had their scenes, Rosaline was pulling 99% effort and Poppy a flimsy 1%. I understand that Rosaline is a very dominating person but Poppy's character is like a baby learning to walk. Therefore, she is unsure of how to pursue a relationship with Rosaline.
I truly feel like this literally could be a book for Cash and Lyric. Which would've been less insulting than promoting this as a sapphic romance and then completely sidelining the characters.
It's 2026, Sapphic relationships shouldn't have to share the spotlight that is purposely casted onto them.
This sapphic relationship and the TSxTK romance are so codependent off one another it's quite embarrassing. Major plot points in the book revolve around both relationships, the development of sapphic relationship and third act conflict are clear evidence of this.
As someone who's read Alexandria's work for awhile, I felt like this was really lacking so much. I was left disappointed and honestly have just decided that I have outgrown this author's work
This book starts off with one clear detail, Cash and Lyric are just Travis Kelce and Taylor Swift copied and pasted with a few changes. This already had me hesitant to continue reading because like every person of color out there, I am tired of the mainstream white woman propaganda being constantly thrown in my face.
I did appreciate some of the changes within Cash and Lyric, for example Cash is a bisexual football player and Lyric is a Brown woman but the similarities of TS and TK are very present in the room. And the "inspiration" of TSxTK speaks louder than the actual changes that were made.
Despite this book being about Poppy and Rosaline with Poppy's specific POV, the plot is like 60% Cash and Lyric and 40% (maybe even lower) Poppy and Rosaline. How do you sideline your own main Sapphic relationship for TSxTK fanfic.
I cannot even point out when Poppy ended up falling for Rosaline and vice versa. You have Rosaline calling all the shots and Poppy just follows because even when we had their scenes, Rosaline was pulling 99% effort and Poppy a flimsy 1%. I understand that Rosaline is a very dominating person but Poppy's character is like a baby learning to walk. Therefore, she is unsure of how to pursue a relationship with Rosaline.
I truly feel like this literally could be a book for Cash and Lyric. Which would've been less insulting than promoting this as a sapphic romance and then completely sidelining the characters.
It's 2026, Sapphic relationships shouldn't have to share the spotlight that is purposely casted onto them.
This sapphic relationship and the TSxTK romance are so codependent off one another it's quite embarrassing. Major plot points in the book revolve around both relationships, the development of sapphic relationship and third act conflict are clear evidence of this.
Want to read
November 26, 2025what in the tayvis
October 9, 2025
4⭐️ 3🌶
This is my first book by this author, she's been on my tbr list for her other books. This tale takes place in the current era, it's very Taylor Swift/ Travis Kelce coded side characters. The main FMCs Rosaline and Poppy, are the PR agents for the 2 superstars. they have to learn to work together to navigate this supercouple romance. This story unfolds like you're watching it on TMZ, there are a bunch of tweets, IG posts, sports and awards show commentary. I've found that an interesting and unique way to tell the views and move the plot along. I found myself really enjoying the journey on this one.
This has a bit of everything related to the music/entertainment industry and sports. There is spice but it's relative to the story. I'm used to a bit spicier reads, so I rated this lower for me but others may disagree.
Some tropes or issues are forced proximity, cheating, adversaries (kinda) to lovers, found family, addiction, ice queen.
I can't wait to dive into this author's back catalog.
I want to thank Avon & Harper voyage for the E-ARC, and the chance to review this story.
This is my first book by this author, she's been on my tbr list for her other books. This tale takes place in the current era, it's very Taylor Swift/ Travis Kelce coded side characters. The main FMCs Rosaline and Poppy, are the PR agents for the 2 superstars. they have to learn to work together to navigate this supercouple romance. This story unfolds like you're watching it on TMZ, there are a bunch of tweets, IG posts, sports and awards show commentary. I've found that an interesting and unique way to tell the views and move the plot along. I found myself really enjoying the journey on this one.
This has a bit of everything related to the music/entertainment industry and sports. There is spice but it's relative to the story. I'm used to a bit spicier reads, so I rated this lower for me but others may disagree.
Some tropes or issues are forced proximity, cheating, adversaries (kinda) to lovers, found family, addiction, ice queen.
I can't wait to dive into this author's back catalog.
I want to thank Avon & Harper voyage for the E-ARC, and the chance to review this story.
December 23, 2025
ARC from Harper Audio adult
Release date: Jan 6th 2026
Playing for keeps by Alexandria Bellefleur
I’m dying at Poppy being cash’s publisicist, she really having to do impulse control, I’m cackling. I love their friendship. I already feel like this is gonna be fun . Two publicists having forced proximity since their celebrities are dating. Cash’s crush is adorable awww. Ohhh Rosaline is a bad ass but also SASSYYY . I love the banter and tension between Rosaline and Poppy eating it up. The red carpet moment 😂. The spice is oufff hotttt 🤪🥵. Poppy’s childhood had me a little sad my Sheila 🥺. I love how their relationship blossomed. This was beautiful romance 🥰
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Release date: Jan 6th 2026
Playing for keeps by Alexandria Bellefleur
I’m dying at Poppy being cash’s publisicist, she really having to do impulse control, I’m cackling. I love their friendship. I already feel like this is gonna be fun . Two publicists having forced proximity since their celebrities are dating. Cash’s crush is adorable awww. Ohhh Rosaline is a bad ass but also SASSYYY . I love the banter and tension between Rosaline and Poppy eating it up. The red carpet moment 😂. The spice is oufff hotttt 🤪🥵. Poppy’s childhood had me a little sad my Sheila 🥺. I love how their relationship blossomed. This was beautiful romance 🥰
Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
January 10, 2026
I went into this knowing about the Taylor/Kelce ties, which definitely pulled me in. I’m not a full-on Swiftie, but I appreciate the references and vibes, and they were a fun bonus rather than distracting.
This book surprised me in the best way. The dom/sub spice came in fast and left my jaw on the floor. Like… fully melted, popsicle-on-a-hot-day energy. It was unexpected, confident, and absolutely my favorite part of the book. The spice made total sense for the characters and their dynamic, and it delivered.
That said, the romance between Poppy and Rosaline felt a bit underdeveloped for me. The chemistry and spice worked, but the emotional shift to making things official felt sudden. I wanted more build and a clearer evolution of their relationship, maybe with the promise to be official at the end. If you’ve read it, you’ll probably know exactly the section I’m talking about without me spoiling anything.
Even with that, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the full cast of characters and how the two love stories intertwined. The world felt warm and fun, and the spice absolutely carried. Overall, a very enjoyable read that I’d recommend, especially if you like bold dynamics and aren’t afraid of spice coming in hot.
This book surprised me in the best way. The dom/sub spice came in fast and left my jaw on the floor. Like… fully melted, popsicle-on-a-hot-day energy. It was unexpected, confident, and absolutely my favorite part of the book. The spice made total sense for the characters and their dynamic, and it delivered.
That said, the romance between Poppy and Rosaline felt a bit underdeveloped for me. The chemistry and spice worked, but the emotional shift to making things official felt sudden. I wanted more build and a clearer evolution of their relationship, maybe with the promise to be official at the end. If you’ve read it, you’ll probably know exactly the section I’m talking about without me spoiling anything.
Even with that, I really enjoyed this book. I loved the full cast of characters and how the two love stories intertwined. The world felt warm and fun, and the spice absolutely carried. Overall, a very enjoyable read that I’d recommend, especially if you like bold dynamics and aren’t afraid of spice coming in hot.
January 11, 2026
The concept of this book is that yes, Taylor and Travis are a fairytale love story, but that has no spice, so what if their managers were fucking,, and were both girls. It's the funniest thing ever and brought me so much joy. If you are ready to embrace the concept and have fun with it and just experience a little bit of queer joy, this is for you.
While Playing For Keeps does not shy away from the Taylor Swift of it all, she does take the idea of Taylor and Travis and make them original-ish side characters. They are a fun twist on what they could be, while still having fun with the Taylor lore.
Not only did Bellefleur take inspiration from real life, but she also pleasantly surprised me by incorporating one of my current TV shows, 9-1-1, into Poppy's character. She has just a sprinkle of Evan Buckley in her, and I loved it. There was one scene that felt right out of the show. The only other thing I will say to keep away from spoilers is to keep an eye on the Twitter handles (I refuse to call it X) of the fans!
One thing that I can accept in queer romances is how fast the romances develop. Poppy and Rosaline. Both romantic plots involve them falling fast and hard. They are cute together and quickly slip out of the friends with benefits zone and into the girlfriends zone.
I loved Playing For Keeps because of the amount of joy it was able to bring me.
While Playing For Keeps does not shy away from the Taylor Swift of it all, she does take the idea of Taylor and Travis and make them original-ish side characters. They are a fun twist on what they could be, while still having fun with the Taylor lore.
Not only did Bellefleur take inspiration from real life, but she also pleasantly surprised me by incorporating one of my current TV shows, 9-1-1, into Poppy's character. She has just a sprinkle of Evan Buckley in her, and I loved it. There was one scene that felt right out of the show. The only other thing I will say to keep away from spoilers is to keep an eye on the Twitter handles (I refuse to call it X) of the fans!
One thing that I can accept in queer romances is how fast the romances develop. Poppy and Rosaline. Both romantic plots involve them falling fast and hard. They are cute together and quickly slip out of the friends with benefits zone and into the girlfriends zone.
I loved Playing For Keeps because of the amount of joy it was able to bring me.
November 14, 2025
well i wrote a better review but it didn’t save so I’m keeping this short. i did not finish this. I read to 60% and the dialogue was so bad and the plot was so unrealistic and it was all glorified porn. this was really bad.
thank you to netgalley for providing me with a free arc in exchange for my honest review!
thank you to netgalley for providing me with a free arc in exchange for my honest review!
Review of advance copy received from Netgalley
I have so many thoughts on this book. The tl;dr is that I had expected maybe a different POV, and it turns out that I am DEEPLY uncomfortable with Real Person Fanfic. For me, this is a case of a reader mismatch.
Ok so yes, I did request this audio ARC because it was the romance about "what if Taylor and Travis's publicists were lesbians who fell in love?" And I'm a Swiftie, and Tree Paine is great at her job, but there was a point early when I got the ick because I know that Rosaline is inspired by Tree, and RPF with sex scenes (especially this many) feel very invasive. I feel like we Swifties know that Tree is tough and probably intimidating, it just... Hadn't occurred to me to wonder what an intimidating PR lady could be like in bed, and that's on me.
Actually I think I'd feel less uncomfortable if this were from Rosaline's POV. Since we know who Tree is, this just felt like we're sexualizing her, and that's gross. I had expected a romance about a top publicist falling for the sports publicist, which would have worked much better for me. Rosaline is a dom and kinda feels like a stone lesbian, and Poppy has a lot of unresolved trauma and a praise kink. I really need Poppy to go to therapy.
The writing was fun, and I'd read this author again. But the inspiration was just so clear that I felt uncomfortable and started dissociating during the sex scenes. I could have just DNFed but I liked Cash and Lyric enough to want to see them work out. I'm glad I read enough reviews to be spoiled on the 3rd Act Breakup trigger because that had me very stressed for a while.
As a romance novel... If you want spice, this has it. But it felt like Rosaline and Poppy jumped into sex so quickly, and we didn't see their relationship grow that much outside of sex or work talk. The pacing and timelines were also confusing, so I had a hard time figuring out how quickly both relationships were moving.
This book might work for another reader who's less familiar with the inspiration, or who is actually used to reading real person fanfic.
TW: sex, recovering alcoholic, emotional abuse, infidelity, revenge porn
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperAudio/Avon for the audio ARC.
Ok so yes, I did request this audio ARC because it was the romance about "what if Taylor and Travis's publicists were lesbians who fell in love?" And I'm a Swiftie, and Tree Paine is great at her job, but there was a point early when I got the ick because I know that Rosaline is inspired by Tree, and RPF with sex scenes (especially this many) feel very invasive. I feel like we Swifties know that Tree is tough and probably intimidating, it just... Hadn't occurred to me to wonder what an intimidating PR lady could be like in bed, and that's on me.
Actually I think I'd feel less uncomfortable if this were from Rosaline's POV. Since we know who Tree is, this just felt like we're sexualizing her, and that's gross. I had expected a romance about a top publicist falling for the sports publicist, which would have worked much better for me. Rosaline is a dom and kinda feels like a stone lesbian, and Poppy has a lot of unresolved trauma and a praise kink. I really need Poppy to go to therapy.
The writing was fun, and I'd read this author again. But the inspiration was just so clear that I felt uncomfortable and started dissociating during the sex scenes. I could have just DNFed but I liked Cash and Lyric enough to want to see them work out. I'm glad I read enough reviews to be spoiled on the 3rd Act Breakup trigger because that had me very stressed for a while.
As a romance novel... If you want spice, this has it. But it felt like Rosaline and Poppy jumped into sex so quickly, and we didn't see their relationship grow that much outside of sex or work talk. The pacing and timelines were also confusing, so I had a hard time figuring out how quickly both relationships were moving.
This book might work for another reader who's less familiar with the inspiration, or who is actually used to reading real person fanfic.
TW: sex, recovering alcoholic, emotional abuse, infidelity, revenge porn
Thanks to Netgalley and HarperAudio/Avon for the audio ARC.
August 29, 2025
“I think I could be really good at loving you, if you’d let me.”
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for sending me an ARC of Playing for Keeps in exchange for an honest review.
Playing for Keeps is transparently based on the idea “what if Taylor Swift’s and Travis Kelce’s publicists began a relationship at the same time their clients did.” I’ve really enjoyed Ms. Bellefleur’s previous novels, so I went into this one with high expectations. Unfortunately, I have to admit I was a bit disappointed.
For a book about Poppy and Rosaline, Playing for Keeps revolves too much around Lyric (Taylor) and Cash (Travis). Sure, they are the reason Poppy and Rosaline meet, and why they have to start regularly interacting. But so much time was spent on those two secondary characters that Poppy and Rosaline didn’t get the depth I think Ms. Bellefleur usually gives her characters. The third act drama was much more about Lyric and Cash than Poppy and Rosaline (it was also completely absurd; there’s no way these people in 2025 would not have immediately suspected exactly what was actually happening). Finally, I didn’t love how the whole relationship seems to happen to Poppy, like she’s a bystander, with Rosaline making every move. It was a strange choice given the story is told from Poppy’s perspective.
Playing for Keeps isn’t a bad book. I liked Poppy and Rosaline as characters. The story was funny and sweet and steamy in places. I would just say it’s not up to high standards set by Ms. Bellefleur’s previous novels.
August 8, 2025
Huge thank you to Edelweiss, the publisher and Alexandria Bellefleur for giving me this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Publishing date: January 6th, 2026
I LOVED this story!!!
Haven't read so many sapphic books this year so when I was accepted to be an ARC reader for this one I was sooo fucking excited and it 100% didn't disappoint!!! It was such a fun read that I actually couldn't put it down and read it in less than 6 hours.
The romance was great! Poppy and Rosaline are so cute together! They have a
grumpy × sunshine dynamic and they still were so cute and in love with each other the whole story. We also get to see Cash and Lyric's love story so it was great to see two stories in one!!!
I am a 3rd POV hater especially in a romance book, but with this one it really worked and the writing is beautiful and mature and I'm honestly glad that it was written in this way!!! It works sooo well with this story!
The only thing that maybe could have added more to this story is if the book was in dual POV or there were at least a couple of chapters from Rosaline's POV so that we could see more of Roz's thoughts and feelings, but it is still fabulous the way it is.
Publishing date: January 6th, 2026
I LOVED this story!!!
Haven't read so many sapphic books this year so when I was accepted to be an ARC reader for this one I was sooo fucking excited and it 100% didn't disappoint!!! It was such a fun read that I actually couldn't put it down and read it in less than 6 hours.
The romance was great! Poppy and Rosaline are so cute together! They have a
grumpy × sunshine dynamic and they still were so cute and in love with each other the whole story. We also get to see Cash and Lyric's love story so it was great to see two stories in one!!!
I am a 3rd POV hater especially in a romance book, but with this one it really worked and the writing is beautiful and mature and I'm honestly glad that it was written in this way!!! It works sooo well with this story!
The only thing that maybe could have added more to this story is if the book was in dual POV or there were at least a couple of chapters from Rosaline's POV so that we could see more of Roz's thoughts and feelings, but it is still fabulous the way it is.
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August 26, 2025Playing for Keeps tells the story of two publicists (Rosaline and Poppy) brought together when their clients begin a romantic relationship with strong echoes of Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce.
Bellefleur has such a fun writing style. IT’s playful and funny with a lot of winks to her readers. Many chapters open with gossip site articles or tweets and I think this works well for a main character who is a publicist—her days driven by the actions of her client.
The first two acts of this book were so good—really strong chemistry between Poppy and Rosaline if a little insta-love. And the sex is so sexy—especially the dialogue during these scenes. AB is so good at writing sexy banter in her books and it really shines in Playing for Keeps.
Bellefleur has such a fun writing style. IT’s playful and funny with a lot of winks to her readers. Many chapters open with gossip site articles or tweets and I think this works well for a main character who is a publicist—her days driven by the actions of her client.
The first two acts of this book were so good—really strong chemistry between Poppy and Rosaline if a little insta-love. And the sex is so sexy—especially the dialogue during these scenes. AB is so good at writing sexy banter in her books and it really shines in Playing for Keeps.
August 14, 2025
I loved this!!! Alexandria Bellefleur does chemistry so well. I also really enjoyed the side story of Cash & Lyric. I personally would have loved this book to be Dual POV, because I really wanted Rosaline’s perspective and inner monologue! However, I still loved the story so much.
January 13, 2026
Ate this book up and would like seconds please! The characters were so good- all 4 of them. Loved how they were all full people and the tight friendship between them, and that the loyalty was hard won but they were still realistic with each other. I also enjoyed the author’s use of mixed media- the tabloids and tweets and texts- everything blended so well and added great texture and pacing to the story. And the exploration of how famous men vs women are treated was interesting. The only part I “struggled” with was around the 3rd act- not to give anything away but I didn’t totally connect with the fall out. Otherwise, this book had everything I love- sports, celebrity, music, high steam, romantic connection and a great nickname (Poptart!)- couldn’t put it down! 4.5 stars
Short summary: Poppy needs to prove to herself that her best friend didn’t hire her only out of pity but because she’s damn good at her job. He’s a star football player and she can handle that, no problem. Until he makes a pass at the biggest popstar, and then Poppy has more than she bargained for on her hands, including the icy but incredibly sexy publicist on the other side.
Short summary: Poppy needs to prove to herself that her best friend didn’t hire her only out of pity but because she’s damn good at her job. He’s a star football player and she can handle that, no problem. Until he makes a pass at the biggest popstar, and then Poppy has more than she bargained for on her hands, including the icy but incredibly sexy publicist on the other side.
January 20, 2026
2.5 This book is at its best when it focuses on its main romance UNFORTUNATELY it often forgets which story is supposed to be the main focus.
For starters the “secondary” romance doesn't hide the fact that it is deeply inspired by Taylor Swift (Lyric) and Travis Kelsey (Cash). But at some point if the author wanted to write fanfic, why write a sapphic romance alongside it at all, that ends up not being able to take up as much space in their own story.
I like Poppy's character and the struggle she goes through her past and her family. But her romance with Rosaline, ends up falling flat because so much of their relationship feels like it's being driven by Lyric and Cash's romance, that it doesn't feel like it gets to develop and become its whole own thing so it never really feels fully fleshed out. Especially within the final 3rd Act situation, which was by far the most ridiculous part…
For starters the “secondary” romance doesn't hide the fact that it is deeply inspired by Taylor Swift (Lyric) and Travis Kelsey (Cash). But at some point if the author wanted to write fanfic, why write a sapphic romance alongside it at all, that ends up not being able to take up as much space in their own story.
I like Poppy's character and the struggle she goes through her past and her family. But her romance with Rosaline, ends up falling flat because so much of their relationship feels like it's being driven by Lyric and Cash's romance, that it doesn't feel like it gets to develop and become its whole own thing so it never really feels fully fleshed out. Especially within the final 3rd Act situation, which was by far the most ridiculous part…
October 12, 2025
I really enjoyed this one - a fun, escapist love story (x2)!
We have Poppy, publicist to football player Cash. Cash sends a tweet to mega popstar Poppy, asking for a date. Said date is managed by Lyric's well-known, longtime publicist, Rosaline. Poppy has a history of making bad decisions, causing her to second guess her career choices, and often feels tossed aside by her family--her friendship with Cash is paramount in her life. Rosaline, meanwhile, feels incredibly protective of Lyric, who has a history of tumultuous relationships.
Lyric and Cash give off a smoldering Taylor/Travis vibe, but the true stars are Rosaline and Poppy, who start off as friends with benefits, but slowly build up trust as they work through their clients' own very public relationship.
There's not always a ton of in-depth character development, but we get plenty of laughs and lots of sexual tension. The story is LGBTQIA positive and makes it easy to root for all the characters. Poppy and Rosaline's story (and Cash and Lyric's) is interspersed with social media snippets to move the tale along and keep everything light. This is a fun, sexy romance with a celebrity twist!
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Avon in return for an unbiased review. Look for PLAYING FOR KEEPS on 01/06/2026!
We have Poppy, publicist to football player Cash. Cash sends a tweet to mega popstar Poppy, asking for a date. Said date is managed by Lyric's well-known, longtime publicist, Rosaline. Poppy has a history of making bad decisions, causing her to second guess her career choices, and often feels tossed aside by her family--her friendship with Cash is paramount in her life. Rosaline, meanwhile, feels incredibly protective of Lyric, who has a history of tumultuous relationships.
Lyric and Cash give off a smoldering Taylor/Travis vibe, but the true stars are Rosaline and Poppy, who start off as friends with benefits, but slowly build up trust as they work through their clients' own very public relationship.
There's not always a ton of in-depth character development, but we get plenty of laughs and lots of sexual tension. The story is LGBTQIA positive and makes it easy to root for all the characters. Poppy and Rosaline's story (and Cash and Lyric's) is interspersed with social media snippets to move the tale along and keep everything light. This is a fun, sexy romance with a celebrity twist!
I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and Avon in return for an unbiased review. Look for PLAYING FOR KEEPS on 01/06/2026!
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December 22, 2025this is SO tayvis fanfic adjacent, as much as i love those two it makes me feel so icky to listen to this. i dont know why i keep trying these authors books when they clearly are not for me.
October 27, 2025
A slightly disappointing ⭐⭐ out of 5 star read for me.
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I really wanted to love Playing for Keeps, but it didn’t fully work for me.
This honestly felt very wattpad fanfic to me, and it was hard not to notice that Lyric and Cash felt clearly based on real people (Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce.) They were technically side characters, but they were given almost as much page time as Rosaline and Poppy, which pulled focus from the main romance. The third-act conflict was the biggest miss for me. It felt unbelievable, unrealistic, and revolved way too much around Cash and Lyric instead of the MAIN COUPLE we’re supposed to be invested in.
Things I did like:
The representation of recovery from alcoholism was handled with care. (Speaking as someone who’s had their own struggles, I really appreciated this.)
Lots of queer rep! Rosaline is a lesbian, Poppy and Cash are both bi.
Things that didn’t work for me:
Poppy’s family subplot was left hanging—I wanted a real resolution there.
The pacing was off. We completely glazed thru the 4 day awards show trip, which had a dress shopping trip that we weren't shown, it was just mentioned in passing later. Those are important moments that would’ve deepened the story but instead felt rushed through. Other than the (decent) spice, what real moments did we have between Rosaline and Poppy that showed them falling for each other?
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🌶️🌶️/5 Spice)
The spice was there, it wasn't bad. It was very mid to me.
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I'll be completely honest, I disliked so much about this book, that I had to stew on my review for a while, because it bothered me so much how the main couple felt underdeveloped and scenes where we could have gotten to see their relationship unfold, were briefly recounted instead of shown to us. It felt like there were multiple missed opportunities for us to learn about Poppy and Rosaline and care about them as characters and make us want to root for them.
For me, the weird pacing, sidelined main couple, and messy third act kept this from being a favorite or even a book I would recommend. I will say, I have read multiple other books by Alexandria Bellefleur and LOVED them! This one just didn't hit with me. I'm giving this ⭐⭐ out of 5 stars.
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I received an ARC from the NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
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I really wanted to love Playing for Keeps, but it didn’t fully work for me.
This honestly felt very wattpad fanfic to me, and it was hard not to notice that Lyric and Cash felt clearly based on real people (Taylor Swift & Travis Kelce.) They were technically side characters, but they were given almost as much page time as Rosaline and Poppy, which pulled focus from the main romance. The third-act conflict was the biggest miss for me. It felt unbelievable, unrealistic, and revolved way too much around Cash and Lyric instead of the MAIN COUPLE we’re supposed to be invested in.
Things I did like:
The representation of recovery from alcoholism was handled with care. (Speaking as someone who’s had their own struggles, I really appreciated this.)
Lots of queer rep! Rosaline is a lesbian, Poppy and Cash are both bi.
Things that didn’t work for me:
Poppy’s family subplot was left hanging—I wanted a real resolution there.
The pacing was off. We completely glazed thru the 4 day awards show trip, which had a dress shopping trip that we weren't shown, it was just mentioned in passing later. Those are important moments that would’ve deepened the story but instead felt rushed through. Other than the (decent) spice, what real moments did we have between Rosaline and Poppy that showed them falling for each other?
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🌶️🌶️/5 Spice)
The spice was there, it wasn't bad. It was very mid to me.
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I'll be completely honest, I disliked so much about this book, that I had to stew on my review for a while, because it bothered me so much how the main couple felt underdeveloped and scenes where we could have gotten to see their relationship unfold, were briefly recounted instead of shown to us. It felt like there were multiple missed opportunities for us to learn about Poppy and Rosaline and care about them as characters and make us want to root for them.
For me, the weird pacing, sidelined main couple, and messy third act kept this from being a favorite or even a book I would recommend. I will say, I have read multiple other books by Alexandria Bellefleur and LOVED them! This one just didn't hit with me. I'm giving this ⭐⭐ out of 5 stars.
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I received an ARC from the NetGalley and I am voluntarily leaving an honest review.
August 13, 2025
2.75⭐️ rounded up
Before I dive into my review, I would just like to say I absolutely LOVED the Written in the Stars series and The Fiancée Farce by this author… but this will be the second new release I did not vibe with at all and didn’t feel like her writing, so it may be time soon to “retire” her from my favorites :/
Now, I am a Swiftie. HOWEVER I feel like the author totally lost the plot with this book. What was SUPPOSED to be a side plot of Lyric and Cash, I felt like they were the MAIN plot and kept forgetting the characters on the cover who I was supposed to be caring about were Poppy and Rosaline.
Which - They had their cute and a couple spicy moments, sure. But I really didn’t see them as a couple - especially a long lasting couple. Poopy really annoyed me most of the book, she was so negative, so self deprecating with herself and her relationships with Cash and Rosaline, it was hard to see any growth and really root for her. Rosaline was okay but I feel like everything was very surface level and didn’t get any of the extreme chemistry with these two.
~mini spoiler~ also hated the third act breakup/conflict… why are we using AI in romance novels… and why are we using them to create issues? I also didn’t like how cash and lyric’s third act breakup reason( again, NOT THE MAIN CHARACTERS HERE) became Rosaline and Poppy’s third act breakup reason.
Overall, I was really looking forward to this release but it did not do it for me. If you haven’t read anything by this author I would definitely steer clear from this one, especially if you’re not a Taylor swift fan!
*Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review*
Before I dive into my review, I would just like to say I absolutely LOVED the Written in the Stars series and The Fiancée Farce by this author… but this will be the second new release I did not vibe with at all and didn’t feel like her writing, so it may be time soon to “retire” her from my favorites :/
Now, I am a Swiftie. HOWEVER I feel like the author totally lost the plot with this book. What was SUPPOSED to be a side plot of Lyric and Cash, I felt like they were the MAIN plot and kept forgetting the characters on the cover who I was supposed to be caring about were Poppy and Rosaline.
Which - They had their cute and a couple spicy moments, sure. But I really didn’t see them as a couple - especially a long lasting couple. Poopy really annoyed me most of the book, she was so negative, so self deprecating with herself and her relationships with Cash and Rosaline, it was hard to see any growth and really root for her. Rosaline was okay but I feel like everything was very surface level and didn’t get any of the extreme chemistry with these two.
~mini spoiler~ also hated the third act breakup/conflict… why are we using AI in romance novels… and why are we using them to create issues? I also didn’t like how cash and lyric’s third act breakup reason( again, NOT THE MAIN CHARACTERS HERE) became Rosaline and Poppy’s third act breakup reason.
Overall, I was really looking forward to this release but it did not do it for me. If you haven’t read anything by this author I would definitely steer clear from this one, especially if you’re not a Taylor swift fan!
*Thank you to Netgalley, Avon, and the author for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a review*
January 7, 2026
Playing for Keeps ARC review
4⭐️
3.5🌶️
This was my last book of 2025 and it was definitely a good way to end of the year!
Ok first things first, Alexandria’s writing always makes me laugh so hard and this book is no different! The characters are so funny together and the jokes landed every single time!
As for the characters, I truly enjoyed the dynamic between Poppy and Rosaline. I’m a huge grumpy sunshine fan so this was right up my alley.
I definitely related to Poppy’s people pleasing and over achieving nature. Her clumsy and goofy side also made me feel very seen. I loved her relationship with cash and how genuine that friendship was. They were so supportive of each other. She never lost faith in him and vice versa.
Overall, I just loved how down bad she was for Rosaline right from the beginning! It was just an instant spark between those two.
Rosaline’s character was headstrong and protective, and basically everything I love from a “grumpy” protagonist. Her competence made me like her immediately like she knew exactly how to lead a scene. And her friendship with lyric was so beautiful and I loved the surrogate mother/sister role that she took on.
Once again, there was an instant connection between her and Poppy, but I love the more dominant personality that she took on in the relationship. It really worked with the dynamics of their characters.
I would 100% come back for a full story between cash and lyric because I think I would love to see more of them. The story was beautiful and hilarious. Another knockout hit for Alexandria!
January 5, 2026
I grabbed this book because I have previously enjoyed books by this author. I was hopeful that she would draw very loose inspiration from Taylor Swift and Travis Kelce’s very public relationship and manage to write an enjoyable, original story. I was so let down.
This book is invasive, creepy, and weird. The story follows Cash (an NFL quarterback) and Lyric (the most popular singer of her time) and their publicists. The book feels like plagiarism of Taylor Swift’s real life — a public declaration of interest from Cash, followed by a first date and Lyric’s first appearance in his suite at a game. I was so uncomfortable reading this from the first 10% or so, but I wanted to stick it out in case I was wrong, but also to be fully informed to write an honest and knowledgeable review.
The book claims to be about the publicists, so I will move on to them. Rosaline is so clearly drawn from and meant to depict Tree Paine, Taylor Swift’s publicist. This feels incredibly invasive. Tree is not a public figure and to write and publish what is, essentially, fan fiction about this real life person is so weird. Cash’s publicist, Poppy, is perhaps the most normal person in the book, and she is still very two dimensional.
The tweets, articles, etc at the beginning of each chapter did not come across well, especially via audio book. They were just annoying and I got sick of them very quickly.
The final conflict was also so unbelievable and had a plethora of plot holes. No publicist should have fallen for that. The people involved should have alibis and the ability to communicate and figure things out. The whole ending was so messy and poorly written.
TL:DR: Skip this book. It’s creepy and poorly written. I am so disappointed as I have previously enjoyed Bellefleur’s work.
Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
This book is invasive, creepy, and weird. The story follows Cash (an NFL quarterback) and Lyric (the most popular singer of her time) and their publicists. The book feels like plagiarism of Taylor Swift’s real life — a public declaration of interest from Cash, followed by a first date and Lyric’s first appearance in his suite at a game. I was so uncomfortable reading this from the first 10% or so, but I wanted to stick it out in case I was wrong, but also to be fully informed to write an honest and knowledgeable review.
The book claims to be about the publicists, so I will move on to them. Rosaline is so clearly drawn from and meant to depict Tree Paine, Taylor Swift’s publicist. This feels incredibly invasive. Tree is not a public figure and to write and publish what is, essentially, fan fiction about this real life person is so weird. Cash’s publicist, Poppy, is perhaps the most normal person in the book, and she is still very two dimensional.
The tweets, articles, etc at the beginning of each chapter did not come across well, especially via audio book. They were just annoying and I got sick of them very quickly.
The final conflict was also so unbelievable and had a plethora of plot holes. No publicist should have fallen for that. The people involved should have alibis and the ability to communicate and figure things out. The whole ending was so messy and poorly written.
TL:DR: Skip this book. It’s creepy and poorly written. I am so disappointed as I have previously enjoyed Bellefleur’s work.
Thank you to the publisher for the advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.
October 16, 2025
2.75/5
I was really going to try and start this review by saying something positive, but I can’t really think of anything I actively enjoyed in this book. Overall, it was very mediocre to me. I read it in one day and very quickly to boot, but at some point I was reading it to just get through it and that’s never a great sign.
I think that first and foremost, this book fails at developing the romance plot. We get more time with both the developments and the little moments in Cash and Lyric’s relationship than we do with the main chracters because they spend the entire novel either having sex or talking about their clients. I also thought the way the dynamic was developed from fwb into something that was supposed to be romantic wasn’t particularly smooth, and because we got so little time with the two of them outside of work and the bedroom, I struggled all the way to the end to see what made specifically the two of them made for each other. It seemed like large, important growth happened off page and we were left scrambling to catch up.
As characters, I also felt like we were missing depth to both women. Rosaline was weirdly too perfect and surface level despite knowledge of her history. And Poppy was weirdly static in the novel. Even her little family plot felt entirely shoehorned into the end with no buildup and no resolution.
This third act breakup was also one of my least favorites to date, both for the actual tool used to cause it and for the fact that it was actually Cash and Lyric’s breakup. There could have been a really interesting plot about the two of them figuring out if they can be together when their clients weren’t. Instead a ridiculous plot and resolution were both forced into the last 15%.
Cash and Lyric were fine and sweet, and they had about the same amount of depth as the main characters, but honestly the breakup motives were an affront to them too.
This entire book is very heavily dependent on mock journalistic articles and is full of time-locked references to technology, social media, and streaming platforms, which is going to date this book very quickly. I, personally, think it becomes a disservice when used to this degree.
Definitely not making it to my favorites list at any point, but maybe someone who will enjoy the heavily Taylor Swift/whatever-that-football-player’s-name-is inspired couple will love it.
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I was really going to try and start this review by saying something positive, but I can’t really think of anything I actively enjoyed in this book. Overall, it was very mediocre to me. I read it in one day and very quickly to boot, but at some point I was reading it to just get through it and that’s never a great sign.
I think that first and foremost, this book fails at developing the romance plot. We get more time with both the developments and the little moments in Cash and Lyric’s relationship than we do with the main chracters because they spend the entire novel either having sex or talking about their clients. I also thought the way the dynamic was developed from fwb into something that was supposed to be romantic wasn’t particularly smooth, and because we got so little time with the two of them outside of work and the bedroom, I struggled all the way to the end to see what made specifically the two of them made for each other. It seemed like large, important growth happened off page and we were left scrambling to catch up.
As characters, I also felt like we were missing depth to both women. Rosaline was weirdly too perfect and surface level despite knowledge of her history. And Poppy was weirdly static in the novel. Even her little family plot felt entirely shoehorned into the end with no buildup and no resolution.
This third act breakup was also one of my least favorites to date, both for the actual tool used to cause it and for the fact that it was actually Cash and Lyric’s breakup. There could have been a really interesting plot about the two of them figuring out if they can be together when their clients weren’t. Instead a ridiculous plot and resolution were both forced into the last 15%.
Cash and Lyric were fine and sweet, and they had about the same amount of depth as the main characters, but honestly the breakup motives were an affront to them too.
This entire book is very heavily dependent on mock journalistic articles and is full of time-locked references to technology, social media, and streaming platforms, which is going to date this book very quickly. I, personally, think it becomes a disservice when used to this degree.
Definitely not making it to my favorites list at any point, but maybe someone who will enjoy the heavily Taylor Swift/whatever-that-football-player’s-name-is inspired couple will love it.
Thank you so much to netgalley and the publisher for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.
January 12, 2026
This book!!!
🏈Sports Romance x Popstar Adjascent
🎤Sapphic secret relationship
🏈Found Family
🎤Forced Proximity
This book captured all the elements of a sports and pop star romance whilst mainly focussing on their publicists. The characters were complex and well developed. The book felt very low-angst to me which I enjoyed and it was honestly just a great time.
Like everything Alexandria writes, this one was packed with romance, spice, humour and fun! I really felt a growth between the two characters and I am so glad at how the family drama element concluded, it felt honest to both the characters and reality.
The side romance of Lyric and Cash was so enjoyable and I feel it balanced Poppy and Rosalind’s journey whilst complimenting their story.
Great for lovers of sports or pop star romance looking for a sapphic read and something different!!
Huge thankyou to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!!
🏈Sports Romance x Popstar Adjascent
🎤Sapphic secret relationship
🏈Found Family
🎤Forced Proximity
This book captured all the elements of a sports and pop star romance whilst mainly focussing on their publicists. The characters were complex and well developed. The book felt very low-angst to me which I enjoyed and it was honestly just a great time.
Like everything Alexandria writes, this one was packed with romance, spice, humour and fun! I really felt a growth between the two characters and I am so glad at how the family drama element concluded, it felt honest to both the characters and reality.
The side romance of Lyric and Cash was so enjoyable and I feel it balanced Poppy and Rosalind’s journey whilst complimenting their story.
Great for lovers of sports or pop star romance looking for a sapphic read and something different!!
Huge thankyou to NetGalley and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review!!
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