Playing Cupid

by Darlene Rodriguez

Everett had one Amie was off-limits. No exceptions. As the heir to his father’s billion-dollar real estate empire, keeping his priorities straight was a necessity—not a choice. And his sister’s best friend was not a priority.

But when Amie won’t stop gushing about some ridiculous crush on a mysterious biker content creator, he decides it’s time to step in. Someone’s got to help her move on from that impossible fantasy, right?

The only problem?

The guy she’s obsessed with…is him. She just doesn’t know it.

Scared of what would happen if she learned the truth, Everett does the only thing he can—he helps her chase her dreams while burying his feelings even deeper. She’s off-limits, always has been, and that can never change, no matter how badly he wishes it could.

Now, he’s stuck juggling flirtatious DMs, real-life awkwardness, and a growing need to kiss Amie senseless—all while pretending he isn’t the man she dreams about.

Because if the truth comes out, it could cost him the only woman he’s ever loved.

148 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 16, 2026

About the author

Darlene Rodriguez writes romances for the daydreamers. The one’s who stare out the window hoping to one day be loved and accepted. She might make you emotional, but she'll definitely make you smile.

Reviews

[Astrid Pizarro (Book Lover's Book Reviews) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tropes:

Secret Identity
Best friend's brother
Slow Burn
Billionaire
Biker x Bookworm

Everett has loved Amie for years but find her off limits since she is his sister's best friend.
Amie has a crush on a biker content creator, she doesn't know Everett is the biker she's obsessed with. Everett is hesitant to tell her the truth knowing it'll all change when she knows. I really enjoyed this spicy novella, the way Everett does anything to protect her while also helping her out of her comfort zone and his sister encouraging him to tell Amie how he feels.

[Mellany Corona Nunez · Rating 5 out of 5]

⋆ ₊ ‧ ° 𐐪 ♡ 𐑂 ° ₊ ⋆ ₊

First off, a huge thank you to the author for an advanced copy of the book !!

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[ 🦢 My Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 6/5 stars !! ]

Reasoning:
OHMYGODS. YOU NEED TO READ THIS LIKE RIGHT NOW.

I fucking enjoyed and devoured this in one sitting, it was very short and sweet — WHICH I LOVED.

The banter? The Tension? The SPICE? *Chefs Kiss*

From the very first sentence, I was HOOKED. Everett the man that you are 😩🙏🏻

Not only were the characters so fun and interesting, but the story itself? It had me kicking my feet and giggling like an idiot at my screen.

Amie and Everett’s story was AMAZING. Their little banter and the yearning from Everett made it hard to put this book down. I also enjoyed the other characters like Eris and Key, and the way they kept interacting with the main characters and each other.

The spice was soooo fucking good, I was GAGGED. Like it had me blushing at times and being like “omg when will this be me?” / “where is my man like Everett?” (delulu is the solulu girlies).


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But seriously, the writing for Playing Cupid was so good. It immediately captured my interest and attention! I absolutely love the way the author writes and I will check out more of her work!

I will definitely be rereading this multiple times and purchasing a physical copy 🙂‍↕️🙂‍↕️ I cannot wait to ramble about it to everyone!

Once again, muchas gracias to Darlene Rodriguez for the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this! 💖✨

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[Nicole Marie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely adored Playing Cupid by Darlene Rodriguez

This is one of those reads that feels light and easy on the surface, but completely sneaks up on you with how emotionally invested you become. The writing is soft and engaging, and I found myself flying through it while still wanting to savor every moment.

Everett Valentino is the kind of hero who quietly wrecks you. He is composed, a little guarded, and full of restraint, which makes every bit of tension feel that much stronger. Watching him navigate his feelings had me completely hooked.

Amie Devereux is just as lovable. She is warm, genuine, and easy to connect with, and I loved how grounded she felt throughout the story. It made the emotional beats land even harder.

The trope combination here is honestly perfect. Best friend’s brother, billionaire, slow burn, and just enough angst to keep things interesting without overwhelming the story. It all comes together in a way that feels effortless and satisfying, especially for a novella.

If you are looking for a quick romantic read with strong chemistry, soft yearning, and characters that stay on your mind after you finish, I definitely recommend this one.

[KaleidoscopeLaiReads · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review –

Okay but why was this novella lowkey hitting like that???

We’ve got billionaire x biker x best friend’s brother AND a book-loving FMC who is literally living out her dark romance fantasies and honestly… jealous.

This was such a quick read but it did NOT feel empty. The tension??? Built up so nicely that I was sitting there like “hello??? are we gonna act on this or just keep staring at each other???” And when it finally snaps?? Yeah… I get it. I get the hype.

MMC is very much in his possessive era (sir… relax… or don’t 👀) and the “good girl” energy was definitely doing what it needed to do. Meanwhile the FMC is sunshine but not clueless and I loved that for her.

Also?? Secret identity + biker vibes + spice?? In a novella?? We love efficiency.

If you’re looking for something short, tropey, a little spicy, and very much “I know exactly what I came here for” energy—this one delivers.

[Kelly Rose · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect spicy novella! I love everything about this book. You will be hooked instantly! Nothing better then your best friends brother trope. Along with him being in love with her for years but caring to much about his sister to do anything about it! Ugh it’s just so perfect and cute!
Also we love a tatted biker on his secret socials😘

[Isabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story is a rather entertaining short novella. A quick read, it is full of yearning and finding love behind a secret identity. Our MMC has loved our FMC for years, but he sees her out of reach until the opportunity strikes and he cannot not take it. If you like a spicy read with heart read this.

[zahra (vanillalust_) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This novella was absolutely amazing!!! Darlene is so talented and I adore Everett and Amie. Everett is the biggest lover boy and I adore that.

This book is really for the book girlies that are obsessed with biker boys. It’s so hot. I love a good sister’s best friend trope too.

[Cheyanne · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a cute fun little novella! I read it in one sitting!!
The spice hits, the vibes are fun, and it’s just an overall quick, addictive read that leaves you smiling.
Perfect if you’re looking for something light, flirty, and easy to binge.

[Karla · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5/5 stars
2/5 spice

RTC

[Jeysha · Rating 5 out of 5]

arc review:

This book was truly amazing!
I had one hell of a time reading this book. It made me feel giddy in all the sense of the word. An absolute masterpiece!

[Kelsey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I DEVOURED this novella. I had zero self-control. 😭📚

I was already obsessed with book one, but book two?! Yeahhhhh I loved it BAD. The tension? The secrets? The best friend’s brother trope?? Add in a book-obsessed girlie, some very good spice, and all that delicious emotional chaos and I was completely hooked. I was eager to know what happened next.

Also, I’m already obsessed with some of the characters in this book and I need more NOWWW

If you love my best friend’s brother, messy secrets, a papi who rides motorcycles, a book baddie and a story that’s equal parts swoony and spicy, this one absolutely delivers. 🔥🏍️📚

@authordarlenerodriguez give me book 3 please and thank youuuuuu 💖