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Getting His Game Back
Khalil Sarda went through a rough patch last year, but now he's nearly back to his old self. All he has to do is keep his "stuff" in the past. Real men don't have depression and go to therapy--or, at least they don't admit it. He's ready to focus on his growing chain of barbershops, take care of his beloved Detroit community, and get back to being the ladies' man his family and friends tease him for being. It'll be easy . . . until Vanessa throws him completely off his game.
Vanessa Noble is too busy building a multimillion-dollar tech career as a Black woman before age thirty to be distracted by a relationship. Not to mention, she's been burned before, still dealing with the lingering hurt of a past breakup. Besides, as her friends often remind her, she'll never find a man who checks all the boxes on her famous List. Yet when she desperately needs a shape-up and happens upon one of Khalil's barbershops, the Fade, he makes her reconsider everything. Khalil is charming, intelligent, sexy, and definitely seems like he'd treat a woman right . . . but he's not Black.
Vanessa may be willing to take a chance on Khalil, but a part of him is frustratingly closed off, just out of her reach. Will old patterns emerge to keep them apart? Or have they both finally found a connection worth throwing away the playbook for?
Vanessa Noble is too busy building a multimillion-dollar tech career as a Black woman before age thirty to be distracted by a relationship. Not to mention, she's been burned before, still dealing with the lingering hurt of a past breakup. Besides, as her friends often remind her, she'll never find a man who checks all the boxes on her famous List. Yet when she desperately needs a shape-up and happens upon one of Khalil's barbershops, the Fade, he makes her reconsider everything. Khalil is charming, intelligent, sexy, and definitely seems like he'd treat a woman right . . . but he's not Black.
Vanessa may be willing to take a chance on Khalil, but a part of him is frustratingly closed off, just out of her reach. Will old patterns emerge to keep them apart? Or have they both finally found a connection worth throwing away the playbook for?
336 pages, Paperback
First published January 25, 2022
118 people are currently reading
16756 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 493 reviews
September 14, 2022
suuuuch mixed feelings about this. lots of good but quite a bit i didn't gel with. more thoughts to come in september on my channel.
October 2, 2022
I was following this one and would consider going far as to say I was genuinely hooked. Unfortunately, this one started becoming cringy, corny, and just too much insta-lovey. I still really liked the conversations on interracial relationships and mental health, particularly among men.
I found the characters just okay: not really super unique or interesting. I started to dislike the guy a little bit when he started making comments about how put together Vanessa is. See guys, this is a big pet peeve of mine in books. It's not endearing for someone to say something like you don't need all of that. If people want to look a certain way all the time, please let them.
Again, this one was just fine.
I found the characters just okay: not really super unique or interesting. I started to dislike the guy a little bit when he started making comments about how put together Vanessa is. See guys, this is a big pet peeve of mine in books. It's not endearing for someone to say something like you don't need all of that. If people want to look a certain way all the time, please let them.
Again, this one was just fine.
January 31, 2022
This is a Romance. I enjoyed the beginning of this book, but after the beginning I found it to be just repetitive. I also found some of the steamy times was placed in weird places and not needed. I understand this book was all about a black women falling from a white man, but I felt this book just was beating over the head with that and not bring anything fun or new to the story. I wanted to cute and fun romance, and this romance was not cute or fun. I would say this was boring and weird. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Dell) or author (Gia de Cadenet) via NetGalley, so I can give an honest review about how I feel about this book. I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
January 25, 2022
3.5 Detroit romance with some heft stars
I thought at first that this one was a light romcom, now it does have some definite romance, but also has some very realistic portrayals of depression and interracial relationships.
Our two main characters are Khalil and Vanessa. Khalil owns several barber shops, played college basketball, and has been known as a player off the court as well. He also has depression, and I thought the author did a great job realistically writing about this.
Vanessa is a highly successful black woman with a tech company. She wanders into Khalil’s barber shop for a haircut, and you can see the sparks fly! The two are really cautious with each other because of prior bad relationships. They also openly talk about interracial relationships, which was refreshing and authentic.
Just as they are becoming a couple, Vanessa has to leave for several business trips and Khalil’s depression becomes a factor. I loved reading how Vanessa grappled with this and how difficult the path can be as the depressed person pushes everyone away.
This was a promising debut and I look forward to reading future books from this writer!
Thank you to Ballantine for the copy of this one to read and review.
I thought at first that this one was a light romcom, now it does have some definite romance, but also has some very realistic portrayals of depression and interracial relationships.
Our two main characters are Khalil and Vanessa. Khalil owns several barber shops, played college basketball, and has been known as a player off the court as well. He also has depression, and I thought the author did a great job realistically writing about this.
Vanessa is a highly successful black woman with a tech company. She wanders into Khalil’s barber shop for a haircut, and you can see the sparks fly! The two are really cautious with each other because of prior bad relationships. They also openly talk about interracial relationships, which was refreshing and authentic.
Just as they are becoming a couple, Vanessa has to leave for several business trips and Khalil’s depression becomes a factor. I loved reading how Vanessa grappled with this and how difficult the path can be as the depressed person pushes everyone away.
This was a promising debut and I look forward to reading future books from this writer!
Thank you to Ballantine for the copy of this one to read and review.
January 2, 2022
Ok. So I will start with the good.
This story had great potential. It was written well and the characters were easy to follow and connect with. The relationship between Vanessa and Khalil was very funny and cute to see unfold and come full circle.
But....Now for the bad.
I'm not sure what was the goal here but I felt very uncomfortable with a white man using AAVE (African American Vernacular English). I understand that he went to an HBCU and played professional basketball. I was ok with the fact that he owned a barbershop and his business partner/ bestfriend was a black man named Darius. I couldn't understand the purpose of giving Khalil all these predominantly black characteristics but making him a white man. It didn't seem realistic and come off forced. In the current day and age with everyone airing on the side of being politically correct and respecting everyone's cultural boundaries, it didn't seem realistic that Khalil would have taken tone with anyone given the fact of his educational background and the history of the the college he attended.
Other that that, I think the book had great protentional but had major character development issues.
***Received ARC for honest review***
This story had great potential. It was written well and the characters were easy to follow and connect with. The relationship between Vanessa and Khalil was very funny and cute to see unfold and come full circle.
But....Now for the bad.
I'm not sure what was the goal here but I felt very uncomfortable with a white man using AAVE (African American Vernacular English). I understand that he went to an HBCU and played professional basketball. I was ok with the fact that he owned a barbershop and his business partner/ bestfriend was a black man named Darius. I couldn't understand the purpose of giving Khalil all these predominantly black characteristics but making him a white man. It didn't seem realistic and come off forced. In the current day and age with everyone airing on the side of being politically correct and respecting everyone's cultural boundaries, it didn't seem realistic that Khalil would have taken tone with anyone given the fact of his educational background and the history of the the college he attended.
Other that that, I think the book had great protentional but had major character development issues.
***Received ARC for honest review***
October 9, 2021
arc kindly provided by penguin random house via netgalley
Getting His Game Back is Gia De Cadenet's debut novel, and one of the best books I've read this year. It's been a few months since I don't give five stars to a book, but I knew this one deserved them the day I started reading it.
To begin with the review, I have to say that, as a romance, the book has everything I love in the genre: a beautiful connection between two amazingly written characters, the strangers to lovers trope I adore so much, an exquisite slowburn that gave me enough romantic material not to feel bored but always got me begging them to kiss, great steamy scenes and real feelings. Seriously, there was not a thing I didn't like. Both Khalil and Vanessa had strong, powerful personalities that made me fell in love with them very easily, and together they were the perfect mix.
This book also taught me a lot of things about interracial relationships. I never thought I needed to be educated on this because dating someone from a different race feels natural to me, but Vanessa's experiences dating white men were awful to read, and sadly, those situations happen in real life. I totally understood why she wasn't up for it again. Khalil wasn't white, being half algerian, but I completely understood her point of view. Also, please, big reminder that reverse racism does not exist! I already know I am going to be recommending this book for a loooong time.
But it doesn't stop there. What else can you find in this book? Amazing. Mental. Health. Representation. Khalil suffers from depression, and at some point, it gets a bit hard to read, but only because of how real it feels. So please, read this book when you're in a good mental space for it. It gets real and raw, but it's necessary to read about it, to learn and to erase the stigma. I loved how Vanessa dealt with the situation and even though it was hard to her, she never forgot that it was harder for Khalil, so she stuck with him. This was probably the best book I've read so far that deals with mental illness in such a great way.
Also, um, do men like Khalil exist? Because I want one. He's so swoony and perfect. Once again, my expectations went through the roof. Reading romance is both the best and worst thing ever! And I just know it's going to happen again with Karim's book.
Pub date: January 25th
Rating: 5 stars.
Steam: 2.5/5.
Getting His Game Back is Gia De Cadenet's debut novel, and one of the best books I've read this year. It's been a few months since I don't give five stars to a book, but I knew this one deserved them the day I started reading it.
To begin with the review, I have to say that, as a romance, the book has everything I love in the genre: a beautiful connection between two amazingly written characters, the strangers to lovers trope I adore so much, an exquisite slowburn that gave me enough romantic material not to feel bored but always got me begging them to kiss, great steamy scenes and real feelings. Seriously, there was not a thing I didn't like. Both Khalil and Vanessa had strong, powerful personalities that made me fell in love with them very easily, and together they were the perfect mix.
This book also taught me a lot of things about interracial relationships. I never thought I needed to be educated on this because dating someone from a different race feels natural to me, but Vanessa's experiences dating white men were awful to read, and sadly, those situations happen in real life. I totally understood why she wasn't up for it again. Khalil wasn't white, being half algerian, but I completely understood her point of view. Also, please, big reminder that reverse racism does not exist! I already know I am going to be recommending this book for a loooong time.
But it doesn't stop there. What else can you find in this book? Amazing. Mental. Health. Representation. Khalil suffers from depression, and at some point, it gets a bit hard to read, but only because of how real it feels. So please, read this book when you're in a good mental space for it. It gets real and raw, but it's necessary to read about it, to learn and to erase the stigma. I loved how Vanessa dealt with the situation and even though it was hard to her, she never forgot that it was harder for Khalil, so she stuck with him. This was probably the best book I've read so far that deals with mental illness in such a great way.
Also, um, do men like Khalil exist? Because I want one. He's so swoony and perfect. Once again, my expectations went through the roof. Reading romance is both the best and worst thing ever! And I just know it's going to happen again with Karim's book.
Pub date: January 25th
Rating: 5 stars.
Steam: 2.5/5.
July 9, 2021
actual rating: 4.5/5
Men written by women, are just *mwah* chef's kiss!
Getting His Game Back is definitely a very character driven story, focused on the two main characters Khalil and Vanessa. Khalil is a white man who has been struggling with his mental health and can't see himself getting back into the game so soon. Vanessa is a black woman who has reservations dating outside her race due to negative past experiences. I appreciate Cadenet having them have honest discussions about interracial dating and black women being objectified because as nice as it is to read books where everything is utopic, it's not reflective of reality. Although, real life Khalil's are few and far between... The inclusion of men's mental health is also super refreshing, considering it's rarely talked about and the symptoms of depression present differently in men and women. It's an incredibly realistic relationship to watch unfold, and the more R-rated scenes are also done well. I definitely enjoyed this book and really look forward to more from this author.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Men written by women, are just *mwah* chef's kiss!
Getting His Game Back is definitely a very character driven story, focused on the two main characters Khalil and Vanessa. Khalil is a white man who has been struggling with his mental health and can't see himself getting back into the game so soon. Vanessa is a black woman who has reservations dating outside her race due to negative past experiences. I appreciate Cadenet having them have honest discussions about interracial dating and black women being objectified because as nice as it is to read books where everything is utopic, it's not reflective of reality. Although, real life Khalil's are few and far between... The inclusion of men's mental health is also super refreshing, considering it's rarely talked about and the symptoms of depression present differently in men and women. It's an incredibly realistic relationship to watch unfold, and the more R-rated scenes are also done well. I definitely enjoyed this book and really look forward to more from this author.
Thank you so much to NetGalley and Random House Publishing for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
February 20, 2022
Steamy
Sweet
Sports
Khalil and Vanessa are such an amazing couple to read about. Gia de Cadenet, a new author to me really did an amazing job on their back stories in this contemporary interracial romance.
I enjoyed this light hearted romance that packed a punch in addressing themes of multiracial couple and also issues on mental health. I loved their meet cute and the slow burn romance between these two unlikely pairing.
Their stories were so well told and their issues were written so well and addressed in a beautiful way. I really enjoyed this debut author and her writing.
Sweet
Sports
Khalil and Vanessa are such an amazing couple to read about. Gia de Cadenet, a new author to me really did an amazing job on their back stories in this contemporary interracial romance.
I enjoyed this light hearted romance that packed a punch in addressing themes of multiracial couple and also issues on mental health. I loved their meet cute and the slow burn romance between these two unlikely pairing.
Their stories were so well told and their issues were written so well and addressed in a beautiful way. I really enjoyed this debut author and her writing.
January 24, 2022
If this wasn't the sweetest, most vulnerable love story!
Khalil and his best friend Darius own a trendy barbershop in a Detroit neighborhood and have opened a few more shops. They are very successful and good at what they do. Khalil is French and Algerian but presents white so even though he is a huge part of his neighborhood he had to find his place.
When gorgeous Vanessa Noble, a very famous Black woman with a multimillion-dollar tech career walks into his shop to get her hair done. She isn't too sure about having a white boy do her hair but, after a long discussion about stereotypes she just had with her female colleagues, she tries to have an open mind. Turns out he's not the horrible white dude that she gave an example of and if that is a constant occurrence of their behavior burn it all to the ground- wtf yuck and wtf. Like I knew they were skeeze but c'mon.
Khalil can not keep his cool around her, he is so smitten. He asks her the "App Goddess" to help build out an app for their business so that he can see more of her and to keep his business growing. The close proximity definitely helped their relationship grow and I just loved the way he treated her and his communication and care for her. Though there was something holding him back. He wasn't necessarily taking care of himself in a way. He was letting something that was not quite diagnosed go untreated and ugh 3rd act sucker punched me. We all need someone in our corner willing to sit with us and not let go and keep holding out their hand (as SJM says).
❤ We all have our own things that we keep to ourselves that we don't feel comfortable sharing or feel like we should be stronger than. Mental health issues are real, they can be managed but they don't go away and don't have a miracle cure. If you need someone to chat with about anything when you are having a good day or a bad day, I am always around.
✨PSA the "cartoon" covers which is just another form of art are not fluff pieces they are real life romance books with real people who struggle. So there are issues in them. This one has talk of race and mental health. Don't think you are opening a sweet closed door book. I have been seeing a lot of reviews and comments that these covers are deceiving. I can't for the life of me see why, cause there's no cleavage and bare chest? Clothed people need love too!
Thank you penguin and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
Khalil and his best friend Darius own a trendy barbershop in a Detroit neighborhood and have opened a few more shops. They are very successful and good at what they do. Khalil is French and Algerian but presents white so even though he is a huge part of his neighborhood he had to find his place.
When gorgeous Vanessa Noble, a very famous Black woman with a multimillion-dollar tech career walks into his shop to get her hair done. She isn't too sure about having a white boy do her hair but, after a long discussion about stereotypes she just had with her female colleagues, she tries to have an open mind. Turns out he's not the horrible white dude that she gave an example of and if that is a constant occurrence of their behavior burn it all to the ground- wtf yuck and wtf. Like I knew they were skeeze but c'mon.
Khalil can not keep his cool around her, he is so smitten. He asks her the "App Goddess" to help build out an app for their business so that he can see more of her and to keep his business growing. The close proximity definitely helped their relationship grow and I just loved the way he treated her and his communication and care for her. Though there was something holding him back. He wasn't necessarily taking care of himself in a way. He was letting something that was not quite diagnosed go untreated and ugh 3rd act sucker punched me. We all need someone in our corner willing to sit with us and not let go and keep holding out their hand (as SJM says).
❤ We all have our own things that we keep to ourselves that we don't feel comfortable sharing or feel like we should be stronger than. Mental health issues are real, they can be managed but they don't go away and don't have a miracle cure. If you need someone to chat with about anything when you are having a good day or a bad day, I am always around.
✨PSA the "cartoon" covers which is just another form of art are not fluff pieces they are real life romance books with real people who struggle. So there are issues in them. This one has talk of race and mental health. Don't think you are opening a sweet closed door book. I have been seeing a lot of reviews and comments that these covers are deceiving. I can't for the life of me see why, cause there's no cleavage and bare chest? Clothed people need love too!
Thank you penguin and netgalley for the e-ARC for my honest and voluntary review.
February 5, 2022
It's not often you see mental health represented via the hero, and it was a really refreshing perspective. With discussions of depression and suicide, I wouldn't say this is a lighthearted read, but it still had a playful vibe thanks to the sweet romance between Khalil and Vanessa.
Both hesitant to date after terrible relationships, app developer Vanessa and barbershop owner Khalil find instant attraction when Vanessa enters his shop for a cut. Wanting someone to see her as an individual, this story delves a lot into interracial dating as Vanessa reflects on her past experiences. These two had great open, honest conversations that developed into a really beautiful, trusting relationship.
Khalil was definitely a nurturing personality, always striving to show his love through acts of service. His initial timidness and loss of words around Vanessa was super endearing. And while this cover and title may be a little misleading at first, it's truly perfect as you understand the journey Khalil braves. I'm looking forward to more from this author!
Both hesitant to date after terrible relationships, app developer Vanessa and barbershop owner Khalil find instant attraction when Vanessa enters his shop for a cut. Wanting someone to see her as an individual, this story delves a lot into interracial dating as Vanessa reflects on her past experiences. These two had great open, honest conversations that developed into a really beautiful, trusting relationship.
Khalil was definitely a nurturing personality, always striving to show his love through acts of service. His initial timidness and loss of words around Vanessa was super endearing. And while this cover and title may be a little misleading at first, it's truly perfect as you understand the journey Khalil braves. I'm looking forward to more from this author!
January 26, 2022
Such a good debut!
This romance tackles some heavy subjects but the romance between Vanessa and Khalil progresses nicely and thoughtfully.
I think the author discusses mental illness in an accurate way. This is a heavier read that includes excellent and well thought out depiction of some tough but real topics like depression, toxic relationships, interracial dating.
There is also plenty of romance, humor, support, and healing. I enjoyed their story and loved to see them get their HEA!
Thank you to Gallery and Netgalley for the advanced copy.
This romance tackles some heavy subjects but the romance between Vanessa and Khalil progresses nicely and thoughtfully.
I think the author discusses mental illness in an accurate way. This is a heavier read that includes excellent and well thought out depiction of some tough but real topics like depression, toxic relationships, interracial dating.
There is also plenty of romance, humor, support, and healing. I enjoyed their story and loved to see them get their HEA!
Thank you to Gallery and Netgalley for the advanced copy.
July 15, 2021
Vanessa is an App Goddess, a nickname given to her in industry, and she is killing it in the business world. So when she visits a barbershop for a haircut before a big conference, she meets Khalil and sparks fly. Khalil is the co-owner of a set of barbershops and when Vanessa walks into one of them, he is stunned by her confidence and beauty. Over the course of the next couple months, they get to know each other with Vanessa helping Khalil create an app for his shops, the routine hair appointments and the accidental meetings in places. But both having burnt by previous relationships, they are cautious and hiding some secrets.
I didn't think I would like this book when I first started reading it, but as I continued to read, I started to fall in love with both Vanessa and Khalil. Vanessa is someone to aspire to with her running her own company and Khalil with his business. They both understood the hard work it took to get to where they are when they meet and respect each other. Khalil never feels threatened by Vanessa and encourages her with regards to her job which I loved.
The book does a great job of addressing issues like race, mental health, and interracial relationships. It's not typical that you find these topics discussed in romance books, but this was a great change of pace. The author handled all of these topics beautifully and both of the characters talked about each at length which might seem boring to some but made it so much more authentic to me and helped me understand the struggles that interracial couples have.
This is not the typical type of book that I would read and I did have some small issues with pacing and certain story lines, but all in all, it's a great debut novel and certainly worth a read.
I received an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
I didn't think I would like this book when I first started reading it, but as I continued to read, I started to fall in love with both Vanessa and Khalil. Vanessa is someone to aspire to with her running her own company and Khalil with his business. They both understood the hard work it took to get to where they are when they meet and respect each other. Khalil never feels threatened by Vanessa and encourages her with regards to her job which I loved.
The book does a great job of addressing issues like race, mental health, and interracial relationships. It's not typical that you find these topics discussed in romance books, but this was a great change of pace. The author handled all of these topics beautifully and both of the characters talked about each at length which might seem boring to some but made it so much more authentic to me and helped me understand the struggles that interracial couples have.
This is not the typical type of book that I would read and I did have some small issues with pacing and certain story lines, but all in all, it's a great debut novel and certainly worth a read.
I received an ARC via NetGalley for an honest review.
February 6, 2025
good romance book imo. straight to the point and no bullshit. talks about mental health and our female character is such a strong women! 🩷🩷 love khalil too! we need him btw
January 3, 2022
I was really looking forward to this book, but it just missed the mark for me. But let me first say, I may not be the demographic for this book, but here are my main concerns, The whole title and cover is based on basketball and there is barely any basketball in the book. The romance felt awkward and uncomfortable. It really bothered me how much Vanessa, a woman in STEM who is used to being looked at differently, is so quick to categorize Khalil as white, even after he tells her he's not and is from a biracial family. This book also focused a lot on dating and staying in your race. That irked me. I understand the concept that its easier and she gave great examples of why she wanted to stay to the same race, but it felt like she was hitting it over the head and beating a dead house. I also felt like we spent a lot of time as "friends" then all of a sudden they were in love. There was no in between. He was all in right from the start. I thought it was so weird when he was massaging her feet while they were out at a club.
Overall, I found myself putting this down and not wanting to pick it back up. I am not one to DNF but I was considering it many times. Something just didn't feel right for me. But I do have to say, one thing the author did really well was write Khalil's depression super accurately. I suffer from depression and it felt creepily accurate to what goes on in my head. I struggle hardcore with having relationships during depressive episodes and that aspect of the book was very well portrayed and dealt with in a great way.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
Overall, I found myself putting this down and not wanting to pick it back up. I am not one to DNF but I was considering it many times. Something just didn't feel right for me. But I do have to say, one thing the author did really well was write Khalil's depression super accurately. I suffer from depression and it felt creepily accurate to what goes on in my head. I struggle hardcore with having relationships during depressive episodes and that aspect of the book was very well portrayed and dealt with in a great way.
Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for an ARC in return for an honest review.
January 11, 2022
I am generally a person that judges a book by its cover, so when I saw the basketball hoop, I immediately assumed that this was a sports romance and hit request incredibly fast. Prior to starting, a friend warned me this was not the case (which I am glad she did), so I went in with open expectations.
Getting His Game Back is a heavier romance, but is a story that definitely needs to be read and discussed. The book broaches tough subjects, like interracial dating, depression and suicide. I absolutely loved both Khalil and Vanessa and were rooting for them the entire novel. Vanessa was an absolute bad ass. I loved seeing a powerful Black woman in STEM heading an app company and traveling across the country. She speaks frankly about dating and her reservations about it. She's bold, yet deeply caring at the same time.
The book centers around Khalil's depression and his attempt to get back into dating after a break down the year prior. He's in touch with his feelings, sees a therapist and takes medication. As a man, this is something that is not depicted and I love that it was embraced. Yet as he is struggling, he allows Vanessa in and accepts help. With Vanessa, he is all about consent, being vocal about what he wants and doesn't play games.
My only hang-ups with the book was the switching of the POV, especially in the middle of chapters. At times, there felt like a lot going on in both Vanessa and Khalil's lives and it was hard to keep straight who's who when the action ramped up. Other than that, this is a wonderful debut novel!
Getting His Game Back is a heavier romance, but is a story that definitely needs to be read and discussed. The book broaches tough subjects, like interracial dating, depression and suicide. I absolutely loved both Khalil and Vanessa and were rooting for them the entire novel. Vanessa was an absolute bad ass. I loved seeing a powerful Black woman in STEM heading an app company and traveling across the country. She speaks frankly about dating and her reservations about it. She's bold, yet deeply caring at the same time.
The book centers around Khalil's depression and his attempt to get back into dating after a break down the year prior. He's in touch with his feelings, sees a therapist and takes medication. As a man, this is something that is not depicted and I love that it was embraced. Yet as he is struggling, he allows Vanessa in and accepts help. With Vanessa, he is all about consent, being vocal about what he wants and doesn't play games.
My only hang-ups with the book was the switching of the POV, especially in the middle of chapters. At times, there felt like a lot going on in both Vanessa and Khalil's lives and it was hard to keep straight who's who when the action ramped up. Other than that, this is a wonderful debut novel!
January 3, 2022
When she sat in his chair, there were definite sparks between Khalil and Vanessa. Would they be able to overlook the wounds of past relationships to forge a future together?
Fair waring, this was not a light rom-com. Though there was plenty of humor and warm fuzzy moments, it was also a book about problems encountered in interracial relationships, as well as, loving someone with mental health issues. I thought de Cadenet did a wonderful job exploring both those topics and wholly appreciated the care and attention she gave to them. And though Getting His Game Back tackled weightier topics, the romance was always front and center, which I appreciated.
Heavier than I expected, I still really enjoyed this story. Vanessa was an incredibly driven woman who carved a space for herself in a male dominated tech world. Khalil was a successful business owner who gave so much of himself to his family, friends, and community. There was a lot to love about this couple, and after learning about certain aspects of their past relationships, I wanted this union to succeed.
There were lots of fun, sweet, and sexy moments, but where this story stood out, for me, was in handling Khalil’s mental health issues. His previous relationship failed when Khalil’s girlfriend caught him overcome with sadness. This made him feel weak and forced him to hide his emotions which was not healthy. With Vanessa, he saw what a real partner should be – supportive, patient, and loving. I was quite moved by this deeper part of their relationship.
Overall: A little heavier than I thought it would be, but I appreciated the author’s exploration of the issues that can arise in interracial relationships, as well as, the experience of loving and supporting someone struggling with mental health issues. Both Vanessa and Kahlil were wonderful, and I was happy to see them get their HEA.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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Fair waring, this was not a light rom-com. Though there was plenty of humor and warm fuzzy moments, it was also a book about problems encountered in interracial relationships, as well as, loving someone with mental health issues. I thought de Cadenet did a wonderful job exploring both those topics and wholly appreciated the care and attention she gave to them. And though Getting His Game Back tackled weightier topics, the romance was always front and center, which I appreciated.
Heavier than I expected, I still really enjoyed this story. Vanessa was an incredibly driven woman who carved a space for herself in a male dominated tech world. Khalil was a successful business owner who gave so much of himself to his family, friends, and community. There was a lot to love about this couple, and after learning about certain aspects of their past relationships, I wanted this union to succeed.
There were lots of fun, sweet, and sexy moments, but where this story stood out, for me, was in handling Khalil’s mental health issues. His previous relationship failed when Khalil’s girlfriend caught him overcome with sadness. This made him feel weak and forced him to hide his emotions which was not healthy. With Vanessa, he saw what a real partner should be – supportive, patient, and loving. I was quite moved by this deeper part of their relationship.
Overall: A little heavier than I thought it would be, but I appreciated the author’s exploration of the issues that can arise in interracial relationships, as well as, the experience of loving and supporting someone struggling with mental health issues. Both Vanessa and Kahlil were wonderful, and I was happy to see them get their HEA.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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August 4, 2021
Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC of this book in exchange for my honest review.
Mental health, interracial romance, sexual discrimination in the workplace, and spousal abuse are all subjects that are addressed in this book. One or two of these subjects would have made the book flow much smoother. Instead I found it choppy and at times overloading. It was hard to keep up with what was going on in the book because I had to go back to find out who characters were or what had transpired. It felt like the author purposefully made the book "wordier" in order to meet a certain word count. Many scenes seemed drawn out for no particular reason. I did not enjoy it at all. It could have been a much better book.
Mental health, interracial romance, sexual discrimination in the workplace, and spousal abuse are all subjects that are addressed in this book. One or two of these subjects would have made the book flow much smoother. Instead I found it choppy and at times overloading. It was hard to keep up with what was going on in the book because I had to go back to find out who characters were or what had transpired. It felt like the author purposefully made the book "wordier" in order to meet a certain word count. Many scenes seemed drawn out for no particular reason. I did not enjoy it at all. It could have been a much better book.
December 29, 2021
Trigger warning: descriptions of anxiety and depression in a main character and sexism in the workplace. Getting His Game Back is a story about a man and woman who are different races and come from very different backgrounds falling in love despite the obstacles. But, it is also a story about a woman overcoming racism and sexism in the workplace and a competitive industry. And it is also the story of a man who is deeply struggling and afraid to reach out. This multilayered love story tackles difficult issues while also packing heat and laughter. Gia De Cadenet’s debut book is full of heart and I can’t wait to see what she writes next! Thanks to NetGalley for the copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.
March 13, 2022
You’re going to fall in love with Vanessa and Khalil! Don’t let this sweet cover fool you, de Cadenet tackles tough topics like interracial relationships, gender stereotypes, and mental health concerns, deftly interwoven through a delicious slow burn romance.
October 30, 2024
I'm actually so shocked anyone could have read and enjoyed this. Very bad fantasies from someone ignorant of fanfiction which is much better and produces original characters with a lot more idk CHARACTER???? I'm insulted this wasn't written by AI smh
October 4, 2023
boooo omg
dnf @50%
dnf @50%
September 8, 2021
Khalil Sarda, a local white business owner of the Fade. A barbershop Khalil owns with his best fired Darius. Khalil meets Vanessa Noble, also known as the app goddess. Khalil meets Vanessa when she walks into his shop looking for a quick cut before her next work appointment. Vanessa is a black woman dominating the tech industry. Khalil is the so called “perfect man”, but he is struggling to keep it all together and maintain his facade after a breakdown the year before that causes him to question himself constantly when it comes to Vanessa.
The two become client's of each other as Khalil cuts her hair and Vanessa designs an app for Khalil and Darius to assist with running a tighter schedule across their three locations. Eventually Vanessa and Khalil become friends then more.
Both characters were so likable, I found myself rooting for the two of them. The incorporation of the two's families and friends made this book even better. I did find the romance for sure a slow burn. This book has great representation. It features a black woman who works in stem and has short natural hair. Her group of friends is made of black women as well. There are also many male mental health issues represented, which is often not addressed in society today so I really appreciated the subject of a man is still a man even if he struggles with his emotions at times. It's ok to cry and be sensitive and share your feelings with those who love and care for you.
There are definitely some major triggers in this book dealing with heavy topics (depression, suicidal thoughts) I still found myself smiling and happy for most of the book. This was such a strong debut novel from Gia De Cadenet and I look forward to reading her other works!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
The two become client's of each other as Khalil cuts her hair and Vanessa designs an app for Khalil and Darius to assist with running a tighter schedule across their three locations. Eventually Vanessa and Khalil become friends then more.
Both characters were so likable, I found myself rooting for the two of them. The incorporation of the two's families and friends made this book even better. I did find the romance for sure a slow burn. This book has great representation. It features a black woman who works in stem and has short natural hair. Her group of friends is made of black women as well. There are also many male mental health issues represented, which is often not addressed in society today so I really appreciated the subject of a man is still a man even if he struggles with his emotions at times. It's ok to cry and be sensitive and share your feelings with those who love and care for you.
There are definitely some major triggers in this book dealing with heavy topics (depression, suicidal thoughts) I still found myself smiling and happy for most of the book. This was such a strong debut novel from Gia De Cadenet and I look forward to reading her other works!
I received an ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
June 28, 2022
A couple of things I think the way Kalil navigating his mental health and Vanessa's work in STEM (tech) were handled really well.
After that I'm not sure how I felt about the way IR dating was discussed. There was a lot time spent on his ethnicity and that he is white but not white white. He also passed because he was down for the community. Eek. I think the reasons Vanessa shared about her discomfort dating white men made sense to be hesitant but it got repetitive. Also, Vanessa had a list. Is that still a thing? I thought we agreed that the list should be left in 2000s. Idk even Kalil's need to take care of Vanessa financially felt dated. I think he was supposed to be old school but something read off.
I thought the awkward exchanges were sweet because even at 28 you can still be unsure with dating and the way the eased into their relationship was sweet. So I think maybe with more editing or maybe this book could have been a novella it would have read better.
Rating is really 2.5 stars
CN: depression (anger, suicide ideation, attempting-cutting), therapy, cheating, microagressions in work and dating, interracial dating concerns, servitude, dementia
I received an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
After that I'm not sure how I felt about the way IR dating was discussed. There was a lot time spent on his ethnicity and that he is white but not white white. He also passed because he was down for the community. Eek. I think the reasons Vanessa shared about her discomfort dating white men made sense to be hesitant but it got repetitive. Also, Vanessa had a list. Is that still a thing? I thought we agreed that the list should be left in 2000s. Idk even Kalil's need to take care of Vanessa financially felt dated. I think he was supposed to be old school but something read off.
I thought the awkward exchanges were sweet because even at 28 you can still be unsure with dating and the way the eased into their relationship was sweet. So I think maybe with more editing or maybe this book could have been a novella it would have read better.
Rating is really 2.5 stars
CN: depression (anger, suicide ideation, attempting-cutting), therapy, cheating, microagressions in work and dating, interracial dating concerns, servitude, dementia
I received an e-ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
July 8, 2021
This story had two great main characters that I was invested in quite quickly. They were respectful of one another and valued each other. I appreciated the chemistry between Vanessa and Kahlil and the way they could communicate honestly and openly with one another about lots of different topics. Discussions of race, toxic relationships, mental health and therapy all make for a beautiful read. I appreciated the discussions about mental health and the supportiveness of one character when the other is going through such a difficult time. The conclusion to this story was so sweet and had me feeling especially grateful for an epilogue that takes place a year after the rest of the events the book. Overall, I'm glad I picked up this book. It had a great romance story, plus positive discussions on tough topics. Thank you to netgalley for an advanced copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Content: mental health, race, therapy, brief mention of self harm in the past
Content: mental health, race, therapy, brief mention of self harm in the past
October 14, 2021
Khalil has been having a hard time, but things are getting back on track. When Vanessa walks into his barber shop one morning, he realizes he's finally ready to date again, but he's so out of practice, he's lost all his game. Meanwhile, Vanessa has a rule about dating white guys: she doesn't do it. But Khalil might just be the exception. An honest look at depression, wrapped in a sweet love story, Getting His Game Back delivers.
The depression aspect here, in the end, felt SO real and well-written, though very hard to read. But the romance? Eh. The rest of this book was slow and felt cobbled together. The constant endearments and corny dialogue was a bit much for me. I didn't love this one. The end redeemed it somewhat, but it still didn't totally win me over.
The depression aspect here, in the end, felt SO real and well-written, though very hard to read. But the romance? Eh. The rest of this book was slow and felt cobbled together. The constant endearments and corny dialogue was a bit much for me. I didn't love this one. The end redeemed it somewhat, but it still didn't totally win me over.
June 22, 2024
3.75?
Okay so I read some of the 2/1 star reviews and I definitely understand where they are coming from. There were some moments that had me saying huh out loud and scratching my head but I really just enjoyed them together so I ignored it😭 The ending felt kinda rushed like I swore I had more time but it was just the acknowledgment and then the preview for the next book. I might need to read again
Okay so I read some of the 2/1 star reviews and I definitely understand where they are coming from. There were some moments that had me saying huh out loud and scratching my head but I really just enjoyed them together so I ignored it😭 The ending felt kinda rushed like I swore I had more time but it was just the acknowledgment and then the preview for the next book. I might need to read again
April 19, 2022
How can I put into words how AMAZING this book is! I read this book in one sitting because I could not put it down.
The representation for mental health was so hard but moving at the same time to read with the hero Khalil. There was no sugar coating or anything. I just loved it
Khalil was so sweet and his love for Vanessa was perfection. It made me swoon so much! I loved how relatable the book was for me especially with the look into interracial relationships. Being in an interracial relationship requires talks about different hardships and overcoming them & this book does it BEAUTIFULLY! Gia de Cadenet is now an auto buy author for me. 5 freakin Stars!
The representation for mental health was so hard but moving at the same time to read with the hero Khalil. There was no sugar coating or anything. I just loved it
Khalil was so sweet and his love for Vanessa was perfection. It made me swoon so much! I loved how relatable the book was for me especially with the look into interracial relationships. Being in an interracial relationship requires talks about different hardships and overcoming them & this book does it BEAUTIFULLY! Gia de Cadenet is now an auto buy author for me. 5 freakin Stars!
March 20, 2022
Spend time with Khalil and Vanessa. You’ll not be disappointed. This lovely romance has deeper themes of interracial dating and depressive episodes beneath the sizzling chemistry.
September 13, 2023
I love de Cadenet’s books and this one is no exception. She writes about depression in a way that makes you really understand what’s going on for someone who’s suffering from it. But the love story was beautiful regardless and I appreciate her level of steamy a lot!
January 18, 2022
Thanks to Netgalley and Random House Ballentine for granting my wish for this one!
I loved that this tackled masculinity, mental health, and the challenges of interracial dating with characters that were so easy to love and root for. Both characters were good people, kind and respectful to each other, and doing their best to be there for each other - even when what they thought was best was wrong. Overall, I enjoyed this so much!
I loved that this tackled masculinity, mental health, and the challenges of interracial dating with characters that were so easy to love and root for. Both characters were good people, kind and respectful to each other, and doing their best to be there for each other - even when what they thought was best was wrong. Overall, I enjoyed this so much!
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