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The Boyfriend Project #2
The Dating Playbook
When a personal trainer agrees to fake date her client, all rules are out the window in this "fun, heartfelt, and totally relatable" romantic comedy named one of the best of the year by USA Today, NPR, and Entertainment Weekly (Abby Jimenez, NYT bestselling author of Life's Too Short).When it comes to personal training, Taylor Powell kicks serious butt. Unfortunately, her bills are piling up, rent is due, and the money situation is dire. Taylor needs more than the support of her new best friends, Samiah and London. She needs a miracle.And Jamar Dixon might just be it. The oh-so-fine former footballer wants back into the NFL, and he wants Taylor to train him. There's just one catch—no one can know what they're doing. But when they're accidentally outed as a couple, Taylor's game plan is turned completely upside down. Is Jamar just playing to win . . . or is he playing for keeps?USA Today Best Rom-Coms of 2021NPR Best Romances of 2021Kirkus Best Romances of the YearVulture Best Romances of 2021SheReads Best of the Year nominee – Romance
384 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 17, 2021
457 people are currently reading
19861 people want to read
About the author
Farrah Rochon
90 books2,506 followersA native of south Louisiana, Farrah Rochon officially began her writing career while waiting in between classes in the student lounge at Xavier University of Louisiana. After earning her Bachelors of Science degree and a Masters of Arts from Southeastern Louisiana University, Farrah decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a published novelist. She was named Shades of Romance Magazine's Best New Author of 2007. Her debut novel, Deliver Me, the first in her Holmes Brothers series, garnered rave reviews, earning Farrah several SORMAG Readers' Choice Awards.
In September 2010, Farrah joined the Kimani Romance family with the launch of her new series that follows the life of the fictional New York Sabers football team.
When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading her favorite romance novels, hanging around on Twitter, and trying to attend as many Broadway shows as her budget will allow. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.
In September 2010, Farrah joined the Kimani Romance family with the launch of her new series that follows the life of the fictional New York Sabers football team.
When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading her favorite romance novels, hanging around on Twitter, and trying to attend as many Broadway shows as her budget will allow. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,573 reviews
October 31, 2021
Hell yeah! Boyfriend Project was one of my favorite romance reads of last year!
Those tough ladies who gather to kick ass of that scumbag who dared to date three of them at the same time learned his lesson well by being humiliated on viral social media video!
I loved Samiah’s love story but I was so curious about Taylor and London’s sequels! Especially fiery Taylor picked my interest after turning into a jail bird.
Thankfully at this book, we have a great chance to learn more about Taylor, her predicaments, financial problems, suffering from finding better job opportunities without college degree and the reason beyond her anxiety about returning back to college to pick up where she left.
She feels vulnerable when she’s surrounded by two genius women like Samiah and London who are doing so great at their jobs, climbing corporate ladders. Even though only a few months ago they met each other with the help of their scumbag date, their friendship already bloomed and they formed a tight bond, telling everything each other.
Now, Taylor is broke, barely paying her rent. She may get kicked out from her apartment and forced to live in her car, if she cannot find more clients of her training business. She could had done everything she could last year to take her fitness consulting business, Taylor’d Conditioning to the next level by studying Instagram fitness influencers, videoing insta stories, offering classes, paying extra to promote her videos but she still barely makes ends meet. Correction: she cannot do that!
But sometimes extraordinary happens and a hot, muscular stranger joins in her last class, wanting to talk with her about personal training options. Jamar Dixon, ultra charismatic, rich at age 25, a skillful footballer wants to go back to NFL and he wants Taylor to train him.
Of course Taylor thinks there’s a catch because Jamar could find any NFL trainer to help him take his place back in NFL but she doesn’t know he already knew her from that viral video with cheating scumbag. He has a huge crush on her and he is ready to pay handsomely which could help her to pay her entire debt and start over!
Working with ultra hot football player she’s fully attracted might be a big challenge but she can handle it, right? She already learned her lesson about not mixing business with pleasure! She’d vowed never to do it again!
But Jamar wants this arrangement to be a secret and when the press get intrigued by seeing them together, they are forced to pretend as lovers. You may guess how their story goes... The sparks are flying, attraction is so real... How they manage to stay professional when their hearts tell them to rip off each other’s clothes.
Overall: I loved this series and I enjoyed to read Jamar and Taylor’s story. I cannot wait to read the next sequel. London is definitely an intriguing, eccentric character!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever ( Grand Central Publishing) for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
Those tough ladies who gather to kick ass of that scumbag who dared to date three of them at the same time learned his lesson well by being humiliated on viral social media video!
I loved Samiah’s love story but I was so curious about Taylor and London’s sequels! Especially fiery Taylor picked my interest after turning into a jail bird.
Thankfully at this book, we have a great chance to learn more about Taylor, her predicaments, financial problems, suffering from finding better job opportunities without college degree and the reason beyond her anxiety about returning back to college to pick up where she left.
She feels vulnerable when she’s surrounded by two genius women like Samiah and London who are doing so great at their jobs, climbing corporate ladders. Even though only a few months ago they met each other with the help of their scumbag date, their friendship already bloomed and they formed a tight bond, telling everything each other.
Now, Taylor is broke, barely paying her rent. She may get kicked out from her apartment and forced to live in her car, if she cannot find more clients of her training business. She could had done everything she could last year to take her fitness consulting business, Taylor’d Conditioning to the next level by studying Instagram fitness influencers, videoing insta stories, offering classes, paying extra to promote her videos but she still barely makes ends meet. Correction: she cannot do that!
But sometimes extraordinary happens and a hot, muscular stranger joins in her last class, wanting to talk with her about personal training options. Jamar Dixon, ultra charismatic, rich at age 25, a skillful footballer wants to go back to NFL and he wants Taylor to train him.
Of course Taylor thinks there’s a catch because Jamar could find any NFL trainer to help him take his place back in NFL but she doesn’t know he already knew her from that viral video with cheating scumbag. He has a huge crush on her and he is ready to pay handsomely which could help her to pay her entire debt and start over!
Working with ultra hot football player she’s fully attracted might be a big challenge but she can handle it, right? She already learned her lesson about not mixing business with pleasure! She’d vowed never to do it again!
But Jamar wants this arrangement to be a secret and when the press get intrigued by seeing them together, they are forced to pretend as lovers. You may guess how their story goes... The sparks are flying, attraction is so real... How they manage to stay professional when their hearts tell them to rip off each other’s clothes.
Overall: I loved this series and I enjoyed to read Jamar and Taylor’s story. I cannot wait to read the next sequel. London is definitely an intriguing, eccentric character!
Special thanks to NetGalley and Forever ( Grand Central Publishing) for sharing this digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.
August 18, 2022
I wasn’t really happy with the last book so I’m glad to say that I liked this a whole lot better. So this wasn’t all that per see, but I still felt satisfied after reading this.
Jamar and Taylor's chemistry wasn’t to die for, but it was there. Like most books, their relationships start with other motives and grow into something by the end of the book. This is the fake dating trope and usually, other characters in the books have good reasons for fake dating but the reasons in this book didn’t seem necessary to me. I was still very fond of their relationship since they learned much from each other. I also like how some parts weren’t entirely predictable but actually surprised me with how mature they were in dealing with some things.
Individually, the characters had such great stories. Taylor’s struggles are quite realistic and I wanted to keep reading to see how she handles everything. I loved that I did see an awe-inspiring growth by the end. I was also impressed by Rochon’s illustration of Taylor’s projections on her family. I really thought we were going to get the typical my family thinks I’m a nobody and the readers are supposed to hate them, but we actually get a good storyline that teaches us more about the importance of family communication. Jamar’s story was also a great illustration of how guilt really can affect you in multiple ways. I really do think they were good for each other.
I always love a “romance” book that has so much to it than just a romance.
Jamar and Taylor's chemistry wasn’t to die for, but it was there. Like most books, their relationships start with other motives and grow into something by the end of the book. This is the fake dating trope and usually, other characters in the books have good reasons for fake dating but the reasons in this book didn’t seem necessary to me. I was still very fond of their relationship since they learned much from each other. I also like how some parts weren’t entirely predictable but actually surprised me with how mature they were in dealing with some things.
Individually, the characters had such great stories. Taylor’s struggles are quite realistic and I wanted to keep reading to see how she handles everything. I loved that I did see an awe-inspiring growth by the end. I was also impressed by Rochon’s illustration of Taylor’s projections on her family. I really thought we were going to get the typical my family thinks I’m a nobody and the readers are supposed to hate them, but we actually get a good storyline that teaches us more about the importance of family communication. Jamar’s story was also a great illustration of how guilt really can affect you in multiple ways. I really do think they were good for each other.
I always love a “romance” book that has so much to it than just a romance.
August 16, 2022
This story was cute and fun!! Taylor and Jamar are hot together and their chemistry is on fire!! I love Taylor’s character, her strength and tenacity, and Jamar is the perfect guy, respectful and very loyal. I read The Boyfriend Project earlier this year and liked it so of course I was excited for the 2nd in the series and it did not disappoint! I liked The Dating Playbook even better!! Can’t wait to read book #3 next year with London’s story!
Thank you Net Galley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in return for my honest review!
Thank you Net Galley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the ARC in return for my honest review!
October 1, 2021
This was such a cute fake dating romance! I do think it went on a bit too long, which is why I dropped it a star, but I liked this one a lot better than the first book in the series! The first thing I loved was how Taylor was a personal trainer and she ends up training Jamar so that he can get back into the NFL after a knee injury. He doesn't want anyone knowing, though, so they say they're fake dating to explain why they're spending time together. I love sports romances, but I especially love when both of the love interests are athletic. I also felt so much for Taylor because she was trying to understand why she hates school so much and if she actually had a learning disability. This was important because Taylor feels like she needs a degree in order to be successful in her field. Both Taylor and Jamar had everything riding on them working together, which added another level of stress to their relationship. The fake dating was adorable and I completely understood Taylor's hesitance because she wanted to be taken seriously as a female in the athletic/training industry. This was just so cute and I would definitely recommend it!
Read
September 11, 2021Contemporary romance with two likeable leads, both of whom have fairly entrenched wrong ideas about themselves that they need to fix. Slightly exhausting focus on extreme fitness, she says from her comfy armchair. Terrific female bonding with the other heroines of the series.
October 3, 2021
I preferred the couple in this to The Boyfriend Project but sadly I didn't get as much from the female friendships which was part of what I really enjoyed in the first book. Interesting rep for discovering/embracing learning difficulties as an adult and I could identify somewhat with Jamar's guilt over his friends passing - both of these brought added depth to the story altho obviously I wish the characters had communicated more/earlier about them amongst other things 🙄 @Jamar
Taylor's fam dynamic was interesting and I enjoyed those scenes plus the steam & banter between the MCs was fun + flirty 🙃
Short & sweet "review" for what was a mostly fun classic romcom type read. Am plenty curious to see what the author has in store for London 🤩
PS - I am still such a sucker for these covers 🥰
Taylor's fam dynamic was interesting and I enjoyed those scenes plus the steam & banter between the MCs was fun + flirty 🙃
Short & sweet "review" for what was a mostly fun classic romcom type read. Am plenty curious to see what the author has in store for London 🤩
PS - I am still such a sucker for these covers 🥰
July 1, 2022
fake dating is always childish so like keep that in mind. but no notes. excellent
January 28, 2022
DNF
I am not feeling The Dating Playbook. I really am not. This is my first read by Miss Rochon. Based on the many positive reviews on goodreads, I was expecting so much more.
What does not work for me is the dialog and the development between the characters. I feel their banter, conversation and attraction is being repeated over and over again. And I have to wait for way too long for them to get it together.
It feels like reading something and waiting to something major to happened then I left hanging high and dry. Not fun!
Anyway, moving on..
2 stars
I am not feeling The Dating Playbook. I really am not. This is my first read by Miss Rochon. Based on the many positive reviews on goodreads, I was expecting so much more.
What does not work for me is the dialog and the development between the characters. I feel their banter, conversation and attraction is being repeated over and over again. And I have to wait for way too long for them to get it together.
It feels like reading something and waiting to something major to happened then I left hanging high and dry. Not fun!
Anyway, moving on..
2 stars
October 21, 2021
The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon
2nd book in the Boyfriend Project series. Contemporary romance. Fake relationship troupe.
Taylor’s personal trainer business isn’t doing well. When former NFL player Jamar hires her exclusively, she’s excited to help him but playing a role of girlfriend isn’t optimal.
First I should say that I didn't read the first book, so I think my compassion for the three women is lacking for Taylor and what she went through there. I admire her for trying to continually working her business plan. And I admire her fortitude for taking the college entrance exams multiple times. I was happy when she received her diagnosis of the learning issues that gave her the power to push forward and know there were real reasons behind her struggles. She a strong woman that you can feel will be successful and wish her the best of luck.
I liked Jamar in the end. I think he did the right thing. But the struggle and the years ….
It’s a good romance. I’m going to say “new adult” because both are mid 20’s.
I will suggest reading the other book first for this one to be better appreciated.
2nd book in the Boyfriend Project series. Contemporary romance. Fake relationship troupe.
Taylor’s personal trainer business isn’t doing well. When former NFL player Jamar hires her exclusively, she’s excited to help him but playing a role of girlfriend isn’t optimal.
First I should say that I didn't read the first book, so I think my compassion for the three women is lacking for Taylor and what she went through there. I admire her for trying to continually working her business plan. And I admire her fortitude for taking the college entrance exams multiple times. I was happy when she received her diagnosis of the learning issues that gave her the power to push forward and know there were real reasons behind her struggles. She a strong woman that you can feel will be successful and wish her the best of luck.
I liked Jamar in the end. I think he did the right thing. But the struggle and the years ….
It’s a good romance. I’m going to say “new adult” because both are mid 20’s.
I will suggest reading the other book first for this one to be better appreciated.
October 22, 2021
I was pretty into this at first but then my interest waned like a third of the way through and never really came back. Certainly it didn't help that I was reading another stellar romance* at the same time and this one doesn't hold up to it. This wasn't bad, though! Just not great.
*The Heart Principle, in case you were curious.
This is the second book in Rochon's adult romance series, following The Boyfriend Project, which I also generally liked but had some issues with (mainly that I liked the friendship and job aspects way more than the romance itself). Here I liked the romance more, but the good tension Rochon built up at the beginning was punctured way too soon for me. I also thought it ended up being a bit scattered thematically at the end. One of the things that drew me to the book at the beginning was the all too real way Rochon was writing about Taylor and her financial struggles. I've had those lean years where you don't know where the money will be coming from next, and you have to decide what to pawn, and which bills not to pay. But that aspect entirely fell away, sort of replaced by Taylor's struggle to accept she had a learning disorder, and to fit in with her family.
Anyway, this is ostensibly a book about a fake relationship, but I don't think it took advantage of that trope at all, and maybe would have been better off without it. It felt forced at the beginning why they were even doing it (and introduced yet another narrative problem for Taylor, in her fear of trusting Jamar because of what a past client had done to her after she slept with him). And the actual fake relationship lasts for all of ten minutes, and is not a source of tension or conflict in the book. They enter into a sexual relationship soon after the fake dating starts, and then five minutes after that they decide they're doing this for real, so what was the point. With all of that shoved in there, the genuinely affecting scenes where Jamar had to deal with the lingering guilt over the death of his best friend Silas years before didn't hit as hard as they could have otherwise.
I think I'm going to finish out this series but I may not be reading more of Rochon's books in the future.
*The Heart Principle, in case you were curious.
This is the second book in Rochon's adult romance series, following The Boyfriend Project, which I also generally liked but had some issues with (mainly that I liked the friendship and job aspects way more than the romance itself). Here I liked the romance more, but the good tension Rochon built up at the beginning was punctured way too soon for me. I also thought it ended up being a bit scattered thematically at the end. One of the things that drew me to the book at the beginning was the all too real way Rochon was writing about Taylor and her financial struggles. I've had those lean years where you don't know where the money will be coming from next, and you have to decide what to pawn, and which bills not to pay. But that aspect entirely fell away, sort of replaced by Taylor's struggle to accept she had a learning disorder, and to fit in with her family.
Anyway, this is ostensibly a book about a fake relationship, but I don't think it took advantage of that trope at all, and maybe would have been better off without it. It felt forced at the beginning why they were even doing it (and introduced yet another narrative problem for Taylor, in her fear of trusting Jamar because of what a past client had done to her after she slept with him). And the actual fake relationship lasts for all of ten minutes, and is not a source of tension or conflict in the book. They enter into a sexual relationship soon after the fake dating starts, and then five minutes after that they decide they're doing this for real, so what was the point. With all of that shoved in there, the genuinely affecting scenes where Jamar had to deal with the lingering guilt over the death of his best friend Silas years before didn't hit as hard as they could have otherwise.
I think I'm going to finish out this series but I may not be reading more of Rochon's books in the future.
May 20, 2022
3.5 stars
The Dating Playbook is the second book in The Boyfriend Project contemporary romance series. Three women discovered they were dating the same guy. They immediately ditched that loser and struck up a close friendship with each other. Each book features one of the ladies and a potential love interest.
Taylor Powell is experiencing some serious financial difficulties. Former NFL player Jamar Dixon wants to get back on the playing field. He's willing to pay Taylor some big bucks if she will be his personal trainer. A caveat is he wants to keep his comeback a secret for now. Everything seems to be going according to plan until they are seen in public together. Rather than blow his cover and admit they have a professional relationship, they go the fake dating route. Yeah, I'm sure this won't lead to them falling for each other or anything, right?
After reading two books by Farrah Rochon, I gotta say, I love what she is bringing to the romance genre. You get more than just a steamy love story as the lead characters do have interesting lives outside of the bedroom. They each have career goals. I also like how Taylor, London, and Samiah have a strong bond and support each other. Add in some good humor and these books are fun reads. Really the only thing missing for me was an incredible spark of chemistry between Taylor and Jamar. Don't get me wrong, I liked the pairing and their interactions but they just don't rank high on my list of favorite love matches.
I'm excited to see what the third book in the series brings with London as the main character.
The Dating Playbook is the second book in The Boyfriend Project contemporary romance series. Three women discovered they were dating the same guy. They immediately ditched that loser and struck up a close friendship with each other. Each book features one of the ladies and a potential love interest.
Taylor Powell is experiencing some serious financial difficulties. Former NFL player Jamar Dixon wants to get back on the playing field. He's willing to pay Taylor some big bucks if she will be his personal trainer. A caveat is he wants to keep his comeback a secret for now. Everything seems to be going according to plan until they are seen in public together. Rather than blow his cover and admit they have a professional relationship, they go the fake dating route. Yeah, I'm sure this won't lead to them falling for each other or anything, right?
After reading two books by Farrah Rochon, I gotta say, I love what she is bringing to the romance genre. You get more than just a steamy love story as the lead characters do have interesting lives outside of the bedroom. They each have career goals. I also like how Taylor, London, and Samiah have a strong bond and support each other. Add in some good humor and these books are fun reads. Really the only thing missing for me was an incredible spark of chemistry between Taylor and Jamar. Don't get me wrong, I liked the pairing and their interactions but they just don't rank high on my list of favorite love matches.
I'm excited to see what the third book in the series brings with London as the main character.
January 30, 2022
4-1/2 stars
This was an all-around terrific romance. No alph-holes, no overly contorted conflict. I really liked both Jamar and Taylor. They were both decent, competent people with a realistic combination of self-esteem and insecurities. The subplots were well-done and meaningful. I enjoyed the question of what it meant to want to date in a coach/client relationship, and appreciated that the woman was the coach and the man the trainee, because there are plenty of actual women athletes married to their male coaches (a situation that makes me personally go "ugh" but that's great if it works for them) but I can't think of a single real-life couple where a man is married to his female coach. So I found that refreshing, and it helped keep the fake dating trope from feeling too stale.
Overall, this book was put together very well, even though I found it just a teeny bit long with a couple scenes/chapters that could have been cut and never missed. I loved Taylor and Jamar's interaction; both of them had charm and great senses of humor. I loved that this was a football romance without exactly being a football romance, since Taylor is also a tough athlete, and it's focused on training in general. I loved that Taylor is 3 years older than Jamar, but it's just mentioned in passing, not a big deal. I loved that the friendship between Taylor and her recently-acquired besties Samiah and London is as important to her as her romance with Jamar.
I plan to read the first book (Samiah's) because I enjoyed this so much (and I'm curious to get the backstory first-hand), and then I'll wait impatiently for London's story. I'm very happy to have found another positive, non-problematic romance writer I can look forward to reading.
Taylor Powell is $20k in debt and struggling to get momentum for Taylor'd Conditioning, her personal training business. But when Jamar "Diesel" Dixon, former star running back for UT Austin and the Chicago Bears, hires her to help him make a return to the NFL after a devastating knee injury, her financial problems just might be solved. Except Jamar doesn't want anyone to know he's in training. So when they're seen together by a reporter, Taylor claims they're dating. They're definitely attracted to each other. But will their fake romance bring them together, or push them apart?I grabbed this as soon as I saw that adorable cover. Turns out it's the second in a 3-part romance trilogy, and the first chapter left me a bit adrift as it kept referencing events from the first book. But once Taylor and Jamar met and this story got going, none of those missing pieces mattered much.
This was an all-around terrific romance. No alph-holes, no overly contorted conflict. I really liked both Jamar and Taylor. They were both decent, competent people with a realistic combination of self-esteem and insecurities. The subplots were well-done and meaningful. I enjoyed the question of what it meant to want to date in a coach/client relationship, and appreciated that the woman was the coach and the man the trainee, because there are plenty of actual women athletes married to their male coaches (a situation that makes me personally go "ugh" but that's great if it works for them) but I can't think of a single real-life couple where a man is married to his female coach. So I found that refreshing, and it helped keep the fake dating trope from feeling too stale.
Overall, this book was put together very well, even though I found it just a teeny bit long with a couple scenes/chapters that could have been cut and never missed. I loved Taylor and Jamar's interaction; both of them had charm and great senses of humor. I loved that this was a football romance without exactly being a football romance, since Taylor is also a tough athlete, and it's focused on training in general. I loved that Taylor is 3 years older than Jamar, but it's just mentioned in passing, not a big deal. I loved that the friendship between Taylor and her recently-acquired besties Samiah and London is as important to her as her romance with Jamar.
I plan to read the first book (Samiah's) because I enjoyed this so much (and I'm curious to get the backstory first-hand), and then I'll wait impatiently for London's story. I'm very happy to have found another positive, non-problematic romance writer I can look forward to reading.
August 11, 2021
The Dating Playbook is a great fake dating romance between a personal trainer and her client, a former NFL player that wants to get back in the NFL. In order to keep Jamar's training a secret Taylor accidentally says they are dating. When both wish their romance was real, they have to decide what is more important their professional or personal relationship and how to navigate both. I loved Taylor and Jamar and their stories were interesting. Taylor feels like her family doesn't accept her, and Jamar worries about what everyone thinks of him after his injury. There are interesting parts about the life of a personal trainer.
The Dating Playbook is the second book in The Boyfriend Project series. It can be read as a standalone but I think The Boyfriend Project is important to understand the relationship between Taylor, Samiah and London. Their friendship is an important part of the book. The Dating Playbook is a must read for fans of The Boyfriend Project. I can't wait to read London's story.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Rebecca Lee and thought she did a great job bringing this story to life.
Thank you Forever, Hachette Audio and NetGalley for The Dating Playbook.
Full Review Coming Soon: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com/
The Dating Playbook is the second book in The Boyfriend Project series. It can be read as a standalone but I think The Boyfriend Project is important to understand the relationship between Taylor, Samiah and London. Their friendship is an important part of the book. The Dating Playbook is a must read for fans of The Boyfriend Project. I can't wait to read London's story.
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Rebecca Lee and thought she did a great job bringing this story to life.
Thank you Forever, Hachette Audio and NetGalley for The Dating Playbook.
Full Review Coming Soon: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com/
November 30, 2022
best book to listen to while i baked <3
August 1, 2021
3.5 stars
Taylor Powell is fighting to make her fitness business a success, but she's struggling financially. Jamar Dixon is looking to get back into the NFL after an injury took him out of the game and he's convinced that Taylor's brand of drill sergeant training will do the trick. But there's more heating up than the workouts she puts him through.
I'll be up front, sports romance isn't really my thing and I also don't love all the focus on food (not eating carbs, swapping foods etc.) and exercise for weight loss. It makes sense for the characters, just not something I prefer to read and heads up to others who might feel similarly. And the characters do some kind of dumb things because they don't want to face their fears. That said, I think there's a lot to like here. The development of their relationship is great and they try to be careful about blurring lines when she's employed by him. I also loved the way this dealt with learning disabilities in adults that have gone undiagnosed, and the attention on traumatic brain injury among football players. Overall a solid romance, even if it wasn't quite my preferred trope combo. The narrator does a good job with the audiobook and it's easy to listen to. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Taylor Powell is fighting to make her fitness business a success, but she's struggling financially. Jamar Dixon is looking to get back into the NFL after an injury took him out of the game and he's convinced that Taylor's brand of drill sergeant training will do the trick. But there's more heating up than the workouts she puts him through.
I'll be up front, sports romance isn't really my thing and I also don't love all the focus on food (not eating carbs, swapping foods etc.) and exercise for weight loss. It makes sense for the characters, just not something I prefer to read and heads up to others who might feel similarly. And the characters do some kind of dumb things because they don't want to face their fears. That said, I think there's a lot to like here. The development of their relationship is great and they try to be careful about blurring lines when she's employed by him. I also loved the way this dealt with learning disabilities in adults that have gone undiagnosed, and the attention on traumatic brain injury among football players. Overall a solid romance, even if it wasn't quite my preferred trope combo. The narrator does a good job with the audiobook and it's easy to listen to. I received an audio review copy via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
November 30, 2021
3.5 ⭐
The Dating Playbook was exactly what you would expect from a contemporary romance. It was cute and sweet, endearing and relatable, endlessly fun, but it also touched on a few more serious topics.
I'm certainly glad I read it. I had a lot of fun with it and it was a perfect summer read. I also really liked the narrator – would definitely recommend the audiobook version.
If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog NovelOnMyMind.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook version of The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon in exchange for an honest review.
The Dating Playbook was exactly what you would expect from a contemporary romance. It was cute and sweet, endearing and relatable, endlessly fun, but it also touched on a few more serious topics.
I'm certainly glad I read it. I had a lot of fun with it and it was a perfect summer read. I also really liked the narrator – would definitely recommend the audiobook version.
If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog NovelOnMyMind.
Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook version of The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon in exchange for an honest review.
January 4, 2022
4.5 STARS
I loved this book so much! Taylor is a personal trainer and Jamar is a former football player who needs to get in shape again, so he can get hired by an NFL team after his career-ending knee injury. Due to circumstances, the two start fake dating. Very enjoyable and entertaining read, I fell in love with both characters, especially Taylor. I can't wait for book 3 to come out and read about London's HEA.
I loved this book so much! Taylor is a personal trainer and Jamar is a former football player who needs to get in shape again, so he can get hired by an NFL team after his career-ending knee injury. Due to circumstances, the two start fake dating. Very enjoyable and entertaining read, I fell in love with both characters, especially Taylor. I can't wait for book 3 to come out and read about London's HEA.
August 22, 2021
In this second entry of Rochon's The Other Women Strike Back (unofficial title by me) trilogy, Taylor's personal training business takes a turn when NFL star Jamar Dixon becomes her client. Did the story make me that much more eager for football season? Yes 100%. The romance hinges on fake dating and kisses in the rain, so I was a big supporter of the characters' progress.
The book has a lot of forceful messaging, and I think that can make romance as a genre more powerful and meaningful. Unfortunately, my reactions to the messages here were mixed at best.
Let's start with the positive. At the beginning of the book, we find Taylor with maxed out credit cards and a worry that she won't make rent. This level of financial insecurity is so rarely acknowledged in romance, and I found the setup truly worthwhile. The story also delves into mental health and Taylor's worries about measuring up to her siblings and peers while her business struggles to get off the ground. The book offers a thoughtful, multifaceted indictment of the education system, bringing to the foreground: anxiety caused by a system built and sustained on standardized testing, the pressure to get a higher education for the sake of many career options, and the lack of awareness about learning disorders that can haunt a student when teachers don't properly catch it and meet students' individual needs.
But now I need to delve into the negative because it hit me hard. "Capitalism is my jam" is a real sentence in this book, and I never fully recovered. The phrase "wealth-shaming" also exists in the same book as a girl who worried about a future living out of her car. An All-American message of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps was especially alarming given the detailed context provided. We know that Taylor was failed by her schools and her family, but business decisions that didn't result in instant success are still cast as her failures and an ADHD diagnosis doesn't alter her characterization as impulsive and risky.
I also take specific issue with Taylor's so-called "brilliant" business idea of outsourcing P.E. to part-time fitness instructors, and I do not have the energy to list all my increasingly incensed comments about privatizing public education rather than fixing our achingly broken system. And I'm allowed to be saucy about that, seeing as I work in a public school and spend most of my waking, non-reading moments thinking about said school and education at large.
While there are certainly bright moments to this book, the disappointments far outweighed them for this reader.
The book has a lot of forceful messaging, and I think that can make romance as a genre more powerful and meaningful. Unfortunately, my reactions to the messages here were mixed at best.
Let's start with the positive. At the beginning of the book, we find Taylor with maxed out credit cards and a worry that she won't make rent. This level of financial insecurity is so rarely acknowledged in romance, and I found the setup truly worthwhile. The story also delves into mental health and Taylor's worries about measuring up to her siblings and peers while her business struggles to get off the ground. The book offers a thoughtful, multifaceted indictment of the education system, bringing to the foreground: anxiety caused by a system built and sustained on standardized testing, the pressure to get a higher education for the sake of many career options, and the lack of awareness about learning disorders that can haunt a student when teachers don't properly catch it and meet students' individual needs.
But now I need to delve into the negative because it hit me hard. "Capitalism is my jam" is a real sentence in this book, and I never fully recovered. The phrase "wealth-shaming" also exists in the same book as a girl who worried about a future living out of her car. An All-American message of pulling yourself up by your bootstraps was especially alarming given the detailed context provided. We know that Taylor was failed by her schools and her family, but business decisions that didn't result in instant success are still cast as her failures and an ADHD diagnosis doesn't alter her characterization as impulsive and risky.
I also take specific issue with Taylor's so-called "brilliant" business idea of outsourcing P.E. to part-time fitness instructors, and I do not have the energy to list all my increasingly incensed comments about privatizing public education rather than fixing our achingly broken system. And I'm allowed to be saucy about that, seeing as I work in a public school and spend most of my waking, non-reading moments thinking about said school and education at large.
While there are certainly bright moments to this book, the disappointments far outweighed them for this reader.
September 5, 2021
3.5 star
August 19, 2021
After enjoying the first in this series, I was excited to read this book. I thought the writing flowed well, and I read it fairly quickly. However, it didn't click as well for me as the first one. Despite it not clicking to the same level, I did enjoy this story, and I look forward to the next one.
The series premise is a fun one. Three women form a bond after their viral public take-down of the guy they each unwittingly have been seeing. Three very different heroines - a techy nerd, a fitness instructor, and a doctor. Taylor is the fitness instructor. She has ambitions to grow her fitness business, but unlike her new girlfriends, she's in a much more tenuous position financially and with her career. A few misguided decisions have her in a deep hole financially. This is where Jamar steps in. He's a former high school and college football star, who had a promising NFL career cut short with what would be a career-ending injury for many half-way through his first season. He hires Taylor to be his full-time trainer to get him back in shape for the NFL and to prove the naysayers wrong. The attraction is there from the beginning, but they want to keep their relationship professional. Then, when reporters start sniffing around why Jamar is hanging out with a trainer, Taylor blurts out that they are dating. So, they are fake-dating in public, have the desire to date in truth, and are training in private.
This could have had such delicious tension, but I didn't feel it. I think it boiled down to a mismatch between the tension and the action. For example, when they finally succumb to the "why not date in truth when everyone thinks we are anyways" dilemma, it felt anti-climactic. It was after the tension had eased some and it needed to be built back up again, at least that's my take. I liked the characters overall. I thought there stories compelling. I did think some of the issues felt surface-deep, but I think that would have been a minor complaint if the tension had worked better. I do think this was a good pairing, so the romance worked on some levels, just not all.
Ultimately, while this didn't fully work for me, I did think this was a diverting read. Settings were well-drawn, and I thought all the major components were there. It just didn't click for me like the first book. I look forward to London's book next summer.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a chance to read and review this book. Views are my own.
The series premise is a fun one. Three women form a bond after their viral public take-down of the guy they each unwittingly have been seeing. Three very different heroines - a techy nerd, a fitness instructor, and a doctor. Taylor is the fitness instructor. She has ambitions to grow her fitness business, but unlike her new girlfriends, she's in a much more tenuous position financially and with her career. A few misguided decisions have her in a deep hole financially. This is where Jamar steps in. He's a former high school and college football star, who had a promising NFL career cut short with what would be a career-ending injury for many half-way through his first season. He hires Taylor to be his full-time trainer to get him back in shape for the NFL and to prove the naysayers wrong. The attraction is there from the beginning, but they want to keep their relationship professional. Then, when reporters start sniffing around why Jamar is hanging out with a trainer, Taylor blurts out that they are dating. So, they are fake-dating in public, have the desire to date in truth, and are training in private.
This could have had such delicious tension, but I didn't feel it. I think it boiled down to a mismatch between the tension and the action. For example, when they finally succumb to the "why not date in truth when everyone thinks we are anyways" dilemma, it felt anti-climactic. It was after the tension had eased some and it needed to be built back up again, at least that's my take. I liked the characters overall. I thought there stories compelling. I did think some of the issues felt surface-deep, but I think that would have been a minor complaint if the tension had worked better. I do think this was a good pairing, so the romance worked on some levels, just not all.
Ultimately, while this didn't fully work for me, I did think this was a diverting read. Settings were well-drawn, and I thought all the major components were there. It just didn't click for me like the first book. I look forward to London's book next summer.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a chance to read and review this book. Views are my own.
July 24, 2021
CW: Death of friend (automobile/motorcycle related, off page but discussed) and related guilt and grief, anxiety, panic attack (on page), learning disability and ADHD, strained family relationships
I really enjoyed The Boyfriend Project last year and was excited to read Taylor’s story next. The Dating Playbook was filled with all the banter and amazing female friendships that I love so much. The squad of Taylor, London, and Samiah truly is the best! I loved how they pushed each other to be their best selves and were always there to lend a hand. The overall pacing of the book was on the slower side for me, but I really liked how (with a little help from friends and loved ones) Jamar and Taylor both made peace with their pasts and moved forward towards brighter futures.
Read The Dating Playbook if you love:
- Fake dating trope
- Supportive and amazing female friendships. Friends that are there for you through all the highs and lows and cheer you on every step of the way.
- Sexy times in the kitchen… and other places ;)
- Playful and wonderful banter. I loved how Jamar and Taylor knew just how to push each other's buttons.
-Characters who overcome their fears/obstacles to achieve their dreams (even if they aren’t the original dreams they pursued)
-Honest and relatable discussions about grief, guilt, the pressures of society and family, and learning disabilities. I thought these topics were balanced really well throughout the book.
I’m looking forward to reading London’s story next!
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
I really enjoyed The Boyfriend Project last year and was excited to read Taylor’s story next. The Dating Playbook was filled with all the banter and amazing female friendships that I love so much. The squad of Taylor, London, and Samiah truly is the best! I loved how they pushed each other to be their best selves and were always there to lend a hand. The overall pacing of the book was on the slower side for me, but I really liked how (with a little help from friends and loved ones) Jamar and Taylor both made peace with their pasts and moved forward towards brighter futures.
Read The Dating Playbook if you love:
- Fake dating trope
- Supportive and amazing female friendships. Friends that are there for you through all the highs and lows and cheer you on every step of the way.
- Sexy times in the kitchen… and other places ;)
- Playful and wonderful banter. I loved how Jamar and Taylor knew just how to push each other's buttons.
-Characters who overcome their fears/obstacles to achieve their dreams (even if they aren’t the original dreams they pursued)
-Honest and relatable discussions about grief, guilt, the pressures of society and family, and learning disabilities. I thought these topics were balanced really well throughout the book.
I’m looking forward to reading London’s story next!
*I voluntarily read an advance review copy of this book*
May 15, 2025
content warnings: death of a friend, grief, injury, hospital scenes, car accident, anxiety
November 12, 2021
Better than the first book but ultimately I found it kind of boring because they liked each from start to finish.
August 2, 2021
I loved this book! What a terrific read.
August 19, 2021
4.5 TayJar Stars!
I enjoyed THE DATING PLAYBOOK immensely! The characters are genuine, relatable, and had amazing chemistry and banter throughout. This is a definite win!
Here's what I loved:
This author is a master at writing characters who are real and relatable. I can see myself in certain aspects of their story. That's a huge draw for me! Taylor is dealing with a few complex situations, not unlike a lot young women. Her tenacity and work ethic are inspiring.
Jamar is perfection personified. He's hard working, sweet, and sexy. I fell hard for him.
The friendship the three ladies developed in book one of this series has only grown stronger. To see how supportive and loving they are with one another is so amazing.
Fake relationships are my jam. This is one of the best!
Overall, this book has it all. I felt all the feels, laughed out loud, and fell in love. What more could you want?!
For more of my reviews:
My Blog: Book Twins Reviews
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I enjoyed THE DATING PLAYBOOK immensely! The characters are genuine, relatable, and had amazing chemistry and banter throughout. This is a definite win!
Here's what I loved:
This author is a master at writing characters who are real and relatable. I can see myself in certain aspects of their story. That's a huge draw for me! Taylor is dealing with a few complex situations, not unlike a lot young women. Her tenacity and work ethic are inspiring.
Jamar is perfection personified. He's hard working, sweet, and sexy. I fell hard for him.
The friendship the three ladies developed in book one of this series has only grown stronger. To see how supportive and loving they are with one another is so amazing.
Fake relationships are my jam. This is one of the best!
Overall, this book has it all. I felt all the feels, laughed out loud, and fell in love. What more could you want?!
For more of my reviews:
My Blog: Book Twins Reviews
Facebook Blog Page
Subscribe to Blog
June 24, 2021
THE DATING PLAYBOOK by Farrah Rochon is a smart contemporary fake dating sports romance that blurs the line between work and play.
WHAT WORKED:
- Strong female friendships
- Representation- Black, adult learning disability, grief
- Real and relatable characters with depth.
- Readability: It was quick paced and kept me engaged enough to keep flying through the pages.
WHAT DIDN’T
- It is sports/fitness/nutrition heavy, which isn't really my thing. Some of the nutrition elements felt heavy handed.
- The tension and chemistry between Taylor and Jamar didn't align well for me. Something was just off.
So- I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. Still- I am eagerly awaiting London's book/3rd in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever publishing for the free early copy.
WHAT WORKED:
- Strong female friendships
- Representation- Black, adult learning disability, grief
- Real and relatable characters with depth.
- Readability: It was quick paced and kept me engaged enough to keep flying through the pages.
WHAT DIDN’T
- It is sports/fitness/nutrition heavy, which isn't really my thing. Some of the nutrition elements felt heavy handed.
- The tension and chemistry between Taylor and Jamar didn't align well for me. Something was just off.
So- I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. Still- I am eagerly awaiting London's book/3rd in the series.
Thanks to NetGalley and Forever publishing for the free early copy.
August 26, 2021
Taylor Powell has dreams of being successful when it comes getting her fitness consulting business on the map. How can she work on getting her name out there, especially since she had a previous bad experience that slowed her down? Meanwhile, she is running short on funds and tall on bills and other expenses. Her two friends, Samiah and London are in her corner, but sadly that isn't enough.
When she is approached to Jamar Dixon to be his personal trainer Taylor definitely sees dollar signs. He is a professional football player working to get back into the NFL, but needs help as he had a bad injury which required surgery. He needs to get into top shape. Jamar is practically a household name, so having him as a client would definitely get Taylor's name and business known. However, there is one issue and that is a major issue. Jamar wants to keep his training with Taylor on the down-low.
Since Jamar is adament about keeping this private, how better for the two to spend long hours together than acting as if they are dating? Okay, Taylor goes for it. There is a problem that makes itself known almost before the two even gets started. They are attracted to one another, something Taylor refuses to act on. In fact, both Taylor and Jamar walk into this with baggage. Will they be able to climb over their past hurts and turn their fake dating into something real? Something permanent?
I really loved this second book in the Boyfriend Project series. Both Taylor and Jamar were solid characters. Factor in the continuity with Samaih and London's characters, and this proved to be a relatable read, enjoyable from start to finish.
Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
When she is approached to Jamar Dixon to be his personal trainer Taylor definitely sees dollar signs. He is a professional football player working to get back into the NFL, but needs help as he had a bad injury which required surgery. He needs to get into top shape. Jamar is practically a household name, so having him as a client would definitely get Taylor's name and business known. However, there is one issue and that is a major issue. Jamar wants to keep his training with Taylor on the down-low.
Since Jamar is adament about keeping this private, how better for the two to spend long hours together than acting as if they are dating? Okay, Taylor goes for it. There is a problem that makes itself known almost before the two even gets started. They are attracted to one another, something Taylor refuses to act on. In fact, both Taylor and Jamar walk into this with baggage. Will they be able to climb over their past hurts and turn their fake dating into something real? Something permanent?
I really loved this second book in the Boyfriend Project series. Both Taylor and Jamar were solid characters. Factor in the continuity with Samaih and London's characters, and this proved to be a relatable read, enjoyable from start to finish.
Many thanks to Forever and to NetGalley for this ARC for review. This is my honest opinion.
November 25, 2021
I am calling this. I am simply not enjoying it and with a book like this enjoyment is the only reason to read it. I am feeling no chemistry at all between Jamar and Taylor. It is so great to see the representation of supportive women friends, particularly of successful black women, but its just a little too cute and harps a little too much on an anti-higher education theme. I agree one should not need a degree to be a personal trainer, though it can certainly help, but the idea that it is offensive to the lead that one needs a degree to be a nutritionist is problematic. It is not just about knowing what to eat, its about understanding the chemistry and the medicine. If you like cute, and you are more interested in "you go girl" than in the romance you might like this.
did-not-finish
September 14, 2021I'm choosing to set this book aside for a bit because I find the way Taylor discusses food to be quite triggering. Might come back to it when I'm not being plagued by my own issues.
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