Arc provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. I really loved this book. The representation is GREAT plus I love how fiery the main character is! I really enjoyed the modern take on romance and all of the parts having to do with dating apps! I'm giving it 3.5 stars because it did take me longer than usual to get into the story, this isn't an all time favorite but it is worth picking up especially for the topics covered and the representation.

The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai is a contemporary romance set mostly in California within an idyllic setting of rich, smart, and beautiful people. Rhiannon Hunter is incredibly intelligent and ferocious in her business. Her main objective in this Romance novel is to acquire a matchmaking business, not fall in love with Samson Lima, the face and limited shareholder of his aunt's Matchmaker business. One of the most intriguing aspects of this novel is how the characters grow independently to ultimately come together for love. It was a very well crafted narrative. The author is clearly knowledgeable of present-day dating and sexual positivity terminology, which are sprinkled throughout the story. Consent between the two are clearly defined and sexual safety when the characters are so new to each other is established and helps comfort the reader that these two characters aren't irresponsible in their lust and developing bond.
<spoiler> The challenging aspects for me with this novel are Rhiannon's trust issues. She absolutely went through a horrible experience, but as a creator of a dating app, albeit one that allows and accepts 1NS, I expected her to be more open and less fearful of Samson's intentions. TBH, I can't conceive of any person entering into a 1NS without a higher level of trust that they won't be murdered at some point in their tryst.
And Samson was very much a cinnamon roll, but at what cost? Yes, there should be conflict within a Romance to make the couple work through them and grow together rather than apart. I just felt they were more apart than together. And he seemed to have to work harder to prove he was a good man and would be the man for her. Yet, the sex and magnetism between them was hot. So it left me questioning if it was sex that was masked as love. </spoiler>
I appreciate Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for this read. I recommend it to Romance readers of Contemporary Romance and modern stories of dating, sex, and consent.

I adore the premise of the book, but wanted more gritty details in how the story was built. A++ female lead, and clever tie in with characters from previous books

Really adorable contemporary romance, perfect for those who enjoy a little comedy with their romance. Really sweet, and a fast read.

The dating app premise of this was very relevant theme for this. I was curious how it would play out.
Rhiannon was very business oriented and no time for traditional relationships. She and Samson had hooked up through her app but went their separate ways. They met up again when Rhiannon wants to buy the dating app Samson's a spokesperson for.


They didn't get along at first cause of a misunderstanding that cause their separation. But a little flexibility helped. I liked that Samson manned up and explained took a chance. This book is all about the dating world and the pitfalls. Samson and Rhi had something to explore but it was uncertain at first. It was very career woman and woman empowerment, Rhi had to deal with work place harassment in her old job. It was nice to see a win on that part. But it's not always the case and she had to deal with that whole situation.

This was a less angsty version of Alisha Rai more rom com ish and light. But it was good it had backbone and a plot very relevant topics and handled well. Of course there's some conflict along the way to keep things not boring. I enjoyed this first book to a new series all about modern love. I look forward to more.

☀️Book Review☀️
“The Right Swipe ”by Alisha Rai
This was an ARC provided to me through @netgalley. Huge thank you to @alisharaiwrites @avonbooks @netgalley
Genre: #romance #chicklit #romcom
Synopsis: see comment section
Rating:☀️☀️☀️☀️🌤/5
Review:
fresh/freSH/
adjective
not previously known or used; new or different.
———————————————————
4.5/5.0: I LOVED this book. “The Right Swipe” seamlessly blends a story of success, failure, a powerful female lead, romance and comedy inhto one book. Alisha Rai did an insanely wonderful job with character development and I felt that even minor characters in the book were multi-faceted. This book also tackled important topics such as anxiety, trust issues, sport injuries, workplace harassment and much more. I could go on and on about how genuinely this book incorporated the previously mentioned topics, but I don’t do spoiler reviews. 😉Trust me, you’ll want to read this one!
Why not 5 stars? I didn’t personally relate to any characters which is what I look for in romcom-type fiction.... and it wasn’t an “escape” for me. My lack of the 1/2 is purely personal and not due to the writing/story. I like my reviews to be a little subjective, what can I say 🤷🏻‍♀️

Really enjoyed this one! The characters were multilayered and complex, the backdrop of online dating and technology was really interesting! I appreciated the Rhiannon (the heroine) was flawed and struggled with issues that many women face. Samson was a really interesting hero and loved his friends as well! Pick this up if your interested in Alisha Rai’s other book and please keep in my mind that this is story has darker undertones to it don’t be fooled by the illustrated cover this story packs a punch! My only issue (and it’s minor) is that the ending was a bit underwhelming but this may expanded upon in further books. Highly Recommend!!

If you're looking for a diverse and fluffy romance, look no further.

Rhiannon runs the fictional equivalent of Bumble, after leaving a toxic boyfriend and frat boy environment behind at the Tinder-equivalent where she worked before. She's massively successful, afraid of commitment, and always wants to be in control. I really liked Rhiannon, and I'm always down for romances where the women are hard-asses who fear commitment and the men are sweet cinnamon rolls, which is 100% the case here. I did think it was weird though that Rhiannon was this well-known celebrity (like CONSTANTLY getting recognized), because I could not tell you the name or face of the owners of any of the dating apps.

The set up of the book is really fun. Rhiannon used her own app for a hookup and had an amazing night with Samson, who then ghosted her. When he turns out to be a former NFL star and star of a PR campaign for the match.com-equivalent that she wants to purchase, she's less than thrilled...until she realizes he maybe had a good reason for ghosting and might be able to get her in touch with the elusive owner of the company. It's cute, shippy territory.

Samson's basically the sweetest fluffball ever. He is practically without flaw, actually, and he'll have everyone wanting this magical unicorn boyfriend who respects women and is always willing to admit if he's been in the wrong. He's Samoan FYI, and he's all about his family. I said he was without flaw, but he is working through some shit of his own, related to the brain damage football players end up with and how it's affected his family (his father and uncle were also stars).

This would be a favorite if the romance had totally clicked for me. I really, really like Rhiannon and Samson, but I didn't get the flails about them, which I wish I had. That said, this is a fantastic romance with the most modern of sensibilities, and it tackles (see what I did there) real issues without losing the fluff.

I was sadly disappointed in this book. I do love Alisha and she gives us diverse characters.
But Rhi was just too much for me. I loved she was feminist and I got her point of a view later in the book, but she was so abrasive and closed off from any feelings.
I liked Samson but he seemed way too forgiving when things happen later.
I just wanted more from this book, and it took me quite a while to finish it too.

Rhiannon's a hotshot dating app creator, but even she gets ghosted. When she shares a magical night with Samson, and he then disappears--she lets it go. But when he resurfaces in her business life, can she keep him there, or will Samson and Rhi get the happy ending they deserve?
This was a lovely, spicy, sweet, knowing read. Rhiannon is almost too tough-as-nails, but she has reason to be. I hope Rai expands the scope of this universe, Jasmine Guillory/Helen Hoang style, because not only are these characters readers will want to follow, the peripheral characters are excellent as well. The Right Swipe is an immensely satisfying summer read.

This book is ok. I appreciate the diverse cast of characters and the inclusion of important issues like consent. I also like that the main character is an ambitious and successful woman. At the same time, I couldn't get very interested in the characters of the storyline. It all felt at a remove to me or like the characters were too consciously constructed. Ultimately, I wasn't that interested in the romance.

I don't normally read romance titles, but I kept hearing a lot of positive reviews for this one. I'm glad I took a chance on it. The characters were interesting, it was well-paced and it dealt with current social issues in a way that felt even and not heavy handed. And I really appreciated the fact that the author did not assume her readers knew nothing about football. The book was funny and sexy without being over the top. I didn't feel the need to wash my eyeballs after reading it. Recommended for all contemporary romance readers.

I really like the idea of a romance based on the new dating apps that are out and influencing modern dating life. This book explored tons of relevant topics and was a cute, quick romance. Rhiannon Hunter is the CEO of Crush, a dating app, and Samson Lima is an ex-football player who is helping campaign his aunt’s dating website, Matchmaker. They hook up one steamy night and he ghosts her on accident.

I thought that this story addressed a ton of issues that I wasn’t expecting, like: football concussions, controversial athletics and retirement, verbal abuse and sexism. They were all interesting and handled in a thoughtful way.

One of my issues with this story is that I didn’t like or connect with the main character Rhi. She has such a tough, strong demeanor, but it was off putting to read and we didn’t see enough of her more human or relatable side. It felt too one dimensional and lacking throughout.

However I loved Samson Lima, the love interest and ex-football star. He had conviction, passion, and genuine character and charm. He helped make Rhi a more believable character through their connection. Plus there were quite a few steamy love scenes and I would have been okay with even a few more.

I liked the ending and felt like it was a good way to end the story. It was a quick read which I always appreciate in my romances. I honestly think I would have liked this more if it was strictly a football romance. Those were all my favorite parts.

I would definitely swipe right on The Right Swipe. I don't know much about dating apps (I'd probably be a little bit like Samson in my knowledge) but I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. A fun romance with a lot of nuance and heart. This was my first Alisha Rai novel but I know it won't be my last!

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! It has been quite a bit since I've completed a book this quickly. The topics covered in the book (agoraphobia, sexual harassment, trust, among others) are multi-faceted, and Rai does a great job of exploring these themes while seamlessly connecting them. For example, Samson's ties to American football and the the health risks associated with the sport (mainly concussions/CTE) played a role in how he navigated his familial, friendly, and romantic relationships. I also liked how Rai tied in Rhi's experience as a Black woman informed her experiences as someone in a position of power. I could see myself in Rhi because of the choices she relating to navigating the professional world. To me, it just felt so authentic! The secondary characters in the story helped in further developing the themes as well as provide context for the main characters' personalities. I especially liked the dynamic between Rhi and Lakshmi, although Samson's relationship with his former teammates are a close second.

Rhi and Samson's relationship progressed in a way that felt realistic considering their background stories. I appreciated the fact that Rhi didn't just let her guard down as she and Samson worked through their relationship. She went through some things in her previous relationship, things that would take time to work through mentally. As a reader, it can easy to criticize her attitude/choices regarding Samson because we have the benefit of knowing his intentions. For her, it took time to work through her romantic feelings and figure out her level of trust regarding the relationship...and that's okay! The pacing of the romance in the story worked: it was sugary sweet where it needed to be while it got hot and heavy (with a quickness!) in other spots.

I don't know if there will be others book published in this series...I sure hope there are more! I'm keeping crossed for one that features Lakshmi. ;)

Rhiannon Hunter lives her romantic life by strict rules designed to protect her from heartbreak. Despite the fact that she created a popular dating app, she mainly looks for the occasional hookup rather than something serious to help her keep that distance. Those rules become harder to live by when she comes face-to-face with a former hookup, Samson, who ghosted her when they were supposed to meet again. Now he's working for a business competitor and seems like he wants to reconnect. But she can separate business from pleasure, or is her heart about to get broken again?

Another fun romance perfect for the summer! This one had a mix of lots of things - a woman in tech (and in charge, no less), sports references, dealing with sexual harassment. It dealt with the more serious topics in a way that highlighted the issue, and made sense for the story; something that isn't always the case. The tension between Rhiannon and Samson was great and it had a perfect amount of steam for me. There were some wonderful lighthearted moments, but also some moments of real emotional depth and I thought they played off each other perfectly.

4/5 stars

Of course it’s not a secret that I love contemporary romance books and I couldn’t wait to read this one! Overall, I liked the themes and messages inherent in the story such as the #metoo movement and the CTE issues that the NFL has tried to cover up. However, I had trouble connecting with the characters. For example, I felt like Samson was way too forgiving of Rhi’s issues and I felt Rhi was just too abrasive. Once her armor was down and we knew her backstory a bit better, I still found it difficult to like her. Regardless, I will probably keep an eye out for this series because it is a very light and easy read and I loved the multicultural aspects of it!

This book is stunning. It ticks all the right boxes for me (in no particular order): :
- A fierce, super smart heroine who goes after what she wants and succeeds. (She's also kind and charming ;) - an insider comment you'll get when you read the book)
- An ex-football player, i.e. hunk, with a heart of chocolate and a good dose of feminism
- Lots of clever banter, and hot sex scenes
- An amazing support cast - all with stories I'd love to know more about
- Multi-facetted and diverse characters who (for most of it) simply "get it"
- A storyline that's more than in tune with today's political and social landscape.

There are scenes in the book that deal with several health issues as well as emotional and mental abuse. As usual, Alisha excels in storytelling, draws you right in, and demonstrates what strength really looks like, and that love always wins.

I devoured this book!

P.S. Thank you to the publisher and #NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this book. My review represents my honest opinion.

This was a cute rom-com abut dating app creator and owner, Rhiannon and the pro-football player who broke her heart., who she runs into again and the chemistry wears cynical Rhiannon down and they have a relationship.

I enjoyed reading this book, and it had a lot of really great moments. I particularly enjoyed the diverse characters and the modern setting - it made the book relatable. Unfortunately, the book was a little slow in some places. If Alisha Rai isn't writing a sequel, I'd be surprised; I really loved some of the side characters and hope to hear their stories.

Overall, I would recommend this book to new adults who are looking for a fun romance.