I did not finish at 48%.
I could not stand Rhiannon. I am all for strong women, but this one was just too much. She felt like a caricature of a feminist. It felt even felt preachy. This one just wasn't for me.
Swipe Left.

I truly enjoyed this romance! There were so many poignant themes of POC love, colliding cultures (work and social), trust, boundaries, vulnerability, trauma, memory, and platonic love. I really liked that she effortlessly brought in a topic I don't see in stories that often about physical touch. She really captured what is means to be sensitive to touch and how important consent can be. I really loved this book and where Rai took me. Can't wait to read more of her work!

3.5 stars. There is so much to love here: diverse representation, a super-successful and smart heroine, a hot but incredibly sweet love interest (seriously, it can be so rare to find romances that don't fall back on the stupid "alpha male" script and this one let the hero be strong and protective while still allowing the heroine 100% autonomy and giving her 100% of the respect she deserves and I live for that), a really unique and well-done side plot (CTE in football), and lots of great side characters.

The sex scenes weren't exactly my cup of tea but I did LOVE how Rai kept the sexy stuff to the sex scenes, rather than (which happens SO often in other books and becomes so eye-rollingly annoying) have a constant overly-horny inner monologue following the characters throughout normal conversations and every day activities.

One slight negative was that I didn't exactly buy the romance/romantic drama between the two main characters (seriously, a one night stand, even after being ghosted, probably would realistically not cause this much grief for either of them, no matter how good the sex was) and I didn't really get that butterfly OHMYGOD I SHIP THEM SO MUCH feeling that I love to have while reading a rom-com.

But as far as a romance filled with diverse characters, portrayals of consent and healthy language around sex, and a male love interest that is a delightful cinnamon roll goes, this one is worth a read

Loved this book. Was funny, interesting and sweet. A great story that includes how to forgive and move forward when things happen. Love the relationship.

Smart, sexy, and fun - Alisha Rai deftly handles the topic of online dating in this clever, modern romance. The characters pop off the page - I loved the main couple, and the side characters were just as fully realized, from the assistant to the silent partner to the eccentric aunt. The villain was believable, too. The technology in this title felt so believable too - not just in how the technology is described, but the way the characters use it. It was realistic. I'm looking forward to reading more from Rai, and hope to see these characters pop up again.

Love. Love. Love.

Rhiannon used to work for a major dating app, and after some drama went down she left and went on to create her own dating app that became successful. She was a powerful business woman with ethics and a good heart, but struggled with commitment in her personal life (for which she had reasons).

Samson is a family friend of the owner of a rival dating app (not the one Rhiannon left) and has become their new spokesperson. He is a former NFL player who walked away from the game early. I adored Sampson. He's the perfect book guy. He's sincere, sensitive and not at all an asshole. He's not without a few faults, but he's the perfect man to bring Rhiannon out of her commitment issues.

Rhiannon and Samson have such a cute romance, and I loved how it built throughout the book. They brought out the best in each other, even if they didn't recognize it at the time. I liked that Rhiannon intuitively leaned on him for support as her past issues came to the surface.

There is a bit of a side story regarding Samson and CTE issues in football. I thought this was really well done, and didn't take away from the romance. As a football fan I appreciated this extra piece to the story (as well as why Samson walked away from the NFL), CTE is a very serious issue and needs to be addressed.

I enjoyed this one. I liked the protagonists a lot. There were a lot of things under the surface. At times it felt a bit slow. Overall I thought it was a cute read.

Rhiannon Hunter worshipped at the altar of no man.

Sometimes, ratings and reviews are hard, and this is one of those times, because this is probably one of the most “meh” 4-star reviews I’ve ever given a book. I can’t find any good reason to lower it to 3 stars because it objectively has so much good stuff going for it, but when I think back on it — having finished reading it several weeks ago now — it feels like the sort of book I’ll forget about pretty quickly.

Rhiannon’s a likeable heroine and Samson’s enjoyable enough as a hero (if a bit bland). There’s a lot of conversation around some really necessary and tough topics, like the treatment of pro athletes regarding sports-related injuries, and the way assault/abuse survivors are often cornered into keeping quiet about their abusers, especially when the abusive person is someone in a position of power.

All of that said… I don’t know, something about it just never fully “clicked” for me, but I’m leaving this at 4 stars because it does have a lot going for it. I really loved the diverse range of characters (Rhiannon is black, Samson is Samoan, Rhiannon’s bestie/housemate/business partner is Thai-American and fat, her assistant is Indian and queer… everyone important in this book offers some sort of valuable and beautifully done rep), and because it’s the sort of book that I will happily recommend to others even if it wasn’t the perfect read for me.

All quotes come from an advance copy and may not match the final release. Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

What can you say about a nearly perfect book? I enjoyed this book so immensely, I read it slowly just so it wouldn't end! I loved this unique cast of characters and the relationships that go through the fire and come out stronger. This is the unique blend of romance, and one woman's story that becomes a movement. Saying that we are stronger than our abusers, and those who seek to harm and use.
I highly recommend this book and would love to learn more about Rhiannon and all the characters in this book. The writing is amazing, this book is incredibly powerful, inclusive and there is so much girl power its amazing.

Rhiannon is smart, capable and unique women with a strong sense of self and standing up for yourself. She's the CEO of her own company after hitting rock bottom after quitting from Swype. Samson, is a retired football player who is a bit clueless when it comes to dating. Luckily, Rhiannon owns Crush, a new highly popular dating app, and she ends up helping him get back into the dating scene. But the problem is, Samson is representing the face of Matchmaker, an antiquated yet behemoth dating service, that believes face-to-face interactions are still the way to find love. Rhiannon has her own ideas, and is always on her guard, though that's not the only problem.
As it happens, Rhiannon and Samson have a history, so when they run into each other at a work event and then on stage in front of a live audience sparks fly - much to the amusement of those around them.
This is a spectacular novel, on so many levels. Dealing with real life, tangible issues such as workplace harassment, trust issues, feminism, and understanding that being soft and girly isn't weakness at all. And I feel like we can learn and grow right along with Rhiannon.
5/5

Alisha Rai does it again with this steamy with substance romance for modern day lovers. I enjoyed the chemistry between Rhi and Samson, and the community of supporting characters that became like family. Rai can write all the angsty love and romance my heart needs. Great read!

I absolutely love Alisha Rai and I think this book proves her writing is at another level completely. I also think this might be the first romance I’ve ever read that shows the true pitfalls of dating in the dating app world we live in. Most people meet others not at a bar or party today but on a dating app. It also showed the difficulties of being a woman who uses said apps as well as the corporate world. I very much recommend this book

While I'm sure the Right Swipe is the right read for someone, I just couldn't get that excited about this book by Alisha Rai. I loved many of her previous works and really wanted to feel the same about this one! What I enjoyed best about this book was how it tackled issues with women in tech, sexual harassment at work, and CTE in football.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for my review.

Fun, sexy, contemporary romance that's a great summer read! Rhiannon and Samson tackle dating in the modern world. Both have baggage, and when Samson stands her up after an amazing night together, it looks like they are done. But true love gets help from an eccentric aunt, a possible company merger, and a compatibility test. I'm swiping right on this one!

I've been dying to read this book based on that cover and the blurb, which sounded so enticing, even to a contemporary romance-hater like me. However, though I really enjoyed some aspects of the book, other parts didn't quite work for me.

I love how Alisha Rai gives us diverse MCs and feminist, sex-positive main characters. That's really important to me, and Alisha Rai totally delivered on that front. I liked the plot and the trajectory of the story, even if I had some issues with the personalities of the characters themselves.

I found a bit hard to relate to Rhiannon, who was tough as nails and felt really closed off, even to me as a reader. She was a bit of an overreactor, and though I really grew to understand her more the more I knew of her backstory, I found her to be over abrasive at times. In contrast, I felt like Samson was forced to be this overly perfect, forgiving character. I found him to be too perfect, without any flaws, and I didn't like that. I wanted some temper or some grit, and I felt like he had to be the way that he was to balance Rhiannon.

I also think this book wasn't very... well, romantic. I like my romance to give me that squishy feeling inside, and I certainly didn't feel that between the two MCs here.

I did love the plot, which was interesting because the characters weren't my favorite, but I liked the spotlight on chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) and how the football community tried to cover it up for many years. It was really eye-opening for me, as just a very casual sports watcher, and I liked Samson's involvement and that storyline with him and his former teammates.

I also enjoyed reading about the whole online dating scene and the ghosting and struggles of people wanting to hook up or find love in modern times. It was something I haven't really read about before in romance, and I liked it a lot.

I don't know, parts of the story worked for me and other parts didn't, but I left the story feeling minorly underwhelmed, which, to be fair, is common for me in contemporary romance. Not a total win, but not a total loss either.

GAH!! I seriously do not know why I waited so long to read this book!! The Right Swipe was amazing!!! Itnm was so sexy and compelling. Samson and Rhi were delicious and funny and their connection was felt right off the pages!! I loved how genuine Rhi and Samson were and how real they were. This was an amazing read. I would like to thank Netgalley and the Publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. 4 stars! ~Ratula

Rhiannon had shared one hot and sexy night with a hookup she had arranged via her own dating app. Though it went against her self-imposed rules, she accepted a second "date" with this mystery man, JUST to have him ghost her. Fast forward several months, and what to her wondrous eyes should appear, but said mystery man, who happened to be an ex NFL star and working for the company she hoped to acquire. Rhiannon's straight forward plan just got complicated.

This book had so much "yes". First and foremost, I absolutely loved Rhiannon and Samson. They were perfection together. Yes, there were many bumps in the road on their way to the HEA, and yes, things went hot and cold quite a few times, but this was an important part of both their healing processes.

Rhi came off as hard and closed off, and she was, but with good reason. A former lover more or less tried to destroy her, both personally and professionally. She was forced to rebuild her life and her career after the breakup, and I could not fault her with having some trust issues. She did what she had to do to protect herself, but she didn't just wallow in the pain. She used it to drive her to do more for herself and for other women. Her revenge was to become a success, which she did. She also challenged the idea of being a victim and found her voice in the process. It was rather wonderful watching her come to terms with her past, and seeing her slowly form more open relationships with those around her.

Samson sort of owned me. He was such a sweet and wonderful teddy bear of a guy. I was rooting for him from the very beginning. I really wanted Rhi to stop and listen to his explanation about that night. I wanted her to give him a chance, because I believed there was something between them. Like Rhi, Samson had a lot of hurt to unpack. The ending of his career, the death of his uncle and father -- all of these things had taken a toll on Samson. I loved the support he received from his former teammates, and really liked the direction Rai sent him in.

The focus on CTE was unexpected, but I thought Rai incorporated it quite well. She did a nice job showing how the condition not only affected those suffering from it, but how it affected their loved ones. I probably shed the most tears over the parts associated with this plot, than any other.

Then there was the romance. At first, it was mostly attraction, hot sex, and great banter, but it evolved into so much more. Together they learned to be themselves, to enjoy life, and trust again.

This book had so much more than romance going for it too. It was about being a successful woman of color, and the obstacles and barriers that exist, as well as being an example to a younger generation, and speaking up for what's right. This was my first Alisha Rai book, and I was NOT disappointed. I will eagerly await the next Modern Love book.

This isn't out until August so I kind of jumped the gun but I needed a quick romance read in my life! And a new series from Alisha Rai, no less. Like all Rai's works this has diverse characters that show how romance can deal with consent and trauma and still be steamy. It asks if there is space for a second chance in a swipe left culture, and also tackles #metoo plus CTE in professional football players. Very enjoyable!

And for the fans, these are tangentially connected to the characters in the Forbidden Hearts series.

I couldn't get into this book and didn't finish it. The tone was a little harsh and the characters weren't very likable.

I LOVED THIS BOOK. It was cute, funny, relatable, and also touched on topics that are so important with todays society. Being a POC, being a woman, being a victim, it was so well thought well and respectfully discussed. I loved the past between the characters, I loved that Rhi was a strong and independent woman who was ready to take on.. and take over the world on her own but with time adjusted, and accepted that accepting others doesn't make her less of a kick butt female. Samson was so darn sweet and you just found yourself falling for him along with her. I really loved Annabelle, her theatrics had me cracking up. Rhi and her relationship, personality and her banter with.. well, everyone was just so spot on my humor level. You found yourself crying, laughing, falling for every character, and not wanting it to end. To me the ending felt a bit rushed. I would have easily read another 100 pages so that the ending could have had some more.. time. Which to me was a bummer because it made me feel as though they did that just to lead you into wanting the second book. But the story alone, would make you want that anyway.

Will you keep reading past the first sentence if I say that I liked this book, but didn’t enjoy reading it?
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I requested this from @netgalley bc I struck out on my first Alisha Rai, but trust Alyssa Cole’s romance recs implicitly, & this looked like a fun romp about modern dating, the perils of office romance, & second chances.
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First: it mostly is about these things! Rhiannon, creator & CEO of a swipe-based dating app catering to female users, is making a play to buy up a competitor. But suddenly Samson, a hook-up from months earlier with whom she had an intense connection (& who she thinks ghosted her), appears back in her life—as part of the same company she’s hoping to acquire. Shenanigans ensue.
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THE RIGHT SWIPE was chockablock with elements I love: missed connections, forced proximity, a fierce female protagonist. Embedded in Rhi & Samson’s story is the question of what any of us owes another human in this era when connection through a screen makes it easier to treat people as abstractions, plus the added layer of what it means as a woman to set boundaries & demand a standard of treatment. When & where to make exceptions to those boundaries is a consideration we’ve all faced. Rai also goes hard at CTE in pro athletes, & I loved her nuanced portrayal of the ripple effects traumatic brain injury can have.
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That said, this book contains a b-plot about workplace harassment that hit too close to home for me. It’s not that I wouldn’t read about that, or even that I don’t think it belongs in romance. But if I’m gonna, I want to be getting something new from it—for the character to be taking a fresh approach, exploring a new perspective, or even just fighting back. But none of Rhi’s agency is exerted in response to the (past) harassment & its continued repercussions. Reading about it felt like sitting in a pile of sludge. Add to that a pivotal character move that I didn’t buy in the 4th act, & despite everything I liked, I couldn’t love this one.
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Conclusion: if you think you might like this book, swipe right. It won’t be the first book I put in the hands of someone asking for a romance rec. TRS is out from @harpercollins @Avonbooks on Aug 6th.