Not everyone wants to go viral. Samiah Brooks is one of those people. And yet, when she along with two other women all learn they're dating the same man and confront him, the all become famous. Samiah especially since she works in the tech industry. And as a Woman of Color, she usually tries to keep her head low and just do a stellar job.
Daniel Collins admires Samiah and the way that she is handling the situation. He also admires the way she works. And the way she looks. She's just all-around an amazing woman who anyone should be delighted to be with. Too bad that he's not exactly telling her the truth about who he is.
I cannot WAIT for Taylor and London's stories though the excerpt for Taylor's story makes me a little nervous. There is definitely some set up in this book getting ready for their stories but it isn't intrusive. I got a little checked out in the middle of the book but I can't tell if that was the story or me so I erred on the side of me since I generally enjoyed the book.

Three and a half stars
This book comes out June 9th
ARC kindly provided by Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley
Opinions are my own

This was a perfectly fine entry in the diverse contemporary romance canon but I didn't think it was anything amazing. I liked the author's focus on Samiah's drive, her female friendships, and shedding a light on the struggles for black women in STEM but I didn't like the dialogue, which often felt stilted to me, or the way that the ending wrapped up too quickly.

This book started strong, but by the end I had to force myself to finish it. Thus I am struggling to rate this one; I really enjoyed the beginning and the friendship between the girls but the romance was only okay.

I loved the representation for black women in computer sciences and the frank discussions that the author had around that subject. I loved that the love interest was a spy/special agent but I don’t think their storylines kind of meshed well and the climax was very predictable and dumb.

The book did do a good job of taking me out of the real world, which is kind of what I want in books right now, but overall it fell flat and was just an average romance.

I do think this series will continue to get better & this book set some solid foundations but the romance between the main characters wasn’t as strong as it could have been.

Love this author, loved this book. The world needs romance right now! Happy to add this one to our shelves

This was a cute and fun rom-com that I thoroughly enjoyed reading and could not put down! I cannot wait to see what is next from this author.

Thank you to Forever Pub and Netgalley for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

After being duped by a three-timing jerk, Samiah Brooks forms a friendship with the other two women and together they vow to swear of men and dating for six months. Instead, they will spend the time to invest in themselves. For Samiah, that means finally developing the app she's always dreamed of creating. This sounds like a great plan until she meets the half-Korean, half-black sexy Daniel Collins at work. Is he someone she can trust or too good to be true?

This book is like a cross between the Central Park Pact series by Lauren Layne and The Right Swipe by Alisha Rai. I loved the strong female friendships that developed among these women despite meeting during shitty circumstances. Samiah is clearly a very strong female character but she was a little too cocky for me. I appreciate Farrah Rochon bringing up the tough obstacles black women face in the working world (available opportunities, equal pay, etc) but I think the execution could have been better. Overall, it was a fun read with some steamy parts if you are into that. I would definitely pick up the next book in the series.

This book starts with a wonderful, horrible scene. Trust me, you won't be able to stop reading. It's almost a 'meet-cute' for finding friends. After Samiah, London, and Taylor give the guy they've all been unknowingly dating the boot (that first scene!), they form a neat connection. Their continued friendship is a highlight of this book. As they get to know each other, they agree to The Boyfriend Project- giving themselves permission to focus on something that is important to them, instead of trying to find the unicorn of a great guy to date.

Little did Samiah know that a great guy was going to join her work that same week. While Daniel is a great guy, he's also not totally honest, which adds another layer to the budding romance. They do get each others' passion for tech and hard work. I enjoyed this story and look forward to the next one. It was fun to see the new romance, the continued friendship of the girls, a bit of a mystery, and the characters' growth.

Thanks to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for an advance copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was an enjoyable one!

This is my first Farrah Rochon book. It spotlights the importance of female friendships. The love story between Samiah and Daniel keep me interested. Both of these characters were struggling to follow their mind or heart throughout the story. The book was unputdownable and unpredictable. If you love romance and friendship, I recommend reading The Boyfriend Project. Thank you Netgalley and Forever (Grand Central publishing for the ARC.

The Boyfriend Project starts off with the heroine Samiah Brooks, a super smart techie who heads her company's outreach efforts and dreams of developing her own app, learning through Twitter that the guy she's dating was also dating two other women. The reveal is hilarious (the jerk took them to the same sushi restaurant!), the confrontation epic. Unfortunately, it also made Samiah go viral, and soured her on letting any man dupe her again.

Enter Daniel Collins, a biracial man (Korean-American and African-American), who investigates financial crimes and has gone undercover in Samiah's company. The sparks between them are immediate, the flirty banter super cute, and despite Samiah's initial reservations, she finds herself opening up to Daniel and allowing herself to fall in love with him. Except Daniel's only in town for his assignment, he can't tell Samiah the truth about what he does, and he knows that he will inevitably break Samiah's heart someday.

The Boyfriend Project mixes so much of what I love in romance: fantastic chemistry, nerdy protagonists, kickass female friendships, and a conflict that is inevitable despite being neither character's fault. I love the way Samiah and Daniel's relationship developed, how both characters did their best to fight their feelings for each other (Samiah because she'd vowed to take a break from dating, Daniel because he knew he was lying to Samiah about who he was), and how they ended up ultimately being unable to resist each other. Rochon writes chemistry wonderfully, and I was right there with both Samiah and Daniel through their whole roller coaster of emotions.


The conflict was really well done as well. Part of me could see Samiah falling in deeper with Daniel and really wanting Daniel to just tell her the truth already, but another part of me understood why he couldn't. The whole situation hurtles towards a point where he has to perform an outright betrayal in order to get his job done, and my heart broke right with Samiah's at the inevitable reveal. The conflict is angsty and emotional and oh-so-absolutely-gripping. I kept wanting to see how the characters could work their way past the situation, and kept longing for the inevitable happily ever after. Part of me did feel that the resolution felt a tad too easy given all the build-up, but I also really liked how reasonable and empathetic both characters were in seeing each other's positions, and how well they ultimately communicated with each other. 

I also like how kickass both Samiah and Daniel were at their jobs. Both are super smart techie developers and great at what they do. There's a scene where Samiah admits she initially hesitated to tell Daniel about the app she's developing as a passion project, because she knows he has the skills and technical know-how to steal her idea, and I really liked that, because it shows how well-matched they are on an intellectual level.

There are also moments where Samiah talks about the challenges of being a Black woman in the tech industry, how she has to work harder than her colleagues to get the same level of success, and how her teachers often discouraged her from being too ambitious. She also talks about how she feels the pressure not to screw up any opportunities for other Black women who'll be coming in after her, and how important it is for her to give young Black girls the opportunity to see her at work and know that they can aspire to something similar. I'm not Black, so I can't fully understand what she experiences, but I do appreciate how Rochon explores this subject, and I really love this part of the story. There's a great scene where Daniel admits that being part Asian affords him some privilege in the tech industry -- it's still racism, with the stereotype of Asians being smart in math and tech, but I love how Daniel and Samiah discuss these subjects so openly.

Finally, the friendship between Samiah, Taylor and London -- the three women duped by the same man at the beginning of this book -- was a major highlight of this book, and a fantastic setup for the series. I love how they initially bonded over the jerk who duped them, and how their friendship developed since then to weekly Friday dates and real, deep conversations about their lives. I love that the three women banded together to encourage each other to pursue their respective dreams beyond romance. I especially love that despite Samiah reneging on their agreed-upon 'Boyfriend Project' (a dating hiatus), Taylor and London didn't make her feel bad about it, and instead were super supportive of her developing feelings for Daniel. I love romances that highlight the strength of friendship between woman, and I'm excited to see how Taylor and London's stories turn out.

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Thank you to Forever Romance for an egalley of this book in exchange for an honest review.

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This review will go live on my blog on March 30, 2020 at 8 am ET.

Ahhhh, what an amazing read! Such an engaging, fun novel full of laughter, bonding, and deep connections with the characters laced in every turn of the page. I was hooked when the characters merged into real life for me, as if we were having best-friend date night, with our killer smokey eyes, sharing stories over a bottle of wine in our over sized HBCU sweatshirts, as we chatted about our first dates with guys who so tried to impress us with his “women are equal routine,” but failed because he told the waitress, “ separate checks,” when it was time to pay for dinner!! Such a captivating plot with characters you will truly fall in love with from the beginning to the end!! This is such a highly recommended read!!! Praise to Farrah Rochon for creating this novel of love, light, and laughter!!

I finally got to read the full story of THE BOYFRIEND PROJECT and I LOVED IT.

If you read my “extended preview review” you’ll know that I was captivated right from the start by this book. I love strong, smart heroines and female characters and Farrah Rochon totally delivered. But for a romance to work, it has to have great chemistry between the two main characters, in this case, Samiah and Daniel, and those two burned up the pages from the start.

Samiah, is wicked smart, strong, sexy, sassy and successful, as are her two friends and sister. Yet, they are not perfect. They are driven, yet just like most of us they listen to their hearts and sometimes that gets them hurt, which makes them totally relatable. Otherwise, they would have been somewhat intimidating. But what I loved the most about these women (and the sister) is the instant bond they formed, the support they gave each other, and the strength they lent to each other when needed. So while this is a romance, it was also a friendship story and how important those people are in our lives when it’s time to focus on us. The story also had great family dynamics with a super supportive sister and the perfect husband who is everything you want in a brother-in-law. I mean, the man brought carbs when needed! Enough said about him.

As to the romance, it was sweet, funny, touching, and smoking hot. There’s something about the forbidden fruit here. Daniel had totally had my interest piqued from the start. He had me asking, “What was his game?” And wondering, “Could I trust him or was he going to be another dirtbag?” I’m happy to say, Definitely not a dirtbag. Try totally swoonworthy. Daniel was such a great match for Samiah. Smart (you’d have to be to keep up with her), but compassionate. The kind of guy who asks how you’re doing and genuinely wants to know. Such a rare quality. He was also funny, insightful, and sexy (guys with glasses…sigh).

Together these two are a powerhouse. I loved their wit and banter, but also how Samiah was open to trusting again and how Daniel respected her. The plot was great and not filled with too much tech speak that I felt lost, but enough that it read like the character really knew her job. I hate when characters get cool job titles and you never get to see them at work, but that wasn’t the case here. And there’s a tiny mystery to solve, which was another fun aspect of this story.

Overall, I thought THE BOYFRIEND PROJECT was well written, witty, funny, sexy and a thoroughly enjoyable read. I’m completely looking forward to the next in the series.

Samiah is the definition of a perfectionist. She has a list of things she wants to accomplish and her entire life revolves around those goals. No ifs, ands or buts about it....until she makes two new friends in the most unexpected way possible and a distractingly attractive new coworker. Suddenly her set in stone life plan isn't looking as appealing as it once did.

I wanted to like this book more than I did, unfortunately Samiah's unflinching resoluteness in virtually every aspect of her life grated on my nerves. Lacking the ability to bend or compromise is not a trait to be admired. If things didn't go her way she wanted nothing to do with them. While I can respect her drive and committment I also found the responsibility she placed on her own shoulders to pave the way for future generations to be overwhelming to the point of being very unhealthy. Then in the end when I expected her strict and stringent outlook to take a toll on her relationships, she flips the switch completely and is suddenly the most bendable and forgiving person alive. I got whiplash from her sudden turnabout.

I had a hard time becoming fully invested in Daniel, because as much as he may have liked Samiah he really did enter into a relationship under completely false pretenses with absolutely no regard as to the consequences for her. He thought only of himself and his own desires. Knowing the potential end of a relationship will be painful for you and going forward is one thing, knowing it could crush another human being you allegedly care about and continuing is quite another.

I loved this book, especially since it was set in Austin. I am also a true crime junkie so having the extra layer of Daniel trying to solve a cry mad me love it even more. I really loved how strong of a female Samiah's character way. The part at the beginning is also a single girls nightmare. but I love that her figured it all out on twitter.

Samiah is preparing to go on a date with her current boyfriend Craig, when her sister starts telling her about a nightmare date that is being live tweeted on Twitter. The details shared on Twitter sound very familiar to Samiah and she realizes quickly that the woman tweeting is on a date with Craig. Samiah goes to the restaurant to confront Craig and ends up in a viral video. The result of that incident is that Samiah gains a new friend group and the group decides to swear off dating for six months and focus on a self project. This is working well for Samiah until she meets her new coworker Daniel. Daniel is actually undercover trying to expose a money laundering scheme that stems from a program at the company Samiah works at. Once Samiah and Daniel stop fighting the chemistry between them, the question becomes - will Samiah forgive Daniel once she finds out he has been lying to her this whole time?

I really liked this book! There was a lot going on at times, but I felt like Rochan did a great job of connecting it all together. I think the best part of this book is the female friendship that evolves between Samiah and the other two women in the viral video. It was nice to read how their friendship evolved over time. The only thing that would have made this book better for me, was to get more of Samiah and Daniel outside of work. The glimpses we did get of that were exceptional! Samiah overall is goals. She is brilliant, driven, and not afraid to have boundaries. I loved her and I can’t wait to find out if the next book in the series will feature London, or Taylor!

Indeed a romance novel featuring two strong, compassionate lovers, but also a novel featuring the strong minded and power that a group of women have together...

Though this is not Farrah's debut novel, it is a debut for me. I was very hesitant diving into something in which the synopsis portrays it to be different in comparison to many other romance novels, but I am beyond glad I had the chance to dive in. This was such a unique romance novel, in which not only portrayed the best kind of witty banter between Samiah and Daniel, but also the best kind of friendship between Samiah, London, and Taylor. A friendship in which started off in such a terrible way, but then enhanced to the bright power that comes when women come together as one and fight for what they believe in. Passion is key, passion is what brings them together. But as individuals, they are also human beings. Human beings in which have emotions and a heart that deserves tender care and love. That's when Daniel comes in the picture.

This story revolves around the whole aspect of true friendship not only with London and Taylor, but also with Daniel. But one cannot forget to admit that sexy times do come in place between Samiah and Daniel, intimate times in which have you drooling for more! Farrah indeed knows how to captivate your eyes, and your body **wink wink** in the best kind of way.

I am keeping my eyes out for the second novel, and hopefully it's for London because I seemed to have clicked with her for sure. I loved everything about her!

Just look at this gorgeous cover. I follow Farrah Rochon on twitter, where she is a delight. I have been hearing excellent things about The Boyfriend Project, so I was excited to see it available for request on NetGalley. This is an honest review in exchange for an arc.

Often when starting a book by a new to me author, it takes me a bit to get into the rhythm of their writing. I didn’t have that problem with The Boyfriend Project. Samiah Brooks is getting ready to go on a date while her sister is waiting for her husband to come pick her up. Her sisters starts to entertain them both by reading the tweets of an awful first date aloud. Samiah realizes that the man in question is the boyfriend she’s getting ready to go out with and she knows exactly where he is – the sushi restaurant where they went on their first date. Samiah leaves to go confront the liar and while the confrontation is happening a third woman walks up and confirms she has been dating him too. The three women get sushi to go and leave the cheater with the tab.

Samiah, London and Taylor form a friendship pact in which they will refrain from dating and take care of themselves – find some hobbies, grow their business, and pursue their passion projects. Samiah is in research and development at a tech company and is one of it’s rising stars. She has put her own app project on hold, and decides to use the time she would spend on dating apps working on her own app. Into this no dating zone walks Daniel Collins a Fed who has gone undercover to find out who is laundering money using the company’s proprietary software. The attraction is instant, but they take their time going from flirtation and friendship to sex.

There was a moment when Samiah is getting sexy with Daniel and she calls him “Mr. Collins.” I cracked up, because of course, I think of the smarmy reverend in Pride and Prejudice. I am all for reclaiming the name of Collins for misters who are not oily and obsequious. Daniel Collins is not Jane Austen’s Mr. Collins in any way. He looks out for Samiah as best he can while also lying to her (because he’s an undercover Fed). He encourages her to keep working on her own goals, offers to help, and then backs off when she says no thank you. He apologizes for his transgressions and shields her in ways that are appropriate. His instinct is to appreciate her and make her path smoother.

As much as I love Daniel, the heart of this story is Samiah. She’s a perfectionist because she has to be, Not only is she fighting for her own recognition as a Black woman in tech, she is smoothing the path for the Black women who come behind her. I loved that she struggles with workaholic tendencies and has to talk herself into making friends and leaving the office. She knows her value, but also what she’s up against. She points out to Daniel a couple of times that she is not looking out for just her career.

Women are often expected to sacrifice to make other’s lives easier and are often made to feel guilty for reaching for their own dreams. Samiah devotes more of her time and energy to her job than she would like to continue to be an asset to her company, to be a team player, and for those future Black women in STEM. As Samiah develops friendships with Taylor and London and a romance with Daniel, she prioritizes herself higher. She takes time to form friendships, she rethinks her goals, and she makes time for her own dreams. She makes a choice to grow and letting new people into her life is both a result of that and supports her growth.

I have quibbles (there hasn’t been jacket weather in Austin in August in over a decade, though you might take a parka for your hours inside), but they are so minor and I loved the characters so much. I am very much looking forward to Taylor and London’s books. I can’t wait to watch Taylor come into her own and see someone appreciate London.

3.5 stars!
I was anticipating this book and it didn't disappoint.
I loved the concept and the romance was a nice touch to it!
Highly recommend!

This book has some drama, some gal-pal friendship building, a little bit of workplace drama / mystery with some good descriptions of Austin. Samiah finds out she is being cat-fished and ends up exposing the scam and ends up becoming great friends with the two other women in the scam. While she swears off all men, she meets the cute new co-worker in the office, who checks every box of hers and more! Then there is the flirtatious build-up between her and Daniel while he struggles with a few secrets of his own. The story moves pretty quickly and gives some great insights into being a black woman in tech and the pressure to perform as well as be socially well-adjusted. I liked Samiah and Daniel, as well as Taylor and London, and enjoyed the story, but had a little bit of a feeling that this book was looking through a keyhole at the story, where everything was described, but felt like it could have used more screen-time (page-time?) for the reader to really get into the characters' lives. Especially with the climax, it felt like a little bit of wand-waving was done to wrap things up without a moment to pause and process. I'll be interested to see what the other books in this series bring.

I love Farrah Rochon's books, and this one is no exception--it has a fun premise (viral catfishing confrontation), great female friendship with excellent setup for the next books in the series (without it feeling too obvious), and likeable, sympathetic MCs, both of whom you want to succeed even though you know one of them succeeding means the other other fails. The stakes feel high, but Rochon expertly threads the needle to make it work and tie up everything neatly in a satisfying way--it's really well done.

Samiah is the exact kind of heroine I really love in romance: brilliant, confident, ambitious, badass. Rochon's heroines are always well matched to their heroes, who are equally competent and ambitious, and Daniel is charming as hell. Really looking forward to Taylor (the hot mess friend)'s book!

Thanks to Forever and NetGalley for the ARC.

I love hearing stories about My City, on top of that stories that I love. I loved the romance and, if I'm being totally honest I'm a little annoyed with her attitude about the situation at the end. I won't spoil it but I'm glad they got a chance. Looking forward to more from this author.