Initially, I read the first two chapters of The Boyfriend Project and did not think that it was for me. I revisited it this week, and I am so glad that I did. The Boyfriend Project was an exciting, romantic read with an awesome main character.

Samiah is a go-getter, rapidly climbing the ladder at the tech company where she works. She unintentionally goes viral when she discovers her boyfriend is three-timing her and tells him off in public. Putting their mutual ex behind them, new best friends London and Taylor agree that they should focus on investing in themselves and following their dreams for the six months.

One of the best things about The Boyfriend Project was how the main characters, who are African American and half Korean, half African American, were depicted just living their lives. Their ethnicities were not downplayed, but they also did not become the focal point of the story.

I also loved how Samiah is always thinking of others, whether it is by pushing herself harder to make it easier for the next black woman in tech or by giving back to local schools to help girls in STEM programs. Her character felt very genuine and real.

There are two or three steamy scenes and quite a bit of swearing, so this book won’t be for everyone. I really enjoyed reading this, and I cannot wait to read the next book in Rochon’s series.

This was a tough one. I wanted to like it so much because of the description and diversity. The execution, however, wasn't great. The writing was pretty thin and the characters both more or less spoke with the same voice. I think it could definitely stand a lot more polish. I wish more books would follow the "show don't tell adage"

Come for the romance between Samiah Brooks and Daniel Collins, stay for the developing relationship between Samiah and her two new friends, London and Taylor.

And that’s really the bottom line for me and what will make me come back to read the next books in the series. Samiah and Daniel’s relationship was fine. I liked Samiah way more than Daniel – he struck me as a pretty standard ex-military, now law enforcement hero. The only thing that matters to him is his current case until he meets Samiah. By necessity, he has to lie to her for their entire relationship, which I tried to go along with. After all, in the beginning, he doesn’t know her, and it’s entirely possible she’s the criminal he’s hunting for.

But that’s also the problem here. If there’s a chance she’s the criminal he’s hunting for, then his decision to go ahead and get involved with her is ill-informed at best, and immensely stupid, possibly criminal or at least career-ending at worst. And if he trusts his gut enough to get involved with her, then he didn’t have to lie to her. He can fill her in on at least a little bit about what’s going on, especially since he knows that he could get called back to HQ at any moment and have to leave everything, including Samiah, behind without a word.

And the resolution to this relationship was really bad. Honestly, it was terrible, and I didn’t think Samiah should even listen to what he had to say, much less actually forgive him. The way he acted, and what he did, should have ended it for her, especially since the realization of what he’d done showed her just how deceptive he’d been for their entire relationship.

The non-romance parts of this book overshadow the relationship between Daniel and Samiah. In particular, the burgeoning friendship between Samiah, Taylor, and London was the strongest storyline here. And I really want to see how it develops. I’m also hoping for more info on how Samiah’s professional life continues to grow, too.

I highly recommend this book for the relationships besides the romantic one. It’s really, really good, and I loved getting to know these women. I want to keep reading about them, and see how their lives grow and change with each other. The romance itself – it’s fine, but there’s nothing to recommend there.

Samiah is successful in the tech industry, but very unsuccessful with men. Daniel is working undercover at the same tech firm as Samiah, and is instantly taken by her. Both know they shouldn't start a relationship, neither wants it, but what happens when they can't avoid it?
I loved that this was a book of STEM girl power, and was romantic at the same time! It shows that women in "men's" field of work aren't also girls themselves. And Daniel's character had some great cultural twists that added to his depth. And there were several side characters that left me wanting to know what happens next with them!

3/5 stars

This story definitely started off really well! It was pure rom-com hilarity in the beginning when the three ladies meet which I loved. Honestly, the friendship between Samiah, London and Taylor stole the show a little bit. I loved their interactions more than Samiah and Daniel's at certain points. I liked the story as a whole including the workplace drama, friendships and resolution. However, I was waiting on a little more chemistry or steam between Samiah and Daniel that never happened. Overall, I liked this contemporary workplace rom-com and plan on continuing the series. I'll be interested to see which lady gets her story told next.

***Thank you so much to Forever publishing and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to read this digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book! Very cute and compelling storyline. Would recommend. Looking forward to reading other books by this author.

I liked this series opener. It could have used more character development; I wish I'd truly had feelings about the central friendship and romance. However, I did read this in one sitting, and I thought the plot worked. Though I doubt it will be that memorable for me, I do look forward to reading more books in this series.

This was such an enjoyable read! I loved the friendships that were formed among the scorned women. They could have easily turned on each other, but they realized they were stronger by sticking together. I also loved the friendship that Samiah and Daniel formed. Since they were coworkers (and Samiah was supposed to be working on herself) there was a nice slow burn between the two of them that was so great to read.

This was my first book by Farrah and it definitely won’t be my last!

This was a fun read, with engaging main characters. I liked that the main character (Samiah) was a woman of color in a career dominated by white men. I’m hoping this will be a series with the other two women Samiah meets through her cheating boyfriend featured in their own novels.

This was such an entertaining read! And honestly, this was so realistic. I love how the main character knew what she wanted and acted upon it. Like, if she didnt want to talk to someone, she just would'nt, she would walk away. I don't see that too often in romance books, so it was pretty awesome!

Overall, I really loved this story and the characters. It was very enjoyable to read/listen to and I cannot wait to see more from this author!

This was adorable but I would love to see a sequel focused just on Samiah, London, and Taylor hanging out, passing the Bechdel test.

The Boyfriend Project is a solid romance novel. The plot works, the characters are fun, and I generally liked the trajectory of the story. Samieh and Daniel are both likable characters. This book was so middle of the road for me, that I don't find I have a ton to say about it! That's probably a good thing. It was a nice escape.

My one complaint is the title. The Boyfriend Project doesn't feel central to the main story. Sure, she has an agreement with her friends, but it's not until later in the book that they even give it a name. A different title would set better expectations for the story.

A contemporary romance that is a great entrypoint for readers who want to return to the genre with a sweet and dynamic story.

this is such a sweet summer read. i'm really glad i read this one and got to read it earlier than everyone else. thanks netgalley for supporting me!!!

I don't even know where to begin, this was such a refreshing romance! It's a fun office romance with a twist. Daniel and Samiah are such wonderful characters and I love how they handle everything that's thrown at them. They never get over the top angsty or reacted obnoxious and illogical when shit went down. Samiah is a brilliant badass, I love how independent she was and how focused she was not just on her career but on helping other black girls realize their dreams can come true. Daniel was so genuinely sweet and charming, he was sexy and strong, I couldn't help but love him. They had crazy chemistry and I loved watching it unfold!

It was entertaining, but I enjoyed the friendship with the girls over the romance. Something was missing with the romance. Nevertheless, I'm looking forward to the other girls' storyline.

CW: Racism, Cheating

I haven't read a book by Farrah Rochon, so when I saw The Boyfriend Project offered up on NetGalley, I had to jump at the opportunity. Luckily for me, I also received the audiobook from Libro.fm through their influencers program. I've been struggling with reading books so listening to the audiobook was a glorious thing. Je Nie Fleming did a fantastic job narrating this book. I'm so impressed with her narrations that I added her to my favorite narrator's list.

The Boyfriend Project was an enjoyable read. I enjoyed the plot & Daniel & Samiah worked well together. I loved that this book showed building a relationship and that this wasn't insta-love but more insta-connection. Watching their relationship bloom was a joy!

Though the romance was great, what I loved the most was the relationship between Samiah, London & Taylor. Seriously, those three women are relationship goals. Reading this book made me miss my best friend even more. I loved that Farrah Rochon created three characters that we well developed and supportive of each other.

All in all, this was an enjoyable read. I loved the friendships and romance. I recommend this to anyone who loves romance and good character development!

There are not enough good things to say about this book. I absolutely loved it - and still often think about the characters and selfishly want to know what has happened in their life since I closed the book. Rochon is a force ... and this book was so relatable that it felt almost REAL! And I love a book with a strong, smart and sassy main female character. I can't wait for her next to publish!

Samiah Brooks never thought she would be "that" girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she's been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah-along with his two other "girlfriends," London and Taylor-have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men, no dating, and no worrying about their relationship status . . .

For once Samiah is putting herself first, and that includes finally developing the app she's always dreamed of creating. Which is the exact moment she meets the deliciously sexy, honey-eyed Daniel Collins at work. What are the chances? When it comes to love, there's no such thing as a coincidence. But is Daniel really boyfriend material or is he maybe just a little too good to be true?- Goodreads

I am going to start off by saying that this book was not what I was expecting and that is a good thing. I liked this book and I liked Daniel. And the fact that I was able to read in both Samiah and Daniel only made me like the book more.

However, Samiah had a desperate undertone throughout the entire novel. Its like she had to have a man she couldn't be alone because she is amazing and perfect and has the perfect job so why is she alone. Her whole relationship (the one that introduces her to us) in my eyes isn't a relationship. After 3 dates, why did she assume she was in an exclusive relationship? Not to say that what happened was right but she made an assumption that wasn't true. And the worst part is she is the one that kept bringing it up throughout the story when it was forgotten by those around her. It was like she kept reaching to find something to feel sorry about.

Despite this I was able to relate to Samiah when it specifically came to her work environment. Everything she mentioned about being a woman and being a Black woman was right and it hit close to home.

Daniel was extremely well rounded. Although the author made him too good to be true, as I read the novel I can see why. I loved his story.

The pace of the novel was eh. The sex scene of the novel left a lot to be desired. There were spots that was rushed and it was clear. The down part i.e. the build up parts of the novel became redundant as no new information was given to add to the story. It just made me a bit annoyed with Samiah.

I did like this book. It was a nice love story. I would also like to note the surrounding characters caught my attention and I would love to read their stories.

Overall,

3 Pickles

This book was so good, I thoroughly enjoyed it!
Please see https://curlybookowls.wordpress.com/2020/09/02/the-boyfriend-project-earc-spoilers/ on or after September 2nd for a full review!