4.5 rounded up to 5.

I’ve been a big Jasmine Guillory fan ever since I read The Wedding Date a couple years ago, and this one did not disappoint.

Heading into While We Were Dating, I was excited for the glitz and glam of Hollywood and a behind-the-scenes look what being in the limelight and dating a celebrity can be like, but wow, this book encompassed so much more than that. I CANNOT SAY THANK YOU ENOUGH to Jasmine Guillory for writing a book that gracefully and sensitively discusses anxiety, prioritizes therapy, and seeks to de-stigmatize mental health through its main characters. As someone who has struggled with anxiety most of my life, I am so happy and encouraged to see this in more contemporary romance and young adult books.

Although I wasn't totally sold on Anna and Ben's relationship at the outset of the book and thought it seemed a bit rushed, I came to truly love and appreciate both of these characters as they exposed more of their internal struggles to family, friends, therapists, and each other. I loved seeing some of Guillory's other characters making cameo appearances in this book; I appreciated the banter, steam and very consent-driven sexual interaction between Anna and Ben; and I couldn't get enough of Anna's best friend, Penny. PLEASE, PLEASE tell me she is getting her own book sometime soon because she is amazing and we all need more of her in our lives.

TL;DR - Grab a copy of this one ASAP!

While We Were Dating is a great page turner of a book. Anna and Ben's story begins with a very unexpected meeting and the story then has many unexpected twists and turns. I liked how they dealt with stress, anxiety, and unexpected things happening in their lives.. I highly recommend this book to people who enjoy watching two people fall in love who don't realize what is happening to them. The book also introduces us to the wonderful people who are in Ben and Anna's orbit.

While We Were Dating is another installment into the rom com universe of Jasmine Guillory. We've got a fake dating trope this time between an actress and an advertising dude. It was cute, maybe a little steamier than some of the previous books in the series, and ultimately provides a soft world to live in, which is something that is key to any good rom com. This book wraps you in a comfy hug and allows for an escape of our shitty world, which I so appreciate.

This latest addition to Jasmine Guillory’s Wedding Date series (which can be read as a stand alone) was a fast, enjoyable read. Ben works at an advertising firm and his presentation makes such a positive impression on the Hollywood actress who will be featured that his company not only secures the job but Ben is requested by the star to lead the project. Anna has had some success as a film star already but she has further goals and aspirations. Ben and Ann enjoy a flirtatious working relationship on the ad but both are determined to keep it professional. However, when a family emergency arises for Anna, Ben is quick to provide assistance and learns more about Anna’s past and her challenges. As they get to know each other sparks fly and their flirtation turns into a fling. They agree to have a pretend relationship to further Anna’s career aspirations but the line between real and pretend rapidly becomes blurred. This was a fun and entertaining romance with cameos from characters from previous books in the series. A must read for fans of Guillory’s previous books.
Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an Arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Another great one from Jasmine Guillory!I was excited for this as soon as I was approved for this book on NetGalley. Even though I was excited, I wasn’t sure how much I would enjoy it because the last few in this series weren’t my favorites. But this really did it for me. I liked both of the main characters and were interested in them as both individuals and as a couple. Also, I’m a sucker for a fake dating trope. It was a fun, sexy time while addressing some very real life situations and I loved every minute of this book..

While We Were Dating is a Hollywood-inspired rom-com and a good summer read for fans of the fake dating trope.

I like The Wedding Date series as a whole, but sadly this book is not the new favourite I predicted it to be. The story really struggled to hold my attention, and felt busy in one chapter but choppy or slow in the next. And while I loved Ben, I wasn’t all that keen on Anna and the secondary characters

As expected, Jasmine Guillory’s writing is enjoyable and witty. I always adore the dialogue between the characters in her novels, and While We Were Dating is no different. This book feels much more character-driven than her previous stories, which I think gave it a lively edge despite the disjointed narrative. The personalities feel realistic, even in their mistakes, which contributes to their development and growth.

The romance is a nice one, and lovely to read, but not overly memorable. Guillory didn’t hold back on the steam, which isn’t for me and felt too close to awkward, so I did skip the intimate moments. Still, I found myself rooting for the protagonists and their happily ever after.

My favourite element of the story is the focus on mental health. I really appreciated the way the author used the character of Anna to highlight anxiety, racism and sexism. Guillory often tackles important issues into her books, but it really shines in While We Were Dating and earned the three stars above all else.

As for the series, The Wedding Date and Party of Two are still favourites. The Monroe sisters are so brilliantly written! Although While We Were Dating isn’t in the top tier, it certainly won’t put me off Guillory’s future romance releases.

Loved this one! Always such a treat to read something from Jasmine Guillory. I really enjoyed the way these two characters discover their way between their strong physical chemistry & that slow-burn emotion connection.

Jasmine Guillory helped me survive the pandemic! Between her thoughtful and engaging Instagram content and rereading her books, I was able to escape and engage and enjoy reading again. I recommend her backlist over and over! While We Were Dating is the newest treasure and I found it to shine! The characters, the setting, the story, and the steam were fabulous.

A great conclusion to The Wedding Date series. Loved this one for the celeb romance and the fake dating drama. Excited to see what the author does next,

Jasmine Guillory is a power house in the romance genre, for a good reason. When I got the opportunity to read her latest book, While We Were Dating, early, I jumped on it. Y’all. This might just be my new favorite Jasmine Guillory book.

My favorite part of this book by far was the honesty and openness about mental health. Ben was in therapy and spent the book actively reflecting on his therapist’s advice and guidance – and actively applied it to his life. I really enjoyed his journey of figuring out how to better his mental health and how he could more healthily handle the relationships in his life. Likewise, Anna was dealing with the mental health repercussions of her fame and the stress that went along with it (and the stress from having aging parents).

Ben and Anna are definitely my favorite of all of The Wedding Date series couples - they had phenomenal chemistry right off the bat and were just plain fun together. From their impromptu road trip to their steamy hookups to their dates where they fooled the paparazzi - these two were just a blast to read about. I really loved how they were so open and honest with each other - about their mental health, about their life struggles, and more.

While We Were Dating is my new favorite book by Jasmine Guillory for sure - between the amazing couple, the honest discussion about mental health and therapy, and the little cameos from characters from earlier books, there was a whole lot to love about this book. If you haven’t already you should definitely check out the previous books in this series (especially The Proposal and Party of Two, my faves). 5/5

Ben Stephens is in advertising and lands a huge job featuring movie star, Anna Gardiner. Anna is gorgeous, down to earth and Ben can’t help flirting with her on set.

Anna takes on the advertising job to distract her from her Hollywood life. She’s waiting to hear about her next big movie role and welcomes Ben’s flirting and flirts back.

A family emergency brings Anna and Ben together on a road trip together where they share secrets and their attraction between for each other is undeniable. Their attraction gives them the opportunity to have a fake fling in front on the spotlight. But when the cameras stop rolling will they be able to go their separate ways?

I really enjoyed this one. I loved the chemistry between Ben and Anna and their banter was fun. They had the sweetest relationship, and I loved how they supported each other. Mental health was a big theme through the book and both characters were very relatable in the affects and how they each were dealing with it. If you love the fake dating trope this is for you!

A huge thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

Although every single Jasmine Guillory book is centered on two funny, smart, hot, sexy, well-rounded characters with interesting and diverse struggles and strengths and uniformly excellent taste in food, While We Were Dating has I think the best premise so far. Maybe its the fake relationship angle—I’ve always been a fan of this trope in romance—or maybe its the window into celebrity culture and the craziness that comes along with that, but Anna and Ben’s relationship felt even electric than usual. I particularly loved seeing how their care for each other—their friendship—grew alongside their very hot chemistry.

And as a bonus, I’ve realized that I’ve come to enjoy trying to suss out what character in this Guillory rom com universe (which needs its own hashtag, btw) will be next to find love. My money is on Penny…

4 Learning There Is More Stars
* * * * Spoiler Free-A Quick Review
Jasmine Guillory has become an automatic read for me. I have been there from the beginning with The Wedding Date and this is the sixth entry. When you read Guillory expect smart people, lots of banter, and most importantly, people who learn about themselves and the one they fall for.

This has a focused advertising ex who will be handling an up-and-coming movie star with her project. Both are looking for this project to further their careers, yet the attraction between them is extremely tempting.

When a situation happens involving our movie star, our fella comes to the rescue and they end up doing the standard pretend relationship...but for these two, nothing is standard. They start to see each other differently, seeing who the other person truly is.

Be prepared for another delightful Guillory Read.

'While We Were Dating' is a cute, fun, and sexy story.


Anna is an actress whose star is about to rise. Her career is incredibly important to her. She yearns to be recognized as the talent she knows she is. But will earning that Oscar fill the void she has inside?

Ben is in advertising and yearns to be acknowledged for the talent he has and climb the ladder of success. One-night stands no longer fill the void he has inside but is a relationship with an actress the answer?

Their two worlds collide when Anna is the actress in the ad campaign Ben is working on. Their relationship simmers when Anna's manager suggests a 'fake relationship' to the hunk of a man, Ben Stephens will help boost her image and get her in the news. Anna and Ben strike a deal; a couple of dates, a few photos, and a very public breakup.

What ensues is an entertaining and sexy story with characters you can't help but enjoy!

I love this series and this book is a great addition!! Ben is Theo’s from The Wedding Date’s little brother, and I loved seeing glimpses of Theo and Maddie (The Wedding Date has been my favorite book so far). Anna is a famous actress and Ben works for an advertising agency. He pitches an idea for an ad campaign featuring Anna, and they start working together. Ben is kind but not into relationships, and Anna is at a crossroads in her career. A tragedy brings them closer together but then there’s a gender-switched Pretty Woman situation. A great book with a very satisfying ending. I love the universe Jasmine Guillory has created, and I hope there are more books in this series!!

I’ve been a Jasmine Guillory fan for a while now. I read The Wedding Date and Royal Holiday in 2019 and Party of Two last year. Her books are usually solid contemporary romances for me. That being said, While We Were Dating was good, but not my favorite.

I loved that mental health was a huge aspect of the story! As someone who suffers from depression and anxiety, it was refreshing to see it discussed amidst the romance storyline. The romance between Anna and Ben was sweet and sexy at the same time. Guillory delivered her signature steam level with multiple open door scenes.

Despite the many things I loved, this one just struggled to hold my attention. The story felt choppy and disjointed, but I’m sure it didn’t help that I’ve been too distracted to read lately. It may have been my mood was not right for this one. Like I said, it was good but it didn’t quite measure up to The Wedding Date and Party of Two for me. I still plan to read more Jasmine Guillory books in the future!

Thank you to Berkley Pub, Netgalley, and Berit Talks Books for the gifted copy. All opinions are my own.

Jasmine Guillory has done it again! Can she write a book I don't love?!

While We Were Dating is another fabulous romcom from Guillory. Her books are inclusive, diverse, and witty and I'll forever be a fan!

Guillory always includes commentary on the ways in which we still need to improve as a society - she tackles racism, sexism, and mental health stigmas in this book. She weaves these important issues into her romantic storylines in a way that makes her characters so real and relatable.

In this latest book, the plot feels more character-driven than her other books. I've always felt that her novels are mostly about the characters' relationships and less about the surrounding events, and this holds true in While We Were Dating.

The relationship between Ben and Anna is so unique, and I love that this is a bit of friends to lovers, lovers to more, and fake dating. It's a romantic trope mishmash and I'm here for it!

I only have 2 books left of this series and I can't wait to pick them up. Even though the books are all connected, they can absolutely be read as standalones. I've read them out of order and I haven't felt like anything was taken away with the spoilers in later novels.

I’ve concluded that Jaime Guillory is hit or miss for me. I liked Anna and Ben in While We Were Dating, but I was just not feeling their chemistry.

While You Were Dating sort of circumvents the fake dating trope. I liked the way it was done here, and I did enjoy the story. However, I do think there was too much going on in this story. I would have liked it better if it had just focused on Anna and Ben instead of some of the outside relationships. Though the story started strong, I felt like it dragged on too long. And I just didn’t care that much about Anna and Ben’s relationship.

My favorite thing about While You Were Dating was how it handled mental health. I loved that both characters have “issues” and that it normalized seeing a therapist. The book did a great job of tackling many mental health issues, something that I wish more books, especially books in this genre, would do.

While this book was not for me in many ways, it was a good read. Though Party of Two remains my favorite of her books!

This was a little slow to start for me but once it got going, I was totally on board! I've enjoyed this whole series so far and will continue to pick them up.

Ben Stephens is living his life and loving it. Everything is going the way it should and that’s just fine with him. Until Anna Gardiner lands in his world and all of a sudden, all bets are off.

Anna Gardiner is a successful actress looking to hit mega-stardom. The last thing she needs is a walking, talking, sexy distraction named Ben Stephens.

Business is business. Don’t mix business with pleasure, right? That goes south real fast.

Put two people in a high stress situation and it tends to strip away the pretense. That “mask” many of us wear around folks that we don’t know well enough to reveal our true selves. Then the plot starts to simmer because they are no longer just an executive and his client.

Ben and Anna are flesh and blood. Remember in Notting Hill when Julia Roberts tells Hugh Grant “I’m just a girl, standing in front of a boy”? One of my favorite cheesy movie lines – it’s kind of like that in While We Were Dating. What started out as a harmless flirtation is now very something real. Can Ben be Hugh Grant to Anna’s Julia Roberts?

Jasmine Guillory gives us another charming, very sexy, easy to read story in The Wedding Date universe. Yes, of course, we have the side characters, and pop ins from characters in previous books, but the two protagonists are the meat and potatoes. There are some real life issues woven into the story that are very relevant in today’s social construct. That just made it better for me.

Write on Jasmine! Write on.