3.5-4 stars

Thank you for an arc in exchange for an honest review. I loved this story, I loved that it was a football player and a ballerina, but what knocked off the stars for me was the heroine Bree. Something about her immaturity and the way she kept saying he was a brother to her was a little off putting. I get she didn’t want him to know her true feelings but to say it over and over again, no wonder the poor guy didn’t think she liked him as more than a friend. Other than that I thought the story was pretty cute.

I loved this book. Simple as that. The characters were so well written they felt like a friend in real life! I loved Nathan and Bree, friends to lovers might have jumped up a few spots on my trope o meter thanks to this book! Their relationship was so beautiful, their chemistry was fire, and their struggles so relatable and honest. Hallways will never be the same for me lol!

First of all, Thank you to Victory Editing and Netgalley for the ARC of The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams in exchange for an honest review.

Publishing Date: August 17th, 2021.

LOVED this one. I think sports romances are becoming a huge favorite of mine right behind celebrity romances. I also think I am just obsessed with Sarah Adams as a writer she knows how to write romance.

The best friends to lovers trope with a slow burn closed-door romance is legit perfect for anyone. Bree and Nathan had such a cute relationship, maybe a little cringe at times but hey who doesn’t love a little cringe.

I had a hard time putting this one down, which is a common instance for Sarah Adams's book, it's such a feel-good hilarious romance with no slow spots in the book.

If you like sports romances like Alexa Martin and Lyssa Kay Adams books, then I highly recommend this one!

This book made me so incredibly happy!!

It had the usual Sarah Adams charm, while also adding some more spice than her previous reads. I LOVE this new balance for Sarah and can’t wait to read her next books!

These characters were so easy to root for, and had the most adorable friendship. The side characters added so much entertainment to this book that I’m really hoping this gets turned into a series.

Sarah dealt with the topic of anxiety and panic attacks really well, and I appreciated the depth it added to this book.

If you’re looking for a book that will make you smile, look no further!

Friends to lovers combined with fake dating?! sign me up! I loved this book! It gave me everything I wanted and all the taylor swift feels. Bree and Nathan had great chemistry and I loved the build up of their romance, the sweet small touches that felt so big. I'd say the only thing I didn't like was how stubborn they both were when it came to confessing their feelings with one another. I do appreciate there was not some contrived plot point that drove them to separate at the end of the book. I really loved the other football players and I'm hoping we will get some of their stories soon!

Another excellent read by Sarah Adams! Friends to lovers. Laughing out loud. Read the whole book in one setting. Sarah knows how to weave a story and keep you laughing and engaged the whole time!

Another 5 star read from Sarah Adams! She has a brilliant way of making you love her characters charm, quirks and humor. Nathan and Bree were a delight. I was particularly taken with Nathan’s vulnerability once he finally opened up about his mental health and I loved how Bree could be there for him. Also, how Sarah makes her closed door slow burns just as spicy as the open door romances? Who knows!? 🔥😍💛

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/4121402966

This may be the best friends to lovers romance I have ever read. The Cheat Sheet tells the story of Bree and Nathan. They have been best friends since high school. Each of them secretly wishes for more, yet both are afraid to take things to the next level. Some of the things that make this book so special:

- It can be really tough to write a contemporary romance...especially friends to lovers. Very often, the feeling is that the characters could just solve the conflict with a quick conversation. And while this may be true for Bree and Nathan, Adams writes tension and internal conflict so well that you can completely understand why both characters are so truly afraid to admit their feelings for the other. Their friendship is so complete that it would be a devastating loss for both should something go wrong.

- All of this builds to serious tension and chemistry. This is a closed door romance that doesn't feel like one. Bree and Nathan have a slow burn with major heat between them. It is intense in the best way.

- Adams writes about anxiety and panic attacks with such care. As someone who deals with severe anxiety, I love finding books and authors who can treat it with respect. There is something so powerful and beautiful about being loved for all the pieces of who you are, not despite them.

- This is a romantic comedy that really hits the mark. I laughed so many times from the dedication all the way through to the epilogue. The writing is witty and fun and just gets it right.

Basically, this book is pure sunshine. It is the first book I have read by this author and guarantees her as a top spot on my must-buy list in the future. I would recommend this for absolutely anyone.

Only Sarah can get me to read “cleaner” contemporary rom coms that I fully expect I’m going to enjoy. This is probably some of her best work yet, and I’m definitely not complaining about the extra steam. Still closed door but juuust the right amount.

I adore friends to lovers romance. There’s just something so special about the Intimacy of two people who already have a special connection but would like to take it to the next level.

The cheat sheet explores two friends who have been secretly in love with each-other for years but don’t want to ruin their current friendship. But one drunken incident has them in a fake relationship that gives each of them the lee way to explore what it would be like to breach the friend zone.

I loved the professional athletes and dancer dynamic. As someone who loves physical fitness and was once upon a time a dancer it fell right into my wheelhouse

It’s cute, silly, downright flirty and addictive. I do have to say that I do love more serious tones in romance so once it got about half way I was definitely more invested with these characters because of certain developments.

Overall a really fun read. Thank you to Netgalley and Sarah for the early reading copy.

Nathan is such a swoony male lead. I loved the many layers of his personality. Bree is so fun-loving, you can’t help but wish she was your real life best friend. The friends to lovers storyline was simultaneously fun and incredibly romantic. Although that isn’t usually my favorite trope, this one sold me! There were so many laugh out loud moments, and once again, Sarah Adams is a masterful narrator- each point of view is so well matched to the character, and so refreshing funny. There are always moments of depth as well, and as someone who struggles with anxiety and depression, I appreciated the trigger warning the beginning of the book, and the tasteful way in which those elements were portrayed. It was very realistic and relatable to me. I loved the ending- such a perfect way to end their story! This is definitely one of my favorite reads this year!

I guess I'm one of the "half of America" who loves Nathan Donelson, and I'm not mad about it. Sarah Adams has written a delightfully witty story, oozing with charm, swoon, and electrifying chemistry that will knock your socks off.

Nathan and Bree have been best friends for years, never being single at the same time, and the way they read each other is almost eerie. Bree's larger-than-life personality is packed into a ballerina package, while Nathan's pro-football stature houses an incredibly sweet, gentle soul. This dynamic duo made me laugh, dreamily float, and roll my eyes in disbelieve as they each try to hide what they truly feel.

Finally both single, Nathan and his teammates come up with the ultimate challenge--the cheat sheet--and if I wasn't hooked before then, I was totally captivated with that. With high stakes, these best friends were in for the adventure of a lifetime and I was all over that.

The thing I loved most about this book was the fantastic escape it created. Adams captures pride, independence, reliance, attraction, selflessness, hope, humor, and most of all, romance, in this perfectly perfect story. I just can't say enough, but if you love football, ballet, fake relationships, running, starbursts, and tide stain removal pens (don't we all wish?!), you're definitely going to love this one!

Content: closed door (steamy clean kisses, some innuendo); mild+ language; very mild sports violence. I'd give it a PG13 rating.

*I received a complimentary copy from the publisher through Netgalley. All opinions are my own and were voluntarily given.*

“well, magic eight ball, what do you think? should I tell my best friend I love her?” i turn the ball over, and the message reads: reply hazy, try again.

best friends to lovers [check] mutual pining [check] fake dating [check] sports romance [check] slowburn [check] side characters to love [check] !! i’ve been such a sarah adams enthusiast since the match and this book is another hit !! i’m so far from a friends to lovers trope girl but THIS IS THE ONE TO READ I’M TELLING YOU NOW !! i love the way she writes her characters and the romance/relationship developments are always so heartfelt - the best comfort romances, she got me.

tw: panic attacks, anxiety !!

meet the characters: bree camden has been in love with her best friends for years. she’s the girl next door - quirky, fun and lovable. bree owns her own studio and works as a dance instructor for kids. she’s such a selfless character and not only cares for nathan, but for the cutest girls she teaches and her own family. one of my favorite moments is when she wouldn’t allow the girls to leave before telling each of them that she was proud of them and they were worthy as they are. she’s an altruistic homebody and just so relatable. i just want to hug her, she deserves the world!! what bree is unaware of though, is that her best friend, nathan donelson, has also been in love with her. he’s a star quarterback in the NFL for the LA sharks, and everyone’s biggest man-crush. my honest first impression of nathan was oh, now this is a good man. nathan is so fiercely protective, from always wanting to take care of and protect bree to feeling responsible for his team (and terrible family). i admired that he wasn’t subjected to the alpha-hero type and although he is flirty and charming, he’s such a lovable romantic. nathan is also so humble despite his celebrity status and national fame, and he’s devoted always makes time, especially when it comes to bree.

bree and nathan met back in high school on the track-field and became instant best friends. though they drifted apart for a couple years, we meet them as the most wholesome best friends, despite their very different financial upbringings. both of them grew up so determined to make their own dreams come true, and though bree suffered her own life-changing loss, she creates new purpose for herself. it’s also compelling because both bree and nathan are intrinsically caretakers, just in different ways; both of them appreciate quality time but beyond that, nathan really feels that he expresses his best care by providing (financially) for his family and friends, while bree uses words of affirmation to show her love and support.

breenathan quite literally redefine the seemingly unrequited pining part of friends to lovers like they are the blueprint case closed. these two are so fully in love with eachother yet are still stuck in the strictly platonic friends box. why has it taken them so long, you ask? i love the dual pov for this exact reason. we get to understand, to genuinely feel where both their minds are. bree’s wait is mainly due to her fear of rejection (then abandonment) and becoming hopeful since her accident, while nathan is a lot more assured and earnest but unsure of whether she felt the same. bree wants to stay anchored in the current friend zone, while nathan is up in the clouds dreaming about finally getting out of it. now this is where the fake dating push came in - specifically, having to date for publicity because bree accidentally spilled the details of their relationship to a journalist (narrator’s voice: the details were true). so nathan uses this as his opportunity to test the waters and his teammates gladly assist in brainstorming. he’s been patiently hoping for years to start something but not once pushed or overstepped beyond bree’s comfort.

the progression of blurring the lines was actually quite different than what i’m used to and i really enjoyed it. there was no large misunderstanding and angsty conflict/breakup, just genuine nerves. now normally, no angst is a downer for me in terms of romance, but they were so vulnerable throughout the entire book and something about that changed the game for me. even in terms of the fake dating trope, it acted as a well written subplot - it didn’t take agency over the friends to lovers aspect as the sole reason they got together, it was a gentle nudge.

-
“let me take care of you,” i say, looking up into his hesitant eyes. “please?”
-

i love how the physical touch moments with them feel so comfortable and fun, yet there’s still so much sexual tension and chemistry. it’s closed door romance but the attraction and steamy allure are definitely there too. you feel this combination of love, trust, respect and commitment that they both have for each other, and what they both want for one another. you feel the admiration and yearning that makes your heart burst and the choir sing while the church bells ring. they truly are each other’s anchors - the love confession moment is one of the biggest examples of that BC OH MY GOSH.

-
”no…i can’t. i should be able to handle it. i have to be able to handle it.”

“says who?”

he doesn’t answer me. i pull away and frame his jaw with my hands to make him look at me.
-

the mental health/therapy dialogue is so so so so so important and appreciated, god i loved it so much. bree and nathan both experienced and continue to go through different struggles/difficulties and eventually both of them realize that they need help, for their depression and anxiety. the importance of relying on others and sharing your burdens is beautifully communicated. nathan’s panic attacks felt so personal - like i was almost in tears - and i’m just proud of both of them ahh. on that note, we really need more men in media that have healthy emotional depth. men intimate with their feelings and open-minded and gentle. those are the masculine men we want, the ones we need; the media is so saturated with arrogant, alpha men and i’m getting tired of the cliché personas. none of the football men are written like that either. we see nathan in his most vulnerable state and he was not any less brave and independent. though we don’t witness bree after her accident, her healing journey is still ongoing and just as important years later. we’re all human - no matter our dreams and how much we want to do it all alone. we’re deserving and worthy of love, care and help. this is OUR reminder !!

finishing touches: the side characters are so enjoyable and i’m hoping for an invite to this pre-game nail polish ritual! all the moments with the guys from the team are so amusing and emulate found family energy. i love how the teammates, and her sister, are so invested in the slowburn romance just like us too. i mean literally EVERYONE KNEW BUT THEM! HELLO IDIOTS TO LOVERS! (insert me as the dance girls playing “let’s get it on”) the whirlwind ending also just suited them so much bc i mean … why wait when you know and they knew … for years.

i cannot wait till this comes out on august 17th so i can never stop talking about it with everyone!!

thank you to NetGalley and Sarah Adams for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

authorsarahadams has quickly become an auto read author for me 😍 her books are always the fun, pick me up, lovey romance books that just make you feel good!

The Cheat Sheet was no different. I absolutely loved this one. I laughed out loud and thought Nathan and Bree were the absolute cutest 🥰😫 Nathan is seriously a DREAM! I didn’t want it to end but hope that we eventually can get a book on the rest of Nathan’s teammates (🤞🏻)

If you love a good romance or friends to lovers this definitely is for you! Highly recommend. Make sure to grab this when it comes out on August 17th 🤩

Thank you @netgalley and @authorsarahadams for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

Shockingly, The Cheat Sheet is my first Sarah Adams novel. But it won't be my last! Adams has such a heartwarming and endearing writing style that you can't help but fall in love with as you fall in love with the characters she's created.

In this instance, we're falling in love with Bree and Nathan - best friends who have been secretly in love with each other since high school. But when dance studio owner, Bree has too many drinks and accidentally tells a reporter she's dating Nathan, an NFL player, his agent convinces them to make the most of the situation and fake date. Nathan asks his fellow players for help in creating a Romance Cheat Sheet, to finally discover once and for all if his feelings are reciprocated.

In The Cheat Sheet, we get the pleasure of dual perspectives, so we see the situation from both sides. While I'm sometimes too impatient for slow-burn romances, I loved this book's build-up and all the little romantic moments leading up to the amazing ending! Nathan and Bree are also just fantastic characters. Adams knows how to create a book boyfriend - Nathan is so kind and passionate but then she added a layer of vulnerability as he begins to experience panic attacks.

Now, I never use the word swoon, but this book makes me want to because hello all the swoon-worthy moments your heart won't be able to handle 😂. Like when Nathan first realises Bree might share his feelings - swoon! Or the way Bree cared for him through a panic attack - it will make your heart swell, seriously. Add in undeniable chemistry and witty banter and The Cheat Sheet = rom-com goals.

So, if you like slow-burn romances, the friends-to-lover trope, fake dating, cinnamon roll heroes, expert banter and closed-door romances, you need to read The Cheat Sheet immediately!

I'm eternally grateful to NetGalley and Sarah Adams for the ARC in exchange for this honest review.

The perfect friends to lovers story. Bree Camden is hopelessly in love with her best friend, Nathan Donelson. They end up fake dating and the rest is history.

I love the relationship that Nathan and Bree have. Their story is adorable and I really enjoyed the ending.

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

This is one of the sweetest friends to lovers romances ever!!

Nathan & Bree have been in the friend zone since high school so nearly the entire book is this epic will they / won't they tug of war until FINALLY they both succomb.

Nathan is this perfect football player in the NFL who has been pining for Bree since high school. He is surrounded by this really adorable cast of teammates that egg him on and help him make his dating cheat sheet. Bree for her part has been doing as much as possible to draw very clear lines around herself so that she doesn't misread signals from him. This leads to endless hilarity as then engage in a fake dating adventure.

This is one of those perfect romcoms that truly gives the reader a light hearted, fun, and uplifting story complete will an over the top swoony happily ever after.

I really didn't think Sarah could endear me to her writing more after The Off-Limits Rule and The Temporary Roomie. I was wrong. There are so many good one-liners!
This dual POV romcom shows Bree and Nathan years into best friendshiphood (that's a word, even if I just made it up). Both love the other and want more. Both can't stand the idea of losing the other by pursuing a relationship. But Bree's lack of filter and tequila-gate open the door to a fake relationship during the playoffs leading up to the Super Bowl. Their chemistry is amazing and the cheat sheet antics hilarious.
It's official. I can no longer say friends-to-lovers is not for me. Sarah crushes this trope! I can only hope we see more of these sports romances from her in this vein. I think his teammates could use their own HEA's. Gimme! :)
This book is completely huggable. My heart swelled up like The Grinch. It just feels so big and sappy that it's bound to burst.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts in this review are my own.

Bree and Nathan are PURE GOLD. Their friendship, their banter, how they take care of each other, and their romance, all fantastic. The anxiety representation made me feel so seen, and I love how it was portrayed! You can be tough and have anxiety.

Bree’s inner dialogue had me laughing like a crazy person. I just want to be her best friend. She’s fierce, loyal, and funny. I really love characters that can be fun/goofy, but also be hardcore and strong. They don’t have to be one or the other.

Nathan is my new book boyfriend. I want to steal him (sorry Bree) and keep him forever. He is a cinnamon roll character, but also those kisses 🔥. He is hard to describe, but you will love him.

The football and ballet aspects of this book only made it better. Get ready for the slowest burn, sweetest characters, and swooniest romance. Read this book!!!! You won’t regret it.
★ ★ ★ ★ ★/5
TW: panic attack
🔥🔥🔥/5

I fell in love with Bree and Nathan from the first page. Friends to lovers is not usually a favorite trope of mine, but this was so well done! It probably doesn't hurt that it was layered on top of a fake relationship which IS a favorite.

Nathan is the perfect cinnamon roll hero - he is sweet and caring and funny and supportive and thoughtful and basically just the perfect man. The friendships with his teammates (and them with Bree as well) were so fun to read. They reminded me of the Bromance Book Club guys. Bree is the kind of quirky heroine that I can't help but adore. Her inner dialogue was downright hilarious.

Like Sarah Adams other books, this is a closed-door romance, but don't let that fool you. There is more chemistry and steam in this book than many of the open-door romances I read. I'm not sure how she does it, but let me assure you, this book is not at all lacking in that area.

This isn't a book with a lot of major conflict, it's just a light, happy, feel good romance that was so fun to read. I've liked all of the books I've read from this author so far, but this one just might be my new favorite. If you like witty banter, sarcasm, swoony football playing heros, offbeat heroines, crazy chemistry, mutual pining, and amazing friend groups, this is one you need to read.

There is something so unique about Sarah Adam’s romances. She has such a clear voice in this genre. It’s relatable, laugh-out-loud funny, and it’s sincere. While all her stories are very different, the tone and the heart is the same. Her forthcoming release, The Cheat Sheet, delivers similar humor and romance as her other books, with the intimacy kicked up a notch. While this is still a closed door, there are more moments and implications than what you may have experienced in her previous work if you’ve read those. I always love and appreciate an artist who takes creative liberties to branch out and evolve!

Sarah really delivered a fun friends-to-lovers with this one. There was so much mutual pining and history from these two besties that it created the best and most rewarding slow burn! Bree gave me major Kate Hudson via How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes. The silly and sweet personality mixed with Nathan’s steadfast unwavering loyalty to Bree was the best combination. Nathan was a total sweetheart!

Hope was a constant theme in Bree and Nathan’s story. I love how they always had each other’s back- It was beautiful to see them as each other’s number one fan. There was really such a tenderness to Bree and Nathan that it countered the humor so flawlessly.

If you love Kate Hudson style romances, with lots of humor and heart, you simply must read The Cheat Sheet which comes out August 17!

Thank you Sarah & netgalley for providing me an arc in exchange for my honest review.