The Dating Playbook is a fake-dating romance between a personal trainer and her client, a former NFL player. I loved the chemistry and banter between Taylor and Jamar. Even though this is the second book in The Boyfriend Project series, even without reading the first one, I was able to pick up on the premise of this group of girlfriends and the bonds they share based on a shared ex. I loved them all and their diverse job and personalities.

Other things I was so glad was included were the mental health and the learning disorder reps. As an audiobook, I found the narration to be excellent. Rebecca Lee did an amazing job with all the emotions and making each character stand out.

As someone who struggles with their relationship with food, I would warn others that this book discusses a lot about “healthy foods/eating, working out, etc.”

Overall I would recommend to anyone who loves a story involving:
-fake dating
-dating a celebrity
-open door romance
-sports romance
-fitness/nutrition

TW: mental health, learning disorders, motorcycle accident, losing a friend, military parents/family, panic attacks

Thanks to NetGalley, Hachette Audio, and Forever for the ALC. The Dating Playbook is out 8/17!

The Boyfriend Project was one of my favorite romance reads of 2020 and I was so excited to see this one hit Netgalley and that I got approved for it!

I enjoyed the storyline for The Dating Playbook! I don't read many sports romance novels so I was excited to start this one! It did not disappoint. The banter between Taylor and Jamar. It was so fun seeing Taylor push Jamar and my favorite part was when it came to meal planning. There's even a scene where Jamar accuses Taylor of liking vegetables a little too much. It was a great scene and made me laugh. The banter definitely lent to the development of the romance between the two.

Although they have different lifestyles it didn't feel like Jamar was better than Taylor for having money or that he saw Taylor has inadequate given her lifestyle. I liked getting to see both of their families and the dynamics each of them came from. I also liked that the author shed light on the possibility that Taylor could have a learning disability because we don't often see that in contemporary. It was a nice addition to the story.

Overall I definitely recommend this to those who enjoyed The Boyfriend Project and other adult romances out there these days. I was lucky enough to listen to the audiobook and felt it was well done. I recommend it to avid audiobook listeners for sure!

Thank you to NetGalley for the copy.

𝘚𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵, 𝘧𝘶𝘯𝘯𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘦!

I loved The Boyfriend Project last year and I was so excited to continue this series.
I love strong female characters and these ladies are awesome, it was so much fun to read more about them.
With great banter between Taylor and Jammar, a fast pace and laugh-out-loud moments this is a story you don’t want to miss.

Thank you NetGalley and Hachette Audio for this ALC.

The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon releases tomorrow August 17, 2021.

𝘙𝘦𝘢𝘥 𝘪𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘭𝘪𝘬𝘦: 𝘚𝘱𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘴 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦, 𝘙𝘰𝘮𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘴, 𝘚𝘦𝘹𝘺 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘚𝘵𝘦𝘢𝘮𝘺 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘧𝘶𝘯 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘸𝘦𝘦𝘵 𝘴𝘵𝘰𝘳𝘪𝘦𝘴, 𝘴𝘵𝘳𝘰𝘯𝘨 𝘧𝘦𝘮𝘢𝘭𝘦 𝘤𝘩𝘢𝘳𝘢𝘤𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴.

https://www.instagram.com/booksandcoffeemx/

3.5/5 Rating

This was a great rom com with loads of laugh out loud moments. I didn’t realise this is actually the second book of a series but is still readable as a stand-alone. Main character is Taylor, a struggling personal trainer hired by Jamar who wants the training to be kept away from the public. So they end up fake dating. Would recommend since this is a good fun read.

Many thanks to the author, the publisher and NetGalley for my advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Taylor Powell has tried everything to get her fitness program, Taylored Conditioning, off the ground. After catching a cheating date last year made Taylor (and the other two women Samiah and London) go viral, she saw a slight uptick in clients, but not enough to stave off the ever-increasing amount of bills she has. Then luck throws Jamar "Diesel" Dixon in her path.

Jamar is a local football legend and played about half a season with the pros before an injury sidelined him. Now, Jamar is looking to make a comeback and sees Taylor as the perfect person to up his workout game. Taylor sees this as the perfect chance to get her name out there, but Jamar wants to keep their sessions a secret. He's not ready yet to let the world know he's planning a comeback. Taylor agrees, but when the press gets a little too close to guessing the truth, Jamar and Taylor pretend to be dating.

First off, I loved Rebecca Lee's narration, she gave each character such life. She also did such a wonderful job voicing both male and female characters giving Taylor her upfront take-no-crap attitude, and Jamar his smooth bass voice. There was also so much emotion Rebecca Lee put into the characters. I appreciated that she took it to the next level in that way because it helps the listener become even more immersed in the story. I've not listened to Rebecca Lee before, but I hope she narrates the next book in the series and I'll be sure to look for other books narrated by her.

I really enjoyed the first book in this series which featured Samiah, but I have to say Taylor really brought her A-game in this one. I liked getting a better in-depth look at these three women who form this friendship out of unusual circumstances - to say the least, but I wasn't really sure, going in, what to expect out of Taylor.

Taylor just felt so real as a character. Her struggles, her perseverance, her can-do personality just jumped off the page. I understood Taylor where she's coming from, where she wants to go. I got Taylor more than I got Samiah.

When you add Jamar's character to Taylor's, it's like kismet. They just clicked so well together. I found myself multiple times while listening just sitting there with a big smile on my face at their interactions.

But again, I could feel Jamar's need to get back onto the field. I could feel the disappointment he had at his career being cut short and the near-desperation to get it back.

Jamar and Taylor were two characters that you really root for - together and alone. I loved that Farrah Rochon really makes readers want to see these characters succeed at their goals, but that doesn't necessarily mean their goals remain the same throughout. Life happens and The Dating Playbook skillfully showcases all the ups and downs that life can throw and shows us how they can still be satisfactorily navigated.

Of course, as mentioned, one of the standout pieces of the book was seeing the three women continuing their friendship. This is something I wanted more of from the first book and I think we certainly got it this time around. I like learning more about these women, seeing their differences, yet still seeing how they show up for each other.

Of course, we're at book 2 and that means there's only one more book left. I am excited to get London's story as well as continuing to see the bond between these strong successful women grow.

Things just are not going in the right direction for Taylor, she is broke, she can't get the job of her dreams because she lacks a college degree, and her fitness training business is headed in the wrong direction. In order to make ends meet she holds fitness training pop-ups. Jamar needs to make it back to the NFL to fulfill a dream to himself and a friend, as well as to prove the haters wrong. Luckily he thinks he has found the right trainer in Taylor, when he attends one of fitness pop-ups, the only problem is can he convince her to train him without anyone knowing. Taylor hears Jamar's plan and despite some apprehension her empty bank account spoke louder than her inner doubts. Can this alliance really work, with the right dating playbook, it just may. Are you ready for to show some love for Tajar?? I guarantee readers will ship these two.

This was my first romantic comedy audiobook, I was not sure how I was going to enjoy it, but narrator Rebecca Lee did a fabulous job giving every character a distinct voice and using the proper inflection to convey the emotions of both Taylor and Jamar when necessary. She made this audio a pure delight and an easy listen.

In sum, I really enjoyed the The Dating Playbook, it was hilarious, heartfelt, hot, and most importantly the characters had depth and I loved their backstories. I am not the biggest fan of romantic comedies but this book was the exception. I think romance readers will enjoy this charming book.

I am fond of strong female friendship and stubborn women in a story. The main female characters are interesting to me, because they push each other to be the best version of themselves. I also enjoy Taylor and Jamar’s dynamics. Watching their chemistry blossom through a friendly competition - from professional relationship to faking dating game turns into a real relationship situation is such enjoyable to read. It’s as if I am watching a Sports Romance movie.

Overall, the narrator of the audiobook has delivered the lines well that made the writing of the author shines.
So, what’s next? I’ll definitely add this book series in my bookshelf collection.

3.5 ⤴️ 4

I really loved The Boyfriend Project last summer and was glad to see the same humor and friendship between the trio Taylor, London and Samya still going strong in book 2.

QI’m not a big fan of romance tropes, with fake dating most likely being my least favorite. So that’s probably why I didn’t like the story as much as I hoped. I’m also not feeling this cover (nothing to do with the story); it’s too busy and the colors are just clashing to me. The story was really good and all of my quips are all based on my OCD level pickiness.

I liked the rawness and vulnerability of the characters. I could definitely connect with Jamar, grieving his best friend’s death. My bf died 4 years ago and I miss her every day. Taylor wasn’t my favorite female love interest; she just always seemed uptight and overly sensitive. She had some redeeming qualities but for the most part I know we wouldn’t get along IRL. Narration was superb!

The romance felt forced, situations kept happening to thrust them together. Their first sexcapade was subpar. Steam level- 1.5. I think the first sex scene should bring the fireworks. But the second scene was much better.

I just couldn’t get past an athlete with a knee injury wanting an inexperienced fitness trainer. I get that you don’t have to have a degree to be good at a job, but bootcamp trainers do not work with professional athletes.

The Dating Playbook is a great fake dating romance between a personal trainer and her client, a former NFL player that wants to get back in the NFL. In order to keep Jamar's training a secret Taylor accidentally says they are dating. When both wish their romance was real, they have to decide what is more important their professional or personal relationship and how to navigate both. I loved Taylor and Jamar and their stories were interesting. Taylor feels like her family doesn't accept her, and Jamar worries about what everyone thinks of him after his injury. There are interesting parts about the life of a personal trainer.

The Dating Playbook is the second book in The Boyfriend Project series. It can be read as a standalone but I think The Boyfriend Project is important to understand the relationship between Taylor, Samiah and London. Their friendship is an important part of the book. The Dating Playbook is a must read for fans of The Boyfriend Project. I can't wait to read London's story.

I listened to the audiobook narrated by Rebecca Lee and thought she did a great job bringing this story to life.

Thank you Forever, Hachette Audio and NetGalley for The Dating Playbook.

Taylor is struggling. After a few questionable business decisions, her personal trainer company has put her in serious credit card debt. It's nothing short of a miracle when she meets former NFL star Jamar Dixon who wants her to get him back in shape for football, but without anyone knowing. She agrees to train him, and also to pretend they are dating so they can keep it all a secret. It isn't long until the sparks start flying for real and Taylor and Jamar need to decide which playbook to follow.
TW: death of friend (off page but discussed) and related guilt and grief, anxiety, panic attack (on page), learning disability and ADHD, strained family relationships
...

4 stars! This was such a sweet story! I loved the unique spin on the fake dating trope and the genuine friendship that was created between Taylor and Jamar. The banter was top notch (and so was the steam)! These characters felt so real and down to Earth in the best of ways. This is the second in The Boyfriend Project series, but I haven't read the first and didn't miss anything. It did however make me want to read more of Rochon's work! I read this as an audiobook and really enjoyed that as well. The narrator captured both characters so well and really let the writing shine!
This book publishes next week on the 17th! Thank you to NetGalley and Forever Publishing for the ALC. -Madison

Taylor is in desperate need of a win. Her personal training business he’s been operating in the red and she needs to make a change or loose everything…

So, when former NFL planer Jamar Dixon asks her to be his trainer and prep him for a return to the NFL, Taylor is ecstatic- training an NFL player will put her on the map! But this contract comes with conditions- don’t let anyone know she is training him. OK… but how are they going to go around working out together and not be noticed??? A fake relationship will totally cover their tacks!

And as all good fake relationships, this one starts turning all too real!

I loved Taylor and Jamar as a couple. Total #CoupleGoals ! These two are incredibly supportive of each other, they have similar interests and together they are smoking hot! Great chemistry.

I really appreciated how Rochon treated Taylor’s learning disability and put it out there, making it ok for more adults to get a later in life diagnosis. Very positively approached and delivered.

This was a sweet story overall and seeing the Boyfriend Project friend group together and still supporting each other on their goals was a true delight!

Rebecca Lee’s narration was delightful to listen to. Her character voices were distinct and felt true to each character. Pacing was good, but I did find that Lee’s reading felt faster than what I normally encounter. Speed readers take heed.

The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon is scheduled to release August 17th, 2021.

I received a complimentary copy of this audiobook from Hachette Audio, Forever Romance through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

#TheDatingPlaybook #FarrahRochon #RebeccaLee #pinkcowlandreads

This was a fun, steamy, open door romance between a physical trainer and a football player trying to get back in the NFL. I enjoyed how well the author blended the light with the more serious. Jamar helps Taylor with her anxiety and learning disability in order for her to apply for school. The two start off with a professional relationship that turns into a fake dating turned real relationship situation. Fans of the Boyfriend Project will enjoy the cameos with Samiah and London. Definitely a must-read for anyone who loves sports romances with strong female characters. Much thanks to NetGalley and Hachette Audio for my ALC of this heartfelt #ownvoices romance.

I loved this book! I used a combination of reading and listening to this book, so I specifically want to say that this narration and listening experience was on point!! I felt that the narrator was perfect for the characters, and did a great job with voice fluctuation.

As for the book itself, I think I liked this one BETTER than The Boyfriend Project. Taylor Powell's character was so loveable, and I was just rooting for her the entire book. I loved that she was a personal trainer and worked through sever hurdles including her love interest, Jamar Dixon. It was just steamy enough, and I thought they were the perfect match up! I would highly recommend this book to romance/romcom loving friends!

The Dating Playbook was exactly what you would expect from a contemporary romance. It was cute and sweet, endearing and relatable, endlessly fun, but it also touched on a few more serious topics.

I'm certainly glad I read it. I had a lot of fun with it and it was a perfect summer read. I also really liked the narrator – would definitely recommend the audiobook version.

If you want to see my much more in depth review, you can check it out on my book blog NovelOnMyMind.

Thank you to Hachette Audio and NetGalley for providing me with an audiobook version of The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

A really enjoyable sports romance with many of our favourite tropes thrown in.

Taylor is a personal trainer in the midst of some financial problems when Jamar, a former NFL player, requests her help. Jamar is looking to rejoin the NFL and looking for Taylor to train him up, in secret, to surprise everyone with his recovery. However when questions start flying about why they're spending so much time together, they come up with a fake dating ruse. For Taylor's part this can also help to publicise her business to maintain this financial stability she's starting to enjoy again.

I really appreciated both our MCs and their personal struggles. We get to discuss undiagnosed learning disorders in adults, familial relationships as well as grief and I think this was all handled pretty well. Since Taylor is Jamar's trainer we also get elements of a workplace romance and all that beloved tension.

Unfortunately I had some issues with some of the conflicts that arose. It felt blown out of proportion very quickly just for the sake of having a conflict. Also if they're fake dating for publicity reasons why was their first date at an escape room? This made zero sense since they spend their time locked inside a room with no-one else... They do later go to a public ice cream spot but I still don't think it made any sense. If the motivation is just publicity, there was so reason for the escape room whatsoever.

**Thank you to NetGalley & Hachette Audio for providing this arc in exchange for an honest and unbiased review. All thoughts and opinions are subjective but my own.**

I had the opportunity to read the book before listening to the audio and I thought the story was fantastic. 5 stars! It was so entertaining, sweet, and flirty.

I thought Taylor and Jamar were great characters. They had fantastic dialogue that was engaging and lively. I loved how the fake dating and the Dating Playbook came about and watching these two trying to fight their attraction even though they had amazeballs chemistry. The story was well written with a lot of depth and detail. It was funny and sweet and a bit heartbreaking at times. I loved the relationship that Taylor has with Samiah and London and the bonds the women have. As someone who works out regularly and tries to eat as clean as I can, I loved everything having to do with fitness and healthy eating. I loved how it was presented and how positive it all felt.

I enjoyed the narration of the book for the most part and would give it 4 stars. Some things did feel slow to me at times, like the words weren’t spoken at a good pace and other times I felt I was missing the emotion behind the words. The prologue seemed very fast, I wasn’t sure if that was because of the Netgalley app or how the story itself was spoken however.

This was a delightful and heartfelt story about overcoming pain from the past, healing, finding hope, and moving on. It was an incredibly enjoyable with low angst and a bit of drama and really great characters.

I enjoyed The Boyfriend Project a little more than this one! But having said that, I still enjoyed this a lot as well!

Things that I absolutely adored:
- The romance!! It was so on point! It wasn't super steamy, but it still hit off in the right spaces.
- Strong female friendships! Yay!!
- Learning Disability rep and the focus on it
- Black Representation


The plot was fun and engaging. Farrah has a way with words and I am so in for it!

I like how her books have some great humour in them as well. She doesn't always try too hard to include it in but somehow those moments just come up on their own I feel.

If you are looking for a feel good and an instant mood lifter romance read, then this is it! Read this!

Thanks Hachette Audio/Forever Publishing for my NetGalley ALC of The Dating Playbook in exchange for an honest review.

Pub date: August 17th
Series: The Boyfriend Project #2
Do I have to read book 1 first?: I didn't and it was fine!
Steam level: medium - some open-door scenes, but nothing too steamy

Personal trainer Taylor Powell is great at whipping her clients into shape, but her own life is a hot mess. Enter Jamar Dixon - former NFL player looking to get back into the game after a knee injury. After they're seen together, Taylor makes up a relationship to hide Jamar's training - will fake dating lead to real love?

This book was such a pleasure to listen to! Narrator Rebecca Lee perfectly captured Taylor's voice - I felt like I was listening to a friend tell me a story. I loved Taylor's hustle as she built her training business, and the workouts were very inspiring (although I'm not doing one-armed burpees anytime soon, or really any burpees to be honest). Her friends Samiah and London were awesome as well!

Jamar was swoon-worthy - I'm sure lots of readers will be adding him to their book boyfriends list. His determination in getting back to the NFL and his loyalty to his friends were admirable. I liked that Taylor and Jamar helped each other work through their issues and grow as people - this is the kind of healthy romance I like to see! I'm definitely putting The Boyfriend Project on my TBR.

The Dating Playbook was so much fun (though it does have a side of serious).

I want Taylor to be my BFF. While she has some struggles and insecurities she also is a fantastic person and has the right attitude. I can relate to her insecurities, as I have some of them myself. She desperately wants to make something of herself for herself (which is awesome!) but struggles with what she has to do to get there. Her newfound BFF's (from the viral situation) are wonderful and supportive, especially once Taylor comes clean about all the things.

Jamar got hurt is rookie season in the NFL and wants to make a comeback to honor his late friend Silas. I thought this part was so well done. Jamar's struggles with the death of Silas, the early departure from the NFL, how to come back all felt so real. He did a lot of back and forth and I appreciated how he went through his decision making.

Taylor and Jamar are couple goals. While it starts off as a fake relationship you can clearly see how they gravitate towards each other. Taylor has principals and I appreciate how she stood by them, and that Jamar didn't pressure her to change her mind, he understood her reasoning and accepted it. Of course they eventually get together and I enjoyed every last minute. Their banter is so much fun, and they're so sweet to each other.

Highly recommend!

I absolutely loved this book!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Hachette Audio and the author for my advanced audio copy of this book!

Last year I read The Boyfriend Project and really enjoyed it. The Dating Playbook is even better. They are companion novels so you don't have to read book 1 to enjoy book 2 but I highly recommend it. Farrah Rochon is an author that has officially become an auto-buy for me. I will read anything she decides to publish in the future.

What I Loved-

*The Audio- Audiobooks have been saving my life. If you are an audiobook lover please add The Dating Playbook to your list. This audiobook was narrated by Rebecca Lee and she did a fantastic job of keeping me sucked into the story.

*The Romance- Taylor and Jamar made an amazing couple. They had great chemistry. I really wanted this couple together throughout this whole book.
The Dating Playbook has a fake dating trope which is really hit or miss for me. In this case it was a hit.

*The Friendship- The friendship between Taylor, Samiah and London takes a backseat in this book but I love this group of ladies! I cannot wait for London to get her own book!

*The Representation- I don't think this is a spoiler: Taylor has a learning disability. I could identify with her struggles and I think it will make Taylor relatable to other readers out there.

*The Conflict- The conflict in this book was very realistic and in no way over the top. It was very well written / executed.

Overall- Highly Recommend. One of my favorite romances this year.