Classic best friends to lovers book. She’s a ballet teacher and he’s a star NFL quarterback. I really enjoyed this audiobook especially since the point of view of both characters were narrated. It was a cute storyline and a quick entertaining read.

I didn’t love this book, I think I expected something different. I found the back and forth between the two main characters to be annoying. It was very obvious at times they loved each other yet they both were oblivious to it the whole time. I also thought Bree was just extremely annoying at all times and it didn’t get better, Nate was better but towards the end I didn’t love his character either. The whole friend zone to lovers just didn’t seem believable to me. I enjoyed the overall plot, it’s still entertaining but seemed kind of basic.

Bree and Nathan are best friends who both have been secretly in love with each other, but are afraid of destroying their friendship. For the first time in six years they both are not in other relationships. Just add a little fake dating to the mix and you’ve got a funny light romance novel that will make you smile. The narrators Renee Dorian and Teddy Hamilton did a great job adding character to Bree and Nathan’s point of views. I’m always looking for something light after a heavy read and this was perfect!

Publishing December 17, 2021
Thank you Netgalley, Sarah Adams and Dreamscapes Media for this audiobook.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dreamscape Media for providing me with an ARC of the audiobook in exchange for my honest review!

Bree and Nathan have been best friends for years, but both of them have always wanted more.

The Book: 2.5/5
Everything about this book drew me in: best friends to lovers, fake dating, sports romance. Paired with rave reviews from friends, I expected a fun and light read. And somehow, it did not deliver on any front.

I know best friends to lovers isn't everyone's cup of tea, but I can't get enough of it. The mutual trust and understanding and love for each other that usually comes with this trope is like a drug to me--and The Cheat Sheet just did not deliver any of this. While it had some great pining on Nathan's end, it wasn't enough to turn this book into the friends-to-lovers excellency I was hoping for. Nathan and Bree's friendship doesn't come first at all; they are best friends because, and only because, they are in love with each other, instead of best friends who fell in love with each other. I don't know how else to describe that. We're constantly told that they're so close, but every assumption Bree makes about Nathan is wrong. She just didn't seem to know her supposed best friend at all or even understand how he thought. Nathan delivered on this front much better, but there was still so much miscommunication trope that it still didn't quite carry through on that basis.

Bree, as a character, was intolerable. If I was judging this book just on Nathan and the plot, this book could have been a solid four stars, but everything about Bree just drove me crazy. From the very beginning, she has such pick-me girl energy and such not-like-other-girls energy. The very first scene was her being catty to Nathan's girlfriend because Bree was just so superior to the girl in every way. Early on, she completely violates one of her ballet students' privacy--you just know that girl felt so powerless in that moment. But oh, it's okay, Bree had good intentions and can do no wrong because she's perfect! I'm honestly struggling to find something about her that I liked.

Nathan, on the other hand, was wonderful. He was sweet and caring and thoughtful, and for years was sure to respect all of the emotional boundaries that Bree very clearly put into place. Even when he went around her boundaries when it came to spending his money on her, it always endeared me to him. The pining on his end and his love for Bree really shone through. He would make these big, romantic gestures then just brush them off as nothing because, to him, they were. To him, it was just the obvious thing to do for someone he cared about. I absolutely adored him. All of his friends completely stole the show, too--they were hilarious and over the top and just so fun. Nathan and the side characters were by and far the best parts of the book, and if it was just about them I would've probably enjoyed this so much more.

The plot was cute enough, I will give it that. It was sugary sweet and just as light as I wanted, and I loved how little real conflict there was in this. But I can't get past any of the other issues, and the ending really just sealed the deal that this book was absolutely not for me. The fake dating felt weird and out of place instead of fun and exciting. Their relationship failed to convince me. If you're looking for good best friends to lovers trope, or good fake dating trope, look somewhere else.

The Audiobook: 2/5
The audiobook, in general, really wasn't bad. I love split narration and almost always prefer it when there are multiple points of view, so I definitely appreciated that. The narrator for the Nathan chapters was perfectly fine; maybe not the world's best Nathan, but I have no complaints. Each character's voice during these chapters was distinct and identifiable, the pacing was good, and everything about it was easy to follow.

Where the star drops is Bree's narrator. Now, I'm biased, because Bree herself drove me crazy. I don't think the narrator for her chapters made my experience or enjoyment necessarily worse because, well, a little obnoxiousness is to be expected with an obnoxious character, but I just found the Bree chapters even more grating than they would have been just reading. There was too much over-inflection, too much of what felt like someone trying to play a part instead of trying to narrate a book. Usually, I listen to audiobooks on 1.25 speed because it makes me focus better, so I'm pretty forgiving when it comes to narrators, as they're always going to sound a bit off when sped up. But sped up, the narrator annoyed me so much that I actually tried listening at normal speed to see if that helped. It didn't. So, the audiobook drops another half star--it just failed to improve a book that had already failed to draw me in.

If you’re looking for a low steam slow burn rom-com, this is it! The cheat sheet follows Bree and Nathan who have been friends since high school. Through the ups and downs, they have been there for each other as friends…but is there something more there?

Sarah Adams brings together good humor and feel good romance is this wonderful book

4.5 out of 5 stars

Why did it take me so long to read this book? I kept hearing good things, but my other ARCs meant I kept pushing The Cheat Sheet further down my TBR list. Now I'm so glad I've read it! I definitely understand the hype and this book totally earns it. The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams combines sassy, memorable characters with humorous situations, and fantastic writing to create a wonderful rom-com well worth reading. I loved Bree for her giving nature and how down to earth she is, despite having an NFL quarterback for a best friend. I loved Nathan for his heart and willingness to put himself out there and fight for what he wants. This friends to lovers story is a bit on the spicy side (it's closed door, but it does have its steamy moments) and filled with wonderful one-liners that will leave you laughing. (Also, the audiobook is delightful!)

*Thank you to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for an advanced audiobook copy. All opinions are my own.

I have to start this review by saying that I am a huge fan of Sarah Adams books and this one definitely did not disappoint.

Have you ever had a crush on a friend but were afraid to admit it to them? That's what's it like for Bree and Nathan. She's a ballerina and he's a professional football player and they've been best friends since high school... and secretly in love with each other since then too! But they've never both been single at the same time... until now. When a drunken video of Bree confessing her love for Nathan goes viral, the two agree to pretend they're in a romantic relationship to aid the publicity but of course things start to get serious.

This book had everything I love in a rom-com - the flirty banter, the laughable plot lines and dialogue, the friends to lovers trope and oh man... the epilogue... talk about romantic! I'd recommend this book to contemporary romance lovers and fans of a more lightweight, fun, romance. I listened to this book on audiobook and loved the choice of narrators, they fit the personalities of the characters and kept me interested the entire time.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the audiobook copy of this book. All opinions remain my own as always.

Have you ever read a book where the main characters are oozing chemistry & you find yourself constantly yelling at said book, “JUST FREAKIN KISS ALREADY!!!”? That is 𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝑪𝒉𝒆𝒂𝒕 𝑺𝒉𝒆𝒆𝒕!

This was my first Sarah Adams book & also my first sports romance read. I can safely say I will be reading more of both in the future!

𝐖𝐡𝐚𝐭 𝐈 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞𝐝:
-off the charts chemistry between Bree & Nathan
-typically I’m not a huge fan of friends to lovers but this one did it for me because I’ll say it again for the people in the back … the chemistry *chefs kiss*
-mental health representation + just the right amount of cheesiness + LOL moments
-F•R•I•E•N•D•S references
-characters were real & ones I’d want to be friends with IRL

My only negative is that it was a closed door romance and I’m a steam gal. Even so, I would HIGHLY recommend checking this one out! I did a hybrid read/listen and the dual narration from Renee Dorian & Teddy Hamilton was fantastic!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ALC!

Refreshing! That is exactly what the audiobook version of The Cheat Sheet by Sarah Adams was. This was a sweet friends-to-lovers, dual point of view, fake-dating romance with a feel good vibe. I love a good romance audiobook and The Cheat Sheet delivered. Alternating narration from Nathan and Bree with alternating actors’ voices kept the storyline upbeat and interesting.
Bree and Nathan have been best friends since high school that are both secretly smitten with each other and have been for quite awhile. Bree owns her own ballet company for young girls and can barely keep afloat, whereas Nathan is slotted to be the next big football star in the NFL. It takes both of them being unattached and one accidental drunken confession (by Bree) to a reporter before this romance can come out from under covers. That fluke confession has a big brand name offering $$ for a Super Bowl commercial in exchange for a pretend dating situation.
Here’s what I enjoyed about this book:
-Dual POV for Bree and Nathan (slightly heavier on Brie, but for good reason)
-True friendship mixed with the real fears of losing a friend over possibly exposing your feelings to them
-Mental health!!! Nathan suffers from panic attacks and it is handled in such a positive way
-No spice, but the romantic interests DEFINITELY have chemistry and pine for one another. There is sexual attraction for days, but I completely respected how Adams chose to portray the attraction.
-Humor! The actual “cheat sheet” that Nathan’s teammates make for him is hilarious as is the scene where Bree tries to figure out what’s going on. So many cute and funny references to football terminology
-Audio narration. The drunken Bree scene is read so realistically it seemed real. Renee Dorian does a great job of voicing “annoying freak out Bree” and also “in love Bree”. And I have loved Teddy Hamilton’s voice ever since Block Shot by Kennedy Ryan. He made a perfect Nathan.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book! This high school friends to lovers story has the perfect mix of celebrity hijinks, lots of pining, and dual perspectives. Nathan is a star NFL quarterback and Bree is a dance teacher and they both fell in love with each other in high school, but neither wanted to do anything about it in fear of messing up their relationship. I really enjoyed watching them fall in love, and while things moved a bit fast for me at the end, it didn't feel ridiculously out of character for either of them.

The audiobook itself was also very good. I always love having two narrators for a dual perspective story. While the female narrator got on my nerves early on, this got better throughout the story, or maybe I just got used to it. I seriously could not stop listening and cleaned my house so that I could keep my headphones in and finish the story!

I really struggled getting into this audiobook. I enjoyed the story and feel I would enjoy it more if it wasn’t for the female narrator. These characters are much older than I originally thought and the female narrator makes the female main characters action’s FEEL much more immature.

This is set up in a really fun way where there is mutual pining, banter, and some fake dating. The story was set up for success but the characters were just not doing it for me, unfortunately.

Thank you NetGalley for sending me this audiobook in exchange for an honest review!

Bree has been in love with her best friend, Nathan, since high school. Nathan has loved Bree since he first ran with her on the high school track early one morning. Now, he's an NFL quarterback and tired of being in the friend zone. After one drunken admission mistakenly caught on tape, Nathan decides he needs a Cheat Sheet to help win Bree over.

I loved the ensemble of characters in this audiobook! Nathan's NFL teammates were a hilarious addition to the story, and the madcap antics made me laugh out loud. Bree's sister is adorable; everyone needs a support system like Lilly. Despite the humor, deeper themes of anxiety, and body image helped to shape the characters, and the relationship. Being seen and loved in spite of everything is universal. I laughed and rooted for these lovable best friends from the very start! Romcom friends, you’ll enjoy this!

**4.5 stars**

Given some of the reviews, I was really worried I wasn’t going to enjoy this book, but I should have known better because it was exactly what it promised to be, a cheesy, fluffy romance that is literally just pure escapism.

Bree and Nathan were such cute characters, each pining for the other. Bree tries to avoid showing her love for Nathan and Nathan tries to convince Bree to love him without making it obvious (and possibly ruining their sweet friendship). Each of them sort of dance around the other until they get thrown into the classic fake dating trope which just opens the door to even more romantic tropes ranging from food fights to spontaneous slow dancing. Personally, I loved the fluffy escapism of it all, but I know that’s not for everyone, so if that’s you, then I’d probably look elsewhere.

This book was also a clean romance, but it’s something I’m honestly grateful for. I know not everyone enjoys a clean read, but I really did. While there is lots of talk of how much they are attracted to each other (in all ways *cough cough*), that’s as far as it goes with those details and I’m not complaining because it felt like it rooted their relationship in love rather than just lust… that might be an unpopular opinion, but I’m appreciative.

The only thing that would keep me from giving this book 5 stars is the ending which I found to be a little rushed and therefore not as satisfying as I would have wanted, but beyond that, it was great. I read the book in a day, laughed a bunch, and altogether just got a little pick me up from a simple serotonin-inducing story.

I will also say that I listened the audiobook for this and I’m not gonna lie, I absolutely loved the guy they cast for Nathan, his voice was just absolutely perfect and I may or may not try to hunt down what other things he’s voiced. The voice for Bree was also really good too, it’s just that Nathan’s was a real standout. All that said, I really enjoyed enjoyed this audiobook, it was great!

Special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for a copy of this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

This book is just as cute as it's cover! I was hoping for a sweet romcom and this one did not disappoint. I love the dynamic of their friendship. This is a slow burn romance, but it is so much fun getting to the happily ever after. I highly recommend to anyone who enjoys friends-to-lovers romances. I can't wait to read more from this author. I listened to the audiobook and since this is done in two POVs there were two narrators and both did an excellent job.

Sarah Adams has done it again. This was so fun! The plot was well-paced and captivating. The characters were delightful and the dialogue was hilarious. The narration was fantastic. I highly recommend this fun and quick read! Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the advanced copy of the book.

The Cheat Sheet is a slow, slow burn that will have you sitting on the edge of your seat. Seriously, Sarah Adams will have you literally begging these two characters to MAKE A MOVE! Bree and Nathan are adorable best friends, and you just can’t help but both root for them and want to shake them.

Teddy Hamilton could read me bedtime stories every single night, and I would be the happiest girl. That voice is delightful. Renee Dorian’s voice is higher than I imagined pairing with Hamilton’s but I think for Bree her voice was reflective of the character and persona. Bree is bright and light and refreshing and Dorian’s voice reflects that perfectly.

I started this at six p.m. and finished at 1 a.m. with zero breaks. This book had me hooked and giggling at its absolute fluff. I love that there was almost zero conflict, so it was just 400 pages of two best friends falling in love. Also, I'm a sucker for fake dating so that was a plus. All in all, The Cheat Sheet is a solid example of what the rom com genre has to offer: literally its own brand of therapy.

Unfortunately, I am not a huge fan of audiobooks, but surprisingly I enjoyed this one. I feel like the voice actors did a good job at getting Nathan and Bree's personalities across to the audience.

I think audiobooks from Netgalley are the best thing in the whole wide world. Reading is amazing but it can be hard to find time to fit it into your busy schedule and with audiobooks you can sneak in your reading while doing other things. The audio was a little weird at the beginning. It echoed, almost like there were too versions of the audio playing at the same time, but as time went on it went away. While i enjoyed this book for the concept I felt Bree's inner voice to be quite annoying. Still enjoyed the book though!

What is it about the combination of ballet and football? In this new romance release a ballet teacher and a star quarterback (NFL) go from best friends to more. The friends to lovers trope is one of my favorites and this one is so well done. If you have enjoyed any of the Bromance Book Club books, then you will love this newcomer as well. Bree is our ballet teacher and Nathan is our QB. They became friends in high school after meeting during a morning run on the track. He tied her shoe for her and she was toast. When Nathan wants out of the friend zone his football teammates get together and give him a cheat sheet for romancing Bree. I loved the banter between the guys and the fact that this book is highlighting really nice ones. It's a bit of a Cinderella story at times, but also a reminder that all of us have baggage that can weigh us down at times. Love and support of friends and family are so important. The audio narration was split between Renee Dorian as Bree and Teddy Hamilton as Nathan. Here is how I would rank the voice performances: 1) Teddy as Nathan. 2) Teddy as Bree. 3) Renee as Nathan. 4) Renee as Bree. Teddy gets an A++, but Renee a B-.

Thank you to Dreamscape Media and NetGalley for the opportunity to listen and leave an honest review.

Typically, I like my romances a little bit steamier than this one. However, I adored this book. It was a cute, sweet, super fun romance. I loved the push pull between these two characters. I thought this one way totally believable. It's hard to put yourself out there. The backstory made the characters who they are and what they believe. This book was well written and I LOVED the narrators. They did a great job making this book come to life. Huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to listen and review this book.