I liked a number of things about this book, including the Comic Con meet-cute, the competitive flirty banter between the FMC and MMC, and the fun secondary characters, especially the representation of supportive female friendships.
Unfortunately, I struggled to connect for a long time as Rose willfully ignored the fact that she was being sexually harassed at work and stuck with Patrick when William was right there - just for the sake of her “Life Goals,” when it seemed like it would be more in character to look for an alternate win condition. Also, the board game references seemed very surface and didn’t hit for me as a player.
Overall, I thought this book was fine, but there are others in the genre I have enjoyed more.

Playing Flirty by Shameez Patel is a sweet contemporary romance about two frenemies who forge a bond over board games. Rose Marie Jones may not have her dream job and her relationship status is best described as lukewarm acquaintances, but she has big dreams if she’s only willing to take the risks. William Ashdern is Rose’s best friend’s half-brother, her favorite nemesis, and a game designer. When an opportunity arises for Rose to develop the board game she’s spent most of her life building, she decides to risk it all, but she’ll need William’s help if she’s going to succeed.

I really enjoyed this story. Rose is a fun, relatable character. She’s working at a job she hates because it is stable, something she never had growing up. She had plenty of love, but never a home. Her parents lived their life chasing the wind, never really settling down in one place long. So Rose measures success by stability. She has a spreadsheet of her life goals, ready to meet each one: promotion at her job, complete her MBA (which she again hates), marry her longtime boyfriend, and have 2.5 kids. You get the gist. With her best friends newly engaged and her own engagement nowhere in sight, Rose is having a crisis of the heart. Are her life goals attainable, AND are they what she really wants?

Enter William. William and Rose have a mutual dislike for each other. At least that’s what Rose believes. They bring out the competitive side in each other. With game night each week at his brother’s apartment, William reluctantly joins when they need an extra player. The banter between Rose and William is great. They truly make each other work for the win. William brings out feelings in Rose that she’d forgotten she had, like butterflies and attraction for starters.

Overall, I really enjoyed Playing Flirty. While the story focuses on Rose finding what she really wants in her life, it also deals with some heavier topics including workplace harassment. The author handles these delicately, and I feel depicted a true to life scenario. I loved the banter between Rose and William, but also their friends. If you are looking for a sweet romance, I highly recommend this one.

I enjoyed this book! The characters were really relatable, and had some real world issues. I enjoyed how serious this book was, while also lighthearted. I will definitely suggest we carry it at my bookstore, and will look out for more titles from this author.

More nerd romances in 2025 and 2026. Please. PLEASE!!! I had so much fun reading this and quite literally couldn’t put my arc down! Speaking of, thank you sooo much to the folks at Forever for sending me this copy through Netgalley!

Rose has her life all planned out in a spreadsheet. Promotion. Proposal. 1.75 kids and some pets. Her job isn’t one she’d have chosen for herself, but it pays the bills, and she gets to work with her friend Shaun, so it’s not too bad, right? When Shaun proposes to Rose’s best friend Neema, all of her plans fall to a halt. Her boyfriend was supposed to propose first.

To top off her own love life falling flat, there’s a board game competition, and Rose’s lifelong project is something she’s debating on entering. After playing it at their weekly game night, Shaun’s brother William, Rose’s arch nemesis in all gaming, offers to help her improve her board game concept: and to play a game between them of their own.

Playing Flirty is equal parts funny, dramatic, and flirtatious! Full of pop culture references my fellow nerds are bound to enjoy.

Haven’t posted review on socials yet but will update with links!

Really great debut rom com!

I truly enjoyed this book. It is a workplace romance but they work in the game industry. Electronic, board games, etc, it was cool to hear those conversations, its still a little difficult to explain what they do exactly. I think that there were times the author maybe assumed us readers know what this industry is, so better setting description and building were skipped. I could have used more help in that because they are so dependent on that proximity.

I may be unique in the sense that i dont mind cheating when they couple is meant to be together. Very a la Olivia Pope and Fitz. Plus the FMC's boyfriend is wack!

I am still sitting with the feelings of the SH at work though. I do know and feel the realistic approach and apprehension, it felt like reactions and decisions many of us would make. So there is understanding there. I am not sure if I needed more aggressive outlook on it. Still sitting with that.

But the banter is great, side characters are nice and lively too! Great steam!

I absolutely LOVED Playing Flirty. I couldn’t resist binging this book. It was quite simply fun. I loved everything from the characters to the focus on games to the sizzling chemistry. The FMC, Rose, was so relatable between her love of games/all things nerdy and struggles when her life goals weren’t aligning with reality. I also adored the friend group that Rose surrounded herself with. Patel wrote this in such a way that you can easily image sitting down with the group and hopping right into a game with good food and friends. I also really want to play Rose’s board game after all of this. I appreciated the level of detail and accuracy that Patel put into the various games that were mentioned in the story. The tension and banter between Rose and William was incredible. I could not get enough of these two. The way they tried to one up each other in their game was absolutely perfect. I am obsessed with great banter, and Patel could write the book on banter. I also appreciate how William always had Rose’s back. Also, I was obsessed with the call back moment (IYKYK). This book was everything I never knew I needed, and I can’t wait to read more from this author.

I love a good nerdy romcom so I was so excited when I heard about this book and overall, I really enjoyed the story. The romance was very sweet and I liked how the board/video games were incorporated into the story and Rose's and William's obvious passion for games. The friend was also very cute and I liked the different personalities, they all felt like very different people which I appreciated.

Rose in the beginning of the book drove me crazy a little bit (which I understand is kind of the point) in that she was such a doormat and for what reason? She wasn't happy with any part of her life except for game night but she went along with whatever she was told to do. However, that did make her character development in the latter half so much more satisfying. I do wonder why her friends did not say more about her being so obviously unhappy.

I do find certain parts of her romance with William a bit...unbelievable. I feel like things switched from rivals to lovers very quickly and I doubt that she wouldn't realize for years who he was (which was easy to guess on the readers end) and then suddenly just a couple of words made her remember. That could definitely be me being nitpicky though. Though I didn't find William that likable in the beginning, by the end, I'd warmed up to him and he was very sweet. I loved his support of Rose and going way above and beyond to try to make her dreams come true.

I did feel like there were a lot of different storylines going and the book had to go on a bit to get everything kind of wrapped up but it didn't drag so much that I was bored by any means.

Overall, I definitely enjoyed the latter half of the book more than the first half but had a great time overall and would highly recommend!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars
I was really hoping to love this one so much more than I did. I initially picked it up because of the board game and geeky/nerdy themes. And while those are here, I had some issues with the book that didn't allow me to enjoy it as much.
The writing when you first get into the book is not that great. It is full of adjectives to an annoying degree and many instances of people 'hopping' and 'skipping' around. Now, I don't know if I got used to the writing (or if it actually got better), but after the first 20% or so, I didn't notice it being annoying anymore.
In addition, we have some parts that I just didn't like being included. Our main character, Rose, was in a relationship with another man (who she thought she was going to get engaged to) up until about 29% of the way through the book. I do not like a romance to start with the main character in a doomed relationship. It feels icky.
For a book that is supposed to be about our main character creating a new unique board game and entering it in a competition, all the game nights that are attended had games like Clue(do) and Monopoly. I sort of wished for some more recent board games since that was more in line with what Rose was making.
We also have some casual fatphobia at one point, and a sexual harassment storyline. Just FYI.
That being said, by the end, I did root for the real relationship. I really liked William and actually wanted more development for him. He was the best part, but the ending felt a bit rushed.
I do think I will give this author another try in the future.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing the E-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars!

This was SO ADORABLE. I enjoyed this book so much. I loved the friend group and the dynamic. I'm glad that Patrick didn't end up being a total villain, that was a refreshing bit for me. That even though he wanted Rosie, he respected her and left when she asked, and was always respectful of her wishes and body. I immediately knew who Gandalf was, I was sort of bummed that it wasn't that well disguised. Maybe it wasn't meant to be? I adored how unapologetically nerdy Rosie was and in turn, her friend group. Who supported her and never shamed her. Though I could have poked Shaun in the eye for telling Rosie not to go to HR. Girl should have RUN the first time, but I also understand why she didn't.

I liked how much William supported Rosie and in turn, Rosie doing the same. Though I don't understand why he kept telling Rosie to wait. Even when he explained it, I didn't get it? Overall, GREAT book. I couldn't put it down. I started it in the evening and when I realized it was midnight and my Kindle said I only had an hour left, well, sleep sacrifices were made. Well worth it.

I took off half a quarter star because of the "spice". I creeped on the author before reading and fully understood that this was a not quite closed door, but more of a beaded curtain book. I can see where the analogy is coming from. You know what is happening and how, but you don't see it. The flowery words were.... confusing so I didn't actually know what was happening. The kitchen syrup scene, I actually had no clue anything happened. It was really poorly executed and worded. I had to re-read it twice to fully grasp that they were doing anything.. I felt like the scenes with Patrick were more explicit than the William scenes. It left me confused. I'm not saying it needed to be on the page, but it could have been done MUCH better. The other quarter star is the timeline. "A few weeks went by" and then it was only one? They had a month and a half before the game submission, SIX WEEKS. But a few weeks kept going by and at that point it felt if you added up the few weeks we were looking at more like three months.

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
4 stars

I am a SUCKER for nerdy romances, and even the board game competition was a bit less present than I'd wanted, the characters themselves were very nerdy and very game-oriented, which made up for it. Some of the plot points felt like they didn't lead into the story as a whole, and other bits felt resolved quickly. The writing could also feel a bit weak/repetitive at times.

None of this took from my enjoyment of the book, though. It's cute, it's nerdy, and I liked the characters. I wanted to fight some peeps when they hurt/upset Rose or William. I also like that William is just one big fluff bunny. Rose also had this big thing about life goals and excel and stuff, and I loved that even though she grew, these aspects weren't tossed away for being restrictive but instead evolved. It was nice seeing that because so many others would have their character give up things that are seen as lame and over the top.

Overall, a really fun nerdy rom-com that I'd definitely recommend to people who like that type of stuff. There is a content warning of workplace harassment, and if that bothers you, please take the warning seriously, because there's definitely some uncomfy moments.

Playing Flirty had my nerdy little heart jumping with joy. There are a lot of gaming, both video and board, references throughout not to mention the numerous Lord of the Ring references. Although the references felt a little heavy handed in the first couple of chapters, it started to level out to an amount that worked for me. This enemies-to-loves story is so absolutely adorable. For once in a romance I'm not sure if there is a completely unlikeable character. Even Patrick, who is possibly the most unlikeable, isn't completely unlikeable and just isn't a good fit for Rose. I love the chemistry between Rose and William, which was apparent very early on. If you're looking for a steamy open door romance, this isn't it. It is a lot more pining and when "sexy time" happens it's behind closed doors.

I've been recommending this to my friends since I've read it. We fit the mold for who the readers are as gamers in our own ways. I can't wait for more people to experience the joy that comes with Playing Flirty. Although this may be the last encounter I have with these characters, minus a reread, I will be picking up whatever Shameez Patel writes next.

Thank you to Forever and Netgalley for a copy in exchange for review consideration.

This is a great nerdy romance for boardgame fans, but I did end up with somewhat mixed feelings. Mainly that's because of the tone of this book. This is a genuine romcom, which I normally love, but in this case the humour didn't quite land for me, pulling me out of the story. That's of course very much a personal preference, so I can see this working really well for others. I did think the romance was very sweet.

Rose Marie Jones is a game designer who lives to spend time doing her “nerdy” pursuits. She works an office job with her best friend, who is getting engaged to her other best friend, and she spends her evenings working toward her MBA. However, her dreams are to publish her own board/roleplaying game. The highlight of her life is her weekly game night with her friends and with William Ashdern, a video game designer and a rival of Rose’s. After realizing that they challenge and excite each other in a unique way, Rose and William give in to their incredible attraction.

I was really excited to read this book due to my love of “nerd culture,” like Dungeons & Dragons and Lord of the Rings; however, the gaming and nerd culture feels more peripheral and less central to Rose’s identity. While the book did have a few hobbit jokes, the characters did not seem to be authentic gamers or nerds. Also, aside from the knowledge that hobbits are short, the author does not include many insider “nerd” references. The book has a lot of other extraneous minor plot lines, including a predictable harassment issue at the heroine’s place of work. At times, the events feel quickly summarized or rushed to completion.

The characters do occasionally seem like a sweet found family, but they also seem very young. If you are old enough to have actually seen one of the Lord of the Rings movies in the theatre, you are going to feel like one of the Golden Girls while reading this. I often read books with characters in their 20s, but this book feels (nearly) like it belongs in the New Adult genre, which may appeal to some readers. The scenes with intimacy are also abbreviated and very mild. This style is preferable to some readers as well, but it is different from other mainstream contemporaries.

I do think that William is a likable hero. His longing for Rose shines distinctly, and I like how the author made him loyal and committed, rather than wavering or commitment phobic. Even though this book did not really meet my expectations, it may work for new-to-romance readers who want a straightforward contemporary format with a hint of quirkiness.

Overall rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Thanks to NetGalley for the book. As always, these are my opinions and no one else’s!

'I shoved my phone into my pocket. “I can climb anything.” William straightened, and his mouth kicked up on one side to reveal the mischievous smirk he wore far too easily. “Good to know.”'

Playing Flirty was amazing! It was was such a cute rivals to lovers rom-com! Rose & William are such a fun pair of MC's and seeing their growth and helping each other reach their potential was *chef's kiss*

This was my first novel from Shameez and I would happily read another cute Rom-Com from her in an instant!

I enjoyed it so much that I binge read it in about 8hrs.

Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the advance reader copy and to Hachette Audio and LibroFM for the complimentary audiobook. These opinions are my own.

I am loving this trend toward romances that feature game nights. Rose loves playing board games with her friends and is working to develop her own. She and William have an ongoing rivalry when they play. But the tension in their banter suggests something might be going on. And then he agrees to help her prepare to submit her game to a competition.

I was worried it was heading toward a love triangle, but I ended up not having any issues with how it went. And I am very anti-love triangle or any form of cheating.

There were a couple items that I think were meant as surprise twists that I definitely saw them coming. But the overall plot and pacing worked great for me.

And I just loved William as the hot game designer. He definitely gave off the hot nerd energy. And the way he shows up for her... And then he has so many layers. He was my favorite part of the book.

I also enjoyed just how much the book leant on game design. It even referred to rounds in lieu of chapters (and they were nicely short). There were lots of game metaphors sprinkled throughout, both in dialogue and the surrounding prose. And the games covered a whole breadth from D&D to more traditional board games.

Nirvi Shah is a new-to-me narrator who voiced this 9 hour audiobook very well.

CW: harassment at work

3.5★ (rounded up)
This book did a great job of balancing fun, lighthearted love and found family with serious topics such as workplace harassment and parental resentment/hatred/complicated relationship (so many ways to define it. The love was full of fun nerdy-ness that I found adorable and alsofull of vulnerability and rawness that I was appreciative of. This is my first book from this author but certainly not my last. I love a good nerdy hero and this being a nerdy fmc AND mmc made it that much better!

4.75 stars rounded up!

This book is every nerdy romance reader's dream! We have a FMC who loves board games, video games, Lord of the Rings, cosplay, etc. We have a MMC who loves those things and is a video game developer. I LIVED for the game night scenes and now want to get into doing that with some of my friends. What a fun tradition!

I also really really appreciated the progression of the FMC's relationships in this story. She starts out in an unsatisfying relationship, and I liked seeing her accept the demise of that relationship before starting anything with the MMC. I loved the yearning and the pining of the MMC and how he was so obviously into the FMC. Rose and William are everything to me!

This is lower on the spice scale. There was great tension, but not a lot of description. I usually like my romance books to be a bit more descriptive, but this book did a great job with plot, characterization, and tension, so I didn't really miss the more descriptive steamy scenes.

My one pet peeve with this story was how long it took the MCs to REALLY get together. At a certain point, nothing was keeping them apart and it annoyed me that they weren't together yet. Haha

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review. I will definitely be reading more from Shameez Patel in the future!

I really enjoyed this sweet gamer ( board and consol) romance.
The Lord of the Rings references were easy enough to understand - even as someone who has not read or watched the franchise.

I absolutely adored their meet-cute 🤫. Both main featured couples were absolutely adorable, and I'd actually love to read Neema and Shaun's backstory.

I did guess the two "twists" but still really enjoyed the build-up to it.

Overall, even as a non gamer, this is a fun read.

3.5 rounded up. This book is fun, with a unique concept that was enjoyable overall. I loved that Rose was so ashamedly nerdy for games and I think that will speak to a lot of female readers who don’t see themselves represented in fiction.

But the book left a little to be desired for me as far as writing goes. Structurally it could have been better, especially with sketches of the characters (not the kinds of things revealed to create tension or advance the plot, but the kind that makes you connect to a character or get a better sense of them). Details kept being dropped in later in the book that would have been nice to know earlier, like not knowing that the characters lived in San Diego until several chapters in. Or not knowing that Neema was from Tanzania until over halfway through the book. The world the characters inhabited didn’t feel as vibrant as it could have.

And overall the pacing just felt a bit slow and the story too long. One of the subplots could have been cut. Patrick. The boss. Gandalf. It felt like there was too many balls in the air that dragged the story on unnecessarily.

Also I know this was an ARC so I don’t know if some of this will be fixed before publication but I could tell the author was not American by some of the wording that slipped in, like being really confused by why the characters kept talking about when they were “studying” when it turned out she meant when they were going to college.

All that being said, I don’t think it was a bad book and will probably be enjoyed by a lot of readers. I just feel like it could have benefited from a better edit, and that’s probably just a me thing.

Thank you for Forever and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In this loose rivals-to-lovers novel, Rose teams up with her best friend’s brother, William, to perfect a board game for a competition. As readers, we are supposed to feel the rivalry between Rose and William leading up to the alliance, but it plays more like an older brother annoyed by his pesky brother’s friend. I really enjoyed the dialogue and witty, flirty banter between Rose and William as the relationship progresses between the two.

The FMC gets everything she wants in a typical romance with a happy ending. There are some things in this one that Rose doesn’t get. But she realizes that things happen for a reason, and she makes the most of things.

Content Warning: One of the subplots involves workplace harassment of Rose by her boss. This really didn’t add to the story other than to show how her best friend and Willi stick up for her and, more importantly, how Rose sticks up for herself.