This book won't become your new favorite book, but it was a mostly enjoyable read. Not groundbreaking writing, but sweet and still well-written enough to keep reading.

The Cuffing Game by Lyla Lee takes place at a fictional college where Mia and Noah struggle to get along in film class. Mia makes a reality dating show and gets Noah, an influencer to star on the show.

Thank you NetGalley and Katherine Tegen books for the arc.

I really enjoyed this book! It’s a fun, contemporary romance with great chemistry between the main characters. The story is sweet and flirty, and I loved the playful energy throughout. Lyla Lee does a great job of balancing humor, romance, and those relatable emotional moments that make you root for the couple.

The pacing is quick, which kept me engaged, though a few moments felt a little predictable. Still, the characters are likable, and the dialogue is witty and charming.

Overall, it’s a fun, feel-good read that’s perfect if you’re looking for a light romance with heart. Definitely a solid 4 stars from me. 💖📖

I am often searching for romance books that are clean enough for middle school. The Cuffing Game is not only clean, but also offers diverstiy. I love that some of the characters are LGBTQ and others are not. I also love the parallels to Pride and Prejudice as well as the film school location and creation of a film. Mia and Noah go from enemies to friends to lovers. And in that time, they grow as characters. The creation of the reality tv crush/dating show is entertaining.

Thank you NetGalley for an arc of this book!
I had to DNF this one. That’s why I gave it the rating.
It just had some content in it that I don’t like to read about.

First off, this is a really cute YA romance filled with lots of fun yearning. Mia and Noah were not close, and the evolution of their relationship was a lot of fun. One thing that I like to see in YA books is character growth. There is so much that occurs at this age, and books missing it don’t hit as well for me. However this book did an amazing job at it and it added a lot of depth to the story. The whole love island premise for college students was so much fun. All the side characters really added a lot of flair and comedy. It really felt like this is something that could happen, and I had a blast reading it.

If you’re looking for a cute read full of yearning and comedic relief then you need to check this one out.

DNF @ 28%

I wanted to love this book so much: the bisexual representation, the Pride & Prejudice of it all, the intriguing reality-show-on-a-college-campus idea; but unfortunately the voices of the two characters just... grated. I might come back to this book in the future, but for now it's a DNF.

I'm a sucker for a good reality TV romance. In my humble opinion, we do not have enough. Publishers, please make more. I appreciated the inclusivity of Lee's book, so many different facets of diversity were represented in an effortless way. I especially loved that Noah was multi-faceted and emotionally vulnerable. I enjoyed the book!

This was such a cute young adult romance book. This book had an interesting premise as it followed Mia, a film student producing a reality dating competition show. I loved following Mia and Noah in this story as well as the rest of the characters. The Cuffing Game had lots of sweet moments that had me smiling and rooting for the characters. I thoroughly enjoyed this one and recommend it if you’re looking for a cute reality show centered read.

Read this if you like:

📖 Dating reality shows
📖 Diverse characters
📖 LGBTQ reps
📖 Winter settings

Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the gifted arc, I loved it.

Did I expect this to be the cutest book I read this year? no, but I ate up every moment of it! I'm a big fan of pride and prejudice remixes and this was just too cute. it felt like one of the dating reality shows I watch but Ya. definitely a cute read!

The Cuffing Game by Lyla Lee
3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️

I love K-dramas & Love Island so I was so intrigued with this one.

Mia was such a great fmc. This was definitely a light and ADORABLE read. Mia is a film major and she has created a reality dating show “The Cuffing Game”. Her own crush Noah Cho is on the show. (She forces)

Things happen and you have a good time along the way. This was cute and very fluffy. The slow burn was a bit too slow for me but it still good.

I loved this book! Plot was fantastic, characters were fantastic, I really enjoyed the story! It definitely gripped me! I highly recommend!

This was such a cute plot! I will definitely add it to my classroom library and I'm sure it will be popular!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a galley of this book in exchange for an honest review!

As a fan of reality dating TV shows, I absolutely loved this. I love any book with chaotic bisexual characters. I didn't really love the modern references in this one, and don't usually read YA books, but this book was really good for what it was.

i didnt like the writing style. i think it was a wrong time to read this so ill have to reread it at a later time

Mia Yoon, film school student freshman and long time Noah Jang (senior, film) crushee gets the chance to make dating show over Christmas break. Noah Jang, emotionally unavailable social media celeb, and the crush of many of girls, agrees to participate in the show. Noah doesn’t know how to be natural when the camera is turned on him and he can’t edit his reactions and Mia is glaring at him all the time.
Fun, silly rom-com that held my attention. I liked how upbeat it was.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for this DRC.
#TheCuffingGame #NetGalley

This is such a fun and easy read! I love me some reality tv and the storyline of the book is 💯. Read this if you enjoy a binge worthy story featuring college film students creating a reality dating show with twists and turns and an incredibly cute ending 💜.

Adorable reimagining of Pride and Prejudice for people who love dating shows! Had a blast with this, I think Lyla Lee writes adorable romances.

3.5 stars. Mia has feelings for social media star Noah- who also goes to her university. They are both film students and happen to have a class together. Mia develops an idea for a show based on her crush and the show, after a few big changes, gets the go ahead to be made! The Cuffing Game is a show for the university students to reveal their crushes and "cuffle" up. Mia has to watch her roommate with Noah and share her crush for him. How will Mia manage watching the guy she likes potentially develop feelings for someone else?
Forced proximity, she falls first he falls harder- both amazing tropes and I am glad they are in this book! This is a great book for romance lovers. This is an easy to read, fast paced book. I read it in one sitting.

This book is Pride and Prejudice by way of a college campus dating show, and it is every bit as adorable, chaotic, and swoon-worthy as it sounds.

Mia Yoon is a planner, a dreamer, and an absolute icon of quiet ambition—and she’s definitely not catching feelings for campus heartthrob Noah Jang, even if he’s charming, thoughtful, and infuriatingly hot in that broody K-drama lead sort of way. She just needs him to star in her college-run dating show (The Cuffing Game), not mess with her carefully guarded heart, thank you very much.

Meanwhile, Noah, emotionally allergic and contentedly single, finds himself thrown into the most awkward of love triangles—on camera—while developing a very inconvenient soft spot for the girl behind the scenes who thinks he’s the literal worst.

Cue the slow burn, the sarcastic banter, the behind-the-scenes longing glances, and the entire mood board of awkwardly adorable reality show moments. Lyla Lee nails the enemies-to-something-more vibes with a story that’s witty, heartfelt, and bubbling over with K-drama flair.

This one’s for anyone who loves pining, production drama, fake dates with real feelings, and heroines who chase their dreams as fiercely as they guard their hearts. An absolute treat from start to finish—and yes, you will ship it.