Thank you NetGalley for the e-arc!

Pretty much perfection. So cute, I ate it UP. More cute scenes could be added, though

This is a cute YA romance that reimagines Pride and Prejudice with a K-drama-inspired reality dating show.
I thought this was a fun, quick read that covers identity, self discovery, and love. Noah and Mia had such cute chemistry, I love the plot of Noah participating as a contestant for her dream film school scholarship and all of the cute moments that lead to her navigating her feelings with him.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harper Collins for this ARC! I loved the premise of this book, but I did not love the execution. I understand that the timeframe was set up like a short reality show, since that is what happens in the book, but the writing felt a bit choppy and I think there were too many characters that did not feel totally flushed out. The main character was sweet and interesting and I liked the dual POV, but the fact that she had such strong opinions of Noah that were not totally addressed made it a bit uncomfortable for me to see her with him at the end. I think this book would appeal to more younger readers, like late teens who want a fun concept of college and a sweet insta-romance!

This book was SO cute!! I’m a Lyla Lee lover, her writing really does it for me. If you’re looking for a fun YA romance with lots of yearning, definitely check this one out.

I really loved the evolution of the original tv show concept to the eventual Cuffing Game. I wish there had been a bit more depth to the game itself but overall I enjoyed that aspect. The dramatics in The Cuffing Game reminded me a lot of other tv dating shows and I totally ate it up.

Seeing Mia and Noah’s personal growth throughout the story was nice as well and added some depth to their characters.

My partner is going to love this book as well, going to buy it once it’s officially out and make her read it!

Thank you to Netgalley, the author, and HarperCollins for the ARC!

I loved the idea of The Cuffing Game by Lyla Lee. However, this Pride and Prejudice spin off fell a bit flat for me. I anticipated the story line to be predictable even with the reality show dating show vibes. This book left me wanting more.

Reality tv dating show
YA
College students
Enemies to lovers

Very light and easy read!

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

This was an adorable book.

For some weird reason I have read a pretty decent amount of Pride and Prejudice adaptations (but I've never read the original P&P, lol). I can therefore say this is one of the best adaptations/homages to P&P I've ever read.

Mia and Noah were wholesome opposing characters and I enjoyed their journey through Mia's student-run reality show dating game. I especially like the cast of supporting characters.

My only tiny complaint was that perhaps all the characters were too nice. Even the "bad" guy Kyle wasn't all that horrible. It might have made for a bit more tension in the boom. This critique is probably moot when you consider that the target age range for this book is younger than me.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins for an advanced copy of this book.

The adorable cover drew me in and the premise -- K-drama meets modern Pride & Prejudice -- hooked me. It sounded cute and unique. Unfortunately, I had a few issues with it.

First, the characters read younger than they are. I'd buy it if it was just Mia (a freshman) but it doesn't really mesh with anyone else. All the actions and the dialogue sound a bit cringey and awkward. A lot of them lack depth, too. Mia's backstory relied heavily on Elizabeth's role in P&P. Noah admittedly has a more fully realized backstory but it still felt shallow. And as cute as the side characters are, they were stripped down to their stereotypes: the athlete, the makeup influencer, the bubbly gay boy, the lesbian. Damien and Kallie, two of Mia's only friends, hardly make an impression at all.

Second, the plot is overly dramatic. Maybe this is on me because I'm not a fan of reality TV but towards the end, it felt like major dramatic event after major dramatic event and they were all resolved a little too easily. They hardly had an impact on the characters or the narrative except to move things along.

Finally, the romances are all flat. I don't see how Mia and Noah got to where they ended up. Mia didn't have a crush on Noah, she thought he was hot. It was lust that drove her and sure, she gets to know him but it didn't feel like enough. I think this story might have been better told from a first person PoV. That way, we'd be able to see Mia and Noah's feelings grow and change instead of being told about them.

It's a quick, easy read if you're really interested in it. But it isn't my favorite.

<i>Many thanks to NetGalley, HarperCollins, and the author for providing a copy in exchange for an honest review.</i>

This was such a fun and quick read. The concepts were so amazing and the execution was even better! I was hooked from the begging and really loved the tropes.

Lyla Lee’s “The Cuffing Game” is a sparkling YA remix of lPride and Prejudice” set on a college campus with a reality dating show twist and a heroine who’s both fierce and vulnerable behind the camera lens. I believe this is definitely going to be a book teenagers will be begging for.

We have Mia, our fmc whose dream is to escape to film school. And then our mmc, Noah, who is the brooding bachelor she’d rather ignore. Naturally, fate (and her crush) have other plans to intertwine them together.

This book is filled with so much fun of the occasional K-drama flair, banter, secondhand embarrassment, that although embarrassing- will still make you laugh. However, underneath the chaos is a heartfelt story about ambition, identity, and the risks of being truly seen. Which I’m sure most college students, and teenagers will find themselves relating to.

A swoon retelling filled with cute moments, banter, angst, and the occasional life lessons one will find themselves wrapped in!

A wonderful read!
This novel drew me in from the very first page and kept me hooked until the end. The characters were vibrant and relatable, the writing was engaging, and the story had just the right balance of heart and humor. Highly recommend!
Many thanks to NetGalley, the author, and the publisher for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

Being a GenX mom of teenagers, reading this young adult romance hits differently. So much has changed and yet a lot remains the same. No matter the decade, the pining, the yearning and the excitement of a crush, along with the agony of watching a friend pursue your secret crush is soul crushing. The author makes you feel all the feels.

I appreciate the diverse representation and it was done well.

This was such a cute lighthearted quick read. Honestly I didn’t read what the book was about beforehand so I didn’t know what I was about to read. But I’m so glad I did. The cover is super cute! And the romance in it was the best. It’s a nice cute romance that I highly recommend to anyone to read when it comes out.
Thank you NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this book before publication.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for granting my request to read this e-ARC and provide my honest opinions.

This was such a cheesy, feel-good love story between Mia and Noah! Honestly, I didn’t care much for the dating show setup—I came for the romance, and that’s exactly what I got!

Rivals to lovers, a little age-gap, and what truly endeared me was the certainty in their relationship. No "let's see how it goes"—both Mia and Noah were determined to make it work, even with school and big life changes. That kind of commitment felt so refreshing!

Overall, I adored the main characters, loved the side characters (who seriously need their own stories!), and I desperately need an epilogue!

Thank you once again for the e-ARC.

A fun, Pride & Prejudice-inspired read — not a full retelling, more like a modern remix. Set in a college film school with a reality show twist, it brings just enough P&P parallels to make you smile. The dual POV softens the Darcy character a bit, and Mia doesn't quite have Lizzy’s spark, but it’s still a quick, enjoyable read with lovable characters and cute nods to the original.

I enjoyed this read! The characters were very interesting and well developed. The story was well written and I enjoyed reading it. I would definitely recommend!

Firstly, thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Publishers for the digital advanced reader's copy in exchange for my honest review.

3.75 stars

This was SO cute. We follow Mia Yoon, a film major, and her team as they create a reality dating show called 'The Cuffing Game', where people get the chance to confess their crushes and maybe find love. The twist? Mia’s own crush, Noah Cho, is one of the leading men on the show.

Cue all the adorable, flustered chaos.

Minor fun fact about me: I’m a longtime fan of The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and pretty much any reality dating show you throw at me. Sue me, they're entertaining! So, when I saw that this book was about a contestant falling for someone on the crew—and featured two Korean characters as the main couple—I added it to my TBR instantly.

And it absolutely delivered. Mia and Noah were SO precious. I caught echoes of the beloved 2005 Pride and Prejudice film adaptation (yes, the hand flex scene makes an appearance, and yes, I cheered a little).

The supporting cast also deserves a shoutout. They were fun, lovable, and refreshingly diverse. I would 100 percent read spinoffs about ANY of the other couples. I won’t spoil anything...but just know they’re worth rooting for.

Overall, I’d recommend this to anyone who enjoys a good reality dating show, a dash of fluff, and a whole lot of cuteness.

This is the perfect YA romance book! It dives into the emotional aspects of the characters while staying light hearted and inclusive. I am in love with this author’s writing and I really really hope this book is well received because everyone deserves to read this book!!

Lyla Lee's *The Cuffing Game* is an upcoming young adult romance novel that reimagines Jane Austen's *Pride and Prejudice* within the framework of a contemporary, LGBTQ-friendly reality dating show. The story centers on Elizabeth Bennet and Mr. Darcy as they navigate the complexities of love and identity on a show reminiscent of *Love Island*.

Lee, known for her commitment to diverse representation, continues this trend by featuring Korean American protagonists and exploring themes of ambition and self-discovery.

Fans of Lee's other novels and readers seeking inclusive, modern takes on classic literature will enjoy The Cuffing Game! With its unique premise and Lee's signature storytelling, the novel offers a fresh perspective on timeless themes.

The Cuffing Game was such a fun, cute read! I absolutely loved the Love Islandesque reality show vibes.