Kendra is forced to return home but she feels like she is resorted back to her old ways and feels like a kid she once was.She is still feeling like she needs love but is trying to be mindful. She runs into her longtime crush BJ who changes her mindset and helps her grow her future.

Overall was a good read but I honestly wasn't a big fan of the characters.

I hateeeeeddd BJ. I feel like he used her the entire story... he took advantage of the crush she had on him, took advantage of her needing his help with searching for historical buildings, took advantage of her wanting love.. I didn't like that. She was falling all in with this dude and he wouldn't even hold her hand in public??? Consistently saying he don't want nothing serious but calling her for sex every night?? Boy bye!

& Kendra was way too nice of a person. Between her family and BJ, I would've been cut everybody off or better yet just not came back home. It seems like nobody really believed in her and everybody was constantly making decisions for her life. She was so forgiving of everyone for them to keep doing the same things, she gave them all way too many chances.

I really don't think the two deserved the happy ending, I think Kendra should've went and opened her business and found someone who wasn't afraid to love her out loud.


**As always, thank you NetGalley and Taj McCoy for an advanced reader copy of this book. I voluntarily read this story and all thoughts and reviews are completely my own**

Thank you to Harlequin Trade Publishing/MIRA for the advanced reader copy of The Dating Prohibition by Taj McCoy!

Kendra is an entrepreneur returning home to open a speakeasy supper club. She’s reunited with BJ, her childhood crush and her brother’s best friend. BJ believes in her as she embarks on fulfilling her professional dreams.  
 
I loved the premise of this book and the tension between Kendra and BJ was perfect! Kendra and her story throughout the book was a highlight for me. I love how BJ supports her and these two MCs have excellent chemistry together. You can feel the connection between these two as soon as they’re reunited.

If you enjoy a brother’s best friend, this is one to check out!

Identity
Leap of Faith
Doubt
History
I love me some Taj McCoy and this did not disappoint! I was pulled in from the beginning and didn’t want to put this down. You know when you’re reading her writing because of the family dynamics, the humor, and her writing style in general. Now, you will very likely get frustrated with both of the main characters but I definitely loved the profession BJ was given. He’s a professor in historic preservation, how many romance books feature that and as a Black man! I loved it!
Kendra’s family is tight knit but she wants to get out of her brother’s shadow. However, it seems quite a few feel she’s unprepared but she’s the most prepared person there is. She wants to finally be seen outside of her brother and instead as her own individual. This was so relatable to me! Then, BJ is still healing from his past. The feelings he has for Kendra just doesn’t outweigh the risk that he sees. The historic buildings mentioned were also a fun touch!

The Dating Prohibition
Author: Taj McCoy
Pub Date: September 2, 2025

I received this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

Taj has done it again. This book gave me all the feels. First, if you are a Rom-Com lover then you have found your book, Having a protective sibling is one thing, but having to feel like you are living in his shadow was another. I am glad Logan let go, and let Kendra come to him if she needed his assistance.
The relationship between BJ and Kendra was undeniable and very spicy. I am not going to lie at first I wanted her to forget about BJ, because I felt like he was playing in her face especially when he showed up with that date. Once I realized that BJ was holding on to the past and could not move forward. I knew he had work to do. Kendra wanted to act as if it wasn’t bothering her that they were just physical and not a couple, but being in that position before myself, I knew she was hurting. I am just so glad the distance between the two made them both realize that they wanted to be with each other and they both did what they had to do to make it work.

I recommend that all the rom-comers rad this book!

Thank you, thank you, thank you to NetGalley for sending this ARC over.

Taj McCoy has another hit on her hands!

She never ceases to amaze me with her writing and the stories she comes up with. This was a brothers’ best friend romance, and I loved it all. We meet Kendra, the younger sister of Logan and his best friend, BJ. Kendra has always been able to confide in BJ, but after an extended vacation overseas, she returns home to the DMV, and BJ has never left but has gotten real easy on the eyes (don't get me wrong, he's always been cute, but now he makes Kendra feel things she never thought were possible).

Now, fast-forward through a night of drinking and fun. Kendra finds herself as one half of a situationship with BJ, who is not ready to commit due to grief. Kendra, being the ever-optimistic one, sticks around, knowing that eventually he will stop being afraid to love her out loud until an eventful night that makes all her decisions so much easier.

I absolutely adored this book. The spice, the story, and the plot—perfection. Perfection. Tens across the board.

Can't wait to see what Taj comes up with next. And I can’t wait for this to come out so I can get my hands on a hardcopy.

Books have always been my “happy place.” The genre that I can never get enough of is romance. I was really excited to get a chance to read this book because I don’t often read books that feature characters that look like me,

I sometimes have a hard time getting into books by authors that I have not read before because I sometimes have a hard time getting used to their writing style. I did not have that problem with this book at all. In fact, the language used was very recognizable within my own family circle.

About the only issue that I had with this book is that, with the exception of the FMC, her brother, and her aunt, I really didn’t like the characters in the book. Unfortunately, that includes the male lead. By the end of the book, there was a bit of redemption of that character, but I went through most of the book thinking that the FMC deserved so much better.

All in all, I did like this book, and I am excited to see what is next for the author.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

Kendra was laid off from her high=paying job in the tech industry and spent the last 2 years traveling the world, learning about new cultures and trying new food and drinks. She returns home to the DMV to be with her family and hopefully, start her own business venture. Kendra has lived in her older brother’s shadow her whole life and is hoping to prove her own with this new opportunity. BJ, is her brother’s best friend, and she’s always had a little bit of a crush on him while they were growing up. Now Kendra is all grown up and it seems like that crush has been reciprocated.

Cute read and loved the culture representation in this (ube pandesal mentioned!!!!!) The family dynamic was really tight-knit and the characters were fun and entertaining.

Thank you to NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 ✨
The Dating Prohibition! I really enjoyed this novel! I breezed through it! I loved the storyline and historical contexts that were brought into play. The speakeasy focus was a dope element! I love a unique story, and this did not disappoint!

Kendra and BJ are lovable characters. I understand BJ’s fears about how ingrained into the family he was and his fear of their relationship not working out. I do feel like he took advantage of verbalizing that fear because it allowed him to keep Kendra as a secret for awhile. It didn’t feel like a manipulation, but those boundaries were boundary-ing! Kendra had some growth, too. She was letting people walk all over her but when she finally got the courage to stand up for herself, it was a triumphant moment. Both characters had flaws, but I’m glad they were able to overcome everything.

Shonda & Lani: Now while I’m here for the sisterhood, these two frustrated me. They were too nosy for their own good. Neither one of them could hold water, no matter how much Kendra pleaded for them. I think Kendra and BJ would have been able to work through their issues without the family getting involved. I get their betrayal was needed for the plot, but they frustrated me for Kendra. (I’m not faulting the author for this at all! I know how overbearing families are and there is something about not feeling good enough growing up in an Asian household!)

Overall, this was a good read!

Reviewed on Story Graph & Threads!

Kendra wants her speakeasy supper club to be a success but business is difficult..... Her happiness comes from her crush BJ, her brother's best friend.... BJ is reluctant to start anything because of his friendship with her brother....

Love Kendra and BJ. Love the humour and the sass. The romance is believable and swoony. A terrific romance.

Thanks to the publisher for the arc.