I would like to thank Netgalley and Rowan Croft for this ARC opportunity!

I enjoyed this plot and character development in this book. Enemies to lovers, fake dating and billionaire type romance are some of my fav tropes. The characters are so relatable at points in the story. The MMC gives off major F-boy vibes and the FMC really wants to be a strong independent woman. The story got better for me in the second half. I liked the first half, it was just a little slow building.

The spice was definitely spicing in this book! The Chemistry between the characters was really good and the journey that the characters went on was fun and messy but such a good story.

The fake dating trope really gets me every single time! I really enjoyed Rowan Croft’s writing style, everything that happened felt so organic especially Damians character growth. I absolutely loathed him the first half of the book but his redemption in the second half felt so realistic he completely won me over. The banter and witty dialogue between the two main characters MADE this entire book and the references to twilight were unexpectedly hilarious! I wasn’t expecting this to hit me right in the feels but it had so many tender moments I teared up in a few different scenes! I look forward to any future installments by Rowan


Thank you Netgalley and Rowan Croft for this eARC!

4.5 stars, rounded up because this book wrecked me emotionally in the best way.

The banter, the chemistry, the emotions—this book has it all, and it’s really good. Yes, I cried during that (almost) final chapter. Watching Damian change genuinely made me feel like a proud mama 😌. He didn’t do a full 180, but even the smallest bit of maturity from him felt like growth.

I’ve never hated a main character so instantly… and yet somehow, I found myself rooting for him by the end. It didn’t erase the hurtful things he did in the beginning (believe me, I remember 😤), but the way Rowan handled his journey softened something in me. And Lexi? I adored her. She’s fierce, brilliant, vulnerable, and so unapologetically herself. She didn’t just hold her own—she shone.

The writing pulled me in deeply. Every emotional beat landed with purpose, and the character development was phenomenal—for both Lexi and Damian. There were moments that made me laugh, ache, hope, and yes… cry. 🥲

If you’ve ever wanted to throw a book at the wall and hug it close within the same hour, this one’s for you. The Girlfriend Agreement is messy, tender, and ultimately full of heart. I’ll be thinking about these two for a long time.

Thank you NetGalley and Rowan Croft for the eARC 💛

I have a lot of mixed feelings regarding this book. Where do I even begin…

First of all, our main male character Damian. I think this whole “fuckboy” persona went a little too far, because what do you mean you have fucked almost the entire female half of the student body with no repeats?? Of course, later in the book we are given an explanation for his behaviour, but that doesn’t change the fact that it all had already left a bad taste in my mouth. Therefore, his whole character development arc does not feel realistic or authentic, mostly because it was so sudden. Lexi, our main female character, is a great lead. Her reasons for agreeing to date Damian are admirable. I also loved her ability to stand up for herself and not be afraid to say whatever is on her mind.

I have to say, I enjoyed the second half of the book more than the first one. When the characters stop pretending they don’t like each other and the plot with the pharmaceutical company really picks up. If we close our eyes and forget everything Damian had said and done in the first chapters of the book, then I can confidently say that their relationship was cute and I enjoyed their banter.

What bothered me the most were the moments where a character goes on and gives a whole speech about something that feels totally unnecessary at the moment. I mean, do you really go and tell basically a stranger, whom you despise, your friend’s entire backstory with every little personal detail? I sure hope not. And that’s just one example.

That is not to say that I didn’t enjoy the book at all. It was easy to read and had managed to keep my interest throughout the whole novel. The topics raised in this book are very important and relevant. The plotline with the main character’s mother and their struggle to pay for her medication, in my opinion, was done with utmost care. It really forces you to feel and to think about, how even in our age, there is still a long way to go.

Thank you so much NetGalley, Shire-Hill Publications and Rowan Croft for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review! <3

The Girlfriend Agreement was an enjoyable read!
Lexi is a super smart genius when it comes to math but has mostly kept to herself because she tends to struggle in social settings.
Damian is a rich playboy that's just partying through college with no care for the consequences of his actions. When his parents threaten to cut him off he has the perfect solution....a fake girlfriend.
This book had drama, banter and emotion. Make sure to check it out!

This was a good read. It had classic tropes, like slow burn romance, the classic enemies to lovers and also fake dating. It gives a rom-com vibe. I can see a TV show from this. It's a great read! Overall 4.5 stars!

"I manage to resist everything, except temptation.”

I would like to thank Netgalley, Shire-Hill Publications, and Rowan Croft for this ARC opportunity!

3/5 ⭐️ - I liked it.
3/5 🔥 - Spice level.

What I really enjoyed was the plot and the character development. It was a classic enemies to lovers story with a realistic development of redemption, angst, and spice. The spice was well written and not over the top. The plot made the characters relatable even with the billionaire MMC aspect of the story. The friendships of the MCs in this book where also very well put together.

What I did not click with was some of the writing style. There were many phrases that were a little cringe/repetitive and I felt myself skimming through a few of the chapters with the way it was written. I understand that it is supposed to be from the viewpoint of college students but there was too much of it for my taste. I did like the references to Twilight and Pokémon and Coco and such to keep it real to the times but sometimes it felt oddly placed. This is the only reason I’m giving 3 instead of 4 stars.

With that said, if you love a good enemies to lovers story with a good backstory then I would definitely give this a read. I was laughing and almost crying at several points in the book. It definitely tugged at my heart from the beginning!!

Tropes: Enemies to Lovers, Fake Dating, Grumpy + Sunshine, Billionaire MMC + Genius FMC, Redemption Arc

This was such a great read, had the classic slow burn, enemies to lovers and fake dating tropes that were done really well, as well as great and clear character development and growth for both the main and side characters.

While this book was funny with great banter between the main and side characters, it also touched on more deeper topics. It was nice to see those issues get resolved in healthy and realistic manner with the growth of the characters.

Although some of the banter and lines in the book were a tiny bit cringe, I found myself cackling more than anything else and the spicy scenes were not over the top.

Overall a great book, I would recommend this book, and I am absolutely going to pick up the next book, as I'm excited and interesting to see the development of the main character of that book.

The Girlfriend Agreemenr by Rowan Croft
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (but like imagine each star is actually a shrine I’ve built to this book)

OKAY LISTEN. This book?? Is the Sistine Chapel of romcoms. The Mona Lisa of fake dating. The Everest of enemies to lovers and I will NOT be taking questions at this time! 😭 I had to sit and compose myself after and take some time to form a review that was worthy of this masterpiece honestly.

❣️Lexi Dornan = my spirit animal.
❣️Damian Navarro = my Roman Empire.

Fake dating? SPICE? TWILIGHT JOKES? Bonus scenes that made me scream into my pillow and kick my feet???

@authorrowancroft, how dare you. HOW DARE YOU write a debut THIS good 😩

I’ve never rooted harder for a chaotic academic gremlin and a reformed golden retriever fuckboy. I laughed, I swooned, I blacked out from pure excitement, and I could have cried because I didn’t want it to end😭 The character growth??? The tension??? The banter??? It’s literary serotonin and I’m mainlining it.

I will now be shouting about this book from rooftops, ambushing strangers in bookstores, and haunting your dreams until you read it. You’ve been warned.😌

Rowan Croft, you evil genius. THANK YOU for this masterpiece. I am now your hype woman for life. I cannot believe little old me got to read an ARC of this 😭 you have not just written a book, you’ve re-wired my brain ♥️

This book was such a fun read. I’m a sucker for fake dating, and this one hit all the right notes without feeling over the top. Lexi is smart and relatable, and watching her deal with Damian (who is somehow both annoying and ridiculously charming) was honestly hilarious. Their banter had me grinning, and the slow-burn tension kept me hooked the whole time.

It’s got just enough drama, just enough steam, and a whole lot of heart. If you’re into college romances with enemies-to-lovers vibes and chaotic chemistry, this is definitely one to pick up.

This was such a fun book for me! An enemies to lovers with spice- my perfect book! The author did a great job of creating a character that I hated at first but then developed both characters throughout the book and made me absolutely love him. The banter was great and had me giggling. I also loved Lexi's friends and how fiercely loyal they were- it made me incredibly intrigued to read her next book that would be centered around her sassy best friend. I kind of devoured this book and was sad when it ended honestly. Also- I loved the spanish aspect of the book as well! As someone hispanic, the author did a great job really capturing how warm a Mexican family can be, especially sus abuelas! I will be posting my review on my goodreads and Amazon when I am able!

Lexi Dornan is me trying to make smart decisions and immediately failing when faced with a charming, emotionally unavailable man. The Girlfriend Agreement gave me fake dating shenanigans, forced proximity, and playboy-who-falls-HARD energy—and I devoured every chaotic page.

The banter? PERFECTION. The tension? OFF THE CHARTS. The “I’d never fall for you” vibes? Absolutely DELICIOUS. Damian Navarro is a cocky hot mess who slowly morphs into the kind of cinnamon roll you want to punch then kiss. Lexi is the brainy, sarcastic queen who’s way too smart for this but does it anyway—and we love her for it.

Yes, some parts were a little predictable, but who cares when the chemistry is this steamy and the angst is top tier? This book brought me 90s rom-com nostalgia with modern swoons

Thank you to NetGalley, Rowan Croft, and the publisher for the opportunity to read this advanced reader copy in exchange of an honest review.

I throughly enjoyed the slow burn and enemies to lovers tropes in this book. I often don’t like male main character as much as the female main character in romance books but this one was amazing!

The development of the characters was great and I genuinely enjoyed the plot and dialogue. Definitely would recommend for others to read this story!

The Girlfriend Agreement was such an enjoyable read! I really liked reading the shift from dislike to love between Lexi and Damian. Their banter made me smile, and the tension between them kept me turning pages. Damian’s character development—from being a total SHIT to someone genuinely trying to do better—was one of my favorite parts. Just like Lexi, I couldn’t help but forgive him and like him 🙂 The story had a great balance of funny, sweet, and emotional moments. A charming college romance with heart!

Romantic comedy
College romance
Fake dating
Swoon worthy
Spicy 🌶️

A cute love story. The author did a fabulous job with this story. It has a great mix of all the things I enjoy in a good romance novel. Steany, flirty, banter, emotions.

I truly enjoyed Lexi and Damian’s story. It had me cracking up at the fumbling through the fake dating. This was such a good book. I hope it gets an audio version someday I would absolutely love to hear it brought to life!

This was cute overall and gave 90s millennial vibes for sure. The plot and book overall was very well organized and planned.