Summary
Griffin Hayes is football's golden boy—charming, talented, and completely out of his depth when a video of him belting out pop star Aria Wilder's breakup anthem goes viral. Overnight, he's crowned the internet's favorite meme, and Aria's #1 fan. Aria, the reigning queen of heartbreak ballads, sees an opportunity to turn the moment into good PR and invites Griffin to her next concert. When their onstage chemistry sets the internet ablaze, her team suggests the unthinkable: a fake friendship to keep the buzz alive.

Great book loved it

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to read the ARC. Popstars and Playbooks by Juliet Arden. FMC is Aria Wilder is a top chart pop star. MMC is Griffin Hayes pro football player. They have to learn to trust each other. To Aria, Griffin is a breath of fresh air. Griffin realizes that his feeling for her are unique. Question is can they come out of this still together or not? 5 out of 5 stars.

Right from the first chapter, I was completely charmed when football star Griffin Hayes is caught on video singing and swaying along to one of Aria Wilder’s newest hits. By the end of the concert, the clip has gone viral, and Griffin is suddenly labeled Aria’s number one fan. Their PR teams quickly step in, arranging joint public appearances, and the internet can’t get enough. A fake friendship is born—at least at first.
As Griffin and Aria spend more time together, their staged connection begins to feel surprisingly real, both to their fans and to the two of them. But everything shifts when Griffin suffers a serious knee injury that threatens his football career, and Aria finds herself burned out and struggling to create the kind of music everyone expects from her.
This is an engaging, uplifting story filled with lovable characters who are learning to step away from others’ expectations and rediscover what truly matters to them. Their journeys—both individually and together—make this a heartfelt, satisfying read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All comments and opinions are my own.

This is a fun read! It's the fist time I've read a singer and athlete romance and it is a new favorite troupe of mine. Highly recommend if you like clean rom coms.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Because of this book sports romance is my new favorite genre! Please give this book a chance you won’t regret it!

This was a charming and wholesome romance. I particularly enjoyed how the book began with the characters as friends and gradually evolved into a deeper connection. He admires her singing, and her publicists suggest that their friendship could benefit both of their careers. After all, he’s a football player, and fans are always eager to support him. Actually both of them .
I highly recommended this book .
Thank you NetGalley and publishers for my copy

This was such a fun and thoroughly enjoyable read! I absolutely love fake dating and friends-to-lovers romances, so this book was pretty much made for me. Griffin and Aria had such sweet chemistry, and I loved watching their “fake” friendship slowly turn into something real.

The celebrity/pop star and football player dynamic made this feel fresh and entertaining, while still giving plenty of heartfelt moments along the way. It was light, swoony, and the perfect feel-good romance to escape into.

If you love opposites attract, fake dating, slow-burn romance, and kisses-only stories, definitely add this one to your TBR!

Thank you to the publisher for the complimentary copy. I was under no obligation to leave a positive review. All thoughts are my own.

#RegencyfanMichelle #PopStarsAndPlaybooks #JulietRhodes #BookReview #CleanRomance

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Thomas Nelson Fiction for providing me with an ARC! All thoughts are my own.

Now playing: Talk of the Town- Jenna Raine


This was so cute and EXACTLY what I needed right now. Was it perfect? No, but no debut novel is. It came to me when I needed it most: when I was in a bad mood and nearing a reading slump. I finished it in two days.

Now, based on the cover, I obviously thought that this was going to be heavily inspired by Taylor Swift and Travis Kelsey, so I prepared myself for that. I'm not a huge Taylor fan, but I'm a casual enjoyer, so I figured I could handle some not-so-loose inspiration. To my delight, this book feels completely original! Aside from the initial concept, you could take this and not even know about Taylor and Travis inspiring it.

The slow burn? Ugh, I was screaming at my Kindle the whole time! Ladies and gentlemen, take notes, this is how you write friends-to-lovers!

The characters were perfect, the plot was adorable, and best of all? It was entirely clean! No closed door spice, questionable innuendo, or cursing! Just cute fluff and kisses!

Do I recommend? Absolutely, and I will read anything Juliet Rhodes writes from now on!

This was the perfect fake dating, friends to lovers (two of my FAVORITE tropes) sports romance! I loved the relationship between Aria and Griffin. Naturally I initially thought of Taylor and Travis but the main characters relationship was certainly different and you could separate the two easily from the get-go. It was well paced and I loved their connection as the book went further along (the way the author wrote about them opening up to one another was well done)! Also, always here for a dual POV and I felt it was needed for the book.

If you're looking for a well paced, fun and sweet sports/music romance this is perfect for you! Thank you NetGalley and Uplit for the advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you NetGalley and Uplit for an advanced copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

Thank you Netgalley for a copy of this ARC.

Pop Stars and Playbooks was definitely the next read that I needed. It refreshed my palate from the complex past fantasy books and left me feeling satisfied. Griffin and Aria are just such a cute couple right from the start. They had such a wonderful, adorable, and instant connection that I was on the edge of my seat asking for them just to kiss already. The complexity of their careers and how their problems with the identity and career plus their relationship just tied the whole story together. Can't wait to see what else this author comes up with and can't wait for the next book from her if this is what I should expect from her romance books.

I absolutely loved Pop Stars and Playbooks! It was such a fun, heartwarming romance that had me smiling from beginning to end. It combined celebrity life, sports, and genuine emotional depth in a way that kept me completely invested.

One of my favorite parts was Aria Wilder and Griffin Hayes. Aria is a chart-topping pop star living under constant public scrutiny, while Griffin is football's golden boy whose life is turned upside down after a video of him singing one of Aria's songs goes viral. What starts as a fake friendship to keep the internet talking slowly develops into something much more genuine, and I loved watching their relationship unfold.

The chemistry between Aria and Griffin was fantastic. Their banter felt natural, and I appreciated that their romance was built on friendship, trust, and really getting to know one another. The scenes involving concerts, football, paparazzi, interviews, and social media made the story feel current and gave readers a fun behind-the-scenes look at both worlds.

I also loved that both characters were dealing with their own struggles. Griffin is facing a career-threatening injury, while Aria is battling creative burnout and the pressure of always being "on." Those challenges made them feel relatable despite their fame and made me root for them even more.

The writing was engaging, the pacing kept me turning the pages, and I found myself rooting for Aria and Griffin from beginning to end. This was the perfect mix of romance, humor, and heart.

If you enjoy celebrity romances, sports romances, fake relationships that slowly become real, and characters who help each other rediscover what truly matters, I highly recommend Pop Stars and Playbooks. It was one of my favorite romances of the year!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy in exchange for my honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a fun read! I loved it from the first page and felt like I was watching a movie from the 90s.