Reviews with content warning for Panic attacks/disorders - While We Were Dating

- Jasmine Guillory's books get better and better with each release. In her early books I found the dialogue quite stilted, but now everything flows and the people and their conversations feel real.
- I loved the slight twist on the fake dating trope here - they were sleeping together and maybe dating, and then turned it into publicly fake dating, and I'm sure you know the drill from there.
- Anna and Ben were both just such sweet and lovely people. This is one to pick up when you need something gentle.
- Along with that, though, are some good discussions about anxiety and about being a famous fat Black person.

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le3713's review against another edition

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adventurous emotional funny lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

4.0

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stevie's review against another edition

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funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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ellariawrites's review

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emotional funny lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.5

I was nervous going into this but was delightfully surprised.

I liked getting to know Ben more, after meeting him in The Wedding Party. And it was cool getting to know Anna who was mentioned in The Proposal. What I enjoyed most about this story was the discussion around mental health. I was worried all we’d get is a mention that Ben and Anna go to therapy but we really got to explore their mental health journey and I loved that. Ben’s therapist reminds me of mine lol. There’s also a scene with a suitcase that was absolutely hilarious.

I think this was the spiciest of all the books in this series. Do with that information what you will.

This story uses the fake dating trope but only for the last third of the book, which is the exact opposite of The Wedding Date, now that I think about it, which uses it in the beginning of the story.

I’m gonna talk about specific things I liked and didn’t like below so spoilers for this section:
- Theo and Maddy are on the road to engagement and I love that for them
- I was really worried we wouldn’t see or even get a mention about Nick but not only did we get to see her but also we learned that her and Carlos are engaged! I hope Olivia and Drew are ready to attend all these weddings
- I would say my biggest disappointment is that we didn’t get to see Ben meet Dawn. I was really invested in that subplot and was sad that we didn’t get to see him interact with her outside of emails

All in all, I liked this story and would recommend it if you’re looking for a fun summer romcom read

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allisonwonderlandreads's review against another edition

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lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.0

This love story is such a Guillory Whirlwind. There are repressed feelings, stolen weekends, and a deep appreciation for food-- all infectious qualities in a book. It stars Ben, emotionally unavailable playboy and genuine gentleman, and Anna, an anxious actress trying to climb back to normalcy and success after a difficult year, mental health-wise. Their fling becomes a fake relationship when the positive press can be put towards solidifying Anna's chances at an Oscar-worthy role.

There was a lot to enjoy in this fluffy romance. I enjoyed all the sneaking around to hide Anna from the paparazzi, especially a certain contortionist suitcase scene. I also stan the open conversations and respect between our two lovebirds. Anna was a great heroine; she's seeking perfection in a profession (a whole world, actually) where being fat and being Black set her at unfair disadvantage. She's coming to terms with seeing the progress in her life and not judging herself for needing help or for prioritizing her own well-being. The story is a rallying cry for therapy and for leaning on each other.

It was all a bit too fast and furious for my personal taste, but I think the pacing suited the characters. Also, the banter didn't leave me either swoony or laughing out loud, which are my preferred outcomes. However, I liked all the ideas in this story, and I thought both leads were genuinely excellent people. I think that fans of the author will find that this latest installment does not disappoint.

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meganpbennett's review against another edition

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emotional funny inspiring lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? A mix
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.25

I've been looking forward to book six in The Wedding Date series ever since I finished Party of Two, and I was so excited when I saw that NetGalley had eARCs of it. So excited. Immediate request when I saw that. And it was worth it. It's not my favorite of the series (that belongs to Royal Holiday), but a very solid romance novel built on what is both a very unique and very common trope-filled plot, including there's only one bed, and fake dating.

Ben Stephens, brother to Theo from The Wedding Party, is not looking for a serious or full-time thing when movie star Anna Gardiner ends up as the lead actress for an ad campaign he's running. It's lust at first sight for both of them. They share an emotional drive from San Fransisco to LA one night, and learn that there's only one bed in the only hotel room left. Shortly thereafter, Anna's manager tells her that she needs to appear to be in a relationship, and she chooses Ben, who says he'll be good, he won't fall for her as he's playing her boyfriend and sleeping with her. Can he keep from falling for her? Can she keep from falling for him? Does her fake dating ploy get her the role she wants? Read to find out.

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antonique_reads's review against another edition

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emotional funny hopeful inspiring lighthearted fast-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

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