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The Boyfriend Project #1
The Boyfriend Project
If you love Jasmine Guillory, Abby Jimenez and Talia Hibbert, you'll LOVE Farrah Rochon!
What happens when three women discover , thanks to the live tweeting of a disastrous date, that they've all been duped by the same man? They become friends of course!
Samiah Brooks never thought she would be 'that' girl. But a live tweet of a horrific date just revealed the painful truth: she's been catfished by a three-timing jerk of a boyfriend. Suddenly Samiah - along with his two other 'girlfriends', London and Taylor - have gone viral online. Now the three new besties are making a pact to spend the next six months investing in themselves. No men, no dating, and no worrying about their relationship status...
For once Samiah is putting herself first, and that includes finally developing the app she's always dreamed of creating. Which is the exact moment she meets the deliciously sexy, honey-eyed Daniel Collins at work. What are the chances? When it comes to love, there's no such thing as a coincidence. But is Daniel really boyfriend material or is he maybe just a little too good to be true?
345 pages, Paperback
First published June 9, 2020
About the author
Farrah Rochon
71 books2,163 followersA native of south Louisiana, Farrah Rochon officially began her writing career while waiting in between classes in the student lounge at Xavier University of Louisiana. After earning her Bachelors of Science degree and a Masters of Arts from Southeastern Louisiana University, Farrah decided to pursue her lifelong dream of becoming a published novelist. She was named Shades of Romance Magazine's Best New Author of 2007. Her debut novel, Deliver Me, the first in her Holmes Brothers series, garnered rave reviews, earning Farrah several SORMAG Readers' Choice Awards.
In September 2010, Farrah joined the Kimani Romance family with the launch of her new series that follows the life of the fictional New York Sabers football team.
When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading her favorite romance novels, hanging around on Twitter, and trying to attend as many Broadway shows as her budget will allow. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.
In September 2010, Farrah joined the Kimani Romance family with the launch of her new series that follows the life of the fictional New York Sabers football team.
When she is not writing in her favorite coffee shop, Farrah spends most of her time reading her favorite romance novels, hanging around on Twitter, and trying to attend as many Broadway shows as her budget will allow. An admitted sports fanatic, Farrah feeds her addiction to football by watching New Orleans Saints games on Sunday afternoons.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 3,297 reviews
August 7, 2021
Five smart, steamy, entertaining, action-packed, addictive, office romance with so much likable couple who conquers our hearts with their sizzling, hot chemistry!
This book at my wishlist and I’m so happy my wish finally come true because it was so much more than I expected. There are so many positive attributes which I truly enjoyed about great books.
The things I adore:
Straight to the point, intriguing, powerful opening scene: Our adorable, badass, hard-worker, successful business woman heroine Samiah coincidentally finds out from twitter that she is dating with a guy who also dates with two other women at the same time and just postopned their meeting because he’s having dinner with another woman at the very same Sushi Place who took her before.
So she storms out from her pregnant sister’s house to face the douchebag and she meets with other catfish-ing victims: Taylor and London. Three women team up to avenge the cheater boyfriend and humiliate him at the restaurant in front of several witnesses (one of them record their argument which goes viral and Samiah turns into youtube’s rising star!)
At the end of the night, the girls partied together and found themselves at Samiah’s place and they decided to resume their friendship which turned into sisterhood squad meeting at every Friday night for dinner and cocktails! They decide that they don’t need a man to bring happiness into their lives.
For upcoming six months they will decide to concentrate of their personal goals, find hobbies and face with unresolved issues that hold them back from their bright futures. They shake hands for this pact and called it “Boyfriend Project”
But this brings the second thing I liked so much about this book: Charming, good-hearted, witty, flirty, hot, sexy hero: Daniel Collins is just hired by Samiah’s company and their undeniable attraction already gives Samiah second thoughts about her pact! Maybe she should give a chance to Daniel. He seems trustworthy, decent and honest from the beginning but… here is our cliffhanger:
Daniel hides his real identity. He is an agent, investigating money laundering in their company and for digging out more he should keep secrets from Samiah. Even though he does anything not to fall for or hurt her, he cannot help himself. But what is going to happen when the secrets come out and he has to leave for his next assignment. Samiah is already humiliated by the viral youtube video and her past wrong choices about her love life. Could she trust him again after the revelation of his secret identity?
The third thing I loved about the book is both of the characters didn’t act obnoxious or illogical at the angst parts of the story. Daniel was sweet pie from the beginning and Samiah was rational, determined, and strong. As you know at the all romance books: the last quarter is about groveling, breakup and the both parties’ nonsense painful experiences (some of them stop eating, showering, turning into asocial creatures and they also act like stubborn spoiled brats not to come clean about their feelings!) But at this book: both of the characters earned entire Brownie points and saved me to read long and agitatedly emotional chapters!
And final thing I Loved about the book was the supporting characters: I already loved Taylor and as far as I may see, we’re gonna read her story at the second book that I cannot wait! And let’s not forget our sarcastic, entertaining doctor London. I enjoyed those three different, independent, strong women’s growing friendship and sisterhood.
Overall: The book carries so many important messages about racial and sex inequity and unfairness at work places. It was powerful, motivational, witty, thought-provoking, riveting, dazzling and also very romantic reading. I highly recommend it to the genre lovers!
So much thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for making my wish come true and sharing this wonderful ARC in exchange my honest review. I cannot wait to read the sequels!
This book at my wishlist and I’m so happy my wish finally come true because it was so much more than I expected. There are so many positive attributes which I truly enjoyed about great books.
The things I adore:
Straight to the point, intriguing, powerful opening scene: Our adorable, badass, hard-worker, successful business woman heroine Samiah coincidentally finds out from twitter that she is dating with a guy who also dates with two other women at the same time and just postopned their meeting because he’s having dinner with another woman at the very same Sushi Place who took her before.
So she storms out from her pregnant sister’s house to face the douchebag and she meets with other catfish-ing victims: Taylor and London. Three women team up to avenge the cheater boyfriend and humiliate him at the restaurant in front of several witnesses (one of them record their argument which goes viral and Samiah turns into youtube’s rising star!)
At the end of the night, the girls partied together and found themselves at Samiah’s place and they decided to resume their friendship which turned into sisterhood squad meeting at every Friday night for dinner and cocktails! They decide that they don’t need a man to bring happiness into their lives.
For upcoming six months they will decide to concentrate of their personal goals, find hobbies and face with unresolved issues that hold them back from their bright futures. They shake hands for this pact and called it “Boyfriend Project”
But this brings the second thing I liked so much about this book: Charming, good-hearted, witty, flirty, hot, sexy hero: Daniel Collins is just hired by Samiah’s company and their undeniable attraction already gives Samiah second thoughts about her pact! Maybe she should give a chance to Daniel. He seems trustworthy, decent and honest from the beginning but… here is our cliffhanger:
Daniel hides his real identity. He is an agent, investigating money laundering in their company and for digging out more he should keep secrets from Samiah. Even though he does anything not to fall for or hurt her, he cannot help himself. But what is going to happen when the secrets come out and he has to leave for his next assignment. Samiah is already humiliated by the viral youtube video and her past wrong choices about her love life. Could she trust him again after the revelation of his secret identity?
The third thing I loved about the book is both of the characters didn’t act obnoxious or illogical at the angst parts of the story. Daniel was sweet pie from the beginning and Samiah was rational, determined, and strong. As you know at the all romance books: the last quarter is about groveling, breakup and the both parties’ nonsense painful experiences (some of them stop eating, showering, turning into asocial creatures and they also act like stubborn spoiled brats not to come clean about their feelings!) But at this book: both of the characters earned entire Brownie points and saved me to read long and agitatedly emotional chapters!
And final thing I Loved about the book was the supporting characters: I already loved Taylor and as far as I may see, we’re gonna read her story at the second book that I cannot wait! And let’s not forget our sarcastic, entertaining doctor London. I enjoyed those three different, independent, strong women’s growing friendship and sisterhood.
Overall: The book carries so many important messages about racial and sex inequity and unfairness at work places. It was powerful, motivational, witty, thought-provoking, riveting, dazzling and also very romantic reading. I highly recommend it to the genre lovers!
So much thanks to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for making my wish come true and sharing this wonderful ARC in exchange my honest review. I cannot wait to read the sequels!
February 9, 2022
overall i really enjoyed this book! books set in a work environment are always a selling point for me and this did not disappoint.
i fucking loved these characters. especially our main girl Samiah. she’s super badass and wickedly smart. women in STEM fields>>>> anything else
Daniel, the male love interest, was kinda hard character to grow on but the wayyyyy he fucking describes Samiah in his pov was just too fucking attractive.
this is a very character driven book and the author weaves together the workplace environment, struggles each character faces, and the plot all very nicely.
my only critique for this book is that there was a lying/identity reveal trope and i usually don’t like those tropes at all. but it was weaves into this story pretty nicely that it didn’t bother me too much.
i fucking loved these characters. especially our main girl Samiah. she’s super badass and wickedly smart. women in STEM fields>>>> anything else
Daniel, the male love interest, was kinda hard character to grow on but the wayyyyy he fucking describes Samiah in his pov was just too fucking attractive.
this is a very character driven book and the author weaves together the workplace environment, struggles each character faces, and the plot all very nicely.
my only critique for this book is that there was a lying/identity reveal trope and i usually don’t like those tropes at all. but it was weaves into this story pretty nicely that it didn’t bother me too much.
June 7, 2020
****4 STARS
Yassssss! This is what I am talking about!
It is about time that romance books featuring black characters are marketed the same way as romance books with white characters have been for years.
There was not white savior or poor, ghetto black woman in sight. What you are getting is a black man and woman being represented just how we are in real life. No stereotypes inserted to be passed off as fact. This is proper representation.
What a breath of fresh fucking air!
I’m so darn giddy about this story because it’s a true representation of who Black people are. Farrah Rochon nails it. I think I may even have a slight girl crush on her now.
The book starts off with a healthy amount of drama that sets up for the perfect storyline. It follows the synopsis to the book which I can appreciate. I hate when a synopsis is just a flat out lie to get me to read the book.
Let’s start with our beautiful and sexy leading lady, Samiah. BTW – I adore her name. So cute! Samiah is everything I want to be when I grow up. She’s is the total package. Samiah has a great career, money, car, fancy condo, etc. What she doesn’t have is a partner to share it with, but not for a lack of trying. The dating scene in Austin, TX apparently isn’t that good, according to her. I don’t personally know, but that’s what the book tells us.
Now it’s time to tell you about the sexy Daniel Collins. He is a walking wet dream. The man is more than just a face, he’s also charming, thoughtful, intelligent, knows how to flirt his way right into your heart. I am a fan!
Daniel allowed Samiah the space to be herself. She didn’t have to pretend. That’s how a woman falls in love with not only a man but with herself. There is nothing more sexy than a woman was is unapologetically herself. That’s one of the many reasons I enjoyed reading their relationship develop.
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Remember to follow all things messy. . .
Yassssss! This is what I am talking about!
It is about time that romance books featuring black characters are marketed the same way as romance books with white characters have been for years.
There was not white savior or poor, ghetto black woman in sight. What you are getting is a black man and woman being represented just how we are in real life. No stereotypes inserted to be passed off as fact. This is proper representation.
What a breath of fresh fucking air!
I’m so darn giddy about this story because it’s a true representation of who Black people are. Farrah Rochon nails it. I think I may even have a slight girl crush on her now.
The book starts off with a healthy amount of drama that sets up for the perfect storyline. It follows the synopsis to the book which I can appreciate. I hate when a synopsis is just a flat out lie to get me to read the book.
Let’s start with our beautiful and sexy leading lady, Samiah. BTW – I adore her name. So cute! Samiah is everything I want to be when I grow up. She’s is the total package. Samiah has a great career, money, car, fancy condo, etc. What she doesn’t have is a partner to share it with, but not for a lack of trying. The dating scene in Austin, TX apparently isn’t that good, according to her. I don’t personally know, but that’s what the book tells us.
Now it’s time to tell you about the sexy Daniel Collins. He is a walking wet dream. The man is more than just a face, he’s also charming, thoughtful, intelligent, knows how to flirt his way right into your heart. I am a fan!
Samiah was falling in love with the person she was when she was with him."
Daniel allowed Samiah the space to be herself. She didn’t have to pretend. That’s how a woman falls in love with not only a man but with herself. There is nothing more sexy than a woman was is unapologetically herself. That’s one of the many reasons I enjoyed reading their relationship develop.
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Read More
Remember to follow all things messy. . .
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July 10, 2020
What happens when 3 smart girls get screwed over by one guy? They get together and form The Boyfriend Project. I loved this book! I was pretty sure I was going to enjoy it after reading the rave reviews, I just didn't realize how much. It was so much more than a rom-com. There was some depth and a little mystery thrown in there too.
Samiah has it going on...she has a great job...a great job...oh yes and a great job. That is her life. She doesn't have time for friends and dudes. Yet she falls for Craig...and then she figures out the hard way why she doesn't have time for dudes. So she enters a pack with Craig's other girlfriends...London and Taylor. Theses girls are smart, witty and wild. #squadgoals and these girls have made a pact. No guys for six months........no problem! Samiah is over dudes...until Daniel walks in. He is kind, smart, successful and GORGEOUS.....Houston we may have a problem...HAHAHA will Samiah break the pact?
I loved all the characters in this book! Well except for Craig...he was a loser for sure. If you want something light, fun, but a rom-com with something more to it...this is it!!
Thank you so much to Grand Central Publishing for sending this ARC my way in exchange for an honest review. LOVED IT!
Samiah has it going on...she has a great job...a great job...oh yes and a great job. That is her life. She doesn't have time for friends and dudes. Yet she falls for Craig...and then she figures out the hard way why she doesn't have time for dudes. So she enters a pack with Craig's other girlfriends...London and Taylor. Theses girls are smart, witty and wild. #squadgoals and these girls have made a pact. No guys for six months........no problem! Samiah is over dudes...until Daniel walks in. He is kind, smart, successful and GORGEOUS.....Houston we may have a problem...HAHAHA will Samiah break the pact?
I loved all the characters in this book! Well except for Craig...he was a loser for sure. If you want something light, fun, but a rom-com with something more to it...this is it!!
Thank you so much to Grand Central Publishing for sending this ARC my way in exchange for an honest review. LOVED IT!
July 11, 2020
The Boyfriend Project is a refreshing office-romance that I enjoyed reading, but had some mixed feelings about.
We follow Samiah Brooks, a badass black woman working for a major tech company. She finds out that she was catfished by her boyfriend, who was simultaneously dating two other women. She confronts him with the two other girls, Taylor and London, and team up to expose him. They develop a friendship, and end up making a pact to concentrate on themselves for the next six months and not let any men hold them back- The Boyfriend Project.
But then a new employee is hired at Samiah's work- Daniel Collins- and now Samiah is conflicted between her pact and her growing feelings. Not all is as it seems however, as Daniel is hiding his real identity. He is a secret agent, trying to uncover the money laundering scheme hidden in the company before it is too late.
I loved so many aspects of this book. The female friendships were done really well and I appreciated how they all came together instead of resenting each other. I had heard a few people saying they thought there was too much focus on the work but I really enjoyed that element! I don't know much about the tech industry (or the secret spy industry for that matter) so it was really interesting to find out more about it. I loved the discussions about privilege and how much harder Samiah had to work to be respected because of her identity as a black woman. I also liked the conversations about how Samiah feels she has to be perfect, lest she block opportunities for subsequent black women to be employed. Women in STEM was a major issue that was addressed, and I am so grateful for it. It was great to see a strong, sexy female character with ambitions of making her own app, not being afraid to be forward and knowing what she wants.
However, in that list of things that I enjoyed about the story, there is one that is glaringly absent. The romance. While I loved Samiah, and quite liked Daniel- I never got fully invested in their romance. I can't exactly pin point what it was, but I just couldn't feel the chemistry. Their banter was pretty good, and they definitely had physical attraction but somehow I didn't believe in them. In addition, the sex scenes were not my favourite. I am not sure if it was how they were written or the fact that I listened to it on audio, but they made me cringe and want to skip over them. The romance felt pretty underwhelming and boring in comparison to some of the other aspects of the story. If this wasn't a romance book I could have gotten past that, but because it was such a major part it hindered my enjoyment.
I thought the writing was good, but I would have preferred it to be told in first person rather than third. It may be a nit-picky thing, but that doesn't usually bother me. In this book however, it felt unnatural and was perhaps one of the things that stopped me from caring about the romance. I got used to it in the end, but still think first person would have suited the story better.
Overall, I really loved certain elements of the story but the romance is what ultimately brought this down for me. I would recommend this if you are looking for a diverse, own-voices read with well developed characters and discussions about privilege in the tech world. Don't go into this however, for the romance alone.
★★★☆☆ stars
Thank you to Hachette Audio and Libro.fm for this ALC
Release Date: 9 June 2020
We follow Samiah Brooks, a badass black woman working for a major tech company. She finds out that she was catfished by her boyfriend, who was simultaneously dating two other women. She confronts him with the two other girls, Taylor and London, and team up to expose him. They develop a friendship, and end up making a pact to concentrate on themselves for the next six months and not let any men hold them back- The Boyfriend Project.
But then a new employee is hired at Samiah's work- Daniel Collins- and now Samiah is conflicted between her pact and her growing feelings. Not all is as it seems however, as Daniel is hiding his real identity. He is a secret agent, trying to uncover the money laundering scheme hidden in the company before it is too late.
I loved so many aspects of this book. The female friendships were done really well and I appreciated how they all came together instead of resenting each other. I had heard a few people saying they thought there was too much focus on the work but I really enjoyed that element! I don't know much about the tech industry (or the secret spy industry for that matter) so it was really interesting to find out more about it. I loved the discussions about privilege and how much harder Samiah had to work to be respected because of her identity as a black woman. I also liked the conversations about how Samiah feels she has to be perfect, lest she block opportunities for subsequent black women to be employed. Women in STEM was a major issue that was addressed, and I am so grateful for it. It was great to see a strong, sexy female character with ambitions of making her own app, not being afraid to be forward and knowing what she wants.
However, in that list of things that I enjoyed about the story, there is one that is glaringly absent. The romance. While I loved Samiah, and quite liked Daniel- I never got fully invested in their romance. I can't exactly pin point what it was, but I just couldn't feel the chemistry. Their banter was pretty good, and they definitely had physical attraction but somehow I didn't believe in them. In addition, the sex scenes were not my favourite. I am not sure if it was how they were written or the fact that I listened to it on audio, but they made me cringe and want to skip over them. The romance felt pretty underwhelming and boring in comparison to some of the other aspects of the story. If this wasn't a romance book I could have gotten past that, but because it was such a major part it hindered my enjoyment.
I thought the writing was good, but I would have preferred it to be told in first person rather than third. It may be a nit-picky thing, but that doesn't usually bother me. In this book however, it felt unnatural and was perhaps one of the things that stopped me from caring about the romance. I got used to it in the end, but still think first person would have suited the story better.
Overall, I really loved certain elements of the story but the romance is what ultimately brought this down for me. I would recommend this if you are looking for a diverse, own-voices read with well developed characters and discussions about privilege in the tech world. Don't go into this however, for the romance alone.
★★★☆☆ stars
Thank you to Hachette Audio and Libro.fm for this ALC
Release Date: 9 June 2020
May 25, 2022
i really liked everything about this book except the romance. which is obviously a bummer since this is a romance. you don't give a heroine with trust issues a hero who is dishonest.
i'm giving this book 3 stars because i thought the writing was fun, i selfishly like books set in austin, and i like the emphasis on found family/female friendship.
i'm giving this book 3 stars because i thought the writing was fun, i selfishly like books set in austin, and i like the emphasis on found family/female friendship.
Shelved as 'dnf'
September 28, 2020Nah. This book wasn’t it for me. Boredom and lack of... everything made me quit.
The most exciting thing that happened was when they humiliated that idiot at the beginning of the book and that was it.
DNF at 41%.
The most exciting thing that happened was when they humiliated that idiot at the beginning of the book and that was it.
DNF at 41%.
March 17, 2022
We all know the phrase "if you don't have anything nice to say, don't say anything at all."
But is there an equivalent phrase about when you read a book and rate it 3 stars only to come back a little over a month later to realize you actually, in point of fact, don't have anything nice to say?
I'm looking for advice.
I don't know why I initially three starred this. Maybe I was just so slumpy that I assumed it was an "it's not you, it's me" situation?
How many human-interaction-based clichés can I fit into one review.
Anyway: This book seems like it has a lot going for it. Mainly in that it's a rom com with a cute cover and the idea of a boyfriend project is cool to me, as a project obsessive. (Don't even look at how many of my Goodreads shelves have the word "project" in.)
But take that promising feeling off the table entirely, because...
There is no boyfriend project.
DUN DUN DUN.
Literally nothing at all that could qualify. I'm furious even thinking about it.
And even worse, this is one of those rom coms with SO MUCH ELSE GOING ON that the actual rom is a weird afterthought, and there's no com to speak of at all.
For example: These two and their work.
The male love interest is a deep-undercover tech-based US government secret agent for, like, money laundering, so you just have to accept that as a normal and reasonable thing if you want to continue with the book without screaming or throwing things. Fine.
But if you can believe it, that's not even the most distracting part?
Our protagonist, who is just a normal human woman doing tech stuff, makes SO MANY bizarre and inexplicable work decisions - not calling out a coworker even though she herself is beloved and respected, in spite of the coworker undermining her and taking credit for her work; turning down an opportunity that sounds like a once in a lifetime chance to better herself and the world for something she could do at the same time - that I wanted to tear pages and/or my hair out.
I felt the chemistry between these two at the beginning, but both characters' insane work plot lines took up all the page time and my patience.
AND, on top of everything else, our protagonist is in a viral video mocking a previous date that led to her making a new group of friends, which I almost forgot about in spite of the fact that it also takes up more time than the romance.
There's too much going on.
Bottom line: I wrote myself into dropping this to 1.5 from 3. What a day.
-----------------
pre-review
instead of a "boyfriend project" i'm continuing romance novel quest.
they both result in disappointment, but only one of them helps my reading challenge.
review to come / 3ish stars
-----------------
reading books by Black authors for Black History Month!
book 1: caste
book 2: business not as usual
book 3: the color purple
book 4: the parking lot attendant
book 5: kindred
book 6: wrapped up in you
book 7: the boyfriend project
But is there an equivalent phrase about when you read a book and rate it 3 stars only to come back a little over a month later to realize you actually, in point of fact, don't have anything nice to say?
I'm looking for advice.
I don't know why I initially three starred this. Maybe I was just so slumpy that I assumed it was an "it's not you, it's me" situation?
How many human-interaction-based clichés can I fit into one review.
Anyway: This book seems like it has a lot going for it. Mainly in that it's a rom com with a cute cover and the idea of a boyfriend project is cool to me, as a project obsessive. (Don't even look at how many of my Goodreads shelves have the word "project" in.)
But take that promising feeling off the table entirely, because...
There is no boyfriend project.
DUN DUN DUN.
Literally nothing at all that could qualify. I'm furious even thinking about it.
And even worse, this is one of those rom coms with SO MUCH ELSE GOING ON that the actual rom is a weird afterthought, and there's no com to speak of at all.
For example: These two and their work.
The male love interest is a deep-undercover tech-based US government secret agent for, like, money laundering, so you just have to accept that as a normal and reasonable thing if you want to continue with the book without screaming or throwing things. Fine.
But if you can believe it, that's not even the most distracting part?
Our protagonist, who is just a normal human woman doing tech stuff, makes SO MANY bizarre and inexplicable work decisions - not calling out a coworker even though she herself is beloved and respected, in spite of the coworker undermining her and taking credit for her work; turning down an opportunity that sounds like a once in a lifetime chance to better herself and the world for something she could do at the same time - that I wanted to tear pages and/or my hair out.
I felt the chemistry between these two at the beginning, but both characters' insane work plot lines took up all the page time and my patience.
AND, on top of everything else, our protagonist is in a viral video mocking a previous date that led to her making a new group of friends, which I almost forgot about in spite of the fact that it also takes up more time than the romance.
There's too much going on.
Bottom line: I wrote myself into dropping this to 1.5 from 3. What a day.
-----------------
pre-review
instead of a "boyfriend project" i'm continuing romance novel quest.
they both result in disappointment, but only one of them helps my reading challenge.
review to come / 3ish stars
-----------------
reading books by Black authors for Black History Month!
book 1: caste
book 2: business not as usual
book 3: the color purple
book 4: the parking lot attendant
book 5: kindred
book 6: wrapped up in you
book 7: the boyfriend project
June 29, 2020
This was okay. I just finished the audiobook and there were some things I really enjoyed about this book and other things I didn't. I love our main character in this book and I love that she's a badass bitch that works in Tech. I love seeing more female lead characters with jobs like this, it's very empowering, and I loved the female friendships in this book. They were so cute to read about, but the romance was where this book fell flat for me. I didn't feel the chemistry between these two and, I don't know if it was just the audiobook but the sex scenes felt like they were written so awkward to me.
October 1, 2020
Finally… a few days off of work. And there’s nothing I like more than to end my work week with a fun rom- com. Perfect to pick me up and leave a smile on my face before my work week begins once again. Apparently that was asking too much. It was sadly lacking the Rom of romance, and the Com of comedy failed to make an appearance as well.
Samiah Brooks discovers the man she’s been dating has also been dating at least two other women...at the same time! Busy boy! Since one of these women is live-posting this date on twitter, Samiah decides to crash the date. This leads to a new viral video of the disastrous date but most importantly it led to a strong bond and friendship between the three women. They eventually make a pact to work on themselves before jumping back into to the dating game. Voila...The Boyfriend Project.
Right on cue enters Daniel, the new hunky man in the office. And hopeless romantic Samaritan is quickly smitten. But is Daniel all that he seems? And after such terrible luck in dating, can she trust again?
Fun premise. But it didn’t work for me. The actual boyfriend project took a backseat to the rest of the storyline and I had to constantly ask myself what, if anything it had to do with the rest of the book. The storyline crawled along at a snail's pace with little action or advancement. Left me begging, “please just do something already!” 😫
There is a gratuitous steamy sex scene to lighten things up. But in no way did it fit the characters and their story. Again...romance went out the window on this one!🙈
There are many mixed reviews for this one... so once again I hope it works better for you!
A buddy 🎧 with Susanne.
Thank you to libro.fm for an ARC to listen to and review.
Samiah Brooks discovers the man she’s been dating has also been dating at least two other women...at the same time! Busy boy! Since one of these women is live-posting this date on twitter, Samiah decides to crash the date. This leads to a new viral video of the disastrous date but most importantly it led to a strong bond and friendship between the three women. They eventually make a pact to work on themselves before jumping back into to the dating game. Voila...The Boyfriend Project.
Right on cue enters Daniel, the new hunky man in the office. And hopeless romantic Samaritan is quickly smitten. But is Daniel all that he seems? And after such terrible luck in dating, can she trust again?
Fun premise. But it didn’t work for me. The actual boyfriend project took a backseat to the rest of the storyline and I had to constantly ask myself what, if anything it had to do with the rest of the book. The storyline crawled along at a snail's pace with little action or advancement. Left me begging, “please just do something already!” 😫
There is a gratuitous steamy sex scene to lighten things up. But in no way did it fit the characters and their story. Again...romance went out the window on this one!🙈
There are many mixed reviews for this one... so once again I hope it works better for you!
A buddy 🎧 with Susanne.
Thank you to libro.fm for an ARC to listen to and review.
January 27, 2021
2.5 stars. There wasn't anything necessarily bad about this, but if I'm being honest it was just kind of boring. Womp :c
July 9, 2020
This book was EVERYTHING you want in a romcom! Fantastic characters... witty banter... sizzling chemistry... fabulous female friendships... swoony romance... Farrah Rochon, you queen! This was fab! The book kicks off with Samiah finding out her boyfriend is cheating on her not only with one, but two other women. The upside to this is that Samiah and the other two women Taylor and London form a fast friendship. Bonding over Craig the sleaze. The girls decide to form a pact and call it the boyfriend project. For the next six months they are going to focus on themselves and this means absolutely NO MEN. Samiah is sure this will not be a problem because her life is pretty much all about her job, that is until she meets her new coworker Daniel. Daniel is pretty much every woman’s dream... Hot, smart, kind, thoughtful... did I mention Hut? SO what is Samiah to do?
This book completely grabbed my heart and attention. The audiobook was narrated by Je Nie Flemming Who did an exceptional job. She really gave the perfect voice to each character, did a great job with Daniel (always a bonus when a female does a good male voice). I just cannot say enough good things about this book! I’d love to hang out with Samiah, Taylor, and London. Daniel was quite delicious and perfect for Samiah, even though he was hiding something from her. Also Samiah had a pretty cool sister and brother-in-law as well. This is a can’t miss romcom and if you like audio I strongly recommend!
This book in emojis 🍷 🍣 📱 😍
*** Big thank you to Forever and libro.fm for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
This book completely grabbed my heart and attention. The audiobook was narrated by Je Nie Flemming Who did an exceptional job. She really gave the perfect voice to each character, did a great job with Daniel (always a bonus when a female does a good male voice). I just cannot say enough good things about this book! I’d love to hang out with Samiah, Taylor, and London. Daniel was quite delicious and perfect for Samiah, even though he was hiding something from her. Also Samiah had a pretty cool sister and brother-in-law as well. This is a can’t miss romcom and if you like audio I strongly recommend!
This book in emojis 🍷 🍣 📱 😍
*** Big thank you to Forever and libro.fm for my gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own. ***
October 30, 2020
The Boyfriend Project is the perfect uplifting rom com about strong women.
I absolutely loved The Boyfriend Project. I read a chapter sampler on NetGalley and have been impatiently waiting to read the rest of the book.
I love the characters in The Boyfriend Project. Samiah, London and Taylor all are focusing on their careers. Taylor worries about what her family thinks of her career and Samiah and London are like her older sisters encouraging her to follow her dreams. Samiah has an app idea that she wants to develop but has put it to the side for years. The other women encourage her to develop the app.
The Boyfriend Project is an own voices novel.
I listened to the audiobook and Je Nie Flemming did an excellent job narrating.
I highly recommend The Boyfriend Project to rom com fans.
Full review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
I absolutely loved The Boyfriend Project. I read a chapter sampler on NetGalley and have been impatiently waiting to read the rest of the book.
I love the characters in The Boyfriend Project. Samiah, London and Taylor all are focusing on their careers. Taylor worries about what her family thinks of her career and Samiah and London are like her older sisters encouraging her to follow her dreams. Samiah has an app idea that she wants to develop but has put it to the side for years. The other women encourage her to develop the app.
The Boyfriend Project is an own voices novel.
I listened to the audiobook and Je Nie Flemming did an excellent job narrating.
I highly recommend The Boyfriend Project to rom com fans.
Full review: https://justreadingjess.wordpress.com...
September 24, 2020
In The Boyfriend Project Samiah Brooks is captured on video calling out a shady dude who pulled the same stunts with 2 other women, Taylor and London, and the video goes viral. It’s not the type of attention Samiah needs though it does result in some welcome female friendships with Taylor and London. The 3 women commit to focusing on other projects rather than men for the next 6 months.
Samiah is a dedicated project manager at a software company in Austin and hopes to develop her own app someday. Her new coworker Daniel Collins is not part of her plan but he’s thoughtful and good looking and well, hard to resist. Will she uphold the pact or break it, and is Daniel really a worthy guy or just another shady dude?
When The Boyfriend Project first came out, I admit I didn’t have much interest in reading it. I judged the book by its cover which to me, implied a light romcom, a genre I don’t often seek. After seeing the book all over bookstagram though, I became curious and I’m glad I gave it a shot as I ended up really enjoying it! I appreciated the independent, ambitious women Samiah and her friends were, I liked Daniel, felt the chemistry was believable, and enjoyed the dialogue in this modern, entertaining story.
Samiah is a dedicated project manager at a software company in Austin and hopes to develop her own app someday. Her new coworker Daniel Collins is not part of her plan but he’s thoughtful and good looking and well, hard to resist. Will she uphold the pact or break it, and is Daniel really a worthy guy or just another shady dude?
When The Boyfriend Project first came out, I admit I didn’t have much interest in reading it. I judged the book by its cover which to me, implied a light romcom, a genre I don’t often seek. After seeing the book all over bookstagram though, I became curious and I’m glad I gave it a shot as I ended up really enjoying it! I appreciated the independent, ambitious women Samiah and her friends were, I liked Daniel, felt the chemistry was believable, and enjoyed the dialogue in this modern, entertaining story.
August 24, 2020
3 stars
This was my first book by Farrah Rochon and I enjoyed her writing style. I'll for sure pick up more by her in the future.
Samiah's story starts out in a unique way. It's a twitter thread her sister finds online has her meeting two incredible women she becomes friends with. Samiah is in her late twenties and is successful and driven. She, along with her two new friends, decide to focus on what they want in their lives and careers and not on men. Of course, that very week a new employee named Daniel starts.
Daniel and Samiah become friends and the attraction is there but both are hesitant to start anything for different reasons. I liked Daniel and Samiah but I never felt the spark or the romance between them. Honestly, I was much more focused on their jobs and such.
The Boyfriend Project was a good read for me, but honestly, I would not classify it as a romance. It did have romance in it, but I think marketing it as a romance does the story a disservice. Definitely more of a chick-lit read. Still, I liked it and would pick up more from this author in the future. If you're looking for a story with a strong heroine navigating her career and following her dreams and a book with great female friendships, pick this one up!
This was my first book by Farrah Rochon and I enjoyed her writing style. I'll for sure pick up more by her in the future.
Samiah's story starts out in a unique way. It's a twitter thread her sister finds online has her meeting two incredible women she becomes friends with. Samiah is in her late twenties and is successful and driven. She, along with her two new friends, decide to focus on what they want in their lives and careers and not on men. Of course, that very week a new employee named Daniel starts.
Daniel and Samiah become friends and the attraction is there but both are hesitant to start anything for different reasons. I liked Daniel and Samiah but I never felt the spark or the romance between them. Honestly, I was much more focused on their jobs and such.
The Boyfriend Project was a good read for me, but honestly, I would not classify it as a romance. It did have romance in it, but I think marketing it as a romance does the story a disservice. Definitely more of a chick-lit read. Still, I liked it and would pick up more from this author in the future. If you're looking for a story with a strong heroine navigating her career and following her dreams and a book with great female friendships, pick this one up!
Read
August 3, 2020Contemporary romance with a fabulous cover (hey look you can have a cartoon style cover with facial features!) and a barnstorming opening. I thoroughly enjoyed Samiah's Twitter-famous discovery that she was triple timed, and the friendship she develops with the other women. Daniel is a strong lead and the romance bounds along with a nice slow burn followed by lots of heat and strong setting.
But--argh--I really fell out with Daniel in the Bad Thing At The End. This is very much a case of YMMV and my own feelings. Major spoilers follow:
Clearly I had incredibly strong (and highly personal) feelings about this, which just shows how involving the book is and how much I liked the characters. Definitely buying the next one, the set-up for Taylor's story is utterly irresistible. But I would still have liked Daniel to get a much bigger kick in the nads before he got forgiven.
But--argh--I really fell out with Daniel in the Bad Thing At The End. This is very much a case of YMMV and my own feelings. Major spoilers follow:
Clearly I had incredibly strong (and highly personal) feelings about this, which just shows how involving the book is and how much I liked the characters. Definitely buying the next one, the set-up for Taylor's story is utterly irresistible. But I would still have liked Daniel to get a much bigger kick in the nads before he got forgiven.
June 17, 2020
5 Stars!
I LOVED this book for so many reasons. Everyone should go pick it up, right now!!
Samiah is a woman in tech, so she already has to work harder when it comes to her career. She also wants to find a partner. She is seeing someone and thinks it may work, until she starts reading someone's "disastrous date" tweets and she realizes this is the man she's been seeing. Her and 2 other women (who have all been seeing him at once) confront him at once and form an unlikely bond. They make a boyfriend pact and agree that all 3 of them will focus on what they want to do for the next 6 months and not worry about dating.
Until Samiah meets Daniel, then it all changes. As much as they may want to resist one another it is becoming too difficult. As they work together on themselves and in work projects, a bond starts to form, however that doesn't come without secrets from both of them. Can their relationship last once the truth spills out?
I've been looking forward to reading this book for awhile and I'm so glad I decided to pick it up now. It was way more than I thought it would be in all the best ways. I loved this book because Samiah is a woman in tech (like me) and therefore has to work harder at her job day in and day out to "prove herself". This book exhibits how women who are pinned to be unlikely friends can become your best confidants and most trustworthy friends. It also shows the struggle of the BIPOC community and what Daniel & Samiah have to go through in their daily lives. The author does a great job of laying it out very clearly for the reader of the additional struggles. I felt sad and upset for Samiah and Daniel and I think that made my reading experience that much better.
I had never read a Farrah Rochon book before but this will definitely not be my last. This will easily be one of my favorite books this year and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one by Rochon. This one is out now and I highly recommend you pick it up.
Thank you for Forever publishing for my copy of this book!
I LOVED this book for so many reasons. Everyone should go pick it up, right now!!
Samiah is a woman in tech, so she already has to work harder when it comes to her career. She also wants to find a partner. She is seeing someone and thinks it may work, until she starts reading someone's "disastrous date" tweets and she realizes this is the man she's been seeing. Her and 2 other women (who have all been seeing him at once) confront him at once and form an unlikely bond. They make a boyfriend pact and agree that all 3 of them will focus on what they want to do for the next 6 months and not worry about dating.
Until Samiah meets Daniel, then it all changes. As much as they may want to resist one another it is becoming too difficult. As they work together on themselves and in work projects, a bond starts to form, however that doesn't come without secrets from both of them. Can their relationship last once the truth spills out?
I've been looking forward to reading this book for awhile and I'm so glad I decided to pick it up now. It was way more than I thought it would be in all the best ways. I loved this book because Samiah is a woman in tech (like me) and therefore has to work harder at her job day in and day out to "prove herself". This book exhibits how women who are pinned to be unlikely friends can become your best confidants and most trustworthy friends. It also shows the struggle of the BIPOC community and what Daniel & Samiah have to go through in their daily lives. The author does a great job of laying it out very clearly for the reader of the additional struggles. I felt sad and upset for Samiah and Daniel and I think that made my reading experience that much better.
I had never read a Farrah Rochon book before but this will definitely not be my last. This will easily be one of my favorite books this year and I cannot wait to get my hands on the next one by Rochon. This one is out now and I highly recommend you pick it up.
Thank you for Forever publishing for my copy of this book!
June 19, 2020
someone tell me why it's still legal to use 3rd person perspective in romance novels
also the secret agent thing just really didn't do it for me :/
rtc
buddy read with my romance reading buddy, menna ❤️
Thank youuuu Netgalley for approving me for this title!!
also the secret agent thing just really didn't do it for me :/
rtc
buddy read with my romance reading buddy, menna ❤️
Thank youuuu Netgalley for approving me for this title!!
Read
April 26, 2020This was one of my most anticipated releases of 2020, and boy do I wish I'd loved it. I really wanted to, but it ultimately was a let down on most fronts, and this hurts my soul to say.
The premise of The Boyfriend Project set it up to be a new favorite of mine, and through all my excitement and even when I started the book, never once did it cross my mind that this is a book I might dislike. Three women who form a strong bond after being cheated on by the same asshole? Friendship? Office romance? Literally none of that sounded to me like something could go wrong along the way, and although the book did deliver in some aspects, ultimately it failed when it mattered most for the genre: the romantic relationship.
So let's start with what the did right: the female friendship. I love how quick Samirah, London and Taylor took to each other. Eventhough they all come from different backgrounds and have different hobbies and aspirations, they bonded over going viral and from then on formed a steady and reliable support system for each other, might it be in the matters of the heart, work or anything in between, they always made time for each other and that warmed my heart to see.
Full review posted on my blog : Word Wonders
The premise of The Boyfriend Project set it up to be a new favorite of mine, and through all my excitement and even when I started the book, never once did it cross my mind that this is a book I might dislike. Three women who form a strong bond after being cheated on by the same asshole? Friendship? Office romance? Literally none of that sounded to me like something could go wrong along the way, and although the book did deliver in some aspects, ultimately it failed when it mattered most for the genre: the romantic relationship.
So let's start with what the did right: the female friendship. I love how quick Samirah, London and Taylor took to each other. Eventhough they all come from different backgrounds and have different hobbies and aspirations, they bonded over going viral and from then on formed a steady and reliable support system for each other, might it be in the matters of the heart, work or anything in between, they always made time for each other and that warmed my heart to see.
Full review posted on my blog : Word Wonders
May 5, 2022
My Book of the Month recommendation:
In the current state of our world, I have been zeroing in on the things that bring me comfort: friends and family who make me laugh, good food (I’m cooking up a storm), and the hope I find in romance novels. Which is why I’m thrilled to recommend Farrah Rochon’s The Boyfriend Project, which offers a combination of all three, and then some!
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a viral video connoisseur, so the first chapter of this book was my catnip. While getting dolled up for a date, Samiah discovers from a series of live tweets that her guy is dating two other women at the same time. She marches into the restaurant where the three women confront him—you go, girls!—and by the time they storm out, a viral video AND sisterhood are born. In the aftermath, the women give up men for six months so they can concentrate on their personal projects instead. Samiah, a badass software developer, vows to start working on an app idea she’s put off for too long. And then life throws her a mean and delicious curveball: Daniel, the hot new guy at work. Can Samiah keep up her agreement with her new friends and ignore her attraction to him?
When so many of us are missing the simple pleasure of grabbing a margarita with our girlfriends, The Boyfriend Project reminds us how essential friendships are in our lives. Readers are going to feel empowered by Samiah’s ambition and swoon over her happily-ever-after with Daniel. It’s the perfect reading treat to kick off your summertime reading.
In the current state of our world, I have been zeroing in on the things that bring me comfort: friends and family who make me laugh, good food (I’m cooking up a storm), and the hope I find in romance novels. Which is why I’m thrilled to recommend Farrah Rochon’s The Boyfriend Project, which offers a combination of all three, and then some!
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a viral video connoisseur, so the first chapter of this book was my catnip. While getting dolled up for a date, Samiah discovers from a series of live tweets that her guy is dating two other women at the same time. She marches into the restaurant where the three women confront him—you go, girls!—and by the time they storm out, a viral video AND sisterhood are born. In the aftermath, the women give up men for six months so they can concentrate on their personal projects instead. Samiah, a badass software developer, vows to start working on an app idea she’s put off for too long. And then life throws her a mean and delicious curveball: Daniel, the hot new guy at work. Can Samiah keep up her agreement with her new friends and ignore her attraction to him?
When so many of us are missing the simple pleasure of grabbing a margarita with our girlfriends, The Boyfriend Project reminds us how essential friendships are in our lives. Readers are going to feel empowered by Samiah’s ambition and swoon over her happily-ever-after with Daniel. It’s the perfect reading treat to kick off your summertime reading.
May 9, 2022
I loved THE BOYFRIEND PROJECT sooo much. Samiah is super smart and is a software engineer at a tech firm in Austin, Texas. She has been dating a guy she met online when she catches him cheating in a viral Twitter post—where she meets the two other women he’s been seeing—Taylor and London. The friendship between these three was awesome! I also completely loved the tech geekery scenes, and the way the book was authentically set in Austin. So many cool local touches! She meets Daniel at work, another coder, except it turns out Daniel is secretly there undercover for the government, investigating a fraud case. He and Samiah start to fall for each other, but Daniel is lying to her. Such a heartbreaking scenario and I absolutely LOVED this!! The romance was sweet, the dialogue was crisp and fun, and all the characters from main characters to side characters were wonderful. I can’t wait for book two! Favorites.
June 26, 2021
This book is an adult contemporary romance that is more than two strong personalities growing feelings for each other as it dives slightly into the trope of an undercover agent falling for the colleague at a workplace he’s inspecting at; and brings a confident woman to the front and center as she fights the themes of misogyny, sexism, and racism in the tech industry through an insightful narration.
Samiah is an ambitious Black woman whose hard-work and talent has gotten her far into the coding industry, but her dream of launching a self-coded app is still blooming everyday. Her portrayal is so pleasantly surprising through her love for make-up—especially a smoky eye—and her dry humour. She’s clearly not one to let go off what’s evidently wrong and that is boldly, unapologetically put forward throughout the story.
Daniel is the biracial son of a Korean mother and an African-American father who is now working for a government agency that employs him to gather intelligence and information around financial crimes by stepping into undercover personas at different offices. His hard-work and sheer dedication has brought him to the heights but he’s also had to say goodbye to potential relationships due to the nature of his job.
The two main characters typically meet at the coffee station of their office every morning, and soon the quick little chats—and fun flirting—turn into dates. Though, this budding session is even more interesting since the two have their own reasons to stay away from this potential workplace romance that is clearly not on either of their agendas.
Samiah and Daniel are so compatible that it hurts at timesif you’re super single and the easy conversations, innocent jabs, humorous sequences, or long discussions are evident enough. They can and do talk about all the themes that this story wishes to explore and not only does that give the readers more than the romance but also strengthens the emotions of these two. Plus, the kisses and more will leave you flustered.
Right off the bat, four women—including Samiah—coincidentally come together when they all find out about their cheater boyfriend, the man who four-timed them: courtesy of Twitter. And soon they connect over more than just an unfaithful man. They share their dreams and insecurities, and collectively decide on The Boyfriend Project, a six-month commitment to not be romantically committed and work on oneself. It’s refreshing to see these friendships, especially in contrast to a woman at Samiah’s workplace who steals our protagonist’s excellent ideas and passes them to the top heads by herself.
This story perfectly includes the reality of marginalised representation in workplaces through Samiah’s stance at her office and outside, where she supports her ideologies by actually dedicating her success or opportunities to those women of color who need to see someone like them in great places and with great possibilities. She’s also vocal about hardships that she and so many have to face for being different in the white-dominated sectors, especially through transparent conversations around diversity at her workplace—or the lack thereof—and being the ‘rarest of rarities: a diversity unicorn’ according to the corporate world of coding.
➵ one of the most insightful romances ever. this one gave me all the feels and butterflies while i gave my heart to both the main characters. it also dives into misogyny, sexism, and what it means to be a black woman in the tech industry. oh, and a romantic trope of an undercover agent falls for that strong, ambitious, confident woman at a workplace he's temporarily employed in. rtc.
➵ a witty rom-com is sometimes all I need. also, i'm so curious about this boyfriend who is so perfect. should i be picking up a romance after just recovering from a breakup? sure. why not.
The Boyfriend Project is an insightful adult contemporary romance with strong personalities countering important themes.
Two strong main characters and you’ll be loving them both.
Samiah is an ambitious Black woman whose hard-work and talent has gotten her far into the coding industry, but her dream of launching a self-coded app is still blooming everyday. Her portrayal is so pleasantly surprising through her love for make-up—especially a smoky eye—and her dry humour. She’s clearly not one to let go off what’s evidently wrong and that is boldly, unapologetically put forward throughout the story.
Daniel is the biracial son of a Korean mother and an African-American father who is now working for a government agency that employs him to gather intelligence and information around financial crimes by stepping into undercover personas at different offices. His hard-work and sheer dedication has brought him to the heights but he’s also had to say goodbye to potential relationships due to the nature of his job.
✹ consider reading this review on my blog! ✹
The romance is hot, hot, hot and sweet, sweet, sweet.
The two main characters typically meet at the coffee station of their office every morning, and soon the quick little chats—and fun flirting—turn into dates. Though, this budding session is even more interesting since the two have their own reasons to stay away from this potential workplace romance that is clearly not on either of their agendas.
Samiah and Daniel are so compatible that it hurts at times
Female friendships beautifully uplifts the main character.
Right off the bat, four women—including Samiah—coincidentally come together when they all find out about their cheater boyfriend, the man who four-timed them: courtesy of Twitter. And soon they connect over more than just an unfaithful man. They share their dreams and insecurities, and collectively decide on The Boyfriend Project, a six-month commitment to not be romantically committed and work on oneself. It’s refreshing to see these friendships, especially in contrast to a woman at Samiah’s workplace who steals our protagonist’s excellent ideas and passes them to the top heads by herself.
Important themes like women empowerment, sexism, racism, and how corporate uses diversity as check boxes to be filled.
This story perfectly includes the reality of marginalised representation in workplaces through Samiah’s stance at her office and outside, where she supports her ideologies by actually dedicating her success or opportunities to those women of color who need to see someone like them in great places and with great possibilities. She’s also vocal about hardships that she and so many have to face for being different in the white-dominated sectors, especially through transparent conversations around diversity at her workplace—or the lack thereof—and being the ‘rarest of rarities: a diversity unicorn’ according to the corporate world of coding.
I'm in no place to give detailed comments on the representation of the ethnicity or race of main characters in this book so please pay heed to the ownvoices reviews for these representations above mine.
➵ one of the most insightful romances ever. this one gave me all the feels and butterflies while i gave my heart to both the main characters. it also dives into misogyny, sexism, and what it means to be a black woman in the tech industry. oh, and a romantic trope of an undercover agent falls for that strong, ambitious, confident woman at a workplace he's temporarily employed in. rtc.
↣ an early digital copy received via netgalley
➵ a witty rom-com is sometimes all I need. also, i'm so curious about this boyfriend who is so perfect. should i be picking up a romance after just recovering from a breakup? sure. why not.
Read
May 1, 2020Why I love it
by Abby Jimenez
In the current state of our world, I have been zeroing in on the things that bring me comfort: friends and family who make me laugh, good food (I’m cooking up a storm), and the hope I find in romance novels. Which is why I’m thrilled to recommend Farrah Rochon’s The Boyfriend Project, which offers a combination of all three, and then some!
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a viral video connoisseur, so the first chapter of this book was my catnip. While getting dolled up for a date, Samiah discovers from a series of live tweets that her guy is dating two other women at the same time. She marches into the restaurant where the three women confront him—you go, girls!—and by the time they storm out, a viral video AND sisterhood are born. In the aftermath, the women give up men for six months so they can concentrate on their personal projects instead. Samiah, a badass software developer, vows to start working on an app idea she’s put off for too long. And then life throws her a mean and delicious curveball: Daniel, the hot new guy at work. Can Samiah keep up her agreement with her new friends and ignore her attraction to him?
When so many of us are missing the simple pleasure of grabbing a margarita with our girlfriends, The Boyfriend Project reminds us how essential friendships are in our lives. Readers are going to feel empowered by Samiah’s ambition and swoon over her happily-ever-after with Daniel. It’s the perfect reading treat to kick off your summertime reading.
Read more at: https://bookofthemonth.com/the-boyfri...
by Abby Jimenez
In the current state of our world, I have been zeroing in on the things that bring me comfort: friends and family who make me laugh, good food (I’m cooking up a storm), and the hope I find in romance novels. Which is why I’m thrilled to recommend Farrah Rochon’s The Boyfriend Project, which offers a combination of all three, and then some!
I’m not ashamed to admit that I’m a viral video connoisseur, so the first chapter of this book was my catnip. While getting dolled up for a date, Samiah discovers from a series of live tweets that her guy is dating two other women at the same time. She marches into the restaurant where the three women confront him—you go, girls!—and by the time they storm out, a viral video AND sisterhood are born. In the aftermath, the women give up men for six months so they can concentrate on their personal projects instead. Samiah, a badass software developer, vows to start working on an app idea she’s put off for too long. And then life throws her a mean and delicious curveball: Daniel, the hot new guy at work. Can Samiah keep up her agreement with her new friends and ignore her attraction to him?
When so many of us are missing the simple pleasure of grabbing a margarita with our girlfriends, The Boyfriend Project reminds us how essential friendships are in our lives. Readers are going to feel empowered by Samiah’s ambition and swoon over her happily-ever-after with Daniel. It’s the perfect reading treat to kick off your summertime reading.
Read more at: https://bookofthemonth.com/the-boyfri...
September 22, 2020
What happens when you discover that the man you’ve been dating has also been dating several other women? Thanks to Twitter, Samiah gets the scoop on her man’s date with another one of his girlfriends and decides to confront him. Turns out she’s not the only one to do so and that confrontation goes viral. Luckily for Samiah, she got two new best friends out of the deal: London and Taylor. Not too shabby if you ask me!
After what has happened to these ladies, they make a pact: No dating for 6 months. Sounds easy right?
For Samiah, work has always come first and she has been very successful as a woman of color in the tech industry. Now however, Samiah has decided to do something for herself, and that means developing the app she’s always dreamed of.
Daniel Collins is a newbie at Samiah’s company and he’s got an agenda, one that no one would ever suspect. That agenda is hard to focus on once he meets Samiah Brooks.
���The Boyfriend Project” by Farrah Rochon is Women’s Fiction that I found to be lacking a little something. I never quite felt anything for the characters and kept waiting for something to “happen.” When it finally did in the last quarter of the book (which was clear from the very beginning), it was a let down. There are a lot of stellar reviews out there for this novel and I therefore, may simply be the wrong reader for this book.
Another buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to Libro.Fm, Grand Central Publishing and Farrah Rochon for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 9.22.20.
After what has happened to these ladies, they make a pact: No dating for 6 months. Sounds easy right?
For Samiah, work has always come first and she has been very successful as a woman of color in the tech industry. Now however, Samiah has decided to do something for herself, and that means developing the app she’s always dreamed of.
Daniel Collins is a newbie at Samiah’s company and he’s got an agenda, one that no one would ever suspect. That agenda is hard to focus on once he meets Samiah Brooks.
���The Boyfriend Project” by Farrah Rochon is Women’s Fiction that I found to be lacking a little something. I never quite felt anything for the characters and kept waiting for something to “happen.” When it finally did in the last quarter of the book (which was clear from the very beginning), it was a let down. There are a lot of stellar reviews out there for this novel and I therefore, may simply be the wrong reader for this book.
Another buddy read with Kaceey!
Thank you to Libro.Fm, Grand Central Publishing and Farrah Rochon for the arc.
Published on Goodreads on 9.22.20.
July 1, 2020
4 sweet STEM stars!
This is a book that wasn't on my radar, but when the opportunity presented itself with the ALC program, I thought I would check the book out. I'm really loving the rom com genre and the girl squad/female in STEM aspect was certainly appealing.
First of all, I would give 10 stars to the narrator, Je Nie Fleming. She is AMAZING. I want her to narrate my life. Seriously. It's been a tough month with stress at work and listening to her voice and interpretation of these characters gave me some much needed comic relief and made me so happy.
Also, Farrah Rochon is a must read author for me going forward. I absolutely loved her writing and thought this story was intelligent, sexy, educational and so very fun. I also enjoyed Daniel's storyline as well and I would recommend this to everyone. It was a touch repetitive at times and I felt like the story could have moved a long a little quicker in certain places, but that is a minor complaint.
Overall, I would recommend you put this on your TBR IMMEDIATELY - and make sure its the audiobook!!
Thank you to Hachette Audio and the Libro.fm ALC program for a free advanced audiobook to listen to and review!
Review Date: 07/01/2020
Publication Date: 06/09/2020
This is a book that wasn't on my radar, but when the opportunity presented itself with the ALC program, I thought I would check the book out. I'm really loving the rom com genre and the girl squad/female in STEM aspect was certainly appealing.
First of all, I would give 10 stars to the narrator, Je Nie Fleming. She is AMAZING. I want her to narrate my life. Seriously. It's been a tough month with stress at work and listening to her voice and interpretation of these characters gave me some much needed comic relief and made me so happy.
Also, Farrah Rochon is a must read author for me going forward. I absolutely loved her writing and thought this story was intelligent, sexy, educational and so very fun. I also enjoyed Daniel's storyline as well and I would recommend this to everyone. It was a touch repetitive at times and I felt like the story could have moved a long a little quicker in certain places, but that is a minor complaint.
Overall, I would recommend you put this on your TBR IMMEDIATELY - and make sure its the audiobook!!
Thank you to Hachette Audio and the Libro.fm ALC program for a free advanced audiobook to listen to and review!
Review Date: 07/01/2020
Publication Date: 06/09/2020
June 5, 2020
I have been loving reading romances about women in business and women in tech. In this one, Samiah is in the tech industry and has always had to work harder to prove herself because she's a woman. This starts off with Samiah realizing that she's dating someone who is also dating two other girls. The girls end up becoming friends and swearing off men so that they can focus on themselves. Of course, a cute new guy ends up working at Samiah's work!
When this started, I really enjoyed the story. I like Samiah and her friendship with the two other girls and how she found Daniel really cute but didn't want to start anything. I also enjoyed how Samiah was so passionate about developing her app and finally putting herself first. When it came to the romance, though, I was a little let down. The story felt dragged out with their relationship and I was just waiting for the ending to drop because I knew exactly what the drama was going to be. The doubts on both Daniel and Samiah's parts were rehashed over and over again and I was more bored than anything.
While the set up for this book was really good and the romance was cute, I felt like the story didn't move as fast as I wanted it to. While I love having a woman in tech and a strong friendship group supporting each other, this wasn't everything I wanted.
When this started, I really enjoyed the story. I like Samiah and her friendship with the two other girls and how she found Daniel really cute but didn't want to start anything. I also enjoyed how Samiah was so passionate about developing her app and finally putting herself first. When it came to the romance, though, I was a little let down. The story felt dragged out with their relationship and I was just waiting for the ending to drop because I knew exactly what the drama was going to be. The doubts on both Daniel and Samiah's parts were rehashed over and over again and I was more bored than anything.
While the set up for this book was really good and the romance was cute, I felt like the story didn't move as fast as I wanted it to. While I love having a woman in tech and a strong friendship group supporting each other, this wasn't everything I wanted.
June 20, 2020
I LOVED this book! This was not just a romcom but a great women’s fiction with some suspenseful elements thrown in. The subplots made this such a wonderful read.
The first chapter opened up with an epic scene in a popular restaurant in Austin. Three strong women victimized by a catfishing scheme were all caught in a video posted in social media that went viral over night. Samia, Taylor and London formed an instant friendship #squadgoals and vowed to take care of themselves first with no men and no dating for the next six months. How amazing it was to read that these women lifted each other up and became their own support group.
Samia takes this time to focus on developing her “Just Friends” app until Daniel Collins, a new colleague who is half black half Korean shows up where the attraction was undeniable. Daniel’s character as an undercover agent working in Samia’s company Was a very interesting subplot that I also enjoyed.
I enjoyed reading this book and listening to the audio as well. I thought that Samia was an amazing protagonist and I am looking forward to reading Taylor’s story in the next novel.
The first chapter opened up with an epic scene in a popular restaurant in Austin. Three strong women victimized by a catfishing scheme were all caught in a video posted in social media that went viral over night. Samia, Taylor and London formed an instant friendship #squadgoals and vowed to take care of themselves first with no men and no dating for the next six months. How amazing it was to read that these women lifted each other up and became their own support group.
Samia takes this time to focus on developing her “Just Friends” app until Daniel Collins, a new colleague who is half black half Korean shows up where the attraction was undeniable. Daniel’s character as an undercover agent working in Samia’s company Was a very interesting subplot that I also enjoyed.
I enjoyed reading this book and listening to the audio as well. I thought that Samia was an amazing protagonist and I am looking forward to reading Taylor’s story in the next novel.
August 25, 2020
Cute and light.
I normally go for the type of story that tugs at you, and evokes important discussions. After getting Little Fires Everywhere and The Girl with the Lounding Voice from BOTM I decided to go for this book as a change of pace. I guess the book was good, a little cheesy for my taste. If we were allowed out I would recommend for a beachside or airplane ride.
Stay Safe!
Update: I'm rereading for an upcoming @MochaGirlsRead Book club meeting. My view remains the same but with the promise of the next book focusing on Taylor I will give it a try!
I normally go for the type of story that tugs at you, and evokes important discussions. After getting Little Fires Everywhere and The Girl with the Lounding Voice from BOTM I decided to go for this book as a change of pace. I guess the book was good, a little cheesy for my taste. If we were allowed out I would recommend for a beachside or airplane ride.
Stay Safe!
Update: I'm rereading for an upcoming @MochaGirlsRead Book club meeting. My view remains the same but with the promise of the next book focusing on Taylor I will give it a try!
June 20, 2020
If I've said it once, I've said it a million times: I really don't like insta-love stories. By the same token, I also really dislike stories where the love interests meet and are immediately and irrevocably obsessed with each other, but won't act on their mutual attraction/obsession because they got burned by a significant other in the past/are married to their jobs/are emotionally crippled by some devastating childhood trauma/have a fatal illness/are secretly vampires that want to suck each other's blood/believe being together would put the other in danger/[insert other contrived, cliche, over-used, easily-surmountable obstacle/trope]. I avoid these types of stories at all costs with a thorough vetting of possible TBRs, weeding out anything that comes close to resembling love/obsession at first sight. But every now and then, one slips through the cracks. This was that one.
It's not that this story was bad; it just wasn't my bag. I need my romances/rom-coms to have tension and heat, complete with snappy dialogue and a slow burn. Bonus points for missed connections/chances, shitty circumstances beyond their control, unrequited love, and happily never afters (unhappily ever afters?). No pain, no gain. What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment. But, unfortunately for me, it's so rare for an insta-love/love-at-first-sight story to have these things, so I simply don't read them because, more often than not, they just don't do it for me. That said, I know I'm in the minority on this, and while this book just wasn't for me, I think it'll be a big hit for fans of Abby Jimenez and the like.
It's not that this story was bad; it just wasn't my bag. I need my romances/rom-coms to have tension and heat, complete with snappy dialogue and a slow burn. Bonus points for missed connections/chances, shitty circumstances beyond their control, unrequited love, and happily never afters (unhappily ever afters?). No pain, no gain. What can I say? I'm a glutton for punishment. But, unfortunately for me, it's so rare for an insta-love/love-at-first-sight story to have these things, so I simply don't read them because, more often than not, they just don't do it for me. That said, I know I'm in the minority on this, and while this book just wasn't for me, I think it'll be a big hit for fans of Abby Jimenez and the like.
September 5, 2020
3.5 Stars. I absolutely loved the premise of this book, but the romance fell a little flat
The Boyfriend Project focuses on three main characters London, Taylor, and Samiah who end up getting catfished by the same man. As a result, the three women make a pack to push their dating desires aside and focus on themselves and their goals and aspirations. Of course, things take a turn when Samiah encounters Daniel, a new employee at her job.
What I loved most about this novel was the discussion of the importance of women of color in the tech industry. Not even just the tech industry, just women of color in STEM in general. I think that the last book that featured that narrative was the Right Swipe by Alisha Rai. I was excited to see Samiah flourish in a company and really discuss her experiences as a Black woman in the tech industry. As you read the novel, you find that a great deal of how she operates in her job is due to past transgressions. Another great aspect of this book was the friendship. I loved the closeness that existed between Taylor, London, and Samiah. Each woman brought a different personality to the table, but they all worked so well together. Honestly, I wish that we would have gotten more of a glimpse into their relationship on page.
Now here's the thing. I didn't really care for the romance. I'm not sure if it's because I had a few issues with Daniel or if I just didn't feel a connection between the two. It was one of those situations where there was an instant attraction, but I didn't necessarily feel any chemistry between them. I found myself craving more aspects of the friendship between the three women than the scenes that included Daniel and Samiah. Even Daniel by himself on page was more interesting. I loved learning about his military background. With all of that being said, I honestly didn't like that Samiah threw away the commitment that she made of taking 6 months to focus on herself for a new relationship. To me, that sort of defeated the purpose of the friend groups goals. I think it's important to spend time by yourself healing and reflecting when you go through experiences as bad as the whole catfish scenario. Maybe if the author would have permitted a little more time between the events of the catfishing and Samiah's first encounters with Daniel it would have worked better for me, but their first encounter happens like a week later and it all felt so rushed. Also, Daniel did a really shitty thing at towards the last 20% of the book. I won't specifically discuss the details because of spoilers; however, I just feel like no matter how desperate he was he shouldn't have done what he did. For me it was beyond a case of breached trust, it felt like a straight violation of boundaries. I could reading myself too much into the text, but none of that sat right with me.
Overall, I did like this book. I thought that the writing was really good. The characters were absolutely fantastic; however, the relationship between Samiah and Daniel just didn't work for me.
The Boyfriend Project focuses on three main characters London, Taylor, and Samiah who end up getting catfished by the same man. As a result, the three women make a pack to push their dating desires aside and focus on themselves and their goals and aspirations. Of course, things take a turn when Samiah encounters Daniel, a new employee at her job.
What I loved most about this novel was the discussion of the importance of women of color in the tech industry. Not even just the tech industry, just women of color in STEM in general. I think that the last book that featured that narrative was the Right Swipe by Alisha Rai. I was excited to see Samiah flourish in a company and really discuss her experiences as a Black woman in the tech industry. As you read the novel, you find that a great deal of how she operates in her job is due to past transgressions. Another great aspect of this book was the friendship. I loved the closeness that existed between Taylor, London, and Samiah. Each woman brought a different personality to the table, but they all worked so well together. Honestly, I wish that we would have gotten more of a glimpse into their relationship on page.
Now here's the thing. I didn't really care for the romance. I'm not sure if it's because I had a few issues with Daniel or if I just didn't feel a connection between the two. It was one of those situations where there was an instant attraction, but I didn't necessarily feel any chemistry between them. I found myself craving more aspects of the friendship between the three women than the scenes that included Daniel and Samiah. Even Daniel by himself on page was more interesting. I loved learning about his military background. With all of that being said, I honestly didn't like that Samiah threw away the commitment that she made of taking 6 months to focus on herself for a new relationship. To me, that sort of defeated the purpose of the friend groups goals. I think it's important to spend time by yourself healing and reflecting when you go through experiences as bad as the whole catfish scenario. Maybe if the author would have permitted a little more time between the events of the catfishing and Samiah's first encounters with Daniel it would have worked better for me, but their first encounter happens like a week later and it all felt so rushed. Also, Daniel did a really shitty thing at towards the last 20% of the book. I won't specifically discuss the details because of spoilers; however, I just feel like no matter how desperate he was he shouldn't have done what he did. For me it was beyond a case of breached trust, it felt like a straight violation of boundaries. I could reading myself too much into the text, but none of that sat right with me.
Overall, I did like this book. I thought that the writing was really good. The characters were absolutely fantastic; however, the relationship between Samiah and Daniel just didn't work for me.
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