11 August romance releases to heat up your summer reading

The Dating Playbook by Farrah Rochon

Farrah Rochon’s The Boyfriend Project wowed romance readers in 2020, and the second installment in her series of the same name is finally here. The Dating Playbook looks to be just as fun as its predecessor; it’s even got the fake-dating trope. If that’s up your alley, you won’t want to miss out on this story.

It all starts when personal trainer Taylor Powell begins looking for a better way to pay the bills. Despite being great at her job, personal training simply isn’t enough to cover all of Taylor’s needs.

Cue a former NFL player who’s trying to get back into the league. Jamar Dixon needs a personal trainer, and he’s got the money to spare. Unfortunately, he also needs secrecy, which is how he and Taylor wind up posing as a couple:

"“And Jamar Dixon might just be it. The oh-so-fine former footballer wants back into the NFL, and he wants Taylor to train him. There’s just one catch — no one can know what they’re doing. But when they’re accidentally outed as a couple, Taylor’s game plan is turned completely upside down. Is Jamar just playing to win . . . or is he playing for keeps?”"

We all know it’s a slippery slope from fake dating to genuine romance, something Taylor and Jamar are bound to find out over the course of this novel. Their personal training sessions are about to get a lot more personal.

The Dating Playbook is available in audiobook, ebook, and print starting Aug. 17, 2021.