title: While We Were Dating
author: Jasmine Guillory
publisher: Berkley
publication date: July 13, 2021
pages: 384
peppers: 3 (on this scale)
warnings: discussions of and on-page anxiety
summary: Ben Stephens has to give the campaign pitch for his ad agency because the higher-level executives are stuck at LAX. Everyone in the room is surprised when movie star Anna Gardiner decides to show up for the presentations. Gardiner (yes, I like having a heroine who shares my name) wants Ben's firm, but only if he leads the photo shoot. Needless to say, sparks fly between them, and when her agent suggests they fake date to help her career, neither of them minds spending time together.
tropes:
- movie star with a normal guy
- fake dating
- lost sister
- distant father
- anxiety attack as a bonding moment
- road trip
- plus-sized heroine
- good best friend
- pushy agent
what I liked:
- Lots of spicy moments
- They're both dealing with issues and help each other in nice ways
- fake dating made sense
- alternating point of view
what I didn’t like:
- some repetition
overall rating: 4 (of 5 stars)