Jasmine Guillory

Two people struggle to keep things purely professional while working together in this charming and hilarious new romance by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory.

While We Were Dating

Two people realize that it's no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory. Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him busy, family drama he's trying to ignore and his advertising job to focus on. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star, Anna Gardiner, however, it's hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she's also down to earth and considerate, and he can't help flirting a little... Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she's booked her next movie. However, she didn't expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation? But their light-hearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they've barely shared with those closest to them. When the opportunity comes to turn their real-life fling into something more for the Hollywood spotlight, will Ben be content to play the background role in Anna's life and leave when the cameras stop rolling? Or could he be the leading man she needs to craft their own Hollywood ending?

It was a pretty good book, nothing life changing but it kept me occupied 

Risa Nelson

Lynn

This started off slow, but turned into such a page turner the last 100 pages. I could feel the chemistry between Ben and Anna come off the page, in many ways their relationship reminded me a lot of my own. I enjoyed the big topics this book tackled (albeit some better than others) such as mental health, privacy, family dynamics and representation within Hollywood. I adored the adult tone and approach this book took when it comes to romance and was grateful for the humor it brings. I can definitely recommend. 3.75 ⭐️ rounded up for good measure (on final review the last chapters felt a little too easy, but then why shouldn’t it be)

Jennifer mitchell

This book was cute but had some flaws. I really loved the first half of the book but then it went downhill for me (still an overall cute read that I would recommend though!)

I really loved the build up of Ben and Anna's relationship. I think I would have enjoyed this book more if it was a little more slow burn. The couple ended up kissing for the first time pretty early on in the book, and I remember thinking "huh if they're already together what more could possibly happen in this book." It would have been nice to have a little more tension/build up before they got together for the first time, but still a cute meet-cute and loved seeing their relationship grow!

One of my main criticisms with this book is that it felt like the author tried to do too many things and didn't really follow through on them. For example, (view spoiler)[I don't think the "sister I didn't know about" plot was necessary at all in this book. It was honestly distracting from the main story and boring to read about. Especially since it was barely wrapped up at the end of the book (like 2 pages in the epilogue). It was just an unnecessary plot point overall. Same thing with Anna's dad's health. It seemed like that was going to be a main plot throughout the book based on the beginning, and it was a total non-issue.  (hide spoiler)]

While I enjoyed the overall story and the romance, I was too distracted by the odd pacing of the book to fully immerse myself in it and enjoy it. 

This wasn't a bad book at all, just wasn't my favorite Jasmine Guillory book.

Connor 

best Jasmine Guillory? BEST JASMINE GUILLORY!!!

🌶 scenes were plenty and story was cute

It was cute: I enjoyed how like talkative the boy was which is a rarity in the books I normally read. It was a cute trope, cute idea, cute execution. It was just a cute (sorta spicy) read.

Kerry Kalinoski

I loved this! Perfect easy listen as I drove & was easy to keep up with while I was working. A little bit steamier than I like especially a couple scenes I listened to during work😅

Caitlyn Baldwin

3.75 ⭐

I thought the characters were really well developed, but a lot of the plot was just "meh" for me.

Maddie M

OMG 
I love this book so much it was super good 
Totally recommend 

Shanice Sinclair

This book was okay at first, but towards the climax of the story I felt like there was no real basis for the love that was developed between the two main characters. The romance was unrealistic and the main author did nothing at all to show that she cared for the man she claimed to love. Her self-serving actions actually ended up being the basis of their "real" love story and she was rewarded for them. Didn't like this dysfunction as a representation of black love.

Tori Nelson

I love Jasmine Guillory and her Wedding Date series. This one had all of the key aspects I love, and the main characters working through external issues outside their relationship. While I loved the candid talks about therapy and anxiety, this one wasn't my favorite from the series. 

I started to not vibe with the main characters after a key turning point, but it did get better, but fell flat for me. 

If you like romance in general, I think you'll enjoy this one. And I consider it a solid read for Jasmine Guillory, but likely not to be the first one I'll suggest.

Megan BV

Spicy and sweet. Dealing with real problems and emotions in thoughtful ways. 

Claire Wilson 

Pretty repetitive if you’ve read her other stories. It’s interesting to keep them in the same world but a little to familiar at times. Cute story though, good representation.

Leah | @LeahsLittlePleasures

This was such a cute and easy contemporary romance... with actually a very intense and important undertone. It was also my first Jasmine Guillory!⁣
⁣
We follow Ben, an ad campaign executive, and Anna, an upcoming and successful actress, in Hollywood when their paths cross during a high-profile ad campaign. They hit it off pretty quickly and start finding more and more ways to be around each other as they fall in love (or do they?!) and live life in Hollywood. Told from both of their points of view, Guillory takes us on an unexpected journey of finding love, coping and dealing with anxiety, and ultimately, being true to yourself.⁣
⁣
Overall, I really enjoyed this read! I love that while the romance was fun, vibrant, and meaningful, it was also layered with important topics such as positive self-image, body positivity, anxiety awareness, and therapy advocation, racial disparities, and more. I loved the strong familial ties, the constant validation of feelings among characters, and just the overall fun atmosphere and energy of the book! Anna and Ben together are just incredibly swoon-worthy, too!⁣
⁣
• Read This For •⁣
— Black rep / own voices⁣
— the Hollywood scene + celebrity life⁣
— on set romance + forced proximity⁣
— anxiety + therapy awareness + positivity⁣
— body positivity⁣
— dual POVs⁣
— only one hotel room⁣
— secret relationship⁣
— fake not fake relationship⁣
— mild steam
— strong family bonds, especially brothers and siblings⁣
— acknowledging and talking about feelings⁣
⁣
Thank you to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for my early e-copy of the book!⁣

This started off slow, but turned into such a page turner the last 100 pages. I could feel the chemistry between Ben and Anna come off the page, in many ways their relationship reminded me a lot of my own. I enjoyed the big topics this book tackled (albeit some better than others) such as mental health, privacy, family dynamics and representation within Hollywood. I adored the adult tone and approach this book took when it comes to romance and was grateful for the humor it brings. I can definitely recommend. 3.5 ⭐️ (on final review the last chapters felt a little too easy, but then why shouldn’t it be)

Summer Stanley

Cute, but definitely not my favorite of hers.

Candyce Kirk

4.5 stars

When I started While We Were Dating I went in pretty blank, because I didn’t really have any expectations. I’ve heard some great things about the other books in this series, so I was excited to try one myself. And I can tell you I am glad I read this book. Once I started reading I just couldn’t stop and I read it in just about one sitting. This book hit me in all the feels, but it did leave a big smile on my face.

Anna is a force to be reckoned with, but it’s clear she also has her flaws and I loved that. The fact that things weren’t always going well, but that she was fighting for herself to get control of her anxiety and to really go for everything she wanted was amazing to see. I loved how real she felt. Anna is becoming a confident woman who knows what she wants and she’s going to get it!

Ben is definitely on the book boyfriend list now. From what I understand he’s family of one of the characters in an earlier book. Ben was just amazing. I loved how hard he worked to get this right and at the very beginning when he finally gets his chance. There’s a lot more to him and he does know what he’s doing. He’s respectful, caring, protective and so much more, haha.

Okay, we can’t forget the romance. I loved the flirting, banter and how it built to everything happening. I have to say this book had more romantic steam than I was expecting! It was the perfect balance between, flirting, romance and just a little bit of “drama”. I loved them together and just needed them to be happy! I don’t want to get into too many details, because even though it’s a rom-com I think the reader should just experience it all for themselves.

Is While We Were Dating predictable? Yes! Does it matter? Not at all! This book is so much fun and I really think romance lovers could appreciate Anna and Ben’s story. I know I did! I have to say I wouldn’t mind more of these characters at all!

Two people realize that it’s no longer an act when they veer off-script in this sizzling romantic comedy by New York Times bestselling author Jasmine Guillory. Ben Stephens has never bothered with serious relationships. He has plenty of casual dates to keep him busy, family drama he’s trying to ignore and his advertising job to focus on. When Ben lands a huge ad campaign featuring movie star, Anna Gardiner, however, it’s hard to keep it purely professional. Anna is not just gorgeous and sexy, she’s also down to earth and considerate, and he can’t help flirting a little… Anna Gardiner is on a mission: to make herself a household name, and this ad campaign will be a great distraction while she waits to hear if she’s booked her next movie. However, she didn’t expect Ben Stephens to be her biggest distraction. She knows mixing business with pleasure never works out, but why not indulge in a harmless flirtation? But their light-hearted banter takes a turn for the serious when Ben helps Anna in a family emergency, and they reveal truths about themselves to each other, truths they’ve barely shared with those closest to them. When the opportunity comes to turn their real-life fling into something more for the Hollywood spotlight, will Ben be content to play the background role in Anna’s life and leave when the cameras stop rolling? Or could he be the leading man she needs to craft their own Hollywood ending?

Robin Parnell

this was such a cute book with just the right amount of spice mixed in with the fluff and i’m sad it’s over. as someone who’s struggled with anxiety for years, i really appreciated and loved the mental health representation with anna. these chapters were longer than i usually like chapters to be, but they read super fast so i they didn’t feel long at all. can’t wait to read this author’s other books!!

Anika | @chaptersofmay

While We Were Dating is a Hollywood-inspired rom-com and a good summer read for fans of the fake dating trope. 

I like The Wedding Date series as a whole, but sadly this book is not the new favourite I predicted it to be. The story really struggled to hold my attention, and felt busy in one chapter but choppy or slow in the next. And while I loved Ben, I wasn’t all that keen on Anna and the secondary characters

As expected, Jasmine Guillory’s writing is enjoyable and witty. I always adore the dialogue between the characters in her novels, and While We Were Dating is no different. This book feels much more character-driven than her previous stories, which I think gave it a lively edge despite the disjointed narrative. The personalities feel realistic, even in their mistakes, which contributes to their development and growth. 

The romance is a nice one, and lovely to read, but not overly memorable. Guillory didn’t hold back on the steam, which isn’t for me and felt too close to awkward, so I did skip the intimate moments. Still, I found myself rooting for the protagonists and their happily ever after.

My favourite element of the story is the focus on mental health. I really appreciated the way the author used the character of Anna to highlight anxiety, racism and sexism. Guillory often tackles important issues into her books, but it really shines in While We Were Dating and earned the three stars above all else. 

As for the series, The Wedding Date and Party of Two are still favourites. The Monroe sisters are so brilliantly written! Although While We Were Dating isn’t in the top tier, it certainly won’t put me off Guillory’s future romance releases.

Ashlee

This was such an enjoyable installment in The Wedding Date series and I really enjoyed finally getting Ben’s story after getting to know him a little in the past books!

I will say that the set up of their relationship did seem somewhat rushed at first, like I was missing some of the time they spent getting to know each other, but there is no doubt that there is angst and chemistry and some fantastic banter between Ben and Anna.

I really appreciated the aspects of this story that touched upon the way women and people of color are treated in Hollywood and publicity fields, as well was the representation of anxiety and the pressures of fame. While We Were Dating is certainly more than just a romance, though that quality is strong and consumingly fun, but it has a much deeper story beyond that and I am glad Ben and Anna found each other!

While We Were Dating

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