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Playing Flirty
The game is on for two nerds who love to outplay each other . . . even when their hearts are on the line, in this charming and geeky romantic comedy perfect for fans of Olivia Dade and Jen DeLuca.
For Rose Marie Jones, risks are a hard no–except for Game Night. For one precious evening a week, Rose can forget about her demanding boss and her lackluster love life and focus on beating the pants off her friends. But none of them brings out her hyper-competitive side quite like William Ashdern.
Her best friend’s half-brother, William is the paragon of a sexy nerd. The tall, dorky, and handsome game designer is Rose’s playing nemesis. But when Rose decides to enter a contest with the board game she’s secretly invented, there’s only one person who can help her win.
Now what has always been a game between Rose and William is getting a lot more serious. And after spending her entire life trying not to lose, Rose might finally be ready to risk it all–and play to win.
For Rose Marie Jones, risks are a hard no–except for Game Night. For one precious evening a week, Rose can forget about her demanding boss and her lackluster love life and focus on beating the pants off her friends. But none of them brings out her hyper-competitive side quite like William Ashdern.
Her best friend’s half-brother, William is the paragon of a sexy nerd. The tall, dorky, and handsome game designer is Rose’s playing nemesis. But when Rose decides to enter a contest with the board game she’s secretly invented, there’s only one person who can help her win.
Now what has always been a game between Rose and William is getting a lot more serious. And after spending her entire life trying not to lose, Rose might finally be ready to risk it all–and play to win.
352 pages, Paperback
Published January 14, 2025
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 314 reviews
December 16, 2025
Filled with tension, A+ banter, and all the nerdiness your heart could desire, Playing Flirty was the perfect romcom to sooth my game-night loving soul.
What I loved…
- plenty of tension
- A+++ banter
- Lord of the Rings references
- nerdy vibes
- Video game designer MMC
- curvy, smart, and organized FMC
- closed door/fade to black spice
- all star side characters
- plenty of depth
- read in a single sitting!
What I didn’t love…
- the writing style/prose drove me slightly nuts with the use of -ing words rather than direct past tense versions. This is a me problem and I totally own that, i am so very anti-ING.
- One of the main subplots is a workplace harassment, and while I didn’t love a particular aspect of the subplot, I loved how her male BFF/coworker handled the situation!
Audiobook Narration: 3.5/5 - Solid performance. Definitely a decent listen, but lacked that extra oomph that would make me give it 5⭐️. This is one you will need to speed up, the narrator speaks rather slow and the pauses felt a bit excessive. I do wish the narrator would have spoke with a little more spirit some places felt like they lacked inflection.
| IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central) and Hachette Audio for sending this book (eARC & ALC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
What I loved…
- plenty of tension
- A+++ banter
- Lord of the Rings references
- nerdy vibes
- Video game designer MMC
- curvy, smart, and organized FMC
- closed door/fade to black spice
- all star side characters
- plenty of depth
- read in a single sitting!
What I didn’t love…
- the writing style/prose drove me slightly nuts with the use of -ing words rather than direct past tense versions. This is a me problem and I totally own that, i am so very anti-ING.
- One of the main subplots is a workplace harassment, and while I didn’t love a particular aspect of the subplot, I loved how her male BFF/coworker handled the situation!
Audiobook Narration: 3.5/5 - Solid performance. Definitely a decent listen, but lacked that extra oomph that would make me give it 5⭐️. This is one you will need to speed up, the narrator speaks rather slow and the pauses felt a bit excessive. I do wish the narrator would have spoke with a little more spirit some places felt like they lacked inflection.
| IG | TikTok |
Thank you NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central) and Hachette Audio for sending this book (eARC & ALC) for review consideration. All opinions are my own.
January 14, 2025
Oh my gosh this book was so adorably cute. I had never read anything by this author before and I can now say I would love to read more from them. The gaming terms, the flirty banter, the tension and the communication were done so well in this book and it was a perfect rom com.
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 1/14/25
Thank you to NetGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever for access to this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Pub Date: 1/14/25
March 31, 2025
2 Soot Sprite Stars ⭐️
Spicy Level: 0.5🌶️/5
I struggled with this book for multiple reasons, WHICH I FEEL IS TERRIBLE OF ME, because I feel some sort of camaraderie with the author being from the same country!
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Rose Marie Jones is stuck in a job she hates while working toward her MBA. Her one reprieve? Weekly game nights with her workplace bestie Shaun, his fiancée i>(and also her bestie) Neema, and a handful of their friends. The only downside is that her nemesis William (aka Shaun’s brother and roommate) is always there too, making it his mission to beat, one-up, and annoy Rose at every opportunity. But when Rose decides to enter a board game creation contest with a game she’s been secretly developing, the only person with the skills to help her win is... William. And the more time she spends with him, the more she starts to realise that maybe he’s not the nemesis she’s always believed him to be.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
So why did I struggle? Firstly, the lack of chemistry in the "main" couple... Their characters felt weak, and it honestly felt like Rose had more chemistry with Shaun than with William, which made the intended romance feel forced. Then it felt like William was very superficial or surface level, and that the only reason he was her "nemesis" was because he had a typical schoolboy crush and believed that being mean to a girl and "pulling her pigtails" is how you show her you like her.
Then the relationship with her ex dragged super long in the story and made the plot feel incredibly slow because they took forever to break up before there could be any traction in her relationship with William.
Then I have a little gripe with how surface-level and almost insulting the depiction of geek culture was. It felt like the author had a checklist of “nerdy” things rather than an authentic understanding of all the fandoms it tried to incorporate. Instead of a thoughtful, immersive portrayal, the book leaned on outdated stereotypes and shallow references, almost like taking a bunch of nerdy "spaghetti" and throwing it to the wall hoping some of the aspects would stick.
An example of this is the characters were supposedly hardcore geeks, attending Comic-Con in full cosplay, yet their go-to board games were Monopoly, Cluedo, and 30 Seconds. Games that, while fun for the whole family, are NOT what dedicated board game lovers and RPG players reach for. People who design epic board games are NOT casually pulling out Monopoly every week. It felt like the book was written by someone who had only ever seen geek culture through a pop-culture lens rather than lived it.
Then there was the FMC’s cosplay to her year-end function she ORGANISED. If she was truly a passionate cosplayer, there would have been talk about the intricate costume planning, the materials, the design, and the dedication that goes into crafting an outfit months in advance. Now I understand Rose had a lot going on in her life at this time, but TRUST ME WHEN I SAY a person who loves to dress up and has a cupboard full of costumes (totally speaking from experience here) is not "last minute" a Catwoman "Casual Cosplay" from their wardrobe. It was the equivalent of saying someone is a “huge reader” but only mentioning that they’ve read Harry Potter.
It felt like she was throwing in a Lord of the Rings reference here, mentioning a popular superhero there, and boom, she had geek representation! But I feel that real fandoms have layers, passion, and niche interests that go way beyond what was presented, and it made me frustrated since I AM one of those people who is basically ROSE. I have over 30 award-winning board games and have won cosplay competitions, went to Comic-Con dressed in multiple cosplays, and have spent over 3000 hours in an online MMORPG. I am a big nerd and she made me feel silly how she portrayed us.
Also, I didn't like that the book couldn't really decide if it wanted to be a clean romance or wanted to be a more open-door romance, and that hesitancy held back the writing. I think it would have been better to fully embrace a clean romance style rather than straddling the line awkwardly if she wasn't as comfortable writing smut.
AND LASTLY... One of the reasons I often dislike the "best friend's brother trope" is because it reeks of hypocrisy. William is Shaun's brother, roommate, bestman and friend and you seriously have to hold someone in high regard to MAKE THEM YOUR BEST MAN... yet somehow he’s not good enough for his best friend? That same best friend who introduced Shaun to her best friend, trusted him and did nothing but support and CHEER FOR THEIR RELATIONSHIP! But the moment there’s even a hint of something between Rose and William, Shaun pulls out the line "it’ll get awkward if things go wrong." It’s selfish and unfair, especially when Shaun did the exact same thing to Rose by starting to date her Best Friend... WOULD IT NOT HAVE BEEN AWAKARD FOR HER IF THEY BROKE UP? If anything, Shaun should be thrilled Shaun and Rose are getting together because it means two of the most important people in his life could become family. That should be the dream, not a problem!
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Best Friends Brother
▶ Banter
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Nicknames
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Cages her with his Arms
▶ Always been you
▶ "More"
Overall I think this book had amazing potential but with a little refinement and clearer direction (like picking only one fandom to be obsessed about as an example) would have made this miles better!
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the Gifted Copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own
Spicy Level: 0.5🌶️/5
I struggled with this book for multiple reasons, WHICH I FEEL IS TERRIBLE OF ME, because I feel some sort of camaraderie with the author being from the same country!
𝙎𝙮𝙣𝙤𝙥𝙨𝙞𝙨:
Rose Marie Jones is stuck in a job she hates while working toward her MBA. Her one reprieve? Weekly game nights with her workplace bestie Shaun, his fiancée i>(and also her bestie) Neema, and a handful of their friends. The only downside is that her nemesis William (aka Shaun’s brother and roommate) is always there too, making it his mission to beat, one-up, and annoy Rose at every opportunity. But when Rose decides to enter a board game creation contest with a game she’s been secretly developing, the only person with the skills to help her win is... William. And the more time she spends with him, the more she starts to realise that maybe he’s not the nemesis she’s always believed him to be.
𝙏𝙝𝙤𝙪𝙜𝙝𝙩𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙁𝙚𝙚𝙡𝙞𝙣𝙜𝙨:
So why did I struggle? Firstly, the lack of chemistry in the "main" couple... Their characters felt weak, and it honestly felt like Rose had more chemistry with Shaun than with William, which made the intended romance feel forced. Then it felt like William was very superficial or surface level, and that the only reason he was her "nemesis" was because he had a typical schoolboy crush and believed that being mean to a girl and "pulling her pigtails" is how you show her you like her.
Then the relationship with her ex dragged super long in the story and made the plot feel incredibly slow because they took forever to break up before there could be any traction in her relationship with William.
Then I have a little gripe with how surface-level and almost insulting the depiction of geek culture was. It felt like the author had a checklist of “nerdy” things rather than an authentic understanding of all the fandoms it tried to incorporate. Instead of a thoughtful, immersive portrayal, the book leaned on outdated stereotypes and shallow references, almost like taking a bunch of nerdy "spaghetti" and throwing it to the wall hoping some of the aspects would stick.
An example of this is the characters were supposedly hardcore geeks, attending Comic-Con in full cosplay, yet their go-to board games were Monopoly, Cluedo, and 30 Seconds. Games that, while fun for the whole family, are NOT what dedicated board game lovers and RPG players reach for. People who design epic board games are NOT casually pulling out Monopoly every week. It felt like the book was written by someone who had only ever seen geek culture through a pop-culture lens rather than lived it.
Then there was the FMC’s cosplay to her year-end function she ORGANISED. If she was truly a passionate cosplayer, there would have been talk about the intricate costume planning, the materials, the design, and the dedication that goes into crafting an outfit months in advance. Now I understand Rose had a lot going on in her life at this time, but TRUST ME WHEN I SAY a person who loves to dress up and has a cupboard full of costumes (totally speaking from experience here) is not "last minute" a Catwoman "Casual Cosplay" from their wardrobe. It was the equivalent of saying someone is a “huge reader” but only mentioning that they’ve read Harry Potter.
It felt like she was throwing in a Lord of the Rings reference here, mentioning a popular superhero there, and boom, she had geek representation! But I feel that real fandoms have layers, passion, and niche interests that go way beyond what was presented, and it made me frustrated since I AM one of those people who is basically ROSE. I have over 30 award-winning board games and have won cosplay competitions, went to Comic-Con dressed in multiple cosplays, and have spent over 3000 hours in an online MMORPG. I am a big nerd and she made me feel silly how she portrayed us.
Also, I didn't like that the book couldn't really decide if it wanted to be a clean romance or wanted to be a more open-door romance, and that hesitancy held back the writing. I think it would have been better to fully embrace a clean romance style rather than straddling the line awkwardly if she wasn't as comfortable writing smut.
AND LASTLY... One of the reasons I often dislike the "best friend's brother trope" is because it reeks of hypocrisy. William is Shaun's brother, roommate, bestman and friend and you seriously have to hold someone in high regard to MAKE THEM YOUR BEST MAN... yet somehow he’s not good enough for his best friend? That same best friend who introduced Shaun to her best friend, trusted him and did nothing but support and CHEER FOR THEIR RELATIONSHIP! But the moment there’s even a hint of something between Rose and William, Shaun pulls out the line "it’ll get awkward if things go wrong." It’s selfish and unfair, especially when Shaun did the exact same thing to Rose by starting to date her Best Friend... WOULD IT NOT HAVE BEEN AWAKARD FOR HER IF THEY BROKE UP? If anything, Shaun should be thrilled Shaun and Rose are getting together because it means two of the most important people in his life could become family. That should be the dream, not a problem!
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨 and 𝙈𝙞𝙘𝙧𝙤 𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨:
▶ Best Friends Brother
▶ Banter
▶ Enemies to Lovers
▶ Nicknames
▶ Slow Burn
▶ Cages her with his Arms
▶ Always been you
▶ "More"
Overall I think this book had amazing potential but with a little refinement and clearer direction (like picking only one fandom to be obsessed about as an example) would have made this miles better!
Thank you to Netgalley and Hachette Audio for the Gifted Copy.
All thoughts and opinions are my own
January 17, 2025
Playing Flirty by Shameez Patel
Contemporary romance. Diverse. Best friend’s brother and enemies to lovers troupes.
Rose Marie Jones loves games, game night and cosplay. Her long-time lackluster boyfriend has mostly disappeared from her life, and her job is tension filled because of a demanding boss. She puts her exuberance into games and has even built a game herself. She’s convinced to enter a gaming contest and William, a game designer, is exactly the person to help her. They have had a contentious relationship up until now, but laying her hopes out in front of William opens another direction for their friendship. Maybe a little bit of lust thrown in the mix.
An entertaining opposite attracts romance with cosplay humor and forbidden love that the two make sexy and playful. While both are adults, it reads almost YA/NA, although work issues are clearly adult. Loved all the costumes and the realistic game result and the promise of a fun long-term adventure.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
Contemporary romance. Diverse. Best friend’s brother and enemies to lovers troupes.
Rose Marie Jones loves games, game night and cosplay. Her long-time lackluster boyfriend has mostly disappeared from her life, and her job is tension filled because of a demanding boss. She puts her exuberance into games and has even built a game herself. She’s convinced to enter a gaming contest and William, a game designer, is exactly the person to help her. They have had a contentious relationship up until now, but laying her hopes out in front of William opens another direction for their friendship. Maybe a little bit of lust thrown in the mix.
An entertaining opposite attracts romance with cosplay humor and forbidden love that the two make sexy and playful. While both are adults, it reads almost YA/NA, although work issues are clearly adult. Loved all the costumes and the realistic game result and the promise of a fun long-term adventure.
I received a copy of this from NetGalley.
November 21, 2024
This average to me. Some plot lines seemed unnecessary in the grand scheme of things. Overall, it wasn't for me.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
ARC kindly provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
January 27, 2025
I gave this geek-driven rom com 2 stars for a couple of reasons; mostly that I did not like the main character and I didn't believe her. The MMC, William, was a little one dimensional. Although I found his actions endearing and lovable, I didn't know him like I like to. I was missing the chemistry. The relationship between Rose and William's half brother Shaun was a solid one, Shaun gets engaged to Rose's female best friend early on in the book. I liked that Rose was good friends with both of them equally and also as a pair.
Much of the middle was boring, we don't see her attraction to her boyfriend Patrick, he treats her terribly and they aren't right for each other. Although there is a rivals-to-lovers trope, it comes along slow and drags in parts. I couldn't get used to the prose and it was challenging for me.
So while I didn't love the content, I do want to give the audiobook 3.5 stars- I was gifted an audiobook from Hachette Audio and NetGalley. To separate the content from the narrator, I did feel like the audiobook narrator did a good job of the Rose dialogue. There were longer pauses so I listened at 2.0 speed although I listened 3 times through because I wanted to give me diligence to the audiobook narration separate from the content of the book. While I probably wouldn't pick up another book from this author, I would happily choose another book by this narrator.
Thanks again to Netgalley and Hachette audio. Book was published January 14, 2025.
Much of the middle was boring, we don't see her attraction to her boyfriend Patrick, he treats her terribly and they aren't right for each other. Although there is a rivals-to-lovers trope, it comes along slow and drags in parts. I couldn't get used to the prose and it was challenging for me.
So while I didn't love the content, I do want to give the audiobook 3.5 stars- I was gifted an audiobook from Hachette Audio and NetGalley. To separate the content from the narrator, I did feel like the audiobook narrator did a good job of the Rose dialogue. There were longer pauses so I listened at 2.0 speed although I listened 3 times through because I wanted to give me diligence to the audiobook narration separate from the content of the book. While I probably wouldn't pick up another book from this author, I would happily choose another book by this narrator.
Thanks again to Netgalley and Hachette audio. Book was published January 14, 2025.
January 19, 2025
This was a cute love letter to the nerds.
I didn’t love how long Rose was in a relationship with her idiot ex. And then immediately had a flirty thing pretty quickly with William, but then there was an excruciating slow burn.
However there was like no tension? I didn’t feel like there wasn’t a reason the two of them were struggling to get together and the plot was like.. very in and out 🥲
I did find Rose pretty relatable and William was a cutie. He had such a facade of a grump but he loved her so much.
The third act conflict felt like really dramatic and OTP. And included miscommunication. Like they could have all just talked to each other. Ugh.
what to expect
⟢ best friend’s brother
⟢ grumpy x sunshine
⟢ working together on a game
⟢ boy obsessed
⟢ slooooow burn (like she didn’t even know she fully wanted him until 87% slow)
I didn’t love how long Rose was in a relationship with her idiot ex. And then immediately had a flirty thing pretty quickly with William, but then there was an excruciating slow burn.
However there was like no tension? I didn’t feel like there wasn’t a reason the two of them were struggling to get together and the plot was like.. very in and out 🥲
I did find Rose pretty relatable and William was a cutie. He had such a facade of a grump but he loved her so much.
The third act conflict felt like really dramatic and OTP. And included miscommunication. Like they could have all just talked to each other. Ugh.
what to expect
⟢ best friend’s brother
⟢ grumpy x sunshine
⟢ working together on a game
⟢ boy obsessed
⟢ slooooow burn (like she didn’t even know she fully wanted him until 87% slow)
February 27, 2025
This book had me kicking my feet blushing because it was so darn cute!!
The banter was impeccable 🙌🏼
I’m also not a gamer/board gamer but felt fully immersed in the culture with the writing! The author did such a good job with it.
Also, I loved that it a fade to black/closed door romance, so no spice 🙅🏻♀️
The banter was impeccable 🙌🏼
I’m also not a gamer/board gamer but felt fully immersed in the culture with the writing! The author did such a good job with it.
Also, I loved that it a fade to black/closed door romance, so no spice 🙅🏻♀️
January 28, 2025
Thank you so much to Forever, Netgalley, and Libro.fm for providing advanced copies of this. All thoughts and opinions are still my own.
Much of this review is gonna be hidden behind a spoiler tag - because I don't know how to talk about the issues I had with this without specifically mentioning some spoiler-y details.
I do think this book had a lot of potential. I loved the embracement of nerdy culture - video games, board games, cosplay. And this had fantastic friendships - including one of the best male/female friendships I've read in ages. They were all so supportive and clearly loved each other deeply.
And while I thought the pacing of the romance was slightly off (it felt like it would suddenly jump to stronger feelings out of nowhere), I thought tension of their scenes was done really well.
However, I had major issues with the way 2 of the plot lines were handled - one with the heroine's work and one with the hero's father. If you don't want any spoilers I'll leave you with this: 1. the heroine's work situation was a completely unnecessary addition to the story. It wasn't well developed, discussed, nor did it add to the story/character arc/etc in any way. 2. The way the hero's trauma was so easily tied up in a bow felt almost offensive.
Now if you want specifics here we go
I'm on the fence about whether or not this is an author I will try again. While I enjoyed parts of this book, the issues I had run deep and leave me with a pretty negative feeling about this as a whole.
Much of this review is gonna be hidden behind a spoiler tag - because I don't know how to talk about the issues I had with this without specifically mentioning some spoiler-y details.
I do think this book had a lot of potential. I loved the embracement of nerdy culture - video games, board games, cosplay. And this had fantastic friendships - including one of the best male/female friendships I've read in ages. They were all so supportive and clearly loved each other deeply.
And while I thought the pacing of the romance was slightly off (it felt like it would suddenly jump to stronger feelings out of nowhere), I thought tension of their scenes was done really well.
However, I had major issues with the way 2 of the plot lines were handled - one with the heroine's work and one with the hero's father. If you don't want any spoilers I'll leave you with this: 1. the heroine's work situation was a completely unnecessary addition to the story. It wasn't well developed, discussed, nor did it add to the story/character arc/etc in any way. 2. The way the hero's trauma was so easily tied up in a bow felt almost offensive.
Now if you want specifics here we go
I'm on the fence about whether or not this is an author I will try again. While I enjoyed parts of this book, the issues I had run deep and leave me with a pretty negative feeling about this as a whole.
December 10, 2024
This was a really cute romcom. Rose loves game nights with her BFF every week. But her friends brother has been there too, and he can really get on her nerves. But eventually the sparks start to fly. Watching these two characters go from enemies to lovers was really fun. The chemistry between them slowly grows throughout the book and I actually really enjoyed these characters so much! The witty banter had me cracking up. Just an overall super cute, enjoyable romance that I liked right from the start.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the gifted copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 18, 2025
THIS WAS SO CUTE! 3.75 rounding up to 4 stars!
If you love Lynn Painter or Sarah Adams I think you’ll enjoy this sm!
If you love Lynn Painter or Sarah Adams I think you’ll enjoy this sm!
March 10, 2025
Wow Playing Flirty bu Shameez Patel was such a cute, fun and wholesome read. I thoroughly enjoyed it from start to finish, I was hooked from the start and loved the two characters Rose and William.
Rose Marie Jones lives life through spread sheets,
she has a list called "Life Goals", and all her tasks and goals are written down in that format. I loved the whole idea of having a life goals spread sheet, it made her so unique as a character. She's trying her best to tick everything off the list, some of us just go with the flow. But having a goals list and trying to hit each goal? It's commendable in my opinion, it's like you've got your life in order.
Working in demanding corporate job that she hates, Rose thought she could nail everything on her life goals list. However she made the mistake of signing up for a postgraduate course which simply added too much on her plate. Including the board game she's secretly working on, game night with her best friends Shaun snd Neema, along William whom she buckets with all the time, provides her with the perfect escape and relaxation she needs.
I enjoyed the the dialogue, the progression of the story and it's characters, it was all lovely to read. What I enjoyed most were the cute quips and banter between Rose and William, it wasn't shoved in your face, it felt genuine and natural. The references to popular games and movies like Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit was genius! I mean one of my favorite video games was referenced I loved that.
I don't read a lot of romance because I'm not really a fan of the genre, but this is the kind of romance I like. Two characters that grow to love each other, nothing rushed or force. Enemies turned to lovers, they both started off "playing nice" And then they were "playing flirty", and I enjoyed reading those moments. The spiciness level was perfect as well, just the way I like it, this book is easily my favorite romance book of the year... So far. I recommend giving it a read, it's fun!
Rose Marie Jones lives life through spread sheets,
she has a list called "Life Goals", and all her tasks and goals are written down in that format. I loved the whole idea of having a life goals spread sheet, it made her so unique as a character. She's trying her best to tick everything off the list, some of us just go with the flow. But having a goals list and trying to hit each goal? It's commendable in my opinion, it's like you've got your life in order.
Working in demanding corporate job that she hates, Rose thought she could nail everything on her life goals list. However she made the mistake of signing up for a postgraduate course which simply added too much on her plate. Including the board game she's secretly working on, game night with her best friends Shaun snd Neema, along William whom she buckets with all the time, provides her with the perfect escape and relaxation she needs.
I enjoyed the the dialogue, the progression of the story and it's characters, it was all lovely to read. What I enjoyed most were the cute quips and banter between Rose and William, it wasn't shoved in your face, it felt genuine and natural. The references to popular games and movies like Lord of The Rings and The Hobbit was genius! I mean one of my favorite video games was referenced I loved that.
I don't read a lot of romance because I'm not really a fan of the genre, but this is the kind of romance I like. Two characters that grow to love each other, nothing rushed or force. Enemies turned to lovers, they both started off "playing nice" And then they were "playing flirty", and I enjoyed reading those moments. The spiciness level was perfect as well, just the way I like it, this book is easily my favorite romance book of the year... So far. I recommend giving it a read, it's fun!
January 14, 2025
4.75 stars rounded up!
This book is every nerdy romance reader's dream! We have a FMC who loves board games, video games, Lord of the Rings, cosplay, etc. We have a MMC who loves those things and is a video game developer. I LIVED for the game night scenes and now want to get into doing that with some of my friends. What a fun tradition!
I also really really appreciated the progression of the FMC's relationships in this story. She starts out in an unsatisfying relationship, and I liked seeing her accept the demise of that relationship before starting anything with the MMC. I loved the yearning and the pining of the MMC and how he was so obviously into the FMC. Rose and William are everything to me!
This is lower on the spice scale. There was great tension, but not a lot of description. I usually like my romance books to be a bit more descriptive, but this book did a great job with plot, characterization, and tension, so I didn't really miss the more descriptive steamy scenes.
My one pet peeve with this story was how long it took the MCs to REALLY get together. At a certain point, nothing was keeping them apart and it annoyed me that they weren't together yet. Haha
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review. I will definitely be reading more from Shameez Patel in the future!
This book is every nerdy romance reader's dream! We have a FMC who loves board games, video games, Lord of the Rings, cosplay, etc. We have a MMC who loves those things and is a video game developer. I LIVED for the game night scenes and now want to get into doing that with some of my friends. What a fun tradition!
I also really really appreciated the progression of the FMC's relationships in this story. She starts out in an unsatisfying relationship, and I liked seeing her accept the demise of that relationship before starting anything with the MMC. I loved the yearning and the pining of the MMC and how he was so obviously into the FMC. Rose and William are everything to me!
This is lower on the spice scale. There was great tension, but not a lot of description. I usually like my romance books to be a bit more descriptive, but this book did a great job with plot, characterization, and tension, so I didn't really miss the more descriptive steamy scenes.
My one pet peeve with this story was how long it took the MCs to REALLY get together. At a certain point, nothing was keeping them apart and it annoyed me that they weren't together yet. Haha
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with an e-arc in exchange for my honest review. I will definitely be reading more from Shameez Patel in the future!
January 8, 2025
More nerd romances in 2025 and 2026. Please. PLEASE!!! I had so much fun reading this and quite literally couldn’t put my arc down! Speaking of, thank you sooo much to the folks at Forever for sending me this copy through Netgalley!
Rose has her life all planned out in a spreadsheet. Promotion. Proposal. 1.75 kids and some pets. Her job isn’t one she’d have chosen for herself, but it pays the bills, and she gets to work with her friend Shaun, so it’s not too bad, right? When Shaun proposes to Rose’s best friend Neema, all of her plans fall to a halt. Her boyfriend was supposed to propose first.
To top off her own love life falling flat, there’s a board game competition, and Rose’s lifelong project is something she’s debating on entering. After playing it at their weekly game night, Shaun’s brother William, Rose’s arch nemesis in all gaming, offers to help her improve her board game concept: and to play a game between them of their own.
Playing Flirty is equal parts funny, dramatic, and flirtatious! Full of pop culture references my fellow nerds are bound to enjoy.
Rose has her life all planned out in a spreadsheet. Promotion. Proposal. 1.75 kids and some pets. Her job isn’t one she’d have chosen for herself, but it pays the bills, and she gets to work with her friend Shaun, so it’s not too bad, right? When Shaun proposes to Rose’s best friend Neema, all of her plans fall to a halt. Her boyfriend was supposed to propose first.
To top off her own love life falling flat, there’s a board game competition, and Rose’s lifelong project is something she’s debating on entering. After playing it at their weekly game night, Shaun’s brother William, Rose’s arch nemesis in all gaming, offers to help her improve her board game concept: and to play a game between them of their own.
Playing Flirty is equal parts funny, dramatic, and flirtatious! Full of pop culture references my fellow nerds are bound to enjoy.
November 22, 2024
Thank you so much to Forever for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
This book was so sweet!! I love playing different types of games with friends, and although I don't play them as often, I feel like Playing Flirty reignited that love. This book really emphasizes the found family that comes with friends, knowing your self-worth, and fighting for the love that you deserve. Rosie and William were so cute (and hot!) together. I adored how obsessed with Rosie William was, even when he tried not to show it. Seeing him advocate and champion at every moment in the book was everything. I really saw myself in Rosie as well, and I enjoyed following her realize her self-worth when it came to her career and personal life. I'd rate this book 4.25 stars rounded up!
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This book was so sweet!! I love playing different types of games with friends, and although I don't play them as often, I feel like Playing Flirty reignited that love. This book really emphasizes the found family that comes with friends, knowing your self-worth, and fighting for the love that you deserve. Rosie and William were so cute (and hot!) together. I adored how obsessed with Rosie William was, even when he tried not to show it. Seeing him advocate and champion at every moment in the book was everything. I really saw myself in Rosie as well, and I enjoyed following her realize her self-worth when it came to her career and personal life. I'd rate this book 4.25 stars rounded up!
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October 10, 2024
4.5 stars! Thank you to NetGalley, Forever, and Grand Central Publishing for this advanced copy! You can pick up Playing Flirty on January 14, 2025.
This book was the perfect mix of nerdy, sexy, funny, and heartwarming! I loved William and Rose's banter and hate-to-love relationship. Their bonding over games of all kinds was so sweet and right up my alley, Even though the spicier scenes were behind slightly closed doors, the tension that Shameez Patel built up was delicious, and I appreciated the moments of "will they/won't they" more anyway.
I also didn't expect this book to convey so much about feeling stuck in your life and feeling like you're not accomplishing the goals you set out for yourself. Rose's struggles with her job and lackluster relationship were relatable and understandable, helping us see her character growth vividly.
I can't wait to read more from Shameez Patel!
This book was the perfect mix of nerdy, sexy, funny, and heartwarming! I loved William and Rose's banter and hate-to-love relationship. Their bonding over games of all kinds was so sweet and right up my alley, Even though the spicier scenes were behind slightly closed doors, the tension that Shameez Patel built up was delicious, and I appreciated the moments of "will they/won't they" more anyway.
I also didn't expect this book to convey so much about feeling stuck in your life and feeling like you're not accomplishing the goals you set out for yourself. Rose's struggles with her job and lackluster relationship were relatable and understandable, helping us see her character growth vividly.
I can't wait to read more from Shameez Patel!
February 13, 2025
3.25 stars - As a board game lover myself, I though this was a fun premise for a book! Between her crazy workload at a job she only kind of likes, her MBA studies, and her decidedly less-than-passionate relationship, Rose is becoming convinced her Life Plan is further from her reach than ever. Thank goodness she still has Game Night - the one day a week where she gets to embrace her inner competitive streak and her love for all things gaming. Even the continued presence of William, Shaun's older brother and Rose's nemesis, does little to dampen her spirits, and once they're forced to 'play nice,' Rose starts to realize she might even like having him around. Purely so she can rub her victories in his face, of course.
Overall I thought this was a cute and entertaining rom-com, and the banter was a definite highlight. I adored Rose and Neema's friendship, and the chemistry between her and William was great, if possibly a little too quick for me at times. In the end, Shaun started to rub me the wrong way, and one moment in the final pages felt like it was tied up too nicely, but ultimately I would recommend this read if you're looking for something lower-stakes and delightfully nerdy.
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Overall I thought this was a cute and entertaining rom-com, and the banter was a definite highlight. I adored Rose and Neema's friendship, and the chemistry between her and William was great, if possibly a little too quick for me at times. In the end, Shaun started to rub me the wrong way, and one moment in the final pages felt like it was tied up too nicely, but ultimately I would recommend this read if you're looking for something lower-stakes and delightfully nerdy.
Thank you to Forever and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.
July 26, 2024
This book saved me. It got me back into loving romance and I can't wait for everyone to meet Rose and William
January 10, 2025
I absolutely LOVED Playing Flirty. I couldn’t resist binging this book. It was quite simply fun. I loved everything from the characters to the focus on games to the sizzling chemistry. The FMC, Rose, was so relatable between her love of games/all things nerdy and struggles when her life goals weren’t aligning with reality. I also adored the friend group that Rose surrounded herself with. Patel wrote this in such a way that you can easily image sitting down with the group and hopping right into a game with good food and friends. I also really want to play Rose’s board game after all of this. I appreciated the level of detail and accuracy that Patel put into the various games that were mentioned in the story. The tension and banter between Rose and William was incredible. I could not get enough of these two. The way they tried to one up each other in their game was absolutely perfect. I am obsessed with great banter, and Patel could write the book on banter. I also appreciate how William always had Rose’s back. Also, I was obsessed with the call back moment (IYKYK). This book was everything I never knew I needed, and I can’t wait to read more from this author.
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eARC courtesy of Forever Publishing
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eARC courtesy of Forever Publishing
December 8, 2024
Shameez Patel's Playing Flirty playfully blends the nerdy, geeky pop culture elements with spicy, contemporary romance and does a fun job doing it!
If you are fan of the pop culture elements in this book (board games, dungeons and dragons, cosplaying, hobbit, lord of the rings, and so much more), you will absolutely find yourself eating up every little part of this book. I tend to find some of these books cringy if not executed well, but Shameez Patel did an amazing job keeping the quirky voice with the yearning elements of romance. I was laughing along in some parts and found the game developing processes that the characters go through to be interesting as well.
The found family in this book was so cute (and there is a lot of it)! Rose's interaction and relationship with her friends was my favorite part of the book and it really helped to build up the close relationship she shared with her gaming friends. Some of my closest friends are friends I game with FOR YEARS and I would have to say that this book did a great job capturing the depth of that relationship that doesn't get explored in other stories.
WILLIAM. UGH. I personally loved his character so much and the tension between him and Rose was so delicious. He was a mysterious man of few words, but always shined with his actions. The KITCHEN SCENE? HELLO??? HOW ARE WE STILL FUNCTIONING AFTER READING THAT?
I think this will also be a cute gift idea between friends who game together and I didn't think I would ever say that about a book, but here we are! The book explored heavier topics as well so please refer to the trigger warnings. I appreciated the different depths the story explored and absolutely loved the gamer representation!
Recommend if you enjoy:
- Geeky, nerdy, gamer pop culture references sprinkled throughout (a lot of LOTR, Hobbit, game nights, cosplaying, but also explores game developing world)
- MMC who is a shower (not like that guys) but he will take care of you, show you much he cares
- Found family!
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
If you are fan of the pop culture elements in this book (board games, dungeons and dragons, cosplaying, hobbit, lord of the rings, and so much more), you will absolutely find yourself eating up every little part of this book. I tend to find some of these books cringy if not executed well, but Shameez Patel did an amazing job keeping the quirky voice with the yearning elements of romance. I was laughing along in some parts and found the game developing processes that the characters go through to be interesting as well.
The found family in this book was so cute (and there is a lot of it)! Rose's interaction and relationship with her friends was my favorite part of the book and it really helped to build up the close relationship she shared with her gaming friends. Some of my closest friends are friends I game with FOR YEARS and I would have to say that this book did a great job capturing the depth of that relationship that doesn't get explored in other stories.
WILLIAM. UGH. I personally loved his character so much and the tension between him and Rose was so delicious. He was a mysterious man of few words, but always shined with his actions. The KITCHEN SCENE? HELLO??? HOW ARE WE STILL FUNCTIONING AFTER READING THAT?
I think this will also be a cute gift idea between friends who game together and I didn't think I would ever say that about a book, but here we are! The book explored heavier topics as well so please refer to the trigger warnings. I appreciated the different depths the story explored and absolutely loved the gamer representation!
Recommend if you enjoy:
- Geeky, nerdy, gamer pop culture references sprinkled throughout (a lot of LOTR, Hobbit, game nights, cosplaying, but also explores game developing world)
- MMC who is a shower (not like that guys) but he will take care of you, show you much he cares
- Found family!
Thank you to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for the e-arc in exchange for my honest review.
January 11, 2025
My first read of 2025 and what a sweet way to start the new year! I had a good time reading this book. I thought the chemistry and back and forth between the main characters was really fun. I loved the little forbidden aspect of their relationship., it brought out something really cool in their relationship. I also adored the friend group. The fmc's bestfriends are so cute and I love how they care about her.
However, I have two main issues with this story. First is the pacing. I thought the main characters started fooling around a too early in my opinion. I would have preferred to see the tension last longer. To me, it would have been more genuine and made more sense to the characters. My other issue is that the story stayed a bit surface level. Different topics would be brought up and quickly resolved or not talked about enough. It that would have been interesting to see developped more.
I still recommend this book for a sweet read!
However, I have two main issues with this story. First is the pacing. I thought the main characters started fooling around a too early in my opinion. I would have preferred to see the tension last longer. To me, it would have been more genuine and made more sense to the characters. My other issue is that the story stayed a bit surface level. Different topics would be brought up and quickly resolved or not talked about enough. It that would have been interesting to see developped more.
I still recommend this book for a sweet read!
August 10, 2025
2.5/5
Like. Yes? But also, like, no.
Like. Yes? But also, like, no.
November 6, 2025
A full on 5 stars. I ate this up so quickly
Absolutely brilliant. This was so FLIRTY & FUNNY! I loved the gaming aspect. I loved all the characters. The plot beats were perfect. I loved the final conflict.
I cannot wait to get into the next book!
Absolutely brilliant. This was so FLIRTY & FUNNY! I loved the gaming aspect. I loved all the characters. The plot beats were perfect. I loved the final conflict.
I cannot wait to get into the next book!
January 18, 2025
I don't typically read a lot of romance books, but after having a game night with some friends the other day, I felt like I needed to read this. Something about this book just really worked for me. I'm not sure if the lord of the ring references or my own love for board games won me over, but nevertheless, I'm glad I read this.
Thank you to Libro.FM for the ALC and to Forever for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you to Libro.FM for the ALC and to Forever for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review!
January 19, 2025
this was nerdy and cute and fun and i loved it. also heck yeah mixed race main characters!!
TWs // CWs: sexual harassment, side character with childhood trauma from parental neglect and emotional/verbal abuse
REP: mixed Indian main character
TWs // CWs: sexual harassment, side character with childhood trauma from parental neglect and emotional/verbal abuse
REP: mixed Indian main character
January 27, 2025
Thank you, NetGalley and Hachette Audio, for this cute and swoony romcom!
My nerdy heart was so happy with the setting of this book. A story centered around board games? Yes, please! As a huge LoTR and GoT fan, I felt like this book was made for people like me.
The enemies-to-lovers trope was executed beautifully. From the very first page, the chemistry between Rose and William was undeniable. They’re both such green flags—sweet, lovable, and totally swoon-worthy.
🌶 William… where do I even begin? I loved him. I wish we had his POV, even just for the epilogue—not to spoil the story, but damn, being inside his head would have been a treat! He’s dark, mysterious, sweet, and insanely hot. And while this book isn’t smutty (the spicy scenes aren’t on-page), don’t be fooled—every time William opened his gorgeous, sometimes filthy mouth, the temperature skyrocketed. 🔥
💖 Rose was equally wonderful. She had her life meticulously planned, and watching her personal growth—learning to let go, take risks, and embrace happiness—was truly satisfying. I resonated so much with her journey.
Another huge plus? The side characters! The best friends, parents, even the pervy coworker—they all added so much depth. Some romances focus only on the couple, making the world feel flat, but this book had a rich, well-rounded cast that made the story even better.
Overall, Playing Flirty is a fun, nerdy, and heartwarming romance that I absolutely recommend! 💕🎲✨
My nerdy heart was so happy with the setting of this book. A story centered around board games? Yes, please! As a huge LoTR and GoT fan, I felt like this book was made for people like me.
The enemies-to-lovers trope was executed beautifully. From the very first page, the chemistry between Rose and William was undeniable. They’re both such green flags—sweet, lovable, and totally swoon-worthy.
🌶 William… where do I even begin? I loved him. I wish we had his POV, even just for the epilogue—not to spoil the story, but damn, being inside his head would have been a treat! He’s dark, mysterious, sweet, and insanely hot. And while this book isn’t smutty (the spicy scenes aren’t on-page), don’t be fooled—every time William opened his gorgeous, sometimes filthy mouth, the temperature skyrocketed. 🔥
💖 Rose was equally wonderful. She had her life meticulously planned, and watching her personal growth—learning to let go, take risks, and embrace happiness—was truly satisfying. I resonated so much with her journey.
Another huge plus? The side characters! The best friends, parents, even the pervy coworker—they all added so much depth. Some romances focus only on the couple, making the world feel flat, but this book had a rich, well-rounded cast that made the story even better.
Overall, Playing Flirty is a fun, nerdy, and heartwarming romance that I absolutely recommend! 💕🎲✨
February 10, 2025
This book was so sweet. I loved the background that the two of them had, and I did guess the twist as soon as it happened on page, but I love how fate brings people into your life and things work out like they are supposed to in the end.
January 11, 2025
*thanks to libro.fm & the publisher for the gifted audiobook; all thoughts are my own*
This was not good. I thought it would be like DnD gaming which I thought would be fun, but it is literal board games. And I am not a board game fan. I don't read synopses so that's on me. But regardless the book isn't great.
Rose was fine? She didn't stand out in any way and I felt like facts about her were supposed to make her an interesting character (she likes lists! and has a plan! and is short!) but I never felt like I got her or understood her. She is fine at the beginning and fine at the end. Which honestly makes me lose interest in most books (there are exceptions. this was not one of them).
William was boring! He was so clearly into her and again was just sort of a mash up of traits. I saw someone saying that a lot of recent contemporaries make the FMC be in a relationship at the start of the book and that ex is the conflict and that is WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE and it didn't work for me. Patrick Literally Proposes?! and she didn't instantly say no? I hated it
The emotional arc was just not great and I wasn't invested in their relationship at all.
I did like her relationship with her parents. That was cute.
The idea had premise, but it needed a complete overhaul in edits to become a book that I would've liked. Shame because I was hyped for it. Contemporary Romance continues into 2025 as the genre that isn't hitting!!!
This was not good. I thought it would be like DnD gaming which I thought would be fun, but it is literal board games. And I am not a board game fan. I don't read synopses so that's on me. But regardless the book isn't great.
Rose was fine? She didn't stand out in any way and I felt like facts about her were supposed to make her an interesting character (she likes lists! and has a plan! and is short!) but I never felt like I got her or understood her. She is fine at the beginning and fine at the end. Which honestly makes me lose interest in most books (there are exceptions. this was not one of them).
William was boring! He was so clearly into her and again was just sort of a mash up of traits. I saw someone saying that a lot of recent contemporaries make the FMC be in a relationship at the start of the book and that ex is the conflict and that is WHAT IS HAPPENING HERE and it didn't work for me.
The emotional arc was just not great and I wasn't invested in their relationship at all.
I did like her relationship with her parents. That was cute.
The idea had premise, but it needed a complete overhaul in edits to become a book that I would've liked. Shame because I was hyped for it. Contemporary Romance continues into 2025 as the genre that isn't hitting!!!
Read
February 1, 2025The two main characters in this romance book are brought together by their love of games. Rose and William are in a group that meets once a week to play board games and William is a video game designer in his day job. Rose long ago designed a board game and has now asked William, who is usually her nemesis, to help her with some of the finer points. The longer they work on the game the more Rose realizes she sees a lot more in William than she previously thought. Their relationship is engaging and well written. The secondary characters are a great component of the story. This is another fun romance book!
Thank you Forever Publishing for my free review copy!
Thank you Forever Publishing for my free review copy!
December 29, 2024
This book was a delight from beginning to end! William and Rose are such a cute couple. William is the perfect grumpy cinnamon roll and Rose is a heroine to root for. Both of their characters ARC are well-developed. You don't have to love games to love this book, although if you do, you will love all the Easter eggs and pop culture references.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for my complimentary ARC. All opinions are my own.
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