The Boyfriend Project

March 16, 2020
Rochon (the Holmes Brothers series) woos readers with ample wit and charm in this low-drama workplace romance. Samiah Brooks’s life takes a turn when she finds out via Twitter that her beau is cheating on her with two other women. In the applause-worthy confrontation that follows, Samiah loses a boyfriend but forges fast friendships with the women he’s cheated with, who join her in kicking the jerk to the curb. The trio, who dub themselves “Squad Goals,” makes a pact to forgo relationships for six months to focus on self-care and self-improvement. But then Samiah’s tech company hires dreamboat Daniel Collins, and Samiah becomes unsure that she’ll be able to keep her promise. Though Samiah and Daniel strike up a comfortable, flirtatious camaraderie that quickly becomes less work and more play, Rochon keeps their romance on a slow simmer as both put their career obligations before their desire to be together. Readers will long for greater emotional connection between the romantic leads but appreciate the emphasis on female friendship and empowerment. This effortless rom-com makes up for its lack of romantic conflict with an extra helping of sweetness. Agent: Evan Marshall, Evan Marshall Agency.

April 1, 2020
After becoming the star of a viral video, a software engineer swears off dating. Samiah Brooks is horrified to discover her new boyfriend was cheating on her with not just one, but two other women. After her very public breakup with him goes viral, she's surprised to find herself developing a close friendship with the other two girlfriends. The three women vow to work on achieving their individual goals rather than hunting for better boyfriends. Samiah, a talented and successful software engineer, decides to finally develop an app that would help people find platonic friends through shared interests. However, Samiah's vow to swear off men is challenged by a new colleague at her high-powered Austin tech firm. Daniel Collins is a hardworking and handsome new member of her team. Instead of laughing at her viral breakup video, he is genuinely worried about her well-being. They strike up a tentative friendship, but Samiah doesn't realize Daniel has his own reasons for fighting their growing attraction: He's working undercover for the Department of the Treasury, investigating a possible connection between their firm and a money laundering ring. Rochon is a romance master who adeptly writes interesting and dynamic characters. Samiah's work ethic and need for control are rooted in childhood adversity, but she still craves friendship and love. After her public humiliation, she's relieved that Daniel seems so trustworthy and kind; meanwhile, he's tortured by the fact that lying to her is a requirement of his real job. The conflict is thorny and real without being melodramatic. Notably, the book unflinchingly portrays the obstacles Samiah faces as a black woman in a STEM field and her determination to pull other black women and girls up the ladder. A richly layered conflict adds depth and complexity to this charming workplace romance.

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May 1, 2020

When the man Samiah Brooks is dating turns out to be a three-timing jerk, she counts herself lucky to walk away with two new best friends and a renewed dedication to her personal goals. The three catfished women make a pact to spend the time they'd use on dating on themselves instead, but Samiah's resolve is immediately tested by the hot new hire at her office. Samiah and Daniel's attraction is instant but complicated by Daniel's motivation for joining her firm. While he has all the coding skills of a tech superstar, his true goal is uncovering and taking down a money-laundering scheme. Although some may struggle with the element of deception attached to Daniel's work, the slow-burn romance, supportive female friendships, and fresh, exciting depictions of working in a trendy Austin, TX, tech firm will leave most readers eager for more entries in the series. VERDICT Rochon's ("Moments in Mapleville" series) latest is ideal for anyone wanting positive representations of strong women in STEM fields, especially with its exploration of the specific challenges faced by black women. It will also please fans of office romances and Christina Lauren's Dating You/Hating You.--Meagan Day, High Plains Lib. Dist., CO

Copyright 2020 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.

May 1, 2020
Samiah Brooks has big dreams of designing a new platonic-dating app, but her day job at a hip downtown Austin tech company, Trendsetters, leaves her with little time to spare. Everything changes one night when she discovers via Twitter that her beau has been catfishing two other women, and, soon after, a video of their confrontation goes viral, putting Samiah and his other victims, London and Taylor, in an uncomfortable spotlight. The experience turns them into close friends overnight, and the three women vow to avoid dating for six months while they focus on themselves. At work, Samiah has to face embarrassing questions and gossip, but new-guy Daniel Collins offers emotional support. Everyone at Trendsetters assumes that Daniel is just a brilliant coder, but he isn't there to climb the corporate ladder; instead he's investigating a money-laundering scheme, and to complete his mission he may have to betray the trust of someone he's just fallen for. Rochon's new multicultural contemporary romance series deploys the delicious tensions generated by an office romance, corporate intrigue, and female empowerment.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2020, American Library Association.)