J'avoue avoir été totalement emballée pour la couverture et que ça m'a fait craqué. Pourtant, j'ai été surprise de découvrir un livre loin d'être aussi léger que ce à quoi je m'attendais.
Les deux personnages vivent tous les deux avec leur lot de difficulté : pour Lexi, il s'agit de la maladie de sa mère alors que Damian vit avec le deuil et sa relation compliqué avec ses parents. J'ai trouvé que ces thématiques étaient très bien traités : sans être fait de manière trop lourde, il y avait quand même quelques moments émouvants.
J'ai trouvé que la question de la famille était une part importante du livre et j'ai beaucoup aimé comment elle était développée dans le livre où les parents ne sont pas juste des personnes anecdotiques qui existent loin.
Damian est un soleil je trouve qui a du mal à prendre les choses au sérieux au premier abord mais cela cache beaucoup de choses. J'ai beaucoup aimé comment il grandissait et évoluait aux côtés de Lexi. Il y a quelques scènes très drôles dans le livre et je trouve que l'autrice a la vraie force de réussir à passer des moments drôles au moment émouvant assez naturellement.
Une très bonne surprise donc !

The Girlfriend Agreement by Rowan Croft

I am giving this book 4 stars because the amount of inner monologue seemed too long at some points for me I felt I was having to go back and check to see what the last line of the conversation was about and it got a little annoying. besides that I did enjoy the story line even though or fmc was VERY prickly at times and almost too much but it was explained later on why that was which was nice to see it from that perspective. I liked that these characters mainly the fmc had real world problems that most of us could relate to! The math examples cracked me up because I hate math and there was so much time explaining what she was teaching I even found myself so lost but that is just me being horrible at math and it made me giggle! The character growth was great and I was so freaking happy when they finally figured their own feelings out.

This book was absolutely fantastic. Lexi, a math genius is just trying to navigate school and dealing with her sick mother. Damien, billionaire f*#€boy, seduces Lexi in a dare. When it comes out she’s embarrassed and broken by it. The next semester she hooks up with him again, and he doesn’t even remember her. One thing leads to another and his playboy ways catch up with him and his parents threaten to cut him off if he doesn’t straighten up and get it together. In comes Lexi again, despite her deep hatred of him, desperate for lie y to take care of her mom, she agrees to it. But like all of these arrangements it’s more than they bargained for.

Their character development was so well written and both characters are rich and complex. The story was quite emotional at times too. They were so wonderful to get to know and go on that journey with them. I am excited for this series if they’re anything like this! Definitely a must read when it’s released!

Okay so I’m an enemies to lovers DIE HARD FAN! And Rowan did not disappoint in the slightest! My problem—the hate was a little too much for me at the start. Don’t get me wrong, I LOVE THAT, but to a certain degree. Now when we got past that and it was in frenemy territory I was feeling pretty good about it. Let’s get into the juicer stuff. First off Damian Navarro???!!! Holy hell I love him, at first I wanted to just smash his head into a hole filled with sharks BUT he really grew on me and I wanted to hold him like a teddy bear. Lexi dornan??!! There is literally nothing not to love about her. And usually I’m more for the guy than the girl in some books but LEXI is a gem! This girl had my heart from the first moment I got to know her. I loved how I felt really connected to all the characters in the book, even the side characters!! Her bestfriends are what anybody would be lucky to have as friends! This book really takes you on a whole lot of twists and turns. There were moments where I WANTED her to just get away from him but in the end..love concurs all and that’s how it’s supposed to be. Now I can’t wait for book 2. But as for book 1, I didn’t think I was going to love it as much especially with such a rocky start but I fell in love with them. They’re teamwork, the dynamic and the admiration they shared for eachother was beautiful. Turns out you can really turn a fuckboy Into a boyfriend *wink*

The Girlfriend Agreement is a college romance following the fuckboy x genius girl dynamic with a fake dating twist and a believable enemies-to-lovers storyline. It is slow-burn, with lots of humour and lighthearted fun.

However, it contains some very deep messages, such as an in detailed discussion of the American healthcare system in the wake of Lexi, the protagonist’s, mother’s cancer diagnosis and the crippling financial burden it causes. It also has some heart wrenching explorations of grief, guilt and shame that had me in tears for the final 20% ish of this book and brought this book up in its rating. It similarly discusses parental issues and insecurities with identity in such a vulnerable and moving way.

I much preferred the second half of this book, but I struggled initially. As someone who is exactly the same age and stage in life as one protagonist and two years younger than the other, the writing and their characterisation felt often very immature to me, but this could be because I’m reading this as a British gal and with a different sense of humour? I also felt this book could’ve been 100 pages shorter as I personally felt it dragged a lot in the middle…

But, I really enjoyed some of the characters in this book. I found Damian’s fuckboy persona was rather extreme (although, hey, this does help build the enemies-to-lovers pipeline), but he grew on me by the end and I genuinely loved the dynamic between him and Lexi - I thought it was very deep, vulnerable, and full of understanding. The conclusion is so sweet, and I felt their happiness was so well deserved. I also loved the side characters - Ronnie, Andi, and Lexi’s mum and aunt.

⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 (ish)

this book was EVERYTHING....

lexi & damian… they are so perfect together. not in a cliché, cookie-cutter way—but in a deeply intentional, soul-aligned kind of way. they build each other up & push each other out of their comfort zones in the gentlest, bravest ways.. and it’s just so beautiful to watch them grow together. not just as individuals, but as a unit. i was rooting for them with my whole chest :') they truly are a power couple. lexi is the strength he needs & damian is the voice that reminds her she’s allowed to take up space—boldly and unapologetically... so perfectly matched it makes my heart ache ✩₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ #DexiForever

the emotional tension is real... but what really tugged at my heart strings was the family dynamic. the push & pull with damian’s family, the weight he carries, and the redemption arc he walks through? it felt raw & real.. so satisfying to read. his growth—ugh. lovedddd this entire story ♡

HUGE thanks to netgalley, greys promotions & the queen Rowan Croft for the arc!

ull disclsure - this is a review of an ARC that was provided through NetGalley. I promise this is an honest review.

Contemporary RomCom novels are not typically my thing. I went through a Chick lit phase in the early 2000s, with Bridget Jones and Candace Bushnell and Shopaholic and my favourite writer of that ere - Marian Keyes. So I'm not a hater, but I prefer my MMCs to have wings and interesting male anatomy these days.

This book starts with the action up front as we are introduced to our main characters as they fumble their way through a drunken hook up where neither of them are quite sure about names, faces or possible consequences and as someone who also had a great time in university and may have had one or two of these encounters, with the resulting 'walk of shame' the morning after, I'm glad to see that some things never change.

From this high point the story unravels as we learn about our main characters. Obviously when the realization of who they slept with seeps in, there is plenty of distrust and angst on both sides.

Through some highly coincidental (and perhaps fated?) circumstances our protagonists have to fake a relationship in order to meet some of their personal needs and there is no spoilers here in that they learn about each other and fall in love along the way. That's the formula and if you are expecting anything else, why are you reading romance books?

The thing that separates the wheat from the chaff in these books is how they get from disgust to love and in this case it's ugly tears all the way. Both characters are dealing with a host of issues, mostly grief and abandonment issues and as they learn of each other's complexities we fall in love with the characters as they do. I love when a romance book makes me cry over the characters. It's cathartic!

The sex scenes are hot, the dialogue is snappy and the math is over my head. The falling in love theme is believable and comes about organically, and not a sudden change or declaration.

The book doesn't break any barriers or deconstruct romance tropes, but that's not what this book is here to do. it's an easy reading, fun romp with some heartfelt moments and I devoured it.

Not quite a full 5 stars, but as close to it as I can give a book that isn't a game changer.

My only negative observation is that it's a bit on the longer side and I think it may be due to extremely long inner monologues - for example, in a deep conversation where a character is internalizing what they heard and what to say next there is sometimes 3 or 4 paragraphs of inner turmoil before they give a one word answer. I found myself scanning through most of that prose to get to the rest of the conversation which is usually a sign that it is more description than necessary. There was a plot point regarding a professor that could have been drawn out a bit more, but it was tacked out at the end as "by the way, this happened to a professor who was featured earlier on, but it was resolved off page"

The next novel in this series is to follow one of the FMC's BFF who seems like she will be a fun character, so looking forward to continue following in this world.

Arc Review !!

Tropes: enemies to lovers, fake dating, slow burn, second chance, grumpy/sunshine, small town

WOW...This book was everything I wanted and more! It follows the genius scholarship student and former billionaire playboy as they navigate through a faking dating scheme and learning to forgive/understand one another for their past. This had everything from sharp banter to the perfect amount of STEM vibes from our main characters all without that third-act breakup! I will say that this book definitely had a VALID second chance plot that followed how people in the real world would respond to trying to forgive what the mmc did, it took most of the book to fully acknowledge this which I find very realistic (honestly I had a hard time getting over it lol)!

Perfect for lovers of Ali Hazelwood (Love Hypothesis) or Christina Lauren! Also, Maxton Hall enjoyers (iykyk)!

Thank you so much NetGalley and Rowan Croft for this e-ARC!

thank you for the ARC NetGalley &
Rowan Croft !! 💗🥹

firstly, enemies to lovers is my favourite trope so that was what interested me to apply for the arc, and the fake girlfriend trope was such a plus omg!! it was portrayed perfectly by the author.
i loved how Lexi & Damian had such great chemistry even before they started falling for each other, so their pre “dating” era was so fun to read 🥹 and their banter?! that was the best part, i literally laughed out loud so many times and you know a book is good when it makes you do that.
I have to say it did take me some time to genuinely like Damian’s character but as we got to know his back story, it made me undertand him much better so his character development was amazing. And i also loved how the author portrayed the Mexican culture so beautifully as we got to see more of Damian’s background.
Lexi was also such a treat to read about, i love a FMC who is actually smart and knows what she’s doing. They balanced each other perfectly which is why they made such a great pair 🥹 and the spice was 🌶️🥵!!

this book was honestly such a 5 star book, and i can’t wait for everyone to read this book 😭

First of all, thank you very much for the ARC.
The writing is captivating and easy to read, I couldn’t put the book down. The fake dating trope really gets me every single time!
I absolutely recommend it. 3.5 stars.

I totally loved this book. It was fun, sweet, emotional and full of small details that just made it feel special. I connected with Lexi from the beginning, she felt so real and smart but also vulnerable in a way that made you want to protect her. Damian, was kind of annoying in the beginning, honestly. But then slowly, he showed another side and in the end I was his biggest fan. The dynamic between them was amazing. Their banter, the way they clashed and also clicked. Like, the slow burn was burning. And when Damian finally stopped acting dumb and started acting with heart, I was totally sold. It didn’t feel like just a light romcom. There was depth. Especially with Lexi’s journey, she was dealing with so much, but she kept going. The humor felt natural and the pacing was just right, never boring, never rushed. And now I just really want the next book in this series. Thank you so much to the author and Netgalley for giving me the opportunity to read the book in advance, I received this for free and I'm leaving a honest review

Did I like it? Yes. Did I love it? No.

The first 35% was SO painful to get through. It was too wordy, and the way I hated the MMC in the beginning made it hard to push through. I agree with other reviewers saying I was 🤏 this close to DNFing it.

Overall, though, once the story finally got going and Damian started to change, it was a great read.

Thank you, NetGalley, Rowan Croft & the publisher, for a copy in exchange for an honest review.

The Girlfriend Agreement - Rowan Croft

RATING: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
SPICE: 🌶️🌶️🌶️

““Now, show that beautiful smile to the camera.”.”

I’m soooo happy that I got a copy of this book to read! I had seen soooo many posts ranting and raving about it that it immediately sucked me in and I knew I was gonna love it. The grumpy x sunshine, fake dating and enemies to lovers hit just right!

The novel had the perfect amount of plot, smut and emotional triggers. As a warning this book discusses cancer so I would like to warn others that if you find this topic difficult then please proceed with caution. I have had a few people in my life that have had their lives cut short because of concern so I found I could really connect with those in the book.

Damian is a whole vibe. He gave me Ryan Reynold like vibes. Especially when him and Lexi would banter with each other. Also the twilight references throughout the book killed me! My inner teenage self was definitely screaming.

I will for sure be rereading this book in the future. Honestly would LOVE to listen to an audiobook version too! I feel like it would be literal perfection!!! 🥵

This book was amazing!! It had trying to read this book as fast as I could but also never wanting it to end. I truly loved Damian and Lexi’s story. Such a great mix of humor and heaviness. To the point it could have you in your feels! I can’t wait to see what the author writes next!

ARC Review: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you NetGalley and Shire-Hill Publications for this ARC.

This snuck under my skin and hit hard in the feels - that raw hurt and guilt. Fighting depression, hiding from reality, and building all those up walls.

The build up of this story is subtle with such a good slow burn. Introducing the characters in an explosive way where you might miss all the different masks they wear.

The underlying understanding for consent was so prevalent here and I loved it. Not just in a spicy way either. Consent for presence, for involvement, and patience for what someone else needs not what you want.

Some of the introspection can get a little lengthy, as well as, a bit repetitive when it switches POVs and goes over similar thoughts on the same scenes.

I can see why some might dislike the MMC, but he meshes so well with the FMC - the fear and anger they both feel are just being reflected and "treated" in different ways. Both self-destructive. I don't like some of the choices he makes, but I actually really liked him as a character. Even in the beginning.

Women in STEM and not once was there doubt about her abilities based on being a woman ♥️♥️♥️ Her character is fantastic and I loved the banter. The masking, the pretending, the lies, and the drinking. The FMC is wonderfully flawed and lovely.

I will be getting book 2

This book was amazing!! It had me so engaged all throughout Damian and Lexi’s story. Such a great mix of humor and heaviness. So so sweet and remarkable. Great job to everyone involved in this book!!❤️

One bet, a one night stand that sets everything in motion, and a fake dating scheme that helps resolve both main character, Lexi and Damian's, current dilemmas!

I really enjoyed reading Rowan Croft's "The Girlfriend Agreement". It had drama, comedy, romance, family, math, etc. I also very much enjoyed the dual point of view chapters for both Lexi and Damian. Seeing both sides of each character gave me depth on each of their struggles and how they are perceived by others is not necessarily accurate.

Also, this book is SPICY!!! <3 Definitely recommendable to fans of authors such as Ali Hazelwood and Helen Hoang.

This is a perfect college, fake dating book!!!

This book starts with a bang with a bad past between the MMC (Damian) and the FMC (Lexi). When they both find themselves with a situation in their lives they agree to fake date each other following an anonymous Craig’s List ad, but will they be able to work through the past to make it believable?

The chemistry and banter between Damian and Lexi was immaculate which I was eating up throughout the whole book.

I wish I was apart of Lexi’s friendship group and can’t wait to continue this series on when the new book comes out!

Wow. This book took me on a bit of a rollercoaster. First, Damian was a hard character to like (at first) the way he just didn't care about his actions or who he hurt along the way, was horrible. BUT boy did he redeem himself. I think what I loved about this book was that it was a natural progression over time. it wasn't him being a pendejo one day, but the next he was likeable. It was through conversations and getting to know and understand Lexi better.
Lexi was likeable from the start, and watching her go from hating Damian to falling for him was also done naturally overtime. it didn't just take one good deed for her to forgive him. He had to work for it.
I think the only thing that kind of bothered me, is that he 90% of the book called her 'Blondie'. He never used her name unless talking to someone about her.
Second, the second half of the book made me cry. The reasons for Damian's behavior made sense, is it an excuse? of course not, but it made sense, and your heart breaks for him and his family.
third, I loved his abuela. she was such a nice touch and seeing that when he felt like he couldn't go to his parents, he had her.
I give this book 4.5 stars.

I'm very disappointed to leave such a low star rating for this book as it had its positives, however I had so many issues with it, almost all of them stemming from the male love interest.

The authors writing was very detailed and I enjoyed her writing style. The plot was an engaging one regardless of it not being for me, and the storyline was compelling. I did like our fmc Lexi and I found myself rooting for her. There was depth and backstory to each character and our two main love interests both had very strong characterisation.

Unfortunately, the characterisation for Damian went a little too far. He was not a likeable character.

At the beginning of the book we learn of a bet he made that took advantage of and humiliated Lexi and many other girls. His inner dialogue only revealed to me what a not nice person he was, and how little he thought about or cared about what he'd done. He referred to Lexi in his head as 'Poor Girl' (and also to her face) and thought of her as 'Repeat' because he couldn't remember her name and only knew that they'd hooked up twice previously.

None of his actions throughout the book felt in any way excusable or redeemable to me. I could not root for the romance between them the due to this.

There was also a lack of maturity to the characters and their actions. They were in college but they felt more like high schoolers, however the heavy topic of Lexi's mums illness added a heaviness to this book that a lot of the time was not reflected in the romcom type style. I felt a little uncomfortable that Lexi was quite literally trying to save her mums life by entering into a 'fake dating' agreement with Damian (who she did not like due to how he'd hurt her) in order to pay for her mums life saving medical expenses.

I was very invested in Lexi's storyline and would still consider reading more from this author as I did enjoy their writing style, but I don't understand what the intent was behind writing a character that was so cruel hearted towards women, other than to create a redemption arc in the end I guess. But after everything I read about Damian, I didn't think he deserved one.

Thank you netgalley and the author for this arc opportunity.

(I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review)