Romantic comedy
College romance
Fake dating
Swoon worthy
Spicy 🌶️

A cute love story. The author did a fabulous job with this story. It has a great mix of all the things I enjoy in a good romance novel. Steany, flirty, banter, emotions.

I truly enjoyed Lexi and Damian’s story. It had me cracking up at the fumbling through the fake dating. This was such a good book. I hope it gets an audio version someday I would absolutely love to hear it brought to life!

This was such a fun book for me! An enemies to lovers with spice- my perfect book! The author did a great job of creating a character that I hated at first but then developed both characters throughout the book and made me absolutely love him. The banter was great and had me giggling. I also loved Lexi's friends and how fiercely loyal they were- it made me incredibly intrigued to read her next book that would be centered around her sassy best friend. I kind of devoured this book and was sad when it ended honestly. Also- I loved the spanish aspect of the book as well! As someone hispanic, the author did a great job really capturing how warm a Mexican family can be, especially sus abuelas! I will be posting my review on my goodreads and Amazon when I am able!

This book was such a fun read. I’m a sucker for fake dating, and this one hit all the right notes without feeling over the top. Lexi is smart and relatable, and watching her deal with Damian (who is somehow both annoying and ridiculously charming) was honestly hilarious. Their banter had me grinning, and the slow-burn tension kept me hooked the whole time.

It’s got just enough drama, just enough steam, and a whole lot of heart. If you’re into college romances with enemies-to-lovers vibes and chaotic chemistry, this is definitely one to pick up.

The Girlfriend Agreemenr by Rowan Croft
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ (but like imagine each star is actually a shrine I’ve built to this book)

OKAY LISTEN. This book?? Is the Sistine Chapel of romcoms. The Mona Lisa of fake dating. The Everest of enemies to lovers and I will NOT be taking questions at this time! 😭 I had to sit and compose myself after and take some time to form a review that was worthy of this masterpiece honestly.

❣️Lexi Dornan = my spirit animal.
❣️Damian Navarro = my Roman Empire.

Fake dating? SPICE? TWILIGHT JOKES? Bonus scenes that made me scream into my pillow and kick my feet???

@authorrowancroft, how dare you. HOW DARE YOU write a debut THIS good 😩

I’ve never rooted harder for a chaotic academic gremlin and a reformed golden retriever fuckboy. I laughed, I swooned, I blacked out from pure excitement, and I could have cried because I didn’t want it to end😭 The character growth??? The tension??? The banter??? It’s literary serotonin and I’m mainlining it.

I will now be shouting about this book from rooftops, ambushing strangers in bookstores, and haunting your dreams until you read it. You’ve been warned.😌

Rowan Croft, you evil genius. THANK YOU for this masterpiece. I am now your hype woman for life. I cannot believe little old me got to read an ARC of this 😭 you have not just written a book, you’ve re-wired my brain ♥️

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This. Book. Holyfuck.

The way I CACKLED throughout this book is insane.
It’s also insane how much I cried while reading it.

I loved this.

If I’m being completely honest, I was hesitant at the beginning, because I couldn’t, for the life of me, see how I could come to like Damian as a MMC.
Seriously, I wanted to go into the book and sucker-punch the dude.

But this is why I now have to stand up and throw Rowan her well deserved flowers.

Because his character arc? It was so subtle, so real and raw, you just had no choice but to fall for him as Lexi did.

And Lexi. Oh my shayla. She’s so precious, so outspoken, but at the same time shy. I love that woman.

I loved this book, and i WILL be reading anything this woman writes from now on.

This book broke my heart, in so many ways. But it also rebuilt a little bit of hope I have for humanity.

Who said faking it was easy?
Lexi Dornan is a genius—except when Damian Navarro is around. Agreeing to be the campus playboy’s fake girlfriend was a miscalculation of epic proportions, but she needs the money, and he needs to prove he’s capable of commitment. It’s just pretend…until it starts to feel real. In this fun, flirty fake-dating romance, the right person and the wrong reasons might just add up to love.

I started off wanting to aggressively shake some sense into Damian. And I mean very aggressively. But Rowan gave this man the BEST redemption arc possible, she gave him a heart. Damian has so much growth that it warms me completely that he was able to get that development even if it took a couple of unsavoury kicks (you’ll know when you read).

Lexi is a peculiar woman. She is so strong and determined, everything I love in a FMC but she also has her struggles which truely made her a relatable character. In all her nerdy-ness, she is just a misunderstood scared person that needs someone to love her for her. Also I think it’s so darn cool that she is particularly a human calculator (would fight anyone who says otherwise)!

I loved this book! The plot really progressed and I don’t want to spoil a thing so you’re going to have to read it to find out! I love the cultural aspects of this story too - I’ll be honest the most of Mexican culture I know is from Coco so I am no expert but I think it was beautifully done. And I would lay down my life for Lucia!

Thank you to Rowan Croft for giving me this amazing opportunity 🫶🏼

I loved this book! It was the perfect romcom! I could definitely see this being made into a movie some day. The cocky rich boy and the girl who needs money. Both hilarious and full of attitude which makes it even better. I enjoyed the added bits learning about new things. Mexican heritage, her unusual medical condition, and others. They were interesting little bits added in to round out the characters. His Twilight addiction! At first I thought would be cringy but seriously wouldn't have him and this story any other way. It was amazing and I loved all the references. Then the added storyline of cancer. Which everyone now a days can unfortunately relate to. It was a good insite to grief and also the burden of insurance and bills versus saving a loved one.

I absolutely loved Lexi from the start and she was so easy to root for. Damian, on the other hand… let’s just say he took a bit longer to win me over. I seriously wanted to jump into the book and shake some sense into him! 😅 But once he started to open up, I found myself really enjoying their dynamic. The ending truly pulled at my heartstrings in the best way.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for the early access. All thoughts in this review are my own!

The Girlfriend Agreement is a delightful slow-burn romance that hits all the right feelings. Rowan Croft blends laugh-out-loud humor with heartfelt emotion in this fake-dating, enemies-to-lovers college romcom. Lexi and Damian’s chemistry is electric, their banter sharp, and their emotional growth is deeply satisfying to the reader. There are many lovable side characters. This book is a feel-good read that is impossible to put down. Perfect for fans of witty dialogue, emotional depth, and a satisfying happily ever after.

Thank you netgally and the publishers for accepting me to review this arc!

I haven’t read a romance book in a long time that had proper character development like Damien did. At the start of the book I kinda hated him, which I think was the intention, and slowly as the book goes on and he starts realising his privilege lifestyle and starts healing from his past trauma, I started to forgive him and grow to really enjoy his character despite his actions at the start of be book. That takes lots of skill to be able to pull of a such a satisfactory redemption arc that feels earned!

I always love the fake dating trope! If there is a book with fake dating best believe I will be reading it. And this book does it so well!! The dynamic going from hating each other to realising their feelings was so fun to read.

It’s also dual pov which just adds so much more depth to the characters, going in I thought 580 pages was a bit lengthy for a romance book, but after finishing I think the length is justified

✨️ARC Review✨️

Hay Dios Mio!!!

This book.

THIS BOOK!!!!

It was so worth the wait to read The Girlfriend Agreement. Rowan, you are an absolute goddess because this book is a MASTERPIECE 😍😍😍 I LOVE LOVE LOVE this book for all of eternity. To the moon and back. No amount of stars in the universe, no amount of galaxies can express how much I adored and loved reading this book. I literally had to take my time reading becasue I didn't want it to end, and now that I've finished it I feel an emptiness 🥺. I've never felt such emptiness since I finished reading all the Harry Potter books or a Harry Potter fanfic on ao3 called Crimson Rivers.

The Girlfriend Agreement has left such a huge message to me and such an impact that I will always remember. I will definitely be rereading this book in the future (in a couple of days 🙃)

Damian's redemption arc was so beautifully satisfying. He deserves that and more. Losing a loved one is always the hardest thing in the whole world. Feeling that ache in your heart, hoping it'll go away, but all it does is just linger forever. But good does come. It's not always bad. And that's what Damian's story shows.

And Lexi. You fiery woman. I got to show my appreciation for us STEM girlie, even though Im not a math genius like her, I appreciate her so much. And that feeling of not being enough installed on you by past relationships, I know how that feels today. But you pulled through, and now you found someone who challenges your mind and you, and stayed. I love that for you and I hope to find that myself.

UGH😭😭😭😭 MY STANDARDS ARE SO HIGH BECAUSE OF THESE FICTIONAL MEN but its good because we all deserve better... and more. I'll love this book until the end of time.

Thank you Rowan and NetGalley for this wonderful eARC 🫶🏼🥹.

The Girlfriend Agreement comes out July 29, 2025 🥰🥰

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

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.

Thank you to Rowan Croft and the publisher for the opportunity to read The Girlfriend Agreement early!

(Rowan, where the hell have you been, loca? Because I need to read everything you write from now on.)

The Girlfriend Agreement was an absolute delight from start to finish! Rowan Croft delivers a fresh, laugh-out-loud college romcom packed with heart, heat, and just the right amount of chaos.

Lexi Dornan is a brilliant, no-nonsense student who finds herself reluctantly fake-dating Damian Navarro—the campus heartthrob with a reputation and something to prove. Their dynamic is electric from the start, full of sharp banter, simmering tension, and emotional depth that slowly sneaks up on you.

I especially appreciated the thoughtful cultural touches throughout the book, Damian’s Mexican heritage is woven in with care, and the refranes (Spanish proverbs) that open his chapters were a standout detail. The story also doesn’t shy away from real-world issues like the broken U.S. healthcare system, giving Lexi’s motivations real weight.

What truly sets this apart is the balance between humor and sincerity. The chemistry is fantastic, the female friendships are strong and refreshing, and the emotional payoff is worth every page.

Fans of fake dating, enemies-to-lovers tropes, and slow-burn romances will absolutely devour this. I’m officially invested in the Conwick U universe and can’t wait to read whatever Rowan Croft writes next!

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!

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

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 😭

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!

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!

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!

I absolutely loved this book. I was hooked right from the first chapter and fell in love with Lexi really quickly.

Lexi and Damian form an agreement to become involved in a fake relationship. Both will gain significantly from the agreement but both also have a lot to lose if they are found out.

At the beginning it was easy to hate Damian due to the way he treated pretty much everyone else around him. However I did a full U-Turn on this at around 40% of the way through.

Lexi is closed off and comes across as dismissive at the beginning however as the story goes on, it becomes clear that she has erected a huge wall around herself to protect her feelings. Due to previous experiences, she worries that any man she trusts will eventually hurt her and leave.

When Damian learns this and more about her personality, he goes through a complete character switch. Damian sets out to earn Lexi’s trust and break down her barriers.

I love a book when we get a friendship love story too. The friendship and bond between Lexi, Ronnie and Andie was everything and I can’t wait to see who gets their own HEA next!

When I first discover Damian I was kind of skeptical like what ?? This boy 😂😂 and then you start to know him profoundly to like and love him his backstory 🥹 and there is Lexi on the other side who could give up everything for the person she loves omggg their love story I love them with all of my heart ♥️ this book was amazing 🤩 and ohhh Ronnie I am scared of her 😂😂😂😂😂 she is the bff I wish I had ❤️💯

The Girlfriend Agreement by Rowan Croft is an absolute masterpiece! It has top notch banter, tension galore, and a sweet touching side to the story. I literally couldn't read it fast enough!

I really connected with Lexi, the FMC, because of how she's introverted and puts a mask on for those around her, I thought that she was a fantastic character and her fiery side was hilarious. Damien, the MMC, was her perfect balance and to see their relationship go from pure hatred to love was a wild ride.

The other side characters were also a treat and everyone was very well fleshed out and had their own personalities, which I love, the plot was consistent and the twists might have been expected but they were dealt in unexpected ways sometimes.

Overall, this was definitely a favorite read of mine and I would recommend it to anyone who enjoys banter, will-they-won't-they vibes, and a truly heartwarming HEA!

Ooooooh baby was I squealing while reading the Girlfriend Agreement. Sorry, but I do love a fake dating situation. Now you add in enemies to lovers?? I'm hooked. From the start, we knew we'd love Lexi. A brilliant, headstrong woman who goes for what she wants (sometimes and maybe with a little liquid courage). And who am I kidding, I knew I'd love Damian. Sure, in a real life situation we'd all hate him, but in a book... god do I love the self-centered playboy.

The Girlfriend Agreement promises giddy laughter, swoon worthy scenes, great banter, and maybe some tears. A 10/10 summer read. Catch me re-reading it and recommending it to everyone who will listen.

Thank you Rowan Croft and NetGalley for the ARC.

okay after thinking on this i can safely say this is in my top 2 favorite reads so far this year. 5 ⭐️ i’d give it a million if i could

y’all know the analogy of putting a frog in water and bringing it to boil? and how the frog won’t jump out? that was me with this book. the non-boiling water was the cute fake-dating, second chance, scorned enemies to lovers tropes and the boiling water was the EMOTIONAL DAMAGE that rowan threw at me.

tw: cancer (i do discuss in my review while being as non-spoilery as possible)

despite not being a math genius, i related *so much* to lexi in this story. as someone who currently has a parent with stage 4 cancer, seeing her actions and thought process was exactly the same i would do in her situation.

on the other hand, damian’s pov had such conversations on grief that by the end of the book i barely went a chapter without crying. rowan put words to emotions that i have been struggling with myself and honestly? i needed to hear. her writing was a sucker punch to my own personal sadness and grief.

this book will hook you with the fun banter and spicy scenes and then boil you alive with emotions and thoughtfulness. i couldn’t have asked for anything better. everyone PLEASE go read this book

Thank you NetGalley and Rowan Croft for this eARC, I have been seeing this everywhere and I am so grateful to be given the chance to read this early.

This book is easily 5 stars, might even be 6 stars. I loved it, I loved the FMC and I absolutely adored the MMC. Enemies to lovers whilst fake dating? Sign me right up, it's about to be a great time and boy did this book deliver. It is hilarious, that left me giddy and kicking my feet.

It tackles some harder bits, but it works perfectly within the dynamics of the characters and is woven beautifully into the story. However, it is a swoon worthy read with a lot of tension and full of banter. I will be purchasing this book when it is released and I will be telling everyone I know to buy this book because its an easy read but with a great story.

Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I instantly fell in love with the FMC when I began this book. She was smart, funny and was not afraid to speak her mind. I will admit it took me a little while to fall for Damian - he really was an arrogant asshole. He was cocky but not in a cute way and for a while there I wasn’t sure how he could redeem himself. The hate to love trope that was done so well in this book although, I don’t think Damian ever hated Lexi but he also didn’t care for her, or care for anyone (other than his Abuela) either.

Lexi embodied chaos. Her brain although exceptional was chaotic as was her world. She used alcohol to cope in times of stress, she was on a full scholarship at a fancy school as well as taking care of her mum recovering from cancer. Her choices led her to Damian twice and this changed her world. She hated him with her whole being but she was also so attracted to him and their fake relationship turned out to be more complicated than she initially thought.

Damian, a typical college playboy who did not care about anyone but himself. He was filthy rich and didn’t need to work hard for anything he had. The emotional growth for Damian’s characters was so good. It captivated me and I really wanted him to man up and choose himself and Lexi. I was absolutely FERAL for his love of Twilight and lived for all of the references in this book. His unapologetic love for Twlighit was just part of his character - he didn’t care what anyone else thought about it but it made him happy and I think this was also how he felt with Lexi. Once he figured out he has feelings for her he never wanted to let them go. It gave him purpose to be a better man.

I think this would have to be one of my favourite romance reads for the year. It was sweet, had emotional depth, a great plot (with added Twilight references…honestly this was so good) and also spicy! The MCs had great chemistry and the banter was so entertaining.

This book had me grinning, blushing, and clutching my pearls like a romcom main character.

I love love loved this book!!! It gave me every single emotion I want from a non-magical romance. The banter? On point. The feels? Everywhere. The characters? Utterly lovable.

Lexi is that girl!!!! She’s brilliant, caring, awkwardly relatable, and balancing college stress with messy emotions. She feels like your best friend who never gives herself enough credit, and her journey is all heart.

And then we have Damian… oh, Damian. The cocky bad boy with a tragic backstory, a soft heart, and a filthy mouth. He’s firmly in his redemption era, and you will fall for him. Between his love for his Abuela (who is the cutest thing ever), his brooding guilt, and the way he slowly peels back his armor for Lexi, I was sold.

“Cada quien cosecha lo que siembra.” (“Each person harvests what they sow.”) Damian’s whole arc wrapped in a quote.

What starts as a fake dating deal between a sharp tongued college girl and her campus’s infamous bad boy quickly spirals into something way more complicated and way more real. Lexi agrees to play the role of Damian’s girlfriend to help fix his reputation, but neither of them are prepared for how fast the lines blur between pretend kisses and actual feelings. The chemistry? Electric. The tension? Delicious. And the fallout? Oh, it hurts so good.

And let’s not forget Ronnie and Andie, Lexi’s besties who reminded me so much of my own. They are fierce, loyal, unfiltered, and always ready to throw hands or hype you up. Their friendship brought so much joy and balance to the story. Honestly, I’d read an entire spinoff just about their chaotic energy. (Which Rowan has already said whose story is next… I can’t wait to see that story unfold heheheh)

This book has it all!! There’s spice, emotional depth, awkward bucket list drama (with a swift kick in the family jewels for that BS lol) and “oh no I slept with him again??” chaos. But moreover there’s a lot of healing through love, the kind that feels earned, not instafated or rushed.

If you want:
✨ witty banter with hidden pain
💔 slow-burn redemption with steam and spice
💕 best-friends-to-the-rescue energy
🧡 a book that hugs your heart and tugs it too
Then The Girlfriend Agreement should absolutely be at the top of your TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and Shire-Hill Publications for access to the eARC in exchange for my review.

#TheGirlfriendAgreement #NetGalley

TW: (mention of C*ncer in review but not deeply discussed).

Firstly, I want to say a massive thank you to Rowan Croft, Shire-Hill Publications & Netgalley for giving me an early peek at this. It is the best decision you have ever made!!

I need to talk about all the Twilight references, I was ready to DNF solely due to Damian being Team Jacob, how dare he?! But, I decided to forgive him and I'm so glad I did.

This book is a slow burn, which isn't usually for me, but the build up was worth it all. If you don't usually do slow burns like me, honestly still read this. You won't regret it!!

Damian is your typical f*ckboy in EVERY.WAY.POSSIBLE.
Don't go into this book thinking it lightly skirts around that subject, he is an absolute 🍆 to pretty much everyone for a good quarter of the book, but eventually it all makes sense as to why he is the way he is. Plus, we all love a 🍆 MC.

Lexi is amazing, the relatable-ness of feeling like you're too much & not picking up on social cues hit home with me. I thankfully, cannot relate to what it feels like, going through a cancer diagnosis with a close family member, but I have unfortunately experienced it with other health issues and there was so many times where I could completely resonate with how Lexi was feeling.

The reasoning behind their fake dating is so well built up, it's actually believable. It's not rushed or unrealistic. People make desperate choices, when they have no other choice.

I also have to give a shout out to Ronnie, I absolutely love her & I CANNOT wait for her book to come!!

Damian's POV had me learning Spanish & I got excited getting to his chapters, just to get a sneak peek as to what was coming.

One of my favourite things in this book is the emphasis on how 💩 the Healthcare system is in the US, it's a matter that affects so many people's lives and it's good to see an author talking about it.

Another favourite is of course, Damian seeing sense & becoming Team Edward (THIS is actually his redemption arc🥰)

Rowan has written such an incredible book & I am so excited for what's to come. She may be a new to me author, but I am definitely now a number one fan of hers🖤

A very refreshing read! I am a massive fake dating fan, so I instantly wanted this on my Kindle.

A hot fresh take on this trope, I loved every single page of this book and im a stan #dexi for life now 🙌 For me what stood out so much was the character growth of our MMC Damian, now I liked him in the start but honestly couldn't see myself loving him, my god I was wrong! Damien is top-notch book boyfriend material 🙌

As for our main FMC, Lexi is a breath of fresh air. She says what she thinks. She's unapologetic about who she is, and she stands her ground!

Lexi and Damian together are perfect! Their banter was off the charts, which is always what draws me into a book. I honestly can't pick faults in this book other than the lack of spice 🤣 but that is my problem!

I would definitely add this to your TBR if you're a fan of....

💗 Fake Dating
🖤 Enemies to lovers
💙 He falls first
💜 Slow burn
❤️ Grumpy/Sunshine

Releases 29th July

I absolutely loved this. If you're new here, fake relationships are my favorite trope. Coupled with hate to love? Perfection. This was everything I could've wanted and more.
The banter! God, the way Lexi and Damien played off each other was so good. We see when that relationship starts to turn from hate to love. We see the different ways the two of them express their anxiety over the sudden influx of feelings. I absolutely adore Ronnie and Andie. I want to be the type of loyal that Ronnie is. I appreciate Ronnie taking the time to explain that yeah Lexi is a genius, but social cues aren't her strong point and explaining WHY. I thought it was a very important little tidbit that helped us understand Lexi more.
I'm so excited too read Ronnie's book. Is Jay making an appearance? Is it a new dude!? Idk but I will be sat and waiting

This book was PHENOMENAL. I fear it will take me a LONG time to recover from this and return to the romance genre since I know few will compare to this masterpiece. So beautifully and realistically written (well as realistic and dreamy as a sexy billionaire boyfriend is...sigh). I flew through reading this in less than 24 hours and I regret it a little since I could read this forevermore. The portrayal of characters with their flaws, arcs, tells was perfectly written with even the side characters interweaving perfectly into the narrative (yeah they're my besties too). Such an interesting read especially for the fake dating trope which is rarely written to so high a standard as this. Overall this is probably up there as one of my favourite romance reads this year and with how girlboss Lexi is I loved the epilogue and need more of her AND Rowan Croft's writing ASAP.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you to NetGalley, Rowan Croft, and Shine-Hill Publications for the ARC of The Girlfriend Agreement! I loved every single minute of this read.

I fell for Damien way faster than I expected to—even though he starts off as a total “fuckboy,” he somehow wormed his way into my heart with his soft side, chaotic banter, and most hilariously, his unapologetic Twilight obsession. (A Jacob stan through and through. I respect the conviction.)

The fake dating trope is done so well here—equal parts flirty and vulnerable, with moments that had me laughing out loud and others that gave me a genuine case of the butterflies. Damien and the main character have such electric chemistry, and their emotional arc felt both satisfying and real.

This is the kind of romance you finish with a goofy grin on your face and immediately want to reread. Rowan Croft, I’m officially obsessed.

I loved this story, it is not your average fake dating senario, the characters were diverse, the plot had many twists and turns and the chemistry between the FMC and MMC was on fire!
The story flowed well, was easy to to read and it almost had me tearing up at a few points.
This was a surpsrising read for me and wholy deserving of all of its 5 stars!

Oh, this book was AMAZING.

I could have finished it in one night, I stayed up until 3am devouring this book.

I was laughing out loud, and squealing like a high schooler all alone in my room looking like a real psychopath reading this book.

I absolutely love Lexi and Damien’s chemistry. The tragic backstories, the hinting of neurodiversity, the needing out over twilight.

This was everything, I haven’t loved a contemporary romance like this since The Deal.
I cannot believe THIS is a debut. I will be watching for all of Rowan Crofts future books.