The Dating Prohibition by Taj McCoy Book Review
Thank you, Netgalley, Taj McCoy, and Harlequin Audio, for
the advanced audiobook copy of The Dating Prohibition. I am giving my honest
opinion about the book.
Introduction
Kendra is the main female character in The Dating
Prohibition. Kendra has experience as a chef internationally and in the US. She
is returning to Washington, DC. She is returning home to start her own
business. Her goal is to open a speakeasy supper club. London, her elder
brother, is starting a restaurant. Kendra is helping him run his business along
with the other members of her family. She is excited and anxious about her
business.
She’s anxious about going back home due to her family’s judgment. Her mom,
aunts, and uncles think she is behind in life. This is because they compare her
to her older brother, London. One person she is glad to see is her younger
cousin, Lonnie. Lonnie has always had her back and is happy to see her. But she
is not the only one.
Kendra is also happy to see Ben, her brother’s best friend. He is the first
person to greet her once she enters the family home. Kendra secretly likes Ben,
though he only sees her as a friend. Benjamin wants to keep their relationship
as just friends. Ken is fine with that until one night sparks start flying.
Representation:
Black family, Black main characters, Black side characters
Tropes:
Brother’s Best Friend
Second Chance
Triggers:
Misogyny
Sex Scenes
Death in the Past
My Thoughts
I also enjoyed the dual perspective from two different
characters. The narrator, Adenrele Ojo, excelled at narrating for all
characters. She was able to convey the feelings of both main characters.
I love Kendra’s character. She is confident, creative, outspoken, and smart.
This makes it hard to see some relatives who do not support her. Some members
criticize her more than welcome her back. This is evident at the beginning of
the book. She is anxious to come home after being away so long. After reading
the book, you can see why. But she does have a few members who treat her like a
grown woman.
For example, BJ. BJ is smart, has quiet confidence, and is kind. He is also
open-minded and can see that Kendra can succeed. He even gives her ideas and
advice on how to start her business. He is the first one to offer her help and
to reach out to her. That made me like him from the start. He also motivated
her to believe in herself. Which is something Kendra needed to remember when
dealing with conflict.
Kendra was able to stand up to her family about business and her relationship
with BJ. But BJ was not able to do that. He believed things would go wrong if
he had a romantic relationship with her. I wish he had been more communicative
and fought with her. BJ had to accept that past heartbreak should prevent him
from loving again. But the two do have great chemistry.
They understand how important historical buildings are to the community. But on
a personal level, they understand the meaning of family. Kendra’s family is the
same as the extended family BJ loves. Kendra has a lot of love for her family.
They also love Kendra in their own way. They want what is best for them. Kendra
wants them to see her as an adult who can excel in life, too.
Conclusion
Taj McVoy’s ‘The Dating Prohibition’ was a romantic, tender, funny, and cute novel. I enjoyed it from beginning to end. She described things so well that I could envision them. I love hearing about the background and motivations of each character. This made them relatable.
I recommend this book to anyone who loves second-chance novels. Who loves
seeing smart Black woman main characters win? People who love beautifully
written romance novels, The Dating Prohibition is right for you.
