Role Play

Off the Books, Book 1

By: Kay Cove

Narrated by: Kasi Hollowell, Caden Hart

She wanted to write a bestseller. She wasn't ready for the plot twist.

Being an indie romance author was supposed to be a dream come true. But after publishing umpteen books, I still haven't "made it," and now, I'm just waiting for the dark cloak of insignificance to completely snuff out my career.

I decide to roll the dice on a marketing guru who swears he can yank me out of obscurity. But after a frantic search for "book boyfriend material" and an unexpected bar encounter, I accidentally blow my entire budget on an escort.

Forrest is a charming single dad by day and hotter-than-sin escort by night. But before I can fire him and ask for a refund, he reminds me how I got here in the first place… I'm in desperate need of inspiration.

He might be a walking red flag, but Forrest is ready to be my muse, which means spending the next three months helping me "research" my next bestseller. (Hey, I'm manifesting here.) Our game plan? Act out all the romance novel tropes that make a bingeable love story: brooding billionaires, masked men, cowboys in small towns, and even swoon-worthy green flags.

Forrest plays all the book boyfriend parts perfectly. So perfectly, I'm starting to wonder if his feelings for me might be real, or if he's just earning his paycheck. I'm not sure if I'm trying to write a love story or live one out.

After all, there is no such thing as happily ever after with a professional escort… right?

Narrated in duet style.

©2025 Kay Cove (P)2025 Podium Audio

Didn’t want it to end

Was fresh from the beginning and am so excited to see what’s next! Wondered how it would all come together.

LOVED this book!

I had read some of Kay Coves Books in the camera shy series and so I figured this would be along the lines of those, which I liked as well. But this book, I don’t know if it was the characters, the story line, the plot, the development or what…but I LOVED this book so much. It is now my absolute favorite!

Loved this audiobook

Rating: 5 stars 🌟

Thank you to Valentine PR & Kay Cove for the ARC of this book!

Life got in the way and I wasn’t able to read this until after release day but, blessing in disguise, because I got to listen to the audiobook as I read along! Omg, you outdid yourself with this one Kay. The emotions I felt reading through Sora’s journey as an author and the complicated relationship she had with her father. I cried everytime she encountered a hurdle or hurtful word. Forrest is just perfection, dealing with his own journey as well but bravely sacrificing a “normal” life by society’s definition for the sake of making sure his family is taken care of. I loved reading his protectiveness of Sora, doing anything to make her smile or feel hopeful for her future as an author. Truly just such a good book, I definitely recommend picking this one up!!

a fun, refreshing, and wonderful Listen

Role Play by Kay Cove—brought to life through the exceptional, next-level narration of Kasi Hollowell and Caden Hart—is such a fun, refreshing, and wonderfully surprising take on the romance genre. This audiobook feels like an absolute love letter to romance readers and writers alike, seamlessly blending heart, humor, high-stakes drama, and off-the-charts chemistry. The story had me feeling all the feels, moving effortlessly from laugh-out-loud hilarity to deeply emotional moments that left me teary-eyed, followed by scorching-hot spice scenes that had me practically needing an ice bath. It is the kind of engaging, trope-filled listen that completely captivates you, making it nearly impossible to put down.

The plot introduces us to Sora, an indie romance author who is struggling to make it and fears her career is slipping into insignificance. In a desperate bid to rescue her career, she intends to hire a marketing guru, but an accidental mix-up at a bar leads to her blowing her entire budget on Forrest instead. Forrest is a charming, devoted single dad by day and a hotter-than-sin professional escort by night. Recognizing that Sora is in desperate need of creative inspiration, he offers to become her muse for the next three months. Together, they embark on a game plan to research her next bestseller by intentionally acting out some of the most popular romance tropes—from brooding billionaires and masked men to small-town cowboys and swoon-worthy green flags. Watching Sora get to live out every reader's dream by testing these tropes with a real-life book boyfriend come to life is genuinely entertaining, adding a playful, self-aware layer to the narrative.

As the lines between fiction and reality begin to blur, you can't help but root for Sora and Forrest to take a leap of faith. Forrest brings major knight-in-shining-armor vibes to the story, and his deep protectiveness naturally extends to Sora, making her feel secure and valued in ways she hasn't experienced before. This unwavering support provides the perfect foundation for Sora's incredible character arc, as she slowly comes out of her shell, embraces her talent, and truly steps into her power as a writer. Equally captivating is Forrest's relationship with his four-year-old daughter, Dakota. The author gives Dakota a beautifully prominent role in the story, and watching Forrest prioritize his daughter to ensure she is safe and deeply loved absolutely tugs at the heartstrings.

By the time the story reached its beautifully satisfying conclusion, I was left with a massive smile on my face—and then I gasped with pure excitement upon realizing that the next two books in the series follow Forrest's escort friends. I am already desperate to continue with this series, and while the books can likely stand alone, I highly recommend reading them in order to get the proper introduction to this fantastic group. Role Play is a charming, heart-palpitating, and utterly entertaining must-listen that will make you fall so deeply in love with the characters they'll feel like real-life friends.

So good.

I just LOVE a great good old love story!!! This story was lovely. A nice break from the typical dark romance that I would typically read.