If you’re a romance fan and have not read any Talia Hibbert books, you need to fix that immediately. She is one of my favorite romance authors ever and if I have to shove her books at people to make them aware of her stories, I am more than happy to do so. Her latest book is Take a Hint, Dani Brown. It’s the second book in The Brown Sisters series which began with the brilliant Get a Life, Chloe Brown.

But this time we get to meet Chloe’s sister, Dani. She was in the first book a little bit, but this time we get to really know her and her “friend”, Zafir Ansari. Zafir is a security guard at the university Dani works at, a former rugby player, and a romantic who listens to romance audiobooks at work. *swoon*

At the beginning of the book, Dani and Zafir are already friendly. She brings him coffee, he brings her protein bars so she remembers to eat, and they both scare people with their intense stares (relatable).

But that friendly relationship soon turns into something else when a video of Zafir saving Dani from an elevator and carrying her out of a building hits the internet. The video goes viral and everyone immediately begins thinking Dani and Zafir are a couple.

At first, Zafir is horrified. It was his niece, Fatima, who posted the video, after all. But when Fatima points out the publicity it could give him for his nonprofit, Zafir starts to get an idea. His nonprofit, Tackle It, has boys play rugby while learning how to deal with their emotions and it isn’t doing great. The publicity could do wonders to keep it up and running.

But the publicity relies on people thinking Dani and him are actually together…There can’t be any harm in them faking a relationship for a little while, right?

If Zafiralso happens to have a huge crush on Dani…whatever. He’s not ridiculous enough to think he can change her commitment-phobic ways.

If Dani also happens to like him back and would like him to be her friend with benefits for a little bit, well…that should be a problem, right?. Besides, Dani knows Zafir is a hopeless romantic and that her need for short-term relationships does not work for him.

And yet! They decide to fake date.

Who doesn’t like this trope?? It is honestly the best. The longing, the “is this real or not” thinking, the “pretend” kissing, and the realization of real feelings. It’s a classic for a reason and Talia Hibbert uses it brilliantly.

Let’s start with talking about the banter because Dani and Zafir’s banter cannot be beat. They’re sarcastic and witty and hilarious and I could read a whole book of just them talking back and forth.

The character development is on par with the brilliance of the dialogue. Zafir has anxiety, lost his brother and father in a car crash, and is dealing with the loss of his rugby career. Tragic backstory is putting it mildly.

He has a couple of panic attacks throughout the book which as a fellow anxiety-haver, felt very real to my experience. But as the story goes on and he spends more time with Dani and as he works on himself, Zafir is able to deal with some of his issues. His anxiety isn’t magically cured by the end of the book (which I love), but he’s more comfortable with himself and his past.

There is one scene where Dani helps him through a panic attack that is so good I could cry. One of my favorite things in books or movies is when one person helps another through an anxious/panic moment and this one does not disappoint whatsoever. It’s so good!

Dani’s character development comes in her belief that she can’t have a long-term relationship. She really believes she can only do short-term or that her dedication to her work will always drive someone away. Throughout their fake dating journey, Zafir shows her that it doesn’t have to be this way. When you’re in a relationship with someone who loves and cares for you, it doesn’t have to be a struggle or constant fighting.

Dani is still the snarky workaholic at the end of the book, but she’s more open with her feelings. And it turns out she might like some of the romantic parts of dating more than she’s willing to admit.

These two also have chemistry that is off the charts and not just in their banter. They’re just as compatible in the bedroom. You may or may not need a fan and a bottle of water during these scenes. I’m warning you now!

Take a Hint, Dani Brown lives up to the brilliance of Get a Life Chloe Brown. You will laugh, you will smile at your book multiple times, and you might even cry a little too.

Now I can’t wait for the next book in the series, Act Your Age, Eve Brown, which according to Goodreads, comes out in March 2021.

This book was a cute read. There was something missing for me but ultimately  did enjoy it. The author is talented, I'm just not sure I'm a fan of the situationship turned relationship because rarely do situationships ever end in monogamous relationships.
I never warmed up to Dani. Her first introduction to me is being a witch, but I never got a clear view of what she practiced religiously. As a Black Caribbean Latinx person, I recognized Oshun being mentioned but her belief system seemed so linear and one-dimensional, I would expect this by white ppl interpreting african pagan religions but not a black woman. The fact the most she'd ever ask for from Oshun was to get laid felt like she was making fun of it.
Dani was so masculine, she didn't have any feminine traits. As a reformed hyper masculine woman due to what I'd been cultured to be, I wonder why light skinned, biracial or non-black/non-dark skinned women are never encouraged to be women who "don't need men".
She was amazing as a character but a little weak as a heroine. Her hero consistently gave gave gave but she rarely reciprocated even the smallest of things(like compliments or reassurance)even the ones that took little effort.
I understand this is a trope being turned on its head; Dani is wealthy and alpha-female and anti-commitment but she had very few traits that softened her. A man in this situation wouldn't deserve his love interest so I don't think she deserves her hero Zafir.
I love brown men in interracial. I think I'm disappointed that many of the brown men I've been reading as of recent weeks are a little boring. Zafir was a non-practicing Muslim and a cinnamon roll but much of what was adorable about him made him feel like financially he couldn't compete with Dani. I had to wonder whether this is the reason she never reassured him because he wasn't impressive in comparison to her so she reminded me of Molly from Insecure. She didn't really want to put in work she just wanted when her time was free to have a loyal partner.
Zahir was soft, I wish he'd had more Alpha traits but romance works better when the characters are opposite so I get it. Many of the things he did didn't seem realistic for a cis/het man. I'm all for challenging stereotypes but at times it felt like it was trying to be too feministy(I like feminist topics brought up but this one tackled too many). I also wished that all the characters he was close to who were practicing Muslims wouldn't have had Westernized names, especially because not every PoC needs a nickname easier to pronounce.

The narrator is pretty good and I commend her for finding a Black British narrator. I think as an American, I was already lost in translation for things, so I would've loved it if the name dropping of celebrity names would've featured more British Black women instead of American ones, because it would've forced me to learn and research celebrities I don't know as well.
At times it read too witty, and the banter was good but often never led anywhere since it took so long to get them in the sheets for me. I wish for as long as it took, that they would've at least gone on dates or hangouts that weren't booty calls. I never felt like they really knew each other outside of what they liked in the bedroom. Situationships rarely become deeper than that so while there's a desire for it, both parties rarely want more than what they're getting and because they did little to learn about each other, I wasn't sure it was this developed romance it's marketed to be.

Overall I think Zafir's mental health was handled well. He experienced panic attacks, had anxiety, suffered from depression and I didn't feel like it was too much. Dani wasn't my cup of tea but I loved that she was bi and chubby. I wish the descriptions had painted better pictures of them but she's not as descriptive as some authors I also read so maybe I'm just spoiled by certain authors.

It had a HEA so I'm obliged to give it at least a 3. I wish it would have at least been a 4 for me =/

When I read Get a Life Chloe Brown back in February I knew immediately I had found the best kind of a romance novel, lots of romance and depth! I knew I had to read Dani Brown immediately!

Dani doesn’t believe in romance, so she asked the universe for a friend with benefits. Zafir is the security guard that reads romance novels and wants a happily ever after. When Zafir rescues Dani from being trapped in an elevator and the video goes viral, they make a plan. Fake a relationship to help Zafir’s sport charity! Of course they both have other reasons for wanting to take advantage of their 15 minutes of fame.,

This was the perfect rom com. I found myself laughing out loud way too many times! The writing was incredible, and I often reread parts because the banter was just that good! It also discussed some serious issues with Zafir’s anxiety and some of his past. I loved that we got to visit with Dani’s sisters too! I’m so excited for the next book, which will be Eve Brown’s story!

My Thoughts:

Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert brought old fashioned romance and swooning to a modern day love story. Danika Brown is an independent, intelligent, strong, fierce, scholar and professor. She is an intellectual who thrives on her career, and this is her top priority. Dani doesn't think she is cut out for romance, as it doesn't come natural to her, and her past relationships have ended in disaster. She wishes for a partner where she can have a purely physical relationship without any romantic or emotional entanglements.

Zafir works as a security guard at the same university where Dani teaches. They are friends that bring each other breakfast, have fun exchanging pleasantries, and think highly of one another. Underneath their friendship is a sizzling chemistry that they both have never addressed. When Zafir rescues Dani during a practice fire drill, and carries her out of the building, their image with the romantic and adoring way they are looking at each other, goes viral with the #DrRugbae.

This is when Dani learns that Zafir use to be a professional rugby player, and has started his own sports charity where he teaches rugby as well as positive mental health strategies to adolescents. He asks Dani if she will participate in a fake relationship with him, as the publicity of them going viral has already started helping his charity exponentially. She agrees, because what would be the harm in helping her good friend with a great cause; and she can might be able to convince Zaf to indulge in a fun friends with benefits arrangement while they're at it...

I loved the characters in this story! Dani was unconventional, brilliant, fun, quirky, and endearing. She had challenges with tapping into her emotions, but in no way did this take away from my love of her character. She was kind hearted, and thoughtful. I enjoyed her interactions with her sisters Chloe and Eve, as well as her best friend Sorcha. They were such a tight-knit group, and I felt like they were my friends too. The characters felt real, because they were so wonderfully flawed and human.

Zaf stole my heart! I adored him. He was so sweet, kind, and romantic. The way he treated Dani took my breath away. He was a modern day "prince charming." I was shipping #DrRugbae from the very beginning of this story. It was clear that Dani and Zaf were meant to be, and I enjoyed every moment of their love story!

If you are looking for a story that will entertain, delight, and make you feel like you are falling in love right beside the characters, check out, Take a Hint, Dani Brown!

I love the way Talia Hibbert writes relationships. They are fun, lovable and diverse. The biggest thing I want from my romances is to believe that the happily ever after will last. And I can honestly say that I believe that Dani and Zafir's relationship will last. You have two very different people in the outside but inside where it matters, they buy want the same thing... to love and be loved.

The author is quoted as saying that she writes diverse romances because she believes that people of marginalized identities need to see themselves in books. Well speaking as a middle aged white hetero woman, we need to read diverse romances as well. We need to see that romance is just not for young, beautiful, white people (as so many romances seem to be about,,). Talia Hibbert does romance very well.

I enjoyed Dani's free spirit and her determination to succeed. I loved her relationship with her sisters. I didn't quite feel the attraction for Zaf, but I definitely felt his for her! In some ways, Dani seemed to have very similar personality traits to her sister Chloe and I would've liked there to be more of a difference between them. Zaf was very sweet and I liked his relationship with the kids he mentored. Overall, a fun romcom that will get your heart rate up a bit.
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Thank you to Avon for my complimentary copy in exchange for an honest review!

Hello fellow readers,

I just finished Talia Hibbert’s second book in her Brown Sisters Series called Take A Hint, Dani Brown. It centers around the middle sister Danika and her intention to find the perfect no strings attached sex buddy. After speaking her intention to Oshun, in a ritual with her best witchy friend, Sorcha, it seems like her sudden viral video with Zafir is a sign pointing her in the right direction. When they start trending with #DrRugBae Zafir’s newfound exposure ends up gaining him more donations and support for his program Tackle It. Dani and Zafir decide to fake a relationship to keep gaining publicity. But are all their feelings and actions purely platonic?

Dani is an intellectual workaholic who doesn’t do relationships and Zahir is a romantic at heart with who loves his privacy as much as he values commitment. For all their differences, they soon learn that they compliment each other well. But both Dani and Zafir get more than they expected from their arrangement. Like Dani and Zafir characters, Hibbert’s novels tend to give me more than I expect from a romance novel. Hibbert handles topics like loss and anxiety delicately. This makes the reading experience authentic. As someone who deals with panic disorders this means a lot to me. Some of my favorite moments involved Zaf dealing with anxiety and Dani being right there for him. No judgments or misguided assumptions. It was a breath of fresh air. I don’t usually read about anxiety in romance.

I absolutely loved that Dani was a witch. Its another thing that I don’t see represented in books unless in the fantasy genre seldom in romance. This adds to the character of Dani. She’s plus sized and bisexual. She’s her own person, confident, yet flawed, intelligent, unconventional, and comfortable with her sexuality. Zafir is also different from so many love interest in books. He keeps to himself, he’s friendly, direct, and honest about his feelings. He’s self aware and works against toxic masculinity. When Dani needs understanding and support, he’s there ready to help anyway he can. Its an achingly sweet story and I caught myself tearing at certain points. I couldn’t help it!

If you’re interested in a love story that shows an affirming and playful budding romance and don’t mind vivid scenes this is the book for you.

Steam: 4/5

My rating: 4.25

Keywords: depicts anxiety, tender, and scorching hot.

Listen up, publishers — more thick heroines that love themselves please! Dani Brown is the fierce protagonist we’ve been waiting for in the romance genre, for real. All usual scripts are flipped in this book, and the CHEMISTRY — whew! Zaf and Dani’s sexually charged connection is just so fun to follow. Never got sick of their banter and was honestly rooting for both of them to just live happily ever after, dammit. You’ll fall in love with these two, and appreciate the depth of their stories — Zaf’s battle with anxiety and loss will be relatable to many, and Dani’s fear of commitment will too. This is the perfect summer read with topics that frankly aren’t explored enough in this genre.

This was such a cute little rom com moment. I couldn’t help but saying “just one more chapter” until I finished this in just one sitting. The characters were so fleshed out and you couldn’t help but root for them.

An absolute delight of a book! Dani Brown isn't interested in relationships--she just wants sex. She's got her ambitions, her studies, and her sisters, and she certainly doesn't need romance on top of that. But her friend Zafir is a romantic at heart, listening to romance audiobooks during his gig as a campus security guard. An incident during an emergency drill ends with Zaf carrying Dani out of the building and a hashtag that labels them as the perfect couple. Only one problem: they aren't. Except faking it could be exactly the thing Zaf's struggling sports charity needs to reach more people. A fake relationship is fine by Dani--but when real emotions start to come into play, she'll have to come to terms with just how real their relationship might be becoming.

I adored this book from start to finish. Hibbert's writing was so witty and hilarious I often found myself laughing at the dialogue between Dani and Zafir. The relationship was so sweet and well developed, and I loved that the drama wasn't overly drawn out or overdone. And Zafir's anxiety was handled so wonderfully and genuinely. We don't see that nearly enough in fiction, and I love to see author's including it and including it well. I just can't say enough good things about this book. If you like romance, you need to pick it up now. It's just that good.

This is the second book in the Brown sisters series. I loved all the characters and learning more about the sisters and their love life! This was a fun read.

I loved Get a Life, Chloe Brown so hard that I absolutely could not wait to read Take a Hint, Dani Brown! I had high expectations going into this book not only from loving the first one in the series so much, but I became even more hyped for it every time I saw a teaser or heard someone praise it. I had no doubts that it was going to be good and Ms. Hibbert so did not let me down. I just adored Take a Hint, Dani Brown, it was positively marvelous!

I loved Dani’s story even more than I did Chloe’s, though I have to say that it mostly all due to Zafir. Don’t get me wrong, I love Dani too, she’s funny and we both think emotions are gross, so we totally clicked, but there’s just something about Zaf. I have been so excited to meet him because I love me a grumpy hero, like a lot and oh, Zafir was just perfect! He’s all gruff and scowly, but he’s just the swooniest, sweeetest, most lovely man ever — I loved and couldn’t get enough of him! Zaf is wonderful and brave and he completely and utterly stole my heart — I’m a total goner for him and I could gush about him forever!

Get a Life, Chloe Brown made me fall in love with it while I was reading it and that happened with Take a Hint, Dani Brown too. It made me feel all giddy and warm and it made me melt. I laughed, I cried, there was no part of me that was disengaged with Zafir and Dani. They were just the most adorable couple ever and I wanted nothing more for them to get their happily-ever-after. Not only is Take a Hint, Dani Brown one of my favorite reads of the year, but I think Zafir is my favorite hero of the year — so read this book because it is AMAZING!

Disclosure - I received. a copy to review via NetGalley.

Talia Hibbert is extraordinarily talented at writing the steamiest scenes and thoughtful books with multicultural depth alike, and I am here for it. I've personally found it challenging to read about the South Asian experience from non-South Asian authors, but the way Hibbert writes Zaf and his story is spot on and incredibly thoughtful and authentic. Hibbert tackles real issues - like anxiety and bisexuality and imposter syndrome - with incredible empathy and respect. Like with Chloe Brown, the sexy scenes literally melt the words off the page and you can't help but fall in love with both Dani and Zaf - and them together - as you continue reading.
I'm so glad we have another Brown sister to read about. I'm here for it.

With all the craziness in our culture right now, I appreciated my time absorbed in this diverse and representative world Hibbert creates. And she's an artist with words who brings three-dimensional characters to life in ways that allows readers to understand how issues like anxiety and fear of not belonging can shape one's ability to be a good partner to another. I'm also quite fond of the career-driven heroine who falls for a laid-back guy. It's a nice flip of the common trope where the grumpy, driven hero needs the lighthearted woman to help him balance his life.

Dani Brown is a part-time university teacher working her way through a Ph.D. program in English with all sorts of goals and expectations of a successful academic life. She has her life meticulously planned out for the next two decades. Her role model, academic superstar Inez Holly, factors in big in this book as Dani's raison d'etre, allowing Dani though little time for anything else in life. On top of Dani's life goals is a fairly high degree of fear and anxiety that she's not fit to be a romantic partner. She genuinely believes based on past experiences that she lacks social skills and is doomed to be a failure to others who want more from her. Enter Zaf, one of the sweetest heroes I've read. He has so many stellar and beautiful character traits, but maybe most of all, he loves Dani unconditionally. She sees this but internalizing it takes quite a while, allowing in the meantime the two to engage in a friends with benefits relationship. I was less keen on the fake dating plot - which oddly features in a whole bunch of romances I've read of late. Zaf pretends to want only a friends with benefits relationship, even though he's secretly hoping Dani will change her mind and fall in love with him. He's also sensitive to not wanting to coerce Dani into something for which she is genuinely opposed. I have to admit that I was holding my breath at times, really hoping that Dani would not hurt this lovely man, and mostly she does not, and their relationship remains a giving and respectful one throughout.

One misgiving I did have with this book though is that Dani remains a bit inscrutable to me right up to the end due to a number of issues that keep her determined to elevate her professional life over her personal one. Her belief at times that she's unworthy and doomed to failure in her personal life felt more conceptual and I didn't <i>feel</i> this idea the way I wanted. Also, she's traumatized by mistreatment from previous romantic partners and that too didn't feel as realistic to me as it could have. Some of the information about her trauma comes in late in the book to keep explaining why Dani wants Zaf at arms length, but I thought it would have been more helpful if explained earlier in the novel. I think the book suffers a little from too obvious an attempt to create obstacles between a couple. My overall sense though is that Hibbert is disrupting the conventional trope of the man as the commitment phobe in a relationship by constructing an alternative feminist narrative. That works for me in lots of ways, though on the whole, the obstacles to Dani and Zaf's happiness still existed for me too much on the surface of the story.

Nevertheless, a vibrant bisexual plus-sized feminist heroine paired with a feminist Muslim man who reads romances to stay connected with the kinder aspects of life is a breath of fresh air right now. The books also seamlessly incorporates lots of representative secondary characters that make me feel hopeful about our future. I am looking forward to the third book in this series.

Alright, so I listened to Get a Life, Chloe Brown earlier this year, which was a solid four star read for me. I enjoyed the enemies to lovers story love and Chloe and Red’s banter. That being said, Talia with Take a Hint, Dani Brown, Talia Hibbert knocked it out of the park (Note: this book can be read as a standalone!).

27 year old Danika ‘Dani’ Brown is a highly ambitious academic whose sole focus is her career. Both a Black and bisexual female, Dani doesn’t have time for romantic entanglements. She appreciates the orgasms, but everything else takes a backseat to her career goals.

Zafir ‘Zaf’ Ansari is a former professional rugby player who is now a security guard at the University that Dani teaches at. Zaf is your typical standoffish and brooding male who has clipped interactions with Dani…or so we think. Little does Dani know that Zaf is actual a huge romantic who is addicted to romance novels and dreams of happily ever after.

After a social media misunderstanding, Dani and Zaf find themselves at the center of attention. They realize this would be the perfect opportunity to get free publicity for Zaf’s charity, but the caveat is that they actually need to be a couple. That’s cool. They can fake it. But what happens when the sexual tension finally boils over? Can these two just be friends with benefits or will they inevitability catch feelings?

Before I get into straight gushing, I want to comment on both Dani’s and Zaf’s characters. I love that Dani is upfront and honest about her sexuality. She makes no excuses and could care less what anything thinks. Dani also knows the struggles of academia and refuses to let academia beat her down, which happens to females (especially Black females) too often. Zaf. Oh my heart didn’t realize how much I needed a male character like him. He has this rough exterior but he’s anything but. He is a true romantic at heart. He battles with both anxiety and depression, and Hibbert does a phenomenal job of addressing both of those with grace.

In terms of plot, the reason why I connected with this one so much more than Chloe was because there is a level of trust and respect between Dani and Zaf even if it’s not acknowledged at first. Of course there are still jabs and banter, but you can tell how much these two meant to each other just from their work interactions before the whole fake dating even started. I mean come one, Dani brings Zaf coffee every day and Zaf always has a protein bar for her to make sure she eats (if that’s not love I don’t know what is).

Now, y’all already know that there was going to be steam in this book. Hibbert has already proved that to us in Chloe. While I felt like most of the time, Chloe and Red had anger sex due to their initial hatred of one another, Dani and Zaf just felt natural. The sex wasn’t gratuitous. Honestly, I just can’t get enough of those two.

Overall, if you didn’t read any of the above, just pick up this book. It’s incredible, and I promise you it’s worth it.

Thank you to Avon Books for providing a review copy. This did not influence my review. All opinions are my own

What a wonderful gem of a book! I loved Get a Life, Chloe Brown so I had high hopes for this book and I have to say, it did not disappoint. I would even say I liked it a bit more than it’s predecessor.

Dani is a hardworking, success driven, doesn’t believe in relationship kind of woman. Zafir is a broody ex-rugby player who loves romance novels and believes in happily ever after. A picture of the two ends up going viral on Instagram, with their very own hashtag I might add, so they decide to fake date to help Zafir’s non-profit organization. Fake dating leads to feelings but is Dani ready to give relationships another try?

Thank you @netgally and Avon for the ARC!

Take a Hint, Dani Brown is the second book in the Brown Sisters Trilogy by Talia Hibbert. This book focuses on the middle sister, Danika Brown, and her desire to find a partner that just wants a no strings attached arrangement. To Danika, this type of relationship works for her since she does not want any unnecessary emotional attachments in her life, especially while she purses her Ph.D. Zafir Ansari is a security guard in the university Danika attends and teaches classes, who she verbally sparrs with every morning, while maintaining a professional relationship. Their worlds collide when a video featuring Zafir rescuing Danika from a fire drill gone horribly wrong goes viral. To maximize on their newfound celebrity, they decide to “fake” a relationship to help Zafir’s nonprofit organization with free publicity, while also giving in to their long denied attraction to each other. Talia Hibbert is quickly becoming a go to author for me for hilarious characters, witty dialogue, and romances featuring people with physical and mental ailments. Representation is important now more than ever in publishing and Talia Hibberts definitely is an author that features POC characters and those with disabilities. I will also add that Zafir is a non practizing Muslim in a traditional family. I liked learning more about his culture in a low key way that was not forced. Her characters are very human, real, dealing with life day to day. If you are looking for a “fake” relationship romance that focuses on the emotional development of both protagonists, check out Take a Hint, Dani Brown. This book was provided by the publisher from Netgalley in June 2020 for an honest review.

Danika Brown: goth, grad student, academic; unapologetically voluptuous, Black, & feminist; a little witchy, a lot skeptical of relationships.
Zafir Ansari: big & burly former rugger; scowling security guard on the outside, soft-hearted romance-believer managing an anxiety disorder on the inside.

Dani and Zafir enjoy trading barbs and snacks in the entry way of her building on campus, but their friendship is limited to this routine of harmless flirtation—until events during a fire drill make them a viral hashtag, and they decide a fake relationship could be mutually beneficial.
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What worked for me: I loved how much Danika’s scholarship meant to her, and that her personal growth throughout the book in no way minimizes the role her explicitly stated career goals have in her life (which is the women&work template of every Hallmark movie ever 🙄). The writing made me laugh out loud several times (“She’d been considering murder quite a lot, lately. Perhaps she should see someone about that, or perhaps it was simply a natural consequence of living on planet Earth.”). Even when I know I’m being served and it kinda pushes the bounds of realism, I can’t overstate how DEEPLY satisfying it is to read characters grappling with their mental health in positive ways. Zafir working to subvert the forces of toxic masculinity in young male athletes was a double-plus-bonus.
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What didn’t: There was a lot of character bleed in the writing, with both MCs speaking/thinking with a lot of overwrought hyperbole. This is largely a matter of personal taste, but I was thrown out of the story by how similar their internal voices were. The secondary characters (especially Zaf’s family and friends) had so much potential, and I wanted more from them! An advantage of the text not fleshing them out more, though, is that not having read the preceding book (GET A LIFE, CHLOE BROWN) won’t impede your appreciation of this one at all.
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In sum: a lighthearted, funny romance with diverse representation among its cast of characters. Would love to watch this romcom on screen. Does Hibbert have a movie deal yet? Thanks to @avonbooks for the eARC!

Dani Brown is a badass PhD candidate who doesn't have the time or patience for love. Zaf is a security guard at the university who spends his time reading romance novels and coping with his anxiety and depression after the death of his father and brother. When a fire drill goes awry, Zaf rescues Dani from a broken elevator shaft and the saga is caught on camera. The pair go viral, and Zaf can't help but see it as an opportunity to get donations for the charity organization he runs. The two begin a fake relationship, but then they slowly start to catch feelings for eachother.

This book is HOT. I had to take a break in the middle of it because the chemistry was too much for me. Zaf and Dani are so attracted to eachother, it's ridiculous. Their banter is off the charts, and it's a really enjoyable read. Both Dani and Zaf are awesome, badass characters. Dani is bisexual, a witch, and all around super smart and super cool. Zaf is an ex-rugby player who started his own charity to help athletes process their emotions in a healthy way. You can't find cooler characters! I also really appreciate Hibbert's depiction of anxiety and depression. Zaf is clearly going through some emotional trauma, and Hibbert writes that in a way that is comforting and relatable for people who have gone through the same situation.

I liked this book a lot better than her first book, however there wasn't much of a plot. Hibbert definitely makes up for it with the characters' banter and chemistry though, so I still think this is a great read!

Talia Hibbert has somehow done the impossible — made a sequel that’s even better than the first book! I so enjoyed reading about Chloe Brown, so I started this book with a little trepidation. I just didn’t see how Hibbert could outdo herself, but I was so wrong! It’s like she took everything that worked in the first book, and increased it with this one. More sarcasm and witty banter, more emotional, tear-jerking moments, and more steam!

And in true Hibbert fashion, she made me fall in love with all her characters (can Fatima be my new BFF?), but here are my reasons for loving the two main characters:

🌟 Dani: What. A. Badass. We don’t see a lot of characters like Dani. She’s a bisexual, Black PhD student, who works hard to be on track for her career goals. She forms her own opinions and doesn’t let anyone get in her way. However, Dani is also proof that someone with an abundance of self confidence can still have insecurities. Her insecurities of her own worth and sharing vulnerable emotions was so relatable, and watching her growth through the book was one of my favorite parts of the book!

🌟 Zaf: What. A. Hunky. Teddy Bear. Zaf is a Muslim, former professional rugby player with a tragic past. He deals with his anxiety daily, but won’t let that stop him from helping others. While he works as a security guard in the building where Dani teaches, his true passion is growing his charity, Tackle It, that aims to teach young men how to talk about their emotions openly, while being coached in rugby. Though he has a rough exterior, Zaf’s patience, sweetness, and willingness to be open with Dani will make you swoon! Did I mention he reads romance novels for fun?

Talia Hibbert is quickly becoming one of my favorite contemporary romance authors! I 100% recommend this book as a fun romance to get lost into!

This book comes out TODAY, so you don’t even have to wait to pick it up! Thank you to NetGalley, HarperCollins Avon, and the author for a review copy of this book.