More complex than your average contemporary romance novel, this one features a female professor who is learning that real love includes being able to trust your partner, and yourself.

Naya escaped an abusive boyfriend a few years ago and has avoided romantic entanglements since. A challenge from friends to expand her horizons and enjoy life leads to a chance encounter with a man that makes her feel safe and cherished. However, she soon learns that there is a conflict of interest, and while this is the most promising relationship she has ever experienced, she knows it could also severely impact her professional reputation.

This novel had some meat on it. Both Naya and Jake arrive at this relationship carrying baggage, and while Jake seems more comfortable opening his up and sharing the contents, Naya is more hesitant (as would be expected given the circumstances). There are some great examples of lessons to be learned in order to have a truly rewarding and intimate relationship - communication, trust, consent, compassion, compromise. It was great to see the personal growth Naya achieved in the process, and left me feeling hopeful for their future as a couple.

Trigger warning for survivors of abusive relationships.

Major thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.
Content warnings for: abuse, domestic violence, assault,

I found How to Fail at Flirting a really great read, and was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. All characters were really multi-faceted and truly well-developed. I also found the plot easy to follow, and everything that progressed made sense with what had happened before. I felt like the heavy topics that were discussed were done so in a well-thought out manner, and have a lot of respect for Williams for that. I really enjoyed reading about Naya and Jake's relationship, but more so, about how Naya learns to stand up for herself.

After a 3 year hiatus from all things dating, Naya's best friend challenges her to get out of her comfort zone. Naya starts a mental checklist of things she wants to over come. First: a real life one night stand. Que Jacob Shaw, the cute, okay FINE, tourist that just happened to chat her up in a bar. Historically one of the best nights she's had in forever, comes to an abrupt halt but she needs to see Jake again, one more time can't hurt right?

How to Fail at Flirting is a (surprise) flirty, hilarious novel that brought so much more than romance. I admire the way this story was able to weave such heavy topics (TW: domestic abuse, sexual assault, racism) into the narrative without making the reader uncomfortable. Naya and Jake's chemistry is steamy right from the moment they meet. The banter is delightful and Nayas wit helped uplift some of the seriousness of the story line.

This was not your typical rom com though. Usually our characters face an inner conflict and while Naya faced many that conflict imploded into the brunt of the story. I cheered for her the entire way through and I admired her strength over coming what she wanted to for so long.

Read if you like bad ass heroins, real life plots, and power couples that triumph. This was such a wonderful feel good read.

So thrilled to have been the opportunity to discover both author and book! With a December release date, it seems to be a case of saving the best til last because How to Fail at Flirting is definitely one of my favourite reads of the year.

Full review to follow.

This book is very well written! I really loved getting to know the characters and learn more about them. I loved Naya's character and thought she was a lovely female protagonist. This book covered some very serious topics and I felt that it was done very well. I highly recommend this book!

I think we all have one girlfriend who challenges us to break out of our box. Maybe you do that for others. Regardless, it’s something we need to be told and pushed to do sometimes.

We can easily get stuck in a rut. And soon we’re not living a life that we envisioned. This story is about freedom and the courage to break free and do something different like giving your heart a chance.

I could really relate to the story in many ways. Do something daring, different, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll have a good time. That’s what Naya did when her friend challenged her to find herself again.

The author tells a story about a woman who seemingly has it all. The job she loves, great friends, but she stinks at selecting the right man and has just given up. The last one really did a number on her and we feel the effects of that through the story.

I’m not going to give away the plot because it’s very important to the story as a whole. But this author also points out that finding the right person in your life can heal so many issues from the wrong person in your life.

The story is beautifully written with wonderful characters that are complex and a delicate balance to each other. Loaded with lusty heat and slow-building love, support, and encouragement, it’s a complex well-developed story.

Is it all roses? No! But the author definitely takes us down the Wine Garden Path (lol – autocorrect!) through sexy times, passion, emotion, and healing with the ending certainly making it up for the minefield we walkthrough.

It makes me tear up when women finally realize their power. A passionate great escape novel!

Well written, relatable, and lively! The protagonist is winning, her friends are funny, and her love interest is dreamy (without feeling like a too-impossibly-good-to be-true depiction of a human). Williams handles an abuse storyline with empathy and care while still managing to make the overall experience of the novel hopeful and fulfilling. As with most good romances, the heroine saves herself in this one.

Fun, light read! After surviving an abusive relationship, Naya's friends help her come up with a checklist to get back into the dating game. Naya is a professor and is close to receiving tenure when the university decides to hire a consulting firm to evaluate the financial impact of each department. The twists and turns are rather predictable, but fun!

On the outside Naya looks like she's got it together, she's close to tenure at a prestigious university, she's attractive and always impeccably dressed and has a best friends who will always back her up - but she has trauma she's never really dealt with. When she meets Jake it's supposed to be a one night fling, but one night turns into several days and then things get complicated when her past and present start to collide.

*I did really like that the character is biracial, but it's not the focus of the story

I started this book and read about 2 chapters. It didn't seem to know whether it was a book about stalking and abuse or a funny romance. Since I've read some really good books on both subjects, I decided not to keep reading.

A professor's friends encourage her to let loose and put her on the path to finding a new romance.

Naya has lived a staid life since her last horrible relationship ended three years ago. When she gets the news her ex is back working for the university she does and that her department may be in jeopardy, her two best friends tell her to get out and enjoy a night on the town and take a few risks. She meets a charming stranger at the bar she goes to and decides to start a fling with him. Little does she know but neither she nor Jake want their relationship to stay one night only, and that he happens to be consulting at her work! Will their new relationship be in jeopardy?

This is a fun romp of a story that romance readers will enjoy the sexy heat between the two main characters and their relationship.

I struggled a bit to get absorbed by this one, but I liked the premise of the story and how it addressed issues in higher education. Contemporary romcom fans will enjoy.

I originally turned to How to Fail at Flirting because I wanted a rom com (which this is not, FYI). And I ended up completely falling in love with these characters and this very important story.

Naya has been living a secluded life since getting out of an abusive relationship a few years ago. When her best friend puts pressure on her to live a little, she starts to make a mental checklist of things she can to do to push herself out of her comfort zone. She and said friend are planning on meeting up for a drink, but a family emergency for her friend leaves Naya alone at a bar. Normally, she would just head home rather than drink alone, but thanks to her list, she decides to stick around. And she ends up meeting Jake. Jake is in town for a wedding, but he and Naya have immediate chemistry and they spend the night together drinking and flirting--until it goes comically, horribly wrong. But a sticky end to the evening doesn't stop Jake from reaching out again the next day, and Naya figures since he's only in town for a weekend, it's okay to spend time with him. Nothing long term can come of their flirtation so Jake is a safe way to test her boundaries. After a sizzling few days together, neither Jake nor Naya wants to say goodbye, but it turns out their lives are going to intertwine in an unexpected way. I don't want to say too much more because I was legit surprised at some of the plot twists in this book (rare in a romance!).

But I do want to expound on my content warning a bit, so skip this part if you don't need the CW and don't want spoilers. Naya's abusive ex-boyfriend begins a consulting job at the university where Naya works, causing them to have run-ins on campus. He also sends Naya threatening texts, including one that threatens to release nude photos he has of her. Toward the end of the book, at a company retreat, the ex attacks Naya and they have a physical altercation. Obviously Naya comes out of the fight okay, but there is violence, hints of attempted rape, and clearly, emotional trauma.

Alright. I have FEELINGS about this book. So first and foremost, I instantly fell in love with Jake and Naya together. And I loved that they instantly fell for each other. These two are already hooking up very early on in the book, and honestly, I am here for that. I like that there wasn't a lot of pining in the beginning (I mean, I also enjoy a good pine, don't get me wrong), they both like each other and they go for it. Their chemistry is off the charts and the book as a whole is super hot. I also liked that when Jake had to go back home, they had to figure out how to do a long distance relationship. I feel like that's a super relatable issue and it was cool to see it handled in a romance. Overall, Jake and Naya felt like real people with real problems, and I loved seeing their relationship grow and progress over the course of the book.

Probably the main thing I appreciate about this book is the way Denise handles to domestic violence. I have read a lot of books lately that deal with domestic violence and/or sexual assault and honestly, a lot of them feel icky. The way the issue is addressed and presented in the book here felt totally real to me. Which means a lot of it was really upsetting. But because it was grounded in reality, it didn't feel exploitative at all. It's obviously not a super enjoyable topic to read about, but I found Naya's story to be so relatable and sensitively written. It's a real standout for me in terms of romance books handling the tough topics. And my babbling about it doesn't really do it justice, honestly. This book is gorgeous and I can't recommend it enough.

4.5/5 Stars
Thank you to the publisher for the early review copy via Netgalley.

Most important: TW: Domestic Abuse.

I went in not quite expecting this book to be as intense as it was. This book follows Naya, she's had a terrible relationship with a controlling and abusive guy and has some baggage. She hasn't dated in years. Her friends talk her into starting a to do list and one of the items on the list is to have a one night stand. Her friends talk her into going to the bar and then they both end up bailing but Jake is there to swoop in.

I loved the fact that this book was both intense with dealing with Naya's abuser, but also lighthearted with dad jokes sprinkled throughout. Naya and Jake are both believable characters with their own baggage and their chemistry is great from their first conversation.

I will definitely be reading future books by the author.

Professor Naya Turner’s friends convince her to live beyond her teaching and research with a list of social things to do. Flirting and letting someone buy her a drink at a bar were on the list, and when her friends have to cancel on meeting her, she ends up crossing both of those things and more off the list when she meets Jake. Their one night stand ends when Naya gets sick, but then they start dating in earnest in this steamy, intelligent, rom com. When it turns out Jake is involved in cuts at her job, Naya isn’t sure how things will work. She is still avoiding rumors from her last relationship with someone from the university, an ex who is still harassing her. The relationship with Naya and Jake is both sexy and sweet, with two people who love their work but are not skilled at relationships finding their way forward. Academia is vividly portrayed, and readers will want the next book from this talented debut author, who is a PhD herself.-Amy Alessio **review sent to Booklist subject to editing. Not all reviews fit in Booklist.

I liked this book but didn't love it. Naya and Jake have good chemistry but I wish their relationship hadn't been so insta-lovey. I thought the sensitive topics Naya is dealing with in her life (healing from her abusive ex, him popping up in her life again, her issues in the workplace) were handled thoughtfully, and it is good to see women dealing with these issues represented in romance. Frankly, the first thing on Naya's to-do list for getting back out there and living her life to the fullest should have been "get a therapist" but at least she started seeing one by the end. We were teetering on the edge of "you don't need therapy you just need a good man" for a hot second there and I'm glad it didn't end up that way.

Overall this was a pretty good blend of sweet, steamy, and serious and I would certainly pick up another book by Denise Williams in the future.

YES, YES, YES. Buckle up, romance fans, this debut is a swoon-worthy delight.
Naya has her doctorate in math education (the teacher's side of things!) and has had 3 long sexless years after she split with her awful, abusive ex Davis (also part of the collegiate field; content warning around partner abuse). She vows to "turn up the volume" on her life again and meets consultant Jake at a bar. Little does she know that their paths are due to cross again...
Naya is a wonderful, ambitious, endearing heroine and her banter with Jake is top-notch. There are plenty of sexy as well as romantic and rom-com-esque moments. I especially love how Naya's career is depicted in the novel (you actually see her teaching! And she's great at it!). It also touches on themes of feminism, racism, sexism, and more.
Denise Williams is someone who is going on my instant "must read" romance writers list. If you love Helen Hoang, Helena Hunting, Alyssa Cole, Jasmine Guillory, Christina Lauren, and more, you'll love this. I devoured this one. My Favorite Half-Night Stand by Christina Lauren is probably the most comparable (given the academia setting and the fantastic banter), but Williams has a flavor all her own. Can't wait to see what she does next.
In short, get this book immediately. It was just what my soul needed. 5 stars!!
I received an ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book right here is an example of the type of rom coms I enjoy the most! It had steam, romance, witty banter, but also some heavier topics that are weaved in seamlessly. This book had some meat on it’s bones, and I loved it!

Naya is the heroine I didn’t know I needed until I read this book. As someone who works in education, I loved reading about her love and passion for her job and research. As for Jake - where do I start? He was wonderful, and I want to know where to find my own real life Jake!

Beyond my love for both Naya and Jake and their steamy relationship, I also liked that they are a little older than the couples I’m used to reading about in rom coms. While reading about young 20 somethings find love is fun, there was something special about watching two people who came into the relationship with baggage from relationships past, and still make it work.

TW: domestic abuse, physical and mental abuse, cheating

How to Fail at Flirting tells the story of two professional adults with emotional baggage finding each other against all the odds. I loved how honest the characters were with themselves even when they weren't with anyone else. The portrayal of a woman of color navigating the politics of a career in higher education was well done. The trauma of physical and sexual abuse was depicted well. Overall a good, if heavy read.

This book was absolutely incredible and powerful and I loved everything about it and all the issues it tackled. I loved Naya and her strength after everything she's endured. She was so amazing. She escaped an abusive relationship three years ago, and she has drawn into herself more and more since then. She is no longer the big personality she had been before the relationship, and she is now trying to find herself again.

Enter Jake, the sweetie she meets at the bar where she was supposed to meet her friends. He is everything her previous partner was not. He's kind and considerate and there for her in a way she didn't know a partner could be. She finds herself relaxing around him every time he surprises her by not reacting the way her previous partner would have. She is learning to heal and open up again.

But then her previous partner steps back into her life as he starts working with her boss, and she finds herself hiding again. He starts texting her, threatening to expose intimate pictures he took of her while they were together. She isn't sure how to react, how to keep him appeased without falling back into the person she had been while she was with him.

This is just an amazing story that handles a lot of big issues really well. It's a soft love story with an adorable main couple. And then Naya's best friends, Aaron and Felicia, are just amazing and I love the advice they both give her. I loved Naya and Jake and their lovely story <3

CW: memories of abusive relationship, blackmail from abuser (threat of exposing intimate pictures), attempted assault, racism