Do You Take This Man is romance novel that has an enemies-to-lovers trope and explores wedding planning, vulnerability, friendship, and moving on. This book featured Britta’s best friend, RJ, and her love interest, Lear. The author addresses some heavy subjects: infidelity of a partner (in one of the main characters pasts) and death/abandonment of a parent (both in the past). I really loved the storyline of a wedding planner and wedding officiant going from enemies-to-lovers and working on weddings together while their relationship blossoms. The author did a great job diving into RJ and Lear’s pasts and the alternate perspectives. There were a few times where I was frustrated with each main character, but I understood why they were acting the way they were as the author slowly revealed their pasts. I loved that Britta and Wes made some appearances which was fun! I’d recommend picking up Do You Take This Man if you liked The Fastest Way To Fall and How To Fail At Flirting!

I really enjoyed this story of RJ, a divorce attorney who, ironically, has fallen into a side hustle officiating weddings. As a Black woman, she has had to work extra hard to be taken seriously at work, so when she has a (literal) run-in with Lear, a dude bro who tells her to smile on the way to officiate a wedding ceremony, she's quick to dismiss him. Unfortunately, Lear is the wedding planner's cousin, a former event planner for a professional sports team who was fired and has now come back to his hometown. When Penny (the wedding planner RJ usually works with), has to leave suddenly with her wife because the child they're adopting (or it might be a surrogacy arrangement? I don't actually remember) is born premature, Lear takes over, and he and RJ butt heads despite their growing attraction. This wasn't anything revolutionary in terms of contemporary romances, and I do wish there had been just a smidge more character development for both RJ and Lear, it was a quick, overall fun read with some depth.

Denise Williams nails it again. RJ and Lear are absolutely charming, the romance felt real, and their problems are realistic and well written. I am already antsy for the next one!

Thank you so much for an advanced copy of this book! It was one of my most anticipated 2022 releases, and it did not disappoint!

Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: September 6, 2022

Denise Williams is an auto-buy author for me, and Do You Take This Man only solidified those feelings! This book is so fierce!

I love that Denise Williams brings the perfect mix of romance, sexiness, and humor to her stories. RJ and Lear have chemistry from the very beginning, and I really liked that this book did utilize instant love...in all actuality, it's the exact opposite! This is an enemies to lovers story about a powerful, independent woman and soft-hearted, ultimately kind man who are both in need of some mending...although neither wants to admit it.

I thought Lear was really well-written in this story. He's a sensitive guy who wears his heart on sleeve subtly, and I just loved him. I thought he was funny and endearing, and oh so very human. I'll be honest...RJ was harder to like for me. Sometimes her attitude was really off putting, and I didn't understand her motivations for self-sabotaging herself. As the story got deeper, though, her motivations became more and more clear, and I actually loved how Denise Williams unveiled RJ slowly throughout the pages. RJ became more and more relatable to me the longer I read, and I love when a character grows on you like that.

I also really enjoyed that Denise Williams took on the stereotypes that Black women often face in the workplace (like RJ being asked to speak for diversity week), AND giving RJ a strong female mentor who backed her when above mentioned happened. I thought the mentor relationship between RJ and Gretchen was really well done, and it provided the perfect balance of friendship and mentoring, especially when Gretchen had to step in and "discipline" RJ.

This book was everything I hoped it would be. I can't wait to read more from Denise Williams!

This is the Denise Williams I love. Such a good book from start to finish. I thought her start as a wedding officiant was a little forced but despite that the rest of the story felt so authentic and real that i could not put the book down. I will definitely buy this one when it comes out. I also love how she's weaves previous characters in so we can still see how everyone else is fairing out.

After reading How To Fail At Flirting and The Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams I quickly became enamored with her romances. I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again if I could choose anyone to write my love story it would be Denise. As soon as I learned about Do You Take This Man I knew I had to have it and I’m very grateful to have had my dream become a reality. In Do You Take This Man we follow RJ (one of Britta’s best friends) a divorce lawyer with an interesting side gig. We also follow Lear making big changes after experiencing a rough patch in his life. These two meet and instantly dislike each other and hence a fun, full of banter, competitive, enemies with benefits relationship blooms.

Now the enemies with benefits and enemies to lovers trope is a tricky one for me. I’m sensitive soul so this means often times my feelings get hurt along with both of the MCs. But, this just shows the talent Denise Williams continues to show each time she writes a new love story. She creates characters that you cannot help but become totally invested in. I was rooting for Rj and Lear. I was yelling at RJ when she was being stubborn! I wanted to hug Lear and tell him he deserved the absolute best in life. I was totally invested in this story and these characters. I have read everything that Denise Williams has written so far and I cannot wait for her next project. I think that any reader that has enjoyed her previous books/novellas will not be disappointed with Do You Take This Man. It has that Denise Williams signature magic.

This was a very fun enemies with benefits romance from Denise Williams! So far, I feel like I've only seen sweet and slow romance arcs from Denise Williams' characters, but I love how heated Lear and RJ's chemistry and romance as a whole felt. The enemies with benefits to lovers progression was done really well, and felt very natural. I only wish that the middle portion of the novel, in which Lear and RJ attend and work together on numerous weddings one after the other didn't feel as repetitive, but I think that all fans of Denise Williams will love the two in Do You Take This Man!

this book had a slow start, but it picked up. I think both of the characters have flaws but they also have their good qualities that really draws me in. Although, i wish the beginning was a little easier to follow. I think there were some plot holes. I would have liked to know more about the wedding she performed that got her to where she is. I also am waiting for Williams to write a Black couple.

I couldn't get into this one. Lear came off as too annoying the first 1/3 of the book that I didn't have any interest in his character. I understand that it was miscommunication/enemies to lovers but I felt too much annoyance and apathy in the beginning to care enough to root for them.

Juicy and fun read.

Its about a divorce lawyer, RJ, whose side gig is performing wedding ceremonies. She literally runs into Lear on the way to a rehearsal dinner and has her mind made up that he gets around. When Lear's cousin, who runs the wedding event business, is away dealing with family matters, Lear find himself managing the weddings himself and working more and more with RJ. The two of them have quite the chemistry and give into it, as a no strings attached relationship. But as they get to know each other more, they both realize there's more to one another.

Can't wait to read more books by Denise Williams!

#indigoemployee

Denise Williams is 3 for 3 in my book. While Lear and RJ's story isn't my favorite of the romances she's written, I still felt compelled to finish. That said, the biggest missing link between the two main characters was communication. At times, the lack thereof, left me as a reader feeling stalled. Ultimately, I came out of it feeling completely indifferent towards them and their story.

I loved the chemistry and connection between these two characters. The premise was unique and I thought the pacing was really good. I didn’t feel like I got to know either character very well but that does seem true to them. All in all, I really enjoyed it, as I’m sure I will with anything Denise writes!

RJ is a hardworking, high-achieving divorce lawyer who unsurprisingly doesn’t believe in HEA. What’s surprising is she moonlights as a wedding officiant.

Lear is licking his wounds after a painful breakup and the loss of his dream job. He’s helping out his cousin with her wedding planning business.

RJ and Lear have a meet disaster that sets sparks flying. But they’re not just angry vibes - there’s serious lust that leads to an enemies with benefits arrangement that’s got all the spice.

You get:
A strong, successful Black FMC
An emotionally wounded MMC
Dual POV
Supportive family and friends
Insta dislike/meet disaster
Insta heat
Forced proximity
Sex everywhere but in bed
Angry sex
Hurt/comfort
Gorgeous forearms
Queer secondary characters

I enjoyed the complexity of the story - it’s not just the romance between RJ and Lear. RJ talks about how hard it is to be a lawyer as a Black woman - to appear strong but not overbearing, assertive without being a bitch. I love that she has a tough but fair mentor.

I also enjoyed that Lear is the one who catches the feels first, even though he was emotionally closed off about the breakup, I loved that he eventually tells RJ about it.

This is a fast-paced, spicy hot, enemies-to-lovers romance with serious emotional depth balanced by plenty of humor. Love the diversity of the cast and the calling out of toxic behavior. RJ is incredibly relatable as a high-achieving woman in a male-dominated profession. I was rooting for her and Lear from the beginning.

Another light hearted, sweet, tempting enemies to lovers comes from one of my favorite romance authors Denise Williams.

An aspiring, hard working divorce attorney marrying people in her spare time after she conducted a Hollywood couple’s ceremony at the park, writing amazing speech in air and their marriage video goes viral, becoming big hit. Ladies and gentlemen here’s TJ: tough, hiding behind her walls, doubtful about true love after her family’s failed marriage.

When she’s running late to the ceremony she will minister, she literally bumps into a hot guy, as her belongings get strewn in everywhere, the guy has no intention to apologize. He even dares to advise her smile more!

Yes: TJ and ex-football event manager, new wedding planer Lear just met like that. And this is not the worst part: they have to work at several ceremonies together, by burying their hatchets , restraining their impulses to control everything.

Lear, changes his occupation, still suffering from ex girlfriend’s betrayal, trying to build a new life in NC and TJ barely keeps her guard when their palpable chemistry prevents her to do her job.

Their push-pull and hot-cold relationship is undeniable. Could they give a second chance for their happiness?

Overall: the chemistry between characters is pure perfection. I love both TJ and Lear but their stubbornness and self sabotage inclinations made me frustrated a little bit. But it is still great, lighthearted, enjoyable read that I highly recommend.

Many thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing digital reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest thoughts.

Do You Take This Man was a breath of fresh air in the rom-com genre. We see explicit consent, toxic masculinity shifting and evolving into a healthy mindset, diverse families and characters and lots of evolving from all the main characters. I loved reading this book and I really hope authors within the romance genre will take some notes on diversity and inclusivity.

RJ is a divorce attorney who went viral as a wedding officiant, making her a hugely in-demand officiant for the high powered and elite. Lear joins the team at his cousin's event planning business. It's hate-at-first-sight until a series of events bring them in close proximity over and over again, at which point it becomes hate sex around every corner.

I really disliked Lear at the beginning - absolutely messaged the author with "good job!", because that was clearly the goal. We weren't meant to sympathize with Lear until RJ started to soften toward him. The coincidence-heavy random meetings and connections were really enjoyable - small town proximity even in a big city!

This is a solid, enjoyable romance. I liked the modern day take on non-gendered jobs. RJ is a lawyer and Lear is a wedding planner. And I liked the enemies to frenemy lovers to friend AND lovers. Some of the conflict seemed repetitive. But it didn't take away too much from enjoying the story.

I've really enjoyed Denise Williams' books so far. I got a little frustrated with the heroine and her distance, but overall, this was another good book. Looking forward to the next one in this friendship universe.

There are certain characters that you found yourself building a home about in your heart, and these are the ones. Because wow this was very beautiful and enjoyable. The chemistry, the banter, the angst and that character development was absolutely incredible!!

RJ is a divorce lawyer with an unexpected side hustle: she officiates weddings! She has a run in with an unpleasant man and then discovers that he is the cousin of a wedding planner she works with a lot and now she'll have to work closely with him. Lear used to work as an event planner for an NFL team but after major heartbreak moves to work with his cousin doing weddings even though he is no longer looking for love. In this enemies to lovers romance, RJ and Lear are first drawn together because of their physical attraction.

As per usual in a Denise Williams story, the banter was top notch and the development of the romance is well paced. I really enjoyed it!

The review of this book will live in a story highlight called ARCReviews on my Instagram. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the arc!