It took me quite a while to finish the book, but not because of the story I admit. I seem to be in an enormous reading slump and have trouble finishing books at this time. Overall I liked the storyline(s) although I am not happy with second-chance tropes. I am a sucker for sister-of-best-friend though!

The cover is cute and I liked the male MC Sam a bit more than Piper as she was sometimes a bit too agressive to him in my opinion. Loved the family shenanigans.

Overall a very good debut novel and I will be on the lookout for a next!

Second chance romance, huge family, and so many longing looks; just a few things about this book that were great. The tension between Piper and Sam was thick, not only from past resentment but from desire. I also loved Pipers big family and the family dynamic that played into the store. Also the pair recording an audiobook together adding some funny moments from that in general. This was such an easy and good read, I felt attached to their story and them trying to work their way through their past.

The book started slow for me and I had to put it down a couple of times. I wasn’t invested in Sam and Piper rekindling their romance as I felt there was too much negative emotions they were still having so many years later. Their romance started in high school and I felt they should have been over it by now. Unfortunately, this book was not for me. I am finding the more I read second chance romance that they are not one of my favorite tropes. It is a “me not you situation”.

I did enjoy the authors writing even though I didn’t connect with the couple. I am hoping she writes another book (something that isn’t a second chance romance) so that I read her again.

I want to thank NetGalley, Livy Hart and Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Embrace for the e-ARC of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are honest, my own and left voluntarily.

Piper returns home ostensibly to help her mother through her 12th (yes, 12th) pregnancy but in reality life isn’t quite working out for Piper just the way she imagined and being able to return and regroup is actually a good thing. Except for the presence of her former high school boyfriend, Sam, whom she has never forgiven for misunderstanding her when she said “break” and not “break up” and went on to make out with a mutual friend. Seven years later and she’s still holding a really strong grudge. Livy Hart’s Talk Flirty to Me is a romance, however, so we know that that grudge is going to melt away with a lot of other things.

Talk Flirty to Me is a cute debut novel but at times it felt like a runaway train. The most unfortunate aspect of what could have been a really fun novel was the character of Piper who grew more and more annoying as the novel progressed and made it more and more difficult to get through.

Sam, however, is a great MMC.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the chance to review this ARC.

4/5

This book was so much fun! I love the premise here. It really calls for some great banter and great laughts.

Piper and Sam were really great together. I liked them together.
I liked who Piper was as a person and how much she cared about her family.
I liked the navigation on the messy breakup.

Sam was great I really liked him.

I liked the audiobook aspects of this book it was fun!

This is a slow burn and it took me a few chapters to really get into it but it's worth it.

I cant wait to read more by this author!

I know this will sound odd, but I really wanted to like this book. I feel like I've gotten off to a bad start with romance as a genre. That's what made this read especially disappointing. Everything about Piper and Sam's "new start" feels just forced, nothing happens naturally. Theres always some hand of fate just off to the side of the camera (or microphone, I suppose) ready to push them into each other's arms again. Additionally, I could never quite get past Sam's motive for finally finding Piper again, it just feels sleazy. Not to even mention how poorly male side characters would treat Piper. That being said, despite my relative dislike for second chance romance I didn't absolutely hate this book and I feel like the author was having a good time with it.

I've read this book more than once at this point, and it never fails to make me laugh out loud. I love the large family dynamics, the MCs' complicated friendship with Caleb and Jane, and the push and pull between romance and career. Piper is relatable, Sam is droolworthy, and I wish Nonna had her own spinoff.

i'm typing this through tears, but this was such an amazing book!

from the very beginning, i was reeled in.
the writing style was so pleasing to read. i didn't even realise i needed it until i was in the middle of a chapter and i thought, "who the hell writes like this?!" but in the BEST possible way.

i am a SUCKER for brother's best friend romances, but i haven't seen this trope done like this book did it. and boy, did i eat it up. it was so exciting getting a fresh take on a brother's BFF romance. especially since Piper and Sam had loads of history between them. it was just...so GOOD. honestly, this book just does it for me.
it's fluffy and sexy and funny and just all out one of the best books i've read so far.

i'm really looking forward to whatever else this author has planned. i would recommend this before i recommended the bible (sorry Jesus.)

It was a solid story. Sweet, fun, with some very intense chemistry, but I failed to connect to the characters, which put a damper on everything for me.

Sam and Piper dated in high school, some drama ensued, and seven years later they're still harboring a little resentment and a lot of anger, Piper particularly. Second chance romance isn't my favorite trope, but I don't hate it either. I think what gave me pause in this particular instance was how it was never actually directly addressed how long Piper and Sam had dated in their teens. The amount of negative emotions they were still holding onto that many years later seemed slightly preposterous for a HS romance scenario.

I get that first loves are special, and first relationships can be intense, but Piper's dislike of Sam was so fierce, I would have thought he'd ruined her life or something. I just didn't think the level of animosity portrayed here was reasonable or justified, and that made it difficult for me to get invested in the rekindling of their relationship.

Also, while Piper's utterly chaotic family life provided some comic relief, was it really necessary for her to have that many brothers (10? 11?)? I feel like that detail was just thrown into the mix more for shock value than anything else, and ended up doing more harm than good since the whirlwind of names was impossible to keep track of and made every instance when her brothers were around confusing.

The only one of the brothers I could recognize was Caleb, Piper's only older brother and Sam's BFF. All the younger ones were a blur of faceless names. Having a dozen biological kids in the 21st century is exceedingly rare, and unless that fact is gonna be indispensable for the plot and properly explored, I don't think it's a worthwhile element to add.

Sam and Piper working together to narrate an audio book was an interesting and novel way of forcing the lead characters into spending time together in close quarters.

The writing was engaging and dynamic, if slightly exaggerated at times, and even if I couldn't connect to the main couple, at least there were heaps of sexual tension between them, which was ultimately the reason I bumped my rating up half a star. There's nothing some loaded comments and lusty looks can't make better!

All in all, it wasn't my favorite romance of all time, but it was still an ok read if you're looking for something short and lively within the second-chance-romance trope.

**I received a digital copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own**

3.5⭐

A fun and witty and highly entertaining first time read for me by this author, and it definitely won't be my last! Piper and Sam dated back in high school, but had a pretty bad breakup after a misunderstanding. Now Piper is back in town to help out her mother. She's a voice actress and is struggling to find work. Coming home is not easy, though, as she has to face Sam. She does her best to avoid him, but she has a great opportunity to record an audiobook and needs his help. It wouldn't be so bad, but this is an erotic book, and old, unresolved feelings start to unbiddingly come to the surface as they record and they are forced to face what transpired between them all those years ago.
The story was full of emotion and heart, but also incredibly fun and humorous and left me with a smile on my face. The characters were well-defined with realistic qualities which made them relatable and I couldn't help but fall in love with them. There was no question about the strong chemistry between them, and their banter and interactions were heart fluttering and swoon-worthy. This was a terrific debut novel by Ms. Hart and I can't wait to read more by her!

I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This. Book. Is. Everything.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled publishing for the eARC of this incredible book in exchange for a review! I had so much fun reading this book that I had to read it one sitting. Piper and the Bellini’s are the family everyone wishes they had and made this story both heartwarming and refreshing. It’s incredible getting some new careers out there in the romance world, like the voice actor! Getting a behind the scenes glimpse into that world was so much fun for me to read. Adding in Sam, the quintessential one who got away, to the story made this into the romance book I never knew I needed. It was funny, sweet, heart wrenching, and spicy all at the same time and one I will definitely be recommending for years to come!!

Thank you so much to Entangled Teen and Netgalley for letting me read an eARC of Talk Flirty to Me! I loved the cover and the whole concept of it, so I was the most excited to read the book, and I definitely was not disappointed!
Talk Flirty to Me 4/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
I’ve got ninety-nine problems and my brother’s snarky, smart-mouthed best friend Sam is tangled up in every last one of them.
When it comes to firefighter Sam O’Shea, absence—and a regime of tactical avoidance—has been working for me just fiiiine. But when the audition of a lifetime falls in my pathetically broke lap, and he’s the only one who can help me land the job, I’m willing to make a deal with the devil if it means I can kickstart my career as a narrator for audio books. 
The problem? We’d have to actually do the job. Together. And then we’re told it’s for an erotic romance. Narrating steamy lines in a tiny studio with a man who lights a fire under your skin? An occupational hazard. Accidentally inciting a town scandal when your erotic audiobook clips wind up on the radio? A crisis. And falling for the one man I promised my brother—and my heart—I wouldn’t touch?
This book was so cute and funny and I absolutely loved Piper and Sam! They were such fun main characters and their interplay and banter (along with the way they interacted with the rest of the characters in the book) made this book go by so quickly! I loved the way their relationship grew and how they wanted to grow with each other. Pacing and plot wise, I think everything was really well done. I was never bored nor did I think that anything happened too quickly. I kept wanting more of Piper and Sam and I'm so glad I read this book! If y'all like cute and funny rom coms, I highly recommend Talk Flirty to Me!

Link to be added once post goes live

When you’re taught to always put others first, it’s easy to forget to express your own emotions and feel your own feelings. It’s easy to put others before yourself and sacrifice yourself for the betterment of others. This was Piper Bellini’s life. As a chronic people pleaser and someone who was taught that love is self-sacrifice, I could relate. Love isn’t only self-sacrifice, but it’s part of it. The other part is sometimes putting yourself first. The part Piper forgot. This story made me feel so many emotions, as I cried and felt my heart pang with hurt.. in addition to the blushing and the happiness. Similarly, one could see Sam O’Shea as someone who thought achievements are the only thing worth it in life. How wrong that thinking was and is. The character development in both Sam and Piper was incredible and I found myself relating to both of them. I absolutely loved this story and am excited to see what else Livy Hart writes!

Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book in return for an honest review.

This book was absolutely FANTASTIC. I was engulfed from the very beginning. It made me laugh HYSTERICALLY several times and made me feel so emotional and grief stricken. Everything about the characters was so carefully thought out and I couldn’t get enough.

The book follows Piper and Sam - Dated in high school, messy break up. Sam is ALSO…. Piper’s brother’s best friend….. I know. When Piper needs Sam to help her with a job recording an audiobook - essentially, the job of a lifetime for a voice actress - things get messy. In the best and worst of ways.

This is a slow-burn, second-chance romance with FRUSTRATING build ups and spicy scenes COMPLETELY worth the wait. And the BANTER between these two is roll-on-the-floor-laughing level hilarious.

Highly recommend. 5 stars, I would give more if it were possible.

4.5 stars! Incredibly witty and so romantic. I adored the banter and dynamic between Sam and Piper. Their chemistry was off the charts, and I really enjoyed the concept of them narrating a steamy audio book together. I found Sam and Piper very relatable. Piper’s quirkiness was super endearing, and I loved how close her family was. Also, this has one of the most romantic epilogues I’ve ever read! Loved this so much! *I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Hilarity, hijinks, and so much heart.​ And​ vo​ice, voice, VOICE​: t​his book is simultaneously sharp as a tack and laugh-out-loud funny​,​ ​b​ut the humor doesn’t overshadow the romance​.​ ​This is as perfect a second-chance slow burn as I’ve ever read. ​Piper and Sam have my heart forever.

✨you had me at brothers best friend, second chance romance with a side of co-narrators on a spicy audiobook✨

And then I stayed for Sam and Piper and the absolute delight that is TALK FLIRTY TO ME!

This stunning debut by Livy Hart easily slid into one of my top reads of 2022 (side note: that’s out of 240 books 👀). I adored the entire Bellini family and every single page of this book.

A good friend hyped this one up so much, I had to request an arc! Then I won a giveaway for the paperback. So I was double blessed to get this book.

Trust me, you want to read this one. It’s hilarious, so swoony and 🔥HOT🔥. I cannot wait to read more from Livy! Maybe some more Bellini brothers 👀

Voice actress, Piper and firefighter, Sam used to date until their relationship got complicated and things ended. But all of a sudden they find themselves wrapped up in each others’ lives again - each hoping to benefit from a deal of sorts. But the relationship they thought had ended a long time ago is actually anything but over.

Quick thoughts:
LIKES - This book is everything a contemporary romance should be in my opinion! Beyond the romance though, I loved the relationships between the family members and I really enjoyed the plot! The banter between the main characters was excellent and I found myself flying through this one because I wanted to find out how Sam and Piper’s relationship would unfold!

DISLIKES - I felt that the book ended a little too quickly, but overall a great read!!

Read if you like:
*dual POV
*second chance romance
*brother’s best friend
*one bed

MISS LIVY HART SLAYED WITH THIS.
However, you win some and you lose some (and we definitely won much more than we lost) so I'll get into that now.

LET'S TALK ABOUT WHAT I LOVE IN THIS BOOK. This is a two POV book (which is automatically superior to one POV). I did not realize how much I loved second chance romance until this book. THE TENSION??? IMMACULATE. The way they have history and really know each other?? A MASTERPIECE. The freakin BANTER AND DIRTY TALK AND SMUT?? LITERALLY, HAS ME GRINNING AND GIGGLING.

"I swerve and over correct the car, completely distracted by the curve of her neck.
She levels me with a look, equal parts sexy and smug hell. 'Eyes on the road, O'Shea.'"

SOME TSWIFT LEVEL SHIT.

"Hands off your mouth, Piper. I want to hear you."

PERFECTION🧎🧎🧎

"Tell me what you want, and it's yours."

SO FUCKING UNDERRATED.

WHEN THEY'RE FILMING THE AUDIOBOOK?? UNBELIEVABLE.

SAM O'SHEA??? A PERFECT MAN. I LOVE HIM SO FUCKING MUCH. THERE'S NOT AN OUNCE OF TOXIC IN THIS MAN. THE WAY HE OWNS UP TO SHIT AND WOULD DO ANYTHING FOR PIPER??? AHHHHHWKJDB
AND HE'S SO FUCKING HOT ITS INSANE (yes he's a fictional character I've never seen before BUT I KNOW). The way he's so in love with Piper makes me wanna cry BECAUSE WHY ISNT ANYONE IN LOVE WITH ME THAT WAY??? AND THE WAY HE NEVER BLAMES HER FOR ANYTHING THAT HAPPENS?? THAT'S HOW YOU KNOW FOR SURE HE'S FICTIONAL.

“Replaceable?” His eyes widen. “The fact that you said that tells me you still don’t understand—to this day—how I felt about you. Or how much it hurt me when I thought you ended it. People do stupid shit when they’re hurt. I can’t take back what I did, and there are no words to say how sorry I
am about Sidney. If I could turn back time…”

THIS MAN>>>>

Now let's talk about Piper...
Do I get where she's coming from? Sure.
IS SHE SOMETIMES COMPLETELY FUCKING RIDICULOUS?? YEAH.

"I can still hate Sam O'Shea and recognize, by all objective measures, he's an overachiever. And not as awful as I once thought."

THIS MAN LITERALLY DID NOTHING TO HER??? SHE broke up with him. Because SHE was scared of him going to college and leaving her. AFTER they broke up he went and kissed another girl. SO HE DID NOTHING WRONG SHE HAS NO RIGHT TO HATE HIM OR THINK HE'S AWFUL.

"You said, 'I can't do this Sam.' Those were your words. That's the definition of a breakup, Piper"

EXACTLYYYY

AND THE WAY HER PARENTS SUPPORT HER IN THIS EVEN THOUGH SHE'S WRONG??? If my parents supported me through my stupidity the way Piper's parents do I would definitely be much less mentally ill.

In the end, Piper's stupidity did not overshadow how amazing this book was.

This was the spicy book I did not even know I needed. This was absolutely a fantastic story. I was completely sucked into this story from the beginning. I loved how this story progressed and the characters were absolutely captivating. Piper’s family reminded me of my own family. Loud , loving , and crazy. I loved how Sam and Proper had to overcome quite a bit of things to properly move on. I highly recommend this book.