“We weren’t in a relationship, but we were in something, even if it was a tug-of-war with me resisting the pull to him.”

“It's good and at the same time it was intriguing.”

“I warn all my dates: Don’t fall for me. I’m good for a date or two of no strings fun, but then I’m a ghost.”

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this ARC in exchange for an honest review. I absolutely loved this novel. It was a 3.5 star read for me. My favorite part of the book was how they met on a dating phone application. The female main character Joley is trying to end a blind date relationship and ends up walking up to a fake stranger pretending it’s her current boyfriend who also happens to be the male main character and the sheriff named Seth who happens to be getting divorced.. What are the chances! The tropes in Hesi Dating brings it all with the age gap, friends to lovers and having a great slow burn romance. This novel shows how two people can find each other at the right time and not know it. I love how much banter along with the sas “sassy” these two have together and how they can show their vulnerable sides to one another. The author wrote this book beautifully along with the great detail throughout the 306 pages. I hope people will like it as much as I did and I am excited to read more books by the author Zoe Forward.

Zoe Forward's World of The Foster's has grown with the addition of Hesi-Dating and I, for one, am super glad to have read this amazing rollercoaster of a journey between Joley and Seth. Their story corkscrewed through some really difficult events in this book with Joley's unwanted gang affliction and Seth being the popular, ethical "Hot Sheriff".

I loved seeing the growth in Joley. Learning she wasn't a stupid girl just because she had a learning disability. She had things she could offer back to foster kids who needed guidance.

Seth needed to grow and move on from the pain his ex had caused him, the mayor was inflicting upon him, and the grief of the loss of his father.

Seth and Joley dovetail in their fostering efforts. Joley puts her time into mentoring kids and Seth into rescuing his dog, Henry (atta boy, Henry! You'll see why when you read the book!) and horses.

While this book isn't light and fluffy, it is beautiful and profound in showing how two hurt people can grow and become better together.

Zoe Forward's writing continues to evolve and exceed past works. It's exciting to read each new book.

First of all, Thank You, Netgalley for the ARC granted. And this book has captured my attention just by the title( I find it genius when authors can play with the name related to the story) and the narrative was compelling and well built. I wasn't expecting such bit of suspense but it was a great addition to the story. My first touch with an of the author's title and I can say I liked a lot!

I did enjoy this one but as a romance it fell a little flat for me. The writing and characters didn’t really draw me in completely and I had a feeling from the first chapter that it wasn’t going to be the best fit for me but I still wanted to give it a shot and I know that it will be a hit for others. There's a lot of potential for Seth and Joley but I think it didn’t work for me partly because of the dialogue and the way their relationship starts; I also just didn’t feel like there was much chemistry beyond the physical.

There are darker themes in here that I actually wasn’t expecting based on the cover but it worked. I liked the representation of learning disabilities, foster family connections, and some diversity with the side characters. I also liked that each of Joley's siblings have such different interests but are tied together by the bonds they forged in the foster system. Seth's character is gruff and protective which is exactly what I imagined but I also feel like he starts off ready to jump right into something after an awful divorce which I didn't feel was really realistic, especially considering the age gap.

While it wasn't a perfect fit for me, there are definitely good things to find here. There are some cute scenes and fun moments with a sweet ending and some grittier scenes that move the story along. If you’re looking for a darker romance with an age gap, recently divorced MMC who is also a hot sheriff, and an FMC with a learning disability and some ties to the other side of the law, you might want to check this one out. It's also the second book in Zoe Forward's The Fosters series and the first one looks pretty cute so I'll likely check that one out soon!

CW: violence, SA, gun use, reference to cheating, divorce, etc.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book from NetGalley and Zoe Forward. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was a quick read for me and I enjoyed it very much. The two main characters, Joley and Seth had an instant connection and with all the complications they still couldn’t stay away from each other. It felt like they were each other’s safe haven. When they were together it was cozy (especially when they were on Seth’s farm) yet sexy with the all the sparks flying. The gangster stuff made the story interesting, but it was so sad to read about Joley’s horrible experience in foster care. It was good to see how she found her family with her foster siblings and by the end also found her calling and was brave enough to ask for help. Seth’s protective and upstanding character was ridiculously hot with all the cowboy sheriff thing, but I don’t know why he’s considered ‘old’ when he’s barely around forty. I liked the ending and how things turned out for them.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me a copy of the book.

This was a cute story with the drama that I crave in a book. I loved the chemistry between the Joley and Seth, as well as the family dynamics of the soblings.

I'm still processing how I feel about Hesi-Dating. While it is a fun rom-com, with some funny moments. I can't decide if I liked it. The characters felt a bit off, and while I don't mind heavy topics in books I read, these heavy topics maybe could have been written/handled differently? I appreciate the chance to have received an arc. Thankyou NetGalley.

I enjoyed the story behind Joley and Seth. There was a lot of open door scenes in this book and very descriptive. Just wanted to be uo front about that in case you don't like that. The story is a sweet one though: Seth is a Sheriff and Joley is going to school and working. They meet though a dating app and have lots of ups and downs due to a certain Nosh. There is suspense which is LOVE. Romantic Suspense is one of my favorite categories and this definitely fills that space! 😍 There is definitely spice in this book. I also love how she incorporates Amber and Ian in the story as well from Doc Showmance. Which is another one you should definitely read as well.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read and to Zoe Forward.

You know that TikTok sound that goes like, "It's so bad, I want to give you a zero, but that's not possible, so I give you a one." Well, sorry babe, but this one applies to you. Based on the cute drawn cover, I thought this was going to be a cute country-esque romance where they're hesitating on dating (like the title suggests).

Boy, was I wrong! Cute? No. Country? No. They're in a big city in California (can't remember the exact one, sue me). Romance? I wish there was something romantic about this book. But let me explain this to you.

At first, we're introduced to the sheriff, Seth, who just went through a divorce with his cheating wife and is going on his first date since the divorce. While waiting for his date, he meets this girl who needs saving from a creepy man and he thinks she's sexy, and wow, it turns out that it's his date! But, instead of going on the date, he just talks about his divorce with her. Now, I've never dated a divorce before (as I am 20), so I have no personal input on this but I feel like this is a red flag, and our girl whose name I can't remember doesn't think so. Anyway, they quickly strike up a friendship where they flirt and their gangs and foster family drama and dog drama. So much drama and problems. But miss girl, whatever her name is, is so annoying. The time she's talking I want to punch her (nicely) in the face. Ugh.

I'm not sure what it was in particular with HES-DATING but this one just didn't do it for me!

I struggled with the dialogue and characters - Seth and Joley's love story didn't feel fleshed out enough, it felt like the characters were put together rather than building a life together.

I loved the darker themes but that it still felt like a feel-good love story. And that ending - aw!

Though I'm not the target audience for this book, if you're after a darker love story, check this out out

Overall, I enjoyed this book. 3.5 stars!

Even though there were some darker themes inlcuded in the novel (foster system, SA, gun violence, etc.), in the end it was still a feel-good story with a happily-ever-after. To be honest, I actually liked that it wasn’t just fluff like most contemporary romances—not that I have a problem with them, it just makes this one stand out.

What I didn’t like, was the writing. I’m not saying it’s bad per se, but it just wasn’t for me. While Joley was an intriguing character, Seth fell flat for me. Also, their romance felt a bit meh. Theirs isn’t a love story for the ages, in my mind at least. Nonetheless, it was a fun read that you can (and will want to) do in one sitting.

I strive to give honest reviews for all books, but especially for ARC reviews done for NetGalley and different authors/publishers. For me personally, I rarely give out less than a 4 star review. I know how hard writing is and how vulnerable it makes someone to put it out into the world. If it’s below the four star rating, I will not tag the author. The review is for me, not for them. And honestly, just because I didn’t like it, doesn’t mean someone else won’t.

While the premise of this book was great, the follow through wasn’t here. Hesi-Dating is about Joley, a former foster care kid with severe PTSD, and Seth, a sheriff who is newly divorced having lost his marriage in the worst possible way. Joley is a commitment phob, and she knows Seth will want more than one night. He’s just that kind of guy.

It is a slow build romance, with a lot pitfalls along the way. There are trigger warnings galore throughout the book (multiple types of violence), lots of misunderstandings, and a lot of references to Seth being an old man (he’s 38, she’s 29). I am also not one to criticize writing styles or grammar (especially in an ARC), but there were more mistakes than normal, which I hope were caught during a final edit.

I’m not sure who the target audience is for the book, but I think they are out there. Maybe. Hopefully.

Having not read the prior book in this series based on the main heroine's foster sister Amber, I'm unfamiliar with Zoe Forward's and this series' storytelling.

If you think this could be a fun rom-com based on the cutesy title and cover, you'll be surprised by some darker complications. As flimsy as those crime elements are, it certainly provided another layer to the story that gave it a larger color palette to play with and made it feel longer.

Everything was ok overall and made me kind of curious about Amber's story.

This is book 2 but can be read as a standalone. For the best reading experience I would recommend reading book 1 first.

Hesi-dating follows the story of a serial dater FMC and a hurt MMC that’s recovering from divorce. This book also contains the age gap trope, with the MMC being 10 years older than the FMC. This book had a lot of subplots that were pretty easy to follow. The only thing that seemed like it was missing something was the romance aspect. Overall I would give this book 4 stars.

It feels like a while since I have done a VBT for Xpresso Book Tours and what better one to start with for the year than Zoe Forward's new romance Hesi-Dating. I have to admit I did Google Hesi-Dating as a few things ran through my head before I started the book, In my confusion I had thought Hesi was like the Indian word Desi. Then a couple more things came up from the fact that the main female character is studying Dental Hygiene and the exam that they take to move on is called the HESI and, last but not least, Hesi-dating is when you hesitate about what you want in a dating situation - are you casual or wanting more but can't make up your mind? As I got reading and came upon the part where the main female Joely talks about her family, another lightbulb went off in my head as I swore I had read a book that contained this family, and turns out I was right - Doc Showmance featured the older sister Amber. In Hesi-Dating this is Joely's story about finally finding her match as she is great at matching everyone else with their perfect match but when it comes to her - she tends to go for guys that are bad eggs. One of those bad eggs is Nosh - her friend who is a career criminal and wanted by the FBI. Joely's latest date is the local Sheriff Seth Briscoe who by all means is the perfect match for Joely, but with her friendship with Nosh. She needs to stay clear of Seth as if both lives clash, then Joely could find herself in a heap of trouble from either side. Can Seth prove to Joely that she is his perfect match and he accepts her for baggage and all or will Nosh be the cause of another failed relationship for Joely? Find out in this fun romantic comedy, that can be read as a sequel to Doc Showmance or as a stand-alone - Hesi-Dating by Zoe Forward.

This was an engrossing read. I liked the characters and the plot moved at a good pace. It was interesting to see how the events in this book intersected with those in Doc Showmance.

Tropes:
- Difficult past
- Dual POV
- Friends to lovers
- Steam and spice
- Hot sheriff who loves animals
- Age gap

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I received this ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Hesi-dating" marked my introduction to Zoe Forward's work, and I must say, I was thoroughly captivated by it. The book proved to be nearly unputdownable for me—starting in the evening, continuing until I had to sleep, which was when I completed the book ofcourse . Despite its sweet, colorful, and unassuming cover, this book carries substantial weight.

The story, spanning a year, offers a unique blend of a slow-burn relationship set against a fast-paced backdrop, providing a refreshing narrative experience. The main character, Joley, an individual with a complex past as a foster child, initially struck me as someone I couldn't entirely identify with. However, as the narrative unfolded, her vulnerability and backstory endeared her to me, weaving their way into my heart.

Joley's life revolves around a routine of going on dates, engaging in casual encounters, and then moving on. The narrative takes an unexpected turn when she encounters Sheriff Seth. Her usual approach to relationships proves inadequate, as she finds herself genuinely liking Seth. Conversely, Seth, a seemingly unreal character, introduces a dreamlike quality to the story.

While certain parts of the book felt like they lingered longer than necessary, the unexpected heavy gang-related storyline injected a unique twist into the standard contemporary romance narrative. The story goes beyond the anticipated romance, delving into suspenseful elements that I found pleasantly surprising.

Joley and Seth's relationship evolves from a simple encounter to a deep friendship. Through a series of favors and shared challenges, their dynamic blurs the lines between friendship and romance, though the connection sometimes leans more towards lust than true romance.

What sets the book apart is the gradual development of Joley and Seth's relationship over time. The events unfold over a year, allowing the reader to witness the natural progression of their connection. Additionally, the bond between Joley and her siblings adds an adorable layer to the narrative.

Surprisingly, the book offered a significant amount of suspense, diversifying its themes to include love, friendship, tackling difficult issues, tension, and a hint of steaminess. Overall, "Hesi-dating" stands out as an excellent and multifaceted read, showcasing Zoe Forward's storytelling prowess.

Do not let the sweet, colourful and unassuming cover fool you. This is a heavy book. Don't get me wrong, I surprisingly really enjoyed it - it was both a slow burn relationship whilst being in a fast paced book, spanning a year, which was refreshing. I wasn't sure if I was going to like Joley's character as I did not identify with her at all, but she definitely grew on me, her vulnerability and backstory just wormed her way into my heart. And Seth. Well, people like him aren't real. But It's nice to dream. I did feel like some parts of the book dragged on longer then it should've, but you were shocked out of it but the heavy backstory that weaved it's way into the plot. You best believe I wasn't expecting a heavy gang related storyline whilst reading this, but I'm not opposed to the dark storylines, so it was definitely a different take on your standard contemporary romance.

Please note, this book contains references to sexual assult, as well as gangs and death, so take head of these trigger warnings!

In Zoe Forward's captivating novel, "Hesi-Dating," the protagonist, a woman with a mysterious past and a penchant for casual dating, finds herself caught in a web of unexpected emotions and dangerous connections. As she navigates the complexities of her personal life, she must confront the consequences of her actions and make choices that will shape her future. The story begins with the protagonist issuing a warning to all her dates: "Don't fall for me." She sets boundaries, making it clear that she is only interested in no-strings-attached fun. However, everything changes when she meets Seth, a sheriff who saves her from a difficult situation. As she interacts with Seth, the protagonist experiences an undeniable chemistry and a desire to heal his wounded soul. However, her past connections and the danger they pose make her hesitant to pursue a relationship with him. She believes that dating law enforcement is a no-go, and she fears that her past will eventually catch up to them. Despite her reservations, the protagonist finds herself drawn to Seth. They engage in a series of favors for each other, creating a unique dynamic that blurs the lines between friendship and romance. However, their connection attracts the attention of a dangerous gang leader who threatens their safety. The protagonist is torn between her desire for Seth and her need to protect both herself and him from the deadly dangers of her past. As the story unfolds, she must make difficult choices that will determine the outcome of their relationship and their lives.

This was a really great book! I loved the romance it was very well developed and it was very paced and I loved it. I would highly recommend this book!