This was a cute cinnamon roll/grumpy sunshine romance! The FMC was blunt and I was here for it. The MMC was goofy and sweet. I didn't feel a huge connection between the two and found myself losing interest. The plot was adorable and I'm grateful to read the book.

This book completely surprised me—in the best way possible. I went into it expecting a lighthearted rom-com, but it turned out to be so much more: funny, heartfelt, and deeply relatable.

Hannah’s journey of breaking down her emotional walls resonated with me. Her independence and stubbornness felt so real—there were moments I wanted to shake her and moments I wanted to cheer her on. And then there’s Teddy, who’s not just the typical flirty love interest. He’s sweet, grounded, and has his own layers of vulnerability that make him completely swoon-worthy.

The small-town setting added an extra layer of charm to the book. The quirky side characters and their antics (especially involving the animals!) made everything feel alive and cozy, like stepping into a Hallmark movie with just the right amount of spice.
Chalice’s writing has that effortless flow that pulls you in and makes you root for the characters like they’re your own friends.

If you’re a fan of grumpy-sunshine romance or just need a feel-good, laugh-out-loud love story, this book will absolutely hit the spot.

I could not finish this. At the beginning, it seemed pretty cute. I loved that she was a vet and he was an architect, it was all leading in a nice direction, but then she just became more and more insufferable. She is in her mid 30s and still obsessed with the bullying she received by the hands of one mean girl specifically who made fun of her freckles. She is horribly insecure still to this day as a result. Ok, I understand that bullying can leave a lasting impact, but over freckles? And has she not had anyone compliment her on them or grown at all in her view of herself since then? She has made absolutely zero development in her self confidence since high school, it seems. As a result she is a “hedgehog” person, and nobody can get close to her because she’s rude AF to basically everyone. So the MMC is going to give her flirting lessons so she can learn to be nice/schmooze people and keep her job (patients keep complaining about her awful bedside manner). Except, Ted doesn’t actually give her any niceness lessons? Also she’s supposed to help him with his renovation to repay him for his flirting lessons, but that never really happens either? It’s just all a total cluster. The goats were my favorite part of the book. Life’s too short to read things you aren’t enjoying, so once it was clear this was not going to redeem itself, I stopped.

I really enjoyed seeing the characters progress in this story. The story was well paced and well written. I was hooked from the beginning and devoured it in just a few sittings.

Love love love! As a women in STEM this was all I needed and more. Perfect for lovers of Ali Hazelwood! I bought this for my friend for Christmas.

Sometimes escapist romance is exactly what is needed. This made me laugh. Prickly vet Hannah has always had such low self esteem that she cannot believe former school heartthrob Teddy Fraser can be interested in her. Thrown together as neighbours they have some amusing encounters and their banter is great. Hannah is not good at "peopling" and her job is at risk, so Teddy helps her with classes in flirting. It may be predictable but it's enjoyable, entertaining, and a bit steamy! #netgalley #fundamentalsinflirting

Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐ (4/5)

Fundamentals in Flirting by Lucy Chalice is a spicy, trope-filled delight that brings plenty of laughs, swoons, and steamy moments to the table. Packed with all the elements of a quintessential rom-com and set against the charming backdrop of small-town life, this book delivers exactly what it promises: a fun, flirtatious romance with a guaranteed happily-ever-after.

Dr. Hannah Havens is a refreshingly prickly protagonist. Her no-nonsense attitude and hedgehog-like defenses make her a grumpy heroine you can’t help but root for. Watching her navigate her return to her hometown—complete with awkward reunions and a not-so-welcome blast from her past—is both entertaining and endearing. Enter Teddy Fraser: the epitome of sunshine, a charismatic flirt who’s everything Hannah doesn’t want but secretly can’t resist. His relentless charm and easygoing nature set the perfect stage for their opposites-attract dynamic.

The chemistry between Hannah and Teddy is off the charts. Their banter is sharp and witty, with just enough tension to make you grin while you root for them to drop their defenses and give in to their obvious connection. The forced proximity trope—brought on by a series of town events and Teddy’s uncanny ability to be wherever Hannah is—only adds to the fun, creating plenty of opportunities for sparks to fly. And when they do? Let’s just say the spice level is appropriately rated 🌶️🌶️🌶️.

Favorite moments? There are so many! The scene where Hannah grudgingly accepts Teddy’s help during a town festival is both hilarious and heartwarming, perfectly balancing their grumpy-sunshine dynamic. And Teddy’s “he falls first” energy? Absolute gold. Watching him subtly (and sometimes not-so-subtly) pine for Hannah while she stubbornly insists she doesn’t need anyone is pure rom-com bliss. One standout moment involves Teddy going out of his way to help Hannah improve her people skills—an endeavor that’s both comedic and unexpectedly sweet.

The small-town setting adds an extra layer of charm, with nosy neighbors, quirky traditions, and a sense of community that makes the story feel cozy despite the characters’ fiery personalities. The supporting cast is equally delightful, particularly Hannah’s boss, who nudges her toward self-improvement, and the well-meaning townsfolk who keep throwing Teddy and Hannah together.

If there’s one critique, it’s that the story occasionally leans a bit heavily on familiar tropes. While they’re executed well, there aren’t many surprises in the plot, and some of the conflicts—like Hannah’s resistance to love—feel a touch predictable. However, the strong character dynamics and witty writing more than make up for these minor shortcomings.

Final verdict? Fundamentals in Flirting is a spicy, heartfelt, and thoroughly enjoyable rom-com that hits all the right notes. With its lovable characters, sizzling romance, and feel-good small-town vibes, this book is perfect for fans of grumpy-sunshine pairings and swoon-worthy HEAs. Lucy Chalice has created a fun, flirty read that’s as comforting as it is steamy—and I’m here for it!

This was a fun book to read the first by this author. I really enjoyed the chemistry between the characters and the overall story I cant wait to read another book by this author. Thank you so much for letting me read this book.

It was fine, but I was really annoyed a lot of the time. I completely relate to Hannah, but god. I don't understand why she was even mad at him towards the end!?!?!?

I loved the grumpy / sunshine trope of the Fundamentals in Flirting. It was so nice having a grumpy FMC and a sunshine MMC and I thought the two characters worked really well together! Hannah and Teddy had really cute banter and I loved how they had their ties from childhood and were getting to know one another in the present day. Their lack of communication grated on me a little bit towards the end of the book and I think their break up could have been done a bit better but I know that's the same with a lot of romance books! This was a really quick and easy read and I really enjoyed every minute of it!

Thank you NetGalley :)

A really charming flip of the grumpy/sunshine romance. Hannah and Teddy are good foils to one another with the easy banter of childhood acquiantances (and crushes), but still learning about one another as they have grown. This was a quick read and I really enjoyed everything about it. The only thing that irritated me was the 3rd act breakup. I know it's necessary, but this was just so ridiculous. Heavy on the miscommunication and a much easier fix with a simple conversation, but that's not how romance books work. Haha.

Overall, definitely recommend and can't wait to see more from Lucy Chalice.

Prepare to fall head over heels for this hilarious and heartwarming grumpy-sunshine romcom! Perfect for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Tessa Bailey, this story is sure to bring a smile to your face.

Dr Hannah Havens is everything you could want in a heroine—successful, independent, and as prickly as a hedgehog in a blackberry bush. The last thing she needs when she returns to her small hometown is to run into Teddy Fraser, the annoyingly gorgeous guy she once had a brief fling with. Teddy is the epitome of a charming ladies' man, the biggest flirt she’s ever met, and someone she’d prefer to avoid.

But, despite her best efforts to keep him at arm’s length, Teddy keeps popping up in her life. Hannah’s patience with his relentlessly cheery personality starts to wear thin, especially when her boss insists she improves her people skills. And who better to help her practise patience than the one person who knows how to get under her skin?

With his affable, charismatic nature, it seems like Hannah can’t avoid Teddy’s charm forever. The slow burn between these two is an absolute delight, and watching Hannah’s walls come down is both hilarious and heartwarming.

This book is a perfect balance of spicy and sweet, with plenty of laugh-out-loud moments and sizzling chemistry between the characters. The small-town setting and forced proximity add even more fun to the dynamic, and I couldn't help but root for these two from start to finish. If you're in the mood for an uplifting, feel-good romance, this is one to pick up!

This was a cute grumpy sunshine romance. Teddy and Hannah had great chemistry and I loved the Teddy was the sunshine to Hannah's grumpy. I enjoyed the connection with Hot Henry Effect.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5

Tropes:
🐐 Grumpy x Sunshine
🐐 Small Town
🐐 He Falls First
🐐 Forced Proximity

I’ve never met a grumpy x sunshine I haven’t loved and I thoroughly enjoyed this one. Teddy? the perfect golden retriever to Hannah’s black cat and I adored them so much. I particularly liked Teddy being vulnerable with Hannah about his inner turmoil of not feeling good enough compared to his twin, it contrasted nicely against Hannah’s outward struggle of connecting with people without being a prickly hedgehog.

Star of the show? Aphrodite the cat ( you cannot change my mind)

Big thank you to HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter and NetGalley for the ARC it kept me awake until 1am and It was worth it.

Thank you netgalley for the ARC!

This was a reverse sunshine grump. A really quick read, a bit too much veterinarian lingo for me. The hero had golden retriever energy and he was so fun to read about.

I enjoyed this quick romance. It was the second in a series (I think) but I didn’t read the first one and I followed along with this one with no issues!

3.5 stars

Great novel which is a follow on from the Hot Henry Effect - you don't need to read it but it helps with building your character knowledge. I thought it was a great story, likeable characters, especially Teddy. Although it took me a while to warm to Hannah, the chemistry was undeniable between them both. Beautifully written & looking forward to the next installment. Thanks to Net galley for the advanced copy

The Fundamentals in Flirting was such a charming, easy read with a slow-burn romance and lovable side characters.
The pacing was perfect, and I was hooked from the start, finishing it in a day! While the slow burn and moments of miscommunication might not be for everyone, I loved how these flaws added depth and brought some great angst to the story.
Ted and Hannah ―Their banter was adorable, and their personalities felt so real—flawed yet lovable. Watching them grow and find each other was a joy, even if their insecurities overshadowed the humor a bit toward the end.
Overall, a delightful read that I’d highly recommend!

There were plenty of things to like about this book which kept me going until about 75%, but at that point I just had no interest in picking it up again so I put it down.

Lovely premise, great setting in the countryside, loved the animal representation and Teddy seemed rather nice mostly, although he was always getting into weird situations like being scared of a goat. Just made him seem a bit useless, like he always needed saving and that wasn't sexy to me.

My biggest issues were that I just didn't really like the characters. I struggled to enjoy being in Hannah's head. She had a lot of issues that felt a bit OTT. The fact that her teenage trauma was from freckles just felt like a major missed opportunity for some plus sized, disability or other kind of rep to be at the crux of the bullying. Maybe something a bit more relatable or at least justifiable. It read like she had some kind of deformity at the start, then we find out she's just got freckles. Weird take for me as someone with freckles.

I didn't feel the chemistry between the main characters, there was miscommunication for the sake of it - e.g, when Hannah feels "rejected" but it's only because Teddy didn't want to sleep with her when she was drunk, which he explained.

Definitely read more like a new adult romance, if Hannah had been at uni dealing with these issues, trying to find herself it would have felt more realistic than her being in her 30s and still being hung up on her freckles.

Wasn't for me, but others seemed to have enjoyed this. I'd maybe recommend to new adults.

This book is seriously the cutest!

Hannah is not a people person. She also has trouble with having low self-esteem. But when she walks in on her boyfriend, she finds a bit of her inner strength and drops him on the spot. Since he was also her mentor, she lost her spot as a researcher and her relationship all in one go.

Since then she has moved on, and back home, and works as a veterinarian in a small clinic. There is where her lack of people skills comes to bite her in the ass. :)

After running into her old classmate and a crush, she decides to make him help her. They have a scorching hot chemistry from the get-go, but their issues are keeping them apart.

The story can be a bit frustrating at parts because you just want them to be happy, but the ending makes up for it. :) It's cute and full of swoon-worthy moments.

It's a slow-burn, sunshine/grump romance set in a small town, that you can't help but love. :)

A cute STEM romcom for fans of Ali Hazelwood and Sarah Adams. Hannah an intelligent and more than sarcastic vet gets a second chance with romance when high school crush and perfect boy next door Teddy becomes her new neighbour. Throw in a goat, a rogue cat and you have a cats of characters that will keep you turning the pages to make sure these two get their happily ever after.