3 stars.

This was the first book I've read by Lucy Chalice. It was an entertaining book! I liked the small town and its descriptions. Village life and the inhabitants of the village were interesting. The book may not have been groundbreaking, but it was nice to read and I would love to read more of Lucy Chalice's works in the future.

WHAT TO EXPECT:
* Difficult past
* Enemies to lovers
* Forced proximity
* Reverse grumpy - sunshine
* Hea
* Miscommunication
* Open doors
* Return to hometown
* Second chance
* Slowburn
* Small town
* The one that got away
* Third act: break up

Just like Lucy Chalice’s previous book, this was such a fun and cute read. The story kept me hooked, and I really liked the characters (especially because they made some mistakes). They felt real and were easy to root for. Plus, the writing style has gotten even better this time around. The pacing was perfect, and every chapter had something that made me want to keep going. This book was lighthearted, entertaining, and left me smiling long after I was done because of how cute it was. Would highly recommend reading this if you’re a fan of romcoms!

I received an ARC of this book and I am reviewing it voluntarily. All thoughts and opinions are my own and honest.

A cute, spicy romcom with a cinnamon roll hero and a geeky heroine. I enjoyed most of it, so solid four stars.

Hannah and Teddy shared one scorching hot kiss when they were teenagers, but then he said something stupid, and eventually nothing came of it. Fast forward fifteen years, Hannah is back in her hometown and they are neighbors. It turns out that Hannah needs to work on her people skills and Teddy is a nice guy and promises to help her a little.

I enjoyed the writing and the chemistry, and when these two things work out, the book is a success.

Hannah had been bullied as a teenager and, with no support at home, she had developed pretty deep self esteem issues. Knowing that makes you understand why it took her so long to trust Teddy. It was exasperating at times, but unfortunately very relatable. Teddy on the other hand was absolutely adorable and a perfect match for Hannah.

The ending was a little overdone. I hate grand gestures with passion and this one was really cringe. What I also didn’t like is that this book is marketed as a standalone, but it’s a sequel to the author’s debut novel. It can be read as a standalone, but I wish I knew, I hate cameos from books I haven’t read.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

If I'm being honest, I couldn't tell whether this was set in the US or the UK for a good while when I first started it, which I never consider to be the best of signs. However saying that, this was an enjoyable read and I was rooting for them to get together and get over their pasts.

A fun book that I enjoyed reading. After being manipulated, by her current partner, Hannah returns to her childhood village to practice as a vet. Also there is her first love, Teddy Fraser, now a successful architect. As they both try to deny any chemistry, a lot of humour ensues! .

Happy Flirty Friday! I’ve got a flirty rom-com review with lots of fabulous fun! I have to give a huge thank you to Harper Collins UK - One More Chapter for approving me to have a digital arc of Fundamentals in Flirting from Netgalley. I was super excited to have the chance to read this book – I loved the Hot Henry Effect early in the year, so I clicked hard and fast to get a copy of Lucy Chalice’s newest title.

Fundamentals In Flirting is a cozy, fun, easy romance read full of rom-com gold and lots of heartwarming moments. Not to mention some quirky, wily animal sidekicks to bring in some good chuckles and chaos. Lucy Chalice’s writing style is easy to read, with lovely descriptions, sweet-hearted moments, and quite a bit of sparing, sassy banter that was very funny. I loved the sense of humour invoked in the writing to bring out the fun, madness, and cuteness of flirting, wooing antics going on that made me laugh out loud and snort quite a bit. I devoured this book in one sitting, all cozy, snuggled up with my puppy and a good cuppa, loving every second of it.

Chalice’s creates an enjoyable spin on the miscommunication trope that stems from Teddy and Hannah having very different personalities, styles of communication, and levels of openness and bluntness, which leads to friction between them and triggers responses to protect themselves. Hannah keeps Teddy at arms’ length because they are both on the wrong frequencies with each other, making her mistrust his intentions and bringing out her prickly porcupine-hedgehog persona. Teddy hides his insecurities about being compared to his perfect twin brother, Henry, under his chatty, charismatic personality and flirty smile. At the heart of their dynamic, they are two peas in the same pod, battling with their insecurities and emotional wounds.

Their character journeys are sweet with forgiveness and friendship. Letting them come to see eye to eye and bring out the best in each other with a bit of help from some DIY mishaps, some brotherly tough love, and their sweet, lonely elderly neighbour Agnes and her cohort of animal companions. I loved the nice cameo for Clara and Henry from Chalice’s first book, ‘The Hot Henry Effect’; it was lovely to see their love for one another is still going strong.

An adorable reversed grumpy x sunshine trope at the heart of a swoony, easy romance read that tickles the funny bone. If you love Ali Hazelwood, Tessa Bailey, and Julie Soto romantic comedy vibes, you need to check out Lucy Chalice as a new Stem rom-com writer who will give you all the tingles, toes-curls and butterflies in your stomach as Ted and Hannah fall hard for each other.

Teddy, the MMC in "Fundamentals in Flirting", was fun to read about. He was charming and he had great banter with Hannah. Hannah on the other hand annoyed me a bit with her insecurities which often led to self-sabotaging. I won't judge her too harshly because I get it. The parts with Agnes were unexpected but very wholesome. All in all, it was a fun read.

Thank you NetGalley for the arc!

First off, I’d like to apologize to anyone who has experienced bullying in their lives. It can be brutal and have life-long effects. Hannah was bullied in high school and can, therefore, not believe it when well-liked popular guy, Teddy, wants to spend his time with her. Her self doubt may seem implausible to some, but this story resonated with me. Teddy was misunderstood in his own way and that helps them bond, but mostly, he’s just a loving golden retriever. Hannah is a prickly hedgehog, but he doesn’t mind. While there is plenty of misunderstanding between the two mains, there is also plenty of personal growth.
3.5 stars for a sweet, slow-burn.

This was a good palate cleanser for me.

I enjoyed the story and the characters, well enough.
It wasn't overly emotional, but pretty lighthearted.

I'm into a little more depth from my characters, but overall this was an okay read.

Such a cute love story that will definitely have you kicking your feet and giggling. Loved the reveres grumpy x sunshine and of course the animal sidekicks! If you are looking for a fun time and quick read then definitely give this book a try!

Also a huge thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Chalice, One More Chapter and Harper Collins UK for providing me with the arc of this amazing book in exchange for my honest review!

I really enjoyed this feel good romance. There is a slow burn but the way the story progresses gives a warm feeling of a hug in book form. Slightly predictable but nothing wrong with that. A great weekend read.

Unfortunately, this book was not for me.

I was really looking forward to reading this book: I liked the premise, and the cover is beautiful, so I went in expecting a nice rom com that made me feel good, and being a science girl myself, I loved the dedication. I thought this book would be about accepting and loving yourself, and maybe it tried to be, but unfortunately it fell short...

The main thing I took from this book was that Hannah hated EVERYONE. Seriously. Everyone - apart from Betsy and maybe Agnes. She doesn't like her parents, or customers, or Ted, or Teddy's family, or even some of the animals, and she doesn't like herself, let alone love. I kept waiting for the character development, for her to finally embrace herself, but that never happened. I understand that she clearly had trauma from being bullied at school, but from how it was first mentioned in the first chapter, I expected her to have a clear physical defect, so it felt a bit weak that it was due to her freckles... But I get it, it can happen, and at 18 we were sensitive to anything... but it's been 15 years! She's 33 now, she has a degree, a PhD, she has lived away from home for so long, so I really expected her to have some character development and not think like she did at 18. Rather than prickly or awkward, she just came across as rude. I get it that she didn't like being told to "smile more" or "be nicer" -none of us do- but then the whole plot of the book is trying to change how she is and she doesn't get anywhere, I wanted her to just love herself and she didn't, and the fact that she said that she "didn't love herself and never would, but Ted did, so that was enough" killed me... I just hated how she saw herself and the things she thought about her body, and that was not changed throughout the book, so it felt like a let down, and not like a happy ending, to be honest.

Ted was okay, he was nice and I liked that he had his own insecurities that he covered with his behaviour, but he did feel a bit immature, and just completely besotted with Hannah for no reason - he was in love with her when they were young, but apparently never talked before his b-day night? And 15 years after he still felt the same? Idk... He gets one star because he was nice and reassuring to Hannah, and very lovely with Agnes. That's where the second star comes from: I loved Agnes and just wanted more of her and her backstory, she was the best character in my opinion, and I loved the goats.

Overall, this was a quick read, but did not really give the rom com vibes I was expecting. If you like reverse grumpy-sunshine and just want something quick, you might enjoy this.

Thank you to NetGalley, Lucy Chalice, One More Chapter and Harper Collins UK for the opportunity to read an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Get ready to fall for this delightful grumpy-sunshine romance! Dr. Hannah Havens is a sharp, independent woman who has no interest in love. When she returns to her hometown, the last person she expects to keep running into is Teddy Fraser—the charming flirt she kissed once and has every reason to avoid. Teddy is fun, endlessly cheerful, and exactly the kind of distraction Hannah doesn’t want. But as he keeps showing up, her patience (and her resolve) starts to wear thin. Forced to work on her people skills, Hannah soon finds herself warming up to Teddy’s undeniable charm. Could this flirt be the one who finally cracks her icy exterior?

The book is really fun, and the characters are each charming in their own way. I love the way it’s written—simple to follow from Hannah’s perspective, though it would have been nice to get some of Teddy’s point of view too, but it kind of makes up for it. This is a reverse grumpy x sunshine, with Teddy being super likable while Hannah is totally relatable. Her overthinking and her struggle with “peopling” is something I can definitely relate to. Of course, there were plenty of moments where the characters annoyed me, and sometimes they just didn’t make sense. The story is slow-paced, maybe a bit too slow, but the spicy ending makes up for it—they’ve waited long enough for it, haha! I definitely recommend reading this book; I haven’t read “The Hot Henry Effect”, but now I’m curious to find out what happens with the other twin. “Fundamentals in Flirting” is a light, easy-to-follow read, not connected to a series so it works as a stand-alone. It’ll make you laugh, but also get mad at the characters, especially with all the trouble Teddy gets into.

If you’re looking for a feel-good romance that reads like a classic rom-com, Fundamentals in Flirting by Lucy Chalice is a delight! Dr. Hannah Havens, a successful but prickly heroine, returns to her small hometown, determined to avoid love and keep her walls up. But her resolve falters when she runs into Teddy Fraser—the charming, endlessly cheerful “golden retriever” she once had a moment with. Teddy is everything she’s not: warm, easygoing, and full of humor. Their dynamic sets up a grumpy-sunshine, he-falls-first romance that’s both hilarious and heartwarming, with irresistible tension that crackles through every scene.

The slow-burn chemistry between Hannah and Teddy is perfect, and Lucy Chalice does an amazing job blending humor, heart, and just enough spice to keep you hooked. From their flirtatious banter to those “will-they-won’t-they” moments, the story is filled with all the best tropes and has readers raving about the cozy, laugh-out-loud vibe. Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advanced reader copy of this fun book.

Unfortunately I had to DNF this one.
I could not relate to the characters at all, I really disliked Hannah.
This was just hard to get into

Thank you NetGalley and to the publishers for giving me this arc in exchange for my honest review.

🐐 Fundations in Flirting 🐐

⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

Blurb:

Hannah Havens, a fiercely independent and prickly veterinarian, returns to her hometown after a messy breakup. She soon finds herself reluctantly reconnecting with Teddy Fraser—her high school nemesis and an unapologetic flirt. Though she tries to keep her distance, she might just need his charm to secure her job, which brings them together in ways she never expected.

Review:

This was an absolute delight for small-town romance lovers! With its English countryside charm and an irresistible grumpy x sunshine twist, Fundations in Flirting pulled me in from the first page. Hannah’s unapologetic honesty and her love for animals were refreshing and relatable. And Teddy? Let’s just say his name fits him perfectly—charismatic, lovable, and impossible not to adore! 🧸💕

And what to say about Agnes? Possibly my favourite character, so I couldn’t leave this review without mentioning her. She is such a beautiful character and I loved her storyline and arc but, most of all, I loved the ending for her ❤️‍🩹.

What I appreciated most was how real and imperfect the characters felt. Lucy Chalice brings them to life with rawness and authenticity, making this romance feel like a warm breeze on a chilly day.

Spicy, male female, single point of view, grumpy(fmc)/sunshine, contemporary romance. Follow up (standalone) story to the Hot Henry Effect. The main male character is the twin brother of the first book's mmc. Set in the UK; the leads are engaging and it was fun to watch their relationship develop. I enjoyed the story and humor along with the pops of spice.

Hannah's life is still defined by what happened in school, the bullying over her appearance and intelligence and that kiss with the school Romeo Teddy. Fifteen years later, she is back in her home town as a local Vet, having left her research position after her relationship ended badly. When she meets Teddy again, she knows he doesn't like her, but she can't seem to get him out of her life. I enjoyed this engaging romantic comedy, which has a couple you invest in. Both have their issues, and although Hannah's are more noticeable, they work together and eventually realise that. I like the humour, the poignancy, the charismatic animals and the spicy romance that has the necessary emotional connection to work,
I received a copy of this book from the publisher.

Second Chance Romance - Check!
Black Cat x Golden Retriever - Check!
Teach me to... - Check!
Spice - CHECK!
Adorable animal sidekicks - 3x CHECK!

I couldn't get enough of this book and found it absolutely engaging. There were so many sweet moments and the story made me hate and love the characters along with the FMC.

Disclaimer: I would like to thank One More Chapter/Harper Collins for sending me a copy of this book - my review is in no way influenced by their kindness.

Book Rating: 4/5
Spice Rating: 1-2/5

Fundamentals in Flirting is a reverse grumpy x sunshine, romance book by author Lucy Chalice which follows Hannah Havens, a 'prickly' black cat character who has moved back to her home town after 15 years, following an unexpected end to her relationship and professional/academic pursuits. Upon her arrival back to her hometown, she unexpectedly bumps into Edward ('Teddy') Fraser, heartthrob and 'bad twin' who she shared a lifechanging kiss with before leaving for university. Will he be able to get Hannah to unhate him, or will his lessons, 'Fundamentals in Flirting' help Hannah to overcome her personal and social struggles?

This book is written from the POV of Hannah, yet despite this, it is still made very clear what our MMC is thinking about Hannah and the situations as a whole. Chalice's writing kept me rooting for these two to fall in love, and kept me engaged with both characters, not just Hannah. I definitely cannot wait to read The Hot Henry Effect which follows the character of Henry Fraser - Teddy's twin brother.

Overall, this book was refreshing, as I had never personally read a grumpy x sunshine trope, where the FMC is the 'grumpy'. I loved that this book explored the issues the characters faced in their lives, and their journeys to overcome them, instead of just being a book where the plot is solely love and the characters are plotless. Thank you Lucy for creating such a relatable and nerdy woman in STEM like Hannah, this really helped me (a nerdy woman in STEM) to engage with the book!