Is She Really Going Out with Him?

This was a cute and fun read that I devoured in about a day. I'm really picky with my romances and I often don't finish the ones I pick up. About halfway through is where this book really charmed me. I loved Will and the supporting characters a lot, but I feel like Anna's character fell a little flat for me. Part of this book was about her finding herself after her divorce--and she definitely did that--but I felt that she could have had a few more unique characteristics considering every other person in the novel was very distinct. She was just kind of there to me. Regardless, I rooted for her the whole time and was satisfied with the ending.

I listened to the audiobook version of this book. Anna Appleby is a hot, divorced, and chronically single mum who has her kids play matchmaker to help save her newspaper column, and maybe even help her find love. The narrator perfectly captures the humour and heart of Anna's quirky dating adventures, from cringe-worthy setups to unexpected sparks with her workplace rival Will.

Anna's Google searches are funny and relatable and those priceless text messages (that window scene!) make Anna relatable. I especially loved how Sophie brought authenticity to the more mature themes of navigating divorce, career challenges, and finding love again in your 30s. I don't feel like this is a true enemies-to-lovers, more of a rivals-to-lovers story, and it was excellently done.

The narrator was an excellent choice for the role and the book. She is great at doing variations of voices, you can tell character voices apart. This is the perfect listen for fans of witty workplace romance with depth.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing a review copy.