Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert knocked my proverbial socks off. What an absolutely endearing, sexy, thought-provoking book!

This is my first TH book but I'm now desperate to read her backlist. Her voice is funny and smart and deeply emotional. And, American bumpkin that I am, I was endlessly charmed by the pithy, British rhythm of her dialogue.

This story is special in that it's inclusive and representative of a person living with a disability while making sure that the story is always about the person and not the disability.

And the chemistry between Chloe and Red. Omg. It's crazy good. Soooo hot.

I really couldn't have loved this book more. It's scheduled to be published on Nov 5, 2019. Thank you Netgalley and Avon for the chance to read an advanced copy. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.aw

Here's the thing - this romance novel is fantastic and will resonate with so many readers. Chronic illness, living with chronic illness, loving with chronic illness, reading about heroines with real issues and the men who love them - so many parts of this book spoke to me and made me feel and think and make connections to friends and readers. I will recommend this book over and over.

Thanks to Talia Hibbert for writing this book.
Thanks to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC of this book.

This is one of those books where the characters grow on you. I had trouble getting into the story at first, and that could be a cultural thing given that it's by a British author and I'm American. Or, it could have been due to the fact that I'm not a fan of the "enemies-to-lovers" type of romance and had to get past that. It could also be a purposeful thing, perhaps something the author intended to do so that the reader experiences the same aversion that the characters feel with each other in the beginning.

Ultimately, though, I came to adore this couple and in the end I was rooting for them to overcome their challenges so that they could live happily ever after. I think part of this had to do with the fact that they were real people with real issues, and even when they opened up with each other and shared those challenges with each other, they still struggled. They still messed things up. They still had to work at understanding themselves in order to understand - and forgive - each other.

I really enjoyed this book. It was such a sweet romance. I liked Chloe’s perseverance. Thank you to netgalley for the ARC.

#GetAlifeChloeBrown #NetGalley

⭐⭐⭐⭐

Funny, sweet romance. I got a copy of this book for an honest review. Chloe is trying to get a life. She makes a list of all the things she wants to have done to be less boring (ride a motorcycle, etc). She befriends her super, Red, who is also a little lost following a bad breakup and professional disappointment. From there they help each other out while falling in love.

I read another of Talia Hibbert's books (a girl like her) and I quite enjoyed that one too. I loved the family relationships in this book. I believe there's going to be a sequel about one of Chole's sisters, but I'm going to go ahead and request a prequel starting Gigi! Chloe's grandmother is adorable and funny as hell.

I loved that Red is a bit of a mess, but instead of magical healing from loving Chloe, boy goes to therapy to fix himself. Yay! I also appreciate how the author portrays chronic illness, abuse and other serious subjects with kindness and honestly. These are not simply plot points to get characters in and out of trouble.

This is a smart funny book. It's a quick read with wonderful characters, both main and periphery.

This book was a delight. A laugh out loud, character-driven sexy romp filled with snappy dialogue diverse and delightful characters. It's a slow burn which is not my jam at all but I'm glad to report that there is some incredibly hot sexual tension in this book which culminates in a some very steamy scenes. The emphasis is definitely on the burn and not the slow.

I adored the email exchanges, their hilarious conversations, the sweet easy sexy way I could see them both falling in love, and the secondary characters, human and feline, were also wonderfully drawn out. Several issues are touched on in this book and handled with sensitivity but at the same time, I never felt like I was being lectured. It was all organic to the story and seamlessly fit into the narrative.

Overall, I really enjoyed this story, even if it felt long and a little heavy on introspection at times, the characters more than made up for it. 4 1/2 stars

Huge thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to review an ARC of this book. All opinions are my own.

I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my review.

People read romance for many reasons, but everyone generally accepts that the romance genre is steeped in fantasy. This fantasy generally involves heroes and heroines who are healthy, fit, toned, physically capable. Not to say there is not enjoyment in that, but it is extremely refreshing that romance novels, like Get a Life, Chloe Brown are beginning to represent people with different abilities, body types and personal challenges. This is a story that needed to be told and Talia Hibbert did and amazing job bringing Chloe and Red to life.

Chloe Brown is a curvy black woman who has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a reality for an estimated 3%-6% of the worlds population. I personally have family members who have been diagnosed with this invisible disease, and representation in romance novels and media in general extremely important and refreshing. Red, is the best kind of hero, he is instantly drawn to Chloe, but he has a traumatic past and is dealing with his own demons. He sees beyond the barriers that kept others at a distance, and it melts my heart. The best part of this story is that through all of their ups and downs, neither of them tries to rely on the other to be their "everything". They both see the importance of maintaining their independence and being self sufficient. This novel addresses issues of race, ability, mental health, domestic abuse, and addiction, and does so in a relatable, tasteful and realistic way.

I can't gush about this story enough! I was unable to put it down, I talked about it with everyone I saw and asked everyone to add it to their TBR. Chloe and Red have stolen my heart, and their love story is beautiful, inspired, and about dang time :).

True story: I started reading this in bed at 11pm. At 11:45pm, my husband (who is usually a deep sleeper) kicks me out of bed because I'm giggling too much. I can't blame him; I really was rolling around in bed, squealing and shoving pillows in my face to stifle laughter. I ended up finishing at 4am, in a heap of emotions, with a huge smile on my face.

Chloe Brown is a grumpy sassy hermit and I want her to be my best friend. She has fibromyalgia, and after an (unrelated) brush with death, she decides she's going to "get a life." Obviously, this involves making a list, in a brand new notebook, with a cool pen. (See? Best friend!)

Redford Morgan is sunny, outgoing, and practically incapable of being rude. Buuut he's not perfect; he's working through some issues, he makes mistakes, he curses a lot (it's delightful), and he has no idea what to do about Chloe Brown.

If this is your first Talia Hibbert, prepare to fall in love. It has everything that makes her a great writer: unique characters, witty banter, healthy romance, empathy, character growth, loving friendships/family, and a story that makes your heart feel a little bigger for having read it. It's also effing hilarious.

This book is also extra special to me because Hibbert writes about chronic pain and it was like she was reading my mind. But despite some pretty heavy subjects, this book never felt heavy or sad--it was also so full of life, laughter, and passion. It's NOT about two people healing each other, or two "broken" finding each other and everything getting better (thank god). It's about two people who bring each other joy, and who choose to work through their very real shit because that joy matters.

If you read enough romance books, you know that they follow certain cliches/outlines. But the best romance books take those cliches, and do something new with them, breathe some life back into them. That is what Talia Hibbert did here. Don't miss out on this beautiful, heart-warming, laugh out loud book.

TW: chronic pain, abusive relationships.

**Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an ecopy in exchange for an honest review.**

Okay, wow. I was very, very pleasantly surprised and impressed with this book. For some reason, I didn't realize that I would be reading a cute rom-com that dealt with healing from an abusive relationship and representation of "invisible" disabilities. Said disabilities were handled maturely, and used as part of the character but not necessarily part of the plot. As in, Chloe is a person outside of her disabilities and they aren't used as a cringe-inducing plot device. Red was great, as well - showing his healing process. I genuinely appreciated good writing and real characters in a rom-com, showing that romance characters can actually make healthy choices.

There were sexy bits, yes, but it got to the point that I, as the reader, wasn't even needing to read those, I just cared about the characters. That's a job well done.

Hibbert artfully combines a joyful, sexy romance with a nuanced exploration of living with chronic illness and recovering from an abusive relationship. Chloe and Red are well fleshed out, likable characters and their relationship develops wonderfully. A solid contemporary romance with just the right amount of depth.

Alright, y'all, another romance novel with a cartoon cover, which means some of us have questions. I'm going to try and address those first:
1) Yes, this is absolutely a romance. It has a central love story, that truly is the main focus of the book, and an HEA.
2) Steam Factor: Explicit on page sex, no fade to black here; on par in my opinion with the books in Hibbert's <i>Ravenswood</i> series!

And now, onto an actual review.

Chloe Brown has fibromyalgia and has adjusted to the early adulthood onset by trying to be very scheduled and also maybe playing it very safe. When she has a near death experience, she decides she's been playing it too safe and makes a list to her her "get a life." We encounter her next in her new apartment, not getting along well with her building super, Red, who has seen Chloe responding to slights against her (for being black in one-like, trying to touch her hair, and then a normal shared laundry situation) without actually witnessing the slight against her. Anyway, this has resulted in Red determining that Chloe is a snob. Meanwhile, Chloe is annoyed because she finds Red, so named for his hair color, very attractive in a bad boy kind of way.

Red, for his part, is essentially hiding from his former life of being an up and coming artist by taking this position as building super at his friend's apartment complex. He's been pretty badly wounded by his ex-girlfriend. And before you roll your eyes at the evil ex trope, know that this one is more than that. Red's ex was actually abusive and it was really great seeing a man dealing with his trauma. He actually starts going to therapy later in the book, which was great. Therapy representation is always good.

Chloe and Red start out pretty incapable of seeing each other for who they are and Red, for his part, keeps attributing personality traits from his ex onto Chloe based solely on the fact that Chloe clearly comes from money. But Chloe is also the kind of person who climbs a tree to rescue a cat, so she can't be all that bad. The two of them come together in a pretty slow burn kind of way. You know they're attracted to one another pretty immediately, but it takes them a long while to act on it.

All in all, this book was great and for me, one of the things I loved the most was watching how the two balanced their needs with the other and how they worked together to figure things out. The mental health representation in this book was really, really incredible. So I'll leave you with this line that I adore and think it a great representation of what the book kind of stands for:

"You were hurt, and you reacted. You were in an unhealthy situation in more ways that one and you panicked and cleansed everything with fire. Don't dismiss you emotions and your self-protection as just a fucked-up decision. Don't reduce something so complex and real and important to nothing."

4 Stars / 3 Steam Fans

This was a very interesting read about a young lady named Chloe that has an invisible disability that she is trying to cope with. Across her apartment complex lives Red, the super sexy superintendent that likes to paint shirtless and he has his own issues to overcome. As Red and Chloe agree to help each other and in doing that they both discover a better life. However, that better life isn't easy and they have bumps in the road.

This specific video review will be included in the July 2019 wrap-up.

For other video book reviews check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.

Jeez Louise you guys, I love Talia Hibbert! This is the third book of hers that I’ve read, and it is just as great as I was expecting!

Chloe Brown is so grumpy, y’all. Or at least, that’s what her apartment’s superintendent Red Morgan thinks. That, and she’s snobby. Kind of a holy terror, actually. But also really cute, goddammit.

Chloe Brown thinks Redford Morgan is just too nice to deal with. He’s got a smile for everyone, how dare he. But also he’s a gorgeous artist who leaves her stammering, goddammit.

Turns out - Chloe Brown isn’t grumpy - she’s chronically ill and usually in pain of some kind.

Turns out - Red Morgan isn’t all happiness and sunshine, either.

Watching these two bumble into each other was exquisite. I love how fiercely protective Red becomes of Chloe, while NEVER making her feel dependent or pitiful. I love how Chloe believes in Red and his artwork so obviously, so authentically, that he can start to believe it too.

This book is so, so funny, super steamy, and also heartfelt. Chloe + Red 4eva!

This was such a fun read. Chloe's quest to add excitement and adventure to her life gave the plot a strong backbone. Chloe's own characterization was fantastic and hysterical, and Red played his part well. Definitely nice to see chronic fatigue portrayed in a romance novel with minimal drama.

Huge thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this gem early! I have been dying to read this, since I first read the plot summary. Get a Life, Chloe Brown is an amazingly different British rom-com that features a plus-size woman of color who lives and thrives despite dealing with debilitating pain and autoimmune disease. After almost being hit by a car, she decides to break out of her comfort zone and live bravely, focusing on reaching her goals and dreams. The first order of business is to move out of her family's mansion and find an apartment of her own. At her new flat, she meets Red, the building's manager, and they have a Pride and Prejudice meet-cute. Red, a tattooed artist, thinks that Chloe is a rich, snob, and the two main characters clash at first. You'll have to read this amazing book to find out if their hate turns to love--let's just say that everyone needs a guy like Red in their lives! Also, just a heads up that the cute as a button (wink, wink) cover is deceptive--the romance is super steamy! This is not a YA book. I have so much love for this book, and I'm excited to read the next installment in the series.

This romantic comedy features an unusual heroine: Chloe is a chronically ill irrepressible woman who is trying, as the name suggests to get herself a life. By making lists. That last sounds hackneyed but the book is anything but! The hero and heroine are both fully realized, quirky and fun inhabiting cubby, romantic, original tale. Aside from this the book is so amazing because the heroine has a chronic illness. But the hilarious checking off of list items and sometimes steamy romance are the meat of the book. I’m sure my patrons will love it.

I absolutely adored Get A Life, Chloe Brown. I started reading it at the pool on vacation. It was the perfect vacation read. This book is set in Great Britain. It would be the perfect read to take you on a vacation.

I am obsessed with the heroine, Chloe. I love how she isn’t a cookie cutter heroine. I think she is more relatable. She is plus size. She is a woman of color. She has chronic pain. She’s someone who I’d want to be my friend. I love her bravery. She decided to make some changes in her life to live it to the fullest.

I want a Red in my life. I love how he wasn’t the perfect hero. He had issues of his own to work out. He gave me warm fuzzies.

I just loved this book so much. I heard that we will get another books set in this world next summer (2020). I cannot wait.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

Holy smokes, I devoured this book. I am so in love with this book! I'm in love with Chloe and Red! And I'm thrilled that this is going to be a continuing series. My heart is just so, so full.

Chloe has a fibromyalgia. Red has a shattered past with painting. Both are trying to move forward and re-claim their lives. Turns out, they fill the gaps for one another and fall in love.

Get a Life, Chloe Brown is being touted for fans of Jasmine Guillory and Helene Hoang, and it is definitely in that read-alike circle. It's got the banter, the steamy scenes, the tender care, and growth that makes this a perfect read.

Diverse reads: Chloe is of African descent (and lives in Great Britain).

Sweet and oh so sexy! This one started out rough for me but 4 chapters in, I was hooked.

While Red was a little unrealistic…let’s be real a partner that intuits a woman’s needs at EVERY single turn? Is that real? Have I become cynical in my old age?

All that aside.

I do so love a curvy normal gal, out living her best life and finding love. Romance is for all of us y’all!

Plus when do we ever get stories that so well chronicle living with the chronic pain of fibromyalgia? I have never felt as though I so thoroughly understood it, as I did reading this book. Also I wasn’t aware that some consider it a disability?

I learned a lot and it strongly reinforced that being sick or disabled does not mean losing your sexy.

This was a fun, hot romance and is perfect for Summer! ⭐️⭐️⭐️.5 out of 6 stars for the slow start but fantastic finish.