Romances, whether historical or contemporary, tend to hold a lot more depth between their pages than their covers may imply. This is certainly the case with How to Fail at Flirting.

Naya Turner, a college professor, finds herself at a crossroads. Her job is at risk and her personal life is almost nonexistent. At the urging of her two closest - and only - friends, Naya decides to get out of her comfort zone by making her an unconventional to-do list. She strikes up a conversation with a handsome stranger at a bar and one by one she starts checking off boxes.

How to Fail at Flirting is both fun and a bit draining. Naya and Jake have an electric rapport and it's easy to root for these goofy, flawed, realistic characters to find happiness. At the same time, Naya's past abusive relationship and the ways in which her ex is still manipulating her serve as a major plot point. The exploration of the abuse Naya faced, the effects of that trauma, and her path to recovery are all important, but could easily be triggering for some readers.

How to Fail at Flirting certainly doesn’t *fail* at romance! Too cheesy? Too bad! I’m feeling the cheese this holiday season, friends
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How to Fail at Flirting follows Naya, a university professor who lives for her job. After leaving an abusive relationship, her friends challenge her to continue the healing process by embracing life a little more, which leads her to a fascinating stranger named Jake.
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Naya and Jake are a delightful couple to read. They get together early on, so there isn’t a lot of build-up, but what we lose in anticipation HTFAF more than makes up for in steam. Seriously, folks, this is one steamy read. There are also some very intense themes and this is a little heavier than your average romance novel, but it all adds to the story and author Denise Williams handles tough topics extremely well. I wish we got a little more of Naya’s work, but otherwise this was a great read. I can’t wait to see what Williams does next. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
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How to Fail at Flirting is available on Tuesday 12/1! Thank you to @berkley for sharing an e-galley with me in exchange for my honest review!
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CW: assault, past abusive relationship, racism

I couldn't put it down because Naya is so relatable and fun to read and Jake is such a cinnamon roll (minus you know the one thing he forgot to mention on their "date". I love a book that tackles what do we call this since our initial terms of hooking up should be casual. I think we don't get to read enough of sometimes relationships start off casual but let's communicate and work through it because we like each other. For the naysayers one night stands CAN turn into relationships if you both respect each other and explore the relationship beyond physical contact.

What we learn is there is a reason for Naya's apprehension to dating and sex. Jake throughout the book check-ins and asks for consent, which I thought was really important because consent should be given each time and not assumed. I loved how the author navigates Naya's development and confronts her overthinking by building trust. It was really encouraging to see that while she struggled she was able to find her footing. We need more romances that work through how heroines can trust their instincts after a bad relationship and that the process of healing is ongoing. 4.5 stars ⭐

Heat level: Medium 😉

Content warnings: verbal/physical abuse, manipulation, gaslighting, and blackmail (revenge porn)

CW/TW: domestic violence, aggravated assault, victim/survivor blaming

Y’all I was not in the least prepared for how amazing and thought-provoking this lovely romance book was going to be. It had so much substance I’m just dying for all of you to read it!!!!

Naya was such an amazing character. I absolutely loved following her story and having her come out of her shell and really become someone who was happy with herself. Naya and Jake together were a perfect *chef’s kiss*. They were absolutely PERFECT for each other.

How to Fail at Flirting is the absolute perfect mix of silliness, playful moments and discussion of very serious topics. This book is filled to the brim with cheesy puns and dad jokes, it just constantly sent me heart into overdrive!

This was an absolute gem and I need everyone to read it!! It was 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 5/5 stars and I’m immediately going to be getting a physical copy for a future reread.

Thank you to Berkley Pub and NetGalley for the gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

This cute romance is cute and fast paced but also packs a punch. It features a more mature interracial couple in their mid thirties and dives deeper than the instant attraction by discussing racism, domestic abuse, gaslighting and finding strength to fight ones demons and seek help when needed. The pacing was good, chemistry was spot on and nerdy banter had me smiling the whole way through. The only reason I knocked off a star is because of the miscommunication/secret Naya was holding from Jake. Jake one hell of a book boyfriend but Naya took forever to bring up the topic of her abusive ex even tho Jake told her all about his turd of an ex wife.

Overall, the writing is excellent and I highly recommend this romance. Looking forward to her next book!

If I am being honest with ya’ll, I finished this book a few days ago and I am still not sure I will be able to write down in words my love for this book.

I have always been a sucker for a cute rom com, so when I read the blurb and saw the amazing cover, I thought to myself this looks like it could be exactly what I am looking for. It turned out to be so much more than just a quick and fun love story. It was a story that made me laugh, scream, cry and a myriad of other emotions.

Naya is a strong female lead that I fell in love with instantly. She has been through a lot and you can feel all her doubt and emotions through the pages as she rebuilds her life and career after an abusive relationship. She was a remarkably relatable character and someone I can’t wait to revisit during a re-read of this beautiful book.

While I enjoy a cute Hallmark movie-esque read, that is not generally how real life works. So I commend any author that can write a romance novel and dares to tackle important issues. This book addresses issues such as race, gender equality, and abusive relationships. It reminds us that these things are in the forefront of our society and should not be shield away from.

I cannot recommend this book enough for anyone looking for a cute, quick romance, with a touch of real life added in.

This book is on sale Tuesday, December 1st. You will not want to miss it!

I had to DNF. I read until a little over the 30% mark but I just couldn't get into the characters. When I was sent the widget by Berkley they made it seem like it would be a cute romance but this seems more like women's fiction which I'm not in the mood for right now.

Naya has faced a series of challenges—having been stuck in an abusive relationship, having to rebuild her tarnished reputation because of said abusive relationship, but when she thinks she’s starting to move on, with the gentle push from her best friends... she meets Jake. Who happens to be a consultant for the firm responsible for making department cuts at Naya’s university. Could this be history repeating itself or Naya’s chance at true love?

I totally swooned. I swooned hard. Not only was Jake one hell of a stand-up fella, he was age-appropriate, mature, smart, and just freaking sweet AF. This long distance love affair was more than How to Fail at Flirting. The substance ran deeper—it had domestic violence and gaslighting, living in fear, finding the courage to fight for oneself, all the while falling in love. Williams’ writing just moved fluidly that made this unputdownable; the dialogue was superb, and the nerdy, witty banter had me smiling through the entire thing!

B+

Friends, I was not feeling this story at the start, but I had a change of heart midway through. As the novel progressed and I got to know Naya a bit better and the author warmed to her principal pairing, I had a hard time putting it down. The romance is lovely - sexy, smart, real. The principal characters are well matched and their chemistry and maturity/kindness/attraction whenever they're together - elevates this story from good to pretty darn great.

The relationship is a highlight, but I also liked how the author incorporated heavier subjects - abuse; female empowerment; cheating - into the narrative. I never felt like Ms. Williams was pandering to her audience, or downplaying the significance of this heavier subject matter in the story arc of with principal character. She deftly incorporates these heavier thematic elements into this otherwise sexy, fun second chance romance and they add the perfect amount of levity to the story.

Unfortunately, I didn't feel like the either Naya or Jake were fully developed/fleshed out characters - although Naya fares better than Jake as the story progresses. Our leading man, aside from descriptions of his failed marriage and his professional successes, is too much of a blank canvas. He is so good to Naya and deserved so much more page time! His PoV is sadly missing from this story and would been a nice addition to the narrative. Please don't get me wrong - I liked him. A lot. And he is so perfect for Naya. Too perfect maybe? I just don't know him well enough to know.

I struggled to get into the headspace of our heroine, Naya, at the start of the novel. Fortunately, the author does a terrific job helping readers to know and understand how and why Naya makes the choices she does AND to empathise with her decisions. Naya is perfectly imperfect. I wish we got to spend more time in her headspace when it wasn't so wholly devoted to Jake, but this is a romance...and a lovely one at that, so...I know! I can't always have it all!

I liked the friends - his and hers - and I hated the exes...but maybe this world is a little too picture perfect good vs. evil. It works in the context of this story; nuance and shades of gray can also be good, too, though! Friends don't have to always have the absolute right answers, and colleagues don't have to always make the "right" decisions in the end.

A smart, sexy and ultimately uplifting debut. I WILL be reading more from this talented author, and I hope How To Fail at Flirting finds its way to lots and lots of romance readers!

With its promise of sexy lists, How to Fail At Flirting was one of my most anticipated romance novels of the year. I went in expecting a fun, steamy, and somewhat fluffy story, but came out with a poignant book that deftly explores the challenges of academia and the aftermath of abuse in relationships.

How to Fail at Flirting opened up with Dr. Naya Turner at a roadblock in both her love life and her career. Her department at the university where she worked was on the verge of being potentially defunded, which meant that she could lose aspects of her job and a career that she loved. On top of that, the demands of her job have left her love life looking a little sad. An abusive ex has also led to her tightly guarding her heart and focusing all of her time and attention on her research and her career. Naya needed some loving of the romantic nature, so when her friends (who are really really awesome, BTW) encouraged her to have a one-night stand, she took the leap, which provided the perfect opportunity to meet Jake, her love interest.

Man, I loved Naya's story of growth in this book. She was an impressive woman at the beginning of the book, but she developed even further as a character as she went on this journey of self-love. Her abusive ex had left her self-esteem at a very low point, so she had a lot of healing to do. Denise Williams took care of Naya's character compassionately and realistically. Your heart will ache for Naya, but ultimately you will truly root for her happiness and feel like a proud mama/papa bear at how she was able to rebuild the self-confidence that her dirtbag of an ex spent a long time wrecking. Though a big part of her character, Naya's abuse wasn't the only focus of How to Fail at Flirting. Her passion for her career and research in the education department was clear as day. You could just tell that it was a job she found very fulfilling from the way she spoke about it. She was great overall and readers will easily love her character, in my opinion.

Naya was definitely the star of this book, but her love interest, Jake, was a terrific addition and the perfect partner for her. They met at a bar following which they engage in a night of passion. Of course, we all know how one-night stands end in romance novels, so it was no surprise when the two find themselves wanting to be around each other beyond the night. Jake was a sweetheart and very much of a nice guy, which is what Naya deserved in her life. He was patient and sweet with her, making it easy to root for his happiness. Of course, their relationship wasn't smooth-sailing - an obstacle and a conflict-of-interest arose when it was discovered that Jake was a consultant hired by her university to determine whether her department would be eliminated. Though the stress of that situation loomed, their relationship managed to be light-hearted and swoony. I liked how there was a playful energy between them despite everything.

Anyways, How to Fail at Flirting was a great debut for me and I am excited to read what Denise Williams comes up with next. If it's anything like this poignant and romantic book, I know I have discovered a new favorite author to add to my romance library.

Do you ever sit down to read the first chapter of a book and....fall into a time-warp where suddenly it's 4 or 5 hours later, and you sat there and read the whole thing in one sitting? Well, this was one of those kinds of books for me. I picked it up the other night when I was dealing with a bout of insomnia, just thinking I'd read the first chapter to see how I liked it (I knew I was going to be reviewing it/featuring it on my blog in less than a week, so it seemed like a solid plan). But then I met Naya, and her personality and point of view were just so *real* and so endearing and so relatable, and I couldn't put it down.

And *then*, not more than a couple of chapters in, I met Jake, and he was adorable and funny and charming and nerdy, and just such a solid and kind guy. And Naya had had such a hard past (trigger warning for emotional and physical abuse, and gas lighting), and that was it, I was completely and utterly sucked in.

I loved the characters in this book, especially Naya and Jake, but also Naya's best friends (a married couple) and Jake's best friends (a soon-t0-be-married gay couple--yay representation). I loved that Naya wasn't white, but that wasn't *THE* central issue. It came up, it was discussed, but it wasn't all that mattered. At its heart, this is a beautiful romance story, but it also tackles hard issues of survivorhood and post-traumatic stress disorder. Racism and sexism in the workplace come up as well. The book doesn't shy away from these issues, but it remembers that it is a romance, and it stays true to that. It's absolutely the kind of story I can get behind.

The sex scenes are steamy but there aren't so many that you start to wonder if they are the main point of the book. I appreciate that consent is centered and made to be sexy in and of itself, and I loved the hilarious text dialogues between Naya and Jake. They were so dorky and delicious all at the same time.

The only tiny issue I have is that sometimes I felt like there was purposeful miscommunication between Jake and Naya that wouldn't have happened in real life, and it frustrated me. Like: wouldn't they just sit down and LISTEN to each other? But then, this is frequently a part of romances, and it did make me cry, so I guess it did tug at my heart strings. I just loved them together so much that I didn't want them to be stuck in that horrible place of misunderstanding for even one minute. So even that complaint is really just another compliment of the well-written chemistry between these two characters.

If you like romance, and you are okay with mention of previous (and some ongoing) emotional and physical abuse, then I highly recommend reading this one. You won't regret it! I just also recommend starting before 11 pm, or you may find yourself up all night reading it like I did. :)

Trigger warning: emotional and physical abuse.

Naya hasn’t dated much since she and Davis broke up. She has her work and that’s all she needs. Until that is in danger too and her friends push her to try her hand at flirting. When they both get caught up and cant meet her at the bar, Naya meets Jake and they hit it off immediately, even if there are some bumps. When she finds out his job could destroy her career, Naya has to decide what’s more important to her.

Wouldn’t it be nice if the first night you put yourself out there you met a Jake? While that part seemed a little bit exaggerated, I still really loved this book! I thought Naya was such a realistic character and I loved how she became stronger and started to stick up for herself against Davis as the book went on. I absolutely adore the dad jokes throughout the book, it might have been one of my favorite parts! Overall, I flew threw this one, it wasn’t your typical rom com, meet-cute romance, but I think that’s what made me enjoy it all the more!

When Naya Turner’s friends give her a to-do list to help get her out of her shell, it’s the last thing she wants to do. She’s an extremely type-A college professor, not a girl looking to flirt with guys in a bar. So what happens when she meets Jake, the perfect guy to help check off the items on her list?

This book has to be one of my favorite romances this year. I love a rom-com that isn’t afraid to be cheesy (quite literally). This book has cheese puns and dad jokes galore and I couldn’t get enough of the instant chemistry. Their meet-cute is probably one of the best I’ve read in a while. They had me cracking up from the second they met and I appreciated that their quick connection did not feel like the worst kind of insta love.

Naya isn’t your typical romance leading lady. There’s so much depth to her. She’s multiracial, intelligent, and has her fair share of demons to face. However, be warned that many of her demons have to do with abuse- both physical and emotional.

Overall, this is the perfect mix of silly playfulness, chemistry, and more serious topics. I highly recommend it to all fans of romance!

I sped through this book and loved it! The plot was fast-paced and engaging, full of romance and steamy scenes, as you might expect, coupled with layers of important issues explored throughout in a courageous way. The protagonist, Naya, kept me flipping pages as she navigates through challenges in her personal and professional lives. I felt the array of emotions she experiences and was cheering her on! The book has such a satisfying ending as well, something we need more than ever. I loved this book and I'm eager for more from this talented debut author. I give this book all the stars!

This book was a true gem!

I was going into this expecting a fun and light hearted romantic comedy and was delightfully proven wrong. Yes, it’s got the fun light hearted aspect I was expecting but it also dived into some dark but important topics, including the #metoo movement.

Our main character Naya, was in an abusive relationship for a long time and is still trying to heal from that when she meets Jake and ends up developing feelings for him.

I loved the “dad” jokes that Jake had; they were corny and much appreciated! My only complaint is that I felt like Jake and Naya got into things way too quickly and intense, and could have used a little more relationship development. The character growth in Naya is outstanding though as she learns to take her body, her voice, and her life back.

I had been on a run of just ok books and in the middle of a wide awake night, How to Fail at Flirting was just the right book. Jake and Naya were so easy to fall into and they were both so relatable in their nerdiness and on personal issues. Their story was almost a perfect rom com for me. I laughed. I was so stressed about Naya's big conflict that I had to reach out to a friend for support. I love a story that brings me through all the emotions and that I just hate to put down to do all the real life things. Thank you, Berkley, for letting me read this gem early. It was great.

DNF @ 46%.

It pains me to DNF this one especially since it’s an own voices romance by a Black author that I’ve been dying to read.

That being said, this book just did not work for me. There’s nothing in it that is problematic or anything along those lines. I just am not invested in our main characters: Naya and Jake.

Naya is an Afro-Latinx Professor in education who is currently up for tenure at a university that is constantly making budget cuts.

Her best friends (Felicia and Alex, who are married) decide that Naya needs to finally let loose and get a life now that it’s been three years since she left her emotionally abusive relationship. They create a check list of things for Naya to do (very Chloe Brown esque).

Moving forward. Naya meets Jake at a bar (he’s in town for a wedding) and they quickly end up together. That’s fine.

Okay, so my issues.

The dad jokes. I like dad jokes, but I don’t like dad jokes and puns on every other page. I get that’s Jake’s thing, but it got old.

I get that Naya and Jake have chemistry after that initial meeting at the bar, but their chemistry just seems off. I don’t even have a way to accurately put this in words, but that’s my take.

All of the characters feel superficial. This is not to say that they are self centered or anything like that. I’m at about the 50% mark of this book, and there’s just no depth to any of the characters (main or side).

I definitely think this is a case of it’s me and not the book. I think people will definitely really enjoy this one; it just missed the mark for me.

Thank you Berkley for providing a review copy. This do not influence my review. All opinions are my own.

4 Nerd To Nerd Love
This had everything you could want if you are into the nerd profile. It also had just the right tone of the cute meet, list taking and checking off, the start of something more, a possible conflict of interest and the ugly ex's that need to be kicked to the curb, and the result of a terrific romance.

TW // intimate partner violence (on page physical and emotional abuse), digital harassment/revenge porn, microaggressions, brief but direct on page racism, cheating, gaslighting, slut shaming, confronting abuser

This book was so much better than I even anticipated! I knew from the description and everything that I heard that it would be fun, but I didn't expect to get so emotionally invested in the characters and to find myself on the edge of my seat on multiple occasions.

Basically, Naya, a math education professor in Chicago, was in a relationship for two years with Davis, an abusive asshole who also happened to be a fellow professor. Three years later, the relationship has ended and Davis has transferred to a different university and Naya begins to feel like she can breathe again and like she just might be ready to test the romantic waters once more. Enter Jake. A handsome stranger Naya meets at a bar when her friends (who are funny and supportive and amazing in their own right) have to stand her up. At first glance, Jake is not Naya's type, but turns out he's awkward and filled with beyond cheesy puns and jokes that Naya returns with ease. What begins as a casual attempt at a one night stand (which goes horribly awry) quickly turns into falling fast. There's just one problem: Jake is part of the team analyzing the university to recommend budget (and departmental) cuts putting Naya's future in jeopardy.

This book had me laughing, swooning, and crying sometimes all in the space of a single line. Williams struck that hard to find balance between a rom-com and a story that dealt with complex and difficult topics like intimate partner violence and abuse.

If you like contemporary romance that deals with real issues while still being fun and sexy then I highly recommend this book! Also, this book gives me Get a Life, Chloe Brown meets The Wedding Date vibes but set in Chicago which warmed my midwestern heart🤗

That being said please take note of the trigger/content warnings because this book has fairly graphic depictions of all aspects of abuse from physical and emotional to gaslighting to revenge porn and professional shaming (none of which involve the hero).

Thank you to Berkley (and NetGalley) for sharing this arc in exchange for an honest review!

Check out my blog for my full review!

After slogging through the last book I read, How to Fail at Flirting got me out of my rut. I couldn't put it down and enjoyed every page!

Naya loves her job as a professor but knows at any point she could lose it since she's in a very niche area of study and doesn't have tenure yet. It only gets worse when she finds out the university is "restructuring"...we all know what that means. On top of that, Naya has been stuck since she broke up with her ex, also a professor. He was verbally, physically, and emotionally abusive and Naya just hasn't found it in herself to trust another man. When her friends challenge her to create a list of new things to try, flirting is right at the top. She's desperately out of practice. When she meets Jake at a bar after her friends bail, she sees an opportunity to check off something else - a one night stand.

Only it doesn't quite go as planned. Jake is pretty much perfect. He's nerdy, but in a hot way and his pun game is championship level. But when it turns out Jake is the one who's helping the university where Naya works restructure, Naya knows she should cut him off. Easier said than done.

This book deals with a lot of heavy emotional trauma, but it's so well balanced out by the humor that Naya and Jake share. Naya's ex has done a number on her, succeeding in making her feel small and unworthy in almost every area of her life. Jake, on the other hand, feels too good to be true. As a reader, I was waiting for the other shoe to drop because he seemed so perfect. But his failings are small in comparison to the way he lifts Naya up and helps her get back to herself. It's been a while since I've enjoyed a couple as much as I enjoyed Naya and Jake. Their chemistry was off the charts and the emotional arc felt real and consequential.

While this book is heavier than your typical romance, I whole-heartedly recommend it for any romance lover. Naya and Jake are special and we need more happy endings in 2020.