Trigger warnings: abusive relationship, revenge porn, racism, attempted rape

Naya is a college professor whose social life has stalled after an abusive relationship. Her friends encourage her to get a life by making a list of tasks for her to complete, such as "let a stranger buy you a drink."

Naya checks this item off of her list at a restaurant bar while waiting for her friends to arrive. She meets a man named Jake who makes her laugh at his corny jokes, and he buys her a drink. Naturally, Naya's friends both have emergencies to attend to and flake on their dinner plans. Naya and Jake have a fun night together until Naya's alcohol intolerance catches up with her.

What was supposed to be a fleeting connection ends up deeply affecting both Naya and Jake. They each have their own issues and complications involved and they must overcome these things separately and together.

This novel does a wonderful job of showing how a strong, professional woman can still have issues dealing with racism and a past abusive relationship. It also shows that having trouble letting these things go doesn't make you any less deserving of loving, healthy connections.

There were some things I loved: a romance set in academia. There were some things I didn't (it was me, not necessarily the book): assault on the page. And some things that I thought could have been done better; this book was doing a LOT and the pacing was all over the place. It's a debut, and I'd read more by the author. This one just isn't going to be memorable for me.

SYNOPSIS
Dr. Naya Turner loves her job as a professor teaching in the education department. In fact, it’s pretty much all she’s got going on in her life right now. But when the university president decides to “reevaluate” each school department, Naya knows her job may be on the chopping block. Feeling depressed, she turns to her good friend to help her feel more confident. Together, they decide to make a special to-do list that pushes Naya out of her comfort zone, not only to give her more confidence while her job is being “evaluated,” but also to help Naya get over her abusive ex-boyfriend and general fear of relationships.

What Naya doesn’t expect is to actually meet someone she likes. Jake is everything Naya could ask for and then some. But what was supposed to be a one-time fling, ends up turning into something more. Now Naya has to figure out what she wants out of the relationship—and more importantly, she has to decide if she’s ready to trust a man with her heart again.

MY THOUGHTS
How to Fail at Flirting turned out to be a lot more hard-hitting than I was expecting. The abuse of Naya’s previous relationship is very real and believable. And the consequences of that abuse are real, too. She’s haunted and diminished by what she went through, and the author does an excellent job of portraying Naya’s struggle to move beyond it. At the same time, the book never feels oppressive or depressing. I stayed hopeful for Naya and optimistic about her relationship with Jake, despite its ups and downs. Even the ending, which I loved, felt measured and honest. Overall, I loved this debut novel from author Denise Williams. She’s for sure on my radar now.

I enjoyed this one. It was a fast moving book that touched on some pretty hefty topics without getting too heavy.

The relationship between the two main Characters was sweet but also spicy. You could feel the tension but also feel how much they cared for each other.

I have been impressed with my most recent romance reads and How to Fail at Flirting was no exception. I notice that some people don’t like heavy topics mixed with their romance and I understand because I don’t like mystery and thriller in my holiday books 🤣 but I like when romance tackles heavy subjects.

How to Fail at Flirting is a very well done contemporary romance that’s steamy, funny, emotional, and serious with REAL characters living REAL lives. One of our main characters is still trying to heal from an abusive relationship and learn to connect with others. Her awesome best friends gave her an idea and she took the challenge. The main characters (and most of the secondary characters)are very likable. I did not want to put this book down. I recommend this book to romance readers and readers who would like to read more romance but find it too sappy. How to Fail at Flirting is available now.

Thank you #Netgalley and #berkleypublishinggroup for the opportunity to read this.

Thanks to NetGalley for making an eARC copy of this book available to me.

I really enjoyed the verbal comic sparring between the two protagonists, lots of great puns involved. The best friends of both characters were nicely written, although I would have liked to see them all fleshed out a little bit more. Word of warning though: this book includes descriptions of a fair amount of domestic violence and emotional/mental battering.

I absolutely adored this book. I went in blind with no expectations and it blew me away. It’s everything that I love in a contemporary romance book: wittiness, banter, great characters, steamy scenes and serious topics all mixed in with a great storyline and writing. I’m definitely adding this author to my must-buy list! I recommend checking this one out.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing a free advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I absolutely loved this book. I devoured it and cannot wait for more from this author. Review linked below.

Dr. Naya Turner’s career is the one thing she holds dear to her. She rarely lets her hair down after some past hurt. However, her friends convince her to let go a little and they create a checklist for her to complete. Naya agrees to meet them for a night out on the town and maybe try some things off the list. When they stand her up, she is left at a bar sharing bad jokes with a complete stranger.

Naya decides she has nothing to lose so she dives straight into some awkward flirting and fun with the stranger named Jake. They end up at Jake’s hotel but the night doesn’t go as plan when Naya pukes all over the place. Embarrassed, she leaves but is glad she went through with the failed attempt. She is shocked when she starts to receive text messages from Jake who wants a real date with her.

What a rush I had when reading this! The story and characters are so quirky and interesting. It did take me some time to warm up to the story because there are so many things going on.

Jake and Naya start to see each other and things heat up between them. Things become dicey when Naya sees Jake at a work event and realizes that he is a part of a consulting firm that’s hired to make the final decision on whether her department at the University is cut potentially resulting in her losing her job.

The story follows their attempt at a relationship despite having a potential work scandal. I truly loved Jake. He is almost too good to be true except one or two minor things. Naya has a lot of issues and she bottles up her emotions. At times, she frustrated me because she was even scared to open up to her closest friends.

The thing that drove me nuts was that they both kept things from each other. I mean important things that they should have addressed as a couple. Jake keeps a secret that eventually blows up and seeing that Naya is a woman who can barely trust this is not cool. Then Naya should have disclosed her relationship with Davis earlier. The saving grace in my eyes is how the author handled domestic violence.

I just thought it would be a quirky romance but I got so much more. The way that Naya’s insecurities and vulnerabilities started to unfold as the relationship got more serious brought together a realistic approach to the story.

I loved it. I can’t wait to read more by this author. This is just the perfect read for a lazy afternoon. Despite some of the serious undertones, I think that fans will get a kick out Naya and Jake’s story.

~ Samantha

How to Fail at Flirting was one of my most anticipated 2020 reads. I adore following Denise Williams on Twitter and I could not wait to read her debut romance from Berkley. I finally read How to Fail at Flirting last week and I enjoyed it a lot! That being said I do not think it is a romantic comedy like Berkley Romance marketed it as. I had been warned by a friend who read it early that the subject matter of the book is very heavy at times, and I wholeheartedly agree with that! Even with the heavy subject matter, I think this is one that a lot of people will appreciate.

Naya Taylor is an overachiever. She loves her job as a professor, but her department is doing poorly and making tenure will be impossible if her department is eliminated. To distract Naya from her job being at risk, her friends talk her into a night on the town to release some of her anxious energy and put her focus on a new to-do list. Jake is a charming stranger in town on business, he seems like the perfect person for Naya to have a casual hookup with. Until the two quickly develop feelings for each other.

I adored the chemistry between Jake and Naya, Jake is a delightful cinnamon roll hero! His dad jokes and sweet demeanor worked so well with Naya’s personality. I loved Naya, but I really felt like the combination of the two made the book nearly perfect. I am a sucker for any romances set in the academic world, and I thought the setting for How to Fail at Flirting was very well done. Williams herself has a PhD and works in academia, her knowledge of the background and setting really shows! I also loved how Naya’s academic focus reflected her biracial background and the relationship she had with her grandparents.

It’s briefly mentioned in the synopsis that Naya had a previous abusive ex boyfriend, I was not expecting her ex to play as big of a role in the plot as he did. A lot of the scenes of Naya reflecting back on the abuse she experienced was very intense. I think there should have been a more clear outline of how interpersonal partner violence played into the story, and I do not think that Berkley did the book a favor by marketing it as a romantic comedy. How to Fail at Flirting was a contemporary romance with very heavy tones, there is on the page violence towards the end of the book and very descriptive flashbacks. I think this could be triggering for a lot of people if they went into the book without realizing the contents. That being said, I did really love the story and the characters. Naya, Jake, and their friends were all such great characters!

I highly recommend trying How to Fail at Flirting, but please note that the synopsis doesn’t clearly express how heavy the story is. 4-4.5 stars

I can't recommend this book enough. The romance wasn't overly cheesy and had so much of real life issues tied into it. It really keeps you sucked in as you never know what will happen next. You will end this book feeling like you've gained two friends with the main characters. This is not a forgettable read.

I really enjoyed this book and it had an emotional pull on me. That being said, I agree with other reviewers in that the blurb doesn't accurately portray the role Naya's ex plays in this book-- the blurb makes it seem like he's in her past, when he actually returns to her life in the present.
I received an ARC and am voluntarily leaving an honest review.

As a DV survivor, this book hit me in the feels.

I loved the character development and Naya’s journey to finding the love she deserves.

I loved the meet cute. I loved how patient Jake was, and how understanding he was through their journey.

I loved it & hope to read more from this author in the future!

How to Fail at Flirting didn’t work for me - I think partly because it seems to be marketed as a very different book than it was. Based on the back of the book copy and the cover - I thought I was entering a light romcom. I did love the banter between Naya and Jake and their relationships with their friends.

However - this is a very intense book with a LOT of focus on the heroine’s past abusive relationship and the ex coming back into her life. The major conflict includes him attacking her and nearly raping her at a work event near the end of the book.

I also felt like the ending after that and how Naya and Jake came back together felt rushed and forced. Thank you to Berkley and Netgalley for the free advance reading copy.

Boy oh Boy! Talk about Risque!

I’ve always considered myself “a details girl” but after reading “How to Fail at Flirting” I have decided that there are certain details that are better left to the imagination!

If you’re the type of person who likes to read super sexy, hot, fiery romance novels, this book might be just what you’re looking for.

If however, you’re like me and you prefer women’s fiction where the romance ‘fades to black’ - you might want to steer clear of this one.

Naya Turner’s life has become monotonous and boring, that is until she goes out one night to a bar to meet her friends and they fail to show up. That night she meets a gorgeous stranger named Jake in town for a wedding. The two immediately hit it off, in and out of the bedroom.

What started off as an opportunity for Naya to try something new, becomes something else entirely, something she didn’t bargain for, but wouldn’t trade for anything.

While “How to Fail at Flirting” is full of sarcasm and witticisms and romance, the “fiery details” missed the mark for me.

This was a buddy read with Kaceey and as you’ll see from her review, she prefers her romances hot and fiery and I prefer romances that fade to black, which made this an extremely funny buddy read, if nothing else.

A huge thank you goes out to Elisha at Berkley Publishing Group for the arc. Elisha - Kaceey would like you to keep these fiery romances coming, while I’d prefer mine a little tamer! Baaahh!.

Published on Goodreads on 12.6.20.

Now that was exactly what the doctor ordered! A true rom com that left my heart aflutter.

Naya (like a Papaya) swore off men three years ago after an abusive relationship that nearly cost her well...everything.

While out for an evening with her two best friends, they compose a little list for Naya. In particular, things she can to do to help her climb out of her dating rut. All in, Naya takes this list to the next level and conquers the entire list...and then some!

All it takes is a second look from a sexy man sitting on the next barstool over and sparks fly...and the heat is on!🔥 🔥

This book delivered so much more than I was expecting. The romance was white-hot and off the charts. The comedy was fun and had me smiling throughout. And naturally there were the obligatory obstacles that our couple had to overcome...but isn’t love worth that?💁🏻♀️💖

Can’t wait to read more from this very talented author!

A buddy read with Susanne

Thank you to Elisha at Berkley Publishing via Netgalley for an ARC to read and review.

I just want to preface this review by saying that there's a pretty toxic and manipulative abusive relationship in the book. While the relationship is in the past, there are scenes where the incidents are described. Please see the trigger warnings before reading.

While this was described to me as a romance, I think that the serious nature of the past abusive relationship certainly makes it less of a feel-good story than you might expect. I think with the proper trigger warnings, readers can go into How to Fail at Flirting better informed and prepared. At the same time, Naya struggles with believing that she isn't broken, that she is worthy of love. Considering her past, her struggles are more emotional and heart wrenching. I enjoyed the relationship and tension between Jake and Naya, but throughout the entire course of the book, I was so worried something sinister would happen.

That's why I would also say that the vibes you might associate with a romance are definitely impacted by this tension and fear. How to Fail at Flirting discusses not only the romance between Jake and Naya, but also Naya's personal journey to confront her fears. Her two best friends are amazing. They are supportive, have just the right amount of sass, and I need a whole story about their relationship. At the same time, I enjoyed Jake and Naya's rapport - their use of puns, sense of humor, and their mannerisms.

HOW TO FAIL AT FLIRTING wasn't the fluffy read I expected. There are some serious themes that warrant a trigger warning like domestic violence and and emotional abuse. I didn't see that in the book's blurb so here's a heads up for those who need them.

I loved Jake and Naya's connection although it was pretty instant. Their cheesy jokes and sweet togetherness was fun but I do think it lacked a little depth. The author focuses a lot on their physical attraction that was definitely on the sexier side. There was a good amount of steam but I think it could have been a little less bedroom scenes and a little more emotional bonding. Still, these two were cute together and it was easy to love and root for them.
Every time I woke up with him, I couldn’t help but wonder if I was waking up to myself a little more.

Here is something that I'm not happy to mention because I don't pretend to know how an abuse victim feels like and how they should react. When Naya's tormentor comes back into her life and sends her threatening messages she doesn't confide in anyone until 80% in. This highly intelligent woman was scared yet she didn't talk to anyone about it. I get the guilt and shame and like I said, I don't know how realistic this would be but it did feel wrong that she waited for it to escalate.

I enjoyed this story immensely, I laughed, there was suspense in the last couple of chapters that had me on the edge of my seat and I felt for both Jake and Naya when their relationship was tested. I loved seeing Naya find her power and stand up for herself.
I wanted to be kissed like that again, like I was something special, something wanted, like I was … someone.

I adored Jake, who was simply a decent man who wanted to be there for Naya. The writing is very crisp and engaging, I easily connected with this author's style and I'm definitely going to read more stories by Denise Williams!
No, this is something special. It was the special I had no idea how to handle.

Content Warnings: Memories of domestic abuse, attempted rape

This was SUCH a great read, the perfect mix between sexy, fun, getting to know you romance, and emotional healing from past trauma. I kind of fell into this story and didn’t want to come out.

The heroine of How to Fail at Flirting is Naya Turner, a professor at a local university whose life is kind of stuck in a rut. She and her besties come up with a list that will hopefully bring some excitement back into her boring routine. The first person she meets at a bar (which is totally not her usual thing) is Jake, a guy just in town for a wedding. They hit it off immediately and it doesn’t take long for the sparks to fly.

I mean there is a whole lot more than that and as you read (which I’m hoping you will do) you’ll see that Jake and Naya are more intertwined than they realize at first. Each of them has reasons that should make them shie away from starting something serious, but they just can’t stay away from each other.

Their relationship is SO SEXY. And loving, and sweet, and they have such fun together! Jake is delightfully beta and was a sturdy, nice, kind of geeky guy. Naya is just finding her emotional and mental balance again after an extremely abusive relationship, and I love that she was determined to put herself out there and live her life to the fullest again. These are two perfectly flawed, complex characters that just worked together right from the beginning. Their chemistry was off the charts.

Surrounding them are a cast of likable characters that brought so much support and love for this couple. It’s a rare thing when as a reader you look forward to a secondary character appearing on-page, but I have to say this was me with Naya and Jake’s friends.

This was a lovely, super sexy, romance. Despite the content warnings, it felt like a low angst read until about the last 25%. The last part is all about Naya confronting her abuser, regaining her power, and taking control of her life. I had some anxiety knowing it was coming, but it was wonderful seeing Naya regain the strength that she felt like she lost for so many years.

The HEA was just about perfect. Highly recommend.

How to Fail at Flirting may look like a sweet, fluffy read but it had so many layers. Naya was up for tenure at her university when word came about that the university was looking to enact some change. Uncertain about her future and desperate to get her life back after a terrible relationship, Naya made a list of things she wanted to do including “have a guy buy you a drink” and “flirt with a stranger.” Naya checked off quite a few items from her list when she met Jake at a bar in downtown Chicago.

How to Fail at Flirting was a strong debut that packed a ton of emotion. Naya and Jake were incredibly quirky and sweet and the conflict, while present, never overshadowed their romance. I look forward to reading whatever Denise Williams writes next!

Audiobooks have been my savior this year and I was elated when I saw that January LaVoy was the narrator. January does not need me to sing her praises, but as expected, she was an engaging narrator to listen to.