The Brown Sisters series by Talia Hibbert has been great fun to read! Each sister has her own aspirations and challenges in both career and private life. The entire family, from Gigi to Dani, have been successful, acclaimed in their areas of expertise. And if they're a little quirky, well that's all the better!

Eve is different. The book opens with Eve's parents giving her an ultimatum. She has quit a promising new venture as an event planner after one wedding where she released mistreated doves, and they are concerned that she will not stick to a job if they continue to support her. Eve is most hurt when her mother says she's embarrassing. She goes out for a drive to clear her head and ends up in charge of a bed and breakfast in a small town. Though her employer, Jacob, has doubts, Eve is soon showing her competence. The more she succeeds, the more she rethinks past decisions and future opportunities. But as past hurts and ongoing anxieties persist, Eve and Jacob must figure out if they can risk their hearts and futures to each other.

This book was thoroughly enjoyable, and I was happy to see autism representation that showed some of the different ways it manifests itself. I would recommend it to people who love modern romances, with pop culture references, and hot on-page sex scenes.

A fitting send off for the Brown sisters! Eve's story is perhaps the sweetest of all of these (with still plenty of steam, ahem), and she really learns a lot about herself as well as finding a great romance with Jacob. At 400 pages I think it's a little too long and that the pacing could have been a little tighter, but it was very enjoyable.

This series is one of my all-time favorite contemporary romance series ever. What a wonderful book to finish it out with. Eve is amazing and witty and uniquely herself. Jacob is a grumpy dude who's pretty cinnamon roll on the inside. They have the A+ banter I've come to expect from this series and this is the STEAMIEST book so far! Definitely going to be a top read of 2021 for me!

I just cannot get over how cute this book was and how it perfectly wraps up the Brown Sisters series.
The relationship between Eve and Jacob was adorable with the clashing of one being super bubbly and the other being more grumpy and reserved. Talia Hibbert is so good at writing witty banter and funny situations with more serious moments. I thought their friendship-and-we're-attracted-to-each-other-but-don't-want-to-be relationship formed in a really natural way. After not long, it felt like the characters had known each other for much longer.
I loved watching Eve find herself and find what she is good at and eventually stand up for herself. I also really liked Jacob's discussions about his autism and how that's affected his relationships (and it's an own voices novel because of this!).

Overall just gaaaahhhhh soooooo stinkin' cute. I'm going to reread it because now that it's released, I can't stop thinking about it. Petition for Talia Hibbert to write a novel about the iconic Gigi?? Because I'm not ready to leave these characters alone. I can't wait to see what she writes next.


Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Goodreads review: https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/3475830865

Note to publisher: I wasn't sure how to handle this, since this is a podcast interview rather than a traditional review! Weird! Anyway, this is the text of the post that went with the podcast, and hopefully that is fine.

Very unexpectedly, it is March! (Believe me, I’m as surprised as you are.) One of the benefits of March is that it means ALL THE BOOKS are coming out, and one of my very most anticipated books of March 2021 was Talia Hibbert’s new romance novel, Act Your Age, Eve Brown. Eve has never been quite sure where she belongs, but when her parents cut her off and she hits a B&B owner with her car, she decides she might as well stay and help out at the B&B. Its owner’s name is Jacob, and he is uptight and tightly wound, and Eve is chaotic and sings to herself all the time. You can imagine my emotions about this state of affairs.

To my delight, Talia stopped by the podcast to chat with me about her latest book, her love of fanfiction, and her latest DIY project (why do the British love DIY so much? can anyone explain it to me?).

Books We Discussed

Get a Life, Chloe Brown, Talia Hibbert
Take a Hint, Dani Brown, Talia Hibbert
Act Your Age, Eve Brown, Talia Hibbert

A Duke, the Lady, and a Baby, Vanessa Riley
Boyfriend Material, Alexis Hall
The Jasmine Throne, Tasha Suri
Empire of Sand, Tasha Suri
Realm of Ash, Tasha Suri
White Whiskey Bargain, Jodie Slaughter
KJ Charles
Kennedy Ryan
Danielle Allen
Sweet on the Greek, Talia Hibbert (LINK TO THIS)
For the Love of April French, Penny Aimes

You can find Talia Hibbert at her website or on Twitter! The book again is Act Your Age, Eve Brown, and I can’t possibly recommend it resoundingly enough.

You can get at me on Twitter, email the podcast, and friend me (Gin Jenny) and Whiskey Jenny on Goodreads. As a brand new feature, you can also follow me (Gin Jenny) and Whiskey Jenny on Storygraph! If you like what we do, support us on Patreon. Or if you wish, you can find us on iTunes (and if you enjoy the podcast, give us a good rating! We appreciate it very very much).

Credits
Producer: Captain Hammer
Photo credit: The Illustrious Annalee
Theme song by: Jessie Barbour
Transcripts by: Sharon of Library Hungry

Transcript is here: http://readingtheend.com/2021/03/10/episode-142-interview-with-talia-hibbert-author-of-act-your-age-eve-brown/

Eve Antonia Brown is a breath of fresh air! Although I love all the Brown sisters, Eve is hands down my favorite. I enjoyed her love of music and related (much too closely) to her constant need to prove herself. In addition, the chemistry between her and Jacob flowed with such ease and I couldn't get enough.

Eve’s intentions are always good, but everything always goes wrong anyway. So why keep trying? When her parents issue an ultimatum, Eve has to prove that she CAN adult. Jacob never has a hair, sheet corner, or duck out of place. After Eve interviews for a job at his B&B (a disaster), she hits him with her car (an accident), and has to help run the B&B (a moral obligation). But maybe chaos is good for business.
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Cue screeching in 3…2…1… EEEEEE! This book has all of our catnip - forced proximity, grumpy/sunshine, banter, rogue animals, and tight man pants. *squeal*
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Eve is a rainbow, glitter chaos monster and Jacob is possibly the most regimented, controlled character I’ve ever read. But his backstory? *sigh* (You know how much I love a horny, sad boy.) TH has given us two neurodiverse characters who are wildly different, which I loved. Autism is a spectrum, not a personality type. COULD NOT LOVE THAT MORE.
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This review is vague because I don’t want to spoil a SINGLE thing for you as you read this book. It is easily the best book I’ve read in 2021 and is certainly on my list for top 25 romances I’ve read period. Come for the banter, stick around for the grand gesture, which had me clinging to a blanket. It felt like a Master Class in Romance. Talia Hibbert, we don’t deserve you but we’re damn glad you chose us anyway.
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If you’re looking for a contemporary romance with delightful characters, buckets of heart, absurdity and shenanigans, and a whole lot of sexiness to boot, read this book as soon as you can. And then come shout type with me in the DM’s because I’ve already reread it once and will likely read it again in short order.

Kiss and Tell:
This book is classic TH sexy in that the sex scenes have an incredible immediacy but don’t take themselves too seriously either. In other words, FUN. Kissing, hand play, oral, shared sex toy use, p&v penetration all feature and you will eat them like candy.

I had heard of this author and have seen. other books advertised. This is the first opportunity I have had to rad this author and I found this book to be delightful. I liked the characters, plot and how the story evolved. I will continue to read this author and will now read the backlist for this author.

My favorite of the Brown sisters? My favorite of the Brown sisters. This installment was down-right adorable and Eve was an absolute delight to follow. Super sad this trilogy is done, but so happy to have been along for the ride.

This was an absolutely adorable third book in the Brown sister series.

I adored Eve and her relationship with Jacob fueled so many desires I didn't know I had. I really appreciated the commentary on autism as it never felt like the main feature of the novel..

Talia Hibbert once again balances the mix of romance, identity, and family. She's flawless.

I enjoyed this book but not as much as the others in the series. I felt like the relationship between the two was a little too harsh. They seemed to morph between several different personalities depending on the mood of the chapter. I never felt like the heroine really enjoyed her new career enough to make it a life change. Overall the banter was still enjoyable.

3.5 stars for me.

If you loves Chloe and Dani's books, you'll absolutely love this book. It's a grumpy and sunshine trope with two autistic leads, from an own voices author. Talia Hibbert is truly a gifted writer.

Personally, Jacob far outshines the other two male leads. I know Zaf is hard to beat but I love a grumpy, cinnamon roll.

My only critique is the pacing is a little wonky.  The first third of the book is over a 24 hour period and felt slow, then you lose track of time, then find out it was only a couple weeks. So, if enemies to insta love isn't your trope, this is your warning.

I will caution these 2 critiques are super nit picky and my own personal issues, as a mood reader, with the book. First, I struggled to connect with the book because it's hard to read about crazy wealth right now as friends are struggling. Second, it drove me bananas that Eve was harped on for short comings but her parents never taught her about savings accounts?! Some of the habits that lead her to realize she has autism were lifelong traits that her parents never noticed, or brushed off as her "just being Eve."

Eve is the baby of the Brown family and (not to be judge-y as I am an oldest child which is probably why I’m judge-y) everyone knows about those youngest kids. They are always so beloved and charming, but the rest of us sometimes forget to treat them like adults.

Finally, Eve’s parents have had enough of her job-hopping and tell her they’re cutting her off financially. She ends up at a charming B & B where she applies for a chef job and then accidentally runs into the owner with her car, breaking his arm.

Jacob is on the autism spectrum and struggles to find acceptance and connection with others. Eve’s laid back ways and stunning looks are a huge distraction to him. He struggles with his attraction and his doubts about whether he can trust her with his heart.

My favorite aspects of Talia Hibbert’s writing are 1) her ability to really get inside her characters and explore their hopes and dreams, their fears and insecurities and 2) her humor. Her books are both steamy and funny, which is a great combination.

Okay so I really liked this one! It wasn’t my favorite, I still think my favorite sister couple is Chloe and Red. But I really enjoyed Eve and Jacob. I liked the autism representation, and I liked that it mentioned that women tend to be diagnosed later in life with autism than men. It wasn’t openly discussed, but it was definitely mentioned in here. Overall I really loved this book, it was a great romance, had fun dialogue, and there were moments that I legit laughed out loud. I highly recommend this trilogy, it was amazing, and I’m sad it’s over! But I’m happy I read it because it was a for sure favorite!

After reading the first two books in the Brown Sisters series, I was excited for Eve’s story. Then when I got an ARC, after initially freaking out with excitement, I was left with the decision of when to read my early copy. I lasted 2 months before I caved when I needed a cute book. I knew this would fit the bill, and I was not disappointed!

What’s this book about, you ask? It’s about Eve Brown, who after she gives up on yet another career path, gets an ultimatum from her parents. She’s getting cut off from her trust fund until she can hold down a job for a year. When Eve interviews for the first position she finds, things don’t exactly go to plan. After all, running over your potential future boss isn’t exactly the tip that most people recommend when you’re searching for a job.

There were so many things that I loved about this book! First of all, this is one of my favorite grumpy/sunshine pairings that I ever read about! Eve just enjoys life so much, and I loved reading from her perspective. But Jacob is probably the character that captured my heart. He is a grump, but underneath all that he cares so deeply. He cares about his friends, his Bed & Breakfast, and of course, Eve.

It was great that we got to read from both Eve and Jacob’s perspectives, because even though they were so different, they were very similar in many respects. It was also great to see how being around one another slowly helped them recognize the best parts of themselves, that they were ignoring up until the other brought it to their attention.

They also do the sweetest things for one another, and I was so there for it. I kinda don’t want to spoil it because it was so heartwarming to read about, but just know that these two really listened to the other about what they wanted and what they needed and then did their best to provide that for the other. The sweet things they did for one another was part of what made me fall so hard for their romance. You could really tell they cared about one another.

They’re also quite solid with communication. Both of them aren’t very filtered to begin with, but they also make a point to talk through different issues and it was so very refreshing. Oh, and can I just applaud Jacob for his excellent understanding of consent! It’s rare that you get to see such excellent consent in romance, so I wanted to mention that this book does it well!

There really was only one thing I disliked about the book, and that was the drama at the end. It felt very over the top, and extremely unnecessary. I can see several ways the conflict could have played out where I would have enjoyed the story more. But honestly, this is something I struggle with most romances, so I’m not going to hold it against the book too much. Especially since the book is still fantastic!

Overall, I’d definitely recommend this book! It has great autistic representation, wonderful friendships, an adorable romance, and a grumpy/sunshine pairing to warm your heart! I even reread my favorite parts closer to the release date because I wanted to re-experience all the cuteness!

No one at all should be surprised that this got five stars from me. I loved it to bits and may dissect and discuss those bits at some point soon but I am unable to articulate such things right now on account of all the squeeeinnngggg my soul is doing right now. 5 out of 5 wine glasses.

This book was so, so sweet! I loved the perfect mix of witty banter along with discussion about accepting one’s true self. I’m sad to see the end of the Brown sisters, I hope Talia decides to bring them back in some way in the future!

As I began reading Eve Brown, I was pretty sure I wasn’t going to like it as much as Hibbert’s previous two books, which I loved so much I read twice (rare for me). Eve is an event planner who’s just finished a wedding where a few things went seriously wrong, so her latest career choice is about to go up in flames. The book begins with Eve’s parents sitting her down and telling her it’s about time, as a 26 year old, that she held down a real job. As someone who’s worked since I was sixteen, I found her harder to relate to than Chloe and Dani, Eve’s more accomplished older sisters.

Upset, Eve hits the road and ends up in a small town in the Lake District. She pulls up to a B&B and sees they are interviewing for a chef. She loves to cook but has never worked as a chef, and the interview with owner Jacob doesn’t go well. Fortunately Jacob is desperate to replace his last chef. At least until Eve backs into him with her car.

Somewhere along the way, I realized this book was giving me a new perspective on what it means to be the youngest sibling. Eve is the typical coddled youngest child — she’s been given everything but that means she isn’t taken seriously. At one point Eve says she’s the “social one” but not because she wanted to be. She’s the one who feels she has to fill in the gaps behind her older siblings, to be the one who stays, the one who takes care of the family, even at the expense of her own needs. That got me thinking a lot about how I’ve always seen youngest children (I’m a middle), including my younger sister.

This book made me think about sibling and family relationships in general. Eve, Dani, and Chloe love each other, yet somehow they don’t understand what their sisters are struggling with and what holds them back. That felt realistic to me. One thing I love about Hibbert’s books is that each novel is a journey of self-discovery even more than it’s a love story.

I also realized that I did relate to Eve’s persistent failures. While others see flightiness or immaturity, for Eve her failures come from a fear that if she tries hard at something and fails, she will be crushed. So she stops trying and runs at the first sign of difficulty. I could definitely relate to that.

This book also has characters on the autism spectrum, and that was another thing this book had me thinking about. I struggle with a lot of things that are typical for those on the spectrum, and it’s been really helpful for me to understand that people have different ways of interacting with others and processing information.

One of the many things I love about Hibbert is the diversity of her characters, and this book is a perfect conclusion to her trilogy. In addition to the biracial relationships, her characters don’t have typical body types, they have disabilities, and they struggle with issues like anxiety, abuse, and insecurity (the men as well as the women).

This was not the kind of review I was expecting to write about this book. You’re probably thinking, wait, isn’t this a romance novel? What about the romance?

I will say this — while Jacob and Eve may not be my favorite of the three love stories in this trilogy, this was definitely a satisfying love story. And when I say satisfying, I mean emotionally but I will also note that this novel is more graphic sexually than many romances. I’m not complaining (at all), just noting for readers who will be bothered by graphic content.

I have to take a few points off for a story that involves first a main character being hit by a car, and later a scene that has our heroes running across a crowded highway (what can I say, I have my own triggers). Though I did appreciate that when Jacob is hit by Eve’s car, he doesn’t hop up and brush himself off, he’s seriously injured. I absolutely hate how often shows and movies involve people being hit by a car just for humorous effect.

Thanks to Hibbert for a fantastic, sexy romance which is a perfect conclusion to the Brown Sisters trilogy, and thanks to NetGalley and publisher Avon Books for the advance review copy. This book publishes on March 9, 2021.

This book is so beautiful! It brought out so many big emotions! Eve and Jacob's story is one of the most romantically diverse stories I have ever read! People have this horribly erroneous idea that neurodivergent people /people on the autism spectrum are incapable of empathy and love. Jacob's character was penned with incredible care, love, and empathy and so was Eve's. I want more of these types of stories! Definitely more! (Preferably written by Ms. Hibbert!)

More than a romance, Eve and Jacob's was a journey of self-discovery and self-acceptance. Of learning to be unafraid in a world that will crush you, if you let it. Jacob and Eve found that strength in each other. I absolutely adored seeing these characters find their way to each other in so many ways.
This story also is about standing on your own two feet and learning about boundaries. It explores family relationships both in a positive and negative light and reminds us of the power of love in every single manifestation: family, friends, and romantic partner.

This story was not afraid to bring the swoons AND the heat and I really found it a perfect balance of both, which makes this book of the most perfect romances of 2021.

Thank you, Avon and Netgalley for this ARC.

This was so hilarious!

I was not expecting to love this one much more then Dani’s book! Eve is such an amazing character.

Loved both Eve And Jacob!

Jacob is definitely my favorite male character in this series because he’s such a sweetheart even though he could be grouchy.

Thank you to the publisher and netgally for allowing me to review this book!