Member Reviews

Happy publication day to Act Your Age, Eve Brown
(Swipe for synopsis)

This book is an infusion of pure joy! Thoughtful, silly, and sexy in equal measure, it’s the perfect conclusion to the Brown Sisters trilogy, and a tropetastic confection packed with enemies (to friends) to lovers, opposites attract, pining roommates, chest rubbing feels and grumpy/sunshine goodness.

I’m still too deep in the fizzy, bliss of it to offer much more than incoherent squee, but this chaos demon and caretaker extraordinaire meets stern, orderly, BDE with a heart of gold romance worked for me on every level. It’s got an extended meetcute involving the heroine hitting the hero with her car (apparently I have violent tendencies because it’s the most delighted I’ve been by a meetcute since Portia’s macing of #Swordbae in Duke by Default); banter Hepburn and Tracy would envy; a power balanced, consent heavy boss/employee relationship; wonderfully nuanced autistic representation; mind melting, sexy times (including a hero not shy with the heroine’s 12 inch purple dildo, M’Baku), and my new favorite, wet, drippy pond scene in all of fiction (sorry Colin).

Sure to be amongst the best romances of the year, Act Your Age, Eve Brown is not to be missed!

{CWs courtesy of the author: mentions of childhood neglect & anti-autism ableism

Thanks to @netgalley and @avonbooks for the gifted copy}

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What an unexpected delight! I indulged in page after charming page of Act Your Age, Eve Brown and came away a supremely satisfied reader.

I am drawn to quirky, perceptive, and witty characters, so it was only natural for me to instantly adore Eve and Jacob. Eve is cheerful and flighty. After a series of failed career choices, she finds herself on a journey of self-actualization. Jacob is very orderly, awkward, and grumpy. He wrestles with trust issues and hiring Eve to help run his Bed & Breakfast is the last thing he expects to do.

Jacob and Eve are two very different oddballs, but they respect their differences without trying to change each other. I enjoyed their yin-yang dynamics as well as their enemies to friends turned lovers relationship progression.

I’m new to the Brown Sisters series and to Talia Hibbert’s writing so I had no idea just how laugh-out-loud funny this story would be. It’s the extremely hot sexy times that most caught me off guard, though. Turns out that Jacob is very naughty indeed! I found myself chuckling, breaking out my fan, and swooning — all in the same scene.

This entertaining story was a win for me. I need to go back and read the first two books about the other Brown sisters.

** I received an early copy of this book to voluntarily read and review. **

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Eve Brown is 26, and has just ended her business as a wedding planner, one of the many professions she has tried and decided not to continue. When Eve’s parents confront her about her flighty attitude towards choosing a career, Eve drives off for some time alone. Eve’s drive leads her to Castell Cottage, a bed and breakfast in desperate need of a chef. When Eve decides to interview for the job on a whim, she meets the owner of Castell Cottage, Jacob Wayne. Jacob takes his bed-and-breakfast super seriously and instantly dislikes Eve, but when an accident leads to Eve helping Jacob run Castell Cottage, they find out they work together better than they thought. Eve‘s time at Castell Cottage gives her the space she needs to start reflecting on who she is, her relationship with others, and what she really wants her life to look like.

Hibbert’s characters are always so unique and fully realized, but Eve and Jacob are definitely my new favorites.They were both so real and complex. You really see their individual growth throughout the book, but you also see how good each of them are for the other. I loved watching their relationship progress. The banter was also great, I laughed so much.

The book takes place in a small town in the Lake District called Skybriar. The setting fits perfectly with Eve and Jacob's story. Skybriar has such cozy vibes with its one pub and it’s annual gingerbread festival. Hibbert also introduces a few characters who live in Skybrair, including Jacob’s friend Montrose and his twin sisters, Tessa and Alex. Skybrair and it’s people, alongside Eve’s work at Castell Cottage, really add a warmth to Act Your Age that makes it stand out more to me personally compared to the previous two books. I loved learning about Skybrair from both Eve and Jacob’s point of view, and I think the setting really fits along with who Eve and Jacob are as characters.

This series deserves all the praise it gets. Each book is better than the next (which is an amazing feat!!). Act Your Age, Eve Brown is now my new favorite book by Talia Hibbert. This book was a delight in every way and I can’t wait to instantly read whatever Talia Hibbert comes out with next (especially if it’s going to take place in Skybrair)!!

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Talia Hibbert — WE ARE NOT WORTHY!

I wanted and needed this third installment to the Brown Sisters series the moment I turned the final page to Take A Hint, Dani Brown and I happily share that it was everything that a romance should be: just the right amount of peaks and valleys, steamy and hot, and definitely SWOON worthy! AND THE TENSION = A++. I was already a fan, but I now place Hibbert amongst my romance authors faves list.

In Act Your Age, Eve Brown, we follow the story of Eve who is perhaps the most risqué of the Brown sisters. She’s quite frankly found herself chasing success and failing miserably again and again. So much so, that she has essentially given up and earmarked her sisters, Chloe and Dani in a category of their own, one that she doesn’t feel she’s capable of reaching. So when she is found at fault for ruining a friends’ expensive wedding, her parents give her an ultimatum: straighten up and fly right or they’ll cut her off for good.

Determined to prove to her parents and herself that she is more than the culmination of her screw-ups she literally runs into an opportunity at a bed and breakfast that will change her life in ways unimaginable. She meets Jacob Wayne, the opposite of everything she appears to be and the owner of the bed and breakfast who is looking for a chef but immediately clashes with Eve in her impromptu interview. If Eve is light, Jacob is darkness. So when she’s the reason he breaks his arm and is in need now more than ever, she is called to immediate action.

What I loved about this story is the tension that builds in the first quarter of the book and then too as the two characters begin to spend time together and learn one another how they begin to become vulnerable to one another. It is a classic opposite attracts love story with a twist. Two people who are willing to put it all on the line, in the name of love. Romance wins! This is one that Hibbert fans and fans of romance alike will appreciate! It was juicy and oh so good.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for a copy in exchange for my review!

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an ARC from netgalley for a honest review.

Description from back of book

Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong. So she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she's not entirely sure how…

Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.

Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore... and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.


Okay let begin by saying this book was so Good. I'm not even surprise this whole series hits from beginning to end. And of course the third book was just as amazing as the first and second.

I love Eve's story. how she just wanted to prove to her family that she not really a disaster, which she wasn't, she was just fearful of failure and success so like everybody in the world.

and Jacob was so adorable. He just so..... *sighs* sweet and cute and just ugh!!

If you want to laugh or giggle or just in general smile in seriously cheesy way, this book does that.

Talia Hibbert has really become a favorite of mine these past few years and she continues not to disappoint.

so as always Happy Reading!!!

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“One year to prove herself. Surely, she could manage that? She opened the door.”

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 stars!

The last Brown sister book! While I loved both the first and second book in the series, I wasn’t head over heels. They were both good in their own ways, but this last book was easily my favorite! My favorite heroine, favorite hero, favorite setting, story! I absolutely am head over heels.

This last installment in the Brown sister series focuses on the youngest, Eve, who has yet to commit to much of anything in her life. Living off her inheritance as she peruses her interests, she gets a rude awakening when her parents cut her off. In an attempt to prove herself, she runs over a job opportunity at a Bed and Breakfast- I mean, runs into………no I don’t. Jacob wants someone to take this job seriously and Eve is the opposite.

I had no idea what was in store for me with this one honestly. I didn’t see much of Eve in the other two books and she didn’t have much to her. I thought she was just really fun-loving and silly. Which is definitely is, but this book gave her so much life that I really adored. Eve is such a youngest child, which I am as well. I loved her bravery, confidence, and her strong sense of self. I thought it made her an incredibly captivating heroine. A blushing maiden, she is not. But I loved her search for her thing.

Jacob is easily my favorite hero of the series too. I really loved how he was constantly both enamored and enraged by the whirlwind that is Eve Brown. His chapters were so fun to read! They way they pushed each other’s buttons was the best. Cute sparring that stays respectful, but not without substantial teasing was what kept my eyes glued to the page.

And come on, a bed and breakfast? Forced proximity goodness? Malicious geese? This book gives you every single comfort trope you love! The story was a slow-paced, people-who-got-off-on-the-wrong-foot-to-lovers story that with two main characters on the autistic spectrum who run a bed and breakfast that prides itself on being especially sensitive to guest with different special needs. That’s awesome! Books with neurodivergent representation have a special place in my heart and its such a treasure to see it with BIPOC characters by BIPOC authors. Plus, the book gets super steamy! Hooray!

Also, the book features wonderful cameos from our previous characters because no Brown sister novel is complete without the other two sisters meddling their butts off. The same goes for the rest of the Brown family. I adored the levels of shenaniganry they get up to and applaud Eve for her amazing response. No spoilers or anything, but watching Eve really develop was such a heart-jerker for me. I really adored her growth. Not really growing up, but just growing into herself. Finding out what she wants to do, what she’s good at.

TL;DR: Act Your Age, Eve Brown is my favorite romance of the year! (so far) and I absolutely adore it! It’s the brilliant conclusion the an amazing series that should be on every romance reader’s list.

ARC provided by Hear Our Voices Book Tours and Avon Books in exchange for an honest review. All quotations and opinions are based off an uncorrected proof.

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What an absolute joy bomb!!! I tore through this one so quickly, because I just could NOT get enough of these characters!

So this has some of my absolute favorite tropes: small town romance (at a BED AND BREAKFAST!), fish out of water (Eve: WTF am I doing?!) and forced proximity (hahaha hope you don't mind me living here!). The banter is sparkling and laugh out loud funny. There is character growth for alllll involved, from the main characters to their family members.

If you haven't read Talia Hibbert yet - what are you waiting for?! You should read allll of the Brown sisters' books, but I have to say that I personally think Hibbert saved the best for last - I was completely swooning through this whole read.

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Thanks to @netgalley and @avonbooks for my review copy. ADORABLE! Eve came into Jacob’s B&B like a car wreck (literally). I just want to hug Eve and Jacob because they are absolutely adorable together. Also, wanted to wrap Jacob up in bubble wrap so that he wouldn’t get hurt anymore. Ha.
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So Eve is the youngest of the Brown sisters and unlike them she still hasn’t found her calling or rather career. However, she loves taking care of people. After being given an ultimatum by her parents, Eve ends up in Jacob’s town and B&B and decides to interview for the chef job. Jacob who is autistic, is against Eve working there despite needing a chef. Well after a hurt wrist and concussion, complements of Eve, he gives in and has her on trial. Eve finds that she loves working there and interacting with guests.
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Many laughs
Great music titles (I added to my list)
Duck & Goose incident
Enemies to lovers
Neuro Diverse Rep
Dildo and Desk incident 🔥👀
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I don’t have the words to properly describe just how cute and amazing Jacob and Eve were together. And HOT. The dialogue was perfection. So many laughs. I love how Jacob just got Eve and saw HER. Eve also got Jacob and saw HIM.
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The Brown sisters have my heart and so do their men! I loved going on this journey with them. Loved how each book had important representation. Chronically Ill, Bi Rep, Anxiety, Autism, therapy being normalized. We NEED more of this. Thank you @taliahibbert for writing these books and giving me Book Boyfriends to gush about.
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I received and e-arc of this book through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

5/5 stars

Act Your Age, Eve Brown was my favorite installment in the Brown sister's series. At first I was a little unsure of how I would enjoy Eve as she seemed a little out of touch with the world and not fully grasping the jobs she had been trying. However after reading just a short amount in her point of view I quickly found that maybe Eve wasn't as out of touch with things as I originally anticipated. I soon fell in love with the whirlwind that is Eve Brown. Her character just brought a smile to my face.

Then you add in Jacob and it was perfection. Neither character was perfect buy they acknowledged that and were able to change slightly but still remain themselves. And when Jacob mentioned that he wanted his staff to have a living wage I just wanted to scream with joy. I also loved the Autism representation in this story as well. I thought as a person who was a psych major in college that it held a decent representation without being too much or exaggerating things.

The story and relationship progressed nicely and felt realistic. I loved the banter between the two main characters and this whole story was just exactly what I needed.

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I've so loved this series, and while this book didn't hit me quite the way the other 2 did, I still enjoyed it, and I'm glad I got to know Eve and Jacob.

Eve Brown is a hot mess. She is the baby of the family and she's gotten away with a whole lot. Every time she tries something new, it ultimately blows up in her face. So she's basically stopped trying. After yet another quickly abandoned career attempt, her parents lay down the law. They are going to temporarily cut off her trust fund payments. They expect her to get and keep a job for a year, and she has to move out on her own within 3 months. She leaves home in a fit of upset and drives all the way up to the lake district, where she finds a sign on a B&B for chef interviews. She hopes to charm her way into the job, like she has so many things in her life, even though she's in no way prepared for a job interview. But, she didn't count on Jacob.

Jacob Wayne likes everything just so. He's always in control, and everything at his B&B runs to his precise specifications. When Eve rolls in like a hurricane, he is appalled. He's rude, and has no interest in hiring her. But his friend Mont makes him realize, he doesn't really have a choice, as he's out of time to find a chef before a very important festival he's booked. So, he goes out to talk to her, but before he can, she accidentally backs into him with her car! He breaks his wrist and has a concussion, so she stays to help him out, though he's still big mad about it. But, slowly, they both realize how great she is at the job, and he finds that all the wild things about her don't actually bother him after all.

Eve and Jacob had excellent banter, and it was a very thin line between love and hate type of situation between them. Their chemistry was obvious, and I enjoyed watching them fall for each other without realizing it. But, they both had big issues they carried with them throughout their lives, and they let those past issues and failures affect their current lives, and their futures, in myriad ways. They each had to learn how to stop defaulting to past behaviors, and figure out better ways of doing things, which of course, isn't easy.

Eve's sisters were a delight as always. I loved both of their books so much, and I always like seeing them and their awesome heroes again. Their grandmother Gigi was also a hoot, as always. Jacob's best friend Mont, and his two sisters Tessa & Alex were lovely too, and I can't wait to get to know more about them in the next series!

Eve had to realize the ways in which her family infantilized her, and enabled her to keep acting in a childish way. Once she did that, and stood up for herself with them, I believed she had really hit a turning point, which was wonderful. Jacob had to stop letting his fears of abandonment, and other issues from his childhood color his life. Once he realized he wasn't giving Eve his trust completely, and how he needed to go about fixing that, I believed in the change in him too.

Ultimately, these 2 people were perfect for each other, and it was at times lovely and fun, or painful and heartbreaking, watching them figure it out. Even though this book was just as well written as the first two, something didn't quite click with me in the same way, and that's ok. I'm sure that there will be plenty of people who click with this book the best of the three, and I'm thrilled for everyone to get the chance to find out.

I would definitely recommend this book, and this entire series, to anyone who loves uniquely competent heroines, and the heroes who love them. These sisters have my heart.

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When I saw the Bookstagram hype for Get a Life, Chloe Brown, this summer, I figured that I was in for a cute rom-com. I wasn't expecting a book with broken characters whose stories were relatable [Also if you listen on audiobook the narrators have ah-mazing British accents which makes this book 10x better than it already is.] I just finished reading the final installment in the Brown sisters trilogy, Act Your Age, Eve Brown, and I am already wishing that there was a fourth long-lost Brown sister.

What makes Hibbert's Brown Sisters books different from other romance books I've read is that she seamlessly combines important issues such as chronic illness, abusive relationships, grief and anxiety with ultimate swoon factor and steam. Her books represent real life which isn't always roses and hot sex scenes. Her powerful black female characters are focused and passionate yet can still fall in love without sacrificing who they are. Hibbert isn't afraid to write characters who are plus sized, or Muslim, on the autism spectum, or a minority with wealth, career-driven women, interracial relationships or LGBTQ+ where these characteristics are not a defining part of the plot. She doesn't capitalize on these traits as an integral part of the character.

She also makes sure that the leading men get a voice as well and that they have issues that are frequently considered "non-masculine" in our society. Chloe's lover, Red, is dealing with the fallout from an emotionally abusive relationship where he was the victim. Dani's boo Zafir suffers from crippling anxiety after a car crash killed his dad and brother. Zafir even reads romance novels and runs a non-profit that encourages boys to seek help for mental illness. It's a refreshing change to see men in rom-coms not all be knights in shining armor but more like the boy next door and real people.

When Hibbert writes statements such as, “The thing about mental health was, you couldn’t take a course of antibiotics and be magically healed. Some people’s brains just thought too much or felt too much or hurt too much, and you had to stay on top of that,” made me feel seen and validated in my mental illness. But the books also have romance and steam that romance readers often seek out with sentences such as, "Dani woke up this morning with an electric excitement thrumming through her veins and an enormous loopy 'I'm getting laid' grin on her face." [The lines get steamer but I don't want to turn this into an NSFW piece.]

These books will live on because the issues the characters face are timeless and both have made great pandemic reads for me. Add them to your TBR.

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"Sometimes, being convenient instead of real was fucking exhausting. So maybe, from now on, she'd stop."

The Gist: Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. Jacob Wayne is always in control. As the owner of a bed & breakfast, he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. And then she hits him with her car.

My Thoughts: You guys, I just love these books so much. The Brown sisters have my whole heart and Eve was no exception. I loved her journey of self discovery, in finding that what she perceived as flaws or failures could also be interpreted as strengths and loveable quirks by others and eventually, herself. As with all of the Brown sisters books, this focuses on characters - here, those on the autism spectrum - who don’t always have their time to shine in romance novels.

The enemies to lovers aspect was divine and Jacob was such a fun love interest. Prickly on the exterior, gooey marshmallow on the interior. Their banter? Hilarious. And the steam? Hot, hot, hot.

I’m really sad this is the last Brown Sisters book. Give us a wedding or a Christmas special!! Give us the Gigi prequel we all deserve!!

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I was having a stressful month and couldn’t click with any of the books I was reading. I decided to ignore ARC deadlines and just read what book spoke to me. Act Your Age, Eve Brown was that book and it helped break me out of my book slump.

I’ve absolutely adored every Talia Hibbert I’ve read and this book was the perfect end to the Brown Sisters series. Eve is very different than her two older sisters. She’s impulsive and unpredictable. She’s floats through life, trying to find a career that keeps her interest and that she can succeed it. The book starts with her parents deciding to draw the line on her flinty behavior. Eve sets off in a huff and ends up on the doorstep of Jacob Wayne. He owns a bed and breakfast and is looking for a new cook. Adventures ensue as Eve accidentally breaks Jacob’s arm and ends up staying on as his cook. Eve and Jacob are complete opposites from each other and yet, as the story progresses, you see how well they work together. Honestly, this book has everything I wanted from the end of this series, which is one of my favorites. Talia creates characters with such emotion and depth. It’s honestly simply pleasure to read her books. This book was exactly what I needed in a difficult time and that makes me love it even more.

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I wish my review could be one line: "This is a bloody good book, read it!", but I should probably elaborate.

I have experienced so much joy in reading about the Brown sisters but I was not prepared to fall so head over heels for Eve Brown and her beautiful, genuine soul. She hardly has it all together - at least by her family's standards - and she's hardly got a clue as to what she wants to do, so when her family holds an intervention to set her straight, she literally runs away. She gets on the road and in her complete haze, ends up in a cute little village, sees a wanted ad for a chef at a bed and breakfast and pops on in for an impromptu interview. The interviewer, Jacob is aghast that Eve would show up unprepared and not dressed for the occasion (she is in a graphic tee and her hair is an unnatural color of purple). No prospective employer would take an interviewee who shows up like that seriously, so he sends her off, and only a few minutes later he gets hit by her car. Now he's SOL and desperately needs someone to help him at the B&B and Eve feels she must stay and help. This is a temporary arrangement. TEMPORARY, she reminds herself.

The start of this story is so bonkers and it so perfectly sets up the cheeky and fiery dynamic between Eve and Jacob. She is the sunshine and roses to his grumpy, rigid persona. She's always challenging him and they're constantly verbally dueling or aggravating each other. It's all done with the best humor and sarcasm which made me so, so happy! Eve settles in to her role delightfully at the B&B and even the moody Jacob can't deny how positively radiant and vibrant she is, making his guests feel welcome and comfortable. As with the previous two Brown Sisters books, AYAEB is another own voices story with Eve and Jacob both being on the autism spectrum. Jacob has learned he had it at a younger age and how to manage it while Eve hasn't figured it out yet. I found this discovery like a lightbulb going on because I obliviously operated under the assumption that autism is always diagnosed early in childhood. I never gave it a second thought that diagnosis could happen later in life and that this could drastically impact the person's quality of life. Once again, Talia Hibbert educated me and set me off to do my own mini research on it. She doesn't beat the info into the reader's brain but rather simply shows it through the characters' growing awareness. This is why despite their different temperaments that Jacob and Eve click because there's something deep below the surface that they inevitably recognize in each other. And oh my gosh, they are totally hot together! It's been a long time since I've been this excited about a fictional couple and of course, it'd be a Talia Hibbert book!

How many ways can I say this? Reading any of these Brown Sisters books is a joyous experience and I think AYAEB has to be my favorite of the trilogy. Everything about it pushed all the right buttons for me -- the humor, wit, Eve and Jacob's chemistry, the setting... Eve herself is instantly likable and I just want to be besties with her. And her family makes an appearance - all of them so bizarre and off the rails sometimes - but so uniquely themselves. I've had a blast reading this series and Act Your Age, Eve Brown is the icing on the gingerbread (read it, you'll get it)!

~ Bel

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Act Your Age, Eve Brown was so much better than I ever thought possible (and I had pretty high expectations).

The plot follows Eve and Jacob. Eve wants to prove herself to her family, and show that she isn't spoiled and that she can hold down a job and not give up. Enter Jacob, and his bed and breakfast. He's desperate for a new cook, and when Eve just so happens to show up (and hit him with her car), he's stuck hiring her.

The plot is simple and straightforward: two complete opposites are forced to work together, shenanigans ensue. But it shines in the additional layers it brings. Most of these layers are added by our two main characters. I love them so much. They're realistic and grounded while still being entertaining to read about, and they have the best banter. One thing I especially loved about them, and this book as a whole, was the autism rep. Honestly, Talia Hibbert is the queen of including good representation in her books.

This book was amazing. I never wanted to put it down and I'm so sad it's over.

(review also shared on Instagram story)

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Act Your Age, Eve Brown by Talia Hibbert is the third book about the Brown sisters, and while fantastic as a series they do each stand up on their own. It is currently scheduled for release on March 9 2021.

Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong. So she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she's not entirely sure how. Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car, supposedly by accident. Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen, and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore, and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown is a thoughtful look at romance between two characters that have never felt like they fit in. I loved watching Eve come into herself, exploring her own wants, skills, and needs rather than trying to fit into the roles others have tried to shove her into, and that she willing tried to fit into because it was less drama that way. Similarly, Jacob has his own struggles and issues, and seeing Eve and Jacob figure things out together was an enjoyable ride. Clearly, not everything goes smoothly so there are some moments that had me shaking my head or dreading the next sentence- but everything fit the characters and situation. I really enjoyed the read and the honest way neurodiversity and some of the struggles that come with it can affect people. I also liked that the range that diversity is acknowledged- and that there is some much possibility and joy that can be found if only we take the time to understand ourselves and each other.

Act Your Age, Eve Brown had me grinning from the start, and took me on a wonderful ride. Hibbert is now on my must read list after two fantastic reads in a row (I still need to go back and read the first Brown sister book).

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Thank you to Avon for the advance #OwnVoices review copy; all opinions are my own! 

Eve is the youngest of the Brown sisters & has grown up feeling very much like a failure. Unsure of where or how to succeed, she’s moved from job to job & never quite felt understood by her friends or family, who are all in their own ways confident, accomplished & driven. When Eve applies for the job of cook at Jacob’s bed & breakfast, she finally finds a place where she fits just-right—not just at Jacob’s B&B but in his heart, too. Eve is a singer, a smiler, a glass-half-full embodiment of resilience & optimism & I couldn’t adore her journey to greater self-understanding & self-love any more. It was brilliant & emotional & deeply satisfying.  

Jacob is my bespectacled, starchy & exacting, sarcastic AF dream who’s wounded from being rejected for who he is. Upfront about being autistic, Jacob knows he comes across as chilly & blunt, but he uses this conception to reject people before they reject him…until Eve crashes onto the scene. Literally. 

Jacob & Eve were the couple I’ve needed to read for some time. As a late-diagnosed autistic woman, autism representation can be bittersweet—it’s wonderful to see myself (which is rare) & yet I’m often reminded of what’s hard & how I’ve been hurt for being who I am. But of course, I knew with Talia, I was in the best hands. Autism was beautifully & compassionately portrayed, & it made my heart sing to see two people like me, finding love & belonging & understanding for exactly who they are. 

In short: Eve’s & Jacob’s story was witty & emotional & steamy as hell, a perfect opposites-attract pairing with chemistry & a connection that was everything my heart could want. I’m sad to say goodbye to this series, but thrilled with how it ended. This book, simply put, was perfect for me. 

ACT YOUR AGE, EVE BROWN is out TOMORROW, March 9! Pre-order it, request it from your library, & prepare for a heartfelt, sexy, witty & delightful conclusion to the Brown Sisters Series

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Talia Hibbert does it again with the last installment of the Brown sisters trilogy! I think Eve's story was actually my favorite of the three. Don't worry if you haven't read the previous books - you don't need to read in order (but you should definitely read them all at some point!)

Eve, the youngest Brown sister, is a little bit lost. Behind her bold t-shirts and fun-loving personality, she's not really sure what her next move will be. Her parents give her no choice but to figure it out or lose her trust fund. Simple, right?

Not for Eve. On a whim, she interviews for a chef position at a B&B, but ends up running over the owner Jacob with her car! This was a hilarious meet cute - I could not stop laughing! More importantly, Eve really steps up as Jacob recovers, building trust between them. Slowly, these enemies turn to friends and then to lovers, and their story made me so happy! I loved how Eve lived life so boldly and was unabashedly herself. Jacob's sweetness and rule-following nature complemented free spirit Eve so well!

One thing to note - these romances are very steamy!! I'm a more prudish reader, so I definitely skim over the raunchier content. But I love how Hibbert brings well-needed diversity to the romance genre, and I have so enjoyed these nontraditional love stories! Hibbert handles topics like chronic illness, anxiety, and neurodiversity with kindness and sensitivity, reminding us that what makes us different also makes us beautiful!

Thank you to Avon/Harper Voyager for providing an ARC on NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

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What a lovely treat was Act Your Age, Eve Brown?! I love a grumpy hero. He was such a treat. I giggled at the duck bits. Watching the heroine grow throughout the book was a wonderful thing. This book was just a sweet and steamy treat. Brava! I already reread it as a comfort read. It was just as good the next time around.


I voluntarily read an early copy.

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I fell hard for Talia Hibbert’s writing a few years ago so I came into this book with high expectations and it entirely delivered on everything I have come to expect from this author - heat, humor, and representation. It’s a tough act to follow!
In a nutshell, there were so many times I laughed out loud with delight. The heat, once it hit, was impressively steamy (especially for a traditionally published romance!) and memorable, and I say that as someone who reads a lot of high heat romance. I am neurotypical and I cannot judge the autism representation from experience but I loved that we saw a discovery of self awareness within the autism spectrum that I would bet rings very true for some people, especially women. This story also includes education on the subject in a natural way, which I love as a reader.
Talia Hibbert writes pairings that really see and appreciate each other, and it is so refreshing and comforting. This book was another new flavor of that, especially since we saw them meet for the first time with no foundation for the relationship. Their journey from strangers to coworkers to friends to more was a joy to follow. In addition, a boss-employee romantic relationship can be difficult to root for but this book examines that dynamic and doesn’t let it slide. It helps that it’s such a small business and we see them doing the same work, as equals.
Eve is a chaotic ray of sunshine. That she stays so positive and true to herself while also yearning to be accepted and successful was a balance handled masterfully. Jacob is a bit intense, but super consistent and (no surprise to fans of Talia’s books) very considerate of Eve. I really enjoyed seeing Jacob through the eyes of those around him. I tend to love grumpy-sunshine pairings so this played right into my interests! I also loved the supporting characters, so I’m thrilled we will be seeing them again in the announced Sweetbriar books.
If you like reading about characters who don’t have it all figured out, and who gain confidence on page, this is a great pick for you, but I’d honestly recommend this whole series to anyone.

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