A lot to enjoy about this book, although overall it didn't have the extra spark I usually look for in a romance. I appreciated the thoughtful trigger warnings and note at the front of the book. Williams really handled this story responsibility and intention.

The characters were charming and loveable. The side characters were also hilarious and supported the main characters well. I liked that there wasn't a lot of angst, and the drama was just enough to make it interesting. I read this in one day.

3.5 stars

This was a cute book, with 2 adorable main characters. Britta is trying to get a writing position at the magazine she works at by reviewing her experience with a fitness app. Wes, the apps CEO, becomes her trainer. The two form an instant connection and quickly start tweaking the rules to be with each other more.

Miscommunication issues are one of my least favorite type of romcoms, and that's why it is getting a lower rating. I felt like every issue would have been gone if they'dbeen honest. Thanks for the ARC netgalley and Berkeley!

I love a god book when the female lead is not perfect or a size 0. This book was relatable, fun, quirky and nice to see more relatable man characters for a change,

Thanks to NetGalley, Denise Williams, and Berkley Publishing for the advanced copy!

CW: emotional abuse (ex), narcotic abuse (supporting character), disordered eating (mentioned)

Okay! I really enjoyed this. I love a good, cute romance novel, but I enjoyed this one especially. I love a good body positive message, but I especially love one that emphasizes doing what is right for you. Britta doesn’t hate her body - she actually likes it! - but when her work rival suggests a fitness app review, she knows she has to get in on the idea. They’re battling it out for a full-time writing position, afterall, and she can’t let herself be outshined.

So she gets on the app with two goals: feel better naked and skydive! And she dives right in, working with her funny, charming app coach to make healthy changes in her life and avoid crash diets and overexercising. Well, one thing happens and then another, and all of a sudden they meet in real life. And they like each other, so why go back to their digital coach/client relationship? They begin exercising together and hanging out as friends - all that good stuff. However, as any romance lover knows, it can never be so simple. Can they overcome their misunderstanding? And what about the whole ethical issue of the client and coach not only meeting but the fact that the client is a journalist writing ABOUT the company he works for?

It’s a lot, but I think it’s done really well! A cute romance that supports health over aesthetics. I just wish we could see this kind of representation for men, too, as there is such a thing as too much ab talk in romance novels (and there is a lot of that in this, just be warned). I also found some of the pacing to be a bit weird/ too fast.

3.5 stars rounded to 4

Thank you to NetGalley and Berkley Books for the ARC!

I. Loved. This. Book. Denise Williams has a gift for writing such real, imperfect-but-perfect characters and magically mixes humor and comfort together that you want to grab her books, snuggle under the covers and just get lost in their story. She weaves in heavier topics but without being preachy, touches on real-life messiness in such a relatable way that you root for the characters from their first exchange. There's so much to unpack here - the nicknames, the flirty emails and messages, the struggles with dieting (I too would give my firstborn if it didn't mean giving up coffee) and best of all, Britta's unapologetic self-acceptance which is inspiring. The body positivity is off the charts. This book is a rom com and love story between two people but also between Britta and herself. Both are equally satisfying. And Wes is book boyfriend gold - swoon city. Plus, I loved revisiting our friends from How To Fail at Flirting. So much goodness, fun and warm feelings in this one.

Quote: "I shouldn't think about you as much as I do or count down the hours until I see you next. I shouldn't want to kiss you again more than taking my next breath, but I do."

Song for Britta and Wes: In Case You Didn't Know by Brett Young: "I can't count the times, I almost said what's on my mind But I didn't...In case you didn't know, Baby, I'm crazy 'bout you And I would be lyin' if I said That I could live this life without you."

Journalist Britta sets out to review a fitness app for her lifestyle website employer, hoping it'll set her up for a promotion. The app matches her up with Wes, a virtual personal trainer (who also happens to own the fitness company). Their communications quickly accelerate from professional messaging in the app to possibly-flirty texts, and eventually they start training together in person. Nothing can (or should) happen between them, despite an undeniable attraction. But if they want a chance to be together, both of them are going to have to reveal some big secrets they've been keeping from each other.

It's refreshing to read a novel about a fat woman who starts working out for reasons other than losing weight. Britta's family and coworkers assume she's just trying to lose weight, and she advocates for herself quite confidently. Plus, Wes is very supportive and never tries to change Britta. She's a strong and happy person by the end of the book (not a spoiler--it is a romance, after all), even though she's the same size.

Thanks to Netgalley, the publisher, and the author for the ARC to review. All opinions are my own.

If I could hug Denise Williams right now I would. This slow burn between Wes and Britta was just the relationship I needed to root for. This is an amazing second effort for her that seriously did not dissapoint. I really didn;t want to cry as much as I did but I really did. Denise Williams is soooooooooo smart as a writer: struggling with insecurities while trying to balance career and love are a real thing. I can''t give this enough stars.

Well, let’s just say I cried at the authors note. Then throughout a couple times. Then after I was done way too many times. It just hit me right in the feels.

I usually get an arc and put it off until nearly pub day. But I knew I needed to read this as soon as it hit my kindle. Williams words hit me straight in my heart. I want to do better for no one but me. I feel INSPIRED and affirmed by Britta. It felt so real and honest. This book spoke to me in a way that was special and felt personal somehow. Like it was written just for me at just this time.

It is no secret that How to Fail at Flirting quickly became one of my favorite romcoms ever last year. This book has similar wit, spunk, and swoony moments. Wes is incredible - kind, respectful, patient. Britta is discovering her strength and being along for that journey was incredible. I felt that due to the nature of the topic, there was a stronger women’s fiction feel to this book than her last and less steamy moments. I fell in love with this couple through their emails and text messages back and forth.

This is truly a special book. If you have ever struggled with weight or image issues, this book is a must read. Or if you just love good romance, it’s also a must read!

Thank you Berkley Pub and NetGalley for this advanced copy in exchange for my honest review.

I absolutely adored this book! This was a slow burn romance, with Wes and Britta getting to know one another via messenger apps and email before they meet face to face. I loved the emotional connection and friendship they shared. Both Wes and Britta have great back stories, which they slowly reveal throughout the book.

It was also fun to get a glimpse of the characters from Williams’ first book throughout this one! If you were a fan of How to Fail at Flirting, this book is a must buy for you!

There are so many things I love about Williams' writing, I hardly know where to begin, but begin, I will . . .

Her heroines are confident and strong, and yet they struggle with very real and relatable insecurities. They aren't magical paragons of self love who have somehow emerged unscathed after years of constant societal messages that knock them down or tell them they're "less than." Those messages exist and are acknowledged. The heroines grapple with them, and sometimes fail but sometimes find their way through.

The heroes fall for the heroines not just due to sexual attraction (though that's strong). They're also drawn to the women's senses of humour, kindness, and talents.

The workplace conflicts are serious business and ground what might otherwise tip toward the idyllic end of the genre spectrum. The characters make iffy ethical choices that could impact their careers and I find myself cringing as I read in a way that invests me in the story, making me hope it all turns out okay in the end.

A message of empowerment that balances internal and external forces. The heroines have moments where they find their strength on their own, and yet . . . that strength can be easier to find with love and support. We get a blend of personal journey and couple journey.

Wit. Williams is gifted with cute, funny banter and her dialogue is sharp throughout.

Supportive friends. I love the friend groups. Even while workplace dynamics or romances fall apart, the fab friends are always there. This base level of support builds a story about a community as well as a couple.

In specific, with TFWTF, I also enjoyed the message about exercise as fitness rather than weight loss. Having been a runner for many years, myself, I really related to Britta's journey to find physical strength alongside her journey to build her mental fortitude. The feeling of accomplishment every time Britta reached a new goal soared off the page. I also loved that the workplace rivalry was nuanced and the heroine had to overturn some poor assumptions, rather than have us see the rival as a cardboard cutout villain. And I loved that we got fat rep that includes both real trauma that reflects the world we live in but also tremendous joy and self-love. Often I find books tend to focus on one or the other, and the duality in this book is lovely.

It's a joyous, empowering read, and I closed the book with a big smile on my face.

Britta is trying to get a promotion at work by writing a story with her coworker. They are both trying to get a promotion from the piece and are trying out rival fitness apps to report on. Wes is the cofounder./owner of FitMi the app Britta is on. He decides he wants a change of pace and takes on a couple of clients, one of them is Britta. Soon the start chatting on a regular basis and find out they are both located in the same city. When Britta ends up needing help she messages Wes who finds her passed out in a stairwell. This is their first time meeting. Soon they both realize their feeling via chatting are the same in person but both aren't quite sure if they want to cross that line.

3.75 stars rounded up to 4!

How To Fail At Flirting was one of my favorite romances that I've read this year, so I was beyond excited to see another book from Denise Williams!

This book follows two MCs; Wes, the CEO of the FitMe app, and Britta, a reporter at a lifestyle website. Britta signs up for FitMe to write an article about the app, which advertises itself on overall wellness goals rather than weight loss goals. Wes becomes Britta's coach on the app.. and the rest is history :)

I think the premise of this story is fantastic - especially because I personally had to GAIN weight in my fitness journey as I gained muscle. I know firsthand that it's not what the scale says - it's how you feel!

I really enjoyed Wes and Britta as characters! Their dialog/banter was brilliant! I loved the nicknames they made for each other :)

My main two gripes (and why this is a 3.75 and not a full 4 stars) are:
1. Not enough spice!
2. Poor communication is my least favorite romance trope

Overall I do highly recommend this book!

CW: body shaming, addiction/substance abuse, brief mentions of disordered eating

Thank you to Berkley and NetGalley for the gifted e-arc!

❣️The Fastest Way to Fall by Denise Williams, for release November 2

“Britta didn’t plan on falling for her personal trainer, and Wes didn’t plan on Britta. Plans change and it's unclear if love, career, or both will meet them at the finish line.”

As with her debut, Denise Williams expertly melds swoony romance and humour with serious subject matter. The Fastest Way to Fall does such a wonderful job tackling the nuances of body positivity and references to drug use/alcoholism. It was such an amazing read!! ❤️

Here are just some of the things I loved about it:

🏃🏻‍♀️First, it gave me major How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes! This dynamic is like catnip for me. Excuse me while I go watch the movie immediately.

🏃🏻‍♀️I rooted for Britta from page one. She’s super confident in herself, yet honest about her moments of insecurity. I think so many readers will connect to her journey!

🏃🏻‍♀️Wes is an adorable and supportive hero. I really appreciated the richness of his backstory re his relationships with his mom and sister. This backstory went a long way in helping me understand his motivations.

🏃🏻‍♀️The digital correspondence between Britta and Wes was so charming and hilarious. The pet names guys. Top notch 👌🏼

🏃🏻‍♀️The sizzling slow burn!!!! 🔥 Denise made us wait for this one and let me tell you, the pining and all the build up tension was SO worth it!

If you haven’t already read her first book, How To Fail at Flirting, pick it up before this one comes out! You won’t regret it 😍 Massive thank you to Denise and Berkley for early access to this lovely ARC. I know you all will love this one as much as I do ❤️
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This book was addictive in the best possible way. I think Williams has found a niche in character driven romances, but this blows her first book out of the water ( and I thought that was one of my best books of 2020). I read this past my bedtime because I got so invested in the characters.

I wasn't sure what to expect with this, I was a bit nervous to be honest. Most plus size main characters seem lacking to me. They don't ever seem real, but she felt real. She was relatable, I could see myself in her and in her struggles. It was refreshing. Also, I'll take 5 of him. Thanks.

Denise Williams does it again.

And I’m not just saying that because I’m slowly forcing her to become my friend through frequent praise singing, use of mutual friends, and social media interactions.

When we went to lunch a few weeks back (subtle, Elisa), Denise mentioned that this book was a little like Block Shot by Kennedy Ryan in how it focused on self-love and pursuit of strength rather than weight loss. That is SO true.

It also reminded me of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days (one of my favorite movies) in how both parties are fulfilling work responsibilities throughout their connection. I love the premise it took, and how it wove in Jake, Naya, and other characters from the first novel.

Basically it’s just amazing.

I loved how developed both main characters were, and the natural progression of their connection. The dialogue is funny and heart-warming, and Britta’s growth in self-love was incredible. It’s a muuuuch slower burn than How to Fail at Flirting, but there’s a one bed scene that really helped the wait.

Awwwwww! This is freaking cute! I’m not crying! Certainly not! Nope! I think I got dust in my eyes! Okay, well, I got emotional a little but those are happy tears!

Oh Britta, you’re epic, you’re bold, tough, sarcastic, smart, entertaining, creative! I give everything to be your friend and follow your blog! And Wes, you’re sweet pie, you’re kind, romantic, gold hearted, sweet, selfless, caring! You’re exemplary book boyfriend!

OMG! I’m talking about characters as they are real people! But this is power of creative writing. Such a talented author like Denise Williams can write heartwarming, touching story can heal our souls and inspire us to love ourselves without self criticism.

The story starts like You’ve got mail meets Oh My Venus Korean Drama series with women empowering, anti- fat shaming messages and motivational perspective which fills our hearts with hope and recharging us with brand new self confidant energy.

Britta Colby works for life-style website as assistant, who’s pursuing her dream to become a writer but she get to compete with Clare who is another ambitious writer candidate working hard to get the position designated for only one person. They will collaborate to write about two different Fitness apps and share their experiences about the apps’ approach to the clients’ needs.

Britta chose FitMe app because this application focused on its customers’ health more than their physical appearances as Clare’s app focused on users’ bikini bodies and hotness.

Wes Lawson is the one of the founders of FitMe app but his backstabbing girlfriend Kelsey she’s dated for 6 years and planned to marry, left him to work for rival company. Now she tries to reconnect with him, confusing his mind.

And he’s dealing with his family issues: the addiction of his mother, his estranged sister who is suffering from eating disorder left without a word and he’s worried about her well being.

He needs a distraction. Maybe working with a client via FitMe, being a virtual coach can give him the distraction he needs. And when he reads applications Britta’s smart ass comments under the influence of red wine, something clicks. Their banters on emails move to the chat room conversations.

And after a sudden incident puts Britta’s heart into danger, they become more than strangers without faces. But both of them keep secrets: Britta literally writes about FitMe without knowing she has crush on CEO of the company as Wes is so close to cross the lines by dating with his client!

Could they keep things private? Could they have a chance after they learn to trust each other? Is there any way to form a relationship without ruining each other’s careers and personal reputations?

And eventually are they brave enough risk it all to be together?

I loved Naya and Jack’s story at How to fail at flirting but I loved Britta and Wes’ story more!

This book checks all the boxes for inspirational, motivational and feel good romance reading! Its message is clear and loud: we’re beautiful just the way we are and who cares what the others think!

Giving my five healthy, beautiful, self confidence, feminism, girl power, grabbing my running shoes stars!

Special thanks to NetGalley and Berkley Publishing for sharing this amazing reviewer copy with me in exchange my honest opinions.

A fun contemporary romance about learning about yourself, making peace with the past and falling in love.

Thank you so much to Berkley and Denise Williams for an advanced copy of The Fastest Way to Fall in exchange for an honest review.

Genre: Contemporary Romance
Pub Date: November 2, 2021
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

I have never felt as seen by a book in my life as I did while reading The Fastest Way to Fall. I feel like this book was written for me, about me, to me…the list goes on and on. I truly feel that Denise Williams wrote my soul into a book, and then gave me the best gift by allowing me to read it.

I’ve struggled with my weight for much of my life, a struggle that is very much individualized to me with specific triggers. I’ve only recently gotten a handle on my diet and my weight/eating triggers, and reading The Fastest Way to Fall, I just felt like Denise Williams understood me. Not only that, she gave me a character to look up to in Britta. Britta is strong, funny, interesting, gorgeous, engaged…all the things I need to read in this story. She is also insecure, second guesses herself, and needs some encouragement to believe in herself and her feelings. Basically, she’s a normal woman! :) I loved this character who conquered every goal she set, and I thought while reading, “who says I can’t be that way too?”

And Wes…oh so perfect Wes. On the surface, Wes IS perfect - he’s perfect looking, a great body, a great face, dresses well, has a successful job. He feeds (initially) right into the stereotype that a beautiful person has everything together. What I loved about Wes, though, is he is actually a mess emotionally. He has family baggage a mile long, and he is literally carrying the weight (and guilt) of the world on his shoulders. He’s guarded about his feelings, and he is determined to be a good man. He’s also fiercely protective of Britta, defends her when needed, cheers her on, and lets her take the moment in the spotlight when she needs it. The self-awareness he lacks in himself (at least initially) he helps Britta find in herself. Reading a character like Wes showed me the type of person I need in my life. Not only that, it showed me the type of person I am worthy of having in my life.

I enjoyed so much about this book in addition to the characters. I thought the plot was really well-developed, and I thoroughly enjoyed what can only be described as yearning between Wes and Britta for 2/3 of the book. The yearning between them almost felt tangible to me, and at times my heart physically hurt for them to be together. It was the down-in-the-Bones, soulmate, love of my life type of yearning that we all dream for, and it was written to perfection in this book. I can not get enough of Wes and Britta.

Denise Williams has given the world a gem with this book. Thank you thank you thank you for allowing me to read it!

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book was so cute! This is a rom-com style contemporary with a few spicy moments tossed in.

The first thing I really enjoyed about this book is that it is modern, trendy, and highly relatable to millennial-aged people. This makes sense as this is the target age range for this book. I also love that is featured modern-day themes such as body positivity, apps, internet trends, and more. I think a lot of people 18+ will be able to relate to this.

I thought the commentary on plus-sized bodies was great. As someone who has been “bigger,” I thought this was well-represented. I do think parts of this book could bring up bad memories to some people, so if food, weight, or exercise topics bother you, proceed at your own risk.

I loved that the main characters were flawed and well fleshed-out. Each character had unique situations and personality traits to help define them. Even with flaws, each character was relatable and likable. However, I kept getting a lot of the secondary characters mixed up.

There were a few things I noticed that could be a little better. For starters, I think this book could have been a bit shorter. There was a lot of back and forth with the main love interest, and I felt that not communicating was used as a lot device to make this more of a slow-burn romance. However, this was an EXTREMELY slow burn. I also felt the ending took a little too long to wrap up, but I understand why. I wish there were more smut scenes too!

I think that if you like a feel-good rom com, this might be worth checking out. I laughed several times throughout this story and I think you might enjoy it. This is set to be released November 2, 2021 so mark your calendars to pick up a copy if you’re interested!