Anna Appleby is a divorced mother of two and that's okay with her. She loves her children and her job, and she's perfectly happy single - just because her ex is dating again doesn't mean she needs to. Yet when her office rival, Will, starts making moves to take over her column, Anna knows she has to do whatever she can to keep it, and apparently that means dating. Pitching her idea was a bit of a desperate move, and the inclusion of her children choosing all her dates was not quite ideal, but the bosses love it so there's no going back. Through a series of first dates that range from awkward to disturbing to honestly not that bad, Anna slowly starts to do the one thing she never though she would, put herself back out there. But if she does find herself in love's path once more, will she be brave enough to give it another shot?

I really enjoy Sophie Cousens' writing and her ability to make her characters and their chemistry feel real. Anna is exactly who I wanted her to be, loving, intelligent, a bit frazzled by life, and damn good at her job. Following her through her dating adventures was delightful, her banter with Will was always a highlight, and the wonderful cast of side characters added so much charm to this already charming novel. Is She Really Going Out with Him? is a numerous and heartwarming read, and I already cannot wait to see what Cousens has in store next.

Thank you to Putnam Books and NetGalley for the digital ARC in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are my own.

All the stars! I loved every minute of this book!
If you like romcoms, especially 90s classic rom coms like me, you will love this!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for providing an ARC for review.

I really enjoyed this breezy, unique romance novel. Anna is a writer at a magazine that is facing a takeover and cutback. To gain readership, she lets her two children play matchmaker and then she writes about her dates. There is an impressive cast of characters, and of course there is a main love interest that starts out as an enemy. The plot was so much fun and I would highly recommend to any contemporary fiction or romance fans. I look forward to reading more by this author!

This charming and witty novel follows Anna Appleby, a columnist who, after a painful divorce, has sworn off dating. But when her job is on the line, she pitches a daring idea: let her kids pick seven offline dates for her. What follows is a delightful mix of awkward encounters, unexpected sparks, and a heartwarming journey of self-discovery.

Cousens' writing is both funny and relatable, capturing the chaos of modern dating and the courage it takes to open your heart again. Anna's journey is full of humor, love, and the importance of taking chances, even when it's scary. Is She Really Going Out with Him? is a feel-good read that reminds us that love can find us in the most surprising places.

thank you to netgalley and putnam for the arc.

this is my second sophie cousens book and i am a big fan. i love the realness she writes about, it helps me to feel connected to the characters. i appreciate the romance and closed door aspect. sometimes it’s nice to have a break from smut. this book had me giggling at the banter between the FMC and MMC. all around a really fun read.

recommend? yes.

I really enjoyed this rom-com. The characters are funny and interesting. Anna is recently divorced single mom attempting to keep her journalism job by making a new dating column with her office rival Will. Will is likable and thoughtful MMC. I enjoyed getting to know the characters and side characters. The banter is great. Anna finding herself after divorce is heartwarming and you want to root for her. Some of the “dates” for the column get a bit much, but it is a rom-com and fits with the theme and overall vibe of the book. I would recommend this book.

*Divorced single mom
*office rivals
*small town
*online dating
*dating after divorce

Thank you NetGalley, Sophie Cousens, and Penguin Group Putnum for an advanced digital copy of this book.

It was a humorous and fast-paced read. I particularly liked how the characters developed throughout the story.

Is She Really Going Out With Him? By Sophie Cousens
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5

Anna is still reeling from her recent divorce as her ex is quick to move on and move in with his new girlfriend while she's still trying to figure out who she is outside of her marriage and motherhood. Life gets more complicated as her coworker, Will, seems to be vying her for column, causing Anna to pitch a series chronically her dating life... as chosen by her children. She quickly finds herself being more outgoing, trying new things, and figuring out what she enjoys.

I loved the many facets of this story. While primarily a romance, it also explores grief, personal growth, self-acceptance, and working towards your goals. Anna's character arc was so relatable and realistic. She stumbled, and she backtracked and tried to figure out what would make her happy and how to ask for it. My only qualm about the entire book was the way the way it ended. I wanted more vengeance for Anna with her ex... which says more about me than the book.

5⭐️ Oh my gosh, I loved this book! It completely surprised me. I was not expecting to fall in love with so many characters - least of all Will. The way the story develops was PERFECT. Character development - BEAUTIFUL. The ending was predictable but this sappy romance reader loved every second. Oh, and the last paragraph made me burst into tears in the best way possible. Now I need to go back and read Sophie’s other books!

3 ⭐️

Synopsis: Lifestyle journalist Anna is post-divorce and finds herself having to fight for her column with newcomer Will. When a new company swoops in and demands a change to her column, Anna finds herself having to go on dates with men her children select for her. Can Anna save her column and her job? Can her children help Anna find another happily ever after?

This was a cute and quick read. I was pulled in from the beginning and, despite having to suspend my disbelief a few times (apparently every man in Bath wants a chance to go on a date with Anna - no one said no!), I enjoyed this book. The characters are good and the circumstances, while a bit over the top at times, kept me reading.

If you’re looking for a fun, light romance, this is a good one to pick up.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam Books for an advanced copy of this book.

Remember (shudder) Dating?

Absolutely delightful, from the retro "Leader of the Pack" title*, through all of the ridiculous, yet every day, situations a mother can find herself in, this tale of starting over from The Middle hits all the right notes and kept me laughing. From the British novelist, Sophie Cousens, about a divorced mother of two coming to grips with herself, career, kids, and...dating once more. <--NOT something I hope to ever face again!

*(For those of you not familiar with 60s rock music, find a YouTube rendition of The Shangri-Las tuneful hit. Quite a different ending from the book.)

same procedure as every year…
I LOVED IT! ✨🤌🏻

As soon as I started this book, a modern family reference caught my eye. This was the moment I just knew I will love it.

I don’t even know where to start, but this book had it all: entertaining and deep side plots (work, family, self-development, love, & more) as well as awesome jokes (I did giggle out loud) and really well-pictured scenes (I struggle with imagining book content, however, here it worked!)

As in her previous book, she wrote absolutely adorable children who got to pick out Anna‘s dates for her column at work. Everything was described really realistically because Anna never had it easy in her family-work-love chaos.

Moreover, I can confirm the behavior of her ex-husband who is a triathlon addict, because I am one myself haha.

To me, it‘s fascinating how she wrote so many different men as Anna‘s dates. None of them resembled the others.

Coming to Will (*blushing face*): I am a sucker for enemies-to-lovers stories because I adore the sarcasm. Of course, all my hopes were fulfilled with this book. I can‘t believe what kind of shift Will revealed during the story.

However, I was kept in suspense until the very end (*goosebumps*). And it was so worth it!!

All in all, this beauty gave me all the feelings and I would not only recommend it to you but also read it again ✨

P.S.: Jane Austen fans will devour this book <3

Thanks to NetGalley and Putnam Book for this ARC!

Well, I thought I knew all when it comes to romance and comedy and love but alas, Sophie Cousens proves me wrong and I devoured this in a single sitting (ok I was on an airplane but STILL). Newly directed and in her late 30s, Anna is relatable and normal and just trying to get through her fractured life as a single working mom (she is a journalist). Then we meet Will- her smoldering co-worker but he is younger and crisp and perfect and Cousens makes it clear that Anna is kind of messy and these two don’t mix. Then Anna gets an assignment to write a daring column but plot twist! Will writes a parallel column from a man’s POV. Then so much happens- there are crazy dates, drinks, a tattoo (didn’t see that coming and now I want one?), two weekends away with so much tension I’m surprised my kindle didn’t ignite in flames, and ahhhhhhh- trust me: read. This. Book.

Thank you putnam for the e-arc!

Sophie does it againnnnnnn! This book is funny, the children in it are top notch and the characters are just so dang relatable.

I laughed so hard throughout the book, especially at the beginning of every chapter reading the different searches. Anna is me, I am an Anna. I have read other books with a single mom FMC, and I found it so hard to relate to them because I am not a mom. With Anna, I think you can relate to her as a mom, as a single girl, or just a person trying to date in your 30s.

So much happened in this book and I loved every part of it. At the beginning of this year, I told myself I wanted to find a community, and while Anna and I had different approaches (although I AM INSPIRED), I love that she found a community/found family by putting herself out there and doing things she wouldnt normally do.

I liked Will a lot, and I could see right through him right from the beginning- no fooling me Havers (I also love tht she calls him that).

I normally don’t love workplaces romances but I loved this one. It really worked for me 🙂

I’m sad this one is over and I have to wait for another book by Sophie, I need more!!

I adored this book! Might be my favorite Cousens book yet... though they have all been good and worth reading. Anna and Will are pitch-perfect characters with well-written, witty dialogue. Totally relatable, believable *spoiler alert* love story. These are people I would want to know, could envision knowing. Cousens writes characters you root for and fall in love with.

LORD THIS WAS SO CUTE. The tension was *chefs kiss* adorable. Only Sophie Cousins could write a single divorced mom romance that I actually enjoy and that didn’t feel patronizing. My only complaint is WHERE WAS THE SPICE, SOPHIE, WHERE WAS THE SPICE??? Closed door ain’t for me.

This was SUCH a delight! Thank you Netgalley and GP Putnam's Son for the ARC!

This follows Anna Appleby, a magazine columnist, mother of two kids, and a recent divorcee. While reading this, it gave me similar vibes to Summer Romance by Annabel Monoghan with a dash of The Hating Game by Sally Thorne. It was funny, sweet, swoony, and witty. I absolutely loved Anna's characters and the relationship with her kids. I am such a sucker for single mom romances especially when we really get to explore their relationships with their kids. When you're a mom, you're kids come first and I loved those moments with her children!

Will and Anna's relationship felt so fresh and I was so giddy for them from their first interaction! I loved their development throughout the entire story. Hearing about their respective dates and getting to read about Anna's was so fun and brought something unique to the story.

I adored this novel and would definitely recommend! This is something I could easily see being a rom-com on Netflix or something!

This book made me laugh so much. The back and forth is so witty and fun. I loved every character! Will and Anna were perfect and the side characters were just as good. I really enjoyed her dates and how they led her to learning more about herself and opening up. I could have kept on reading!

Is She Really Going Out with Him? follows a 38-year-old recently divorced single mother of two as she navigates large changes in her personal and professional life. In order to attract younger readership, she is forced to write a new dating column alongside her younger, attractive colleague with the premise of going on 10 dates with men selected by her children. Some of the best romance tropes are involved: fake dating, one bed, enemies to lovers. As a young single woman, I have been surprised by the amount of romance about recently divorce women that I have been charmed by.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Is She Really Going Out With Him? By Sophie Cousens is another one of her hits in my book! I’ve loved all her other books and this one is no exception. The book is about the main character’s children picking her dates for her and it is funny and heartwarming. I highly recommend it!