4.75 stars

I’m on a roll right now with good books and this was another to add to it. Love a loathe-to-love workplace romance but add in a divorced single mother and a younger man? Yes please! I think seeing a second chance at a new love for people who have gone through a previous marriage is really important but also to see that she was happy on her own too. A new love wasn’t a necessity, it was a bonus. And also to see her and her ex grow into a better co-parenting relationship was nice, of course it still being fairly fresh it started off rough but that was a nice character arc for them. Overall I really enjoyed this, all of her dating mishaps were hilarious (yet a terrifying look at the dating scene maybe?). My only qualm is I felt some things were maybe not touched on with the MMC especially with having possibly dated multiple women in the office prior?

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC!

✨”The baggage we carry isn't a bad thing; it is our substance, our history, the experiences that make us who we are.”♥️✨

This cute work rivals romance was slow at first. I found the FMC to be so cynical and rough-around-the-edges that it was hard to enjoy the story. However, about 40ish pages in, I started to see how her current situation was creating this new person, and that she was exiting a season of life while entering a new one. The FMC was going through a transformation throughout the book and that was very heartwarming to see at the end.

I would recommend this book to those interested in the following tropes/romance aspects:
♥️work rivals-to-lovers
♥️he falls first and harder
♥️age gap romance
♥️sarcastic and comical FMC who is down on her luck
♥️life after divorce
♥️single mom finding love
♥️grand romantic gestures

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Penguin Group Publishing, and author, Sophie Cousens, for the opportunity to read an eARC in exchange for my honest review.

I really enjoyed reading this book. It was funny and gave me all the feels. I loved the banter between the main characters. I love a good rivals to lovers book. And, can I just say, Will Havers is yummy!

This book is an easy read that leaves you with a smile. The HEA is the cherry on top but also the relationships and growth along the way leave the reader feeling hopeful. This quirky read made me think of all the classic rom-coms I watched growing up.

My favorite Sophie Cousens yet: a feel good rom com about a divorced magazine columnist who writes a column about dating men picked by her kids. A cozy, hopeful book perfect for when you need a comfort read. While this featured a lot of character growth for our FMC, like all Sophie Cousens books, the romance felt more front and center than in her other works, which I preferred.

I have really enjoyed all of Sophie Cousens' books. She's become an auto-read author for me and I always look forward to her new releases.

This was a fun concept. Anna is a 38-yr-old divorced mom of two. She hasn't dated since her divorce, and doesn't have a real big desire to do so. But when her job as a journalist seems to be on the line, she goes outside her comfort zone and agrees to write a column about how it is to find dates in real life and her kids will pick her dates. Her colleague, Will, will write about the online dating world.

While this certainly has strong romantic elements and a romance storyline, I'd say it leans heavier on Anna's journey finding her groove in life again. It was nice seeing her get more and more comfortable stating her wants and making her voice heard. And making her life more how she wants it, as opposed to just accepting what is.

I think it's pretty clear early on who her main love interest is, and I loved his character. He was so sweet and supportive once the walls of misunderstanding were down.

Speaking of misunderstanding, there was a lack of communication and many assumptions between our two love interests. A lot of heartache could have been avoided had these two just sat down and had an honest conversation with each other. But alas, that would likely make for a much less interesting book.

Also, this book is all fade-to-black and closed-door, but it was still so sexually charged! I don't know how to explain it. The chemistry and tension and pull between these two characters was so strong. I think this book is a great example of how a romance (or any genre) does not need to have explicit or descriptive sex scenes in order to still have that electricity between two characters.

Overall, another great one from Sophie Cousens!

Thank you to NetGalley, Putnam Books, and PRH Audio for the ARC/ALC.

This was a delightful and quick read from bestselling romance author Sophie Cousens. I have read several of Sophie's books and this has her familiar writing style dazzled with heart and humor. I thought the premise of children picking out dates for their mother was a premise straight out of a movie, and so this book gave me 90s rom-com vibes. With that being said, I still think my favorite book by Sophie Cousens is probably The Good Part. Still, this book is cute and swoon-worthy!

As for the audiobook, I enjoyed the narration by Kerry Gilbert. If I could describe her narration in one word, I would use the word cheerful. I am not sure if I have listened to other books narrated by Kerry in the past, but I would definitely look for more books narrated by Kerry in the future.

Thank you again to NetGalley, Putnam Books, and PRH Audio for the ARC and ALC.

This is one of my favorite reads of the year! I’ve read a few books by this author and none have let me down. I loved Anna as a character. I enjoyed watching her rebuild her life post divorce and finally prioritizing herself. The dates she went on were hilarious and it was exciting to watch as she did new activities outside her comfort zone. The romance between Anna and Will was wonderful! It was slow burn with an enemies to lovers dynamic. The tension and their approach to navigating a relationship with an age gap kept me hooked. I’m excited to see what this author comes up with next!

I have come to expect happy, feel good romances with a happy ending from Cousens and this one did not disappoint. I loved the story of Anna and Will. I loved the journey that Anna went on and how she discovered what she needed and who she is. I will say I felt it could have been a little shorter and still accomplished this. Some of the dates became boring and unhelpful. I also wish there would have been a bit more talking and listening between the MCs. I felt like it all came together fine but I would have liked to see them really understand each other. I felt like what Anna needed in the relationship wasn’t really discussed. Overall, though, this was a sweet and fun read and I will keep reading Cousens’s books!

Thanks to NetGalley and Penguin Group for an eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts.

I’ve read a couple of Sophie Cousens’ books before and was so excited when I saw this one pop up on NetGalley! This sweet rom-com follows journalist Anna as she ventures back into the dating world after her recent divorce in an effort to keep her column unique and interesting - and safe from her work rival Will. The twist? Her two kids are responsible for picking out her dates.

This was such a fun, unique read! I loved watching the dates unfold on the page and seeing Anna make friendships with people she never expected. Her kids added a great balance of humor and seriousness and I loved how their personalities really popped on page.

Read this if you like:
Single mom
Workplace rivals to lovers
Age gap
Banter

Thank you to @netgalley and @putnambooks for the ARC!

I’m not a fan of romance but I’ve found a new favorite author. I loved this one. As soon as I finished this I bought the authors complete backlist. It was a really cute story but with depth. Anna is a divorced mother and columnist. In order to keep her job, she agrees to go on dates that her children pick for her and write about them for her column and she finds love in a coworker she previously thought was arrogant. I love all the characters, They all have a story. So many people looking for connection. It’s also funny. Each chapter starts with Anna’s most recent search history and it’s hysterical and really adds to the story. I just loved this one. Highly recommend especially if you like Katherine Center and you want a romance but with more substance to it.

The relatability wrapped in such witty humor had me devouring this book while hoping it didn't end. I've had Sophie Cousins on my TBR for quite some time & I am so glad I finally knocked her off my list with this one.

Is She Really Going Out With Him is about divorcee & single mother Anna Appleby as she navigates single life while writing about it for her local paper where she is a journalist. She's competing with her office rival, the attractive & frustrating Will Havers, to stay relevant while rumors of impending changes are coming to her paper - so what does Anna do? She proposes a unique column: seven dates all chosen by her children.

Anna's story is hilarious, emotional & also felt very realistic. Her navigating her feelings - from her divorce, to how she feels trying to date again, to her openness of potential love - was refreshing & relatable. This is a closed-door spice novel but with the chemistry between her & Will, I didn't feel like I was missing anything. I loved this story from beginning to end. Anna's dating hijinks had me giggling, the evolution of her relationship with her ex was a nice subplot, the way her children brought such humor & heartwarming moments - and then the love story with Will was just wonderfully woven throughout Anna's self-discovery journey.

This truly is a story about a woman finding herself again but she also finds love in the process. I absolutely recommend this to all romance lovers and will definitely be reading Sophie Cousins again.


💖 Rivals to Lovers
➶ Single Mom
📎 Workplace Romance
❣️ Reverse Age Gap
🇬🇧 British Banter
🚪 Closed Door Spice
💕 FMC POV

Reporter Anna is at a turning point in her life. Her ex-husband is moving on and her new dating life is beyond stale. On top of that, her job as a relationship columnist is being threatened by golden boy reporter, Will. But she seems to have stumbled upon a solution to all of it: have her kids pick out her dates and gear her column to that.

This was such an amazing book! My top read for Cousens! Here's what I loved:

Anna and Will: I adored both of them. There is a reverse age gap (she's in her late 30's while he's just 30) and I adore that trope. It works really well here too. They are both so well suited for each other, which they see once they stop ignoring their chemistry.

Anna's kids: She has a teenaged daughter and a young son. Both added so much to this book. One, they are a good comic relief. But on top of that, their interactions with Will are perfect. Plus you get a side story about the daughter and her school friends that really grounds the story.

The dates: And there were many of them. And all of them are pretty disastrous. But they are also hilarious.

All in all, this was a perfect British romcom and a top read of not only the year but for Cousens.

Thank you to the publisher and author for the gifted copy!

I was excited to receive this as an ARC! This was my first Sophie Cousens. After hearing amazing things from other people, and absolutely loving this book, it will not be my last.

This book made me laugh out loud multiple times, from the very first scene--looking at you, Patrick E!! The humor added levity to what could be a heavier topic (divorce, sharing custody of children, dating again). Enemies to lovers trope has me in a chokehold, could not get enough of the romance between the FMC and MMC.

If you couldn't tell, I was obsessed with this book and highly recommend!!

This book gave me all the butterflies! Loved this sweet rom com by Sophie Cousens. The premise is a realistic based single mom trying to find herself (and maybe find love again?) while staying afloat in her job and life in general. The fun twist is that she agrees to only go on dates which her kids set up for her. Lots of laughs and realistic looks at being a single mom and moving on, this was such a heartfelt, feel good story (and the addition of the handsome antagonist didn’t hurt!) Highly recommend, as this was such a joy to read. This is only my second Sophie Cousens book but now all her back list is going on my TBR.

Thank you to NetGalley and Putnam for the opportunity to read this advanced copy.

Pure escapism:
exactly what is needed
on a week like this.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


I write haiku reviews but am happy to provide more feedback.

This book is so cute!!! Is She Really Going Out With Him? is the perfect combination of heartfelt and funny. Sophie Cousens captures the reality of modern dating, in an entertaining yet sophisticated way.

The main character, Anna, is very endearing, and I loved her growth throughout the novel! My favorite character (by far) was Will - he is the most dreamy book boyfriend! I also enjoyed all of the side characters. Each one of them felt fleshed out and I could easily picture their interactions with Anna.

This book reads like a movie and I think will appeal to a wide audience!

Sophie Cousens knocks it out of the park again with the heartfelt and funnly Is She Really Going Out with Him?

Anna Appleby, newly divorced mom of two, is a lifestyle columnist for a local Bath magazine. When they are bought out by a media conglomerate, there are talks of consolidation and layoffs. On top of this insecurity her work rival, Will, seems to be vying for her column--undercutting her at every turn.

Anna is pressured by the new owners to skew "younger" and "more relevant." In that vein, she enters the pure horror of online dating. When her kids joke that they need to set her up with people in real life, the execs love it! As she begins meeting, dating men, her work rival continues to give unsolicited feedback and "flirt?"

The plot pulls Anna from her depressing Bath home into the world of her neighbors, school acquaintances, random encounters, and coworkers. With great wit and heart, we see Anna fall back in love with herself. This book has so much heart and character!

Thank you NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the advanced copy.

Thank you, Penguin Group Putnam, for an advanced copy of this book!

Sophie Cousens never fails to deliver a charming and heartfelt story, and Is She Actually Dating Him? is no exception. With all the best tropes—enemies to lovers, rediscovering yourself after a breakup, a quirky newspaper article on dating in your thirties, and the complexities of divorced parents sharing custody—this book feels familiar and fresh. It's the kind of romance that hits all the right notes while offering something new and thoughtful.

I especially loved that the protagonist, Anna, is an older character, a rarity in the romance genre. Starting over after years spent in a relationship is no easy feat, and Anna's journey of rediscovering her identity and happiness felt incredibly relatable. Many readers will see herself in her struggle to put her needs first, especially when she's spent so much time trying to make others happy.

Anna's children were another highlight of the story. Each one had a unique personality and storyline, and I was impressed by how well-developed they were. They felt like real kids, grappling with the complexities of life after their parents' divorce and showing that they, too, are figuring out who they are in the midst of it all.

The chemistry between Anna and Will was electric from the start. Their interactions had me hooked, and I adored their evolving relationship. While the story hits some familiar beats, the well-rounded, endearing characters and their personal growth keep it fresh and engaging. The plot may have been predictable, but the characters' willingness to grow and change made it all the more enjoyable. Their journey felt authentic and full of heart.

One of my favorite touches was the clever inclusion of Google searches at the beginning of each chapter. They were hilarious and added a fun, lighthearted touch to the book—definitely, a detail that made me smile!

Is She Actually Dating Him? is a delightful, feel-good read with plenty of humor, heart, and romance. I loved every moment and highly recommend it to anyone looking for a brilliant, fun story about love, second chances, and finding your way.

I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I loved reading about Anna's journey to picking herself back up and regaining her confidence after navigating a rocky divorce as a single mom. Her journey was satisfying. The tension and chemistry between her and her workplace rival, Will, was off the charts and SUCH a good slow burn. Overall this was just a really fun blend of humor, love and real struggles.