Is She Really Going Out with Him? is a delightful and heartwarming journey through the highs and lows of reentering the dating world—this time with two kids as your matchmakers. After a messy divorce, Anna Appleby has sworn off dating and settled into a comfortable, single life. That is, until her job as a columnist is threatened, forcing her to come up with a creative angle for her column: letting her kids pick her offline dates. What follows is a hilarious and heartwarming series of encounters that keeps you rooting for Anna from start to finish.
The author brings a perfect blend of humor and heart to Anna’s story. Anna’s dating experiences, ranging from awkward to downright cringe-worthy, are laugh-out-loud funny. The idea of her children, with their innocent yet surprisingly insightful matchmaking, adds a fresh and fun twist to the usual rom-com formula. Whether she’s asking out the mailman, a waiter, or even a celebrity crush, Anna’s willingness to put herself out there again is both relatable and inspiring.
The real strength of the novel lies in Anna’s character. She’s not just a disillusioned divorcée but also a loving mother, juggling the demands of parenting, work, and her own emotional healing. Her relationship with her kids is one of the novel’s highlights, full of warmth, wit, and a deep sense of love. As Anna stumbles through the dating world, the reader can’t help but cheer for her, especially as her unexpected connection with a romantic prospect begins to form in the most surprising way.
Though the book is filled with humor, the author doesn’t shy away from the emotional depth of Anna’s journey. Her struggles with vulnerability, the fear of heartbreak, and the challenges of balancing work, life, and love are portrayed with authenticity, making her a character you can really empathize with. The novel’s exploration of finding love after loss—both romantic and personal—is poignant without ever feeling heavy-handed.
The only drawback is that some of the dates and comedic moments feel a little too over-the-top, occasionally straying into predictability. While the setup is clever, certain plot points can feel a bit formulaic for seasoned rom-com readers. However, the overall charm of the characters, especially Anna, more than makes up for these minor quibbles.
Is She Really Going Out with Him? is a witty, heartfelt story that tackles love, loss, and second chances with humor and sincerity. The author's sharp writing and Anna’s relatable, endearing character make this a standout read for fans of rom-coms that offer both laughs and emotional depth. If you’re looking for a feel-good, entertaining romance with a fresh twist, this one’s definitely worth picking up!
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

4 ⭐️

Anna is a recently divorced journalist who finds herself writing about her dating life. She goes on several disastrous dates all while she and a coworker are falling for each other. Overall, I enjoyed reading about Anna and Will’s relationship. There were several parts that were funny and had me kicking my feet in excitement.


Thank you Putnam Books and netgalley for this arc!

This was such a delight! I was sweet, funny, emotional and heartfelt. I’m not married, nor do I have kids, and somehow I was able to connect with Anna in the best way. I read this in one sitting. I lost count at the amount of times I found myself smiling while reading. I loved going with Anna on her journey of healing, acceptance, learning new things about herself and allowing herself to be open to love. I even got emotional when Anna and Dan (her ex) had their heart to heart. I was not a fan of Will at first, and boy how I changed my mind about him. The way he calls her “Appleby” reminds me of how Alfie calls Emily “Cooper” in Emily in Paris. *swoons*

I loved …
The google search notes at the beginning of each chapter.
The Paul Hollywood dough videos made me cackle.
The kids picking out dates. It was probably one of my favorite things.
The kids’ personalities!
Anna’s relationship with her sister and kids.
The new friendships she made.
The cat named Katniss
Text foreplay
The banter between Anna and Will
The way Will paid attention to her even when she didn’t notice.
The archive room!
How Anna stood up for herself at work.

Tropes:
Age gap (she’s older!)
Workplace romance
Enemies to lovers-ish

I absolutely LOVED The Good Part, and was beyond excited when this book was announced. Thank you Penguin Books Putnam and NetGalley for this arc. All opinions are my own.

Ps. Sophie, we need Noah’s story!

This was very cute. I always know that Sophie’s books will be romcoms with a big heart and that is exactly what this was. I look forward to the next book she writes.

I really liked this one! It's a heartwarming rom-com about Anna Appleby, a newly divorced mom trying to rebuild her life while juggling work and single parenthood. When her job as a magazine writer is at risk, Anna pitches a dating column with a twist—her kids will pick all her dates, and she’ll only meet them offline. The story follows her awkward yet humorous dating experiences as she navigates co-parenting, her career, and rediscovering herself.

Though the romance, including an enemies-to-lovers trope with her work rival Will, is predictable, the real charm lies in Anna’s growth. Cousens blends humor, personal development, and family dynamics, making Anna’s journey of self-discovery both relatable and engaging. The kids, Jess and Ethan, add fun without dragging the story down, and the plot touches on finding love and courage after a failed marriage. While the romantic chemistry is a bit uneven, the book still delivers with light-hearted tropes like fake dating and happy endings, reminiscent of How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days—but with a family twist.

WHERE DO I EVEN BEGIN?
Well first, thank you Net Galley for the ARC 🫶🏻

This is my first book by Cousens & will DEFINITELY not be the last. I'm obsessssseedddd.

Prefacing this with the fact that I am 29, married with two kids. I do think this book would appeal more to women my age or older. HOWEVER, the overall themes & messages in this book need to be heard by ALL.

The relationship between the FMC & her children?
Absolutely beautiful. A perfect depiction of the fact that us moms are quite literally just doing our best.

THE ROMANCE THOUGH??? It is closed door & whereas I would foam at the mouth to get the dirty details, my imagination is perfectly in tact & I surprisingly enjoyed Cousens choice to leave out the spice. It is still DELICIOUS.
I cried multiple times during this read?? Happy tears, sad tears, all the tears.

6 stars.

This is my second Sophie Cousens novel. While I resonated more with her novel The Good Part, Is She Really Going Out with Him? is a wonderfully written romcom for those who want a second chance at love, whatever it may take. If dating apps, divorce, unconventional dating, age gaps, and co-parenting appeal to you (and all set in a charming English city), then Is She Really Going Out with Him? is the perfect novel for you!

Sophie Cousens, you've done it again! I felt giddy the entire time reading this heartfelt, adorable story. Will might now be a top five favorite book boyfriend, and the growth Anna experiences over the course of these 300+ pages is inspiring. Fans of Annabel Monaghan's Summer Romance will eat this book up. I certainly did. Thank you so much Putnam and NetGalley for my early copy.

Sophie Cousens does it again! Anna Appleby is divorced, with two kids, and no time for romance. When her office colleague starts vying for her job she's willing to try anything to keep her column. That anything becomes allowing her kids to pick who she has to date over 10 dates. Anna dates some interesting people and does some new and fun things, but will she be able to find love?

Really cute rom-com that made me laugh.
Anna is a journalist, mom and recent divorcee. She doesn’t take time for herself let alone romance. Work has recently become challenging as a male office rival is vying for her column. In an attempt to keep her column and job, Anna pitches an idea….seven dates chosen by her children. Her rival, Will, also takes on a similar challenge.
Anna’s dates take her on many new adventures. All of which involve meeting new people who become friends. Anna explores new opportunities and even love.

LOVED this book! 4.5 stars, rounded up.

Is She Really Going Out With Him is a breath of fresh air! This romance follows the messy, heartbreaking, joyful aspects of life and love after divorce. I loved watching Anna navigate her new world and new freedoms. Character development was strong in this book and the spice, while closed door, was good. Highly recommend if you are sick of reading yet another insta-love romance about 20-somethings.

Best Parts: The Banter. Rivals to Lovers. Character development.
Not-So-Great: Unfortunately, I don't think we were shown enough of the relationship to believe its going to last out of the 'honeymoon phase'. Some chapters got quite lengthy and I prefer my romance books short and sweet,

This was the first Cousens Sophie Sophie Cousens book I had read, and I definitely plan to read more.

Anna is a relatively recently divorced journalist and mother of two, and like many journalists has found her job to be on the chopping block. Far from eager, or even interested in beginning to date again, she comes up with an idea for running a column on dates found offline, selected by her 6yo son and 12yo daughter. She has a rival in the stereotypically gorgeous and apparently arrogant Will.

Let's put it this way....their editor Jonathan, when talking about one of Anna's dates says "Ah, enemies to lovers, my favorite trope."

I did enjoy who Anna's children came up with for her to date, and they made sense based on whom kids would even have had access to meet, and the wide variety of dates she went on. Anna was up front about the fact it was for a series of articles she was writing.

But, it's really all about Will.

I don't often read rom-com, so that it wasn't really more about the dates her kids were having her go in (and that not only were they not necessarily real dates, but that the weren't expected to go anywhere) was a bit disappointing to me. That being said, I only grudgingly put the book down, and continued to read it whenever there was a spare moment.

**I received a free copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.**

Ooohhhh I really liked this one.

The fight to save a local newspaper (and their jobs), the fight to allow oneself to be more vulnerable in her writing work and personal life, the building of a new reality after the divorce dust settles…all of it pulls the reader in by the heart and doesn’t let go.

People tend to see things through a certain lens, and it’s easy to assume everything is as you’ve been seeing it all along.

Getting nudged into opening your eyes a bit wider in order to see yourself and those around you more clearly can get uncomfortable, but can also be rewarding in so many ways.

I loved the way the dates helped Anna with this clarity. And how fun (and awkward) it was to have her kids being such an integral part of picking those date partners.

I loved how the relationship between Anna and Will progressed. The banter, the work they did together, the friendship, the spice.

This book was a heck of a good time.

4.5 ⭐️

“Is She Really Going Out With Him” by Sophie Cousens was such a fun read! Anna, the main character, is so relatable—I swear, there were moments I thought, “That’s something I would totally do.” The plot is a fun twist on the dating-for-an-article trope, giving off How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days vibes but with its own charm.

I’m a big fan of Sophie Cousens, and this one didn’t disappoint!

Is She Really Going Out With Him? by Sophie Cousens reminded me why I love romance books after feeling disconnected from the genre lately. Anna is such a relatable character, and seeing her rediscover her confidence felt both real and empowering. Cousens masterfully blends humor, heart, and the messy parts of life, making the story feel authentic and refreshing. The perfect balance of emotional depth and fun moments kept me hooked from start to finish. If you’ve been in a romance slump like I was, this ARC (set to release November 19, 2024) is exactly what you need to fall back in love with the genre!

Publication date: November 19, 2024

“Why is it always the biggest arses who have the most incredible arses?”

✨ Genre: Romance
✨ Steamy rating: Moderate
✨ Profanity: Moderate

Anna is adjusting to her new life as a single mom. Her ex-husband Dan has moved on with someone much younger. Anna’s job is also in jeopardy as her small town English Lifestyle magazine is struggling to make a profit. On a whim, Anna agrees to go on dates with men chosen by her kids and then write about the dates in the magazine. The catch is that her hot younger rival at the magazine, Will is writing a competing column about dating people online. This sparks an office rivalry and requires Anna and Will to work together more frequently.

Sophie Cousens has become an “auto-buy” author for me, and this is my favorite of her books yet. Anna and Will are both such lovable and comical characters. Their workplace banter is total office rivalry goals. They both struggle with the weight of family responsibility, which I found super relatable. I loved the English setting and print publication work environment. The side characters were written so well and also very likable and comical. This romance will melt your heart. I couldn’t recommend it more.

Triggers: divorce and misogyny

Thank you @putnambooks, @netgalley , and @sophie_cousens for the advanced copy of Is She Really Going Out With Him? I absolutely loved it! It’s Sophie’s best work yet.

This book was absolutely delightful! It was so cute and uplifting and witty, and it’s hard to not fall in love with the characters! Having Anna’s children pick the dates that she would go on was such a great twist, and I enjoyed the hilarity of those escapades while simultaneously watching her relationship develop with Will. This story really has the happiest of endings, and I loved how it turned out for all of the characters! 4.5 stars!

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in advance of publication in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a fun work enemies to lovers. Main character takes on a writing prompt where her children pick her dates. Super cute
Would encourage changing the “google searches” to
darker font as it was harder to see on the screen.

Anna is a divorced mom of two working as a columnist at a regional magazine in Bath, England. However, the magazine is seeing declining sales and new management is brought in to save the magazine. In an effort to keep her job and appeal to younger readers, Anna pitches a column where she will go on seven dates, all picked by her children. Will Havers is the younger ambitious columnist at the magazine, who pitches the idea to run a companion column to Anna's - he'll go on seven dates found online and they can compare their experiences. But what will happen when Anna realizes Will's true reasons for pitching the column?

This was a super cute workplace rom-com full of feel-good emotions. I've been a Sophie Cousens fan for years but this one might be her best yet. I loved how relatable Anna was whether she was struggling with her kids, struggling with imposter syndrome, or dealing with her complicated feelings about her ex-husband and his new relationship. And I love a good rom-com where the protagonist isn't an ingenue.

Overall: 4/5
Spice: 1/3

✅ Anna, 37, recently divorced journalist & columnist
✅ Anna is fighting for the survival of her column and decides to go on dates arranged by her pre-teen children and write about them
✅ I’m not going to tell you about the dates because that’s the whole point of this book. You’re going to have to read it
🌶️ yes-ish, they start on page and fade to black

Overall, this book is charming and fun and I highly recommend it.