This was my first Sophie Cousens book, and it definitely won’t be my last! I absolutely loved it! The premise of the book was so unique, I don’t think I have ever read a rom-com with the same plot line.
Anna is a newly divorced 30s journalist with two kids. When her struggling magazine decides to push her column in a different direction, Anna finds herself writing about her non-online dating adventures, with her dates being chosen by her children.
I loved the character development of Anna, how she pulls herself together after her life is upended by divorce. I also loved the real life aspect with her children and their struggles.
The book was funny, clever, unique, and romantic. The love story was done perfectly.
I really enjoyed it, and will now begin reading through the rest of Sophie Cousens’ books.
Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced reader’s copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This is my second Sophie Cousens book. Great read! I really enjoyed it. I loved the "realness" of this book. Anna finds herself in a chapter of life she never thought she would be ... divorced in her late 30s. She decides to navigate the dating waters through dating sites, but quickly finds out that isn't for her. The next step in her new chapter is semi-forced upon her via her job as a journalist. My favorite part of the book was how when Anna opened herself up she realized that she had a great support system around her. She also learned the valuable lesson that not everyone is as they seem. I would consider this book as cracked door. There is spice, but not graphic. This will not be my last Sophie Cousens book.

Thank you Putnam Books and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book!

1⭐️ - DNF at 26%

I just simply couldn’t get into this book. To me the writing felt rushed and childish considering the POV is a middle aged divorced mother of 2. There was one scene that I can only describe as “written by my 60 year old mother who is trying to seem funny and cool to her Gen Z kids” and it just ended up being cringey.

I didn’t get far enough to see how it would play out but the two main characters that I assume are going to end up together just do not seem to have anything in common or any chemistry whatsoever. Even the basis of the “workplace rivals” and reasons why she doesn’t like him doesn’t feel genuine and none of it feels believable.

I honestly just couldn’t bring myself to read anymore. I thought this would be up my alley and the idea seemed fun and cute but it ended up just giving me second hand embarrassment from the scenarios that play out in the book.

4.75

I think this was the best romance novel I have read so far this year! It was so funny, clever, and heartwarming all at the same time. I loved the premise of the divorced mom going on dates that her children pick for her, it was very original and fun to read about. Of course, it was clear who she would end up with in the end, but the crazy way her dates went was hilarious to watch unfold.

I loved the characters in this story, they all added something to the plot and helped move it along. Anna's children didn't feel too young for their age (as often children are written) and her sister Lottie was a fun presence to have. I enjoyed the fact that Anna was middle-aged, as she was mature in her actions and didn't do any of the silly things that younger protagonists sometimes do. It was also a fun detail that her ex's name was Dan Humphries

As I mentioned previously, each of her 7 dates were hilarious to read about--the wildest things went wrong and it was so funny to experience secondhand. Anna was so likable that I was rooting for her to find someone decent, but the situations she found herself in were so funny and made me laugh multiple times while reading the book.

Overall, I highly recommend this to any rom-com lovers! It had that rom-com feeling, like it was a classic, heartwarming movie but at the same time, still original. I truly think this was my best romance of the year (so far), and will definitely consider bumping it up to 5 stars.

I really enjoyed this book about love found in the most unexpected places. I really enjoy how Sophie Cousens writes about romance, it feels honest and real. All of her books are love stories but told in different ways so I never feel like I'm reading the same book twice.
Anna is a journalist, newly divorced, and trying to navigate her new normal. When her job is threatened she pitches a column where her kids pick her dates for her as she "gets back out there". As Anna goes on interesting dates she learns more about herself and what she wants, both alone and if she finds a new partner. Enter Will, her gorgeous but annoying co-worker. An enemies-to-lovers-ish love story but told with heart and realness.
I loved Anna, she felt real and her struggles were told with honestly and respect. I loved how Will was also a multi-dimensional character; Anna's original impression of his is proven to be wrong and he has depth. Their love story also felt real and I enjoyed how, at the end, they are still working on their relationship. We don't see everything wrapped up in neat bow but they're still both happy and in love.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC of this book.

This novel, filled with heart as newly single Anna navigates the dating world as a divorcee with two kids is laugh out loud funny. The characters are extremely likeable, even with quirks and grumpiness, and Anna’s perspective and the situations she gets herself into are hilarious. However, she is a smart, competent person, so the humor is never derived from her screwing up.

Anna writes for a magazine in Bath, and I really enjoyed the setting descriptions. The enemies to lovers trope is engaging and humorous because of all the bantering. In addition to the romance, we are engaged by other events in Anna’s life such as the future of her print journalism job and her kids’ issues. All characters are fully developed, and so the reader cares about them.

I would have loved this book just on the story and characters alone, but Cousens starts each chapter with a list of Anna’s Google searches. They all relate to what has transpired in the previous chapter and are just hilarious.

3.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️✨️

Was a fun, quick read!

The Google searches had me tempted to search them myself! 🙃

Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for this ARC! 🥹🩷

I find Sophie Cousens writing is so so good..i have read 2 other books by her there were really enjoyable.. but this one is a very intresting plot were you let your kids pick your date. Anna journey was very relatable.and noah was very grumpy i still love him. thank you net gally for the arc copy . cute romcom

This was a cute, easy read. The characters were really likable and I was invested. I wish the friendships Anna made were focused on a little more, in the end they were, but I think this was the best part of her reinvention. Overall, I enjoyed it.

This was a funny, enjoyable, emotive, and all around fantastic romance read. I loved Anna and Will as main characters, along with the entire cast of characters in this novel. I loved the dive into Bath and its culture, and just the deepness of the relationship the two MC's developed for each other. I loved the incorporation of Anna's kids into the plot of the novel. Highly recommend for romance readers who just want an all around feel good novel.
Thank you NetGalley & Putnam books for the ARC!

Anna Appleby is ready to tag out of an exciting life. Still recovering from a divorce, it seems that the best of life is over and she should be content with enjoying her kids and her job. She has no interest in dating or adventures. However, her column at work is in need of some pizzaz. In order to help save her company, she endeavors on a challenge to date men her children pick for her. This leads to some great (and not-so-great) adventures that open Anna up to the fact that she had been numbing out. Can Anna find happiness again? I wasn't sure about this book, but I decided to read it because I love the author. In the end, I was blown away by this one. It is a must read!

I loved this book so much I wish I could erase that I've read it and go back and read it again immediately. I laughed out loud twice before the first 10% and knew we were off to a good start.

Anna was such a likable, relatable character and I haven’t even gone through a divorce but I FELT what she was going through. The characters had depth, the banter was fun, the dates were hilarious and I loved her children. I didn’t want this book to end, it seriously warmed my heart and I am going to buy a copy on its publication date!

Thank you to NetGalley and Penguin Group Putnam for the advanced copy of this ebook in exchange for my honest review.

Publication Date set for Nov 19, 2024

Anna is a divorced single mom of 2 brilliant children. She works as a journalist at Bath Living writing a column which is put in jeopardy because the new folks in charge don’t like Anna’s typical angle. A pitch gone wrong has Anna writing a column alongside her nemesis Will Havers. Somehow Anna’s children end up in charge of her dating life and she and Will have to coordinate their column themes. At first it seems like Anna’s worst nightmare, but maybe there’s something to putting yourself out there and experiencing new things. And maybe Will’s not as bad as Anna originally thought.

I want to start by saying I am a huge Sophie Cousen’s fan and was delighted to get this eARC. This story is a bit out of my usual reading wheelhouse, I tend to stay away from kids, but I felt compelled because Cousen’s is one of my favorites. I had a hard time connecting with Anna’s character in the beginning. She was a bit annoying and quite negative. I wanted to put the put down several times due to my dislike of Anna. But I didn’t because Cousen’s is an amazing writer and I just had to know what happened next. She kept me on my toes and laughing out loud even when I wanted to yell at Anna to get over herself. And it was worth it. Anna’s character arc was quite the work of art. She started going after what she wanted and letting go of her anger. And by the end of the book I forgot I had disliked her in the first place.

If you like books about single mom’s getting back into the dating world that are laugh out loud funny and incredibly romantic this book if for you! Cousen’s has a talent for keeping it real and writing complex female characters. Thank you G.P. Putnam’s Sons NY and NetGalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you Putnam Books & Netgalley for the advance reading copy. I instantly fell in love with Anna and could completely identify with where she was in life. This gives "The Hating Games" meets "How to Lose a Guy in 10 days" vibes and I'm here for it! Will is a sensitive and carrying man who you can't help but root for. Some of the scenes in this novel had me gasping or laughing out loud. Definitely a book to add to your winter TBR list 😍

In this newest book from Sophie Cousens we follow the story of Anna Abbleby, a recent divorcee and mother of two she is struggling to find her way as she navigates her life at home and at work. She works for a local publication and agrees to write a series on dating, where she goes out with people her kids pick for her. This results in some funny and interesting experiences, as you would expect.

First, I absolutely loved the setting in Bath, England. Having visited a number of years ago I felt she really captured the magic of this special city. I loved joining the characters to revisit some of my favorite spots including The Roman Baths, The Circus, Mr. B’s Bookstore and The Holburne Museum. The nods to Jane Austen through the book were wonderful, another high point for me.

Where this book really excelled for me were the side characters. By the end I had fallen in love with so many of them, they really added to the story and I appreciated each of them and what they brought to the story.

I thought Anna’s journey to find love made sense, but there were some issues for me along the way. The story wrapped up well and that last chapter was perfection. As a big fan of her past books, I was very excited to receive the approval email to read this book. Overall, I really enjoyed it and recommend it highly.

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons for the gifted ARC copy provided through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. This was such a clever and fun read, and a great twist on the traditional rom com. Love the story line where the main characters’ kids could set her up. Even though the plot was obvious, it was a very fun read.

You know a book is good when you finish it in a day and immediately want to reread it—which is exactly what I did with this book.

Sophie Cousens just keeps getting better and better. Her writing is hilarious, relatable, charming, and thoughtful. (Sometimes I wonder if she’s writing her books for me, specifically?)

In this story, Cousens’s heroine is a late thirties divorcee who finds herself writing a dating column about getting back out there. It’s a classic rom com setup, but it’s the way Cousens uses this vehicle that makes this book really special. In each of her dates, Anna learns a little about herself, about what she wants out of life and out of a relationship. You can feel Anna reconnecting with her personhood and her womanhood in this story in such a powerful way.

And of course, because it’s a Sophie Cousens romcom, there’s a swoony hero there to help Anna along the way. (Can I order one Will Havers, please?)

Seriously, I loved this book. Low spice, but high romance.

Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for giving me an eARC to read and review!

Thank you #netgalley for the ARC of this delightful and fun novel. I loved the depth of the characters, the humorous banter and the main premise of dating for an article. 4/5 stars, would definitely recommend for a fun summer read. (Mostly closed door.)

Invested in Anna's journey from page 1!

•Mum of 2 navigating life post divorce
•Journalist trying to stay relevant turns to a 'friendly' workplace competition
•Competition with rival coworker, Will
•Dating again, the old fashioned way, the kids pick the dates!
•Will is giving “Mr. Napkinhead” (iykyk)
•Build Me up, Buttercup 🎶

Thank you Sophie cousins, Putnam Books, and NetGalley for the eARC!

Stop what you are doing and read this book! Sophie Cousens just keeps getting better and better! She creates characters that are easy to love with witty banter that makes me laugh out loud. This one is a tale of two journalists and it is so much more than just the enemies to lovers trope. Cousens does a fabulous job of creating vulnerable, raw, genuine characters that readers feel invested in. I want to be friends with everyone in this story. I am going to have a book hangover after this. I am already ready for her next book!