I almost did not want to finish the book because the beginning was so slow and a bit boring. I liked the enemies/rivals to lovers trope with how Grace and Eric are both against each other to get this promotion. However, I was annoyed with the whole miscommunication between Grace and Eric. Grace was a bit annoying and insecure throughout the book and I didn’t like reading her. I feel there should be “more” between the main characters. The book picked up toward end of the book but I was not impressed by the ending. Overall, I didn’t think this book was for me.

Thank you NetGalley & Avon and Harper Voyager for this ARC for an honest review!

I really enjoyed this romance debut! I loved the banter between Grace and Eric, and I absolutely loved the premise of the book as well! The dynamic between the two main characters was fabulous, and I loved the enemies-to-lovers and workplace rivals tropes in this as well. I also really liked the dating app aspect! The side characters were also really great; I especially loved Iris. I thought the romance was very well done, and Grace and Eric were both pretty realistic characters. Overall, I would completely recommend this book, and I can't wait to see what Annabelle Slator writes next! :)

Meet Grace Hastings, our go-getter marketing manager at Fate, your "fairy tale" dating app. Her dream job sours as she loses her finance, her boss starts treating her more like an assistant, and her career growth is slow-moving. However, once she is offered a once in a lifetime career opportunity she must battle her biggest rival, Eric Bancroft. He is charming, well-off, and your typical socialite. To obtain this opportunity, Grace must work with "Bancroft" to create unique one of a kind dates and go on them as a classic couple! As they attend these dates and become closer, they realize they may be better matched then they originally thought!

Let me just start by saying, I ate this book up! I don't typically enjoy enemy-to-lover tropes, especially when they legitimately cant stand each other at the beginning. However, I did enjoy this one. It was definitely a slow burn romance and I lived for the little moments of their dates, her injury, and helping his sister. There was a good banter; however, I do wish the "miscommunication" that ended their initial friendship was brought up earlier on. I feel it had a little "he fell first" action and I am obsessed with that. I find Grace relatable with her ambition and self doubt with the little mantras spread throughout. I loved Eric! Overall, I did enjoy this book and would recommend to others!

4 stars / 5 stars

Thank you so much to NetGalley and Annabelle Slator for an advanced readers copy of this book! :)

A very solid romance! Really wish it was duo-POV, but overall the banter and the tropes really make it worth reading.

This is another huge release week! And a book about dating apps on Valentine’s Day felt appropriate haha. A romcom debut, The Launch Date follows Grace Hastings as she works at popular dating app Fate—except her job has turned Ito a nightmare, but an opportunity for a promotion becomes everything she could ever dream of. But it comes with a catch: she has to develop and test a series of “first dates” with her competition—and work rival—Eric Bancroft. So I loved the dates, I loved the concept, some of the story though felt a little too similar to The Hating Game. I thought the banter was fun, and again, I had a lot of fun with their dates. Eric and Grace have great chemistry and I was hooked on their story. They have a history that slowly unravels that I thought was really engaging, and I love how they challenge each other. And Grace’s friends are wonderful. It’s a great support system. The dating app job was also a cool spin to the story and it just added more fun to this rom com. I will say there was a B plot regarding Grace’s ex that just felt overdone and unnecessary. I think Eric and Grace—and just Grace herself stood really well without that going on. I do love it’s a rivals to lovers/workplace romance. I would’ve loved Eric’s POV, but that’s just my preference for rom com lately, but The Launch Date is a charming debut. It’s steamy and funny, and it’s just a fun read all around.

Thanks to NetGalley, the publisher and the author for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book.

3.5 stars rounded down
Cheers to this debut author! Great banter, lots of funny moments. Slow burn romance though - VERY SLOW. The beginning didn't pull me in; it wasn't until at least 25% that I was fully engaged. That, and the epilogue was so disappointing. What happened in that year and a half? I wanted more. Grace annoyed me for a good part of the story because she was such a door mat but I loved how she grew a backbone (mostly thanks to Eric) in the second half. Eric was pretty much your perfect book boyfriend. I would definitely read more from this author.

3.75 ! Annabelle Slator’s The Launch Date is a witty rom-com that combines workplace rivalry, modern dating cliches, and a journey of self-discovery. Grace Hastings, stuck in a stagnant career at the dating app Fate, is handed a golden opportunity: lead the launch of a new IRL dating app. The catch? She must team up with her charming yet infuriating rival, Eric Bancroft, and test the app themselves. Their hilariously awkward dates—from competitive cooking classes to hiking disasters—highlight their undeniable chemistry, making their transition from rivals to lovers a delight to read.

Slator’s sharp dialogue and engaging characters are the heart of this debut. Grace’s relatable mix of ambition and self-doubt makes her easy to root for, while Eric’s playboy charm hides unexpected depth. Together, their slow-burn romance balances tension, humor, and tenderness. Beyond the banter, the story thoughtfully explores the disconnect between curated online personas and genuine connection, adding depth to the humor and romance. Themes of self-worth and rediscovering confidence further enrich the narrative, making it more than just a love story.

While the middle section shines with energy and wit, the pacing stumbles in the slower beginning and end, making the book feel overly long in parts. A tighter edit could elevate this from a solid read to a great one. Still, The Launch Date offers plenty of laughs, heartfelt moments, and swoon-worthy romance. It’s a fun, insightful take on modern dating culture that will leave readers entertained and smiling.

Thanks to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyager for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

Grace and Eric work for the same company but do marketing for different dating apps. An opportunity rises for something new and both of them are in the running for the promotion. They're currently not on friendly terms after a fall out of their friendship. We see how the current situation plays out as well as seeing into the past and how they got to where they're at now. Eric was a great book boyfriend. I enjoyed this story.

Many thanks to NetGalley & the Publisher for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

Slow-Fast-Slow is how I would describe this book. It really dragged at the beginning and end, but the middle was super fun and speedy. I think about 75 pages could be cut out and this book would really shine. There's good banter and numerous lines that made me chuckle. Well written, fun tropes, just a little issue with the pacing and length.

The Launch Date was okay. I liked the concept of the book. I enjoyed the workplace competition and the "work" dates between Eric and Grace. The dates were a nice way to create forced proximity and re-develop the main character's relationship. Eric and Grace had a complicated relationship. I thought the author could have explained their history better. The big miscommunication between them felt too drawn out. There were several instances throughout the story where things weren't clear. Some paragraphs would start off without a scene being set. This led to some confusing and jarring reading moments. I liked Eric and Grace's relationship, especially their banter. I liked that Eric was vulnerable with Grace. Grace's character could be frustrating at times. She didn't own up to her feelings and lacked a backbone. I understand wanting to please people; however, Grace took it to another level. I wanted to yell at her to stand up for herself with her boss and William. The side characters were a hit or miss. I'm not really sure what Eric's mom added to the story. I wanted to see development with that little plotline (perhaps cutting her off?). I found the pacing subpar. Some points felt fast and exciting while others felt too slow. I personally thought this book could have been a little shorter. I did find the ending perplexing. Eric and Grace spent the whole book developing a campaign for their promotion to only leave the company 18 months later? Despite having some things to pick out about this book, I would give this author another shot. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon for the ARC.

Based on the preview I was really expecting some over the stop snarky banter between the two MCs. They have a wonderful falling in love story but this book just fell short for me. I was bored for a while and really had to force myself to keep reading. This book is LONG!! The last quarter of the story was better but the end was a bit off.
Overall, it was just ok.

Annabelle Slator’s *The Launch Date* is a sharp, witty rom-com that takes workplace rivalry, the chaos of dating apps, and the ever-relatable struggle for career validation and turns it into a laugh-out-loud and deeply satisfying story. With its irresistible enemies-to-lovers dynamic and a fresh take on modern romance, this debut is perfect for fans of *The Hating Game* and anyone who has ever wondered if love might be better off-screen than online.

The story centers on Grace Hastings, a talented but disillusioned employee at the wildly successful dating app Fate. Between a manipulative boss, a stagnant career, and a crushing breakup, Grace is questioning everything—especially the very idea of true love. When she’s offered the chance to lead the launch of a groundbreaking IRL dating app, it feels like a dream opportunity to turn things around. But there’s a catch: she has to team up with her infuriatingly charming, socialite work rival, Eric Bancroft, and test the app themselves.

What follows is a hilariously awkward series of “dates” that forces Grace and Eric to step outside their comfort zones and, more importantly, confront their assumptions about each other. From disastrous hiking trips to dangerously competitive cooking classes and steamy yoga sessions, their chemistry crackles with every interaction. Slator nails the banter, delivering rapid-fire dialogue that feels effortless and electric, making their transition from rivals to reluctant allies to something more feel both inevitable and deeply satisfying.

Grace is a relatable and engaging protagonist, her mix of ambition, self-doubt, and dry humor making her easy to root for. Eric, with his playboy reputation and surprisingly thoughtful demeanor, is the perfect foil, challenging Grace’s views on love and connection while revealing unexpected depth of his own. Their slow-burn romance unfolds with just the right balance of tension and tenderness, ensuring readers are hooked from start to finish.

What makes *The Launch Date* stand out is its insightful commentary on modern dating culture. Through Grace and Eric’s journey, Slator explores the disconnect between curated online personas and genuine connection, reminding readers that love often blooms in the most unexpected places—like yoga mats or work rivalries. The narrative also touches on themes of self-worth and rediscovering one’s confidence, giving the story an emotional depth that complements its humor.

The pacing is perfect, with each chapter offering a blend of laugh-out-loud moments, heartfelt revelations, and romantic tension. Slator’s writing is fresh and vibrant, filled with clever observations and vivid descriptions that bring Grace and Eric’s world to life. The quirky, high-stakes workplace setting adds a unique flavor to the story, keeping the stakes high and the drama entertaining.

*The Launch Date* is a rom-com with heart, humor, and heat—a delightful debut that will leave readers smiling and swooning. Annabelle Slator has crafted a love story that feels both timely and timeless, celebrating the messy, unexpected, and wonderful ways people find each other. Whether you’re here for the witty banter, the slow-burn romance, or the insightful take on modern dating, this is a five-star read that you won’t want to swipe left on.

For this being a debut novel…bravo and encore! I can’t wait to see what else she puts out there!

Eric and Grace have the most satisfying back and forth between friends to enemies to friends to lovers back to friends and back to lovers and then some! I loved loved loved reading every minute of this book.

Spice level at. 2/5 but the scenes were super yummy and very well written. I love when I can feel my heart rate kick up just from reading a book.

The ending was so good too!!! Thought it was so cool that the author got her inspo from working at Bumble!! Get this book when it comes out!!!

Alas!!! I wanted to love this so much. I understand it was marketed specifically to fans of The Hating Game, and for good reason––The Launch Date is essentially The Hating Game but in a different font, and with far less romantic tension. For all The Hating Game's issues, that book can feel *electric,* which is what makes it work. I think Slator is a promising novelist, and I hope her next book feels more ~fresh.~

I absolutely adored this London based rom com full of enemies to lovers vibes, incredible tension and chemistry between the MCs and so much heart it had me smiling the entire time. Grace is so relatable and I loved spending time in her head - from her struggles to assert herself at work to figuring out who she is both in and out of a relationship, I loved it all. Eric is so funny and dreamy, and I really enjoyed the narrative style of flipping between the current timeline to trying to figure out what went wrong between them. I read this in one sitting and genuinely enjoyed every second - perfect for fans of Emily Henry, Beth O’Leary and Abby Jimenez.

This book had me feeling giddy and invested in the characters lives. I loved it, couldn't put it down, five stars. Amazing dialogue, well written and the type of story that I search for, the ones that suck you in and make you forget everything else.

The book is about two rival coworkers that have to work toguether on a project that could land one of them a much needed promotion.
They work for a firm that owns several dating app and are about to launch a new one and people are matched based on the date they want to experience. Ofcourse our main characters have to test some of the dates and report back. But these two have a recent history that was the catalyst for their mutual dislike.

To tell you that they have chemistry is not enough, I felt chemistry and tension with the book itself. Can't rave enough about it. I want more.

I love enemies to lovers and workplace romance, however I didn't feel this book had a ton of depth to it. Not my favorite, but certainly not the worst. I enjoyed the little bit of banter and the spice was spicy. But didn't feel there was much more to it.

This was a cute workplace romance debut. It’s not so much enemies/rivals to lovers though, and it’s better described as a miscommunication to lovers. I liked both of the characters but just wanted them to talk to resolve the issue they were both beating around the bush at. I wish there would’ve also been a little more rivalry when it came to the actual fight for the job they are both up for, and felt the lead up to it was a little lackluster. Overall, I enjoyed it.

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

Workplace rivals, Grace and Eric, must work together to launch a new dating app, but only one of the will end up as Head of Marketing. The other catch? They have to trial all the dates for their presentations.

This book very much gave me The Hating Game vibes. The banter between Eric and Grace was playful and witty.

I wasn't a huge fan of how self-depricating Grace was. I wanted to give the girl so many pep talks, but at a point it was hard to root for her. I was a bigger fan of her by the end when she found her spunk.

This book is for those who enjoy workplace romance, enemies to lovers, and a bit of spice.

Thanks to NetGalley, as well as Avon Books and Harper Voyager for this ARC. All views and opinions are my own.

This debut novel took me by surprise in the best way possible! I really loved this one!
The workplace rivals to lovers / slow burn that I needed. The chemistry between Grace and Eric leapt off the page. The tension was high!!
I loved all the various dates and the hilariously funny mishaps during them.
The slow burn was definitely burning slow, but it definitely was worth the wait. Can we say "one bed"!
Overall, this was such a fun, quick read. I look forward to more from this author in the future.
***Thank you to NetGalley, Avon, and Harper Voyage for the opportunity to read this e-ARC for my honest review.***