Review: How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams
How to Fail at Flirting was one of those books that I saw the cover of and immediately needed. I knew it was a book I’d love and I’m happy to report that it did not disappoint! It only exceeded my expectations.
This book has everything I want in a romance: a dreamy love interest, an independent female protagonist, and a dash of something more—in this case, a character who is moving through the trauma she experienced in a past relationship.
We were so happy to have the author, Denise Williams, on Read It Or List It! She is the real deal and talking about her book with her brought Ashley and I so much joy. Thank you to Berkley Romance for my advanced copy of How to Fail at Flirting! All thoughts are my own.
Synopsis: “When her flailing department lands on the university's chopping block, Professor Naya Turner's friends convince her to shed her frumpy cardigan for an evening on the town. For one night her focus will stray from her demanding job and she'll tackle a new kind of to-do list. When she meets a charming stranger in town on business, he presents the perfect opportunity to check off the items on her list. Let the guy buy her a drink. Check. Try something new. Check. A no-strings-attached hookup. Check...almost. Jake makes her laugh and challenges Naya to rebuild her confidence, which was left toppled by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Soon she's flirting with the chance at a more serious romantic relationship--except nothing can be that easy. The complicated strings around her dating Jake might destroy her career. Naya has two options. She can protect her professional reputation and return to her old life or she can flirt with the unknown and stay with the person who makes her feel like she's finally living again.” —From the publisher
What I Liked:
The Character of Naya—I loved that Naya was a professor! It was such a fun perspective to read. I also loved being in her head as she worked through the trauma from her relationship with Davis. The small nuances, things that we wouldn’t necessarily think of as triggers, are really important for people to read if they have not experienced intimate partner violence. It’s even important for those who have to read, to see themselves represented and to know they are not alone.
Max—Max was a dreamy delight! As we say on the podcast, I didn’t find their connection to be cheesy or unbelievable because Max was such a sweet character. All of his actions made sense!
The ARC—I loved the arc the characters experienced together that we do not move on from trauma, but rather move through it. I think that Max and Naya provide the right amount of support and fun for each other while they experience real love and partnership for the first time in their adult lives.
What Didn’t Work:
This is VERY small, but I simply wish that the content warnings were shared at the beginning of the book. This is a publishing issue, not an author issue.
TW/CW: intimate partner violence, scenes that depict this violence, mention of infidelity
Character Authenticity: 4.5/5 Steam Rating: 3.5/5 Overall Rating: 5/5