"One daring to-do list and a crash course in flirtation turn a Type A overachiever’s world upside down.
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." -Book Blurb
The Review- 3 Stars
Did you read a trigger warning in there anywhere? Nope?! me neither. And that sunnies was ultimately what made me not love this book as much as others have. Don't get me wrong, it was not a bad book, hence I gave it 3 stars. But, it is my personal opinion that any book that deals with abuse, that be verbal or physical needs a trigger warning. Specially audio books (and I did listen to this one). If you have experienced abuse in your life, hearing the unkind stuff abusers say from a narrator will likely feel very unpleasant -or worse. The abuse is insinuated and talked about throughout the whole book, it is not something you can brush to the side. And towards the end there is an attempt rape by said abuser too. I don't mind reading that, sadly it is a real thing, but I was not in a mood for it and not prepared. Not cool.
Putting that aside, How to fail at Flirting had a good story. Naya had a lot of bad past baggage to deal with and all her actions -or lack thereof- where understandable. Jake was a sweet guy with a great sense of humor that anyone reading would love to meet in real life. Their chemistry was also on point. They complimented each other well.
The story, from their meet cute to the happily ever after, was put together nicely and it all made sense. Naya is a professor and her department might be facing the chopping block. Her handsome stranger just so happens to work with the firm contracted to advise on the university cuts. Jake handles it all maturely, Naya not so much. But it makes sense, her fears are real and I felt for her.
All in all I would recommend this one, but it has to come with a trigger warning. It is NOT rom-com, it is contemporary romance. There is a lot of sex too, but it is not as explicit as in erotica books... I confess that threw me off a little, it was a strange mix. So much sex wasn't needed (or just go for it and make it an erotica already!).
Find the book at: Inklings Bookshop - GoodReads
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