From the publisher:
A LibraryReads Pick
A hilarious love story about a disillusioned divorcée who agrees to let her children play matchmaker.
Columnist Anna Appleby has left her love life behind after a painful divorce. Who needs a man when she has two kids, a cat, and uncontested control of the TV remote? Besides, she’d rather be single than subject herself to the hell of online dating. But her office rival is vying for her column, and no column means no stable source of income. In a desperate attempt to keep her job, Anna finds herself pitching a unique angle: seven dates, all found offline, chosen by her children.
From awkward encounters to unexpected connections, Anna gamely begins to put herself out there, asking out waiters, the mailman, and even her celebrity crush. But when a romantic connection appears where she least expected it, will she be brave enough to take another chance on love?One of Bustle’s Best New Books of Fall 2024
One of BookBub’s Best Books of Fall 2024
One of Nerd Daily’s Most Anticipated Books of 2024
One of SheReads’ Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2024
One of LitHub’s Ultimate Fall 2024 Reading List
One of theSkimm‘s Most Anticipated Books of Fall 2024“Another bright and gratifying love story from Cousens. . . . She tackles the enemies-to-lovers trope with characteristic humor and thoughtfulness, while injecting it with complex characters and realistic situations.” —Library Journal (starred review)
“[Cousens] delivers another refreshing novel that takes readers on an unexpected journey…Through a series of chaotic, charming, and surprising rendezvous, Anna begins to find herself again. . . . Complete with a cast of well-developed and memorable characters, Cousens expertly weaves together themes of self-discovery, romance, motherhood, and friendship, resulting in a rich story that is engrossing to the end with high appeal to women’s lit readers.” —Booklist (starred)
“Cousens has a well-earned reputation for writing delightful love stories, and this one more than delivers. The enemies-to-lovers chemistry between Anna and Will is both believable and steamy, and Cousens deftly plays with rom-com tropes while crafting a journey of self-discovery in the wake of divorce. It’s also refreshing to read a slightly older heroine—Anna is in her late 30s, an age that often seems nonexistent in romances—with an established life, career, and children. A supremely satisfying love story with all the charm readers have come to expect from Cousens.” —Kirkus Reviews (starred)
Cousens writes reliably excellent stories, and this is no exception. Anna is in her late thirties, divorced, a mom of two, and works as a columnist for a local homestyle magazine. Like most print magazines, this one is in trouble, and there is a new owner in town. He wants more clicks, more likes, more social engagement, and Anna fears her column may be cut. Then her work nemesis, Will, offers up his own idea for a column to replace hers, and Anna’s competitive streak blooms. They each commit to writing personal columns about their dating life.
Will is a few years younger than Anna and drop-dead gorgeous. He is known for his regular hookups with a different girl every week. Anna hasn’t been on a date since before she was married. A couple of co-workers help create a profile for her on an online dating app, but the dates are horrible. When she mentions that her son wants to fix her up with a classmate’s divorced dad, her new boss jumps at the idea, and a new column is hatched; Anna’s kids will find her six dates from the local men in their community, and she’ll write about them. While these dates aren’t fabulous, Anna is making new friends at least and trying new things.
Will tries to help, although she doesn’t see it that way. But when he books them a weekend getaway at a camp where phones are banned and they stay in the woods, Anna finds herself falling for Will. The weekend is a big success, until a family emergency calls Anna home.
It’s an enemies-to-lovers romance, with a lot of laughs along the way. The setting in Bath, England adds some interest as well, but it’s the characters that truly drive this story. If you enjoy a fun romp of a romance, don’t miss this one.
11/2024 Stacy Alesi, AKA the BookBitch
IS SHE REALLY GOING OUT WITH HIM? by Sophie Cousens. G.P. Putnam’s Sons (November 19, 2024). ISBN: 978-0593718902. 368p.
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