Scan barcode
spellbindingtomes's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘭𝘥 𝘸𝘢𝘴𝘯'𝘵 𝘴𝘱𝘭𝘪𝘵 𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘰 𝘶𝘯𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘺 𝘦𝘯𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘢𝘱𝘱𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳 𝘢𝘧𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘴. 𝘛𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘸𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘭𝘦𝘴𝘴𝘪𝘯𝘨𝘴 𝘦𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺𝘸𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘴𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘦𝘴 𝘰𝘧 𝘫𝘰𝘺 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘢𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘯𝘥 𝘩𝘪𝘮. 𝘌𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘺 𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘥𝘦 𝘴𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘴𝘢𝘷𝘰𝘳𝘦𝘥.
The second in the Brown Sisters standalone trilogy focuses on Dani Brown, whose number one priority is her career. Love and romance? That's not even on her list of things to achieve in life.
It took me awhile to like Dani's character, but I really loved her focus and intelligence. She's ambitious when it comes to her career but cynical when it comes to love. I really felt Sorcha's frustration with her. Dani definitely made me want to yell out the title of this book to her a couple of times.
Zaf stole my heart from the moment we find out he, a former pro rugby player, reads romance novels 🤍 He has a grumpy exterior but deep down is gentle, sweet, and attentive, especially when it comes to Dani. His grief was so raw and heartbreaking and I thought the way Talia handled his fears and anxieties was well done.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦’𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵.
Just like in Get a Life, Talia knows how to create spicy romantic tension. The build up was just so good 🔥🔥 I appreciated that she also emphasized the importance of validating all types of feelings, that being vulnerable is not at all a weakness, and that a person shouldn't change who they are in order to make a relationship work.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦.
Highly recommend this if you like:
🔮fake dating
🏉friends to lovers
🔮anxiety rep
🏉banter and chemistry
🔮he falls first
The second in the Brown Sisters standalone trilogy focuses on Dani Brown, whose number one priority is her career. Love and romance? That's not even on her list of things to achieve in life.
It took me awhile to like Dani's character, but I really loved her focus and intelligence. She's ambitious when it comes to her career but cynical when it comes to love. I really felt Sorcha's frustration with her. Dani definitely made me want to yell out the title of this book to her a couple of times.
Zaf stole my heart from the moment we find out he, a former pro rugby player, reads romance novels 🤍 He has a grumpy exterior but deep down is gentle, sweet, and attentive, especially when it comes to Dani. His grief was so raw and heartbreaking and I thought the way Talia handled his fears and anxieties was well done.
𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘣𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘮𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘭 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘩 𝘸𝘢𝘴, 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘭𝘥𝘯’𝘵 𝘵𝘢𝘬𝘦 𝘢 𝘤𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘴𝘦 𝘰𝘧 𝘢𝘯𝘵𝘪𝘣𝘪𝘰𝘵𝘪𝘤𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘣𝘦 𝘮𝘢𝘨𝘪𝘤𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘺 𝘩𝘦𝘢𝘭𝘦𝘥. 𝘚𝘰𝘮𝘦 𝘱𝘦𝘰𝘱𝘭𝘦’𝘴 𝘣𝘳𝘢𝘪𝘯𝘴 𝘫𝘶𝘴𝘵 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘳 𝘧𝘦𝘭𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩 𝘰𝘳 𝘩𝘶𝘳𝘵 𝘵𝘰𝘰 𝘮𝘶𝘤𝘩, 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘩𝘢𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘴𝘵𝘢𝘺 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘰𝘱 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘢𝘵.
Just like in Get a Life, Talia knows how to create spicy romantic tension. The build up was just so good 🔥🔥 I appreciated that she also emphasized the importance of validating all types of feelings, that being vulnerable is not at all a weakness, and that a person shouldn't change who they are in order to make a relationship work.
𝘞𝘩𝘢𝘵 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘨𝘦𝘵 𝘰𝘶𝘵 𝘰𝘧 𝘣𝘦𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘭𝘰𝘷𝘦𝘥, 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘴𝘶𝘱𝘱𝘰𝘴𝘦𝘥 𝘵𝘰 𝘣𝘦 𝘸𝘰𝘳𝘵𝘩 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦. 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘯 𝘪𝘵'𝘴 𝘨𝘰𝘰𝘥, 𝘪𝘵 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘦𝘴 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘸𝘢𝘯𝘵 𝘵𝘰 𝘤𝘰𝘮𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘮𝘪𝘴𝘦.
Highly recommend this if you like:
🔮fake dating
🏉friends to lovers
🔮anxiety rep
🏉banter and chemistry
🔮he falls first
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Death of parent, Car accident, and Death
Minor: Body shaming
mabellene's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders and Grief
Moderate: Infidelity, Mental illness, Car accident, and Death of parent
Minor: Body shaming
theverycraftyvegan's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I have loved this series by Talia Hibbert! Dani and Zaf were the perfect mismatched couple with Zaf loving too easily and Dani’s heart being walled up and untouchable. And the ending of this one had me swooning!
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Cursing, Grief, and Sexual content
Moderate: Death of parent, Death, and Car accident
Minor: Toxic relationship, Fatphobia, Infidelity, Islamophobia, Gaslighting, and Body shaming
zadsavage's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Moderate: Cursing, Mental illness, Sexual content, Death, Death of parent, and Grief
Minor: Body shaming
behindherpages's review against another edition
emotional
funny
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Infidelity, Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Grief
Moderate: Gaslighting
Minor: Car accident
daniellesharp's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
5 stars, 3 spice
bisexual MFC
Muslim MMC
fake dating; friends-to-lovers; friends-with-benefits-to-lovers
bisexual MFC
Muslim MMC
fake dating; friends-to-lovers; friends-with-benefits-to-lovers
Content Warnings
Moderate: Grief, Panic attacks/disorders, Body shaming, Car accident, Death of parent, and Sexual content
lex_is_bookish's review against another edition
emotional
funny
reflective
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
Content Warnings
Graphic: Panic attacks/disorders, Mental illness, and Sexual content
Moderate: Car accident, Toxic relationship, Death, and Death of parent
Minor: Racism, Slavery, Misogyny, and Body shaming
emily_mh's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
This was an enjoyable romance with lots of sweetness and domestic moments. Admittedly, fake dating isn’t my favourite trope but it was done so well here, I think because the MCs were friends beforehand and all their loved ones were clued in.
Dani and Zaf had palpable romantic chemistry - I was never left in doubt of that for a second. Their romance (and the book in general) was paced so well so that every stage of their connection made sense. I think what helped with this was again the fact that they were friends before the book even started.
But what I love about this series is that both MCs have more going on than the romance and they undergo so much development. Zaf is figuring out how to stop being afraid of his grief so that he can remember his father and brother without feeling scared. He’s also working at making his charity Tackle It the best it can be, and on managing his Generalised Anxiety Disorder. Dani was such a dynamic MC. Her development is centred on her self-worth, but at the same time the narrative shows how much she loves herself and how confident she is. I loved that Hibbert showed how both situations can co-exist. The story also explores Dani finding a healthier relationship with her work, and I loved that this was Dani’s decision, not something she felt pressured into.
The female relationships are so strong within this book. Dani’s one with her sisters is so natural and loving, and I appreciated that she doesn’t sacrifice time with them for time with Zaf. Both Gigi and Inez Holly take on kind of mentor roles with Dani, so I loved that she had support from older women. Sorcha was such a great best friend to Dani because she pushed her and called her out, but never in an unloving or inconsiderate way, and they got to practice religion together. I also love how Dani handled the situation with her ex-friend. The women in Zaf’s life were stellar too. I loved how Zaf treated Kiran as if she were his blood sister, and how they supported one another. Zaf’s mother was funny and I loved that Fatima was so close to her uncle, and like Sorcha with Dani, pushed him to be his best.
Finally, I appreciated that the third-act breakup comprised of both of them messing up. It worked much better because I think just one character grovelling can change the dynamics of the relationship.
I’ll end this review with my favourite quote from the book: “The trouble was, building a conclusion based on irrelevant or unreliable sources never worked. And when it came to Dani’s worthiness, the only source she should really value was herself.”
Rep: Black bisexual MC who is also a witch, Muslim British-Pakistani MC with GAD, lesbian (word not used, gay used instead) minor character of the global majority (ethnicity not stated), Muslim British-Pakistani SCs
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Cursing, Confinement, Panic attacks/disorders, Grief, and Mental illness
Minor: Murder, Fatphobia, Car accident, Acephobia/Arophobia, Antisemitism, Injury/Injury detail, Blood, Vomit, Infidelity, Fire/Fire injury, Misogyny, Sexual harassment, Infertility, Body shaming, Alcohol, Medical content, Racism, and Slavery
Moderate: one extended HP reference (derogatory) + one minor HP reference, loss of a loved one Minor: toxic masculinity, menstruationelia_elizabeth_'s review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.5
Content Warnings
Graphic: Body shaming, Sexual content, Fatphobia, Car accident, and Death of parent
glass_carousel's review against another edition
emotional
funny
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
Content Warnings
Minor: Body shaming, Fatphobia, Death, Car accident, and Death of parent