Reviews with content warning for Domestic abuse - How to Fail at Flirting

This was a surprisingly deep book, as the fmc is dealing with the trauma and after effects of an abusive relationship while also trying to start a new romance. From my non-survivor perspective, I thought it treated the issues well, and with accuracy. All the trigger warnings though, we really are in her head as she is trying to cope.

Single POV, 1st person, fmc. Fmc is Black/mixed, mmc is white.

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lucyhargrave's review against another edition

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emotional tense 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? It's complicated

3.0

This was hard to rate because its a very quick and easy read but it covers some serious and dark topics - namely dosmetic abuse. The heroine, Naya, is still emotionally and mentally recovering from a previously abusive relationship when she meets the hero, Jake, and of course that has an impact on her developing relationship with Jake. Then her previously abusive boyfriend Davis comes back into her life and immediately starts the toxic behaviour from before. So I enjoyed it, I liked Jake and Naya as a couple - their relationship without all the external issues was easy and natural. But I doubt I'll re-read it due to the dosmetic abuse storyline.

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chrissybandy's review against another edition

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4.5

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vklanang's review against another edition

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3.75

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cbranche's review against another edition

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challenging emotional reflective sad 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? It's complicated

5.0

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shaynicole's review against another edition

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emotional lighthearted medium-paced

Plot- or character-driven? Plot
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? It's complicated
Diverse cast of characters? Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

3.75

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kfmcf's review against another edition

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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

4.25

MAJOR CW for gaslighting, emotional abuse, and a toxic relationship

I read this way back in '21 when I was first getting into contemporary romance as a genre and thought it was pretty good. Honestly, reading it again, I really enjoyed it. I think in my last read, I had just come off of reading some of my all time favs (The Kiss Quotient, PYMoV, etc.) and it warped my views of the book a bit.

I really enjoyed the chemistry of the two characters and what they were dealing with. I appreciated the single POV as we really were able to invest in time with Naya and understand what she was feeling with Jake and appreciating him as a character (though...I don't know why the name Jake just doesn't work for him imo for some reason).

Normally when I see characters communicating over text or email or whatever I skim really hard, but the interactions between Naya & Jake over text was fun and cute. I don't know, friends, something about these two just hit for me rn.

The drama with Davis gets a little over dramatic and he was cartoonishly evil at some points, but having gone through an emotionally abusive relationship myself, sometimes it is just like that.

I'm reading The Fastest Way to Fall and Technically, Yours right now for book club and I'm...not happy there was a shift from single POV. I think Denise Williams is stronger in single based off of this book, but I'll reserve judgment for those books until I'm finished.

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