If you've been feeling down lately (so literally everyone), then allow Talia Hibbert to make you feel better - if you haven't already! I realise I'm extremely late to the party, but if you're a fellow late party-goer then pick up a copy, stat! I'm still not sure how I feel about the steamier parts of romcoms being read out-loud to me... but the audiobook experience is also excellent, Adjoa Andoh is a fab narrator.

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After a near brush with death, chronically ill computer nerd Chloe Brown decides she needs to get a life. So she does what she does best: makes a list. The first item is moving out of her family's mansion and renting her own place. But she soon realises she might need a little help with some of the other items on her get-a-life list. So she recruits Red Morgan (superintendent by day, artist by night, looks intimidating but has a heart of pure gold) to give her some guidance - and a ride on his motorbike (item 3 on the list).

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Okay, I'm still fairly new to romcoms so I don't have an extensive frame of reference, but Talia Hibbert writes sexual tension SO. WELL. The steamy scenes were 👀🔥 But the cute scenes were equally well written - Red is such a sweetheart! And I 100% want to be best friends with Chloe! I took my time listening to this one because it made me feel so happy and I wanted to parcel out the happiness. There was a chapter made up of email exchanges between Chloe and Red and it made me want to cry with happiness as they bantered back and forth. But then towards the end Hibbert got VERY real and ended up making me cry for real which??? I don't remember giving her permission to do that but I immediately forgave her.

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And if you're like me and can’t stand when half the plot hinges on miscommunication, fear not! These characters might be stubborn and snarky but they talk to each other, even when things get tough. And this book has received so much well-deserved praise for its representation and handling of fibromyalgia, which Chloe suffers with, as well as domestic abuse. Hibbert does a brilliant job balancing the more serious side with the fluffy side!

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Long story short: read this book, be reminded that there is joy in the world