“Absolutely charming… a flawless balance of humor, heat, sweetness, and depth, and I loved every page.” – Helen Hoang, USA Today bestselling author of The Bride TestUSA TODAY BESTSELLERA witty, hilarious romantic comedy about a woman who’s tired of being “boring” and recruits her mysterious, sexy neighbor to help her experience new things—perfect for fans of Sally Thorne, Jasmine Guillory, and … to help her experience new things—perfect for fans of Sally Thorne, Jasmine Guillory, and Helen Hoang!
Chloe Brown is a chronically ill computer geek with a goal, a plan, and a list. After almost—but not quite—dying, she’s come up with seven directives to help her “Get a Life”, and she’s already completed the first: finally moving out of her glamorous family’s mansion. The next items?
- Enjoy a drunken night out.
- Ride a motorcycle.
- Go camping.
- Have meaningless but thoroughly enjoyable sex.
- Travel the world with nothing but hand luggage.
- And… do something bad.
But it’s not easy being bad, even when you’ve written step-by-step guidelines on how to do it correctly. What Chloe needs is a teacher, and she knows just the man for the job.
Redford ‘Red’ Morgan is a handyman with tattoos, a motorcycle, and more sex appeal than ten-thousand Hollywood heartthrobs. He’s also an artist who paints at night and hides his work in the light of day, which Chloe knows because she spies on him occasionally. Just the teeniest, tiniest bit.
But when she enlists Red in her mission to rebel, she learns things about him that no spy session could teach her. Like why he clearly resents Chloe’s wealthy background. And why he never shows his art to anyone. And what really lies beneath his rough exterior…
“This is an extraordinary book, full of love, generosity, kindness and sharp humor.” — The New York Times Book Review
*Featured on the TODAY Show! Named a Best Romance of 2019 by Entertainment Weekly, Publishers Weekly, Kirkus, Apple, and Amazon, and Best of November from Essence, Woman’s Day, Marie Claire, Buzzfeed, Popsugar, Bustle, Bookish, Bookpage, Entertainment Weekly, and Washington Post*
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This was my second book from Talia Hibbert, and I can’t tell you how flippin’ excited I am that it’s part of a series! Bring on Dani Brown, I’m ready! 🙂
I really enjoyed Chloe and Red’s story. Ms Tibbert did a great job of showing their transformation from two people who really didn’t like each other to two people who didn’t want to live without each other. (Spoiler alert: they initially made assumptions. Can you imagine? 😉 ) I loved their banter, and how by the end they each were ready to take on anyone who dared to hurt the other, past or present. And every time Red knew what to do to help Chloe to deal with her condition without being reminded or getting a hint? I melted.
We see just enough of Chloe’s sisters to make us want to see more, and OMG I seriously hope Grandma Gigi plays a nice big role in Dani and Eve’s books, because she is a hoot!
Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A-
I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.
Love, love this book. Chloe and Red have great chemistry. They both have issues, but help each other cope.
‘Get a Life, Chloe Brown’ is everything a good novel should be. Protagonist Chloe Brown is a chronically ill homebody who wants to shake things up in her predictable life. When she moves out of her family’s home and into an apartment, she meets Red Morgan, the sexy, tattooed superintendent of her new apartment complex. As they move past their preconceived notions about each other and forge a tentative friendship, they both begin to realize that their relationship might be something more.
One of the things I like best about Talia Hibbert is her ability to create diverse, nuanced characters who experience life in a relatable, complex way. Hibbert doesn’t create flat, static characters with low-stakes “conflicts”; rather, she finds the beauty in the fragility of life, in its imperfection. And she also writes scenes that are simultaneously sexy and integral to the plot, which I really appreciate.
In this novel, chronic illness, physical and emotional abuse, deeply-stemmed insecurity, and trauma are all explored in profound ways. The characters in the novel decide to process these things and communicate with each other in a refreshingly mature way. The way that Chloe and Red interact with each other feels really honest and adult, which is a rarity, especially in this genre. Their chemistry is undeniable, but they both realize that forging a meaningful relationship requires more than that.
Hibbert elevates this genre into the sphere of what it should always be: wholeheartedly human and achingly real. Well-written, funny, heartfelt, and superbly crafted. Add this to your TBR stack immediately. And get excited for the next book in the series. I know I am.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown is a fabulous romantic comedy with some real and sensitive topics. They added some seriousness to the wonderful comedy between Chloe and Red. I had so much fun with this couple and also with Chloe’s 2 younger sisters Dani and Eve.
Chloe is a terrific heroine who suffers from fibromyalgia and tries her best to not let that define her. Her past has left scars on her but after a near death she wants to seize the day and it’s here Red comes in. He’s Chloe’s superintendent and they are so much fun. The bickering and the simmering heat is top notch. Red is just the sweetest guy who has his own scars which I didn’t see coming. I enjoyed following their beautiful courtship that slowly evolved into a glorious love.
Get a Life, Chloe Brown is my first book from Talia Hibbert and I’m hooked. Her humor, romance and flawless writing is right up my alley. I’m so excited to read Dani Brown’s book. These sisters are fantastic.
4 Button Stars
It was clear the minute I started to read. Get a Life Chloe Brown is a different romance novel. And I was thirsty for it—I’ve read a lot of disappointing books of late.
The premise is original; the main character, a wealthy and sheltered young Black British woman who is intelligent, genuinely witty and is living with chronic health problems, has a not so near death experience and decides to radically change her life for the better. Chloe Brown doesn’t look or sound like any I’ve seen before. Her challenges go way beyond the typical negative self talk and stubborn miscommunication I’m used to; and the writing stands out too. It’s vivid, full of rich, specific detail, crisp, and quotable. I found myself frequently nodding and highlighting passages in appreciation. Like this one:
“Slowly, slowly, she sank to the ground. Put her clammy palms against the cool tiles. Breathed in. Breathed out. Breathed in.
Breathed out, her whisper like cracking glass, “If I had died today, what would my eulogy say?” This mind-blowing bore had zero friends, hadn’t traveled in a decade despite plenty of opportunity, liked to code on the weekends, and never did anything that wasn’t scheduled in her planner. Don’t cry for her; she’s in a better place now. Even Heaven can’t be that dull.”
It got better from there. The thing I admire the most is that this book doesn’t just tell the reader how special Chloe is; it shows you. As in the passage above, Chloe’s interior monologue is funny, her voice unique. Another example, from a pivotal point early on:
“Her moment of communion with the universe rudely interrupted, Chloe hauled herself into a sitting position. Strangely, she was now feeling much better. Perhaps because she had recognized and accepted the universe’s message. It was time, clearly, to get a life.”
That sold me. Definitely recommend.
“She’d been right about her plan, about her list: the process of completing each task involved in multiple adjustments in attitude and countless bite-sized moments of bravery, and those would all add up. By the time she finished, she’d have more than checkmarks and a few stories to tell.
She’d have a life.”
Chloe sets off to improve her quality of life thinking it requires external circumstances to do so—drunken debauchery, empty sex, “reckless” activities like camping in the wild and riding a motorbike—but what she learns is that her capacity for higher quality of life always lay within her heart, not her frustrating body.
Chloe learns that truth by being loved well, by being desired and accepted and enjoyed for who she is. Get a Life Chloe Brown is much more than a romance—though it very much is that, and a hot one, to boot—it’s a story of healing from trauma, finding optimism amidst the natural inclination for despair amidst chronic illness and pain, of opening yourself to the risk and reward of living life from a place of gratitude, not fear.
Both Chloe and Red have to face past pain and fear within themselves, in order to try for a relationship. They have to take that leap into love, knowing that loving someone means they can hurt you, but the person you give yourself to is the one person you trust to do their best not to cause you pain, the person you’re safe with and loved and known for who you are. This is a beautifully inclusive romance that represents chronic illness, a man as a victim of emotional abuse (so rare), and a beautiful black woman who has curves and snark and a fantastic witty mind. If you read one contemporary romantic comedy this year, please make this it.
“She was the woman who’d come here to ask about love.
She was the woman who’d decided to change her entire life with nothing but a list.
She was the woman who survived, every single day.
She was Chloe fucking Brown, and she was starting to wonder if she’d been brave from the beginning. If she’d just needed to love herself enough to realize it.
She supposed, as the knowledge dawned in her like a sunrise, that she must love herself right now. And it felt good.”
Talia Hibbert has done it again! You’ll fall in love with this light, sort-of enemies-to-lovers romance that features Talia’s typical style of grumpy protagonists you can’t help but adore. Chloe Brown and Redford (Red) Morgan are absolutely delightful, especially with how they “fill each other’s” gaps the way true partnerships should. There’s not a dull moment in this novel, and listening to the fantastic Adjoa Andoh brought Hibbert’s words to vibrant life. If you want a romance read filled with sweetness, steam, and comedy, Get a Life, Chloe Brown is the novel for you!
[An] awesome book, so full of heart and warmth and feels!
I just finished Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert. My heart is full, and my pants are full of pants feeling for one Triumph-riding, painter, ginger named Red. So so so so good.
Um, so, reading this was like the highlight of my entire month. It was so, so, so, so good. I adored Chloe and Red, and Annie and Smudge, and Gigi and can’t wait for Dani and Eve’s book, but it’s just more than that. Yes, the writing was the fabulous and the dialogue wonderful (like a million brilliant lines-and I could hear every character’s voice, and I will fight anyone who tells me that they don’t all sound like they did in my head) and I want all of Chloe’s glorious cardigan-ish sweaters and full skirts and polka dots, but the story is so much more.
This is a special book. Because, though it’s leads both of health issues, Chloe physical and Red mental, part of their journey’s is navigating how to love someone while accepting, not trying to fix nor belittling their challenges, and certainly not trying to live for them. It’s about figuring out how to be in a relationship, to love them as they are and be there to support and make things easier but only in a way that doesn’t erase their agency. And I’m probably not saying it right, and rambling, but it’s just so very, very, very good. I felt every second of it and again, just loved.
Also, the epilogue was brilliant. And this book is so darn wonderful I want to talk about it for days. The only thing that’s making me sad is that it isn’t out until November so I can force people to read it and talk about it with me…yet…recommended a billion times over!
4.5 STARS
My first experience of reading Talia Hibbert came earlier this year with her M/M novel, Work For It. It took no effort at all to fall into her pros and so I made a conscious effort to look out for more from her.
GET A LIFE, CHLOE BROWN is the tale of the incurably grumpy Chloe. Although she has a chronic illness, she is fiercely independent and is taking the steps to take control of her life with the help of her list.
Achieving her first goal of moving out goes without a hitch until she meets building superintendent, Red. Chloe has no time for silly notions such as crushes, so it comes as a great annoyance to her that she has tiniest little one on him. She tries her best to avoid him but he happens to upon her at her most unfortunate of moments.
Chloe was hilarious without meaning to be and it’s this which endeared to Red. He is extremely laid back and Chloe’s ability to rile him got them off on the wrong foot. When her walls slowly came she learned to rely on him in a way her illness had made her refuse to with anyone else.
Chloe is undoubtedly one of my favourite heroines of the year. She would probably be appalled but I found her to be utterly charming and adorable and an inspiration as such.
If you are in the mood for witty, hilarious and charismatic read, you need this book & Chloe Brown in you life.
This book was an emotionally satisfying delight! It’s my first by this author, and I adored it.
Chloe Brown needs to figure out her life. She’s become boring, stagnant, and dull. Then, a near-death experience causes her to reexamine her life choices and come up with a new plan. But, her chronic illness tries it’s best to hold her back, and her family smothers her to no end, and she can’t really do anything until she moves out of the family home. So, she makes a list, and executes the first item, by leasing her own flat. She has no idea where to go from there, until she’s inspired to cross off another item on the list when she accidentally, and then on purpose, spies on her sexy, but infuriating, apartment superintendent. Maybe he can help her with some other items on her list too?
Redford Morgan was an up and coming artist in London, until his toxic, abusive relationship imploded, and he took all his art out of every gallery in town, and moved home to lick his wounds. His best friend owns an apartment building, and gave him the job as the super (and the apartment that came with it), to give him a place to lie low for a while. When posh, snobby Chloe moves in the building, he can’t figure out why he’s attracted to her, even as she’s constantly rude to him. He’s afraid he’s falling into old patterns, and tries to just stay away from her. Until she needs help, and he can’t ignore her. Everything after that changes both of their lives forever.
Red and Chloe had a very strong connection, and it was a constant push and pull between them. For a while, they couldn’t decide if they even liked each other, and I loved watching them come to terms with the ways they were changing each other’s lives. They both really had to be brave, in similar (and different) ways, to decide to try to be together. And when it all fell apart, they both were to blame in their own ways too. But, I love an epic grovel, and Red delivered his in spades.
Chloe’s family was hysterical, and I can’t wait to learn more about her sisters in future books! Her grandmother, Gigi, was priceless as well, and I really felt like I knew them all. Red’s mom was also a trip, and I loved how he took care of her. Ultimately this story was a lot about who is in your corner when you need them, and both of them had family members they could really count on, which I loved.
I found this story so touching, and I enjoyed the cadence and pace of the author’s writing. I laughed a ton, but I cried too, and I always love a story that makes me feel deeply, without feeling taken advantage of emotionally. The author really took us on a journey of these two people learning to trust themselves again, by learning to trust each other. It gave me all the feels, and I highly recommend it!
Let me start this review by stating how much I loved Talia Hibbert’s writing style! I loved the way the writing made me laugh, but also how much I felt for these amazing characters. I’m so glad that I was able to read an early review copy Get A Life, Chloe Brown , because I have definitely found a new favorite author.
This book was such a wonderful and refreshing romance. The story follows Chloe Brown, who is ready to make a change and start living a bit dangerously. You see, Chloe is chronically ill and she’s had it with being careful all the time. Number one on her list is moving out of her parents house and in to her own place and that’s where her path crosses with Red Morgan, the superintendent of the building she is renting.
I loved the banter between Red and Chloe! Chloe is so buttoned up (see what I did there) and Red is the opposite of her. He’s sexy, rides a motorcycle and has multiple tattoos. That’s when Chloe and Red form a pact – he helps her achieve the goals on her list and she helps him create a website for his other passion – art.
Seeing Chloe and Red’s relationship evolve was such a joy. I really like how Red and Chloe truly started out as friends. Not just because they want to be linked together romantically, but because they recognize some part in the other and want the best for each other. Red was such a sweetheart and I loved his nickname for Chloe (Button – so cute!), but also how much strength he sees in her even when she doesn’t feel it or see it herself. And I loved Chloe for her bravery and venturing out of her comfort zone. We get so accustomed to doing the same thing and change is so so hard. Both of these characters have their own complex issues, but I love the way they communicated. They didn’t let a miscommunication or misunderstanding get in their way (for too long at least). I quite simply loved everything about this book!
Thank you Talia Hibbert for writing such a sweet, romantic book that also dealt with real issues. I seriously can’t wait to read the next book in the series!
**ARC provided by Edelweiss and Avon in exchange for my honest review**
Isn’t this cover absolutely ADORABLE ? I’ve heard so many great things about Talia Hibbert, so of course I was super stoked to be granted the ARC for this book from the publisher via Edelweiss+. And sure enough, it is just as lovely as what you see from the cover .
Chloe Brown grew up in a wealthy, loving, and supportive family. After recovering from pneumonia, she unfortunately suffered from fibromyalgia which caused her to be in chronic pain and constant fatigue, and thus completely changed her social life. Realizing how boring and dull her life has become, she was determined to make it more colorful and exciting again, starting with Get-a-Life list…
Redford Morgan was the sweetest guy you’ve ever met . He was gentle, kind, caring, and patient, always smiling to and helping everyone around him. His past experience left him broken, vulnerable, and insecure when it came to love and relationship. When Chloe asked him to help her cross a few items off her list, he just couldn’t resist her beauty and witty charms.
I really enjoyed this book so much. It’s toothachingly sweet, fun, light, sexy, full of sarcastic jokes, and beautiful, heartwarming family relationships. You will experience the gradual transformations in both characters over the pages as they work hard to heal themselves and heal each other.
A 5- read for my first Talia Hibbert book, and I can’t wait to get to know more about the other two Brown sisters. If you’re looking for a cute and delightful rom-com, look no further! Grab this one when it comes out on November 5 .
I received an Advance Reader Copy of the book. This is my honest and voluntary review.
By now I should know that it is impossible for me to read a book by Talia Hibbert and not be moved to the depths of my soul. She is magic and the words that she writes, the characters and worlds that she creates seem to pluck a string within me that makes everything within me settle and rejoice all at once. Let’s not even start on the fact that she builds sexual tension and chemistry and combustion in a way that is somehow simultaneously classy and dirty AF – she has a way of painting a such a vivid and real story that it all seems so very real and I’m left with a feeling of bereft disappointment when I realize that I’m not actually witnessing the goings on of actual people and therefore can not stalk them and ingratiate myself into their lives. From Chloe to Red, Dani and Eve, to Annie and Gigi – every character that graces the page is interesting, engaging, and worthy of a full on novel of their own (and apparently Dani is next in line!). As soon as I finished reading Get a Life, Chloe Brown I wanted to read it again. And I’m pretty sure I will feel that way EVERY time I read it. She gets all the stars, all the wine, all the accolades. I wonder if she’s accepting applications for a slightly obsessive, mildly neurotic bestie from across the pond… 5 out of wine glasses.
Well, damn, that was an enjoyable read. Adorable, unexpected, and steaming hot!
Chloe lives her life carefully. She exists with chronic pain. Physically, but also some emotional pain that lingers from hurt inflicted by people in her past. A near death (sort of) experience shakes her to the point of wanting to change. To live. She makes a list, a set of goals or sorts, and sets of to ‘get a life’.
Redford has his own set of baggage. Lingering issues from a past relationship. It’s hard for him to trust, it’s hard for him take risks and it’s hard for him to pursue the things he desires.
When these two are thrown together it is a bit like oil and water. If oil and water actually secretly lusted after each other. Because these two do, greatly, but their walls are so thick it’s hard to find a crack for that lust to creep through and turn into something more.
But when it does. Damn.
Chloe and Red are, hands down, my two favorite characters of the year so far. The banter, the flirting, the button pushing, between these two is ADORABLE. There is an email thread at one point that had me grinning like the Cheshire!
The personality traits each had was what I found so unexpected. Hibbert has written this in a sort of role reversal from traditional romance, and I so appreciated that.
For what a sweet and funny read it still absolutely delivered on the hotness scale. The moments are few (again, appreciated) but they are stellar.
I also loved that Hibbert allowed these characters to really talk. Too often we find books that gloss over the importance of discussing vulnerabilities or the couple goes through a breakup and then it’s resolved with just a grand gesture and quick apology. That doesn’t always work for me and I’m glad Hibbert respected her characters enough to deliver more.
Now I’m off to read everything Hibbert has ever written!
I received an ARC of this book and voluntarily give my review.
People read romance for many reasons, but everyone generally accepts that the romance genre is steeped in fantasy. This fantasy generally involves heroes and heroines who are healthy, fit, toned, physically capable. Not to say there is not enjoyment in that, but it is extremely refreshing that romance novels, like Get a Life, Chloe Brown are beginning to represent people with different abilities, body types and personal challenges. This is a story that needed to be told and Talia Hibbert did and amazing job bringing Chloe and Red to life.
Chloe Brown is a curvy black woman who has been diagnosed with Fibromyalgia, a reality for an estimated 3%-6% of the worlds population. I personally have family members who have been diagnosed with this invisible disease, and representation in romance novels and media in general extremely important and refreshing. Red, is the best kind of hero, he is instantly drawn to Chloe, but he has a traumatic past and is dealing with his own demons. He sees beyond the barriers that kept others at a distance, and it melts my heart. The best part of this story is that through all of their ups and downs, neither of them tries to rely on the other to be their “everything”. They both see the importance of maintaining their independence and being self sufficient. This novel addresses issues of race, ability, mental health, domestic abuse, and addiction, and does so in a relatable, tasteful and realistic way.
I can’t gush about this story enough! I was unable to put it down, I talked about it with everyone I saw and asked everyone to add it to their TBR. Chloe and Red have stolen my heart, and their love story is beautiful, inspired, and about dang time :).
The irony of the name of this book is that it gave ME life. Let me explain.
First, the plot. Chloe, the heroine, experiences a near-death experience and decides to make a list to help her “get a life” because she doesn’t want to die “boring” (there’s more to this, but I’ll leave it simple for now). A couple of months later, she’s living in an apartment complex with a sexy super, Red, who happens to be the hero and the only man who can help her tick things off her list.
Okay. Here’s the juicy stuff. The stuff Talia ALWAYS gets right: her characters. Chloe is one of the best characterised heroines I’ve read in a long time. She jumped off the page with her primness, her passion, her sense of boundaries (I related so hard). Chloe’s family is delightful (I’m so glad we’re getting sequels for them!), and Red is the hottest of the hot, he might actually burn the pages of your book.
I loved the emotion and sincerity in this one, and as usual, the chemistry is AMAZING. Recommended!
Such a profoundly warm and human book about love and what it means to own your strength.