“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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Every other word was the f word. Sex was frequent and graphic. A different plot, which was only reason I completed.
So I bought this one in January for my Nerdy Romantics Book Club Discussion. I had recommended it, because others in the industry recommended it. But I was hesitant because our first selection did not go over well. After 2 reads, my fears were gone! This is a great book!
Premise: Chloe Brown, a privileged young woman living with fibromyalgia, has a near-death experience that makes her realize she’s got some real living left to do. So, she makes a bucket list, moves out of her parents’ mans, and tries to “get a life” by completing the things on that list. Enter Redford, building Super and artistic hunky redhead. He might have lived just enough to help her with her list…
The Characters, the story, the Sex:
The story is a classic enemies-to-lovers with Chloe as the curmudgeonly loner and Red as the understanding, genuine good guy. Watching these two get together is so adorable and so funny! But they aren’t the only truly adorbs characters. Grandma Brown, Chloe’s sisters Dani and Ellie, and Aunt Mary are great! Red’s bestie Vikram is so dude-bro hilarious.
The story was well-paced and funny. The second time I read it, I read most of it in one day, just re-living some of the more hilarious scenes–asking the EMT for chocolate, the first “business meeting” between Red and Chloe, The art gallery (one of my favorite lines of the whole book is in this scene). I felt like I was in this world and having a great time with these people! But not only do you get hilariously funny, you get poignant scenes where Chloe’s disability gets the better of her. If you don’t know how fibromyalgia affects people, or don’t know what it is, this story will give you a real life picture. This was so well-written.
The sex is open-door and so cute and steamy and funny. Just authentic-feeling. Like these are how these two people would act together. I love a good authentic sexy scene–where funny people stay in character, but still manage to be romantic..and hot! OMG I love this couple!
Overall: Straight up awesome book. When I feel like I could be in the story, rather than just “watching it on TV,” that’s when a book goes from a 4 to a 5 to me. And that’s what this does here. This is the first in a series, with a book about sister Dani coming next in 2020. I can’t wait! Just in time for a good beach read!
So this book has been on my TBR for ages because a friend recommended it. Then another. Then another! When three people in one week told me to read it, I bumped it up my TBR and finally read it. Of course, my friends were right (they are very smart people) and I loved it. This book is funny and witty and lovely. The characters were a delight. (I really, really want to hang out with the grandma character. I bet she has STORIES.) I kept finding myself smiling while reading it. Contemporary romance, in my opinion, is difficult to manage well. It has its own, delicate kind of world building, and it’s so much on the characters…and I think Hibbert did a bang up job here. She has a note in the beginning about one of the characters suffering from an emotionally abusive partner (and Chloe has chronic pain issues) but (and I say this as someone who grew up with an emotionally abusive person) I think she handles both respectfully and well. If you need a good laugh right now, or need a good romantic comedy, this book is for you.
One of the best I’ve read in this genre. Very realistic and quirky characters will a very gripping, heartfelt and humorous love story. Love the pace, ebb and flow and supporting characters, especially Gigi. I borrowed the mp3 version from my local library and if it wasn’t in such high demand, I would keep listening every day until my lending time expires, I settled for repeatedly starting at Chapter 20 before returning instead. Also best narrator ever! Can’t wait to read/listen to the next one!
This is a fast-moving, entertaining, sexy, witty romance made more interesting by a Black British heroine who is dealing with a disabling case of fibromyalgia and a painter hero who was in an abusive relationship that affected his career. The two lead characters are very well-developed and I definitely rooted for them. The angst veers a bit high for the last plot complication, but I expect most contemporary romance readers would eat the whole thing up with a spoon. Bonus points for Smudge the cat.
Great story and characters but too much explicit sex for my taste
Too cutesy for my taste.
This book was boring and a waste of time.
Talia Hibbert is one of those authors who I’ve wanted to read for ages, but just never got around to doing so. As soon as I saw the absolutely charming cover for Get a Life, Chloe Brown and read the blurb, I knew this would be the first of her books I read. I hoped I would love the inside as much as that cover (and not just because of the cat!) and I’m thrilled to say I did. Every little thing about this book struck my fancy. And my feels. Oh, my feels. Chloe and Red obliterated them in the best way possible.
I’m accustomed to grumpy heroes in books, but it’s not often I find a grumpy heroine. I think that’s part of the reason why I loved Chloe as much as I did. I mean, she had so many wonderful qualities, but the fact she wasn’t all sunshine and roses every day made her that much real to me. And Red? *sigh* Swoons for days. He had such a good heart, was so very thoughtful and understanding, and was also super sexy. (And had a delightfully filthy mouth.) I loved these two together so, so much. They had wickedly hot chemistry but also balanced each other. Perhaps most of all, I loved how this book approached important, but tough, topics like chronic illness and abuse. Oh, and there’s also an absolutely adorable cat. Bonus points!
This audiobook made me grin like a fool and also tear up more than once. The narrator was new-to-me and she was fantastic. Get a Life, Chloe Brown was a delight all the way around. I can’t wait to read more of Talia’s books soon, most likely starting with the next book in this series, Take a Hint, Dani Brown.
Favorite Quotes:
Being rescued from trees was all well and good, but she didn’t need a rescue from herself.
“You’re so fucking…” So fucking unexpected. Like maybe she wasn’t the vicious snob he’d once assumed. Like maybe she was just an awkward, sarcastic grump, and he should stop losing his temper around her.
“I’m doing it for you because that’s how people should behave; they should fill in each other’s gaps.”
“Red, you don’t always have to be okay.”
“I know. But I am okay, with you.”
“You always say such lovely things to me, Red. Do you say them to yourself?
Started off great and I thought I would really like the story. Then it devolved into soft porn and I lost interest and put it down.
Sexy but sophomoric. Quite a waste of time.
Wonderfully written for the first few chapters; a great premise. Then came the smut. I did not care for the author’s frequent use of base vernacular (tits, cunt, clit, knob, ball sac, etc) to describe situations which could have been written differently and had a nicer effect. Ultimately, the book just dragged. I lost interest halfway through.
Red was a swoon-worthy hero! I just wanted to snuggle up with this guy! He was just so freaking nice and happy. Granted, his ex did a real number on him, but for the most part, he was just a really sweet guy…with a hint of bad boy in him.
Chloe was a little awkward, a whole lot sarcastic, and a tad grumpy for a heroine, and I loved her! She was pretty down to earth and had relatable insecurities and doubts about life and love that anyone could relate with.
I enjoyed the friendship that developed between Chloe and Redford. The banter was quite amusing and always spot on but their attraction…well, that led to some hilarious internal conversations! Especially on Red’s part.
Overall, this was a delightful read with the zaniest cast of characters I’ve come across in a good while! The witty conversations and snappy comebacks were my favorite parts, along with Red himself. I guess I just have a thing for gingers 🙂
I really liked this book. The characters are very likeable and you truly want them to get together. It is laugh out loud funny. The audio version is delightful because of the voice of the narrator. I love most of Talia’s books. They always make me laugh.
My review: I fell in love with Chloe and Red! This was such a sweet read for me. Lovely, unexpectedly steamy, and fun. The characters were so humanly imperfect and kind! It was just the balance I needed. I love that Chloe’s character was not typical. A near-death situation made her question everything she ever knew or did. She decided to take charge of her life making a list of things she’ll want to accomplish not knowing that those steps will lead to an encounter with Red, which will show her how strong and willing she can be when it comes to living her dreams. She will also get the chance to get to know the real “Red”, and together they will rise through their insecurities and fears. This book was amazingly interesting! I enjoyed every page! u2063
My rating: 5
Loved the use of language to build quirky, funny, believable characters. I too live by lists. Very much enjoyed Chloe and her family. So glad I get to spend more time with them in her next book. And Red…swoon.
This book was different in a special way. It showed the dark side of what relationships can be and the very real human response to such toxicity. It showed the support and hope that love can give a person who needs it. I also appreciate how the author didn’t elude to love being a cure all, but instead a support and a catalyst to healing. This book was more of a 4 1/2 stars for me.
*** If you are someone who is sensitive to language, you may want to choose another book.
I just adored Chloe and Red’s story! Talia has such a way with words and turns of phrase.
I loved Chloe and Red, both separately and together. But it was the banter between them that really made this story for me. Wonderful characters feels like an understatement, honestly.
Spent a bit of time wondering, “Is this funny, or just British?” But once I sorted that part out, I did enjoy it, and I really liked seeing Chloe and Red working things out together.