“A warm romance that bursts with realism and celebrates the symbiotic power of love and healing.”―Entertainment Weekly#1 LibraryReads PickIndie Next PickOne daring to-do list and a crash course in flirtation turn a Type A overachiever’s world upside down. When her flailing department lands on the university’s chopping block, Professor Naya Turner’s friends convince her to shed her frumpy cardigan … Turner’s friends convince her to shed her frumpy cardigan for an evening on the town. For one night her focus will stray from her demanding job and she’ll tackle a new kind of to-do list. When she meets a charming stranger in town on business, he presents the perfect opportunity to check off the items on her list. Let the guy buy her a drink. Check. Try something new. Check. A no-strings-attached hookup. Check…almost.
Jake makes her laugh and challenges Naya to rebuild her confidence, which was left toppled by her abusive ex-boyfriend. Soon she’s flirting with the chance at a more serious romantic relationship—except nothing can be that easy. The complicated strings around her dating Jake might destroy her career.
Naya has two options. She can protect her professional reputation and return to her old life or she can flirt with the unknown and stay with the person who makes her feel like she’s finally living again.
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This is a grab-you-by-the-heartstrings read – Naya is so clear and real and easy to care about, even while she has such relatable reasons for not understanding why that’s true. When she sets out to break out of her rut – encouraged by her fun-to-read best friends – her journey is an intense push-pull between her goals and her learned reactions.
Jake is a great foil for her – just flawed enough and yet so darn adorable. I’m glad he & Naya worked everything out in the end. 🙂
This novel is so brilliantly written that I would never guess that this is Denise Williams’ debut novel. This book transcends genres in the absolute best way possible. The book blends Naya’s compelling back story with her adventurous To-Do list intended to get her out of her comfort zone and into a life.
This fun premise quickly turned into a spectacular and complex page turner that managed to include real-life subjects, emotional highs and lows, hilarious nerdy banter, and super sexy steam.
This book earns bonus points for inclusion of a STEM heroine and prominent BIPOC representation. Unlike a fluffy Rom-Com, Naya’s story exposes the aftermath of partner abuse and gender dynamics in academia (but probably in most professional settings). Jake starts out as a mysterious guy at a bar who catches her interest as a possible check mark on her To-Do list but quickly turns into much more. Their nerdy banter was so charming and revealing.
Once I finished reading the book, I immediately downloaded the audio to start it over in a new format because it was that awesome
Major high points: STEM heroine, BIPOC representation, and inclusion of real-life complexities that made me take a step back and re-read as I negotiated my own thoughts and emotions on the topics.
Favorite Quote: “Did you cheat my system? Are you some kind of ice cream hustler?”
CW – prior abusive relationship is discussed, remembered, and is on page. Racism is on page.
Audiobook Review
Overall 4.5 stars
Performance 5 stars
Story 4 stars
How to Fail at Flirting was such a fantastic surprise. It balanced humor and romance so well with more serious topics like intimate partner violence. I fell in love with these characters and can’t believe that this is the author’s debut novel.
What I loved:
– The narration was fantastic! January LaVoy voiced all of the characters so well and I had no problem distinguishing between characters. I think my only issue was that sometimes it was difficult to determine what was inner monologue and what was actually being spoken. This is a common issue that I have with audiobooks, however. Text message exchanges also sometimes don’t translate easily on audio for me, but I was able to follow along without issue in this book.
– Jake. *swoon* I will take a hot nerd over any other romance hero every. single. time. He was so much cinnamon roll goodness that I wasn’t sure if I would be able to handle it. Yes, he makes some missteps, but I loved how vulnerable and all in he was with Naya. Their chemistry was off the charts and their banter was one of my very favorite parts of the novel.
– Naya. Her character arc was amazing. My heart hurt for her as her past was revealed, but I was also rooting for her every step of the way. She has some missteps just like Jake, but I loved how she pushed through her fears and ultimately saved herself.
– The friendships. Both Naya and Jake had such incredible support systems and mentors. I loved how supportive and loyal they all were and that they weren’t afraid to push Naya and Jake when necessary. Aaron, Felicia, Eric, and Tyson provided some amazing comic relief (I’m still grinning about the prom bribe and math camp reveal) and helped balance the more serious moments.
The drama at the end was a little predictable (though terrifying), but I appreciated that Naya finally had her reckoning with Davis. I also could have done without the continued Gretchen drama, but boy did it give me a gut punch in the beginning. The ending was just right and left me smiling ear to ear. This was a fantastic novel and I can’t wait to read more books by Denise Williams.
CW: emotional and psychological abuse, racism, revenge porn, sexism, gaslighting, assault
I enjoyed this book enough to push to finish it in one sitting. The meet at the bar was believable and didn’t feel contrived. I appreciated the back-story of the hero’s chubby childhood, as it helped explain why his default setting was that of a warm, caring person. The interactions with friends helped fill out the main characters and lent authenticity to, while advancing, the story. All in all, I recommend this book without reservation.
How to Fail at Flirting checked all of my boxes! This debut novel was absolutely incredible! u2063
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Naya (like Papaya) creates a to-do list of sorts to help her get back out into the world after her last abusive relationship. She meets Jake in a bar and decides he can probably check off a few boxes for her. u2063
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What I loved:u2063
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Naya and Jake are a more mature couple. I almost said older here, but mid-30s is nowhere near old. Don’t get me wrong, I love books with younger couples too, but I love reading about couples who are already established in their lives and, ahem, closer to my age. u2063
Naya’s drive to succeed in her career. Dating Jake could have completely derailed her career and she took that seriously. u2063
The constant string of puns and dad jokes! Literally, laugh out loud funny!u2063
Jake – sweet, punny (see what I did there? ), and sexy! From buying out a drug store to facing his fears for a ride on a ferris wheel…definitely book boyfriend material! Alas, @emmyloves_books says I’m too late because she read it first and already staked her claim. u2063
The confrontation with the abusive ex – because you know there had to be one – was so well done! What I thought I wanted to happen didn’t, but the resolution was so much better than I could have imagined. So much better!u2063
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What didn’t work for me: absolutely nothing! u2063
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As much as I loved Jake, I think Naya might be my favorite female lead! She’s so much stronger than she knows and it was great to see her getting that confidence back!u2063
This is a charming, well-written romance about two nice people falling in love and overcoming the nasty people in their past, although that aspect doesn’t really begin to dominate until the latter half. Like all contemporary romances, it lacks relationship suspense, but it’s still a fun read. Plausible picture of what it’s like working in academia. Extra points for the pleasure we get watching a remarkably toxic villain get his comeuppance. I wish it always worked that way.
I really enjoyed this book, but I think it suffered from a case of misbranding. It’s a truly wonderful story, with excellent characters–seriously, Jake may be my new favorite #bookboyfriend–much it’s a much more serious read as opposed to a classic romantic comedy. The bright, fun illustrated cover, cheeky title, and blurb don’t let on to the darker elements in this book, which really could have used a foreword, beginning author’s note, or trigger warning at the BEGINNING of the book (there’s a brief note at the end, but by then, it’s too late).
To go into a little more detail without spoiling any main plot points, the heroine of this book has an abusive ex-boyfriend (abusive on many levels). But he’s not just in her past, and some traumatic moments are not simply skippable scenes, but rather a relatively constant interjection in the book. And some of the depictions are extremely descriptive. While this was not triggering for me, I fear that there may be readers who go in unaware, thinking this book is another light romcom, and are instead triggered. It just really makes me wish there was some kind of note or warning at the beginning of the book, or a bigger hint in the blurb as to the large plot point this makes up. Hopefully this review can serve as a trigger warning for people.
Setting that aside, as previously mentioned, I really enjoyed the book. I think I was happy that I knew going in–from friends who had already read the book–that it was on the more serious side, as it put me in a better mindset for enjoyment. I love that we have a bad@$$ woman-in-STEM heroine with a PhD who’s trying to tenure as a professor. I love the banter and jokes between our main characters. I love their chemistry. And Jake is definitely #swoonworthy. I love this fresh take on the good ol’ trope of running into a one-night-stand in real life, and think the book is super original. I can’t wait to read more books by this author.
5 stars – 9/10
Naya reclaims her life and finds her strength several years after her last relationship. While it is a romantic comedy at its core, this book addresses the serious issue of partner abuse and its aftermath. The book is both entertaining and insightful.
I liked Naya’s quirky personality and hot nerd Jake’s corny dad jokes. Given everything that she’s been through, you find yourself cheering for Naya to find real love with Jake.
January LaVoy narrates and does an excellent job of conveying Naya’s inner dialogue.
How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams
Rating 5 out of 5 stars
Reader Disclosure: This book contains violence, abuse, infidelity (mention, not graphic details), and trauma that may trigger some readers. Reader discretion is advised.
Naya Turner is a professor specializing in math education at Thurmond University. She is a successful woman and has a Ph.D. She has been focused on work and publishing her work that she didn’t realize the dry-spell has already been three years.
Jake Shaw is a successful businessman and owns/runs his own consulting. He and his company will be working together with Thurmond to help the university maximize its potential. He is separated from his wife for close to a year due to infidelity issues. He is in the process of filing his divorce when he met Naya.
A small flirt at a bar turned everything for Naya and Jake. Unknowing Naya and Jake, their encounter will get more complicated by possible conflicts of interest, jealous partners, and insecurities from each of their pasts.
It is a wonder how a successful woman like Naya could still be single, right? She is work-driven and is afraid of relationships. Naya stayed away from men for more than three years after a disastrous relationship, which she did not come out “unscathed.”
How to Fail in Flirting is told from Naya’s POV only. I am generally impartial to single POV for rom-com books since not many are successful in making me want to connect to both main characters, but I am glad I was wrong with this generalization. I did not mind the single POV, and it made it even better since the focus is on Naya, her predicament with work, and her trauma. The writing is spot-on and appropriate. I felt that the author had given Naya’s culture and background the respect it deserves for someone who wants “her volume louder.” I connected with her better, but I also took Jake’s side, even without him expressing his thoughts to me, through his action and words. It was refreshing and enjoyable.
I relished the flirting scenes between Naya and Jake. I was looking forward to this each time – either through text or phone. Both modes gave such lightheartedness that their joys were infectious! For both of them being new at flirting, they seem to be “in-tune” with each other and understood each other’s quirky and cheesy jokes. It was fun to watch and add to that – their magnetic attraction. Explosive with it comes in the bedroom! Although there were some things Naya did not dare to tell Jake until it’s too late – I love how they somehow tried their best to tell each other their “truths.” I am also happy that Jake later discovered why and realized what was going on inside Naya’s head, given her past.
I love the author “shedding light” on abuse. No matter how much one loves another – violence, shaming, and guilt are NEVER part of a loving relationship. Abuse can happen to anyone, and it doesn’t mean that smart and successful people would not “stumble” to these situations. The author proved this in this book and discussed Naya’s plight with all the signs of the violence, recovery, and the toxicity of her past. The author described the experiences with care and respect for those who may know or can see themselves or others in the same case.
Overall, I highly recommend this captivating read. It will grab you to connect with Naya and Jake, make you want to find out what happened to Naya’s past, and seek justice as Naya finds her “voice.” There are scary parts, but you will also see Naya surprise herself and rise to the occasion and quash her abuser. The ending is even better than how I imagined it to be – Naya had to work hard and long to get herself “fix.” I appreciate how the author gives readers hope, healing, and HEA with this book.
Guys this book was not what I though it was going to be and the last half? It took turns I absolutely did not see coming!
This book is H-O-T and has all the angst you can want. Mix in a little action and main characters that you are obsessed with and you are going to love this book. It was literally a one stop shop.
The characters had real life issues and I loved that the author balanced the romcom portion of the book with stuff that was a little more serious. The characters had their past and it presented twists for the present. I enjoyed this book from start to stop. Definitely a 5 star read for me.
Meet cute, funny and a bit steamy romance with great characters and unmissable angsty topics.
I enjoyed this debut novel quite a lot. The one night stand turned to be much more than that but not without past baggage for both Naya and Jake.
We all know that distance relationship doesn’t always work but these two made it happen and their romance story wasn’t easy to read at times because both have a past to overcome and look forward to what they want for their future.
A must-read for any romance lover.
I adored this book and was shocked by the last bit of the book – angst with a bit of a thriller vibe. Such a good read. I am not on the lookout for more by Denise! Such a good great storyteller.
How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams is a romantic stand alone novel. We meet Naya Turner, our heroine at the start, as she is concerned that she may lose her job. Naya is a Professor close to tenure, who leads a math department that educates teachers on student training. Her department could be dropped; she is a workaholic, and dresses more on the frumpy side. When Naya has dinner with her married friends, Felicia and Aaron, they put pressure on her to start living her life again, and to make a list of things she needs to do. Naya had broken up with her ex abusive boyfriend a few years ago and lives an introverted lifestyle.
In order to check things off of her list, she decides to go to a bar, and meets a charming stranger, who offers her a drink (one of things on her list). Jake Shaw, is in Chicago, attending a wedding/meeting and finds himself enjoying the company of a beautiful and shy young lady, and they decide to go out for ice cream and get to know each other. Of course, they do not tell each other their last names. The fun begins as Jake constantly texts her and wants to go out on a date. The bantering between them was sweet and fun, with Naya slowly gaining more confidence as she starts seeing Jake. Right from the start, I loved Jake and Naya together, as they made a perfect couple, and their chemistry was off the wall.
Problems arise when Naya learns that Jake is part of a group that is helping the University calculate what changes need to be made in all the departments. At first Naya worries that It will harm her, if anyone finds out about her relationship with Jake, but he convinces her otherwise. She is also appalled that her ex is friends with the University President, and he threatens her that he can help or harm her.
What follows is a wonderful, fun, emotional and steamy romance, with a fantastic couple we quickly fell in love with. Naya was a fabulous heroine, who fell hard for Jake, but at the same time was concerned for her reputation if people would find out before the decisions would be made. I thought Jake was great, and he was so caring and loyal, not to mention very sexy. To tell too much more would spoil the fun of this engaging romantic story. How to Fail at Flirting was a delightful engaging story, so very well written by Denise Williams. I fully suggest if you enjoy pure romances, that you read this book.
An uplifting, hopeful, romance for grown-ups.
Naya Turner, an academic who has passion for her work and career, is loveable and memorable as a character. Throughout the book, I was rooting for her to land on solid career ground, and find love and fulfillment, and preferably with Jake!
We are all damaged at some level and Naya (like Papaya) has been through some challenging times. Despite her inner strength, she dated a narcissist and abuser who enjoyed breaking her down emotionally and still haunts her thoughts. So when she meets Jake in a bar, he lights up her every nerve ending, and they start what is initially a fling and rapidly so much more, it’s her own thought process and fear she’ll have to overcome in order to find fulfillment.
Naya is a strong, smart, savvy and so relateable as a character. She’s been through the wringer and made some mistakes, but she’s trying to move on, despite the challenges. In fact, she is anything but a victim.
Also congrats to Denise Williams for a romance novel that I believe passes the Bechdel test (not every conversation out loud or in Naya’s head is about the dude – even if he’s cute and the sex is steaming hot!).
A big juicy five star romantic, uplifting, inspiring and touching read.
I loved this book! Naya was a heroine to really root for, and Jake was the stuff dreams are made of. From cheesy puns, to active consent, relationship communication and steamy steamy love scenes, this is a book I won’t soon forget and I cannot wait to one-click everything else Williams writes. How to Fail at Flirting is a win win win!
Returning to the dating pool is a scary prospect for Naya who’s avoided it for years. Upon her two best friends’ urging, she promises to shake things up and do things that she wouldn’t ordinarily do. They make a plan for her first night out and wouldn’t you believe it, her friends have to bail on her. But not everything goes bust because she meets Jake and he is that guy who’s too good to be true. They hit it off and Naya finds herself experiencing lots of firsts with this unbelievably cool and hot looking guy by her side.
This story features a lovely romance between two people who have been burned by past relationships so they’re entering into this with a some hesitancy. Nay and Jake are very relatable, normal people you’d recognize in your own friend group. Naya’s painful secret, though came as a bit of a surprise to me because its revelation kind of sneaks up on you. Her last relationship was unhealthy – her ex was abusive and would gaslight her at every turn. Williams remarkably shows Naya’s fragility as she wrestles with her doubts and tries not cast Jake in the same light. But since her ex screwed with her confidence it’s understandably tough to get that voice out of her head. And now that very man who hurt her is back working on the same campus as she is and is up to all his old tricks. She refuses to let Jake know what’s going on, maintaining in her mind that she can handle herself. I totally empathized with Naya wanting to be self-reliant and stronger, which is why she doesn’t let anyone know the full depth of her fear. Then there’s also an element of shame. She’s this brilliant woman and a exemplary professor. She’s supposed to be smart enough to not be a victim. Once again, I hand it to Williams for allowing her character to be all these conflicted and vulnerable emotions. The latter portion of the books follows Naya’s struggle to maintain composure as she fights for the survival of her department and her new relationship, all while she also has to ward off the man who threatens her happiness and safety. All she has to do is trust Jake with the truth but trust is a commodity that’s so precious and since it was broken before, she can’t quite get there just yet. Trust is a strong running theme in this story.
How to Fail at Flirting was a quick and satisfying read for me. I was amazed by Denise Williams’ ability to strike an impressive yet delicate balance between the jovial and steamy moments, and the serious undertone of partner violence. I do recommend this book but it might be tough for some readers due to some of the triggering content (listed below). Rest assured that Naya does end up stronger in the end and has her moment of triumph which frees her from her terror. That alone is the ultimate happily ever after!
*ARC generously provided by publisher in exchange for an honest review
Naya Turner loves her job as faculty professor at the university. Besides her best friends (a married couple), she doesn’t get out much. Naya had an abusive ex-boyfriend and isn’t quite ready to jump back into the dating game quite yet. Her friends convince her to go out with them one evening and even make her a list of all the things that she should be doing. When her friends fail to show up at the club, Naya meets Jake. His dad jokes and funny sense of humor put her at ease. Will she take a chance on him?
I loved the mute cute between Jake and Naya. Their funny one-liners had me cracking up! And although I’m not a big fan of insta-love, I really enjoyed the relationship between Jake and Naya. But beyond what was supposed to be one-time hook up, Jake and Naya’s relationship becomes very complicated. Both Jake and Naya have had difficult relationships in the past and to move forward they have to address them. Not only that, but Jake is involved in the future of Naya’s job as professor, which raises all sorts of concerns for Naya.
Overall, I really enjoyed How to Fail at Flirting! Naya was abused by her ex and she had a had a lot of trauma because of it, but I love how she became more comfortable and confident as the storyline progressed. She sought that strength out from within her and I was here for it! Looking forward to reading more from Denise Williams.
CW: Domestic abuse – both physical and emotional
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher.
How to Fail at Flirting is just the perfect rom-com the world needs right now! Denise William’s debut novel has all the feels – and will make you feel everything right along side female lead Naya.
Naya is a professor at a University in Chicago who has a troubled past. Her last relationship was an abusive one, which she thankfully got out of, but not without taking baggage with her. So when her best friends create a check list for her to get back out there – she takes them up on the offer and winds up meeting Jake her first night out.
What follows is Naya’s journey to reclaim her old self – while confronting her ex and falling in love with Jake. Readers will laugh with their witty humor, and fall in love with them too.
Perfect for any rom-com, Women’s Fiction, Chick-lit loving reader!! I can’t wait to see what else Denise Williams writes.
I loved this book so much! It is so well-written. It had me from the first few pages and never let me go. Naya and Jake are amazing together and I couldn’t stop reading. The humor, the steam, the very real issues, the genuine emotion this story brings is one you won’t forget and I need to get the physical copy too! Pre-order this book, add it to your wishlist, and tell your friends. This is one you don’t want to miss!!
Thank you to the publisher and author for a gifted copy in exchange for my honest review.
I think we all have one girlfriend who challenges us to break out of our box. Maybe you do that for others. Regardless, it’s something we need to be told and pushed to do sometimes.
We can easily get stuck in a rut. And soon we’re not living a life that we envisioned. This story is about freedom and the courage to break free and do something different like giving your heart a chance.
I could really relate to the story in many ways. Do something daring, different, and maybe, just maybe, you’ll have a good time. That’s what Naya did when her friend challenged her to find herself again.
The author tells a story about a woman who seemingly has it all. The job she loves, great friends, but she stinks at selecting the right man and has just given up. The last one really did a number on her and we feel the effects of that through the story.
I’m not going to give away the plot because it’s very important to the story as a whole. But this author also points out that finding the right person in your life can heal so many issues from the wrong person in your life.
The story is beautifully written with wonderful characters that are complex and a delicate balance to each other. Loaded with lusty heat and slow-building love, support, and encouragement, it’s a complex well-developed story.
Is it all roses? No! But the author definitely takes us down the Wine Garden Path (lol – autocorrect!) through sexy times, passion, emotion, and healing with the ending certainly making it up for the minefield we walkthrough.
It makes me tear up when women finally realize their power. A passionate great escape novel!