Named one of the Best Romances of 2020 by Apple, Kirkus, PW, Washington Post, NPR, BookPage, OprahMag, EW, Insider, Buzzfeed, Bustle, and Amazon!
USA Today bestselling author Talia Hibbert returns with another charming romantic comedy about a young woman who agrees to fake date her friend after a video of him “rescuing” her from their office building goes viral…
Danika Brown knows what she … goes viral…
Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.
When big, brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and former rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact to him, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Suddenly, half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?
Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf is secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his… um, thighs.
The easy lay Dani dreamed of is now more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?
“Talia Hibbert is a rockstar! Her writing is smart, funny, and sexy…” – Meg Cabot, #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Little Bridge Island and Princess Diaries series
Featured in OprahMag, Bustle, Parade, PopSugar, New York Post, Essence, Travel & Leisure, Ms. Magazine, TheSkimm, Betches, Shondaland, Buzzfeed and more…
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My first Talia Hibbert and it definitely won’t be my last. Definitely on the steamier side for me, but combines its sizzle with smart, sympathetic characters who have believable issues and obstacles to contend with — a great read, not just a great romance. Even though I’m getting “misunderstood moment goes viral!” fatigue in my contemporary romance reading, this scenario set up a wonderful story. The tender-hearted former rugby player/current security guard Zaf is one of my favorite heroes in recent memory.
I liked this book. It’s a second in a a series and I love how the characters are diverse and so real. Danika Brown is a smart, funny, bisexual, plus-sized black woman. She feels very strongly anti-relationship but wouldn’t mind some companionship and finds that with Zafir, an ex-pro Rugby player turned security guard at the campus Dani works at. Zafir has had some loss in his past as well as anxiety that he has dealt with and is a romantic at heart. A small incident leads Dani and Zafir to instigate a fake relationship and the story goes on from there.
I laughed in this book. The banter was great and the steam was intense. These two definitely had chemistry. I really liked how well Hibbert wrote a male lead who is dealing and has dealt with anxiety. It was so very well done. These books are a breath of fresh air because they have real, modern day characters. While it can feel slightly over-the-top at times it is so nice to read a love story where those in it do not fit your traditional molds. I’m really looking forward to the next in the series.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown was absolutely wonderful with an amazing romance and delightful characters.
Danika Brown knows what she wants out of life and love is absolutely not on that list. But a friend-with benefits? That’s right up her alley, so Dani asks the universe for the perfect person and she’s led to security guard Zafir Ansari. But before Dani can work on seducing him, a video of Zaf rescuing Dani during a fire drill gone wrong goes viral. With the publicity working wonders for Zaf’s sports charity, he begs Dani to play along and pretend to date him. Dani agrees with the hope of seducing Zaf in the meantime, but her potential friend-with-benefits turns out to be a hopeless romantic. Suddenly her plan just got a lot harder and when Zaf begins to work his way into her heart, Dani wonders what exactly the universe had in mind when it sent her Zaf?
Dani is a confident woman who knows what she wants out of life and intends to get it. I loved that Dani knew her own mind and wasn’t willing to settle for anything less than what she wanted. Dani does have a poor outlook on love as it’s never worked out for her in the past. After learning Dani’s history, her reaction to love made sense and I could see why she avoids it. Dani is a bit of a workaholic and her dedication to her work definitely led to her personal life suffering. Her family is fantastic and I love the relationship she has with her sisters. Dani, Chloe, and Eve are all so wonderfully supportive of each other and I love it.
Zaf is quite possibly one of my favorite romance heroes of all time. He’s swoony, believes in true love, and is an absolute cinnamon roll. The fact that he reads and loves romance novels makes him all the better. After the death of his father and brother several years prior to the story, Zaf developed anxiety that he still deals with in present day. The author’s descriptions of Zaf’s anxiety were so incredibly spot on with some of my own dealings with it and made Zaf easy to connect with. Zaf’s relationship with his family is fantastic and I loved how open he was with them about everything.
Fake dating is one of my favorite tropes, so I knew I would love Dani and Zaf’s romance. The friendship the two develop is fantastic and I love how close they get over the course of the book. The chemistry between them is phenomenal and I loved their teasing banter. The sex scenes in this book are incredibly steamy and so well done. It definitely takes a while before Dani and Zaf’s relationship moves forward as Dani’s insistence she’s not looking for love slows things down. I liked that Zaf was supportive of what Dani wanted while being open with what he wanted even if it was the opposite of Dani. When Dani finally accepts that she loves Zaf, it’s incredibly sweet and I loved the scene where she opens up to him. Overall their romance was wonderful and it’s definitely one that’s equal parts steamy and swoony.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown was just as fantastic as Get a Life, Chloe Brown and I’m looking forward to the third book, Act Your Age, Eve Brown, releasing next year. I highly recommend this series to anyone looking for swoony, contemporary romances.
Danica Brown, Talia Hibbert’s funny intelligent heroine is a workaholic with intimacy issues. Her love interest, Zafir Ansari is an ex Rugby player who loves romance novels and I as a reader fell in love with him immediately.
Hibbert’s style is unapologetically sophisticated, hilarious (there was a quip about Paul Hollywood which made me laugh out loud) and touching. A great read.
Danika Brown is fiercely independent, outspoken, headstrong and determined not to fall in love again. After having her heart broken she has decided relationships just aren’t for her. Instead, she just wants the perfect friend…with benefits.
Zafir Ansari is sweet, strong, funny and madly infatuated with Danika. They see each other every morning when she comes to work and they share mere minutes of chatting and flirting. Zafir wants more but doesn’t have a clue how to take it beyond that.
Fate steps in, as a fire drill ends up getting Danika stuck in an elevator, turns Zafir into her rescuer, and captures the end of said rescue on video that goes viral on social media. Now it seems Danika & Zafir are to be in a fake relationship, as it seems everyone believes they are in a real one due to the video and Zafir has begged her to play along.
Being in a fake relationship has its perks and rules…rules that are meant to keep things informal and feelings at bay. What happens when those rules get broken and hearts turn tender? Maybe what fate had planned all along.
This was a fantastically fun and laugh-out-loud read. Danika Brown is a great character and I love how confident yet vulnerable she is, and could relate to so much she was going through. Zafir is strong yet sensitive and knows it’s ok to not to be ok sometimes. It was great to see this in a male character.
Talia Hibbert has a way with words and will have you laughing, holding your breath, tearing up, and feeling a bit anxious…all while getting completely lost in the story. Such a great pick-me-up book!
Oh my God, Zaff is like…the number one most adorable hero I’ve read all year. 10/10 heart eyes! And Dani–so freaking relatable. I can’t wait for the third installment in this series! Fabulous.
Dani and Zaf are truly goals for the modern couple.
THIS IS HOW YOU DO A FAKE DATING ROMANCE, PEOPLE.
Dani Brown is the younger sister of Chloe Brown (of Tali Hibbert’s Get a Life, Chloe Brown). She’s busy kicking @$$ as professor obtaining her doctorate, but it doesn’t leave much room for relationships–but that’s okay, she’s not a “relationship person” anyway. Unfortunately for her (or fortunately…?) campus security guard Zafir (who’s secretly a former professional rugby player) has got his eye on her and he’s *definitely* a relationship guy. When Zafir and Dani are thrust into a fake relationship (that may end up having benefits…) will it be more than temporary…?
I’ve read so many romance novels where the tropes are so forced it’s just SO unbelievable (even in a fantasy) you can’t stand it, or there’s so many tropes mashed up in one novel you wonder if there’s anything new. THIS BOOK DOES IT RIGHT. It’s beautifully written, with lovable three-dimensional characters, and, miraculously doesn’t feel forced. I read Chloe Brown months ago and liked it, but didn’t find it particularly memorable, so I wasn’t as amped to read this one as everyone else seemed. But I’m glad I did! It was just so…enjoyable. Reading it made me happy. Also, how can anyone NOT love Zaf when HE READS ROMANCE NOVELS???? Perfect book boyfriend? MAYBE.
3.5 stars
I have been waiting for this book for quite some time. We first met Dani Brown as Chloe Browns younger sister in “Get a life, Chloe Brown”. I immediately took a liking to Dani as she is not afraid to be herself. She is openly bi, enjoys changing her hair color and loves her work above anything else. She has a take me or leave me personality. Zafir an ex professional rugby player is in many ways her opposite, being a lot more reserved and working on overcoming anxiety after having experienced loss.
Dani and Zafir have known each other for quite some time, both working at the University. Dani as a PHD student and Zafir as a security guard in the building Dani teaches in. They develop a friendship, but Zafir has always wanted to get to know Dani in a more intimate level. Dani was previously in a relationship and didn’t seem to want to give him the time of day in that way. This all changes when during a fire drill Dani gets stuck in an elevator and Zafir rescues her. They become a social media sensation #Dr.Rugbae. Zafir asks Dani to fake a relationship in order to get more support and followers for his nonprofit. The amount of time they spend with each other has Dani seeing Zafir in a different light, one she is looking to explore and have fun with. It surprises her when she realizes just how much she enjoys being around Zafir.
Together Zafir and Dani balance one another. Zafir brings out the softness in Dani. Making her realize she can love her work, but it doesn’t have to be all encompassing. Dani allows Zafir to let go and have more fun. He is recovering from a major loss and anxiety and Dani is a shining light for him. She also doesn’t require him to pretend to be anything but himself as she is.
This is an adorable, fun quick read and I can’t wait to read the next installment and learn more about Erica Brown!!
Delightful story, characters well matched. Love how their friendship blossoms into more and it’s very interesting and humorous to read how they learn the difference just being friends and being in a relationship, fake or not adding depth to the plot. Zaf is a sweetheart and everything about Dani excites him. Enjoyed the laugh-out-moments, the supporting characters and the romance.
I finished Chloe’s book yesterday and I don’t think I’ve ever bought and read the next book in a series quite so fast. This book was hysterical and heart warming and silly and so much fun!! Dani is brilliant and funny and so very set in her ways. Zaf is probably going to be my book crush for the next fifteen years or so. Thoughtful and understanding and so caring and honest about his struggles with anxiety and losing his family members. Truly a superb book, the only downside is now I have to wait for book number 3!
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review
The second book in The Brown Sisters series introduces us to the sassy, brazen and highly ridiculous Dani who livens up any space that she’s in. She’s intoxicating which is exactly how Zaf feels about her. The two of them work in the same building – she a professor, he a secruity guard – and when a video of him rescuing her during an emergency drill gone wrong goes viral, they’re instant superstars. Couple goals, baby! They decide to egg it for what it’s worth so they pretend to date, playing it up to the gawkers to gain publicity for his youth program, Tackle It. As a former rugby player who’s been through his own fair share of emotional turmoil, he espouses the importance of mental health especially in young boys whom society tells it’s wrong to show emotions. A relationship, even a fake one is untested territory to Dani who likes to avoid commitment.
Talia Hibbert writes the BEST banter! Zaf and Dani flirt, bait each other and toss out quick retorts which amuses and keeps things lively. There’s not a boring moment when these two have the most insane chemistry! Dani is straight up confident in her sexuality and her desires, and Zaf is equally honest. Attraction aside they do approach the concept of relationships differently, in part due to their personal struggles. Zaf suffers from anxiety but has developed ways to cope. I liked how Hibbert demonstrated the way his anxiety manifests showing that it differs for everyone. I was awed by how she had Dani be so patient and supportive through this because Dani isn’t one to put someone ahead of herself. After a bad experience she vowed never to compromise for anyone ever so the fact that this vivacious person could be so quiet during one of Zaf’s episodes and just be present with him is one of the little things that makes Hibbert’s characters so lovable. Zaf’s sensitivity and insistence on being in touch with his emotions is the anti-alpha move and I am all for it. Dani’s effusive embrace of her femininity and sexuality makes her one of the most appealing characters I’ve ever read. Seriously, Dani and Zaf breathe new life for relationship dynamics. I’m not giving anything away here but let me just say that the ending is super sweet and shows how much they evolve.
Talia Hibbert is an enigmatic writer. I love how she phrases things, sets up situations and takes quirky to new levels. Though it’s only the second book of hers I’ve read I know for sure that I can never know what to expect from her or her characters. Take A Hint, Dani Brown is genuinely hilarious, sexy and aspirational. It’s good-feel vibes through and through.
How cute is this? New from Talia Hibbert!!
This book… I had the absolute pleasure of reading an ARC and it’s beyond unbelievable in its humor, power, message, utter sexiness and swoony romance. Talia’s follow up to GET A LIFE, CHLOE BROWN blew me away, and you NEED THIS BOOK!
This is my favorite of the two Brown Sisters books so far. I liked Zafir and Dani from the get-go and understood their personalities right away. I loved the reason why Zaf reads romance. I adored the family closeness and tight friendships on both sides. Most importantly, I really appreciate how Talia laid out Dani’s realization of her feelings for Zaf. The transition from fake to real was really smooth and felt natural.
I adored Talia Hibbert’s “Take a Hint, Dani Brown,” the second book of the Brown Sisters series. The characters seemed so real and vibrant to me, and once I started reading, I didn’t want to put the book down. Main characters Dani and Zaf were both incredibly likeable and three-dimensional, and watching them fall in love put a huge smile on my face. I loved their witty banter, but even more than that, I loved how hard Dani and Zaf worked to make each other happy. Their relationship wasn’t perfect, but it was a true partnership, and the way they cared for and supported each other was beautiful.
I’m a big fan of grumpy heroes as well as men who read romance novels, so the fact that Zaf was both of those things made him pretty much irresistible to me. He was like a giant teddy bear, so sweet and caring, always trying to be in touch with his emotions, supporting Dani when she needed it, and even making sure she ate and took care of herself when she went into her workaholic, absent-minded professor mode. Dani described Zaf as a “dad” at one point, which was 100% accurate and made me laugh out loud because he was trying to feed her a protein bar for breakfast around the same time.
I also appreciated that both Dani and Zaf were so close with their families. Zaf’s teasing relationship with his niece, Fatima, was adorable. (I would love to know the story behind her nickname, Fluffy!) It was also great to catch up with Dani’s sisters, Chloe and Eve, as well as get to know Dani’s BFF, Sorcha. She seemed like an honorary Brown sister, so maybe she’s a candidate for a story of her own at some point in the future? I have a feeling Sorcha would be pretty entertaining as a lead character.
Overall, “Take a Hint, Dani Brown” was a lovely book and I highly recommend it for all fans of contemporary romance and romantic comedy. I am very much looking forward to getting my hands on Eve’s story next!
*ARC provided by the publisher via Edelweiss. All opinions expressed are my own.
My Thoughts:
Take a Hint, Dani Brown by Talia Hibbert brought old fashioned romance and swooning to a modern day love story. Danika Brown is an independent, intelligent, strong, fierce, scholar and professor. She is an intellectual who thrives on her career, and this is her top priority. Dani doesn’t think she is cut out for romance, as it doesn’t come natural to her, and her past relationships have ended in disaster. She wishes for a partner where she can have a purely physical relationship without any romantic or emotional entanglements.
Zafir works as a security guard at the same university where Dani teaches. They are friends that bring each other breakfast, have fun exchanging pleasantries, and think highly of one another. Underneath their friendship is a sizzling chemistry that they both have never addressed. When Zafir rescues Dani during a practice fire drill, and carries her out of the building, their image with the romantic and adoring way they are looking at each other, goes viral with the #DrRugbae.
This is when Dani learns that Zafir use to be a professional rugby player, and has started his own sports charity where he teaches rugby as well as positive mental health strategies to adolescents. He asks Dani if she will participate in a fake relationship with him, as the publicity of them going viral has already started helping his charity exponentially. She agrees, because what would be the harm in helping her good friend with a great cause; and she can might be able to convince Zaf to indulge in a fun friends with benefits arrangement while they’re at it…
I loved the characters in this story! Dani was unconventional, brilliant, fun, quirky, and endearing. She had challenges with tapping into her emotions, but in no way did this take away from my love of her character. She was kind hearted, and thoughtful. I enjoyed her interactions with her sisters Chloe and Eve, as well as her best friend Sorcha. They were such a tight-knit group, and I felt like they were my friends too. The characters felt real, because they were so wonderfully flawed and human.
Zaf stole my heart! I adored him. He was so sweet, kind, and romantic. The way he treated Dani took my breath away. He was a modern day “prince charming.” I was shipping #DrRugbae from the very beginning of this story. It was clear that Dani and Zaf were meant to be, and I enjoyed every moment of their love story!
If you are looking for a story that will entertain, delight, and make you feel like you are falling in love right beside the characters, check out, Take a Hint, Dani Brown!
It’s a diverse romcom featuring a driven alpha heroine working in academia, grumpy ex-rugby star hero with a heart of gold and a love of romance novels, and one fake relationship with its own viral hashtag (#DrRugbae).
These Brown sisters are so much fun. First it was Chloe and this time it’s younger sister Danika. I had such a good time with Dani and Zafir. A friends to lovers romance that also has a comedic feel to it thanks to Dani and Zafir’s interactions but certainly also the interactions of the Brown sisters and grandmother Gigi.
Dani is into witchcraft and ask her Goddess to send her sign as to who should be her next f**kbuddy. Cue Zafir and his kindhearted and romantic soul who seeks love and relationship which is the total opposite of Dani who only needs sex and not the strings that comes along with a relationship.
Zafir is a true romantic who reads books and loves his family. He’s infatuated with Dani and she only sees him as a good friend she’s having sex with. That slowly changes and I really enjoyed that progress where it evolved into more. Their chemistry is spot on and dialogue funny as heck.
As much as I adored Dani I absolutely fell in love with Zafir. A man who’s experienced a traumatic loss that’s has had a lasting effect on him. Especially mentally. He’s used that loss and turned it into something good. A foundation. A place to help people.
Dani goes through a relationship growth while she’s “seeing” Zafir. He makes her want to try again. To be together with another person and to love wholeheartedly.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown was such a joy to read and I’m very excited about Eve’s book. These Brown sisters have something special about them.
4 Tackle It Stars
I loved Get a Life, Chloe Brown so hard that I absolutely could not wait to read Take a Hint, Dani Brown! I had high expectations going into this book not only from loving the first one in the series so much, but I became even more hyped for it every time I saw a teaser or heard someone praise it. I had no doubts that it was going to be good and Ms. Hibbert so did not let me down. I just adored Take a Hint, Dani Brown, it was positively marvelous!
I loved Dani’s story even more than I did Chloe’s, though I have to say that it mostly all due to Zafir. Don’t get me wrong, I love Dani too, she’s funny and we both think emotions are gross, so we totally clicked, but there’s just something about Zaf. I have been so excited to meet him because I love me a grumpy hero, like a lot and oh, Zafir was just perfect! He’s all gruff and scowly, but he’s just the swooniest, sweeetest, most lovely man ever — I loved and couldn’t get enough of him! Zaf is wonderful and brave and he completely and utterly stole my heart — I’m a total goner for him and I could gush about him forever!
Get a Life, Chloe Brown made me fall in love with it while I was reading it and that happened with Take a Hint, Dani Brown too. It made me feel all giddy and warm and it made me melt. I laughed, I cried, there was no part of me that was disengaged with Zafir and Dani. They were just the most adorable couple ever and I wanted nothing more for them to get their happily-ever-after. Not only is Take a Hint, Dani Brown one of my favorite reads of the year, but I think Zafir is my favorite hero of the year — so read this book because it is AMAZING!