I am so in love with all the Brown sisters and their close-knit, hilarious family. What did I think of the latest installment of their story? Check out my review of Take a Hint, Dani Brown.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown (The Brown Sisters #2) by Talia Hibbert. To be published on June 23, 2020 by Berkley. Thanks to the publisher for providing an eARC for review. This post contains affiliate links.
Synopsis adapted from Goodreads: 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. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits. When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now 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. Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic. Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is 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?
Take a Hint, Dani Brown featured one of my favorite types of romantic pairings: the smart, sarcastic woman hiding a soft side who falls hard for a seemingly tough but secretly mushy and emotional guy.
But before I get more into that, I have to say this: we romance readers complain a lot about covers so I’d like to say hooray to Diahann Sturge, cover designer, for a cover that pictures the characters exactly as I imagine them — and in a pose that’s central to the story. #DrRugbae!
Okay, back to the romance. There was SO much to love about the story of Danika Brown (Dani) and Zafir Ansari (Zaf). She’s a smart, ambitious Phd candidate with hair she dyes to match her mood. He’s a former rugby player turned security guard who’s hiding a lot of sadness and anxiety (plus a secret obsession with romance novels.)
Is there a word for a meet-cute that creates a fauxmance? A Faux Cute? That’s what happens here and it needs to be more of a thing. Dani and Zaf have been flirting at work – he’s a security guard at the university where she studies and teaches – but when she’s trapped in the elevator during a safety drill, he rescues her and carries her out of the building. A photo of her in his arms goes up on social media and their (fake) coupledom becomes a viral sensation, complete with a hashtag.
There’s only one problem: Dani doesn’t trust happily ever afters and is only looking for a temporary thing. Zaf likes her and reluctantly agrees to her rules for a fake relationship. She figures she’ll get some hot hookups that will distract her from an academic panel she’s nervous about participating in. He’ll get publicity for his work on social-emotional health with young athletes. They’ll banter and have steamy sex for only three weeks. Sure, Jan.
AHHH these two were so adorable that I wanted to smush their faces together. Plus, each had funny friends and a tight-knit family that I got to meet and fail in love with too.
On top of that (yes, there’s even more) Take a Hint, Dani Brown features a character dealing with anxiety and grief and highlights the issues faced women (particularly women of color) in academia, weaving them all into the story in a way that enhances the plot and deepens character development.
Take a Hint, Dani Brown left me with a smile on my face that will last for days. The only thing that I need now is an explanation of cheese toast, which is mentioned in the book. It’s an iconic British thing and I know there must be more to it that just toast and cheese. Anyone? Please explain ALL about it in comments!
If you’re a romance reader who likes their books on the steamier side, you’ve got to try this one!
If you love rom-coms, check out all my rom com reviews here!
