How to Fail at Flirting by Denise Williams – a Review

Amazon / B&N / Kobo / Google Play / Apple / BAM / Book Depository

Description:
One 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 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.

Review:

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.

Reviewed by Barb

Copy provided by Publisher