I am back with another book review. Needless to say, Audible has gotten me out of my rut and it actually makes some great suggestions for me. I am a bit behind in reviewing this one because I originally did not know how I felt about it. I have had this saved in drafts for a while now. Especially since I read this back in March or April. Now that I have given it some thought I can finally sit and share my thoughts here. I was trying to give it time to grow on me but I don’t think it did. I didn’t hate it, but I didn’t love it either. (Maybe I should blame Audible, since they recommended it to me.) But it is definitely me. When I pick romance novels, I am usually looking for something lighthearted and fun… and this just didn’t check all of those boxes for me.

This book is set up like the How to Lose a Guy in 10 Days movie but with the guy trying to lose the girl. Sadly, in Jack Nolan’s case he actually likes Hannah. He knows that going into this. Both Jack and Hannah are young professionals trying to take a turn in their careers. Hannah is an event planner, mostly large parties for random celebrities. While she enjoys doing these events, she dreams of being the VP. However, her boss doesn’t think she is ready mostly because Hannah carries a disdain for wedding planning and for relationships all the way around. That has to do with her disastrous relationship with her ex boyfriend. She makes a deal with her boss that kind of annoyed the hell out of me. I forgot that even women in high places can be manipulative. Hannah’s boss tells her that if she can show that she is in a committed relationship and remain in one for 2 weeks then she can help plan the senator’s daughter’s wedding. Seems like a high profile event to just throw down on top of what is essentially a bet about someone’s personal life. I get it… she has a lack of giddiness about weddings and clients can see that and complain but I just wondered why the boss didn’t just say “Listen… you’re not in the running for these reasons. I will give you a chance to change my mind by planning some smaller weddings and see how you do.” This annoyed me and her boss was on my shit list from the jump.

Jack Nolan has dreams of being an investigative journalist. But he stuck making listicles. (I love listicles. Some of they are hard to come up with. But if you have been reading up to this point, you know I love a good listicles ) His boss is just as douchey as Hannah’s boss. His boss makes him a deal… Write an article about losing a girl in 10 days. Not just any girl… but a girl he actually has feelings for. His boss is dangling a position, he is more than qualified for in order to get him to purposely meet dump someone he genuinely cares about and tell the world about it. Height of doucheyness.

Jack is actually pretty great. He is not into the internet dating thing. (Now I have nothing against swipe culture. It is very entertaining at times. But I mean really… do people have conversation skills anymore? Maybe it is me.) Jack and Hannah meet at a bar in Chicago. He has just gotten out of a relationship and is a bit of a serial monogamous. She is a over men having been on the receiving end of several hurtful comments in her past relationships. They end up talking because Hannah overheard his two friends making a stupid comments about women on the app. What is funny is the fact that Hannah makes a point to tell Jack that she would never date him. (Girl shut up.) He can actually hold a conversation and put up with whatever zingers Hannah kept throwing his way. I would have totally dated him or at least tried to get to know him.  Both characters, in typical rom-com fashion aren’t looking for anyone. (Yeah, you know how this goes.)

In Hannah’s case, I got that she struggled with how she had been treated in the past by exes and how her being biracial played into that. She wasn’t black enough for her ex Noah and his black family. I have a lot of biracial friends how have talked to me about this at one time or another. She has a hard shell and an icy wit. (I get it she is supposed to be a bad ass.) But for me, she just wasn’t doing it. I mean come on. We all have acquaintances that spend their time man bashing and shooting down men who have done nothing to them citing some past jerk. I get it. We have all been there but come on… when are you actually going to let go and live life? I found it to be interesting that she was surprised that her friend and her boss were shocked that she wanted to plan weddings given her outlook on relationships as a whole. I mean what bride wants a woman planning her day that is constantly scoffing and making snide comments.

Jack has some mommy issues… (I mean don’t they all?) But I was hoping for a more climatic scene with the two of them. I usually come to understand the parents side of things a bit more (even somewhat siding with the parent) but even after the big talk with his mom… I still retained my disdain for her. On the flip side, with all the talk about Hannah being biracial I would have loved to see her interact with her mother or even have a phone call with the woman. I got none of that.

In the end, I just wasn’t super invested in the Jack and Hannah relationship. There wasn’t a wow factor for me. Maybe if they had more scenes prior to but they each had baggage that kinda overshadowed their romance. When things finally do it the fan, Hannah seems to forget her role in using him which is also annoying. Other people may love it. Definitely read it and form your own opinion but for now I would say 3 out of 5 stars.

That is all for now. If you have read it, comment and tell me what you think.