Happily Ever Afters? Yeah, Sometimes.

Basically, Talia Hibbert rules.

I’m going to say it with my whole chest: I read and very much enjoy romance books. It’s not an uncommon thing to say, but it does seem to be controversial. They’re considered lowbrow and trashy at best and unrealistic, toxic garbage at worst. The kind of thing only sad, lonely, touch starved women read. It’s kind of changed since Bridgerton dropped on Netflix and caused many, many more people to give the genre a chance… but “serious” readers still look down on those of us who sometimes want brain candy and not like, gigantic literary doorstoppers all the time.

I read entirely based on mood, not what’s on bestseller lists or what Bookstagram tells me I should be reading. For the past couple of months the vibe has been pretty fluffy, with some biography and nonfiction thrown in for variety. I tend to feel the same way every year: two summers in a row I’ve read one of Talia Hibbert’s Brown Sisters trilogy and loved both.

From the start, Dani’s story reminded me how much I love the series. Hibbert makes all three Brown sisters individuals, but their strong personalities come with flaws. For the middle of the trio, it’s her laser focus on work, her social and romantic stumbles, and the anxiety they bring. The more Dani pushes it away, the worse it gets. I could relate to that big time.

I love a good rom-com concept, and fake/forced dating never disappoints. I’m honestly glad this flew right past enemies to lovers, which could be very easily done with a grumpy, more serious male lead like Zafir. Having history and context already there makes your heart go out to the couple a little more. The chemistry is always there, but it shifts and morphs into something else.

I also love that the couple isn’t your stereotypical “opposites attract” pair. Dani and Zaf both fight against their minds, but in different ways. I think being close to someone who understands what you’re dealing with as well as they can makes your relationship stronger. They learn from each other. They’re both stubborn, but totally weak for each other. There’s sides to them that only the other sees.

I think what I liked best about Take a Hint, Dani Brown was that neither of the leads are perfect. Zaf is still emotional, Dani is still learning to let herself feel joy. Falling for each other didn’t make their problems magically disappear; they know it’s going to take work when they’re no longer faking being in love for social media clout. I can suspend my disbelief for a lot of things when I read, but I struggle with insta-love. Fictional romance with no pining, tension, or buildup just doesn’t do it for me. I need to see the feelings progress to that “oh, shit” moment.

They don’t need to make out in the rain or declare their feelings in a cringey, extremely public fashion, but watching their emotions hit them like a goddamn semi truck is so satisfying. They can be awkward (which Dani and Zafir definitely are), they can mess up, but you need to have a reason to root for the characters beyond the fact that they’re “supposed to” be together. That’s literally the bare minimum here. As someone whose anxiety makes them struggle with relationships, who’s dealt with trauma, and has had to consciously extricate my personality from who I was as a student (and who likes crystals and stones, on rings in particular) I could relate. If you like contemporary romances, you will not regret reading most of what Talia Hibbert writes.

(I’d be remiss not to mention the spicy parts. I’m extremely picky about word choice or adjectives that take me out of those kinds of scenes but… 10 out of 10, female orgasm and sex positivity and enjoyment for all genders involved. No notes.)