The constant mentioning of how hot the MC was without any actual character building killed this book for me. A cute premise and a very catching cover do not save this one.

I received “The Fundamentals in Flirting” as a NetGalley arc and I was a bit disappointed. Compared to the authors first book (“The Hot Henry Effect”), this one did not leave me giddy or excited about the romcom. I had a perpetual frown on my face for most of the read. Why do we make these intelligent woman so dumb? Don’t get me wrong being bullied for your appearance can definitely leave you wounded, but the “will they won’t they,” constant misunderstanding when MMC IS being incredibly direct was boring and honestly a bit annoying. Not to mention, I felt like there were too many antagonists in this story with very little substance. Hannah’s mom and dad, her ex, her high school bully. Too many cooks in the kitchen , ya know. Combined or separately they make sense as to why Hannah ended up the way she did, but it just felt repetitive. It was as if most of the trauma of having bullies for parents and a bully at school was glossed over, or not as profound as the author would have liked. Overall, not my cup of tea.

Cute second chance romance. Hannah is such a good grump and Teddy is such a charming sunshine. Together they are stuck in a will they won’t they caused by their insecurities. I enjoyed seeing the characters from the first book. Funny and full of sweet moments and good character growth.

This book was miles away from the debut novel of Lucy Chalice, partly due to the miscommunication trope that seems to be keeping the plot moving forward. The characters seem to lack chemistry, as the FMC simply hates everyone and the MMC is a bit immature.

Maybe it is a book that is more geared towards a younger audience. Overall, this was a quick read, so if that's something you're looking for, it may be the book for you.


A 3.5 star read, rounded up to a 4 star.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher One More Chapter for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this arc!
Funny cute and enjoyable read, glad I came back to this author after enjoying the Hot Henry Effect!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for a review.

This book was so fun!! I love a woman in STEM and the backstory with Teddy and Hannah really made this story stand out and their setting gave it a richer and deeper story than I originally thought. I found. this cozy British vibes were so fun to read and Hannah and Teddy's story was so compelling. I tried so hard to stay up late and finish this one cause I was so captivated, but I had to carry this one over a couple days.

Fundamentals in Flirting is a spicy small town romance with a HEA guaranteed!
Dr Hannah Havens is successful, independent, but as prickly as a hedgehog in a blackberry bush. And definitely not looking for love. When she returns to the small town where she grew up, the last thing she needs is to crash into Teddy Fraser, the infuriatingly gorgeous guy that she once snogged. He is most definitely a ladies’ man, the biggest flirt she has ever met, and someone she should avoid at all costs.
But, despite her best intentions of keeping Teddy at arm’s length, he keeps popping up. Hannah’s patience with his overtly cheery disposition is wearing thin, but her boss has warned her to improve her people skills.
Who better to test out her new patience with than Teddy Fraser. With his affable and charismatic personality, surely Hannah can't avoid his charm forever…

I hadn't realised that this was a follow on from 'The Hot Henry Effect' when I started it, of course I was like huh the author obviously likes the name Henry, then when Clara was introduced I was like ohhhh got it! They are completely standalone novels. However, if you read this first, then you will know the ending of Henry's tale!
This was a lovely read filled with some adorable, interfering animals. I particularly loved Deidre the devil sheep - ha!
There were loads of really funny, cute moments that were perfectly placed in this romcom.
There was also some really emotional aspects, Agnes and her dementia, Ted's brotherly insecurities and Hannahs lack of self confidence, having been ground down over the years of bullying and lack of affection from family and those supposed to love her. I loved seeing the two leads overcome their issues and blossom.
I found this difficult to put down and cleared it over two sittings.
I look forward to what's next from this author.

A great read, a grumpy and sunshine romance, the story of Hannah and Teddy. Hannah is the grumpy one and Teddy is trying to win her over - will she give him a chance?

Thank you NetGalley and Author for this ARC for an honest review!

What to say about this book. Honestly, it was swoony, cute, and an easy read. I felt it was a bit slow in some areas but Teddy was 👌. Hannah was a bit annoying at times but overall the story was well balanced, and timed and a pleasure to read.

I enjoyed this book. The characters were fun and well written. I felt ok times the storyline felt a little flat but powered through and I'm glad I did. An enjoyable read

Within the first pages I can already see what we are dealing with Hannah cute, smart, and oblivious. Some small issues with her self esteem she seems to get in her own way. I haven’t been able to stop smiling, the FMC and MMC interactions/chemistry is very cute. I don’t think I’ve laughed from a book that loud in a very long time. Oh my god I could not control myself. The silly things they do together, Teddy is great for Hannah giving her a time to let loose. We all have insecurities learning to deal with them and having honest and open communication, is what needs to happen. Their way of lighting each other up is incredibly sweet. I love every second of it, even when Hannah was spending most of her time trying to run away. Teddy trying his best to be there for her was lovely, his opening up and letting her see his insecurities. Brought them closer together. I loved the book, the author did an amazing job with the characters and pacing of the story.


Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK publishing, I received a eARC for an honest review !

Thank you to Netgalley and One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

DNF @ 75%

I'm not going to do my normal cutesy review for this, because I don't have a lot to say. This had potential to be a really cute and fun romcom, but unfortunately the characters still acted like teenagers when they're full grown adults. It really bothered me to see them act like children. Neither of the characters were all that compelling. The FMC was grumpy but seemed to have no intention toward personal growth. All around, I'm pretty disappointed I didn't enjoy this more. I think if this character wanted to write characters who act like teenagers, they should write YA.

If grumpy sunshine was an Olympic sport, Dr. Hannah Havens would be taking gold medals and breaking hearts along the way.

In Fundamentals in Flirting, Lucy Chalice delivers a laugh-out-loud romcom packed with small-town shenanigans, sizzling chemistry, and enough charm to make even the prickliest of hedgehogs (aka Hannah) warm up to love.

Hannah’s back in her childhood hometown with zero interest in romance, a mile-high wall around her heart, and a very serious case of Resting Scowl Face.

Enter Teddy Fraser: her polar opposite, an irrepressible flirt, and, surprise!, the guy she once snogged. (Yes, we’re all dying to know the backstory there.) Teddy is basically a walking ray of sunshine with a side of devastating dimples, and he’s determined to crack Hannah’s icy exterior.

Cue forced proximity, sparring banter, and enough unresolved tension to light up the town square. Teddy’s charm is relentless, but Hannah’s sass is equally sharp, making their dynamic an absolute treat. Watching these two navigate their very obvious (and very inconvenient) attraction while attempting to “just be friends” is romcom gold. Add in some spicy moments that will leave you fanning yourself and you’ve got a recipe for romance perfection!

Chalice also nails the small-town vibe, with quirky side characters and a cozy backdrop that makes you want to pack your bags and move to wherever this book takes place. And while the laughs are plenty, the story doesn’t shy away from deeper moments, exploring Hannah’s struggles with vulnerability and connection in a heartfelt, relatable way.


Recommend if you are looking for a cozy read that feels like a warm hug.

I enjoyed the second book by Lucy Chalice the same as the first (Hot Henry Effect), about the other twin… Teddy and Hannah had a moment at high school, at his and Henry’s 18th birthday party, when he, the popular boy, snuck out of his party and came across her, the brainy science girl, and they shared a kiss… before the popular girls discovered them…

Many years later, Hannah returns to town and winds up bumping into him. In an effort to improve her prickly personality, she asks for his help in “people-ing”. After spending a lot of time together in the lessons, and his sunshine personality working to turn her grump around, the forced proximity seems to do its usual trick and reminds them both of their high school crushes.

It was a quick and fun read - if you are familiar with the first book, you’ll enjoy this one just as much. If you didn’t read Henry’s book, you can definitely read this as a standalone, and go in knowing it’s a great reverse grumpy sunshine, kinda second chance, high school crushes romance. It’s a light and charming storyline! Easy reading.

Thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK / One More Chapter for an early copy. This is my honest feedback.

Hannah is a quirky veterinarian with the people skills of a hedgehog. She moves back home after her world falling apart and runs into none other than her old flame (if you count one super hot kiss senior year) Teddy.

He’s never been as nice as his twin brother, but there’s something about him Hannah can’t shake.

Turns out, they’re neighbors! And seeing a LOT of each other since Hannah has asked teddy to teach her “people skills” and the fundamentals of flirting.
But soon Hannah and Teddy realize maybe they are what the other has been missing all along.

I liked Hannah. She gave me The Good Doctor vibes in the best way. It was a cute romance with a slow burn to the spicy scenes I had been waiting for.

Thank you to NetGalley for providing an eARC of this story, this is my objective review. Another fun one from Lucy Chalice! Our fmc is Hannah, a veterinarian who is serious and sensible, with a fierce personality that hides a core of vulnerability. Teddy (twin brother to Henry from "The Hot Henry Effect") is our mmc: he's charming and gregarious. After sharing a pretty fantastic kiss (and its awkward aftermath) in their teens, Hannah and Teddy go their separate ways until 15 years later when Hannah returns to their hometown after dumping her creep of a boyfriend. When she comes under fire at her new job for not being polite enough to the owners of the pets she treats, Teddy offers to help her with her boss. And as Teddy gives Hannah a crash course in more effective socializing, attraction builds and Hannah starts to wonder if she has underestimated Teddy all along.

This was very much grumpy-sunshine, which is a favorite trope of mine. I really enjoy a heroine who's not afraid to embrace the grump, and I loved Hannah so much. This is a first-person single POV from Hannah's perspective; I usually prefer to have the mmc's POV as well but it worked fine here. The author has a solid sense of humor, which is evident in the dialogue as well as in Hannah's inner voice and observations. Teddy was ridiculously likable, and the dynamic between Hannah and Teddy was fun to watch as they learned that they could truly be themselves with each other. Closed-off Hannah and insecure Teddy poked at that soft place in my heart that's reserved for the emotionally damaged. I wanted to give them both hugs then tell them to hug each other. I also love that although Hannah has ready support in Teddy, she is perfectly capable of rescuing herself and she *does*. This book ticked my entire checklist for a good rom-com and I really enjoyed the read. Readers who love slow burn friends-to-lovers stories with a strong fmc who learns to nurture her inner honey badger, a supportive and sweet mmc, witty banter between two emotionally vulnerable adults, and a menagerie of animal supporting characters will love this book. I gave it 4 stars but it's closer to 4.25. Oh, and since this is a series so far, if I had to guess I'd say that Clara's co-worker Oscar may be next to get a story.

3.5⭐️/1.5🌶️

Thank you netgalley for this arc! :)

this was a cute cinnamon roll/grumpy romance. Though our fmc isnt exactly grumpy, more shes just very blunt and the others around her dont like it :")

our mmc is such a goofy sweetie pie, i felt so bad learning about him and the relationship between him and his twin. it would really stink to always be compared or to come second in things constantly in life. i feel like our fmc was the perfect counter for him.

i didnt feel a big connection with the characters, and i did have to speed read a few pages/chapters as i felt myself losing interest, but over all this plot was adorable and im glad i was able to read it.

This book is exhausting. No self respecting adult woman would lack such self confidence due to freckles and her experience throughout childhood. It was silly how Hannah thrived on self deprivation and refused to love herself despite Teddy's ardent attempts.

I thoroughly enjoyed this read. It was an easy cosy story, and I flew through it in a day.

Hannah and Teddy are likeable characters along with some devil sheep, the neighbour, and ofc the cat! I loved following along on how each part of the story developed with them.

It was a bit hallmark predictable in parts, but that's why we love these kinds of stories. It gave me similar vibes to The Pumpkin Spice Cafe, but the writing in this was much better!

All in all, a lovely little cosy read and look forward to more from this author!

This was such a good book. I loved the story and the writing so much. The characters were great and the story flowed smoothly. Will definitely read more books by this author in the future.