This is my second Lucy Chalice book and I loved it as much if not more than her first. We are back with Henry's twin Brother Teddy and the 'prickly' Hannah in the Cotswolds.

What to expect
Small town romance
He falls first
Grumpy x Sunshine
Slow Burn

Honestly these two, so in love and they didn't know it. Or Teddy did but Hannah struggled a lot reading and dealing with human emotions after having difficult parents and, even more tragic an ex who cheated on her and made her feel inadequate and like it was her fault.
I really felt for Hannah, having been bullied most of her school life she has zero self confidence. She shoves anyone away and is seen as 'prickly' but underneath it all she has a warm heart. And I loved reading about Teddy give her lessons in flirting and other people person skills. Their relationship and banter from the get go was great.

The story was rom com gold, as well as being heartwarming, I was laughing aloud at this book. There's a older lady and her lost cat, and a wiley blind goat that also gets up to some mischief that will have you chuckling away like I was. I also love a book that's set in England so extra points for this.

Highly worth picking up, as well as Lucy's first book The Hot Henry Effect.

Thanks to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

4.5 ⭐️

the fundamentals in flirting was such a cute and easy read with a slow burn romance and some loveable side characters

plot ―୨୧⋆ ˚ the plot felt really well paced and i was easily hooked right from the beginning ! it was easy to read and it never felt too much of a burden to pick and read ( evidence of the fact i read it in a day)
despite the plot doing it for me - i can see why others may not love it.. the slow burn was slowww and sometimes painful due to some miscommunication and just general anxiety from both characters but it was part of their flaws and i loved seeing some of the angst!

ted and hannah ―୨୧⋆ ˚ the absolute cutest and the banter between them was so so enjoyable .. their flaws were mentioned enough that you could see it as a personality trait but not too much it put you of their character completely!
overall, i really enjoyed reading about them as they finally got over some of their flaws to find each other.

all in all, i loved this book quite a lot but i felt towards the end it seemed the bantering and funny aspect of their relationship was lost to their insecurities which was such shame but it really didn’t take away much from how much i loved this book!

When Hannah Havens finds her no-good boyfriend cheating on her with a grad school student, she flees back to her hometown to work in a veterinary office. Unfortunately, Teddy Fraser lives in the home next door, and besides her ex, he's the last person she wants to see. However, the fact that he's charming and outgoing may work in Hannah's favor: she needs help proving to her new boss that she can be nice to clients, and Teddy is just the person to teach her.

The Hot Henry Effect was a fantastic opener to the series, so Fundamentals in Flirting had a lot to live up to. Lucy Chalice did an admirable job delivering a fun follow-up to The Hot Henry Effect, and it was great to get another glimpse of Henry and Clara. Fundamentals in Flirting had a new cast of lovable characters - Teddy was charming and sweet, Hannah was prickly and sarcastic and fun, and Agnes' story was an interesting subplot. Hannah's dry humor and teasing were a fun counterpart to Teddy's over-the-top flirtations. I had a fun time reading this, and I eagerly anticipate any other novels Lucy Chalice releases in the future.

Hannah and Teddy are likeable characters and I enjoyed the second chance trope. I loved that it was set in the UK and it felt so local and authentic. Teddy was charming and flirtatious and Hannah was a little rough around the edges making them the perfect pair. My only problem is I felt that Teddy was slightly childish and immature at times, specifically at the end of the novel but this did not take away from how much I enjoyed the story and the characters.

Hannah is a prickly, quirky research veterinarian who needs help harnessing her people-side. Despite her insistent disdain, she enlists her high school crush to teach her how to flirt.

What I loved: the characters were mostly super charming (though occasionally infuriating), everyone has insecurities as well as strengths, side characters help complete the rounded package and add a sweet element to the story. The story flow was nice and it was very readable.

What I disliked: there's a lot of miscommunication, so be warned if that annoys you.

3.75 Stars
Open door spice

This was my first book by this author and while you can tell there was another book in the series first, it really stood in its own as well. I will be searching out the first book to continue enjoying this world and this author.

Thanks to Lucy Chalice, HarperCollins UK and NetGalley for this eARC.

this was so much fun and a great follow up to Lucy Chalice's first novel. I read this one first, having received it as an ARC, and found the writing to be lots of fun with good side characters. Ted is a masterclass of pining, and I do feel this book represented already a good deal of improvement from the first- also I loved how we kept characterizing our FMC as a porcupine, I just found that so cute!

I will say there is a third act breakup/plot point that some might find mildly annoying, thought it was resolved incredibly quickly - I didn't mind it honestly, and felt like the author was building up to it anyway, so - giving this book a strong 4 stars and will read her future novels. I could see these books being for lovers of Ali Hazelwood!

Fundamentals in Flirting is a witty English romcom about Teddy and Hannah. They had a fleeting moment back in high school and all these years later they get a second chance.

Hannah is a vet with a less than desirable bedside manner and Teddy is a master flirt. What happens when they run into each other (literally) and reconnect? Was their moment all those years ago more than just lust? Teddy offers to teach Hannah how to be better at dealing with people in exchange for her help renovating his old house… did I mention it’s next door to hers?

This is an easy read, but the miscommunication between the two main characters had me frustrated for them.

Read if you like :
Forced Proximity
Second Chance Romance
One Bed

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

If you adore a good "grumpy sunshine" trope, this book will charm you, especially with the refreshing twist of a grumpy female lead. Set against the backdrop of the UK, this romance is both endearing and engaging.

The characters’ dynamics are captivating, making it impossible to put down. Highly recommended for anyone looking to be completely absorbed by a charming British love story.

Unfortunately, this hurt my brain to read. Hannah wasn’t ‘prickly’, she was straight up rude. I found her incredibly immature and genuinely cannot imagine what Ted saw in her. On the other hand, Ted wasn’t great either. Both characters were incredibly surface level and not fleshed out. There was no chemistry. I did not enjoy this at all.

The Fundamentals in Flirting is a reverse grumpy x susnhine where fmc Hannah is resevered and not great at "peopling" and mmc Teddy is the lighthearted and flirty one. These two have such fun banter and humor between them.

As much as you grow to love this couple you know from the flashbacks scene of Ted's 18th birthday party that communication will not be there for them. They eventually work through their problems as they build their relationship but at a frustratingly slow rate (my only complaint about this book is simply how frustrating it was reading these two and the will they won't they theme)

English countryside setting and scenery details really draws you into this book. The side characters (and their pets) add so much fun and depth the the mcs as you see them interact. I loved seeing Henry and Cara again and can't wait to see what comes next.

3.5/5 ⭐️ARC read - thank you NetGalley! Always a pleasure to get a sneak peek. This is a reverse grumpy sunshine trope with a prickly heroine and a charming and bubbly hero. Hannah is a vet, starting over in her hometown in a small practice after her previous relationship and job fell apart. Who does she run into but a childhood crush that fumbled their kiss years before. Teddy is flirt. Charming, good looking and kind. When Hannah's prickly attitude puts her new job at risk, she hires Teddy to give her lessons on "peopling". Slowly their tentative friendship leads to flirtation, but can Hannah believe he is genuine? Or that she is good enough to be with someone like him? I connected a lot with Hannah's character - the doubt, the spiralling, the social anxiety. Also being a blunt kind of personality and having people tell you - you should smile more. I enjoyed the growth and depth of the characters. The writing was good. A nice enjoyable easy read.

Easily a 4.5 ⭐️ read for me! An adorable story!

I feel like Hannah is me on some days. So obliviously blunt with no filter. Ted is her complete opposite, but you know what they say- opposites attract!

I need an Agnes in my life with an Aphrodite… and let’s not forget a devil sheep named Deidre!

I was giggling and kicking my feet- I couldn’t stop reading!

I definitely fell in love with this authors debut novel ‘The hot Henry effect’ so I was more than excited to read this next in line release. A romance novel set in the English countryside with a grumpy vs sunshine trope was winning points for my reading tastes and for the most part I enjoyed this book and all it had to offer as an easy romantic read. I did however find myself a tad frustrated with the characters and the unending will they won’t they style of writing. Slow burn I’m a fan of but frustrating unending cycle that the protagonists found themselves in somehow ended up rubbing me up the wrong way. But there was still plenty to love, the small town theme with quirky sub characters along the way and a solid happily ever after sealed the deal on what is an overall funnily written and enjoyable escape of a romance novel. If you are in the mood for easy breezy and a book to completely escape into then I think you’ll be happily caught up with this book.

First and foremost I want to extend a thank you to NetGalley for the early access copy of the Fundamentals in Flirting in exchange for my honest review!

This book is a cute story of Hannah starting over after a bad breakup, life looks a bit like a set back heading to her hometown to start again. She is grump and a bit jaded, not really a people person.

Forced proximity and a little history draw Hannah and Teddy together. They are the a black cat and golden retriever through and through! Great tension, banter and love bloom!

Overall this is a great feel good romance, can’t wait to pick up more from this author

This was cute story about a second chance and two adults finding themselves. I’m also glad we got a little more from Henry and Clara.

3.5 stars rounded up. This is a fun romcom with a lot of laughs and charming moments. I especially loved Teddy and his big, flirty heart so much. Agnes and her animals were so sweet and likable too.

I found it a bit harder to connect to Hannah. I felt for her in all her insecurity and awkwardness, but I was confused by moments like her telling Teddy she wasn’t sure if she had left her ex for good, despite him having just been a total jerk to her on top of everything else. And in the end Hannah and Teddy just stumbled into one too many miscommunication moments for my liking.

Thank you to Harper Collins and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Lo disfruté mucho, lo leí de una sentada. No me di cuenta que me había atrapado hasta que lo terminé y me dí cuenta que no había hecho nada más que leer.


Como persona que ha sufrido el mismo tipo de bullying que Hannah puedo decir que es muy difícil quitarte esas ideas que te meten esas personas y más si no lo tratas
, que este es el caso de ella. Para algunos puede resultar exagerado sus reacciones, pero en realidad yo lo vi normal.


La parte del romance me gustó, por momentos me desesperaron tanto ella como Teddy porque no hablaban, actuaban a base de suposiciones en lugar de hablarse. Peor aparte de eso lo disfruté.



Gracias NetGalley y a la editorial por el ARC a cambio de una opinión honesta.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Lucy Chalice for the early access copy of the Fundamentals in Flirting.

Fundamentals in Flirting follows the story of Hannah and Teddy. This is a grumpy sunshine, he falls first, forced proximity romance that is told from Hannah’s perspective. Teddy is a golden retriever MMC that is hard not to fall for. The tension between Teddy and Hannah is palpable.

If you love witty banter, goats, and tension that builds, this is the story for you. I lost a lot of sleep not being able to put this book down.

Victorias first ARC thanks to NetGalley!
Fundamentals in Flirting by @lucychalice.author

I felt very lucky to be able to read this book before its official release, it’s my first ARC and I absolutely love the fact I get to review this book.

Hannah starts of catching her boyfriend cheating on her so Dr Hannah decides to tell on him and go back to her hometown to pretty much start again and work in a veterinary surgery. She really isn’t on the hunt for love until she literally rides into it.. there he is Teddy Frazer. Teddy and Hannah have a slight history so to speak..

Hannah is a little prickly and Teddy is down to earth charismatic well liked kinda guy. Hannah isn’t doing to well at work with her bedside manner so takes it in her stride to ask Teddy for help in being a ‘people person.’ Is Teddy the sunshine to her grumpy?
But Hannah is such a hardworking girl, she cares about animals she’s called out at all hours and I really felt for her I felt for every emotion that she went through. It’s tough!

Teddy falls first, he’s enthusiastic and commits to showing Hannah how truly wonderful and caring she is and generally how much he loves her. There is a moment in the story when Teddy lists all of the beautiful things about Hannah. There’s slot of push and pull between Teddy and Hannah more so on Hannah side because of her self esteem.

The story flowed, it didn’t drag and there was always something going on. And the fact I love animals it was perfect , cows and blind goats are a winner.

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A total win for fans of the author and anyone in the mood for a quick, feel-good romance! Huge thanks to the publishing team for the review copy—this was the perfect weekend escape when I needed a break from the million things running through my brain. Fun, flirty, and yes, a little bit sexy!

I love the small world Chalice has built here, especially if you've read The Hot Henry Effect. She's amazing at creating strong, smart, and educated female characters who hold their own both professionally and personally—and honestly, that matters! I'm also a sucker for enemies-to-lovers slow burns, especially when there's a second chance or missed opportunity vibe. Oh, and let's not forget the charming moments with small animals (the main character is a vet, after all). And give me all the "he falls first" stories where the guy's focus is on building trust, care, and a truly respectful relationship. It's the sweetest!