‘Is She Really Going Out With Him?’ by Sophie Cousens, narrated in audiobook form by Kerry Gilbert, is a wonderful workplace romance about moving on after divorce, finding yourself and learning that love is worth fighting for. Anna and Will are rival journalists for Bath Living magazine, and a change of ownership leads to them reluctantly collaborating on a column about finding love… the twist: while Will is exploring the powers of online dating, Anna is bypassing the apps and courting men chosen in real life by her kids.

I absolutely adored Anna, whose drive to succeed at work and motherhood while being happy on her own was admirable. Her openness to trying new things, punctuated with moments of trepidation, was inspiring! Viewing the world through Anna’s eyes, I didn’t warm to Will immediately, but as his layers peeled back, I became obsessed with my new book boyfriend! The chemistry between the two leads was sizzling, and there were heartwarmingly sweet moments as Will interacted with her children and opened up about his motivations. I liked that their life situation, rather than just miscommunications, drove the third act, which felt realistic.

The series of dates were a mixture of hilarious, squirm-inducing and beautiful, and I loved that the novel was as much about Anna rediscovering her passions and growing her circle of friends as it was about the central romance. Loretta especially was a fantastic character, bringing light and joy to every page she appeared on. Also, Anna’s google searches, marking the end of each chapter, had me laughing so much.

This was a five star book, and the narration really brought it to life for me, conveying deep emotion well while remaining light and listenable! I’d wholeheartedly recommend this novel, in any format, to those who loved ‘The Hating Game’, ‘The Spanish Love Deception’ or Sophie’s own ‘The Good Part’.

I received an Advance Listening Copy of this book from the publisher Hodder & Stoughton Audio via NetGalley. Opinions my own.

I adore Sophie Cousens' books. She can do no wrong in my eyes.
Her stories are full of warmth and emotion, but for me, her unique selling point is the humour she punctuates through her novels. This latest book is hilarious, with the character Anna doing internet searches at the start of each chapter, which I loved. Reminded me of other books that do this, and it helps break up the story with a laugh.
I also had the audiobook narrated by Kerry Gilbert, and she was superb. She had a really easy speaking voice and I couldn't stop listening. I'll happily add her to my narrators to watch list!
I adored this, and it may just be my new favourite book from this author.

4.25⭐️. Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton Audio for the e-audiobook of Is She Really Going Out With Him? I had so much fun with this audiobook and binged it in more or less a day.

The story follows Anna, a newly divorced journalist in her 30s who is managing life as a single mum after being in a relationship for all of her adult life. It’s set in Bath, in the UK and the magazine Anna works is facing hard times, having just been bought out by a new owner who wants to set a new direction. With her younger, ambitious colleague Will keen to branch out into Anna’s area of lifestyle reporting, she finds herself pitching the idea of a column in which she dates people she meets in the old fashioned way (I.e., in person), who are chosen by her two kids. While Will writes a comparison article of his online dating experience.

The dating set up led to some really funny moments - the fishing date made me cringe (the hook/cheek situation 🙈) but also laugh out loud! I also liked the little google searches at the end of each chapter, which often made me chuckle but also give you a little insight into Anna’s mind.

Both main characters are well fleshed out and there’s a really good build up to their relationship. Will was gorgeous - he’s a little bit sarcastic, funny and he notices all the little things. It’s so sweet seeing him seek Anna’s approval, despite her initial cynicism towards him. And also to see how she slowly warms to him and the positive changes he ultimately helps her embrace.

There’s a fairly typical third act conflict towards the end, but it makes sense in relation to the characters’ back stories. The audiobook narrator was also great, and I’d highly recommend consuming it in this format if you enjoy audiobooks.

Tropes:
- workplace enemies to lovers
- Forced proximity
- One bed

No spice.

Is She Really Going Out With Him is the first novel I’ve read by Sophie Cousens - I need to rectify that.

First off, I like a good rom com as much as the next person but they’re normally a bit of filler or a light distraction for a while. So I went into this expecting exactly that, what I got was so much more!

The comedy value is excellent. I was laughing within the first few minutes, but I was laughing at things I truly related to.

The romance was the perfect amount of romance for me it wasn’t eye rollingly cheesy it was just right.

I instantly connected with Annie, I’ve rarely rooted for a fictional character so much. What begins as a need to find a way to freshen up her career and save her job, where she agrees to allowing her kids to choose her dates then write about them for her magazine, turns into a life changing experience and I loved every single minute of it.

Every single side character brought something special to the story.

A lid for every pot springs to mind! Full of Hope ❤️

I can genuinely see Bridget Jones style success for this one. Look out for it in spring.

Kerry Gilbert has made the audio a joy to listen to.

So guess what?

All the stars 🌟
#Jorecommends

My thanks to Hodder & Stoughton Audio via NetGalley for the opportunity to review this ALC

Anna Appleby is a hot, divorced, and chronically single mum who has her kids play matchmaker to help save her newspaper column, and maybe even help her find love. The narrator perfectly captures the humour and heart of Anna's quirky dating adventures, from cringe-worthy setups to unexpected sparks with her workplace rival Will.

Anna's Google searches are funny and relatable and those priceless text messages (that window scene!) make Anna relatable. I especially loved how Sophie brought authenticity to the more mature themes of navigating divorce, career challenges, and finding love again in your 30s. I don't feel like this is a true enemies-to-lovers, more of a rivals-to-lovers story, and it was excellently done.

The narrator was an excellent choice for the role and the book. She is great at doing variations of voices, you can tell character voices apart. This is the perfect listen for fans of witty workplace romance with depth.

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for providing a review copy.