What a wonderful read for drizzly January! The Launch Date is a charming, vibrant, and laugh-out-loud rom-com perfect for adding a little warmth to the grey winter season. Annabelle Slater's debut novel is one that will keep you smiling and chucking while you turn the pages.

Grace Hastings and Eric Bancroft are terrific protagonists. Grace's inner monologue is endlessly entertaining, and you really feel sympathetic for her struggles both at work and in her love life. I particularly loved the focus on her relationships with her female friends, as well as the emphasis on her work ethic and professional ambition.

Bancroft, meanwhile, is far from the Machiavellian villain that Grace believes him to be. Watching his true character unfold was a highlight, as was the gradual progression of their hate-to-love relationship. Their friends-to-enemies backstory makes their tale even more intriguing and compelling.

The main plot points of developing a new dating app and competing for the same role are well thought out and engaging. I enjoyed watching Grace and Eric go on trial dates for their newest business endeavour and appreciated Slater's detailed and nuanced depiction of working in marketing.

My only minor criticisms are the portrayal of Grace’s aversion to exercise, which is played for humour in a way that felt a bit problematic, and the somewhat predictable, formulaic elements of the story. However, these small issues didn’t detract significantly from my overall enjoyment.

The Launch Date is set to release around Valentine's Day, and it is definitely the perfect heartwarming read to revive anyone's romantic and adventurous spirit. (You might even find a fun date idea within its chapters!) I would recommend this lovely read to any rom-com enthusiasts.

*I received an e-ARC for free in exchange for an honest review*

Perfect for fans of The Hating Game, the launch date follows Grace and Eric - marketing managers at rival dating apps who are competing for a promotion on a brand new app and concept. Tasked with teaming up to get the ball rolling, and then deliver presentations on why they should get the job, the pair find themselves getting closer and learning how the other ticks. Add in some history, and some “do-they-really-hate-each-other” moments, and a smidge of sexual tension and you’ve got yourself a cocktail of fun. I loved the dynamic between the two as well as the background characters, and thought their slow build and lingering glances were perfect, and when things finally kick off I found myself kicking my feet with glee. A perfect blend of tension, fake dates, rivals to lovers / hate to love, that will have you enraptured.

💘 Work place romance
💘 Rivals to Lovers
💘 Fake dates
💘 Shared history

I was lucky enough to meet Annabelle at an event I organised for Simone Soltani and she was an absolute doll and I can’t wait to see this book do brilliantly.


*thanks to the publishers for my review copy via Netgalley

In all honesty when I started The Launch Date, I felt like it might just be a regurgitated version of The Hating Game but thankfully I was very pleasantly surprised.

The character development and relationship building made this so much more charming than I had expected and I couldn’t help but love Grace and Eric by the end.

So much fun. The Launch Date is a breath of fresh air, misunderstandings galore, put Grace and Eric on opposite sides at work but, I loved how they slowly got to know each other. It was sweet, steamy and just a perfect read for me. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the opportunity to read an ARC.

Colleagues turned friends, turned enemies, turned friends/more???

Enemies to lovers in the workplace isn’t my favourite but I really enjoyed this book and the relationship between the two MCs.

Would definitely recommended and checkout other books from the author.

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!

I’d rate the book 3.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️ 💫

Wow! What a cute and light read that brought a smile to my face. Loved the leads, their banter and chemistry. The supporting characters are interesting and add to the story.

Loved the premise and the enemies to lovers trope. The dating app and fake dates were extremely interesting and I loved the concept of an office romance. Seeing the characters are their workplace added to the charm for me. I loved their interactions and their competition. A light rom-com with fun characters and witty banter. Definitely recommend!

Thank you Random House UK, Transworld Publishers, Penguin and NetGalley for this e-arc in exchange of my unbiased review.

What a great way to start the year with a heartwarming, light, easy read!

I loved the characters so much in this, Grace was really relatable (especially having an unbearable boss, we’ve all been there) and Eric too was a great MMC with a hard exterior but once that shell got broken into he was a big softie. Iris too, was the perfect side character! The love to hate attitude on the MCs was perfect and I really enjoyed getting to know these characters.

I did find parts of it a little work heavy (I know it’s a work place romance but I felt at times like I knew her job like it was my own) and it was a little repetitive with phrases related to her stomach - heavy stomach/ the bottom of my stomach - you catch my drift!

But overall it was a great slow burn romance with just a light sprinkle of spice. A perfect first read of the year

I absolutely loved this book! It was everything I wanted and more. The best characters! Literally couldn’t pull myself away from this book. Fantastic.

YES YES YES! Two tropes that I love and drew me right into this book: enemies to lovers and fake dating! I dove in without a second thought, though at first, I was a bit overwhelmed by all the technical jargon-algorithms, marketing terms about dating apps-but thankfully, it only lasted for the first two chapters. Once the main plot kicked in, with two frenemies forced to work together, attend dates reluctantly, and compete for a management position while throwing insults and shooting each other laser-eye looks, the story became an addictive, unputdownable read!

A perfect debut by Annabelle Slator. A twist on the usual enemies-to-lovers trope. More of a colleagues-to-friends-to-enemies-to-lovers. I devoured this book.

“I don’t make the rules.”

“If you are my consolation prize then it’s worth losing.”

Grace and Eric work for rival dating apps owned by the same company. Fate and Ignite have two very different outlooks on dating. Eric Bancroft is the ‘playboy socialite’ as dubbed by the press whilst Grace is very much the kind of girl who’s in love with love. She’s a people pleaser, working until burn out just to keep her boss happy whilst juggling multiple passion projects and keeping up with tormenting her nemesis, Bancroft.

A new potential dating app is on the horizon, and who better to put in the work than the two employees who are regularly competing with each other? Grace could say no to working with Eric, but with the possibility of a promotion and the innate need to one-up him at every opportunity, it appears not to be an option.

This book was a whirlwind of emotions. Reflecting back via a single POV, on the two main character’s journey to rivalry, caused by the ever-typical misunderstanding. But Grace and Eric worked well together once, maybe they can again?

The only problem... Research for a dating app requires... Dates.

Cue the ideal segue into a romantic turn of events that was written so perfectly, it couldn’t have been a better book to read for the first of 2025.

“Made sure it didn’t destroy you the way it did. Protected you from it. Tried my hardest to make sure you didn’t fall apart, and if I failed... Kept the pieces safe until you were strong enough to put yourself back together.”

And the award for brand-new book boyfriend, goes to Eric Bancroft.

Fans of The Hating Game, workplace romance and enemies-to-lovers, I recommend The Launch Date with my entire being.

Thank you NetGalley and Penguin (Random House) for the arc in exchange for an honest review!

Release – 17th Feb 2025

I needed a book that was easy to read for the end of 2024/beginning of 2025 and this book delivered.
I was hooked on Grace and Eric's story.

What to expect:

Enemies to Lovers
Workplace romance
Great spice
Slow Burn
Fake Dating
Top notch banter

This book had me laughing out loud, and smiling like a fool. Whilst it was very lighthearted, it touched on some more serious topics, in the way both Grace and Eric were treated by their bosses and around Eric's family.

I loved watching Grace come into her own in this book. After a bad breakup and a boss that beats her down, she really comes alive competing with Eric for a promotion. Working on a new project makes her come alive.

Eric is just the sweetest, and I adored his character. He really did love Grace and he was so respectful, he loved her just as she is and didn't want her to be anyone else.

I loved the fake dating aspect, a different take on it, having to go on dates as job research was a great twist on the usual trope.

Highly recommend, and one of my favourite romance books I've read for while.

The Launch Date by Annabelle Slator is a delightful rom-com debut that fans of enemies-to-lovers and workplace romance will adore. Grace Hastings, reeling from a breakup and stuck in a stagnant career, is given a chance to secure a promotion by helping to launch a new dating app focused on real-life connections. The catch? She must team up with her rival, the charming and cocky Eric Bancroft.

The chemistry between Grace and Eric is palpable as they navigate a series of quirky first dates, from cooking classes to yoga sessions. What starts as a forced partnership soon blooms into something much more complicated and heartwarming. While the early chapters feel bogged down with technical jargon, the story quickly picks up pace once the romantic sparks fly. Slator’s witty writing and the slow-burn tension make The Launch Date an entertaining, unputdownable read. Perfect for those who enjoy a blend of humour, heart, and high-stakes competition.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

If you know me, you know I love a fake dating romance … so when I saw the trope with friends to rivals to lovers workplace romance I had to read it.

Grace was a relatable FMC with awesome friends. In this book she grows more and more into her professional role and grows as a person. ✨
Eric – who falls first I might add – is a reformed “playboy” with a soft spot for Grace and his sister and those two girls only. 💕

So when those two go on a series of fake dates and Grace learns more about Eric and what happended between them the chemistry was just chef’s kiss.💋

If you love the tropes: workplace, he falls first, fake dating and friends to rivals to lovers this book is a must read for you! 🥂

A romantic comedy centered around Grace and Eric, two rival marketing managers vying for a coveted promotion. The story follows the classic enemies-to-lovers trope as the duo is forced to collaborate on discovering the trendiest, most innovative date ideas in London for a dating app campaign they both desperately want to lead. Despite coming from completely different backgrounds, Grace and Eric share a mutual sense of frustration with their current roles and are willing to do whatever it takes to secure the promotion and escape their overbearing bosses.

Hints of a mysterious incident at the office Christmas party are sprinkled throughout, but by the time the truth is revealed, it felt a bit predictable.

While the book embraces familiar romantic comedy clichés and occasionally feels drawn out, it remains an enjoyable read overall. However, the ex-boyfriend and Grace's friends added little to the narrative and could have been omitted without impacting the story. The dynamic between Grace and her boss Suzie, on the other hand, provided a compelling arc. Initially, Grace comes across as a pushover when dealing with Suzie—at times frustratingly so—but by the end, she evolves into a more assertive, self-assured character, offering the satisfying growth readers crave.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Uk for providing an ARC in exchange for this honest review.

Grace Hastings is stuck. Her career at Fate, a dating app she no longer believes in, feels like it’s going nowhere, her boss is unbearable, and her love life is nonexistent. So, when she’s given the chance to work on the launch of a new dating app she actually cares about, she’s thrilled until, she learns she has to compete for the position by going on a series of staged first dates with her work rival, the charming yet infuriating Eric Bancroft.

This was such a fun and entertaining read! I flew through it and really enjoyed the unique setup of a workplace romance centered around a dating app. The way the story moved between the present and the past was handled really well, it added depth without feeling overdone.

I wouldn’t call Grace and Eric enemies. It felt more like mutual dislike with a lot of tension simmering underneath. Some parts of the story felt a bit drawn out, leading to a rushed conclusion, which I wish had been explored in more detail.

Overall, though, I really enjoyed the story, especially the workplace dynamics and the tension between Grace and Eric. If you love a good witty workplace romance, this is definitely one to add to your list!

Thank you to Annabelle Slator, Penguin Random House, and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Absolutely brilliant book!
I am a big fan of this author and love the writing style!
I cant wait to read more!

I was excited about this book because it is recommended for fans of The Hating Game. In the beginning, it resembled a lot like The HG and I was so happy. But from about 30% into this book, it diverged from the HG. It is a sweet read but I think it is too slow to compare it to the HG. Nonetheless it is a great romcom in its own right. I highly recommend it to slow-burn romance fans! (But not nevessarily the Hating Game fans)

I could hardly put it down! This book kept me awake until 3:30am.

The Launch Date by Annabelle Slator is a sexy enemies-to-lovers novel that restored my faith in the trope. Sworn enemies, Grace and Eric are forced to work together on the launch of a new dating app. Making partnerships with various brands around the city, the pair go together to test out the date ideas before they are used as part of the brand launch. Slowly, we learn how they came to be sworn enemies, figure out the dynamics of their rivalry, and discover alongside them that maybe they actually just make a really great team.

I thought this was a well written, compelling read. I was able to believe in the dynamic between the two and get wrapped up in their story as it unfolded, in all it´s (tense, frustrating and ultimately sexy) glory.

Grace as a character was a little frustrating as our narrator at times and her communication was extremely poor and immature, and there was also a scene with an ex-boyfriend which I found a little over the top, but all-in-all it was a really enjoyable read!


Tropes: enemies to lovers, forced proximity, office romance, billionaire romance, fake dating (kinda), only one bed.

OMG. OH MY GOD. OMG!!! LITERALLY OBSESSED!!! I'm always a sucker for enemies to lovers and add in workplace romance? YES PLEASE! LOVED ITTTT!

Two of my favorite tropes collided in this book: enemies to lovers and workplace romance! I jumped in without hesitation, and while the initial chapters were heavy with technical terms—think algorithms and marketing lingo for dating apps—it quickly transitioned into the good stuff. Once the core story kicked off, featuring two rivals forced to work together, attend dates they’d rather avoid, and compete for a coveted promotion while exchanging sharp insults and fiery glares, I was completely hooked.
The slow-burn tension between Grace and Eric was masterfully done, blending push-pull banter with moments of genuine vulnerability. Their dynamic begins with a foundation of friendship that crumbles when Eric makes an unforgivable mistake, sparking a six-month rivalry. But when their CEO dangles a management position as a prize, contingent on them attending a series of dates together—think hiking, pottery, yoga, and more—they agree to a temporary ceasefire.
What follows is a beautifully paced evolution of their relationship. Grace begins to see past Eric’s polished, cocky persona and discovers layers of depth: he’s not the heartless womanizer she thought he was, but someone with his own struggles and insecurities. Meanwhile, Eric chips away at Grace’s emotional walls, proving he’s more than the enemy she once painted him to be. Their growing connection challenges both of them to rethink their priorities, but the stakes are high—Grace can’t afford to let her guard down after being burned in the past. If this isn’t just a battle for a promotion but also for her heart, can she trust him enough to risk everything? Or will she lose more than she bargained for?

This debut is equal parts witty, romantic, and heartfelt—a must-read for anyone who loves a smartly crafted romance. I can’t wait to see what this author does next!
Big thanks to NetGalley and Avon and Harper Voyager for providing a digital review copy of this fantastic debut in exchange for my honest review.