Danika Brown knows what she wants: professional success, academic renown, and an occasional roll in the hay to relieve all that career-driven tension. But romance? Been there, done that, burned the T-shirt. Romantic partners, whatever their gender, are a distraction at best and a drain at worst. So Dani asks the universe for the perfect friend-with-benefits—someone who knows the score and knows their way around the bedroom.
When brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it’s an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and ex-rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Now half the internet is shipping #DrRugbae—and Zaf is begging Dani to play along. Turns out, his sports charity for kids could really use the publicity. Lying to help children? Who on earth would refuse?
Dani’s plan is simple: fake a relationship in public, seduce Zaf behind the scenes. The trouble is, grumpy Zaf’s secretly a hopeless romantic—and he’s determined to corrupt Dani’s stone-cold realism. Before long, he’s tackling her fears into the dirt. But the former sports star has issues of his own, and the walls around his heart are as thick as his… um, thighs.
Suddenly, the easy lay Dani dreamed of is more complex than her thesis. Has her wish backfired? Is her focus being tested? Or is the universe just waiting for her to take a hint?
- Title: Take a Hint, Dani Brown
- Author: Talia Hibbert
- Publisher: Avon
- Genre: Romance
- Targeted Age Range: Adult
- Content Warnings: Car crash, death (parent and sibling, mentioned/discussed), grief, panic attack, sex
- Rating: ★★★★
After reading and loving Get a Life, Chloe Brown, there was no doubt in my mind I would love Take a Hint, Dani Brown. Take a Hint, Dani Brown has the same charm and appeal as Get a Life, Chloe Brown but with more tropes I adore. Every word Hibbert wrote, I adored. This book follows Dani Brown, who we previously met in Get a Life, Chloe Brown, but you don’t have to read that first book to truly love and cherish Dani’s story. Dani is a headstrong, ambitious woman who has one plan in life: become a professor and be highly regarded among her peers. She has no time for romance, and sticks solely to one night stands. Until Zafir, a ray of sunshine in human form, rescues her from a fire drill at the university they both work at. Fake dating begins, and readers are taken on a swoony journey of romance, angst and grand gestures. It’s a rom-com lover’s dream.
My favourite thing about this book is the fact that it takes a beloved trope, grumpy/sunshine, and turns it upside down to make it even more interesting. Oftentimes in romance, the heroine is the sunshine and the hero is the grump – but not in Take a Hint, Dani Brown. While Dani isn’t grumpy to the common degree, she is still cynical when it comes to love, and isn’t open to acknowledging her own feelings. She’s career focused, success-driven, and an overall #girlboss, which leaves her no time for relationships. But, the thing is, this change is so refreshing. So often particular tripes fall into the same pattern, so Hilbert shying away from what’s considered ‘normal’ was so refreshing. Zafir is a wonderful hero for Dani, and I loved that they complimented each other so well. Even during their fake relationship, he was so patient with her and the fact she didn’t want a relationship, all while keeping his true feelings a secret. He didn’t push any boundaries until he knew she was ready, and even when she was, he did it in a tentative manner so as to not overwhelm her. To top it off, he truly got Dani from the moment they began their fake relationship, and I loved seeing their compatibility grow.
Talia Hibbert’s writing is just so easy to devour, and so easy to enjoy. She writes in a way that just makes sense, as if you’re having a conversation with a friend and they’re recounting a story to you. It’s pleasant, it’s oftentimes cosy, and it’s so entertaining there are many moments throughout her books where you laugh out loud. I loved the moments of Zafir at his non-profit, especially when he was talking about the importance of men’s mental health. I think men’s mental health often gets brushed under the rug, or not as focused on in comparison to women’s, so it was lovely to read about a character who is so passionate about making sure men know it’s okay to not be okay. Seeing Zafir cope with his anxiety in different stages and in different ways was really lovely, and seeing how Dani immediately adapted and helped him cope was also wonderful. Honestly, Talia Hibbert wrote a very accurate (in my opinion) portrayal of anxiety, and it’s a representation that should be celebrated.
As one would expect, fake dating comes with a lot of angsty moments, and there wasn’t a shortage in Take a Hint, Dani Brown. But, I must admit, the angsty moments were well received from me. Usually, I hate when the angst becomes too much, and seems unnecessary. However, in Take a Hint, Dani Brown it made sense. It made sense for Dani and Zafir to fight, to overcome these obstacles, because it’s deep rooted in their foundations. Of course Dani is going to fight when things get serious, because she doesn’t know how not to. She is strictly a friends-with-benefits person, so when things get serious, of course her defences go up. Talia Hibbert keeps her characters consistent yet growing throughout the novel, and I am relieved that they didn’t abandon their fundamental characteristics for the sake of romance. It made Dani feel so much more realistic, and it made you genuinely want to see her overcome her insecurities and open herself up to love.
Dani goes through a lot of growth in this novel, and I loved watching it. We see her blossom from closed off to love, to embracing it with open arms once she acknowledges her feelings for Zafir. With a little guidance from beloved characters making an appearance from Get A Life, Chloe Brown (which seriously made me want to reread), Dani decides she’s deserving of love, and that she’s allowed to be happy. In fact, she goes through a lot of self reflection and realises she may not have been the best friend and romantic partner to her ex girlfriend/friends with benefits, and goes out of her way to mend bridges that may have been burned. Dani truly is such a wonderful character to cheer for throughout this novel, and you feel satisfied by the end that she has changed for the better – all while remaining her same ambitious, girlboss self. Dani quickly rose to one of my favourite characters that I’ve read, and I think she will rise to yours too.
Ultimately, I think this rom-com is one that readers will adore. Talia Hibbert has mastered the art of writing romance, blending funny and steamy into a heartfelt novel full of swoon-worthy moments. You’ll fall in love with Dani, Zafir and the band of characters we meet in Take a Hint, Dani Brown, and you’ll find it very hard to choose a favourite. This book flourishes beautifully as a standalone, however the little easter eggs and cameos you get from Get a Life, Chloe Brown makes it even more enjoyable if you’re in the know. I can safely say Take a Hint, Dani Brown has become one of my favourite romance books, and I highly suggest you pick it up sooner rather than later.
Links for Take a Hint, Dani Brown: Goodreads | TheStorygraph | Bookshop | IndieBound
Talia Hibbert is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who lives in a bedroom full of books. Supposedly, there is a world beyond that room, but she has yet to drum up enough interest to investigate.
She writes sexy, diverse romance because she believes that people of marginalised identities need honest and positive representation. Her interests include beauty, junk food, and unnecessary sarcasm. She also rambles intermittently about the romance genre online.
Talia self-publishes via Nixon House and is represented by Courtney Miller-Callihan at Handspun Literary.
