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The Brown Sisters #3
Act Your Age, Eve Brown
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Best Romance (2021)Eve Brown is a certified hot mess. No matter how hard she strives to do right, her life always goes horribly wrong—so she’s given up trying. But when her personal brand of chaos ruins an expensive wedding (someone had to liberate those poor doves), her parents draw the line. It's time for Eve to grow up and prove herself—even though she's not entirely sure how…
Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry—and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.
Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.
Jacob Wayne is in control. Always. The bed and breakfast owner’s on a mission to dominate the hospitality industry—and he expects nothing less than perfection. So when a purple-haired tornado of a woman turns up out of the blue to interview for his open chef position, he tells her the brutal truth: not a chance in hell. Then she hits him with her car—supposedly by accident. Yeah, right.
Now his arm is broken, his B&B is understaffed, and the dangerously unpredictable Eve is fluttering around, trying to help. Before long, she’s infiltrated his work, his kitchen—and his spare bedroom. Jacob hates everything about it. Or rather, he should. Sunny, chaotic Eve is his natural-born nemesis, but the longer these two enemies spend in close quarters, the more their animosity turns into something else. Like Eve, the heat between them is impossible to ignore—and it’s melting Jacob’s frosty exterior.
393 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 9, 2021
About the author
Talia Hibbert
33 books32.8k followersTalia 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.
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.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 14,852 reviews
March 13, 2024
we all have our periods of delusion.
i can recall many in my life. when i was 13, for example, and i thought that the height of fashion was a graphic tee that said AEROPOSTALE in huge letters on the front, paired with a simple and understated pair of black fake uggs.
or most of my childhood, which i spent convinced i was destined to marry either joe jonas (the obvious best of the brothers) or my neighbor who once threw a snowball directly at my face — whoever showed up first.
or when i read this book, which i recalled as being cute and fluffy and one of the only romances i have ever given five stars, and lent to my mom.
this book IS cute and fluffy, in many ways, and talia hibbert Does It Again.
BUT THIS BOOK ALSO CONTAINS MANY, MANY MENTIONS OF A GIANT, COLORFUL, VERY ACTIVE DILDO.
AND I LENT IT TO MY MOTHER.
in fact, i generally misremembered this book, which is no longer 1 of 2 romances i've ever given five stars. it is funny, and it is fun, but it isn't the things i require in my perfect love stories (namely, mostly yearning and suffering). it is mostly silly and sexy.
and there is nothing wrong with that.
unless, and i can't stress this enough, you are thinking of book recommendations to give your poor, sweet, innocent mother.
bottom line: sorry mom.
(sidenote: this has been another installment of PROJECT 5 STAR)
----------------
original review
----------------
pre-review
don't mind me just changing this to five stars
----------------
pre-pre-review
ohmygodilovethissomuch.
i might cry.
or give it 5 stars.
but 4.5 for now and review to come and all that.
----------------
tbr review
enemies to lovers?? ENEMIES TO LOVERS????
i can recall many in my life. when i was 13, for example, and i thought that the height of fashion was a graphic tee that said AEROPOSTALE in huge letters on the front, paired with a simple and understated pair of black fake uggs.
or most of my childhood, which i spent convinced i was destined to marry either joe jonas (the obvious best of the brothers) or my neighbor who once threw a snowball directly at my face — whoever showed up first.
or when i read this book, which i recalled as being cute and fluffy and one of the only romances i have ever given five stars, and lent to my mom.
this book IS cute and fluffy, in many ways, and talia hibbert Does It Again.
BUT THIS BOOK ALSO CONTAINS MANY, MANY MENTIONS OF A GIANT, COLORFUL, VERY ACTIVE DILDO.
AND I LENT IT TO MY MOTHER.
in fact, i generally misremembered this book, which is no longer 1 of 2 romances i've ever given five stars. it is funny, and it is fun, but it isn't the things i require in my perfect love stories (namely, mostly yearning and suffering). it is mostly silly and sexy.
and there is nothing wrong with that.
unless, and i can't stress this enough, you are thinking of book recommendations to give your poor, sweet, innocent mother.
bottom line: sorry mom.
(sidenote: this has been another installment of PROJECT 5 STAR)
----------------
original review
----------------
pre-review
don't mind me just changing this to five stars
----------------
pre-pre-review
ohmygodilovethissomuch.
i might cry.
or give it 5 stars.
but 4.5 for now and review to come and all that.
----------------
tbr review
enemies to lovers?? ENEMIES TO LOVERS????
June 5, 2021
Talia Hibbert remains consistent with writing cute and funny stories that have endearing lead characters. Out of the three books in this series, this was definitely the most amusing thanks to all the banter and the sunshine/grumpy dynamic. She also continues to take care in expanding the leads’ vulnerabilities and internal struggles so that they're unique individually. I liked that both leads here are autistic, and we see how that plays into their interactions with each other. Despite their seemingly opposite personalities, you can tell how the characters would be a good fit for each other in all the ways they show patience and understanding, which is sweet to see.
There was a lot of telling instead of showing when it came to portraying the internal struggles that the characters had, which made it a bit over-emphasized for my tastes, only because I could tell it was obviously going to create the inevitable misunderstanding later. I’m not a fan of third act conflicts, so I struggle to determine how to feel about this one. On one hand, it does make sense how the conflict happens due to the overemphasis; on the other hand, the characters had shown great understanding to each other before it happened. The good thing is that the author always resolves the conflict quickly, almost as if she had only included it out of obligation for how romance stories work and tries to get it over with ASAP. But on the other hand, I always am left wondering what is the point?
Also, I really enjoyed the banter and the way the leads endearingly annoyed each other in the first half, but feel like we lost some of that once their relationship developed in the second half. Their gushy dynamics from that point forward blended in with very similar dynamics as the previous 2 books. I would have liked to still retain the unique qualities of their relationship, even after they get together, since that had been the most enjoyable to read.
There was a lot of telling instead of showing when it came to portraying the internal struggles that the characters had, which made it a bit over-emphasized for my tastes, only because I could tell it was obviously going to create the inevitable misunderstanding later. I’m not a fan of third act conflicts, so I struggle to determine how to feel about this one. On one hand, it does make sense how the conflict happens due to the overemphasis; on the other hand, the characters had shown great understanding to each other before it happened. The good thing is that the author always resolves the conflict quickly, almost as if she had only included it out of obligation for how romance stories work and tries to get it over with ASAP. But on the other hand, I always am left wondering what is the point?
Also, I really enjoyed the banter and the way the leads endearingly annoyed each other in the first half, but feel like we lost some of that once their relationship developed in the second half. Their gushy dynamics from that point forward blended in with very similar dynamics as the previous 2 books. I would have liked to still retain the unique qualities of their relationship, even after they get together, since that had been the most enjoyable to read.
January 17, 2021
***ARC provided through NetGalley***
I think I may be a little bit dead. This book quite literally suffocated me with a pillow of happiness and love. In my deceased state, I am thoroughly incapable of doing the words for good sentences, so have a list of reasons why Act Your Age, Eve Brown was delightful, lovely, and all-around wonderful instead:
-it's cute as fuck
-like, I was a smiling mess the whole time
-eve brown is an absolute gem
-jacob wayne is.........jacob wayne
-flawlessly executed opposites attract content
-and when I say opposites attract I really mean two people who seem so different, but have way more in common than they originally thought, and they compliment each other so so so so so well
-basically, they are a power couple
-taking the small town hospitality industry by storm
-WITTY QUIPS. SASSY BANTS.
-the duck pond scene!!!!!!!!!!!
-and did I mention the cuteness??? I'm talking an epi-pen injection of adorable straight into my bloodstream
-because this is an ARC i'm terrified of accidentally saying too much, so i'll shut up now, but TRULY IT WAS SO ADORBS
Needless to say, I really fucking enjoyed this book. It was exactly what I needed, and I am thrilled that March is only two-ish short months away so that you can all experience the gloriousness of this book's words SOON. Other than those emotions, I am crushed/devastated/completely beside myself that this is the final book in the Brown sisters' trilogy; but, I'm also greatly anticipating whatever Talia Hibbert decides to write next. In the meantime, I guess I'll just need to do some major digging into her backlist & probably a lot of rereading too.
4.5 stars
(cw: mentions of childhood neglect & anti-autistic ableism)
I think I may be a little bit dead. This book quite literally suffocated me with a pillow of happiness and love. In my deceased state, I am thoroughly incapable of doing the words for good sentences, so have a list of reasons why Act Your Age, Eve Brown was delightful, lovely, and all-around wonderful instead:
-it's cute as fuck
-like, I was a smiling mess the whole time
-eve brown is an absolute gem
-jacob wayne is.........jacob wayne
-flawlessly executed opposites attract content
-and when I say opposites attract I really mean two people who seem so different, but have way more in common than they originally thought, and they compliment each other so so so so so well
-basically, they are a power couple
-taking the small town hospitality industry by storm
-WITTY QUIPS. SASSY BANTS.
-the duck pond scene!!!!!!!!!!!
-and did I mention the cuteness??? I'm talking an epi-pen injection of adorable straight into my bloodstream
-because this is an ARC i'm terrified of accidentally saying too much, so i'll shut up now, but TRULY IT WAS SO ADORBS
Needless to say, I really fucking enjoyed this book. It was exactly what I needed, and I am thrilled that March is only two-ish short months away so that you can all experience the gloriousness of this book's words SOON. Other than those emotions, I am crushed/devastated/completely beside myself that this is the final book in the Brown sisters' trilogy; but, I'm also greatly anticipating whatever Talia Hibbert decides to write next. In the meantime, I guess I'll just need to do some major digging into her backlist & probably a lot of rereading too.
4.5 stars
(cw: mentions of childhood neglect & anti-autistic ableism)
April 5, 2021
Me, after reading a slow-burn mutual-dislike-at-first-sight rivals-to-lovers romance: wow, maybe happiness is attainable and true love is real
July 13, 2023
it’s unfair that every subsequent book that talia hibbert puts out is better than her last. save some talent for the rest of us!!!
March 9, 2021
WHAT A FUCKING DELIGHTFUL LITTLE BOOK
give me a second I’m gonna go cry now 😅
In Act Your Age Eve Brown, we follow the titular Eve Brown, a spoiled and perhaps maladjusted 26 year old seeking to prove how grown up she can be by getting and keeping a job without her family's help. Everything's going great until she accidently mows her would-be employer -Jacob- down with her car and things progress from there. To atone for the accident Eve has agreed to help Jacob run his B&B while he recovers from his injuries.
Well to start I just have to say, I absolutely fucking loved this. Eve and Jacob are the epitome of the sunshine one x grumpy one dynamic. Eve is a chaotic force of nature, loud and boisterous to Jacob's own orderly and calm charm. They just balanced each other out so well and their banter was so hilarious to me that I could not stop smiling throughout. Talia is, quite brillant at balancing the story's witty banter and silly hijinks with some real emotional depth and character development throughout the narrative. Jacob struggles with abandonment issues and Eve with acute peter pan syndrome and a deep fear of failure. I enjoyed how the story explored the emotions and anxieties of these character's and how that impacted their budding relationship with one another. Additionally I want to add that both protagonists in this are autistic (own voices rep) and I really love how much care Talia put into that aspect of the story (however I'm not an own-voices reviewer in this area).
This was a delightfully fun, and at times surprisingly steamy. It truly was a joy to read! I highly recommend it to my folks looking for some good fluff.
Thank you to HarperCollins for the ARC via Netgalley
give me a second I’m gonna go cry now 😅
In Act Your Age Eve Brown, we follow the titular Eve Brown, a spoiled and perhaps maladjusted 26 year old seeking to prove how grown up she can be by getting and keeping a job without her family's help. Everything's going great until she accidently mows her would-be employer -Jacob- down with her car and things progress from there. To atone for the accident Eve has agreed to help Jacob run his B&B while he recovers from his injuries.
Well to start I just have to say, I absolutely fucking loved this. Eve and Jacob are the epitome of the sunshine one x grumpy one dynamic. Eve is a chaotic force of nature, loud and boisterous to Jacob's own orderly and calm charm. They just balanced each other out so well and their banter was so hilarious to me that I could not stop smiling throughout. Talia is, quite brillant at balancing the story's witty banter and silly hijinks with some real emotional depth and character development throughout the narrative. Jacob struggles with abandonment issues and Eve with acute peter pan syndrome and a deep fear of failure. I enjoyed how the story explored the emotions and anxieties of these character's and how that impacted their budding relationship with one another. Additionally I want to add that both protagonists in this are autistic (own voices rep) and I really love how much care Talia put into that aspect of the story (however I'm not an own-voices reviewer in this area).
This was a delightfully fun, and at times surprisingly steamy. It truly was a joy to read! I highly recommend it to my folks looking for some good fluff.
Thank you to HarperCollins for the ARC via Netgalley
December 30, 2023
4.5⭐️ this was so FREAKING CUTE.
Want to read
July 21, 2020How am I supposed to function until March?! I would sell my husband's left tit for an arc of this 😂
February 11, 2021
I went into this one knowing that I was going to love it, but I truly did not expect to fall for Eve and Jacob as hard as I did. There were multiple times that I found myself smiling and giggling while reading their banter and honestly their chemistry leapt off of every single page. I'm so sad that this book marks the end of the Brown Sisters trilogy but I am SO GLAD that it ended on such a high note and I honestly think that Jacob might even be my favorite of all three of the heroes. Ugh everything about this series was just perfect and and I cannot WAIT to read everything Talia Hibbert publishes in the future!!!
July 3, 2024
Reread as I’m in the biggest slump of my life. 😭
But Talia Hibbert never misses. Anytime I would pick up this book, I experienced nothing but pure joy.
—————————
I mean, of course I loved this. There’s no other way this could’ve gone. A 4-star rating would’ve been a disaster but disaster has been averted because my gut is always right (when my anxiety isn’t having a field day with it, that is). And Talia Hibbert can fuckin’ write!
Here we meet Eve Brown. She makes terrible choices and it’s said terrible choices that lead her to not have access to her trust fund till she starts acting her age and shows responsibility. So she sets off to go just do that.
I fell in love with our main characters quite quickly. Our hero is a lovable grump. Our heroine is a sarcastic mess. Both are on the spectrum.
Underneath the irresponsible behaviour lies a woman who’s quite unsure about who she is and fears failure.
Underneath the grumpiness lies someone who’s deeply insecure due to his upbringing.
So she lands a job she wasn’t even planning on landing. She accidentally runs over our hero who owns the bed and breakfast and has subsequently been thrusted into taking charge of the place. And chaos ensues.
The main reason why the enemies-to-lovers trope works so well is the banter. They’re never enemies in the literal sense. The fact that they’re attracted to each other hinders the full-blown hate. And Talia Hibbert writes dialogue like no other.
Like any good story, I never wanted this to end. It brought me a stupid amount of happiness and naturally, I didn’t want to let go. Quite frankly, it should’ve been longer. It’s criminal that it wasn’t. But since we’re getting more from this world, I guess I can move on from the fact that this series has now ‘ended’.
But Talia Hibbert never misses. Anytime I would pick up this book, I experienced nothing but pure joy.
—————————
I mean, of course I loved this. There’s no other way this could’ve gone. A 4-star rating would’ve been a disaster but disaster has been averted because my gut is always right (
Here we meet Eve Brown. She makes terrible choices and it’s said terrible choices that lead her to not have access to her trust fund till she starts acting her age and shows responsibility. So she sets off to go just do that.
I fell in love with our main characters quite quickly. Our hero is a lovable grump. Our heroine is a sarcastic mess. Both are on the spectrum.
Underneath the irresponsible behaviour lies a woman who’s quite unsure about who she is and fears failure.
Underneath the grumpiness lies someone who’s deeply insecure due to his upbringing.
So she lands a job she wasn’t even planning on landing. She accidentally runs over our hero who owns the bed and breakfast and has subsequently been thrusted into taking charge of the place. And chaos ensues.
The main reason why the enemies-to-lovers trope works so well is the banter. They’re never enemies in the literal sense. The fact that they’re attracted to each other hinders the full-blown hate. And Talia Hibbert writes dialogue like no other.
Like any good story, I never wanted this to end. It brought me a stupid amount of happiness and naturally, I didn’t want to let go. Quite frankly, it should’ve been longer. It’s criminal that it wasn’t. But since we’re getting more from this world, I guess I can move on from the fact that this series has now ‘ended’.
Read
April 8, 2021Honestly, Talia Hibbert is one of my favorite authors writing today. Her books are so much fun and so good and so cute and SO steamy and just . . . I love them. Act Your Age, Eve Brown is the third in the Brown Sisters series. Get a Life, Chloe Brown and Take a Hint, Dani Brown are both hits. You don’t have to read one to read the others but reading them all is such a treasure.
February 19, 2022
Check out this review (and more) over on my blog!
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Quick Stats:
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: This book was everything. I cannot recommend it enough.
// Content Warning: [Warning in book] Childhood neglect, Ableism //
Release Date: 3/9/2021
Publisher: Avon
Page Count: 400
Premise:
Act Your Age, Eve Brown follows Eve and Jacob. Eve wants to prove herself to her family, and show that she isn't spoiled and that she can hold down a job and not give up. Enter Jacob, and his bed and breakfast. He's desperate for a new cook, and when Eve just so happens to show up (and hit him with her car), he's stuck hiring her.
- Writing -
Talia Hibberts writing style is fun and easy to get into. While it may not have been exactly my sense of humor, it was still lighthearted and entertaining. Also, the spice level in this book? Amazing.
- Plot -
The plot is simple and straightforward: two complete opposites are forced to work together, shenanigans ensue. But it shines in the additional layers it brings. Those layers being the characters themselves. Most of these layers are added by our two main characters. I love them so much.
- Characters -
Speaking of the characters: I love them so much. They're realistic and grounded while still being entertaining to read about, and they have the best banter. One thing I especially loved about them, and this book as a whole, was the autism rep. It inspired me to finally start the process of getting my own diagnosis. Honestly, Talia Hibbert is the queen of including good representation in her books. I seriously have never been disappointed.
- Conclusion -
Pros- Great representation, adorable romance, addictive
Cons- This series was my one constant source of serotonin and now that it's over I don’t know what to do
Overall- 5/5 stars.
If you’re looking for a captivating romance that you won’t be able to put down, you need to pick up Act Your Age, Eve Brown.
Follow Me Here: Blog ||Tumblr || Bookstagram || Twitter|| Reviews
Thank you so much to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC in exchange for an honest review!
Quick Stats:
Overall: 5/5 Stars
Characters: 5/5
Setting: 5/5
Writing: 4.5/5
Plot and Themes: 4/5
Awesomeness Factor: 5/5
Review in a Nutshell: This book was everything. I cannot recommend it enough.
// Content Warning: [Warning in book] Childhood neglect, Ableism //
Release Date: 3/9/2021
Publisher: Avon
Page Count: 400
Premise:
Act Your Age, Eve Brown follows Eve and Jacob. Eve wants to prove herself to her family, and show that she isn't spoiled and that she can hold down a job and not give up. Enter Jacob, and his bed and breakfast. He's desperate for a new cook, and when Eve just so happens to show up (and hit him with her car), he's stuck hiring her.
- Writing -
Talia Hibberts writing style is fun and easy to get into. While it may not have been exactly my sense of humor, it was still lighthearted and entertaining. Also, the spice level in this book? Amazing.
- Plot -
The plot is simple and straightforward: two complete opposites are forced to work together, shenanigans ensue. But it shines in the additional layers it brings. Those layers being the characters themselves. Most of these layers are added by our two main characters. I love them so much.
- Characters -
Speaking of the characters: I love them so much. They're realistic and grounded while still being entertaining to read about, and they have the best banter. One thing I especially loved about them, and this book as a whole, was the autism rep. It inspired me to finally start the process of getting my own diagnosis. Honestly, Talia Hibbert is the queen of including good representation in her books. I seriously have never been disappointed.
- Conclusion -
Pros- Great representation, adorable romance, addictive
Cons- This series was my one constant source of serotonin and now that it's over I don’t know what to do
Overall- 5/5 stars.
If you’re looking for a captivating romance that you won’t be able to put down, you need to pick up Act Your Age, Eve Brown.
Follow Me Here: Blog ||Tumblr || Bookstagram || Twitter|| Reviews
January 30, 2022
This was delightful. What a lovable close to this incredible series. ♥ Full review coming closer to publication date, but trust me when I say that you will 100% need this in your life! Just kidding, it's been a year and a half and I'm just now realizing I never did write this review. Guess that means it's time to re-read it so I can do it justice, eh? 😏
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
Thank you so much to the publisher for providing me with this review copy in exchange for an honest review!
March 20, 2021
This series is adorable. Take a Hint Dani Brown was one of my top favorite romances of last year, and I was so excited to follow along in this series with another Brown sister!
I will say, I don't think I enjoyed this one quite as much as the other two. I think this might be because I decided to listen to this one on audio as opposed to reading it physically, and I really despise listening to sex scenes on audio, so this is probably a 'me' thing, but this book had soooo much smut in it, I can't remember if the pervious two books had this much smut in it.. I don't know why I just find it so awkward to listen to sex scenes on an audiobook haha. (If you're wondering why I even bothered listening to it on audio it's because I got an ALC from Libro!)
But despite my nitpicks about it, I really did adore this romance. I loved reading about Eve and Jacob, I found both of them to be so endearing and I loved getting to see the Brown sisters again! I love the idea of this AirB&B and it lowkey makes me want to go stay in one haha. Their banter in the first half of this book was *chefs kiss* amazing. So many scenes had me smiling like an idiot because they were so cute. The second half of the book just got a little repetitive for me with the amount of sex scenes, I just get bored reading those over and over again I guess.
I can't wait to read more from Talia Hibbert in the future, this series holds a special place in my heart. <3
I will say, I don't think I enjoyed this one quite as much as the other two. I think this might be because I decided to listen to this one on audio as opposed to reading it physically, and I really despise listening to sex scenes on audio, so this is probably a 'me' thing, but this book had soooo much smut in it, I can't remember if the pervious two books had this much smut in it.. I don't know why I just find it so awkward to listen to sex scenes on an audiobook haha. (If you're wondering why I even bothered listening to it on audio it's because I got an ALC from Libro!)
But despite my nitpicks about it, I really did adore this romance. I loved reading about Eve and Jacob, I found both of them to be so endearing and I loved getting to see the Brown sisters again! I love the idea of this AirB&B and it lowkey makes me want to go stay in one haha. Their banter in the first half of this book was *chefs kiss* amazing. So many scenes had me smiling like an idiot because they were so cute. The second half of the book just got a little repetitive for me with the amount of sex scenes, I just get bored reading those over and over again I guess.
I can't wait to read more from Talia Hibbert in the future, this series holds a special place in my heart. <3
February 2, 2021
4.5 Stars
OKAY THIS WAS TOO CUTE AND NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW THAT THIS IS OVER. I flew through this book in two days and could not get enough of Eve and Jacob.
While reading this book, I could not get over how messy, endearing, and adorable both Eve and Jacob were. Eve is kicked out by her parents and she is cut off until she supports herself and holds down a job for a year. Eve stumbles upon a job listing for a chef position at a B&B and Jacob is instantly put off by Eve. They definitely start off on the wrong foot, but Jacob is desperate for a chef and ends up hiring Eve. The way that they bickered was so adorable and Jacob was frustrated with her but still liked her, which made him even more frustrated. I love a good hate to love story and this one progressed so well!
Jacob is autistic and I really loved how well Eve and him meshed. They both took in each other's personalities and needs and never questioned them. They accepted each other and loved each other even more for who they were. I will say, the plot was very much character driven and not a lot really moved in the plot event-wise. Eve worked for Jacob and they worked through relationship trials. They were working towards this huge festival, but we didn't really get to see a lot that had to deal with that. But I adored their characters so much that I didn't mind that lack of plot too much. I loved seeing the entire Brown family and I really hope this isn't the last we see of these characters!
OKAY THIS WAS TOO CUTE AND NOW I DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO NOW THAT THIS IS OVER. I flew through this book in two days and could not get enough of Eve and Jacob.
While reading this book, I could not get over how messy, endearing, and adorable both Eve and Jacob were. Eve is kicked out by her parents and she is cut off until she supports herself and holds down a job for a year. Eve stumbles upon a job listing for a chef position at a B&B and Jacob is instantly put off by Eve. They definitely start off on the wrong foot, but Jacob is desperate for a chef and ends up hiring Eve. The way that they bickered was so adorable and Jacob was frustrated with her but still liked her, which made him even more frustrated. I love a good hate to love story and this one progressed so well!
Jacob is autistic and I really loved how well Eve and him meshed. They both took in each other's personalities and needs and never questioned them. They accepted each other and loved each other even more for who they were. I will say, the plot was very much character driven and not a lot really moved in the plot event-wise. Eve worked for Jacob and they worked through relationship trials. They were working towards this huge festival, but we didn't really get to see a lot that had to deal with that. But I adored their characters so much that I didn't mind that lack of plot too much. I loved seeing the entire Brown family and I really hope this isn't the last we see of these characters!
March 17, 2021
This series has been such a fun time! I just love that all those sisters are so relatable and so freakin charming. Like seriously how is it possible that the three sisters are just so relatable??
Eve and Jacob have one of the best grumpy/sunshine dynamics! I loved how Eve was getting on his nerves and how he was fighting his attraction (or trying to). I loved the fact that Eve hit Jacob by her car! I loved their banter, their hilarious dialogues, their over-sweet moments, and their serious conversations. Eve was such a delight. A hot mess. I loved seeing her growth and self discovery. And Jacob was so sweet and so grumpy and so perfect. Uhh I just loved them both so much. And I loved that we get to see everyone, but Red on his motorcycle in the last chapter? I can’t explain why but that got me fangirling so hard! Those characters are so delicate and so sweet and I love that Talia Hibbert handled them with care! I’m gonna miss them all!
Eve and Jacob have one of the best grumpy/sunshine dynamics! I loved how Eve was getting on his nerves and how he was fighting his attraction (or trying to). I loved the fact that Eve hit Jacob by her car! I loved their banter, their hilarious dialogues, their over-sweet moments, and their serious conversations. Eve was such a delight. A hot mess. I loved seeing her growth and self discovery. And Jacob was so sweet and so grumpy and so perfect. Uhh I just loved them both so much. And I loved that we get to see everyone, but Red on his motorcycle in the last chapter? I can’t explain why but that got me fangirling so hard! Those characters are so delicate and so sweet and I love that Talia Hibbert handled them with care! I’m gonna miss them all!
August 20, 2022
This is a Contemporary Romance, and this is the third book in the Brown Sisters. I have read and review the other books in this book series. I do not think you have to read the other books in this book series to be able to read this book, but I did love the other books in this series. I have to say this is my favorite one, and the other two was so good. This one was funny and the characters found the person they needed at that time. I love the Autism in this book, and I love this book shows that autism is very different from girls and boys. I have an Autistic daughter and son. I think Eve is my favorite Brown sister. I am sad to see that this is the last Brown sisters book. Of course the character in this book was fun and very developed. This book is well written, and I love Talia Hibbert's writing style. I was kindly provided an e-copy of this book by the publisher (Avon) or author (Talia Hibbert) via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review about how I feel about this book, and I want to send a big Thank you to them for that.
February 6, 2021
tw: mentions of former child neglect
This series is such a delight. I have greatly enjoyed every book in The Brown Sisters, and this one is no different. One of the things I love about the series (besides the awesome variety of representation in each book) is how conflict is resolved fairly quickly but also realistically. In this book, we also have two characters who are both on the autism spectrum. It was so interesting to see how these two neurodivergent people related to one another on a different level and was very sweet. Neither one is infantilized by the narrative as well, which was great to see. The one downfall for this series for me is the smut level of the sex scenes. They are always so unexpected for a series that is considered more mainstream and definitely isn't erotica. But the sex scenes can be so over the top in these books. I still highly enjoy this series though and do plan on reading more Talia Hibbert in the future.
This series is such a delight. I have greatly enjoyed every book in The Brown Sisters, and this one is no different. One of the things I love about the series (besides the awesome variety of representation in each book) is how conflict is resolved fairly quickly but also realistically. In this book, we also have two characters who are both on the autism spectrum. It was so interesting to see how these two neurodivergent people related to one another on a different level and was very sweet. Neither one is infantilized by the narrative as well, which was great to see. The one downfall for this series for me is the smut level of the sex scenes. They are always so unexpected for a series that is considered more mainstream and definitely isn't erotica. But the sex scenes can be so over the top in these books. I still highly enjoy this series though and do plan on reading more Talia Hibbert in the future.
April 7, 2021
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2 stars ⭐
This book was not for me. At all. I am aware that this is a very unpopular opinion, since this novel has an average rating of almost 4.5 stars on Goodreads, but I ask you to please hear me out before you go get your pitchforks.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
Act Your Age, Eve Brown is the last installment in the Brown sisters adult romance trilogy and, as you can tell from the name, it is following the youngest sister Eve. Eve has always felt like a disappointment to her parents since, unlike her sisters, she never excelled in school and now, in her twenties, she has had a multitude of different jobs and careers but hasn’t held down one yet. For this reason, her parents decide to basically kick her out of their house and cut her access to her trust fund until she is able to settle down in a job for a year. Filled with anger and embarrassment, Eve leaves their house and drives for a few hours, which leads her to a new city and a job opportunity, where she meets her new boss, Jacob Wayne. Jacob is the complete opposite of her, organised and meticulous, but when sparks start flying between them, they both have to try their hardest to not cross that line.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
To be completely honest, I was not a big fan of either of the other two books in this series - I thought they were just okay. The only reason I decided to read this one is that Talia Hibbert’s writing is very addictive, there were some funny moments in the previous novels and I wanted to listen to an audiobook while I worked out. Clearly, it was a mistake on my part because this book wasn’t it.
Where to start? First of all, I did not like Eve. I tried to sympathise with her because I understand how feeling like you are a nuisance to your family would be pretty shitty. But, honestly, I agreed more with her family than her. I was raised to always try your hardest at whatever you do, even if you might fail, and to not give up right away - Eve does the exact opposite of this. To me, she comes off as extremely immature, irresponsible and rather clueless about her privilege. Most people can't jump to one job to the next with no financial concerns because their parents or caregivers are loaded with money. And look, I’m not saying her parents went about talking to her about this in the best way because they definitely didn’t, what I’m saying is that if you are in your mid/late twenties and you’re still acting like an 18-year-old who is living off their parent’s money and acting like they have no responsibilities, you're childish and you need to start pulling your socks up.
My other problem with this book was the romance element. I think I really burned myself out reading about straight couples this month - I just wanted a gay, bi, pan character in this story with a proper storyline so I could easy my mind for a few scenes. Jacob and Eve have zero chemistry and their relationship is one of the most unrealistic ones I’ve read - it was blatant insta-love, there’s no way around it. And this is coming from the same person who read and loved Amelia Unabridged which has two characters that have known each for like a week but end up falling in love. The difference is that in that book there was a genuine, organic connection between them and they didn’t act like they knew everything about each other, as if they met a long time ago, which is what happens in Eve Brown. There are many instances of this:
1) Chapter 8: Eve thinks to herself “Only Jacob could make…” - when they have known each for a week, more or less. A WEEK!
2) Chapter 9: Eve says to Jacob “And you never talk about your parents.” - again, at this point, they met 1 or 2 weeks ago. You haven’t known him long enough for him to talk to you about such a personal and sensitive subject to him.
3) Chapter 11: “... she had never believed him to be sensible.” - I think you get the point.
There is a scene with Eve and Jacob that made me super uncomfortable and I’m so confused as to why I’m the only one I’ve seen pointing this out. Basically, this is a very minor spoiler by the way, there is a point towards the start of the book where Eve falls into a lake and then Jacob gets in to help her get out of there. Because it was in the middle of night, Jacob wasn’t wearing a shirt as he had just gotten out of bed to check out the noise that he had heard outside. While he is holding Eve, she just decides “prod his abs experimentally” - what the hell??? Needless to say, he’s bothered, he tells her to stop right away, but then the scene continues like nothing happened. Mind you, they hadn’t had any romantic scenes beforehand so Eve’s action just came out of the blue and because she felt like it. You might be thinking that I’m blowing this out of proportion, but imagine if Jacob had simply decided to “experimentally prod” Eve’s boobs. That’s not how things work! It annoyed profoundly because I know this would never have been included in the book had the roles been reversed.
I also feel like I have to talk about the sex scenes because there were quite a few of them. Obviously, this is totally up to personal preference. I would have preferred that they hadn’t been so “steamy” but, again, that’s just my taste. I just wanted to point this out since it might help you decide whether or not to pick this book up.
Speaking of, the main characters are so fucking horny all the time that it became a pain in the ass. We get it, you think the other person is hot and you want to fuck them, but damn it, do you have to comment on their boobs, ass and package every five seconds? They even made eating sexual. EATING! Why can’t a person just enjoy their food in peace? I know this is not the only book which does this so I’m not criticising just this one, I’m talking about all the ones that are guilty of this too.
Another aspect that really bothered is how unrealistic this book is. There is NO WAY that someone in real life would accept Eve as an employee after the horrible first impression she gave in her attempt at a job interview. And more, they certainly wouldn’t do it after she HIT THEM WITH A FREAKING CAR.
Of course, this book also has the dreaded miscommunication trope, because why wouldn’t it? Just the icing on the cake that we needed! Why, I ask, why must so many romance novels do this??? I genuinely do not get it. To make matters worse, the one in this book could SO EASILY have been avoided had Jacob heard Eve out for more than 5 seconds.
Now, I don’t want to be a complete debbie downer so I will finish this review with two things I liked about this book. First, the autism representation: both the main character and the love interest are on the spectrum, which I had never seen in a book before, and this is an own voices story. I definitely think it’s important to uplift diverse stories like this one. In addition, I laughed a couple of times while reading which made my reading experience slightly more enjoyable.
Who do I think should read this book? If you loved both Chloe and Dani’s books, I believe you would also enjoy this one, although, in my view, those ones are better. Also, if you like smutty romances and a quirky protagonist, you should give it a chance. If those two don’t appeal to you and if you dislike insta-love too, then give this book a pass.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
Pre-review:
Yeah.... this was one was not for me....
Detailed review to come!
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
My Rating System:
➼ 5 stars – perfect for me! a new favourite book of the year or of all time
➼ 4.5 stars – this book blew me away, almost god-tier
➼ 4 stars – so glad I gave this a chance, it was great! only had one or two flaws
➼ 3.5 stars – worth my time, but it could be better; would recommend!
➼ 3 stars – run-of-the-mill; I will probably forget about it in a week
➼ 2.5 stars – disappointing, kind of wish I hadn’t read it; wasted potential
➼ 2 stars – rant review incoming
➼ 1.5 stars – hot garbage but with a speck of glitter
➼ 1 star – had to google “how to delete a story from my brain”
2 stars ⭐
This book was not for me. At all. I am aware that this is a very unpopular opinion, since this novel has an average rating of almost 4.5 stars on Goodreads, but I ask you to please hear me out before you go get your pitchforks.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
Act Your Age, Eve Brown is the last installment in the Brown sisters adult romance trilogy and, as you can tell from the name, it is following the youngest sister Eve. Eve has always felt like a disappointment to her parents since, unlike her sisters, she never excelled in school and now, in her twenties, she has had a multitude of different jobs and careers but hasn’t held down one yet. For this reason, her parents decide to basically kick her out of their house and cut her access to her trust fund until she is able to settle down in a job for a year. Filled with anger and embarrassment, Eve leaves their house and drives for a few hours, which leads her to a new city and a job opportunity, where she meets her new boss, Jacob Wayne. Jacob is the complete opposite of her, organised and meticulous, but when sparks start flying between them, they both have to try their hardest to not cross that line.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
To be completely honest, I was not a big fan of either of the other two books in this series - I thought they were just okay. The only reason I decided to read this one is that Talia Hibbert’s writing is very addictive, there were some funny moments in the previous novels and I wanted to listen to an audiobook while I worked out. Clearly, it was a mistake on my part because this book wasn’t it.
Where to start? First of all, I did not like Eve. I tried to sympathise with her because I understand how feeling like you are a nuisance to your family would be pretty shitty. But, honestly, I agreed more with her family than her. I was raised to always try your hardest at whatever you do, even if you might fail, and to not give up right away - Eve does the exact opposite of this. To me, she comes off as extremely immature, irresponsible and rather clueless about her privilege. Most people can't jump to one job to the next with no financial concerns because their parents or caregivers are loaded with money. And look, I’m not saying her parents went about talking to her about this in the best way because they definitely didn’t, what I’m saying is that if you are in your mid/late twenties and you’re still acting like an 18-year-old who is living off their parent’s money and acting like they have no responsibilities, you're childish and you need to start pulling your socks up.
My other problem with this book was the romance element. I think I really burned myself out reading about straight couples this month - I just wanted a gay, bi, pan character in this story with a proper storyline so I could easy my mind for a few scenes. Jacob and Eve have zero chemistry and their relationship is one of the most unrealistic ones I’ve read - it was blatant insta-love, there’s no way around it. And this is coming from the same person who read and loved Amelia Unabridged which has two characters that have known each for like a week but end up falling in love. The difference is that in that book there was a genuine, organic connection between them and they didn’t act like they knew everything about each other, as if they met a long time ago, which is what happens in Eve Brown. There are many instances of this:
1) Chapter 8: Eve thinks to herself “Only Jacob could make…” - when they have known each for a week, more or less. A WEEK!
2) Chapter 9: Eve says to Jacob “And you never talk about your parents.” - again, at this point, they met 1 or 2 weeks ago. You haven’t known him long enough for him to talk to you about such a personal and sensitive subject to him.
3) Chapter 11: “... she had never believed him to be sensible.” - I think you get the point.
There is a scene with Eve and Jacob that made me super uncomfortable and I’m so confused as to why I’m the only one I’ve seen pointing this out. Basically, this is a very minor spoiler by the way, there is a point towards the start of the book where Eve falls into a lake and then Jacob gets in to help her get out of there. Because it was in the middle of night, Jacob wasn’t wearing a shirt as he had just gotten out of bed to check out the noise that he had heard outside. While he is holding Eve, she just decides “prod his abs experimentally” - what the hell??? Needless to say, he’s bothered, he tells her to stop right away, but then the scene continues like nothing happened. Mind you, they hadn’t had any romantic scenes beforehand so Eve’s action just came out of the blue and because she felt like it. You might be thinking that I’m blowing this out of proportion, but imagine if Jacob had simply decided to “experimentally prod” Eve’s boobs. That’s not how things work! It annoyed profoundly because I know this would never have been included in the book had the roles been reversed.
I also feel like I have to talk about the sex scenes because there were quite a few of them. Obviously, this is totally up to personal preference. I would have preferred that they hadn’t been so “steamy” but, again, that’s just my taste. I just wanted to point this out since it might help you decide whether or not to pick this book up.
Speaking of, the main characters are so fucking horny all the time that it became a pain in the ass. We get it, you think the other person is hot and you want to fuck them, but damn it, do you have to comment on their boobs, ass and package every five seconds? They even made eating sexual. EATING! Why can’t a person just enjoy their food in peace? I know this is not the only book which does this so I’m not criticising just this one, I’m talking about all the ones that are guilty of this too.
Another aspect that really bothered is how unrealistic this book is. There is NO WAY that someone in real life would accept Eve as an employee after the horrible first impression she gave in her attempt at a job interview. And more, they certainly wouldn’t do it after she HIT THEM WITH A FREAKING CAR.
Of course, this book also has the dreaded miscommunication trope, because why wouldn’t it? Just the icing on the cake that we needed! Why, I ask, why must so many romance novels do this??? I genuinely do not get it. To make matters worse, the one in this book could SO EASILY have been avoided had Jacob heard Eve out for more than 5 seconds.
Now, I don’t want to be a complete debbie downer so I will finish this review with two things I liked about this book. First, the autism representation: both the main character and the love interest are on the spectrum, which I had never seen in a book before, and this is an own voices story. I definitely think it’s important to uplift diverse stories like this one. In addition, I laughed a couple of times while reading which made my reading experience slightly more enjoyable.
Who do I think should read this book? If you loved both Chloe and Dani’s books, I believe you would also enjoy this one, although, in my view, those ones are better. Also, if you like smutty romances and a quirky protagonist, you should give it a chance. If those two don’t appeal to you and if you dislike insta-love too, then give this book a pass.
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
Pre-review:
Yeah.... this was one was not for me....
Detailed review to come!
✦ ✧ ✦ ✧
My Rating System:
➼ 5 stars – perfect for me! a new favourite book of the year or of all time
➼ 4.5 stars – this book blew me away, almost god-tier
➼ 4 stars – so glad I gave this a chance, it was great! only had one or two flaws
➼ 3.5 stars – worth my time, but it could be better; would recommend!
➼ 3 stars – run-of-the-mill; I will probably forget about it in a week
➼ 2.5 stars – disappointing, kind of wish I hadn’t read it; wasted potential
➼ 2 stars – rant review incoming
➼ 1.5 stars – hot garbage but with a speck of glitter
➼ 1 star – had to google “how to delete a story from my brain”
May 19, 2021
A very cute, steamy and uplifting end to 'The Brown Sisters' series
Eve Brown, the baby of the family bounces from job to job, living at home and relying on her family trust fund until her parents finally have enough! They give her an ultimatum, stick at a job for a year and find your own place, or no money. After stumbling across a cute B&B with a vacancy, where the boss is both hot and annoyingly grumpy, hilarious antics ensue, but will Eve sort her life out?!
I'm a bit late to the party here, but was having a terrible run of bad books, needed a winner, and thought I would pick this up; I'm so glad I did! I happily devoured this adorable book with a great big soppy smile on my face! The sunshine and grump trope is one of my absolute favourites!
Again many thanks to Talia Hibbert for the lovely author's note at the start, it was appreciated! 😘Also thanks for another brilliantly diverse romance! I'm so happy we have been getting so many of these over the last couple of years, and really hope that we continue to get romance to represent all kinds of readers!
Set in the lovely lake district, which has been on my bucket list for so long! I loved the small town of Skybriar! Oh and I really love a great B&B!
Act Your Age, Eve Brown was a charming tale of love, passion, self discovery and understanding. Although I initially struggled to empathise with Eve, as she lolled about resembling Peter Pan, I soon grew to love this messy, chaotic, loveable woman. As the book continued, misunderstood Eve showed that she was riddled with insecurities, self doubt and anxiety, but set off on a journey of finding out what she was good at, and why she found certain things difficult, and it was emotional. I loved seeing her self confidence grow, and she handled some discoveries about herself like a boss!
Jacob was the opposite of Eve in many ways, with his need for order, calm and perfection, but they also shared many similarities as they got to know each other, firstly becoming friends, and then more. Jacob was supportive, funny, and I loved how he opened up to Eve, showing that despite having a hard shell on the outside, he was so soft on the inside! His prickliness was just to protect his marshmallow heart!
These two characters were so well developed, flaws and all, and I loved them! I loved their scorching chemistry, their bickering and banter, and how understanding and in tune they were with each other. The sexual tension which built up was delicious! As for the steam 🔥🔥🔥Ms Hibbert does not mess around! Like the other books in the series, this had open door scenes, so avoid if you don't like graphic detail 😂
Although I really enjoyed this final book, there were a couple of things which niggled me! Chloe and Dani disappointed me slightly, when they were interfering and judgmental, and when her family came with all that drama, it made me frown! I would've also preferred if the romance took place over a longer period of time, as it just felt to much, too soon for me personally. Also, wet glitter.. I had been warned about that scene, but I'm pretty sure that no one's vagina should dissolve into a pile of wet glitter...
Nevertheless, this sweet book brought me joy, and I flew through it! I have seen that there is a spin off called Untitled,and I am desperately hoping it is about the Montrose siblings!
This series was fab and I am happy that I got to spend some time with these characters!🦆🦆🦆🦆
Eve Brown, the baby of the family bounces from job to job, living at home and relying on her family trust fund until her parents finally have enough! They give her an ultimatum, stick at a job for a year and find your own place, or no money. After stumbling across a cute B&B with a vacancy, where the boss is both hot and annoyingly grumpy, hilarious antics ensue, but will Eve sort her life out?!
I'm a bit late to the party here, but was having a terrible run of bad books, needed a winner, and thought I would pick this up; I'm so glad I did! I happily devoured this adorable book with a great big soppy smile on my face! The sunshine and grump trope is one of my absolute favourites!
Again many thanks to Talia Hibbert for the lovely author's note at the start, it was appreciated! 😘Also thanks for another brilliantly diverse romance! I'm so happy we have been getting so many of these over the last couple of years, and really hope that we continue to get romance to represent all kinds of readers!
Set in the lovely lake district, which has been on my bucket list for so long! I loved the small town of Skybriar! Oh and I really love a great B&B!
Act Your Age, Eve Brown was a charming tale of love, passion, self discovery and understanding. Although I initially struggled to empathise with Eve, as she lolled about resembling Peter Pan, I soon grew to love this messy, chaotic, loveable woman. As the book continued, misunderstood Eve showed that she was riddled with insecurities, self doubt and anxiety, but set off on a journey of finding out what she was good at, and why she found certain things difficult, and it was emotional. I loved seeing her self confidence grow, and she handled some discoveries about herself like a boss!
Jacob was the opposite of Eve in many ways, with his need for order, calm and perfection, but they also shared many similarities as they got to know each other, firstly becoming friends, and then more. Jacob was supportive, funny, and I loved how he opened up to Eve, showing that despite having a hard shell on the outside, he was so soft on the inside! His prickliness was just to protect his marshmallow heart!
These two characters were so well developed, flaws and all, and I loved them! I loved their scorching chemistry, their bickering and banter, and how understanding and in tune they were with each other. The sexual tension which built up was delicious! As for the steam 🔥🔥🔥Ms Hibbert does not mess around! Like the other books in the series, this had open door scenes, so avoid if you don't like graphic detail 😂
Although I really enjoyed this final book, there were a couple of things which niggled me! Chloe and Dani disappointed me slightly, when they were interfering and judgmental, and when her family came with all that drama, it made me frown! I would've also preferred if the romance took place over a longer period of time, as it just felt to much, too soon for me personally. Also, wet glitter.. I had been warned about that scene, but I'm pretty sure that no one's vagina should dissolve into a pile of wet glitter...
Nevertheless, this sweet book brought me joy, and I flew through it! I have seen that there is a spin off called Untitled,and I am desperately hoping it is about the Montrose siblings!
This series was fab and I am happy that I got to spend some time with these characters!🦆🦆🦆🦆
February 7, 2024
5/5 ⭐️ x ♾️ I read this book last year and I just had to reread it. I couldn’t get Eve and Jacob out of my head! There are no amount of words to describe how much I adored this book. As the baby of the family myself, I related to Eve so much. I felt so connected to her character and it was so beautiful seeing her journey to self-discovery and growth. She also made me laugh so much! She has become one of my favorite heroines of all time ❤️.
This was just grumpy/sunshine perfection. I love seeing a grumpy hero fall for a sunshine heroine. It was just so magnificent! Eve and Jacob were just so cute together. This was an even better read than the last time I read it. Jacob literally has my whole heart. He has autism and his childhood trauma made my heart hurt so much. I just wanted to hug him 😭🥹❤️. I also wanted to strangle his parents for not wanting him! 🤬.
This had all the things I go crazy for in a romance. It had heartfelt moments, humor, a swoony and grumpy hero, a delightful heroine, and a beautiful love story. And the spice? It was phenomenal! It had the perfect amount of spice. Not too much and not too little 👌🏼.
Jacob was such a grumpy sweetheart. I loved how he reluctantly always smiled or grinned around Eve. He was also protective and was always trying to make Eve happy!
Overall, this is one of my favorite books of all time and a book that I see myself constantly rereading for years to come 🫶🏻❤️. I just fell in love with both characters so much 🥹. I miss them already! This book is my EVERYTHING!
This was just grumpy/sunshine perfection. I love seeing a grumpy hero fall for a sunshine heroine. It was just so magnificent! Eve and Jacob were just so cute together. This was an even better read than the last time I read it. Jacob literally has my whole heart. He has autism and his childhood trauma made my heart hurt so much. I just wanted to hug him 😭🥹❤️. I also wanted to strangle his parents for not wanting him! 🤬.
This had all the things I go crazy for in a romance. It had heartfelt moments, humor, a swoony and grumpy hero, a delightful heroine, and a beautiful love story. And the spice? It was phenomenal! It had the perfect amount of spice. Not too much and not too little 👌🏼.
Jacob was such a grumpy sweetheart. I loved how he reluctantly always smiled or grinned around Eve. He was also protective and was always trying to make Eve happy!
Overall, this is one of my favorite books of all time and a book that I see myself constantly rereading for years to come 🫶🏻❤️. I just fell in love with both characters so much 🥹. I miss them already! This book is my EVERYTHING!
February 26, 2023
i need jacob wayne so bad
January 31, 2021
talia hibbert really said "i'm going to write the best book of 2021" and she did.
act your age, eve brown? more like changed my life, eve brown because this book and EVE FUCKING BROWN just changed me entirely. I'm a new person after reading this book. so magnificent, so funny, hilarious, romantic, sexy, soft as heck, this book is everything you want and need and more. talia hibbert brings us the last of the brown sisters and she does it spectacularly. the right ending to the trilogy and the start of a new one because as u know talia just announced a new romcom series with avon and it's about skybriar!!!! *excited*
- grumpy x sunshine hero
- a purple dildo named m'baku
- meet disaster
- this is the softest book in the world no comparison
- "come and sit on my dick" this is a very horny book and I approve
act your age, eve brown? more like changed my life, eve brown because this book and EVE FUCKING BROWN just changed me entirely. I'm a new person after reading this book. so magnificent, so funny, hilarious, romantic, sexy, soft as heck, this book is everything you want and need and more. talia hibbert brings us the last of the brown sisters and she does it spectacularly. the right ending to the trilogy and the start of a new one because as u know talia just announced a new romcom series with avon and it's about skybriar!!!! *excited*
- grumpy x sunshine hero
- a purple dildo named m'baku
- meet disaster
- this is the softest book in the world no comparison
- "come and sit on my dick" this is a very horny book and I approve
Read
October 3, 2020Absolutely joyful. Eve is a force of chaos and a bit of a mess with a habit of running away; Jacob is all order and control with a lifetime of people running away from him. They're obviously perfect. Deep kindness (especially about human flaws and quirks) without sentimentality, terrific snark, great one-liners, swoony and hot romance, assured writing and a cast that's diverse because humans are diverse. A terrific conclusion to an excellent series; I enjoyed this overwhelmingly.
I had an ARC from the author, and have been hoarding it like Smaug.
I had an ARC from the author, and have been hoarding it like Smaug.
July 16, 2021
4.25*
The heat is on!🔥🔥
Eve has watched her sisters Dani and Chloe become successful in their professional lives as well as in love. But Eve can’t seem to get herself going. Failing at most everything she tries. Nothing seems to fit for her.
Her parents finally give her an ultimatum. She needs to venture out and find a job and live on her own or they will cut her off financially.
Ok! It’s time for Eve to start living! While taking a drive she comes across a B&B in need of a new chef. Well, Eve loves to cook so why not! Only as desperate as Jacob is to fill the position, he’s reluctant to give Eve a try.
But when Eve breaks his arm (an accident folks!) Jacob has no choice but to hire her to help him run the B&B. But he doesn’t have to like it…
Definitely my favorite of the series.
This was a fabulous addition to an incredibly well written series. I just loved Eve and how unapologetic she was. Even though her inner voice may be telling her she was a mess, she always showed how tough she really was.
Talia Hibbert has created three sisters that exemplify strength, a strong sense of womanhood and self confidence. I think any woman reading this series can take something positive away from any of these sisters.
I listened to the audio version. (Which I have for all three books in this series). And highly recommend that format.
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to libro.fm for a 🎧 copy to listen and review.
The heat is on!🔥🔥
Eve has watched her sisters Dani and Chloe become successful in their professional lives as well as in love. But Eve can’t seem to get herself going. Failing at most everything she tries. Nothing seems to fit for her.
Her parents finally give her an ultimatum. She needs to venture out and find a job and live on her own or they will cut her off financially.
Ok! It’s time for Eve to start living! While taking a drive she comes across a B&B in need of a new chef. Well, Eve loves to cook so why not! Only as desperate as Jacob is to fill the position, he’s reluctant to give Eve a try.
But when Eve breaks his arm (an accident folks!) Jacob has no choice but to hire her to help him run the B&B. But he doesn’t have to like it…
Definitely my favorite of the series.
This was a fabulous addition to an incredibly well written series. I just loved Eve and how unapologetic she was. Even though her inner voice may be telling her she was a mess, she always showed how tough she really was.
Talia Hibbert has created three sisters that exemplify strength, a strong sense of womanhood and self confidence. I think any woman reading this series can take something positive away from any of these sisters.
I listened to the audio version. (Which I have for all three books in this series). And highly recommend that format.
Posted to: https://books-are-a-girls-best-friend...
Thank you to libro.fm for a 🎧 copy to listen and review.
April 20, 2021
Talia Hibbert writes her best book yet with the third book in The Brown Sisters series, Act Your Age, Eve Brown. Moving, interesting, and incredibly sexy, Talia Hibbert nailed every aspect of this story.
I'm a big fan of Talia Hibbert's work, and I've enjoyed all of the books in The Brown Sisters series, but seriously, none of them hold a candle to Act Your Age, Eve Brown.
I was extremely excited to read this story because I love books with neurodiverse main characters. I'm really drawn to them, and I actively seek out romances with characters who are not neutrotypical. However, the intense chemistry and excellent writing is what made this story special.
Eve and Jacob were a great example of a soft enemies-to-lovers story with a sizzling initial attraction that doesn't detract from the relationship development. Sometimes, the author leads with insta-lust and it stunts the relationship development between the two MCs. However, though the chemistry was there from the start with Eve and Jacob, it was given time to slow-burn. I loved how their relationship grew and changed over time, and how their attraction simmered until it boiled over.
Both of these characters also carry baggage, but the story doesn't feel heavy. Talia Hibbert has a way of inserting just the right amount of humor into her stories, and I was reading this book with such a big smile on my face. The dialogue and banter between the two MCs were such a joy to read. I'm a dialogue junkie, and I love it when the author can carry a story through with witty conversation. Though the book touched on a number of serious topics, it didn't take itself too seriously.
The story is so cute that the heat really sneaks up on you. Talia Hibbert pulls no punches when it comes to writing her sex scenes, and I love her for it. I'm talking scorching hot chemistry. There are no silly euphemisms for sex, just enthusiastic SEX. Yes, yes, yes!
I was so enjoying this story that I was surprised when I had tears in my eyes near the end: the emotions really crept up on me. I felt my heart squeezing and squeezing, and I couldn't put it down in the last 20%.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown was simply a pitch-perfect story for my tastes. Sexy, bold, diverse, funny, and moving, I got everything I wanted and more from this story.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
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I'm a big fan of Talia Hibbert's work, and I've enjoyed all of the books in The Brown Sisters series, but seriously, none of them hold a candle to Act Your Age, Eve Brown.
I was extremely excited to read this story because I love books with neurodiverse main characters. I'm really drawn to them, and I actively seek out romances with characters who are not neutrotypical. However, the intense chemistry and excellent writing is what made this story special.
Eve and Jacob were a great example of a soft enemies-to-lovers story with a sizzling initial attraction that doesn't detract from the relationship development. Sometimes, the author leads with insta-lust and it stunts the relationship development between the two MCs. However, though the chemistry was there from the start with Eve and Jacob, it was given time to slow-burn. I loved how their relationship grew and changed over time, and how their attraction simmered until it boiled over.
Both of these characters also carry baggage, but the story doesn't feel heavy. Talia Hibbert has a way of inserting just the right amount of humor into her stories, and I was reading this book with such a big smile on my face. The dialogue and banter between the two MCs were such a joy to read. I'm a dialogue junkie, and I love it when the author can carry a story through with witty conversation. Though the book touched on a number of serious topics, it didn't take itself too seriously.
The story is so cute that the heat really sneaks up on you. Talia Hibbert pulls no punches when it comes to writing her sex scenes, and I love her for it. I'm talking scorching hot chemistry. There are no silly euphemisms for sex, just enthusiastic SEX. Yes, yes, yes!
I was so enjoying this story that I was surprised when I had tears in my eyes near the end: the emotions really crept up on me. I felt my heart squeezing and squeezing, and I couldn't put it down in the last 20%.
Act Your Age, Eve Brown was simply a pitch-perfect story for my tastes. Sexy, bold, diverse, funny, and moving, I got everything I wanted and more from this story.
*Copy provided in exchange for an honest review*
goodreads|instagram|twitter|blog
February 16, 2021
Talia Hibbert concludes her Brown Sisters rom-com trilogy, after Chloe and Dani, with the sunny chaotic Eve, so different from her sisters, this is my belated Valentine's read, and I know the author will give us plenty of humour, fun, diverse steamy relationships, not to mention a serious focus on issues, here it is autism. The sassy purple haired and glittery Eve has floundered when it comes to finding her career niche, a litany of failures behind her, such as singing and acting, the latest being that of wedding planner. This is the final straw for Gigi and her parents, worried about her lack of commitment and application to her varied job forays, telling a distraught Eve that they are withdrawing any financial support until she settles into a occupation for the period of a year. This has Eve taking off, finding herself in the small picturesque place of Skybriar in the Lake District in the rain.
She stops at the Castell Cottage Bed and Breakfast, noticing there are interviews for the position of a chef taking place, making the decision to apply. It would be an understatement to say that the owner of the B&B, Jacob Wayne, is not impressed with Eve, although his best friend, Eric Montrose, points out their desperate predicament, they need someone now and that Eve should be offered a trial period to see if she could work out. Before Jacob can tell her, Eve runs him over in her car, leaving him with concussion and serious injuries, such as a broken wrist. Feeling responsible, Eve is left with no choice but to help Jacob, at least until the Pemberton Ginger Festival in which the B&B is participating. To Eve's surprise, she is good at providing the guests with breakfast and afternoon teas, although learning the housekeeping aspects is more of a struggle. The initial antipathy between the rigid, rule bound, controlling Jacob and Eve melts away as they begin to see each other, only for the sexual tensions between them begin to rise to sky high levels.
There is much that could be said to be predictable in the trajectory of the romance and love between Eve and Jacob, but it is Hibbert's vibrant characterisations that make this such a great read, the sweet and touching depictions of the couple's vulnerabilities, the development of their characters, the issue of autism, and their growing sense of coming to terms with their identity as they grapple with a lifetime of being misunderstood. They understand each other, when others cannot, although it is not an obstacle free path to love, their fears and insecurities do not disappear magically, Jacob has been so deeply hurt that he believes no woman could possibly love and want him beyond the short term. If you are looking for a fun, entertaining, appealing and engaging rom-coms, then I can certainly recommend this trilogy featuring Eve, Dani and Chloe. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
She stops at the Castell Cottage Bed and Breakfast, noticing there are interviews for the position of a chef taking place, making the decision to apply. It would be an understatement to say that the owner of the B&B, Jacob Wayne, is not impressed with Eve, although his best friend, Eric Montrose, points out their desperate predicament, they need someone now and that Eve should be offered a trial period to see if she could work out. Before Jacob can tell her, Eve runs him over in her car, leaving him with concussion and serious injuries, such as a broken wrist. Feeling responsible, Eve is left with no choice but to help Jacob, at least until the Pemberton Ginger Festival in which the B&B is participating. To Eve's surprise, she is good at providing the guests with breakfast and afternoon teas, although learning the housekeeping aspects is more of a struggle. The initial antipathy between the rigid, rule bound, controlling Jacob and Eve melts away as they begin to see each other, only for the sexual tensions between them begin to rise to sky high levels.
There is much that could be said to be predictable in the trajectory of the romance and love between Eve and Jacob, but it is Hibbert's vibrant characterisations that make this such a great read, the sweet and touching depictions of the couple's vulnerabilities, the development of their characters, the issue of autism, and their growing sense of coming to terms with their identity as they grapple with a lifetime of being misunderstood. They understand each other, when others cannot, although it is not an obstacle free path to love, their fears and insecurities do not disappear magically, Jacob has been so deeply hurt that he believes no woman could possibly love and want him beyond the short term. If you are looking for a fun, entertaining, appealing and engaging rom-coms, then I can certainly recommend this trilogy featuring Eve, Dani and Chloe. Many thanks to Little, Brown for an ARC.
May 13, 2021
I think Talia Hibbert might be my new favorite contemporary romance author. I don't read a whole lot of this specific genre, but I probably would if they were all more like hers! They are funny, emotional, relatable, her characters have diverse representations that are presented as just one small part of the person (just like a real person would be!) without feeling like it's a checkmark representation, and most importantly the romance is steamy. I'm just kidding about that being the most important thing, but Hibbert does know how to write her way around a bedroom scene and doesn't put it in there so much that it takes over the entire book's plot.
Three fantastic books in a row by one author? This author is an autobuy for me now. Give me more!
Three fantastic books in a row by one author? This author is an autobuy for me now. Give me more!
July 19, 2022
3.75 If you tell me there’s a book about two autistic people finding love and happiness, I’m going to read it, and Eve Brown did not disappoint! As a general rule, me and romance novels don’t get along (a mix of the predictable formula and my hatred of people who aren’t me finding love and happiness) as per the rating, but I still enjoyed it nonetheless.
It’s rare that you see Autistic people like Eve represented in media, or talked about at all really; so as an extroverted, messy, all-over-the-place kind of person, it was really cool to see someone like me who’s also on the spectrum represented in a book! I especially loved the part where Eve talked about most of her family probably being Autistic as well, because autism running in families is something not everyone knows about. Me, my dad, two of my siblings, 3/4 of my grandparents, and several of my aunts and uncles, are all autistic! Seeing that aspect of my life mirrored in with the Brown family was so fun to read about, and I feel really lucky to live in a time when there are stories about autistic people that frame us in such a joyful manner.
Okay, onto the negativity (my favorite part)! So the sex scenes made me uncomfortable… I’m not sure what it was, likely a me problem since most (straight) smut has the same effect on me; I’ve found that it takes me out of the story and I stop “shipping” the couple immediately after it happens. Once I was past the first sex scene (though iconic with the 12 inch dildo, I support Eve!!) I got really bored and didn’t care about the story anymore which sucks!
Another thing I dislike about most romcoms across the board, is the dual POV aspect. There is no mystery and no guessing as to what the love interest thinks of the main character, it’s all handed to the reader without nuance or further thinking. I can certainly see why people love this style, but I like to have a bit of a mental workout when I’m reading and romance doesn’t do that for me! I couldn’t care less about the love interest or his POV in this book, and mostly kept reading for Eve & her family who I absolutely adore. Will I be reading Dani’s book? Probably, but for now I think I’ll take a break from this genre so I can appreciate more in the future.
I still highly recommend this book for anyone who loves romcoms, especially if you’re autistic or want to learn more about the spectrum! Everything a good romance should be is in here; humor, chemistry, great characters, and a few conflicts in between! Any true romantic will be swept away by this story, and I’m so glad that so many people love it.
It’s rare that you see Autistic people like Eve represented in media, or talked about at all really; so as an extroverted, messy, all-over-the-place kind of person, it was really cool to see someone like me who’s also on the spectrum represented in a book! I especially loved the part where Eve talked about most of her family probably being Autistic as well, because autism running in families is something not everyone knows about. Me, my dad, two of my siblings, 3/4 of my grandparents, and several of my aunts and uncles, are all autistic! Seeing that aspect of my life mirrored in with the Brown family was so fun to read about, and I feel really lucky to live in a time when there are stories about autistic people that frame us in such a joyful manner.
Okay, onto the negativity (my favorite part)! So the sex scenes made me uncomfortable… I’m not sure what it was, likely a me problem since most (straight) smut has the same effect on me; I’ve found that it takes me out of the story and I stop “shipping” the couple immediately after it happens. Once I was past the first sex scene (though iconic with the 12 inch dildo, I support Eve!!) I got really bored and didn’t care about the story anymore which sucks!
Another thing I dislike about most romcoms across the board, is the dual POV aspect. There is no mystery and no guessing as to what the love interest thinks of the main character, it’s all handed to the reader without nuance or further thinking. I can certainly see why people love this style, but I like to have a bit of a mental workout when I’m reading and romance doesn’t do that for me! I couldn’t care less about the love interest or his POV in this book, and mostly kept reading for Eve & her family who I absolutely adore. Will I be reading Dani’s book? Probably, but for now I think I’ll take a break from this genre so I can appreciate more in the future.
I still highly recommend this book for anyone who loves romcoms, especially if you’re autistic or want to learn more about the spectrum! Everything a good romance should be is in here; humor, chemistry, great characters, and a few conflicts in between! Any true romantic will be swept away by this story, and I’m so glad that so many people love it.
Want to read
May 7, 2022no, definitely not me just noticing the release date of this book.
freaking 9th March.
on my birthday. yes dudes. right. guess who’s gonna treat herself with some cute ass rom com shit??
freaking 9th March.
on my birthday. yes dudes. right. guess who’s gonna treat herself with some cute ass rom com shit??
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