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

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

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

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

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