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 big, brooding security guard Zafir Ansari rescues Dani from a workplace fire drill gone wrong, it's an obvious sign: PhD student Dani and former rugby player Zaf are destined to sleep together. But before she can explain that fact to him, a video of the heroic rescue goes viral. Suddenly, 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 is 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.
The easy lay Dani dreamed of is now 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?
USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestseller Talia Hibbert is a Black British 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.
"A hot, hilarious rom-com sure to sweep readers off their feet." - Publishers Weekly
"Sparkling, shining, shimmering writing, wit, vulnerability, and oh my STARS the romance is divine. Talia Hibbert is a wonder. Take a Hint Dani Brown is pure delight and what we all could use more of right now. From the first page, to the end, the characters will steal your heart and charm you senseless. You will be smitten. This is one of my favorite reads this year and I cannot recommend it enough." - Dylan Allen, USA Today bestselling author
"With Danika, Hibbert playfully subverts expectations, elevating the "too busy for romance" trope by giving her challenging personality traits that won't disappear with a good shag and a few "I love you"s. She also wisely gives Zafir more to do than love Dani unconditionally, as deliciously swoonworthy as that is: He has to embrace his tragic past, as it's part of the man he is today. Funny, deep, and romantic as hell. Will leave you smiling for days." - Kirkus Reviews
"Hibbert continues her wickedly funny romantic comedy series, The Brown Sisters, by following Get a Life, Chloe Brown with a magical friends-to-lovers tale... Dani and Zaf's ability to finally push past the fear of rejection and cope with depression and anxiety, as well as their devilishly good dialogue, make for engaging and authentic diverse characters. Hibbert is a rising star, and this tale will appeal to all contemporary romance fans, including those who enjoy British romantic comedies." - Booklist
"A balm for whatever ails you." - Washington Post (Best Romances of 2020)
"Talia Hibbert has consistently proved herself one of the most insightful, warmly funny, compassionate authors working today... an expert at plumbing life's greatest obstacles - grief, mental illness, feelings of inadequacy - and how to navigate romantic relationships with, not in spite of them. Here, she spears everything from toxic masculinity to literary criticism, all with her signature wit and empathy, asking (and offering) the best of her characters and her readers." - Entertainment Weekly (10 Best Romances of 2020)
