Book Review: Get a Life, Chloe Brown by Talia Hibbert

Format: Paperback
Published: November 5th, 2019
Age: Adult
Genre: Contemporary Romance

Rating: 5/5 Stars

If you’ve been following the blog for a bit, it’ll probably come as no surprise that I was really excited to read this. After reading Take a Hint, Dani Brown, I was keen to go back to book 1 and experience The Brown Sisters from the beginning. This book did not disappoint in any way, and like the second book, it’s full of warmth and humour.

After almost getting hit by a car, Chloe Brown decides it’s time for her to Get a Life. She starts by moving out of her family’s home and into her own flat. It’s a good start, except the building’s handyman seems to absolutely hate her after catching her at her worst moments. But Red might be the exact person Chloe needs to help her complete her ‘Get a Life’ list. As the two spend more time together, and get to know each other, Red starts to understand why Chloe seems so closed off, and Chloe starts to understand why Red strongly resents Chloe’s background.

The book is told through both Chloe’s and Red’s POVs, and it’s something I love when done well in romance novels, as we unpeel each character both internally and externally. Characters are so crucial to a romance, and Hibbert’s really shine. They’re complex, with their own struggles and difficulties. Chloe is chronically ill, which has had a huge impact on her life, and previous relationships – both romantic and platonic – have made her feel like she shouldn’t get close to anyone. Red feels used by a previous partner, who treated him like a pet, and it makes him initially suspicious of Chloe, who (in his eyes) comes from a similar socioeconomic background and comes across, at first, as a bit of a snob.

Both move past their first impressions and initial feelings, and come to understand why the other acts as they do. And they are very sweet together. As someone with a chronic illness, it’s so lovely to read a character who retains their independence, but still gets to be ‘looked after’ when she needs it. And Red really steps up here, doing what he can to help Chloe and make sure she’s taking care of herself, too. The dynamic builds throughout, but as with all romances, there are tensions between the pair, and difficulties they have to work through together.

I thoroughly enjoyed this, and Hibbert’s characters jump out from the page, realistic and complex, and people you can’t help but connect with and want to see end up happily together. It was also great to see Chloe’s sisters from a different POV, and the dynamics between the three of them were just as entertaining and warm as the dynamics between Chloe and Red.

Hibbert is a great writer, and I loved going back to this first book in the series. Now I just need to get my hands on book 3 and dive into Eve’s story!

Reading Challenge
Romance Readers Diversity Challenge 2025 ❤️
Prompt: A book written by a Black author
Progress: 4/12