Beatrice Nilsson is what some might call “feisty” (those who love her) and others “combative” (those who don’t). But no matter what you call her, she’s a good lawyer and an even better friend. So when the marriage of her two closest pals ends in divorce, Bea picks a side and storms the office of attorney Nathan Asher to tell him exactly what he can do with his alimony petition. Unfortunately, what should end with a few choice words soon spirals into uncharted territory when Nate shows up at her NYU Law office a few days later as a newly-minted adjunct professor—and her new colleague.
Bea still hates Nathan, of course. But between weekly meetings and networking events, walks around Washington Square Park and late-night pizza, that hate begins to feel a lot like something else. And as uncomfortable truths emerge about the divorce that started it all, she might have to choose between her friends’ happily ever after and her own for the very first time.
How Freaking Romantic is a sharp, witty enemies‑to‑lovers rom‑com. The story follows Beatrice “Bea” Nilsson, a fiercely loyal law student who storms into Nathan Asher’s office to defend her friends. Nate Asher is a smooth and confident attorney, and she instantly dislikes him. When fate throws them together again at NYU, where Nate begins teaching, sparks fly and tempers flare. What starts as animosity slowly unravels into a reluctant friendship, then a slow-burn romance—forcing Bea to confront her beliefs about love, loyalty, and what it means to choose yourself.
This is an elevated enemies-to-friends-to-lovers story with great banter, witty puns, and sizzling chemistry between the protagonists. The story features several popular romance tropes, including reverse grumpy x sunshine, workplace romance, forced proximity, he falls first, and opposites attract! This is a book centered in the world of lawyers and law school, but this “law” angle isn’t heavily technical—so expect character-driven storytelling rather than legal procedural analysis. The New York City setting is the perfect backdrop for a story about high-profile lawyers and urban escapades—readers can tangibly feel the NYC energy from Bea’s crumbling uptown apartment to her walks in city parks, adventures at networking events, and outings with Nathan!
Bea is a witty, outspoken, and passionate protagonist that readers will either love or find a tad annoying. What’s undeniably admirable about her is her loyalty to friends and fearlessness in standing up for who and what she believes in. Her two best friends are in the midst of a divorce, and this greatly affects her, but she doesn’t let this stop her from trying to help them. On the flip side, Bea clearly needs to work on herself and her trust issues, and this isn’t really addressed in the novel. Instead, her HEA arrives with a feeling of hope and optimism (and some brilliant comedy in the final scenes)—but if you’re looking for more realism in her character resolution, you may be left wanting more.
The slow-building romance between Bea and Nate is perfectly paced. What makes their romance so compelling is the tenderness in their dialogue and soft affection for each other—especially coming from Nathan. Bea’s trust issues are rooted in not having strong role models growing up to show her what a healthy relationship is. This leads to her repeatedly pushing Nathan away—almost to the point of annoyance for the reader. Nathan’s compassionate and understanding nature is really emphasized in these scenes, and he becomes even more likeable for standing by her and helping her to work through her issues!
The supporting characters are mainly Bea’s closest friends and colleagues, who each have meaningful advice to give or add comic relief to the story. Every scene is cleverly written to add something to the narrative or contribute to Bea’s emotional arc. The phone calls with her self-absorbed mother are “standout hilarious” as Bea throws in several sarcastic puns without her mother even knowing. Their relationship does become more developed late in the novel and is quite heartwarming by the end!
Overall, So Freaking Romantic is a clever, heartfelt rom‑com that’s perfect for a quick summer read. Readers who enjoy strong, outspoken FMCs, witty banter, and sizzling enemies-to-friends-to-lovers romances will love this book and should put it high in their TBR!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of How Freaking Romantic is a hilarious, heartfelt listen performed by acclaimed narrator Allyson Ryan!
Ryan brings strong-willed and outspoken Beatrice (Bea) vividly to life with an intelligent-sounding voice infused with hints of sarcasm, wit, and occasional melodrama. The fiery dialogue between Bea and Nathan is the highlight of the story and is expertly performed by Ryan, giving listeners all the feels—from heated animosity to intellectually stimulating exchanges to sizzling chemistry.
There’s not a huge cast of characters in this book, but each character, whether it be Bea’s closest friends, her annoying teaching assistant colleague, or her self-absorbed mother, is authentically portrayed with distinct voices, well-placed emotion, and comedic charm to elevate the story and keep listeners fully engaged—with a smile planted on their faces the entire time!
Ryan’s pacing is steady—the flow never drags, and transitions between scenes feel natural. What’s most impressive about Ryan’s performance is the dynamic portrayal of Bea—not only is her character arc beautifully executed, but she feels so raw and relatable, especially when she puts everything aside to help her close friend with a substance abuse issue—the narration of these scenes is powerful and memorable!
Overall, this witty rom-com is greatly elevated by Allyson Ryan’s authentic & engaging character performances and comedic timing! It’s a must-listen for readers who love enemies-to-lovers romances, laugh-out-loud banter, and emotional character arcs! If you haven’t listened to Allyson Ryan’s narration before, you’re in for a real treat, and you’ll definitely want to check out her diverse backlog of titles!
Narrator Performance
The audiobook of How Freaking Romantic is a hilarious, heartfelt listen performed by acclaimed narrator Allyson Ryan!
Ryan brings strong-willed and outspoken Beatrice (Bea) vividly to life with an intelligent-sounding voice infused with hints of sarcasm, wit, and occasional melodrama. The fiery dialogue between Bea and Nathan is the highlight of the story and is expertly performed by Ryan, giving listeners all the feels—from heated animosity to intellectually stimulating exchanges to sizzling chemistry.
There’s not a huge cast of characters in this book, but each character, whether it be Bea’s closest friends, her annoying teaching assistant colleague, or her self-absorbed mother, is authentically portrayed with distinct voices, well-placed emotion, and comedic charm to elevate the story and keep listeners fully engaged—with a smile planted on their faces the entire time!
Ryan’s pacing is steady—the flow never drags, and transitions between scenes feel natural. What’s most impressive about Ryan’s performance is the dynamic portrayal of Bea—not only is her character arc beautifully executed, but she feels so raw and relatable, especially when she puts everything aside to help her close friend with a substance abuse issue—the narration of these scenes is powerful and memorable!
Overall, this witty rom-com is greatly elevated by Allyson Ryan’s authentic & engaging character performances and comedic timing! It’s a must-listen for readers who love enemies-to-lovers romances, laugh-out-loud banter, and emotional character arcs! If you haven’t listened to Allyson Ryan’s narration before, you’re in for a real treat, and you’ll definitely want to check out her diverse backlog of titles!
The audiobook of How Freaking Romantic is a hilarious, heartfelt listen performed by acclaimed narrator Allyson Ryan!
Ryan brings strong-willed and outspoken Beatrice (Bea) vividly to life with an intelligent-sounding voice infused with hints of sarcasm, wit, and occasional melodrama. The fiery dialogue between Bea and Nathan is the highlight of the story and is expertly performed by Ryan, giving listeners all the feels—from heated animosity to intellectually stimulating exchanges to sizzling chemistry.
There’s not a huge cast of characters in this book, but each character, whether it be Bea’s closest friends, her annoying teaching assistant colleague, or her self-absorbed mother, is authentically portrayed with distinct voices, well-placed emotion, and comedic charm to elevate the story and keep listeners fully engaged—with a smile planted on their faces the entire time!
Ryan’s pacing is steady—the flow never drags, and transitions between scenes feel natural. What’s most impressive about Ryan’s performance is the dynamic portrayal of Bea—not only is her character arc beautifully executed, but she feels so raw and relatable, especially when she puts everything aside to help her close friend with a substance abuse issue—the narration of these scenes is powerful and memorable!
Overall, this witty rom-com is greatly elevated by Allyson Ryan’s authentic & engaging character performances and comedic timing! It’s a must-listen for readers who love enemies-to-lovers romances, laugh-out-loud banter, and emotional character arcs! If you haven’t listened to Allyson Ryan’s narration before, you’re in for a real treat, and you’ll definitely want to check out her diverse backlog of titles!
