In the wrong hands, the premise of Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It could easily tip into juvenile or raunchy territory. Phoebe Berman is a 29-year-old teacher and virgin who has struggled with dating anxiety her whole life and is determined to lose her virginity before she turns 30. The clock is ticking.
But podcaster Brooke Averick knocks it out of the park with her debut novel. It’s funny and sweet and genuinely relatable. I laughed out loud multiple times, including a scene where Phoebe, armed with flirting tips she’s read online, decides to tickle her only single male colleague, Teacher Rob. I’m not doing it justice. Trust me, it’s so funny.
Sure, it runs a little long. But if that’s my only complaint, we’re doing pretty good. This one is broadly appealing, but especially so for late bloomers or anyone who has ever wondered why dating feels so much harder for them than it looks in books and movies.
Absolute A+ read. Highly recommend.
