“‘Choke, Redford. Just choke.’
He seemed to adore her more every second.”
Title: Get a Life, Chloe Brown
Author: Talia Hibbert
Publication: 2019
Rating: 4.5/5 stars
CW/TW: chronic illness, near-death experience
What do you get when you combine a charming leading man/artist extraordinaire, a chronically ill sass-master of a heroine, nosy sisters, and a cat?
Talia Hibbert’s delightful novel Get a Life, Chloe Brown.
I can’t really explain why this novel touched me, but it really did. The eponymous heroine is, as noted, chronically ill, but after near-death experience, she realizes she may have been letting her chronic pain get the best of her, leaving her with next to no life.
So she makes a list, a “Get a Life” list, complete items that will push her out of her comfort zone but give her some life experience. The first task – moving out of her family’s home – isn’t too bad, but it does include dealing with Red, the super attractive, super friendly superintendent of the building. It wouldn’t be so bad if he didn’t always catch her at her worst, but he does, so it is.
Chloe might also be spying on him while he creates art at night, no big deal.
On the surface, Red looks like a bad boy. After all, he has long hair and tattoos and rides a motorcycle. But really, he’s a sweetheart who scarfs down whatever food the old lady in the building offers just so he doesn’t make her feel bad. Meanwhile, on the surface, Chloe is a stuck-up rich girl, but that’s only to mask the constant pain she’s in. She’s also a bit socially awkward and doesn’t find it easy to trust people since she lost her friends and fiance after becoming ill.
And when you get these two together? The witty banter doesn’t stop. Well, until the steaminess begins. And boy, it does get steamy.
But really, that’s not what this book is about. It’s about learning to trust people again, something both Chloe and Red have issues with. It’s about opening up to someone, even if your brain keeps telling you it’s the wrong thing to do. It’s about letting your cute and cheeky tenant keep the cat she climbed a tree to rescue even though the building doesn’t allow cats…
Okay, maybe it’s not about that last part, but…come on…there’s a cat in the book! And Chloe goes to great lengths to save that cat! And then claims she’s clearly an animal activist because of it! And Red asks her if she’s vegan (or was it vegetarian?)!
This is the stuff I live for.
Long story short, this book had me swooning, giggling, and just overall overjoyed. It was equal parts hilarious and romantic, while also providing something that is definitely needed in the romance genre: diversity. Not only is Chloe chronically ill, but she’s also black and, at least to my understanding, isn’t exactly thin either. It’s so wonderful to see a character like Chloe illustrated on the cover and portrayed so beautifully in the writing.
I want more characters like Chloe in 2020, thanks.
Talia Hibbert’s voice is phenomenal in Get a Life, Chloe Brown, so reading this was a total breeze. Once I started, I couldn’t put it down – it was that good.
What are you currently reading? Have you read Get a Life, Chloe Brown? What did you think?
Psst…are you a vegan brand/business? Are you in need of a writer who can capture your brand’s voice and create content sure to resonate with your audience? If you answered “yes,” let’s talk! I’ll help you reach your ideal audience through the power of words.
Tessa Altman 
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