The Introvert's Guide to Speed Dating

The Introvert's Guide #2

by Emma Hart

After four years living the single life, it’s decided that I, London Stuart, am back on the market. I’m not even mad when my cousins and best friends put my name down for the speed-dating sessions. In fact, I’m actually a little excited about it.

But then one of my dates turns out to be my six-year-old son’s irresistibly sexy soccer coach―his irresistibly sexy British soccer coach. Oliver Hayes is too good to be true―he’s tall, dark, handsome, hilarious, and genuinely loves kids…especially mine. But he’s not sure if he’s even staying in the country, and I’m not sure I can handle giving him my heart if he’s only going to leave.

So why is he over for dinner almost every night? Why is he giving Leo private goalie lessons in the backyard? Why is he sending flowers to my desk at the newspaper? And why, oh why, can’t I stop kissing him?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Fiction, M F Romance, Chick Lit

Audio CD

First published July 6, 2021

About the author

Emma Hart is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of over twenty novels and has been translated into several different languages. She first put fingers to keys at the age of eighteen after her husband told her she read too much and should write her own.
Four years later, she's still figuring out what he meant when he said she 'read too much.'

She prides herself on writing smart smut that's filled with dry wit, snappy, sarcastic comebacks, but lots of heart... And sex. Sometimes, she kills people. (Disclaimer: In books. But if you bug her, she'll use your name for the victims.)

You can find her online at www.emmahart.org, www.facebook.com/emmahartbooks, or join her reader group at http://bit.ly/EmmaHartsHartbreakers.

Reviews

[Danielle's · Rating 5 out of 5]

Single mom and a chance at love.

London isn’t serious about dating. Her speed dating is usually to appease someone else. That is until her sons hot coach stumbles onto the scene. Can London get it right this time and find a good guy or is he just passing through?

I haven’t read many single mom books. I usually go for the hot dads. This was a nice change and I enjoyed the story.

[Carole (Carole's Random Life) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/

This was a fun romance! I was really surprised by just how much I enjoyed listening to this book. London and Oliver were wonderful characters and the narrators did an amazing job in bringing this story to life. Once I started listening, I didn’t want to stop and couldn’t wait to see this pair work things out. This was a very entertaining story!

This is the second book in The Introvert’s Guide series and even though the characters may appear in other books in the series it works as a stand-alone. I liked London right away. She is the single mom of a six-year-old boy and doesn’t have a lot of time left for dating with her son, work, and taking care of the household. Oliver is a soccer, or as he would say football, coach. London’s son, Leo, is on one of his teams and he has definitely noticed London.

I really liked London and Oliver as a couple. Their relationship develops rather slowly throughout the story and it is actually a lot tamer than I expected. I really liked the way that they both put Leo first and how much fun the three had together. There really weren’t a lot of obstacles to their relationship but I had fun going along for the ride while they figured it out.

Avery Reid and Will Watt did a great job with the narration of this story. I really was especially partial to the accent that Will Watt used for Oliver. I thought that they both did a great job bringing the characters to life. I loved the emotion that they were able to show through their narration. I believe that their narration added to my overall enjoyment of the story.

I would recommend this book to others. I found this to be a fun shorter romance with characters that were easy to fall for. I definitely plan to read more of this series soon!

I received a review copy of this audiobook from Dreamscape Media via NetGalley.

Initial Thoughts
This was fun! I really enjoyed this quick romance. It was a pretty tame romance which surprised me a bit but I thought it felt true to the characters. The narrators did a fabulous job with the narration which added to my enjoyment of the story.

[Lisa (Remarkablylisa) · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars. Once again it was dragged on longer than I wanted but it was a bit angsty as to why she didn't want to get into a relationship with our hero. Her ex cheated on her and she needed stability considering she has a son to think about. Heroine is also older than the rest of Emma's books. She's 38.

[Prerana · Rating 4 out of 5]

What an absolutely adorable book.

Emma Hart always packs in the cuteness, and this book was no exception. In fact, it was even cuter than I anticipated. God, I just love children.

The only reason for the docked star is that it was just so short. Yes, all Emma Hart books are (more like novellas really), but I like a little more time to get to know the characters.

I definitely enjoyed this book and look forward to reading even more Emma Hart.

And I'm out.

[bookjunkiejane · Rating 2 out of 5]

It was bland!!!!!

[Melanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars

The Introvert's Guide to Speed Dating was a delightful read featuring a romance between a single mom and her son's soccer coach.

London Stuart doesn't have time for dating between her job and taking care of her six-year-old son. When her cousins sign her up for speed dating, London figures this may be her best chance of putting herself back out there. That is until one of her dates is Oliver Hayes, her son's soccer coach, and she connects more with him than anyone else. Oliver is everything London is looking for except he's not sure if he plans to stay in America. But as London spends time with Oliver she finds herself falling for him and unable to resist him.

London and Oliver have known each other for a while as he is her son's soccer coach. I enjoyed the friendship these two had and I thought they had some great banter. After the speed dating session, the pair began spending quite a bit of time together. At first it was just Oliver coming over to give her son additional goalie training which led to sharing dinner together several times. From there the pair progressed to an actual date and I really enjoyed the chemistry that developed between them. The issue of Oliver potentially moving back to England does slow things down a bit between them but I was happy with the way the pair worked that out. One thing I will say I didn't love is that there are no explicit scenes between the couple outside of a handful of kissing scenes. Personally I prefer my romances to be on the steamier side but readers that like less steam would like that aspect of the romance. My one other complaint is that I don't generally enjoy romances with kids in them so I knew as I read through this series that I wouldn't enjoy that part of this book.

Overall The Introvert's Guide to Speed Dating was a cute read and I will definitely be picking up the next book in the series, The Introvert's Guide to Blind Dating, in the future.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

Honestly this felt half finished. It was pretty riddled with typos and it read like the first half of a romance novel. There was very little conflict to resolve...the HEA falls flat

[One chapter more · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hmmm… I literally don’t have anything to say about this short book. I didn’t even get any hot moments, so I feel like I was cheated on.

[A HEA · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oliver and London have a beautiful love story. London's world is focused on her son. Making sure he has everything he could possibly need. Even though she co-parents he son still takes priority. She doesn't have time to date and doesn't want to run the risk of getting attached if it isn't going to be a long term relationship.

When Oliver (her son's coach) catches her interest she doesn't think that there can be anything be there. However, Oliver has a different idea and their relationship blossoms from there.

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 4 out of 5]

These books are so much fun. I love seeing a single mom get her HEA, and it always a good time getting together with this bunch. Loved the peek at the next story and can't wait to get back into this world.

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[Lori Tremain · Rating 2 out of 5]

Typos were terrible. Dear author please get someone to proofread. Otherwise the story really felt like an everyday account of a bunch of people. No real rise in it. Ollie is a soccer coach for London's son. They are attracted to one another. London is a divorcee who is afraid to get burnt again.

[Amy [Book Addict Reviews] · Rating 5 out of 5]

London is a single mom to Leo, an adorable six year old boy, and she is also being forced into some interesting speed dating sessions. Oliver is Leo’s soccer coach and really the just seems to go to be true. The man is caring, handsome, patient and most of all he loves kids…there really should be something wrong with him and I don’t blame London for instantly crushing on him.

I loved the chemistry between London and Oliver from the start. I loved the bond that Oliver also formed with Leo. There are so many super sweet moments between Leo and Oliver throughout the story and I love that Oliver see’s potential and wants to help Leo be the best he can be, but also he becomes a great male influence in his life. Doesn’t help it also means he gets to spend some more time around London.

The Introvert’s Guide to Speed Dating is a fun, light, quick read that is full of steam, swoony scenes and of course, plenty of laughs.

If you’re looking for a single mom, rom com this is one to check out.

[Laura · Rating 2 out of 5]

Quería que me gustara porque las cuatro novelas anteriores me han gustado mucho, pero me ha parecido un poco aburrida y no he visto nada de química entre los protagonistas. Quizás la falta de drama de algún tipo o de defectos en los personajes han hecho que no lo disfrute. He estado a punto de abandonarlo, pero los anteriores me gustaron y quiero leer el siguiente, así que he aguantado un poco más. Espero que el siguiente me encante, me decepcionaría bastante acabar las dos sagas con mal sabor de boca.

[Stacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would give this book a 3.5. While I liked London and Oliver as individuals, they fell a little flat as a couple. It felt like there was never really any spark between them. I did enjoy Oliver’s interactions with London’s young son, Leo. He steps into the father role easily, and I really expected Leo’s real father to put up more of a fight about that but he doesn’t. I will say I probably enjoyed Oliver and Leo's relationship more than I did London and Oliver's.

This book was missing a lot of the normal snark and wittiness readers have come to expect from this author, and it’s also missing the steam between Oliver and London. I feel like the title doesn’t really fit the book, either. While I get it’s part of the Introvert’s Guide series, London is far from an introvert. Just because she hadn’t really dated since leaving Leo’s dad, that does not make her an introvert. And the speed dating is briefly mentioned twice and then left behind to never be mentioned again.

While I enjoyed the book, it definitely wasn’t my favorite of all the books I’ve read by this author.

[Anamaria Kalet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Where’s the steam?

I was cool with the slow burn but then there was no sexy payoff at the end! I enjoyed the story and liked that characters but I’m pissed for the heroine! Is she not allowed a sex life because she’s a mom? Who do you think is reading this book?

[Rivka · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
This book was adorable!
It was a quick read with amazing main guy, cool kid and very amazing mom. If was light and fun and full of love.
I wish we got a little more in the end but it still mades me smile a lot.

[Lacy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved every moment of The Introvert's Guide to Speed Dating, book 2 in Emma Hart’s The Introvert's Guide series, which Avery Reid and Will Watt narrate. It's an adorably sweet, humorous, and sexy slow-burn romance that also happens to include another of my favorite tropes – friends-to-lovers – and does an excellent job of exploring that journey along with the difficulty of being a modern, single, working mom. Single mom, London Stuarts’ best friends and cousins, decide that it's time for her to get back out there and start dating again. Taking matters into their own hands, they sign her up for speed dating. It’s just her luck that one of her dates turns out to be her son’s British soccer coach Oliver Hayes, on whom she may have been crushing just a little. Told primarily from London’s first-person POV, with an alternating first-person POV from Oliver, which balances out the story nicely, each chapter begins with an Introverts Rule.

Journalist London has a lot of balls in the air, working full-time and raising her son on her own. She’s kind, generous, caring, funny, and introverted but always has a smile for everyone. A funny, handsome, hilarious, and sexy Brit who genuinely loves kids, particularly hers, Oliver is irresistible to London. Increasingly so, the more time they spend together as he offers to help her son Leo improve his game. Still, she’s not ready to accept he’s as good as he appears after the emotional scars from her relationship with her son’s father. Furthermore, the fact that Oliver may only be in the country for a brief time before returning to Britain means dating or getting involved with him is not a good idea for her son or her heart.

Hart does a fantastic job of developing the characters and their relationships, both primary and secondary. The relationships between London and her son, London, and Oliver, and Oliver and Leo are so adorable that I couldn’t stop smiling. London and Oliver’s romance develops slowly from friendship to romance in a sexy and sweet slow burn that is romantic and thoroughly satisfying. Their banter is humorous, sweet, and sexy and left me with a silly smile on my face as well. Hart deftly shows the evolution of the characters through her development of the friendship and the romance between London and Oliver.

Narrators Avery Reid and Will Watt excellently voice the characters for this novel, using pitch, accents, dialect, and nuances to capture the characters’ personalities, emotions, quirks, and moods. You can hear the emotion in their voices – humor, desire, fear, excitement, etc., – in every scene, and it draws you right into the story and not only helps to bring the characters and the story to life, but it also makes you care about them and their journey. I loved Avery’s voices for Oliver and her son especially. They were perfect. Will’s British accent was perfect as well, and I thought he wonderfully differentiated Oliver’s and Dylan’s British accents from Sebastian’s American.

I highly recommend The Introvert's Guide to Speed Dating to readers looking for a sweet, sexy, humorous slow-burn romance with sides of friends-to-lovers, single parent, and meddling friends and family.

ARC provided by Dreamscape Media via Netgalley.

[Kahea · Rating 5 out of 5]

***5 Stars***

I’m always excited to head back to White Peak and hang out with the crazy crew there and I was definitely not disappointed with this last stint there. It was definitely more on the sweet side, but I thoroughly enjoyed watching Oliver and Landon become more to each other than just friends.

I loved London and Oliver. London is pretty kick ass. She’s sweet, snarky, blunt and a great mom. Oliver is just an all around good guy. Charming, hard working and loves what he does. Their journey to their HEA is low on drama and is more slow burn sweet than explosive smexy, but it worked for me because it felt real. We have a single mom with a very active child who is trying to do it all and a single guy who may not have kids, but has a very busy schedule. I loved their bantering, the connection between them was strong and I just really enjoyed hanging out with them and the ‘monster’.

This is a great addition to the White Peak world. It is on the more sweet and fun side of the romance coin, but it was still filled with all kinds of relationship goodness. I loved hanging out with everyone and while there wasn’t as much duck (or chicken) action in this one, I still loved the time we had with Grandma Rose. So, if you are looking for a quick, easy “beach” read that will have you smiling the entire time, then this is a must click!

~ Copy provided by the author & voluntarily reviewed ~

[Meegz Reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

*4 Stars*

ARC kindly received for an honest review.

I enjoy this world of White Peak and all its crazy characters. London and Oliver are both really likeable characters, and I enjoyed going along for the ride with them. There are some appearances from familiar faces of course, as we've been getting to know their friend group as the books are released.

The really great thing about this is that there is no huge angst or any big obstacle. There are issues of course, but this is just a really easy and lovely read. London has her son to think about, but she sets a wonderful example for him and is a terrific Mum. Oliver is great with kids and really cares about teaching them in his job with Seb.

Overall, I just really think is was a nice and refreshing and easy going read. Looking forward to more from this series.

Review also on my blog - The Introvert's Guide to Speed Dating by Emma Hart

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[Erin Lewis · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 star review The Introverts Guide To Speed Dating (The Introvert’s Guide #2) by Emma Hart


The Introverts Guide To Speed Dating was a fun story that was entertaining with characters whose story you cannot help but become invested in. I fell hard and fast for single mum London Stuart and Oliver Hayes and don’t get me started on little Leo, such an adorable little boy.

London has decided that it’s time to get back into the dating scene but imagine her shock when one of her dates turns out to be her son’s soccer coach. Although attracted to Oliver, London is concerned that he may not be staying in the country and the last thing she wants is to fall hard for a man who may leave.

What follows is a fun story that had me laughing out loud on numerous occasions and ticked all the boxes for me. Both London and Oliver are so easy to like and relate to that you cannot help but fall for them and cheer for them to get their happily ever after. The chemistry between them is intense and I adored the relationship that Oliver had with Leo.

This is my favourite book in the series so far.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a quick and fun read. I will warn the romance lovers that even though most of Emma Hart's books have at least one steamy scene this book does not which is unfortunate. It also wasn't as funny as the past books have been. It's because of these two things that I gave it three stars. If you are looking for a nice cozy romance with a slightly snarky heroine and a British hero then this is the book for you. It has all of our favorite characters from the past books and the epilogue sets up nicely for the next one. I will definitely be continuing this series but this book just missed the mark a bit for me.
*I received an ARC for an honest review*

[Charmaine Morgan · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars rounding up to 4. I was confused with the title as there is no discussion about any of the characters being introverts. If anything it should be titled a Single Mom’s guide to dating, as that is what is explored the most in this novel. London and Ollie made for a very cute love story and I love the realistic discussions of what it’s like for a parent to date and how they still need to protect and prioritize their child when doing so. Although I overall enjoyed it, the dialogue went cheesy whenever the characters tried to be funny, the jokes/banter did not land for me, But the romance was very sweet. No, steam here for those looking for a cute romance versus a steamy one.

[Teneisha (Teesbookjourney) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I love this series however this ones wasn't my favourite. I typically don't like kids in romance however Leo wasn't bad..they didn't make him annoying, or to grown for his age. Which is good,

It took way to long for Oliver and London to finally get together. I mean it's a short book and Its still felt dragged out. I understand that London is a mom and she has to be cautious and sure before getting into a relationship but I wish they had just jumped in and seen where it went early.

A great book and series and just not my favourite trope. If you love a single mom trope this is the book for you

[Jen Zingaro · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. This was a well-written story with compelling characters.
The storyline is about a single mom who is hesitant to start dating again because she feels as though her son should come first. She humors her family and friends by speed dating.
The title of this book doesn't really match the story. She does speed date but it is such a small part of the story that it felt a bit gimmicky.
I enjoyed seeing her come around to try dating her son's soccer coach who is a British hottie. It is a slow-burn but if you are looking for any action, then this isn't the story for you. It's very much on the cleaner side. The narration for this audiobook was very good.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Introvert's Guide to Speed Dating is a fun and entertaining addition to the Introvert's Guide series. Filled with the signature humor we've come to know and love from author Emma Hart this book will leave you laughing one minute and swooning the next.

London and Oliver were adorable together. I loved their chemistry and adored the way that Oliver was with London's son. Oliver came into London's life at just the right moment and proved that there are still some nice guys out there.

All in all, The Introvert's Guide was an enjoyable read that can easily be finished in a single sitting.

Fans of Emma Hart are not gonna want to miss this entertaining read!

*I was provided an ARC copy of this book, in exchange for an honest review*

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am always ready to get back to this series and this group of characters that I can't help but love.
Hart never fails to have me laughing out loud all while making me fall in love with her quirky fun characters. London and Oliver had me hooked from the start.
This one is a quick fun read, with almost no conflict or angst. I read it in one sitting.
I love this series and can't wait to see what Hart brings us next!

[Liz · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to listen to The Introvert’s Guide to Speed Dating by Emma Hart early and it was such a fun listen. It had me smiling throughout the entire time I was listening. London is ready to start dating, right? So, she tries speed dating and yet the one person that really stands out is her son’s soccer coach, Oliver. I loved their interactions and how he was with her son. The story is a quick, fun, and charming and the narrators, Avery Reid and Will Watt, really brought this story to life.

Happy listening!

[Tina Price · Rating 1 out of 5]

Wow super disappointing installment of an otherwise terrific series from a great author. The romance was ehhhh, chemistry the same but the reason I gave this one star??? NO SEXY TIMES!!!! they barely kissed. What the heck is up with that? Skip this one and read the rest.

[Farah El-Kholy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very short and uneventful, didn't enjoy it quite as the previous ones.

[Liz · Rating 3 out of 5]

Single soccer mom falls for her kid's soccer coach.

It's as boring as it sounds. No drama