How To Fail at Flirting

by Denise Williams

After six months, Thurmond University was still spinning on its hundred-and-twenty-year-old axis and getting used to our new leader: Archibald “Flip” Lewis. He was often described as “nontraditional,” a big challenge to a campus that took to change like a toddler to nap time.

From the beginning, I knew Naya would be a professor and work at a university. When I'm not writing, I work in higher education and have for over fifteen years. Thurmond University isn't based on any one real campus but readers familiar with university politics will definitely see some realism. Do you enjoy reading romance novels set in higher education? A few I've loved are Hearts on Hold by Charish Reid, Office Hours by Katrina Jackson, and The Make-Up Test by Jenny Howe out in 2022.

Aaron set the bottles on the counter and returned to lean against the table. “Nay, you were different after you broke up with Davis. Still you, but with the volume turned down.” He patted my shoulder. “We’d love to see the volume go back up.”

TW: Discussion of Domestic Violance Like many survivors of trauma, Naya goes on living her life but, for her, it's in a more muted way. She's closed herself off to new people, new adventures, and joy lest it draw too much attention to herself. In this scene where Aaron frames their concern for her with this analogy that I think is so fitting for this character. It's not that she's gone, it's that she's been silencing a lot of herelf and so much of her love stor with Jake and her growth throughout the book is figuring out where she wants to re-set her volume to.

Jake squeezed my hand, casting his gaze toward the massive gears of the Ferris wheel as we jostled forward and began our ascent into the sky. “You okay?” I asked. He looked a little pale, his body rigid. “I must really like you. I can’t believe I suggested riding this thing.”

On an early date, Jake and Naya visit Navy Pier and ride the Ferris wheel, only complicated by the fact that Jake is afraid of heights. I loved writing this scene for several reasons. The first was that years before getting the idea for this book, I rode that Ferris wheel and made a mental note that one day I would write something romantic happening on the Ferris wheel overlooking the water. I think there's something incredibly romantic about being alone in the sky together. More importantly, this is one of the first times Naya sees Jake freely admitting a fear and doing something outside his comfort zone in order to care for her. These early indicators that he's very different from her abusive ex are so meaningful to her (and, c'mon, a little swoony in general).

“Damn,” he said quietly, still holding my head. “Damn,” I repeated. I wanted to be kissed like that again, like I was something special, something wanted, like I was . . . someone.

Jake and Naya's first kiss is full of heat and passion and, for Naya, it's the first time in a long time, she's felt validated physically. Do you remember the first time you kissed someone and it felt like you were consumed in a whirlwind?

I took the package, glancing between him and the gift. “You brought me a present just because?” I asked again, awed. He climbed back in bed next to me, his expression gleeful. “Open it.” I dragged my nail under the paper and pulled out a package of brightly colored pencils with my name embossed on them in gold lettering. They were the kind I always hoped for as a kid. I met his grin, and my heart did somersaults. “Where did you find these?” He shrugged. “I have a guy.” “You have a pencil guy?” I ran my fingers over the embossing, tracing my name. The gift was perfect.

Okay, who never found their name on a pencil as a kid? I raise my hand high in the air and earlier Naya shares this with Jake earlier in the book. One of my favorite love languages to write into books is giving gifts and after writing this, all I want is for someone to give me pencils with my name on them. What's the most thoughtful gift someone has given you? Or what's the most thoughtful gift you've given someone else? For me, it's usually the small gifts like that are most meaningful.

“You’re a badass, hot-as-hell, fucking brilliant doctor, not some insecure high school girl. Man up!” “Do you know how rife with toxic masculinity the phrase man up is?” I challenged, mirroring her pose. “It implies that to be courageous is to be a man.” “Do you know how annoying it is when you change the subject?” Her tone was smug. “I’m just saying, we don’t need to insert men into every aspect of our language.” “Okay, ovary up. Fallopian forward. Vulva with a vengeance.”

Felicia was originally written to model my childhood bestfriend who I think would definitely say something like this, but Vulva with a Vengeance might be one of my favorite lines in the book.

“These are the worst,” Felicia huffed. “If you complain again, I’ll add ten more.” Wes counted our reps, encouraging us. “Tyrant.” Felicia only insulted those she loved—well, okay, she insulted everyone, but she was only this way with people in her circle. I liked Wes, too, and I was already enjoying this workout. I ran every day, but with each push-up and every jump, I got a reminder that I was strong enough to do more. The grass under my hands and the moment of weightlessness when I hopped, the sweat running down my face—I wanted to bottle the feeling. “I’ve got ten more in me.” I grinned through my breathless huff and ignored my best friend’s violent glare.

Wes is a personal trainer and self defense coach who is the hero in The Fastest Way to Fall, the novel following this one. He's a complex, sweet character whose point of view you're in for half of the book. I modeled him after a personal trainer I worked with several years ago and I hope you love him in the next book.

By the time we pulled into his garage and stepped out of the car, a heady anticipation had coiled low in my belly. He linked his fingers with mine. “Have I told you how glad I am you’re here?” “A few times.” “Only a few? I’ve been remiss. I’m so glad you’re here.”

This is the beginning of what ends up being a pretty steamy scene. Initially, Jake and Naya were going full steam ahead as they got out of the car, but I decided to slow them down and let the anticipation build for the reader. This is the scene where Naya goes from trusting Jake to not hurt her to trusting herself to believe in the possibility of having more with him.

You won’t know until you get out of your own way, give up on this idea of perfect, and give him a chance to love you, flaws and all.”

Aaron's advice to Naya is tough love, but i can think of many times in my own life where i just needed to get out of my own way and change my goal from perfect to something attainable. Can you?

“Sometimes things that seem dumb, stupid, even dangerous at the time—hell, things that most certainly are dumb, stupid, and dangerous—sometimes they work out. And sometimes those bad decisions? They end up being the most important decisions we ever made. Especially when you have a good head on your shoulders to begin with.”

Flip is not based on a real college president but is an amalgamation of a lot of traits I'd love to see in a senior leader after working in higger education for 15+ years. In fact, none of the Thurmond characters are based on anyone person who exists in real life.