First published 2026
Phoebe Berman sits at her kitchen table, drafting her "Guide to Losing My Virginity" checklist. At twenty-nine, she teaches fourth grade, reads romance novels, and laughs with her best friends. She also remains a virgin, paralyzed by intimacy anxiety that started with a disastrous first kiss attempt in high school. With thirty days until her thirtieth birthday, Phoebe decides everything must change. Her checklist works better than expected. Three men enter her previously empty dating life: the stunning new teacher at her school, a former classmate who reconnects through Words with Friends, and her roommate who might represent the perfect friends-to-lovers romance. Phoebe juggles these prospects while battling the fear that makes dating feel like torture. Comedian and podcaster Brooke Averick delivers a debut novel about the gap between wanting love and accepting it. Phoebe's story captures the specific terror of feeling left behind while everyone else seems to figure out romance effortlessly.
Genres: fiction, romance, coming-of-age, contemporary-romance
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: friends-to-lovers, slow-burn
304 pages · Hardcover · Crown
Content warnings: anxiety