PHOEBE BERMAN'S GONNA LOSE IT

A 29-year-old with a “phobia of intimacy” is determined to lose her virginity in Averick’s debut novel.

Phoebe Berman thinks there is something wrong with her. On paper, her life looks ideal: She has her dream job teaching pre-K, a supportive family, and a tightknit group of friends in Los Angeles. But as her 30th birthday approaches, Phoebe fixates on her lack of romantic experience—specifically, the fact that she’s still a virgin. Though she considers herself a lifelong romantic, intimacy has terrified Phoebe ever since a middle school incident turned a potential first kiss into a public disaster. So hyperorganized Phoebe does what she does best: She makes a list. Instead of following her therapist’s suggestion to catalog her accomplishments, she creates “Phoebe’s Guide to Losing Her Virginity in Thirty Days,” a checklist featuring tasks that range from “Redownload Hinge” to “Get drunk and make out with a stranger.” Phoebe soon finds herself torn between several romantic prospects, including Matthew, a former high school classmate with whom she shares her daily Wordle scores; Finn, the charming new fourth grade teacher at her school; and Jonathan, her longtime roommate and best friend of 12 years, with whom her parents always dreamed she’d end up. Throughout it all, Phoebe is forced to confront her fears and assumptions about love, intimacy, and herself. Averick’s writing is consistently funny and sharp, balancing comedy with emotional honesty. Phoebe is an intensely relatable main character whose kindness and vulnerability make her easy to root for. Filled with plot twists readers won’t see coming, the book is an irresistibly fun ride that also delivers a compassionate exploration of anxiety and the courage and self-acceptance needed to move through it.

An affirming novel catering to all the anxious romantics out there.