Review: ‘Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It’ Is The Rom-Com Anxious Girlies Have Been Waiting For

I’ll be honest: lately, I’ve been stuck in a 3-star romance rut. It’s been a while since I’ve read a romance book that truly had my heart skipping a beat and my eyes racing across the page. Even if I have a great time while reading, sometimes the only feeling I’m left with is “aw, cute,” and beyond that, my recent romance reads haven’t stirred up any strong emotions. But Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It completely revitalized my reading list and, honestly, my fatigue with the entire romance genre.

When I heard that podcaster and influencer Brooke Averick was releasing a book, I was immediately counting down the days until publication. I’ve tuned into enough episodes and seen enough TikToks to know that her storytelling abilities are top-tier. So, seeing that translated into a book? Oh, I am sat. Thankfully, Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It not only lived up to my expectations, but blew them out of the water. Below, my full review of one of 2026’s most anticipated releases.

Brooke Averick

Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It

Phoebe Berman fears the one thing she wants the most: love. Thanks to an extremely unfortunate first kiss attempt, crippling intimacy anxiety has plagued her since she was a teen. Determined to change this, she drafts up the ultimate “Guide to Losing My Virginity” checklist with the hope of finally getting laid. Suddenly, she goes from a relatively boring dating life to juggling three romantic prospects at once.

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What is Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It about?

Phoebe Berman is a hopeless romantic, but despite her obsession with love stories, her life has been completely lacking in that department. That’s not to say she’s unfufilled, she has her dream teaching job, a group of incredible friends, and a romance novel collection that rivals her public library’s. But as her 30th birthday rapidly approaches, she’s determined to finally have a love story of her own, namely by losing her virginity. That is, if her anxiety will let her. Suddenly, she has not one, but three leads: the gorgeous new fourth-grade teacher at her school, a former high school classmate who resurfaces, and, of course, her roommate, who might just be the best friends-to-lovers trope of her dreams.

My review of Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It

Yes, Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It is a romance book, but what stood out far more to me is how intimate and real Phoebe’s personal journey is. Phoebe struggles with OCD and anxiety, and throughout the novel, we see just how deeply it impacts every facet of her life. She yearns for a romantic connection, but her biggest hurdle is her own mind, and I know I, along with so many others, can relate to that. Forcing yourself to stay small and safe because certain decisions seem too terrifying to even think about isn’t a common theme in romance novels, but it makes Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It hit even harder.

In the author’s note, Brooke writes that she wanted to write a romance novel with OCD and anxiety representation because there were no romance books out there that felt representative of her struggles. But soon after writing, she realized the reason they don’t exist is because there’s honestly nothing romantic about OCD or anxiety. And that’s exactly what makes this book so special. It’s one of the few books I’ve ever encountered that doesn’t romanticize mental illness or use it as a convenient way to give a character a juicy backstory without showing the actual struggles people experience.

Mental illness can be so all-consuming and isolating, and reading about a relatable experience or character can be incredibly validating. Through Phoebe, you’re able to experience a character who feels authentically flawed. Sure, her roadblocks may not look like the classic third-act breakup we see in other romance novels, but that’s what makes the book so special.

“Self-aware, witty, and full of charm, Brooke Averick is poised to become the queen of the modern-day rom-com.”

When we’re little, we, like Phoebe, often think that by our 20s or 30s, we’ll have everything together. And it’s not our fault; pretty much every piece of media we consumed told us that. Sure, Carrie Bradshaw may have been single in her 30s, but she also had an NYC apartment most of us could only dream of affording, a fabulous job, and a shoe collection probably worth more than my retirement accounts. We’re fed love story after love story showing that even if a main character stumbles, after a sharp 90 minutes of laughs, they still get their happily ever after. In Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It, it’s so satisfying to read about a character coming to terms with the fact that it’s okay not to have it all together. It’s okay to feel like you’re on a different romantic, career, or personal timeline. We put so much pressure on ourselves, and ahead of a busy summer and my own 25th birthday, this book was a welcome reminder to slow down.

That’s not to say this is a romance without a happy ending; Phoebe gets her well-deserved happily ever after, too. But it’s not exactly how she imagined, and in between that fade-to-black ending, it’s raw, messy, and real, all without straying too far from the rom-com beats. Because yes, you can find a book that speaks to your darkest anxiety spiral and makes you swoon at the same time.

This book is also genuinely funny. If you’ve come across Brooke Averick at all, that probably doesn’t come as a surprise. But her signature wit and sense of humor translate to the page perfectly. I was laughing out loud while reading, and unlike most love triangles (er, rectangle?) where there’s an obvious “winner” from the start, I genuinely had no clue who Phoebe would end up with. The side characters aren’t there to conveniently add tension before disappearing; they’re layered and a perfect example of how we lean on our friendships in adulthood. All of these aspects work together to form a truly addictive read.

So, should you read Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It?

Self-aware, witty, and full of charm, Brooke Averick is poised to become the queen of the modern-day rom-com. While I’ll have to satiate my craving for another book by tuning into her social channels, I’m praying she continues to bless the literary world for years to come. If you’re looking for a laugh-out-loud romance that also shows the realities of living with anxiety, you’ve found your next five-star read.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Lauren Blue, Associate Editor & Book Club Co-Host

As an Associate Editor for The Everygirl, Lauren ideates and writes content for every facet of our readers’ lives, from must-read books and behind-the-scenes interviews to beauty products she can’t live without. When she isn’t sitting in an AMC watching the latest buzzy release, she can be found scouring Goodreads for the perfect pick for The Everygirl Book Club. There, she co-hosts discussions with members, debating plotlines, fancasting characters, and, of course, tossing in her own recommendations.

READ LAUREN’S FULL BIO

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