Everly Dean is not enjoying her thirtieth birthday. She went in to do her job as a producer for a radio show, working along her best friend Stacy. When Stacy asked about her birthday, Everly told her all about how her boyfriend, ex-boyfriend now, Simon had been with his assistant when she’d had stopped by with coffee and doughnuts. But Simon hadn’t just been with his assistant. He’d been with her in bed.

Everly had dropped breakfast on the floor and left.

And then she went in to work to see her best friend, and Everly found out that Stacy had made a big mistake too. She’d put Everly on the air to wish her a happy birthday, not knowing how her story was going to come crashing out. Everly’s bad beginning to her birthday was spilled over a live microphone to their entire listening audience.

Stacy killed the mic as soon as she could and apologized profusely to Everly, but their new boss Chris had been one of the many listeners who had heard about Everly’s morning. As the pone lines start lighting up, Christ sends Everly home for the day to recover from her double shock.

Everly goes home and feels sorry for herself, until she realizes that nothing will change in her life until she does. It’s her birthday, so it’s a good time for her to take stock. She starts making a list of things that will help her make her life better. Later, Stacy shows up and is excited to add to the list, trying to help Everly get past her anxiety and assert herself more. Everly is ready to move forward, her fate in her own hands.

What she isn’t expecting is the outpouring of support from the listeners of their radio show. But it gives them an idea—an adventure in dating, so Everly can replace Simon. Station manager Chris is all for the idea, making sure that Everly can try this dating game but not be overwhelmed by her anxiety, and Stacy is all in to help her friend find a boyfriend who is worthy.

Everly isn’t sure how much she can push herself in this new direction, but she’s willing to try. And she’s very grateful to Chris for being so sensitive to her anxiety. It makes her feel safe. He makes her feel special. But will that interfere with her new dating opportunities, developing a crush on the boss? Or will that just mean that her professional life and her personal life will leave her sad, unemployed, and alone?

Ten Rules for Faking It is a charming rom com with lots of spirit and enthusiasm. Told in alternating viewpoints between Everly and Chris, this story takes a deep dive of how challenging it can be adulting with anxiety. While Everly tries to “fake it” to find her new life, she is careful to make sure she has support and encouragement from her friends for each step.

I liked this book, but I have dealt with enough anxiety in my life to feel the pain of Everly’s struggles. I was so happy for her that she stays strong when she can and takes time for herself when she can’t be strong, but it did bring up some painful memories for me (not that that’s the fault of author Sophie Sullivan, just a thing that happens sometimes when a character’s struggles mirror my own).

I definitely recommend this one for fans of rom coms, but I also have to say it would be a great book for anyone wanting to better understand someone who struggles from anxiety or to offer hope and encouragement for those anxious like me. The descriptions of Everly’s panic and her need for time alone to recover is as good of an explanation as I’ve read. And this book is lots of fun, so that just makes reading Ten Rules for Faking It that much more gratifying.

Egalleys for Ten Rules for Faking It were provided by St. Martin’s Press (Griffin) through NetGalley, with many thanks.