REVIEW: The Launch Date by Annabelle Slator

The Launch Date by Annabelle Slator: Grace really thought that she was living her dream, engaged to the man of her dreams and working for her dream job at hit online dating app Fate, things really were looking promising for Grace… well they would have been if only things at work didn’t feel so stagnant, her boss wasn’t a total tool, oh and to top everything off her dream guy just dumped her! Any hope that she had of finding her own love story now dying a slow death, Grace cant help but feel like an imposter, trying to peddle love and happily ever afters.

However things might be looking up for Grace, when the CEO offers her a chance at a new hot promotion, all she has to do is launch the companies new IRL dating app. The only problem being she needs to create and test run a series of first dates for the app, with her office nemesis, Eric Bancroft, the other person vying for the promotion. Soon Grace and Eric realise that just maybe IRL dating might just be the way to go, as they begin to realize somewhere between the disastrous cooking classes, steamy hot yoga and a failed hiking trip that they just might be the perfect match of each other… the question is can these two take their fake IRL dating experiment and make it a real life relationship?

I loved this book! It gave off huge The Hating Game meets Love Theoretically vibes, but with its very own interesting and captivating twist. Slater has done a brilliant job at combining the enemies to lovers and work place romance tropes to create this hilariously cute romcom that will have you hooked right from the first chapter. Seriously I can see this book becoming a Netflix movie, it had all the hallmarks for a hit romcom. If this debut by Slater is anything to go by then we are in for another hit romcom novelist, with sassy banter, dry English humour and an easy to follow writing style her books are going to become an insta buy for me.

I instantly connected with Grace, not only was she honest and just generally a sweetheart but her story just felt relatable. After being a huge champion for love, she cant help but feel left out in the cold and questioning the concept of love after having her heart broken, and to make matters worse she feels stuck at work, girl I feel your pain. But in saying this, I loved getting to see her turn her situation around and finding the humour along the way. Truly Grace was a total sweetheart and I loved getting to follow her as she saw love and relationships through a new perspective the more time she spent with Eric. Now for our hero, well he was you typical rich good looking guy that got everything that he wanted on the surface, but deep down there was a lot more to Eric. Getting to see Grace uncover the real Eric only made me love his character all the more. While he might have been all smiles and charming one liners, Eric had a heart of gold and truly was the breath of fresh air that Grace needed to fall in love with love again.

The slow burn chemistry between Eric and Grace was just perfection! These two had all that steamy hate love banter that had me giggling on more than one occasion. Though the thing that I loved the most about their relationship was the fact that they actually saw each other flaws and all, instead of picking on these flaws they highlighted each others strengths and encouraged each other. I just ate up each other fake dates and how easily they found themselves falling into a comfortable routine once they called a truce. Truly their connection and the pace at which their relationship followed felt natural and perfectly timed. I just loved this couple and how supportive they were of each other.

The Launch Date is a total must read! This book was funny, cute and had a whole lot of heart. If you are like me and a huge fan of the enemies to lovers trope with loads of banter then this book is definitely for you!

Book Info:

Publication: February 11, 2025 | Avon |

What if the secret to finding true love on a dating app was meeting them IRL first?

In this witty and fun rom-com debut from Annabelle Slator, rival coworkers become reluctant daters after they’re forced to work together on a brand-new dating app in hopes of winning a promotion—perfect for fans of Sally Thorne’s The Hating Game.

Grace Hastings’s dream job at the popular “true love” dating app, Fate, has turned into a nightmare. Her boss is a leech, her career is stagnating, and her fiancé has just brutally dumped her. Her hope for finding her own love story is waning, and she feels like a fraud for promoting a concept she no longer believes in. When the company’s CEO offers her an opportunity to earn a big promotion, she resolves to fight her imposter syndrome to show she deserves a seat at the table.

The opportunity? To launch a brand-new app focusing on IRL dating and genuine connection.

The problem? She must develop and test-drive a series of “first dates” with the other person gunning for the job: notorious socialite playboy and Grace’s biggest work rival, Eric Bancroft.

During their disastrous hikes, dangerous cooking classes, and steamy yoga sessions, they begin to realize their stark differences may just be surface level and Eric might just be the perfect person to challenge Grace’s perceptions of love, dating culture, and self-worth.