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Trial Run
Three weeks to fall in love … or lose it all.
Dr. Ben Friedman’s mental health clinic, The Well Space, has helped hundreds of patients with mental health issues live better lives. But Ben doesn’t need any help for himself. He’s got it all under control, even though he suffers from worsening panic attacks and hasn’t been to the office in a month.
Florist delivery driver Nell uses her green thumb and sheer optimism to get by, but under the surface, her roots are withering. The rent is late, her son is sick, and to top it all off, she woke up to an eviction notice. When she knocks on the wrong door and drops her flower arrangement, it’s just one more mistake to smooth over with a smile. But the grumpy, formally dressed man at the door sees right through her cheerful front.
An unexpected connection sparks between them as Nell helps Ben through a panic attack on his porch. To thank her, Ben orders flowers for every patient in his practice. Nell agrees to deliver them—but only if he comes along for the ride. A blossoming attraction in the florist delivery van leads them to try a three-week trial run for dating. Three weeks to see if Ben can step out of his comfort zone, and if Nell can overcome her painful past and nourish her long-forgotten goals.
Dr. Ben Friedman’s mental health clinic, The Well Space, has helped hundreds of patients with mental health issues live better lives. But Ben doesn’t need any help for himself. He’s got it all under control, even though he suffers from worsening panic attacks and hasn’t been to the office in a month.
Florist delivery driver Nell uses her green thumb and sheer optimism to get by, but under the surface, her roots are withering. The rent is late, her son is sick, and to top it all off, she woke up to an eviction notice. When she knocks on the wrong door and drops her flower arrangement, it’s just one more mistake to smooth over with a smile. But the grumpy, formally dressed man at the door sees right through her cheerful front.
An unexpected connection sparks between them as Nell helps Ben through a panic attack on his porch. To thank her, Ben orders flowers for every patient in his practice. Nell agrees to deliver them—but only if he comes along for the ride. A blossoming attraction in the florist delivery van leads them to try a three-week trial run for dating. Three weeks to see if Ben can step out of his comfort zone, and if Nell can overcome her painful past and nourish her long-forgotten goals.
226 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 14, 2025
14 people are currently reading
94 people want to read
About the author
S.M. Levine
5 books14 followersS.M. Levine grew up with her face in a book, and now she writes steamy, emotional contemporary romance about imperfect people who find true love. She lives in the Midwest with her family and a small assortment of cats.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 42 reviews
January 19, 2025
Wow this book was such a breath of fresh air, my heart feels so full after finishing the last chapter! Literal happy tears in my eyes by the end. The love story was authentic and compelling and the characters were so lovable, flawed, and realistic. I was thoroughly attached to Ben, Nell, and Marco as I closed the last page. The subject of mental health was approached with such sincerity and respect, and like another reviewer mentioned, it was nice that the author was realistic about recovery and treatment for mental illness.
The writing itself was fantastic — the narrative descriptions had so much personality, it really made the book that much more engaging. And it was beautiful how the author drew parallels between Nell’s nurturing of plants and the nurturing of the human spirit.
Really this was such a smooth read, it was one of those books that makes time fly by and leaves you with a warm feeling in your heart. I can’t wait to continue the series and experience more of the Well Space series with Vanessa’s story next!
I am reviewing an ARC version of this book, and my review is voluntary.
The writing itself was fantastic — the narrative descriptions had so much personality, it really made the book that much more engaging. And it was beautiful how the author drew parallels between Nell’s nurturing of plants and the nurturing of the human spirit.
Really this was such a smooth read, it was one of those books that makes time fly by and leaves you with a warm feeling in your heart. I can’t wait to continue the series and experience more of the Well Space series with Vanessa’s story next!
I am reviewing an ARC version of this book, and my review is voluntary.
January 29, 2025
I NEED MORE!!! I have never fallen in love with two characters so fast in my life! Levine handled these characters with so much thought and care that had me rooting for their happiness from the very first chapter. I cannot recommend this book enough… I’m not lactose intolerant but a romance book without cheesy one liners is hard to find yet here it is! I will be left counting down the days to book number 2 with only this book and my plants to keep me company.
February 9, 2025
There are things I really liked about this book but there are also some stuff that did not work for me.
I really liked the mental health rep, the MMC is a psychologist and also deals some pretty severe anxiety and has agoraphobia. As doctors make the worst patients, he’s disinclined to ask for help when he needs it but of course urges his patients to ask for help when they need it. His work partner essentially brow beats him into accepting help and he finally acknowledges that he deserves the same compassion and care he shows his patients.
Here’s the thing that bothers me. He is a psychologist and as such, is beholden to HIPAA. The FMC is a floral delivery driver and in an attempt to help her, he orders flowers for all of his patients and then tells her what he’s done, so she delivers flowers to all these people who she meets and she knows they are his patients. Seriously, the whole time, all I could think was what a major HIPAA violation this was. He’s worried about losing patients but if I were his patient and this happened, I’d be kind of irate that this random flower delivery person knows I’m a patient of his.
Secondly, the pacing. Ben has a panic attack and realizes he is not fit to be in a relationship and ends things with Nell. I don’t love the whole “I’m broken and therefore I shouldn’t have love” ideology being espoused here and I’m really glad his partner calls him out on that. However, Nell has major trust issues relating to her first marriage and the way it all ended and the emotional abuse she suffered so the way Ben suddenly ends things to him returning a couple of weeks later and apologizing and declaring his love and her immediately reciprocating the feelings and them reuniting feels very very fast, especially for a woman who has legitimate trust issues.
The book is not very long, and there’s just so many issues, from Ben’s anxiety and panic attacks, to him grieving the loss of his sister, to Nell’s first marriage, the struggle of her being a single mother to an adopted biracial kid, her infertility, her grieving her mom’s death from cancer. It’s a LOT and when you cram all of that into 200 pages, you inevitably leave some of it shortchanged.
The writing style is good and I liked the 2 MCs and how his anxiety was handled and the way it’s acknowledged that there will be good days and bad days. But, and I rarely say this, this book needed to be a bit longer to address the pacing issues and I didn’t love the HIPAA violations.
Content notes: mental health, anxiety and agoraphobia, on page panic attacks, abusive past marriage, grief related to family loss
ARC from author, review is all mine.
I really liked the mental health rep, the MMC is a psychologist and also deals some pretty severe anxiety and has agoraphobia. As doctors make the worst patients, he’s disinclined to ask for help when he needs it but of course urges his patients to ask for help when they need it. His work partner essentially brow beats him into accepting help and he finally acknowledges that he deserves the same compassion and care he shows his patients.
Here’s the thing that bothers me. He is a psychologist and as such, is beholden to HIPAA. The FMC is a floral delivery driver and in an attempt to help her, he orders flowers for all of his patients and then tells her what he’s done, so she delivers flowers to all these people who she meets and she knows they are his patients. Seriously, the whole time, all I could think was what a major HIPAA violation this was. He’s worried about losing patients but if I were his patient and this happened, I’d be kind of irate that this random flower delivery person knows I’m a patient of his.
Secondly, the pacing. Ben has a panic attack and realizes he is not fit to be in a relationship and ends things with Nell. I don’t love the whole “I’m broken and therefore I shouldn’t have love” ideology being espoused here and I’m really glad his partner calls him out on that. However, Nell has major trust issues relating to her first marriage and the way it all ended and the emotional abuse she suffered so the way Ben suddenly ends things to him returning a couple of weeks later and apologizing and declaring his love and her immediately reciprocating the feelings and them reuniting feels very very fast, especially for a woman who has legitimate trust issues.
The book is not very long, and there’s just so many issues, from Ben’s anxiety and panic attacks, to him grieving the loss of his sister, to Nell’s first marriage, the struggle of her being a single mother to an adopted biracial kid, her infertility, her grieving her mom’s death from cancer. It’s a LOT and when you cram all of that into 200 pages, you inevitably leave some of it shortchanged.
The writing style is good and I liked the 2 MCs and how his anxiety was handled and the way it’s acknowledged that there will be good days and bad days. But, and I rarely say this, this book needed to be a bit longer to address the pacing issues and I didn’t love the HIPAA violations.
Content notes: mental health, anxiety and agoraphobia, on page panic attacks, abusive past marriage, grief related to family loss
ARC from author, review is all mine.
February 19, 2025
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op via Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
3.5 stars.
A story featuring a couple meeting in the most unusual and romantic way, “Trial Run”, by S.M. Levine, features two people who seem to have such different lives but end up combining very well.
I loved how Ben and Nell first meet and the events following that uncommon encounter. They’re both going through hard times and it’s lovely that they try to be kind with each other without really knowing the extent of the problems.
The mental health representation is very convincing. It’s almost ironic and certainly humble when we compare the hero’s issues and his job. And there is no miraculous cure, just dealing with it regularly.
In general I liked the characters, the plot and the writing style. I found the transition to a relationship or talking about it a bit too fast.
3.5 stars.
A story featuring a couple meeting in the most unusual and romantic way, “Trial Run”, by S.M. Levine, features two people who seem to have such different lives but end up combining very well.
I loved how Ben and Nell first meet and the events following that uncommon encounter. They’re both going through hard times and it’s lovely that they try to be kind with each other without really knowing the extent of the problems.
The mental health representation is very convincing. It’s almost ironic and certainly humble when we compare the hero’s issues and his job. And there is no miraculous cure, just dealing with it regularly.
In general I liked the characters, the plot and the writing style. I found the transition to a relationship or talking about it a bit too fast.
December 7, 2025
I really like the idea of this contemporary romance but I wound up having a number of issues related to the character work. Ben and Nell meet when she delivers flowers to the wrong home and breaking the vase on his porch and he winds up having a panic attack in front of her. It turns out psychologist Ben has been seeing his clients from home for the past month since his anxiety and agoraphobia got worse. Nell has her own issues as a single mom working two jobs and in need of a third.
I loved how this handled agoraphobia and dating. It felt very realistic to me, as someone who has been agoraphobic in the past. Nell's financial stress and how stretched thin she is as a single mom without community also felt realistic. Their relationship built slowly at first given these stressors but it felt like it was on the right track. However,
I had a few other issues. Ben has intense internalized ableism around his anxiety and agoraphobia that felt inexplicable to me. Many mental health practitioners have experienced depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses and it has no bearing on their ability to counsel others. In fact, I always felt my own history of depression made me a better social worker. So why was Ben so ashamed? Ben's shame around working from home has to mean COVID never happened in this world, nor has video therapy. (To be clear, video therapy was around pre-COVID.) He hadn't even told Vanessa, his partner at the practice, about it, nor that that was the reason he was working from home. So I guess he never addressed it in his books either. Why?? It's absolutely possible that a psychologist could feel the way he did but I needed to understand what was behind it and that never happened.
Then there's the HIPAA violation. Ben decides to send flowers to all of the clinic's patients. His patients opted in to receive mail and deliveries from the clinic so that part is okay. But Ben told Nell and her boss that the flower arrangements were going to his patients and that is not. I also thought it was wildly inappropriate for Ben and Vanessa to ask patients to post on social media about the flowers.
It made me curious about the economics of the practice. Ben paid for 174 arrangements using his own money. He has his own assistant. There are six therapists and two nurses on staff. There's a subplot about patient churn and Ben and Vanessa feel solely responsible to fix what is a normal part of private practice. Does that mean the other therapists aren't responsible for finding their own clients? That would be unusual. I also didn't get how their new referral program would work. It's likely the clinic is private pay if they have a referral program but then I wanted to know how they viewed themselves as partnering with the community, if so. Along these lines, I wanted to know what Ben's books were about and what his expertise was. How did he come to get national recognition in the first place?
I also wanted more from the demisexuality rep. There's one line: "I have to get to know a woman before I feel any attraction at all. And I've been told I'm hard to get to know." It would have been interesting to hear how and when Ben realized this about himself. He realized he was attracted to Nell more quickly than I would have guessed, given this.
Ben's issues were more and center but I found it odd that Nell didn't have any friends. The way her ex-husband treated her doesn't explain that lack. Being a single parent has to be impossible if you're doing it fully on your own and I was shocked she'd made it as far as she had all these years. It would have helped to see her forging her own community along with taking a chance on Ben.
Characters: Ben is a 40 year old demisexual white Jewish psychologist and author. Nell is a 28 year old white florist delivery driver and barista. She has a 7 year old biracial (Puerto Rican-white) son named Marco. This is set in Kansas City, Missouri.
Content notes: generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, panic attacks, past emotional abuse by FMC's ex-husband, internalized ableism, financial stress, HIPAA violation (MMC tells FMC she's delivering flowers to his patients), past adoption of FMC's son, FMC is infertile, past divorce (FMC's husband left shortly after they adopted their son), drug interaction (patient), stutter (FMC's son receives speech therapy for delays), FMC's son is bullied at school, past death of MMC's sister (respiratory infection), MMC's sister had Prader-Willi syndrome (intellectual and physical disabilities), past death of FMC's mother (cancer), secondary character suspects ex-boyfriend was cheating, on page sex, alcohol, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction
I loved how this handled agoraphobia and dating. It felt very realistic to me, as someone who has been agoraphobic in the past. Nell's financial stress and how stretched thin she is as a single mom without community also felt realistic. Their relationship built slowly at first given these stressors but it felt like it was on the right track. However,
I had a few other issues. Ben has intense internalized ableism around his anxiety and agoraphobia that felt inexplicable to me. Many mental health practitioners have experienced depression, anxiety, or other mental illnesses and it has no bearing on their ability to counsel others. In fact, I always felt my own history of depression made me a better social worker. So why was Ben so ashamed? Ben's shame around working from home has to mean COVID never happened in this world, nor has video therapy. (To be clear, video therapy was around pre-COVID.) He hadn't even told Vanessa, his partner at the practice, about it, nor that that was the reason he was working from home. So I guess he never addressed it in his books either. Why?? It's absolutely possible that a psychologist could feel the way he did but I needed to understand what was behind it and that never happened.
Then there's the HIPAA violation. Ben decides to send flowers to all of the clinic's patients. His patients opted in to receive mail and deliveries from the clinic so that part is okay. But Ben told Nell and her boss that the flower arrangements were going to his patients and that is not. I also thought it was wildly inappropriate for Ben and Vanessa to ask patients to post on social media about the flowers.
It made me curious about the economics of the practice. Ben paid for 174 arrangements using his own money. He has his own assistant. There are six therapists and two nurses on staff. There's a subplot about patient churn and Ben and Vanessa feel solely responsible to fix what is a normal part of private practice. Does that mean the other therapists aren't responsible for finding their own clients? That would be unusual. I also didn't get how their new referral program would work. It's likely the clinic is private pay if they have a referral program but then I wanted to know how they viewed themselves as partnering with the community, if so. Along these lines, I wanted to know what Ben's books were about and what his expertise was. How did he come to get national recognition in the first place?
I also wanted more from the demisexuality rep. There's one line: "I have to get to know a woman before I feel any attraction at all. And I've been told I'm hard to get to know." It would have been interesting to hear how and when Ben realized this about himself. He realized he was attracted to Nell more quickly than I would have guessed, given this.
Ben's issues were more and center but I found it odd that Nell didn't have any friends. The way her ex-husband treated her doesn't explain that lack. Being a single parent has to be impossible if you're doing it fully on your own and I was shocked she'd made it as far as she had all these years. It would have helped to see her forging her own community along with taking a chance on Ben.
Characters: Ben is a 40 year old demisexual white Jewish psychologist and author. Nell is a 28 year old white florist delivery driver and barista. She has a 7 year old biracial (Puerto Rican-white) son named Marco. This is set in Kansas City, Missouri.
Content notes: generalized anxiety disorder, agoraphobia, panic attacks, past emotional abuse by FMC's ex-husband, internalized ableism, financial stress, HIPAA violation (MMC tells FMC she's delivering flowers to his patients), past adoption of FMC's son, FMC is infertile, past divorce (FMC's husband left shortly after they adopted their son), drug interaction (patient), stutter (FMC's son receives speech therapy for delays), FMC's son is bullied at school, past death of MMC's sister (respiratory infection), MMC's sister had Prader-Willi syndrome (intellectual and physical disabilities), past death of FMC's mother (cancer), secondary character suspects ex-boyfriend was cheating, on page sex, alcohol, ableist language, hyperbolic language around addiction
March 18, 2025
I received an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Title: Trial Run (The Well Space #1)
Author: S.M. Levine
Rating: 4 Stars
Trial Run by S.M. Levine was a compelling read that resonated with me on several levels. I particularly appreciated the thoughtful and realistic representation of mental health. The characters' struggles felt genuine, and the way they supported each other in their own unique ways was heartwarming.
Nell, as a single mother, is incredibly relatable. She's stretched thin, juggling the demands of parenthood and life, but she's determined to do her best. I admired her resilience and how she handled the unexpected challenges thrown her way. Ben, a psychiatrist and part-owner of The Well Space clinic, also grapples with his own severe anxiety and agoraphobia.
While a lot is packed into the 200 pages, which at times felt overwhelming, I felt some storylines could have been streamlined or removed to allow for greater depth in the overall narrative. Despite this, the writing style was engaging, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the characters' growth.
The author did a great job of creating a story that felt both authentic and engaging. I was invested in Nell and Ben's journey and found myself rooting for them. I look forward to seeing where the series goes.
Title: Trial Run (The Well Space #1)
Author: S.M. Levine
Rating: 4 Stars
Trial Run by S.M. Levine was a compelling read that resonated with me on several levels. I particularly appreciated the thoughtful and realistic representation of mental health. The characters' struggles felt genuine, and the way they supported each other in their own unique ways was heartwarming.
Nell, as a single mother, is incredibly relatable. She's stretched thin, juggling the demands of parenthood and life, but she's determined to do her best. I admired her resilience and how she handled the unexpected challenges thrown her way. Ben, a psychiatrist and part-owner of The Well Space clinic, also grapples with his own severe anxiety and agoraphobia.
While a lot is packed into the 200 pages, which at times felt overwhelming, I felt some storylines could have been streamlined or removed to allow for greater depth in the overall narrative. Despite this, the writing style was engaging, and I thoroughly enjoyed watching the characters' growth.
The author did a great job of creating a story that felt both authentic and engaging. I was invested in Nell and Ben's journey and found myself rooting for them. I look forward to seeing where the series goes.
February 12, 2025
This is such a cute story with lots of hard-hitting moments.
Ben's struggles really broke my heart, and I saw a lot of myself in Nell as I am a happy sunshiny person who very rarely shows what's really going on on the inside.
I loved how Ben and Nells relationship developed and how they helped each other through some tough times.
This was a really good quick read with such likeable characters and the cutest little geode enthusiast in Marco. It's a great debut, and I can't wait to read more from this author
Ben's struggles really broke my heart, and I saw a lot of myself in Nell as I am a happy sunshiny person who very rarely shows what's really going on on the inside.
I loved how Ben and Nells relationship developed and how they helped each other through some tough times.
This was a really good quick read with such likeable characters and the cutest little geode enthusiast in Marco. It's a great debut, and I can't wait to read more from this author
January 18, 2025
With “Trial Run”, S.M. Levine has conjured a world populated with flawed but deeply compelling characters. Ben and Nell are by turns unpredictable, infuriating, and even inspiring - but always relatable, and always sexy as hell. The story of their “trial run” will leave you wanting much, much more from them, and from The Well Space. Bravo! 🙌
August 13, 2025
I rarely (if ever) read romance, but this book was both wholesome and meaningful as it delves into dealing with anxiety, self-doubt, self-worth and the importance of someone else seeing us!
March 5, 2025
Age gap + single parent + therapy positive!
Ben, a licensed therapist, is suffering from extreme anxiety and panic attacks and has been unable to leave his home, despite helping hundreds of patients.
Nell receives an eviction notice, her son is sick, and she's just trying to get by.
When Nell accidentally delivers flowers to the wrong house, Ben sees through Nell's optimism, and there's an unexpected connection.
Read if you love...
🫶🏼dual perspective
✨grumpy & sunshine
💐flowers
✨age gap, he's 12 years older
🪨rocks & geodes
✨single parent, FMC
👏🏼therapy positive
I'm a forever fan of the single parent trope so I absolutely adored Nell being a single mom with a seven year old quiet kiddo. I loved all of the scenes with Marco, and seeing him get so so excited to learn about rocks & geodes!
I loved the mental health rep, despite how hard it was to see Ben struggle so hard with his anxiety and panic attacks and in turn be so hard on himself for it. I really loved how supportive Nell was from the very start, along with Ben's coworkers!
I really enjoyed the internal character development they both needed to go through in order to figure out being together, as they both had been through so much in the past.
As it was a shorter book, around 200 pages, I do wish it had been longer in order to include more relationship development & depth.
PUB day: March 14th!
📍Missouri
✨Representation: Jewish MC; anxiety
‼️Content: loss of a sibling, off page; verbal abuse by a partner, off page; death of a parent, cancer, past
Ben, a licensed therapist, is suffering from extreme anxiety and panic attacks and has been unable to leave his home, despite helping hundreds of patients.
Nell receives an eviction notice, her son is sick, and she's just trying to get by.
When Nell accidentally delivers flowers to the wrong house, Ben sees through Nell's optimism, and there's an unexpected connection.
Read if you love...
🫶🏼dual perspective
✨grumpy & sunshine
💐flowers
✨age gap, he's 12 years older
🪨rocks & geodes
✨single parent, FMC
👏🏼therapy positive
I'm a forever fan of the single parent trope so I absolutely adored Nell being a single mom with a seven year old quiet kiddo. I loved all of the scenes with Marco, and seeing him get so so excited to learn about rocks & geodes!
I loved the mental health rep, despite how hard it was to see Ben struggle so hard with his anxiety and panic attacks and in turn be so hard on himself for it. I really loved how supportive Nell was from the very start, along with Ben's coworkers!
I really enjoyed the internal character development they both needed to go through in order to figure out being together, as they both had been through so much in the past.
As it was a shorter book, around 200 pages, I do wish it had been longer in order to include more relationship development & depth.
PUB day: March 14th!
📍Missouri
✨Representation: Jewish MC; anxiety
‼️Content: loss of a sibling, off page; verbal abuse by a partner, off page; death of a parent, cancer, past
October 26, 2025
Trial Run is a beautiful love story about two imperfect people. Ben always wants to help others, but does so at the expense of his own mental health. Nell is a single mom struggling to make ends meet and she isn’t able to trust others because of her past. Nell and Ben meet when she mistakenly delivers flower to his house, and gives him the help he needs. I just loved the realism in the story, we all struggle in our lives and to read about characters that we can relate to is wonderful. These characters were so well developed, and as the layers unfold and you learn their secrets, you can’t help but love them. I definitely want to read more books by S.M. Levine.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 7, 2025
**I received this ARC from the author in exchange for an honest review.**
Now that that is out of the way, we can continue. I have known and been friends with the author's sister for a very long time, so when she asked me if I wanted to read her sister's new book, I was thrilled. When she said that it was a contemporary romance with "real" characters and that she couldn't put it down, I was like "gimme!"
I think that having characters with real problems - ones that don't get solved in real life and don't get magically solved in the book - is such a powerful thing, but can also easily go badly. In this case, I think the author did a wonderful job of showing us what Ben's day-to-day is living with anxiety and agoraphobia - and I do love that he wasn't magically cured by his love for Nell. Nell also had real problems and the author showed us just how helpless she feels and how much more she wants to do. While we can look at the situation and ask why she doesn't do this, or this, or even this, when it's you in the situation, it's hard to see a way out. To have her finally open up to not just Ben, but to her boss and have their help to provide a new path for her was a wonderful way to solve that. This story was all about asking for help because there are always people who want to help you succeed, whatever the issue.
I admit that it took a little bit for me to get into the book, but once I did, I was all in. While not super-spicy, there is some spice (open door). But honestly, I just needed to know what happened to Ben, Nell, and Marco. I look forward to more in this series.
Now that that is out of the way, we can continue. I have known and been friends with the author's sister for a very long time, so when she asked me if I wanted to read her sister's new book, I was thrilled. When she said that it was a contemporary romance with "real" characters and that she couldn't put it down, I was like "gimme!"
I think that having characters with real problems - ones that don't get solved in real life and don't get magically solved in the book - is such a powerful thing, but can also easily go badly. In this case, I think the author did a wonderful job of showing us what Ben's day-to-day is living with anxiety and agoraphobia - and I do love that he wasn't magically cured by his love for Nell. Nell also had real problems and the author showed us just how helpless she feels and how much more she wants to do. While we can look at the situation and ask why she doesn't do this, or this, or even this, when it's you in the situation, it's hard to see a way out. To have her finally open up to not just Ben, but to her boss and have their help to provide a new path for her was a wonderful way to solve that. This story was all about asking for help because there are always people who want to help you succeed, whatever the issue.
I admit that it took a little bit for me to get into the book, but once I did, I was all in. While not super-spicy, there is some spice (open door). But honestly, I just needed to know what happened to Ben, Nell, and Marco. I look forward to more in this series.
March 10, 2025
Trial Run is a single mom age gap romance with fantastic mental health representation. S.M. Levine’s debut novel has interesting characters and an emotional plot, and if you are a fan of a more serious story, you should check it out.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Renowned therapist Ben is a terrible patient, and his anxiety and agoraphobia is mostly untreated. When Nell accidentally delivers a floral arrangement to Ben’s home, it triggers a panic attack, which she helps him recover from. After that, the struggling single mom and plant whisperer helps Ben leave the house and eventually head back to work. Can they get each get past their emotional baggage to explore their romantic connection?
There is a lot to like in this debut romance. The characters each have a lot going on, from Ben’s anxiety and grief to Nell’s trust issues and struggle to take care of her young son. I also enjoyed the Jewish rep, along with lots of horticultural discussions, and how entwined plants growth and healing is with the characters.
The pacing of this story seemed a little off for such an earnest romance. Their relationship happens very quickly, and has more in common with insta love than a measured one between adults with responsibilities. And, this book is billed as grumpy sunshine, but Nell is only outwardly sunshine when she has to be; inwardly she thinks nothing good will happen for her.
Trial Run is a wistful, emotional romance. S. M. Levine includes wonderful depictions of anxiety and the mental health field, along with three dimensional characters.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Renowned therapist Ben is a terrible patient, and his anxiety and agoraphobia is mostly untreated. When Nell accidentally delivers a floral arrangement to Ben’s home, it triggers a panic attack, which she helps him recover from. After that, the struggling single mom and plant whisperer helps Ben leave the house and eventually head back to work. Can they get each get past their emotional baggage to explore their romantic connection?
There is a lot to like in this debut romance. The characters each have a lot going on, from Ben’s anxiety and grief to Nell’s trust issues and struggle to take care of her young son. I also enjoyed the Jewish rep, along with lots of horticultural discussions, and how entwined plants growth and healing is with the characters.
The pacing of this story seemed a little off for such an earnest romance. Their relationship happens very quickly, and has more in common with insta love than a measured one between adults with responsibilities. And, this book is billed as grumpy sunshine, but Nell is only outwardly sunshine when she has to be; inwardly she thinks nothing good will happen for her.
Trial Run is a wistful, emotional romance. S. M. Levine includes wonderful depictions of anxiety and the mental health field, along with three dimensional characters.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
February 22, 2025
Single mom and delivery driver for a florist, a financially stressed out Nell arrives at the wrong address and drops an arrangement of daffodils, shattering the glass vase on the doorstep. When the man residing in the home answers the door, Nell recognizes that he’s in the middle of a panic attack and she very gingerly helps him through the worst of it. As her young son is accompanying her rather than in school due to a cold, she makes her excuses and leaves as quickly as she can. Worried that she’ll be fired for the non-delivery and also for having her son in the delivery truck, Nell is caught on both counts by her boss, but forgiven when it’s revealed that the man who she helped gave her a ver generous tip as well as placed an order for flowers for each of his dozens of patients.
Since the death of his younger sister a year prior, therapist Ben has been plagued by extreme agoraphobia and crippling panic attacks, only providing sessions remotely from his home. When Nell crashes into his life however, he becomes willing to try to resume in office visits. Nell also encourages him to accompany her in delivering all his patients’ arrangements and plants. As the pair spend time with each other, their feelings grow.
This was a sweet, short romance, and I loved the unexpected premise of a psychiatrist with a debilitating mental disorder.
I received an advance reader copy from booksirens, and I’m pleased to share my honest impressions.
Since the death of his younger sister a year prior, therapist Ben has been plagued by extreme agoraphobia and crippling panic attacks, only providing sessions remotely from his home. When Nell crashes into his life however, he becomes willing to try to resume in office visits. Nell also encourages him to accompany her in delivering all his patients’ arrangements and plants. As the pair spend time with each other, their feelings grow.
This was a sweet, short romance, and I loved the unexpected premise of a psychiatrist with a debilitating mental disorder.
I received an advance reader copy from booksirens, and I’m pleased to share my honest impressions.
March 9, 2025
I’ve been rooting for Ben and Nell individually as they moved towards their separate goals but also as they moved closer to each other. ❤️❤️❤️ Their love story is one that melted my heart and gave me all the feels even after I finished the last page!! I couldn’t put down this book and can’t wait to read more from this series! These characters stayed with me and Ben is so precious and endearing that I’m in love with yet another fictional man.
Trial Run is a swoonworthy romance that follows a single mom, Nell, trying to find her way with her adorable son and a dashing doctor, Ben who has been struggling with grief and anxiety. When the two meet through a delivery gone wrong the sparks between them is undeniable, poignant and oh-so steamy. One character has vowed never to fall in love again while the other offers a deal- a trial run to test the waters of romance neither of them think they’re ready for. Ben our male lead is portrayed with grace and vulnerability. SM Levine has given us a gorgeous love interest who is flawed, relatable, and lovably human. We are given mental health representation that is accurate and believable. We’re shown that anxiety is a daily battle, one that doesn’t magically disappear but can be managed with proper therapy and techniques.
I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
Trial Run is a swoonworthy romance that follows a single mom, Nell, trying to find her way with her adorable son and a dashing doctor, Ben who has been struggling with grief and anxiety. When the two meet through a delivery gone wrong the sparks between them is undeniable, poignant and oh-so steamy. One character has vowed never to fall in love again while the other offers a deal- a trial run to test the waters of romance neither of them think they’re ready for. Ben our male lead is portrayed with grace and vulnerability. SM Levine has given us a gorgeous love interest who is flawed, relatable, and lovably human. We are given mental health representation that is accurate and believable. We’re shown that anxiety is a daily battle, one that doesn’t magically disappear but can be managed with proper therapy and techniques.
I can’t wait for the next book in the series!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 16, 2025
Dr. Ben Friedman’s mental health clinic, The Well Space, has helped hundreds of patients with mental health issues live better lives. Yet Ben is struggling from panic attacks that have stopped him from leaving his home. Florist delivery driver Nell uses her green thumb and sheer optimism to get by, but with her son sick and her rent late and facing eviction, she knocks on the wrong door and drops her delivery at the feet of Ben Friedman. A bond is forged between them as Nell helps Ben through a panic attack on his porch. To thank her, Ben orders flowers for every patient in his practice. Nell agrees to deliver them—but only if he comes along for the ride. Son after they decide to trial three weeks of dating to see if Ben can rise above his anxiety and for Nell to overcome her painful past.
A sweet romance built from pain shared but also an incredible desire to help the other. Both Ben and Nell were such endearing characters that it was difficult to not like them and to want them to succeed. I found their situation believable, and the struggles all the more real as they spoke candidly to each other about past pain. A good read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
A sweet romance built from pain shared but also an incredible desire to help the other. Both Ben and Nell were such endearing characters that it was difficult to not like them and to want them to succeed. I found their situation believable, and the struggles all the more real as they spoke candidly to each other about past pain. A good read.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
March 19, 2025
⋆｡°✩ Spoiler Free Reviews ⋆｡°✩
I was kindly provided with this book (censorship is BS and I hate it but here we are!)
One of the only ARCs I’ve actually read by release day in the last 6 months and I loved it! (There are reasons for that lack of reviewing but that’s for my socials, not Goodreads.)
This book has anxiety + agoraphobia rep, I want to say autism rep or something along those lines but don’t believe it is mentioned (though the child gave me 100% adorable ND vibes!) reluctant allies, they’ve both got shit they’re dealing with, single mom, a splash of billionaire/rich guy (he uses it for good, I promise!).
Smut was 2/5 on the spice scale, but we get all the tension leading up to it! And it’s a HEA, a sweet adorable fulfilling HEA.
This book had everything you could ever want, it’s got the gritty angst that often is lacking in contemp romances, its got the MMC realising his mistakes and maturing as a person, it’s got an FMC who has goals and a drive to survive in her life, only doing the best for her son.
If there isn’t a book 2 coming, I’ll be devastated because this author’s writing has the ability to change the way I read contemporary romances, all that angst and romance is a gift for all of us readers!
I was kindly provided with this book (censorship is BS and I hate it but here we are!)
One of the only ARCs I’ve actually read by release day in the last 6 months and I loved it! (There are reasons for that lack of reviewing but that’s for my socials, not Goodreads.)
This book has anxiety + agoraphobia rep, I want to say autism rep or something along those lines but don’t believe it is mentioned (though the child gave me 100% adorable ND vibes!) reluctant allies, they’ve both got shit they’re dealing with, single mom, a splash of billionaire/rich guy (he uses it for good, I promise!).
Smut was 2/5 on the spice scale, but we get all the tension leading up to it! And it’s a HEA, a sweet adorable fulfilling HEA.
This book had everything you could ever want, it’s got the gritty angst that often is lacking in contemp romances, its got the MMC realising his mistakes and maturing as a person, it’s got an FMC who has goals and a drive to survive in her life, only doing the best for her son.
If there isn’t a book 2 coming, I’ll be devastated because this author’s writing has the ability to change the way I read contemporary romances, all that angst and romance is a gift for all of us readers!
March 21, 2025
Such a cute, fun and easy read that tackles some serious issues facing us all. I really enjoyed this book. It's book one in the Well Space Series.
Ben is a psychologist who suffers from crippling anxiety and agoraphobia. Nell is a single mom, working two jobs to make ends barely meet. The two meet by happenstance when Nell delivers flowers to the wrong home. She and Ben strike up a friendship and she is able to help him through his most recent episode of agoraphobia.
In return, Ben helps her out by ordering flowers from her shop to give her commission. The flowers go to Ben's patients at the clinic. Part of a plan to help him is to deliver some of the flowers. Along the way, he meets Nell's's son and a friendship growth between the two.
The relationship between Nell and Ben also grows and turns romantic. (There are a few good and soft spicy scenes as a result.)
As things progress, Nell's life gets a little bit easier and Ben's gets a lot tougher. The question is if Nell will forgive him for breaking her heart and if they will have their HEA
Spoiler - they do 🙌. I enjoyed this book and will read the second!!
Story: 4/5 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Characters: 4/5 🫂 🫂 🫂 🫂
Spice: 2.5/5 🍆🍆.🌶️
Tackled tough issues: 4/5 😒😒😒😒
Ben is a psychologist who suffers from crippling anxiety and agoraphobia. Nell is a single mom, working two jobs to make ends barely meet. The two meet by happenstance when Nell delivers flowers to the wrong home. She and Ben strike up a friendship and she is able to help him through his most recent episode of agoraphobia.
In return, Ben helps her out by ordering flowers from her shop to give her commission. The flowers go to Ben's patients at the clinic. Part of a plan to help him is to deliver some of the flowers. Along the way, he meets Nell's's son and a friendship growth between the two.
The relationship between Nell and Ben also grows and turns romantic. (There are a few good and soft spicy scenes as a result.)
As things progress, Nell's life gets a little bit easier and Ben's gets a lot tougher. The question is if Nell will forgive him for breaking her heart and if they will have their HEA
Spoiler - they do 🙌. I enjoyed this book and will read the second!!
Story: 4/5 ⭐ ⭐ ⭐ ⭐
Characters: 4/5 🫂 🫂 🫂 🫂
Spice: 2.5/5 🍆🍆.🌶️
Tackled tough issues: 4/5 😒😒😒😒
February 2, 2025
I haven't read any books from the author before, bit after reading this I will look for others. Nell is a single mom who works hard to maintain as normal a life as possible, working two jobs. When she makes a mistake with a delivery address she ends up a the wrong house and the man who lives there is totally uptight. That is until she drops the flowers and he tries to help but with an unusual outcome. Ben is a successful physiologist running a clinic. Except he has a secret and that is he's suffers panic attacks himself. Now the woman delivering flowers has witnessed him at his worse. This could ruin his livelihood if his patients and staff found out. Can these two flawed individuals help each other overcome their insecurities. This story deals with mental health and self worth issues very compassionately. I really liked how Ben and Nell both acknowledged the others insecurities yet struggled to accept their own and at first saw them as embarrassing and had a need to hide them from others. Will this lead to a hea or will they go their seperate ways. I can wait fir the next book in this series
February 3, 2025
After finishing Trial Run by S.M. Levine, I was left with a warm and fuzzy feeling. Ben and Nell's love story felt so authentic and compelling that I couldn't help but be touched by their journey. The characters were well-developed and lovable, making them feel incredibly realistic and easy to connect with.
One aspect that really resonated with me was the sincere and respectful approach to mental health issues, including panic attacks and recovery. It added a layer of depth to the story that made it even more meaningful.
While the plot might be somewhat predictable and similar to other popular romance novels, the strong character development and genuine emotions more than made up for it. The pacing was a bit uneven at times, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment.
If you're a fan of contemporary romance and looking for a book that combines strong character development, a respectful approach to mental health, and an engaging love story, Trial Run is definitely worth picking up. It's a charming and heartfelt read that left a lasting impression on me.
*This is an ARC review, and my review is completely voluntary and of my own opinion.
One aspect that really resonated with me was the sincere and respectful approach to mental health issues, including panic attacks and recovery. It added a layer of depth to the story that made it even more meaningful.
While the plot might be somewhat predictable and similar to other popular romance novels, the strong character development and genuine emotions more than made up for it. The pacing was a bit uneven at times, but it didn't take away from my overall enjoyment.
If you're a fan of contemporary romance and looking for a book that combines strong character development, a respectful approach to mental health, and an engaging love story, Trial Run is definitely worth picking up. It's a charming and heartfelt read that left a lasting impression on me.
*This is an ARC review, and my review is completely voluntary and of my own opinion.
March 15, 2025
I was absolutely blown away by this book, especially as this is Levine’s debut! From the first page to the last, the story captivated me with its unique voice and heartfelt storytelling. Levine’s ability to dive deep into the emotional complexities of the characters, all while weaving an engaging plot, is nothing short of impressive.
What struck me most about Trial Run was how it felt like such a breath of fresh air. In a world where so many books feel predictable, this story stood out with its authenticity. The way the author explored themes of personal growth, uncertainty, and the intricacies of relationships really resonated with me. This book spoke to me on a deeper level, helping me work through some of my own complex feelings. There was something cathartic about the way the characters navigated their struggles, and it allowed me to reflect on my own experiences in a meaningful way.
I can’t believe this is Levine’s first novel, because the writing was so polished and the characters are so well-developed. I’m excited to see what they come up with next, as I truly believe good things are coming. If you're looking for a novel that’s both refreshing and emotionally enriching, this one is an absolute must-read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC Copy in exchange for my honest review.
What struck me most about Trial Run was how it felt like such a breath of fresh air. In a world where so many books feel predictable, this story stood out with its authenticity. The way the author explored themes of personal growth, uncertainty, and the intricacies of relationships really resonated with me. This book spoke to me on a deeper level, helping me work through some of my own complex feelings. There was something cathartic about the way the characters navigated their struggles, and it allowed me to reflect on my own experiences in a meaningful way.
I can’t believe this is Levine’s first novel, because the writing was so polished and the characters are so well-developed. I’m excited to see what they come up with next, as I truly believe good things are coming. If you're looking for a novel that’s both refreshing and emotionally enriching, this one is an absolute must-read.
Thanks to NetGalley and the author for providing an ARC Copy in exchange for my honest review.
February 10, 2025
- Single mom
- Mental health (anxiety) rep
- Healing journey (abusive relationship)
- Jewish rep
- Third person POV
- He falls first
- Plant-loving FMC
“Trial Run” is a sweet story about a psychologist struggling with an anxiety disorder (Ben) and a single mom trying to make ends meet (Nell). After their accidental meet-cute, the two keep finding excuses to see each other, despite their individual histories.
This was a cute, well-written read that reminds us there’s no shame in asking for help. The people who matter will be in your corner. I loved the relationship between Ben and Marco (Nell’s son). The characters were relatable and likable. Their backstories were conveyed well.
My only hang up is that I think a first person POV would have been more successful—you get more emotions, thoughts and intimacy that way. Them falling in love so quickly might have been better conveyed with that shift.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
- Mental health (anxiety) rep
- Healing journey (abusive relationship)
- Jewish rep
- Third person POV
- He falls first
- Plant-loving FMC
“Trial Run” is a sweet story about a psychologist struggling with an anxiety disorder (Ben) and a single mom trying to make ends meet (Nell). After their accidental meet-cute, the two keep finding excuses to see each other, despite their individual histories.
This was a cute, well-written read that reminds us there’s no shame in asking for help. The people who matter will be in your corner. I loved the relationship between Ben and Marco (Nell’s son). The characters were relatable and likable. Their backstories were conveyed well.
My only hang up is that I think a first person POV would have been more successful—you get more emotions, thoughts and intimacy that way. Them falling in love so quickly might have been better conveyed with that shift.
Thank you to the author for the ARC!
February 15, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for providing this ARC.
If you read this book with a light-minded mood, it was a sweet and heartwarming story. You could maybe find yourself in the characters, as when you felt never be good enough after every hardship that life threw at you, or as you preferred to resolve all the problems by yourself because you needed to be a strong person.
I particularly love how Ben approached Nell’s son, Marco, with the geodes.
Now, if you really wanted to analyze the book more closely, the book description got me expecting a heavy plot about mental health. I’ve always liked books that involved therapist because the way they lead conversations psychologically and their inner thoughts truly got me hooked. However, this book didn’t give me this complex feeling. It did mentioned the reason of Ben’s panic attacks, but not clearly enough for me I guessed.
My rating : 3,75 stars.
If you read this book with a light-minded mood, it was a sweet and heartwarming story. You could maybe find yourself in the characters, as when you felt never be good enough after every hardship that life threw at you, or as you preferred to resolve all the problems by yourself because you needed to be a strong person.
I particularly love how Ben approached Nell’s son, Marco, with the geodes.
Now, if you really wanted to analyze the book more closely, the book description got me expecting a heavy plot about mental health. I’ve always liked books that involved therapist because the way they lead conversations psychologically and their inner thoughts truly got me hooked. However, this book didn’t give me this complex feeling. It did mentioned the reason of Ben’s panic attacks, but not clearly enough for me I guessed.
My rating : 3,75 stars.
April 9, 2025
Trial Run by S.M. Levine is the first book in the Well Space Series. The book follows Dr. Ben Friedman who owns a
mental health clinic named The Well Space. Despite helping hundreds of parties with mental health issues, Ben himself suffers from worsening panic attacks.
Florist delivery driver Nell is living her best life, except the rent is late, her son is sick, and worst of all she woke up to an eviction notice.
When she knocks on the wrong door and drops her flower arrangement, an unexpected connection sparks between them as Nell helps Ben through a panic attack on his porch. To thank her, Ben orders flowers for every patient in his practice. Nell agrees to deliver them—but only if he comes along. Their initial attraction leaves them to try a 3-week dating trial.
I love the grumpy sunshine trope and enjoyed this book. Thank you S.M. Levine for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
mental health clinic named The Well Space. Despite helping hundreds of parties with mental health issues, Ben himself suffers from worsening panic attacks.
Florist delivery driver Nell is living her best life, except the rent is late, her son is sick, and worst of all she woke up to an eviction notice.
When she knocks on the wrong door and drops her flower arrangement, an unexpected connection sparks between them as Nell helps Ben through a panic attack on his porch. To thank her, Ben orders flowers for every patient in his practice. Nell agrees to deliver them—but only if he comes along. Their initial attraction leaves them to try a 3-week dating trial.
I love the grumpy sunshine trope and enjoyed this book. Thank you S.M. Levine for partnering with NetGalley. I received an advanced reader copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion and review.
February 5, 2025
Dr. Ben Friedman runs a mental health clinic. Nell is a single mom with a 7-year-old son, Marcos. She delivers flowers for a flower shop. She meets Ben when she delivers flowers to his house by mistake. He has a panic attack and Nell helps him work through it. Ben has been working from home since he cannot get himself to go outside. Knowing how much Nell helped him, he asks her for a trial run of three weeks of dates. I loved how supportive everyone was of Ben’s panic attacks, his co-workers, Nell, and his patients. The idea that we need help ourselves is important no matter what we do. I loved Ben’s relationship with Marcos as they shared an interest in rocks. Great story and characters, ass focused on helping each other.
February 11, 2025
Nell is a single mom trying to make ends meet and focus on her son. A mistaken delivery leads her to Ben's door, and nothing is ever the same. Dr. Ben is a psychologist who is suffering his own anxieties and issues. When Nell crashes into his door, she feels like the key to his healing.
I really liked how authentic the character's issues were. They were dealing with such hard things and honestly, reacting in the way most of us would, despite how silly it seems when you read it as someone else's story. They clearly had a great connection and possessed qualities the other person needed in a partner. I'm always going to struggle with a story in third person, but overall the story kept me interested and I was super impressed!
Thank you S.M. Levine for providing me with an ARC!
I really liked how authentic the character's issues were. They were dealing with such hard things and honestly, reacting in the way most of us would, despite how silly it seems when you read it as someone else's story. They clearly had a great connection and possessed qualities the other person needed in a partner. I'm always going to struggle with a story in third person, but overall the story kept me interested and I was super impressed!
Thank you S.M. Levine for providing me with an ARC!
February 21, 2025
ARC Review
4 ⭐️
For a book that deals with some difficult subjects this still felt like a cute & cozy read.
Both Nell & Ben were great MCs and I absolutely love a strangers to friends to lovers trope.
Ben is a psychiatrist who deals with his own anxieties and Nell is a down on her luck single mom, they meet on a particularly bad day for both of them. What should be one time meeting turns into a sort of friendship under the guise of helping each out during their current difficult times.
These two just really wanted the best for each other and had to overcome their own insecurities to get there. Two people who loved each other flaws and all.
Thank you for the ARC NetGalley and S.M Levine.
4 ⭐️
For a book that deals with some difficult subjects this still felt like a cute & cozy read.
Both Nell & Ben were great MCs and I absolutely love a strangers to friends to lovers trope.
Ben is a psychiatrist who deals with his own anxieties and Nell is a down on her luck single mom, they meet on a particularly bad day for both of them. What should be one time meeting turns into a sort of friendship under the guise of helping each out during their current difficult times.
These two just really wanted the best for each other and had to overcome their own insecurities to get there. Two people who loved each other flaws and all.
Thank you for the ARC NetGalley and S.M Levine.
March 29, 2025
Ben is a psychiatrist suffering from mental health issues of his own. Nell is a single mom florist trying to make ends meet. Trial Run is a sweet little story how two good people, who has been hurt before or is still hurting, meet and grow to become the support each other needs.
I really loved this little story. It's not very long nor is it ground-breaking, but it came to me at a time when I really need a heartfelt story about people doing good for each other. The characters are realistic and relatable, and their troubles and concerns hit very close to home. It's a really sweet story with great prose and phenomenal chemistry between the two characters. Highly recommend for anyone 30+ who needs an emotional pick-me-up. I really loved it!
I really loved this little story. It's not very long nor is it ground-breaking, but it came to me at a time when I really need a heartfelt story about people doing good for each other. The characters are realistic and relatable, and their troubles and concerns hit very close to home. It's a really sweet story with great prose and phenomenal chemistry between the two characters. Highly recommend for anyone 30+ who needs an emotional pick-me-up. I really loved it!
February 7, 2025
The Story of Nell and Ben was a very un-expected one for me.
I was captured from the very first page, getting to know Ben & Nell, their humanity, their struggles and lives were just so real to me.
Nell with her struggles of being a single mother and scraping to make ends meet.
Ben with his fabulous clinic but struggling to deal with his anxiety and the world around him.
Their 2 worlds shouldn't fit together into this story so well but they absolutely do.
I really enjoyed this read, there were many lovely moments, and some that made me FEEL so much.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
I was captured from the very first page, getting to know Ben & Nell, their humanity, their struggles and lives were just so real to me.
Nell with her struggles of being a single mother and scraping to make ends meet.
Ben with his fabulous clinic but struggling to deal with his anxiety and the world around him.
Their 2 worlds shouldn't fit together into this story so well but they absolutely do.
I really enjoyed this read, there were many lovely moments, and some that made me FEEL so much.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
February 28, 2025
Thank you to BookSirens for providing me with this arc of Trial Run! I really enjoyed this book and would rate it a 3.5 stars! Before reading this book I would recommend reading the trigger warnings as it does talk about panic attacks, anxiety, etc. I loved the mental health representation and single mom representation of this story! I felt like the connection between Ben and Nell was really good and genuine. I do wish this book was a tad bit longer just because some parts of the story felt a little rushed to me and resolved too quickly. Overall, I really enjoyed Nell and Ben's story and I look forward to the rest of the books in this series to come!
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