Counting the Days

by Laura Chinn

What begins as a near-midlife crisis transforms into a journey of love and self-acceptance in this sharp, beautifully layered, and funny debut romance that explores true love and unexpected happiness from screenwriter and director Laura Chinn.

At thirty-eight years old, Rhea Darby has never been more single in her life. With her best friends all married and having kids, her social calendar is filled with baby showers and birthday parties, petting zoos and bouncy castles. However, she’d much rather be having hot sex with "the one" and getting closer to the perfect life she always envisioned. After being told that her fertility might plummet when she turns thirty-nine, and always having wanted kids of her own, Rhea decides that drastic times call for drastic measures. She has less than a year to find the right guy, or she’ll have to rethink her meticulously crafted vision board of the future.

Apparently, manifestation really works, because she soon meets Danny, a gorgeous gardener who is perfect for her—until Danny reveals he is absolutely morally opposed to having kids. Still, the connection between them is too strong to resist, even as their differences threaten to tear them apart. Rhea realizes she can’t let go of Danny, but is she willing to sacrifice her dreams to keep him?

Counting the Days is an insightful and sexy novel, in which the complexities of love and modern womanhood are met with relatable humor and self-acceptance.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Contemporary

320 pages, Paperback

Expected publication August 11, 2026

Reviews

[Angela · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhea and Danny were such fun loving characters I didn’t want to finish this book because I didn’t want to be done reading about them! Their story was funny and sweet and heart wrenching and delightful. This story offered a vulnerability about the reality of dating a little later in life than is considered typical. Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

[Kendra Oosterhouse · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley for the opportunity to review!

This was fast read full of emotion, personal growth, and acceptance. Rhea, a 38-year-old single woman, desperate to create her vision board in real life is on a quest to find the one, specifically the one who is ready to have children before her next birthday. Danny, one of the more mature MMCs written comes into the picture during a baby shower. Cue the yearning, tension, and back and forth of two singles still figuring it out.

What I liked: both characters were imperfect, neurotic, but emotionally open. The author wonderfully demonstrates the challenges people in their late 30’s face, especially related to timing. Do you settle? Can you have it all? And is all you hoped for actually worth it? Rhea’s POV accurately depicted someone with high functioning anxiety and some intrusive (albeit funny at times) thoughts. Her affection aggression? Who doesn’t have that with really cute babies? She was relatable (most of the time) and for less than 250 pages, I felt like I understood her story without chapter upon chapter exploring her trauma. One thing I also liked that I could see some disagreeing with, there wasn’t an epilogue - we don’t need to know who got what they wanted originally and how it all worked out.

What I struggled with: Rhea’s self-absorption (at times) and her friend group’s insensitivity. For the latter, I understand the picture the author was painting, four very different people who became friends a long time ago, but two of the three were annoying in their robotic and narcissistic behavior. They added little to the story except they were all having babies (but not wanting them?) while Rhea was struggling with the idea of not having children.

Overall it was a good read that made me laugh, cry, and hope for peace for the two main characters. Full of funny streams of consciousness and relatable characters, I really enjoyed this story!

[Jenn · Rating 2 out of 5]

Thank you @prhaudio for the free copy of this book for my review #prhaudiopartner

🚨spoilers and negative review ahead.

I seem to be in the minority here, but I really did not like this book. In my opinion, the author took the nuanced serious topic of age and deciding whether or not to have children, and reduced it down the vision boards and stereotypes.

The FMC, Rhea, was terrible. She was selfish, immature and manipulative throughout the story. Danny, the MMC was, of course, perfect very upfront about not wanting to have children. It was clear that these two were so fundamentally different that they should not be together. Only one person knew that, however, and Rhea spent the rest of the book secretly manipulating situations (and children which was really freaking weird) so Danny could see how wonderful children are and what great parents they would be!!

Rhea also had an insufferable group of female friends who were all stereotypes of haggard, tired women who are #blessed, but seem to hate their husbands and kids.

When Rhea finally comes to her breaking point and asks Danny one more time if he is really sure he doesn’t want children, he has the perfect predictable response: “I love you too much to keep you from fulfilling your own dreams of motherhood” so they break up and Rhea enters a state of nonfunctional depression.

The book concludes with Rhea, who has spent the entire book obsessing over her vision board and becoming a mother, finally ready to move on with her life. She happens to find a vision board that she made in high school that shows all of things she already has like a career, group of girlfriends a nice house. Suddenly, she don’t need no man or kids to be happy and literally THE END. 🤦🏼‍♀️😳What was actually the point then?

[That Girl Reading Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5/5

Rhea Darby is counting down the days until she turns thirty-nine, convinced that her chances of having children will drop sharply once she reaches that milestone. Everywhere she looks, her friends have husbands and babies, while she longs for that life herself.

Determined to make her dream a reality, she creates a vision board filled with everything she wants—a loving husband, children, and a charming Craftsman home—and sets out to do everything she can to make it happen. Then, at a baby shower of all places, she meets Danny. He seems to be everything she's ever wanted in a partner. There's just one problem: he doesn't want children.

What do you do when you've found the love of your life, but the future you've always imagined doesn't fit with his? Can Rhea give up her lifelong dream of having a family, or is that one compromise too much?

This book had so much potential. It's well written, and the characters are thoughtfully developed. However, I felt the story spent too much time inside Rhea's head, and parts of it could have been trimmed to keep the pacing stronger.

What I did love was Rhea's emotional growth and the realization she comes to by the end of the novel. I honestly wasn't sure how Laura Chinn would resolve such a difficult dilemma, but she delivered an ending that felt both satisfying and deeply moving.

I'm giving this one 3.5/5 stars. The ending was emotionally devastating in the best way—I found myself in tears. Chinn handled it with genuine heart and compassion.

Thank you to NetGalley and Dell Publishing for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

[Tiffany Hall · Rating 5 out of 5]

STARS: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
I really enjoyed this book, and reading about Danny & Rhea's love story.

Although I'm married and a mother, I still found myself relating to this book on an emotional level.

Especially when she went through her depression phase, it was easy to empathize with her experience. I also came away with a new perspective on what single people may experience emotionally, giving me a deeper understanding and appreciation for their journey in life.

I believe this is a book that many women could connect with, regardless of where they are in life. It's an honest look at emotional healing and inner growth makes it a meaningful and worthwhile read.

My only real complaint was that it often felt like Rhea was carrying the weight of the relationship in the difficult times. I would have liked to see Danny put more effort into working through the difficult moments instead of leaving Rhea to be the one who was always vulnerable, reaching out first, or initiating conversations. I would have enjoyed seeing their relationship feel a bit more balanced, with both characters making an equal effort to overcome their challenges together. However, it all came together as it should.

Overall, I think there are a lot of women who could really use this book out there.
I loved it and have already recommended to a friend!

Many thanks for providing me a giveaway copy in exchange for an honest review.
This is my first introduction to Laura Chinn's work.
I look forward to reading future books to come from Laura!

FRIEND ME

[Lauren S. · Rating 4 out of 5]

a solid story where the main character, rhea, contemplates life with and without children. her best friends are all married with children and rhea is about to turn 39 and is as single as possible. all she wants is a baby of her own and her fertility is about to plummet! she meets danny at a baby shower (of all places!) and falls head over heels. their love is respectful, fun, and mature - soulmates who don’t need all of the bells and whistles that dating usually brings. she knows she wants forever with danny…until he firmly announces that he does not want children. where do they go from here?!
i enjoyed counting down the days to rhea’s 39th birthday and watching her relationship with danny unfold. i found myself genuinely smiling when they were spending time together on the page. their love feels so refreshing. i understand rhea’s frustrations over making this life-changing decision. why does it feel so “easy” for some and so hard for others? i loved her exploration as to why she might have been leaning one way vs. the other in the first place.
the book wraps up in a solid spot. it’s not a picture perfect ending, but what part of something so life altering (deciding whether or not to become parents) actually is? i’m thankful that author laura chinn did not go full fairy tale at the end and kept things more rooted in reality.

thank you to ballantine for providing this book for review consideration via netgalley. all opinions are my own.

[Hayley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhea is determined to meet the man of her dreams and become pregnant by her 39th birthday. With less than a year to do so, she is counting down the days until her fertility takes a dive off a cliff. Being surrounded by friends who have found their partners and are all having babies, Rhea feels lonely and left behind. Danny Beckett might be the most perfect man for Rhea, except for the fact that he does not want kids. How can two people so right for each make it work when they continue to disagree about parenthood. Can a relationship work if one person sacrifices their wants for a future child?
This book had me riding a train of emotions. I had a hard time getting into the book- I was stuck at the 10% mark for days. At first I was kind of annoyed by our FMC, Rhea and had a really hard time feeling invested. Then I felt so anxious as Rhea and Danny started exploring their relationship. I really loved the two of them together, but knew the kid decision could not end with one of them giving up what they really wanted. I laughed so hard at WILD EYES. And cried as Rhea and Danny processed the reality of their relationship and started to process their own trauma. Overall, I loved it! The author handled this tricky situation amazingly, and had me sold by the end of the book.
Thank you NetGalley and Ballantine|Dell for the advanced digital book.

[Kelly Krebs Morse · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, thank you to Laura Chinn, Ballantine, and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of Counting The Days. I loved reading this story and found it heart-warming and delightful.

Second, I found Rhea's point of view very interesting because, as someone who is married and a mother, I can't relate to her experiences. It opened my eyes to the flip side of being a single person who really wants to be married and have children, and the struggles they have. Throughout the book, all I wanted was for Rhea to get the guy of her dreams and the family she longed for.

I absolutely fell in love with Danny from their first meeting. I loved their banter and the way they riffed off each other's humor. They just seemed to fit together perfectly. I loved his conviction and the way he expressed his emotions in a healthy way.

One of the things I loved about this book was Rhea's group of friends and the way they all showed up for each other in different ways. They always wanted the best for each other and were funny. It felt like reading a group chat from my own phone.

This book is perfect for when you want to read a mature love story with serious issues. Also, it will make you feel grateful for what you have and remind you to stop thinking about the future and enjoy where you are now.

[Jen · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25 ⭐️

I sincerely wish each of you could simply jump into my brain and parse out what I’m feeling about this novel.

In a single word: conflicted.

On the one hand, the premise is strong and generally well-executed. On the other hand, while I liked Rhea, I found her overall characterization to be a poor fit for this genre. I don’t mind messy protagonists, but Rhea—at times immature, manipulative, and myopic—was hard to buy as the heroine in this kind of romance.

I want to be so very clear that I didn’t dislike Rhea. I would have eaten her up in some women’s or upmarket fiction that leaned into her flaws. But as the heroine in this otherwise (mostly) sincere novel, I found her a little too messy and hard to sympathize with. Danny, you patient, gardening saint of a man. Thank goodness you saw the best in her when I struggled to 😂

I think the themes explored here—fertility, loneliness, and navigating adulthood with friends in different phases of life—were all well handled. And even though I struggled with aspects of this book, it definitely left me thinking. (Honestly, I’d much rather feel conflicted about a book than feel nothing.)

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Ballantine for this advanced copy, provided in exchange for my honest and unbiased opinion.

[Janine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delightful romance exploring the complexities of modern womanhood and love and the complicated question of having children.

Rhea Darby is thirty-eight and the clock is ticking. All her friends are married and have children except her. She needs to find the guy who will give her what her friends have and voila! at her friend’s baby shower she meets Danny and things click. So begins a hot romance but when Rhea learns children are not in Danny’s future, where does that leave her?

This is a book about soul searching - what do we really want our lives to be? To look like what we might think everyone else has? That’s the elemental question Rhea grapples with as she and Danny fall in love. They really have a connection which the author portrays so well and it isn’t just physical - I felt these two had some depth and realism to their characters. So the question of whether Rhea can accept Danny’s future hangs in the balance with a lot of suspense but she knows her decision must be good for her as much as she loves Danny - you have to read the book to find out (it’s worth it).

I liked that the chapters were in days - how many days before Rhea’s birthday. I enjoyed Rhea’s friends. And I thought the author’s writing was splendid.

My thanks to NetGalley and Dell for granting me access to this ARC.

[Kate Underwood · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this to be a heart-wrenching, emotional journey, told in a wry and unique voice. Rhea’s determined, at age 38, to find the perfect man and begin having children as soon as possible, before her fertility “falls off a cliff.” She’s surrounded by pregnant women (her three closest friends), and while she’s so happy for them, all she wants is to build a family of her own.

When she meets Danny at a baby shower for one of those friends, their connection is instant and palpable. However, on their first date, he reveals that he never wants kids. What follows is a beautiful courtship that seems destined to fail, as Rhea attempts to set aside her desire to become a mother in favor of pursuing this man who’s perfect for her in every other way.

This novel portrays the struggles that so many women face of determining whether parenthood is for them, deciding in what areas of life they’re willing to compromise or settle, and the pain that can come from wanting so badly what others have.

Despite the heavy subject material, this novel is also infused with incredible humor and memorable characters. I flew through it. Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the ARC!

[Katie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Counting the Days follows Rhea, a 38-year-old single woman who is hoping to find a partner and have children. Rhea has a long-established friend group with a handful of women, all of whom have partners and are either pregnant or have children. Rhea meets Danny at a baby shower, and they instantly connect. The catch is that Danny not only doesn't want kids, but he is also adamant about it. This leaves them both with a very real struggle as they try to determine if there is any path they can take together.

All I want to do after reading this book is talk to my friends about it; it would be GREAT for book clubs. The discussion around the choice to have kids is so personal/varied/complicated/tender, with all views being VALID and worth consideration. I really appreciated the way these ideas and choices are explored through Rhea and Danny, as well as Rhea's female friendships.

If you have no interest in the discussion around parenting, this is probably not for you, but I am really glad I read it and wholeheartedly recommend it.

Thank you to Ballantine | Dell and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review!

[Gabriela · Rating 3 out of 5]

The summary of the book called to me as there is a focus on an issue that a lot of women deal with - the deadline of a biological clock!

We follow Rhea on her journey of trying to find her soulmate while also fulfilling her desire of becoming a mom. The connection between Rhea and Danny made me root for them and there where many times where their connection felt inevitable. But the conflict of where they stand on having children is where things get complicated in their relationship and its where I began to felt conflicted in Rhea's actions to achieve her goal of becoming a mom.

Even though I was not totally on board with Rhea's actions, I did enjoy seeing the character growth for Rhea and Danny towards the end of the book. Throughout the book we see how Rhea and Danny's troubled childhood impacted their mental health as adults and their ability to overcome these struggles allowed them to become people without the burden of their traumas.

Thank you Netgalley and Ballantine for the ARC!

[Rebecca Holliman · Rating 5 out of 5]

The characters in this rom-com steal the show! Rhea is funny and touchingly sensitive and kind, and her development as a character as she learns to accept herself with her own strengths and flaws and not allow herself to be defined by social media standards makes a great story. Danny's yearning, his appreciation of Rhea, and the care he takes of her shine from the pages, and the friend group of Zoe, Ada, and Tiny brings humor to the story and plays off Rhea's character well. Rhea longs for a child, and her determination to lock down the perfect guy before her fertility 'falls off a cliff'' at the age of 39 (according to her doctor) drives the countdown of the title and chapter headings. The 'baby hunger' that compels Rhea and the guilt-ridden jealousy she feels for her friends, all of whom are experiencing marriage and motherhood, ring authentically through the story, even the humorous parts. This is a perfect beach read, hugely entertaining but with some real substance, too.

[Mallory Moureau · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley, HaperCollins and Alexandria Bellefleur for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5⭐️ rounded up for a debut author

Very vulnerable look at “getting older” as a woman, especially a single childless one. Honestly this was depressing in many parts- the depiction of motherhood while partially accurate was sad. The state of the world was too real.

The FMC is very obsessive about finding a partner so she can get pregnant before this theoretical deadline. The obsession was off putting and so understandable at the same time. I did find it frustrating however that she was so focused on this deadline without truly knowing what her situation (for example what her AMH was).

The book was entertaining but not an “escape” like I prefer. It made me worry about my kids more than I already do.

[Kate · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this one a lot. The writing was fresh and voicey—introspective with a touch of dry/deadpan humor. The story is centered around a woman really interrogating her desire for children, and what tradeoffs that might mean for her life when she falls in love with a man who decidedly doesn’t want them. Overall it unfolds really naturally, and I appreciated how both characters navigated a really fraught situation. Rhea is deeply imperfect, but those are my favorite kinds of characters to read. It felt really relatable, as did the way Danny tried so hard to protect both of them from heartbreak.
I had a few hangups with the pacing, and while I like the slightly open-ended ending, it did seem to wrap up a little too quickly.

A solid, interesting read. 3.5 stars rounded up!

[itsallaboutbooksandmacarons · Rating 4 out of 5]

A more mature romance that explored love, uncertainty, and the emotions that come with opening your heart again later in life. I appreciated the honesty behind the experiences, especially the way the story showed that finding a meaningful connection can be complicated, exciting, and deeply rewarding at any stage.

The friendships between the women added so much warmth and authenticity to the story. Their support, conversations, and bond felt like an important part of the experience, bringing another layer of comfort and depth beyond the romance itself.

A beautiful reminder that love can arrive in unexpected ways, and that new beginnings can be just as powerful when life has already given us so much to carry.

[Bernadine · Rating 4 out of 5]

Filled with self-doubt and insecurities, Rhea begins a 365 day countdown journey in search of fulfillment. She has a strong supporting cast of female friendships, but no love interest. Her flawed and complicated childhood casts a long and dark shadow over her hopes for a future with a husband and children. Then she meets Danny, and it really gets complicated.

Part gut-wrenching and part heartwarming, Rhea’s journey is filled with revelations, realizations, disappointments and tears, but in the end she discovers what she truly wants and needs. Chinn has created characters and friendships that ring true. Counting the Days is a great read for women of all ages..

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for the complimentary eARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

[Cassie English]

Thank you to NetGalley for this digital ARC!

And thank you to this book for the phrase “parental PR nightmare” and also for painting such a beautiful and real picture of so many human relationships and feelings. It’s been a while since I cried during a book, and it felt quite nice! I truly cared about all of these characters and rooted for Rhea and Danny even when I was fully unclear as to how their relationship could ever move forward. The writing is engaging and funny and thoughtful, and Rhea’s anxiety specifically felt very relatable to me, which I always appreciate when reading. This book is beautiful.

[Sarah Pitcher-hoffman · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read; the main character, Rhea, had a great sense of humor and self-deprecating air about her that made her quite likable. I also enjoyed how this looked at the idea of bringing children into an already overpopulated world, and how none of us want to make the same mistakes our parents did. Another part I liked was how even though much of the book was focused on Rhea thinking about children and motherhood, in the end, it shows you that not every woman. needs to be a mother to be fulfilled, and this is probably something our culture needs to take a close look at. Thanks, NetGalley and Ballantine Books, for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhea has her life planned out on a vision board but as everyone is living the life she wants, her clock is ticking. Obsessed with the life she doesn't have and the family she can't manifest she sets a count down to when her options fall off the cliff. She meets Danny at her friends baby shower and immediately connects with him. He is set on being child free while all she dreams of is a child. The rest is the push and pull to grow and learn about themselves in the context of each other and internally. I enjoyed the evolution and real-ness.

[Claire Brantley Adams · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhea is a late 30s single female, whose biological clock is ticking. Her friends lives full of babies and pregnancies aren’t helping her situation. The book takes place over a year where she finds her soulmate. But it’s not your typical romance. She falls hard and fast for Danny, but there are many challenges along the way. A fun read that’s not your typical romantic trope. Thanks to NetGalley and Dell for the advanced digital copy.

[Bekah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Ballantine for this gifted arc! I really wanted to love this as the premise of the story is right up my alley but sadly it just didn’t work for me. I am not one to want to be negative about someone’s work. I know this would be loved by so many. Thank you again Ballantine and I am excited for the launch for this author

[Mere · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐

I will admit, I almost DNF'd this book around the 20% mark, for me it was a very slow start. That being said, I'm glad I stuck with it because I found that the portrayal of their love story was realistic and I was really rooting for them to make it! Danny didn't really do it for me but I adored Rhea and I loved all of her friendships!!!

[Mai H.]

📱 Thank you to NetGalley and Dell

[April · Rating 5 out of 5]

I LOVED this book! Highly recommend! I can see this being a new popular book. It was funny, witty, entertaining, emotional, sexy. You got all the emotions in here. Literally couldn't put it down.

[Megan Sisson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and Ballantine for this eARC.

Publication Date: August 11, 2026

I loved this story about Rhea, who is counting down the days until her 39th birthday, when her fertility will sharply decline so she has been told. This book is so funny but insightful also. It felt a little slow in the middle but wrapped up nicely and I really did enjoy reading it.

[Samantha (WLABB) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhea dreamed of the life she wanted, and that life included children. Now the countdown was on to her 39th birthday (when her fertility falls off a cliff!), and she hopes to be making her dreams come true by then. In a stroke of luck, she meets Danny, who's a ten but doesn't want children. Rhea must decide what she wants more in her future- Danny or children.

This was a very thoughtful story that was told with honesty and a good dash of humor. I am a mother, but I have never been married, so I could relate to Rhea regarding that feeling of being "the" single person.

Her situation was so tough. She was part of a tight quartet of women who had been friends since high school. Lo and behold, the other three were all simultaneously expecting. Obviously, this was a big part of their lives, but it was isolating for Rhea. Her backstory was kind of sad as well, and it solidified how important this friend group was to her. They were the only family she had.

It was easy to understand why Rhea had baby fever, but Danny turned her world upside down. He was a very kind, generous, self-aware man who made her laugh and loved her. He made her feel safe and cared for, but he was not budging regarding his stance on children.

As much as I appreciated the romance between Danny and Rhea, the bigger story was her personal journey. Rhea coming to terms with what she wants or should want according to society and the powers that be. She also had to battle her past. I felt Chinn navigated the conflict well, presenting it from multiple angles, and in the end, coming to a resolution that seemed fair and realistic to me.

*ARC provided by publisher

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[Megon · Rating 3 out of 5]

I didn't care for it. You've got a severely mentally ill woman. Her friends have to walk on eggshells around her. She has breakdowns because people didn't say the right thing to her. And she's obsessed with having babies even though she's single and at an age where it might be difficult. It was a hard book to read. At least it ends before she "accidentally" gets pregnant. The book was well written and interesting to see inside the mind of someone who thinks like that. Just not my cup of tea. I did get this book from goodreads.