Twelve Months of Awkward Moments

by Lisa Acerbo

Dani can’t wait for senior year at college. A straight-A scholar whose anxiety is a daily struggle, being awkward, introverted, and studious has become a way of life. She vows this year will be different. It’s time to move beyond her comfort zone, but that’s not easy. Dani’s wild roommate and handsome best friend hate each other; her crazy family won’t leave her alone; and a new job forces her to be social. Unfortunately, when college romance finally calls, Dani is unable to answer thanks to a stalker who has her all tied up. Can she stay alive long enough to find love and graduate?

Genres: Contemporary

234 pages, Kindle Edition

First published August 30, 2018

About the author

Lisa Acerbo loves to read, write, drink coffee and wine, and rescue foster dogs. Her new book, Death and Coffee, was released on October 14, 2025, from NineStar Press. The Netherworld Witch, a YA fantasy, arrives in 2026.

Reviews

[Dianne · Rating 5 out of 5]

Looking for THAT read that will move your emotions, test your grit and open your eyes to a struggle that millions face on a daily basis? Lisa Acerbo’s TWELVE MONTHS OF AWKWARD MOMENTS is that book. This is NOT a gentle walk in the park, it is the story of one woman’s struggle to re-enter the human race, to function and find a sense of inner peace that will allow her to know more than awkward moments in life.

Dani was the “Good Girl.” She was the studious one, an introvert, the last person who should have a stalker. Dani also suffers from anxiety attacks, socially crippling. Lacking any real support from her dysfunctional family, she fails in relationships and over worries the “right way” to find the right partner and keep them. Her goal is to be “normal.” But what is normal? Her life is one awkward moment after another. Her internal pain is brutal.

Told through Dani’s eyes and mind, each page is taut, the tension is razor sharp and we are seeing life as she does. We hear her thoughts, her reactions, her “knowing” she is unable to see life as less awkward. Throughout, we hear about Jace, her last boyfriend and her best friend Kyle, who is her rock, who sees more in her than others. We also meet her best girlfriend, Tanya, who is Dani’s opposite, who encourages her to take chances, to date, to learn to enjoy life, not analyze each moment for flaws.

Certainly not light reading, it is definitely gripping as we watch Dani try to navigate a world that she doesn’t fit into. Then we watch as her torment is heightened by a stalker…and she journals every day, so we see firsthand what Dani feels, how she struggles to step out of her comfort zone, but can she or will an unknown evil thwart her every attempt?

Lisa Acerbo has nailed the “human” side of storytelling with depth, emotion and a feeling that Dani could be someone we know or saw on the street and we never knew she was struggling so hard. Highly recommended reading from a very gifted author.

I received a complimentary ARC edition from Lisa Acerbo!

Publisher: Torrid Books (August 30, 2018)
Publication Date: August 30, 2018
Genre: Contemporary Romantic Suspense
Page Count: 234
Available from: Amazon | Barnes & Noble
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[Giselle]

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[Grady · Rating 5 out of 5]

‘My life has been transformed by anxiety.’

Connecticut author Lisa Acerbo is a high school teacher and adjunct faculty at Norwalk Community College. Her published works include WEAR WHITE TO YOUR FUNERAL, NO TROUBLE AT ALL, APOCALIPSTICK, MYSTERY MAN IN THE LEATHER HAT, ALMOST WONDERFUL, THE LEATHERMAN COMES TO TOWN and now TWELVE MONTHS OF AWKWARD MOMENTS.

Lisa’s forte is romantic suspense and she proves her finesse in the manner in which she offers the Prologue to this new and excellent book – ‘There was never supposed to be a fairytale chance that I’d be the one in serious trouble. I’m the studious introvert. The college student who actually went to school to get a degree in something I love. The rule follower. The good girl. The last one asked to the party. Evil doesn’t care when bad things happen to good girls. Someone like me isn’t supposed to have a stalker, a man who makes panic track through me like a virus, a man who devours me like the cat in the Grimm fairytale. But here I am. I try to twist my head away, his palm smashes into my face, hitting my cheek and ear. Pain rings through my head. He draws back, knowing I’m trapped in my own living room. Dread coils in my stomach. Nausea ripens like week-old bananas. “This is what you want.” He spits the words. “This has always been what you wanted from the first day we met. I hate when women play games. For a while, I believed you might be different, but you’re not.” He inches towards me again, his fist raised, clenched and trembling. I’m unable to speak. I gag on my breath. “Or is this what you want?” His hand squeezes my arm so hard, I yelp. One small part of my brain realizes this might be my last chance to act. A sob escapes as I rip my arm away and run. But where can I go? I’m terrified of what follows. “Damn it, Dani! There is nowhere to go. What do you think you’re trying to do?” His voice is placating and whiny at the same time. Time slows as I sprint from the living room to the bedroom. My thoughts flee back to my ordinary life a few months ago.’

The story is ‘a year in the life’ theme, but the main character is developed so well that the Dani we first meet is on a rocket trip from sincere but frustrated bored student to a combustible situation. The synopsis provided by Lisa outline this journey well – ‘Dani can’t wait for senior year at college. A straight-A scholar whose anxiety is a daily struggle, being awkward, introverted, and studious has become a way of life. She vows this year will be different. It’s time to move beyond her comfort zone, but that’s not easy. Dani’s wild roommate and handsome best friend hate each other; her crazy family won’t leave her alone; and a new job forces her to be social. Unfortunately, when college romance finally calls, Dani is unable to answer thanks to a stalker who has her all tied up. Can she stay alive long enough to find love and graduate?’

Much of the success of this successful novel comes from the eloquent writing style of the author. She is most assuredly an author to watch.

[Μαρία Ν. · Rating 2 out of 5]

Honestly it pains me when I have to rate a book 2 stars as I want to find in each and every book I read something positive,but unfortunately I did not succeed here...Before I begin,I want to say that I really wanted to like this book.The summary was so interesting and I liked the premise of the main character being stalked.Only for this book to do not turn out the way I thought it would.

First of all,the premise(idea?) was interesting.Truly the reason why I chose to read this book was because the story included a stalker and I really wanted to read a dark romance.It's a pretty unusual trope,one you don't see a lot in fiction and I was curious as to how this would be executed.Unfortunately while reading I realised that the stalker issue was not covering not even the half of the book,but the biggest problem was that the closure given to this issue was pretty disappointing as it felt rushed.

Second,I was expecting this to be more of a dark romance and it turned out to be more of a coming-of-age story.I liked the coming-of-age aspects of the story more than the romance(s) and this comes from someone who doesn't like coming-of-age stories in general.The reason why I did not like the romance in this book was,because most if not all love interests were terrible and problematic choices each one in their own way.

This brings me up to my third point.I didn't like most of the characters in this book,not even Dani the main protagonist(the mom and the friends were likeable though except Kyle) for their immaturity.When I read a story I want to bond emotionally with the characters and sadly this did not happen here.I could not handle the fact that the main character acted so teenager-like when she is like my age(20-something).It was weird,thankfully though she matures a little by the end of the book.Her character overall felt so negative to me...

Finally,the author did a good job at portraying the feelings of a person growing up in a dysfunctional family and the impact of it on their psyche.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

**You can see this full review and more at Book Briefs: https://bookbriefs.net**
Twelve Months of Awkward Moments is a new adult romantic suspense by Lisa Acerbo. This book sent me on an emotional roller coaster ride. First, it wasn't at all what I expected it to be. I knew there was a stalker involved, but I didn't know too much more than that other than it was set at a college. I was expecting this to be a light romantic suspense story, heavy on the romance. And I have to tell you, this is a not what I would call a light read. It was much more intense than I was expecting. It took me a while to get my bearings with this novel, but I ended up enjoying the story.

The best part of Twelve Months of Awkward Moments were the characters. I absolutely loved Dani. I am going to be 100% honest with you. If I didn't love Dani so much, and if I didn't find her so relate able, this book would have taken me a lot longer to get through. I'm not even sure if I would have finished it. It's not that the book is not good. It is good, it was just a lot heavier than I was expecting. But I had to know what was going to happen in Dani's life. She pulled me in. Twelve Months of Awkward Moments is told from her perspective, which was a big winner for me. 

The book does live up to the title as well. There are plenty of awkward moments that Dani faced in her senior year of college. And it was refreshing to see a plot that was not 100% predictable. Twelve Months of Awkward Moments felt unique in a really good way. Fans of romantic suspense, and books that tackle some serious issues will really enjoy Twelve Months of Awkward Moments. And I think you will fall in love with Dani like I did. She is a character that I feel will really resonate with a lot of readers. You can't help but fall in love with her and you can't help but to root for her. 

This review was originally posted on Book Briefs

[Lauren Sapala · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was one of those books which you’re planning to read just a few pages of, just to see if you like it, and then two hours later you’re still reading even though you have a bunch of other things you were supposed to do. This is also one of those books that you think about even when you’re not reading it, and you keep trying to figure out ways to cancel other activities just so you can get back to it.

In a word: Addictive.

I absolutely LOVE when a book catches me by surprise like this and I’m so sucked in I don’t even notice time passing. I also love it when said book includes an awesome main character who is super relatable, and a plot that honestly defies my expectations. Throughout the story I was constantly trying to guess who the stalker was, and then changing my mind and guessing again. To me, this is the sign of an author who really knows what she’s doing, and also a sign that I’ll probably be rereading this book down the road because I got so much enjoyment out of it the first time.

Overall just a really awesome read. I would highly recommend to anyone who likes YA romance, NA romance, or just wonderfully written contemporary fiction.

[Dominique Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book to be super entertaining and it kept my interest from start to finish. It was not your typical college romance story and had many elements that made it dynamic. I really resonated with the main character and found her experiences both humorous and relatable as a recent college graduate myself. Despite that, I think this book is great for readers of many ages and would definitely recommend it.

[InD'tale Magazine · Rating 4 out of 5]

“Twelve Months of Awkward Moments” is a journal, of sorts, of the inner workings of Dani’s mind and heart as she accepts the challenge issued by her therapist.

Read full review in the 2018 September issue of InD'tale Magazine.

[Jules The Book Junkie Reviews · Rating 2 out of 5]

Twelve Months of Awkward Moments follows college student, Dani, through a difficult senior year. This NA novella is more of a coming-of-age story than any other genre.

Dani comes from a troubled family. Her parents are divorced. Her father suffers from excessive paranoia. Her uncle suffers from an unnamed mental illness. Dani herself is battling with anxiety. At the start of the story, it is hard not to feel Dani’s pain and loneliness mixed in with her fear, negativity and worry about her future.

”I have an evil voice inside my head. It’s always on repeat. It tells me nothing is going to workout. Ever.” --Dani

Author Lisa Acerbo’s early portrayal of Dani is moving and respectful of those with anxiety disorder. Authentically, Ms. Acerbo has Dani shun her prescribed medication and turn to self medication (alcohol) when she returns to school. While Dani’s mental health made her very empathetic, her behavior and attitude toward her family—especially her response to a family tragedy—made her less likable to me.

Dani is described as an awkward introvert, yet she spends a great deal of the book looking for love in all the wrong places, including Tinder and the office. I just couldn’t reconcile those attributes. Once Dani starts her senior year, I felt the depiction of her anxiety diminish in authenticity. I loved her friends’ support of her throughout the story. Both her roommate, Tanya, and declared best friend, Kyle, seem to understand her issues and accept her unconditionally.

The book starts with a frightening scene that sets the expectation for a tense thriller, however, Ms. Acerbo didn’t deliver on the intensity. If the book is intended for older high school to early college aged readers, the toned-down suspense relative to a young woman being stalked may be appropriate. However, for me, the detailed daily existence prose didn’t increase the sense of impending conflict, and it didn’t portray Dani as being crippled by her anxiety; it just showed her poor decisions pertaining to her social life and her disdain for her family and her jobs.

Overall, a lightweight, but respectful treatment of anxiety and a mild thriller that can easily be read in one seating. The writing is technically good, but the storytelling could be punched up with increasing dread and a bigger story zenith. The denouement is a positive end (or beginning) for Dani without much of a resolution regarding the main story conflict.

I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. For more reading recommendations, visit Book Junkie Reviews at www.abookjunkiereviews.wordpress.com

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dani is starting her last year of college. She is determined to become completely independent. She is a A scholar who has anxiety issues that she battles on a daily basis. She is an introvert who struggles to leave her comfort zone. With the help of her best friends Kyle and Tanya she has survived so far.
With her awkward family demanding her time and her friends pushing her to be more social, Dani faces her toughest challenges yet. Her physiatrist wants her to move past her comfort zone and start dating again. After her last relationship of abuse, Dani is finding this to be a hard step. When a stalker starts leaving threatening notes and she starts seeing things, Dani begins to wonder if her ex is after her again.
Can Dani survive her senior year and live to tell about it?
If you are looking for an emotional read, then this book is for you. It really digs deep and touches on a subject that many people struggle with everyday. Mental Illness. Dani has several people in her family that suffer from mental illness and Dani herself struggles with anxiety and social awkwardness. She is always second guessing her decisions and conversations. She has to be perfect at her studies and she is extremely hard on herself. In this book you get to see Dani grow and learn to cope with her disabilities and fall in love. It is a tough road for her, but she is a strong girl.
This book was a steady read. Not really a thriller, but does have some suspense and a bit of danger in it. This book will reach down into your soul. You can't help but feel for the Dani and love her. There were times when I felt she was blind to some things going on in her life, but she figures it out.
Overall this is a very good read. One that feels real, with real life problems. An emotional roller coaster, with wonderful characters. If you love books that deal with depression and different levels of mental illness, then this book may be up your ally. It is well written and enjoyable.
*ARC provided by Lisa Acerbo & Xpresso Book Tours.

[Ibukun · Rating 3 out of 5]

*I received an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review
Dani is a college student who struggles through daily anxiety. In fact, mental illness might just be hereditary for her, since her family is not exactly normal. To make matters worse, she now has a stalker. In this story, we see Dani navigate her awkward life with the help of her more outgoing friends.
I was very interested in reading this book, and although it wasn’t quite what I expected, it still kept me turning the pages. Based on the synopsis, I expected the stalker to be a larger aspect of this book. It wasn’t, though, and I didn’t mind as much as I thought I would.
I’ll admit that the first fifty or so pages (maybe more) were the hardest for me to get through, simply because they felt so slow. I’m usually the kind of person to finish books like these in a single seating, but I couldn’t do that for Twelve Months of Awkward Moments. That said, things did get much better eventually, and I was able to get into the story and finish it quickly.
Once I got into the story, I found it to be very entertaining. I don’t have any personal experience with severe anxiety, but I thought the author’s portrayal of Dani’s feelings were well delivered. I enjoyed Dani’s awkwardness, and felt a lot of second-hand embarrassment, which doesn’t happen often.
In a nutshell, if you don’t mind going through a few slow pages in the beginning, you’ll find that Twelve Months of Awkward Moments is worth your time.

[Pegboard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lisa Acerbo creates a story centered on Dani, a girl beginning her senior year in college. Twelve Months of Awkward Moments recounts the efforts she takes to handle her anxiety while obeying her therapist’s advice to date more. Dating comes easy for some, but Dani seems to attract guys on the verge of creepy. Her friends, Tanya and Kyle, have to help keep her focused and rescue her from one of these guys who stalked her.

Twelve Months of Awkward Moments has the typical college setting and the hormones that run havoc among young people. Lisa Acerbo does an excellent job implementing the importance of handling anxiety and mental illness. Dani feels overwhelmed by the dysfunctional events presented by her family, but has learned to handle it well. There are several points I think the author wishes to address; take notes from stalkers seriously, be open with your friends about your anxiety needs, and work at becoming a stronger person for yourself, even if stand up to family and friends.

[Valery · Rating 4 out of 5]

Twelve Months of Awkward Moments by Lisa Acerbo was a bit of a surprise of a book. This book reads like a journal, but hides a much deeper core. Dani is a great girl, just wants to do the right thing, finish college, and get on with her life. But as always, life intervenes, and Dani faces new challenges as a stalker threatens to disrupt everything. What might appear to be a light story on the surface, and certainly the title makes it appear so, this book is much more, truly highlighting the internal struggles of Dani, what she goes through on a daily basis, and her ravaged emotional state. This is indeed not a light read. The author does a fantastic job of profiling the issues that Dani faces, challenging her comfort zones, and this book proves to be a pretty intense story. The author has truly touched on many issues that young women face when coming into their own. This book is highly recommended for a surprisingly riveting read.

[Adricrisuruta · Rating 4 out of 5]

It has been a shocking reading.
We know Dani, a normal girl who suffers anxiety attacks that make her feel insecure at all times. We see how during his last year of university he has to go through numerous situations that will make his stress and anxiety soar but also as he struggles not to let life control him. With a dysfunctional family that is more of a burden than a support, a stalker and loyal friends will have to face that year and overcome it along with their fears.
I love how the author lets us see Dani's mind, her emotions, fears and insecurities but also how she strengthens and struggles because none of this makes her life a chaos.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is most definitely not your run of the mill romantic suspense novel.  The narrative method of story telling makes this feel more personal, and provides the reader with the opportunity to really forge a connection with Dani.  As a result, this is elevated from a diary-like tale, to something deeper and more complex.

At times more difficult to read, due to the issues Dani deals with, that only strengthens the overall satisfaction gained from the conclusion of the tale.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.

[Hauntedbybooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

From the moment I read that title of this book, I wanted to read it! This is one of those books you can't stop reading! I loved the writing and the characters. I think everyone can relate to Dani, regardless of age. This book is faced paced and definitely kept me on my toes! This book is a perfect read for anyone who likes romance and suspense!

[Lori · Rating 4 out of 5]

This,was a nice read. The story was well written with good characters. I would have liked to have known more of how everything turned out eventually for the heroibe. The ending left a lot of questions. I received this as an arc for my honest review. I would recommend this book.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Jeanne Richardson · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the 1st book I've read written by Lisa Acerbo; she has done a great job at writing a good book; I can’t wait to read more of her books.

The story line caught my attention at the very beginning and kept me interested throughout the entire book.

I received a free copy of this book via booksprout and I’m voluntarily leaving a review.

[Lisa H · Rating 4 out of 5]

Wasn’t sure.

I wasn’t sure what to expect from this book. I thought it would be more of a comedy but it was dealing with Dani’s stalker and panic attacks and her friends and family. And college. It’s very YA, told first person.

[Julius Blitzy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story and the emotions of the main character seem close to many people. The main character is an introvert girl with a difficult life situation. The story begins that a young girl who has to return to college after the summer holidays, but she is nervous and her doctor Sandra helps her in this - listens attentively. She as a real friend tries to support Dani, finds different ways to solve the problem.

I have noted how the author accurately conveys the feelings of each child before the beginning of the academic year, so the reader can recall his young years, which makes reading even more appealing.

Despite the fear of being rejected, Deni tries to change her life step by step, meeting new people and changing her behavior, and in the end she meets a person, but the end is unpredictable! The main character wakes up her former state of mind and acts like no one expected. I was surprised. I read this book with pleasure and I advise everyone to experience all these emotions that the main character faced.

[Jackie Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very interesting read that I enjoyed. The main character is similar to how I am so it was easy to connect with her.

There were brief times where I had a hard time following along but I think that’s because my brain’s been fogged up by my schoolwork as of late. It actually took me longer to finish this book because I was busy working on all of that.

I liked how anxiety was explored in this and how accurately it was described. It’s taken me years to figure out what it was that I experience often only I’ve never been to a therapist like Dani has. I just try to deal with it as much as I can on my own. It’s strange because from January to June of this year, I didn’t really deal with anxiety at all and it was such a wonderful feeling. I wish I could go back to that time period.

Anyway, back to the book, Lisa wrote this wonderfully and I loved how quickly I breezed through it. If a book keeps my attention for long periods of time, that’s always a wonderful sign!

I do have to be honest and say that I had suspected two people of possibly being Dani’s stalker but never the person that it ended up being!

The ending felt slightly open ended to me but I still enjoyed it nonetheless! I feel like I need a sequel to this one with the Dani and the other character at the end so that I can swoon!

I received an e-copy of this from XPresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review.

[Lisa · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thanks to everyone who read and reviewed. This was a very personal story in many ways.