Grace, a Marketing Manager at Fate, a true-love-focused dating app, is close to burning out, stuck in her career, and reeling from a bad breakup. Meanwhile, Eric Bancroft, a socialite working at Fate’s sister “swipe” app, lands the same role without the grind.

Initially work friends, their relationship has soured into workplace rivalry - earning Eric the nickname “Wankcroft” from Grace. When tasked with launching a new in-person dating app, they must test the dates themselves, pitching a launch plan for the lead role.

There’s a lot of big romance authors I’m just not a fan of - and I think it’s mostly American humour not hitting the way I want it to and I felt so much more in touch with the more British style quick-witted nature Grace has had me chuckling throughout. The dynamic between Grace and Eric is quickly established within the book and is believable from the get-go, and I loved Eric's soft and respectful pining through through the story, and Grace's confidence establishing itself through the book with the end lobby scene.

I also liked that there were lots of tropes but none of them were too strong or overdone as sometimes when it focuses on one it verges into a bit cheesy: enemies to lovers, workplace romance, forced proximity, slow burn, fake dating.

Thanks for the advanced review copy #NetGalley and Penguin

Grace & Eric ❤️

💕Grace and Eric work for the same holding.company, for rival dating apps. Hers is all about finding the happily ever after, his is about the hookup.

💕When the pair are given a joint project to work on to develop a set of dates that users can tap into, things about their past come to the surface and truths are revealed.

✏️There’s a fair amount of rivalry between Grace and Eric, but it all feeds into the slow burn of the storyline. With a single POV, we see things from Grace’s perspective but it would have been nice to get some of Eric’s thoughts too! Set in London, with supportive friends, her horrible ex and exploitative female boss, the fun dates the two go on make for good reading.

Read courtesy of Netgalley and the publisher
My rating 4/5 - ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

The Launch Date ended up being the fun, steamy and full of feels rom-come than I needed. I've never read The Hating Game, but plot wise it is very similar to the movie, so if that kind of 'rivals to lovers where they both like each other but don't act on it' is your kinda jam, I would 100% check this out.

My only gripe with this really was the miscommunication... it's 2025 guys, we must be able to find some other way to keep our characters apart by now. It wasn't as prevalent as in other books, and it certainly wasn't the only thing keeping them apart, but I really do just detest it as a trope, so it's use did let the story down for me a little... Now onto the good stuff though.

The story is told solely from the POV of Grace Hastings, who works at 'fate' the dating app where people go to find their one true love... Grace's dream job, or so she thought until she was dumped by her fiance and dumped on by her boss. She's someone who has all the anger and fight when it comes to standing up for others, but is terrible at standing up for herself, that is until the chance arises to creep out from under the shadow of her boss and show what she is truly capable of. The only problem? It means working with, and against, her rival Eric Bancroft. Eric works for a rival app whose visitors are more likely to look for a one night stand than one true love, something that Eric seems to be the king of himself. I thought Slator did a really great job of making Eric a character you really like and care about, especially when you consider he doesn't get a POV. She gives you just enough to empathise with him, whilst still being wary thanks to something that happened in his and Grace's past, but we know from page one how smitten he is with her.

Both of these characters were broken in their own way. Grace afraid she will never get out from the shadow of her boss, and still reeling from the break-up of her last relationship. She's almost anti-romance, afraid it will never work for her, and that's one of the reasons why she tries so hard to keep Eric at arms length. And Eric, seeming party playboy, with a fresh woman on his arm at every event, but the truth of him couldn't be more different. Caring, loving, someone who looks after his sister when his parents decide she's become too much... he's someone who know's what he wants but is afraid that he simply can't ever have it.

The banter between these just took off from their first interaction, and it's clear early on that they have some history, something from their past they are ignoring/running from. Their tension screams off the page, and Slator really gives us the goods when it comes to their scenes together. There were so many where I thought they were going to kiss, or fuck, but Slator makes it wondrously slow burn and absolutely worth the wait. The idea to set this around 'love' based apps was clever enough, but to have these two rivals going on dates, having to work together whilst going up for the same job... it was *chefs kiss* for the humour and tension alone, but she also gives us the chance to watch them fall in love. It's definitely a he fell first kind of romance, and this is shown mostly through the flashbacks we get at the start of some of the chapters, but Eric absolutely isn't alone in the feelings department, it just takes Grace a little longer to get there.

It's one of those rom-coms where the whole book is centered around romance, not just of the two MC's, but the workplace they're in and their jobs. So if you like your books where the focus is solely on the romance I would definitely recommend giving this ago. Don't get me wrong, we have the plot of Grace and Eric going on the dates to test out a new app, them both going for the same job, but it's like they're the sun and the rest of the story just circles around them, never really leaving their orbit. But that just adds an intensity to the story, and especially to the romance unfurling between these two characters. We get a true deep dive into their lives, the good and the bad, meaning we get invested in the outcome, and boy was I invested in these two.

Perfect for fans of rivals to lovers, slow burn romance and workplace romance. Grace and Eric were both brilliantly brought to life and I loved every tension filled second spent with them both.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Grace Hastings is stuck. Her career at Fate, a dating app she no longer believes in, is going nowhere, her boss is unbearable, and her love life is non-existent. So when the company’s CEO offers her a shot at her dream job (working on a new app that actually aligns with her values) she jumps at the chance. The only catch? She has to test-run a series of first dates with her biggest rival, Eric Bancroft, the charming but insufferable playboy who’s competing for the same promotion. But fake dates don’t lead to real feelings - right?

This was a fun take on the workplace enemies to lovers trope, with great chemistry between Grace and Eric. Their banter and tension made the fake dating setup entertaining, and I really enjoyed the way their dynamic evolved throughout the book.

My only real criticism is that I didn’t always vibe with Grace’s character - there were moments where she frustrated me, which did take away from my overall enjoyment. The pacing was spot on, making this a perfect, lighthearted read.

If you’re looking for a fun, well-paced romcom with strong chemistry and a fresh spin on classic tropes, The Launch Date is definitely one to add to your summer 2025 reading list. I’ll be recommending this as a great beach read!

I thought I was deep into a reading slump until I received the eARC for this workplace enemies to lovers romance. Then I read the entire thing in two days (whilst also working full time).
I really enjoyed the layers this story has. The characters have their history and their relationship wasn't always as charged as it is at the beginning of this novel. Little by little the reader is let into their history and learns about all the intricate details of their dynamics.
Other than that the story, the characters and the writing made for a very enjoyable, binge-worthy novel.

★★★★★

💌 rivals to lovers
🤳🏼 he falls first & harder
💌 workplace romance
🤳🏼 slow burn
💌 forced proximity

This is such an amazing debut from Annabelle Slator - it’s a rivals to lovers workplace romance, sort of second chance, and the angst and the pining is just 🤌🏼 perfection I love it 👏🏼

This is very British and I forget how refreshing it is to read something I relate to so much! It’s set in central London, they work in a tech startup, it’s a public school boys club, there are sweaty tubes and bustling cafes and every single bit of it is my life 🥹 I related to the characters and their experiences so much, and it made me love it even more.

Grace and Eric are perfect, I truly think they’re made for each other. They challenge & support each other in the way that only really special people can. I loved watching their relationship evolve from colleagues to enemies to tentative friends and finally lovers - and their slow burn was so so good! When they finally got together I honestly shed a tear of happiness, these two are everything 🫶🏼

I love a work place romance and when you throw in enemies to lovers I already know I am going to love it so when I read the synopsis for this one I knew I wanted to read it.

I enjoyed the story of each character even though we only got one POV, Grace's journey of self-discovery was a joy to follow and I was invested in the couple.

The only thing that fell a little short for me was the spicy scenes, they just didn't work for me, I love a spicy scene but I am equally happy with closed door and I think in this case maybe that's what it should have been as the scenes ended up taking away from romance and investment I had in the couple.

A cute workplace romance. I loved the push, pull and chemistry between Grace and Eric. The intrigue was there as to why they went from lovers to enemies and some of the fake dates they had to go on were hilarious.

At first i thought I couldn’t engage with the book with all the jargon in marketing and dating apps but that was only a couple of chapters and then the rest flowed well.

I enjoyed Graces character development from being a doormat to standing up for herself and Eric just seemed so dreamy. Overall if you want a cute workplace romance this is a great read.

Out 13th February, perfect for a Valentines read.

In this witty and fun rom-com debut from Annabelle Slator, rival coworkers become reluctant daters after they're forced to work together on a brand-new dating app in hopes of winning a promotion.

This was so fun!! I loved the dynamic between Eric and Grace from the off but it only got better and better as the book went on. I enjoyed the dating app behind the scenes and love knowing that the author did actually herself work in the dating app world!

The chemistry between Eric and Grace was electric.

I rated this 3.5 stars.

I had very conflicting feelings about this book and eventually I settled on a 3 star rating.

I did think it was fun, flying through it in a day. Pacing wise, it went quite quickly. However, I did feel like the way the couple was set up as 'enemies' who had history already wasn't done particularly well. The fact that they had been friends before their rivalry isn't really mentioned until 30-40% of the way through which made the timeline of their relationship seem quite muddy.

Character-wise, while I did enjoy Grace'c character development in the end, she was a doormat for most of the novel. Not in a oh-she-takes-on-a-little-extra-work sort of way but in a this-is-a-serious-HR- violation sort of way.

The Launch Date took a lot of it's beats from The Hating Game in a way that I found a little distracting but if you like workplace romances this one will be right up your alley.

Thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the e-arc!

Grace Hasting’s is offered the chance of her dream job as head of marketing for a new dating app. The only problem is her biggest rival and ex friend, Eric Bancroft is also being considered and even worse, as research into the new app, they need to go on fake dates together. Will they manage to put aside their differences and maybe find out they aren’t so incompatible after all?

This was such a good romantic debut! I knew I wanted to read this when I saw the blurb as I enjoy the enemies to lovers trope and the premise of it being set around fake dates and dating apps sounded like it would be interesting. Straight away I was invested in the story and the characters. Grace and Eric were strongly written and even though they could be frustrating, I was desperately rooting for them. The tension and connection between them was sending sparks off the pages.

The story is also laced with important topics, such as company politics, which are explored well. Even though it was a bit of a slow burn, it was an entertaining journey, full of banter and steaminess. I enjoyed the ending and will definitely be recommending this uplifting, passionate debut. I can’t wait to read more by this author. 4.5 stars. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this copy in return for an honest review.

Grace is stuck in a dead-end job at a dating app, freshly dumped, and feeling like a total fraud when it comes to love. When her CEO offers her a shot at a big promotion by launching a new IRL dating app, she’s all in—until she finds out she has to test the dates with her work nemesis, the annoyingly charming playboy Eric Bancroft. As their dates get chaotic, Grace starts to realize that maybe Eric isn’t as bad as she thought—and maybe love isn’t either.

Grace and Eric made such a great enemies-to-lovers couple! I really liked how the story alternated between past and present, showing how their friendship evolved (and fell apart) over time.

Grace’s storyline had a lot of depth, especially with everything she went through—from her ex to her boss—which added a lot of emotion. And Eric trying to balance his job, fight for a promotion, and deal with the press about him and his sister made his side of the story just as compelling.

The slow burn between them was done so well, making their transition from friends to enemies to lovers feel natural and satisfying. Plus, the supporting characters really brought the story to life. Such a fantastic debut from Annabelle Slator!

Thank you to NetGalley for the download.

A super cute workplace enemies to lovers romance that I didn’t want to put down!!

Thank you to much to Netgalley and the publisher for my copy!

This is a fantastic friends to enemies to lovers, workplace romance debut, which follows the story of Grace and Eric.

Grace has spent years trying to prove herself at Fate, a dating app and when the chance at getting the promotion she’s dreamt about, Grace is apprehensive and determined to beat the only thing standing in her way - Eric Bancroft.

Grace and Eric were friends before becoming enemies. Grace finds Eric to be insufferable, cocky, arrogant and unjustly gorgeous.

In order to get the promotion, they are required to work together on a new app, which requires real-life connections, and they have to have a series of ‘test’dates’.

The rivalry between Grace and Eric is hilarious at points, with banter and longing which turns into something much more intense.

This is quite the slow burn and I thoroughly enjoyed the past chapters, which gave us an insight into their friendship and what went wrong.

Despite the rivalry between them, Grace and Eric work together so well and actually bring the best out in each other.

I am excited to read what Annabelle releases next💕

I’m incredibly grateful for the opportunity to read this ARC, thank you to the publishers for the chance.

I read this in one sitting!

Could not put it down!

I kinda thought Eric and Grace would end up doing what they did!

Thank you Annabelle Slator for getting me out of my slump!


Thank you to the Random House UK team at Netgally for the ARC.

The launch date was a cute cozy enemies to lovers office romance. I absolutely adored Eric and Grace. ERIC BANCROFT THE MAN YOU ARE. I found myself in love with him from the moment i read about him. He’s rich, he’s sarcastic and CHARISMATIC.

Eric and Grace get partnered together having to complete a series of dates in the lead up to presenting their own projects both rivalling for the same promotion.

The author seamlessly weaved past and present so it flowed well. I haven’t rooted for 2 characters this much in a long time. Such an easy fun read which had me kicking my legs and giggling. Highly recommend it.

Thank you for the e arc

I LOVED this book. Filled with so much tension I was kicking my feet and giggling the whole way.

Definitely comps with the hating game and it really reminded me of nostalgia rom coms.

THIS is how you write enemies-to-lovers office romance! When I say I want slow burn, this is exactly what I mean - actual rivalry that believably progresses into romance, not insta-love disguised as dislike.

Grace genuinely loathes Eric, and he's a bonafide arrogant, cocky, playboy office jerk who seems to enjoy making her angry - not because he's secretly pining, but because he actually dislikes her. Their backstory unfolds with perfect pacing, touching on something deeply relatable: not just romantic heartbreak, but the devastating loss of a friendship and the pain of discovering someone thought badly of you all along. This history creates a workplace rivalry that feels authentic and earned.

The romantic tension is absolutely incredible. The author crafts classic moments - the accidental fall-and-catch, the close-quarters confrontation, the tension-filled doorway scene - in ways that feel natural and believable. I spent half the book kicking my feet and giggling while also screaming “NOW KISS!”

What sets this book apart is how the author lets situations and actions communicate the emotions, rather than telling us how the characters feel. The chemistry builds through meaningful interactions instead of endless internal monologues about how attractive they find each other. It's refreshing to read a romance that trusts its readers to pick up on the subtle shifts in dynamics.

This book is a must read for if you love rivals/enemies-to-lovers progression, slow burn, great banter, a sprinkle of fake dating, and tension that you can cut with a knife.

I can't wait for this to release - it's an immediate add to my slow-burn favorites shelf .

-Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

3.5 stars

A workplace rivalry romance? Sign me up!
The Launch Date is absolutely bingeable. The story kept me glued to the pages, wanting to know how things would unfold. It gave me The Hating Game vibes, but unfortunately watered down.
This book had so much potential for angst, however I didn't feel like it delivered on that aspect. The rest of it though? I liked!

Thank you to Transworld for the ARC. All opinions are my own.

"Dancing is what we've been doing this entire time. The push and pull. To say it is anything but a dance would be an understatement."
3.75⭐

Gracie Hastings is a marketing manager for one of the biggest startups in London, working for Fate (a dating app)
'She markets love for a living but has absolutely no romantic prospects.'
She has to work head to head with her rival/nemesis to get a big promotion it's either her or him. In doing so she will have to go on a series of dates with Eric Bancroft (the hot shot sexy man all women love and are obsessed with)
Therefore, they attempt a ceasefire in order to work on this project and be objective about it. However, going on dates with your ex-friend/rival/ nemesis is not that easy especially when things start to heat up between the two 😉 🫠.
First of all, thanks to @netgalley and the publisher for granting me an ARC of #TheLaunchDate in exchange for my honest review.
I liked this book and enjoyed reading about the journey of a woman struggling in a male dominated world trying to prove herself that she is capable and enough. While also spotlighting the toxic and manipulative relationship that she was involved in and how deeply it affected her love life afterwards. Those points were so important in the novel and we get to see how Gracie was navigating her love and work life while having Eric by her side as an example of an honest and loving man.
The only thing I disliked about the book was the miscommunication troop which I hate to be honest and that it was too slow burn for my taste.
Hope you give it a chance and pick it up once it's out.

Xoxo😘