Brooke Averick Details How Phoebe Berman Book Impacted Her Dating Life

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Sometimes, life truly imitates art. 

For Brooke Averick, who started on TikTok, then moved into podcasting, and is now a first-time author, writing her debut novel, Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It, and creating its relatable, anxious main character, unexpectedly changed her own life in significant ways.

Readers might be inspired by Phoebe’s quest to lose her virginity before turning thirty, especially given her long-standing dating anxieties. However, the author, Brooke, also learned something valuable while writing Phoebe’s story.

In an interview with TopMob News, she explained that, like her character Phoebe, she hadn’t dated much before she began writing. Interestingly, creating the character Phoebe actually motivated her to start dating more herself.

Both Brooke and Phoebe have openly discussed their struggles with obsessive-compulsive disorder, but their experiences with it quickly took different paths.

“I think that Phoebe’s thought spirals really mirrored my own, but the way that I was able to create a boundary between me and Phoebe was that she reacted to her thoughts spirals very differently than I do,” the 29-year-old explained. “I’m very type B.” 

She admits to being quite messy and disorganized, and says that stress completely overwhelms her. When faced with something difficult, she often finds herself unable to act and prefers to withdraw and stay in bed for extended periods.

Brooke explained that her character actually thrives under pressure. “Anxiety or stress motivates her to take charge,” she said. “She’s also very organized, a perfectionist, and always needs to have a plan in place.”

Phoebe is determined to have her first sexual experience, so she makes a detailed, laminated checklist with different plans for how things might go – and what she’ll do depending on how successful she is.

Brooke doesn’t usually make to-do lists, so writing the character of Phoebe – someone who’s carefree and spontaneous, but placed in a fantastical setting – was a particularly enjoyable experience.

The author drew inspiration from her own friends for the group of characters surrounding Phoebe in her new novel, which comes out on May 26th. This friend group is based on the real-life inner circle of Brooke, one of the co-hosts of the Brooke and Connor Make a Podcast podcast.

I put a lot of how I feel about my friends into the character of Phoebe, so her strong friendships reflect my own. Over time, being single has taught me that this kind of platonic love is incredibly important, and that’s something Phoebe also experiences as she grows.

Ultimately, the social media personality’s book isn’t a direct reflection of her own experiences. She explains, “I initially expected it to be much closer to my life story, but it evolved into something different.”

When Brooke’s book, featuring the character Phoebe, is released nationally on May 26th, readers can enjoy it with Crystal Light’s new flavors, which were created with inspiration from BookTok.

Customers can now enjoy three new lemonade flavors: Romance (Hibiscus Lemonade), Mystery (Prickly Pear Lemonade), and Fantasy (Passion Fruit).

The first flavor is inspired by romance, and it’s Brooke’s favorite. She describes it as light and fresh, adding with a smile, “Just like Phoebe!”

Brooke explained that the new feature taps into the current trend of people wanting to see their lives as something special. It’s a way to make reading more enjoyable, imaginative, and romantic – and to feel like you’re the star of your own story.

Phoebe Berman’s Gonna Lose It will be available in stores May 26.

Looking for a good book to enjoy with a cool, fruity Crystal Light? Check out our recommendations!

Release: March 10

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This first novel by the author of Long Live the Tribe of Fatherless Girls, Whidbey, isn’t always easy to get through, and is intentionally challenging at times. But the author navigates these difficult themes with sensitivity, resulting in a powerful and thought-provoking story.

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Charlie Jones starts a new job managing a farm shop on a remote island, only to discover another Charlie Jones has also been hired! Both are looking for a fresh start, but the owners are confused about which one they actually hired. They come up with a solution: both Charlies will work the job for a few months, and the one who does best will get to keep it. As they compete to prove themselves, they begin to realize they have more in common than just a name.

Coming April 7th, “Rainy March” introduces a book witch with a unique gift: she can enter the worlds of books to correct problems within their stories. There’s a catch – book witches can’t stay inside a book for very long. When Rainy’s grandfather and a treasured book disappear, she teams up with the fictional detective, the Duke of Chicago, and travels through classic novels to find them. During her search, she’ll uncover hidden family secrets and grapple with her growing feelings for the Duke.

Okay, so, April 7th is the day! I’m absolutely losing it for Emma Straub’s new book! It’s about this woman, Annie, who’s turning 50 and going on a cruise… but it’s a cruise for Boy Talk, the band she loved as a teenager! And it’s not one of those stories that makes fun of being a super fan, either. It sounds like a really honest look at getting older, and how celebrities and music can totally shape who you are. I’m already obsessed, honestly!

What really makes Straub’s book successful isn’t just its thorough look at the cruise experience through the eyes of Annie, pop star Keith, and cruise worker Sarah. It’s that the specific boy band isn’t important – she perfectly captures the nostalgic feeling of youthful adoration in a way that feels universal and enduring.

Coming April 14th, this story follows Cherry as she deals with the aftermath of a painful breakup. Her ex has publicly shared their intimate life in a wildly popular graphic novel, achieving internet fame in the process. While trying to rebuild her life, Cherry reconnects with an old friend, Russ, who offers a potential path to healing and moving forward.

Coming April 21st, “The Caretaker” offers a springtime scare. Macy, needing a job, takes a three-day caretaker position at a property in the Pacific Northwest, even though she senses something isn’t right. She quickly discovers that her instincts were correct – something is very wrong indeed.

Released on April 21st, this story takes us back to 2007 in Brooklyn, where Alicia Canales has returned to her Fort Greene neighborhood and is starting a new phase of her life. She finds herself drawn into the orbit of her intriguing artist neighbor, known for throwing unforgettable parties. Set against the backdrop of a rapidly changing neighborhood and the looming financial crisis, Xochitl Gonzalez delivers another compelling and unmissable story.

Released on May 5th, this story follows John-Calum as he returns to his close-knit, religious community in the Outer Hebrides of Scotland after struggling in Edinburgh. His father, John, is a respected figure there, while his grandmother, Ella, originally from Glasgow, has always felt like an outsider. Back home, Cal is trying to cope with the pressure of being watched, especially as he hasn’t come out about his sexuality. His relationship with his father is complex, filled with love, frustration, and occasional outbursts of anger.

Despite their conflict, the core issue lies in what these characters refuse to admit they have in common. This is a powerful and honest story exploring the relationships between fathers and sons, the weight of the past, and homophobia in 1990s Scotland—further establishing Douglas Stuart as an author everyone should be reading.

Scheduled for release on May 5th, this story follows Frankie, who is unexpectedly left at the altar. Determined to still take her pre-paid honeymoon, she heads to the peaceful rainforests of Tofino, British Columbia. Her childhood friend, George, reluctantly joins her. Over the course of the week, they have a chance to reconnect and either revive their old friendship or discover a romantic connection.

Premiering on May 5th, this story begins when American actress Monica Logue travels to Derry, Northern Ireland, to prepare for a role in a show about The Troubles, but then vanishes. Her disappearance quickly becomes the main topic of conversation, and everyone has their own ideas about what happened. The story unfolds through the perspectives of various people connected to the show and the historical events it portrays, all while the stressed screenwriter struggles to finish the scripts.

This film is a moving and often humorous look at how The Troubles continue to affect Northern Ireland, and how a difficult period in history can be turned into a tourist attraction.

Coming May 19th, the author of the popular Hollywood Renaissance series returns with a new novel. This time, the story follows screenwriter Verity, who must work with the composer who once broke her heart. They’re collaborating on a biopic about the Harlem Renaissance, and the project could be a career-defining success—or a complete failure. As they create the film’s story and music, Verity and Monk will be forced to confront their shared history.

Released on May 26th, this new book from historian Hugh Ryan follows up on his acclaimed work, When Brooklyn Was Queer, by sharing his personal story as a queer man growing up in the 1990s and early 2000s. Ryan vividly recounts his experiences with early internet culture – like AOL chatrooms – and navigating the nightlife scene while in college. The book thoughtfully explores what it meant to come of age during the excitement and uncertainty of the Y2K era and the rise of the internet, offering a compelling and honest look at this complicated time.

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2026-05-19 22:51