The Dating Ban: Finding Myself... One Clay Gnome at a Time

Mind the Corbin Brothers, Book 1

By: Dani Elias

Narrated by: Roxy Isles, Benjamin Crow

Finding yourself gets complicated when someone else finds you first.

Ivy
At forty-one, my career as an Urban Planner is on track, but my personal life? A total car crash. After one too many terrible dates my therapist handed me a three-month dating ban. Apparently, I’m supposed to “focus on myself,” which so far includes yoga I’m terrible at, clay work that looks like it was done by a four-year-old, and a baking attempt that produced something akin to cat vomit. But I’m determined to stick to the plan and so the last thing I need is the nosy café owner with the cheeky smile setting up camp in my dreams.

Theo
Life as a single dad means keeping up with Lucy, my 5-year-old tornado who can charm free biscuits out of strangers faster than I can make a flat white. Between running my Viennese café and bedtime negotiations that rival UN peace talks, I don’t exactly have time for complications. Then Ivy shows up, all sass and determination, ranting about her therapist’s odd rules and ordering coffee like it’s a science experiment. The curvy beauty is funny, clever, and unexpectedly refreshing to have around. She is a friend I never knew I needed… just a friend. Then my meddling brothers put all sorts of ideas in my head and that’s just so not what I need.

Prepare for a laugh-out-loud romcom bursting with quirky characters, cheeky banter and enough chemistry to steam up your coffee. Meet our unconventional leads: a chaotic plus-size FMC and a dorky single dad MMC, both in their 40s and ready to embrace life's curveballs. With twists and turns so funny they'll have you snorting your tea, this story proves it's never too late for a bit of delightful chaos.

©2025 Dani Elias (P)2025 Blue Nose Publishing, Dani Elias

This is a cute read

This is a cute read or in my case listen. Roxy Isles and Benjamin Crow both brought to life Ivy and Theo. They did so good that I was so engaged in this story because of them.

One of my kryptonite's are cute kids. I just fall for cute kids and Theo's daughter stole my heart. Lucy is so full of personality. She is my kind of girl. We both agree that "there is no such thing as too much cake."

When you are least looking for love, it comes along and it can be great. All of the events that Theo and Roxy attended got more and more entertaining. So, grab your earbuds and listen to this fun audiobook!

Such good narrators!

Having read this book when it came out, I had really high hopes for an audio book adaptation. The narrators really bring the three main characters together and it made the story even better than before!

A Fresh Take on a Slow Burn Romance

I absolutely loved everything about this book. Dani's writing is funny and poignant. Her characters were delightful, from flailing Ivy who grows a lot and becomes someone confident in herself, to single-dad Theo who just a little nerdy and raising a five-year-old daughter. Lucy, Theo's daughter, was a true highlight for me, being both realistically written and voiced phenomenally well by Roxy Isles. This is definitely a slow-burn romance, but with a twist. It's really a story about how two people meet and become friends first, which gives a super solid foundation for their relationship. All the characters felt real and genuine to me.

Let's gush about the narrators. Roxy Isles and Benjamin Crow were both new to me, but whew, were they a dynamic duo in duet. Benjamin simply embodied the slightly awkward and earnest Theo. Theo's brothers, Jasper and Geoffrey, are there to support Theo, and occasionally lead him astray. Benjamin give each of them their own voices and perspectives as well. Roxy 100% stole the show as Ivy and Lucy. Toss in Ivy's bestie Christa and her therapist Phyllis (or Pee-Pee as she is aptly nick-named) and you have a master class in narration. Seriously, 12 stars out of 5, no notes, just adoration.

Fabulously Entertaining Story & Listen🎧

This story and audiobook certainly has the wow factor, and I loved everything about it, from the author’s wonderful writing style and way with words to the fabulous characters and storylines she created to the perfectly cast narrators who brought it all to life, from the pages to your ears. Ivy’s personal life is spinning out of control, and her therapist recommends a dating ban after all the disastrous dates she has been on, and the one that starts off the story is a real doozy of a date, times four. And just when she stops looking, she meets him, Theo, the single dad of a darling five-year-old daughter, Lucy, and the barista/owner of a new Viennese cafe. Their first meet was cute, and despite it not going anywhere, dating ban and all, the two became good friends, or rather, the three, because Lucy is part of the picture and a real scene stealer. I adored these characters, and the side characters were just as amazing, her friend and his brothers. The witty dialogue and banter and hilarious scenes were charming and added a lot to the story, gnomes included. I loved all the layers of this story and how it all played out with the perfect balance of drama, low on the angst, high on the humor and the heart, the chemistry brewing for a wonderful and meant to be romance. The writing, plot and world building are fantastic, as are the character growth and development. Dani Elias, thank you for this fabulous story, the laughs and the emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧 Roxy Isles and Benjamin Crow did an amazing job voicing the characters, and I loved how they took each role and made it their own, sounding believable and just as I imagined the characters to sound. Isles nailed it as Ivy, grasping every aspect of her personality, from her insecurities to her quirkiness and witty snark to her strength and determination, and her Lucy was great too. Crow was just as fabulous as Theo, showcasing his personality perfectly. Both were fantastic at performing the roles of the side/secondary characters, his brothers and her friend included. They set the ideal tone for the story, handled the witty dialogue naturally and with ease, landing the humor effortlessly. Their expressive performance conveyed all the characters’ emotions and had you feeling them all. It is a joy to listen to these two entertaining storytellers, and their enthralling performance keeps you glued to the story.

Finding yourself, and Finding a Family!

First off, Roxy Isles and Benjamin Crow did a brilliant job with the narration.
This was such a heartwarming book about Ivy finding herself, and realizing that she is deserving of love and happiness. I loved her struggles and triumphs. And finding the man of her dreams(and child of her dreams) was so well written.

I loved Theo, and his struggles with life and finding himself. His awkwardness was so cute! Theo learning to trust in his heart, and finding love after heartbreak was so well done.
I can't wait for the brother's stories as well.