4
Watching these two is like watching a fire burn! This book was intense. There was a ton of fun and emotion, the perfect mix of it. I loved these two together, and absolutely feel like this guy could be my spirit animal with his socks, lol.
The only issue I had was that I felt the conflict resolution with the couple felt way too easy. There was drama throughout the book, but this was supposed to be the main climax and it fell a little for me, which surprised me, as I’m a huge fan of this author. I felt like I just hit a nail with my tire and although it’s not flat, I can hear the hiss of air trying to escape, and then all of a sudden I have fix-a-flat. Although it works, I felt like there could have been more work put into the issue.
It was a little predictable, for me but in all I enjoyed this adventure and highly recommend this author and Hooking Up!
*ARC provided by Netgalley for honest review*

4.5 stars

I have been DYING to find out Amelie's book for a while! This book did not disappoint. We went on the emotional roller coaster that is Amelie's life..... and I LOVED IT!! It was loud out loud funny and at the same time, an emotionally charged read, because after all Amelie's husband is a class A jerk!

Loved every second of this book!!

Storyline: 5
Angst: 3
Tissue: 0
Value: 5
Panty Scorching: 5
Over All Rating: 5 Stars
Kindle eArc provided by Netgalley

Amalie Whitfield went through with her insane wedding that her mother-in-law orchestrated but when everyone at the reception can hear Armstrong getting off with someone over the speakers, she’s had enough. Deciding to go on her honeymoon to escape, she had no idea Lexington, Armstrong’s cousin, would be visiting his family’s hotels at the same time. Lex agrees to watch over Amie but when he hears that she just wants to have some meaningless hook ups, he figures why not him? Will what happens on the island really stay on the island or will Lexington and Amalie find that this attraction runs deeper than just hooking up?

“I inhale slowly, breathing him in and turn to meet his gaze. God, those eyes. They’re stunning. A gorgeous shade of blue I want to dive into. And that jaw. I want to bite my way across it. He drags his tongue across his bottom lip. I’ve bitten that tongue. Sucked on it. Stroked it with my own.

Sweet lord, I forced myself on this man and I’m thinking about doing it again. Maybe I really have kept my rebellious side tamped down for too long. Maybe this is what happens when I try to be something I’m not. As much as I rebelled as a way to get my parents’ attention when I was younger, I also reveled in the thrill of being a little bad.”

I was so excited for Amalie’s story and my god! She really can be a filthy, sexy rebel when she wants. Everything leading to her wedding had my alarm bells going bezerk and I wanted to throw her over my shoulder like a runaway bride. It doesn’t take Armstrong long before the wedding turns to chaos and that’s when the fun begins. Lexington and Amie have been fighting their attraction and when Amie lets her inner bad girl out…I was so happy. I felt so bad for what Armstrong puts her through. Her life is a roller coaster of emotions and a lot of it she has to keep hidden from her best friend and the public in general. Lex…he really is the perfect savior. I loved how he tried to be honorable as much as he could. He has so many facets to his character that make him a perfect book boyfriend. He’s hot, tattooed, funny, fun, chivalrous, flirtatious, seductive and a sex god. That’s not even all his parts. But most of all he’s devoted to Amie. Another perfect romantic comedy.

I pretty much love anything Helena Hunting writes because she’s a romantic comedy goddess. Her characters are sexy, flirty and fun as hell. I can’t wait for what she has planned for next time. I know I won’t be able to put it down!

Sexy Lexy and Anarchy Amie have definitely met their match in each other. Hooking Up is a fun read, there is plenty of drama and laughs. 5 Hooking Up ⭐️ ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

NO SPOILERS!

Hooking Up was a sexy and extremely entertaining romantic comedy, and a TOP FAVORITE read of 2017! I absolutely loved Helena Hunting's writing style and the storyline and characters she created. I loved this book so much and it truly exceeded my expectations.

I completely fell head over heels in love with Lexington and Amalie, and I was immediately drawn to them and their story from page one. I loved Lexington and Amalie's personalities and red HOT chemistry together, and how their story and relationship progressed throughout. I loved reading it from both Lexington and Amalie's perspectives, and I immensely enjoyed their banter and interactions with each other. I also loved that so many characters from Shacking Up made appearances throughout, and I loved getting to see more of Bane and Ruby. There were a few characters that I absolutely loathed, namely one, but you'll see who they are when you read the book. There were some parts that I loved more than others, but overall it was amazing and I thoroughly enjoyed reading every single page. I would have loved something more at the end, but I was happy and satisfied with the conclusion to Lexington and Amalie's story.

Hooking Up was another sexy and addicting romantic comedy by Helena Hunting, and one of my favorite reads of the year. I honestly loved and adored Lexington and Amalie, and I was pleased with the outcome to their story. I am definitely looking forward to Helena Hunting's next standalone romantic comedy, I Flipping Love You!

ARC received via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

OMG...OMG Y'all I was not prepared for the amazingness that was Hooking Up! The follow up novel to Hunting's Shacking Up is the perfect rollercoaster companion to her new romance series.

Where Ruby and Bane were fun times and cuteness overload, Anarchy Amie and her beau are sex on crack filled with drama, intrigue, and such a huge range of emotions. With a cluster of a wedding Anarchy Amie comes to life. Betrayed and enraged, she starts down a path that readers have been BEGGING FOR. As she escapes her world to find some peace she finally begins to let loose and remember how she used to have fun. But even a week in paradise can't help her escape reality for long.

With the help of her friends and family that's always had her back Amie has to piece together the life she thought she had with the life she's always wanted. But having the one man she's always wanted could also spell more disaster for Amie. How can she choose? Hunting doesn't make it easy for our hero or heroine in this love story. There's no quick fix to a tough situation. I loved EVERY second, even the tough ones that left my turning pages in anger.

I'm not going to spoil anything but let me take you on the rollercoaster that was my brain as I stayed up all one night to read Amie's story: finally, UGH he's such a DICK, OMG HE'S SUCH A DICK, YES girl get it, GAH such a sweetie, oh this place is lovely, AND paradise RUINED, YES PERFECT SHOT (I literally shot up in bed and was silently fist pumping the air), oh my this is hot, OH MY this is HOT, OH MY GOD I NEED A MINUTE, you guys can DO THIS, *pushing the two of them together* just BE TOGETHER DAMMIT, YES pay for your sins, AW YEAH, oh my...sexy times!

Such a great read from start to finish that I couldn't put it down and had be flipping pages faster and faster. Automatic 5 star and top read for this year!

Oh so sexy and oh so sweet! I loved Lex and Amali. Their chemistry, their banter, the situations they find themselves in. I had so much fun reading their story. What happens in Bora Bora...

I think Lex is definitely one of my favorite characters written by Helena. He is so sweet and I love that he knows what he wants and he goes for it, yet he also knows the appropriate times times to pursue. I absolutely enjoyed this story. I loved seeing them find their way to eachother and loved seeing Amalie learn and grow and find what is best for her.

This series has been great so far and I can't wait to read more!

Ms. Hunting writes characters in such a way that I can see myself becoming fast friends with them. Hooking Up is fun, witty and downright sexy, fans of straight contemporary romances will enjoy this one!

Amelie is prepared to spend the rest of her life with Mr. Not-So-Right. Fate has other plans for her as she and the rest of her wedding guest hear her new husband in a romantic entanglement at her wedding reception. She is mortified and angry that Armstrong would do something like that to her. She goes into full blown panic in her bridal suite and throws herself at his cousin, Lexington.

The whole ordeal gets worst as scandal and propriety is questioned by both of their families. Lexington sends him off to Bora Bora to work on a new project at one of their properties. Amelie is horrified and plans to escape to her honeymoon. You can pretty much guess where she lands.

After reading Shacking Up, I pretty much knew Amelie needed her own story. Armstrong was stuffy and felt wrong. Lexington and Amelie have a pretty interesting past as they were both intensely drawn to each other. Amelie has always found herself attracted to the bad boy and Lex screams it. When he walks off to get a drink, Armstrong rushes him to warn her of him. That was the first entry way into how she wound up with Armstrong which said a lot. I had to wonder why she would listen to him and start something with him. I guess that is just plot motivation on the author’s part.

Lex and Amelie stay in two separate parts of the island but they are conveniently places together when Armstrong shows up to wreck havoc for Amelie. The two start to bond and have the most steamiest and intense sex of their lives. The chemistry is off the charts in this book.

When the two arrive back in New York, Lex wants to continue but there is the issue of Armstrong. Ugh! He started to annoy me so bad in this book. I don’t know how he continued to behave and act like a spoil child the entire story. He caused so much agony and I saw plenty of opportunities to set him straight.

To be honest this is almost perfect except that Amelie is too confused and scared the entire book for my taste. Even on the last few pages, she is still scared of her love for Lex. Honestly, hands down Lex makes this story. He is patient and willing to subject himself to whatever she wants to ensure she is happy. All women need a Lexington. I just wished the author would have shown more of their emotional connection than the physical.

Overall, this is a hot and steamy light read that is easy to devour. This is a standalone but you do get a glimpse of what happens to the characters from Shacking Up.

~ Samantha

Hunting never fails to give us a story full of romance, passion, mixed in with a a fair amount of hilarity that will have you swooning and laughing out loud at the same time.
I fell in love with Amalie and Lexington from the very beginning. They are the perfect balance for each other and have so much chemistry I worried the pages of my kindle may catch fire.
With Hooking Up, Hunting has proved, yet again, why she is an automatic one click author for me. I can never get enough!

My 4 star review is up on Goodreads (https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2001360283) and will be posted on blog and social media upon release and links will be updated below at that time.UPDATED LINKS 11/7/17

4 stars
It was supposed to be the best day of her life, but it went downhill fast. Amalie Whitfield's wedding turned into a disaster of epic proportions. Amalie has a history of bad choices in men so she thought picking the suave and successful, Armstrong was a good choice that would make her parents proud...but still it came with bad consequences. And under the influence of alcohol and rage she tried to get back at him using someone close to them.

Lexington Mills was equally inebriated and unprepared to handle his cousin's hysterical bride who apparently also wanted to get into his pants. Despite the fact he has feelings for her, he manages to resist her wild seduction. After all, he had wanted her first, but his competitive cousin stole her away from him. His bad boy image could not initially compare to his cousin's sophisticated charm so he lost his chance. But then Lex found himself in the middle of the eventual chaos anyway. And the fall-out from the wedding debacle will have ripple effects throughout their family.

So the bride takes off for an undisclosed anti-honeymoon location and Lex heads for Bora Bora to deal with family hotel business until the storm begins to pass. But they did not expect to end up in the same place. Flirting banter, sexual tension, raging chemistry, and unresolved feelings spice things up while he is there for her to lean on.

Lex is sexy, sweet, thoughtful, flirty, dirty, and caring. I loved him and how he took care of her. She had been repressing herself to fit a mold, but Lex lets her be herself...bold, outspoken, naughty, and encourages her to push boundaries.

Now she is engaging her "Anarchy Amy" wilder side again and hooking up with the bad boy who might not really be that bad, and trying to decide if he is a good or bad decision. But obviously trying to take the safe path did not work out so well for her either. Their secret fling is just supposed to be a temporary diversion or distraction. But it is also hard to think about it ending.

There's a thin line between good and bad. Sometimes being a little bad can feel oh-so-good. And maybe good things can come to you when you least expect it. But her life is one big mess that is proving hard to clean up. And their lives are complicated with family, friends, and questionable intentions. What happens when they have to deal with the real world?

This was a fast paced, funny, sweet, sexy, forbidden affair and vacation romp with plenty of complications and angst. There is a lot of back and forth, running, and questionable decisions given the situation. It is told in dual points of view. Characters from Shacking Up are back including his brothers, Bane and Griffin, and her best friend, Ruby. The guys' cousin, Armstrong is back and I so wanted to smack him over and over. And their families are all part of the background.

I loved Lex. He was swoonworthy. I liked the beginning a lot, but it started to get a bit repetitious and fell apart some in the last half. I was left with a few questions about things that I thought would be fleshed out more later, but they were not. Some things got tied up rather quickly. But it was still overall fun and engaging. And there seemed to be a little mystery left open so I wonder how that might play into the next book. I am sure Griffin and possibly Armstrong's estranged brother might get a book.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.
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I thoroughly enjoyed reading Hooking Up. The characters are well written, with strong unique personalities and mannerisms that set them apart from other characters not only in this book, but all other books that Helena has previously published. The storyline sucked me in from the very first page. I actually had to stop reading at about the 65% mark to be social and within minutes of returning home I got myself comfortable to continue reading. It's fun when a book does that for me!

The balance between humor and seriousness was there. Making me laugh out loud at one line then minutes later shake my head in frustration.

It is my understanding that this can be read as a standalone, however I highly suggest you read Shacking Up and Going Down (short story in the Eye Candy anthology) before diving in. I think it will make your reading experience that much more enjoyable.

Thank you netgalley for early access, you made my day when I was approved.

Another amazing read from Helene Hunting, wether it's one of her angst filled reads or her laugh out loud, hot comedic reads, I'm hooked (no pun intended) to her books.
Left embarrassed by her husband who is found with someone else on her wedding day.
I loved Amie, at first my heart broke for Amie, but she quickly turned that around for me. She feisty, kinky and absolutely hilarious.
She hasn't always made the best choices in life, but hey who does?
She decides to go on her honeymoon by herself, or so she thought.
I'm going to leave it at that! One clicking this book is a no brainer! Loved it and love Helene Hunting!

Hooking Up by Helena Hunting

Wow! Amazing book!

Loved:
*Amalie “Amie”
*Lexington “Lex”
*The story
*The way the story was written
*The character development
*The steamy scenes
*The dialogue
*The smiles on my face while reading
*Knowing what Amie and Lex are thinking – first person telling of the story from both points of view
*And…more

Hated:
*Armstrong – everything about his irredeemable sorry a**
*Armstrong’s family
*The need for secrecy

Amie just wants to get it right one time in the boyfriend department and thinks she has done so with Armstrong – in spite of a few misgivings. She is sure she has made another boyfriend mistake again when Armstrong’s moans of ecstasy are broadcast over a loudspeaker at the wedding reception shortly after vows have been taken. A speedy retreat, a trip to Bora Bora, a hot hunk to soothe her hurt heart while on Bora Bora and then trying to mop up and set her life in order during the rest of the book made for a riveting read.

Lexington is the man who saw Amie first and when he disappeared for a minute his cousin, Armstrong, moved in on her. The cousins have a history of unhealthy rivalry that was perhaps a catalyst to the events in this book. When Lex is given the opportunity to “help” Amie when they find themselves going to Bora Bora on the same flight…well…let’s just say that Amie finds she very well may have chosen the wrong cousin.

I won’t give details away. I will say I believe I have found a new author I want to read more of. Knowing that there is a book written before this one that stars Amie’s friend (Ruby) and Lex’s brother (Bane) makes me want to get my hands on “Shacking Up”. I will also say that Lex is one of the BEST book boyfriends I have run across in recently AND that Amie is the perfect woman to be his partner. [Fanning myself as I remember some of the scenes ;) ]

Well…as you can see…I loved everything about this book except what I was supposed to dislike and it was SO easy to dislike Armstrong! I thoroughly endorse this book and look forward to reading anything this author writes in the future!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.

5 Stars

Horrified after her brand new husband finds a happy ending at their wedding without her, and within earshot of her and all their guests, Amelia decides she needs a break from reality, and heads off on the honeymoon by herself. But she finds she isn’t as alone as she planned when she learns her husband’s cousin is also on the same tropical island working.

Armstrong’s part in this seemed to drag on for no purpose. There was a lot of drama, so I kept waiting for a bombshell in regards to his reasoning or a blowup. I suppose what happens is sort of a bombshell, but by the time it hits and the way Amalie handles it, makes me wonder why she didn’t just move that direction in the first place.

I love Lex. He is such a good guy, and such a drastic difference from Armstrong’s treatment of Amie that it was like a breath of fresh air. His conflict with Armstrong added an aspect of tension to the story, and I always hoped for the best especially as things started to look like maybe Lex wasn’t all he seemed to be.

There were a few plot holes that left me questioning events and reasons, but they weren’t large enough to detract from my enjoyment of the book. They were things I noted in the moment, thinking resolution would come later and I only noticed the holes in hindsight when I thought about the moments again.

This was a fun read with great banter, great chemistry, and great sex. Lex and Amalie genuinely enjoy each other’s company, and while their fling begins as a vacation hookup to get Amalie’s mind off things, it turns into much more.

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Hooking Up

*received an arc in exchange for an honest review**

5⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️


Helen Hunting yet again produces a stellar book with Hooking Up. She draws you into Amie’s life and you almost feel as though you are going through everything with her. And of course rooting for the handsome guy to sweep her off her feet and help her realize that she is worth so much more than she thinks. You will also be cheering along with her as she finally lets Armstrong have it and doesn’t hold back on her disgust of him.

Amie can’t believe that her husband has just cheated on her on their wedding day, at their reception, for all to hear! She can’t get out of there fast enough, she thought she had finally put the old Amie behind her as was starting a new life, but she was wrong. After trying to figure out what to do she decides to go on her honeymoon anyways to get out of the disaster that is her failed marriage. What she isn’t expecting is who she finds there.

As she tries to move on she can’t help but feel pulled to her traveling companion and thinks maybe she did make a mistake all of those months ago. But will he be able to convince her to give him a shot, or will it be a one time thing?

Can Amie finally trust her judgement of the opposite sex or will she continue to let her past interfere with her happiness?

Not having read the first book, I’m guessing that the implications of Amalie and her secret hook-up are much larger than I think, though ‘Hooking Up’ does clearly work as a standalone.

Having said that, I had the inkling that the book wasn’t for me at all—an inkling that grew like an ominous thundercloud by the time I got to the part where the shenanigans started a few minutes post-wedding.

Cheating and a tit-for-tat vibe in the story are what push the narrative along: out of spite, Armstrong swopped into get the girl (one which the mystery man sees first), then quite publicly cheated on her in a cringeworthy manner during the wedding reception. The brokenhearted Amalie in turn, went on her honeymoon alone, hooked up with the man who quite literally saw her first while her divorce hadn’t gone through (though it’s pretty much expected that the marriage is over by then). That personally is a trigger for me, so I was struggling with this early on, which clearly places me in the minority as I kept wondering if Amalie/mystery man’s actions were justified nonetheless, especially since this merely took place a few days after the disastrous wedding and not after the dust properly settled.

I also found it hard to sympathise with the jilted woman, whose choice in bad boyfriends (and husband) merely reinforced her lack of judgement and her inability to rein everything in. And unlike our mystery man who seemed stalwart in his desire for her, Amalie merely stayed a whiny, flaky protagonist who spent most of the story vacillating between her regrets and her own abysmal history in ‘love’ which she projected onto mystery man.

I couldn’t finish the story after all—it’s an issue I typically have with characters and issues like cheating. The ease of reading just didn’t surpass how much I disliked the characters in the book save for the mystery man of the story and was actually happy to put Amalie and her antics far behind me.

I received a ARC copy for my honest review

This book was amazing written

Hooking up kept me smiling and emotional because of the couple story wasn’t always smile, laugh and there was a bit of forbidden love in their relationship.

The wedding scene made feel sorry for Amie.


If you are looking for fun and forbidden this is the book for you

PAYBACK NEVER TASTED—AND FELT—SO GOOD!!

Imagine you have everything figured it out in your life: You have the perfect job, the perfect fiance, the perfect wedding to come, the perfect mother in law, the perfect everything. Well, if all this were true, you are a lucky woman, sadly this wasn’t the life of Amelie Whitfield. Her perfect life was all appearances. Her fiance was an asshole, her mother in law was a real witch—you can change the w for a b, I wouldn’t mind at all—, and planning the wedding reception was a total nightmare. Poor Amelie thought she could be strong, she believed blindly in the saying: “fake it until you make it”, but the wedding day was a complete disaster. Not only her new husband cheated on her, his shenanigans were broadcasted for everyone in the reception to hear. She was mortified, utterly humiliated and she needed to hide and find herself again and strength to face everything, annul her marriage and start over.

And Oh. Boy. What a start over Amelie had. She went to a beautiful island, with all the luxury, everything paid and found herself a new sex toy—and I’m not talking about those operated by batteries. And it was amazing because she could be all herself, the real Anarchy Amie, and when she was thinking nobody would like her for who she was, she found the perfect man, with the greatest heart, sexiest body—he had tattoos, did I mention tattoos?—and the best taste in socks—LOL you’ll understand when you read it—, a real gentleman, who took care of her, protected her, treated her with respect and love and everything… Until the time of the honeymoon had to end and they had to go back to reality. Let’s call it: the sexy, romantic, perfect fantasy collides with a cruel reality.

Hooking Up was absolutely amazing. I LOVED every single word of this book, the plot, the characters, the sexy times, the funny times. Everything was great. Amelie was a helluva female character. She grew stronger along the book, she found herself back, the funny, romantic, sensual and confident woman she was before meeting that asshole of Armstrong. And the man in this book was just perfect. It’s a big mystery, and I’m not revealing who he is, but I gotta tell you: He’s the sweetest bad boy I’ve ever read. He’s got the tattoos, the body, the attitude, the heart. EVERYTHING!! And Amelie was a lucky girl for having finding him.

All I have left to say is: Go read Hooking Up right now!!! It’s PERFECT.

PS: If you loved Ruby and Bancroft in Shacking Up, you’ll see some crazy and sexy cameos of them in this book. Another good reason to read it.

I would like to thank Netgalley and Swerve for generously gifting me this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky enough to be able to read Shacking Up before this book so when I saw it come up to review I knew I had to have it. I was so happy to see Amalie get her own book because you knew in Shacking Up that Armstrong was not the guy for her. After marrying the jerkface Amrstrong he does the unthinkable and Ami ends up running from her own wedding reception and then fleeing the country to take the honeymoon without the groom. Once there with the encouragement of Ruby (her best friend and the main character in Shacking UP) she hooks up with a “Hottie Hook Up”. The only thing is that she can’t leave her feelings on the island.

This book is like all Helena Hunting books. I believe the blurb calls it hilariously scandalous… yep that is the perfect description. I loved this book. It was funny, endearing, and the romance is scorching! Yeah it should probably come with a disclaimer that it’s intended for the more mature audience. The characters are amazing. Explosive chemistry with a pull that keeps bringing them together.

If you love RomCom then you can’t go wrong with these books. A fun, quick read that has not only shocking moments but will have you LOLing as well.

Hooking Up
By: Helena Hunting

📚💕⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💕📚

So, So, So wrong Love Triangle

Amalie is getting married to Armstrong and on paper he looks great. So why is she having feelings of panic and fear. But during her wedding reception the entire group of guest hear her new husband getting busy with someone who is not his wife over the P A system. Of course as far as Amie is concerned her cheating husband should sigh annulment papers without a fight. Oh if it was that easy. He will spend the entire book being difficult and self serving.

Deciding she needs to get away from the high society gossip she goes on her honeymoon by herself. Lex is headed to Bora-Bora at the same time so he can check and fix some issues at his family’s resorts on the island. Neither knew the other was going but get an 18 hour flight to talk. Lex and Amie have amazing chemistry and it was so real to see how they handled all that was thrown to test there commitment to each other. Lex is Armstrong’s cousin but he is self serving and never thought he’d been wrong and being with other women was going to give him variety. Armstrong refuses to sign the annulment paper because he doesn’t like to loose and Amie will bring her family’s financial security to marriage.

I personally loved this book. Written in dual POV my personal favorite. So well written and easy to fallow the story line. I’ve just written a small recap however once you get into the book you’ll be captivated and enjoying every single page.

Thanks to Netgally for letting me read and review!!!