Handle With Care is book 5 in the Shacking Up series by Helena Hunting and is a great romantic comedy. This book is Lincoln and Wren’s story and is full of humor, passion and love that will capture your heart. I really loved this book and highly recommend it.

Lincoln is one tall cup of manly man I would love to have of my own.

This book had me so angsty on the level of OMG on when will Lincoln & Wren!

I loved Wren. She is a kick ass no hold ing back kind of woman. She is soo professional that even with the temptation of Lincoln dangling infront of her, she manages to keep herself composed as long as she can and handle Lincoln with care.

This book has tons of gasp worthy mysteries solved on the Moorehead family.

Armstrong is still a major pain in the butt and then some in this book. Total opposite of his brother. How the two of them are related is beyond me.

Be ready to laugh, totally be taken by surprise multiple times with Author Helena Hunting’s signature style of sexy adventures in finding love when you least except it.

Go One Click it!

**ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review***

5 🍒🍒🍒🍒🍒popped!

HANDLE WITH CARE is the fifth instalment in Helena Hunting’s contemporary, adult SHACKING UP erotic, romance series. This is heir apparent and new CEO of Moorehead Media Lincoln Moorehead, and fixer/handler Wren Starling’s story line. HANDLE WITH CARE can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous story lines is revealed where necessary. Lincoln and his brother Armstrong were first introduced in book four-Making Up.

Told from dual first person perspectives (Lincoln and Wren) HANDLE WITH CARE follows in the wake of Lincoln’s father Fredrick Moorehead’s death. Never wanting to follow in the family business, Lincoln has spent most of his life helping others but his return to Moorehead Media comes with a caveat-a handler in the guise of Wren Starling, a woman hired to create the new image of Lincoln Moorehead, and the woman with whom Lincoln will fall in love. What ensues is the building relationship between Wren and Lincoln, and the potential fall –out as their office romance comes to the light.

Lincoln Moorehead wants nothing to do with Moorehead Media but his brother Armstrong’s reputation as a man-wh*re and his questionable business ethics find our hero at the helm of the company for the next six months. Having just returned from a project in Guatemala, Lincoln struggles with returning to New York, and the woman hired to handle our story line hero. Wren Starling’s job to keep Armstrong out of trouble has landed her in the position to reintegrate Lincoln back into civilized society. From new suits to business meetings, Wren, a feisty and capable heroine, takes control of Lincoln’s life including slowly falling in love with the man that calls to her heart.

The relationship between Lincoln and Wren begins as a business arrangement but soon turns into something more. When other members of the Moorehead family discover the romance between our leading couple, information will be used to push Wren out of Lincoln’s life. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate; the sexual attraction is immediate and intense without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

We are introduced to Lincoln’s troubled and spoiled younger brother Armstrong, his mother Gwendolyn, and their spunky grandmother Penelope Moorehead, as well as an assortment of Moorehead Media employees; Wren’s mother Abigail, and her father Senator Starling; Wren’s friend and PI Dani,; and the return of Lincoln’s cousin and business partner Griffin Mills (Making Up #4).

HANDLE WITH CARE is a story of family, betrayal, money and control, secrets and lies. The premise is engaging and captivating; the romance is seductive and hot; the characters are strong, impassioned and colorful. HANDLE WITH CARE is an energetic, edgy and emotional story line.

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“So I nod and whisper, “I’m here for you, Lincoln, not because of a contract, but because I want to be.”

Lincoln is in good company. The bottle he's so keen to empty is the highlight of his return to New York. Returning home to his father's funeral, with whom he had no relationship at all, dealing with his self-centered and spoiled brother and facing his manipulative mother are more arduous tasks than he can handle. Who looks from afar and see the long-haired, bearded man wearing clothes smaller than his size, cannot imagine that he is the heir to a rich family. The lumberjack look doesn't match the power of his last name.
Wren is facing her biggest challenge. In addition to having to take Lincoln back safe to his apartment, she is responsible for keeping the Moorehead family image intact in the media. Hard work, given the indiscretions of the youngest heir. But in the face of a drunken Lincoln, this mysterious firstborn will be a difficult and stubborn puzzle to solve.
Lincoln has no ties to his family. His grandmother is the only person he has a relationship with, and it is only for her that he agrees to stay in town and help run the business. Now the CEO, he will have to learn to take care of family business and to live in a world where image, connections and appearance are important. Everything he abhors. As Wren become his shadow, shaping him into a figure worthy of his position, the attraction between the two is something that cannot be denied, and she becomes the only good thing during Lincoln's stay in this new reality.
But if he thought he knew the secrets his family was hiding, he was wrong. With new revelations emerging, and several unanswered questions, he embarks on a journey to find out who his father really was and what he was hiding. But the truth may be tougher than he expected.
Wren and Lincoln will face difficulties in their path. Intrigues, secrets, blackmail will be part of the narrative. The two together are explosive, stubborn, authoritarian and passionate. The book holds the reader's attention, while the twists and mysteries give the narrative a fast tone. A different novel, with real, captivating, secretive protagonists, an unexpected antagonist and a jaw-dropping twist

I cannot get enough of this series! Helena Hunting never fails to deliver an amazing story full of characters that I can't help but love.
Lincoln and Wren are absolutely perfect. Their story may be my favorite of the series so far. Lincoln is all kinds of sexy, sweet, caring, and did I mention HOT! Wren is the perfect match for him. She is smart, strong, and fiesty. I couldn't get enough of these two!
While Handle With Care can be read as a stand alone and you will love it just the same, I do suggest you go back and read the others in the Shacking Up series as they are absolutely wonderful!

Handle With Care is Lincoln & Wren's story in the Shacking Up series and Lincoln was the best part of the story. He is nothing like his family, especially his brother, and his grumpy surliness at the beginning was completely understandable. I found Wren likable and I understood why she did what she did, but I never connected with her the way I expected to.
The characters that were unlikable were so over the top unlikable that they felt like caricatures and I found myself glossing over those parts. The characters were immature and the funny parts were mildly humorous, so this was just an okay read for me.

I adore Lincoln. I loved that he did what was asked of him even when he didn't want to. It was so fun seeing them becoming (sorta) friends before giving in to the attraction. And let's not forget the lipstick incient when they first kissed - LOL!!! I loved Wren. She was smart, strong and could take care of herself. I loved the fact that when she was pushed against a wall she didn't let it be the end of her.
I loved how they stood their ground and wouldn't let anyone tear them apart. I loved all the funny, hot/steamy moments but also emotional moments. I even loved the drama because it made them stronger as a couple.
In case it's not clear - I LOVED THE WHOLE BOOK!!!


***Review copy requested and reviewed on behalf of OMGReads Blog***

★★ 4.5 stars! ★★

The mysterious prodigal son returns to Moorehead Media in the fifth book of the Shacking Up series. Lincoln is the often referred to but never seen Moorehead brother/Mills cousin from the previous books and I have to say, he might just be my personal favorite of the whole series.

Lincoln hates his dysfunctional family (except for his grandmother) and he hasn’t been back to New York in years. If his father hadn’t passed away, he would still be in a remote village building shelters for the less fortunate. He’s humble, hardworking, magnanimous, and just an all-around good guy. Oh, and he’s a bit grumpy. See, what’s not to love?

Wren is the ‘PR fixer’ who wrangles (and sometimes strangles) Lincoln’s atrocious brother, Armstrong. She’s all business; buttoned-up and serious at all times. Wren is strong and uncompromising when dealing with the latest crisis at the office, but underneath her hard exterior, she has a heart of gold. One minute Wren is karate chopping Armstrong into shape and the next, she’s visiting children in the hospital.

Wren and Lincoln are perfect for one another, have amazing chemistry, fantastic flirty banter, and I absolutely adored them as a couple. The relationship they have with their respective families are trying and fragile, but both Lincoln and Wren have so much depth of character, it’s rewarding to see their growth as individuals and as a couple.

One of the things I love about Helena Hunting is the fact that she can always make me laugh. Handle with Care has plenty of humor, but there’s also swoony sweetness and somber situations in this storyline. All of which made me love this book and I hated to see it end—although, seeing Armstrong finally get his due was totally worth reading.

Wren is a sassy, font take no crap kind of woman. Armstrong has been trying her patience for months. Now she’s hired to be Lincoln’s handler to help him adjust to his new role as CEO of Moorehead Media after his dads death.
This book will keep you reading and laughing along. I loved the banter between characters and the steamy chemistry they share. Some twists you don’t see coming and the awesome HEA. Lincoln needed love to thaw his heart and Wren was strong enough to put up with him. A must read book and series. Helena knows how to write great series.
I received a advanced copy for a voluntary honest review by Netgalley

4.5☆
I adored Handle With Care! As Helena told me be prepared for more Armstrong and boy is head a handful! Poor Wren is tasked with having to manage the man child and she is fantastic. I really enjoyed her kick ass attitude and how she takes charge. Lincoln is grumpy and surly to start, but I can't say I blame him. He really is a good guy and that really shows through out. This family's drama is cray cray! I really enjoyed seeing it all unfold and was really interested to she what secrets were hiding.
I really enjoy how much Lincoln can rile up Wren. She can stay so level headed, but with him everything is different. I loved the way they pushed buttons early on and seeing how that unfolded to their relationship. I really like them as a couple and I adored seeing their love grow. Such a great all around read!

I adored Bane, Lex, and Griffin, but I LOVED Lincoln! He is rough and gruff and is a bull in a china shop. He is abrasive and aggressive and ALL man. He made my heart pitter patter from the beginning to the very end!

Wren was so much fun. I liked her take charge personality and how she handled the super dysfunctional Moorhead family; especially Armstrong. She was exactly what Lincoln needed.

I really enjoyed Lincoln and Wren’s story. It was so much fun to read. I loved the witty banter, the heat, and the swoonalicious moments between them.

Helena Hunting has became one of my most favorite authors. I can always count on her stories to captivate me and take me to another world where perfect men and happily ever afters exist. I can’t wait to see where she takes me next!

~Review by Lys

Loved the interplay between these two.

Although several books of this series are on my TBR list - this is the first one I've read and oh boy - have I been missing a great series. I absolutely loved Wren and Lincoln. Wren was smart, witty, independent, and had it all together and Lincoln was just wow!!! Conservation minded, intelligent, and swoony!

This book was so fun to read and I just kept turning the page to get to more. This has some unexpected parts and depth to it as well to make it extra interesting.

Can't wait to catch up on the previous books.

I voluntarily requested and read an advance reader copy.

I love Helena Hunting's books and this one was no exception. This book can be read as a standalone but I recommend reading the others in the series because then you'll get to know some of those characters and get some more details of this universe. Helena does a great job with all of her characters, you always get pulled into the story. Lincoln and Wren are so terrific. Their chemistry is off the walls! This book was hilarious and fantastically written. 5 stars

Helena Hunting has brought us another book in the Shacking Up series. And it is the mysterious Lincoln.
Lincoln has been mention about before in the previous books. And I know that I got really intrigue about his backstory. And we finally get it. Lincoln is the most level-headed person in his family. And I kinda feel sorry for him when his family bring him back in. His father death may be unfortunate but Lincoln has complicated feelings toward his father that it was totally unexpected for him to be in charge. It throws everything off for him especially since he does not care for it. But he has no way out until he sorts everything through and it does not hurt that he has Wren helping him through.
Wren was a tough character to like. Per say, I feel like I could not connect to her. She has good quality toward the end. But I just could not like her. She was too much for some reasons. If she could have loose up a bit, maybe. I just do not know. I tried my best but I just can't. It's bad enough that Lincoln needs to run a company that he does not care for and your adding more to the mix especially invading his personal space. Like no, just stop. If she can only be honest from the beginning, everything would be okay instead messy misunderstanding in the middle.
Handle With Care does bring up Lincoln closer to family per say and he does fall in love. You cannot fault who you fall in love.
3 Stars.

4.5 Stars!
I was completely captivated by Lincoln and Wren's story from the very first page. Wren is a fixer, and she is so good at her job. She is working for Lincoln's father, trying to keep his younger brother in line, and wow, what a tool he is! She's only doing this until she is able to create her own non-profit foundation, to give back. When the unexpected happens, Lincoln returns home from helping those in need in other countries, only to find out he must help save his family's business. Lincoln doesn't have a good relationship with his family, feeling hurt from the lack of love and miscommunication throughout his life. He doesn't want to stay but can't help the attraction he feels with the woman who controls his brother so easily. Wren and Lincoln clash at first when Wren's job expands to handling Lincoln as well. His irritation and her snark turn into fiery foreplay. Their chemistry explodes as they begin a passionate and clandestine affair. But there are those that catch on and work to keep them apart. There is an intriguing family mystery as well. I loved the twists this story took, keeping me totally engaged throughout. Lincoln and Wren are so great together, having the same goals, and passions, and their chemistry was off the charts. This is a witty, emotional and sexy story with authentic and quirky characters that add even more fun, but also some turmoil. I love this entertaining, heartfelt and steamy romance and series!

What a fun addition to the Shaking Up series! Helena Hunting never fails to deliver a wonderful blend of romance, humor and drama and Handle With Care was exactly that.

I LOVED Wren. The way she roped in Armstrong (ugh- yes, he's still lurking around). But more for the way she saw Lincoln. How she used his strengths to help build up his weaknesses. How she helped him step in and up to handle things.

I connected so much with Lincoln. A lover of the outdoors, getting your hands dirty, working to change things that have a big impact. Not fretting over the small things that in the grand scheme of things don't really matter. His relationship with G-mom. How he shut down Armstrong (throws confetti). how when his hand was forced, he did what he had to do.

Holy smokes! The web of deceit and secrets Lincoln stumbled upon while trying to sort things out. His range of emotions- from shock to confusion to anger were totally justified. Heck, my jaw was on the floor. And through it all there was this growing, bubbling sexual tension. The anticipation was so worth the way though. Wren and Lincoln's chemistry was off the charts hot!

Helena Hunting went for it with this one and it paid off big time. This office romance, with a touch of the forbidden, lots of laughs and a whole lot of family drama kept me glued to my kindle. Wren and Lincoln's story was the perfect bridge between the Mills and Moorehead family connection. After finishing Handle with Care I am really looking forward to see what's coming up next in this series.

This was one of my most anticipated reads of the summer, and it didn’t disappoint. HH is one my go-to authors when I need to smile or melt. Wren is hilarious, and Lincoln is one of my favorites from the Shaking Up series. He’s impossible not to like.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

I loved every word in this amazing book! Handle With Care is book 5 in the Shacking up Series. Lincoln Moorehead's personality is so far removed from his douche of a brother, Armstrong. I couldn't get enough of Wren Sterling. She is everything I adore in a lead female character. She's intelligent, strong willed and has no issues tackling aggressive people, which works well being Armstrong and Lincoln's handler (more so because of Armstrong).

The chemistry between Lincoln and Wren is off the charts! You will be satisfied and entertained throughout this book. Handle With Care is an EPIC read, which doesn't surprise me since Helena Hunting wrote it and I've loved all of her books! Handle with Care by Helena Hunting will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!

Handle With Care was a perfect summer weekend read that provided the right amount of romance and drama mixed with humor and interesting storyline. The main characters, Lincoln and Wren, were phenomenal and I enjoyed them immensely from beginning to end. They had an underlying ease to their chemistry that allowed them to interact and flirt with humor and the perfect amount of sexual innuendo. Of course, they also had to deal with the day-to-day reality of work and family drama outside their bubble which grounded the characters and brought another amazing element to this book.

From chapter one all the way through to the epilogue, their interactions always held my attention with intrigue, flirtatiousness, and witty banter. Watching their relationship flourish from strangers to co-workers to lovers was the absolute best part of this book. Linc’s charismatic nature and underlying teasing demeanor totally override his asshole qualities. He made my heart flutter and brought a smile to my face. Wren never had a chance! He was everything I look for in a book boyfriend.

When Linc reflects on his relationship with Wren and they realize they are ready to see where things go from there, I couldn’t help but swoon at Linc’s thoughts:

I end the conversation with a kiss that becomes more. We have soft, slow sex that feels like it’s weighted down with words that mean more than either of us are willing to say for fear of breaking the spell we’re under. And I fall more in love with the woman who fits so perfectly into my life, like she’s always been part of it, like she’s somehow been sewn into the fabric of who I am, without either of us realizing until now. I don’t know how I’m going to keep my feelings for her masked much longer. As I wrap her up in my arms and wait for sleep to come, I consider how deep I am with this woman. All the things I thought I wanted are changing, and it’s all because of her.

Wren plays a strong female lead. She hides her insecurities well and can stand up to the best of them. In the words of Linc, “She’s got bigger balls than most of the men on staff. She can hold her own,…” Even when faced with hard decisions, Wren doesn’t wither and fold to the situation. She uses her head and rises above the challenge. The two of them make a formidable team indeed.

Not only did I love Linc and Wren as a couple, but the side characters are also all interesting and play an important part in making the story captivating. Author Helena Hunting did a great job with this book. The secrets and twists that are revealed were shocking and not at all expected. I was totally engrossed in this one. I look forward to reading more from her and checking out her previous books in The Shacking Up series to see if any of the characters I loved in this book already have stories of their own. They certainly have a soap-opera quality to all the antics they get up to, so I anticipate they could be quite entertaining.

Plot: 4.5
Characters: 5
Writing style: 4
Personal enjoyment:4
Overall rating: 16.5/20


This is an office romance with a twist. Wren Sterling a PR Consultant, has been brought in by Moorehead Media to smooth over all the scandals the youngest Moorehead son; Armstrong, gets into. But the head of the Moorehead clan unexpectedly dies and Wren finds herself with a new contract: overhaul the image of the long absent eldest son; Lincoln and prepare him to take over the company. Lincoln is reluctant and only agrees to a few months because of the emotional manipulation of his grandmother. The one family member he cares for. This is the point we join the story.
This was a fun office romance, where the dynamics were different from your usual Boss and Underling scenario. Lincoln is not her boss and she does not answer to him. I enjoyed the fact that her role as a handler meant she controlled the situation and did her job. She was a great character. Lincoln is an interesting character; he saw the faults and behaviour of his family and decided he wanted nothing to do with them. I admired that he consciously spent his adult life trying to be as different from them as possible and lead a meaningful life. His brother on the otherhand is a total narcissist who makes my skin crawl. We have encountered Armstrong in previous novels in this series, and he is yet to redeem himself. I loathed him!
The writing style is easy and the pace is good, there were some twists in the book that were very unique, that I personally hadn't encountered before so it kept my interest.
Definitely worth reading if you like office style romance: I would give it 17.5/20