Liked but didn't LOVE. Characters were great and really well written. The spice in the first part was amazing but I felt like we kind of went backwards when we didn't get anymore spicy scenes after. Loved that the heroine was stubborn, smart, badass. It just felt a bit disjointed at times and their love story arc was a bit hard to believe at times. Really looking forward to seeing what else this author comes up with though. 3.5 stars.

This one fell flat for me. I also caught myself not reaching to read it, which is a sign I'm not into it. There was a lot going on. and that left little time to focus on the relationship between the MCs

Happy Wednesday y'all! What a busy, busy week it's been! So many books have come out, and one of the ones that came out yesterday that I was able to read an eARC of (thank you so much to Entangled Amara and Netgalley for letting me do that) was The Hookup Dilemma. This book was definitely interesting and while it wasn't amazing or my favorite, it wasn't bad in any way.
The Hookup Dilemma 3.5/5 Stars
Summary from Goodreads:
Perfect for fans of Jasmine Guillory, this laugh-out-loud #OwnVoices story proves that sometimes the least perfect arrangement can lead to something perfect for them.
Rashida Howard has never been a one-night-stand kind of woman, but she has good reason for making an exception with Elliott after meeting him in a bar. Cliché? Yes. Utterly amazing? Absolutely. Regrets? None.
Elliott Quinn is a workaholic. The one night he decides to break his routine, he has an encounter with the woman of his dreams. But no matter how amazing they are together, work will always come first.
Both of their lives get turned upside down when they find themselves on opposite sides of an ongoing fight between Elliott’s company and Rashida’s community. Though their chemistry is undeniable, neither of them will risk their integrity…or their heart.
And just when they think they might have found a solution that benefits both sides, they uncover a secret that will change everything.
I really wanted to love this book because it seemed amazing from the summary and it had some moments of brilliance, but overall, it was kind of just... there. Rashida and Elliott seemed very blah as characters and I had a hard time caring about either of them that much (although, I did want to read more about the side characters like Rashida's sister and Elliott's business partner). I liked the premise of the two of them sort of being unknown enemies to lovers, with Elliott's father trying to rezone and build in Rashida's grandmother's neighborhood, but it felt as though Elliott didn't have enough of a stake in the game since it wasn't his business and he was able to detach himself. The conflict that causes Elliott and Rashida to have their big rift was super obvious and you could see what it was going to be early on in the book, but I actually liked aspects of that time, mainly because we got to see Elliott and Rashida's sister interacting. I do wish that we got more insight into Rashida's budding friendship with Lissa, because she kept talking about how she didn't have many female friends and then later we found out that they had been hanging out a bunch and were close and it was like what? Why did we miss this? I liked how Constance Gillam portrayed Rashida's grandmother and her mother- strong independent women who don't want to rely on others to get their work done, but they're willing to get help and open themselves up when they think they can. Overall, The Hookup Dilemma was a fine book (super steamy if that's what you're looking for), but not one I would read again.

I wished I could give this higher than just three stars. It's pretty cute but it just didn't live up to my expectation with how the blurb made Rashida and Elliot's story be. It was supposed to be an enemies-to-lovers with lots of angst, but I don't think it was achieved. They have the chemistry and banter but the romance just fell short. I think it's because the author really focuses on the community rather than their romance.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
The thing that compelled me most to read this book is that gorgeous cover. Really, it is absolutely stunning.
The Hookup Dilemma follows Elliott and Rashida who, after seeing each other one night, are instantly drawn to one another and have a one night stand. Only after do they find out that Elliot father’s company is planning to develop, and gentrify, Rashida’s familys neighborhood. The two must deal with the attraction to each other while also managing the loyalty they have to their own families.
Overall, I just felt kind of iffy about this book. Nothing wrong with it but I wanted a cute love story and it kind of missed the mark
Let’s start out positive. The chemistry between Eliot another Rashida was insane. I loved every scene they were together and I thought the author did an amazing job at showing how, even though they are totally different from one another, they really got along well. Their relationship was my favorite part of the book.
We also get a fun cast of characters. Rashida‘s grandmother and the other elderly neighbors made for great comic relief and I enjoyed it when they were on the page.
Now onto the negatives. Now, first and foremost, I want to say that this book was marketed to me as a romance book and therefore I will judge it as such. The romance in this book took a backseat to the larger problem of gentrification. And while I thought that part was well done and I did learn a lot, I think it came at the expense of the main romance. Like I said, the main characters had great chemistry but I feel like I barely saw them together. I needed more convincing that they actually loved each other and could make a long-term relationship work.
Secondly, There were times what I was just plain confused reading this book. Mostly when it came to the real estate part of it in the commercial versus residential part. I understood it generally, but not enough to get the tension that I knew it was supposed to create.
Even though this book wasn’t everything I had wanted, I will for sure be reading anything else the author puts out and I think that she did an amazing job of having characters that work well together. I just wish that this romance book had more romance

In The Hookup Dilemma by Constance Gillam, Rashida meets Elliott at a bar, and they end up having sex that night. "A one night stand doesn't hurt, right?" Only that what they thought would be temporary is complicated when Rashida discovers that Elliott is the son of the owner of the company who wants to "destroy" the community where her family lives, so she is fervently opposed. In spite of everything, there is something that both of them cannot deny: the immense sexual attraction they feel for each other and the feelings that emerge from it. Which, because they are on opposite sides of the corporate project that can change the lives of many, forces them to keep their distance. But what is between Rashida and Ellott is stronger and each encounter between the two brings them closer to each other. Can they find a way to reach a mutually beneficial agreement and in turn have a future together?

The story is written from the perspectives of Elliott and Rashida, so we can see what they think of each other and the circumstances that separate and unite them at the same time. Rashida is a kitchen critic for an Atlanta magazine, a strong, determined woman of character who fights for what she believes in. Elliott, a charming man who has his own architecture business, is filling his father's position in his company after a health mishap and is willing to do everything possible to keep the company afloat, since he is now point of bankruptcy. The only card he has to play is making the project in the Millhouse area - Rashida's home, where he has great memories of his childhood and growing up there is one of the reasons for opposing the economic development project - successful. , which is the center of the conflict. Although the chemistry between Rashida and Elliot is unmistakable, of the page-devouring type, the truth is that the sexual and the romantic factors constantly collide, making the former overshadow the latter at crucial moments in the plot and, consequently, there is an imbalance in the relationship. True, the story of Elliott and Rashida began as lust at first glance, but it is precisely because of this that love does not grow at the same rate as sexual desire as the pages of the book turn. On the other hand, the two have something in common that unites them as well: the strong loyalty to their loved ones and the determination to achieve their goals.

The most remarkable thing about the book is that the plot is surrounded by very attractive characters, most of them women as strong as the heroine, some of them picturesque. (I am in love with Eula Mae, Rashida's grandmother, she is a woman of arms to take!)

This, and the funny moments in the story make reading a relaxed one. However, there are moments that slow down the pace of the plot and take away the effervescence of both the characters and the story in general. I should also mention that the author knew how to do her homework well by showing vast knowledge about the couple's work.

What at the time I thought would be a story of enemies and lovers became the main characters' struggle to do what they believe to be the right thing for their respective positions without affecting the other, with family loyalty being an issue. with a life of its own. Which strengthens the plot and feeds it so it doesn't get tedious.

A very good story, written with a lot of character and personality that can be liked by those who read it.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Thanks to Entangled Publishing for the ARC.

This book is about two people who have an instant lust for each other and hookup immediately only to realize the next day that they are on opposite sides of the fence on an issue that means a lot to both of them. There is anger and hostility on the part of Rashida who is trying to keep her grandmother's neighborhood from being swallowed up by Elliott's father's corporation. Elliott is in a bind because his father who is recovering from a heart attack has just about bankrupt his company.

My favorite character was actually the grandmother. She had spunk galore for a little shriveled up old lady. This book was entertaining. It's probably between 3 and a half and 4 stars for me.

Thanks to Entangled for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

This is one of those ron-coms with mistaken identify, enemies to lovers, lust and social justist.

And lust. Lots of lust.

Rashida has a one night stand with Elliott, before she realizes that he is the one she was going to go visit, to see about not gentrifying her community. Elliott's father's business, which he is in charge of, after his father has a heart attack, thinks they are doing the right thing for the community, which used to be a nice place to live, but now is getting a little shop warn. They figure putting in a chain high end grocery story will spruce things up.

Rashida sees it for what it is, though, the first step into gentrification, and the end to the community of many elders who have lived their all their lives, and will have no where to go if houses start being flipped, and people start moving into the new trendy part of town.

Set in a made-up area of Atlanta, the two, who are lusting after each other all over the place, try to come up with a solution to their problem, which will, of course, allow them to get back together again.

Nicely done. Fun story. But, wow, sex in the first few chapters is a bit of a hit over the head for those who are used to a slow build-up.

<em>Thanks to Netgalley for making this book available for an honest review.</em>

This book follows Rashida and Elliott on their own journeys that start with an unintended hookup. Rashida is fighting for her grandmother's neighborhood to stay the same and Elliott is working against her through his dads company. This book starts out with a TON of steam but really tapers off after the first chapter. I wish there would have been more of that level of connection throughout the whole book. It felt like there was just something missing. I enjoyed the banter and found myself loving Rashida and her family. I love a book that doesn't have an annoying heroine.

This book gave me similar feels to Accidentally Engaged and Get a Life, Chloe Brown. If you enjoyed those, you'll definitely enjoy this one!

Real Rating: 3.5/5 Stars

Funny story: I had to do a real suspension of disbelief when reading this book, because I have a degree that’s half urban planning, so I knew just how inaccurate the author was in her depiction of how the process of developing a neighborhood and the time in which is takes to complete such a process (especially the bureaucratic part)... so I had to bite my tongue and remind myself that this book is a romantic comedy and not to get caught up in the details like that and overanalyze it or else I would just end up ruining it for myself. It was hard, but I swallowed the pill.

But onto bigger, better, brighter things: This book is funny, sweet, and steamy. The three elderly ladies of the Millhouse neighborhood were my favorite characters in the whole book and brought some of the best moments, in my opinion. They were the best foil for all the tension going on around them.

Elliott and Rashida were both, in turn, frustrating and sweet. One smitten from the start but in over his head and the other determined to keep her distance from the start and solid as rock in her convictions. Elliott would rather be back at his own business than trying to run his father’s failing business and trying to court Rashida, while Rashida is happily able to do her job and pursue her passion for defending her grandmother’s neighborhood and keep up her walls against falling in love with Elliott.

The issue being, of course, is they both know deep down that the other person is a good person with a good heart doing their best and they’re just sadly stuck on the opposite sides of an issue there seems to be no compromise on. But the tension and heat that builds up every time these two meet and try to work things out? It’s electric.

My issues seem to be the subplot involving Rashida’s sister and Rashida’s mom. They seemed to complicate the story and were extraneous. One of the stories might have been okay, but both seemed to be rather extravagant. If I had to choose I would have rather seen the subplot involving Rashida’s sister, Karla, taken out. It just took up too much time in the book and slowed it down.

All in all, this was a fun read and I think anyone drawn to steamy romantic comedies with a high-level of opposites-attract fun will greatly enjoy it.

A new author to me, I enjoyed Constance Gillam's writing. The Hook Up Dilemma in some ways reminded me a little of 'Two Weeks Notice', but that should only be taken as a compliment.

After a passionate one-night stand, Elliott and Rashida realise they are on opposite sides of a plan to gentrify the area Rashida grew up in. The chemistry between Elliott and Rashida sizzles, and I really loved the supporting older Millhouse area characters. They felt authentic and well-rounded without being caricatures, and they had some of the best scenes.

I did get a little frustrated in the middle third of the book. The pacing began to drag, and I felt like we were just going around in circles for several chapters, without really offering anything new or solving the titular dilemma. When the solution finally came, it felt overdue, and without spoiling anything, it felt like such an easy fix, especially considering the careers of both Elliott and Rashida's sister. I couldn't help but wonder why neither had come up with it sooner. That said, there was a satisfying conclusion.

Not perfect, but an enjoyable read with some important points on the downside of gentrification.

Overall Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Heat Rating: 🔥🔥🔥
Emotional Rating: 💓💓😂

*Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to give an honest review*

Review also posted on Amazon UK (but awaiting moderation)

Eliott Quinn is overworked and frustrated with his trying to save his father's ailing business at the expense of his own. When he meets the beautiful and sexy Rashida at the bar on his birthday, their hookup seems like fate.

Until she takes off on him before he gets her number.

Only there's a big surprise when it turns out Rashida is ready to fight for her grandmother's neighborhood -- the one Elliott's father wants to "rezone".

It set up two people who are super hot for each other on opposite sides.

This is a cute story that had a nice overall feel to the story, and Elliott is really the star here -- he really wants to get to know Rashida better, even though it might seem like they are adversaries. Rashida is a bit more reserved with her intentions, but overall, this is a very cute love story in spite of some slow spots with too business talk!

Overall, I enjoyed this book and I would read more from this author. I liked the diversity of the story as well, and the cover is absolutely gorgeous and what made me want to read this book.

A complementary copy was provided by the publisher.

Great read!

Rashida and Elliot have one night together, and when they next see each other it is to realise they are on opposite sides, with Rashida defending her local community and Elliot the son of the architect wanting to change everything

Will they have a chance together, or are they too different with too many barriers in their way?

Loved the characters, especially the grandmother and her friends who seem to do whatever they like!.

3 stars

This was cute and fun. I love the enemies to lovers trope and that mixed with the chemistry between our MCs should have been amazing but... something was missing for me.
Still this was quick, sweet , steamy and fun!
A perfect weekend read.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Huge thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the eARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Rashida and Elliot meet at a bar and instantly hook up, however, they soon realize that although opposites match in the bedroom that they really don’t have too much in common. Rashida is fighting for her Grandmother’s home while Elliot is fighting to keep his Father’s business afloat. How can anything blossom into more when they could hardly relate to each other?

This book is all about fighting for what you believe in and fighting for a love you know is worth that fight. The characters are very relatable and it was very interesting to see from both point of views. The ending is very cute and overall it was an enjoyable romance.

The Hookup Dilemma was such a fun read. I loved the romance & having to navigate through being in opposite sides when it came to Quinn Enterprises. However, my absolute favorite part of this book was Granny & Mrs McClain 😂😂 they were a hoot! From pocking, to mango chutney, to running ppl with their car, and salty brownies, these ladies had me hollering. 4/5 stars.

This story did not grasp/keep my attention. I tried several times but couldn’t finish it and starting reading something else. I love the aspect of POC main character but it fell a bit flat in terms of getting my attention and keeping it.

After food critic Rashida and architect Elliott hook up, they don't expect to see each other again. Then, Rashida learns Elliott's father's company is planning to build a high-end shopping center in her grandmother's neighborhood. Worried that gentrification will raise property taxes and drive out the elderly residents, Rashida leads a protest to prevent rezoning.

Elliott is sympathetic, but his father's company is teetering on the edge of bankruptcy. His father, recovering from a heart attack, could be ruined if the rezoning doesn't go through. Together, can he and Rashida work out a compromise? Or are their hormones blinding them to reality?

I loved the characters and the strong family elements in this book. It's primarily plot-driven, with the conflict over the rezoning driving the action. Rashida and Elliot both want to explore a deeper relationship, but the need to protect their families keeps getting in the way. It's not a deeply emotional book, but love sneaks up on them, bringing with it some steamy scenes.

Thanks, NetGalley, for the ARC I received. This is my honest and voluntary review.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
The Hookup Dilemma by Constance Gilliam
A special thanks to NetGalley UK and Entangled Publishing.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book all thoughts and opinions are my own.
A classic split POV story told by both Rashida and Elliott. Rashida has never been a one-night stand kind of girl. But after meeting Elliott in a bar she might just be changing her mind.
Elliott is a workaholic. He has 2 jobs and takes care of his father.
Rashida is a food critic for a powerful magazine. When she decides to get a table at the bar she is shocked at how attractive Elliott is. With a lot of flirting he talks her into dinner. After a wonderful night together Elliott is awoken to Rashida having left. Their love story turns lovers to frenemies real fast. He just doesn’t understand why she doesn’t want to be with him.
This was the perfect quick read and kept me interested enough to keep going.

This is an awesomely funny story. It is a multiracial modern romance set in the Atlanta suburb. Rashida is the daughter of West Indian immigrants fighting to keep her grandmother’s community from gentrification. She is feisty and determined. Elliot is an architect and a native of Atlanta. He is doing double duty running his father’s business and his own. He and Rashida are on a collision course. The story is chock full of wonderful and interesting characters. They provide colorful and page turning drama. There is steamy scenes as the couple explore their feelings. This is a wonderful story as Rashida and Elliot overcome the odds to find a lasting love.