4⭐️
Genre ~ contemporary romance
Setting ~ California
Publication date ~ May 28, 2022
Publisher ~ Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op
Est Page Count ~ 239 (17 titled chapters +e)
Audio length ~ 6 hours 48 minutes
Narrator ~ Virtual Voice
POV ~ dual 1st person, present tense
Featuring ~ reality home improvement competition, slow burn, competitors to lovers, minimal steamage

Sam (30) & Max (are my niece and nephews name, who are siblings, so some scenes were a little awkward for me 😂) are competing against each other to win a farm house. Sam is a strong builder and Max grew up on a farm. They both want the house for very different reasons. Who has the better skills to win their dream home?

There were a good mix of tasks they had to complete that showcased both of their skills and weaknesses equally. It, also, does a good job of showing what it's like behind the scenes of a reality show. Sam's hair, makeup and wardrobe ladies, Verda and Lynn, added some extra fun to the story. On the other hand, the host, Rob, is a big time sexist douche that needed a fingernail pinch to the nads, repeatedly. He chose to ignore what name she goes by, so we had to read the words “my name is Sam” or “it’s Sam” it seemed like 6,472 times, which was pretty annoying.

Overall, there were some cute and fun moments that kept me engaged. I'd for sure read this author duo's work again (and not only because I already have another one on my kindle).

Cover gripe ~ she's described as having mocha colored skin and the woman on the cover appears to be on the lighter skinned side.

A big thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing for the eARC. I am voluntarily reviewing this book. This was a fun book. From competitors to lovers. Max and Samantha had great chemistry. Rob was a total creep! 4 stars.

Had my attention from start to finish… I couldn't put it down and finished it in a day. Can't wait for more from this amazing author What an absolute cracker of a book!!!…

Max and Sam won the right to compete on Go Hard or Go Home reality competition show. Both of them have their own reason for entering this competition. Max and Sam met at 3rd round auditions and take an immediate dislike to each other. As the two of them fall in love with each other, they felt trapped in the competition facing an obnoxious and manipulative hose

This story is about enemies to lovers theme. The banter between Max and Sam is amazing and I love how both of them trying to help each other eve though they are a competitor against each other. Love the reality concept storyline. There are many twists and turn which keep me turning the pages. Overall it is a pleasant quick read for me.

*review post scheduled to be posted on my blog on 5/3/23*

This is quite an unexpected enemies to lovers, reality show competition romance. It wasn’t what I expected, in the best way! The blurb was intriguing and interesting, but the end result was so much more than I could have hoped for.

I wanted this to get better and it just. did. not. I know the sexiest comments were part of the conflict but it never stopped. And she kept equally objectifying him. Not sure fashion should have been such a huge focus, the competition made no sense and the ending lost me.

3.5 stars (rounded up)!

"Hammer My Heart" by Michelle Angelle is pretty good. I really like the fact that this book revolves around a reality show competition that sees the main characters, Sam and Max, fighting against each other to win a farmhouse. What they think is going to be a building competition has quickly been turned into something else with additions like selling lemonade, chasing hens, and shoveling poop in addition to contractor-type stuff. The game show elements are very fun and make for a quick read. I figured there were other forces at play, so what happened didn't really come as a surprise to me. The host of the TV show, Rob, is a maaaajor sexist. It sucks that he's such a jerk to Sam, but I kept thinking, *we get it.* We don't really need to be reminded every. freaking. page. that he has a vendetta against Sam because she's a woman. It got way too repetitive and too tiresome for me. Max and Sam's chemistry develops quickly based on the physical alone. Their insta-love shapes how the competition goes, and eventually, we see them slowly start to fall in love. Unfortunately, there are A LOT of misunderstandings between Sam and Max because they constantly think they are trying to sabotage each other during the competition. They are attracted to one another, but they frequently think the worst because there is a lot at stake. They are more than friends when it suits them, but a misunderstanding always creeps in and puts them at odds again. I haaaate the miscommunication trope, so I rolled my eyes a lot, but I sort of get why it's necessary here. Once they start to put their squabbles aside and actually talk to each other, the last half of the book got way better. The instances of banter and spice between Sam and Max are well-written. It's not a terribly long book and it is a quick read.

Thank you to NetGalley, Michelle Angelle, and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for providing me with an ARC copy of this book! All opinions are my own, and I was not compensated for my review.

I adored this story. Strong female character, yummy love interest, and a home renovation reality show? I'm sold.

Sam is an artist, a master woodworker, and she is on the show to win the farmhouse so she can leave her uncles' workshop and branch out on her own. Max is a smart and handy guy who has a degree in finance, who wants the farmhouse to replace the one he feels responsible for his family losing. Sparks fly from the beginning, and things keep getting hotter with every challenge.

There are tweets at the end of each challenge, which helps to show the audience's responses to the two contestants. They are funny and realistic - if you're on Twitter, you know that they could have been pulled straight out of the timeline.

Add in a misogynistic host who constantly spouts off sexist remarks, various crew members, and some ridiculous challenges, and you have the blueprints for an entertaining, spicy read.

* I received a digital ARC from Netgalley in exchange for my honest review

This is a first time read for me by this author and I really enjoyed it. If you like reality show-based books, then you don't want to miss this one. It's a fun, flirty, and light-hearted story that will have you laughing and smiling all the way through. Sam and Max have both won a spot on the reality show Go Hard or Go Home and will be competing for the chance to win a new home. You will start reading and won't want to stop till you're finished. It's filled with surprises, laughs, and twists and turns that will keep you glued till the end. Sam and Max are wonderful together and their chemistry is off the charts. They will both surprise you as they are more than the typical competitors and when the other is in trouble and need some help, they discreetly help each other out.
A totally cute and unique story and I had a great time reading it. I will certainly be looking for more by this author. I would definitely recommend!
I received a complimentary copy from Netgalley and am voluntarily leaving my review.

This book is a bit perplexing to me.

Hammer My Heart by Michelle Angelle, started off kind of slow. It took me a few chapters before I felt invested in the story. While, I found the premise to be fun, it fell short.

This is a rather quick read. I would have preferred for it to be longer. In adding to the book, it would allow for more character and plot development. I felt both of these elements were lacking.

One thing I did appreciate, was the ending. I thought the choice made was a nice change. I wouldn’t say I was shocked, but I was caught a little off guard. Most books tend to be fairly predictable and this wasn’t.

Special thanks to NetGalley and Victoria Editing for allowing me to read this book in exchange for my honest feedback.

A great read.
Set on a reality TV show, Max and Sam are pitted against each other. Will they compete against each other or work together? Both have their own reasons for being there, so can they give up on their dreams to be together?
Looking forward to more books from this author.

A.fun and creative plot with well developed and likeable characters. Everything a rom com shoykd be and this is one not to be missed!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
This book was very light-hearted and fun. The main characters Sam and Max, had a lot of integrity and I like that they stuck by each other. Sam was a little bit dramatic when she blamed Max a couple of times, but overall I liked them both.
Rob was an easy person to dislike, and it made the ending that much more enjoyable.
I liked the plot and it was different to most romances, which will keep it memorable.

Well.. this was unexpected! The storyline is so original and unique, and the way it's written was so easy to get into. The healthy rivalry atmosphere between the hardworking builder Sam and the smart finance and former farmer Max while they're participating on a Home Building Reality Show to win a house warmed my heart. As well as their chemistry and relationship developed, from the must-held attraction, to adoration, and getting to know each other?? that's cute and seamless, even though there's one or two bumpy things. to met along the way. I love how both get each other well as they spend time together, how they resolves the misunderstanding and found out that they're working well together and to outplay the [manipulative] game-makers! The main characters' background story is also heartwarming and so realistic for me, there's no exaggerating here because you can't help to roots for both of them! Well, all of the characters here, the main and cameos ones are adorable, except for the biggest p###ck that is Rob!

Overall, it's a pleasant and quick read that lighten my mood easily for me.

P.S: more points for this book for The Beatles references thrown here, there, and everywhere!

This is quite an unexpected enemies to lovers, reality show competition romance. It wasn’t what I expected, in the best way! The blurb was intriguing and interesting, but the end result was so much more than I could have hoped for.

I definitely recommend this one and plan to check out more by this co-writing duo (looks like there’s at least three more)! They wrote seamlessly and you definitely can’t tell where they passed the manuscript, the flow is great, the pacing, chemistry between characters, and I totally loved the banter, wit and relationship between Sam and Max.

Sam is a female home renovation expert, working for her uncle and formerly her father, at the family business. Max is in finance, without building experience. They both audition for “Go Hard or Go Home,” a long-running reality home renovation competition show where two contestants compete against each other in building and renovation challenges to win a home. They meet at third-round auditions and take an immediate dislike to each other, which is caught on the cameras that are everywhere… and the rest is history! The show-runners see and love the tension and chemistry. The terrible self-centered host loves to irritate the two and prompts the social media voting crowd to make decisions about what happens next on the show, and determine the outcome… but as Sam and Max catch on, they build a friendship and try to turn the tables and make everything go their own way.

I received an advance copy from NetGalley and Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op, and this is my honest feedback.

This book was 200+ pages of foreplay! I never realized a slow build could be so much fun. Such a uniquely original concept, Michelle Angelle brings the thrill of HGTV with a hilarious behind the scenes take in Hammer My Heart.

For those of you who are fans of reality competition shows, this book is right up your alley. Max and Sam have aced their interviews and won the right to compete on Go Hard or Go Home - a show that will allow the winner to walk away with a (new to them) home! Sam believes she has this in the bag! Having learned everything she knows about woodwork and construction from her father, she can’t wait to dominate the competition. She doesn’t realize that simple statement is a double entendre until see lays eyes on Max. Max may have his own ace in the hole to get ahead but this competition is more than about beating Sam, it is about redeeming himself and putting right a huge mistake from his past. The true question is, how far are they willing to go in order to win?

What I liked about this book: Hammer My Heart was side splitting funny! I have read a few books that have kept me in stitches and this is one of them. I lost count of the laugh out loud moments (and the awkward looks I received because of them)! The banter between Sam and Max is pure gold. They play off each other so well and the alternating first person point of view just makes it even better. This was such a quick read but you get so sucked into the “show” and the overall competition that you are done before you even realize it. While the authors do keep the story PG-13 which a toe dip into R, the build up scenes are still steamy and chemistry between Max and Sam is palpable.

What I loved about the book: The story concept was so unique! As a romantic comedy, you can predict it will be a happily ever after ending (and even that was original and super sweet) but the journey there was unexplored. I didn’t know what was going to happen next but I loved how all the characters were an essential part of the story - from the make-up artist, to the cameraman, to the building crew. Even the spectators' comments and actions added to humor!

What I am indifferent about but feel I should mention: This book is an intense, hot and heavy build up between Max and Sam. When they finally do connect, I felt like the build up was more intense than the actual union. That moment of connection was a little lackluster by comparison. With that much tension, I expected the pages to literally melt when they finally slept together.

Making you truly question what happens when the cameras are off, Hammer My Heart is a quick, fun, and insanely hilarious take on reality TV and the antics they are willing to endure in the name of competition.

This cover is so cute and this is a cute, quick read. Max and Sam are immediately attracted to each other but try to focus on this very odd reality TV competition. The inevitable miscommunication in all romance books happens more than once. And each time Sam is the one that unnecessarily takes offense. It was exasperating because rather than learning from the first time she continues to be dumb and wounded. Love that she is a skilled craftsman and that Max is supportive. Not much humor but Max and Sam eventually decide to work together as a team. And really the last few chapters bumped up the star rating. Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC

I enjoyed this book. It was unique, original and funny. The characters were charming, and sometimes a little bit annoying, the storyline was really engaging and different.

I am a big fan of reality series and competitions and that is why I requested this book. Enjoyed it! Team Sam or Team Max? Eh..team Sammax or Maxsam. The book is about a TV show in which an arrogant presenter presents the match and Sam(antha) and Max are fighting for a house. The book is funny and easy written and the Twitter hashtags are so funny! I loved the way Sam and Max team up…and beware it is SAM (not Samantha) haha….Very Recommended.

Thank you @netgalley and @michelleangelle for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Contains spoilers.

What a wholesome book. I absolutely hated Rob. Before I pieced it together and realized that the challenges had no baring on the winner of the competition I thought the show was a brilliant idea. Something that would definitely happen in real life. But then when I realized it was all social media based I was mad for Sam and Max. They were being but through the ringer for absolutely no reason except for Rob's sadistic entertainment.

But the book was great besides the fact that it made me angry for the characters.