I adored this heartwarming story of two single parents who fake date 🤭 (i LOVE fake dating) joe and sophie’s chemistry and their banter was sooo good and kept me engaged. joe was attentive, supportive and a great listener which really made me fall in love with him and the story.
Despite a miscommunication trope near the end, it was refreshing to see them actually tackle it head on. Overall, this laugh-out-loud romcom was such a fun and cute read. this book would be good for anyone who is looking for a wholesome and charming read with no spice!

fake dating
single mom
single dad
romcom
one bed
grumpy x sunshine

thank you hannah and hq digital for the earc in exchange for my honest review!

I received an ARC of this book from the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

The Pickup was such a cute read and I really enjoyed it. The main characters, Sophie and Joe, were very relatable and I really loved how they get to know each other throughout the book by fake dating each other. Sophie is such a strong female and I definitely connected with how independent she is and that she struggles asking for help. I liked that our first impression of Joe is that he is this care free ladies man but he is much more deeper and sensitive, especially about the things and people he loves. The story and writing was great and I never felt like there was a lull or boring parts while reading. I also actually liked that this was not an open door romance. Overall, this was a great story and I will definitely be recommending this to others! Thank you again NetGalley and the publisher.

I was happy to read another Hannah Double E-ARC since I loved the A to Z of us. This was a quirky and fun fake dating romance with single parents. Miscommunication galore, sarcasm, wit, banter, complicated life and as a new parent myself I feel represented by some of the statements and life experiences these two have. If you like witty, sweet romantic comedies with an enemies to lovers/fake dating esk vibe be sure to check this book out when it releases.

The Pick Up is such a cute single parent fake dating romance! I loved this book because while also following the romance between Joe and Sophie it also followed Sophie’s path as she is reinventing herself post-divorce and dealing with being the “new mom” at her daughter’s school (parents are cliquey too!)

If you have ever felt like an outcast, wanted to be accepted, made sacrifices for others, or enjoy entrepreneurship and romance (duhhh!!!!) then this book is for you 🫶🏻
I also would like to note that a lot of sayings did not translate over the same to American - but I generally got the gist of most references. A few went over my head haha.

⭐️rating: 4/5

I loved this! The banter and humor were on point and I was laughing so much! Such a fun and light story that I breezed through in the best way. It’s an ideal rom-com with just enough heart.

I very much enjoyed the fake dating and the growth Sophie and Joe went through during the book. I was so happy when they finally made their various realizations and came back to each other🩷

Also, the side characters were great as well! Not only are their children great, the other school moms were so entertaining to read about, Poppy (Sophie’s sister) was fun, and I loved Joe’s mom! Now I want to see Poppy and Adam’s story unfold, it sounds so fun!

I absolutely recommend The Pick Up! It’s light, it’s a joy to read, and it has just enough depth to really connect you to the characters. I can’t wait to read more by Hannah Doyle!

Thank you to HQ and NetGalley for the advanced copy of this book! All thoughts and opinions are my own.

A fake dating, single parents that made a fun read. Sophie doesn’t want to be set up anymore, and Joe needs the moms to back off. I love Joe! He is so real and sweet. Sophie is also a great character but she’s a little more closed off. Overall I was here for the slow burn romance between them.

Usually i don't like single dad/single mom trope, but maaaan this book was amazing!!! 💖

"The Pick Up" tells the story of Sophie and Joe. Sophie is a single mother who wants to be accepted by the mom's group, and Joe is THE hot single dad at the school. They both decide to pretend they're dating so that 1) Sophie can be more integrated into the mom's group and 2) so that the other mothers stop bothering Joe. A real win-win. 😌

Did I imagine Joe Jonas with an Irish accent as Joe? Guilty. 😅🫣☘️

The book is very funny and easy to read. Once you start reading, you can't stop.

I love Sophie so so much. She is an intelligent, strong and empowered woman that it is impossible not to love her 👑

I really liked the message that it's never too late to follow your dreams, start a career or a business. 🫶🏻

I don't have kids, but definitely I want a daughter like Lila, she is so adorable 🥰

This book was great fun! I was a little hesitant because I'm not that big on si gle parent romances, but this was really fun!
The main character was really obtuse sometimes, which got on my nerves, but all together a great read for a sunny day!

This was a super cute read that had me laughing out loud, I love the fake dating trope and this one was *chefs kiss* 🤌🏼
I loved that the main characters were older, single parents and that they had overcome struggles. Extremely relatable!
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Thank you NetGalley and HQ for the opportunity to review this book.

Sophie has always felt like an outsider, and she is seeing the effects on her kid. She wants to be active and to see her daughter develop friendships. A significant and important aspect of the story is the found family, which I also truly loved. Together with Joe and his family, she discovered a family, as well as the one she created with the school mothers. The idea that first impressions are not always accurate is another difficult concept that this book explores. Making her understand how her perception of Joe and the Moms has changed from the beginning to the end was a whole different experience.

This is the perfect romantic comedy for anyone searching for a sweet emotional, and clean romance story!

**Thank you so much to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the ARC in exchange for a review.**

Nothing captures my millennial heart than a Sum 41 road trip singalong, so imagine how much I loved this book. Joe and Sophie are both so charming. Her resistance to falling in love makes sense, even when I want to shake her by the shoulders and scream that she’s fake dating the perfect man. I loved them together, the way they fall into friendship before it becomes something more. I couldn’t stop reading this book and finished it in a day, I liked them so much. Cannot recommend enough.

And hannah Doyle does what is so hard to do - captures kids as they really are, and not the odd, unrealistic version we see so often in fiction. Sophie’s daughter adds so much to the book, and I liked seeing Joe with her and his son.

I enjoyed the premise of this book of two single parents meeting in the pick-up line at their children’s pre-school. They agree to fake a relationship for rather unbelievable reasons, but hey! It’s hard to come up with a plausible reason for fake relationships in contemporary life. What makes the book enjoyable is the sweet relationship each has with their children. Both kids are super cute, and I’m a sucker for male heroes who are so invested in their child.

The MFC was a bit irritating in how she was so very positive that she never wanted to have a romantic relationship ever again after a painful divorce. She meets this wonderful guy with whom she enjoys spending time and their kids become great friends. She thinks of him as her best friend. She’s super attracted to him and we get a bit too much interior monologue about how sexy she finds him. He clearly is interested in her and is straight-forward about wanting to explore a more serious relationship. So after a while, the reader is just hanging around waiting for the lightbulb to go off for her.

The dialog between the two main characters and the amusing side characters help save the book from just being a standard fake relationship story.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

The Pick Up-a standalone

by Hannah Doyle-new to me author

Rating: 4/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Publication 5/9/24, Read 5/8/24

Format: e-book, 352 pgs. kindle

Thanks to NetGalley and HQ for this ARC🩷! I voluntarily give an honest review and all opinions expressed are my own.

✔️ Adult Fic/Women's Fic
✔️ Rom-Com
✔️ fake dating
✔️ single parents
✔️slow burn romance
✔️cover lover
✔️found family
✔️reverse grumpy/sunshine
✔️toxic ex

Summary-Sophie Rogers (33) is a divorced single mother to 4 year old Lila. At her daughter's school, the "Class Moms" are the cool moms and Sophie wants to become apart of their clique. She also wants Lila to have playdates and get to know her classmates. Joe (35) is a widower and single father to Sidney. The Class Moms hound him and call him the "Hot Single Dad." He meets Sophie and proposes they fake a relationship so Sophie can get into the "in crowd" of moms, and Joe can be left alone by all the women looking for a date.

The plot was the typical fake dating trope. Sophie and Joe didn't want to be set up on dates, and use each other as cover. I loved Sophie's sister Poppy. She was the comic relief along with the "yummy mummies." Sophie's inner monologues also lighten the mood. The toxic ex husband also makes Sophie's life a little difficult, but is quickly resolved.

Overall, The Pick Up reminds me of the movie Mr. Mom where Michael Keaton is a stay-at-home father. He experienced the same issues Sophie and Joe face from flirty moms to dealing with the car park. This was a cute, light rom-com about two people who needed a little help and a found family.

I really enjoyed this book! It was so much fun to read. It's a sweet rom-com with single parents, fake dating, funny moments, and closed door romance.

It's an easy read, perfect if you want to have a good time and laugh. I read it almost in one sitting; I couldn't put the book down after a few chapters. It's very cute, with one point of view and little drama, which I like, it's just like watching a rom com movie. The plot is simple: two single parents fake dating in order to get different things.

Sophie is a strong, independent character. I loved the relationship she has with her daughter and how she is willing to do anything for her happiness. Some scenes made me really want to scream at her and tell her, 'Please! Come on!' I have to mention her sister; I think it gives a lot more fresh air and funny moments to the book.

Joe is so sweet and clever. An Irish man, the 'hot dad' as all the moms call him. I like how he takes care of his son. I also wanted to scream at him in so many moments. I would have loved to read his point of view to see what he was thinking.

The chemistry between them was great. Like I said, it's a closed-door romance, so we only have a couple of kissing scenes, but what scenes they are! I really enjoyed them. The mothers' club was so funny. The atmosphere was great; I could imagine everything, I liked the descriptions.

We have a miscommunication trope that made me nervous. I think the ending was a little bit too fast; I would have preferred more or perhaps an epilogue. But I really loved the book.

If you are looking for a sweet rom com with so many funny moments and to have a good time, I highly recommend it!

Thank you HQ and NetGalley for the eARC. All thoughts are my own, and I’m leaving this review voluntarily.

This fake dating romance was such a sweet read full of banter and chemistry between these two single parents! All the side characters just added to the wonderful story, and I was truly so sad to reach the end.

Sophie is such a great mom to Lila, working hard to juggle everything and support her daughter. She reminded me of my own mom, who was a single parent for many years, and was the absolute best parent. Both of them stretched theirselves thin to be there for their kids and even when it was hard, they knew it was the right thing to do. Ugh, it was just so great to read her POV!

Joe was such an adorable MMC, I would have loved to see a peek into his mind with chapters in his POV (but that’s just my personal preference bc I’m greedy lol). He’s a great dad to Sidney and making the best of his situation, even when it’s awkward. His relationship with his mom is also so cute, we love to see it. He just cared so deeply for Sophie and put her needs first despite his own happiness, what a sweetheart.

I would have loved an epilogue, but I also think it ended in a great way based on the story. I just didn’t want it to end 😭

I read this in one sitting and enjoyed it more than her previous A to Z book! I loved Sophie and Joe and their two kids. As a mom, I had mixed feelings about the beginning of the book because it described a lot of the crappy parts of motherhood and I read to forget that stuff! But it didn’t take long for the story to progress into the fun bit.

Fake dating, lots of fun banter, a charming MMC, lots of 🌶️ tension while still closed door. Great read!

4.5 stars!! This was such a fun, laugh out loud read! I read it in pretty much one sitting, I was enjoying it so much! A single mom who's sister keeps trying to set her up on blind dates and a single dad who's tired of being seen as the 'sad dad' decide to fake date in order to solve both their problems. Full of super fun banter and a great cast of characters, this was a very enjoyable romcom!

This was a good romance. Sophie is divorced, and her sister LOVES to try to set her up on dates. Sophie has a daughter in school, and she wants more than anything to fit in with the other moms so that her daughter will have a good school life. Joe is single dad, and the other mothers at the school think he is eye candy. But Sophie and Joe don’t really know each other. They go out for pizza with their kids, and decide to fake date. Sophie is determined to keep this professional – she is using him to get in with the moms and have her sister stop setting her up. He’s using her so that the other women leave him alone. It’s the perfect setup, right?

This book has some of my favorite tropes: single parents and fake dating. However, I struggled a bit to feel any chemistry between Sophie and Joe. I thought Joe could have been the most amazing cinnamon roll MMC. However, Sophie was so cold and closed off, that it made it difficult for his character to flourish. It was also a really slow burn romance. It felt like it dragged out way too long before Sophie had her “a-ha’ moment. Then when she did, the book was nearly over so as the reader, I never got to enjoy them together fully.

There were some very sweet moments during the book where Sophie did let her guard down, but she so quickly raised it up again the next day and talked herself out of anything. Honestly, it was rather annoying.

The other school moms were hilarious! Some were annoying, Frankie was fantastic. They really did bring some laugh out loud comedic relief to the book!

Overall, this was decent. I would recommend this book to those that love the slow burn romance with the fake dating, and single parent tropes.

Single mum Sophie just wants both herself and her daughter to fit in with the school crowd. But she's barely being recognized by the other mums. Cue Joe, a single dad at the school who seems to be getting all the attention from the other mums. When Joe suggests they fake a relationship to get the mums off his back and more onto hers, Sophie is quick to agree. I'm sure you know what happens next.

This was such a fun romcom! If you know me, then you know I love a good fake dating storyline. It was lovely having two single parents come together especially with children the same age who got along too. If you're after a sweet story with plenty of laugh out loud moments, you'll like this one.

A fake relationship to gain entry to the parents' club, and to avoid the thirsty playground mums....what could go wrong?

This book made me giggle, made me grin, and had me willing the main characters to admit their feelings! Two single parents, two adorable children, and a gaggle of unique characters make this a really enjoyable read! Many one-liners had me chuckling to myself, and there more than enough addictive tropes to add to the storyline.

A laid-back Irishman, and an organisationally addicted businesswoman combine to make the perfect "fake" couple.