This was so much fun! This would be a great book to read in the summer, especially on vacation. So cute and sweet and some cheesy-ness but all so much fun!

Ore is on the verge of landing her dream job as an investigative reporter for The New Yorker. The only condition is that she must secure an exclusive scoop on the elusive billionaire Harrison Marigold. This means spending two weeks on his luxury yacht off the coast of Australia, winning over the crew and uncovering the truth behind his powerful empire.

Daniel is just as close to his dream job as captain of a superyacht. The only thing standing in his way is one final assignment, chartering a yacht for a billionaire and ensuring that a distractingly beautiful journalist does not interfere with the crew. But keeping Ore from disrupting his carefully charted course proves far more difficult than expected.

As Ore digs deeper, she starts to sense something unsettling about Marigold and his associates. What was meant to be a straightforward profile begins to feel much bigger and more dangerous than she had anticipated. Meanwhile, her growing connection with Daniel complicates everything further. Their chemistry is undeniable, but their bond is built on more than just attraction. It is rooted in shared values and mutual respect.

Hooked on You is more than just a romance. The blend of investigative journalism, mystery and slow-burning tension gives the book an added depth. The intrigue surrounding Marigold keeps the plot engaging, and while the romance develops naturally, it does not overshadow the wider story. Ore’s friendship with Carlos, the yacht’s chef, is a highlight, though it would have been great to see more of it. Some of the side characters, particularly Marigold’s associate Claude, feel a little underdeveloped, but overall, the book delivers a fun and compelling read.

Set against the backdrop of a luxurious yacht and the sparkling Australian coast, Hooked on You is a perfect summer read, balancing romance and suspense in a fresh and engaging way.

Read more at The Secret Book Review.

An amazing exciting read based on board a super yacht. How I sympathised with someone trying to get a first break in a job. Well written with good chemistry between the maim characters and a tangled tale to unearth. Loved the super yacht setting.

A book with shiploads of potential, but it just didn't do it for me unfortunately.

Let's talk about some of the winning moments for this book. Firstly, I really liked the premise of Ore interviewing a CEO on a yacht and the romance being between her and the yacht's captain, Daniel. It felt very fresh, very below deck and very demure. I don't read loads of romance books that are set off land, so this was cool and I felt like I was reading about this cool world with all the boat-related jargon and jarring rich people. So that was really cool. Ore is unmistakably driven and her determination to get a good story especially given the unpredictable/uncertain nature of the journalism industry helped give the plot some momentum for sure.

Ore is half Hatian and half Nigerian, and her ethnicity is really well represented in this book. It is about damn time we see more diversity in romance books so hats off to Barumé for actually putting realistic characters in her books whilst doing due diligence on the representation of their culture/ethnicity. Speaking of Ore, she was really earnest and funny. She felt like a real gem amongst a lot of fakery that we see in Chuck and his so-called friends. Speaking of Chuck, he was so unbearable. He was so annoying and I know he was written to be a phony CEO, but this book was so painful because of how annoying I found him.

Other than Chuck being the worst character, I also wasn't crazy about Daniel. He had some depth to him, but I just wasn't charmed or drawn to his character very much. It also didn't feel like he had a heap loads of chemistry with Ore. Without saying too much, he also wasn't super easy to root for. A lot of the plot twists or OMG moments were because he'd done silly things which just further undermined his character for me.

So unfortunately, this book didn't really spark much excitement in me despite how excited I was to get stuck in.

I really enjoyed this one and think it’s a fun little romance/mystery mix and would be great for a palate cleanser from heavy dark romances, fantasy, etc.
Ore spends some time on a billionaires yacht to interview/write about him and it doesn’t take long for her to realize things are super shady. Daniel is the sexy and luckily non-corrupt captain of the ship. I enjoyed their banter and the way they worked together to ultimately figure out what kind of corruption was going on. I liked that the stakes were higher in this than they were in Love Overboard! My favorite side character was absolutely the chef, Carlos and I would’ve loved more of him!

this was a cute, quick read that i laughed out loud several times. cant wait for the author’s next book, that’s for sure.

I wasn't too sure when I started this book however soon started to enjoy the combination of romance along with a degree of mystery as to what was going on...

With a mix of romance and mystery, Hooked on You's going to be a fun read for your summer getaway

Hooked on You follows Ore, a journalist who's about to get a job at the New Yorker, but the catch is she first needs to write a profile on the CEO of a big and powerful company. To do that, she's spending a few days on his yacht to interview him, the crew, and his guests. The captain of this yacht is Daniel, who always had his life perfectly planned out, that is until he meets Ore. As she digs deeper into this story and starts interviewing the crew, Ore realises that there is something off about this CEO and his associates, and this profile might turn into something bigger and more dangerous than she had anticipated.

This book does a good job of not leaving the plot only in the hands of the romance and the connection between the two main characters; sometimes, especially at the beginning, it doesn't even feel like it's the main thing going on, which I think is quite refreshing. Ore and Daniel shared an instant connection, but I like that their relationship isn't only based on their attraction for each other but also on their shared values and respect. I love Carlos, the yacht's chef, and his friendship with Ore, but I do wish we got to see more of it. Moreover, I will say some of the side characters feel a bit one-dimensional, especially Claude, one of the CEO's associates.

Hooked on You is a blend of romance and mystery set against the backdrop of a luxurious yacht - a fun summer read to take on your holiday!

Many thanks to Avon UK and NetGalley for the e-ARC!

This book was so good! I really loved the characters and how well developed they were! I enjoyed reading their story!

I struggled with the first half of this book, it felt more like a mystery then a romance book, the second half was a lot better but I must admit I was close to giving up at certain points

It’s a cute romance but not something I could see myself re reading

Hooked on you really surprised me. When I started the book I wasnt sure it was for me.
The start felt a little slow but something kept telling me to read on.
About half way through the pace started to pick up I was obsessed and I couldnt put the book down I just wanted to find out how it ends.

I enjoyed this book, I found the plot really interesting and I loved seeing each characters development.
I love this authors writing style and I cant wait to pick up other books by this author.

I highly recommend this book its an enjoyable read and the romance is just adorable.

*Thank you NetGalley and Avon Books for providing me this Arc in return for an honest review*

Ore boards a billionaire's superyacht to write an article about him. 2 weeks cruising off the coast of Australia. She soon realises there is more to him and his business than is generally known, and sets about finding out exactly what shady practices he is using. Added romance is provided by the attractive Captain of the boat . A thoroughly enjoyable read.

Romance readers listen up. Watch out for Hooked on You by Ada Barume on publication day. You won’t regret this one.

Hooked On You follows Ore and Daniel, an investigative journalist and a yacht captain respectively, who are both doing 'one last job' before they get into their dream careers; for Ore, working as an investigative journalist for the New Yorker, and for Daniel, being the resident captain on an easy-going family's yacht. But, will this 'one last job' derail their dreams for the future, or reimagine their future entirely?

For those of you who've been following me for a little while, you'll know that I read and adored Love Overboard, also by Ada Barumé, in summer 2024 (I was lucky enough to receive the eARC of Love Overboard too!!). Love Overboard was a lovely, light-hearted read full of enemies to lovers goodness (and food).

I actually think I preferred Hooked On You to Love Overboard, as the story was more in-depth and I felt like the outcome had higher stakes due to various factors. One thing Ada smashed in both books, though, was the characters' depth. In this one, Carlos was an absolute angel, and Mel was a classic teen (I loved her).

Overall, Hooked On You is a fantastic romance, and I absolutely adored it. This wonderful book is released on 10th April, and I would highly recommend you grab it as it's only £2.99 on kindle currently (and it's totally worth it - I may have my pre-order in already)<33

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book. A gorgeous 4 star read book from me. What an exciting plot, vivid storytelling and relatable, rich characters. I couldn't put this book down – absolutely loved it.

Ore is relatively new to journalism and hits the jackpot when she's commissioned to write a profile on successful businessman and Billionaire Chuck. Chuck has invited her to stay on his super yacht to interview him and those around him for the piece, but she soon realises that nobody is allowed to say very much and also discovers a bigger story lurking behind the scenes.
Whilst on board, the handsome but reserved captain Daniel catches her eye, and a slow burn attraction between them unfolds.

I found the first 40% of this book a little slow and for me it felt more like a mystery/thriller, with the romance being a secondary storyline. The second half of the book was much more engaging and I flew through it, desperate to know what would happen.

Thanks to Avon books and Netgalley for providing an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

Both characters are in new job roles and working on a yacht. I loved that set-up! The witty banter between the two unfolds as the boat sails around Australia. I was entertained while reading this story. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A story set o a super Yancheng. You had powerful men, crew staff being spies on each other , an un loved daughter and a journalist. You also got love.. A nice read but just did not grab me . Good ending. Perfect for a wet Saturday afternoon read.