Hooking up is a great little getaway from the norm. I love the idea of it and I totally see where this was going but I have to say I never recovered from the beginning. Amalie never really won me back after her decision, i understood why but it just really soured her in my book. Other than that writing is fantastic ( as usual) with the funny little Hijinks and hotness we get from Helena.

*** Arc kindly provided by the Publisher Via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

Well written sexy romance

This is the first time I've read Helena Hunting and I look forward to reading more of her work.
Amalie and Lexington are very realistic characters that the reader can identify with. The plot line had me turning the pages anxious to see what happened next.

I received an Advance Reader copy from NetGalley.

Lexinton “Lex” Mills saw Amalie first, but that didn’t stop his cousin, Armstrong, from pursuing her, if anything, it encouraged him to do so. You see, for years Lex and Armstrong have had this rivalry, in all things: school, work, and woman. Now, Armstrong has the girl and is planning to make it permanent…he’s proposed marriage.
Amalie “Amie” Whitfield is marrying the love of her life, well...that’s what she tells herself and others. Instead, she’s marrying the “idea” of it. She’s spent the last couple years trying to avoid drama and bring less shame to her family. Armstrong is supposed to be her fresh start. He’s supposed to be stability, normal, and scandal free. Instead, not 12 hours into their marriage, he’s overheard by his new bride and almost all the wedding guests, getting off with someone else who ISN’T the bride. Mortified and ashamed of being involved in more drama,
Amie retaliates by throwing herself at the first man available. Coincidently, that man happens to be Lex. But as much as Lex wants Amie, he knows he can’t take advantage of her distress and situation. He knows she’ll come to regret this and he doesn’t want to be yet another mistake on her list.

Feeling broken and rejected by two men, Amie decided to go on her honeymoon…alone. But to her surprise, she finds she is not the only one fleeing the drama. Lex is also heading to Bora Bora. Amie always found Lex attractive and he is exactly the type of man she was drawn to before Armstrong, but Armstrong warned her away from Lex, saying he was nothing but trouble…maybe who she should’ve been warned about was Armstrong because clearly he wasn’t without trouble.

Being together is dangerous, but soon Amie and Lex find themselves taking this “honeymoon” as an opportunity for a little distraction from the inevitable fallout they have to face when they return home. “I know all I am is a distraction from reality, but I still want her, even if I shouldn’t.” –Lex. But as the weeks go on, soon their little slice of fantasy starts to feel like more. True feelings and emotions develop. As their hook up comes to an end, reality seeps in. Can Lex live with only being a distraction? Can Amie trust her budding feelings for Lex? She has a bad track record of trusting her instincts and picking men...her husband is a prime example. Also, she’s married…to Lex’s cousin…that only spells disaster, right? Can what happened in Bora Bora, STAY in Bora Bora? Is their temporary diversion from life, temporary?

WOWZA! This was one of the best “hook-up to lovers” novels I’ve read in a long time! Hot Hot HOT! *fans self* It’s been awhile since I’ve read a Helena Hunting novel, but OH.EM.GEE!! I forgot how sexy and hilarious her stories can be! I didn’t realize how much I missed her writing style. This is the perfect distraction from reality *wink*. This story wasn’t just about the obvious desire these two had for each other, it was about the deeper connection you have with your one true love, the one that brings out the true you. Amie had this perceived idea of what love should look like and what she should get out of a relationship, but Lex shows her what love (and a devoted man) was supposed to look like.

“What if it doesn’t work out?”
“What if it does? I don’t want to get hurt again.”
“I don’t want to hurt you Amie, I want to love you. Won’t you let me try?”
#swoon

It’s forbidden, comical, and sweet. Lex definitely has the reader swooning! HOOKING UP was entertaining and compelling from beginning to end! I think it’s safe to say, this is my new favorite couple from Helena. She pulled out the right amount of feistiness, sexiness, and perfect love between these two. “Anarchy Amie” and “Sexy Lexy” are a couple you won’t want to miss! This is a spinoff of SHACKING UP, but can be read as a standalone. If you haven’t read Helena Hunting before, I HIGHLY recommend starting with this book! It has her signature writing style all over it!

5 stars!

Goodreads: http://bit.ly/2hq7krr

4.5☆
Hooking Up was sweet, sexy, fun, entertaining and extremely hard to put down. With characters that were all brilliant. Even Armstrong, although he's still a dick! And a storyline that I loved. There really was so much to enjoy and I'm so glad Amie finally got to see Armstrong's true colours and still get a happy ending. But as it turns out with a guy who really was perfect for her and whom I absolutely adored. And I would happily recommend Hooking Up to others. As it really was a fantastic read.

Every book that this author writes is crazy funny. This book starts with such a hysterically funny scene it had me in stitches from the get go. Also, in Shakespearean terms, she writes tragic comedy because in the middle of the most hysterical scene, there’s incredible sadness and disappointment.

Amalie first met Lexington Mills. She saw in him what she saw in her previous boyfriends, a bad boy, good for a crazy fling. However, the attraction was strong. His mistake was to go away to get her a drink. Armstrong Mills swooped in, invited her to dance, and bad-mouthed Lexington.

One year later, it’s Amalie’s wedding day to Armstrong. Then comes the incredibly funny scene where in the reception a malfunctioning speaker allows everyone on the hall to listen as a woman gives Armstrong a blow job. Everyone gets to hear all the grunts, moans, foul language, and the grand finale of the climax. Except that during all this time, Amalie, the new bride, was at the head banquet table, waiting for the speeches to start. Chaos ensues, and Amalie’s best friend and maid of honor, Ruby, helps Amalie escape from the hall. She runs into the bridal suite, where she finds Lexington on the way to get drunk. She attacks him, going for a revenge f@ck, and tells him the famous words: I’m going to f@ck you and you’re going to like it. It was a priceless scene, in the funny element, but also tragic, because Amalie is dying of shame, anger, humiliation, and disappointment in her choice of a husband. See where the tragic comedy label applies? I loved this scene, but also felt immensely sad for Amalie.

Lex behaved in an extraordinarily kind and tender way with Amalie, extracting himself from her tight grasp and helps get her out of the hotel and into a car to escape the horror. Later on, Ruby convinces Amalie to go on her honeymoon trip, sans Armstrong, so she can escape from the social scandal. She gets numerous texts, emails and calls from Armstrong and his mother, who think this is just a mishap and they can work it out, yeah right. So Amalie escapes and surprise! Finds Lexington is also going to Bora Bora.

Lexington feels bad about Amalie. It was his plus one at the wedding, Brittany Thorton, happily nicknamed Whore-ton, who served the infamous blow job to Armstrong. His mother is friends with Whore-ton’s mother and had insisted on Lex inviting her. Now both Lex and his parents feel mortified and guilty. They determine that it was better if Lex takes a business trip to visit some of their hotels and improve on their efficiency and stay away from the scandal, too. Armstrong and Lexington are cousins and have a long-established competition that through the years has turned into a dark and unhealthy obsession on Armstrong’s part. To the point that anything that Lex shows an interest in, Armstrong swoops in and takes away, including women. So, since Lex was seen helping Amalie escape, it was deemed best that he make himself scarce for a while.

I won’t spoil what happens during the honeymoon and after. It was a honeymoon but not between the married couple. Amalie decides to get back to her normal character and turn into Anarchy Amie and Lex falls in love with her crazy and fun persona. Amalie realizes that Lex is not the bad person Armstrong described, but a tender, fun, understanding man who gets her, like Armstrong never would. Sex between them is explosive, dirty, swinging-from-the-chandeliers monkey-sex, and we get many scenes where this is described.

Amie and Lex face many challenges: her best friend Ruby is engaged to Lex’s brother Bancroft, Armstrong is family and their mothers have a hate/love relationship, plus business-wise the social scandal can affect Lex’s father's empire. They had thought to just have a fling but their feelings were too involved and the obstacles were too strong. It was a book fraught with funny scenes, angsty scenes, Amalie is shown battling with her self-doubts as she recognized her true feelings towards Armstrong. She realizes the real reasons why she married him and is dealing with her emotions. Her emotions are all over the place and Lex is very considerate, letting Amie set the pace.

I loved the book and loved the characters. This author’s characters are a little bit crazy, a little bit funny and a little bit emotional, but mostly they are perfectly flawed humans who deal with life as best they can.

When i read about Amie in Shacking Up, I couldn’t wait to have her story told. She was engaged to Armstrong, who we all know was nowhere near good enough for her. Hooking Up held me captive from the first page, and much like other books of Helena’s, there was definitely a lot of comedy.
One thing I didn’t like, though, was how long the annulment dragged on for. I didn’t feel like Lex and Amie truly had the time to spend getting to know each other, because Amie was married through almost the entire book.
I definitely recommend this book, and even if you haven’t read Shacking Up, it can be read as a stand-alone.

Overall a 4 star rating for this quirky but fun rom com!

I will confess that I haven't read Shacking Up (which is connected to Hooking Up) although it is sitting in my Kindle library waiting to be read... However I definitely think that this one can be read as a standalone (and it IS touted as such) although I think it's good that I didn't read book 1 first as I think I might have found Amalie annoying in that story and been reluctant to try this book.

This book is definitely a tangled web - Amalie is TRYING to turn over a new leaf and only hook up with good guys... however this leads to her getting engaged and subsequently married to the biggest douche of all - Armstrong - and this is where the story starts, on their wedding day with him cheating on her at the reception!! Where everyone hears... including Amalie. So she takes off and goes on her honeymoon solo but ends up sitting next to Armstrong's cousin Lex on the plane who just so happens to be a guy that she thought she was avoiding making a mistake with (courtesy of info Armstrong fed her).

They ALMOST were a thing but cousin Armstrong got in the way so this is their second chance... however complications ensue in the form of family and reluctance to make another bad choice. Can they turn hooking up into a real relationship despite all the hurdles?? Give this one a read and join the ride!!

If you've read Helena's Pucked Up series this is similar but maybe a little more serious but still definitely recommend for a good read.

I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy via NetGalley and St. Martin's Press.

This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises.

When rivalry goes wrong and ends up in a wedding proposal you know it has gone to far, or has it.
For Amie she thought she had found the man of her dreams, the respectable man that she should be falling for, little did she know that she never really knew him at all.
Lexington was going to sit by and let his cousin marry the woman he could not forget, the one that slipped away taken by his cousins insane rivalry to always have what he covets. Bowing out gracefully he intended to watch her go down the aisle into wedded bliss, that is until it all falls apart at the wedding rehearsal. Now faced with a crying Amie and drunker than he should be, he has to calm his libido down before she does something that she will regret.
Running from humiliation Amalie, goes on her honeymoon with one thing in mind... Hooking up. She never though she would be flying with the one man that turned he down when she was the most vulnerable. But when they land, things get heated and what was only an attraction turns into so much more than either of them ever expected..... Complicated.
Love that was always meant to be and found again is what this book is all about, a second chance at getting it right.

I liked this book, but not as much as Shacking Up. My biggest issue was the fact that there was very little emotional development shown between the main characters. We're told they had conversations about their childhoods, but we're shown that all they do is have sex. It's difficult to believe their feelings toward each other when every single chapter is about sex. I think their time in Bora Bora should have been expanded on with less time spent in New York. The New York stuff felt unimportant and a little slow.

Lex was an awesome H. He was sexy, fun, flirty, and a really great guy. I liked that he took his time with Amie and didn't push her too hard into admitting her feelings. He was very patient with her and he wasn't overly Alpha.

Amie was okay for me. I would have liked her more if she had whined less. The circumstances she was put in were beyond awful and she deserved to wallow and grieve, but it's basically 6 months of her constantly talking about how she shouldn't have married Armstrong and it was her own fault because all she wanted was stability, etc. I felt like that was the majority of her dialogue. I wanted growth, I wanted someone who was stronger than she was portrayed. She really just came off very woe-is-me. I was kind of over her by the end of the book. She is ultimately why I gave this book a 3 star instead of 4.

I did really like this book though, and I do recommend it if you liked the first one. I'm hoping we get Griffin's book next because it seems like he might be hiding something or possibly Armstrong's brother's book. Another good book from Ms. Hunting!

Hooking Up was masterful! It was wickedly sexy, hot and a little taboo!

I didn't find Hooking Up as funny as her other romantic comedies because Amie is in a strange place in her life. She was mortified and ashamed at her wedding reception and she did the only thing she could think to do. She fled.

And through fate or chance she runs into the one man that will heal her. And gosh dang it! That was funny, hot as Hades and did I ever swoon!!! Sexy Lexy is everything that book boyfriends should be made of. He was so caring and gah! I thought I loved Bane, but there is just something about Lex.

"I want him to erase everything that came before him. I want this night to last forever."

Lex and Amie have a huge mountain to climb, that mountain being her husband and his cousin. That sounds really wrong, but trust me, its not like that and you will be rooting for them. The situation they find themselves in is not an easy one an it is definitely a dramatic on.

"She's my sun and I'm her moon, connected by an invisible thread, bound but free."

The story of them scaling this mountain is a heartbreaking and joyous. I wanted Lex and Amie together since I met her douche bag fiancee in Shacking Up. Get ready for another five star read from Helena Hunting!

4.5 Stars

I have been SO looking forward to Amie's story since we met her in Shacking Up, and Getting Down in the Eye Candy anthology just ramped up the anticipation! Hooking Up was definitely worth the wait with lots of heat, humor and emotion.

Amie has had her doubts about marrying Armstrong for quite some time, but a desire to make her parents proud had her pushing those doubts to the side and becoming an unrecognizable version of herself. But when Armstrong's infidelity during their wedding reception is broadcast over the PA system for everyone to hear, she is DONE! She goes Bridezilla meets Hulk on her wedding dress and throws herself at the man she finds hiding away from the festivities in the bridal suite but is further mortified when he turns her down.

See, in this book, we find out that Amie met two men one fateful night not so long ago: the man she should have been with, and Armstrong who decided to steal her away from him. (If you have read Getting Down then you will know who that other man is, but I am trying to honor the publisher's request to keep the hero's name out of my review and it's not easy!! ) It's that other man who is hiding out to try to escape thoughts of what could have been, and saying no to a distraught Amie is the last thing he wants to do but he knows he has to. Things are going to be messy enough as it is and he has no desire to further complicate her life. When they both end up on the same plane to Bora Bora and find themselves sitting next to each other for the duration of the flight, Fate is clearly trying to send them a message.

What happens on the island should stay on the island, but neither can deny that feelings are getting involved despite their best intentions. Their chemistry is off the charts, and Amie is finding his combination of sexy, dirty talking, sweet, tats, and glasses to be her kryptonite. But technically she is still married on paper because Armstrong is a delusional ass who refuses to sign the papers in his pursuit of maintaining a perfect image and making her miserable at the same time. Once they return home, the angst level kicks up a bit and Anarchy Amie is shelved again, but now that she has let her fun side out to play again, locking it away permanently is not an option.

Hooking Up was a fabulous read! It was everything I was hoping for, and once I picked it up I didn't want to put it down again. I can't wait to see what Ms. Hunting has in store for us next, but I will savor this one for awhile.

Amie Whitfield was publicly humiliated by her cheating husband, on her wedding day. She is devastated and feels guilty because she made the wrong choice. Amie is a strong-willed, poised woman brought low by her husband's betrayal. Needing to get away from all the drama and to clear her head, she decides to flee to Bora Bora, on a solitary honeymoon. At the airport, she runs smack- dab into the hero of this story.

The hero … I loved every single thing about this man! He’s so adorable, not to mention hot! The way he was with Amie was just everything! They are long-time friends, but Amie is the one woman he has always wanted but never could have. Amie’s husband is his best enemy and his perfect opposite. He is Amie’s knight in shining armor and comes to her rescue when she needs him most. He protects her from all the things she isn’t ready to deal with.

They enjoy the time spent together. The banter between them flowed easily and their love story took shape almost immediately. They define boundaries to their relationship, but their connection is intense and undeniable, their chemistry is combustible.

Amie was truly entertaining and she made me laugh out loud. She’s feisty, brazen and at the same time she’s comical without meaning to be. Her “Anarchy Amie” side was absolutely irresistible. The supporting characters were fantastic and interesting in their own right, with appearances of Bane and Ruby from “Shacking Up”.

This book was an absolute delight! Helena Hunting has penned a sexy and seductive gem with playful repartee, a vivacious heroine and a dreamy hero! This author knows how to write an entertaining story in a way that is fun and unique. I loved the dynamic and vibrant characters, they are fire, steam, wit and chemistry! So if you are looking for a book that will have you smiling, sighing and blushing, then this is it!

3.5 stars

I was excited to read Amalie’s story after meeting her in Shacking Up. Although the hero wasn’t a surprise because I read the short story included in the Eye Candy anthology, that snippet only served to build my interest in this couple and their full story. For those new to the series, these books can easily be read as standalones. There are a significant amount of cameos by previous characters, but the backstories are recapped enough to ensure no reader is lost on the history. Hooking Up definitely showcased this author’s notorious fun, sexy side, offering up quite a few comedic moments and plenty of heat. Where Hooking Up lost me was its predictability. The book followed so many romance clichés that it didn’t quite spark my full interest for a good portion of the story.

In Shacking Up it’s clear that Armstrong and Amalie aren’t the best match, and I really hoped there would be a little more explanation as to how that relationship came about. While I got answers, I can’t say that I found them all that satisfying (of course that’s on me as a reader, but it affected my enjoyment). I wanted to make sense of it so I understood her character better, but it didn’t really happen and honestly some of her reasoning and actions in this book made me like her a little less than I did going in. Who I did like even more than expected was the hero. Frankly, he surprised me in all the good ways. He was a nice balance for Amalie and I liked how their relationship progressed. I also found the latter parts of the story more interesting as things came together and Armstrong’s motivations came to light. Overall, I liked the couple but this just wasn’t all that I expected after reading Shacking Up and Eye Candy.

I read a lot and definitely don’t expect every book to offer up something totally unique, but I like when a book surprises me with its approach, and unfortunately Hooking Up didn’t. While I certainly didn’t devour this book quite like Shacking Up, it had good pacing and interesting primary/secondary characters. I’m not sure if there will be more to this series, but there were a few secondary characters that left me curious so I would likely read the next book. I think Miss Hunting fans certainly will not be disappointed in Hooking Up and I would recommend the title to readers looking for a flirty romantic comedy that offers a nice escape.

Fun, sexy, sweet, hot and those are just the words to describe Lexington! No, really this was a fantastic read from Helen Hunting!! If you enjoyed Shacking Up (and I totally did!), then you’ll love Hooking Up! Lex and Amie were fabulous together. What starts as a runaway bride going on her honeymoon after the douchey groom gets caught in his own hook up at their reception, becomes a story of so much more. I loved Amie and wanted her far away from Armstrong, because really he was horrid and only got worse. Lexington on the other hand was amazing and wonderful and everything Amie could ever want.

I loved the pace of this story. Nothing was rushed. The dual pov was perfect too. Helena writes both wonderful dirty talk and fantastic banter. Another favorite for the pile!!

Get ready to literally want to HOOK UP with these characters!
After reading Shacking UP (If you haven't go one click and read it next because it is just soo good), we met our girl Amie who we have been wondering what will her story be.
No spoilers here cause when you read this book and find out what happens to Amie, you are going to be totally surprised!
I want to be her and go to an island and find out if Hooking Up is all it's worth to be.
And YES it totally is!
WOW, this is one hot fast paced story that I could not put down.
Romance that pours off the pages and the feels these characters give will leave you fully satisfied.
Yes, there is plenty of sexy times to keep you toasty as you cuddle up and read Amie story.

Poor Amalie has one of the worst experiences on her wedding day someone could ever have. Hearing her brand new husband getting off with someone else has left Amir mortified, upset and just an emotion wreck. Understandably the days following leave her kind of all over the place and quite frankly she’s a hot mess.

“My actions come from a place of devastation and desperation. I’m so angry and hurt. I feel broken and lost, stupid and embarrassed. There isn’t any one emotion I can hold on to that fits right now.”

Deciding that a couple week’s vacation may bring her some peace and calm, she takes off alone to Bora Bora for what should have been her honeymoon. While she’s gone Amalie’s best friend Ruby has convinced her to let go of her inner wild girl, Anarchy Amie. Stumbling on “Mr. Hottie Hook Up” she really lives it up while in Bora Bora. With only 2 weeks away from reality, they decide to break all the rules and go a little wild. The mischief they both find is thrilling, exciting and quite mouth watering.

“I’m so sick of polite sex. I want someone to pull my hair. I want my ass smacked.”

Hooking Up will be an instant favorite. Helena Hunting’s signature lovable characters, witty banter, hilarious moments and steamy scenes will have you hooked from start to finish. While this is a standalone read, it’s set in the same world as the previous book in the series Shacking Up. I loved seeing those previous characters appear throughout and it sounds like we just might get more books from this group. Fingers crossed!

This is the first book by this author and I am so glad I took a shot on her. While there were so many coincidences it was such an overall fun read and I loved Armstrong as the "bad" guy. It really gave the book a nice dynamic. Amalie really has had things rough despite thinking she was trying to get things right. I loved that she never gave up though, and didn't let Armstrong win.

I loved her best friend Ruby and really all of the other characters as well aside from Armstrong, but like I said, I liked him as a villain so it works for me. I mean, I wanted to punch him often throughout this book, and when a character did it, I stopped and clapped and got super excited. (okay, maybe I got a too little into this book).

The hero is awesome in this book. He obviously wants her....but he also knows that things are hard, but once he "has" her he can't let her go. The background of his character and Armstrong makes for a much more interesting dynamic and really helps you understand things and makes it much much more interesting.

This book flows nicely and the chemistry is off the charts between these two. And while you may think things happen quickly, I don't think Amalie really ever loved Armstrong, I just think she wanted what she thought could be a stable relationship. There are quite a few really funny scenes throughout also, one that stands out is Amalie at the airport. I couldn't stop laughing and of course it had to come up more then once throughout the book. This author didn't leave any detail out and I loved that.

Another fabulous book by Helena Hunting! I love when characters like Amalie are in previous books and now she has her own story. When Amalie heard her new husband starting the honeymoon early with SOMEONE ELSE, she has choices to make. This book was filled with sexual chemistry and hilarious situations that made me laugh out loud. You do not have to read Shacking Up first, but you might want to go back and read it because it is just as entertaining!

​​​​​Hooking Up by Helena Hunting is seductive romance that I enjoyed very much.

Amalie Whitfield is not known for her good taste in men. Her former boyfriends have been less than stellar, and then being publicly humiliated by her new husband Armstrong, only minutes after exchanging their wedding vows, just perpetuates the misery she thought she was finally done with. Amalie needs to get away from the situation, New York City, and the social vultures that will ultimately blame her for Armstrong's very vocal infidelity during the wedding reception. With the encouragement of her best friend Ruby, Amalie goes on her honeymoon alone, extremely hopeful that the paradise of Bora Bora will help her sort out her life.

Armstrong's cousin attended the wedding and experienced the aftershocks of Amalie's humiliation first hand. His cousin actually met Amalie first, and when his back was turned for just a moment, the very competitive and manipulative Armstrong swooped in and captured Amalie's attention. Armstrong's cousin is going to Bora Bora for business and Amalie just happens to be in the adjoining first class seat. They share a chemistry that cannot be denied.

This is both an intriguing and passionate love story. Armstrong's cousin is quite swoon worthy and his kindness, in addition to his mad skills in the bedroom, left me wanting more. I immediately connected with both main characters and I cheered them on as they discovered their feelings for one another. Ms. Hunting perfectly combines drama and longing into this fast-paced romantic read. Overall, this is a well-conceived, standalone novel with a happy ending that will leave a smile on your face.

Complimentary copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley.