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.

5 STARS

Adult Romance/Rom Com

Copy provided for an honest review through NetGalley.

Goodreads Blurb

I LOVE this book! It is hilarious, hot, empowering, heartbreaking and heartwarming. 
This is exactly what I would expect from Helena. This book "hooked" me from the very beginning and took me for a ride - I COULDN'T PUT IT DOWN! <----- That makes a damn good book and a 5 STAR in my eyes.

Let's talk about the plot and characters which made this book amazing. The plot is very comical. There are many awkward situations thrown in between some very serious ones. I was laughing out loud and grinning so damn much! This mix of hilarious and serious situations creates a roller coaster ride of emotions. At one moment I am laughing, the next I was all "hell no, no he didn't" and then laughing again. SO GOOD!

The characters are easy to relate with, although some of their circumstances and situations are not ones that happen often, because they seem to be REAL people. They are well-rounded and interesting. From the beginning I had to know more about the main character, Amalie, because I loved her humor, tone and personality. Same goes for Lexington, he intrigued me and his family seemed...crazy. How fun!

I have been exploring more in the Rom Com genre and have been finding some great reads like this one. I really enjoy finding an interesting book that makes me laugh!

TODAY is the release day of Hooking Up. You can't miss this great read! Available on Amazon.

First and foremost I would like to say how much I love, love, love Helena Hunting books. Her stories have a way about them that makes you has a readers have no other choice but to get lost in it and devour the entire book in one sitting. That’s exactly what happened to me when I read “Hooking Up.” I just love Lexington and Amie’s story, it’s one that is filled with laughter and a whole lot of sexy time. To watch these two come together and build a relationship what beautiful to see especially Amie she was able to learn how to trust again and to watch her open up was so awesome. There are so many funny moments that will leave you laughing so hard, I think my favorite scene is the airport scene. I laughed so hard there were tears streaming down my face, I always look forward to Helena Hunting book and I cannot wait to see what she has in store for her readers next.

I. LOVED. HOOKING. UP. This was a splendidly sexy, sweet, full of heart romantic comedy that had my breath catching in my throat and my heart BEGGING for more! Helena Hunting put together another outstanding read that captures the readers attention with wonderful characters, sizzling romance, giggle inducing moments, and heartfelt moments that can make you sniffle. I sighed, I laughed, I dreamed of a hero just like the one in this story.

Hooking Up is delicious! I loved the cover, the way the story instantly had me captured and the way I seemed to just get...lost in the romance and fun. An honest to goodness GREAT read! I give this a SINK YOUR FINGERS INTO THIS AND NEVER LET GO FIVE SHOOTING STARS!

Hooking up hooks you right at the beginning. Amie is supposed to be happy and glowing on her special day, but feels off. Then she, along with all her wedding guests, hears her new husband with someone else.
Lex doesn't want to be at the wedding. He doesn't understand why Amie is marrying his cousin.
What starts as a hook up, turns into more in this laugh out loud romance. Helena Hunting is a great writer. The story flows seamlessly and is told in both Amie and Lex's POV.

After reading Shacking Up i knew i could not wait for the next book in this series. I was not disappointed at all by it, the book starts off so emotional, i mean talk about a sucker punch from the 'love' of your life - urgh he is vile. But do not despair there are plenty of high jinks, and laughs a plenty,as well as plenty o sexy times. Helena Hunting has a way of sucking you into her stories and getting you to relate in some way shape or form with her characters, yes i may not meet the man of my dreams the way some of these ladies do, but i manage to find something in each character i can relate to and that makes them all the more important to me when i am reading books like this. Great story - 5 stars of fun
review on goodreads under the name kimothy

*4.5 Stars*

ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.

This was my first Helena Hunting book, even though she’s been an author on my TBR for quite a while now. I was happily surprised when I was approved for an ARC of Hooking Up.

I’m so glad that I’ve finally read one of Hunting’s books, and it definitely won’t be my last. This was a fast read for me, and even though there is a fair bit of angst and emotion, it was an enjoyable read.

The main male lead is damned adorable. I loved his character, he was swoon-worthy thats for sure. Patient, sexy, kind, rugged in his own way. Dayummm.

I liked the female lead as well, but I sometimes wondered about her past decisions and how she ended up in the situation she did. Although I guess you’ve gotta be in the situation to know how you’d react. I did connect with her thoughts and her insecurities, I think anyone in her position would have them after all sorts of truths started coming out in the story. I also really liked her best friend as a secondary character.

This story highlights both how cruel some people can be, and how good others than be. Lifestyles of the rich and the famous in a way.

In the end, it all worked out the way I wanted it to, and I was quite pleased with the ending. Now I need to catch up on Hunting’s back catalogue and I’m looking forward to her next book too.

I enjoyed the ride of Hooking Up. It was sexy and sweet and just a really good read. Would recommend!

Helena delivered an amazing, funny and sexy story that stole my heart. Her simple but heartfelt narration was always on point, as well as the characters. I enjoyed how much Amalie grew up as character in the story. I loved at first how the author described her feelings over being cheated in her wedding's day, also the chain of events after that. There were a lot of scenes that made my belly hurt with laughing, and also some of them made me weep a little. I loved Shacking Up, but I think I like this one better :D

4.5 Stars
This book was so good! I loved the characters and the chemistry they had. I loved Shacking Up and couldn’t wait to get my hands on Hooking Up.

It’s funny how things work, Lex and Amie ended up heading to the same exotic location. They’re chemistry was off the charts! What was suppose to be a fling turned into something so much more. They couldn’t seem to stay away from each other. I will leave it at that because I don’t want to give any of the story away.

If you haven’t read Shacking Up yet I would recommend reading it first. You will understand and love the characters so much more. I couldn’t put this book down and loved every minute of it. Helena Hunting is quickly becoming a go to author for me.

Maybe it’s because I believe that no wedding ever goes off without a hitch (Lord knows mine didn’t) or maybe I just have a sick sense of humor or maybe it is both, but I love a romance where something big happens at a wedding and in the case of Hooking Up, author Helena Hunting delivers a big blow out (and yes that is a hint) that has lasting repercussions for many. Here’s the thing, I know there will be a lot of people who will rant about this book because the heroine gets involved with someone else while she is technically still married, but to them I say her “husband” (and I do use that in the loosest since of the word) was a douchecanoe (and that is now an official word in the dictionary and everything) and she deserved her happiness. I loved every hilarious, entertaining, sexy, wonderful moment in this book, but I also loved the tender and sweet ones because a life together is never easy especially when you fall for your husband’s cousin on what was supposed to be your honeymoon.

Amalie (Amie) has a history of hooking up with the wrong kind of men, but she never expected the worst of them to be the man she married just minutes before. When he won’t leave her alone she does the only thing she knows to do, head out on her honeymoon by herself and find someone to make her forget her lying, cheating soon to be ex-husband. She just doesn’t expect it to be her soon to be ex-husband’s cousin and the brother of her best friend’s boyfriend.

After his date to his cousin’s wedding causes a sandal big enough to break up the marriage, Lexington agrees with his father’s plan of getting him out of the country to work on some revamping ideas for some of their resorts who are underperforming. He never expected to see Amalie being detained at the security check point or to find out they are on the same plane headed for paradise. Knowing she needs time to process everything that’s happened, Lex refuses to barge into her life even though he’s wanted her since before she was with his cousin, but when he finds her trolling the bar looking for someone to help her forget all bets are off.

These two had some history which made them getting together that much sweeter. Before Amie got engaged, Lex and Amie had met and while Lex respected her decision for dating and marrying his cousin he didn’t like it mainly because he knew his cousin was not a nice guy, but also because from the start he felt something for Amie. Lex showed a lot of restraint over and over in this story, first by only laying one punch on his cousin when he wanted to pummel him and two for not taking advantage of Amie even when he wanted her so much. I enjoyed their flirting and teasing banter, I loved that even when they agreed they were only an island fling they both knew it was much more, and most of all I appreciated the respect and trust they had for one another something that was hard for Amie given the circumstances. There were a lot of funny moments in this book, many that made me laugh out loud, but it wasn’t all fun, these two faced an uphill battle given she was married to his cousin, a cousin he had a long and not so pleasant history with, but the moments they were together no matter what they were doing it was so easy to feel the love between them.

Helena Hunting never disappoints in the laughs department but she also manages to write stories that are not only swoon worthy, but ones I could easily see being made into a movie. Hooking Up was the perfect blend of fun, sun, sexiness, and sweetness.

3.5 stars -- I received a free copy through NetGalley in exchange for an honest and unbiased review/opinion.

I think I wanted to like this one more than I actually did, mostly because I know people who loved it.  But in the end I try to look at how sucked in I am by a book, and if I don't find myself clamoring for any spare minutes to read, then it's not likely a "loved it" book.  I will note that I have not read Shacking Up yet, and while this book is not listed as being part of a series, it does appear to be an unofficial series (in that our hero and heroine were likely introduced in Shacking Up, and the hero and heroine of Shacking Up appear quite a lot in this book).  So do with that information as you will.

Can I just say that I find it really silly to request that the hero's name not be mentioned in the review?  I mean, what's the likelihood that's actually going to work?  If it's not a series, then what would it matter if people knew his name?  Aha!  Caught you.  :P  I shall call him Hottie Hook-up, but honestly, others have already mentioned his name, so it seems a pointless exercise.

This book started off really good actually.  I LOVED the prologue, loved the way Hottie Hook-up and Amalie first meet, and thus am heartbroken when stupid Armstrong gets his claws in there.  And for the first half of the book, I actually was pulled in by the chemistry between Amalie and Hottie and the humour, even if I had other qualms.  But as the book went on, my qualms remained (and got worse) and I became concerned with the lack of development of an emotional relationship between Amie and Hottie.  Honestly, I became frustrated with their relationship in general.  I guess I just didn't like how it all played out in the end, and I wanted things that weren't happening.  And then the ending left me ridiculously confused.  Like, the last chapter before the epilogue, I thought they were sort of breaking up...ish.  And then I turn the page and it's the epilogue.  And then I get a glossed over recap of what's been happening, and how things developed and were "resolved", and basically I was soooooo unsatisfied.  And that's when my rating changed from rounding up to rounding down.  Perhaps it's even just a solid 3 star at this point, but I still enjoyed Hottie, so he earns the half a star.

So what were my qualms?  Uh, am I the only one that basically felt that Armstrong was really mentally/emotionally abusive?  Telling her what to wear, how she should appear in public, basically planning her whole life around him.  I mean, there's bad guys and then there's Armstrong.  He was too evil.  Why?  Because he should be getting psychiatric help, and no one seems to want to do that.  You can have him be a dick and have that relationship dissolve without making him out to be what is essentially a sociopath.  And because I felt that he was abusive, while I applaud Amie for sticking to her guns and getting out of the relationship (showing strength at each turn that he screwed with her), she was still IN an abusive relationship for what sounds like at least a year, and so she probably could have used some counselling.  Or someone who understood that.  I don't know.  I was really disturbed, and I just felt like the matter wasn't treated with the gravity it deserved.  Either it needed to be toned down, or it needed to be addressed.  At least in my opinion.

And in a similar vein, I never really felt I saw Amie's growth.  I'm not sure she did grow.  We're told she did, but I didn't see it or feel it.  I also really don't know all that much about her.  I mean, she's sassy, she has a healthy sexual appetite and a sense of adventure (which again, just goes to show how abusive Armstrong was), and apparently she has some aptitude for makeup.  But what else was there?  Did I miss it?  She wasn't really my favourite.  She does a lot of running, a bit of using of Hottie, and by the end she's still kind of uncertain and insecure.

Hottie was a more likeable character for me.  I was still fairly unimpressed with his history with Armstrong, and his inability to do something about Armstrong (well, for his whole family's inability to just draw a line in the sand with that sociopath...like, really, they're still going to invite him to functions?  No).  Basically Armstrong brought out the worst in Hottie.  And quite frankly, I wasn't always impressed with the way his own desire for Amie would result in him pushing her past her comfort zone with basically no regard for her mental well-being.  At least he actually showed growth in those things though.  BUT, when you remove those two aspects, Hottie was actually super sweet, dirty, sarcastic, thoughtful, hardworking, and we actually got to see his personality a bit more.  He saved a lot of this book.

As for their relationship, well it was very sex-focused.  We were told they had lots of moments where they just talked and basically dated, but we, the readers, didn't actually get to see any of that happening.  And so I don't quite understand what they love about each other.  They definitely love the sex.  But isn't that just lust then?

So yeah.  Bummer.  I was really hoping to love this one.  I'll still give Shacking Up a try, as it seems that a few other reviewers who didn't see the emotions in this one enjoyed that one more.  This book excels at the sex scenes, and the dirty humour (though I tend to cringe with certain terms, like taco), so I can definitely recommend it on those aspects.  But if you NEED a bit more emotional connection, personally it just didn't work for me.

I didn’t think it was possible for Helena Hunting to write a Mills brother that could rival the sexiness of Bancroft, but she did. And so much more!

I am absolutely in love with Lexington Mills. I was thoroughly intrigued by him in Shacking Up, even though we really didn’t get to see him much. And he’s all the good things I envisioned him being. Sweet, charming, funny, sexy - those are just some of the words you can describe Lex. But he’s actually more complex than what I anticipated, and that was a wonderful surprise. One that made me adore him even more.

Amalie has had better days, and I had a lot of sympathy for her character. I really felt her conflicting emotions with her. But despite her recent bad luck, her true personality shines through, and it’s one I think you’ll enjoy. She’s funny, sassy, unfiltered, and sexy - all sides of her that Lex seems to bring out.

This story will give you all the feels. I definitely hope this isn’t the last we hear from the Mills brothers.

Amalie "Amie" and (I am not telling you here) have amazing chemistry. This matters in any romance, but due to who he is, and the details of the plot, it is REALLY important for this title.

The book is a push and pull as she tries to deal with her attraction to her man with no name and deal with the things that have happened to her recently.

Egads, this is a tough review to write without spoilers. This book is hilarious, there are some situations that are cringe worthy with embarrassment, but are handled with the humor and heart that readers have come to expect from Helena Hunting.

the balance of the comedy and humor with the romance and the chemistry was excellent, and their first sexual encounter is scorching, both because of who they both are, the situation they find themselves in, and the writing that has built up the chemistry so perfectly.

Writing more and avoiding spoilers is going to be a problem, so I am going to stop with the statement that the book is definitely a great read and I recommend it.

This was so incredibly entertaining! I adored Amie's relationship with the hero. It was so sweet and flirty and way hot! Things were complicated for these two, it was passionate, crazy fun with a few of ups and downs but I hung on every word and loved it all!

I loved watching Amie's battle, it was like watching her emerge from her shell and really be her feisty, playful self. I loved her perseverance and strength. It was such a hard situation she was in and I could feel her pain. The hero was so incredibly sweet, kind, caring, and so off the charts sexy. On more than one occasion the man made me melt! They had off the charts chemistry and a serious pull to one another even though there’s a bit of a conflict for them to be together. I loved watching them work it out. Those growing feelings they were fighting, dealing with complications and the building passion and love.

Hooking Up was so witty and engaging and I felt so pulled in. I loved the humor, it had me grinning and laughing out loud. I loved the playfulness and flirting as well. There's a good bit of tension and angst mixed in as well with everything Amie has to deal with. I have to say, I love a well written bad guy, but her estranged husband totally stressed me out. My anxiety level with this guy was off the charts.

I thought the pace was excellent. I was filled with so much anticipation to find out the back stories and I just hung on every word waiting to find out. Excellent details and descriptions. Amazing build. Loved seeing more of Bane and Ruby from Shacking Up and how they played into the story, it was a great addition.

I had so much fun reading this, it was entertaining craziness. There was a perfect balance of everything I love: the funny, the flirt, the heat, the drama, the building love, a few heart wrenching moments and fantastic characters! This story checked all my boxes. I laughed, yelled at my kindle, and totally rooted for these two. I loved it all!

Ok I'm going to out myself and admit I've never read a book by this author before . Yes I know many of my friends will be surprised as her name is frequently recommended but yep until this I was a Ms Hunting virgin! I spotted the cover ( total yum !) and thought it was high time I discovered what all the fuss was about.
I'm not sure if this is part of a series but certainly characters are mentioned which made me think that perhaps there are stories already out there that feature them. What I can say is I had absolutely no trouble understanding exactly what was going on and heavens what an awful sleaze ball Armstrong is ! Amie might have been swept off her feet initially by him but she comes back to Earth with a bang when at their wedding Armstrong dallies with one of the guests and the total turd accidentally broadcasts everything over the public address system! Amie needs to get away and decides to go on their arranged honeymoon alone but quickly realises that Lex, the hunk that is Armstrongs cousin is going to the same place! Lex was the one who met Amie first but kind of got usurped by Armstrong but he's never stopped fantasising about her . Now she's there and ripe for the picking and seems more than ready to get plucked ! Still Lex is a gentleman and doesn't want to take advantage but as it turns out Amie really is determined to spend what should be her honeymoon doing the horizontal mamba !
So the couple are very passionate and both want to play which is something sadly lacking in the relationship Amie shared with skanky Armstrong. He's created a role for Amie that really doesn't suit her and she's very determined to break out of that mould and she's a woman who knows what she wants! Expect naughty toys and frequent encounters with Lex who really is such fun and totally adorable. I liked that Amie quickly realised that she was perhaps more in love with love than with Armstrong . If you like the what happens in , stays in trope then you will spot the obvious pitfall here as this couple really do suit each other so much but of course with family entanglements it's not going to be easy or is it ?
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair

***I received an ebook copy in exchange for an honest review***
The cast from Shacking Up is back in yet another snarky and hilarious sure-to-be-bestseller from Helena Hunting.

Amelie finds herself in a horrible predicament on the night of her wedding, which sends her fleeing for the islands to get away from life. Lex has disappointed her in the past, but when she finds herself on the same island as him, it becomes hard to resist the temptation that exists.

Hooking Up was so many things—scorching, funny, and addicting, to name a few. The sex in this book is wickedly hot. Hunting’s trademark humor shines through the pages, and I immediately fell in love with the cast of characters. It was fun to see appearances from Ruby and Bane too!

I loved the plot of this story. Crappy things happen, but Amelie is strong and she does what’s best for her. She’s kept her true self hidden away for so long, it was awesome to see her come out of her shell and blossom into the woman she’s meant to be.

And Lex. Oh my, my, my. This man … I struggle to find the words. He’s definitely earned a spot on my Top Book Boyfriends of 2017 list, based solely off the way he wants to protect and defend Amelie. And his bedroom skills aren’t half bad either, ladies.

This book was so much fun to read! I was laughing out loud at moments, wanting to cry at others, and loving every minute of the story. I would recommend this to anyone who is looking for a hot and fun read that will steam up their fall for sure!

Five stars to this novel!

Oh Bloody Hell, One minute I’m laughing the next I’m all over the place. This book truly is a rollercoaster of a ride and a reason as to why I enjoy Helena’s writing so much !

Hooking up is the second in the series but can be read as a stand-alone.

We met Amelia (Amie) at her wedding reception of all places and everything has gone so very wrong due to a crappy husband ! Amie decides to take matters into her own hands and venture in her Honeymoon alone

Enter Lex ! At the hotel resort ! Oh what a man I adore Helena’s way of capturing the main hero ! And how she makes them all sex on legs ! perfect

Instant attraction leads to play and heat to ...... well you will just have to read what happens in this hook up yourself to find out

4.5 Stars

Donna
4TLOReading

This book was smart, sexy, funny and different from anything I've read lately. The hero is any woman's dream come true and just what Amie needed at the right time. Poor Amie goes through so much to get her happily ever after but it's worth the tough parts. There are some truly despicable people in this book but they all get what they deserve in the end. Definitely give this sexy romance a read.