Another entry in the McCauley & Donnigan world - with Hope's story... She is fed up of her family (in particular her mother) judging and wants to get them off her back - so she does the only logical thing and makes up a boyfriend from "the wrong side of the tracks"

The problem starts when she uses someone she actually knows and then has to convince him that this is a good idea! Good thing that he fell for her a whiles back and has been waiting for an opportunity to make his move...

As I said, a solid entry into the series and I can't wait to see what is next

i am not a big fan of modern or contemporary book. This book is different. If you like hot and sexy book. You must read this book.

Donnigan's #3, All part of the big universe of that is the McCauley Brothers and the Body Shop Bad Boys, The Donnigan's are cousins to the McCauley's; now the nice thing is that each book can be read as a standalone. So even though this is a nice big family affair with lots of characters even if you miss one book you'll hate yourself for missing it not because it was imperative to read it just the fact that you missed out on Gavin's HEA aggravates me! Silly me can't keep track of all these books. So yeah I haven't read Just the Thing but that's nothing a little one-click can't fix. This book focus' on Hope Donnigan and JT Webster. Hope is the only girl of the Donnigans and her mother is harder on her than the boys, Hope hasn't decided what she wants to do with her life she hasn't found her place yet so she keeps going from job to job. Unfortunately her mother doesn't see it as that and is constantly pushing her hard for what she thinks is right for Hope including trying to set her up on dates. JT may be the son of a great mechanic but he never wanted to be one himself, thankfully his Dad was supportive of him and now JT has his own successful tattoo parlor.

Hope has had enough of her Mother trying to boss her around and telling her what she should do with her life especially since she got it in her head that Hope needs to date well off men so she can be financially secure. Hope finally blurts out she has been dating someone and that he's completely inappropriate. Unfortunately the guy she's thinking about when she says all this is JT and she know half of what she said isn't true she just wanted to rile up her mom. JT agrees to the fake relationship because one he's a nice guy and two it gives a reason to hang around the woman he's been crushing over since his sister's wedding. The beautiful thing about this "Fake" relationship is that it happened because they were both attracted to each other and no matter how much they protested that it was fake nobody believed them. Their fake relationship is probably one of the best relationships I've read.

On top of the fake relationship Hope has a secret admirer and one that has been growing increasingly violent. Never attacking her but those around her that show her interest. JT ends up in the hospital after getting beaten up. Everyone is on high alert trying to find out who is behind it. Overall, between the stalker, Hope's problems with her mom, and the fake relationship this was a great read. Hope is a little hard to take sometimes especially when she's around her mother. What makes this fake relationship trope so much better than others is that there was genuine affection between them to start and attraction that lead to friendship, and finally love and the harder they fought it the funnier it gets and the deeper the feelings become, it's such a fun read. I kinda hope JT tattoo parlor gets its own spin-off.

this series of books is hit or miss for me. it's expanded so much across the 3 series that its hard to keep track of all the relationships between the characters. i usually enjoy the fake relationship trope but i couldn't stand hopes mother and thought it was a really stupid reason to bring two people together, especially two people who were already in the same "Ecosystem". The added element of a stalker wasn't really necessary either.

Oh lordy, I've been looking forward to JT's book for a while and, as I suspected, Marie Harte did not disappoint!!!

The Only Thing is the third book in the Donnigans series and we finally get to find out more about Hope, the only girl of the four Donnigan siblings.

Poor Hope, she had so much to live up to when it came to her mothers expectations and her older brothers achievements!!! So much so that when her mother starts interfering in her love life and telling her what kind of guy she needs in her life, she comes up with a fake relationship with JT, who caught her attention a while ago at her cousins wedding....

JT (wait 'til you find out what that stands for!! :) ) is a great guy. For all he's big, tattooed and looks like a badass, he's loyal, caring, attentive, supportive and more than happy to help Hope out with her situation - that could well also have something to do with Miss Donnigan having caught his eye and the attraction he has to her.

This pair, even in their 'fake' relationship were fab. The fact that the pressure was off gave them the chance to get to know each other and both definitely liked what they found. I loved JT's determination to move things forward and get Hope to admit what he knew - that they were more than pretend and had a really great thing together.

Even when they were trying not to be, this couple were all in, they were great for each other and I was rooting for them the whole read through. Complete opposites when it came to thoughts on relationships, JT couldn't see himself even considering marriage, while Hope was all for the white picket fence, husband and kids..... but maybe meeting the right person could change both their ideals?

As ever, I loved that Marie had the crossover of characters from previous series involved in the story - catching up with old favourites is always fun. The book was well written, engaging, funny, sweet and hot. It really pulled at my emotions and was a great way to end the Donnigans series!

I cannot wait to see what is next from one of my favourite authors, whatever it is, I know it's gonna be great!

My rating, 5* <3 <3 <3

I haven't read this author in awhile, and I wasn't really planning to. I was invited to read the arc. So this is the 3rd in the series, and you all now how I struggle with being plopped into a already established world with characters that have been around for a wee while. I didn't feel out of the loop but my ocd when it comes to series was bothering me. lol

I'm not a big fan of this trope, wit the fake dating. the chemistry between the two characters was good. JT and Hope story was nice, I really loved JY more then I did Hope, It took me longer to warm up to her. Cute and Steamy romance.

This was okay for me. For the writing I would have rated it a 4 star, but this is one in a series, and it was pretty noticeable. I haven't read any of the others, and I was lost a few times. Names were thrown around, and even though this is J.T. and Hope's story, there isn't a chapter that goes by without the mention of someone from previous books. I understand that the stories are connected, but I would have likeda more stand alone story. I liked J.T. and Hope together. I thought they had great chemistry, and made a good couple. The whole stalker thing didn't make any sense to me. They already had a reason to be together, and it didn't add anything to the story, in my opinion. This was a first for me from this author, and I would give her another read.
I voluntarliy reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.

J,T, I need to mention how awesome Hope is too, but J.T. I mean, the man is sexy, thoughtful, sexy, smart, sexy, and just pretty much everything you could want in a hero. As I said, Hope is awesome too and the two of them together makes for one amazing book!

This was one of those books that you are either smiling or laughting while everyone else around you think you’re lost your mind. It’s that fantastic of a book and such a pleasure to read too. It’s a one click worthy love story that Marie Harte has written beautifully and it really shows with the flow of the story through the chapters as you read. This book had heart, depth and passion that are just addictive and why Marie Harte has me coming back for more each and every time she brings out a new book. Super excited for the next book by this amazing and wonderful author. I would recommend this book to every book lover out there.

Book 3 in the Donnigan Series, however can be read as a standalone as I did but it does make you want to read the rest!
 
A Fake relationship that’s very much the real thing!
Hope Donnigan – always choosing the wrong guy but looking for love, marriage and kids! Sick of her mother’s interference, Hope comes up with a fake boyfriend with J.T Webster in mind!
J.T is the bad boy with the Ladies man reputation, never looking for serious and someone Hope believes her mother would dis-like!
These two have an undeniable chemistry and its only so long before one of them loses control! They have a great banter and are two people who are just meant to be!
The sub plots in the story are also gripping and mysterious!
A really enjoyable read !
 
This is the most I have enjoyed a book that’s written in 3rd person – a new author to me and I’ve already added the others to my TBR!

I have liked the little bits of J.T. in previous books and was excited when I found this book. It didn't disappoint. I loved him and Hope as a couple. There was something so cute and sweet about them. I would recommend this book to anyone.

The Only Thing is such a hot fun read! I absolutely love J.T. and Hope and was so excited to get to read their story. I've been anticipating this coupling since the first hint was dropped about the pairing and I could not be happier with it. I've always liked fake relationship stories because what's a good romance without some denial and a few complications right? The added suspense of Hope's stalker made this one a definite page-turner. I was actually surprised by who it was in the end, which was refreshing. The scorching hot chemistry between Hope and J.T. is still my favorite aspect of the story though. It's very clear that they were never going to be able to just fake feelings for one another. Harte's characters always know how to burn up the pages. Speaking of characters it was nice to get to see some of the McCauley/Donnigan/ Webster gang and friends from previous books. I am totally head over heels for this whole "ecosystem" of people and cannot wait to read more!

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Lee’Anne – ☆☆☆☆
I really enjoyed this super-hot, humor-filled book! J.T. and Hope’s story is interesting, funny, and will have you unable to put it down!

Hope is happy with life, she’s finally figuring things out and has made a decision to stay away from guys for a while. Her mother has other plans, she wants to see Hope settled down with a “nice young man” and still stop at nothing to make it happen. Hope winds up scheming a way to keep her mom off her back – she winds up in a “fake” relationship with J.T. Webster, a man whom she knows is the opposite of everything her mother wants for her. J.T. has been crushing on Hope since he first saw her at his sister’s wedding. The two aren’t able to keep their hands off one another long but Hope remains in absolute denial that they’re in a real relationship, while J.T. is fighting tooth and nail to get them to “real” status.

I was back and forth on my feelings about J.T. and Hope’s denial about being in a relationship. At some points I was frustrated because I just wanted it to happen, but the author does such a great job keeping the storyline flowing that the frustration didn’t last long. Other than that, this is a fantastic read and I can’t wait to see more from The Donnigans!


Avid Reader – ☆☆☆☆
M/F Romance
Triggers: Stalking, Assault

This is a sweet story and I enjoyed it more than book #2. This was more of a love story and kept you guessing as to where it was going to go.

J.T. is a hardworking, honest guy who loves what he does. He is also dedicated to his family and friends but knows that something is missing. He can't quite figure it out, but when his friend Hope, whom he is wildly attracted to, asks for his help in tricking her mom, he is all in.

Hope is loving her life right now. However, the constant nagging by her mother is making her feel both inadequate and like a failure. When she hatches a plan with J.T. to show her mother up – who is very judgmental – everything goes the way Hope believes it will... until it changes.

Hope is getting strange messages, flowers, and feelings. J.T. wants nothing more than to protect her. In order for both of these characters to stop running, they have to decide if love is worth the risk. It was a sweet story about trusting in your feelings and taking some risks.


Mary Jo – ☆☆☆☆
What's better than a real relationship? A fake one with a guy who knows the score. What Hope doesn't realize is that J.T. is all in and he's willing to play Hope's game to get what he wants. And he wants Hope.

Hope's tired of her mother setting her up with guys or being on her case for not dating at all. So she invents a boyfriend and when her mother wants to meet him, she convinces J.T. to play along. What she doesn't realize is that she's not as good an actress as she thinks she is.


Ruthie – ☆☆☆☆
I must admit that this is my first read of a book in this series, so I had less invested than many readers I am guessing. However, I loved it and have added all the others that fit with this story to my to-be-read shelf!

From the first dinner Hope has with her parents, and she tries the shock tactic of the inappropriate boyfriend, to the very end, this is a fun, sexy, and very enjoyable read. The writing style is easy and just entices you to turn another page, and then another!

I had to laugh at their denial of anything meaningful, even when it was blatantly obvious how much they cared – I felt that Ms. Harte wanted to see just how far she could push them, and she timed it to perfection.

Whilst I may have missed some of the nuance, I found this to be a very good stand-alone read too.

Favorite Quote: He smelled like an invitation to sex and tasted like candy. Good Lord but that man knew how to kiss.

Hope Donnigan is finally getting her life together. She has a job she enjoys, good friends, and is taking a break from all the Mr. Wrongs in her life. Unfortunately, her mother is determined to fix Hope’s life, despite what Hope wants. When her mother’s interference goes to far, Hope tells her she is already dating the perfect guy for her. Now, she just needs to find him.

J.T Webster has crushed on Hope Donnigan since meeting her at his sister’s wedding. When she asks for his help to get her mother off her back, J.T. jumps at the chance to spend more time with her. Not looking for anything serious, a fake relationship with benefits sounds like the best of both worlds. Except, now he wants to make it real.

“You shine when you’re happy, you know? It’s like you bring out the sun, and I get all warm, basking in you.”

Marie Harte has become my go-to author for blue collar romances with heroines and heroes who live, laugh, and love hard. Humorous, playful, and sensual; her deceptive small-town romances start out with a casual air of a lightweight contemporary only to deepen into a weighty story of love and growth as Harte digs deep into the lives and insecurities of our hero and heroine. Using issues that readers can relate to, Harte builds a hot and steamy romance that blends perfectly with the world she has created. Every series mildly interacts with the others, keeping readers in the loop while introducing new characters and scenarios.

Heavily character driven, this family oriented installment is firmly built around our protagonists, Hope Donnigan and J.T. Webster. I haven’t read the first two books in the Donnigan series but I am well acquainted with the McCauleys and Websters. I was so happy to see J.T finally get his story. His deep love for his family solidified his permanent position on my book boyfriend list. Likened to “the Rock” in terms of looks and brawn, J.T. is a sexy tattoo artist whose legendary antics aren’t as scandalous as his sister likes to think. Charming, witty, and gorgeous, his smooth moves hide a heart of gold. A serial dater, he just likes to have fun and isn’t looking to play house with anyone in the future.

Hope looks like the girl next door but can go bad when necessary. A blonde bombshell, she just wants to find her dream guy with the option for kids in the future. Having spent a long time looking for love in all the wrong places, Hope is finally settling down though not in the direction her family wants which is causing a lot of friction.

Fake relationships can be tricky. You have to not only make the reasoning behind it viable but produce just enough chemistry to catapult it from fake to real while allowing the characters to grow and work through their issues at a reasonable pace. J.T. and Hope are the most adorable lovey-dovey fake couple ever. Though seemingly very different on the outside, their similarities become glaringly apparent as the story reveals. I love watching them go out on “not dates” and slowly fall in love as they get to really know one another; despite their insistence that neither was looking for anything permanent. Witty conversation and internal musings reveal their attraction to one another and open the doorway for a much deeper connection.

“We used to joke around, pretend that we weren’t as close as we really are. You see, when you’re new to falling in love, it’s scary to let yourself be vulnerable with another person.”

As always, Harte does a wonderful job of building the romance amongst the backdrop of our couples personal issues. The humor flows through effortlessly; helping to keep the story on track and provide entertainment. Harte takes her time addressing the issues and providing legitimate results. It’s an emotional journey for them both of them and nothing is guaranteed. J.T. uplifts Hope by showing her he likes her just the way she is while Hope shows J.T. relationships don’t have to be destructive and he is worthy of love and Their smoking hot chemistry is felt from page one and Harte amps up the heat with plenty of sex and dirty talk. I like a couple who are well matched in bed and who enjoy sex and aren’t afraid to let the neighbors know. :) J.T. has a very talented mouth and uses it on Hope on every chance he gets.

“Lay back in bed and spread those pretty thighs. We have a lot of no-sex to get to.”

The McCauleys, Websters, and Donnigans are out in full force as they offer advice, threats, and the occasional insult to our couple and each other. All their energy and enthusiasm adds to the story’s appeal as they keep you giggling with their antics. I loved meeting J.T.’s employees and of course, seeing more of Liam and Del. Colin is always a treat and thank goodness Rena and Heller seem to be moving forward. I hope they get their story soon. I wasn’t as enamored with Hope’s family but maybe they will grow on me.

As always, Harte delivers what she promises romance wise though the supposed suspenseful conflict fell flat and added nothing to the story. Regardless, I’m looking forward to reading more about this melting pot of families and friends in the future.

Grade: B

JT delivers! Female protagonist is dumb as rocks, but it truly isn't surprising. Buddy reading as part of a sexy reads book club. After 5 or 6 of these reads, petite blonds who are not that bright seem typical of the genre.

JT, though, gives you enough in this book to mask the garbage.

Eh....the book was slow to take off (if it ever does) and honestly quite boring. I stopped reading about 17% of the way through. I needed something to pull the two characters together, but it was just slow, getting to know you until that point.

The ecosystem is becoming more entangled, as Hope Donnigan becomes involved with J.T. Webster. This romance is sweet and sexy, as expected from Ms. Harte. Third in this series, there are a couple of crossovers characters from Body Shop Bad Boys series and The McCauley Brothers series. This book can be read as a standalone. Reading the other series and the first two books in this series will build out the world more and explain the ecosystem concept. For those who pick up this book first, be prepared to pick up the other books.

What I love about Ms. Harte books are her characters. She creates relate-able down to earth people who readers can easily visualize as friends, families or co-workers. Hope is the sweet girl next door complete with three protective brothers. She is taking her time to find her place in work and love. This is a point of contention with her overly successful mother. Many can relate to Hope and the crushing criticism she receives from her well intention-ed mother. Sometimes a girl just has to rebel to make her mother leave her alone. What good girl hasn't thought about bringing home a tattooed bad boy? Hope decides to do it and enlists the help of J.T.

J.T. is a sweetheart. He is a bit taken aback by Hope's proposal but he gets into it a bit. I enjoyed his humour of it by asking her to abuse and use him. The fake relationship sparks from the beginning and the sexual heat is turn on full blast. Ms. Harte writes some of the steamiest vanilla erotica around. The first few sex scenes are focused all on Hope. There is no penetration and it is still smoking hawt. Erotica aside, this romance is fun to watch as the two commitment phobes end up in a relationship faster than they can blink.

Along with the romantic element, a sense of family and community is strongly shown in this book. I love this about Ms. Harte because it enriches this world through relationship and ties. It isn't about what people own or what their jobs are or how much money they make. The layers of this book is all about the community and how people relate and connect to one another. In an age of where physical communities are less and friends come in single servings, this sense of community is appealing to me.

This contemporary erotica is recommended to romance lovers who enjoy sweet and hot together.

I enjoyed this book, and developed a bit of a crush on J.T. One of the things I liked most was how genuine the dialogue was. Reading it felt as though I was listening to friends talking and joking together. It felt a bit cluttered with characters at times, but since it’s part of a series that’s understandable. I loved how the relationship between J.T. and Hope evolved, and that they were honest with one another about their feelings. There was a small sub-plot about a stalker that I felt could have been left out. It didn’t add to the story and seemed unnecessary to me. I do applaud the author for featuring a person of color, as well. It’s refreshing to have some diversity and see a truer reflection of our society. That being said, I was very disappointed in the cover art for this book. Why not depict him as the author did? I realize there are financial reasons for not depicting a person of color on a romance cover. Sadly, it seems covers featuring people other than Caucasian don’t sell as well. It’s something that needs to change. And it’s a shame this book wasn’t a part of that change.
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this book for an honest review.

I love, love, loved this story. I have always been a fan of the Donnigans and am happy that Hope finally found her HEA. These two are funny, the main reason is because they were in a relationship but so in denial that it was entertaining until they finally realized they were in love with each other. I'm so glad that I took the time to read this book and can't wait until the next book, from any series, by Marie Harte.

Received ARC in exchange for voluntary honest review from author and NetGalley.

JT Webster was intrigued by Hope Donnigan the moment he met her at a wedding. So, when she asks for his help, how could he possibly say no. But being her fake boyfriend isn't easy, especially when he wants more. Will JT be able to convince Hope that he wants more than what they have or will they walk away from the one person they're meant for?

I always enjoy Ms. Harte's books and this story was a really good addition to her Donnigans series. There were wonderful characters in both the main and secondary ones; enchanting dialogue that had me reading quickly, determined to discover if things would work out for this pair since their relationship is fake in order to help the heroine with her mother; and tough obstacles to overcome to be together including finding a stalker that wants Hope and whether the heroine will give JT a real chance, especially when her past relationships haven't been all that good and have made her wanting to take a break from men.

With the main characters, the heroine is resilient and courageous in the way she stands up to her mother. Really, being single is what she wants at the moment and her mother needs to accept that. Will she be able to make her mother understand why being single is what she wants for now? I also liked the close bond she shares with her family and the other secondary characters, which is proven by how willing they are to help her through what she's going through. Yet, what I liked most of all about the heroine was that she gave the hero a chance, even though she doesn't want a relationship. There's only so much heartbreak a girl can handle. While the hero, he's confident, a good guy and I liked how he wins the heroine's mother over, even though that doesn't seem easy at the start because Hope's mother seems like a snob. I also liked the close relationship he shares with his siblings, even when they're making assumptions that end up revealing secrets.

Overall, Ms. Harte has delivered a fantastic read in this book where the chemistry between this couple was intense; the romance was nicely-detailed and had me loving these two together; and the ending had me worried for this couple's happy ever after because of what happens, but had me loving that the hero and heroine fought for their happy ever after. I would recommend The Only Thing by Marie Harte, if you enjoy the fake relationship trope or books by authors Cherrie Lynn, Kristen Proby, Shannon Stacey and Jaci Burton.