Cain was betrayed by his twin brother and girlfriend at one point. Since that time he’s been drinking his life away the minute he gets off the lobster boat he works on. He doesn’t stop until he’s good and drunk. He’s on his way to tying one on when Sophie and her sister Bella walk into the bar. He is immediately attracted to Bella but the more he talks to Sophie the more he likes her and thinks she’s way prettier than Bella. They have a one-night stand and that was supposed to be it. But Sophie gets under Cain’s skin and soon he’s finding he can’t get through the day without her.

Sophie is a nerd, plain and simple. She’s working on her master’s degree at Harvard and wouldn’t have left school if it wasn’t for her sister Bella’s wedding. She’s off for a week and then she’s back to the numbers game. Sophie is determined to get rid of her virginity. When she sees Cain she knows he’s the one that she’ll sleep with. She never imagined that she’d like the guy and want to spend more time with him. They each figure they’ll spend the week together and then go their separate ways. Things don’t always work out the way we plan, however.

This was a cute book. I liked Sophie and her nerdishness so much. She cracked me up throughout the book. Cain took a bit of time for me to like as he was an alcoholic. I realized that he’d been betrayed but instead of fighting for the son that may or not be his, he chose to drink himself to death. I can’t really respect that, ya know? (I'm also aware that there is a way to tell if the boy is Cain's son, they just have to delve deeper into the DNA. It irritated me that it was never mentioned. but that's just me :)) However, he did grow on me and he did try to be a better man for Sophie during the week they were together and I had to admire him for trying.

The book gets a bit darker as the story moves on and it’s not so light-hearted which was a bit strange, but it was what it was. The alcoholism became a huge issues, obviously, and I was happy with what happened at the very end of the book, even though it felt rushed. There is an HEA in the book, so don’t worry about that, it just takes some time to get there.

Overall I liked the book and will read book 2 when it comes out, despite not really liking Christian (the twin) all that much. I have to admit that McCarthy got me curious about him so there’s that.

Rating: 3.5 out of 5

This will post as a guest review on Book Binge.
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I really enjoyed this book and kept reading it to see how the author would solve the central problem of the plot. Unfortunately, she just elided it away without much of a resolution. Authors often set up a romance plot with the problem being two people who don’t live in the same city. Add in that the two people have very little in common and presto! we have a plot!

The unlikely couple are Sophie, a borderline OCD math genius from a very wealthy family. She’s quite awkward socially and so engrossed in studying for her graduate degree in math at Harvard that she hasn’t had an opportunity to give up her V card. Now she’s in Maine for her sister’s wedding and she’s determined to hook up with some guy there and get the deed done.

She sees lobster fisherman Cain Jordan drinking away in a bar and decides that he’s so hot that he can be the one. Except Cain had deep personal problems and is a definite alcoholic. But he’s entertained by Sophie’s frankness and agrees to a help her out with her problem. They find that they really enjoy each other’s company and they start falling for each other.

Cain has descended into a deep and angry depression because his identical twin brother, Christian (seriously - can’t parents see that they’re setting up twins for a problem when one is named Cain and the other is named Christian?) slept with Cain’s girlfriend the same week he had. She got pregnant and now no one knows who the father is because identical twins have identical DNA. For some reason, Cain allowed Christian to assume the Daddy role while Cain just became a morose, anti-social drunk.

So there are the problems. How can Cain get over the insoluble problem of never knowing if his ex’s baby is his or his twin’s? How can two such unlikely people carry on a relationship? And how do a lobster fisherman in Maine and a math grad student in Boston maintain that relationship? What will happen when she graduates? What other type of job can Cain have?

I found the characters intriguing and wanted to find out the answers to those questions. But when I saw that there were only like 10 minutes left in my Kindle and none of them were resolved, I realized that the author was just going to raise a magic wand and all would be well. I found that really unsatisfying. If an author is going to set up a central problem in a romance novel and provide the HEA, the least she could do is make a stab at solving some of those problems. So, while I enjoyed the book, I ended up irritated at how the book ended. It seems that this will be part of a series about Cain’s siblings. I’ll probably read those books also and maybe find out later how Sophie and Cain figured things out. I’d like to read more with them so I guess that that is a sign of a good book.

I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I liked this story but I didn't need the language. Cain and Sophie really got each other and I liked how that worked them thru issues.

This is a love story that kept me on my toes. I loved the characters in this book they had such different personalities from the usual ones you read in books lately. The writing was done beautifully and the plot was unique. Sometimes we have a dark side that we need to overcome and it takes the right person to make us do it. We are all broken in different ways and as much as this was a love story it was also about finding yourself. I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from this author.

I was gifted a copy from Netgalley for an honest review.

**4.5 Stars**

This was my first book by this author and I really enjoyed it. It was an emotional read, which I was not expecting, but I read it in one sitting as I could not put it down.

Sophie is a 25 year old virgin looking to rid herself of that label. Cain is a lobster fisherman with an alcohol problem and heaps of baggage. While Sophie is just looking for a physical experience, and Cain is more than willing to offer up his services, they both end up with much more than they bargained for. I loved that Cain not only accepted Sophie and all of her quirks, but believed that they were part of what made her truly special.

Watching Cain struggle with his addiction throughout the book was heart wrenching and difficult. His poor choices ultimately lead to breaking Sophie, which was tough to read, but in my opinion pretty realistic in terms of how this story could have played out in real life. His dedication to getting sober after that made him into the hero Sophie deserved.

I really enjoyed the book and look forward to reading more from this author!

The Hookup was an unexpected surprise. Erin McCarthy's latest book shows the upside and of course the inevitable downside of a well done hookup between a Math genius and the town alcoholic. I've always enjoyed Ms. McCarthy's books and The Hookup is no exception. It was funny and witty and definitely very erotic. I mean if you were hooking up, then the sex in this book should be the manual of a well executed one. It also has that undercurrent of bittersweet with both characters personal situations giving it depth in terms of plot. Told from alternating points of view gives readers a deeper understanding of each characters. Cain and Sophie are memorable characters a reader won't soon forget. While the ending might be construed as HFN rather than an HEA it definitely fits the story line well. The Hookup is a definite must read.

Sophie and Cain are complete opposites to those who don't know them. But deep down, they relate and know each other pretty well. Sophie is a genius. Book smart, socially awkward, but I found her so endearing. Cain is the hot local guy in town, who has a ton of baggage and is an alcoholic. I don't want to give too much away, but I really was sucked into this book. I honestly felt so bad for Cain and everything he has dealt with and tries to mask it with alcohol. They both really needed each other, and what turned out to be just sex, ends up being soooo much more than they anticipated. I liked it a lot!!! Would definitely recommend.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Erin McCarthy is one of my all time favorite authors and her latest The Hookup (The Jordan Brothers #1) doesn't disappoint. Quirky and flawed characters, lots of angst and romance. The only drawback was the somewhat abrupt ending. Overall a solid 3.5 stars.

I adored this story! I loved how different the characters were and how the story kept me on my toes until the very end! The only down fall was how abrupt the ending was, wish we were given a little more. I can’t see what to happen in the next book with Christian and Bella.

Cain Jordan has found his coping methods, drinking and banging the tourists. He's had a craptastic couple of years, being betrayed by your twin brother and not knowing if the child your girlfriend had is yours, well it can really do an number on anyone. But his hook-up takes a dramaticly different turn when Sophie was into the bar.
Sophie knows numbers, they give her comfort and keep her grounded. She's been so focused on her steps to her PhD that normal social interactions are unnerving. While in Maine for her sister Bella's pre-wedding duties she's focused on making changes. Math didn't help her get rid of her V Card, there's no calculation for sex. It's messy and kicks in emotions she's not prepared for. And she's definitely not ready for Cain, first he drinks entirely too much and he sees more than she's comfortable with. Can the math geek and the town bad boy really help each other in the long term or is just an itch to be scratched while waiting for the wedding festivities to be over?

Have to admit I really liked this story. The H and h were both well rounded characters, and the hero's alcoholism was depicted realistically. As she points out to him you love drinking and holding your anger more than you could love me, finally gets him to see what a waste he has been. We see them both grow and change through the book, and it isn't a quick fix. I liked her throughout the story, and there are times he needs a good swift kick in the nuts by myself as well as other characters in the book. The only downfall is not knowing what happens with the sister, did the wedding happen? And I really wanted his ex to get her comeuppance, what a piece of work. However I think the next book answers those questions, and we'll get caught up with these two again.

This was just an okay read. I liked the heroine’s quirks. I found her interesting. The hero had some demons, but eventually got a handle on them. There were parts of this book I found myself loosing a connection to the characters, but for the most part it was an interesting read.
ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, there was a lot more baggage with this one than I was expecting! I really liked Sophie and appreciated how she dealt with her OCD. Cain was hard to like due to his habits, but considering what happened it's hard to blame a guy for turning to the bottle. I do wish that had been more resolved throughout the book, it would have made Sophie and Cain a stronger couple, in my opinion. I can't wait to read about Cain's brother and Sophie's sister.

First off, where has Erin MacCarthy been all this time? Had I not been given this book via netgalley I would never have known of her amazing storytelling. I thought this book was so so good. I fell in love with Sophie from the get go and even though Cain was not the nicest of persons he developed and grew and you never doubted that he would try to be a better person ( not for Sophie but for himself) There is a line in the book, that he loved to hate his life more than he could ever be willing to embrace it, which I found to be a very profound statement. This is an example of the "thoughtful" writing found throughout the book.

For some reason I thought that this was a rom-com yet I did not find that to be the case, it was angst related than anything. We meet Cain who is an alcoholic, and he has no desire to change his life he also works as a fisherman so he does not find that he is relationship material and I wholeheartedly agree. Cain is out cruising out on the town looking for his usual one-night stand and notices Bella immediately, yet Bella is engaged and is out on the town hoping her nerdy awkward sister Sophie finds some fun. Eventually Cain an Sophie end up hooking up and after something that was supposed to be a one-night stand and Sophie getting rid of her virginity they keep in touch and continue a relationship, but Cain has a lot of anger and when you read about what you understand.

When I started reading I wondered what on earth I had gotten myself into but then I realized I HAD to see where this was going. This was a book that if someone had tried to describe the plot to me I would have automatically thought, "No thank you," and I would have missed a wonderfully fresh romance. This was a book about two people who do not feel that they fit anywhere finding the person that truly sees them. They are not the typical characters that you read about in romances. I wasn't sure that McCarthy would be able to make Cain into a sympathetic hero but, to me, she really did. He has his demons and he handles them poorly but he is not irredeemable even if everyone else in his life seems to think so. I really liked this book and cannot wait to see what McCarthy does in the next book about two characters who I very much did not like in this book.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

**I received an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

The Hookup is the first book in Erin McCarthy's new Jordan Brothers series and it was a good start. I definitely had times when I wanted to throw the kindle across the room, but I think that is an indication that the author has done their job in getting you to care about the characters and what happens to them.

Sophie is in a small town in Maine where her family has a home preparing for her sister's upcoming wedding. Sophie has always been smart, working toward her PhD in fact, but her social skills and her love life are another topic all together. She's made it all the way to 25 without having had a relationship and she's still carrying around her V-Card, which she is ready to cash in. The question is can she find someone she wants to do just that with?

Cain Jordan has lived in the same small Maine town his entire life and unfortunately, now he's part of one of the biggest stories the town has seen. His twin brother slept with Cain's then girlfriend and now is raising the son that could belong to either one of the brothers. To say Cain is bitter for many reasons is a gross understatement. In order to numb himself from dealing with this heartache, he finds solace in the form of alcohol.

When Sophie and Cain meet for the first time at a bar, the sparks are immediate. Sophie can tell just by looking that he's a bad boy, and drunk, but she doesn't care, he is who she wants. As the two begin to spend time together and ultimately take that step Sophie is so wishing for, more begins to develop between these two. Will they be able to put their own demons aside and try to make something work? Or will Sophie head back to Boston with only the memories of a man who taught her so much in such a short amount of time?

I really enjoyed this book and I have to stay I'm SO looking forward to The Breakup! Pick up a copy of this one if you have an opportunity!

The pacing was off for me and I couldn't get invested in the story. There was an established connection for the characters and their story felt a bit disjointed. I didn't not complete the entire book because of this. Out of fairness to the author and other fans and a personal rule, I don't review books I do not finish. I appreciate the opportunity to try it.

Sophie and Cain are just amazing and wonderful! I LOVED this book SO much. Can't wait for the next one!

I loved it.... Erin McCarthy never fails to hook me up with a superb read. Her fast track novels are super amazing and this one just drew me in. Sexy and oh so nerdy Sophie is drawn to Cain with an unusual attraction to lose her V-card. Cain is just the right guy to help her out, and the attraction between the two is just so fun. I read this book in one sitting, and I definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a fun read without all the usual intense drama.