2.5 stars

This has a super cute cover and a fun sounding premise, but unfortunately I just didn't click with it. I felt like the main characters didn't have much chemistry and the plot was slow and boring. There were some cute moments and I liked that Rashida was so close with her grandmother. The idea of saving a neighborhood and helping older residents makes my heart happy.

Rashida and Elliot meet up one night and have a one night stand. Rashida doesn't intend to see him again, but then is shocked when she realizes Elliot is part of the people trying to change her neighborhood and push current residents out. They fight over the issue, though Elliot can't do much since it's his dad's company. It kind of felt like Rashida was arguing with him just because.

The ending sped up and seemed to resolve everything very quickly and easily. I was disappointed that we didn't get a lot of explanation and felt like the author just wanted it to be over. There were also a couple lines in the book saying things like "my stomach gave a queer twist" and I didn't appreciate the author using the word Queer to mean odd or strange. The LGBTQ+ community has worked hard to change the word to something positive and this felt out of touch.

I voluntarily read and reviewed this book and gave an honest opinion. Thank you to Entangled Publishing and NetGalley for the copy

I didn’t enjoy this as much as I’d hoped to. The set-up of a couple meeting up after their steamy, one-night hookup and finding out that they’re on the opposite sides of a conflict over the guy’s father’s architectural firm building a development in the lady’s grandmother’s neighborhood. But it all seemed too contrived. Another problem I had with the book is that this is an interracial romance, but the author does very little to develop that part of the plot. The heroine had a very interesting job as a restaurant reviewer, but that doesn’t go anywhere. Instead it gets rather repetitive as the heroine rotates between being attracted to the hero and then deciding she was furious with him. I just got tired of her. And it all got wrapped up in the end a bit too tidily.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book that I received from Netgalley; however, the opinions are my own and I did not receive any compensation for my review.

After meeting at a bar, Rashida and Elliott have a one-night stand. Neither of them know they are on opposite sides of a gentrification issue.

I went into this expecting an enemies to lovers romance which I didn't really get. That's most likely my own fault and I probably just misunderstood the premise. They are on opposite sides of an issue but I never really felt much of a conflict between them. Their attraction to each other kind of overruled things, in my opinion. Rashida always gave into seeing him, even when he did things that went against what she was supposed to be fighting for.

Speaking of their attraction, I definitely believe in lust at first sight but love at first sight? It depends. After their one-night stand, where they barely got to know each other in the first place, Elliott and Rashida both seemed to fall in love really fast. They never really, in my opinion, got to know each other in the weeks following their hook up. Everything was centered around them being on opposite sides of a big issue.

There was a lot of potential with this book and unfortunately, for me, it fell flat. I didn't feel a connection to the characters. The steam was there but it didn't work for me.

The Hookup Dilemma was a cute read but it just wasn’t for me.

I liked the characters; I understood their different motives and what they wanted to achieve. I also liked them as a couple, even though I felt the romance in this book was cut short. Personally, there was just too much going on about the building in the Millhouse area and Rashida and Elliott being on different sides of the conflict and not enough real romance, though there was some lust.

All that plot about the community and them both being on different sides and therefore they can’t interact romantically felt so repetitive at times and to be honest it bored me.

And after all that drama the ending felt a little rushed. Everything resolved rather quickly for that stupid long fight and then we got a time jump for over 3 month and didn’t get to see what actually happened. (And then another time jump 3 years into the future…).

Like I said, this book wasn’t really for me but I bet there are a lot of other readers who’ll enjoy this kind of story.

I really enjoyed this quick and cute romance. I love the enemies to lovers and forbidden romance tropes, and this book contained both. Rashida and Elliot were likeable and well rounded individuals, and together they made a couple you couldn’t help but root for. I do wish the characters if Elliot a d Rashida we’re fleshed out a bit more, because both were super interesting. I also felt like their love connection seemed to be a bit too instant for me. Despite barely knowing her, Elliot seemed to know from night one that Rashida was the one for him. I would have loved to see a bit more of a back and forth / get to know each other period / a bit more friction between the two just to heighten up the tension and suspense.

Back to what I loved; I loved the fact that the novel followed an interracial couple and the diversity of the supporting characters throughout the book. I also loved how the author not only highlighted, but explained the complexities surrounding the issue of gentrification. While this novel was definitely more than just a romance, Gilliam was still able to maintain the light hearted feeling that romance readers have come to love and expect from their genre.

All and all I would highly recommend this book for anyone who loves a good modern romance!

Rashida and Elliot had strong chemistry and attraction, with a fair few spicy scenes, which started from the first few pages, but I didn't really feel the romance was fleshed out enough. I wasn't really invested enough in their relationship, something was missing for me between the scorchio sex scenes and the declarations of love. I wanted to actually feel them fall in love more? If you want a light, read with a HEA, then give this one a go though, other early readers have rated it higher, so it might just be me.I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own. Many thanks to both NetGalley UK and Entangled Publishing LLC for the ARC!

Recommended for fans of "Ties That Tether" by Jane Igharo and "Getting His Game Back" by Gia de Cadenet. The Hookup Dilemma is a contemporary romance about interracial couple Elliott and Rashida who are on opposite ends of neighborhood gentrification. Despite the serious topic, this is a light read ideal for big fans of contemporary romance. This is not a book if you're looking for a nuanced take on race and relationships or gentrification but it was enjoyable and easy to get through. The language was pretty over the top with metaphors for me and I'd love to see this author use the figurative language sparingly.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book.

I mostly enjoyed this story of Rashida and Elliott. The leads were sweet together! However, I think it leaned too heavily towards the gentrification and development content, sacrificing more quality interactions between the romantic pairing.

Rashida and Elliott had great chemistry, and I would have enjoyed more of the tension building between the two, more build up. Elliott was falling for her hard, and quickly, after only a few short interactions with her.

I found the longer sections of discussion around gentrification a little dry - but I do appreciate the effort the author went to to create the realism in this story.

I enjoyed the premise of this book and thought it had great potential but the characters felt very flat. There was a lot going on in the book and it didnt give me time to focus on the relationship building between the two main characters. Her sister was going through it, her mom had a potential love interest that was just random. I thought maybe the author was setting up future books but the epilogue had a happily ever after for both those stories so unsure what was happening and how it all tied in together. The steamy scenes were good but overall the characters lacked chemistry.

The Hookup Dilemma
by Constance Gillam
Review

What happens when a random hookup turns into the ultimate dilemma?

Apparently, love happens.

Rashida and Elliot were such an adorable (and hot) match!

Pretty cover, Lust at first sight, Banter and Humour!

The Hookup Dilemma is pleasant story to pass the afternoon with! Not only was there a romance plot and internal conflict but there was also external conflict with Rashida and Elliot being on different sides of an extremely important issue: gentrification.

Usually, I wouldn’t be able to get into the story with a love interest who starts the story on the wrong side of the issue, but the author focuses on the banality of it all. Elliot needs the construction of the mall in an under privileged community, to go well because his father’s business will fail if it doesn’t.

I liked that in the end, it was the two of them coming together to solve the issue and bettering the community. I wish real life could be so neatly wrapped up!

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest opinion..

The meet-cute in this book was so genuine and sexy! They meet at a bar not even realizing they are currently rivals...which leads to funny mishaps and run-ins before they figure it out. Rashida and Elliott are very different, coming from different social classes and backgrounds, I loved the #OwnVoices representation and how they learned to accept these differences. Their chemistry was amazing and I loved Rashida's humour, especially when it came to her grandmother and her friends with all the trouble they cause!
Overall, a warm and fuzzy feeling book with great representation!

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the ARC!

A light and easy read. A lovely cover. A sweet guy. A cute romance. Witty banter.

I fell for the cover and the premise sounded interesting. And when I started reading I immediately liked Elliott. The writing was good. And then … there was … nothing? A couple of weeks ago, I rushed through a book because I loved it so much. Now I rushed through one because I didn’t feel anything, besides some irritation and frustration. I just didn’t connect to the story, found the sex scene at the beginning too steamy to start with, didn’t really find the promised enemies to lovers story, and got bored after a while. Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t a bad book. It just didn’t fit my expectations.

But if you want to read a cute and sometimes steamy story with a really sweet MC, a light and easy read, The Hookup Dilemma might be a wonderful read for you.

I received an ARC from Entangled Publishing and NetGalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Many of you know that I love a good romance book. When I saw this cute cover, I knew I needed to get my hands on it. A huge thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for gifting me an ARC.

The Hookup Dilemma is a heartwarming, own-voices story about what was supposed to be a one-night stand but ended up being an enemies-to-lovers romance. I loved the banter between the main characters but also greatly enjoyed the personalities and storylines of the supporting characters - especially Rashida's grandmother.

The ending felt a bit rushed, but other than that, I greatly enjoyed the book.

Woah. This book immediately starts off hot and s t e a m y. After that, it is a bit slow in the steam department - but that is made up for by a great story that focuses on the potential development and gentrification of a historical neighborhood outside of Atlanta. The hero and heroine are on either side of the issue - but will their steamy relationships survive...and develop into something more?

I wish the pacing were a bit more regular with the romance and I think there was some repetitive dialogue/language that could have been addressed during the editing process - but overall, I definitely enjoyed this book.

Who knew a one night stand with two people on the opposite side of a belief could be so hot! I enjoyed seeing Rashida and Elliott go back and forth but end up together. I'm sure in a real life situation this would make for one passionate night which was shown in the book. It was a good, quirky read but for a more mature audience.

Honest Review:

I loved this book but there are parts that I find boring. I'm not into business and that's where I find it boring. But I love how it started. And the sexual tension???? OMG 🥴 I went crazy because of the intensity.

This book was definitely not written for my age range. I am in high school, and that was a bit much for me. Also, the ending of the book was objectively bad. It felt disconnected and choppy, and I didn’t register that a lot of time had passed. Overall, I will not be recommending this book to my followers.

AHHHH I absolutely LOVED this book! The sexual tension, the focus on family and loyalty, ELLIOT!! So heartwarming and hot.

It's lust at first sight for Elliot Quinn, when he sees a beautiful, curvy woman breeze past him. He's an exhausted architect working two jobs and taking care of his ailing father. Granted, he's the CEO of his company and heir to his father's struggling conglomerate. He never expects to see his dream woman across from him at a busy bar in the heart of Atlanta. It's fate!

Rashida Howard is fierce, she refuses to give up on Marcus Quinn, who is planning on gentrifying her grandmother's neighborhood for a fancy supermarket and a commercial center that cater to the upper echelon and millennials. There is no way her grandmother and family friends will succeed in a neighborhood that doesn't want them. She's a food critic for a powerful magazine and if critiquing has taught her anything, its to never give up. When she rests her tired feet at a bar booth, she is surprised the person she is sharing a table with is strikingly handsome (and extremely flirty). Rashida accepts his offer to dinner and proceeds to have an unforgettable, passionate night.

Elliot is shocked to find Rashida gone, but he is determined to see her again. He will never forget their lovemaking and easy conversation. He finds her at a town hall meeting disputing the construction of his father's plans. He understands the complications that can arise from the displacement of hundreds of people, but also needs everything to go smoothly. Suddenly he finds himself at odds with the woman he spent an incredible night with. Their random one night stand turns into a frenemies to lovers story.

Rashida wants nothing to do with Elliot, who to her is the only thing that stands between the peace and demolition of her grandmother's home. She had her first kiss there, skinned her knees and played jump rope there, and has countless memories more to make with her grandmother. He is so confident, warm, and trusting though, how could she not want to be with him. She has trouble trusting his motives towards her, but he grovels for forgiveness and regains her trust.

As much as they should not be together, their connection draws them in closer as they learn to compromise and make difficult choices. I loved the happily ever after ending! So adorable. This book had the perfect blend of steam and swoon worthy romance. I wish this book hadn't included so much schmoozing and business talk because some chapters were positively dull and repetitive.

Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for giving me the opportunity to read this book in exchange for my honest review.

Decent rom com with detailed characters and plot of enemies turned lovers. Not my favorite, but I felt it had a strong beginning middle and end