I love a good enemies to lovers, but this did not do it for me.  I thought that Rashida & Elliot had great chemistry together, but I felt that a lot of the romance happened off page.  The issue of gentrification & the impact it has on people & neighborhoods played a large part in this story, and I felt that these parts dragged.

I received this book from NetGalley as an ARC.

Elliott Quinn is having a bad day. His father had a massive heart attack and now Elliott is trying to run his company along with his own. Oh, did I mention it was his birthday?

Rashida Howard is a woman on a mission. She exits her Uber and marches into the building that Elliott just left. He is stopped by her beauty and confidence, but cannot react in time and then she is gone.

The two have a meet-cute at the a local bar and end up in bed, to which Rashida slinks out during the night. No note, no number, just nothing is what greets Elliott when he comes to in the morning. How will he find her?

It is easier than he thinks as he sees her at a community meeting where they are on opposite sides - his dad wants to build an upscale shopping building in her community. The community would rather have a community center or nursing home. Sparks fly in more ways than one at the meeting. As they work through the trials and tribulations on this project, they grow closer, but a secret deal in the background could jeopardize it all.

I thoroughly enjoyed this. I loved the writing, it made me not want to put this down. The romance was very sweet. I wish there was a bit more conversation to accompany to quickly developing feelings because it did feel mostly physical. However that won't stop me from recommending this book to others.

The Hookup Dimema is a winner in my books! The cover was absolutely beautiful. I fell in love with both Rashida and Elliot right away, just as they did. The chemistry between the two characters was charged with sexual tension that was electric when they were together. I was expecting a typical love/hate trope and it was anything but that.

I absolutely loved reading a narrative from the strong women. They were full of spit and vinegar and ready to fight for what they believed in and loved.

If you're looking for a hot romance with southern charm, this is the book for you!


*ARC courtesy of the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. I want to express a thank you to the valued author, the publisher who took a chance on the author, and Netgalley for providing a copy.*

ARC provided by NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

This was a 3.5/5 star read for me.

Rashida is a food critic who is also on a mission to save her grandma’s neighborhood outside of Atlanta from gentrification from a development company. One night she meets a Elliot at a bar and they share a night of passion that they both hope leads to something more… until she finds out that Elliot is temporarily running his dad’s company and that said company is the development company interested in her grandma’s neighborhood.

I really enjoyed the way that this book took a look at gentrification and the implications and threats it poses to marginalized and vulnerable populations. It was clear that the author did their research in these topics and the situation felt realistic and was eye opening.

The characters are developed but I also wanted a little bit more. I feel like Rashida we understand more than we do Elliot. We learn more about Rashida’s life and get more of her personality. With Elliot his character development is largely focused on the push and pull between his desire to have Rashida and his desire to make his dad proud. I wanted to know more about him than his job, I found it hard to understand what made Rashida so drawn to him (besides his abilities in bed).

The place that made this book a slower read for me than other was the pacing. I enjoyed reading the book but the pacing varied and that slowed me down as a reader. At times it felt like shorts spans of time took up multiple chapter but then the last 2 or so chapters were paced very quickly. I was thrown off at the end when they say the process they need to undergo to help save the community will be a long one; yet a few pages later it is done and solved. The final scene between Rashida and Elliot along with the epilogue that followed also felt very rushed.

Where this book rates high for me is the spice quality. The spice scenes in this book are in fact very spicy, yet also written in a tasteful way. Pleasure is seen through the reactions of both characters.

Overall, the book was a good read, it just probably isn’t one I would feel a need to pick up again.

This is a really sweet romance that explores the ups and downs of how certain business dealings can effect a growing attraction. This is the first book I have read by Constance Gillam and I found her writing to be easily engaging, and well paced. Gillam drew me quickly into the story and I was eager to see how the hero and heroine would learn to work together to embrace a growing relationship and find a way to balance the outside plot that is keeping them on two different sides of the issue.

Elliot, is a workaholic, but on his 30th birthday he is gifted with the company of Rashida who he is instantly attracted to. A one night stand leads to growing attractions until they both learn that they are on opposing sides when it comes to the rezoning of a property in Rashida's grandmother's neighborhood. This business dealing has deep family impacts on both of them, but Elliot is not to be deterred, he is determined to prove to Rashida that they belong together and that perhaps compromises and re-imaginings will help them deal with the outward dilemma that they are facing.

Constance Gillam uses great care and understanding when she explores both sides of the coin when it comes to the revitalization of a neighborhood. She balances both sides of the argument with the hero and heroine and shows how gentrification can seem like a good business dealing while not always being the best option for a community that calls that area home. This love story is really rooted in community and family, and I think that Gillam does a lovely job balancing out all of these interactions while still keeping Elliot and Rashida's growing relationship at the heart of the story. I love the way that Gillam uses community and family for Elliot to see how certain things will effect the people who are most impacted when it comes to the business dealings that Elliot is currently entangled in. Elliot and Rashida are slowly able to open themselves up to each other, learn to see issues from different side, learn how to trust and physically express their growing attraction. This novel is sweetly sensual, and the love story is softly growing. I really enjoyed watching Elliot and Rashida challenge each other's ideals, and how they learned to work together to explore compromises. I also really loved that Elliot learned what was more important to him when it came to business and community and he found new ways to get similar outcomes that would be more beneficial to all parties involved.

Overall I really enjoyed this novel, it was a beautiful love letter to a city and a small neighborhood and community within it, with a sweet and low angst love story at the heart, in which two people learned to trust, see things from different sides and fight for their feelings. I am definitely looking forward to exploring more of Constance Gillam's work.

I like the chemistry between Elliot and Rashida, but I feel the romance came secondary to the gentrification problem.
The hookup happens in chapter 2, but then it's all about the problem in the neighborhood.
I wish the book hadn't included so much zoning meetings and business talk because I felt some chapters repetitive.
I don't like Rashida's grandma I think she's a rude character.
But I really like Elliot, I think he's super sweet.
Overall I like this book, it's a quick read.
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Available on 16th November 2021
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Thanks Netgallery for a ARC Of this book for a honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Entangled for providing me an e-copy of THE HOOKUP DILEMMA to review.

So, I loved this book. I thought it was a nice opposites attract story, while also providing subplots that allowed all of the characters to grow in positive ways by the end of the story.

Rashida, a restaurant critic, meets Elliott, an architect, in a bar. They spend a night together and what do you know - Elliott's father is trying to buy Rashida's grandmother's neighborhood as part of a gentrification project for his firm.

This, of course, makes Rashida and Elliott automatic enemies.

The two have a lot of physical chemistry, but can their growing love for each other outmatch all of the external forces relating to Rashida's grandmother's neighborhood?

I thought the story brought up important points about revitalizing neighborhoods, learning to trust others, family loyalty and an openness to be with those who aren't exactly like you. All of these points were made without being preachy.

I rate THE HOOKUP DILEMMA four out of five stars.

My thanks to Entangled Publishing & Netgalley. I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This books follows Rashida and Elliott as they meet and fall in love on opposite sides of construction project. Who knew planning board meetings could be like this?

Rashida is a food critic with close ties to her Grandmother's neighborhood. Elliott is the architect son of the man trying to develop an area of the beloved neighborhood to attract younger upwardly mobile homebuyers.

The supporting characters play no small role in the book, with Rashida's grandmother, mother, sister and BFF getting subplots and stories of their own.

Overall, this was a sweet book with a lot packed in. Too much? Possibly. There were some pacing issues with the plot. Rashida's sister starts strong, fades out for about 10 chapters, and then roars back in at the end. I feel like this book deserved more attention in the editing process. There were several instances of silly inconsistencies (s/one facing away in one sentence and looking into eyes in the next, or not wearing a shirt and then having a shirt with no action) which took me out of the story. These things are minor, but distracting.

#NetGalley#Reviews #TheHookupDilemma

Listen, the idea behind the story is cute, maybe I’m just in the wrong headspace. I came to this book wanting to escape the realities of gentrification, never being able to own a home, real life social and economic equality, and the fact that every new house being built right now is an emotionless shell with no personality. Loved the banter- couldn’t finish.

The Hookup Dilemma's plot is definitely where it shines. Two people find themselves (post-hookup) on opposite ends of a potential neighborhood re-zoning: cue the drama! The meet cute is full of great banter and sexual tension!

The characters are where it falls short: it was hard to connect to either Elliott or Rashida, and the hookup scenes fell flat for me.

3.5 A fun and sometimes steamy romance. I didn't think I was going to like this. I was really turned off by some of the dialogue in the beginning. I didn't like the way the characters were describing others. It made me want to stop reading but I made myself keep going. The book started to pick up for me around 35-40% in. I sped through it from there and enjoyed it. I loved Rashida and her determination to help her grandmother. Thanks netgalley and the publisher for a digital arc in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I enjoyed this book so much more than i thought I would at the start! It started off a little slow for my liking but it quickly became a quick read!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I really wanted to like this book. The description and cover are really fun. Somehow though, I just couldn’t feel the chemistry between the two characters. Maybe their dialogue had no back and forth banter? I’ve read so many 5 star books lately, maybe it felt lacking, and maybe it’s just me. Apologies.

i really enjoyed this book! it was so much fun to read and i'm so thankful that i got an early copy of this book from netgalley. thanks a bunch, bros.

A huge thanks to Entangled Publishing for my e-ARC in exchange for an honest review

The book follows Rashida Howard a woman who has never had a one night stand but breaks her rule one night when she meets Elliott.. One night is exactly they get initially as they are on opposite sides of an issue that affects them.

The plot would have been extremely amazing if there was a lot more angst and romance nevertheless it was a good book

QOTD: What’s the last book cover you loved?
My A: This one!
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I've had this one waiting for me on NetGalley for a bit and I've been dying to read it based on the cover/title alone! The blurb sounded right up my alley so I was anticipating loving this one. Unfortunately things just did not click for me. For a romance to be a romance, there needs to be chemistry. Personally, I just never really felt it between these two. The plot leans heavily on Rashida’s work fighting gentrification and I really liked the relationship she had with her grandmother. My own grandma is the other pea to my pod so you bet your bottom I’d be there fighting for her! I saw a few reviews mentioning the steam level. For me, it was a non-issue, but that’s not to say I enjoyed it. There was no build up, just straight to smut so the connection didn’t feel as authentic. All in all... meh.

No disfruté esto tanto como esperaba. La puesta en marcha de una pareja reunirse después de su excitante conexión de una noche y descubrir que están en lados opuestos de un conflicto sobre el chico firma de arquitectos del padre construyendo un desarrollo en la casa de la dama barrio de la abuela. Pero todo parecía demasiado elaborado. Otro problema que tuve con el libro es que se trata de un romance, pero el autor hace muy poco para desarrollar esa parte del trama. La heroína tenía un trabajo muy interesante como restaurante. revisor, pero eso no va a ninguna parte. En cambio, se pone bastante repetitivo mientras la heroína rota entre ser atraída por la héroe y luego decidir que estaba furiosa con él. Me cansé de ella. Y todo quedó envuelto al final un poco demasiado ordenado. Voluntariamente revisé una copia para lectores avanzados de este libro que recibido de Netgalley; sin embargo, las opiniones son mías y yo no recibió ninguna compensación por mi revisión.

Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader's copy in exchange for a fair and honest review. If anyone is looking for a quick and satisfying adult romance, this is it. There's nothing too special to cause it to stand out but it was enjoyable. I found Rashida and Elliott to be very compatible and there was a mutual pining, which I enjoyed. I'm giving this book 3 stars because I didn't think there was anything super amazing that would bump it into one of my favorites, but I would recommend anyone who likes romance to read this book.

This was my first book by this author. I like this story. The two main characters were very complimentary to each other. I liked the descriptions of some of the people and atmosphere. I laughed at the old lady gangs antics. There were some people whom were not described well. I didn’t know Chris was a black man until the end. The epilogue was nice but didn’t say how the Reverend prevailed. I really don’t like epilogues that jump so far into the future. We missed some important events. I would have been interested in Karla’s story or even Rashidas new girlfriend who was Elliott’s childhood friend.