Amalie Whitfield is the picture of a blushing bride during her wedding reception-but for all the wrong reasons. Instead of proclaiming his undying love, her husband can be heard, by Amalie and their guests, getting off with someone else. She has every reason to freak out, and in a moment of insanity, she throws herself at the first hot-blooded male she sees. But he’s not interested in becoming … her revenge screw.
Mortified and desperate to escape the post-wedding drama, Amalie decides to go on her honeymoon alone, only to find the man who rejected her also heading to the same tiny island for work. But this time he isn’t holding back. She should know better than to sleep with someone she knows, but she can’t seem to resist him.
They might agree that what happens on the island should stay on the island, but neither one can deny that their attraction is more than just physical.
Filled with hilariously scandalous situations and enough sexual chemistry to power an airplane from New York City to the South Pacific, Hooking Up is the next standalone, laugh-out-loud romantic comedy from Helena Hunting, the New York Times bestselling author of the Pucked series and Shacking Up.
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This Read was AMAZING
another great book from this author. Glad to revisit past characters
Love love love this book. Couldn’t put it down. Found it by a recommendation on amazon. So happy it fell into my lap. Great story. Great characters. Great writing. Can’t wait to read another Helena Hunting book.
Boring
“Holy mother of what the fuckicles! where did Lexington Come from
Sorry Bancroft, I met you in Shacking Up, and you’re buff, sexy rugby player and all, but By God !!!
Your brother Sexy Lexy has stolen my heart
Dear sweet lord of all things panty melting, this has to be the sexiest man to ever walk the planet. The only thing that would make him sexier would be if he was holding a puppy, or better yet, a baby.it doesn’t matter if he’s dressed in a suit, wearing his glasses, screwing around on his laptop, wearing a pair of board shorts, naked and fucking me—he’s just sexy. And kind, and sweet, and smart, and fun.
Well , Helena can conjure up these Hot AF sexy brothers, one by one and I’ll keep licking…errrr I mean lapping it all up
Amalie or Amie is on cloud nine on her wedding day, sipping champagne and saying I Do to the love of her life (supposedly) Armstrong, until he decides to broadcast his bathroom quickie on the speaker for all to hear.
Brittany Whore-ton’s dick gargling. is reverberating in the wedding hall, and the bride is destroyed. She hacks her wedding dress and lands on top of Lexington, for revenge sex.
One thing leads to another and they both end up in Bora Bora .
Rejected Bride on her Failed Honeymoon and Sexy nerdy Lexy just get their wild on. Complete with kinky toys and naughty sex.
It’s a fantastic romcom, filled with right amount 9f moans and groans. Helena can write funny like no one can. Her sarcasm and penchant to invent synonyms for penis are simply genius .wonder if she does that in real life too
From Man dangle to Oh God to Disco Dick , she’s the Queen of Super MC & Frankenstein Cock. I loved reading this hilarious, sensitive story and thoroughly enjoyed it
5 Anarchy Amie stars
Lexinton “Lex” Mills saw Amalie first, but that didn’t stop his cousin, Armstrong, from pursuing her, if anything, it encouraged him to do so. You see, for years Lex and Armstrong have had this rivalry, in all things: school, work, and woman. Now, Armstrong has the girl and is planning to make it permanent…he’s proposed marriage.
Amalie “Amie” Whitfield is marrying the love of her life, well…that’s what she tells herself and others. Instead, she’s marrying the “idea” of it. She’s spent the last couple years trying to avoid drama and bring less shame to her family. Armstrong is supposed to be her fresh start. He’s supposed to be stability, normal, and scandal free. Instead, not 12 hours into their marriage, he’s overheard by his new bride and almost all the wedding guests, getting off with someone else who ISN’T the bride. Mortified and ashamed of being involved in more drama, Amie retaliates by throwing herself at the first man available. Coincidently, that man happens to be Lex. But as much as Lex wants Amie, he knows he can’t take advantage of her distress and situation. He knows she’ll come to regret this and he doesn’t want to be yet another mistake on her list.
Feeling broken and rejected by two men, Amie decided to go on her honeymoon…alone. But to her surprise, she finds she is not the only one fleeing the drama. Lex is also heading to Bora Bora. Amie always found Lex attractive and he is exactly the type of man she was drawn to before Armstrong, but Armstrong warned her away from Lex, saying he was nothing but trouble…maybe who she should’ve been warned about was Armstrong because clearly he wasn’t without trouble.
Being together is dangerous, but soon Amie and Lex find themselves taking this “honeymoon” as an opportunity for a little distraction from the inevitable fallout they have to face when they return home. “I know all I am is a distraction from reality, but I still want her, even if I shouldn’t.” –Lex. But as the weeks go on, soon their little slice of fantasy starts to feel like more. True feelings and emotions develop. As their hook up comes to an end, reality seeps in. Can Lex live with only being a distraction? Can Amie trust her budding feelings for Lex? She has a bad track record of trusting her instincts and picking men…her husband is a prime example. Also, she’s married…to Lex’s cousin…that only spells disaster, right? Can what happened in Bora Bora, STAY in Bora Bora? Is their temporary diversion from life, temporary?
WOWZA! This was one of the best “hook-up to lovers” novels I’ve read in a long time! Hot Hot HOT! *fans self* It’s been awhile since I’ve read a Helena Hunting novel, but OH.EM.GEE!! I forgot how sexy and hilarious her stories can be! I didn’t realize how much I missed her writing style. This is the perfect distraction from reality *wink*. This story wasn’t just about the obvious desire these two had for each other, it was about the deeper connection you have with your one true love. Amie had this perceived idea of what love should look like and what she should get out of a relationship, but Lex shows her what it was supposed to look like.
“What if it doesn’t work out?”
“What if it does? I don’t want to get hurt again.”
“I don’t want to hurt you Amie, I want to love you. Won’t you let me try?”
#swoon
It’s forbidden, comical, and sweet. Lex definitely has the reader swooning! HOOKING UP was entertaining and compelling from beginning to end! “Anarchy Amie” and “Sexy Lexy” are a couple you won’t want to miss! This is a spinoff of SHACKING UP, but can be read as a standalone. If you haven’t read Helena Hunting before, I HIGHLY recommend starting with this book! It has her signature writing style all over it!
5 stars!
Another fun read from Helena Hunting
We met Lex and Aimee in Shacking Up. Aimee is a former wild child who is trying to make her parents happy by marrying the socially safe guy. Armstrong, her husband of a couple of hours, is heard by everyone at their wedding reception having sex with someone other than his wife. Anime is mortified, tries to molest Lex in the bridal suite as revenge. Lex has been infatuated with Aimee and cannot understand how she can be with his sociopath cousin, but turns her down. Aimee decides to go on her honeymoon alone, and Lex is sent to work at one of the families hotel, coincidentally on the same island.
Overall I enjoyed this book. Both characters are likable, and you root for them to get together. The only thing that detracted from this was how horrible Armstrong was. I was hoping for a more satisfactory comeuppance for him at the end.
Whoo! Hooking Up is one complex, emotional ride mixed with a few funny moments to give it some levity.
Amalie Whitfield and the entire wedding reception are unfortunate spectators to her husband, Armstrong, receiving a blowjob by another woman over the sound system. After Amalie attacked her wedding dress with gardening sheers and jumped her husbands cousin, Lexington ‘Lex’ Mills, she decides to head to Bora Bora for an anti-honeymoon.
On her way to Bora Bora Amalie discovers that Lex is also heading to Bora Bora for work. Just what she needs, the man who rejected her after she discovered her husband cheating on her. While in Bora Bora Amalie and Lex can’t put aside their intense attraction. Amalie’s best friend had been goading her to hook-up and that’s just what Amalie decides to do with Lex.
“We agreed that what happened between us would stay in Bora Bora.”
Amalie eventually returns home to deal with the Armstrong because he doesn’t want to sign the annulment paperwork. She tries to stay away from Lex but their chemistry continues to push them together. Amalie soon discovers that Armstrong and Lex may have put her right in the middle of their long standing rivalry.
Helena Hunting knows how to write a villain. Armstrong is a grade A jack ass. I wanted to punch him in the face. The rivalry between Lex and Armstrong is pretty intense. The story moves between their rivalry and the growing relationship between Amalie and Lex. Amalie and Lex have a strong sexual chemistry that finds it’s way into their hearts. 4 Stars
I really loved this story! I thought I enjoyed Shacking Up, but this story has it beat it! This book can be read as a standalone, but if you get a chance, read Shacking Up to get Ruby (Amalie’s best friend) and Bancroft’s (Lexington’s brothers) story. They are terrific and hilarious secondary characters. The names in this book are awesome!
I laughed so much! What a disaster and awkwardly funny wedding reception!
Amalie had met Lexington at a social event, he was charming, flirty and gorgeous. He looked like the bad boy that she always fell for. She needed to stay away, but she agreed to have a drink with him. When he went to bar, Armstrong (Lexington’s cousin) steps up and asks Amalie to dance after he bad mouths Lexington. He tells Amalie that Lex is no good and soon after Amalie starts her relationship with Armstrong. She thought he was husband material. Good job, not a bad boy, from a prominent family, but boy did she get it wrong. Lexington has watched her from afar and felt he missed his chance, until that fateful day at her wedding reception when her new husband was overheard over the PA system having sex with someone other than his new bride. Chaos ensued, cue the hilarity. Amalie escapes to Bora Bora for her unhoneymoon by herself. Guess what? Fate stepped in again. To get away from all the family drama, Lexington heads to Bora Bora for business and he is sitting next to Amalie. Sparks begin fly! Talk about hot chemistry!
Okay I can’t say anymore. There is so much going on in the story. It’s such a funny, sweet, tender, heartbreaking, and anger inducing story! I loved every page. Amalie is such a great character. She is sassy, strong and when she gets on a roll it’s anarchy Amie. I absolutely adored Lexington! He is everything Amalie could have ever dreamed of except she was still married to a man who only thinks about himself. Armstrong wouldn’t sign the annulment papers and is obnoxious! I wanted to reach through my iPad and throttle him on more than one occasion. This book had me from the start and I couldn’t put it down. I read until the wee hours of the morning. It really was that good!
4.5 Stars
Hooking Up is a second chance, forbidden romance that follows the title Shacking Up, although it can be read as a standalone.
Hooking up is a sweet, sexy, emotion and humor filled romantic comedy, that had me giggling, smiling and full out laughing out loud. It’s an incredibly engaging and entertaining title with characters that are endearing, unique and quirky.
Amalie’s husband Armstrong is an arrogant, narcissistic ass, who has no respect for women in general, much less his new wife. After being humiliated at her own wedding by her new husband no less, Amalie has lost confidence in her choices, and taken a hit to her self esteem. As she recovers from the circumstances that lead her to a solo honeymoon she gains confidentce, and we begin to see more of a wild and fun Amalie.
Amalie’s holiday hookup is the complete opposite to Armstrong. He’s kind, caring, considerate and swoon worthy and has a penchant for underwear and socks with eccentric designs.
The chemistry and sexual tension between Amalie and her holiday hookup is intense and undeniable. Their encounters are sexy, fun, passionate and kind of kinky.
The side characters add complexity to the story line and the banter they share is flirtatious, fun, full of sass and wit.
I thoroughly enjoyed this title, recommending it to anyone who enjoys a romantic comedy and will be eagerly anticipating her next release.
4.5 stars!
I fell in love with Shacking Up, the first book in this series and as soon as I finished it, I wanted the next book, Amie’s immediately.
I knew there was so much more to Amie but I couldn’t figure out why she was with dirtbag, Armstrong. Fortunately (or somewhat unfortunately for Amie) it’s brought to everyone’s attention at her wedding reception, the depths of Armstrong’s dirt bagginess.
As a reader, I rejoiced. YES! Now, she could move on from the dirtbag and see that Lex was her destiny.
Lex is the ultimate Book Boyfriend. Let’s just get that out of the way, Lex was exactly the kind of MAN that Amie deserved. He’s such a good guy and he’s sexy as all get out. Once they were able to spend time together when they both end up at the same resort. Amie is there to get away from the scandal that was caused by DIRTBAG and Lex is there to do some work on his family resorts. It’s the perfect time and place for them to…do what they do.
What do they do? Well, Amie needs time to herself to recover from the last few…years and what the dirtbag has done. Luckily, Lexis there to be her friend and more.
After finally giving in to their feelings and physical needs, it really complicates things. It’s obvious that they feel a great deal for each other and Amie doesn’t want to make any more huge mistakes where men are concerned. How do they go back to the “real world” with what happened in paradise?
I rooted for Lex so hard throughout this book. Lex and his cousin, Armstrong have engaged in a years long rivalry and it has wreaked havoc on many aspects of both of their lives. (But let’s face it, it’s difficult to give dirt bag any sympathy.)
And of course, I rooted for Amie, she deserved a happy ending, for herself and her relationship.
Like Shacking Up, this book was hilarious, sexy as hell and heartfelt and it’s totally going on my re-read shelf.
*Copy for review provided by the publisher
I totally enjoyed this book, just love Amie and Lex. Shacking Up and Hooking Up together are must reads such fun couples with HEA.
3.5 stars. Sexy read that could have been cliche, but surprisingly wasn’t. Revenge sex leads to revenge love and acceptance. It takes a minute for the characters to come around but you can’t blame them. Normally I would be annoyed but everything just makes sense, as much as it can in a world where the groom would do what he did in earshot of the entire wedding party. Worth a read.
I was given an ARC for my honest opinion.
5 star Review Hooking Up by Helena Hunting
A stand alone novel from the very talented Helena Hunting. Hooking Up had me laughing so much it hurt.
Romantic comedy is fast becoming one of my go to genres to read. Hooking Up was one of those books that had me laughing, smiling and generally feeling great.
We heard about Amalie and Lex in Shacking up and I couldn’t wait to dive in to Hooking Up to see what these characters have been up to. Their chemistry together is smoking hot and almost electrifying.
I love Ms. Hunting’s style of writing, she ensures that her characters are not “perfect”. I was entertained and captivated from the start. If you want a fun, not too long romantic comedy to read, then I highly recommend Hooking Up, you won’t be disappointed.
Hooking up is about two strong characters who come together on an island and make magic.
This has to be one of the best books I have read so far this year. It was absolutely fantastic. It has been quite a while since I’ve read a book that had so many funny moments and had me laughing from beginning to end. The characters, storyline and the flow of the story was amazing; there was never a dull moment. There was the perfect amount of chemistry, angst, revenge, drama, sex and love. I finished the book in one sitting and was highly disappointed when it ended. I truly wanted more and could have read a lot more of these characters. I know I definitely look forward to reading more books from this author and I highly recommend it to readers looking for a fantastic second chance romance. It is absolutely worth reading!!!
Hooking Up by Helena Hunting
Wow! Amazing book!
Loved:
*Amalie “Amie”
*Lexington “Lex”
*The story
*The way the story was written
*The character development
*The steamy scenes
*The dialogue
*The smiles on my face while reading
*Knowing what Amie and Lex are thinking – first person telling of the story from both points of view
*And…more
Hated:
*Armstrong – everything about his irredeemable sorry a**
*Armstrong’s family
*The need for secrecy
Amie just wants to get it right one time in the boyfriend department and thinks she has done so with Armstrong – in spite of a few misgivings. She is sure she has made another boyfriend mistake again when Armstrong’s moans of ecstasy are broadcast over a loudspeaker at the wedding reception shortly after vows have been taken. A speedy retreat, a trip to Bora Bora, a hot hunk to soothe her hurt heart while on Bora Bora and then trying to mop up and set her life in order during the rest of the book made for a riveting read.
Lexington is the man who saw Amie first and when he disappeared for a minute his cousin, Armstrong, moved in on her. The cousins have a history of unhealthy rivalry that was perhaps a catalyst to the events in this book. When Lex is given the opportunity to “help” Amie when they find themselves going to Bora Bora on the same flight…well…let’s just say that Amie finds she very well may have chosen the wrong cousin.
I won’t give details away. I will say I believe I have found a new author I want to read more of. Knowing that there is a book written before this one that stars Amie’s friend (Ruby) and Lex’s brother (Bane) makes me want to get my hands on “Shacking Up”. I will also say that Lex is one of the BEST book boyfriends I have run across in recently AND that Amie is the perfect woman to be his partner. [Fanning myself as I remember some of the scenes 😉 ]
Well…as you can see…I loved everything about this book except what I was supposed to dislike and it was SO easy to dislike Armstrong! I thoroughly endorse this book and look forward to reading anything this author writes in the future!
Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin’s Press for the ARC – This is my honest review.
5 Stars
Sometimes a good guy looks like a bad boy and vice versa. USA Today and New York Times bestselling author of the PUCKED Series, Helena Hunting brings us her next standalone. Set in the same world as Shacking Up and featuring characters introduced in that book, Hooking Up is a hilarious and sexy ride that will remind you that settling for what seems “good” is never the right choice.
“It’s amazing how ninety seconds can change a person’s entire life.”—Amie
Amalie “Amie” Whitfield just got married. She should be thrilled and impatient for her honeymoon. Instead, she is flooded with embarrassment as the whole wedding party and guests listen as her husband, Armstrong gets off with someone else. Amie fells ashamed and hurt. She ends up throwing herself at the first male she encounters, who just happens to be her husband’s cousin, Lexington Mills.
“No was the very last thing I wanted to say to you.”—Lex
Lex isn’t quite sure what’s happening when Amie throws herself at him, but he does know that he needs to say no. But let’s make this clear, he doesn’t want to. His idiot of a cousin has ruined the best thing he’s ever had and somehow Lex finds himself in the middle of the mess. To distance himself from Armstrong and his scandal he heads off for work to Bora Bora. Wouldn’t you know it, that is where Amie is, having decided to go on her honeymoon alone and escape.
“I came three times. During sex. That’s like being told unicorns are real. And then actually seeing one.”—Amie
It doesn’t take long for the spark between them to ignite. They decide there is no harm in having fun for the few weeks they are both on the island. But what happens when they return home to New York?
“I’m an escape, not a long-term reality for Amalie.”—Lex
This starts with the ultimate humiliation for Amie. I want to say I feel bad for her, but honestly, I was glad it happened. I didn’t like Armstrong when I first met him in Shacking Up and wanted to smack Amie for not noticing his a*****ish ways. I understand that she had made bad choices so many times that she thought she was doing the “right” thing for once, but he was controlling and changed her into something she’s not. Amie is a character whose personality (Anarchy Amie!!) and sass I truly enjoyed. Her chemistry with Lex was amazing, add in her tickle trunk and these two burn down the house together.
“He’s such an interesting paradox. The intense sexuality he oozes seems to be balanced with this fun side I’m getting to know better. I like that he doesn’t take himself too seriously.”—Amie
Lex is the bad boy hidden under a suit, or at least that’s the way it seems. He is such a contradiction. He is sweet and caring, but he tends to put off an I don’t give a f*** attitude. Of course, it’s something he must do and comes from his competition with Armstrong when they were kids. Lex is sexy and fun, he is the perfect combination of the best attributes a man can have. And can I just say I absolutely loved his socks and boxers; bacon, smiley faces, palm trees and lips. He is a package I would love to unwrap!
“Up for a little anarchy, are we?”
“With you? Always.”
I was so excited to read this book, I was rooting for Amie and Lex from the moment I met them in Bane and Ruby’s book. Helena’s writing is comedic and dramatic in a way that balances the story. There are moments where you know the situation is serious, but you just can’t help but laugh. FIVE Sexy Lexy stars!! I hope that there is more coming from this world because it is an enjoyable escape!
I love everything Helena has written, absolutely everything. But I have to say, I thought that Shaking Up was her best work! Boy, was I wrong. I LOVE Bane so much I can’t even begin to tell you. HOWEVER…the hero in this book (and I’m not telling who he is) is A M A Z I N G. Hooking Up has quickly become my favorite book of Helena’s, probably EVER!!
This book was so very hot and sexy, I fell in love with all of the characters, especially Amie, immediately. If you read the first chapter which was posted just about everywhere, you know that Amalie unfortunately married a douchebag. Luckily for her, Amie found that out shortly after saying I do. When I read that first chapter…I was completely ready for one hell of a book!! Helena did not disappoint!
BUT…I’m about to disappoint you. Because I just cannot say another word about the story. There’s been so much speculation as to who Amie ends up with, I just don’t want to ruin it for anyone. I will tell you this, this book was funny, emotional, BEYOND sexy and probably one of the best reads of the year! I highly recommend checking it out.
And I cannot wait for you to see who Anarchy Amie ends up with 😉