Is there an equation for the perfect hookup? Turns out it’s a lot more complicated than one plus one. . . . Sophie: Numbers are my comfort zone, which explains why my sex life is a big fat zero. Then again, if I’m smart enough to earn a PhD, why can’t I calculate a way to get a guy into bed, just to see what all the fuss is about? With my prima donna sister, Bella, getting married in Maine, I … Bella, getting married in Maine, I figure her wedding is the perfect opportunity for my little experiment. And Cain Jordan seems hot enough—he’s certainly drunk enough—to show me what I’ve been missing. Judging by the body of evidence, it’s a lot. . . .
Cain: Being stuck in the same town as my lying SOB twin brother, Christian—who may or may not be the father of the son I’m not allowed to see—is a hell of a reason to drink myself silly after the lobster boat docks each day. Any port in a storm . . . But Sophie’s different. She doesn’t play around. And she’s becoming a habit I don’t want to break. Because the smartest woman I’ve ever met is also the sexiest—and the only one who makes me want to change.
Don’t miss Bella and Christian’s story in The Breakup!
And look for all of Erin McCarthy’s soulful Nashville Nights romances:
HEART BREAKER | DREAM MAKER | LOVE TAKER
Includes an excerpt from another Loveswept title
more
A virgin heroine. A sexy bad boy. When this math genius meets devil-may-care lobster fisherman it’s the perfect equation for a one night stand. Only these opposites find chemistry and comfort in each other’s arms. Funny, poignant, and sinfully sexy, I highly recommend this romance! It’s the PERFECT beach read!
The Hookup by Erin McCarthy is the first book in The Jordan Brothers series. I must admit that I read the second book in this series first (I received an ARC), but I liked the second book so much that I went back and read the first book. This was a fun read with great chemistry between the two main characters. The writing and character development was well done. This was a great start to a promising series, even if I did read this book second.
Talk about opposites attracting, WOW, Sophie is a math genius working toward her PhD. Cain is a high school graduate who is very happy being a “lobster fisherman”. Sophie is looking for the right guy to rid her of her V-card, Cain just happens to be up for the task. I really loved the dynamics between these two characters. They did have a rough start and I enjoyed the ups and downs in their relationship. The author was able to show the reader the unpleasant side of Cain, but in such a way that made me like him all the more. I immediately liked Sophie, she was a breath of fresh air, strong, intelligent, with a bit naivety throw in to make her just adorable. I would definitely recommend this series if you are looking for a fun read with some heat. Happy reading.
I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
I was a little surprised at how steamy this book is but I fell in love with Cain and Sophie and can’t wait to get my hands on the next book to see exactly WHAT happened between Bella and Christian!
The Hookup by Erin McCarthy is book One in The Jordan Brothers series. This is the story of Sophie and Cain.
Cain has a block on his shoulder that he isn’t letting it go and it is somewhat do to his brother. This upset has him just working, drinking and sleep with or without someone. Cain knows that he is an alcoholic but doesn’t have plans to change anything.
Sophie is a smart (genius) 25 year old virgin that doesn’t have real social skills and boarders on OCD. Sophie is in town because her beautiful older sister is getting married. Her sister dresses her up and takes her to a bar to help her with her social skills and Sophie thinks to use the to loose her virginity.
Sophie immediately spots Cain at the bar but he only has eyes for her sister until he learns she getting married. Cain isn’t to taken with Sophie at first but the longer he talks to her he finds her adorable and hard to resit.
This was a really great read! It almost impossible to put down. Just loved it!
This book was just fabulous! Sophie is super smart but also very awkward and has no social graces. She is a no bull shit kinda girl who wants to ahead her “virginal” skin she didn’t care who it was no attachment no relationship just a hookup.
Cain has a dark and twisted past he works all day catching lobsters and drinks all night a different woman ever time not attachment no relationship just a body to bury his pain in.
Sophie and Bella went to a local bar and the beautiful blonde Bella did nothing for Cain but the awkward Burnett caught his eye. Why not another night another girl…
Sophie and Cain decided just one night and some fun no strings attached until it turned into two… and then texting and cuddling can a drunken lobster fisherman and a Harvard student find love or just disaster?
Will Cain’s dark past and Sophie’s wealthy family destroy their chance at love??
As always Erin McCarthy spring a great live story that leaves you begging for a second!!! I can’t wait for book 2!!!
The virgin & the lush, an interesting couple if it works. Ms. McCarthy makes it work. Cain has been drowning in bottles of alcohol. He doesn’t feel he is an alcoholic because he still makes it to work everyday. He doesn’t feel his life is worth living. After all, no one supports him or understands where he’s coming from. His brother acts like he hates him. His mother acts like nothing is wrong & Cain should just suck it up.
Sophie is a brainiac – high IQ, low tolerance for superficial items & no time for sex. She’s determined that her sister’s wedding is the perfect time to lose her virginity. She’s only in this place for a short time & so doesn’t have to worry about the awkward running into each other on the street. Tall, dark & handsome sitting at the bar is perfect, because, or in spite of, the fact that he’s drunk.
This was an interesting book to read. Cain had a perfect right to his feelings & I waited for one of the characters to let his mom have it! He ended up being perfect for Sophie because he wouldn’t have trusted perfection. Sophie’s awkwardness worked in her favor. She just didn’t know how to communicate. Her blunt honesty actually helped Cain to grow past everything. I enjoy Erin McCarthy’s books & felt this was a really good one.
This was my first book by Erin McCarthy, and it definitely won’t be my last! I didn’t realize when I started that this is book 1 in The Jordan Brothers series, and now that I know certain characters will be getting a book I’m definitely excited!
Sophie is not you typical college student. She’s quirky & a bit of a nerd, preferring to spend her time doing math equations then partying. She doesn’t flirt or adhere to social standards, just tells it like it is and doesn’t care what anyone thinks. But now she’s 23 and still a virgin, and no, she’s not saving herself for marriage. She has, however, done plenty of studying on the subject & is ready to test out all her sexual skills. She just needs a random participant.
Cain has been dealt a pretty rough hand, having been betrayed by those closest to him. His coping mechanism? Alcohol. He’s become the town drunk, bitter & resentful, using whiskey to try and numb he pain. When Sophie ends up in the same bar he is drawn to her quirkiness, and more than willing to help give her what she wants.
I adored this book. I was expecting a steamy, hook up turns to insta love book. There was definitely steamy sex scenes, but there was also a huge dose of truth & reality. It wasn’t just another romance that I loved but couldn’t believe would ever happen. These characters are both flawed, yet complement each other perfectly. I found myself cringing & laughing, frequently at the same time, and couldn’t put it down. I do, however, feel their story is a bit unfinished. I did enjoy the ending, but would definitely love more from Sophie & Cain!
Is there an equation for the perfect hookup? Turns out it’s a lot more complicated than one plus one
Sophie is working on a PhD in mathematics at Harvard but she is in Maine for her sister Bella’s upcoming wedding. While there she decides it is time for her to lose her virginity and hook up with some random stranger. Cain is a local lobster fisherman who spends his time in the local bars drowning his feelings in alcohol and hooking up with women.
Cain spots Sophie while she is out with her sister celebrating in a local bar and feels an attraction to her. Sophie gets her wishes and hooks up with Cain, but is one time going to be enough for these two?
I adored Sophie, she is not used hooking up or anything relationship wise. She speaks her mind and she is extremely literal. Cain, well he has had a rough go in life. His girlfriend and his identical twin both betrayed him, it shattered him. Sophie and Cain are truly opposites of each other but there is something so beautiful about their relationship and their connection.
“But you’ve saved me too. Because you’ve given me something no one else has—total acceptance. You don’t see my issues as issues.”
I couldn’t put this story down, I was hooked from the very beginning. I can’t wait to read book two and learn more about Bella and Christian.
I loved everything about this book–the writing, the characters. Truly a page turner. I will be reading more from this author.
Loved Sophie…I love when the characters are a bit quirky. Funny dialogue. Good ending.
It was ok. I had a hard time connecting with the characters
This book was freaking amazing. Seriously anything else I say is going to sound stupid because that pretty much sums this book up.
Prior to starting this book, I was convinced I was broken. I read a total of 4 books the previous month, then this month I’ve DNF’ed 3 and forced myself to finish one that was just ok so that I didn’t DNF a fourth one. None of that is like me! 4 books a month is beyond low for me and it’s extremely rare for me to DNF a book! So when I sat down to start this one, even though it sounded good, I was worried. What would I do if it didn’t work for me!?
I’m so happy that I won’t have to find out!!!! This book had me hooked at page one. By page 2, I was laughing and by the end of the first chapter, I was highlighting the living daylights out of my kindle. THIS BOOK WAS AMAZING.
I loved both Cain and Sophie. Yes, Cain was broken and had problems but he felt real! He saw something in Sophie that he didn’t want to let go, and he slowly started making changes so he wasn’t as numb when he was with her. I loved watching him slowly fall for her, even when he didn’t want to. Yes, there was an issue later where things blew up, but it had to happen. I’m not upset with it. I was a little worried at how far it was into the book. I was worried that it wouldn’t have a satisfactory ending since the rest of the book had been so perfect, but it all worked out and I was extremely pleased with the ending.
So, let’s talk about Sophie. I loved her. She’s who I wish I could be. I loved being in her POV…actually, both POVs were awesome and I loved seeing how Cain and Sophie saw each other. But I loved Sophie. She was blunt and honest and a little quirky but she didn’t shy away from things. A lot of the time, when you have a character that’s quirky, and awkward, they’re insanely shy. I’m not knocking that because I can definitely be that way, but it was refreshing to see someone that wasn’t shy. Sophie & Cain’s interactions had me cracking up. I loved how he loved the way she was. He wasn’t put off by her, he wasn’t embarrassed by her…he got her and he accepted her for who she is. And that’s one of the biggest reasons that I loved this book. It could have been something as simple as saying her accepted her but get got frustrated later just because she is who she is and THAT DIDN’T HAPPEN. This book was definitely perfection. I feel like I’m leaving a bunch of stuff out.
I know that the next book is about Sophie’s sister and Cain’s brother and while I’m curious, I’m also holding a huge grudge on Cain’s behalf against his brother. So the author has a lot of work to do to make me love him. Because right now, all I want to do a punch him.
Its been years since I’ve read a McCarthy book. I was excited to read this and it was pretty good. Sophie is awesome. I love how she has no filter and just tells you like it is. Now Cain, oy he has a chip the size of Texas on his shoulders. He’s bitter and angry at his twin brother and drowns his emotions in alcohol. But underneath all of that, it’s touching how much he cares for Sophie. I wish there was an epilogue, but I know there’s another book coming about his twin brother so hopefully we’ll get to see more of these two.
This is an author that I had never heard of before. I was scrolling Netgalley and the blurb attracted me to want to read it. This 5 star story really took me by surprise. I was by far impressed with this author’s ability to keep me attentive and focus on her story.
Sophie is visiting Maine for her sisters wedding. She’s a math wiz, a nerd. She never expected to find and fall in love with a guy like Cain. Cain is your typical bad boy. He has a lot of unresolved issues that holds him back. He can’t move on.
What I look for in a story are the characters. Sophie really stood out and made a lasting impression on me. Cain is the disturbed soul that needs a Sophie in his life. An amazingly written that had me reading it in a single day. I just couldn’t put it down for very long. I enjoyed the storyline with a plot that was pleasantly funny at times but also heartbreaking. There were never any dull moments.
Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team
Avid Reader –
M/F Romance
Triggers: Alcoholism, cheating
Sophie and Cain were a strange couple. While they both allowed each other to just be themselves, I thought that this story had a very young adult feel to it.
Sophie likes numbers – they make sense for her. While she’s in town for her sister’s wedding, she decides that she no longer wants to be a virgin. There’s no muss and no fuss when it comes to her mind being made up. Despite being dressed like a semi-hooker by her sister, Sophie is immediately drawn to Cain.
Cain is not having the greatest of times in his life right now. His family is messed up and there isn’t really anything he can do about it. He is drowning in alcohol and hatred. When he sees Sophie in the bar, he can’t help but be drawn to her no-nonsense attitude and brutal honesty. He likes her quirks and can’t remember the last time he wanted to spend more time with a woman than just one night.
For both Sophie and Cain, they dance around their attraction to each other, but know that despite not knowing each other for very long, they tell each other things that they have not shared with anyone else. Cain is kind of a butt towards the end and it made the ending of the story much more difficult. I also had a lot of unanswered questions in terms of Sophie’s sister, Cain’s brother, and the family dynamic of both.
Overall, this was a cute story about acceptance and love, but there was just something missing.
Mary Jo –
I really loved this book. The characters of Sophie and Cain are very complex and riveting and each have their own set of demons.
Sophie has always been misunderstood. She’s different from the rest of her family and she knows it. She’s learned to adapt. When she meets Cain and he gets her, she knows that there is something special about him.
Cain has his own demons. He has faced betrayal by his own family and he’s struggling to get through the day. He copes with alcohol and thinks he’s hiding his problem from Sophie.
Until he realizes that the only important thing in his life is Sophie.
This book has it all and I had all the feels while reading it.
Ruthie –
This is the start of a new series, and I think we can look forward to a winning streak here from Ms. McCarthy. Although there is some world building, it is very subtle and just slides straight into the story.
I really enjoyed both lead characters, they are so completely different, and yet it just works so well. Sophie is really well written, with such a wonderfully literal view of life, and yet perfectly capable of developing emotional skills if given the right encouragement and opportunity. Once we see how she is treated by Bella, it is not difficult to work out how she could remain aloof. Cain, however, unexpectedly turns out to be exactly who she needs. I love that he is far from perfect (his drinking may be an issue for some readers), and the twists ensure that we have more sympathy and hope for the situation than I ever expected at the start!
The dissection of their intimate moments, and her inner voice is just fabulous. It has a way of articulating some very real worries, which on occasion are said out loud. Cain just deals with them perfectly, both being light hearted and funny, yet mindful of her naivety. It was hot and freeing for them both.
We get quite few hints as to future plot lines, but never does the story stray far from these two ill-fated lovers – and the ending hints at a great new beginning.
Reviewers on the Wicked Reads Review Team were provided a free copy of The Hookup (The Jordan Brothers #1) by Erin McCarthy to read and review for Wicked Reads.
Close, but something was missing…
I thought the premise of this book was great. I like Cain and Sophie as separate characters. I thought their backstory was interesting and I couldn’t wait for them to work out their issues and get to their happily ever after.
Alas, the author couldn’t get me there. There was just not the connection that should’ve been there, in my opinion, and I felt rushed at the end.
This book is Rated R for adult language and sexual situations.
The Hookup by Erin McCarthy is a book that challenges the reader in many ways. It is a rom-com that had me laughing out loud. Sophie is a socially backwards genius who has never fit into mainstream relationships. She is very literal in her thinking and is brutally honest. She is truthful and blunt because she has never mastered ths art of flirting or dissembling. She has always been compared to her older sister who is more the debutante, leaving Sophie insecure in her own skin.
Sophie has one goal in mind during the time leading up to her sister’s wedding—losing her V-card and experience the pleasures associated with sex. She meets Cain at a bar and decides he is the one to help her out. Cain has a lot of demons in his personal life, but takes Sophie up on her challenge. Their conversations are hilarious and Cain is intrigued with her.
But this book is so much more than a rom-com. Cain is not handling a deep betrayal by family members and turns to a crutch used by many individuals to hide pain: alcohol. This book addresses this substance abuse in a very realistic way. How these two people handle their individual challenges is poignant and masterful. Erin McCarthy has written a book that is thought-provoking. She makes you laugh, cry, reflect on choices and above all, hope in an HEA ending. Her characters have a depth not generally found in a romance novel and you love them because they are flawed and fighting to be better people. Thank you, Erin McCarthy for writing a book that is sympathetic and compassionate, without glossing over the widespread damaging effects of alcoholism!
The Hookup, is book one in the author’s new series the Jordan Brothers. I’ve been a fan of Erin McCarthy for a while, after having found her Fast Track series, so I was excited to jump on board and read The Hookup.
Sophie is amazing. She’s a real person who says what she thinks, literally. She has no filter and speaks her mind. She has this amazing personality and outlook on life, even if her family thinks she’s weird. But what family doesn’t think the smart one is weird? What Sophie was prepared for was the town “bad boy” Cain Jordan.
Cain is one hot man, but holy woah is he is a hot mess. Hanging out at bars night and night and the endless list of one night stands, you can tell he has a past and something about it bugs him. Cain was content to just sit and drink is sorrow away until Sophie. Sophie wasn’t what Cain expected or thought he wanted but oh man was he wrong.
Watching these two figure out that it was more than just a one night stand made the book. I loved watching them navigate each other and the relationship that was developing. I can’t wait to get my hands on more from this series and author!
The Hookup is the first book in The Jordan Brothers series by Erin McCarthy and definitely a great start to a series that I want to read more of.
Erin McCarthy usually writes books about flawed characters that gravitate to one another out of necessity or need and this story is no exception.
Cain and Sophie decide that each other is the perfect hookup, but what starts as something meant just for fun and only one night becomes a habit that neither one wants to break.
I was given an ARC from the author/publisher. All conclusions are mine and mine alone.
I enjoyed reading about Sophie and Cain in The Hookup by Erin McCarthy, her first book in The Jordan Brothers series. Sophie comes from a wealthy family, the younger sister and is a bit different from the norm; she lacks social graces and is a genius. I thought maybe this Harvard Math whiz was on the edge spectrum, maybe Aspergers, especially since she said whatever she was thinking. Sophie was also a twenty-five year old virgin and ready to give it up. Cain, a lobster fisherman, is a broken man, being in the same town as his deceitful twin brother, Christain, who may or may not be the father of the baby boy Cain thought was his. This is the reason he drowns his sorrows by drinking himself to excess each day after the boat docks. Cain is also charming, sexy, and bored with his life, whether drunk or sober. When Sophie enters a bar with her sister and asks him to take her virginity, he knows she will be the perfect distraction from his feud with his brother. This was supposed to be a one-night hookup but Sophie soon becomes an addiction that Cain does not want to stop. The more time Cain spends with Sophie he wonders if she will be the one to make him change ways?
I truly enjoyed reading this book and had trouble putting this book down. Ms. Law wrote a wonderful story that had me smiling at the end. She drew me in and did not let go until I turned the last page. I definitely recommend this book to other readers and I am looking forward to the next book in this series.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.