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fillmoretimereading's review against another edition
3.0
This book follows Rashida and Elliott on their own journeys that start with an unintended hookup. Rashida is fighting for her grandmother's neighborhood to stay the same and Elliott is working against her through his dads company. This book starts out with a TON of steam but really tapers off after the first chapter. I wish there would have been more of that level of connection throughout the whole book. It felt like there was just something missing. I enjoyed the banter and found myself loving Rashida and her family. I love a book that doesn't have an annoying heroine.
This book gave me similar feels to Accidentally Engaged and Get a Life, Chloe Brown. If you enjoyed those, you'll definitely enjoy this one!
This book gave me similar feels to Accidentally Engaged and Get a Life, Chloe Brown. If you enjoyed those, you'll definitely enjoy this one!
lilibetbombshell's review against another edition
4.0
Real Rating: 3.5/5 Stars
Funny story: I had to do a real suspension of disbelief when reading this book, because I have a degree that’s half urban planning, so I knew just how inaccurate the author was in her depiction of how the process of developing a neighborhood and the time in which is takes to complete such a process (especially the bureaucratic part)... so I had to bite my tongue and remind myself that this book is a romantic comedy and not to get caught up in the details like that and overanalyze it or else I would just end up ruining it for myself. It was hard, but I swallowed the pill.
But onto bigger, better, brighter things: This book is funny, sweet, and steamy. The three elderly ladies of the Millhouse neighborhood were my favorite characters in the whole book and brought some of the best moments, in my opinion. They were the best foil for all the tension going on around them.
Elliott and Rashida were both, in turn, frustrating and sweet. One smitten from the start but in over his head and the other determined to keep her distance from the start and solid as rock in her convictions. Elliott would rather be back at his own business than trying to run his father’s failing business and trying to court Rashida, while Rashida is happily able to do her job and pursue her passion for defending her grandmother’s neighborhood and keep up her walls against falling in love with Elliott.
The issue being, of course, is they both know deep down that the other person is a good person with a good heart doing their best and they’re just sadly stuck on the opposite sides of an issue there seems to be no compromise on. But the tension and heat that builds up every time these two meet and try to work things out? It’s electric.
My issues seem to be the subplot involving Rashida’s sister and Rashida’s mom. They seemed to complicate the story and were extraneous. One of the stories might have been okay, but both seemed to be rather extravagant. If I had to choose I would have rather seen the subplot involving Rashida’s sister, Karla, taken out. It just took up too much time in the book and slowed it down.
All in all, this was a fun read and I think anyone drawn to steamy romantic comedies with a high-level of opposites-attract fun will greatly enjoy it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review the ARC edition of this title.
Funny story: I had to do a real suspension of disbelief when reading this book, because I have a degree that’s half urban planning, so I knew just how inaccurate the author was in her depiction of how the process of developing a neighborhood and the time in which is takes to complete such a process (especially the bureaucratic part)... so I had to bite my tongue and remind myself that this book is a romantic comedy and not to get caught up in the details like that and overanalyze it or else I would just end up ruining it for myself. It was hard, but I swallowed the pill.
But onto bigger, better, brighter things: This book is funny, sweet, and steamy. The three elderly ladies of the Millhouse neighborhood were my favorite characters in the whole book and brought some of the best moments, in my opinion. They were the best foil for all the tension going on around them.
Elliott and Rashida were both, in turn, frustrating and sweet. One smitten from the start but in over his head and the other determined to keep her distance from the start and solid as rock in her convictions. Elliott would rather be back at his own business than trying to run his father’s failing business and trying to court Rashida, while Rashida is happily able to do her job and pursue her passion for defending her grandmother’s neighborhood and keep up her walls against falling in love with Elliott.
The issue being, of course, is they both know deep down that the other person is a good person with a good heart doing their best and they’re just sadly stuck on the opposite sides of an issue there seems to be no compromise on. But the tension and heat that builds up every time these two meet and try to work things out? It’s electric.
My issues seem to be the subplot involving Rashida’s sister and Rashida’s mom. They seemed to complicate the story and were extraneous. One of the stories might have been okay, but both seemed to be rather extravagant. If I had to choose I would have rather seen the subplot involving Rashida’s sister, Karla, taken out. It just took up too much time in the book and slowed it down.
All in all, this was a fun read and I think anyone drawn to steamy romantic comedies with a high-level of opposites-attract fun will greatly enjoy it.
Thanks to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for the opportunity to read and review the ARC edition of this title.
kjpenguin's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? No
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
heyanci's review
3.0
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
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
zakiyaj's review against another edition
emotional
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
3.0
prttyfun's review against another edition
3.0
at least the kid don’t gotta white mom that’s all i gotta say
abeckreads's review against another edition
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
kb33's review against another edition
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
My first read by this author and I thought it was pretty great! Gentrification is a big topic, a bit more so than the romance, and both had some conflict without letting the novel get too heavy/serious.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual content
Moderate: Infidelity
Minor: Alcoholism, Medical content, and Death of parent
ksteigert's review against another edition
5.0
The Hookup Dilemna is a great lovers to enemies to lovers book! The two characters have instant chemistry when they meet at a bar one evening, and it leads to a very R rated evening at a local hotel. In the daylight, they realize that they are on opposite sides of a neighborhood zoning battle.
I loved the chemistry between the two characters, and the fact that they legitimately both wanted what would be best for the neighborhood, but had different ways to go about it. Rashida is a strong, black woman who does not back down from her cause simply because she is falling for a man, and I LOVE that! I also really appreciate that they try to make compromises continually so that they can both get what they want. I really feel that if you are going to do a competing sides vs love story kind of book like this, that Constance Gillam has done it in the best possible way! Plus the heat between these two characters will make you unable to put this one down! I loved everything about it!
Thanks so much to Entangled Publishing for supplying me with an eArc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!
I loved the chemistry between the two characters, and the fact that they legitimately both wanted what would be best for the neighborhood, but had different ways to go about it. Rashida is a strong, black woman who does not back down from her cause simply because she is falling for a man, and I LOVE that! I also really appreciate that they try to make compromises continually so that they can both get what they want. I really feel that if you are going to do a competing sides vs love story kind of book like this, that Constance Gillam has done it in the best possible way! Plus the heat between these two characters will make you unable to put this one down! I loved everything about it!
Thanks so much to Entangled Publishing for supplying me with an eArc of this book via NetGalley in exchange for my honest review!
greads28's review against another edition
funny
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0