5 Smooches!
Synopsis
The rules: no kissing on the mouth, no staying the night, no telling anyone, and above all… No falling in love.
Anna Jones just wants to finish college and figure out her life. Falling for star quarterback Drew Baylor is certainly not on her to do list. Confident and charming, he lives in the limelight and is way too gorgeous for his own good. If only she could ignore his heated stares and stop thinking about doing hot and dirty things with him. Easy right?
Too bad he’s committed to making her break every rule…
Football has been good to Drew. It’s given him recognition, two National Championships, and the Heisman. But what he really craves is sexy yet prickly Anna Jones. Her cutting humor and blatant disregard for his fame turns him on like nothing else. But there’s one problem: she’s shut him down. Completely.
That is until a chance encounter leads to the hottest sex of their lives, along with the possibility of something great. Unfortunately, Anna wants it to remain a hook up. Now it’s up to Drew to tempt her with more: more sex, more satisfaction, more time with him. Until she’s truly hooked. It’s a good thing Drew knows all about winning.
All’s fair in love and football…Game on.
New Adult/Contemporary Romance with a HEA – Recommended for readers 17 and older.
Review
I feel like so many authors are writing New Adult lately and when New Adult is done right, I absolutely love it. It is steadily becoming one of my favorite genres and I am so glad that I decided to read The Hook Up because it is in my top 3 NA favorites EVAH! I knew I was going to love this book from page one. The wit, football, public sexy time, and Drew. Oh Drew. We will get to more on him in a bit, but I just have to tell you he might be one of my very favorite book boyfriends OF ALL TIME.
So, I think from the synopsis you get the just of the story. Hot jock quarterback Drew, who is like the star of everything meets Anna, a trendy hipster curvy chick with self esteem problems . He wants her immediately. She shies away; too introverted and shy for a relationship in the spotlight. Oh, I know. I know your are thinking pshhh…I have read this a million times, but you SOO haven’t. Drew and Anna’s characters are complex and they are different from any other NA couple I have read.
“Why won’t you let me kiss you, Anna?”
I can’t breathe.
“Why, Anna?”
“It’s too much,” I rasp.
“Not when I want everything.” He says it so deep and strong, a staking of claim. “And I want everything with you, Anna.”
You see that big puddle on the floor. Yep, that is me, because Drew turned me into a hot mess of teary eyed love-sick goo. Drew is kind and patient and loving while still managing to be devastatingly sexy. I have no idea how Kristen managed to write him so beautifully. I am sure, like me, most of you like these NA asshole douche-bags that boss the girls around and go all alpha on them. I certainly do. They make me all hot and bothered, but Drew took it one step further. He was so hot and such a dirty talker, but man, he was so good. The biggest difference from most other book boyfriends and Drew was his candidness. He was always honest and up front in his feelings for Anna; never hiding, never pretending that he didn’t want everything from her. Swooooonnn!
God, having her love me does me in. It makes me feel as weak as a fucking kitten and as big as a fucking mountain.
And Anna. Oh Anna, you broke my heart. For once this chicky wasn’t falling all over the adorable jock 5% into the book. Anna is REALLY apprehensive. She has all kinds of issues stemming from childhood abandonment and being the “dorky” kid in high school. Bless her heart, she just felt so undeserving of Drew and I could hardly stand it. It made me incredibly sad.
I don’t just see Drew. I see the star too. And I’m just Anna. I don’t like the light. I need the dark.
Kristen really surprised me how she took the story. I never knew what was going to happen next and I often found myself surprised by these two beautiful people. It was refreshing not to be able to correctly guess what would happen and why. It was incredible that Anna took her time and was thoughtful about her relationship with Drew; not moving into his home the day after he showed her interest. After her experiences in life, her apprehension was valid and I felt for her so much. Drew even knew that he couldn’t rush her.
He’s slowly carving his name into my heart. And it hurts.
This whole damn book was refreshing and new. This is how NA should be written; with real girls with real problems and with sweet kind boys who are sexy as sin with dreams as big as the sky. I loved the football team spirit, camaraderie, and humor. I enjoyed the complex relationships with their friends. But, mostly, I enjoyed Anna and Drew together. They are hilarious and romantic. This book pretty much had it all. I laughed, I cried, I loved. A fabulous story on top of fabulous writing. I seriously cannot wait for Gray’s story. Go on, buy The Hook Up now. I dare to meet Battle Baylor and not love the shit out of him! It is freakin impossible!
~Amie
