Just a Little Hookup

 Just a Little Hookup- Carly Phillips & Erica Wilde

CP Publishing

Release Date: March 21, 2023

Rating: 📚📚📚📚📚

Synopsis: Being a bachelor has its perks. It also has its downside. Just ask Derek Bettencourt.

Standing on stage and being auctioned off in the name of charity is awkward AF… until his business partner’s younger sister wins him for the weekend. He’s all hers to do with as she pleases and he can’t say he’s unhappy with the prospect. Especially since she saved him from an ex-fiancée determined to get her claws into him again.

Jessica Cavanaugh never intended to bid on the man she’s had a lifetime crush on. But her spur-of-the-moment decision gives her a chance to exact a bit of playful payback, for old time’s sake. And Derek is all too happy to indulge Jessica's whims.

What starts as a fun, flirty, game, with Derek acting as her personal handyman, quickly turns into a steamy and forbidden weekend. Lines are crossed that they never intended and emotions unravel their playful facades. Afterward, he can’t get the gorgeous, full-figured woman out of his head and he’s determined to make her his.

But how can they concentrate on a future when someone is threatened by their relationship and will do anything to come between them?

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What a great book! Two strong and solid leads, down-to-earth personalities who have learned not to let parental or social pressure change who they are or what they want out of life, Derek and Jessica are just perfect for each other! 

Derek is a great leading guy, looking for substance over eye-candy, as perfectly shown between the clash between mean girl Claire and Jessica. Jessica still has a few insecurities once and awhile (not bad after a lifetime of bullying from her mom and classmates) but has built a successful business about to launch a new line of Curvy Girl Lingerie. She's had a crush on her older brother's best friend Derek since she was a teenager. Now they are discovering some sizzling chemistry together and everything seems to be perfect-until someone sets out to sabotage her designer launch, her business, and her life.

 I really loved the body positivity and self-worth messages in this book. It's nice seeing more plus size heroines in romance these days, but the positive message we see in this book took it to a new and wonderful level. LOVED the ending! Maybe one of my favorites in this series yet!

I received an ARC of this book from Booksprout in exchange for an honest review