Who doesn't love a cover like this for summer reads?! This kind of fell flat for me and maybe it was just the timing that I read this book. Will check out the audio version to give another honest review.

Thanks to NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was fun and quick read with an enemies to lovers storyline - I breezed through it in one sitting.

Loved this book. Thanks for the arc copy. Can’t wait to post more about this closer to release date. Look for the review on my Instagram.

The Paradise Hookup by Kristy McKellen had an interesting premise, but the romance felt a bit forced and overly guided just to make the story work. The plot flipped the usual roles—with the FMC being the experienced one and the MMC a virgin—which was a refreshing twist, but the way the relationship developed didn’t quite land for me.

At times, the FMC’s insistence on pursuing the MMC felt hard to relate to and, honestly, even a little uncomfortable or awkward. The emotional connection just wasn’t there in a way that made the romance feel believable.

That said, it's a short, light read—good if you're just looking for something to pass the time without expecting too much depth or excitement.

McKellen does a great job of being able to incorporate multiple tropes into one novel. They do blend together well. It is refreshing to have a work where the male main character is the inexperienced partner. I enjoy the depth she gives to both Dee and Jem. What I would have absolutely loved would have been a chapter from Dee's sister. Dee is not my favorite literary character but I do enjoy Jem and how he has dealt with the challenges in his life. Jem is my favorite part of this book!

This was, sadly, a miss for me. I am by no means looking for high brow with my romances, but this just felt rushed and unrealistic. (Based on the authors mentioned in the blurb here, I thought I would be into this! I absolutely LOVE Ali Hazelwood and always have a good time reading a Tessa Bailey or Christina Lauren book.) Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC!

Christy McKellen's 'The Paradise Hook-Up' is a sweet, sizzling enemies-to-lovers romance ideal for a holiday novel. It is set in a stunning Greek paradise with Dee Donovan, the "wild" twin, and Jem, her sister's serious business partner. They are pushed into a pretend relationship for a business transaction, but a surprise storm leaves them cooped up together with only one bed, stirring pent-up chemistry.

The author skillfully creates a forced proximity trope with a charming "teacher becomes the student" dynamic, as self-assured and mature Dee mentors Jem. The adventure includes sidesplitting moments, tender heart-to-hearts, and the wonderful truth that first impressions may be deceiving. As they become more acquainted with one another, their bond grows, establishing a sweet and spicy relationship. Rom-com lovers with a touch of spice and heaps of humor will enjoy 'The Paradise Hook-Up' as a fun and entertaining retreat.

Going in to this I wanted to love it as I have done with previous novels I’ve read by Christy McKellen however something just fell flat for me.
I felt the chemistry of the main characters wasn’t very believable as everything went from 0-100 instantly for Delilah and I found Jem quite abrasive toward her. It almost felt like the novel was too short, if it had been longer it may of been able to fully develop some of the plot elements.
One thing I did really find well done was the way in which McKellen handled the topic of dementia, it is such a sensitive topic and putting it into a romcom could in other people’s hands really of not worked but she managed to deal with it successfully.
Overall I think there’s definitely readers who will love this book, however something just didn’t work for me. I will be revisiting McKellen's other books in the meantime.

Enemies-to-lovers? Check. One bed? Check. Fake dating on a sun-drenched Greek island? Double check.

The Paradise Hook-Up is a fizzy, flirtatious getaway in book form—equal parts hilarious misunderstandings, sizzling tension, and unexpected heart. Christy McKellen delivers a sunshine-soaked rom-com with sharp edges and soft landings, perfect for readers who love their romance messy, sexy, and layered with emotion.

Dee Donovan is used to being the fun twin, the unpredictable one, the girl people don’t take seriously. So when she finds herself fake-dating her sister’s stiff, by-the-book business partner Jem for the sake of a deal, she’s ready to play the part—but not ready to feel anything real. Jem is the kind of man who makes spreadsheets sexy—tight-laced, controlled, and allergic to chaos. And Dee? She is chaos. But when a storm rolls in and one bed becomes their only option, sparks fly in the most deliciously inconvenient way.

What follows is a beautifully balanced dance between two people challenging each other’s walls, rhythms, and assumptions. Jem's slow unraveling is as satisfying as Dee’s realization that she’s worth more than being someone else's “fun distraction.” McKellen writes chemistry like a match to dry kindling, but never sacrifices emotional payoff for heat—though don’t worry, there’s plenty of that too.

The banter is witty and whip-smart, the setting lush and immersive, and the emotional growth surprisingly tender. Dee’s inner journey—figuring out who she is when she stops playing the part others expect of her—is the book’s true beating heart.

If you like fake dating with a messy, heartfelt core, this one will hook you like a summer tide.

This book was a DNF for me. The FMC was so annoying, selfish and immature. Didn’t love the characters nor was I rooting for them. No chemistry

I’ve read a few books by this author and enjoy her work. I’ve also read Best Mistake Ever which is kind of an interconnected book about the other twin sister. Truthfully this isn’t my favourite of her work, as personally I couldn’t connect to the characters that well. I also found the female main character’s behaviour a bit strange at the beginning. However the second half of the book was definitely more enjoyable. I give this book 3 out of 5 stars.

The Paradise Hook-Up by Christy McKellen is a fun, easygoing romance with classic tropes like forced proximity and grumpy-sunshine pairings that are executed with charm. The story follows Dee, a witty and refreshingly casual heroine recovering from an ankle injury, as she moves in with her twin sister Bea. Sparks (and some friction) fly when she meets Jem, Bea’s surly business partner. When the two pretend to be a couple to help secure a business deal on a private island, their fake relationship begins to feel very real.

Dee is a standout—funny, confident, and refreshingly open about her desires, which flips the usual romance dynamic in a really satisfying way. Jem’s more reserved nature makes for a great contrast, and their chemistry builds naturally as the story unfolds.

The book earns a solid 3 stars. While the plot was engaging and the character arcs well-developed, the ending felt a bit rushed, leaving a few threads hanging. Still, it didn’t detract too much from the overall enjoyment.

This is a great pick for readers who enjoy low-drama, trope-driven romances with likable leads and a light touch. The Paradise Hook-Up is breezy, entertaining, and perfect for a weekend escape.

Jem is the business partner of Dee's twin. They have never really gotten along, but will all that change when they are stuck together in a foreign country?

3.5
Super easy to read, chaotic and funny. The tension is there and the setup just works out. A light reading to enjoy in the beach.
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

This was a super easy read, and I loved the characters! The story was great and I got really invested in seeing where things would go and really just enjoyed every second.

Firstly as the title suggests this book has an element of a paradise getaway- and I loved all the descriptively written chapters set in Greece as well as those set back in the UK too. It just made for a really lovely read seeing how different the characters were in the different locations.

I love Jem and Dee so much. I think as characters they were both brilliant to begin with and I loved Bea too. I loved getting to know them and their history and basically could have read about them for a lot longer!

This book was a lovely read from start to finish. Little bits of spice, love/hate vibes between the main characters and beautiful writing made this a perfect summer read for me!

The Paradise Hook-Up was a quick enemies to lovers, forced proximity, fake relationship, steamy summer read. The short chapters and dual narrative made it a fast read for me. I enjoyed the romance between the characters, Dee and Jem, who both had interesting back stories. As the book was quite short, I felt it was missing quite a bit of detail and character development. We were promised a paradise hook-up but it fell a little flat for me. Overall, it was a fun read, I just wish it had been longer.

Thank you NetGalley and Boldwood Books for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

I was hooked from the beginning!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this advanced copy of The Paradise Hook Up by Christy McKellen. Christy McKellen is a new author for me, I really enjoyed her writing style. I always love an enemies to lovers trope. This was a quick read with witty dialogue. The setup with the shared room/ one bed, the island setting, and their headstrong personalities created great tension and anticipation for what was to come. This was a fun and flirty summer rom-com. 4.5 stars

When Dee hurts her ankle, its twin sister Bea to the rescue to hold down her position at work so that she doesn’t lose her job. Dee gets to spend some time resting at Bea’s house, alongside Bea’s business partner Jem, who for some reason can’t stand her.

Dee is bored and determined to strike up a friendship with Jem, she tries to do just that. However, despite her initial efforts being unsuccessful. She finds herself forced onto a different path of getting to know Jem when they end up having to go to Greece with Dee’s Dad to help him try to secure a business opportunity.

Well you know what comes next… 😉.

There’s only one bed, a pretend relationship and an opportunity for Dee to really try and get to a friendship level status with Dee and uncover why he can’t stand her. Dee finds there is so much about Jem that she doesn’t know and sparks fly because of it, they strike up a deal to benefit them both. No strings attached right?

At first I found both characters a little annoying in their own way! I felt a bit sorry for Dee because Jem is so cold and offish with her and despite her unbothered exterior at first you can tell she was hurt. She gets treated as if she is not good enough by everyone.

It wasn’t until the trip to Greece that I really warmed to the characters, things started to really slot into place and I could not put the book down. Things got steamy quite quickly but then we were exposed to the air of vulnerability of both characters, which added a lot of depth to the book. I loved how this came together in the end. I felt a genuine development of friendship and I was really rooting for Dee to get her happy ending!

Troupes:
* One bed
* Forced proximity
* Holiday romance
* Fake relationship

I enjoyed the will they/won't they tension in this, and the build up of their mutual lust and forbidden attraction.
The Greek work trip is the push they need to explore their feelings and pent up tension, and it was fun seeing Dee take the lead and give Jem sex lessons.
It has enemy to lover themes, forced proximity, fake dating and plenty of funny and awkward moments.
I enjoyed the dual pov as we got to see both of their feelings and understand them better.
I was frustrated at times though and really wanted Dee to stand up for herself especially with her father, but it pays off at the end when she's found her own success.
This is mostly lust driven for a chunk of their encounters, so you're never certain how things will play out, especially with Jem's initial feelings for his business partner / Dee's sister.
It's a nice quick read with an opposites attract relationship and a heated summer romance.