This was a fun book to start summer! I loved the fake dating, close proximity trope! Jem and Dee are stuck in a hotel during a storm and fun ensues! The have been fighting their chemistry for years and a finally give in during the storm. Such a good beach read!

Not the biggest fan of fake relationships tropes, but they are still a trope that reels me in. Think there is another book, so I felt i lacked some of the context from missing out on this. I don’t think the characters were really well developed and at times things felt very forced. It dragged on and was boring

Dee needs Jem, her sister's business partner to be her fake relationship for 24 hours. but things don't go according to plan.

Thank you boldwood for the arc

The book follows 2 people met on holiday stuck in a hotel room due to storm

I thought it would cute summer rom com but it felt flat as times to me the characters weren’t develop enough with the short book and I thought they weren’t really suited together bit force to be together they wasn’t much of plot the chapters in the book was a bit Long and lacking and I felt a bit bored (sorry) it took me ages to finish it and a bit cringy at times I’m bit disappointed with it sorry

The Paradise Hook-up by Christy McKellen is an enemies-to-lovers, fake dating, forced proximity romance. Dee and Jem are cornered into a fake relationship and wished away to Greece to try and impress her father's business associate. Their animosity towards each other quickly shifts towards sexual tension and an enemies-to-casual lovers relationship quickly formers. Unfortunately, this book really missed the mark for me. The writing was chaotic and juvenile at times and the plot seemed extremely forced. I was also uncomfortable at several points when the sexual relations were bordering on coersion and cringe worthy. I was excited for this read based on the summary, but was quickly disappointed.

Thank you to NetGalley, Boldwood Books, and the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.

I am a huge fan of traditional romance, although there are certain book “tropes” that I enjoy more than others. One of my absolute favorites is “fake relationship.” Because of this, I was super excited to read this book.

I was pretty nervous to read this book, as it looks like there is another book that follows this same timeline. Due to that, I was nervous about needing to read that one first to enjoy this one. I needn’t have worried too much. While certain scenes did make me wonder about what happens in the other book, I still enjoyed this as a standalone.

One thing I liked about this book is it is told in alternate perspectives. Usually, when reading a book like this, there is a character that I am “rooting for” more than the other. With this book, the alternate perspectives really helped, because I truly got to understand where the other person was coming from. It enabled me not to judge them too harshly.

Ultimately, I truly enjoyed the book, but I do wish that there was an epilogue. Hopefully we will get a bonus epilogue down the line. I do have plans to read “Best Mistake Ever,” the book that I was previously referring to.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

A fun read. The plot was well written and easy to follow..Jem and Delilah were fun characters that were brilliantly written and I loved the development of their relationship,

Review of The Paradise Hook-Up by Christy McKellen
Rating: ★★☆☆☆ (2.5/5)

The Paradise Hook-Up sets up a promising vacation romance: fake dating, enemies to lovers, and one bed in a luxury Greek resort. Dee, the rebellious twin, and Jem, her sister’s uptight business partner, are thrown together for a quick pretend relationship that turns unexpectedly intimate when a storm strands them in paradise.

The premise is fun, and Jem’s inexperience adds a unique twist to the usual rom-com dynamics. But the story leans so heavily into steam that the emotional development of the characters gets lost. Most of the book focuses on physical tension, and not enough on why these two people should actually fall in love. The chemistry is there, but the depth isn’t.

McKellen’s writing is light and fast, and the book hits plenty of familiar beats for fans of the genre. Still, it sometimes reads more like a rushed online romance than a fully fleshed-out novel. Dialogue can be awkward, and the plot relies too much on tropes without adding much new.

It’s a decent pick if you’re craving a spicy, low-effort beach read—but if you’re looking for layered characters or a love story with real emotional stakes, this one might leave you unsatisfied.

Thank you to Boldwood Books and NetGalley for the ARC.

This fake-dating romance is the perfect easy summer read! Light, fun, and fast-paced, The Paradise Hook-Up delivers all the feel-good vibes you’d expect from a beachy rom-com. The chemistry between the characters is charming, and the storyline keeps things breezy without feeling shallow. If you’re looking for something playful and low-stress to escape with, this one’s a great pick!

The Paradise Hook-Up was a fun little summer read. I really liked that the guy was the inexperienced one for a change—that was a nice twist. And the whole “stranded on a private island” thing was a cool setup. But honestly, the characters didn’t feel super compatible to me, and the writing got kind of boring in parts. Not bad, just not something I totally clicked with.

This book had all the holiday romance, forced proximity action that I love so much! Dee and Jem’s journey had moments of laughing out loud, touching conversations, and the development of two people realizing that their opposites really can connect. They’re a great example of how learning about someone can truly lead you to fall in love!

So much of the growth between Dee and Jem came from them learning that their initial impressions of each other weren’t accurate. This book served as a great reminder that we don’t always know the truest sides of those around us until we take the time to know one another.

This is my second Christy McKellen holiday romance, and I completely loved it! I’m such a fan of the way she developed this forced proximity romance and thoroughly enjoyed seeing these characters come together. The Paradise Hook-Up was such a fun read and I truly enjoyed it from start to finish!

Thank you to Boldwood Books for the opportunity to read and review this book! I received a free advance copy of this book via NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All opinions expressed are my own.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a copy of this book to review.

This was a fun romance novel, and I enjoyed it a lot. I am looking forward to reading more by this author.

Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for chosing me to read this advance readers copy in exchange for my honest feedback. The cover doesn’t give extra spicy but the book is! Enjoyed this one…Closed proximity, one bed, work frenemies to lovers… all the ingredients for this romcom!

I love a fake dating summer read but this read as more rushed than I would've liked. I struggled to gel with Dee and Jem's relationship, but I did enjoy some of the sweeter moments that they shared.

The Paradise Hook Up is a fun, steamy read with a classic opposites-attract twist set against the backdrop of a remote, luxurious island.

The male main character (Jem) inexperienced and clearly out of his depth, finds himself leaning on the confident and capable female main character (Dee) whose sass drives much of the chemistry in the book. Watching their relationship evolve was one of the highlights for me.

I liked the characters overall—they were engaging and well-written although, Dee did come across a little needy toward the end. It felt like the MFC could’ve stepped up more and met her halfway emotionally. That said, the story still worked, and their dynamic kept me turning the pages.

The premise was entertaining and ticked a lot of boxes, and the spicy scenes were definitely a bonus! I’ll definitely be picking up more books from this author

This is her opportunity to prove everyone wrong, she’s more than just the wild twin. She just needs Jem to play along as her fake boyfriend to secure this deal. The problem is that they don’t exactly get along and getting trapped in a tropical storm certainly doesn’t help the situation.

This is a fun fast paced read perfect for your summer tbr. It’s sweet and spicy and has some top tier tropes. My only complaint is that I wish it was a little longer.

I would love to see another novel about Dee’s twin, I need her to get a HEA too. I look forward to reading more books my this author.

Read this if you like
🩵Enemies to lovers
🏝️Vacations setting
✨Virgin mmc
☀️Only one bed

This is her opportunity to prove everyone wrong, she’s more than just the wild twin. She just needs Jem to play along as her fake boyfriend to secure this deal. The problem is that they don’t exactly get along and getting trapped in a tropical storm certainly doesn’t help the situation.

This is a fun fast paced read perfect for your summer tbr. It’s sweet and spicy and has some top tier tropes. My only complaint is that I wish it was a little longer.

I would love to see another novel about Dee’s twin, I need her to get a HEA too. I look forward to reading more books my this author in the future.

Read this if you like
🩵Enemies to lovers
🏝️Vacations setting
✨Virgin mmc
☀️Only one bed

This book, for me, was an easy read. I read it in one day (although I tend to read books pretty quickly). I give this book 2.5 stars. I felt as though the plot had maybe too many stereotypical typecasts for my taste. But I liked the characters Dee and Jem (or Delilah and Jeremy). I wish they had been developed a little more so that I could have been more vested in them, but I liked them both just fine. I felt for their struggles and saw their natural pull as believable. I found myself cheering for them and was ultimately happy with the ending. Thank you Christy McKellen, Boldwood Books, and NetGalley for the ARC.

I just finished an awesome read. The Paradise Hook-Up by Christy McKellen kept me turning the pages until the very last one.

The Paradise Hook-Up follows Jem and Dee, two strangers who get stranded in a hotel room in Greece during a storm. What starts as an accidental lock-in quickly turns into a physical relationship they struggle to navigate. While this setup had potential for a breezy summer romance, the execution left much to be desired.

Written in a style reminiscent of Wattpad fanfiction, the book lacks a coherent plot and instead revolves entirely around the characters’ intimate encounters. Unfortunately, this narrow focus makes the story feel repetitive and underdeveloped. The characters lack depth, and their relationship feels forced rather than emotionally engaging.

I went into this book expecting a sweet, escapist summer romance filled with chemistry and charm. Instead, it read more like a rushed fanfic, complete with cringey dialogue and unrealistic scenarios. It’s disappointing when a book promises a feel-good getaway and delivers little more than shallow tension with no real payoff.

If you’re looking for a meaningful romance or even a light-hearted beach read, The Paradise Hook-Up is likely to leave you frustrated. A missed opportunity, unfortunately.