Book Review: Love Hacked by Penny Reid

Love Hacked by Penny Reid
Knitting in the City: Book 3
March 3, 2014
Caped Publishing
390 pages
Genre: Contemporary Romance 18+
(Contains: Sexual references and sex)
Source: eARC from author for Honest review

Book Blurb:

There are three things you need to know about Sandra Fielding: 1) She makes all her first dates cry, 2) She hasn't been kissed in over two years, and 3) She knows how to knit.

Sandra has difficulty removing her psychotherapist hat. Of her last 30 dates, 29 have ended the same way: the man sobbing uncontrollably. After one such disaster, Sandra--near desperation and maybe a little tipsy--gives in to a seemingly harmless encounter with her hot waiter, Alex. Argumentative, secretive, and hostile Alex may be the opposite of everything Sandra knows is right for her. But now, the girl who has spent all her life helping others change for the better, must find a way to cope with falling for someone who refuses to change at all.

This is a full-length, 110k word novel and is the third book in the Knitting in the City series. All books in the series can be read as a standalone.

My Review:

PENNY REID has struck once again, and it's a homerun. I think this is my favorite of the series so far. I'm pretty loyal to Janie and her book, but there's just something super special about Sandra and Alex's story. And not just the story itself. The writing is simply amazing. Reid writes with such a thoughtful intelligence entwined with laugh-out-loud wit that makes this reading experience quite magical.

IN BRIEF, Sandra, the psychotherapist, has been looking for that special someone for quite a while, but her love life stops at the first date. And those first dates leave the men a sobbing mess and Sandra with yet another friend. Witness to these disastrous dates is Alex the hot waiter, who gets snippets of what these dinner meetings are all about, but the only thing he knows for sure is that Sandra is making these men cry. At the end of one such date, Alex and Sandra are the last people in the restaurant, Sandra being disappointed where yet another date has ended, and Alex finally stepping past the waiter-patron barrier, and that's where their story begins.

The PLOT that ensues is so complex and rich that I felt completely absorbed into it. We have a woman learning how to not fix everyone, a man learning how to trust, and both of them learning a lot about love. Combine that with a whole lot of mystery and secrets, a boatload of hilarity, sweet tenderness, yummy hotness, scary intelligence, a gaggle of crazy knitting women, and a little bromancing for good measure, and you've got the recipe for an awesome read.

There is a reason SANDRA has a man harem fan club. Even from the pages of this book, I could see why everyone loved her. I loved her and wanted to be her friend, too. She has a heart of gold and joy, manifesting in her 'help others' spirit and generosity of friendship. She's quirky (with this shirt collection I totally want), intelligent, and optimistic. She handles herself with honesty and braves the mystery of Alex full force. I loved going on this wild ride from her perspective.

ALEX had my inner nerdgirl swooning. The phrase "more than meets the eye" can be used perfectly to describe Alex. He is hotness and mystery and intelligence and intensity all wrapped up in a delicious dish. But who is he? I won't say more for fear of giving too much of him away, but I seriously loved getting to know Alex. I loved his slow reveal, and even his non-reveals. Reid did an amazing job creating a unique hero that stands in a category on his own, as he should.

The ROMANCE between Alex and Sandra was so fascinating the way Reid built it up. They are such a unique, unconventional, special couple, and I completely fell in love with them. They are beyond clichés; they can't be fit into a box or put into a corner. The chemistry between them is palpable and their passion is clear, but there is also such a genuine mutual respect and vulnerability that takes them beyond the physical. Love them!

OVERALL, I absolutely loved Love Hacked! It is a wonderful addition to the Knitting in the City series. If you haven't read the other books, this steamy, intelligent, romantic comedy can be read as a standalone. Then, you won't be able to help yourself by going back to read the first two. And if you are a Penny Reid fan already, then have no fear, like me you will fall hard for Sandra and Alex's story.

 

5+ STARS

 

BOOK LINKS:

AMAZON  *  GOODREADS

KNITTING IN THE CITY SERIES:
Neanderthal Seeks Human (#1): My Review /  Amazon  /  Goodreads
Friends Without Benefits (#2): My Review /  Amazon  /  Goodreads
Love Hacked (#3): My Review /  Amazon  /  Goodreads
COMING SOON:
Neanderthal Marries Human (#1.5): Goodreads
Beauty and the Mustache (#4): Goodreads