Buy:  Kindle Ebook | Paperback

---

---

Review

4.5 stars!

The Hook Up by Kristen Callihan is the first book in the Game On series. This NA sports romance is funny, sweet, and sexy with just the right mix of drama and angst to keep you turning the pages.

Anna hasn’t had a whole lot of luck in the love department. She doesn’t let many people in and she isn’t looking for a relationship, especially with someone who is in the spotlight. So, when Drew Baylor sets his sights on Anna, she will do anything to avoid him.

Drew the star quarterback for the university that Anna attends and is somewhat of a celebrity. Guys want to be him and girls want to be with him. Anna catches his eye and he is immediately enamored. Unlike his usual smooth talking self, he is a nervous wreck around her and can’t help but say the wrong things the first time they meet. When “Hey there, Big Red” leaves his mouth he wasn’t expecting the fiery reaction from the gorgeous redhead. With that one phrase, Drew’s life is changed and it will never be the same again.

I wasn’t prepared for Anna Jones.
…
I’m not going to say it was love at first sight. No, it was more like oh, hell-yes-please, I’ll have that. With a helping of right-the-fuck-now on the side.

Some quick, witty banter cranks up the sexual tension and one intense, passionate hook-up is all it takes to connect these two completely. With a set of rules to help protect her heart, a casual relationship begins but soon Drew and Anna realize that things between them are anything but casual.

I loved this book. The story was entertaining and the characters were well developed. They are more complex than they seem in the outside and were relatable and likable.

Anna is witty, smart, and beautiful. She isn’t interested in a relationship and I loved watching her try to fight her feelings all the while knowing she couldn’t resist Drew.

What at I doing? This is Drew Baylor. Nothing good can come of this. I need to be strong. I need to stop this. To walk away.
I twitch, leaning into his touch, wanting, needing him more.

I loved that she didn’t get sucked into all the sports hype and liked Drew for who he was and not what he did. She has a headstrong personality and can be stubborn, and I totally got why she felt the way she did about starting something with Drew in the beginning. However, I loved that even though she tried to avoid him, it didn’t deter Drew!

Drew is not the dumb jock Anna first pegs him as. He’s more than just a football player who happens to be talented on and off the field. He is smart, sweet and sensitive. I loved his dedication and persistence. There’s a reason he is know as Battle Baylor – he never gives up and we see this side of him when it comes to Anna. He wanted her and went after her and I loved it! His dirty taking mouth will light you on fire and his sweet words will make you swoon. It is easy to see why Anna fell for him and fell hard.

“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 a claim. “And I want everything with you, Anna.”

I loved Drew and Anna together. From bickering constantly to friendship and then to love, I loved watching their relationship evolve. They challenged and supported each other. They affected each other so completely, consuming each other thoughts and they don’t understand the pull they feel yet neither can dismiss it. You can feel the obvious chemistry but also the contentment that Drew and Anna have just being around each other. They comfort each other which ends up meaning so much to them. Both Drew and Anna have things in their pasts that shaped who they are now and I understand why they act the way they do. Drew and Anna are not perfect and they have their own insecurities that only make them more realistic.

The banter in this book was fantastic and kept me laughing the whole time. Drew and Anna can give as good as they get and they sure try to out smart the other with each and every remark they fire back at the other. The sexual tension skyrockets until they can’t keep their hands off each other and it is hot, intense, and public. Did I mention it was hot?! Even the simplest, gentlest touches will get your pulse racing.

There’s a decent amount of push and pull between Anna and Drew and though I wished they didn’t struggle with their relationship as much as they did, I liked when they went all in. When circumstances arose that risked their happiness, it broke my heart but thankfully it didn’t last too long and by the end I had a smile planted firmly on me face.

Told in dual POV, I loved getting into Drew and Anna’s heads and seeing both sides of their story including all the happy and sad parts. Overall, The Hook Up was an entertaining read with a sweet epilogue that left me grinning. A great first book in this series, I can’t wait for more. Up next? The Friend Zone.

 

---

The Game On series