The Hookup Situation by Lyra Parish

It was supposed to be a temporary autumn hookup. Now it’s a situation.

When my ex strolls back into town looking good enough to ruin my life twice and claiming he wants me back, I panic and blurt out that I’m seeing someone.

The only man available is Nick Banks, the ex-hockey star with a smirk that should be illegal and commitment issues as legendary as his abs. Surprisingly, he agrees to play along if I help him figure out why his relationships keep going up in flames.

We make rules: fake date without feelings, trade relationship advice, and hook up. For research purposes only. Obviously. It’s a temporary arrangement, with the goal of becoming better partners for whoever comes next in our lives.

But the snuggles get cozier and the kisses last longer. Lines blur, and I can’t tell what’s pretend and what’s real. We’re having fun, fooling everyone in my small town—and maybe ourselves too.

Then the paparazzi snap pictures of us, and the gossip sites explode. Now I’m fake-dating a billionaire in the headlines while falling for him in real life. And the only thing more terrifying than the spotlight is losing him when autumn ends

My Review

I love the playlist at the beginning of the book. The story begins with Nick Banks being an arse, but he is also lonely, grieving, and a billionaire. He has lost himself in the mundane work and life struggles and can’t find the joy he used to. After an awful meeting, he gets told to take a trip for six weeks and go find himself. So he goes to Cozy Creek, where his friend Zane is.

Julie manages her family business of Cozy Cafe, and she is quite the barista with perfect amounts of kindness and sass. Her ex is back in town, and she is trying not to ride that rollercoaster again. She also has a history with Nick, the man who is “haunting her thoughts”.  

“Holy shit.” “What?” I ask. “If you don’t date him, I will.” I burst into laughter. “Shut it. He’s not dateable.” “Is he fuckable? Because I’d be his blowup doll.” I’m wheezing. “Stop.” I wipe tears from my cheeks, and she pauses, staring at me. “Oh my goddess.” – Julie and Blaire – The Hook Up Situation by Lyra Parish

I love the witchy, unfiltered talk in the coffee shop. Blaire is also an amazing character and needs her own hea soon. This book is all the right vibes of autumn cozy. The banter is fabulous; it sucks you right into the story. Of course, they have to fake a relationship to get rid of her needy ex.

They go from a fake relationship to more, but it was so coming with that chemistry, and yes, this gets steamy as their chemistry and attraction boil over.

The list of things to accomplish gives the couple a great goal, while they turn from friends to lovers. But they have an expiration date, and while this is all very predictable, it is still enjoyable. The ex stalker, paparazzi, and ending date cause a lot of drama that pulls this story along. But I swoon over all the autumn activities and amazing descriptions, not to mention Nick being an amazing book boyfriend. I love how casually they keep the relationship, enjoying the moments and living these lives to the fullest, but not forgetting that this turns into a pumpkin date.

Julie is probably a little love-shy after that crazy ex situation, but I don’t blame her, and it’s fun to watch Nick soothe her nerves and show her love. I adore the interconnection with Autumn and Zane from Fall. I want, and the cozy creek series is quickly jumping to my favorite reading list. I wish there were a Christmas couple, too.

The story is sizzling hot with lots of adventurous bedroom activities as they enjoy their chemistry. But it isn’t just about the smut; there is a lot of storyline going on as well.

We get a large side of billionaire romance at the end of this story, but they blend together perfectly with a nice helping of the found family trope. I really enjoyed this read. It was the perfect autumn romance. This is a must-read if you’re looking for a great love story and autumn vibes.

The epilogue is Patterson, and I’m wondering who it may concern, as now I want an HEA for Blaire as well. Patterson is more of a sports enemies-to-lovers as defined by the epilogue, and idk I kinda want to stay in the seasonal romances, but I may read it eventually.

If you would like to read The Hookup Situation by Lyra Parish, you can find this book on Amazon. As an Amazon Assocaite, I earn ON qualifying purchases.

If you love this story, I highly recommend you check out Fall I want by Lyra Parish and the Cozy Creek Collection. I also really enjoy Lyra Parish’s Very Merry Series if you’re looking for Winter/ Holiday Romance.

If you enjoyed reading this book, you may also enjoy books with these tags and categories: Billionaire, Autumn, and Small Town.