Listen free for 30 days

Listen with offer

Offer ends May 1st, 2024 11:59PM GMT. Terms and conditions apply.
£7.99/month after 3 months. Renews automatically.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.
Pick 1 audiobook a month from our unmatched collection - including bestsellers and new releases.
Listen all you want to thousands of included audiobooks, Originals, celeb exclusives, and podcasts.
Access exclusive sales and deals.
The Hookup cover art

The Hookup

By: Kristen Ashley
Narrated by: Lance Greenfield,Stella Bloom
Get this deal Try for £0.00

Pay £99p/month. After 3 months pay £7.99/month. Renews automatically. See terms for eligibility.

£7.99/month after 30 days. Renews automatically. See here for eligibility.

Buy Now for £18.99

Buy Now for £18.99

Pay using card ending in
By completing your purchase, you agree to Audible's Conditions of Use and authorise Audible to charge your designated card or any other card on file. Please see our Privacy Notice, Cookies Notice and Interest-based Ads Notice.

Listeners also enjoyed...

Knight cover art
Still Standing cover art
The Will cover art
For You cover art
Complicated cover art
Loose Ends cover art
Rock Chick Reawakening cover art
After the Climb cover art
Wildest Dreams cover art
Penmort Castle cover art
The Girl in the Mist cover art
Play It Safe cover art
The Gamble: Booktrack Edition cover art
Heaven and Hell cover art
The Beginning of Everything cover art
Mystery Man cover art

Summary

When the new girl in town, Eliza "Izzy" Forrester, decides to hit the local drinking hole, she's not ready to meet the town's good, solid guy. She's definitely not prepared to engage in her very first hookup with him.

Then Izzy wakes up the next morning in Johnny Gamble's bed, and good girl Izzy finds she likes being bad for Johnny.

Even so, Izzy feels Johnny holding her at arm's length. But Johnny makes it clear he wants more, and Izzy already knows she wants as much as she can get of hot-in-bed, sweet-out-of-it Johnny Gamble.

Floating on air, thinking this is going somewhere, Izzy quickly learns why Johnny holds distant.

He's in love with someone else. Someone who left him and did it leaving him broken. Whoever was up next would be runner-up, second best. Knowing the stakes, Izzy will take what she can get from the gentleman that's Johnny Gamble. And even knowing his heart might never mend, Johnny can't seem to stay away from Izzy.

Until out of nowhere, his lost love comes back to town. He's not going back, but Johnny still knows the right thing to do is let Izzy go.

And Izzy knew the stakes, so she makes it easy and slips though his fingers.

But that's before Johnny realizes Izzy moved to town to escape danger that's been swirling around her.

And that's why Johnny decides to wade in.

That and the fact Izzy Forrester makes breakfast with a canary singing on her shoulder and fills out tight dresses in a way Johnny Gamble cannot get out of his head.

©2017 Kristen Ashley (P)2017 Audible, Inc.

What listeners say about The Hookup

Average customer ratings
Overall
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    73
  • 4 Stars
    18
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    9
  • 1 Stars
    4
Performance
  • 4.5 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    63
  • 4 Stars
    20
  • 3 Stars
    5
  • 2 Stars
    6
  • 1 Stars
    3
Story
  • 4 out of 5 stars
  • 5 Stars
    62
  • 4 Stars
    14
  • 3 Stars
    7
  • 2 Stars
    8
  • 1 Stars
    6

Reviews - Please select the tabs below to change the source of reviews.

Sort by:
Filter by:
  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Throughly enjoyable

I loved this book from start to finish, Stella Bloom narration is super she really does portray the characters well .Izzy and Jonny’s story is heartfelt both with their histories the way Kirsten writes has you totally absorbed , I look forward to more in the series ,

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

4 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    3 out of 5 stars

All too familiar but still enjoyable

This book has left me with mixed feelings.

I appreciate this book is called The Hookup and the premise is in the title but for me, a book which starts with a sex scene is something that I generally loathe. I need to get to know my characters before getting to know them intimately if you know what I mean. Despite my initial reservations though, I did find myself connecting with the main characters relatively quickly. Both Johnny and Izzy have troubled pasts but find themselves coming together, literally and figuratively, unexpectedly having met in a bar.

Izzy is new in town, having escaped her ex, and now enjoying a rural lifestyle, she is trying to find her feet within her new existence. With a domestic menagerie living under the same roof as her, Izzy works hard to enjoy what she has created for herself and that's a sweet, country home.

Johnny runs the local garages and having been burned in love before, isn't looking for anything more than a one night stand, that is until he meets Izzy and despite only spending a few short hours getting to know each other before ending up in bed, it's clear that he has no intention of letting her go without a fight. Izzy doesn't know how to deal with Johnny's plans for her and Izzy's head is spinning but she is more than happy just to enjoy whatever time she has with him before he tires of her.

The story and their relationship progress with each getting to know the other and trying to combine their lifestyles and work commitments. Johnny is a dream though and being a horse owner myself, I would love someone to come into my life and to be more than happy to take care of my beasties without being asked!

The side characters are also as equally enjoyable but especially Izzy's sister, who comes to stay with her, and also Johnny's brother, Toby. Thankfully, Adeline brings her baby son with her and he adds some fun times and drama to the story.

For me, this story was spoilt by its sweet nature and all too frequent sex scenes. There was a serious lack of drama in the storyline, apart from towards the end of the book. The story was slow to develop and at times, dare I say it, slightly boring. I feel this is always the downside of insta-love stories because there is no slow building relationship, something that this author is well-known for.

The other downside to this book, for me, was the inclusion of a male narrator. KA always uses females and I am a particular fan of Stella Bloom but her magical performance was overshadowed by an overly enthusiastic Lance Greenfield who over-played his part of the narration, on this occasion.

I do still love this author's writing though and whilst this is probably my least favourite story of hers to date, I will read/listen on with the series which overall left me with a warm feeling and endless hope for more of what we come to expect from KA in future books.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

2 people found this helpful

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    4 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing with too many unfinished plotlines

The unbearably nice h in this book has a farmyard of cute animals, and birds who perch on her shoulder. She merrily breezes through the days effortlessly holding down an executive position (with two hour commute) while tending to her land, horses, dogs, birds, along with gardening, making her own vodka, being a master of upcycling and a brilliant cook. She is, of course, stunningly beautifully, extremely sexy, but at aged 31 unaware of her perfection, and so sugary sweet that she got embarrassed when she enjoyed great sex. She was always “cute” or “adorable” even after sharing 8(!) bottles of wine with 2 girlfriends, and even, apparently, when she fell asleep while minding an unrestrained baby in a public park, and didn’t wake when the baby was removed.

The short tempered H, meanwhile, gets upset whenever the h fails to read his mind, or dares to do something “manly” (like moving a chair!). He spent three years moping after his ex (nothing about that scenario made sense), and the reader is constantly reminded how much he had loved his ex, and how “destroyed” he was when she left him. He expects the h to fall into line with his needs, (especially, unlike his ex, always putting him before family) and she willingly obliges by being a complete doormat who resists only until he kisses her, and then swoons into his arms, and appeases him by doing whatever he wants, whenever he wants.

This book has a lot of over-the-top graphic sex. Waaaay too much. They also talk about sex. A lot. The endearments and nicknames were awful, and the fabulous KA alpha male has gone all new-age and is now comfortable nappy changing and childminding, but feels his manhood is threatened by feminine décor or sitting on “fancy” chairs.

The reader was teased with potential plot strands (ex girlfriend back in town; stalker ex boyfriend; the absent father; the sister’s ex) but nothing developed any further until a random kidnapping plot is plucked out of thin air and was over almost before it began, and which, strangely, was all about the sister. In fact there was so much of the sister’s drama in this book I cannot help feeling that the upcoming story about her has already been done.

The epilogue had a lovely emotional scene, but unfortunately it was between the H and his ex-girlfriend - who was actually very likable. Then we had more about the sister’s romance. And the H and h had more sex because that’s really all their relationship was. Sex. All the time.

I had high hopes after the excellent “Complicated” that Kirsten Ashley had got her mojo back after the awful “Honey” series but….nope. This was a cookie cutter book, with every romance cliché thrown into the mix, stirred around and then left uncooked. Maybe she has a ghost writer?

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

1 person found this helpful

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Beautiful book

This is a very well written book with a lot of emotion. The characters are great but both have trust issues. A brilliant performance.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

A factual description of a sex act.

I could only listen to one chapter of this book. There was no story beginning, just what he did to her and what she did to him. I don't think the blurb for this story in any way gave indication of what it would be. Very disappointed. Returned.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    1 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Couldn’t wait for it to end!

Stella Bloom narration wasn’t bad but Lance Greenfield made it some sort of thriller, which it was not! Romance with far too much description of sex and unnecessary multiple names for genitalia, I got bored with it. The story wasn’t bad but it was badly written in my opinion.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Amazing Story

I loved the story line finished listening to this book within a day, it had humour, my excitement and everything in between I can't wait to listen to the second one.

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    2 out of 5 stars

Disappointing story and a male narrator who wishes he was reading James Bond!

A disappointingly average romance story - a brooding, handsome, tall, dark & wealthy man meets a petite, shy, beautiful, successful, woman. This would be your typical, everyday, relatable woman - you know, one who can cook, look amazing in every situation whilst also maintaining a large menagerie of animals, refurbish a farmhouse, grow her own fruit & veg, flavour vodka, blah blah blah … the list goes on, believe me… sooo, totally relatable!
In the blink of an eye these two beautiful people are enjoying mind-blowing bedroom gymnastics. No hairy armpits, queefing (Google it!), love puffs or lying in the damp patch for these beauties!! Oh no, these two are beyond such human failings.
Through the course of the story there are minor trials and tribulations, lots of in-depth descriptions of woman’s clothes & accessories, break-ups and bed-busting make-ups.
I’m used to Kristin Ashley’s fairly tried & trusted story formulas however ‘The Hook Up’ felt like Kristen’s heart just wasn’t in it.
When you feel utter disinterest listening to explicitly detailed love scenes you know it’s not a winner. I ended up skipping them come the end as it felt like they were thrown in as part of a formula rather than being essential to the story. There was a late-in-the-game attempt at intrigue but it failed to ignite my interest & was over within a chapter.
I think I’m done with Kristen Ashley for a while. There is a sequel to this book called ‘The Slow Burn’. No doubt it will run along similar lines as this - handsome man, gorgeous girl, soul mates meet, hot perfect sex, misunderstandings, sex sex sex, HEA. Think I’ll give it a miss

One last thing, the female narrator was fine but the male narrator needs to stick to try the action/adventure genre. It was very jarring going from a soft female voice to an over-acting, over-excited male narrator who was reading romance like it was game of thrones

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    2 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    1 out of 5 stars

romanticism of a guy with anger issues

there are A LOT of red flags with the hero in this book. he has anger and control issues and considering his counterpart is a female from an abusive home it was quite daunting.
this was the kind of male character I'd expect from a. Sandra brown novel from the 80s

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!

  • Overall
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Performance
    5 out of 5 stars
  • Story
    5 out of 5 stars

Loved it!

I enjoyed the storyline and definitely Izzy’s character. She was into Johnny but her head was screwed in right. Loved this book. Long reign KA!

Something went wrong. Please try again in a few minutes.

You voted on this review!

You reported this review!