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Review: The Hooker and the Hermit by Penny Reid and LH Cosway

My Thoughts

Wonderfully witty, sexy and entirely enjoyable!

Related Posts: Romantic Comedies
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Synopsis

the hooker and the hermit New York’s Finest
Blogging as *The Socialmedialite*
April 22
LADIES AND GENTS! I have an announcement!
You know that guy I featured on my blog a few months ago? The really, really hot Irish rugby player who plays the position of ‘hooker’ in the RLI (Rugby League International)? The one with the anger management issues, the body of a gladiator and the face of a movie star? The one with the questionable fashion choices leading me to ask whether he was the lovechild of a leprechaun and a hobbit? Ronan Fitzpatrick? Yeah, that guy. Well, I have a confession to make…

THE HERMIT
Annie Catrel, social media expert extraordinaire at Davidson & Croft Media and clandestine celebrity blogger, can make anyone shine in the court of public opinion. She is the Socialmedialite, anonymous creator of New York’s Finest and the internet’s darling. Virtual reality is Annie’s forte, but actual reality? Not so much.

THE HOOKER
Ronan Fitzpatrick, aka the best hooker the world of rugby has seen in decades, despises the media—social or otherwise. The press has spun a web of lies depicting him as rugby’s wild and reckless bad boy. Suspended from his team, Ronan has come to Manhattan to escape the drama, lay low, fly under the radar. Only, Ronan isn’t easy to overlook, and he can’t escape the notice of the Socialmedialite…

THE PLAN
When Ronan is sent to Davidson & Croft Media to reshape his public image, he never expects to cross paths with shy but beautiful Annie, nor does he expect his fierce attraction to her. He couldn’t be happier when her boss suggests pairing them together.
What lengths will Annie take to keep her virtual identity concealed? And what happens when the hooker discovers who the hermit really is?

My Review

The duo of Penny Reid and L.H. Cosway dazzle in this super fun romantic comedy. I found myself giggling from the very beginning… quickly enraptured by the concept of the story. Parts of the it, in fact, gave me a You’ve Got Mail movie kind of vibe (which I LOVED!), as two people start off antagonistically, meeting in the most unexpected of circumstances and getting to know each other both in real life and on the web.

“He was everything I loathed rolled up into a tight, luscious, muscular, heady, and quixotically alluring package.”

When Annie Catrel spots a man with a bright lime green shirt, tight shorts and horrible shoes, she can’t help but snap a few clandestine pics. This Colin Farrell look-a-like had to be the focus of her next blog post. Annie was the Socialmedialite—blogger of the widely read and highly popular New York’s Finest. Online, Annie could be bold, direct, funny… but in real life, she was a hermit. A girl who hid behind too-big clothes, but was able to rock social media with brilliant plans that could flip the image of even the most troublesome celebrity.

“If there was one thing I hated in this world, it was people who wrote about other people’s personal lives for a living. Those people could all do with taking a dive off a very high building, in my opinion.”

Irish rugby player Ronan Fitzpatrick is dedicated to his sport. Yes, he’s rough around the edges, foul-mouthed, reckless and ill-tempered, but he’s driven to be the best hooker in the world of rugby. Problem was that his image had recently been tarnished and now it’s been decreed he get his act together and spruce up his public image. That means he’s sent to Davidson & Croft, where he meets the timid Annie.

When Annie is paired up to help Ronan, she wants nothing more than to run far far away, but Ronan is quite taken by this girl who is so different than the women he’d been around. Sparks fly, verbal warfare ensues and a delicious desire overcomes them both.

“It sounds to me like, as much as I need lessons in social media, you need lessons on how to truly live.”

The dynamic between Annie and Ronan is supremely charged. It was so funny to see them interact, to see that crackling push/pull between them, to see Annie try to hide inside herself while Ronan does his best to coax her out with his irresistable charm.

A smile never left my face. I loved their banter!

“I prefer a woman who swallows, but spitting doesn’t bother me much.”

Both have secrets to hide, which threaten to shatter the fragile connection that intensifies each time they’re together. Before too long, reality and pretense blur. Real emotions are on the line and both have important decisions to make.

There are just so many things I loved about this book. The smart humor, the super hot sexiness, the emails, blog posts, chapter headers… it all came together wonderfully. I just had so much fun reading it. The Hooker and the Hermit more than delivers humor, swooniness, romance and heart, so if you’re looking to have a great time with a wonderful book, look no further.