Review: Love Hacked (Knitting in the City, #3) by Penny Reid

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.

Goodreads | Author | Amazon

Source: Purchased

Review:
This is the second book I’ve read by Penny Reid & I find her writing style to be so much fun, even a little oddball at times.

Her characters have major quirks, (like belting out random trivia at inappropriate times) and an air of mystery surrounding them. At times it can be off-putting but I also love how her stories keep me on my toes and throw me off balance.

The first book in the Knitting in the City series, Neanderthal Seeks Human, was hilarious. While Love Hacked is also filled with funny moments, it’s also darker.

Sandra is a pediatric psychotherapist, 29, single and looking for THE ONE. She meets all her dates at her favorite restaurant, on a Friday night. They start to unload on her because she’s such a great listener, leave in a fit of tears and move on, finding their happily ever after – and it isn’t Sandra. It’s ok though, because none of the men have given her the zing; except for her very young, very hot waiter, Alex.

Oh Alex. I had such a difficult time with this character. He is everything I hate in a book guy. He runs hot & cold, he’s a little stalker-ish, possessive, secretive, and has SO much emotional baggage. He might as well be a blaring red flag warning. KEEP AWAY FROM ME. But…..lord help me – I found him to be so freaking sexy. Along with all his bad qualities, he’s sweet, innocent, awkward, wise beyond his years and fiercely loyal.

I think what made the Alex/Sandra relationship work for me was that Sandra stopped Alex in his tracks when he was being an ass. They could be in an extremely hot and heavy moment but Sandra didn’t pull that “my body betrayed me” crap and let him run over her. She stood her own ground and set boundaries.

Love Hacked was surprising. I was never sure how, or even if, this romance could ever work. I wasn’t even sure it should work. It was refreshing. Even though I wasn’t always sold on them as a couple, I loved that for once I couldn’t see the path to their HEA after page 2. Yet, it was also loads of fun.

Another thing I love about this series is the friendship between the knitting club girls. They are supportive but honest with each other. I don’t know how many of the girls will get a book but I hope it’s all of them. You can read the books as stand alones but each one builds on the friendships and personally, I enjoy that aspect as much as the romances.

There were a few editing issues – wrong pronouns and a few typos but nothing overly distracting. 

Final thoughts: Fun series, lots of sexy times. While both Neanderthal Seeks Human and Love Hacked have a lot of humor, Love Hacked was much edgier concerning Alex and his past. Also a fun element of intrigue and mystery as a backdrop to the romance. 

Mini reviews: Geeks in love…

It seems that being a nerd/geek/socially awkward is the hot thing right now when it comes to romance. The first book of this type I read was an erotica - The Theory of Attraction by Delphine Dryden.

There’s something about a nerdy character that makes them instantly relatable and likable. Of course in booklandia they are also incredibly gorgeous (even if they don’t see it in themselves) and the sex is scorching hot (even if they can barely interact with another human) but whatever – this trope tends to have a lot of humor and awkward encounters – something I love in my romances.

So here are a few mini reviews for romances with geeks in love…


A life of crime is easy…until love goes all ninja on your ass.

Asprey Charles has always assumed he would one day take his place in the family art appraisal and insurance firm. “His place” meaning he plans to continue to enjoy his playboy lifestyle, lavish money on his Cessna, and shirk every responsibility that dares come his way.

But when a life of crime is thrust upon him, he is just as happy to slip on a mask and cape and play a highwayman rogue. After all, life is one big game—and he excels at playing.

Poppy Donovan vows that her recent release from jail will be her last—no more crime, no more cons. But when she learns that her grandmother lost her savings to a low-life financial advisor, she’s forced to do just one more job.

It’s all going smoothly until the necklace she intends to pawn to fund her con is stolen by a handsome, mocking, white-collar thief. A thief who, it turns out, could take a whole lot more than money. If she’s not careful, this blue blood with no business on her side of the tracks could run off with the last thing she can afford to lose. Her heart. ~ Goodreads

My thoughts: I guess strictly speaking, Asprey isn’t quite a nerd. He’s a thief, underappreciated by his wealthy family, who thinks he just plays around spending their money. But he has a zest for life and says the geekiest things like –

“Spork! I cry spork!”

“You cry spork?”

“It’s my safe word,” he managed. “You know – functional yet innovative? I hate to brag, but I’ve been told I’m  little of both.”

Witty & wacky story about cons, double crosses, a  hot ninja chick, family squabbling. Lots of laughs – a bit of a rushed ending but Morgan has said there will be a book #2 – so yay!

***

There are three things you need to know about Janie Morris: 1) She is incapable of engaging in a conversation without volunteering TMTI (Too Much Trivial Information), especially when she is unnerved, 2) No one unnerves her more than Quinn Sullivan, and 3) She doesn't know how to knit.

After losing her boyfriend, apartment, and job in the same day, Janie Morris can't help wondering what new torment fate has in store. To her utter mortification, Quinn Sullivan- aka Sir McHotpants- witnesses it all then keeps turning up like a pair of shoes you lust after but can't afford. The last thing she expects is for Quinn- the focus of her slightly, albeit harmless, stalkerish tendencies- to make her an offer she can't refuse. ~ Goodreads

My thoughts: Janie is a truly unique heroine. She is whip smart and all her knowledge comes spilling out whenever she’s in a socially awkward situation. Which is basically every time she’s within range of the gorgeous but cold as ice Quinn Sullivan.

He leaves her off balance and unable to put everything in neat little boxes with labels like everything else in her life.

“I like labels. I like maps with labels. I like figures with labels, and I like footnotes. I don’t do well not knowing someone’s intentions or how to calibrate my expectations accordingly.”

I think some of miscommunications go on a little too long and every one who loves Janie has an infuriatingly strong need to protect her. I do think she has an odd approach to life but I also think she can order her own dinner and pick who she loves. Her lack of self confidence was kind of sad but I got it and it made her more relatable.

Still – a super cute story and I liked the authors writing style. Despite a few flaws, I’ll be picking up the other books from this series.

***

How to Land the Hot Guy 1.0

A multimillionaire by the age of 27, app developer Evie James is clueless when it comes to hooking up. So she does what any self-respecting geek-girl looking to get laid would do: she programs her own app for landing a hot guy. After a few failed attempts at making contact, beta testing leads her to Caleb Anderson.

Caleb is used to female attention, but finds himself attracted to Evie because of her unique brand of awkward. A master of one-night stands, he's more than happy to show her what she's been missing in the bedroom. But he quickly discovers that one night with a woman like Evie will never be enough for him…. ~ Goodreads

My thoughts: I enjoyed Yates novella, A Royal World Apart, it was a little cliché but very romantic. Crazy, Stupid Sex was also cliche , but in all the ways that aggravate me.

I loved Evie, who is the master of her domain at work as an app developer but clueless when it comes to picking up a member of the opposite sex. She decides to be the test subject of her new app for landing a guy. She strikes out until she meets sexy playboy Caleb Anderson. Bored with all his random hookups, Evie presents a challenge to him. She’s innocent but willing to explore her sexual side.

Caleb is a playboy (which he mentions about a 100 times) and says to Evie that he’s her man, because of his extensive sexual experience he’s up for anything but then he seems almost as inexperienced with sex as Evie. He says that he’s slept with a different woman almost every single night for 10 years - yet he hasn’t dabbled in light bondage? I’m talking light…tie your hands up and a little ordering around. That just seemed strange to me.

While I think he was good to and for Evie in bed – he was a complete ass-hat outside of it. He had reasons – there are always reason aren’t there? But he was just not my kind of guy.

Once Evie let her inner sex kitten out to play there wasn’t much about her geek side or intelligence which depressed me. It was all about the sex at that point. They don’t go out on dates, they maybe have two deep conversations, but after a few weeks of hot sex this is the real thing.

Personally, I couldn’t get on board with Caleb. He's lazy, shallow and mean but it you are a fan of the hot playboy with a tragic past that explains his behavior then this might be the book for you. As a Cosmo Red Hot Read, it is scorching hot, just not my cup of tea as they say.