Making Up (Shacking Up #4) by Helena Hunting-Review & Excerpt Tour
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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date July 16, 2019
Cosy Felton is great at her job—she knows just how to handle the awkwardness that comes with working at an adult toy store. So when the hottest guy she’s ever seen walks into the shop looking completely overwhelmed, she’s more than happy to turn on the charm and help him purchase all of the items on his list.
Griffin Mills is using his business trip in Las Vegas as a chance to escape the broken pieces of his life in New York City. The last thing he wants is to be put in charge of buying gag gifts for his friend’s bachelor party. Despite being totally out of his element, and mortified by the whole experience, Griffin is pleasantly surprised when he finds himself attracted to the sales girl that helped him.
As skeptical as Cosy may be of Griffin’s motivations, there’s something about him that intrigues her. But sometimes what happens in Vegas doesn’t always stay in Vegas and when real life gets in the way, all bets are off. Filled with hilariously awkward situations and enough sexual chemistry to power Sin City, Making Up is the next standalone in the Shacking Up world.
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REVIEW: MAKING UP is the fourth instalment in Helena Hunting’s contemporary, adult SHACKING UP erotic, romance series focusing on the Mills siblings and extended family. This is twenty-two year old, college student Cosy Felton, and thirty-three year old, billionaire hotelier Griffin Mills’ story line. MAKING UP can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from the previous instalments is revealed where necessary.
Told from dual first person perspectives (Cosy and Griffin) MAKING UP follows the building relationship between is twenty-two year old, college student Cosy Felton, and thirty-three year old, billionaire hotelier Griffin Mills. To put herself through college, our heroine Cosy Felton, works as a retail clerk in a local Vegas ‘adult’ shop, where she will come face to face with her future in guise of Griffin Mills, a man who has been relegated to buying ‘trinkets’ for a friend’s bachelor party. From the outset their attraction to one another is immediate and palpable but Cosy struggles with their age difference, a struggle that persists through most of the story. What ensues is the building relationship between Griffin and Cosy, and the potential fall-out as not once but twice issues of trust push Cosy out of Griffin’s life.
At thirty-three years old Griffin Mills has a past, a past that he is reluctant to speak of, including his families billion dollar hotel business but Griffin’s need keep secrets is about to implode when the woman with whom he is falling in love feels betrayed when the truths are finally revealed. Cosy Felton is a bit of a free spirit who refuses to remain in one place very long. Meeting Griffin Mills finds our heroine instantly intrigued but her obsession with their differences in age forces Griffin to work that much harder to seduce the woman with whom he is falling in love.
The relationship between Griffin and Cosy is an older man, younger woman that struggles in the face of past sins, and lies of omission. Cosy has spent most of her life free of commitment but meeting Griffin is something Cosy is willing to explore. The $ex scenes are intimate, erotic and seductive without the use of over the top,sexually graphic language and text.
We are reintroduced to Griffin’s brothers: Bancroft and Lexington, and their father Mr. Mills as well as their cousins Lincoln and Armstrong Moorehead; Griffin’s ex-fiancee Imogen; Cosy’s wild-child sister Nevah; and co-worker Helun Alix.
MAKING UP is a story of family, friendships, betrayal and love; a story of past indiscretions, new beginnings, secrets and revelations. The premise is engaging and captivating; the romance is sexy and hot; the characters are colorful and energetic but Cosy’s obsession about their age difference became repetitive and long. MAKING UP is a fun, heart breaking and emotional roller coaster of romance and love.
Copy supplied for review
Review by Sandy
And I’ve eaten onions. Lots of them. What the hell was I thinking? I feel around in my shorts pocket, hoping I have a random stick of gum. I find a tiny square packet and pull it out, along with an old tissue. I shove that back in my pocket and sigh with relief as I carefully open the Listerine Pocketpak. There’s one strip left. I pop it in my mouth, wishing I had water since my mouth is dry and I’m suddenly super nervous.
Griffin pulls up in front of my apartment building. I swallow a bunch of times, trying to get the strip to dissolve on my tongue and glance out the tinted window, seeing it from his perspective. I don’t live in a bad part of town, but I sure as hell wouldn’t leave this car sitting out here for any length of time unless I wanted it keyed or stripped down.
Griffin shifts into park and turns to me, one hand resting on the back of my seat near the headrest. “I had a great time, Cosy.”
“Me too, thanks for dinner.” I tried to fork over my share, but he was quick on the credit card draw.
“It was my pleasure.” He leans in the tiniest bit, a nonverbal cue that he’s going in for a kiss.
I mirror the movement, giving him the go ahead. My stomach flutters in anticipation. I exhale slowly through my nose. Even though the Listerine strip should be doing its job to mask the onions, I don’t want to ruin the moment by breathing that in his face.
His fingertips skim my jaw, and I close my eyes. And then his lips brush my cheek. I wait for them to move a couple of inches to the right, but after what feels like a lot of seconds—and is probably only a few—I crack a lid.
Griffin is still close, a wry smile on his lips and a smolder in his eyes.
“Seriously, that’s it? A kiss on the cheek?”
His smile widens, making his eyes crinkle at the corners. He’s nothing like the guys I usually end up on dates with. College boys don’t take things slow. If I were out with one of the guys from school, I’d be sitting in a beat-up Civic with some stupid music playing, and he’d be all over me with his tongue halfway down my throat, copping a feel.
“I thought all the onions you ate were the equivalent to garlic for vampires.” Griffin fingers my hair near my shoulder. I’d really like him to finger something else. Wait. I mean I’d like to feel his hands on me. Not in my pants. Okay, maybe I’d like them in my pants, but not after date number one.
“I wasn’t thinking, and I really like onions. A lot. In hindsight, it’s not a great date food. I feel kinda dumb. And I guess at first I wasn’t so sure about you. How was I supposed to know you’d actually be kind of normalish?”
“Normalish?”
“Well, you drink club soda on purpose, so you can’t be all there.” I tap his temple.
Griffin circles my wrist with his fingers and drops his head, lips brushing over my knuckle. “We can’t all be perfect, now, can we?”
“I suppose not, and perfect is boring.”
“That it is.” He hums against my skin, and I feel it through my entire body. “I would like to try that kiss again, if you’re still interested.”
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FOLLOW: NTY and USA Today Bestselling author of The PUCKED Series, Helena Hunting lives outside of Toronto with her amazing family and her two awesome cats, who think the best place to sleep is her keyboard. Helena writes everything from contemporary romance to romance comedy, sports romance and angsty new adult romance.
Great review, Sandy. Looks like an emotional roller coaster of a ride.
Terrific review, Sandy. I like the premise of this story line.
Another wonderful review, thanks Sandy. Looks like a great series.
Thanks for the great review and excerpt.
Great review, Sandy. Looks like an interesting story.
Another wonderful review & excerpt, thanks Sandy. Congrats to Helena on the new release.
Very good review, Sandy. Sounds good.
Great review. Love the excerpt thanks Sandy.
Great review Sandy! Sounds intriguing! Thank you!