Acquitting Cupid

by Abigail Hammond

Delaney Rutherford’s next case is her biggest yet.

Working as a lawyer at a real estate development firm for the past two years hasn’t afforded her many instances in court, but she’s never been one to back down from a challenge. This time, the trial is personal. She’s even serving the summons herself.

The defendant?

Cupid.

With two relationships down the drain and her parent’s failed marriage hanging over her head, she can’t help but wonder if Cupid has been a little too free with his arrows. To Delaney, romance has become a fairy tale; something meant for others, but not her.

Her employer, Nathaniel Knight, commiserates with her, expressing his grievances after his own string of romantic mishaps. If only Cupid was real they could pin it all on him. Instead, they’re both left wondering where they went wrong.

Unfortunately, family members and friends don’t understand the pair’s reluctance to step back into the dating scene. When Nate makes a ridiculous suggestion that would solve both of their problems, Delaney hesitates, afraid of losing what’s left of her heart.

After all, Delaney learned the hard way to always play it safe—and love is anything but safe.

360 pages, Kindle Edition

Published August 26, 2025

About the author

My name is Abigail Hammond, but I always go by Abby. One of my thumbs is shorter than the other. I have absolutely no idea why, but it's useful for those awkward times when you meet new people and you're supposed to share a fun fact about yourself.

Thankfully, having unmatched thumbs in no way hinders my ability to write, so I'll keep working on more books! My team consists of my amazing husband who handles the cover art and illustrations for my books, and my dog, who is my chief distraction officer. We live in sunny California and consume way too many tacos. Seriously, we eat tacos for dinner almost every day.

Reviews

[AC · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this cute, heartfelt romance! Both our love interests are extremely well fleshed out and interesting, engaging characters you want to root for. I found elements of both that I really related to, and felt for their struggles with family or past love lives.
Delaney and Nate are so likable and the fake dating was so cute! This was funny and also moving, even emotional at points. The moving pieces of new and familiar characters were well mapped out, and I enjoyed the workplace banter:)
I also really like that they are adults who, while learning and not being perfect, are good people and work to communicate (and understand their emotions and conflicts). There was no disastrous third act split or miscommunication that tends to ruin the vibe or just be annoying. There were challenges that both characters work through really well!
Overall, Acquitting Cupid is a well-written, thoughtful and sweet romance with no spice that was just a joy to read! Abby writes romance so well and you will be turning the pages on this one🙂‍↕️ LOVEEE

[Abigail Hammond · Rating 5 out of 5]

All those hours running on the treadmill at the gym while watching soap operas on the big TV led to this ~

[Ariel · Rating 5 out of 5]

🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟

5/5 Stars 🌟

Super sweet romance and a quick, enjoyable read!

To start off, the two leads, Delaney and Nathaniel, have a history of relationships-gone-wrong. They're coworkers at a real estate development firm, with Nathaniel being Delaney's boss. And when Delaney's dad tries pushing her on these blind dates, she wants to find a way out of it. She's just not ready for another relationship (especially since she's still heartbroken over her last breakup). Nathaniel is also in an uncomfortable position, since his ex is dating his cousin, and they'll be seeing each other on Thanksgiving. Awkward! But Delaney and Nathaniel agree to a secret, fake relationship for one month to convince their families that they're doing fine.

I thought this was a sweet and fun read. The romance was so cute, and Nathaniel's such a gentleman. I also read this book in like two days. I thought I was in a reading slump, but either I'm not, or this book got me out of one. 💕

Overall, if you love fake dating and slow burns, this is right up your alley. There's a perfect mix of comedy and romance, but also some deep moments that will stick with you.

[Kit · Rating 5 out of 5]

[ARC review] If the title has you expecting you'll be reading a novel about the traditional type of magic, you're in for a surprise! This novel was filled with magic, but not of the sort you'd expect!

It feels like literally forever since Hammond's last book was released and I'm already looking forward to the next. She has the type of prose that has me sitting down and reading a book in one sitting, but this time around I found myself wanting to slow down and take my time with these characters and this world and the magic it creates. Another easy 5/5 stars for me from Hammond and a cute, contemporary, fake-dating-done-right romance that doesn't immediately read like a romance novel with loads of charm that will become an immediate classic for me.

[Matt Benjamin · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a fun read! I think I finished it in two sittings, which is abnormal for me- a testament to the quality of the story!

Abigail crafted some memorable and likable characters and threw them into a labyrinth of relationships and unforeseen connections. Even the foils/secondary characters were robustly fleshed out and highly distinguishable from one another. The story never dragged and was entertaining til the last page!

[B H · Rating 5 out of 5]

Acquitting Cupid is such an engaging romance! Nate and Delaney are instantly likable, and from the very first pages I was pulled right into their story. The writing flows beautifully and keeps you invested out the gate. What I especially appreciated is how relatable the characters feel—real people working through their struggles in a healthy, authentic way. It makes their journey that much more meaningful. A wonderful balance of heart, hope, and romance. Great read—I loved it!

[DeAnn Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this book so much! As a big fan of the fake-dating trope it was so well done in Acquitting Cupid. I read through this book so quickly because I just couldn’t put it down. Highly recommend if you’re looking for a story that will make you laugh, cry, swoon and everything in between.

[Gracie Kj · Rating 5 out of 5]

Abby does it again with this new stunning book!! It was such a good read and I didn’t want to put it down, can’t wait to get a paperback trophy for my shelf💕