Hooked

Fandom Hearts #1.5

by Cathy Yardley

After a disastrous experience with a boyfriend who turned out to be a con artist, the last thing Stacy Fielder is looking for is another guy. But dashing, devilish Englishman Rodney Charles seems determined to change her mind.

But when she realizes he’s been keeping a secret from her — and lying about who he really is — will she be able to trust him with her heart?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Novella, Fiction, Chick Lit, Audiobook

110 pages, ebook

First published December 30, 2015

About the author

Cathy Yardley is an award-winning author of romance, chick lit, and urban fantasy, who has sold over 1.2 million copies of books for publishers like St. Martin's, Avon, and Harlequin. She writes fun, geeky, and diverse characters who believe that underdogs can make good and that sometimes being a little wrong is just right.

Reviews

[sraxe · Rating 3 out of 5]

This novella was a quick and fun read. This is one you definitely don't want to take too seriously. I mean, you've got a contemporary setting in which there's Rodney, a wealthy, twenty-eight year old English duke living in Seattle and working as a programmer for a small video game company.

I generally don't like novellas because I don't like the instalust/instalove aspect of it, and this book definitely fell into that, with the two falling in love and consummating their relationship within two days. That's why, unlike the previous book, I didn't find myself enjoying it as much. I didn't feel a connection to or between the characters. I never really felt I knew them, even though I knew things about them. I know Stacey's a twenty-seven year old trust fund baby who previously had a bad relationship (with a con artist), and I know Rodney's a duke. With these backgrounds, it just all came off as very #RichPeopleProblems, which I didn't find at all relatable.

However, like I said...don't like it seriously and it'll be fun. I loved meeting the group of fangirls again that we saw in the previous book (though Tess and Adam don't make a single appearance in this book), and I really enjoy their friendship (with them vetting Rodney to see if he's good enough for their friend). The only complaint I have in that part is when Rodney meets Rachel. Sure, he wasn't attracted to her...but I could've done without that moment of his mind going blank when he sees her.

As for past relationships with the two, neither are virgins. The H, Rodney, is mentioned/believed to be a playboy but there's never any mention of any OWs or sexual past. The h, Stacey, was in a year and a half long relationship with an OM (Christian), but it turned out that he was a con artist. That was about a year or so ago, and she hasn't been with anyone since (or at least she isn't mentioned to have been).

Like the previous book, this one is also free, but you've got to sign up for Yardley's newsletter in order to get it.

[Jane Stewart · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed it, but it was too short - a novella. Not enough time to develop things.

I enjoyed the 1st book in the series “Level Up” so much that I eagerly jumped into this book. I liked it because it kept me in that world a little longer. Both books have good dialogue. The author comes up with interesting sources of conflict.

As of June, 2016, both books are free. Level Up is free on Amazon. Hooked is free if you go to the author’s website and sign up for her newsletter. The website is CathyYardley.com/kindlelu

DATA:
Narrative mode: 3rd person. Story length: 60 pages. Swearing language: strong but rarely used. Sexual language: strong. Number of sex scenes: 1. Setting: current day Washington state and U.K. Copyright: 2015. Genre: contemporary romance.

[Francesca · Rating 3 out of 5]

Short and sweet.

[Riley K. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hooked: A Geek Girl Rom Com (Fandom Hearts) by Cathy Yardley is a short and sweet novella. I loved this story of Stacy and Rodney. Stacy has trust issues due to a jerk of an ex-boyfriend, and well Rodney has his own secrets. The attraction between the two is undeniable.

I loved, loved, loved this story. There were moments where I wanted to smack Rodney and Stacy upside the head and tell them that they are being stupid. The characters are relatable, and the story is just charming.

I will recommend this story to others. I give it 5/5 Platypires.

[Lenore Kosinski · Rating 5 out of 5]

https://celebrityreaders.com/2018/09/...

4.5 stars — This was a fun little novella in the Fandom Hearts world. I loved getting to see Rodney and Stacy’s little love story, and for a novella, it was extremely satisfying and gave me ups and downs, feels, laughs, and swooning.

The narrators are, I believe, the same as for the first book in the series (Level Up). The male name is different (Dirk Slade for Level Up, Jay Skelton for Hooked and all subsequent audiobooks in this series), but he sounds EXACTLY the same. They both did a great job, again, although I was surprised that Rodney’s POV wasn’t all with an English accent. Only his dialogue, or specific thoughts were. I don’t actually mind that in the end, it just took me by surprise. I thought both narrators did fairly good English accents, though I’m not British, so I can’t say it was at all accurate. I still found Mr. Skelton’s narration to be a bit quieter than Ms. St. Clair’s, and so I had to turn up my volume more than usual.

As for the story — seriously, super duper cute! I loved that they had so much in common, even if Stacy didn’t know it. I loved that Rodney truly was just intrigued by her initially, and only started to fall after getting to know her. I loved seeing them connect with one another, and their chemistry was definitely butterfly inducing!

I loved them together, but I also loved both of these characters individually as well. My heart ached for Stacy’s loss of confidence in her own judgement. I hated seeing her family unintentionally do more harm with their protective instincts, but I loved seeing Stacy get her backbone back.

I totally felt for Rodney’s situation too, and actually did understand his need for keeping his identity a secret. I loved that he’d found a place where he could be himself and just be accepted for who he truly was deep down. He was so caring and sweet, and I loved his persistence and determination when he decided he wanted to pursue a relationship…but at the same time he was very clear that if that’s not what Stacy wanted as well, then he wouldn’t continue to harass her. I’ve noticed that theme in these books — sort of female empowerment, and the wonderful men who understand boundaries and do their own part.

It was great seeing the book store girls and the Mysterious Pickles peeps, even just briefly. I have a soft spot for them.

So yeah. A perfect little interim novella, and I’m debating rereading the next two books by listening to their audiobook versions, b/c I really love this series.

[Angie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Hooked is a little novella that takes place at the same time as Level Up and follows Stacy. We met her as Adam and Tessa's super hot office manager who is sick and tired of being asked out all of the time. Now we know why. She's taking a year off from dating after her last boyfriend took her for $200,000 under false pretenses. He's in jail and she's under the careful eye of her parents whom hold her trust fund. In walks Rodney who respects Stacy's choice not to date, and yet ends up as her fake boyfriend!

I liked Hooked, and really liked how it took place over just a couple of days surrounding New Year's rather than shoving weeks into 60 pages. We also know that I'm a huge fan of the fake relationship turned real, although there is quite the hilarious twist with that. Stacy isn't going to just pretend she has a boyfriend, oh no she's not! The one thing that I didn't like, and felt like didn't need to be included in a story this short, was Stacy telling Rodney to work hard to show her that he's really interested and not just trying to take advantage. The very next chapter has them getting together! Where did he prove anything?! Other than that, this was a fun and enjoyable quickie.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.

[Justin Turczak · Rating 5 out of 5]

Love this series so much. And this one I felt if was bigger could of been amazing just so small so it’s a rush series book. But love the world so I won’t complain

[Jen · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not great. I think Yardley has definitely refined her craft more in her last book (Role Playing) than her earlier books. This one was so cliche. The MMC was so dull. This is the second time recently that I’ve read a British MMC that could have been from anywhere, except of course that he was a DUKE and he loves tea and says a bunch of other cliche British things.

And at the beginning of the book when all the male coworkers were talking about her like she was a piece of meat to be won and then speculated she might be gay (because that would explain why she didn’t want to date them!). 🙄

And even though it was a novella of course we had to cram in the 3rd act blowup and silly drama due to lack of communication.

Just not for me.

2 stars

[Ruth · Rating 4 out of 5]

Taking place concurrently with the events of Level Up, Hooked is the story of Stacy - a Once Upon a Time fangirl - and Rodney - a British ex-pat coder with a secret. Even more than Tessa and Adam's story in Level Up, in taking its inspiration from OUAT, here Yardley has penned a modern-day fairytale. This all the Captain Swan fanfiction goodness I never knew I wanted (the red dress! the ball! a dashing Captain Hook! THAT EPISODE!) with (considering the story's abbreviated length) a refreshing, relatively in-depth exploration of truth and trust in relationships. And did mention the Captain Swan shout-out? Yardley gets all the points for bring that fan-favorite moment to life on the page.

[Melissa Jacobson · Rating 4 out of 5]

actual rating 4.5

Cathy does it again! This novella gave me everything I wanted and I cannot wait to read the final story in this series. Finally a NA author I can get behind! This was such a fun and sassy read and I enjoyed everyone word :)

[Shell Roush · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad for such a short story. I like the universe/characters that were created in the first and getting to revisit them. I’m glad this was short instead of drawing out the conflict of Rodney’s secret.

[Christy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Decent but the cheesiest of the tales.

[Mary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute. Definitely OUAT inspired.

[Ashley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I knew this was a 100 page novella but I was still disappointed when it was over so soon

[Reese · Rating 3 out of 5]

3 ⭐️ I wish I hadn’t read parting her curls or ramming into her welcoming warmth but apart from that this was good. Also to clarify brits do NOT put milk in first when making a tea

[Natalie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Cute novella featuring characters from the first novella and inserted nicely into the timeline. Fun seeing the same scenes from other perspectives!

[Nicole (bookwyrm) · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a fun, quick read. Once the character backgrounds were set up, the plot was predictable, but the journey to get there was still enjoyable.

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I just read this in one sitting. I'm not into the secret royalty trope but I love Captain Swan and liked Stacy immensely in book and I'm glad she found her match.

“So, you’re hitting on Stacy,” Mallory said, without preamble. “No,” he said. “I am considering wooing her, however. There’s a difference.”

[Alaska Hults · Rating 5 out of 5]

Happily Ever After

A kind heroine who still believes in happily ever after, but not necessarily one for herself. A kind hero who never saw her coming. It's a novella, so everything happens quickly, but who cares? This book is the literary equivalent of a good cuddle under a soft blanket in front of a fire. With really rich hot chocolate and real whipped cream.

P.S. Much of the timeframe overlaps with Level Up.

[Delilah Night · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet, short novella tells the story of Stacy, a girl who's been burned before and Rodney, a man with a secret. Both characters are well crafted, the chemistry is good, and the way both of their vulnerable parts interact to complicate their story is well done.

[Tiffany · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one had novellaitis. The premise was silly, and the story was rushed. The charectors were good, but I didn't have enough time to get to know and care about them

[Ewa ❀ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3,5 stars

[Christy Godfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am loving this series! Can't wait to read what comes next!

[Sarah Charles · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved the humor. This is a quick rom com that quickly pulls you in with likable characters and cute story. I love this type of series and want more. I listened to this book on Audible

[JR Maxwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cute lil novella that started off my morning right. :D My one nitpick is that there is no such thing as a 'British accent' lol, but besides that it was entertaining fun.

[Ariana · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really cute short story. Definitely worth checking out.

[Ashley (Red-Haired Ash Reads) · Rating 4 out of 5]

After a disastrous experience with her ex, the last thing Stacy Fielder is looking for is another man. Unfortunately, she can’t get the dashing Englishman Rodney Charles out of her mind.

I quite enjoyed Stacey and Rodney’s story. This novella takes place during the events in the first book, Level Up. These two both have had negative experiences with the opposite sex and now they are both very leary of relationships.

Stacey trusted the wrong man with her heart and now is terrified of it happening again. It doesn’t help that her family keeps pushing single men at her every time she turns around. Rodney is the only man who has made her feel again though. I liked that even though she was afraid of things going wrong she still gave their relationship a chance. She might have initially pushed him away when he messed up but she still lets him explain later. She was just a great heroine who had had a rough dating life.

I really liked Rodney. He was sweet, compassionate, and determined to win Stacey over. Also he’s British!! Rodney was upfront in his interest in Stacey but wasn’t pushy like the other men in the office. He left the decision up to Stacey. He really was the perfect nerdy hero.

Overall, this was a fun novella with some great characters. I do wish it had been longer though because I want more of these two.

This review was originally posted at Red-Haired Ash Reads.

[Carmen · Rating 2 out of 5]

In this novella and second instalment of the Fandom Hearts series, we are following Stacey and Rodney. They both work at a video game company, where all the males have attempted to ask Stacey out. After Stacey gets conned by her ex, she is not interested in dating despite her parents aggressive nagging attempts. In an effort to stop her mom from trying to find Stacey a date to an upcoming gala, Rodney agrees to be her fake boyfriend. Rodney is actually secretly British royalty, a Duke in disguise who wants to live a regular life. However, sparks begin to fly and both find each other attractive.

At only sixty pages, this novella was the definition of insta-love. Compared to the first book, I found this one to be forgettable and lacklustre. Everything happened way too quick, but I guess that's to be expected in a 60 page novella. The "conflict" lasted three pages. Both characters were one dimensional and lacked substance, except for how hot Stacey was, and how sexy Rodney's accent was. I considered DNFing it but continued for the sole reason that it was only sixty pages. I've read a few of CY's books and really enjoyed all of them. This one is my least favorite so far but I'll continue reading her work.

[Ria · Rating 3 out of 5]

Very cute... But one grumble: my usual grumble when non-Brits write about British people. 1) We're not all secret royalty. 2) We don't all drink tea. 3) Even if we don't drink tea, we know that Earl Grey should not be drunk with milk and certainly not with sugar. Seriously, get an actual Brit to proofread.

However, I really did find this cute. I like this series a lot and I would have enjoyed it if this book had been a bit longer. Rodney was a poster boy for how men should behave in this post #MeToo world, leaving the ball firmly in the lady's court. It was actually kind of striking to see him repeatedly say "yes I'm keen, but I'll only go further if you are clear that you're keen too". This was even after a racy kiss, and it was unusual enough in love stories to stand out. So hooray for nice chaps like Rodney, even if he doesn't know how to drink Earl Grey. And Stacy's dilemma was an interesting one, and it was nice to see her fleshed out, especially after the fun character we met in Level Up.

Looking forward to more from this series, and I hope Stacy and Rodney get a bit more page time, these two were adorbz.

[Heather · Rating 3 out of 5]

This has the feeling of a modern day fairy tale.

Goodreads classifies it as 1.5 in the series, but Audible says it's 2.5. Interesting.

Rodney work as a coder at Magic Pickle (with Tessa, Adam, etc) but he has a secret: he's actually a Duke (!?) hiding under an assumed name to stay away from the paparazzi, etc. Stacy was recently hurt by a con man acting as her boyfriend. They are drawn together.... but how will she feel about him once she knows his secret?

I have to call-out the angsty bit at the end. Kinda silly and a non-issue.

Cover: As much as this is meh, it is SO MUCH better than the ebook's cover. Ouch! It's hideous.
Narrators: The same as the rest of the series.
Hogwarts Sorting Hat: I think Rodney is a Ravenclaw and Stacy a Hufflepuff.

Themes: secret identity, masquerade ball, family