The Hero and the Hacktivist

Girl Band #4

by Pippa Grant

For anyone who’s ever been on the receiving end of an unsolicited dick pic…

He has the muscles of Adonis, an ego bigger than the sun, and a very clear desire to get back in my pants. Which would be fantastic if he weren’t a SEAL and I wasn’t a criminal.

Although, I prefer the term avenger.

I’m a hacktivist, cleaning up the cesspool of cyberspace one scam artist and troll at a time, and I sometimes bend a few rules to get justice done.

He’s a military man with abs of glory, sworn to uphold the letter of the law no matter its shortcomings. And if he’d known who—or what—I was, I doubt he would’ve banged me at my best friend’s wedding reception.

Or come back for more.

Which is why he’s now the only thing standing between me and one very pissed off internet troll who’s figured out where I live.

I’m pretty sure he’ll get me out of this alive—and quite satisfied, thank you very much—but I’m also pretty sure this mission will end with me in handcuffs.

And not the good kind of handcuffs.

The Hero and the Hacktivist is a romping fun SEAL / Best Friend's Brother / Robin Hood in Cyberspace romance between a meathead and an heiress, complete with epic klutziness, terrible leg warmers, and an even worse phone virus gone wrong. This romantic comedy stands alone with no cheating or cliffhangers and ends with a fabulously fun happily ever after.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Military Fiction, Rom Com, Contemporary Romance, Humor

286 pages, ebook

First published November 9, 2018

About the author

Pippa Grant wanted to write books, so she did.

Before she became a USA Today and #1 Amazon bestselling romantic comedy author, she was a young military spouse who got into writing as self-therapy. That happened around the time she discovered reading romance novels, and the two eventually merged into a career. Today, she has more than 30 knee-slapping Pippa Grant titles and nine published under the name Jamie Farrell.

When she’s not writing romantic comedies, she’s fumbling through being a mom, wife, and mountain woman, and sometimes tries to find hobbies. Her crowning achievement? Having impeccable timing for telling stories that will make people snort beverages out of their noses. Consider yourself warned.

Reviews

[Carol [Goodreads Addict] · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hero and the Hacktivist is by Pippa Grant. Going in to any of Pippa’s books, you know in advance you are going to get plenty of crazy, zany, steamy, sexy fun. But you are also going to get characters that are good to the core, that have insecurities and a huge heart. Characters you can’t help but to love.



Rhett Elliott is Parker’s (from Stud in the Stacks) brother. He is a Navy Seal but is currently stuck behind a desk at the local recruiting office due to a mission gone bad. He’s not at all happy with this but he’s also got his hands full helping out one of his teammates who I’m hoping we might get to know more about in a future book. I really liked him.



We have met the mysterious Eloise Jayne in the other books. She is the drummer in the girl’s band and seems to be feared by all. There is so much to Eloise that I want to tell you about but I’m afraid I’ll say too much. First of all, she is a computer hacker. She calls herself a hacktivist, cleaning up the cesspool of cyberspace one scam artist and troll at a time, and she sometimes bends a few rules to get justice done. She also has a huge addiction to Twizzlers! Eloise comes on super strong, she has come on to everyone of her band mates brothers at one time or another. They all think she’s strange and no one ever takes her up on her offers. Until Parker’s wedding, until Rhett.



As you get to know Eloise, you really see that there is so much more to her. And so does Rhett. Her number one priority is her brother. Other than that, she keeps to herself and her computers, righting the wrongs of cyperspace one troll at a time. I think she doesn’t feel like she is loveable. As the book moves along and she has gotten herself in trouble, she seems amazed that the other women in her band actually care about her, are worried about her. And she doesn’t know what Rhett sees in her. I loved watching her amazement as she realizes that these people truly care about her. But, I’m getting ahead of myself here.

“It’s the first time in my life someone outside of my family has really cared to get me. Despite knowing the ‘me’ I show the world.”

Eloise might have gotten herself in a bit over her head with her latest project. Somehow the person she was after figured out where she lives and he’s after her. Of course, Rhett comes to the rescue. But he doesn’t really know what she’s done. Rhett is a Navy Seal. He lives by rules and laws. She works around them.



Rhett can’t get Eloise out of his head. He knows she’s up to something and he wants to help her. He also knows that when his desk punishment is over, he’ll be leaving again. He’s not planning on staying. But until then, he wants to explore what this thing is between them.

“Her touch both ignites me and soothes a deep ache in my soul. It’s like finding a missing piece. That last thing that makes me feel like I don’t entirely fit. That this chaos inside me isn’t a flaw.”

This was so much crazy fun. These two were definitely two halves of a whole. Rhett saw through all of Eloise’s bluster and saw the person she kept hidden. Pippa Grant has such a talent for writing characters like this. Characters that keep themselves hidden away until just the right person comes along and sees right through it all. So, buckle your seat belts for this one, ladies. And maybe stock up on Twizzlers! You’re in for a sweet, sexy, wild ride. Pippa Grant’s books always seem to make my days just a little bit brighter. I hope the same for you.

For more about this book and so many more, come and visit me at Carol's Crazy Bookish World.
https://www.facebook.com/groups/44036...

[Pippa Grant]

Author's note, RELEASE DAY!
I loved writing this book SO MUCH! Eloise was crazy, Rhett was a little grumpy and a lot determined and a whole lot hot, and everything from the awkward wedding hook-up to the leg warmers to the phone virus to ... Anyway. It was fun to write, and I hope it's equally fun to read. :-)

Also, I might love these bonus epilogues the most.

Next up: CHARMING AS PUCK! Nick Murphy's getting a story, and I'm already cackling in evil author glee.

Author's note, 1 week before release day:
Rhett and Eloise would've celebrated Halloween last night. Yes, I know what they wore to their first Halloween party, but I can't tell you. Rhett says it's classified.
I CAN tell you that their plans for their first Thanksgiving involve a pumpkin pie eating contest. And trash-talking over text message with Rhett's sister, Parker (from STUD IN THE STACKS) who has a horrible case of autocorrect-itis.
November 9 is coming soon!

Author's note, 2 weeks before release day:
The Hero and the Hacktivist has a blurb! Eloise is a little upset about it - she doesn't like being called a criminal - but she'll live. Mostly because she gets to spend the book with Rhett. And touch Rhett. And lick him. And then there's that thing with the...wait. I'm not supposed to talk about that yet.
November 9 is getting closer!

Author's note, 3 weeks before release day:
The Hero and the Hacktivist has entered final edits. My editor texted me within the first two chapters to question Eloise's creative use of euphemisms and to request that I please pay for a replacement keyboard. I asked that she please instead refrain from eating or drinking while editing.

Kidding. No keyboards have been harmed in the creation of this romantic comedy. Yet. But not eating or drinking while reading is still probably a wise decision.


Author's note, 4 weeks before release day:
Revisions happened this week for Rhett and Eloise. I pulled a muscle in my face from laughing too hard. It remains to be seen if anyone else will be as amused as I am, but I have hope.

Next week I'll contemplate bonus epilogues.


Author's note, 5 weeks before release day:
Eloise is crazy. I love her. When she walked onto the page on Mister McHottie and then tried humping everything in sight, I wasn't sure how I was going to make her into a heroine in her own story, but you know what?
Every woman is a heroine in her own unique way.
And it's just fun to pair her with a Navy SEAL who happens to be her best friend's brother.

[Sabrina · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a clear case of, it's me not you. I just couldn't appreciate the type of humor in this book and it's not my kind of thing. All the characters read more as immature kids than anything else and I couldn't connect to any of them. Eloise was just a tiresome character to read about and had me rolling my eyes more times than I can count. Rhett was a little better but didn't have me liking his character all that much. I found myself skimming a lot, especially during texting parts with Parker who apparently can't text so everything comes out as a bad case of auto-correct. Which half the time made no sense and was too over the top to be funny to me, and instead just annoyed me. Bottom line, this wasn't the book for me.

[Jacob Proffitt · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is fourth in a series where the characters are all up in each others' business. And they all feature prominently in this story. Plus, there are appearances by others from other books by the author. Frankly, at this point, you probably aught to be reading Grant's books by publication date as she cross-pollinates liberally.

I haven't much liked Eloise in the other books. She's crass and off-putting and that's not mitigated much by hints that it's a deliberate mechanism to keep others at a distance. So I didn't have high hopes for this book. Which is just as well, I suppose. I'm a little surprised that I wasn't tempted to dnf given how irritating she is, but I wasn't really. Some of that is a tolerance for the kind of fantasy Grant writes (where things are a bit extra for story purposes). And some of it is that I enjoyed the tech nerd bits (which were completely fabricated and impossible, but not completely unreal—and that's exactly what I mean about Grant's version of fantasy).

Rhett wasn't a ton better than Eloise, though at least he isn't deliberately off-putting. I liked his tolerance for Eloise and I'm always going to have a place in my heart for the capable guy doing his best for those he cares about. I could have done with less of his negative motivation*, though it was slightly better-founded than Eloise's.

And I don't have a lot else to say. The dark moment was tolerable because at least they talked (eventually). So I'm going to go with three stars. Which is a little generous, but not entirely so.

A note about Steamy: I let this review go long enough that I forget how many explicit sex scenes there were. It was edging into the high end of my steam tolerance, though bonus points for originality. I'm taking those points away for Eloise's attitude, often expressed in actual words, though.

* Negative Motivations: I kind of hate that the term "negative motivation" isn't widespread, yet. Since it isn't, I'm going to save off this little jag to append to my reviews that feature the term. Jennifer Crusie blogged about it a bit back (or, if that link doesn't work, here's a cache of the original) and it changed how I understand story. The problem with the term is that if you've never heard it before, you'd assume it meant motivations that are harmful or immoral. Not so. What it refers to is motivations not to do something. The thing is that many of us are motivated to not do things for a lot of different, perfectly valid and reasonable, reasons. The problem is that in a story motivations to not do things are a huge drag on the plot—particularly considering the fact that most negative motivations are overcome by the character simply deciding they don't care any more (or, rather, that they do care and are now motivated to do the thing). So not only do you have a counter to action but you also have a situation where to overcome it, all a character has to do is change their mind. Which means eventually, the reader is rooting for the character to get over him/herself already and do the thing we want them to do. Conflict drives story. Conflict between a reader and a main character drives readers away from story.

[Ryan - Sweet Red Reader · Rating 5 out of 5]

Here's the thing: I love Pippa Grant. I have since I read Mr. McHottie - somehow she is able to give us zany, real-life realness complete with laugh out loud hilarity (that doesn't feel cheap or forced), sexiness and heat and CHEMISTRY up the wazoo, plots that riveting, and characters that you wish that were real actual people that you knew. That's what I've gotten from every book of hers that I've read since Mr. McHottie, including The Hero and the Hacktivist. The fact that we met Rhett and Eloise in previous books made the anticipation for their story so sweet and I was so happy that the author was able to meet and exceed my expectations. In fact, I loved their story so much that I want to go back and start at the beginning of this group of interconnected standalones and meet them again so that I can binge on their love and the love of all of their friends and family. This was the book that I needed after reading a very good yet very heavy book, followed by some mediocre smut, and a book that left me feeling meh. So thank you for rescuing my reading week Ms. Grant. 4.5 out of 5 wine glasses.

[Carol · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars.
This was no doubt the craziest and wackiest rom-com that I have ever read.
I am at a partial loss for words to try and describe this book any further.
If you like Pipppa Grant it is a must read but I am fairly certain that this book is not for everyone.
The humor is not only snarky, but it is quick witted, in your face and majorly smutty.
Eloise was a total trip, I have never heard a character use so many different words or expressions for having sex or the necessary body parts.
Wildly hilarious at times but maybe I am more of a subtle gal to be honest as I slightly preferred the other two books that I have read by her : "Mister McHottie" and "Stud in the Stacks".


****I went back and highlighted several portions of this book and upped my rating some more because this really is a ridiculously funny book with some totally outrageous dialogue!!! Please read my highlights if you are interested in reading this****

[Inna · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 stars. I was excited to try another book by this author because I liked “The Last Eligible Billionaire” so much. I really had high hopes that I had found another author to add to my favorites list. Unfortunately, this book was a disappointment overall. I didn’t like the humor, the hero, or the heroine all that much, I thought the plot line was a little too far fetched. Basically, I just wasn’t impressed. I still listened to the whole thing (it’s on hoopla), but it never really improved. I especially hated how dumb the ending was… the total lack of communication from the hero was just SO ANNOYING!

Safe; no om/ow drama, hero was a manwhore, heroine acted promiscuous but wasn’t, neither of them were each other’s first choice, no cheating.

[Treena · Rating 1 out of 5]

I'm sorry to be the first 1-star review of this book. But this book was miss for me. I was not enamored with the craziness of Eloise. I found her zaniness a little too OTT for my taste. Scenes that were supposed to be funny were also falling flat. And good grief, I found their sexy times more weird than hot bec of Eloise's inner voice. I got turned off, to be honest.

Dax and Willow still are my favorite couple of this series/"family".

[Ivy Deluca · Rating 3 out of 5]

I liked this latest entry into the Pippa Grant 'verse, but i have to say, you know when a series - be it TV, movies or books - has been going on a while and the things that you loved and disliked about it get even more exaggerated? That's what i think I'm feeling at this point. It has that humor that can be LOL or occasionally cringey, and the crazy, over the top plotlines that seem to get crazier every book. I do enjoy Ms. Grant's writing and when the characters open up, there can be some real genuinely emotional scenes. So I'm sticking with this crazy train, even if it's starting to weave on and off of the rails.

[Jessica · Rating 1 out of 5]

My desire to read this buckled under the ego of the hero who just reeked of all the traits of toxic masculinity. Dnf in chapter one

[Steph · Rating 1 out of 5]

Ummmm... I dont even know where to start with this trainwreck. The writing in this book is absolute shit. I read 9% of it and I just could not finish it. It's just so awful. So just to give u a little taste and so u understand just how I feel. I have decided to include just a few lines from the book and you'll see what I mean...

"I’m not even picturing my pirate lover’s O-face, and I’m getting wet in the noodle hamper."
“Just bang me like a drum, okay? Some uh-uh-uh action, right?” I thrust my hips.
“Are you juicing your dick?” I blurt. “Holy fuck, it’s like three dicks in one."

..........Is she 12?!?!! As a matter of fact, I dont even think a 12 yr old would even say stupid shit like this. I mean really?!?!?!
Look. I'm gonna be completely honest, I love awkward and weird ass characters. They're funny and full of good witty banter, but this! I dont even know what it is! I was so confused and utterly dumbfounded that the author thought this was funny. Or that even an editor or publisher would read this and willingly print it! I just dont understand. 🤦‍♀️

Do not waste ur time like I wasted 30 minutes of my life that I will never get back. Just look away and move on with ur life because that's exactly what I will do.

[Annie Dyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Filled with unicorn glitter and awesomeness

Pippa never fails to dust her books with unicorn glitter and fake tears, although the tears aren’t fake. I’m used to it: silly, fantabulous humour with writing that has a pace like she’s forgotten to take her ADHD meds, laced with characters who have more dimensions than a diamond. The plots are daft, funny, escape reality daft, and the Hero and the Hacktivist is no different. Chuck in an elf sized computer geek weirdo, who’s weird for a complexity of reasons that don’t need explaining to death because a smart reader can work it out and a huge alpha Navy SEAL. Both are broken, both have their facets, none are what you’d expect from a romance novel. But this is romance of the best kind, because I know these characters. Apart from the fact that every male has a HUGE penis, their qualities and insecurities are real. And that’s what makes me suspend my disbelief and enjoy

[Bookgasms Book Blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Okay, so when you laugh loud enough to wake your dogs in another room, you know that you’re greatly enjoying a book. Seriously, I may have peed a little in a few parts of The Hero and the Hacktivist.

I absolutely loved gruff, grumbly Rhett and zany, fun Eloise. They’re so opposite in personality that they’re absolutely perfect for each other. Rhett needs Eloise and her brand of crazy in his life—he needs to loosen up after all those years in the military. And Eloise needs someone to stay—someone solid and loves her just as she is. Well, maybe reigning her in just a skosh on her hacktivism . . . but don’t ask, don’t tell, right?

Seriously, I couldn’t read The Hero and the Hacktivist fast enough to see just how Rhett and Eloise were going to get out of what was happening in leg warmer-gate. How Willow, Parker and Sia were going to hinder . . . err . . . help Rhett and his investigation. And whoa, did Rhett investigate—all of Eloise and loved every bit.

The Hero and the Hacktivist is a hilarious, smart, sexy, sweet romance that will leave you in stitches and with a big ol’ smile on your face. I know my grin is still there days later when I think about all the hilarity that unfolded. ~ Missy, 5 “Ass of Glory” stars

[Terri Moore · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought Eloise’s crazy would grow on me, or mellow out just a scootch by the 50% mark, but I was mistaken. I know this author brings the crazy - I picked up Beauty and the Beefcake super skeptical I could get into the whole puppet thing and was floored that I loved the shit out of that book. So when I wasn’t feeling Eloise right away I wasn’t phased. But I never grew to like her and thought she was... too much. Her inner dialogue combined with what actually came out of her mouth was exhausting. I even skimmed the sex scenes. It was like my brain was trying to constantly translate her crazy and that was a real downer. Is all of this enough to deter me from reading another Pippa Grant book? Absolutely not. This one was just a miss for me.

[Mary Haraf · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF...I just couldn't finish this. Maybe because I didn't read the previous books? Also, trying too hard to be funny ALL the time - for me it was just annoying, sorry.

[Mysti]

I asked Audible for a military romance and it delivered me this (along with two other duds). I can 100% promise you, romance is the LAST thing this book offers. It's really a very OTT cheesy comedy. I'll make a quick summary.

Eloise is a hacker who freely propositions every man she meets. Most of them turn her down, until she hooks up with her friend's brother, Rhett, at a wedding. Too bad the sex was interrupted before he ever got off. Poor guy. Anyway - now she's in trouble with the "leg warmer mafia" and needs protection. Yada yada, bada bing, bada boom, Rhett is there to save the day. At the 50% mark, he'd given her two more big O's, but he hasn't gotten off even once.

And this is where I leave them. I do like comedy, but these aren't the kind of jokes I find humorous. I couldn't take anything seriously in this book. She named her cats "Princess Sparkle Butt" and "Prince Snufflesaurus"! I will clarify; it appears that she just propositioned men to create a false personality and throw people off.

Here are some awesome lines you can expect from this gem of a book:

"it’s making my joystick heavier on both the joy and the stick parts."

Mr. Winky in my pants droops as he starts to lose hope. “Are you a horny bridesmaid looking to get out of that dress or not?”

I’m getting wet in the noodle hamper.

just the pressure of his monster schlong knocking at my door is making my nipples ache

My love glove clamps around his dick so tight it gets a cramp

"Your sausage didn’t fill my bun. It was undercooked and dried out at the same time."

my cooch is still spasming like it’s been hit with a bug zapper

God only knows what could happen if I let his mouth loose on Puss McGroodle down there.

I have no business getting damp in the wondermuffin right now

I’ll let you stick your man meat in my lady bun again.

His thunder noodle is definitely doing its thing, lengthening and thicken...

[P. Dangelico]

So much fun.

4% into Eloise’s POV and I’m cry laughing so hard I can’t see what I’m typing. My first Pippa Grant. What a great surprise. 🤞🏻

[Carly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rhett strips out of his shirt, and holy mother of binary, I just ovulated so hard I think an egg fell out my nose.
I tell myself muscles aren't really my thing, but apparently I'm lying, and I can't convince myself otherwise. I don't even bother with the total bullshit that his tattoos aren't sexy as fuck, because they are.

~

Her touch is owning me. Claiming me. Everywhere her hands go, I'm hers.
I know this can't last - she's chaos, playing by her own rules, and I'm probably already in hot water with my chain of command for getting this involved with her problems - but screw it.
She's good for my soul.


Okay, so first off, with this being the ninth book I've read by Pippa Grant, I can safely say she is absolutely now one of my favorite authors. I have loved every single book so far, and this one is no exception. Pippa Grant is quickly becoming a new hero, now she just needs the super speed so she can publish half a dozen books every few months. Seriously I would read them, she can not write fast enough. It's been awhile since I read so many new books by the same author, in the same series/setting so close together. I try to space them out a little more so I can kind of savor it and so I don't run through all the published books too quickly. But I can't help myself with these, it's like literary heroin, I can only go so long without and then bam, I'm in desperate need of a ridiculous, hilarious, snarky fix.
In fact, that brings me to my next point. This book was so funny I basically highlighted the whole fucking thing. I wish I was joking, but I'm not, I went seriously overboard with the status updates, but that has nothing on the parts I highlighted to go back and re-read to see what I wanted to add to the review. Actually, give me a second, I'm gonna go count ……… I ended up with 13 status updates, which is way too many for a book of this size, but I just couldn't help myself. It probably would have been more if the updates weren't limited to the 420 characters. But those I mostly do for me, they crack me up at the time or whatever I like about them, but a lot of the time I use them to remember a book before going on to the next. Anyway, 13 is a lot but my "review highlights" are worse, sit tight ……… holy shit, I have 38, 38 separate entries in my little notes section. Obviously that's way too many to put in here, but I like to think of it as an indication of how much I liked a story. Something caught me eye and I liked it enough to pause, go back and highlight it. Almost all of these ones are scenes that made me laugh, usually out loud, with an occasional snort. A few are cute scenes between Rhett and Eloise. All of them made me love them that much more.
Alright, so on to the actual story. I liked both Rhett and Eloise whenever they appeared in the other books, but I loved them in their own. They might be one of my favorite couples, they're both ridiculously absurd. The story, while also ridiculously absurd (with the leg warmer bad guy) is still really good, but unfortunately the ending kind of stutters. The first 30 chapters flow along at a nice clip with banter, absurdity, smexy times, mystery, more banter, and weird hilarious text conversations. But the ending seemed rushed and uneventful in comparison. Rhett leaves on a Wednesday, he's back on Saturday, and he gives Eloise a quick run down about what happened during that time, and that was it. I will say, what he told her had happened, was a surprise to me. But considering everything they did to get to that point, a quick, pre-fuck conversation that is essentially wrapping up the loose ends in a neat, little bow is a bit of a disappointment. The little epilogue kind of helps take the sting off, but the ending just felt out of place. That's really my only complaint, and it's not nearly bad enough to overshadow how much fun I had while reading it, so I'm content to say 'it is what it is.' Regardless, I'll be quickly moving to the next one. Because, seriously, this woman may be my new hero.


"We'll have to be friends," he announces.
"Friends don't bang."
"Friends with benefits do."
"Not this friend. And maybe I don't want to be your friend. Maybe I'm only friends with girls."
He points to his nose, which is just this side of off-center, which is oddly endearing too.
Who am I, and what have I done with my normal brand of common sense? I don't go for big-muscled military dudes. They can snap me like a twig without even trying, and I can't hack my way out of that.
"You see this face," he says. "This is the face of a guy who respects his friend enough to not ask if he can watch you being friends with girls."
Okay, truth?
I'd bang him because that was a good line.

~

I snap a picture of a few things - like the leg warmer attached to the threat, because what the hell kind of message is that? - and let myself out of the twenty-story building the same way I came in.
By helicopter pack on my back.
Oh, come on. You believed me for a minute there.
I get to the bottom of the back stairwell and head past another dumpster of shame tattling on at least a dozen people for sending dick pics.
Eloise hasn't denied that being her fault, and I don't know if it's because she likes the idea of being responsible for outing dick pic senders, or if it's because she actually is responsible, like some sort of digital Robin Hood avenging women's eyes everywhere, and knows better than to incriminate herself.
She's chaos.
And she's in trouble up to her spiky hair.
And I'm hard as a pipe, because chaos in a little package with a smart mouth and a tight pussy is fucking irresistible right now.

~

And then my phone blows up with a group text.
Brooks: Whoa, apocalypse alert. Rhett took a day of leave. We need supplies and a bunker.
Gavin: I have beer.
Jack: I'll bring the beef jerky.
Brooks: Knox can bring the porn.
Knox: Book porn is my life.
Parker: I gobble I turducken wife.
Parker: ATF!
Parker: Truckdriver mansplain DUCK DUCK DUCK.
Gavin: Some days I think we should cut her out of group texts, but then she duck duck ducks us…
Jack: I love a good duck.
Brooks: You wouldn't know a good duck if it quacked up your ass.
Knox: I fucking love you guys.
Parker: And what am I? Gorgonzola masturbate?
Jack: Whoa.
Gavin: *masturbate hand gesture gif*
Brooks: *cheese emoji*
Knox: Rhett, you sick?
Brooks: Hold up, Mr. Romance. We'll see if Rapunzel has a fever after we're done mocking your wife.
Gavin: He has a point. Rhett never takes leave. We need to get a bunker stat.
Knox: Wait. Parker's asking if this has something to do with Eloise.
Jack: The freaky drummer chick?
Brooks: The one who tried to hump my arm?
Gavin: The one who gave her drumstick a blow job?
Rhett: Would you all shut the fuck up?
Jack: Whoa.
Gavin: Holy shit. You like her.
Brooks: Are you getting freaky with the freak-meister?
Parker: Shovel the fiduciary cup.
Parker: *hamburger emoji*
Parker: DUCK
Knox: Parker says Rhett, touch Eloise and die, but also did you find her? And the rest of you, quit mocking her friend.
Brooks: Texting with Parker is way less fun now that she has an autocorrect translator.
Gavin: Agreed.
Jack: *thumbs up emoji*
Two cops come out of the building and head to a squad car before I can throat-punch my family through the cell signal, and if you doubt that's possible, you've clearly never met a SEAL.

~

"I took care of a criminal so the authorities wouldn't have to. I did the world a favor. You're welcome."
"Oh my god," Parker's eyes go wide. "You-you're-how- fuck."
"What?" Willow says.
My sister points at me, then Eloise. "They're like…the same. He's a SEAL god. She's a hacker god. But the ego. The saving the world… Oh my god. I need a paper bag. I can't handle this."
"We're not the same. I don't have a dick. And if I did, it would be bigger than his." Eloise frowns. "Although that really would give me a third leg, assuming I was still short, because his is pretty-"
"Aaarrrrrggghhh!" Parker claps her hands over her ears.
"Nuclear," Eloise finishes with a grin.
"Dude, if your junk's radioactive, you should see a doctor," Knox tells me.

~

"You can't die not remembering the last time you had your dick sucked," I point out.
"I'm not going to die."
"Shut up and take the blow job, moron."
He huffs out a laugh, and if I thought his ass was glorious, that's nothing compared to the power of his smile.
I could tell you it could cause enough spontaneous ovulations to knock the world off its axis, but I'm a bad judge of traditionally hot.
All I know is, his smile's making me want to kiss him again. And cuff him to the bed. And do some Independence Day/Armageddon, the-world-is-ending type of making out.
I feel like Liv Tyler, but with smaller lips and shorter hair and a dude way hotter than Ben Affleck. No offense to Ben Affleck. He's just no Rhett Elliott.

~

"You still left," I whisper.
"And I came back."
He did. And my heart's trying to pound out of my chest to reach for him, even though he makes me mad, because he came back. "No one ever comes back."
"Eloise-"
"No one," I repeat. "Did you hit your head or something? Are you delirious from lack of sleep? Did you get your brain addled by aliens? Is this some secret government plot to figure out how I hacked into their satellites?"
His smile's growing warmer and sexier with every syllable I utter. "I fucking missed you."
"That was indigestion from too many Twizzlers."
I'm sitting with my back against a couch that Sia and Chase have most likely banged on at least a dozen times, with my legs splayed, my deodorant failing, and my worst attitude on full display. If this doesn't scream warning, warning, she will not become less crazy if you continue to express interest in her, I don't know what does.
"I missed that quick mouth," he says as if he intends to charm my pants off.

[Dali · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Hero and the Hacktivist is book 4 of the Girl Band series and book 1 of the SEALS series by Pippa Grant.

Tropes:
💰Heroine billionaire
🎖️Hero in armed forces
🏠Forced Proximity
⚖️Opposites attract



"The Hero and the Hacktivist" by Pippa Grant is an exhilarating romp of a book that delivers an enjoyable blend of humor, romance, and intrigue. Eloise and Rhett make for an unconventional yet endearing pair, and their chemistry is undeniable.

The dynamic between Eloise and Rhett is the heart of the story. Eloise, our hacktivist, is a sassy and fearless character who hides her vulnerabilities behind a wall of confidence and a parade of colorful expressions. Rhett, on the other hand, is the epitome of a capable, understanding hero who brings out the real Eloise hidden beneath the bravado. It's a classic tale of opposites attracting, and the way they complete each other is a highlight of the book.

The storyline is a rollercoaster of a sweet, sexy, and wild ride. The humorous elements are on point, and you'll find yourself chuckling at the witty banter and the quirky situations Eloise and Rhett find themselves in. Eloise's antics and her knack for getting into trouble make for some entertaining moments.

One point worth noting is that Eloise's penchant for using various expressions and euphemisms for intimate moments might be a bit overwhelming for some readers.

What stands out in this book is Rhett's remarkable tolerance for Eloise and his unwavering support for her. His portrayal as a capable guy doing his best for those he cares about is heartwarming and adds depth to the story.

"The Hero and the Hacktivist" promises a lively and enjoyable romantic journey. It's a tale of two individuals finding their halves in each other, and it's a story of love, laughter, and a happily ever after. If you enjoy romantic comedies with a ton of quirkiness and a dollop of heart, this book is well worth a listen.

[Sakshi · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was definitely not for me. I didn't like Hero's "I'm god" thing also he wanted to be with heroine just because her pussy was tight (he said that way too many times) and because she gave him a similar kind of rush which his previous job did. I also don't get it why it was mentioned that she had been with 7 men when he had been with countless?
Though I liked heroine relationship with her brother.

[Steph's Romance Book Talk · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars / 4 Steam Fans

Video review available in Week 37: Sep 12 – Sep 18, 2021, full weekly book reviews available on Steph's Romance Book Talk Patreon.

For other bookish content, check out my YouTube Channel: Steph's Romance Book Talk.

[Kelsey · Rating 1 out of 5]

The only bandmember's book I liked was Willow's.

Sia was crazy mean, Parker was weirdly insecure, and now Eloise is legitimately crazy.

Sure, she's got some human moments. Her interactions with her brother are amazing. But overall we learn almost none of her backstory. Nor do we learn much about Rhett. They fight bad guys, have sex, do some computer hacking, lie about feelings, have more sex... Yeah that's about it.

Eloise's crazy wasn't "charming" or cute either. She had weird food analogies. And tbh, I can see teenagers acting this way. Not adults. But really that's all Eloise is. She's not chaos, she's a teenager who's decided to never grow up, so she says things to shock people. It's childish at best, and full on ridiculous at worst. It is amazing she has any friends.

Rhett had some big problems going on in the book but they aren't really explored because the book focuses on Eloise's chaos too much. That was disappointing. This book feels like a step back from Grant's previous in the series. She was finally developing good storylines and characters but here she reverted back to ridiculous antics to keep readers interested.

[Brenda . · Rating 1 out of 5]

Truly horrible writing and book. I got it free (thank goodness) because it was advertised as a funny romance. I really don't know how whoever thinks it is funny with the amount of nonsense words put together (like over and over many many times) that you have to wade through the muck to figure out what euphemism the writer is trying to get across. Ugh I got through about 1/3 of book and I just gave up. Not funny, nor romantic etc.

[TJ · Rating 1 out of 5]

1,5 ⭐️
Another book with a shirtless man on the cover for my list ☑️
But it doesn't change the fact that this book has been all sorts of weird… I mean the term salami has been used as a synonym for penis and that says more than enough… I should’ve DNFed right there and then but I kept going and where did it get me? Ugh I sometimes hate myself 😖

[thisisabooktracker · Rating 1 out of 5]

Oh my god. I don’t normally write reviews but this was garbage. I couldn’t get past the first two chapters. I love hate-reading bad romance but there was absolutely nothing redeemable about this. I borrowed it with Kindle Unlimited and I still want to ask for my money back.

[Valeen Robertson (Live Thru Books Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eloise is a drummer, a hacker and an activist. She's mysterious and independently wealthy. She's also different, tattooed and has lots of insecurities. And she's a criminal. When she and Rhett hook up at his sister's wedding, neither expects what happens afterward. She because men never come back for seconds with her. He because he's supposed to be worrying more about his SEAL career. But they cannot get enough of each other and that attraction will change both their lives.



When Eloise needs a hero, though, who better to help than Rhett, a Navy SEAL and professional badass warrior? Rhett is starting to catch feelings for his petite, tattooed chaos. What's a big, bad SEAL to do when a tiny little criminal needs his help? Help? Run away because he can't be having feelings for her, for a criminal? Hmmm...



I thought The Hero and the Hacktivist was laugh out loud fun, witty, and sexy. I adored Rhett and Eloise's chemistry. Seemingly mismatched souls were perfect together. So why 4 instead of 5 stars that I normally give Pippa's writing? One word - Eloise. I'm afraid that she annoyed me A LOT. Yes she was fun and crazy and cute. But she was too much for me. Her inner and outer thoughts were probably meant to be snarky and cute but to me they came off as just annoying, as did she. Just annoying. Aside from her, though, The Hero and the Hacktivist was top notch. Sexy, fun and funny, and had lots of heart. Pippa hasn't let me down yet and I doubt she ever will.



ARC via Give Me Books Promotions for an honest review.

Full review posted on Live Through Books Blog.

[Linda (un)Conventional Bookworms · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my favorite of all the books in the series! I loved finally getting to know more about Eloise and her knowledge of all things computers! I loved what she did :) And of course, it added some spice that she fell for one of her best friend's brothers as well.

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

Bold characters, laugh out loud rom-com….

I couldn’t wait for more antics from my favourite all-girl, boy band, cover band! That’s a mouthful but so were these stories. If they were meant to make me laugh out loud (A LOT!) well goal met because I think I’m still giggling from the last story. And I knew Eloise was only going to make me laugh more…

Eloise was an in your face character that screamed ‘girl power’. She was wickedly smart, smart-mouthed and bold in a way that yelled ‘take me the way I am/take me’. LOL – she was not shy about stating her wants and desires even if she pinged on the edge of ‘too much’ at times. A smoke screen, a defensive façade, a person who lived life as honestly as she could, that honesty was her hallmark and it was fantastic! Rhett may have gotten lost in the shadow of such a vivid character but instead he brought his own unique foibles and strengths to the story. And together? Well, they fit perfectly… Fab read! ~Diane, 4.5 stars

[Chloe Liese · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love a book that makes me laugh out loud and scissor my legs at the same time (and it’s not so I don’t pee myself if ya know what I mean...). Hot, hilarious, and fast-paced. The main love interests were as endearing as they were odd. The world of erotic romance needs more genuinely weird, funny, sexy characters like these.

[Jodi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rhett and Eloise are PERFECT together. Quirky, funny, but sweet and such an amazing pair. The whole gang makes an appearance in this book and all of it is amazing!!