What do you do when your well meaning little sister won’t stop setting you up on dates? What do you do when the bombs at pick up won’t stop drooling over you? Fake date of course!

Sophie is a single mom who is just trying to do her best. She wants her daughter to have play dates and be invited to parties. Joe is a single dad who just wants to be able to move on as more than the sad dad. But the moms at school swarm him at every chance they get. These two decide to fake date to make both of their goals happen. I really enjoyed this one. As a parent when Joe asked Sophie if she needed a ride to the party that Lila wasn’t invited to, my heart absolutely sunk. I could understand how Sophie would be willing to do fake date to get her invited to things. I loved the banter between Sophie and Joe. I appreciated the ending of who went after who to declare their love. Definitely check this one out!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ stars
No spice but a whole lotta tension

Favourite Lines:
I know it's wrong to formulate strong opinions on four-year-olds but Oscar, quite clearly, is a douche.

'Sidney's dad brings sweets to pickup ...'
What a dickhead.

Contemporary single-parent romance with witty banter and hilarious FMC. The main characters fake a relationship to avoid pushy family members trying to get them back on the dating scene, and make their lives easier with the "it" crowd of parents at school pick up.

This book was so wholesome and refreshing, I breezed through it in two days and found myself heavily invested in Sophie and Joe's fauxmance. The chemistry between them was sizzling, the quips were on point, and the funny moments trying to wrangle toddlers only added to the atmosphere. The side characters were all great, especially Frankie, and wouldn't a spin off for Poppy and Adam be amazing?!

The only thing I could have asked for was a little bit of spice as a reward for the all that sexual tension, but I suppose that's a personal preference. I did want them to get together way sooner, but it was absolutely worth the wait, and the slow burn felt authentic and relatable.

Tropes:
💕Single Parents
💕Fake Dating
💕Slow Burn
💕Only one bed
💕Miscommunication

My review is also published in Goodreads!

I loved this book! The characters were so fresh and real. I loved the romance and thought it was such a great romance read. Definitely add this one to your list.

This book had me hooked right from the start! Main characters, Sophie and Joe, are both single parents. They meet at their children’s school and both agree to fake day in order to help each other out! Who doesn’t love a fake dating trope?! Hannah Doyle introduces us to lots of hilarious characters! The chemistry between Sophie and Joe is so good and feels authentic! There’s no spice in this story but it honestly was so good you don’t even need it! I enjoyed this book and can’t want to buy the physical copy when it’s released!

Thank you netgalley for the chance to read this ARC!

The Pick Up by Hannah Doyle was a brilliantly, fast paced, rom-com. I absolutely devoured this novel! I finished it in 1 day, because I couldn't put it down. The relationships are believable, lovable, and so very heartwarming. This book is clean (no spicy scenes) but is packed full of romance. I highly recommend this book for anyone needing a pick-me-up!

Rating:⭐️⭐️⭐️✧
Spice:🌶️

Fake Dating✅
One Bed✅
dislike to love✅
He falls First✅
Single Parent✅
Single POV✅


The story of Joe Kitson and Sophie Rogers is adorable and heartwarming, albeit a tad slow-paced. Nonetheless, it held my attention with its charming side characters and diverse range of themes including witty banter, the challenges of parenthood, heartwarming moments with children, the love of family, the journey of self-made women, and the amusing dynamics of a mommy group. It's a guarantee that you'll be fully engaged.

The romantic sparks or "electric shocks" as described in the book, between the main characters don't ignite until 56% into the story. However, their progression from dislike to acquaintances, then friends, and finally lovers are portrayed beautifully and with great care.

The love story between Sophie's sister, Poppy, and Adam intertwines seamlessly with the main narrative, and I found myself thinking they deserve a book of their own.

In conclusion, The Pick Up is a heartwarming journey of love, growth, and family leaving readers with a warm and fuzzy feeling that lingers long after the final page.

Overall enjoyable read, and the inner dialogue of Sophie (main female character) is quite humorous. The ending felt a bit abrupt, and it would have been nice to see maybe a year into the future as an epilogue.

I couldn’t stop reading this book until it ended. I read it in two days. Great read! So romantic. Friends to lovers at its best.

I am a self-admitted book worm, and I have been the majority of my life. The genre that I most enjoy is romance. Here lately, in addition to romantic suspense books, I have also been gravitating towards romantic comedies. Because of this, I was extremely excited to read this book.

I tend to be hesitant to read books from a new author, because it sometimes takes me a while to get used to their particular writing style. This was not the at all case with this book. I loved that it was written from a first-person perspective. Also, the main characters are extremely likable. You want them both to win.

I also liked that the secondary characters were written in such a way that you actually care about their stories as well. I found myself rooting for them as well.

I really loved this book, and am a little disappointed that I am done with it. I would love to a bonus epilogue or something down the line. I recommend this book, and cannot wait to see what is next from this author.

**I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.**

I like the premise of this book more than the actual book. It was a quick read and had some funny parts but it fell short for me.

Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for letting me review.

Wow wow wow. I absolutely devoured this book. The Pick Up by Hannah Doyle is absolutely amazing. It has all of my favorite book tropes and they are all done so well! A slow burn, fake dating, one-bed trope masterpiece. The flirting and banter between Sophie and Joe was a lot of fun to read and had me giggling and kicking my feet at 2 am. I had a really hard time putting this book down because I just wanted to know what happened next! I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a quick fun romcom!
Thank you Netgalley and HQ for the ARC!

The Pick Up is such a cute, feel good fake dating romance. I loved the characters and that this story was based in Bristol !!! I thought the experience of a single parent dating, the guilt, the worry especially, were really well portrayed.
The main reason I didn’t give this book 5⭐️ it’s that I don’t love the miscommunication trope. But I still devoured this book ! All in all I think this book was fun, cute and really good.

Summary: Sophie Rogers easily prioritizes her daughter, job, and family. When she agrees to fake romance with Joe, unexpected feelings emerge.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher, all thoughts are my own.

Never rated something 5 stars so fast in my life!

This book has EVERYTHING I love in a romcom.

-Fake Dating
-REVERSE grumpy x sunshine
-single parent trope
-one bed trope
-forced proximity
-‘I thought you knew’

May 9th can’t come soon enough, I WANT A PHYSICAL COPY OF THIS BOOK ON MY SHELF!

Hannah Doyle, you have just received another life long fan!

Read Time ⏱️ 3.5 hours

———

“Besides, Joe’s a white, heterosexual male. He’s not exactly had a tough time of it in the grand scheme of things, has he? I think we can objectify him just a tiny bit.”

“We need to stop agreeing on things Rogers or you might decide you actually like me.”

In Hannah Doyle's engaging and entertaining novel, The Pick Up, protagonist Sophie Rogers is a capable professional, dedicated mother, and devoted family member who is adept at prioritizing her life. When Joe, a single parent at Sophie's daughter's school, proposes a mutually beneficial fake romance, Sophie eagerly accepts. The arrangement initially proceeds smoothly, with Sophie and Joe seamlessly navigating staged social media posts and synchronized calendars. However, as time passes, Sophie finds herself increasingly drawn to Joe, captivated by his charm, intellect, and undeniable physical appeal. Despite her initial resolve not to fall in love with her pretend partner, Sophie's heart begins to yearn for something more genuine. Doyle skillfully portrays the emotional journey of Sophie as she grapples with her growing feelings for Joe while struggling to maintain the boundaries of their fabricated relationship. The author provides a nuanced and realistic depiction of the complexities of modern romance, exploring the challenges and rewards of navigating love and relationships in the digital age. The Pick Up is not merely a lighthearted romantic comedy; it delves into deeper themes of self-discovery and personal growth. Sophie's journey of self-acceptance and her gradual shedding of societal expectations is a poignant and relatable narrative arc. Doyle deftly captures the complexities of balancing personal desires with familial responsibilities, a struggle that resonates with many readers. The supporting cast of characters adds depth and humor to the story. Joe is a multifaceted character, balancing his role as a single father with his own personal and professional aspirations. The interactions between Sophie and her friends and family members provide moments of both levity and insight, highlighting the importance of strong support systems in navigating life's challenges. Doyle's writing is engaging and witty, effortlessly drawing readers into Sophie's world. The story unfolds at a steady pace, allowing readers to fully immerse themselves in the characters and their evolving relationships. The Pick Up is a delightful read that will appeal to fans of contemporary romance, women's fiction, and stories that explore the complexities of modern love.

Laugh out loud…. Sophie and Joe are just an amazing team.
I love fake dating and they did it perfect and the kids are so incredibly sweet, I normally don’t like books with kids but this was so
good.
I am excited to recommend it when it’s available

This was a cute little British rom-com "fake romance" with fun contemporary banter. The middle-aged parent characters were lovable and the conversation relatable. It wasn't a terribly in-depth romance, but a great palate cleanser.

Thank you to NetGalley and HQ Digital for the advanced copy. Will be released May 9, 2024.
#netgalley #thepickup

Thank you to NetGalley, Hannah Doyle, and HQ for the early access copy of The Pick Up.

The Pick Up tells the story of Sophie, a single mother trying to build relationships with other parents at her daughter’s school. But, getting into the parent group is a lot harder than it seems. In comes Joe, the handsome single father of the group. When the two propose a faux-mance to help Sophie with an in, and help Joe with his own problem, the fake romance trope comes in full force.

It was tremendously refreshing to read a novel about a parent’s experience with a young child. It shared authentic moments of parental guilt, the feelings of way too early mornings, and trying to find your village.

This is a great read for those that enjoy a sweet romance with a fake romance trope, humorous banter, and reading about parental life.

I was excited to read this book, it had tropes that I loved in it but it just ended up falling short to me. I think the book was cute and fun overall, but it just ended up not being for me. I just couldn't get myself to really get into it. I felt like the dialogue at times was a little too forced and awkward. I think I would have enjoyed to have seen Joe's perspective through this book. The adults all were all a little immature for how old they were supposed to be. I just don't think this author's writing is for me.

Thank you NetGalley and HQ for providing me an arc copy of the book in return for my honest review

3.5 stars!
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC of this book! I really enjoyed this light hearted rom-com, it was easy to read and the main characters were all really likeable. If you are a fan of contemporary romance with the fake dating trope I definitely recommend this book!

Absolutely loved this book, it was hilarious had me laughing throughout, it was very funny in a relatable way as being a mum myself.

It was very well written the jokes were hilarious, it was a good fake dating trope I loved the story line of picking kids up from school and trying to be in with the other mums it was just so realisticly funny. Would defiantly recommend this book to any other mums.
Thank you for letting me have early access to this book.