This was just okay for me...

11 months ago Tom and Lydia share a passion filled weekend. She hasn't heard from him since and now they are teamed up on a survivalist reality show. They both really want the cash prize so work together they must.

I really couldn't stand Tom the first half of the book. He had the emotional intelligence of a 4 year old. I realize they both had their struggles but I found that they sulked in them a bit too much. I did enjoy Lydia being a hard ass though, that was fun. The plot was great and so were the subplots. But, for a cover that has 4 chillies on it I found the spice to be pretty meh.

If you're looking for a quick, sweet read with a tiny sprinkle of spice I think you might enjoy it!

Thank you so much to NetGalley, Harper Collins,One More Chapter for a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review!

Lydia had met a guy on a business trip nearly a year ago and hasn't been able to get him out of her head. Tom had an amazing weekend with Lydia but closed down any feeling that he had for her and marked it as two-night, one-night stand. Not expecting to ever see each other again, they're both surprised to find they are now co-workers for an insurance company. Insurance isn't Tom's passion, film production is and Lydia finds fulfillment in your job because she has nothing else. Lydia is going to take part in a reality tv pilot trying to win the money to restore the home she inherited from her grandmother. She mentions the reality tv pilot and Tom signs up too thinking it would be great to win the money to finance a film opportunity. This story was so good. Lydia had a horrible childhood with neglectful parents and made so much of herself. Tom had parents who were present but only happy when their children did what they wanted. Lydia risked everything for Tom to show him what love was.

Nice quick contemporary romance read. A perfect summer read where there is an easily predictable HEA - only light tension & you don't have to worry about cliffhangers. I wasn't expecting this to be the best book ever, so it fit my book-reading itch. The two main characters are relatable & definitely had some emotional baggage, but they worked great as a team & could truly balance each other. I liked to see their relationship grow authentically vs. the instalove that some books have. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

3 stars. An entertaining book!

Lydia needs money to fix up her grandma's house, Tom needs money to finally realize his dream of directing a documentary. They end up on a reality TV show where they have to "flee for life". Unfortunately, they have a history, and coincidentally they end up as a team.

Reality TV isn't my thing, but it didn't bother in this book, even though the reality TV filming was central in this book. The book was really nice to read. It was a relaxed and easy read. I will read more Cassie Connor's books for sure!

WHAT TO EXPECT:
* Difficult past
* Dual pov
* Enemies to lovers
* Forced proximity
* Hea
* One bed
* Second chance
* Third act: NO break up

Firstly, thank you so much for letting me read hot pursuit early.
Lydia thought Tom was just a one night stand that she would never be able to forget. Until they start working together. Then both sign up to a show to win 100k each if they win as a team.
We go through such a journey with them. It was such a lovely story getting to know them both

I loved Cassies first book "Love Under Contract‘ and I enjoyed this one just as much. It’s a fun read, with interesting characters set in the real world. You don’t have to have read the first book but trust me you’ll want to. Perfect summer read.

Having made a memorable splash with her debut novel "Love Under Contract," Cassie Connor is back with a unique take on a reality TV trope, blending a mix of second chances, enemies-to-lovers, grumpy vs. sunshine, and a dash of suspense!

A connection between strangers unlike any other. Two nights of unbridled passion. The memory burns deep in the recesses of Lydia Smith's mind until that memory turns into reality when she lays eyes on the one man who has ruined her for any other. Tom Dereborn turned her life upside down, but just as quickly as he swooped in, he was gone. A year had passed with no contact, no reunion, nothing but memories of the best weekend of her life. Now, they are reunited as unexpected colleagues on a work trip, and he pretends not to know her or even acknowledge what they shared. Two can play that game until the stakes change. What should have been a brief encounter on a business trip has turned into a living nightmare. Hoping to save her grandmother's house, Lydia signs up for the reality show "Fleeing for Your Life." What she didn't expect was to see Tom at the tryouts. Worse yet, they somehow end up partnered together. Trapped with her newfound nemesis, Lydia must decide what's worse: not winning and watching her grandmother's house fall into further disrepair, or being stuck with the last person on earth she wants near her heart ever again!

The reality TV aspect adds a fun twist. It introduces external challenges (weather, environment, nondescript characters) and heightens the importance of the secondary characters (the hunters, other teammates, and family members). We're not only following Lydia and Tom, but we also get a grand tour of the countryside, complete with unpredictable obstacles from the "hunters."

Cassie's portrayal of Tom is a fascinating yet risky approach. Initially, you're happy to accept the enemies-type connection. Tom is unpleasant, crass, and Lydia seems to have dodged a bullet. But given the luxury of a dual POV, we gradually understand that his apathetic demeanor is a defense mechanism.

His inner conflict is what makes Tom's character fascinating; however, what makes the approach risky is the emotional whiplash he imposes on Lydia. Some may deem his erratic behavior as bordering on abusive.

The pace of the story was incredibly slow but engaging. We experience the reality show's process in real-time, sharing every waking moment with the characters. Each day seems to be composed of two chapters, providing a dual perspective and allowing the reader to always know where the minds of the characters are at any point in the story. This choice of narrative created a 360-degree reveal that was suspenseful and engaging, with the romance taking a backseat.

While I loved most aspects of the book, two things bothered me. One issue likely stems from it being an ARC. With better editing, "Hot Pursuit" could easily be rated a solid 4 to 5 stars. Again, this may already be resolved, but if it stands, I will warn readers of the presence of redundancy and the bizarre switch between overly extravagant vocabulary usage and more basic vernacular. It makes you wonder what is causing the large discrepancy—is it overuse of a Thesaurus or simply the start-and-stop nature of the writing process with external factors influencing the terminology used? Whatever the cause, it pulls away from the story.

The other concern involves the intimate moments feeling out of place. As mentioned above, the story has placed romance in the backseat and the suspense of the reality TV show in the forefront. Removing the flashbacks of their initial encounter, as well as the steamy campsite moment and spicy cottage scenes, would have zero effect on the narrative.

What tipped the book from a 3-star to a 4-star read was the last few chapters. Once we finally understood Lydia and Tom, were back on the road, and moving towards the conclusion of the reality show, everything just slid into place perfectly. At this point, it was hard to put the book down. The need to know what happened next and how it would all end drove out any other concerns that may have arisen previously.

As Cassie has a third book, "The Big Game," hitting the stands in January 2025, I am curious to see what approach she takes. Her writing is evolving, and while the love for this book isn't as strong as it was for "Love Under Contract," the learning process between the two may make her third book the best one yet!

I have never read this author before and just stumbled upon this book. What a great, fun and really heartwarming read. I loved it 🩷🩷
Tom and Lydia end up paired together on a reality show - both needing the money to follow a dream. While Tom starts off grumpy and closed off, he soon opens himself up to really get to know Lydia.
Lydia’s heartbreaking childhood and broken self image is beautifully repaired by Tom as he learns to love her and she learns to love herself and him.
I really, really loved this book 🥰

Just what I needed in a book, and I ate this story! The build up, the end result it was all amazing.

This book was a fun, quick read. It follows a couple who had a weekend together almost a year ago, and never spoke again. They meet up again when he starts working at her company, and then they enter into a reality TV show together.

The spice was pretty good, but I wouldn't call this as spicy as the description makes it out to bed. There are three or four explicit scenes. The main plot of the book is the reality show where the two are running from "hunters." It was hard to get into that aspect of the book, because I feel like the rules of the show weren't explained very well. There don't seem to be cameras following them, so I'm not sure what the audience would be viewing? They also proceeded to break a lot of laws, and it took me away from the story with the unrealistic circumstances.

The writing was overall good, but I did notice some chapters switch perspectives without warning, which felt like weird little hiccups in the story. It took me a second to realize we were now in the other main character's point of view. I also had gripes about miles and mph being used, even though these characters are very, very British and the book is set in London. That just seemed like an odd oversight.

Overall, this book was pretty good and very quick to get through. I'd recommend it if you want an easy read with spice and lovers-to-enemies-to-lovers.

I wanted to love this and ended up just liking it. It was a quick and easy read. I think I wanted to feel the stakes of the show, we had a season of similar show on a few years ago but I didn't quite. Also there was so much breaking and entering. And I kept getting stressed about them not filming themselves enough lol

4.5 rounded down to 4. I picked up this book because I thought it would be a super fun rom-com and did not see the emotional one-two coming. But boy, oh boy, did I love it.

Lydia and Tom shared a weekend of no-strings attached passion that completely ruined them for anyone else. But, a year later, when Tom shows up at a work site as Lydia's new co-worker, their professional relationship gets off on the wrong foot. The two of them audition for a reality show where they must flee from bounty hunters and end up paired together. Can the two of them work together?

Was Hot Pursuit a fun rom-com? Yes. I could name so many cute and hilarious moments, but many of them would be spoilers, so let's just settle on saying it won't disappoint in this department. Did it also spark a deep emotional connection in me for both main characters? Also yes. When I reached the hurt/comfort, I thought it was going to be about the physical toll of show and not the emotional baggage they brought with them. But Cassie Connor provided both and it was beautiful.

Cassie was raised by neglectful parents and learned to rely on herself. Meanwhile, Tom's parents were the opposite; meddling in his life to the point that home was not a safe space to be himself. Watching these two extremes of control come together not only for the show but for each other-and themselves-was the highlight of the book.

Pick it up for the reality show escape; stay for the emotional payoff.

Such a good fun book. A great ride through the countryside while two characters battle a competition to win money they both desperately need. Love the enemies to lovers with the twist of the previous meeting!

I really wanted to like this one, being a big fan of game shows and the enemies to lovers trope, but it was a huge miss for me. When Lydia Smith signs up to be on a reality TV show, she has no idea Tom Dereborn will also be a contestant. Lydia and Tom had a one night stand almost a year ago and she had such a great time and thought the feeling might be mutual. Unfortunately, it didn't end well because Tom basically made her leave the next morning and never spoke to her again. She is shocked when she sees him at work, but unfortunately, things are still the same. Tom doesn't seem to want to talk to her, and whenever he does say something, it seems as though he doesn't like her and doesn't even want her in his presence. Now, they are paired together on a reality show called Fleeing For Your Life, with a prize of $100,000. They have to come together, compete, and make it all the way to the end in order to win the competition and the prize money. Honestly, the story felt very lacking and flat. The potential was there but it just was boring and didn't have any of the elements that I thought it would. It wasn't very funny, and the spice was just not there. Tom is an extremely unlikable character and actually seems mean and borderline cruel. He is actually quite rude to Lydia and does not treat her well. I understand trying to incorporate a grumpy/sunshine trope, as well as the enemies to lovers trope, but this just seemed over the top and makes you not even want to root for them as a couple. I was not a fan of Tom at all, and made me not enjoy the book at all. Also, Lydia's name debacle seemed like such a huge deal and then it just kind of faded away, which I didn't like. I just feel like this book could have been so much better, as the potential was truly there, but I didn't really care for it.

Thank you NetGalley, HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter, and Cassie Connor for the eARC of this book.

Lydia and Tom. Two emotionally unavailable people stuck together, what could go wrong.

This book was such a fun ride. It sucked me right in and I was rooting for Tom and Lydia to win the competition.

Tom and Lydia both insurance adjusters join a reality tv show where they have to make it to the final destination in one week without getting caught.

I do wish we heard more about Tansy and Rory

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the arc

Hunted and in Hot Pursuit

I’ve read and enjoyed Cassie Connor’s previous novel “Love Under Contract”, so I was intrigued by the adventurous plot line of “Hot Pursuit.”

From the plot description, I expected a romcom. However, as someone who usually prefers angsty romance, I was pleasantly surprised to find that the main characters carried heavy emotional baggage. Tom and Lydia both struggle with trust issues due to a lack of or conditional love, making them somewhat emotionally unavailable.

Initially, they share a lot of resentment towards each other. However, the circumstances of forced proximity and being hunted quickly bring them closer, reigniting their physical relationship. Unfortunately, their personal development occurs mostly independently, especially Tom’s, which feels forced. They share their bodies and a few deeply personal facts, but they don’t communicate their feelings much. When they finally do, it feels sudden and unexpected. While this lack of communication might reflect their brokenness and emotional isolation, it made it difficult for me to connect with them and believe in the depth of their love.

Despite enjoying the characters and finding the enemies-to-lovers romance entertaining, I felt the story could have delved deeper into the themes of family trauma and toxicity.

One significant issue I had with suspending disbelief was Lydia’s failure to change her name upon reaching legal age, given her meticulously controlled facade. Especially since this detail is not addressed in relation to Tom, making it seem unnecessary.

Overall, I enjoyed reading “Hot Pursuit” and recommend it to readers who favour a spicy, second-chance enemies-to-lovers romance with a thrilling survival aspect.

Many thanks to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter for providing me with this ARC.

In this lovers to enemies to lovers rom com, Lydia Smith and Tom Dereborn are shocked to find they are partnered together in a survivor style reality TV show... especially since they haven't seen each other since their one night stand a year ago.

Pros:
- Excellent banter
- True lovers to enemies to lovers. They truly do not like each other when they are reunited.
- Fun and unique plot, meet-cute, and re-meet-cute
- Fun and authentic side characters
- Depth of characters, background, and growth are believable and relatable
- Spicy scenes were intimate and sexy
- Long term impacts of child neglect and food insecurity were portrayed thoughtfully

Opportunities:
- It seems to take Lydia getting hurt (repeatedly) for Tom to (repeatedly) realize his feelings. His emotional maturity was lacking throughout much of this book.
- Tom seems to have little to no idea how the world outside of his upper middle class family lives - which is almost impossible considering he works in insurance and must have seen his fair share of situations.

Overall, this is a solid four star book. I really enjoyed the love story and was interested in their journey / mission on the reality show.

I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my opinion on NetGalley.

I loved this book! It was the first book I had ever read by Cassie Connor and it was great. From lovers to enemies to lovers again, Lydia and Tom captured my heart from the very beginning and had me rooting for them the whole way.

There is love, action, adventure, conflict, depth, and so much more in this story that it made me not want to put it down! Who would have thought that a book about a woman named Chlamydia Smith would be this fantastic?

And don’t get me started on Tom. Where can I find a man like him? 🤯 Loving, caring, and willing to change for the woman he loves? SIGN ME UP

2.5⭐️

**ARC provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Dnf 50%

To be honest, the start was really slow. There was a lot of explanation, and I didn't like Tom because he was unnecessarily mean. Natalie was right; his emotional unavailability is concerning. He should really get some help.

Even during the actual plot, I felt like their interactions were kinda weird. I was bored when they traveled, I was bored when they talked... Basically, I was bored through most of the book. All they have is a physical connection, aka attraction, that is all. There's no emotional bonding.
Not to mention, Lydia seemed to be moved by every minimal effort or act of "kindness" by Tom. It made me feel bad for her because he's so hot and cold. She should get help, too, and find someone who is actually caring and loving.

And the name thing... I honestly don't know what to say about that.

I also find it hard to believe that they would let them out in the wild without a camera filming them 24/7. They barely filmed!

Overall, I'm really sad, because the premise was so good... But the execution was lacking.

I DNF this one at 50%. 🙁
I thought I was going to run through this one. About 25-30% into the book I had enjoyed the story line and I liked how the MFC seemed like a badass. The three pages of discussing stars wars was a little hard for me because I know nothing about it so it was like a foreign language. Tom rants in his head about how he likes that he is getting to know Lydia when really he flips his mood from lovely to asshole and leaves her 4 blocks behind whenever they set off on another hike. He likes sex and Lydia is good at it. Lydia is so poisoned by her childhood that I can't see her every letting any of it go and I can't continue reading about how she just buries all her feelings and thoughts.
I wanted to like this one. The idea of the book sounds great, just fell short for me.