This book is the second installment in the wanderlust series which are interconnected standalones.

It follows Lydia and Callum.

If you love a good island getaway, wedding day mishaps, the one bed trope, boss/employee trope and a delicious slow burn full of chemistry you’ll love this one!!

I didn’t know this was the second book on the series when I requested it but I will definitely be looking out for the next in the series!

Lydia is having a bad day. First, she gets stuck on a flight to Costa Rica--for her sister's destination wedding--with her prickly boss, Callum. Then, her sister's priceless wedding dress is seemingly stolen by a hottie on her flight. Now, the only way through this mess is to rely on Callum's help. But he has a price. A little fake dating to help get his mother and ex off his back.

McCormack knows how to write a book! I loved this one. Here's what I loved:

Lydia and Cal: These two had such chemistry. I loved them together. Lydia is a ball of energy while Cal is more uptight and grumpy. But together it works so well. I couldn't wait for them to get together for real. And when they do...the spice is perfect!

The exotic local: I loved seeing Costa Rica in this book. From the phone stealing monkeys to the food markets with hot peppers, you get swept away to this country in the best ways possible.

The families: I loved all of the families in this book. Lydia's grandmother in particular is perfect comic relief!

All in all, this is an adorable and spicy romcom!

Thank you to the author for the gifted copy!

I always enjoy a good enemies-to-lovers romance, and right from the start, the chemistry between Callum and Liddy clicked. You just know these two belong together, but the road to their HEA was a simmering slow burn.
This book has everything a romance reader wants: an island setting, interesting plot, relatable characters, and natural-flowing dialogue. I recommend this book!
I want to thank NetGalley for the advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

There was sooo much going on in this book and not in a bad way but it def keeps you entertained.
So this is part 2 of a series and I didn't know that when I first went for this book, after reading it I definitely want to read the first part. In my opinion, it can be read as a stand-alone book.
Having to go to a destination wedding at a resort in Costa Rica, Lydia (aka Liddy) makes a slip-up and her boss Callum covers for her. This definitely shocked her.
Main characters Lydia and Callum; are now having to pretend to be dating. But she is starting to see a very different side of him that she was never expecting to see. Does this change things for them, and is he feeling things also? They are worker and boss, what is gonna happen..... So many what-if questions.
This was such a fun book, a great adventure to go on with these two. It def gives you the feel of a vacation since it started off in London and then Costa Rica. You feel like you are right there with them and are rooting for them.
I really loved these two and read this book so fast, it was so good.
The background characters were all fun add-ins also and played some interesting rolls.
This is the perfect summer read!!!!!

This was the first book I read by this author, it will not be my last.

***ARC provided by Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op***

- Boss/Employee
- Fake Dating
- One Bed

This was an enjoyable read for any fan of the fake dating trope. Both main characters had things to get through, and they helped each other along the way. When you thought they got past one hurdle, another was thrown in the mix.

Liddy and Cal were made for each other.

Everyone should have a Granny in their lives.

Can we assume the last book I. This series will be Kyle's?

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ The banter sucked me into this book! Lydia’s famous sister, Elle, gets married in a beautiful tropical paradise. The wedding would be the perfect vacation for Lydia away from her job, except her boss who she loathed would be joining her because Elle was marrying her boss’ best friend. The trouble began before she even got on the plane. Callum had Lydia very rattled. Upon arriving to Costa Rica, Lydia entrusted the handsome man she sat next to with Elle’s wedding dress that was a family heirloom. The man was no where to be found when she got out of the bathroom. Callum overheard the man state that the dress was worth a lot of money and the plans he had while in town. Callum agreed to go on the adventure of getting the dress back with Lydia, but only if she would fake date him while staying at his mom’s hotel in Costa Rica. Would the adventure bring them closer as coworkers? Would it be enough to give Elle the perfect wedding?

This is my first time reading Annabelle McCormack and this was such a cute book. So many cute tropes! One bed, fake dating, forced proximity! I loved it! I read this book in one sitting, just couldn't put it down. I also loved the adventure the couple went on after the dress. Will definitely read more!

Thank you to Net Galley and the publisher for this Arc. It was a cute and sweet read that was a series of unfortunate events or misadventures. All the characters brought something to the table. The setting of Costa Rica was perfect for this forced proximity, fake dating, cute beach read.

I'd like to thank Netgalley & Victory Editing NetGalley Co-op for this ARC. What a fun, summery, feel-good read. It was a taaad bit slow burn even though the prologue set the scene for their romance. I really loved that both MC's had their own issues to work through and their insecurities that were holding them back both romantically and in their day-to-day lives. They pushed each other to grow and break down barriers. Also the grandma. She was the start of this whole book. I want to be her when I'm older. The ending was very meh to me though personally. The wrap up literally happens in the last 2% of the book. The wedding (which the whole book leads up to, literally doesn't happen until 92% of the way in) and to me just made the pacing feel off. I loved the homage paid to the culture and history of Puerto Rico and the intermixing of Spanish and English.

Loved this one! Great and fun read. Highly recommend.
Many thanks to the publisher, Netgalley, and the author for my ARC.

This book is an absolute delight. Featuring the perfect blend of fake dating, boss/employee, forced proximity, and the classic one bed trope; the story is a joyride from start to finish. The amazing banter kept me laughing out loud, and the fun, relatable characters made the book impossible to put down. The easy writing style made for a breezy, enjoyable read. Five stars for this charming and entertaining romance!

"He Loves Me Knot" by Annabelle McCormack delivers a sizzling romance set against the backdrop of a destination wedding in Costa Rica. Lydia and her boss, Callum, fake a relationship, leading to a week of misadventures and unexpected passion. McCormack crafts a compelling tale of fake love with real consequences, blending humor, heat, and heartfelt moments.

okay wait what i finished this in one sitting 😂 LOVED IT SO MUCH!!! this book started right out the gate and i loved it - it’s set in london/costa rice and i loved the complete opposite setting! it FELT like i was reading a vacation and having a vacation myself! Lydia (liddy) and Callum - who have A LOT of history- were so cute and two unhinged peas in a pod i loved them so much. i loved the disability rep with liddy and i love callums arc- not many books have MMCs who have amazing growth stories and dive into them and j really loved his ending. i didn’t realize this is the second book and elle has her own - im going to read that one next 😝 also dying to find out who the next book will be about!!! logan??

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book!
All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Rating: 3 stars

A cute story of Callum and Lydia fake dating on vacation- following the ups and downs and navigating that type of rollercoaster situation.

Definitely a good read- but had some weird things happen to them and made the story kind of unbelievable.

Still a good and easy read that I would recommend as a feel good book!

The second book in the Winnick series follows Liddy and Callum on an adventure through Costa Rica. While searching for her sister's wedding dress, Liddy starts to realize that her grumpy boss isn't so horrible after all. He might be a nice guy, and she starts falling for him.

I could relate so hard to Liddy, because I too would be scared out of my mind to tell my sister I lost her very expensive wedding dress. The only thing I wouldn't have been strong enough for, was not threatening the mother in law. That woman would have been burned by my remarks.


I felt so bad for Callum, the way he feels so conflicted about everything. I just wanted to hug him and tell him that everything was going to be okay.

I think this is more of a 3.5⭐️ for me! Thank you to Net Galley for this ARC!

Overall, the concept is cute and one I can get behind. I love a good fake dating story. Callum and Lydia were fine as characters - they had a decent story and conflicts to resolve. I did enjoy their bantering when they were together. Spicy scenes were well written and well-placed within the story, too!

I think what lost me was that it just got a little... too much? They had the strangest things happen to them on their trip. The implosion of their fake dating scheme could have easily been avoided and I think some of the resolution felt too easy/convenient. I struggled to get into the book during the beginning too and at the end, I felt the HR stuff was unnecessary.

It was a cute, quick read. Just not my favorite thing ever this summer.

When Liddy moves to London for a new job, she has the most adorable meet-cute in a bookstore with the most attractive man she’s ever seen. Before she can catch his name, she has to run to a welcome dinner being thrown in her honor. After meeting a few new coworkers, she gets introduced to her boss, Callum, aka the attractive bookstore man. For two years, Callum and Liddy keep each other at arms length and decide it’s easier to hate each other.
Liddy’s sister is marrying Callum’s best friend in Costa Rica and the two end up sitting in the same row on the flight down. After arriving at the airport, Liddy loses the family heirloom wedding dress she was tasked with bringing. The two team up to find the dress, and in exchange for his help, Liddy poses as Callum’s girlfriend to keep his insistent mother off his back.
Follow the two across Costa Rica as they prove Murphy’s Law - anything that can go wrong, will go wrong - and uncover the truth about one another. What will happen when they get back to London?

He Loves Me Knot by Annabelle McCormack was a charming enemies to lovers tale of work colleagues stuck in close proximity as they celebrate a destination wedding in a beautiful rustic resort.

Liddy and Callum have the perfect meet cute and then an unfortunate turn of events sees them turn into enemies and boss and employee for the next two years.

In a turn of events, this unlikely couple end up fake dating and they start to develop real feelings for eachother.
Liddy uncovers a side of Callum that challenges her and her own perceptions of herself. She starts to realise her worth, to speak her mind and go after what she wants. Callum also starts to realise his protective walls have been built too high and that he has actually developed real deep feelings for Liddy.
There was a lot of character development which was really interesting to read, along with their internal dialogue.

I really enjoyed this book from start to finish, and considering it is written in third person (Dual POV) - which I'm usually personally not a fan of reading - I was really surprised how much I enjoyed it. It was so well written and easy to follow, which with an extra language thrown in is mindblowing!

Thank you to NetGalley and Victory Editing and Annabelle McCormack for the ARC in exchange for my honest review

He Loves Me Knot by Annabelle McCormack Releasing on July 16th 2024
Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice:🌶️🌶️
Tropes: Fake Dating, Boss X Employee, Enemies to Lovers, Forced Proximity, One Bed

When perfectionist Lydia Winnick’s world collides with her infuriatingly attractive and cocky boss, Callum Scott, during a fateful flight to Costa Rica, sparks fly in more way than one.
On her way to celebrate her sister’s destination wedding at a resort, Liddy slips up and makes a terrible mistake. Then her life takes an unexpected turn when Callum shockingly covers for her, forcing them to pretend they’re dating. With an heirloom wedding dress lost in transit and a web of lies spinning out of control, they embark on a week-long misadventure that blurs the lines of fiction and reality.
As tensions rise and attraction simmers to a boil, Liddy discovers a side of Callum that challenges her perceptions. Yet the more their connection deepens, the tighter the knot of deception becomes. Can their growing bond withstand the heat, or will the tangled web they’ve woven unravel in a blaze that could wreck her sister’s happy day?

In HLMK we see Enemies to Lovers, Boss and Employee relationships, Fake Dating, and a dilemma of a lost family heirloom… that gave me secondhand anxiety as a wedding venue manager myself. Whilst Liddy is prepping for her sister’s destination wedding in Costa Rica and Callum trying to avoid his ex-fiancée and mother during the wedding prep; these two find their way to each other but also find themselves. Callum must face his past and the worries about what others think of him and Liddy must learn how to put herself first and put aside her people-pleasing needs. Although I did have a hard time getting into the book due to a reading slump it was worth the wait, just like waiting for Callum to finally realize his feelings are true.
HLNK was a very fun read and perfect for a day by the water this summer, a lake, pool, or a beach in Costa Rica preferably. We see trials of love and hate, personal growth, and webs of lies, putting aside some crazy twists that stressed me out the love story and lovable characters hooked me in! If you loved the recent movie Anyone But You, you’ll love He Loves Me Knot by Annabelle McCormack

REVIEWS POSTED ON.... GoodReads under Samantha Bryan, @Bookishbryan Instagram, Barnes and Noble under the pen name BookishBryan

Liddy has just moved to London from the States and she and Callum have a meet-cute at a small bookstore when they both try to buy the same guidebook and there is only one copy. He needs to buy it for his new co-worker, who he hasn't met but has decided he doesn't like already and will try and get fired. She wants it to help her explore her new city. They flirt, they banter, they flip a coin for the book and when Liddy ends up with the book, Callum puts his number in the back. Later that night, at a welcome dinner with her new employer, she meets her new boss, Callum. The same boss who already doesn't like and wants her fired. Yikes!

For the next two years, they work alongside each other, tolerate each other and generally avoid each other at all costs. When Liddy's sister's wedding approaches, she must travel to Costa Rica as the Maid of Honor with the best man, Cullen. Cullen is dreading returning to Costa Rica, where he spent time as a child, since his mother and his ex-fiance will be there. He doesn't want his mom pushing them to get together so when the wedding dress that Liddy was supposed to be in charge of gets “lost”, he proposes a plan. He will help her get the dress back if she pretends to date him to keep his mother off his back.

These two must learn to get along and work with each other to make sure this wedding is a success. Especially when hijinks ensue including a lost wedding dress, a stressed out bride, a saucy granny, and a MIL wedding takeover.

This book is an adventure in itself! I really liked the relationship between the two main characters. They really did have a connection even though they started off as enemies. They both have their reasons for behaving the way they do and when they communicate with each other, those are the best parts of the book. It feels very real!

The ending was cute, even though I wanted to slap Cullen for being oblivious and not self-aware. I enjoyed the dynamic not only between the two main characters but also all the family members. It was a fun destination wedding where things went wrong, where they went right and where everyone ends up happy.


Huge thanks to NetGalley and Victory Editing for sharing this book’s digital advanced review copy with me in exchange for an honest review.

My review will be published/posted on Amazon and Instagram @mycuppacoffee_books on 7/15/2024

I read this book through a digital ARC from NetGalley
Author: Annabelle McCormack – first time reader
Genre: Romance,
Troupe: Forced Proximity, Fake Relationship, Enemies to Lovers, One Bed