Ties That Bind by Heather Huffman

The Throwaways #10

by Heather Huffman

Kate Yager never had a father, and she never minded - until her mom died. Now, acting on the name called out on her mother's deathbed, Kate has moved to San Francisco and gotten herself hired by the man she suspects to be her dad. As if a new job, new apartment, and new parent weren't enough, Kate finds herself head-over-heels in lust with a complete stranger she met at an art show. A stranger who, she later finds out, happens to work in her office.As her relationships with her friends and father grow stronger, Kate has to confront the decisions of her past to find out whether she can love the man who gave her up, love the man who loves her truly, and even whether she can love herself.

Genres: Romance, Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Family, Mystery

Paperback

First published September 26, 2011

About the author

Heather Huffman is a multi-genre author with publications in contemporary romance, romantic suspense, women's fiction, and even a new cozy mystery line launching summer 2021. Quirky, optimistic, and a bit of a wanderer, Huffman cares deeply about causes pertaining to social justice and women's issues and has spent the past decade working with various charities that fight poverty, empower women, and fight human trafficking. At the center of her world are her three grown sons, her Australian Shepherd, and a spoiled puppy she shares entirely too many pictures of. Learn more at heatherhuffman.com.

Reviews

[Judy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Out of the four books I've read by Heather Huffman, this one was the most disjointed with plot lines that seemed to be thrown in for no good reason. Like Jason: one minute he was just a random name, the next he was a stalker. It was kind of like reading one of my Nano novels. Glad it was free.

[Stinky Poo Poo · Rating 4 out of 5]

MC wants to be emotionally vulnerable, AND rescued from her self-imposed emotional lockdown, succeeds in doing so with part-time Harry Styles. And you know what? You gotta love it. All women want is a man that yearns for them and this dude bakes the freaking cake. Is it winning an award? No. Did I have a great time reading passages out loud to friends in funny voices? Absolutely.

[Autumn Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

I've been finding a lot of really good Adult Contemporaries lately and this book is included in the bunch. I liked the idea of a girl going in search of an unknown father. What I liked more? The love story. Yep, I'm a sucker for a good love story. I'm sure you've figured that out by now.

The story begins with Kate's first day on her new job. The man she believes to be her father is her boss. As the story develops, she and her boss develop a friendship. In fact, Kate helps to plan his wedding to a girl who is only a few years older than she is. Initially, Kate had some problems with that, but she and Tara (the fiancee) became fast friends. Her relationship with her father/boss comes to light during the most inopportune time, but Kate handles the situation with maturity and grace. I'll get back to thoughts on this situation in a minute.

Let's talk about Gavin. Gavin is absolutely delicious. He's confident, sweet, talented, loyal, and completely devoted to making Kate fall in love with him. See, Kate has some issues with their age difference. In my opinion, the difference wasn't much to be concerned about. Regardless, Kate does fall in love with Gavin. I'm not going to reveal much more about the story, but I will say that the parts with Gavin, were my favorite parts in the story. I love their relationship. Of course, there is some drama, but I was happy to see there was no cheating or lying. Their issues stemmed from Kate's personal issues about letting people into her life. In the end, the love they share is full of mutual love and respect. It was refreshing.

My biggest issue with the book was that I really had a tough time with the relationship Kate had with her father. Once the truth came out, I felt sick about how her father handled the situation. Again, I don't want to reveal too much, but it really bugged me. He does somewhat redeem himself later on, but it left a bad taste for me for some reason.

Overall, I really liked the book. It's not a mushy love story. It's a love story that has a very real feel to it. You really connect with how Kate is feeling. You will understand her need to know her father and her reluctance to trust her feelings for Gavin. I'd definitely recommend this book.

[Heidi · Rating 2 out of 5]

According to one reviewer, (Judy) "Out of the four books I've read by Heather Huffman, this one was the most disjointed with plot lines that seemed to be thrown in for no good reason. Like Jason: one minute he was just a random name, the next he was a stalker. It was kind of like reading one of my Nano novels. Glad it was free." I totally agree with her. This story had potential. I know I have it marked as romance, but it isn't erotica. However I didn't always follow what was going on. It seemed to be too busy. Also, I know very few 25 year old guys who want to settle down with a 30 year old woman with issues, so the plot wasn't as believable as it is for some.

Quick read. Not deep.

[Suzie Quint]

I figured out early on that this was going to annoy me more than it was worth. Kate, the heroine, can't afford to get a new haircut so she goes clothes shopping instead. Huh? How is that reasonable? Then way too much focus on the clothes, because... really I care so much about her new purple shoes. Then she goes out at night and just randomly happens into a art gallery that has a showing for the new photographer in her office. Coincidence much?

Not my cuppa.

[Allison · Rating 2 out of 5]

Like another reviewer said this plot is really disjointed. It actually starts out pretty okay for the first few chapters, but then gets progressively worse from there. Also, getting someone a dog, especially a big dog, without asking first is not cool.

[💋Amy💋 💜Tubaugh💜 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such sweet story!!!

[Coco.V]

🎁 FREE on Amazon today (5/11/2021)! 🎁

[Jennifer DeBord · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great read!

[Tabby - Shattered Hearts Reviews · Rating 3 out of 5]

See this review & others @Insightful Minds

This book had its ups and downs for me. One minute I love the crap out of it and the next, I was questioning just about everything. Half the time, I couldn't make heads or tails of if I liked this one or not, but in the end, it all kind of came together for me.. While I didn't like it as much as I wanted to, I did think it was a cute read!

After the death of her mother, Kate wanted to have that family feeling again. So what does she do? She follows up on the very last name spoken from her mother before she dies, and figures out that he is her biological father. So, she packs up her life, moves to San Francisco and beings working as an event planner for the very company her father owns, only to be hit with one surprise after another. I mean really, did she THINK things would just go smoothly?!

My first issue with this book was the age difference between Kate's father and his fiance. Yes, I know, this is 2012 and people do this all the time! That doesn't stop the insanely annoying voice in the back of my head from bugging me while I am reading! (; Although Huffman made it work for this book, it took me awhile to even get my head wrapped around the idea of the difference.

Enter Gavin stage left. Gavin. I will give Huffman a billion freaking kudos for everything that is Gavin. Kate runs into him at a gallery event and has no idea who he is when he invites her up to his room, only to be that girl who runs out while he is in the bathroom. You will have to read to see the amount of awkward that made for work the next day! He also seems to be the only person who can tell that there is even the slightest resemblance between Kate and her Father.

Try as she might, Kate tries to form no bonds with the people around her, simply because she didn't know how long she would be around once everyone found out her secret. There are a few things that got me at this point. The relationship between Gavin and Kate was beautiful and slow at first, which mad it amazing, and then it was like BAM! everything went full force. I kind of wish it would have stayed on the path that it was, simply because I loved watching how they were evolving through the phases that lead up to the "love". The only other thing was when her secret came out.. It was all.. too FAST. I would go into detail, but I do not want to give anything away.

Aside from all of my misgivings though, this was an adorable read. I will say that the two ladies that Kate comes to work with in the company are freaking hilarious! Totally made this book happen for me.
Please keep in mind - even though I rated this the way that I did, I know plenty of ladies and have read several reviews that gushed about how amazing thing book was!

[Kathleen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kate Yager is a thirty-two year old event planner, who grew up never knowing who her father was. Her mom Danielle had been diagnosed with cancer, and on her deathbed she whispered the name Jack Collins. Determined to find out if this man was her father, she moved to San Francisco and took a position in his magazine the San Franciscan, in order to learn more about him. What she didn't plan on was becoming attracted to a younger man, handsome twenty-five year old British photographer, Gavin Nichols, who also joined the magazine's staff. With years of emotional baggage and walls built around her heart, Kate kept Gavin at arms length, yet she yearned to let go and let him into her heart. Gavin guesses that Kate resembles Jack, and offers to help her search the relationship between Jack and Danielle, in the hope of proving that he is in fact her biological father. Will Kate be able to let go of her emotional baggage? Will Kate let down her wall and give Gavin a chance? Will Kate find out the answer to who her father is, could it be Jack? And if Jack is her father, will he accept Kate as his daughter?

Ties That Bind is an enjoyable lighthearted romance story. The storyline is well written and easy for the reader to relate to. The author does a wonderful job of exploring Kate's emotional past, her insecurities and her growth through the relationships she forms with Gavin, Jack, Jack's fiancee Tara, and her co-workers Jessica and Liz. Written with a light touch , a sense of humor, and filled with quirky dialogue among the characters, especially Kate and Gavin, the reader will embrace this fast-paced story, it has a nice balance of romance and some dramatic twists and turns.

The author creates a cast of characters that are realistic, down-to-earth people that the reader can embrace and relate to. I found that Kate's complexity and Gavin's easy-going nature to be fascinating, especially as I watched how their relationship developed. I couldn't help but love Gavin, he's a "dream man": easy-going, caring, understanding, thoughtful ... the whole package! I really enjoyed the youthful, fun-loving, and spirited Jessica and Liz, master matchmakers extraordinaire! Finally, I was intrigued by the relationship between Kate and Jack, I loved how the story kept me guessing on how their relationship would turn out.

Ties That Bind is a fun, flirty, quick read that will keep true romance fans entertained.



Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by AToMR Book Blog Tours.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot...

[Lydia Thomas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I give Ties that Bind by Heather Huffman 4 out of 5 stars.

I love me some chick lit.

I’ll be honest: I picked out this book as part of my Booktrope #PreFunk haul because of the cover. Aren’t those purple heels to die for? And I don’t even wear heels… I mean, I read the synopsis before I downloaded it, of course, but my mind was already made up.

I settled into Kate Yager’s story with a bowl of ice cream late on Saturday night after watching Down with Love (with Renee Zellweger and Ewan McGregor), and finished it late last night. I would have read straight through if I could have, but … sleep. And church. And the BBC version of Pride and Prejudice. (Yes, I am most definitely in a mood.)

Anyway, I really enjoyed Kate’s struggle as she gets to know new friends, a love interest, and her estranged father.

There are certain character clichés in chick lit, but I found the characters were unexpected and refreshing. For example, Kate’s stepmother encourages her relationship with her newly-found father, although she is only slightly older than Kate, and she’s an artist, not some trophy wife. Kate’s two new friends, Jessica and Liz, are beautiful and successful, but not at all catty or threatened by her. Even Kate’s father didn’t respond how I thought he would upon learning Kate is his daughter.

I loved the chemistry between Kate and Gavin, but then I’m a sucker for great chemistry. (See Down with Love and Pride and Prejudice.) I like when there’s tension over whether or not a couple will get together and stay together, and Huffman certainly delivers that. Although it was never expressly mentioned, and there were many “near misses”, Kate and Gavin practiced abstinence until marriage, or at least, that’s the vibe I got. Please don’t get me wrong: I’m the biggest proponent of waiting until marriage, but…I didn’t understand it for these characters. At first, they talked about taking things slow physically, and the next thing I understood (much, much later in the story) was that they were waiting for their wedding. I wanted to understand why they were waiting – what values prompted that decision? Granted, the “near misses” were entertaining and heightened the tension.

Huffman also knows just when to end a chapter. Saturday night, I found myself saying, “Just one more chapter,” way too many times, and she works in a suspenseful, serious element into the mix as well.

If you’re in the mood for a some good chick lit, I highly recommend Ties that Bind with a bowl of ice cream. Or chocolate. Or a glass of wine. Or whatever your poison is. It’s a fun story.

Full Disclosure: Heather Huffman is my managing director at Vox Dei Publishing. This review was not solicited or coerced, and contains my unadulterated opinion.

[Meredith Schorr · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ties that Bind is a story about thirty-two year old Katie Yager, a party planner who recently lost her mother to cancer. Katie never knew her father but when her mother whispers a strange man's name on her deathbed, Katie is determined to search for him. She finds him and immediately knows that he is, in fact, her father - they have the exact same eyes. When Katie manages to get a job at her father's company, the plan is to get to know him under the guise of being just a new employee, but in the process she falls for younger Gavin, a dashingly handsome photographer who is determined to break down the walls Katie has built up after years of losing everyone she has ever loved. Will he succeed? And how will Jack react to finding out that Katie is his long-lost daughter? You'll have to read the book to find out!

This was a very enjoyable book. All of the characters were extremely likeable and that actually might be my biggest critique. Within five minutes of Katie's introduction to her father's company, she became best friends with all of the employees and fell head over heals in love. There was very little conflict in this book and the issues that did come up were very quickly resolved. While I had to suspend reality that people are so unbelievably welcoming at first introduction, I really didn't mind because, like I said, the characters were very likeable. If you want a book to keep yu warm on a cold winter's day, this is a good one. It's light enough for a beach read too though!

[Preet · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ties That Bind is that read you’re looking for when you want something to pass your time with. I say this because though the story was pleasant and cute, it felt strange at times. Some moments would be a slow perfect build, and then suddenly the story would kind of fly by. However, with all the likable characters in the book, it was still a sweet read. There are so many characters in this book that I’d love to know because they’re kind of the perfect definition of friends.

The group Kate befriends as she begins her new life are all adorable in their own way. The pair of girls Kate works with were fun to be around because they seemed to make work seem like less of a job. Gavin, our love interest, is so lovable that he’s almost too perfect and you can’t do anything but root for the guy to get what he wants.

Though Kate is a character I also rooted for, she did have a tendency to bug me at times because she was so back and forth with certain issues. When she would make certain moves, it kind of felt like things were wrapped up too quickly and I would’ve liked a little more development. But again, this is more about the pacing of the story than her because I did feel for her, but I just couldn’t understand her decisions at all times.

With the mix of fun characters and the number of stories, it’s a book easy to get lost in. While falling short of being extraordinary, that doesn’t stop Ties That Bind from being an enjoyable, solid read.

[ILoveBooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Before her mom died, Kate Yager didn’t miss having “family”. Feeling lost and alone, she’s decided to move to San Francisco and begin a new job. She loves the job, loves her friendly co-workers, and finds she’s falling in love with another new hire, British Gavin Nichols. Kate also suspects that her new boss is the father she never met. Next, throw in a scary, stalker named Justin and a serious car accident….and you have what sounds like a really improbable, overdone plot. Huffman, however, combines these dramatic moments into an enjoyable, believable read.
The humorous dialogue between Kate and Gavin when she realizes that he is younger than her is fun to read; the way Huffman later incorporates it into Gavin’s courtship for her is touching. Situations such as when they enter a salon to give each other a new hair style caught my attention. I might try that with my husband for fun. Gavin seems a perfect impossibility – a great-looking, thoughtful, sexy, considerate, funny, family guy; yet, every reader will want a Gavin! Huffman even makes the situation with Kate’s father seem understandable. First, there is shock and uncertainty. Later, there is a desire to try to have a relationship, even if it is thirty years late.
Three and a Half Stars

[Olivia · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book I found on the Barnes and Noble website looking for a good book to download onto my nook. I had read a book with a similar title (Ties That Bind Ties That Break) and lo and behold, out pops this book. A thirty something year old woman by the name of Kate is working for a man she tracked down, a man that is her father whom she has never met. In trying to get to know him without revealing her identity she meets two awesome coworkers, a lovely English gent by the name of Gavin, and her father's fiancee.

Trying to leap hurdles today (including trying to avoid falling in love with Gavin) this delightfully well written story will leave you satisfied.

This book is well composed and has excellent depth exploring Kate's insecurities through her relationship with her father, coworkers, and of course Gavin. I recommend this story based off of many years of reading experience. The book being well written, witty and containing depth does help the story.

[Cathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

"Ties That Bind" came to me as a loaner from a Nook Friend. This is the first Heather Huffman I have read.

The story itself was interesting. Kate an only child of a single mother takes a job in San Francisco to find out who her father is. Kate develops close friendships with co-workers at the magazine where she works as a party planner. The magazine owner is her father, but he doesn't know.

Kate meets Gavin and they have instant chemistry. Gavin didn't seem all that believable to me. Maybe I have never met a man like that so it doesn't seem possible to me.

I must admit that I had a hard time with the Jason angle. He went from someone she met with from a local newspaper, to attacking and kidnapping her? It was just too random and didn't make any sense to the story. The author should have spent more time developing the storyline behind Jason's craziness.

This is a cute story and it was fun to read.

[Julie Natzke · Rating 5 out of 5]

This has become my favorite of Huffman's novels to date. The characters are complex and I really enjoyed the twists and turns of their love story. On one hand it seemed a little disjointed because of Kate's fits and starts toward letting Gavin into her life, but that is how falling in love often happens in real life. I especially like the part where Kate is thinking to herself, "She marveled a little at this new creature she had become -- a woman who could fall head over heels in love with a man after only six weeks. Truth be told, maybe it had really taken six minutes and then six weeks to admit it. That sounded more like her." Where Kate is vulnerable and neurotic, Gavin is solid but sweet and tender, as well as patient and easy-going -- a swoon-worthy hero if ever there was one.

[Hannah · Rating 4 out of 5]

I got this book for free on my nook. I have gotten things for free before, and this is one of the best that I have read! I enjoyed the connection between Gavin and Kate and thought that it was pretty well developed, but I wish we could have seen more interaction between Kate and her friends, which would have meant the fifth star (among othe things I thought the book was lacking in). I also appreciated Kate's relatioship with Jack, but I wished that it didn't take SPOILER: Kate almost dying for him to accept her as his daughter. END SPOILER The romance was very sweet, and Gavin was the perfect swoon-worthy hero. This was a good book to curl up in front of a fire and read, very sweet but nothing serious. Overall, I enjoyed this book and look forward to reading more from Heather Huffman.

[Martha · Rating 4 out of 5]

Once I finished the book it dawned on me that first it was a quick read. Second it had the romance between Kate and Gavin and the suspense of Kate finding out about her family. But third Kate's developing relationship with Gavin. Gavin was ever the gentleman by letting her know he didn't want to mess anything up as they became closer. Kate had been hurt in the past which made her build a lot of walls. Gavin knew this and told Kate he wanted to do things right.

Whoever said that a good romance novel had to have a lot of sex was mistaken. Oh the sexual tension between the two is definitely there but Gavin respects Kate and their growing relationship to not push the issue.

This is definitely beach worthy reading.

[Ashley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, little, sweet novel.

Kate is a very likeable person. All the coworkers immediately opened up to her. This is a little, I don't know, odd because normally office tension always happen. I mean, I know Kate as a person is very likeable but people aren't always nice, right? The romance is very sweet, and Gavin is almost not humanly possible sweet. The characters are simple and complex at the same time.

I really enjoyed the winding love story, it makes the story more realistic. The story is also funny. I really like how Heather added in a stalker into the book, but with that said, the plot is a little too predictable. The plot is paced quite to perfections. It is definitely a light read.

[Spencer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kate grew up with a mother who simply adored her, but something was always missing! The identity of her father.Kate's mother Danielle is laying on her death bed, in a morphine induced haze she calls out a mans name. Kate decides she will follow up on the name and lo and behold when she comes face to face with the man he has the same eyes! Could he be her father? Kate lands a new job, in a new city, meets new friends, and a hot younger guy, but she can't think of the right time to tell Jack he is her father.This book kept you turning the page, wanting to find out what happens next. Highly recommend it.

[Lorraine · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. For me this was more of a "fluff" type read, but it did keep my interest and I enjoyed all the little surprising twists it took. One of those quick reads you thoroughly enjoy!This book is a love story about a young couple named Kate and Gavin. Kate is a bit older than Gavin, and faces many internal struggles. Kate's mom has passed away from cancer, and Kate is working for her biological dad (who has no idea who she is!) There is some really fun bantering dialogue between these two main characters! I got this book as a free download on my Kindle. I never expected to like it so much!

[Cindy Vine]

A sweet story, slightly cheesy, a little overdose on the saccarine, but an easy read nonetheless. Maybe I am cynical, but I don't think any man can be as nice and unflawed as Gavin. It's just not humanly possible. Katie was likeable, and you did find yourself rooting for her. Justin the baddie, I knew what he was going to do before even he knew he was going to do it. That's how predictable the whole plot was. The dad who was initially bad, that was all pretty predictable as well.
I can't put my finger on it, whether it was the sub-plots or dialogue, but something just didn't mesh well for me. It was an okay read.

[Angel **Book Junkie** · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have read other Heather Huffman books and loved them and while I liked this story I hate how the characters meshed. I actually loved the MC but the relationships that grew during this story were quite unreal.

How do you become best friends with someone the day you meet them?

I mean as children this happens but in the book it happened overnight. Also the relationship with Jack was strange and unreal and while I thought the eerie stalker dude was just a little crazy the whole book came together nicely. 3 stars for this one!

[Derek brown · Rating 2 out of 5]

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[Sandra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ties That Bind is a contemporary romance. Add a dash of angst and hurt, a creepy stalker-kidnapper, a major setback, an unwilling Dad and two utterly captivating main characters and you have a successful story.

Which this one is. It's an easy, entertaining read, full of witty and amusing banter, with a nicely paced plot.

I'd recommend this to anyone who likes romance with a bit of angst.

Very nicely done, Ms. Huffman.

[JoAnne · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a free full length novel I got from Barnes and Noble for my Nook. It was a little slow getting into the story but once I got in twenty pages or so I was hooked. I laughed and cried. It had unexpected twists to the romance and some expected turns too. I was rooting for Gavin and Kate all the way. This is the first book I've read by Huffman but I will definitely look for more stories by her. Good, light summer read.

[Katy Beth Mckee · Rating 3 out of 5]

There are lot of things going on in this story. Kate is dealing with some hurt from her past as well as the loss of her mother. She is trying to find a way to connect to a dad she doesn't know. Finally, she's falling for a guy and Kate's not sure at all how she feels about this. I think the book gets the 3 rating because sometimes I just got upset at the characters that it takes a tragedy each time to get one of them to move on emotionally.

[Connie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I downloaded this book for free from my nook, so I wasn't real sure what to expect. Though some of the plot lines were a little disjointed, jumping from new situations to fully developed plot lines without much explaination, I did enjoy the storyline. The main character, Kate, certainly did see a lot of different situations in this book. Perhaps a few less but more fully developed plots would and I would have given this book 4 stars. However, overall, it was an enjoyable read.