Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

Hold Me While You Wait

Rate this book
Somya Hilton has known nothing but a life of ultimatums. From a young age, it was her and her sister Eliza against the world. When both of them find love and start families of their own, Somya finally feels like she has the life she deserves. Then tragedy strikes, leaving both her sister and brother-in-law dead and Somya to care for her niece Jazlynn who is ten at the time. For Somya there is no question that Jazzlyn should be with her. Her husband, however, has a difference of opinion. Xander Tripp has always taken care of business. The product of a drug addicted mother and a felon for a father, all he knows is hustling to survive. After the birth of his daughter left him a single father, Xander pulls himself together to be the parent she deserves. Twelve years later they have a beautiful life, but Xander is lonely… until he meets the beautiful Somya, the recently divorced mother of his daughter’s new best friend.What starts as a friendly exchange, quickly turns into a beautiful, unexpected love. Trauma bonded them, but is their bond strong enough to withstand the tests of a jealous ex and the return of Xander’s baby mama? Will Somya and Xander thrive under pressure or fold under the weight the world on their shoulders?

290 pages, Paperback

Published January 25, 2024

644 people are currently reading
1785 people want to read

About the author

Kimberly Brown

52 books1,901 followers
Kimberly Brown is a South Carolina born and raised author of contemporary/urban romance. She strives to create stories that readers can visualize in their heads as the pages turn. Writing has been a part of her journey since a young age but really became a focal point during her high school years. With the support of her classmates, she began sharing her love of words with others. In 2019 she took her first step towards becoming a serious writer with self-publishing. August of 2021, she made her BLP debut with “Pretty Caged Bird” and is continuing to grow her catalog. With a bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a pending masters in Mental Health Counseling, Kimberly loves to incorporate mental health into her writings as she feels it is not talked about or address enough within the African American community.

Follow her social media pages:
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/authorkimber...
Facebook Readers Group: https://www.facebook.com/groups/kimbe...
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorkimbe...
Twitter: https://twitter.com/AuthorKBrown

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
2,104 (64%)
4 stars
846 (25%)
3 stars
264 (8%)
2 stars
37 (1%)
1 star
5 (<1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 422 reviews
Profile Image for Annette Williams.
1,206 reviews437 followers
January 31, 2024
What do you do when your husband gives you an ultimatum and forces you to choose between him or your niece? You show his azz better than you can tell him. Somya’s sister and brother-in-law were killed in a horrific car accident. Two weeks after she buries them, Elliott hits her with some “it’s her or this family” BS and she promptly hits him with divorce papers. That wasn't the flex he thought it was gon' be. Fast forward two years later, Somya is comfortably raising her niece and five-year-old son as a single mother, and she has not one ounce of regret. Xander is a unicorn. He’s a black man with vitiligo which, you don’t see very often. What I loved about this character is that, he didn’t let his skin condition define him. Not only did he have a shyt ton of BDE but, Xander had so much confidence and swagger, I forgot he even had vitiligo. When he waltzed his sexy azz into the front office of his daughter’s school, Somya was ready to risk it all. I loved how she was able to look past his vitiligo and still see how handsome he was. On top of all the BDE he was packin’, Xander was a phenomenal dad. Dee was not as confident or comfortable in her skin so, Xander constantly spoke words of affirmation to remind her just how beautiful she was inside and out. I’ve said it a thousand times and I will continue to say it. I love me an unproblematic couple and Somya and Xander were as unproblematic as you can get. Now, don’t get it twisted. There was some drama. Just not from them. Hold Me While You Wait was such a beautiful love story. Watching Somya and Xander fall in love so organically and how they blended their families so effortlessly will tug at your heartstrings. Their angst free love journey is one I would gladly read again and again.
Profile Image for Kameel.
1,072 reviews304 followers
January 22, 2024
Love This Story

Prepare for a few tears….I lost count on the amount of times I wiped my eyes….This story was totally about healing, forgiveness and love. Such a heartwarming story…I Adored The Kids in this story…especially EJ….. I enjoyed the small cameo from Cartel and his parents.
Profile Image for Rashawnda.
1,391 reviews1,175 followers
May 23, 2024
They say that life comes at you fast! Well that ish came at Somya like a bullet train after the untimely death of her sister and brother in law during a horrific car accident. Already a parent herself, Somya experienced world wind life altering changes when she became the full legal guardian of her niece. Struggling emotionally to manage not only her own grief but that of her young niece life said “finish him” 🥴🥊 when her husband switches up and decides he didn’t sign up for all of these changes! I guess the whole “for better or worse” didn’t apply to things actually getting worse! Baby KB pulled out her best mortal combat moves in the first 5 minutes of this book because she had me searching for my teeth after that knockout!

Xander’s situation wasn’t nearly as devastating as Somya’s but as a single parent to a young impressionable girl trying her damnedest to navigate the world of teenage girl drama with the vitiligo that she inherited from her father definitely came with its own set of problems. These two family’s met and became friends during a time where they needed each other most! This was SUCH a feel good story that will pull your heart strings like puppet strings. You couldn’t help but to emphasize with every single one of them while simultaneously rooting for them to win!

❣️It was the custom library for me 📚 because we stan a man that you only have to express something once to!
❣️It was the doll house for me 🥺 because if you want me to fall in love with you, just say that Xander!
❣️It was Jazzlyn throwing hands for me!
❣️It was little EJ and his many crushes for me 😆
❣️ it was always Xanders BDE for me
❣️It was the Jereau cameos for me 🥰

I honestly loved everything about this book!! KB can be real effortless with some of the stories that she brings us and this one definitely delivers on everything that you’d expect from a feel good story!
Profile Image for Jahda.
1,072 reviews327 followers
November 29, 2024
This has been sitting in my KU library since January 24th I fear but I’m glad I could read it now. I need a man like Xander to build me my own personal book shelf. This was a long but cute read. I liked how Xander and Somya relationship grew. I don’t like Elliot or Mona I don’t forget SHIT.
Profile Image for The Love Librarian.
731 reviews1,369 followers
March 4, 2025
Xander and Somya gave me all the feels! Somya is several years post divorce after her raggedy ex was upset she became guardian of their niece (her sister’s daughter) after her sister’s death. Xander is also a single dad with a shy daughter who often is bullied due to having vitiligo like her father. When Somya’s niece slapped another student for bullying Xander’s daughter, I knew those girls would be besties, leading their guardians no choice but to fall into each other’s orbit!

Everything about this was just heartwarming. Xander and Somya had chemistry from the day they laid eyes on each other, but Xander romanced her into being his lady! Outside of the drama surrounding their exes, the merging of their families was effortless. Once they were together, that was it. There was no breaking up. They faced the drama together and made it clear that they were it for each other.

One of my favorite parts was how affirming and encouraging Xander was as a dad. He would practice daily affirmations with his daughter to boost her self-esteem and help her see herself as the beautiful girl she was. Vitiligo is a condition I rarely see in romances so it was refreshing to see a hero not only have it, but coach his daughter through the growing pains of the condition.

Definitely one of my favorite reads from this author!

TROPES: single dad; single mom; no 3rd act breakup; H/h both have traumatic childhoods; ex drama

TRIGGER WARNINGS: death of a parent, mentions of drug use/overdose
Profile Image for Lisette.
616 reviews43 followers
January 22, 2024
Whew! This read was exactly what I needed. I cried no less than half a dozen times. Xander just pulled out the longing that I have for that beautiful happy ending that I know I deserve. The way he loves is perfection. The life he spoke into his family was beautiful and necessary. The fact that he created the life that he never had but KNEW children needed to thrive was #chefskiss
I am so happy with the way this entire story unfolded. My heart is so full.
I hope we get updates just to check in and see how the new developments are going. 👀
Profile Image for Dahyana.
695 reviews90 followers
January 28, 2024
Somya x Xander

This little gem by BK was a lot deeper than I anticipated. Xander and Somya have a few things in common. Both are single parents to tween girls who quickly became BFFs. So it was natural that they bonded and fell for one another. Xander’s past came back in the form of his ex and disrupted his life in the most unimaginable way. Somya is a mother of two: co-parenting her 4-year-old with her ex and raising her orphaned 12-year-old niece. That's her new normal. These people took us on an emotional journey that's filled with love,  forgiveness, and healing. 
KB with another one!!
Loved!!
Profile Image for Nay .
450 reviews
January 22, 2024
I loved this book but what book of Kimberly Brown haven’t I loved. I loved Somya and Xander story from heartbreak to love. Xander was all BDE and Somya had no choice but to fall in love. I loved their daughter friendship everybody needs a friend ready to punch a hating hoe in the throat 🤣.
Also I hated Elliot and egg donor they both should have been given rocks to kick cause ain’t no way they should have been forgiven. I loved the cameos of the Jareau family.
Profile Image for Q. Moore.
973 reviews39 followers
February 24, 2024
Stood on Business!

Oh Kimberly Brown, when I say that you can create a masterpiece while having us fall in love with a couple, I mean it. It is not an understatement by any chance. Xander and Somya brought the drama with all the crazy exes to the forefront. However, Xander was not to be played with about Deanna. He stood on business when it came to his baby girl. He wasn't going to let anyone bully or disrespect his baby. And he wasn't the only one Jazlynn came into Deanna's life armed and ready for war. Jazlynn was the best friend that Deanna did not know she needed. She aided in boosting her self-esteem and self-confidence. They built a best friend-slash-sisterhood that a boulder couldn't crack. Xander played a critical role in both girls' lives. He was Deanna's father but a magnificent father figure to Jazlynn. Jazlynn couldn't depend on her Uncle Eliot, Somya's ex. He was too busy acting like a boy instead of a grown man. Eliot could have been a strong foundation in a pivotal moment of Jazlynn's life but he chose otherwise. Eliot fumbled the ball and couldn't recover with Somya or Jazlynn. Xander picked up the ball and finished the play with a win. He was Somya's true soulmate. Xander and Somya completed each other. They worked on healing their pasts by feeding each other what they missed during their childhood.

If by any chance you have not read a masterpiece by Kimberly Brown, now is your time. Mrs. Brown has this pen game down to a science. She will give you a heartfelt story that has you yearning for more. This book presents quite a few issues from child abandonment to parental loss. The character development is on point because Carmen is the mother and grandmother figure Xander and Deanna need. Now the exes, Mona I still do not care for her. I feel she only came back into the picture because she couldn't bear any more kids. She could have stayed where she was. Anyhow grab your copy today so you can see what I am talking about in this review.
Profile Image for Stacie.
2,576 reviews277 followers
December 20, 2024
Xander was such a great guy! He was a sweetheart roughneck. And most of all, he was completely gone for his little girl. Not much that's more attractive than a great dad. He was a great boyfriend, too. I want to be Somya's friend. This girl did not play and did not mix words. Especially about her kids. I really loved this story. The family they all formed was just amazing. I have a big ol' smile on my face right now. Happy reading!
1,098 reviews8 followers
January 23, 2024
One big happy family

I loved this book from beginning to end. It gave me all the feels and made me fall in love with this couple. Xander and Somya were perfect for each other. They were couple goals with how they raised their kids, the way they talked things through and the way they encouraged each other and helped each other see things from a different perspective. Xander had me from the beginning when he helped untwist Deanna’s hair and picked it out for her and then proceeded to have that baby recite her affirmations. This man was definitely book bae material and he exuded BDE. I loved that the relationship with Somya and Xander was so organic and realistic for two people who each had kids in that they weren’t always away from the kids and there wasn’t an excess of sex between them and more of a focus on their intimacy because their kids were always around. The kids were adorable and kept me laughing or smiling. Jazz seemed so mature and I loved how she accepted and stood up for Deanna.

Now Elliot and Mona made me want to lay hands on him but they both seemed to redeem themselves. They were lucky that Xander and Somya were not bitter and were on their grown folks energy because things could have played a different way with their shenanigans.

This book was well worth the read and I would highly recommend it.
Profile Image for Nikita.
348 reviews18 followers
January 29, 2024
Hold Me While I Wait

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ across the board. Xander and Somya filled each other up, their cups runneth over. Their love journey was just a beauty to read. Intentions were clear and actions mirrored words. The children were just so adorable and entertaining. In the end I couldn’t see myself being that accepting towards Elliot and Mona. But Dee deserved answers at least and the love of her mother. Still couldn’t be me. Now that ending was just too sweet and made me want more of Xander and Somya’s addicting love story.
Profile Image for Christi (christireadsalot).
2,833 reviews1,482 followers
March 5, 2025
4.5 stars! This was so good! A single mom and single dad romance. I loved the way their families come together and how perfect they all fit together.

Somya is a single mom to her son and her niece she’s raising. We see at the beginning of the story her husband (at the time) tells her to pick between raising her niece or him and she said bye to him. One day she gets a call from the school that her daughter slapped another student who was bullying her new friend, which happens to be the hero’s daughter. I loved Xander and his relationship with his daughter, he turned his life around to be everything for his daughter and it was so sweet seeing him be such a great dad. He and his daughter both have vitiligo. I loved the daily affirmations he does with his daughter, seeing Somya and Xander come together so naturally (so meant to be), Somya’s relationship with her niece, her young son and his love of ladies was the cutest.

There is a lot of beginning drama with both of their exes but I really liked seeing how it all played out for this big, extended, blended family. The love was really felt in this book in so many ways and I loved seeing it.
Profile Image for Shalana.
484 reviews9 followers
August 12, 2024
4⭐

I was hesitant to read this book because I thought it would be heavy on the grief but I should have trusted Ms. Brown, because she always delivers.

Despite their pasts (both distant and recent), what we get is a romance between two people who are healed enough to recognize that what they have together is special. Bonus points for a blended family where all the adults involved were focused on co-parenting effectively. We love to see it.
Profile Image for Wind.
375 reviews5 followers
June 14, 2025
Imagine your husband giving you an ultimatum to choose between him and your grieving niece who just lost both her parents, including your sister. Of course you choose your niece and walk away from that marriage because… how dare he?
As the story unfolds, we dive into forgiveness, family, and love take center stage. Despite the rocky beginnings, it was beautiful to see everyone come together at the end.
Profile Image for 'The Book Queen'.
6,058 reviews118 followers
January 26, 2024
The story was a pretty good read although, I drifted a lot as the story had quite a few lulls. See what you think.
Profile Image for Shanelle.
1,492 reviews22 followers
March 9, 2024
LOVED IT

I really enjoyed this story. It was very well written, with a great storyline and character development. Who would've thought a chance meeting between Xander and Somya would end up being the blending of their families. I loved how the kids immediately bonded. They had a few issues with their exes, but with communication and understanding of boundaries, things worked out. Xander may have left the streets behind, but he definitely wasn't backing down from anyone trying to disrupt the peace within his family. This was a great story of finding love with the person who was everything you needed and more.
Profile Image for Taees_Cozy_Corner.
810 reviews1 follower
October 28, 2025
This was such a beautiful read about finding love after tragedy . I love how she handled her ex and how she refused to let it deter her from moving on and giving her All to her new guy. Also the way she stood in business behind her niece was everything for me
169 reviews
February 22, 2024
Mmmm…..Just a few Opinions of Mine⭐️⭐️⭐️

I hate how they incorporated Mona into this!Mona only came back because she couldn’t have kids! It wasn’t because her mother stopped talking to her for a year it was because her husband divorced her and she wasn’t going to have kids so she wanted the one she abandoned! She was about to build a family of her own until she couldn’t! Forgiveness shouldn’t always be given! My opinion. Then the exes linked up???? It’s a no for me! Her ex husband wanted her back majority of the book come on!!!
Profile Image for Jamie.
1,127 reviews275 followers
April 25, 2024
I really liked most of this book and really liked their relationship, but I hated the fact that Mona just got to pop back in after 12 years of nothing and become part of the family. Like so much so that they all vacation together in the epilogue, I really didn’t like that and the fact that Dee and Somya’s relationship got pushed to the side to allow room for Mona. Very annoying
Profile Image for Ebony Essence.
559 reviews24 followers
May 17, 2025
Read via paperback and audio (Libby & hoopla).

“I desired her. I craved her. I had to have her.”

These two had some battles and hardships to deal with before even crossing each others paths. I think Kim did a great job of displaying how quick life can change for a person. Sometimes there’s no time to think you just have to do what’s best right then and there. With both Somya and Xander they did their best and a lot to be proud of when it came to building their own peaceful families.

I love the instant connection between these two. Somya was trying to fight it but Xander knows what he wants and best believe he’s coming. They were spicy and dreamy all in one. Their families blended very well. How could they not though? What Jazz did for Dee ment a bond for life and that was just one of my favorite moments. Kim doesn’t miss when giving romantics like me hope that I’ll find my HEA too one day. I’m sure I’ll be rereading in the future.

Moments/Quotes:
-When Somya told Xander what her favorite spot on him was.
-EJ and his thing for older women.
-Mona and Elliot had me 38 hot. I’m still side eyeing them.
-The doll house.
-Carmen is so sweet.
-The reading of an erotica book to your partner is at the top of my list to do.
-The car date ♥️.
-“Let me have it. I’ll carry it fit you.”
-“She’s a person and her feelings matter. The problem is you don’t think they do. Children deserve apologies from adults too.”
Profile Image for Brittany B..
31 reviews4 followers
June 23, 2024
It gave 4.75 ⭐️ in all the right ways.

Simple Synopsis: "We were two people who came from less-than-ideal circumstances. Our pasts didn't get to dictate our futures, and we stood tall on that."

The Greek word for enduring is hupomone. It's the kind of spirit that can TRIUMPH OVER PAIN AND SUFFERING TO ACHIEVE THE GOAL. You have two people who joined together and triumphed over their childhood trauma and achieved successful careers, healthy loved, maturity, and all the things.

In this book, you'll journey through:

Loss/grief
Friendship
Bookish vibes
Fluffy romance
Blended Family
Vitiligo Representation
Healing & Hard Decisions
Profile Image for Crimson.
619 reviews4 followers
April 5, 2024
Great read

Kimberly Brown I love this book. I adore a good love story. This book had me displaying so many emotions. It starts off as a tragedy, but ends up in love. Just read the damn book.
Profile Image for Eboni Jack.
14 reviews12 followers
August 25, 2024
❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️
Profile Image for Margerita✨.
63 reviews1 follower
October 27, 2024
✨This is my first Kimberly Brown book and I'M OBSESSED!!🥰🤗💖 This was such an amazing read!! What I love most about this story is the fact that we get to witness how Somya and Xander still continued put their kids first, and be amazing parents might I add, despite the circumstances they came from and the ones they were in. This literally made my heart happy because it truly shows how kids should always be cherished and centered while also being heard. It was beautiful to see the progression of the dynamic of the family over time, especially with the many changes that were happening at once. But I really feel like the storyline and the timing really tied everything together which I really loved 🥰. Definitely a story about courage, forgiveness, and second chances and it was so beautifully written.✨🫶🏾
Profile Image for Trinity.
747 reviews261 followers
January 28, 2024
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5 🌶🌶🌶/5

TW - divorce, absent parents, death of a sibling and their partner (car crash loosely recounted, plot point), death of a parent (past, aneurysm, mentioned & overdose, mentioned), foster care system, bullying (at school because of vitiligo, imprisonment (sc, mentioned), addiction (heroine, sc, mentioned), anxiety, child abuse (past, mentioned briefly), premature menopause (sc, mentioned)

Tropes - single parents / co-parenting, found family, black love

Get you a man who will build your bookshelves.

This was so cute. Somya (FMC) is raising her son and niece after her sister and brother in law passed away. She divorced her ex because he wanted her to choose between family but Somya did not see that as a choice. Xander (MMC) is a single dad after the mother of his daughter did not want to be involved after the birth. The MCs meet when their girls meet at school and the attraction was there from the jump - I was immediately invested.

It is genuinely so refreshing to read characters who act with the maturity that comes with their age. These two were not about any bullshit even if their exes wanted to come and act a fool. I really enjoyed the found family aspect of this and how Somya and Xander treated each other's kids like their own and the unit they had together. They were cute, their dates were cute, their family dates were cute and I truly flew through this book.

Xander knows how to turn up for his person; for me he was the epitome of being present meaning more than anything else. The MCs spoke to each other's inner child with their sentimental gestures and I really ate up their relationship.

And ofc, the smut was smutting

Scale:
⭐️ - would've DNF'ed / continued out of spite
⭐️⭐️ - shit, but whatever
⭐️⭐️⭐️ - meh, could've been better
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - lit 👅
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ - loved it, inject this shit into my veins 🤪

🫑 - no smut
🌶 - no point
🌶🌶 - mediocre at best
🌶🌶🌶 - standard smut, hot
🌶🌶🌶🌶 - 🥵 okay, some CW
🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶 - fuck me 🥵🥵 CWs / filthy with a side of filth - see Poison / Room Twenty-Two: Hide and Seek/ The Naughty List
Profile Image for stacia.
99 reviews100 followers
April 11, 2025
I go through so many romance novels these days that I don’t log them all here anymore. I only clock the ones that stand out. So let me say this about Hold Me While You Wait:

This one’s special. The main couple have been through a lot: difficult childhoods, parental addiction, foster care, sibling loss, divorce and abandonments of many kinds. But they’ve grown into very gracious, successful adults in spite of it. They’re immediately drawn to each other and so are their kids. And before very few pages, they embark on the kind of grounded yet passionate love story that evokes smiles and blushes as you read.

But what sets this one apart for me isn’t the romance between the two leads; it’s the family and community they gain through each other. They started out with one close friend a piece and by the end, there’s a houseful of bonds that range from awkward and tentative to raucous and wonderful.

It’s a story brimming with forgiveness and grace and vulnerability and acceptance. And even though some of the progress made in the more difficult relationships feels too easily won at turns, it’s gratifying to see it. You actually wind up feeling like the couple deserves that sort of ease.

I don’t know. Just hats off to the writer for what she’s done here. It’s really sweet and satisfying.
Profile Image for She Watkins.
94 reviews9 followers
January 30, 2024
10's all across the board!!!!

Man I loved this story so so much!!! The way it had me wanting smoke with a couple characters and by the end I was rooting for them!!! Loved it.... So my a has to be my favorite fmc of all time! My girl was strong, knew what she what she wanted and knew what she wasn't going to put up with! Xander was everything!! The BDE jumped off the pages and popped me 😂😂 their love story was nothing short of amazing! The maturity and the way they openly communicated was just beautiful! The kids kept me cracking up! My boy EJ fell in love 3 times 😂 the relationship between Jaz and Dee was everything! Thank goodness Jaz popped ol girl in the beginning😂 I was giving the major side eye to Elliot and Mona in the beginning but they both sort of redeemed themselves in the end! I loved this story and hope to see these characters in the future!!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 422 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.