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Del Ray Brothers #2
Hold My Hand
Following a family tragedy, Sydney Adair has compartmentalized her life into reliable, predictable routines and stuck to them. Dreams like opening her own yoga studio or the possibility of having a family pale in comparison to what she lost nearly a year ago, comfortability becoming the only constant she wants.Having six-feet-three-inches of wounded, broody detective living in her backyard—along with his precious daughter—does not fit within her parameters.Detective Jordan Del Ray has been running from his mother’s abandonment and his father’s workaholism since he left his hometown fifteen years ago. He’s made a life for himself and his daughter, until a shooting leaves him with two bullet holes in his shoulder and the PTSD he hasn’t been able to shake since his discharge from the Marines, forcing him to move back to the place that started it all.And lands him only steps away from the fiery blonde barista he met briefly over the summer, who is just as determined as him to block out the darkness from her past.Between their painful pasts and the mutual agreement to keep their arrangement strictly business, feelings shouldn’t be a problem. But when distrust turns into baking gingerbread cookies, and self-defensive banter shifts into searching conversations, will Jordan and Sydney find the courage to face their own respective ghosts—and find out just how powerful their connection is? Or will the tangle of mysteries they find themselves caught up in sever the fragile family they’ve begun to build?
386 pages, Paperback
Published November 1, 2024
3 people are currently reading
214 people want to read
About the author
Cleopatra Margot
16 books199 followersCleopatra Margot resides with her family and their golden retrievers in small town, rural Nebraska. Inspiration for her novels comes from both real life + fictional storylines she dreams up. She was homeschooled, alongside her two younger siblings, and she enjoys traveling with her family. When she’s not writing, Cleopatra enjoys reading, time with family and friends, dancing, playing cards, being outside, and enjoying life.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 67 reviews
February 19, 2024
Oh… my gosh. I am obsessed. Cleopatra’s writing and story telling is EXCELLENT. this isn’t just a simple romance— there are so many smaller plot lines that weave so well into the larger one and I am just at a loss for words. This was truly excellent. This series has yet to let me down, and I do not expect it to. I am so excited for the next books, and I DESPERATELY need a Nash book. I adore Nash and want to see more of him.
This book made me SOB. I was and am so invested. Impatiently waiting for the next one. OBSESSED and could not recommend this series more.
This book made me SOB. I was and am so invested. Impatiently waiting for the next one. OBSESSED and could not recommend this series more.
February 20, 2024
Hold My Hand is the second book in the Del Ray Brothers series. I had not yet read the first book in the series, and I was able to enjoy it just fine as a standalone. That said, there are a lot of characters to keep track of, so I do wonder if I would have had a slightly easier time with that had I read book one first. (The author did give a great character intro before the story started though, which was super helpful and would be even more so in the paperback, I'm sure!)
This was such a beautiful, heartfelt romance. Both Sydney and Jordan had rough pasts that they were healing from and as such, the story touches on some tougher topics such as grief, parental abandonment, PTSD, etc. I thought the author did a great job of handling these topics both realistically and with grace, without being too heavy. There was definitely a sense of healing as the story progressed that I really appreciated. That really made the romance between them that much sweeter, and I absolutely adored that. I loved their chemistry... and the deleted texts? Those were definitely a nice touch that made me smile!
The story was told mostly through Sydney and Jordan's POV and their story was the main focus, but we also got the occasional POV from two other characters as well. While I wasn't sure about that at first, by the end, I really enjoyed the bigger picture. Speaking of the bigger picture, there was a bit of a mystery in this story, which ended in a cliffhanger... needless to say, I am very excited to see what happens next!
Hold My Hand is a closed-door romance with nothing beyond kisses.
**I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
This was such a beautiful, heartfelt romance. Both Sydney and Jordan had rough pasts that they were healing from and as such, the story touches on some tougher topics such as grief, parental abandonment, PTSD, etc. I thought the author did a great job of handling these topics both realistically and with grace, without being too heavy. There was definitely a sense of healing as the story progressed that I really appreciated. That really made the romance between them that much sweeter, and I absolutely adored that. I loved their chemistry... and the deleted texts? Those were definitely a nice touch that made me smile!
The story was told mostly through Sydney and Jordan's POV and their story was the main focus, but we also got the occasional POV from two other characters as well. While I wasn't sure about that at first, by the end, I really enjoyed the bigger picture. Speaking of the bigger picture, there was a bit of a mystery in this story, which ended in a cliffhanger... needless to say, I am very excited to see what happens next!
Hold My Hand is a closed-door romance with nothing beyond kisses.
**I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.
March 16, 2024
First, thank you so much Cleopatra for an ARC of this precious book! Reading Jordan and Sydney’s story was so sweet.
The following are a list of things I really enjoyed about this book:
- Balsam Falls; the name, the vibes, SO GOOD! Such a cutie fall town
- The banter was so cute! Clean, quirky, made me blush for sure! Tehe, Jordan Del Ray what a guy! 🥰
- To my surprise, I loved the single dad trope! It added so much dimension & wholesomeness to Jordan + Sydney’s romance! Jolene is a cutie!
- I loved that, though a romance book, there were real human hurts & hang-ups that made the story so realistic and easy to relate to. It also made the characters more likeable because you feel for them.
- Finally, I loved the faith element in this book. You knew the main characters were persons of faith but it wasn’t cheesy or overwritten. It was just enough & I’m definitely keeping that writing style in my back pocket!
The following are a list of things I didn’t enjoy too much:
- some parts of the book where pretty slow, the pace didn’t feel consistent but when it picked up, it PICKED UP
Not a 5 star but sweet, wholesome, and real! I thoroughly enjoyed this book & would recommend to almost everyone!
The following are a list of things I really enjoyed about this book:
- Balsam Falls; the name, the vibes, SO GOOD! Such a cutie fall town
- The banter was so cute! Clean, quirky, made me blush for sure! Tehe, Jordan Del Ray what a guy! 🥰
- To my surprise, I loved the single dad trope! It added so much dimension & wholesomeness to Jordan + Sydney’s romance! Jolene is a cutie!
- I loved that, though a romance book, there were real human hurts & hang-ups that made the story so realistic and easy to relate to. It also made the characters more likeable because you feel for them.
- Finally, I loved the faith element in this book. You knew the main characters were persons of faith but it wasn’t cheesy or overwritten. It was just enough & I’m definitely keeping that writing style in my back pocket!
The following are a list of things I didn’t enjoy too much:
- some parts of the book where pretty slow, the pace didn’t feel consistent but when it picked up, it PICKED UP
Not a 5 star but sweet, wholesome, and real! I thoroughly enjoyed this book & would recommend to almost everyone!
January 28, 2024
I’m not going to say a lot as to not ruin it for you, but THIS BOOK AND THIS SERIES IS FIRE, and I can’t wait for more books to come! I love that Jordan and Sydney can somewhat relate to each other in their past traumas and were there to help each other deal. Each of their relationships with his daughter, Jolene, are so stinking precious. The added element of mystery in the story line was a surprise that I enjoyed immensely and of course, you get more of Ember and Graham from “Sun to Me”!!
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
she’s grumpy/he’s partly cloudy
Purple Heart veteran
Single girl dad
Converse wearing barista FMC
Age gap (7 years)
Thank you, Cleo, for the honor of getting to read this advanced copy! Mark your calendars babes for February 27th!
ʀᴇᴀᴅ ɪꜰ ʏᴏᴜ ʟɪᴋᴇ:
she’s grumpy/he’s partly cloudy
Purple Heart veteran
Single girl dad
Converse wearing barista FMC
Age gap (7 years)
Thank you, Cleo, for the honor of getting to read this advanced copy! Mark your calendars babes for February 27th!
January 29, 2024
Hold My Hand is book 2 in the Del Ray Brothers series.
Read if you like:
- small town
- closed-door romance
- single girl dad x plant & dog mom
- she’s a barista, he’s a purple heart veteran/detective
- grumpy FMC x partly cloudy MMC
- roommates-ish
- age gap
- banter
- element of mystery
*multiple POV
*read content warning for sensitive topic triggers
*available on KU
I adored this book! Cleo has such a wonderful way of writing stories that are real. The characters are imperfect, but they are so relatable. While Sun To Me is a literal ray of sunshine, Hold My Hand deals with some sensitive topics such as PTSD, parental abandonment & panic attacks, and even has the element of mystery throughout the story.
Jordan is our Purple Heart veteran/detective, tea drinking single girl dad MMC, and Sydney is our barista, yoga loving plant & dog mom FMC. He’s partly cloudy and she’s grumpy, but together they find the light in each other and slowly begin to heal. I loved the progression of their relationship and how they opened up & trusted each other to hold hands through their darkness. And I especially adored Sydney and Jolene’s relationship.
You get nicknames—both for Jordan & Sydney, but also among the siblings. There’s banter. There’s dad jokes. And some very tender moments.
Nash & Indi were introduced in this book (and were great characters!!!) and I cannot wait to read more about them.
Hold My Hand also ends on a cliffhanger, so the anticipation for Book 3 has already started!
I highly recommend reading book 1—Sun To Me—before jumping into this one as you will have a MUCH better reading experience & understanding of the characters and storylines.
HUGE thank you to Cleo for sending me an arc copy. Release day is Feb 27th, 2024!
Read if you like:
- small town
- closed-door romance
- single girl dad x plant & dog mom
- she’s a barista, he’s a purple heart veteran/detective
- grumpy FMC x partly cloudy MMC
- roommates-ish
- age gap
- banter
- element of mystery
*multiple POV
*read content warning for sensitive topic triggers
*available on KU
I adored this book! Cleo has such a wonderful way of writing stories that are real. The characters are imperfect, but they are so relatable. While Sun To Me is a literal ray of sunshine, Hold My Hand deals with some sensitive topics such as PTSD, parental abandonment & panic attacks, and even has the element of mystery throughout the story.
Jordan is our Purple Heart veteran/detective, tea drinking single girl dad MMC, and Sydney is our barista, yoga loving plant & dog mom FMC. He’s partly cloudy and she’s grumpy, but together they find the light in each other and slowly begin to heal. I loved the progression of their relationship and how they opened up & trusted each other to hold hands through their darkness. And I especially adored Sydney and Jolene’s relationship.
You get nicknames—both for Jordan & Sydney, but also among the siblings. There’s banter. There’s dad jokes. And some very tender moments.
Nash & Indi were introduced in this book (and were great characters!!!) and I cannot wait to read more about them.
Hold My Hand also ends on a cliffhanger, so the anticipation for Book 3 has already started!
I highly recommend reading book 1—Sun To Me—before jumping into this one as you will have a MUCH better reading experience & understanding of the characters and storylines.
HUGE thank you to Cleo for sending me an arc copy. Release day is Feb 27th, 2024!
February 28, 2024
Goodness at the emotions I experienced reading this.
I knew Hold My Hand wouldn’t let me down. I loved Sun to Me so much and Cleopatra has a special way with writing that just makes me so immersed and completely drawn in… but this was SO so good. I absolutely loved Sydney, Jordan, and Jolene separately and together. Theres so much different kinds of heartbreak that each of them have faced and I just loved learning their stories and finding out what made them who they are. All of the characters are perfect of course- I love the texts and the playful banter between the siblings.
I was hesitant about Indigo and am still curious to find out more about her, but I loved finding out about her in general. I hope she gets the love and clarity(?) she deserves because I know that there’s something amiss there.
The journal BROKE me. When the connection was made I was in tears. Immediately. But I loved the tribute they decided to do in Max’s honor. I do wish we would have seen more of Daniel, but I loved that he was included. 🥹
Overall, 10/10. This was perfection to me. I had tears in my eyes while I was smiling and laughing, I could feel the heartbreak the characters faced myself, and I absolutely loved Sydney and Jordan together. I can’t wait to see what comes after this 💖
I knew Hold My Hand wouldn’t let me down. I loved Sun to Me so much and Cleopatra has a special way with writing that just makes me so immersed and completely drawn in… but this was SO so good. I absolutely loved Sydney, Jordan, and Jolene separately and together. Theres so much different kinds of heartbreak that each of them have faced and I just loved learning their stories and finding out what made them who they are. All of the characters are perfect of course- I love the texts and the playful banter between the siblings.
I was hesitant about Indigo and am still curious to find out more about her, but I loved finding out about her in general. I hope she gets the love and clarity(?) she deserves because I know that there’s something amiss there.
The journal BROKE me. When the connection was made I was in tears. Immediately. But I loved the tribute they decided to do in Max’s honor. I do wish we would have seen more of Daniel, but I loved that he was included. 🥹
Overall, 10/10. This was perfection to me. I had tears in my eyes while I was smiling and laughing, I could feel the heartbreak the characters faced myself, and I absolutely loved Sydney and Jordan together. I can’t wait to see what comes after this 💖
February 27, 2024
to say i’m super invested in the del ray brothers (and their families/friends) would be an understatement. hold my hand is the second in the series and i’m already ready for the next one. and the next, and the next. (not me hoping there are several more about so many members of this family. 🤣) cleo certainly knows how to pull you in and make you love not only her main characters, but all of them.
i loved watching jordan and sydney navigate through their own trauma while finding comfort in one another, but sydney and jolene stole the show for me. their relationship is just so special and i think i loved it so much because i’ve seen this kind of relationship first hand with two very special people in my life. 🥹 it brought about all the emotions for me.
there was a lot going on in this story, multiple stories and side stories being told, as well as a little mystery - and i think that’s one of the things that kept me going back for more.
this book, as is par for the course, it seems, with this series, left off on a cliffhanger and i can’t wait to see where that leads!
thank you so much, cleo, for the honor of reading an advanced copy!
i loved watching jordan and sydney navigate through their own trauma while finding comfort in one another, but sydney and jolene stole the show for me. their relationship is just so special and i think i loved it so much because i’ve seen this kind of relationship first hand with two very special people in my life. 🥹 it brought about all the emotions for me.
there was a lot going on in this story, multiple stories and side stories being told, as well as a little mystery - and i think that’s one of the things that kept me going back for more.
this book, as is par for the course, it seems, with this series, left off on a cliffhanger and i can’t wait to see where that leads!
thank you so much, cleo, for the honor of reading an advanced copy!
February 8, 2024
I loved "Sun To Me" and Margot took her writing to an even higher bar. Her style is so easy and fun to reach and her characters always make me smile. I did think that it was a little long, and the plot was a bit predictable so for some reason this time I got bored? I mean, most romcoms are pretty predictable but maybe not enough unique stuff was happening to keep me entertained 100% of the time. But basically 80% of the time it was such a fun read, I didn't care.
I do love a good hurting, moody, tattoo clad, cop trying to woo a grumpy, don't-touch-me-barista. Def my style! Also the young daughter, Jolene, is adorable!
Tropes:
Single dad
Age gap
Child no one knew about
Christmas romance
Secrets
.
I found this a light-hearted read with harder themes (Jordan and Sydney are trying to come to terms with loss in their personal lives). I love the military and cop rep and CONVERSE clan girl MC is always a win.
This clean read is a must if you love romcoms at Christmas.
I do love a good hurting, moody, tattoo clad, cop trying to woo a grumpy, don't-touch-me-barista. Def my style! Also the young daughter, Jolene, is adorable!
Tropes:
Single dad
Age gap
Child no one knew about
Christmas romance
Secrets
.
I found this a light-hearted read with harder themes (Jordan and Sydney are trying to come to terms with loss in their personal lives). I love the military and cop rep and CONVERSE clan girl MC is always a win.
This clean read is a must if you love romcoms at Christmas.
May 29, 2024
I really really wish half stars were a thing because this would be a 4.5/5 for SURE!
There is so much to love about these characters and this world that Cleo has built. The Del Ray brothers, the Bryant Family, and everyone else reads like real people. They experience real things. And yeah, it’s a romance so things are maybe a bit more rosy than in real life but that’s what makes this book and Sun to Me so easy to fall into and love.
The real issues that Cleo does deal with are done so in a very tender and thoughtful way. Having experienced something similar to what Sydney is going through in real life, there were so many things that I thought “yep, that’s exactly how family feels”. There are so many dynamics going on and to be able to juggle everything and everyone in the story while remaining cohesive across the series is so impressive.
Can’t recommend this book enough! Congrats Cleo☕️☀️🫶🏻
There is so much to love about these characters and this world that Cleo has built. The Del Ray brothers, the Bryant Family, and everyone else reads like real people. They experience real things. And yeah, it’s a romance so things are maybe a bit more rosy than in real life but that’s what makes this book and Sun to Me so easy to fall into and love.
The real issues that Cleo does deal with are done so in a very tender and thoughtful way. Having experienced something similar to what Sydney is going through in real life, there were so many things that I thought “yep, that’s exactly how family feels”. There are so many dynamics going on and to be able to juggle everything and everyone in the story while remaining cohesive across the series is so impressive.
Can’t recommend this book enough! Congrats Cleo☕️☀️🫶🏻
February 27, 2024
This is a great second installment in the Del Ray Brothers series. I liked it even more than the first, which it's quite common for me to love the second book in a series more. Probably because I already know the characters and get to enjoy more time with them.
That is definitely the case with Hold My Hand. As always, Cleopatra delivers wonderful sibling banter, hilarious texting convos, and sweet and clean romance. I enjoyed getting to catch up with Graham and Ember, along with diving into Sydney and Jordan's story, and a few other surprises.
There is so much happening and more to come, and I'm looking forward to continuing with this family in future books.
In summary, a clean contemporary romance with relatable and enjoyable family dynamics in a small lake town. If that's the kind of reading you enjoy, I recommend Hold My Hand.
That is definitely the case with Hold My Hand. As always, Cleopatra delivers wonderful sibling banter, hilarious texting convos, and sweet and clean romance. I enjoyed getting to catch up with Graham and Ember, along with diving into Sydney and Jordan's story, and a few other surprises.
There is so much happening and more to come, and I'm looking forward to continuing with this family in future books.
In summary, a clean contemporary romance with relatable and enjoyable family dynamics in a small lake town. If that's the kind of reading you enjoy, I recommend Hold My Hand.
July 23, 2024
5/5!!! first 5/5 rating i’ve given and it’s well deserved. love this series so far. my favorite trope i’ve read is the single dad so this was absolutely perfect. along with how well cleopatra writes, the plot is just so good and there’s so many things she ties together and i’m like omg no way. plus there’s a cliff hanger at the (just like the last book) and it keeps me super excited for the next book. overall she does such a great job. this is definitely my favorite book i’ve read so far, looking forward to colton’s story!!
shoutout to the best character in the SERIES: jolene<3
my favorite 6 year old ever. her relationship with her dad, uncles, and now sydney is just precious :)
shoutout to the best character in the SERIES: jolene<3
my favorite 6 year old ever. her relationship with her dad, uncles, and now sydney is just precious :)
February 16, 2024
Thank you Cleo for the Arc of this book❤️
I love the Del Ray brothers stories and this book did not disappoint.
If you haven’t read Sun to Me… get on it right now! I loved that this book continued stories and let us get to know the characters on a deeper level.
The end of chapter 25 had me 😱😱😱😭😭😱🥹this book not only sucks you in but touched base on so many heavy topics and brought light and hope to them❤️
This book built my anticipation for the other two books 👀👀 the new characters were so fun and I loved that it changed the dynamic of things a bit🤭
Go read these books the Del Ray family captured my heart and it’s sure to do the same to you😘
I love the Del Ray brothers stories and this book did not disappoint.
If you haven’t read Sun to Me… get on it right now! I loved that this book continued stories and let us get to know the characters on a deeper level.
The end of chapter 25 had me 😱😱😱😭😭😱🥹this book not only sucks you in but touched base on so many heavy topics and brought light and hope to them❤️
This book built my anticipation for the other two books 👀👀 the new characters were so fun and I loved that it changed the dynamic of things a bit🤭
Go read these books the Del Ray family captured my heart and it’s sure to do the same to you😘
February 28, 2024
Hold My Hand is simply just the sweetest story, overflowing with lovable characters, emotional pasts, encouragement, strong friendships, and lots of hot cups of tea! My favorite part about this book is the emphasis on the family dynamics and the emotional past each of the main characters have experienced. Yes, there is a romantic plot line, and 2 people fall in love, BUT there is so much more going on in here that you won’t expect or see coming and I loved seeing this story unwind and twist and turn!
March 2, 2024
3/5 stars 📸
I sadly didn’t connect with this book. Objectively, there was nothing wrong with this book and the setup and tropes should have worked for me, but they just didn’t. The way this book was written didn’t click with me and felt confusing to me sometimes. I was reading this book a lot slower than my usual reading pace. Jolene was definitely the highlight of this book tho. It’s definitely more of a me problem, it’s not a bad book by any means.
I sadly didn’t connect with this book. Objectively, there was nothing wrong with this book and the setup and tropes should have worked for me, but they just didn’t. The way this book was written didn’t click with me and felt confusing to me sometimes. I was reading this book a lot slower than my usual reading pace. Jolene was definitely the highlight of this book tho. It’s definitely more of a me problem, it’s not a bad book by any means.
February 27, 2024
Oh man🥰 I loved this one! If you haven’t read a book by Cleo, you’re missing out on her talent. Two chapters in and I already had all the feels. Jordan (and Jo!) and Sydney are so perfect together. I love the Del Ray family🤎 seriously cannot wait for the next one!
March 6, 2024
Read this book if you like:
✨Single Dad
✨Close Proximity (he is her tenant)
✨veteran
✨age gap
✨grumpyxsunshine vibes from both sides
I honestly enjoyed this book, it’s not my top read but I liked how it made me feel. I am a fan on Cleo’s writing. I respect how she can make someone feel so much and not add any spice. The premise of the book is unique and it not only gives you the perspective of the MCs but also the other characters (his dad and his dad’s love)
I like books where the story revolves even outside their love and god this book was filed with it all.
I want to thank cleo for giving me this book in exchange of honest review.
✨Single Dad
✨Close Proximity (he is her tenant)
✨veteran
✨age gap
✨grumpyxsunshine vibes from both sides
I honestly enjoyed this book, it’s not my top read but I liked how it made me feel. I am a fan on Cleo’s writing. I respect how she can make someone feel so much and not add any spice. The premise of the book is unique and it not only gives you the perspective of the MCs but also the other characters (his dad and his dad’s love)
I like books where the story revolves even outside their love and god this book was filed with it all.
I want to thank cleo for giving me this book in exchange of honest review.
December 31, 2023
The second book of this series did not disappoint!!
February 29, 2024
I am so split about how to rate this book so let me explain my thoughts (hopefully coherently). I didn't read book one and thus didn't know any of the characters. There was a list at the beginning of the book explaining it all, but personally, I didn't feel that was enough and I can't say that this works as a standalone book because of the past relationships from book one. This made me want to dnf the book for the first 50 or 60%, simply because I was so confused and it was from so many different perspectives. BUT I didn't dnf because I got it as an arc and I wanted to read the whole thing. I found after the second half, the way that Sydney and Jordan's grief related to one another was very touching and I appreciated that surprise. However, I got to the end of the book and it finished on a cliffhanger! I was under the impression that this is a standalone so I didn't love that. The cliffhanger is also related to the plot and not to the romance between Sydney and Jordan. I feel that the romance was never finished and wrapped with a bow, so I was left feeling underwhelmed and questioning things.
So. I didn't like most of the plot and found myself confused. Why did I rate this three stars then? One answer- the quotes. Cleopatra Margot has a way of writing the most beautiful, heartfelt, soul-wrenching quotes you've ever read. Those quotes were so healing for me and the trauma that I went through/am going through. It wasn't just one good quote either. It was one after another after another (see below, cause I'm putting some in this review).
"Chances are, when you're the most scared you've felt, you're being the bravest you've been"
"Broken crayons may still color, but they'll never look the same. . . What matters is that you still have the courage to color with the pieces you have left"
"Maybe that was what healing really was- feeling the pain, but rather than reacting to it, choosing to find the comfort in the light instead"
Tropes:
-single dad
-detective mmc
-closed door
-healing from trauma
-family focused
I received an arc from the author- all opinions are my own
So. I didn't like most of the plot and found myself confused. Why did I rate this three stars then? One answer- the quotes. Cleopatra Margot has a way of writing the most beautiful, heartfelt, soul-wrenching quotes you've ever read. Those quotes were so healing for me and the trauma that I went through/am going through. It wasn't just one good quote either. It was one after another after another (see below, cause I'm putting some in this review).
"Chances are, when you're the most scared you've felt, you're being the bravest you've been"
"Broken crayons may still color, but they'll never look the same. . . What matters is that you still have the courage to color with the pieces you have left"
"Maybe that was what healing really was- feeling the pain, but rather than reacting to it, choosing to find the comfort in the light instead"
Tropes:
-single dad
-detective mmc
-closed door
-healing from trauma
-family focused
I received an arc from the author- all opinions are my own
February 9, 2024
This book was adorable! I’ve been eagerly waiting for Jordan’s book, and it did not disappoint.
I loved Jordan’s character from the beginning. He’s always quick to be lighthearted, but there are deep hurts underneath his humor. I loved his character growth and how he learned how to let people in. His parent’s betrayal had broken him, but he was also trying to heal for Jolene. His relationship with her was adorable, and he was determined to be the best dad for her.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Sydney at first, but from the first chapter, she won me over! She also had a lot of past trauma to work through, but Jolene and Jordan broke down all of her walls. Her strength was amazing, and her loyalty to her family was adorable. I loved her character’s development, and I felt like I knew her from the beginning. I empathized with her hurts and pains, and I loved watching her choose to try again with Jordan and Jolene.
This is mainly focused on Sydney and Jordan’s romance, and the pacing was absolutely beautiful! I really liked the slow burn aspect to the romance because I felt like it made sense with Jordan and Sydney’s character. They had a lot of painful things to work through, but they were willing to have honest conversations to heal together. This book deals with some hard topics including infidelity, parental abandonment, drug overdose, and ptsd. While they are done mainly off the page, the characters are still working through these things.
The Del Ray family was lovely to see again! Hazel and Sam’s romance is slowly growing, and the family is trying to come together. You get to see some old friends again as well including Ember and Graham. I would definitely recommend this romance! It deals with some hard topics with grace and beauty.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
I loved Jordan’s character from the beginning. He’s always quick to be lighthearted, but there are deep hurts underneath his humor. I loved his character growth and how he learned how to let people in. His parent’s betrayal had broken him, but he was also trying to heal for Jolene. His relationship with her was adorable, and he was determined to be the best dad for her.
I wasn’t sure if I was going to like Sydney at first, but from the first chapter, she won me over! She also had a lot of past trauma to work through, but Jolene and Jordan broke down all of her walls. Her strength was amazing, and her loyalty to her family was adorable. I loved her character’s development, and I felt like I knew her from the beginning. I empathized with her hurts and pains, and I loved watching her choose to try again with Jordan and Jolene.
This is mainly focused on Sydney and Jordan’s romance, and the pacing was absolutely beautiful! I really liked the slow burn aspect to the romance because I felt like it made sense with Jordan and Sydney’s character. They had a lot of painful things to work through, but they were willing to have honest conversations to heal together. This book deals with some hard topics including infidelity, parental abandonment, drug overdose, and ptsd. While they are done mainly off the page, the characters are still working through these things.
The Del Ray family was lovely to see again! Hazel and Sam’s romance is slowly growing, and the family is trying to come together. You get to see some old friends again as well including Ember and Graham. I would definitely recommend this romance! It deals with some hard topics with grace and beauty.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion, I was not required to write a positive review.
February 19, 2024
ARC READ | Release Date: 27.02.2024
Another great read for me!
Hold My Hand is the second instalment in the Del Ray Brothers Series from Cleopatra Margot. Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read her work before release again. After getting to read 'Sun To Me', I was so excited to see where the cliffhanger of book 1 led to.
The first thing I noted was the improvement in Cleo's writing. Her writing has elevated since Sun To Me.
This book had its fair share of drama and romance, it did not disappoint.
It is a multiple POV story, following two couples, 4 different pov's, which can be hard to keep up with if you are not too sure on the dynamics and especially when it comes to pet-names. Multiple characters have more than one nick/pet-name, but once you wrap your head around this it is easy enough to keep up and follow.
My favourite couple of the book were Jordan and Sydney, I absolutely connected to their friends to lovers and their romance was sweet and gave me cosy vibes. Hazel and Sam were also a great couple but I wish I got to read about them in a separate book, I feel there is definitely more to unravel with their relationship.
I really enjoyed the texting element and the deleted texts were a great addition to the story, kept me highly interested and felt like I know something the characters didn't, which made this such a fun read.
Overall this is a really sweet romance, at times can feel predictable, but I truly enjoyed its cosy and closed door romance. Something I haven't gotten to read a lot of recently. There is an also Christmas vibes and while still focusing on some hard-topics, this book is truly and enjoyable and fun read.
Recommend to those who really love rom-coms and sweet romance.
This book has to be read as part of a series, neither books can be read as a stand-alone due to the family dynamics and plot.
Another great read for me!
Hold My Hand is the second instalment in the Del Ray Brothers Series from Cleopatra Margot. Thank you to the author for the opportunity to read her work before release again. After getting to read 'Sun To Me', I was so excited to see where the cliffhanger of book 1 led to.
The first thing I noted was the improvement in Cleo's writing. Her writing has elevated since Sun To Me.
This book had its fair share of drama and romance, it did not disappoint.
It is a multiple POV story, following two couples, 4 different pov's, which can be hard to keep up with if you are not too sure on the dynamics and especially when it comes to pet-names. Multiple characters have more than one nick/pet-name, but once you wrap your head around this it is easy enough to keep up and follow.
My favourite couple of the book were Jordan and Sydney, I absolutely connected to their friends to lovers and their romance was sweet and gave me cosy vibes. Hazel and Sam were also a great couple but I wish I got to read about them in a separate book, I feel there is definitely more to unravel with their relationship.
I really enjoyed the texting element and the deleted texts were a great addition to the story, kept me highly interested and felt like I know something the characters didn't, which made this such a fun read.
Overall this is a really sweet romance, at times can feel predictable, but I truly enjoyed its cosy and closed door romance. Something I haven't gotten to read a lot of recently. There is an also Christmas vibes and while still focusing on some hard-topics, this book is truly and enjoyable and fun read.
Recommend to those who really love rom-coms and sweet romance.
This book has to be read as part of a series, neither books can be read as a stand-alone due to the family dynamics and plot.
February 17, 2024
4 Stars.
“It’s not a weakness to ask for help; it’s a weakness to think you don’t need it.”
✨ The vibes:
- book 2 in a series
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Single dad
- Marine veteran
- Family dynamics
- Slow burn
☕️ My thoughts:
The deleted texts were so cute. The Christmas decorations in October. The nods to romance books. The family elements. The almost first kiss ahhhhhhhhhhh. There’s so much to enjoy in this one. We primarily follow Sydney and Jordan through their journey of grief and acceptance.
☕️ There’s four different POVs. Sam, Hazel, Jordan, and Sydney. While I did enjoy the two storylines (Sam and Hazel as one couple; Jordan and Sydney as the other couple); it did feel like a lot going on for me to keep track of. On one hand- I wish Sam and Hazel had their entire own book since we have had their stories overlapping in both books 1 and 2; but I also don’t know how the author could do that when their story is happening simultaneously to books 1 and 2.
☕️ This book has a big cast of characters. There’s multiple large families and a lot of names and stories. Everyone has a nickname and it sometimes pulled me out of the story. Ember is Lou Lou. Colton is collie. Jordan is J Lo and also Rookie. Sydney is Syd, Sunshine and also Ne-Ne. Jolene is Jojo and Joey. Hazel is Lilah.
☕️ It was sometimes hard for me to follow clearly who was related to who and how everyone was connected. I followed along enough to not be super bothered by it- but I do recognize it was very confusing at moments. The cool thing is that Cleopatra does include a family rundown in the begining of the book and I think having the book in print form would really help me keep all of these relationships in line.
☕️ Overall- I loved Sydney and Jordan so much. I loved their friendship that turned into more. Their flirty vibes were really cute and I loved Jordan so much.
☕️ This is book 2 in a series and you must read them in order; they cannot be read as standalone.
Releases February 27, 2024.
Thank you so much to Cleopatra Margot for the gifted copy.
“It’s not a weakness to ask for help; it’s a weakness to think you don’t need it.”
✨ The vibes:
- book 2 in a series
- Grumpy x Sunshine
- Single dad
- Marine veteran
- Family dynamics
- Slow burn
☕️ My thoughts:
The deleted texts were so cute. The Christmas decorations in October. The nods to romance books. The family elements. The almost first kiss ahhhhhhhhhhh. There’s so much to enjoy in this one. We primarily follow Sydney and Jordan through their journey of grief and acceptance.
☕️ There’s four different POVs. Sam, Hazel, Jordan, and Sydney. While I did enjoy the two storylines (Sam and Hazel as one couple; Jordan and Sydney as the other couple); it did feel like a lot going on for me to keep track of. On one hand- I wish Sam and Hazel had their entire own book since we have had their stories overlapping in both books 1 and 2; but I also don’t know how the author could do that when their story is happening simultaneously to books 1 and 2.
☕️ This book has a big cast of characters. There’s multiple large families and a lot of names and stories. Everyone has a nickname and it sometimes pulled me out of the story. Ember is Lou Lou. Colton is collie. Jordan is J Lo and also Rookie. Sydney is Syd, Sunshine and also Ne-Ne. Jolene is Jojo and Joey. Hazel is Lilah.
☕️ It was sometimes hard for me to follow clearly who was related to who and how everyone was connected. I followed along enough to not be super bothered by it- but I do recognize it was very confusing at moments. The cool thing is that Cleopatra does include a family rundown in the begining of the book and I think having the book in print form would really help me keep all of these relationships in line.
☕️ Overall- I loved Sydney and Jordan so much. I loved their friendship that turned into more. Their flirty vibes were really cute and I loved Jordan so much.
☕️ This is book 2 in a series and you must read them in order; they cannot be read as standalone.
Releases February 27, 2024.
Thank you so much to Cleopatra Margot for the gifted copy.
February 26, 2024
❄️❄️❄️❄️/5
This was such a heartfelt, healing story about grief, loss, and finding your way. And I am SO glad I was able to experience this book for myself!
Both Jordan Del Ray and Sydney Adair had tragic pasts and their futures are unsure. This book touched on some pretty heavy topics aside from grief, and I loved that CM handled these topics with grace and wrote them beautifully into the story. I loved that we got the healing through the pain as well, because it made the characters and their stories more realistic. Naturally, I think this made the romance more sweet and swoony. We were rooting for them individually to find out what made them happy and how they wanted their futures to be, but it also made us root for them together because we could see/feel the the love between them growing with every interaction.
But if I had to have one favorite thing from this book, it would be Jolene. Bless that sweet little girl because I love her so much! She really brought the life and the light to this story and I absolutely adore her in every way. If I ever wanted a fictional character to be real, it would be her!
I admit, I’m a sucker for multiple POVs in any story. And it was nice to not only get Jordan and Sydney’s POV but a few of the other characters as well. It made the story more well rounded and it let us get to know some of the other characters a bit better. I love getting the bigger picture in any story, on top of the little ones. Plus I love all of the side characters in Balsam Falls, and I absolutely cannot wait to see how all of their stories unravel in the future!
This was such a heartfelt, healing story about grief, loss, and finding your way. And I am SO glad I was able to experience this book for myself!
Both Jordan Del Ray and Sydney Adair had tragic pasts and their futures are unsure. This book touched on some pretty heavy topics aside from grief, and I loved that CM handled these topics with grace and wrote them beautifully into the story. I loved that we got the healing through the pain as well, because it made the characters and their stories more realistic. Naturally, I think this made the romance more sweet and swoony. We were rooting for them individually to find out what made them happy and how they wanted their futures to be, but it also made us root for them together because we could see/feel the the love between them growing with every interaction.
But if I had to have one favorite thing from this book, it would be Jolene. Bless that sweet little girl because I love her so much! She really brought the life and the light to this story and I absolutely adore her in every way. If I ever wanted a fictional character to be real, it would be her!
I admit, I’m a sucker for multiple POVs in any story. And it was nice to not only get Jordan and Sydney’s POV but a few of the other characters as well. It made the story more well rounded and it let us get to know some of the other characters a bit better. I love getting the bigger picture in any story, on top of the little ones. Plus I love all of the side characters in Balsam Falls, and I absolutely cannot wait to see how all of their stories unravel in the future!
February 22, 2024
Ahhh, this was so good!!!! I thoroughly enjoyed every moment of this book! This was so much more than a romance. The characters were so complex and realistic, the family dynamics were messy and complicated, and everything was just so well written! I learned so much about PTSD and what it's like for veterans and police officers.
I haven't read Sun to Me (yet!) so it was little hard to follow the plotlines at first but there was a family tree at the beginning that helped! Plus, it makes me really want to read the first one to read more about Ember and Graham!
🩷 Here are my favorite things about this book:
- The characters!! All of them are so interesting, they're grappling with their own hardships, and they're just really likeable overall.
- Sydney and Graham are so cute together!
- Jolene is the cutest!
- The writing was impeccable! It can be hard to find the balance between having a book be easy to read but also high quality and this really hit the nail on the head!
I don't want to spoil too much, but you should read this book!!
✨ Perfect if you like...
cute kids,
family dynamics,
and multiple POVs ✨
🚨 Content/Trigger Warnings (copied from the front of the book, which THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING TRIGGER WARNINGS!)
Law Enforcement Officer Shooting (off page)
Parental abandonment (maternal; off page)
Suicide (opioid overdose; off page)
PTSD (Overseas war; on page)
Panic attacks (one partially on page; mentions of past ones)
Kissing/making out (mildly described)
I haven't read Sun to Me (yet!) so it was little hard to follow the plotlines at first but there was a family tree at the beginning that helped! Plus, it makes me really want to read the first one to read more about Ember and Graham!
🩷 Here are my favorite things about this book:
- The characters!! All of them are so interesting, they're grappling with their own hardships, and they're just really likeable overall.
- Sydney and Graham are so cute together!
- Jolene is the cutest!
- The writing was impeccable! It can be hard to find the balance between having a book be easy to read but also high quality and this really hit the nail on the head!
I don't want to spoil too much, but you should read this book!!
✨ Perfect if you like...
cute kids,
family dynamics,
and multiple POVs ✨
🚨 Content/Trigger Warnings (copied from the front of the book, which THANK YOU FOR INCLUDING TRIGGER WARNINGS!)
Law Enforcement Officer Shooting (off page)
Parental abandonment (maternal; off page)
Suicide (opioid overdose; off page)
PTSD (Overseas war; on page)
Panic attacks (one partially on page; mentions of past ones)
Kissing/making out (mildly described)
March 11, 2024
A romance that takes your hand and never lets go!
This is the second book in the Del Ray brothers series and I read this one as a stand alone with no problems. The authors give plenty of details on the characters to catch you up. I will, however, be going back and reading Sun To Me.
Sydney and Jordan have the most intoxicating chemistry. The witty banter, family ties, and loss that weaves them together makes this book so fun to read. I enjoyed how patient they were with each other. Most of the time in a romance it's one character or the other, but not in this book and that is such a breath of fresh air. Their love is slow moving, but with purpose.
There is so much to unpack in this book and Cleopatra Margot did a stellar job navigating some sensitive topics. Jordan being a single girl dad who has his daughters interest always at heart is everything! Sydney is a dog loving, better by herself type of gal. Watching their love slowly unfold was so good, but their text conversations made this even better.
I enjoyed all supporting characters and enjoyed reading about each of them separately and loved them together. So many side stories that weave together and I am obsessed with that in a book. You get a genuine sweet love, fun sibling banter, life after loss, family drama, mysteriousness, and so much more!!! I am completed invested in this series and cannot wait to see what happens next.
This is the second book in the Del Ray brothers series and I read this one as a stand alone with no problems. The authors give plenty of details on the characters to catch you up. I will, however, be going back and reading Sun To Me.
Sydney and Jordan have the most intoxicating chemistry. The witty banter, family ties, and loss that weaves them together makes this book so fun to read. I enjoyed how patient they were with each other. Most of the time in a romance it's one character or the other, but not in this book and that is such a breath of fresh air. Their love is slow moving, but with purpose.
There is so much to unpack in this book and Cleopatra Margot did a stellar job navigating some sensitive topics. Jordan being a single girl dad who has his daughters interest always at heart is everything! Sydney is a dog loving, better by herself type of gal. Watching their love slowly unfold was so good, but their text conversations made this even better.
I enjoyed all supporting characters and enjoyed reading about each of them separately and loved them together. So many side stories that weave together and I am obsessed with that in a book. You get a genuine sweet love, fun sibling banter, life after loss, family drama, mysteriousness, and so much more!!! I am completed invested in this series and cannot wait to see what happens next.
February 19, 2024
HUGE thank you to Cleopatra Margot for accepting me onto her ARC team and for allowing me to read her book early!
I have been wanting to read one of Cleopatra Margot's books for a long time, and when I read this, it did NOT disappoint!
I haven't read SUN TO ME yet, but y'all, I downloaded that book so fast after reading this. HOLD MY HAND follows another Del Ray brother, Jordan, but if you haven't read SUN TO ME, this book is still insanely enjoyable and easy to follow.
Margot's writing gives me BUTTERFLIES. The book is closed-door, but the chemistry between Jordan and Sydney sizzles right off the page, and their dialogue? Their teasing and flirting? My cheeks were so red and I was giggling and kicking my feet unironically.
If you love these tropes, you're going to fall in love with this book:
- grumpy and grumpier (we love a grumpy/sunshine moment and this is almost that but better)
- single dad
- enemies-ish to lovers
- found family
there are a few trigger warnings in this book -- such as gun violence, overdose, PTSD (war veteran), and familial trauma/abandonment -- but these tough subjects are handled with such great care by Margot in this book.
AND it ends in a mysterious cliff hanger that sends it into the realm of mystery rather than just a cozy romance. it literally leaves you wanting MORE. it's not even released to the public yet and I need the next book now.
I have been wanting to read one of Cleopatra Margot's books for a long time, and when I read this, it did NOT disappoint!
I haven't read SUN TO ME yet, but y'all, I downloaded that book so fast after reading this. HOLD MY HAND follows another Del Ray brother, Jordan, but if you haven't read SUN TO ME, this book is still insanely enjoyable and easy to follow.
Margot's writing gives me BUTTERFLIES. The book is closed-door, but the chemistry between Jordan and Sydney sizzles right off the page, and their dialogue? Their teasing and flirting? My cheeks were so red and I was giggling and kicking my feet unironically.
If you love these tropes, you're going to fall in love with this book:
- grumpy and grumpier (we love a grumpy/sunshine moment and this is almost that but better)
- single dad
- enemies-ish to lovers
- found family
there are a few trigger warnings in this book -- such as gun violence, overdose, PTSD (war veteran), and familial trauma/abandonment -- but these tough subjects are handled with such great care by Margot in this book.
AND it ends in a mysterious cliff hanger that sends it into the realm of mystery rather than just a cozy romance. it literally leaves you wanting MORE. it's not even released to the public yet and I need the next book now.
February 3, 2024
Cleopatra Margot continues to impress me with each book she puts out into the world! HOLD MY HAND is the second book in the Del Ray Brothers series. In this one you meet Jordan… single girl dad, Purple Heart veteran, detective who has returned to his home town with his daughter Jolene and is renting a place from his now new neighbor…Sydney, a dog mom, barista who has taken an interest in her new tenant and his sweet daughter.
I’ll say it in every review about Cleopatra’s books but her characters and settings feel like old friends and places I want to visit. I love that we got to visit past characters while also getting introduced to a few new ones. She manages to make her readers have an array of emotions… this one was heartwarming, humorous, with great banter, a bit mysterious…while touching upon some sensitive topics with care.
I recommend for a top notch reading experience checking out the first book in the series SUN TO ME… and then while your at it the The Bryant Family Series! I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and let’s be honest what ever else she has up her sleeve!
Thank you Cleopatra Margot 📖
Releases 2/27
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
I’ll say it in every review about Cleopatra’s books but her characters and settings feel like old friends and places I want to visit. I love that we got to visit past characters while also getting introduced to a few new ones. She manages to make her readers have an array of emotions… this one was heartwarming, humorous, with great banter, a bit mysterious…while touching upon some sensitive topics with care.
I recommend for a top notch reading experience checking out the first book in the series SUN TO ME… and then while your at it the The Bryant Family Series! I’m looking forward to the next book in the series and let’s be honest what ever else she has up her sleeve!
Thank you Cleopatra Margot 📖
Releases 2/27
Follow me on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/Lyon.brit.A...
February 23, 2024
Thankyou so much to the author for an eARC of this book! I 𝗔𝗗𝗢𝗥𝗘𝗗 “𝘚𝘶𝘯 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘦”, the first in the series and although I’d say you could read this as a standalone, to truly enjoy it you definitely need to read the first book.
Cleo is an exceptional storyteller and I enjoyed this so much. One of my favourite TV dramas is Chesapeake Shores and this series just gives me that samr vibe, you have the troubled family dynamics, the sweet romances, the friendships, and all the drama and secrets that continue from the first book and I love how the characters from the first book are still a very big part of this one. While there is a lighthearted side to this story, the author touches on some serious issues as both our MC’s struggle with past traumas, and I just loved the healing journey they went on together.
𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀｡
This book is multiple POV but we mainly follow Sydney and Jordan who are the cutest, and although this is a closed door romance, their chemistry bounced off the page. Jordan was a serious flirt and his deleted texts to Sydney has me squealing.
My anticipation for the third book is 𝗦𝗢 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛, the author likes to leave us with a little cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more!
Cleo is an exceptional storyteller and I enjoyed this so much. One of my favourite TV dramas is Chesapeake Shores and this series just gives me that samr vibe, you have the troubled family dynamics, the sweet romances, the friendships, and all the drama and secrets that continue from the first book and I love how the characters from the first book are still a very big part of this one. While there is a lighthearted side to this story, the author touches on some serious issues as both our MC’s struggle with past traumas, and I just loved the healing journey they went on together.
𝗡𝗼𝘄 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝗜 𝗵𝗮𝗱 𝗮 𝗴𝗹𝗶𝗺𝗽𝘀𝗲 𝗼𝗳 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗹𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁, 𝗜 𝗻𝗲𝘃𝗲𝗿 𝘄𝗮𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗻 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗱𝗮𝗿𝗸𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀｡
This book is multiple POV but we mainly follow Sydney and Jordan who are the cutest, and although this is a closed door romance, their chemistry bounced off the page. Jordan was a serious flirt and his deleted texts to Sydney has me squealing.
My anticipation for the third book is 𝗦𝗢 𝗛𝗜𝗚𝗛, the author likes to leave us with a little cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more!
Read
February 27, 2024Hold My Hand is written in Margot’s unique and poetic prose, telling a heartfelt story of grief and healing. The range of her characters’ personalities showcase that community is built in all different shapes and sizes, regardless of past trauma or present circumstances. It deals with heavy topics, touching on loss, grief, and the power of sharing those hurts with the people you trust. Even still, you can expect Margot’s love of caring couples and sibling relationships to weave the threads of this story together—even if the Del Rays are slowly piecing their family back together instead of the dedicated unit that we’ve seen from her before.
Content that could be helpful to note:
As you know from the summary, Sydney has a dream of opening her own yoga studio, so there are mentions of yoga and meditation. Along with that, the book mentions a few things about Halloween and dressing up for it. There is some mild cursing, in a few places, though not prevalent throughout most of the book. I don’t know if any of these things would affect your reading experience, but I thought I’d mention them just in case!
*I received an ARC of this book
Content that could be helpful to note:
As you know from the summary, Sydney has a dream of opening her own yoga studio, so there are mentions of yoga and meditation. Along with that, the book mentions a few things about Halloween and dressing up for it. There is some mild cursing, in a few places, though not prevalent throughout most of the book. I don’t know if any of these things would affect your reading experience, but I thought I’d mention them just in case!
*I received an ARC of this book
April 23, 2024
𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐨𝐨𝐝𝐬 ♡
•dad jokes
•water fight
•single dad
•they’re both grumpy 😠
•late night meet ups
•she stole his sweatshirt
•pour some sugar on me
•Jolene
•text threads and deleted texts
•rookie ♡ sunshine
•shared love of tea
•two romances
•multiple POV
•Commoner Charming
“𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑?…𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒, 𝐼’𝑚 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.”
I can always count on Cleopatra Margot to deliver a cozy read. It was so comforting to jump back into the world of the Del Rey men. Jordan and Sydney’s story was all about overcoming trauma and healing. It was beautiful to see them both blossom individually and together. I loved the levity that Jolene and Collie brought to the story, the ever mysterious Indi, and the second chance romance between Sam and Hazel. This is a series to easily get lost in. I can’t wait for the book especially after that ending!
“𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭—𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞—𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞? 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞—𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.”
Content: kisses 💋
Thank you to the author for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.
•dad jokes
•water fight
•single dad
•they’re both grumpy 😠
•late night meet ups
•she stole his sweatshirt
•pour some sugar on me
•Jolene
•text threads and deleted texts
•rookie ♡ sunshine
•shared love of tea
•two romances
•multiple POV
•Commoner Charming
“𝐴𝑟𝑒 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑓𝑖𝑛𝑖𝑠ℎ𝑒𝑑?…𝐵𝑒𝑐𝑎𝑢𝑠𝑒 𝑖𝑓 𝑦𝑜𝑢 𝑎𝑟𝑒, 𝐼’𝑚 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑘𝑖𝑠𝑠 𝑦𝑜𝑢, 𝑎𝑛𝑑 𝑖𝑡’𝑠 𝑔𝑜𝑖𝑛𝑔 𝑡𝑜 𝑚𝑒𝑎𝑛 𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠.”
I can always count on Cleopatra Margot to deliver a cozy read. It was so comforting to jump back into the world of the Del Rey men. Jordan and Sydney’s story was all about overcoming trauma and healing. It was beautiful to see them both blossom individually and together. I loved the levity that Jolene and Collie brought to the story, the ever mysterious Indi, and the second chance romance between Sam and Hazel. This is a series to easily get lost in. I can’t wait for the book especially after that ending!
“𝐋𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐢𝐬𝐧’𝐭 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐧𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐭—𝐢𝐭 𝐛𝐮𝐫𝐬𝐭𝐬 𝐢𝐧 𝐚𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐰𝐫𝐨𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐢𝐦𝐞𝐬, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭 𝐡𝐮𝐫𝐭𝐬 𝐥𝐢𝐤𝐞 𝐡𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐥𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐢𝐭, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐮𝐧𝐩𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐜𝐭𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞—𝐛𝐮𝐭 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐥 𝐥𝐨𝐯𝐞? 𝐈𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐝𝐨𝐧’𝐭 𝐡𝐚𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐩𝐫𝐨𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐨𝐧𝐞—𝐢𝐭’𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐲 𝐤𝐧𝐨𝐰 𝐛𝐞𝐜𝐚𝐮𝐬𝐞 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐲 𝐬𝐡𝐨𝐰 𝐮𝐩 𝐟𝐨𝐫 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦.”
Content: kisses 💋
Thank you to the author for a gifted copy. My thoughts are my own.
February 6, 2024
Thank you so much for giving me a chance to read this book as an arc!
4.5⭐️
Going in to Hold my hand I honestly thought it would be like any typical romance book, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I genuinely wish more books were written like this. I really enjoyed reading from the other family members pov, that’s something I’ve never seen in a book mainly focusing on the two mcs. I also really liked how family oriented the book was in a relatable and entertaining way. I also just love Jordan and Sydney so much, they’re absolutely perfect, I like that their relationship wasn’t easy at first because they both have their own stories and pasts, and regardless of that they managed to communicate and figure things out which I appreciate. Also Jordan being the best single dad ever was the cutest thing to read.
This book has me close to tears and sometimes it had me laughing out loud. Which made the book feel even more real.
Overall I had a blast reading this book and I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
Also that ending???
4.5⭐️
Going in to Hold my hand I honestly thought it would be like any typical romance book, but I couldn’t have been more wrong.
I genuinely wish more books were written like this. I really enjoyed reading from the other family members pov, that’s something I’ve never seen in a book mainly focusing on the two mcs. I also really liked how family oriented the book was in a relatable and entertaining way. I also just love Jordan and Sydney so much, they’re absolutely perfect, I like that their relationship wasn’t easy at first because they both have their own stories and pasts, and regardless of that they managed to communicate and figure things out which I appreciate. Also Jordan being the best single dad ever was the cutest thing to read.
This book has me close to tears and sometimes it had me laughing out loud. Which made the book feel even more real.
Overall I had a blast reading this book and I’m looking forward to reading more by this author.
Also that ending???
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