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Don't Let Go
Lovemaking. Heartbreaking. Soul-shaking.
Is their marriage worth saving?
For twenty years, Jayne Prescott has done everything right—built a career she loves, raised two kids, and kept her marriage to Rhys, one of Baltimore’s top cardiac surgeons, from flatlining under the weight of his ambition.
She’s the glue that holds everyone together, until she overhears Rhys confiding to a female colleague that his wife doesn’t appreciate him and that home feels like hell.
For the first time in their marriage, Jayne doesn’t rush to mend the crack. She lets it widen. And when Rhys admits that’s truly how he’s been feeling, she wonders if there’s anything left to save.
For Rhys, the wake-up call comes hard and fast. Realizing how much he’s taken for granted and how much of himself and his marriage he’s lost, he does the unthinkable by taking a sabbatical from surgery to rebuild the life he nearly destroyed.
Now, with roles reversed and emotions raw, Jayne and Rhys must relearn what partnership truly means. Between school pickups, burnt dinners, and buried resentments, they rediscover a love that never left—it just wandered down the wrong road for a while.
Don’t Let Go is a Modern Vintage Romance, bringing you all the emotions of classic Mills & Boon novels with a modern, steamy touch. It features your favorite in CrisisOverheardMedicalLater In LifeOther Woman DramaBetrayal & GrovelNo CheatingComplete Standalone
Is their marriage worth saving?
For twenty years, Jayne Prescott has done everything right—built a career she loves, raised two kids, and kept her marriage to Rhys, one of Baltimore’s top cardiac surgeons, from flatlining under the weight of his ambition.
She’s the glue that holds everyone together, until she overhears Rhys confiding to a female colleague that his wife doesn’t appreciate him and that home feels like hell.
For the first time in their marriage, Jayne doesn’t rush to mend the crack. She lets it widen. And when Rhys admits that’s truly how he’s been feeling, she wonders if there’s anything left to save.
For Rhys, the wake-up call comes hard and fast. Realizing how much he’s taken for granted and how much of himself and his marriage he’s lost, he does the unthinkable by taking a sabbatical from surgery to rebuild the life he nearly destroyed.
Now, with roles reversed and emotions raw, Jayne and Rhys must relearn what partnership truly means. Between school pickups, burnt dinners, and buried resentments, they rediscover a love that never left—it just wandered down the wrong road for a while.
Don’t Let Go is a Modern Vintage Romance, bringing you all the emotions of classic Mills & Boon novels with a modern, steamy touch. It features your favorite in CrisisOverheardMedicalLater In LifeOther Woman DramaBetrayal & GrovelNo CheatingComplete Standalone
296 pages, Kindle Edition
Published March 17, 2026
961 people are currently reading
246 people want to read
About the author
Maya Alden
58 books1,200 followersA top 20 Amazon Bestselling Author, Maya Alden pens angsty contemporary romances.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 244 reviews
Review of advance copy received from Author
I received this arc and this is my honest opinion.
This is a story of a neglected wife, not because the hero doesn't love her, but because there's a situationship that is established throughout their years together. The heroine, like most women in current society, tries to manage everything at once alone. Job, kids, house, husband. And hubby, oh dear hubby, tries at one point to "help" the heroine with the kids' activities. What he didn't understand, and this is a real thing for many hubbies out there, is that participating in the activities, the chores and generally in the house isn't "helping". It's called partnership! Because love is good, love is beautiful, love is exhilarating. But when you have to deal with everything day in day out, love isn't enough. And this my friends is a real problem out there, that's why this story hits so much.
Of course kids aren't dumb and understand everything. So when they see this behaviour day in day out, they will become the same when they grow up.
The heroine was a doormat until the hero had a wake up call and tried to right everything wrong. She didn't speak for herself and she didn't communicate her feelings with her husband. Being a couple and therefore partners, communication is the key to a healthy relationship where everyone is happy. Sure the compromise is there, there couldn't be any other way, but it must be something agreed from both sides or else there will be resentment and eventually everything will fall apart.
A marriage isn't only happy moments, it's cooperating through everyday life and this story depicts this. It's raw in its own way and a must read to remind us that a marriage is a complicated relationship that could be a happy one with the right proportions.
This is a story of a neglected wife, not because the hero doesn't love her, but because there's a situationship that is established throughout their years together. The heroine, like most women in current society, tries to manage everything at once alone. Job, kids, house, husband. And hubby, oh dear hubby, tries at one point to "help" the heroine with the kids' activities. What he didn't understand, and this is a real thing for many hubbies out there, is that participating in the activities, the chores and generally in the house isn't "helping". It's called partnership! Because love is good, love is beautiful, love is exhilarating. But when you have to deal with everything day in day out, love isn't enough. And this my friends is a real problem out there, that's why this story hits so much.
Of course kids aren't dumb and understand everything. So when they see this behaviour day in day out, they will become the same when they grow up.
The heroine was a doormat until the hero had a wake up call and tried to right everything wrong. She didn't speak for herself and she didn't communicate her feelings with her husband. Being a couple and therefore partners, communication is the key to a healthy relationship where everyone is happy. Sure the compromise is there, there couldn't be any other way, but it must be something agreed from both sides or else there will be resentment and eventually everything will fall apart.
A marriage isn't only happy moments, it's cooperating through everyday life and this story depicts this. It's raw in its own way and a must read to remind us that a marriage is a complicated relationship that could be a happy one with the right proportions.
March 17, 2026
should not be classified as a marriage in trouble/ marriage in crisis book cause their marriage was never actually in trouble!
let me tell you Jayne? definiton of pathetic. it got to point where she deserved to be miserable cause she literally forgave him EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. no matter how crappy he treats her she just takes it, not matter how much advice she's given she does the opposite!
when he argues with her and uses his coworker who she knows has a crush on him to provoke her in their argument you know what Jayne does? she forgives him In a day. when she overhears him telling that same coworker that he's miserable at home and life is hell you know what Jayne does? asks him to sleep in the guest room then forgives him the next day. when he FINALLY really blows up at her and plays the victim and threatens divorce you know what she does? says she's going to fight for their marriage until she knows is over for good, that she can't keep choosing her self. IM SORRY??? sweetie when have you ever been choosing yourself cause you were very clearly putting ryhs's needs ahead of yours, hell even their own son low-key wants them to divorce. heck rhys could've actually cheated, had a full blown affair no feelings just sex for months and she'd probably forgive him in a week...and im being generous with that week
the summary is also very misleading cause it says the roles reverse so I'm expecting her to either start being thr asshole and he's miserable or she's just really distant but nope neither
hopefully the people who rated this 4 stars have a bigger backbone but based on these reviews I'm guessing the opposite
let me tell you Jayne? definiton of pathetic. it got to point where she deserved to be miserable cause she literally forgave him EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. no matter how crappy he treats her she just takes it, not matter how much advice she's given she does the opposite!
when he argues with her and uses his coworker who she knows has a crush on him to provoke her in their argument you know what Jayne does? she forgives him In a day. when she overhears him telling that same coworker that he's miserable at home and life is hell you know what Jayne does? asks him to sleep in the guest room then forgives him the next day. when he FINALLY really blows up at her and plays the victim and threatens divorce you know what she does? says she's going to fight for their marriage until she knows is over for good, that she can't keep choosing her self. IM SORRY??? sweetie when have you ever been choosing yourself cause you were very clearly putting ryhs's needs ahead of yours, hell even their own son low-key wants them to divorce. heck rhys could've actually cheated, had a full blown affair no feelings just sex for months and she'd probably forgive him in a week...and im being generous with that week
the summary is also very misleading cause it says the roles reverse so I'm expecting her to either start being thr asshole and he's miserable or she's just really distant but nope neither
hopefully the people who rated this 4 stars have a bigger backbone but based on these reviews I'm guessing the opposite
March 18, 2026
I did not really enjoy this. And I found myself disliking the h in the end. Big surprise? It was for me. Also the emotional affair was a big stretch in my opinion. He had zero feelings for the supposed ow and made it clear. What was different with her confiding in Iris or David her boss? Actually being held by David. I understood her stress and the only thing I'll give her is the H didn't validate her job or sacrifice to help him financially in the early years while he was becoming a doctor. Other than that? She was kinda selfish. She could have easily gotten outside help. She chose not to. She wanted to work full time. He had his hands in someone's chest when she called him to pick their son up at soccer practice because she was working. Seriously?! Ladies get a hold of yourselves. And honestly ladies you expect me to believe that you're going to hound your husband after his shift at the hospital of operating on someone that takes hours. Giving condolences on when losing a patient etc. , to ask for help for him to do dishes and clean? This whole thing was ridiculously unbalanced and completely on the woman's side which it shouldn't have been. He was head of cardiology as well. I mean let's first be realistic here. Single doctors have cooks and cleaners to help them because they're that busy. I don't know. this story didn't sit right with me. Did he develop an ego? Yes. Just like all doctors. Could he have made more time for his wife and kids? Again yes, but the h hardly ever voiced it until now. I'm just not impressed at all with this. I had expectations of going into this to dislike the hero, but I couldn't. I found the whole thing ridiculous and to validate the working woman and her sacrifices. In the end she got what she wanted. But I guess I could add that it was possible for him to step back a little and let another doctor take over. But at the same time the h could have sat him down in the beginning and voiced what she was thinking before she became resentful towards him. Both to me were in the wrong.
March 17, 2026
★★★. I don’t know Maya, but we need to stop blaming the fmcs for something just to make the mmc look better and make it easier for him to grovel….her venting to her best friend is not the same as him venting to a woman who wants him and he knows this
three stars for the grovel and for him never even thinking of cheating.
three stars for the grovel and for him never even thinking of cheating.
March 17, 2026
Marriage in trouble troupe.
Basically the husband is a cardiac surgeon with a bit of a God complex who lives at work so struggles to find time for the family.
The wife smooths things over while quietly seething with frustration and stress.
Small other woman drama, a colleague is interested and feeds his ego but the Hero is totally devoted to his wife so doesn't even consider it.
He does in a moment of exhaustion talk to the other woman about some family issues, esp his wife which the wife overhears.
To be fair to him, the wife has confided in a female friend so it's pointed out that what she does is not much different except there is no potential of an affair, emotional or physical.
Some possible other man drama from her boss, though his interest is hinted at by others so is never shown or clarified. Heroine isn't interested in him like that anyway.
They have some honest conversations.
No cheating.
HEA.
Some funny banter.
Basically the husband is a cardiac surgeon with a bit of a God complex who lives at work so struggles to find time for the family.
The wife smooths things over while quietly seething with frustration and stress.
Small other woman drama, a colleague is interested and feeds his ego but the Hero is totally devoted to his wife so doesn't even consider it.
He does in a moment of exhaustion talk to the other woman about some family issues, esp his wife which the wife overhears.
To be fair to him, the wife has confided in a female friend so it's pointed out that what she does is not much different except there is no potential of an affair, emotional or physical.
Some possible other man drama from her boss, though his interest is hinted at by others so is never shown or clarified. Heroine isn't interested in him like that anyway.
They have some honest conversations.
No cheating.
HEA.
Some funny banter.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 17, 2026
I am almost ready to dnf. The wife is raging b word. Omg. They have money. They both love their jobs so hire a freaking nanny/ housekeeper! He tried and normally my sympathy is with the heroine but in this case I truly hate her. He is a surgeon and he is going to have to be on call. He can't stop surgery so he can go pick up the kids. I understood her at first but she has gone over the edge. I almost want him to just walk away. He doesn't want the other woman at all. He vented. It was wrong. I get that but hire someone to help and you can both be happy. She is on my last.nerve!
I finished it but I just didn't love it. It has a HEA and I think the hero was pretty amazing. He really did love his wife and family. I was so looking forward to this book and it was just okay.
I finished it but I just didn't love it. It has a HEA and I think the hero was pretty amazing. He really did love his wife and family. I was so looking forward to this book and it was just okay.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 22, 2026
This is a marriage in trouble book that is well-written with the ow drama but they h, Jayne really got on my nerves with her martyrdom. Her husband is head of cardiology! 🫀 She knew that when she married him. Hire some dang help!
March 19, 2026
It’s a little boring, I expected more drama.
March 3, 2026
Main trope: This is a marriage in trouble story.
Additional tropes:
✅Other woman drama
Detailed spoilers/trigger warnings (if any) and final thoughts can be found below. There is a warning right before the spoiler and trigger section so you have the choice to proceed or stop reading.
Summary: Jayne and Rhys are married and from the outside, are the couple that looks like they have it all. He’s a successful doctor and she works at a law firm. They have the two children and the beautiful house and again all looks perfect. But we know that looks can be deceiving. Behind closed doors, they are struggling. With communication, with time management, balancing external factors with internal responsibilities, and it’s starting to take a toll on both of their peace and happiness.
The MMC works with a female colleague, who is perceptive, and uses this to her advantage. The FMC shows up at her husband‘s workplace to bring him something, and she overhears a conversation that she shouldn’t have.
This is the final straw for Jayne. She confronts Rhys about this conversation, but also about the fact that he is not doing his part to help with the family. She admits to the fact that she is struggling trying to balance it all. It’s clear that the MMC loves his wife and family, and for a short period of time he attempts to step up and help out more, but this is short-lived and it brings them both back to square one with trying to figure out how they are going to learn to navigate these challenges.
A hard lesson to learn, Rhys gets a dose of reality that forces him to reevaluate his priorities and the things that are most important. When he has that moment of realization, it’s exactly what is needed for him and his family and his marriage, to get back on track.
⚠️SPOILERS/SPICE/DETAILED TRIGGERS⚠️
✋
✋
✋
*The other woman in the story is a female colleague of the MMC‘s, who clearly wants more from him. The overheard scene at the beginning involves her, making the scene more heartbreaking for the FMC. Thankfully, the MMC learns quickly that this was inappropriate, and establishes the boundaries with the other woman. She doesn’t take this lying down, but ultimately she does end up giving up.
🌶️: 1/5
Final thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It was one of the more realistic books regarding marriage in trouble that I have read that is still fiction, but something that many people can relate to. I’m married and have been with my husband for a really long time, and it is not easy to make a marriage and home work. You have to have a perfect harmony of communication, patience, understanding, and at the heart of everything, an immense love for one another that will see you through the really tough times. And that is the one thing that these main characters had, was a genuine love for each other. Even when the MMC had this female colleague who was in his ear, saying the right thing, he was never tempted to do anything with her. He literally just needed to vent, and of course, she took full advantage of that vulnerable moment for him. Which contributed to the drama and the angst of the story.
If you like a good marriage in trouble story, with alternating perspectives from both of the main characters so that you truly get a sense for not only their issues that they are having but their desire to want to fix those issues because of the genuine love that is there, then this is the book for you.
Additional tropes:
✅Other woman drama
Detailed spoilers/trigger warnings (if any) and final thoughts can be found below. There is a warning right before the spoiler and trigger section so you have the choice to proceed or stop reading.
Summary: Jayne and Rhys are married and from the outside, are the couple that looks like they have it all. He’s a successful doctor and she works at a law firm. They have the two children and the beautiful house and again all looks perfect. But we know that looks can be deceiving. Behind closed doors, they are struggling. With communication, with time management, balancing external factors with internal responsibilities, and it’s starting to take a toll on both of their peace and happiness.
The MMC works with a female colleague, who is perceptive, and uses this to her advantage. The FMC shows up at her husband‘s workplace to bring him something, and she overhears a conversation that she shouldn’t have.
This is the final straw for Jayne. She confronts Rhys about this conversation, but also about the fact that he is not doing his part to help with the family. She admits to the fact that she is struggling trying to balance it all. It’s clear that the MMC loves his wife and family, and for a short period of time he attempts to step up and help out more, but this is short-lived and it brings them both back to square one with trying to figure out how they are going to learn to navigate these challenges.
A hard lesson to learn, Rhys gets a dose of reality that forces him to reevaluate his priorities and the things that are most important. When he has that moment of realization, it’s exactly what is needed for him and his family and his marriage, to get back on track.
⚠️SPOILERS/SPICE/DETAILED TRIGGERS⚠️
✋
✋
✋
*The other woman in the story is a female colleague of the MMC‘s, who clearly wants more from him. The overheard scene at the beginning involves her, making the scene more heartbreaking for the FMC. Thankfully, the MMC learns quickly that this was inappropriate, and establishes the boundaries with the other woman. She doesn’t take this lying down, but ultimately she does end up giving up.
🌶️: 1/5
Final thoughts: I really enjoyed this book. It was one of the more realistic books regarding marriage in trouble that I have read that is still fiction, but something that many people can relate to. I’m married and have been with my husband for a really long time, and it is not easy to make a marriage and home work. You have to have a perfect harmony of communication, patience, understanding, and at the heart of everything, an immense love for one another that will see you through the really tough times. And that is the one thing that these main characters had, was a genuine love for each other. Even when the MMC had this female colleague who was in his ear, saying the right thing, he was never tempted to do anything with her. He literally just needed to vent, and of course, she took full advantage of that vulnerable moment for him. Which contributed to the drama and the angst of the story.
If you like a good marriage in trouble story, with alternating perspectives from both of the main characters so that you truly get a sense for not only their issues that they are having but their desire to want to fix those issues because of the genuine love that is there, then this is the book for you.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2026
Bored to tears
DNF 61%
DNF 61%
March 19, 2026
short on angst!!
This doesn’t feel like a Maya Alden. There’s a shocking lack of angst and it’s honestly kind of…. Boring? Idk, I’ve been SO excited for this book for months and I probably will never think about it again.
I liked the MMC’s redemption a lot.
This doesn’t feel like a Maya Alden. There’s a shocking lack of angst and it’s honestly kind of…. Boring? Idk, I’ve been SO excited for this book for months and I probably will never think about it again.
I liked the MMC’s redemption a lot.
March 19, 2026
Absolutely lackluster…it was way below average.
March 17, 2026
Maya’s stories are usually (to me) the perfect palette cleansers. Sometimes a little farfetched, but always well written and with a good amount of angst. If you’re reading this, you probably know that already, so I’ll get to the point.
Don’t let go left me disappointed.
The usual ‘oh my god, he didn’t!’ moment fell flat, and I didn’t really enjoy the characters, finding Jayne impossible at times. I get that the poor lady was meeting herself coming back, but when Rhys started to try to help, her inner monologue left me frustrated.
I could go on, but I just don’t feel passionate enough about the characters to do it.
The story did do a good job of portraying what married life feels like when the daily grind (and all that entails) starts to feel like too much. Other than that? I hate to say it but… I was bored to tears.
Don’t let go left me disappointed.
The usual ‘oh my god, he didn’t!’ moment fell flat, and I didn’t really enjoy the characters, finding Jayne impossible at times. I get that the poor lady was meeting herself coming back, but when Rhys started to try to help, her inner monologue left me frustrated.
I could go on, but I just don’t feel passionate enough about the characters to do it.
The story did do a good job of portraying what married life feels like when the daily grind (and all that entails) starts to feel like too much. Other than that? I hate to say it but… I was bored to tears.
March 17, 2026
Realistic in all the worst ways
This one was a little too real for me. Workaholic absentee husband and father dismisses and demeans wife for years. Takes 50% of the book to become an adult. Makes one selfless decision and every other character is praising and adoring him for doing the bare minimum. His character is written to have no hardships going from workaholic to stay-at-home dad. She was a doormat the entire time. It was frustrating.
This one was a little too real for me. Workaholic absentee husband and father dismisses and demeans wife for years. Takes 50% of the book to become an adult. Makes one selfless decision and every other character is praising and adoring him for doing the bare minimum. His character is written to have no hardships going from workaholic to stay-at-home dad. She was a doormat the entire time. It was frustrating.
March 19, 2026
This wasn't heartbreaking OR soul shaking. This story was lame AF.
December 22, 2025
This is the best marriage in crisis book I’ve read so far. It’s realistic, heartbreaking and beautifully written, I loved how it started and how it kept progressing, how they rebuilt and reconstructed their relationship it was so good to go through it with them.
March 18, 2026
Jayne and Rhys have been together for over 20 years. Feeling the weight of juggling work and kids, Jayne asks Rhys for help. But Rhys is a cardio surgeon, who think his wife should stay home so he can focus on work. When there argument comes to blows, Rhys talks about his wife to another female colleague and shatters her trust. Now he has to work to keep his family together, while building that trust again.
It wasn't my favorite Modern Vintage book unfortunately. I found Jayne super insufferable. She was a hypocrite. She talked about Rhys to her friend all the time, while never telling him how she actually felt. Instead of pushing the conversation, she would shut it down to keep the peace. The only thing he did wrong in thaylt situation was tell the wrong person. He should have confided in his own friend over a woman who wanted to get in his pants. I found the secondary characters more likable than the main characters. I was hoping she was going to kick him out after hearing what he said, because let's be so forreal right now. The only thing that saved this book was Rhys putting in the work to prioritize his life. I enjoyed reading it after he went on sabbatical, but it's not a book I would re-read.
It wasn't my favorite Modern Vintage book unfortunately. I found Jayne super insufferable. She was a hypocrite. She talked about Rhys to her friend all the time, while never telling him how she actually felt. Instead of pushing the conversation, she would shut it down to keep the peace. The only thing he did wrong in thaylt situation was tell the wrong person. He should have confided in his own friend over a woman who wanted to get in his pants. I found the secondary characters more likable than the main characters. I was hoping she was going to kick him out after hearing what he said, because let's be so forreal right now. The only thing that saved this book was Rhys putting in the work to prioritize his life. I enjoyed reading it after he went on sabbatical, but it's not a book I would re-read.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 19, 2026
good read
As much as I enjoyed the story, the anguished torment of the main characters, I have to say, These were two rich successful people for whom money was no problem. I don’t understand why they couldn’t just hire a driver and housekeeper to make their life easier. The fmc did irritate me somewhat. I mean he is a heart surgeon and his job is bound to be more stressful and pressured than hers. This was no marriage in trouble, there was no ow or om problems. Both just needed to talk to each other.
As much as I enjoyed the story, the anguished torment of the main characters, I have to say, These were two rich successful people for whom money was no problem. I don’t understand why they couldn’t just hire a driver and housekeeper to make their life easier. The fmc did irritate me somewhat. I mean he is a heart surgeon and his job is bound to be more stressful and pressured than hers. This was no marriage in trouble, there was no ow or om problems. Both just needed to talk to each other.
March 10, 2026
One of my all time favorite books from Maya!
I loved the pace, characters, the amount of OWD, the maturity of how the characters handled everything, the overheard scene, pretty much everything!!
It was honestly such a great read. Maya has made me fall in love with the marriage in trouble trope so much! She writes them so well!!! 5 stars!!
I loved the pace, characters, the amount of OWD, the maturity of how the characters handled everything, the overheard scene, pretty much everything!!
It was honestly such a great read. Maya has made me fall in love with the marriage in trouble trope so much! She writes them so well!!! 5 stars!!
March 17, 2026
Good book
I love this book. This is a solid five read.. Rhys, I must say I did not like for half of the book. It wasn't until he decided to actually put in the work, and walk a mile in Jaynes shoes that I decided he was okay.
I love this book. This is a solid five read.. Rhys, I must say I did not like for half of the book. It wasn't until he decided to actually put in the work, and walk a mile in Jaynes shoes that I decided he was okay.
Read
March 19, 2026“I didn’t even go to university, Rhys.” “Like that guarantees smarts!” He takes a deep breath and exhales. “Do you regret not finishing law school?”
Which is it? Did she not go to university or did she not finish law school?
Which is it? Did she not go to university or did she not finish law school?
March 18, 2026
It’s not that the writing is bad, it’s just that I don’t agree with it. I’ve worked in a hospital for many years That’s the job. Long, often chaotic hours and more often than not there needs to be an anchor at home. I’m sorry and I’m sure the feminists will kill me but it’s impossible to have it all and be all. It’s down right exhausting and I can understand both parents working when it’s a necessity but when you don’t have to and you decide to have children than that’s when the decision needs to be made. And if you think that being a stay at home mother isn’t a full time job I would have to disagree. Also if he is making that much and she feels compelled to work outside of the home why don’t they employ part time help?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
I got this book as an ARC from thr author.
I have read several Maya Alden books and her marriage in trouble books are favorite. This one did not disappoint. You can feel the love between Rhys and Jayne but you can also feel the frustration between them as well. I love that Rhys took the sabbatical instead of Jayne leaving her job because that is something her daughter will remember when she gets older. I enjoyed watching this couple grow and their love get deeper.
I have read several Maya Alden books and her marriage in trouble books are favorite. This one did not disappoint. You can feel the love between Rhys and Jayne but you can also feel the frustration between them as well. I love that Rhys took the sabbatical instead of Jayne leaving her job because that is something her daughter will remember when she gets older. I enjoyed watching this couple grow and their love get deeper.
December 6, 2025
Don’t Let Go is a Modern Vintage Romance, bringing you all the emotions of classic Mills & Boon novels with a modern, steamy touch. It features your favorite tropes:
* Marriage in Crisis- There is give and take in every relationship, and rarely, when analyzed, is it a true 50/50. Now, a 60/40 relationship can usually keep going without much issue. But what if that give and take is more 80/20? or 90/10 and has been going on for years? What if your spouse believes providing is all they need to do? You need to be more understanding. You need to quit your job. You should be grateful. I am a catch! Etc…Well put on your seatbelts, because this marriage in crisis is going to get a little bumpy!
* Overheard-The heroine overhears husband talking to female work colleague…sharing things that were not work related.
* Medical-the H is a highly sought after cardio surgeon. It is an important job. He saves lives on a daily basis. Funny that his job consists of fixing hearts, when he is breaking the heroine’s at the same time!
* Later In Life-Not explicitly stated with an actual number, but characters are early 40’s
* Other Woman Drama-Tory is another female coworker who smells success and ambition and wants in on the action. Not deterred by the fact that the object of her affection is married with 2 kids. These women always get me, because they never want to be with someone and go through the struggle years, nope! They want the already established attractive male, even if he is married with children. Better yet because she wont have to mess her body up and the children won’t be around much.
* Betrayal & Grovel-He betrayed his marriage by
* No Cheating-there is no cheating. Not even emotionally. He shared information with the ow, but this was not an ongoing thing. He kept things pretty professional up to this point and is very in love with his wife. He didn’t even notice that the ow was making some very calculated moves.
* Complete Standalone-It is a complete stand alone. There are no reoccurring characters from other stories here
So, I really found myself relating to many of the feelings expressed by Jayne in this story. Even though my life with my husband does not come close to the one between Rhys and Jayne financially speaking or even family wise, it was very easy to relate to the issues they were having. I am not going to use this platform to go into the specifics of my own relationship, but just saying….I feel Jayne’s exhaustion and defeatist attitude to the situation deeply.
The next part has slight spoilers, so stop now if you do not want anything spoiling your reading . 🛑 SPOILERS POSSIBLE 🛑 SLIGHT SPOILERS HAPPENING NOW 🛑
Rhys is a successful Doctor and his job his high stress. He has a drive to prove himself rooted in his childhood. While he was going to school, Jayne sacrificed her dreams of being a lawyer to support his of becoming a Dr. She has held a job their whole marriage as a paralegal and office manager at a law firm. She is well respected, works hard, and loves what she does. While doing this, she also takes on most if not all of the responsibility of keeping her family running smoothly. Notice I said family, because it isn’t just about taking care of the kids, she also takes care of her husband. He basically doesn’t have to think about anything except his job. He comes home when he wants to he leaves when he needs to …no thought to how the kids are getting to school, what activities they are in, no dinner planning, no laundry cleaning etc…. When he is asked to step up, or pay attention etc…he strikes out as his wife. He gets defensive and “runs” away to the shower or the office. Now on a certain level this reaction is due to guilt. He knows that he is leaving much of their life up to Jayne, yet he feels he can’t or won’t change his way of life. Basically, indicating what he does is more important and Jayne should just quit her job. Worse than that, he even dictates her personal time. She finally decides she is going to do a girl’s night, but it falls on yet another hospital shindig where she gets to be decorative and ignored while he flits around being the big man! He basically threatens her with taking a coworker instead if she doesn’t go(he regrets that, but he knows Tory the ow, is a jealousy bait for his wife, later in the story he gets a taste of jealousy himself).
So she cancels on her friends(again) and goes. This time he does try and stick close to his wife.
So we see the ins and outs, and the ups and downs. Rhys puts in an attempt to do better, but ends up failing his wife and children again. She goes to see him at work to drop off his lucky cap, and that’s when she overhears him telling the ow stuff, that he shouldn’t. She leaves quietly but goes home to lie in wait like a leopard waiting to strike. Now, I want to be clear, Rhys is not having an emotional affair. He knows he went over the line sharing things with Tory, but it is not like they have had ongoing discussions. We see his thoughts clearly, and never once has it been indicated that he is interested in Tory at all. This was a one off as far as sharing his life with Tory. What the stupid hunk of a Dr. doesn’t see, is how Tory has ingratiated herself and was prompting him to share, so she could stroke his ego…and men love their ego stroked 😂….
Anyhoo, he gets home to an angry wife. He knows what he said. He knows what she heard. From here on out, changes need to be made if this marriage is to survive. It looks like Jayne is ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, but thanks to some friend intervention, Rhys realizes that it should not be her to make anymore sacrifices to save their marriage and destroy who she is. So Rhys makes a decision. I am not going to say he sacrifices anything, because I think, and Rhys would agree…the change he made probably benefited him more than anyone else!
The new and improved Rhys was wonderful to see. The family working together, the memories they made. The two children in the story were well written. They enhanced the story, not detracted from it. We also had Paul and Claire, two very good friends of the couple. Claire was instrumental in getting Rhys to truly look at himself and what he was doing. Jayne’s bff didn’t have a huge role, but the few scenes she had were some great comic relief. She was most decidedly anti Rhys in the beginning, but by the end of the book she was regaling him with stories about her dates like he was just another gal pal 😂 We also get to see in the bonus epilogue, that Jayne finally fulfills a lifelong dream, and she has the support of her husband and children. They are her biggest cheerleaders.
I really feel this story does a great job exploring the dynamics in a marriage that most of us have been up against. I love Maya’s overheards and marriage in peril stories, so having them both in one story was a double positive for me! Oh, and let’s not forget the smexy times. One of the sexiest moments took place in the car after the H gets a little bit jealous of Jayne’s younger boss! Also, satisfying is when Jayne gets to put the ow wannabe in her place, with her husband by her side cheering her on!
All around a very satisfying story!!! I read this arc so fast because I wanted to get to the next chapter, I will most likely reread it before it releases in March 😂
* Marriage in Crisis- There is give and take in every relationship, and rarely, when analyzed, is it a true 50/50. Now, a 60/40 relationship can usually keep going without much issue. But what if that give and take is more 80/20? or 90/10 and has been going on for years? What if your spouse believes providing is all they need to do? You need to be more understanding. You need to quit your job. You should be grateful. I am a catch! Etc…Well put on your seatbelts, because this marriage in crisis is going to get a little bumpy!
* Overheard-The heroine overhears husband talking to female work colleague…sharing things that were not work related.
* Medical-the H is a highly sought after cardio surgeon. It is an important job. He saves lives on a daily basis. Funny that his job consists of fixing hearts, when he is breaking the heroine’s at the same time!
* Later In Life-Not explicitly stated with an actual number, but characters are early 40’s
* Other Woman Drama-Tory is another female coworker who smells success and ambition and wants in on the action. Not deterred by the fact that the object of her affection is married with 2 kids. These women always get me, because they never want to be with someone and go through the struggle years, nope! They want the already established attractive male, even if he is married with children. Better yet because she wont have to mess her body up and the children won’t be around much.
* Betrayal & Grovel-He betrayed his marriage by
* No Cheating-there is no cheating. Not even emotionally. He shared information with the ow, but this was not an ongoing thing. He kept things pretty professional up to this point and is very in love with his wife. He didn’t even notice that the ow was making some very calculated moves.
* Complete Standalone-It is a complete stand alone. There are no reoccurring characters from other stories here
So, I really found myself relating to many of the feelings expressed by Jayne in this story. Even though my life with my husband does not come close to the one between Rhys and Jayne financially speaking or even family wise, it was very easy to relate to the issues they were having. I am not going to use this platform to go into the specifics of my own relationship, but just saying….I feel Jayne’s exhaustion and defeatist attitude to the situation deeply.
The next part has slight spoilers, so stop now if you do not want anything spoiling your reading . 🛑 SPOILERS POSSIBLE 🛑 SLIGHT SPOILERS HAPPENING NOW 🛑
Rhys is a successful Doctor and his job his high stress. He has a drive to prove himself rooted in his childhood. While he was going to school, Jayne sacrificed her dreams of being a lawyer to support his of becoming a Dr. She has held a job their whole marriage as a paralegal and office manager at a law firm. She is well respected, works hard, and loves what she does. While doing this, she also takes on most if not all of the responsibility of keeping her family running smoothly. Notice I said family, because it isn’t just about taking care of the kids, she also takes care of her husband. He basically doesn’t have to think about anything except his job. He comes home when he wants to he leaves when he needs to …no thought to how the kids are getting to school, what activities they are in, no dinner planning, no laundry cleaning etc…. When he is asked to step up, or pay attention etc…he strikes out as his wife. He gets defensive and “runs” away to the shower or the office. Now on a certain level this reaction is due to guilt. He knows that he is leaving much of their life up to Jayne, yet he feels he can’t or won’t change his way of life. Basically, indicating what he does is more important and Jayne should just quit her job. Worse than that, he even dictates her personal time. She finally decides she is going to do a girl’s night, but it falls on yet another hospital shindig where she gets to be decorative and ignored while he flits around being the big man! He basically threatens her with taking a coworker instead if she doesn’t go(he regrets that, but he knows Tory the ow, is a jealousy bait for his wife, later in the story he gets a taste of jealousy himself).
So she cancels on her friends(again) and goes. This time he does try and stick close to his wife.
So we see the ins and outs, and the ups and downs. Rhys puts in an attempt to do better, but ends up failing his wife and children again. She goes to see him at work to drop off his lucky cap, and that’s when she overhears him telling the ow stuff, that he shouldn’t. She leaves quietly but goes home to lie in wait like a leopard waiting to strike. Now, I want to be clear, Rhys is not having an emotional affair. He knows he went over the line sharing things with Tory, but it is not like they have had ongoing discussions. We see his thoughts clearly, and never once has it been indicated that he is interested in Tory at all. This was a one off as far as sharing his life with Tory. What the stupid hunk of a Dr. doesn’t see, is how Tory has ingratiated herself and was prompting him to share, so she could stroke his ego…and men love their ego stroked 😂….
Anyhoo, he gets home to an angry wife. He knows what he said. He knows what she heard. From here on out, changes need to be made if this marriage is to survive. It looks like Jayne is ready to make the ultimate sacrifice, but thanks to some friend intervention, Rhys realizes that it should not be her to make anymore sacrifices to save their marriage and destroy who she is. So Rhys makes a decision. I am not going to say he sacrifices anything, because I think, and Rhys would agree…the change he made probably benefited him more than anyone else!
The new and improved Rhys was wonderful to see. The family working together, the memories they made. The two children in the story were well written. They enhanced the story, not detracted from it. We also had Paul and Claire, two very good friends of the couple. Claire was instrumental in getting Rhys to truly look at himself and what he was doing. Jayne’s bff didn’t have a huge role, but the few scenes she had were some great comic relief. She was most decidedly anti Rhys in the beginning, but by the end of the book she was regaling him with stories about her dates like he was just another gal pal 😂 We also get to see in the bonus epilogue, that Jayne finally fulfills a lifelong dream, and she has the support of her husband and children. They are her biggest cheerleaders.
I really feel this story does a great job exploring the dynamics in a marriage that most of us have been up against. I love Maya’s overheards and marriage in peril stories, so having them both in one story was a double positive for me! Oh, and let’s not forget the smexy times. One of the sexiest moments took place in the car after the H gets a little bit jealous of Jayne’s younger boss! Also, satisfying is when Jayne gets to put the ow wannabe in her place, with her husband by her side cheering her on!
All around a very satisfying story!!! I read this arc so fast because I wanted to get to the next chapter, I will most likely reread it before it releases in March 😂
March 18, 2026
Rhys (43) and Jayne (41) have been married for 18 years and have 2 kids, Finn (16) and Mikaela (10). Rhys is a cardiologist. Jayne gave up law school and worked at a paralegal at a lawyer's office to help put Rhys through med school, and she's still working at the same firm. Jayne is a very supportive wife and "supermom" who takes care of everything at home.
Rhys expects Jayne to do everything by herself and pesters her to quit her job for years now, because it would make things easier on his schedule.
There's a charity gala put on by his hospital that he pressures Jayne to attend. He even says if she doesn’t want to come, he’ll bring his colleague Tory as his plus one! So, Jayne ends up agreeing to attend. Tory is seated at their table. She flirts with Rhys all night and makes a lot of little digs at Jayne.
The following Monday, Rhys comes to work stressed over all the arguing the previous weekend. Tory’s there to lend a sympathetic ear. He tells her life at home is hell, his wife doesn’t appreciate him, and sometimes he thinks they should separate. Well, he forgot his lucky bandana at home, and Jayne brought it to him, and she’s standing outside the door and hears all this.
When he gets home that night, she tells him they need to talk. She tells him about the overheard conversation. He says he was just venting. She says she’s been thinking about it, and she thinks they should separate. Basically, every marriage problem she tries to bring up, he just negates it.
You think my job is worthless. No I don’t.
You think our life together is hell. No I don’t.
He sleeps in the guest room that night.
They both get advice from their BFFs, and it’s basically self-help stuff about how to communicate better in a marriage.
They agree to talk the next evening after work. When Rhys gets to work, Tory is extra flirtatious. He figures out that Tory thinks that him venting to her was the opening salvo to an affair.
So, that evening when Rhys and Jayne talk, Jayne tells him that she really needs help. She never gets a day off. So, he offers to work out a schedule to pick up the kids from school and activities and stuff. She tries not to go into it with such a negative attitude, but she’s worried that it’s a temporary change to keep her from leaving.
So, when the overheard conversation happened, she drove to work and her boss (Daniel) found her crying in her office, so she ended up crying on his shoulder. When Jayne talks to her BFF (Iris) about it, Iris says Daniel always had a crush on Jayne. Jayne doesn’t believe it.
Time passes, and Rhys is still doing all the things, but he finds it kind of exhausting. Tory tells him how amazing he is for being such a super dad and super surgeon. He tells her he’s not interested and to stop touching his arm and shit all the time.
By the 2-month mark, she considers it a failure. Things are just like they were before, except now he apologizes for missing his pickups. So, they talk about the Tory incident. But when Jayne also talks about him not keeping to his promises, he gets all defensive and the conversation turns into an argument. Now he’s mad and HE decides to sleep in the guest room this time. (Because when he fucks up, he gets angry and defensive.)
So now she’s thinking, she was expecting more from him than he can give. She either has to quit her job and bend to his will to make the marriage work, or she has to leave him. She decides to quit her job.
Meanwhile, Rhys has a conversation with his BFF’s wife who is a counselor, and she asks him, Look, if she became a SAHM, would that really sort out all the marriage problems automatically? Of course not.
That night, Jayne tells him she’s going to give her notice and he freaks out. And now Jayne is confused because he’s always wanted her to quit. He asks her to give him a week. She’s thinking, “Ok I can wait a week to give my notice to Daniel,” which she assumes she’ll end up having to do. But then he comes home later, saying he took a 6 month sabbatical from work!
Then he begins being a stay at home dad. He runs into Tory at the grocery store. She tries to convince him to come back to work (because she wants a surgeon, not a SAHD). He’s tells her to fuck off.
Then the law firm that Jayne works for is merging with another firm and Jayne is offered a promotion. But how will she manage things when Rhys goes back to work? The sabbatical was only for 6 months and it’s already been 3 months. But Rhys is happy for her and promises that his career won’t take over again like it did before.
The story jumps forward a little bit and he’s gone back to work but on a different schedule with less on-call days and more days between shifts. Tory took a job at a different hospital.
So, this book was ok, but I don’t know, I think if you marry a surgeon you live a married single mom lifestyle, and that’s just the reality. In the book, it’s something he was doing wrong that he can fix. In reality, I’m not so sure.
Also, each “paragraph” of this book was a single sentence. It was a weird format. It uses a lot of the “rule of three,” writing things in threes. It uses a lot of definition by negation, describing what something is not.
Also, the Wanna-be OW and possibly Wanna-be OM drama never really materialized. Not a lot of angst there. It was just not the most enjoyable read, to be honest.
Rhys expects Jayne to do everything by herself and pesters her to quit her job for years now, because it would make things easier on his schedule.
There's a charity gala put on by his hospital that he pressures Jayne to attend. He even says if she doesn’t want to come, he’ll bring his colleague Tory as his plus one! So, Jayne ends up agreeing to attend. Tory is seated at their table. She flirts with Rhys all night and makes a lot of little digs at Jayne.
The following Monday, Rhys comes to work stressed over all the arguing the previous weekend. Tory’s there to lend a sympathetic ear. He tells her life at home is hell, his wife doesn’t appreciate him, and sometimes he thinks they should separate. Well, he forgot his lucky bandana at home, and Jayne brought it to him, and she’s standing outside the door and hears all this.
When he gets home that night, she tells him they need to talk. She tells him about the overheard conversation. He says he was just venting. She says she’s been thinking about it, and she thinks they should separate. Basically, every marriage problem she tries to bring up, he just negates it.
You think my job is worthless. No I don’t.
You think our life together is hell. No I don’t.
He sleeps in the guest room that night.
They both get advice from their BFFs, and it’s basically self-help stuff about how to communicate better in a marriage.
They agree to talk the next evening after work. When Rhys gets to work, Tory is extra flirtatious. He figures out that Tory thinks that him venting to her was the opening salvo to an affair.
So, that evening when Rhys and Jayne talk, Jayne tells him that she really needs help. She never gets a day off. So, he offers to work out a schedule to pick up the kids from school and activities and stuff. She tries not to go into it with such a negative attitude, but she’s worried that it’s a temporary change to keep her from leaving.
So, when the overheard conversation happened, she drove to work and her boss (Daniel) found her crying in her office, so she ended up crying on his shoulder. When Jayne talks to her BFF (Iris) about it, Iris says Daniel always had a crush on Jayne. Jayne doesn’t believe it.
Time passes, and Rhys is still doing all the things, but he finds it kind of exhausting. Tory tells him how amazing he is for being such a super dad and super surgeon. He tells her he’s not interested and to stop touching his arm and shit all the time.
By the 2-month mark, she considers it a failure. Things are just like they were before, except now he apologizes for missing his pickups. So, they talk about the Tory incident. But when Jayne also talks about him not keeping to his promises, he gets all defensive and the conversation turns into an argument. Now he’s mad and HE decides to sleep in the guest room this time. (Because when he fucks up, he gets angry and defensive.)
So now she’s thinking, she was expecting more from him than he can give. She either has to quit her job and bend to his will to make the marriage work, or she has to leave him. She decides to quit her job.
Meanwhile, Rhys has a conversation with his BFF’s wife who is a counselor, and she asks him, Look, if she became a SAHM, would that really sort out all the marriage problems automatically? Of course not.
That night, Jayne tells him she’s going to give her notice and he freaks out. And now Jayne is confused because he’s always wanted her to quit. He asks her to give him a week. She’s thinking, “Ok I can wait a week to give my notice to Daniel,” which she assumes she’ll end up having to do. But then he comes home later, saying he took a 6 month sabbatical from work!
Then he begins being a stay at home dad. He runs into Tory at the grocery store. She tries to convince him to come back to work (because she wants a surgeon, not a SAHD). He’s tells her to fuck off.
Then the law firm that Jayne works for is merging with another firm and Jayne is offered a promotion. But how will she manage things when Rhys goes back to work? The sabbatical was only for 6 months and it’s already been 3 months. But Rhys is happy for her and promises that his career won’t take over again like it did before.
The story jumps forward a little bit and he’s gone back to work but on a different schedule with less on-call days and more days between shifts. Tory took a job at a different hospital.
So, this book was ok, but I don’t know, I think if you marry a surgeon you live a married single mom lifestyle, and that’s just the reality. In the book, it’s something he was doing wrong that he can fix. In reality, I’m not so sure.
Also, each “paragraph” of this book was a single sentence. It was a weird format. It uses a lot of the “rule of three,” writing things in threes. It uses a lot of definition by negation, describing what something is not.
Also, the Wanna-be OW and possibly Wanna-be OM drama never really materialized. Not a lot of angst there. It was just not the most enjoyable read, to be honest.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 18, 2026
I loved this take on the marriage in crisis trope. Because it was such a real issue, and you really see the couple work hard to deal with it. I hated the H, Rhys, at first. He was self absorbed and did not appreciate anything that his h, Jayne, did for him and his family, which allowed him to be as successful as he is. However he realises how integral everything she does is when he starts working on their marriage.
He struggles to do even half as much as she did. However this is around the time I started seeing where he was coming from. Rhys is a surgeon. A chief of cardio. Ive watched enough greys anatomy to know that is not easy. And the truth of the matter is, even when he was doing his best (although it was not enough for the h), it was all he could do. A job like his is demanding. It is difficult. And he simply does not have the power and easy to move things around or reschedule, or make time as Jayne can. She is an office manager at a busy law firm. Her job is just as important as the H’s (in different ways of course), but her job does allow her more grace and flexibility than the medical professional does. So as an avid greys anatomy fan, and a lawyer myself, I can say with full certainty that the dynamic they had was the best option for them.
Unfortunately, that was not enough for h. She wanted more reprieve, which is completely understandable. And one of the two had to give. And she had every right to feel this way. Two things can be right.
So, the H takes sabbatical and starts doing everything right slowly. He gives something up, something huge since being a surgeon his life, so that the h doesn’t have to give something up again. It’s the right choice since the only choice they gave each other was that someone had to quit/stop working. And this was all good and well… but why did no one get a bloody nanny? I’m sure they could definitely afford one! Half their issues would have been solved with one honestly (plus that’s what they do in greys anatomy and it works great for them!)
I also loved this story because the OW gets put in her place INSTANTLY when she actually crosses a line. There is no emotional cheating, no desire, nothing from the H in respect of the OW. And it’s refreshing to see. He’s all about his girl Jayne, he’s just a little over worked and egotistical like any surgeon. But he worked on it as soon as they actually sat down to discuss the problems in their marriage. And it was satisfying to see him realise how much work the h did to make everything function in their family.
It was a real and non-sensationalised romance that showed that two people can grow and still make it work as long as you are willing to try. 5/5 read from me!
*I received a an ARC in exchange for an honest review. That said, this is a book I would have happily bought myself.*
He struggles to do even half as much as she did. However this is around the time I started seeing where he was coming from. Rhys is a surgeon. A chief of cardio. Ive watched enough greys anatomy to know that is not easy. And the truth of the matter is, even when he was doing his best (although it was not enough for the h), it was all he could do. A job like his is demanding. It is difficult. And he simply does not have the power and easy to move things around or reschedule, or make time as Jayne can. She is an office manager at a busy law firm. Her job is just as important as the H’s (in different ways of course), but her job does allow her more grace and flexibility than the medical professional does. So as an avid greys anatomy fan, and a lawyer myself, I can say with full certainty that the dynamic they had was the best option for them.
Unfortunately, that was not enough for h. She wanted more reprieve, which is completely understandable. And one of the two had to give. And she had every right to feel this way. Two things can be right.
So, the H takes sabbatical and starts doing everything right slowly. He gives something up, something huge since being a surgeon his life, so that the h doesn’t have to give something up again. It’s the right choice since the only choice they gave each other was that someone had to quit/stop working. And this was all good and well… but why did no one get a bloody nanny? I’m sure they could definitely afford one! Half their issues would have been solved with one honestly (plus that’s what they do in greys anatomy and it works great for them!)
I also loved this story because the OW gets put in her place INSTANTLY when she actually crosses a line. There is no emotional cheating, no desire, nothing from the H in respect of the OW. And it’s refreshing to see. He’s all about his girl Jayne, he’s just a little over worked and egotistical like any surgeon. But he worked on it as soon as they actually sat down to discuss the problems in their marriage. And it was satisfying to see him realise how much work the h did to make everything function in their family.
It was a real and non-sensationalised romance that showed that two people can grow and still make it work as long as you are willing to try. 5/5 read from me!
*I received a an ARC in exchange for an honest review. That said, this is a book I would have happily bought myself.*
Review of advance copy received from Author
I don’t even know where to start with this one, it truly had me in a chokehold.
💔Marriage In Trouble💔
The Premise:
Rhys is a cardiac surgeon and Jayne is a paralegal. They’ve been together for 24 years and married for 20, but somewhere along the line, they simply stopped communicating. Jayne became a pushover, letting Rhys’s actions (and inactions) simmer until deep resentment began to surface.
Jayne sacrificed her own dream of becoming a lawyer so Rhys could thrive in his medical career. While she was happy to be his support system, she didn’t sign up to do everything alone for two decades. Now, she’s burnt out. Between her job, the kids, and the house, she’s left wondering: who is taking care of me?
The Turning Point:
Everything hits the fan when Jayne overhears Rhys complaining about her to Tory, a female colleague Jayne was already suspicious of. The words he used were so cutting they had me tearing up. To say Jayne was "hurt" is a massive understatement.
The Conflict:
I have to be honest: I actually started to feel bad for Rhys. He genuinely attempted to change, but being a doctor means long, unpredictable hours. After 20 years of doing nothing, he tried to step up, but it wasn't a smooth transition (like leaving his son in the cold for 30 minutes because he forgot a pickup).
However, it felt like Jayne didn’t appreciate the effort. At times, her internal monologue made it seem like she wanted him to fail just so she could say, "I told you so." While I know the burden had been on her shoulders for years, I felt that any progress, even with "bumps and bruises" along the way, should have been acknowledged. When she finally voiced her needs and he tried to meet them, she almost spit in his face because it still wasn't "enough" or exactly what she wanted.
The Resolution:
I loved how realistic the marital problems felt. Even the scene where their son speaks up for his mom was powerful; it forced Rhys to realize that the dysfunction wasn't all Jayne's fault.
We see immense growth from Rhys. He transforms from an egotistical, pompous jerk into a loving, doting, and present husband/father. However, I didn't feel that same growth from Jayne, except in her career. The balance felt off to me: as Rhys stepped back from work, Jayne stepped forward into a more demanding role. I found myself asking, why can’t they both thrive? Even in the bonus chapter, Jayne is excelling while Rhys just seems to be... there.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. Even if I didn't agree with how every plot point panned out, anything by Maya Alden is a must-read for me. She remains one of my all-time favorite authors! ♥️
* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own ♥️
💔Marriage In Trouble💔
The Premise:
Rhys is a cardiac surgeon and Jayne is a paralegal. They’ve been together for 24 years and married for 20, but somewhere along the line, they simply stopped communicating. Jayne became a pushover, letting Rhys’s actions (and inactions) simmer until deep resentment began to surface.
Jayne sacrificed her own dream of becoming a lawyer so Rhys could thrive in his medical career. While she was happy to be his support system, she didn’t sign up to do everything alone for two decades. Now, she’s burnt out. Between her job, the kids, and the house, she’s left wondering: who is taking care of me?
The Turning Point:
Everything hits the fan when Jayne overhears Rhys complaining about her to Tory, a female colleague Jayne was already suspicious of. The words he used were so cutting they had me tearing up. To say Jayne was "hurt" is a massive understatement.
The Conflict:
I have to be honest: I actually started to feel bad for Rhys. He genuinely attempted to change, but being a doctor means long, unpredictable hours. After 20 years of doing nothing, he tried to step up, but it wasn't a smooth transition (like leaving his son in the cold for 30 minutes because he forgot a pickup).
However, it felt like Jayne didn’t appreciate the effort. At times, her internal monologue made it seem like she wanted him to fail just so she could say, "I told you so." While I know the burden had been on her shoulders for years, I felt that any progress, even with "bumps and bruises" along the way, should have been acknowledged. When she finally voiced her needs and he tried to meet them, she almost spit in his face because it still wasn't "enough" or exactly what she wanted.
The Resolution:
I loved how realistic the marital problems felt. Even the scene where their son speaks up for his mom was powerful; it forced Rhys to realize that the dysfunction wasn't all Jayne's fault.
We see immense growth from Rhys. He transforms from an egotistical, pompous jerk into a loving, doting, and present husband/father. However, I didn't feel that same growth from Jayne, except in her career. The balance felt off to me: as Rhys stepped back from work, Jayne stepped forward into a more demanding role. I found myself asking, why can’t they both thrive? Even in the bonus chapter, Jayne is excelling while Rhys just seems to be... there.
Final Thoughts:
Overall, I really enjoyed this story. Even if I didn't agree with how every plot point panned out, anything by Maya Alden is a must-read for me. She remains one of my all-time favorite authors! ♥️
* I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. My opinions are my own ♥️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Rhys and Jayne are definitely a marriage in trouble.
Rhys is completely self absorbed in his work as a cardio surgeon and all the responsibilities that come with that. Rhys has got to the stage where he has lost focus on his wife and children, choosing to give 110% to his work and role within the hospital where he is employed. For Rhys it is easier to be at work than help to carry the load at home, after all isn't this the domain of Jayne.
This is encouraged by the OW Tory, who has stars in her eyes for Rhys, a woman that Jayne has previously raised concerns about, who actively places herself in the position for Rhys to verbally dump too on what he sees as issues with Jayne and their marriage.
Jayne, who gave up her dreams and furthering her education to support Rhys through his training and residency has made a career for herself where she initially started as an para-legal, has had enough of effectively being a single working parent. Jayne is tired of Rhys running off to the hospital every time the conversations get hard. A last straw for Jayne is effectively being made to attend a hospital function when Rhys threatens to take Tory if she does not change her plans to attend with him.
Jayne, after another bumpy conversation with Rhys, decides to call into the hospital to see Rhys, where she overhears the dumping conversation Rhys is having with Tory. Jayne decides to not confront Rhys, but leaves and later that evening has it out with him, letting him know she overheard everything.
This is a turning point for Rhys, he realises just what he has to lose, knowing he is jealous of the platonic friendship Jayne has with her boss, and receives a good dose of perspective from one of his colleagues and that colleagues wife.
Rhys decides to make changes to avoid losing his marriage and family, where he takes a six month sabbatical, instead becoming a stay at home dad doing all that he had left to Jayne for many years.
The remainder of the novel follows the journey of Rhys making amends, a real dig deep grovel to get not only his wife back but the trust of his children. We see him finally acknowledge the substance of the role Jayne has in the law firm where she works, and the respect in which she is held when she is offered a significantly larger role.
There is of course a HEA for Rhys and Jayne, which in my view is quite realistic with the work Rhys did to repair the damage he had caused and the rebuilding of trust within his family.
I certainly have no hesitation in recommending this novel to readers.
Rhys is completely self absorbed in his work as a cardio surgeon and all the responsibilities that come with that. Rhys has got to the stage where he has lost focus on his wife and children, choosing to give 110% to his work and role within the hospital where he is employed. For Rhys it is easier to be at work than help to carry the load at home, after all isn't this the domain of Jayne.
This is encouraged by the OW Tory, who has stars in her eyes for Rhys, a woman that Jayne has previously raised concerns about, who actively places herself in the position for Rhys to verbally dump too on what he sees as issues with Jayne and their marriage.
Jayne, who gave up her dreams and furthering her education to support Rhys through his training and residency has made a career for herself where she initially started as an para-legal, has had enough of effectively being a single working parent. Jayne is tired of Rhys running off to the hospital every time the conversations get hard. A last straw for Jayne is effectively being made to attend a hospital function when Rhys threatens to take Tory if she does not change her plans to attend with him.
Jayne, after another bumpy conversation with Rhys, decides to call into the hospital to see Rhys, where she overhears the dumping conversation Rhys is having with Tory. Jayne decides to not confront Rhys, but leaves and later that evening has it out with him, letting him know she overheard everything.
This is a turning point for Rhys, he realises just what he has to lose, knowing he is jealous of the platonic friendship Jayne has with her boss, and receives a good dose of perspective from one of his colleagues and that colleagues wife.
Rhys decides to make changes to avoid losing his marriage and family, where he takes a six month sabbatical, instead becoming a stay at home dad doing all that he had left to Jayne for many years.
The remainder of the novel follows the journey of Rhys making amends, a real dig deep grovel to get not only his wife back but the trust of his children. We see him finally acknowledge the substance of the role Jayne has in the law firm where she works, and the respect in which she is held when she is offered a significantly larger role.
There is of course a HEA for Rhys and Jayne, which in my view is quite realistic with the work Rhys did to repair the damage he had caused and the rebuilding of trust within his family.
I certainly have no hesitation in recommending this novel to readers.
March 18, 2026
⭐ **3.5/5 Stars**
I have… mixed feelings about this one.
After finishing the book and then going through some Goodreads reviews, I found myself agreeing with parts of the criticism—especially the take that the FMC comes across as a bit of a doormat. But I also think that assessment isn’t entirely fair without looking at the full picture.
Yes, she forgives him a little too easily for some things—particularly the initial drama involving the OW. But at the same time, I could understand why she chose to move past it. She knew her husband. She knew that, at his core, he wasn’t a cheater. And the book makes it very clear from his POV that he never once compared her to another woman or developed any real attraction or emotional connection outside his marriage. His behavior came from pettiness and immaturity—not betrayal in the traditional sense.
Where I do agree with the “doormat” label is in her communication style—or lack thereof.
She spends a large part of the book internalizing everything, refusing to speak up because she doesn’t want to be seen as a nag or the villain in her own marriage. And while that mindset is understandable, it’s also incredibly frustrating because it inevitably leads to everything blowing up. You can’t bottle things up forever and expect a healthy outcome.
What I truly appreciated, though, was the MMC’s arc.
This man is far from perfect—he’s arrogant, flawed, and very much a product of his high-achieving, God-complex career. But when things finally come to a head, he doesn’t deflect, gaslight, or dismiss her concerns. Instead, he listens. He reflects. And most importantly, he changes.
And not in a superficial, performative way.
He actively makes space for her to grow and thrive in her own career. He doesn’t resent her success or ask her to shrink herself for his comfort. In fact, he embraces the shift in their dynamic and uses it as an opportunity to reset his own life as well. That kind of growth—especially from someone in his position—is rare, both in fiction and definitely in real life.
Which is why I don’t fully agree with the criticism that these characters are “weak.” To me, they felt like deeply flawed, overwhelmed human beings navigating a marriage under pressure. They made mistakes, handled things poorly at times, but ultimately chose to grow instead of walking away. Which seems absolutely fair because they had been together for 21 years and were still in love.
And that, for me, made it worth the read.
I have… mixed feelings about this one.
After finishing the book and then going through some Goodreads reviews, I found myself agreeing with parts of the criticism—especially the take that the FMC comes across as a bit of a doormat. But I also think that assessment isn’t entirely fair without looking at the full picture.
Yes, she forgives him a little too easily for some things—particularly the initial drama involving the OW. But at the same time, I could understand why she chose to move past it. She knew her husband. She knew that, at his core, he wasn’t a cheater. And the book makes it very clear from his POV that he never once compared her to another woman or developed any real attraction or emotional connection outside his marriage. His behavior came from pettiness and immaturity—not betrayal in the traditional sense.
Where I do agree with the “doormat” label is in her communication style—or lack thereof.
She spends a large part of the book internalizing everything, refusing to speak up because she doesn’t want to be seen as a nag or the villain in her own marriage. And while that mindset is understandable, it’s also incredibly frustrating because it inevitably leads to everything blowing up. You can’t bottle things up forever and expect a healthy outcome.
What I truly appreciated, though, was the MMC’s arc.
This man is far from perfect—he’s arrogant, flawed, and very much a product of his high-achieving, God-complex career. But when things finally come to a head, he doesn’t deflect, gaslight, or dismiss her concerns. Instead, he listens. He reflects. And most importantly, he changes.
And not in a superficial, performative way.
He actively makes space for her to grow and thrive in her own career. He doesn’t resent her success or ask her to shrink herself for his comfort. In fact, he embraces the shift in their dynamic and uses it as an opportunity to reset his own life as well. That kind of growth—especially from someone in his position—is rare, both in fiction and definitely in real life.
Which is why I don’t fully agree with the criticism that these characters are “weak.” To me, they felt like deeply flawed, overwhelmed human beings navigating a marriage under pressure. They made mistakes, handled things poorly at times, but ultimately chose to grow instead of walking away. Which seems absolutely fair because they had been together for 21 years and were still in love.
And that, for me, made it worth the read.
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