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Paradise, Idaho #2
Hold Me Close
Kayla Chambers knows what love is—and what it isn’t. When her boyfriend turns abusive, she and her son escape to a new life in a place where he’ll never find them. The idyllic town of Paradise, Idaho, has everything she needs to get back on her feet. Survival is her only goal, and the last thing she wants is another man in her life.
But Kayla’s new neighbor, high school principal Luke Jackson, is determined to change her mind. Luke usually takes the fast lane with women, but he can see that Kayla and her son need help, and he wants to earn her trust—even if that means taking things slow. He strikes up a friendship that soon simmers into something passionate and real. But when Kayla’s past catches up with her, Luke knows he has to find a way to keep her safe…or risk losing her forever.
But Kayla’s new neighbor, high school principal Luke Jackson, is determined to change her mind. Luke usually takes the fast lane with women, but he can see that Kayla and her son need help, and he wants to earn her trust—even if that means taking things slow. He strikes up a friendship that soon simmers into something passionate and real. But when Kayla’s past catches up with her, Luke knows he has to find a way to keep her safe…or risk losing her forever.
337 pages, Paperback
First published December 8, 2015
489 people are currently reading
826 people want to read
About the author
Rosalind James
55 books1,218 followersRosalind James writes contemporary romance and romantic suspense published both by Montlake Romance and independently. Her stories are set in New Zealand, Idaho, California, New York . . . really, anyplace that seems cool. (Research trips, especially those involving lots of rugby, are a bonus.) Her books are available in ebook, paperback, and audio formats. Rosalind is a former marketing executive who spent several years in Australia and New Zealand, where she fell in love with the people, the landscape, and the culture of both countries. She attributes her rapid success to the fact that "Lots of people would like to escape to New Zealand! I know I did!"
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May 25, 2017
5 Worth The Wait Stars
*Some Spoilers*
"If I ever do get married, I'm not going to hit my wife." The guilt was an icy shard straight to her heart. "No. You aren't, because you aren't that kind of person. And I'm sorry." She hadn't said it before, but it was time to do it. "I'm sorry that I took you into Alan's house. I'm sorry that you had to see everything you did. I'm sorry I didn't take better care of you. But it's over now. We got away. We're gone, and we'll never be with anybody who hits either of us again, I promise. I forgot about being optimistic for a little while there. I thought I didn't have a choice. I thought things couldn't get better. But here we are, and we've made them better, and we're both going to be optimistic now, OK?"-Eli and Kayla
Wow what an emotional and touching read. I truly loved this book from start to finish. I didn't stop reading to even eat. I just shoveled food into my mouth with one hand and held my kindle with my other. This is my first time reading Rosalind James, but it won't be my last. Her writing style was great it flowed so nicely. The story and all of the characters captivated me from page one.
"You still scared?" Luke asked her quietly. "You remember that?" "Sure I do. That you were scared, and that you did it anyway. You were a brave little thing, weren't you?"-Luke and Kayla
What this book is about
Kayla Chambers has had a hard life. After losing her husband, then her job and home, she thought she found a hero to save her and her son in Alan. But she was wrong. It didn't take long after moving in with her that she learn he had a dark side. Having had enough of living through his abuse and afraid for her and her sons life, Kayla does the only thing she can think of , and with the help of the domestic violence hotline, she runs! Paradise, Idaho sounds like a good place to start over. Kayla is trying hard to put her life back together. She knows Alan is going to try to find her and try to kill her. She also has to find a way to make ends meet and provide for her son. Then she meet her handsome neighbor, Luke the high school principal. It is obvious that Luke is attracted to her, but she doesn't want any man. She can't trust men, after all Alan seemed normal at first too. Can Luke get Kayla to trust him and give him a chance? And what will happen when Alan finds them?
"And then, before he could stop himself, he was lifting her hand, brushing his lips over the back of it, and saying "Thank you." The voice came before she could answer. "Wow. He totally kissed her hand. Did you see that?" "That is so romantic. How come you never kiss my hand, Wesley?" "Because I don't want to look like a total dork, maybe?" Kayla smiled, her hand still in his. "You've just lost all your street cred." "And, see," he said, smiling right back at her, "I don't even care."-Some of Luke's students, Kayla and Luke
"Yep. There sure are. And you know what? I don't want a single one of them, because none of them's you. I know that might scare you. I've known it all along. That's why I haven't said it. But if we're putting it out there- there it is. I want to keep you safe; you're right about that, too. I want to...." He breathed in, breathed out. "I want his name, and I want to kill him. And I want to, yeah. Sweep you up and take you home with me and keep you safe. You and Eli. If that's a rescue, sue me. But that's not all I want. I want things that have nothing at all to do with any rescue. Nothing at all to do with taking care of you."-Luke
I really liked Kayla's character. I felt her personality truly represented that of a battered woman, but she still gave hope. She was brave, and even when everything felt hopeless and most would just give up she kept going. I really liked her honesty. She told her feelings, needs, and said sorry when she was wrong. But as much as I liked Kayla , I fell that much more in love with Luke. OMG he was such a sweet, sexy, and patience man. He wanted Kayla, but he understood her needs and respected her. Gave her space when she needed, supported her when she needed, and waited for her. He let her lead and took things at her pace. Oh and he is a dirty talking country boy. Hot Dayum!!!! Some of the things he said *swoon* I think I'm in love. Eli, Kayla son, melted my heart.
"You don't. When I-if I get you in my bed, it's not going to be a trade. It's going to be because you can't stand to wait any longer, just like I can't. When you can't go another minute without touching me, or another day without having me inside you. That's what I want, and that's what I'm holding out for. But I'm a grown man who can make his choices and take his chances, and I'm taking a chance on you. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I'm sticking around all the same, and I'm going to be just as patient as I can be. Because you're worth the chance."-Luke
"Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for saving my life, and Eli's life. Thank you for everything. You're my hero. You're my knight in shining armor."-Kayla
Luke and Kayla's relationship was just beautiful. So many tender moments, so much chemistry between the two MCs that I couldn't help but feel connected to them. I enjoyed their relationship so much, they gave me the warm fuzzies. There are some really moving family moments with Eli, Kayla, and Luke. I loved Luke's whole family especially his brother Cal. Cal's story is the first book, which I have bought and plan on reading. I thought it was so funny what happens to Alan in the end a little Karma I think. I am so happy that I got this book, it really was a joy to read.
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
*Some Spoilers*
"If I ever do get married, I'm not going to hit my wife." The guilt was an icy shard straight to her heart. "No. You aren't, because you aren't that kind of person. And I'm sorry." She hadn't said it before, but it was time to do it. "I'm sorry that I took you into Alan's house. I'm sorry that you had to see everything you did. I'm sorry I didn't take better care of you. But it's over now. We got away. We're gone, and we'll never be with anybody who hits either of us again, I promise. I forgot about being optimistic for a little while there. I thought I didn't have a choice. I thought things couldn't get better. But here we are, and we've made them better, and we're both going to be optimistic now, OK?"-Eli and Kayla
Wow what an emotional and touching read. I truly loved this book from start to finish. I didn't stop reading to even eat. I just shoveled food into my mouth with one hand and held my kindle with my other. This is my first time reading Rosalind James, but it won't be my last. Her writing style was great it flowed so nicely. The story and all of the characters captivated me from page one.
"You still scared?" Luke asked her quietly. "You remember that?" "Sure I do. That you were scared, and that you did it anyway. You were a brave little thing, weren't you?"-Luke and Kayla
What this book is about
Kayla Chambers has had a hard life. After losing her husband, then her job and home, she thought she found a hero to save her and her son in Alan. But she was wrong. It didn't take long after moving in with her that she learn he had a dark side. Having had enough of living through his abuse and afraid for her and her sons life, Kayla does the only thing she can think of , and with the help of the domestic violence hotline, she runs! Paradise, Idaho sounds like a good place to start over. Kayla is trying hard to put her life back together. She knows Alan is going to try to find her and try to kill her. She also has to find a way to make ends meet and provide for her son. Then she meet her handsome neighbor, Luke the high school principal. It is obvious that Luke is attracted to her, but she doesn't want any man. She can't trust men, after all Alan seemed normal at first too. Can Luke get Kayla to trust him and give him a chance? And what will happen when Alan finds them?
"And then, before he could stop himself, he was lifting her hand, brushing his lips over the back of it, and saying "Thank you." The voice came before she could answer. "Wow. He totally kissed her hand. Did you see that?" "That is so romantic. How come you never kiss my hand, Wesley?" "Because I don't want to look like a total dork, maybe?" Kayla smiled, her hand still in his. "You've just lost all your street cred." "And, see," he said, smiling right back at her, "I don't even care."-Some of Luke's students, Kayla and Luke
"Yep. There sure are. And you know what? I don't want a single one of them, because none of them's you. I know that might scare you. I've known it all along. That's why I haven't said it. But if we're putting it out there- there it is. I want to keep you safe; you're right about that, too. I want to...." He breathed in, breathed out. "I want his name, and I want to kill him. And I want to, yeah. Sweep you up and take you home with me and keep you safe. You and Eli. If that's a rescue, sue me. But that's not all I want. I want things that have nothing at all to do with any rescue. Nothing at all to do with taking care of you."-Luke
I really liked Kayla's character. I felt her personality truly represented that of a battered woman, but she still gave hope. She was brave, and even when everything felt hopeless and most would just give up she kept going. I really liked her honesty. She told her feelings, needs, and said sorry when she was wrong. But as much as I liked Kayla , I fell that much more in love with Luke. OMG he was such a sweet, sexy, and patience man. He wanted Kayla, but he understood her needs and respected her. Gave her space when she needed, supported her when she needed, and waited for her. He let her lead and took things at her pace. Oh and he is a dirty talking country boy. Hot Dayum!!!! Some of the things he said *swoon* I think I'm in love. Eli, Kayla son, melted my heart.
"You don't. When I-if I get you in my bed, it's not going to be a trade. It's going to be because you can't stand to wait any longer, just like I can't. When you can't go another minute without touching me, or another day without having me inside you. That's what I want, and that's what I'm holding out for. But I'm a grown man who can make his choices and take his chances, and I'm taking a chance on you. If I'm wrong, I'm wrong. I'm sticking around all the same, and I'm going to be just as patient as I can be. Because you're worth the chance."-Luke
"Thank you for believing in me. Thank you for saving my life, and Eli's life. Thank you for everything. You're my hero. You're my knight in shining armor."-Kayla
Luke and Kayla's relationship was just beautiful. So many tender moments, so much chemistry between the two MCs that I couldn't help but feel connected to them. I enjoyed their relationship so much, they gave me the warm fuzzies. There are some really moving family moments with Eli, Kayla, and Luke. I loved Luke's whole family especially his brother Cal. Cal's story is the first book, which I have bought and plan on reading. I thought it was so funny what happens to Alan in the end a little Karma I think. I am so happy that I got this book, it really was a joy to read.
http://jessicasoverthetopbookobsessio...
June 23, 2016
Love the small town and the way they helped each other out; the Jackson family and the unquestioning support they gave to Kayla. Loved that Luke allowed Kayla be her own person with dignity and respect, allowed her to rescue herself and Eli, but also gave help and support. Even though intimacy between Luke and Kayla was taken slow, and with caution, it was very hot! I was thrilled to visit with Cal and (from the previous installment) again and be in on special events/news.
This was very much romantic suspense and had me on edge over Kayla’s safety! Alan made my skin crawl and frightened the heck out of me, because I know so many Alans are out there in real life!
Rosalind James’ brand of storytelling has me hooked! Can’t wait to read Rochelle’s story next in, Turn Me Loose !
This review is also posted at The Readers Den.
This was very much romantic suspense and had me on edge over Kayla’s safety! Alan made my skin crawl and frightened the heck out of me, because I know so many Alans are out there in real life!
Rosalind James’ brand of storytelling has me hooked! Can’t wait to read Rochelle’s story next in, Turn Me Loose !
This review is also posted at The Readers Den.
December 6, 2019
Well another reviewer pointed out the huge plot point that was left unaddressed, so I don't feel bad for thinking the big was a bit off without resolving that. I was happy well enough with the characters of Kayla and Luke as well as Kayla's young son. This book has a tough subject matter though, domestic abuse. I think that James handles the subject matter delicately, and I liked that there are discussions about it with her son Eli about the fact that he knew that his mother was being hit and why she stayed until she finally ran. I liked that Luke wasn't being pushy. He is interested in Kayla, but realizes he can't and won't rush things with not just her, but also with Eli.
"Hold Me Close" is part of James romantic suspense books. I didn't much care for the first book, and this second one ran to good to meh to me as well. Still deciding about reading the next two books in the series or just passing on that. Back to this book. We have Kayla Chambers who after being hit again by her boyfriend, goes on the run with her son when he drops them off at the laundromat. We find out that Kayla has reached out to a domestic violence organization, and she's going to leave her life behind and start over again in the town of Paradise, Idaho that she has fond memories of as a child.
Luke Jackson has a FWB situation finally ending and realizes that his new neighbor may be the answer. He quickly realizes that Kayla and her son Eli don't need a pass through the night man, they need a solid person to be there. He quickly pushes (slightly) into helping them when he can and hanging back and not trying to do more than that with either of them.
We get reappearances by former characters and of course set up for the focus of the next book in this one.
The writing was good. We get POVs from Eli, Luke, Kayla, and even Kayla's abusive ex. I think that James did a good juggling all of those voices and showing Kayla's ex obsession with her and punishing her for daring to go against him. The guy gave me chills.
The flow though was a bit off jumping around like that. I didn't think at times that Eli's voice was authentic.
The setting of Paradise is hard to picture. It seems like a teeny tiny town, but at other times it sounds quite large. There are discussions about the hard times the farmers are going through so it touches upon real world events at times here and there.
The ending though was very well done. Except for the whole murder plot line. I wish that had been resolved. It was such a weird thread to leave hanging.
"Hold Me Close" is part of James romantic suspense books. I didn't much care for the first book, and this second one ran to good to meh to me as well. Still deciding about reading the next two books in the series or just passing on that. Back to this book. We have Kayla Chambers who after being hit again by her boyfriend, goes on the run with her son when he drops them off at the laundromat. We find out that Kayla has reached out to a domestic violence organization, and she's going to leave her life behind and start over again in the town of Paradise, Idaho that she has fond memories of as a child.
Luke Jackson has a FWB situation finally ending and realizes that his new neighbor may be the answer. He quickly realizes that Kayla and her son Eli don't need a pass through the night man, they need a solid person to be there. He quickly pushes (slightly) into helping them when he can and hanging back and not trying to do more than that with either of them.
We get reappearances by former characters and of course set up for the focus of the next book in this one.
The writing was good. We get POVs from Eli, Luke, Kayla, and even Kayla's abusive ex. I think that James did a good juggling all of those voices and showing Kayla's ex obsession with her and punishing her for daring to go against him. The guy gave me chills.
The flow though was a bit off jumping around like that. I didn't think at times that Eli's voice was authentic.
The setting of Paradise is hard to picture. It seems like a teeny tiny town, but at other times it sounds quite large. There are discussions about the hard times the farmers are going through so it touches upon real world events at times here and there.
The ending though was very well done. Except for the whole murder plot line. I wish that had been resolved. It was such a weird thread to leave hanging.
December 3, 2015
4.5
Wow! This was a highly emotional story! Kayla is in an abusive relationship and escapes with her son. She gets help from a group of anonymous women and relocates to Paradise, Idaho. Her new neighbor is Luke Jackson, the high school principal and one of the towns most eligible bachelors. Luke isn't the type of guy who wants to be tied down but when he meets Kayla, he knows there's something different about her and she catches her attention.
There were so many things I really liked about this book. The banter between Luke, his friends and family and with Kayla was fantastic. I loved how Luke was with Kayla's son. Luke was really a fantastic hero for so many reasons. I loved Kayla. She was incredibly strong. The details of her life before escaping were really sad. Alan was an abusive ass and it was crazy to read chapters in his point of view while he was looking for Kayla. It made me so nervous and I was really worried about what was going to happen when/if he found her. Even though the subject matter of this book was hard to deal with and a bit depressing, I think it has a really great message about abuse and how with strength you can overcome anything. The epilogue was fantastic. I loved this author's writing - it sucked me in from the first page and I couldn't put this book down. I can't wait to read more in this series and more by this author!
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
Wow! This was a highly emotional story! Kayla is in an abusive relationship and escapes with her son. She gets help from a group of anonymous women and relocates to Paradise, Idaho. Her new neighbor is Luke Jackson, the high school principal and one of the towns most eligible bachelors. Luke isn't the type of guy who wants to be tied down but when he meets Kayla, he knows there's something different about her and she catches her attention.
There were so many things I really liked about this book. The banter between Luke, his friends and family and with Kayla was fantastic. I loved how Luke was with Kayla's son. Luke was really a fantastic hero for so many reasons. I loved Kayla. She was incredibly strong. The details of her life before escaping were really sad. Alan was an abusive ass and it was crazy to read chapters in his point of view while he was looking for Kayla. It made me so nervous and I was really worried about what was going to happen when/if he found her. Even though the subject matter of this book was hard to deal with and a bit depressing, I think it has a really great message about abuse and how with strength you can overcome anything. The epilogue was fantastic. I loved this author's writing - it sucked me in from the first page and I couldn't put this book down. I can't wait to read more in this series and more by this author!
**ARC provided in exchange for an honest review**
March 31, 2016
Before I start my review on this book there are a couple of things I need to emphasize, the topic of the book which is about domestic violence/abuse is to be taken seriously.
I can’t imagine what it is like for either males/females to go through that kind of experience. I’m not ridiculing the topic of the book but I will try and explain why I wasn’t too keen on this book.
From start to finish this book was very melancholy. It was touching and sweet but it also down right depressed me. I don’t do depressed. Even the ending wasn’t the happy ending and I emphasize the word happy I just didn’t feel it off the main character Kayla.
But I’m going to back track a bit here.
Ah so I finished the book. I thought that I might mention that I didn’t do too well on the first one because I found the heroine to be exasperating and couldn’t connect with her.
Kayla Chambers is on the run from her, I’m going to call him ex-boyfriend, although they didn’t officially break up but he is an abusive so it doesn’t count. She phones a women’s hotline and gets the help that she needs. Kayla and her son Eli, who I frigging adored flee to Paradise, Idaho. She spent one summer with her Mum there and her new husband and never felt the same again.
She moves down the road from Luke Jackson that one summer they played together although Kayla remembers him it takes him a while to remember her.
Luke was the best, he is a fixer (he needs to fix everyone’s problems) although in my opinion he tried too hard. He was really understanding to Kayla and Eli.
We see snippets of what the ex does to get his hands on Kayla and to what lengths he goes to and that he is sick in the head. Ms. James wrote an amazing plot and I have to say that I was more interested in the plot than in the MC being together but that is just me. I liked Luke more than I liked Kayla and to be honest I can’t pinpoint it. It isn’t because she suffered abuse or had a hard life. I think it might be that I didn’t real see her participating in life and I didn’t feel it either.
I would have liked to have seen the murder of the police detective being solved. To me it was a loose end.
It had all the elements a good, structured and exciting book needs it’s just not for me.
Book received by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
I can’t imagine what it is like for either males/females to go through that kind of experience. I’m not ridiculing the topic of the book but I will try and explain why I wasn’t too keen on this book.
From start to finish this book was very melancholy. It was touching and sweet but it also down right depressed me. I don’t do depressed. Even the ending wasn’t the happy ending and I emphasize the word happy I just didn’t feel it off the main character Kayla.
But I’m going to back track a bit here.
Ah so I finished the book. I thought that I might mention that I didn’t do too well on the first one because I found the heroine to be exasperating and couldn’t connect with her.
Kayla Chambers is on the run from her, I’m going to call him ex-boyfriend, although they didn’t officially break up but he is an abusive so it doesn’t count. She phones a women’s hotline and gets the help that she needs. Kayla and her son Eli, who I frigging adored flee to Paradise, Idaho. She spent one summer with her Mum there and her new husband and never felt the same again.
She moves down the road from Luke Jackson that one summer they played together although Kayla remembers him it takes him a while to remember her.
Luke was the best, he is a fixer (he needs to fix everyone’s problems) although in my opinion he tried too hard. He was really understanding to Kayla and Eli.
We see snippets of what the ex does to get his hands on Kayla and to what lengths he goes to and that he is sick in the head. Ms. James wrote an amazing plot and I have to say that I was more interested in the plot than in the MC being together but that is just me. I liked Luke more than I liked Kayla and to be honest I can’t pinpoint it. It isn’t because she suffered abuse or had a hard life. I think it might be that I didn’t real see her participating in life and I didn’t feel it either.
I would have liked to have seen the murder of the police detective being solved. To me it was a loose end.
It had all the elements a good, structured and exciting book needs it’s just not for me.
Book received by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
November 26, 2015
This is a fabulous work of art. I work with abuse victims on a daily basis. Rosalind has managed to portray the fear and fight of a survivor of abuse. I loved every minute of this book.
Kayla shows the struggle to escape an abusive partner. She also shows the struggle to trust again. I think Rosalind did a great job with showing that inner emotion for Kayla. And Luke displayed all the desired reactions of a supportive friend and eventual lover. All that would be enough for a great book. But then there is Eli.
Eli, Kayla's nine year old son, stole my heart. His love for his mother, pride in his deceased father, joy with friends, and hesitance with Luke all seemed very real to me. Just wow! That sent this book to the top of my list of books ever read.
In true Rosalind form, there is passion and longing. But it's done in a respectable way. The family portrait and its variations is wonderful. After reading Carry Me Home and this book, I want to be a member of the Jackson family. You will too. This is the book for you.
Kayla shows the struggle to escape an abusive partner. She also shows the struggle to trust again. I think Rosalind did a great job with showing that inner emotion for Kayla. And Luke displayed all the desired reactions of a supportive friend and eventual lover. All that would be enough for a great book. But then there is Eli.
Eli, Kayla's nine year old son, stole my heart. His love for his mother, pride in his deceased father, joy with friends, and hesitance with Luke all seemed very real to me. Just wow! That sent this book to the top of my list of books ever read.
In true Rosalind form, there is passion and longing. But it's done in a respectable way. The family portrait and its variations is wonderful. After reading Carry Me Home and this book, I want to be a member of the Jackson family. You will too. This is the book for you.
May 27, 2017
Some good parts but mostly boring..
I read Carry Me Home in 2015 and only gave it 2 stars but since it was my first book by this author I thought I’d give her another chance. This could have been like that other book and only been 250 pages and it would have been worth reading. There was so much filler in this book it was just ridiculous. But worse than that I was at 49% and wondered if Kayla would ever stop whining. Or maybe that was Natalie Ross that gave her that constant whine.
Anyway, this is my second and LAST book by Rosalind James. I was wondering if I’d finish it but I kept going to see what happened to Alan, the abuser Kayla and Eli was hiding from.
I did find Luke a little too hard to believe. He was too nice, too thoughtful, too helpful, too loving, too understanding, just too everything, yet still a likable guy for some reason. I couldn’t understand him wanting Kayla’s whiny ASS. It wasn’t a very good match IMO. And her whining lasted through the whole story.
At 57% (page 189) I quit. It’s just too boring and there’s too much filler. I did zip all the way across to 90%, where Alan showed up for that last time, and that’s all I was interested in. I wanted to see what happened to that jerk.
There was sex in this book, at least that’s what I read in other reviews. And the only 2 times the F-bomb was used was when Luke told Kayla that that’s what he was going to do to her. (I looked that up on my iPad.) And, holy cow, the epilogue was soooo mushy. It’s like the author got caught up in her own load of mushiness and couldn’t stop, she went on and on and on. I don't mind mushy at all but there comes a time when you just have to stop. There was about 40 pages to the mushy epilogue and that was waaaay to much.
As to the narration: It was Natalie Ross 1 and Phil Gigante 10! Ms. Ross reads too quiet and breathy and without any emotion, like always sad and/or depressed. Mr. Gigante’s voice raises and lowers, depending on what he’s saying, whether lovingly or in agitation. I do like Ms. Ross, but only sometimes. It all depends on what she’s narrating. This one really didn’t work for me, like Carry Me Home did. This was a free read and free listen when I got it in April but the only thing worth having was Phil Gigante’s narration.
I read Carry Me Home in 2015 and only gave it 2 stars but since it was my first book by this author I thought I’d give her another chance. This could have been like that other book and only been 250 pages and it would have been worth reading. There was so much filler in this book it was just ridiculous. But worse than that I was at 49% and wondered if Kayla would ever stop whining. Or maybe that was Natalie Ross that gave her that constant whine.
Anyway, this is my second and LAST book by Rosalind James. I was wondering if I’d finish it but I kept going to see what happened to Alan, the abuser Kayla and Eli was hiding from.
I did find Luke a little too hard to believe. He was too nice, too thoughtful, too helpful, too loving, too understanding, just too everything, yet still a likable guy for some reason. I couldn’t understand him wanting Kayla’s whiny ASS. It wasn’t a very good match IMO. And her whining lasted through the whole story.
At 57% (page 189) I quit. It’s just too boring and there’s too much filler. I did zip all the way across to 90%, where Alan showed up for that last time, and that’s all I was interested in. I wanted to see what happened to that jerk.
There was sex in this book, at least that’s what I read in other reviews. And the only 2 times the F-bomb was used was when Luke told Kayla that that’s what he was going to do to her. (I looked that up on my iPad.) And, holy cow, the epilogue was soooo mushy. It’s like the author got caught up in her own load of mushiness and couldn’t stop, she went on and on and on. I don't mind mushy at all but there comes a time when you just have to stop. There was about 40 pages to the mushy epilogue and that was waaaay to much.
As to the narration: It was Natalie Ross 1 and Phil Gigante 10! Ms. Ross reads too quiet and breathy and without any emotion, like always sad and/or depressed. Mr. Gigante’s voice raises and lowers, depending on what he’s saying, whether lovingly or in agitation. I do like Ms. Ross, but only sometimes. It all depends on what she’s narrating. This one really didn’t work for me, like Carry Me Home did. This was a free read and free listen when I got it in April but the only thing worth having was Phil Gigante’s narration.
January 21, 2016
ARC kindly provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Love isn't supposed to hurt like that. Love doesn't come from your fists and your feet. Love doesn't terrorize. Love doesn't bruise.
Love isn't supposed to hurt like that. Love doesn't come from your fists and your feet. Love doesn't terrorize. Love doesn't bruise.
Kayla is a widowed mother who lives with her nine years old son Eli and her abusive boyfriend Alan. One day she grabs Eli by the hand and they run away from home. The two of them start a new life in Paradise , Idaho.Here she reconnects with Luke , her childhood friend, who also happens to be the high school principal where Eli is about to start his classes.
Books focused on domestic violence creeps me up . Kayla's story was a sad one for me .Alan , as a highly influential person , and his ways of tracking Kayla down scared me.
So why only 3 stars? The intense beginning got me from the very first pages. Then things got a little too slow for my taste. Luke trying to gain Kayla's trust, Kayla having lots of trust issues .She interprets Luke's every gesture and word as a way of deliberately mocking her . She gets plain absurd at some point.Going back and forth between her desire to open up to a new life and her fears from the past.And Luke, Luke was just too perfect for a human being. His perfection almost annoyed me.
November 28, 2015
This is the 2nd book in the Paradise, Idaho book series. This book starts off with the h, Kayla planning her escape from her abuser boyfriend Alan. Kayla has an 8 yr old son Eli. She's a widow that was broke and taken in by Alan. His kindness quickly faded and at the beginning of the book, she attempting to flee his abuse. Alan is a conniving man who works as a prosecutor. Kayla is trapped in her relationship with Alan. Kayla runs away with her son. She goes back to a town she remembers from her childhood. Paradise, Idaho. Luke, the H is a high school principal. He's the brother of Cal, the H from book 1 Carry Me Home.
Each chapter alternates Kayla, then Luke. They meet each other a few chapters into the book. Kayla is very closed off. She resists Luke's charms. This throws him off since he's evidently a people person. Kayla's son Eli makes friends with Luke's dog, Daisy. Luke then makes friends with Eli-which him leads to Kayla. The build up to their relationship is very gradual. Kayla is very cautious and cringes when Luke comes near her. He figures out she has issues with men. With a man. He sees her bruises. Kayla and Eli live in a very small apartment near Luke's house. Luke's gentleness helps gradually gain Kayla's trust.
The supporting characters were very good. I loved Luke's mom Raylene. She's very sweet to Kayla and doesn't judge her being poor. In fact, no one in Paradise is negative to Kayla or Eli. Cal & Zoe and Rochelle- from book 1, have supporting roles.
Meanwhile, Kayla's ex, Alan-- that won't accept being an ex, has been trying to find her. Alan is pure evil. I guess that he's a total loss of a human. He's in Boise, trying to find leads on Kayla's whereabouts. Every time he appears in the story, it's like a huge black cloud.
Luke is so caring and gentle with Kayla. Gradually, they spend more and more time together. Luke also spends a lot of time with Eli. I liked the realistic way that Eli acted toward Luke. He was suspicious, like he was checking if he would strike out & then act nice-just like Alan did to his mom. Luke and Alan couldn't be more opposite.
Luke to Kayla:
"...This man's going to be here for you. And it's what you said. The past is gone. What we've got is the future, and I want it to be with you. I couldn't be your first, and I can't help being sorry about that. But I sure would like to be your last."
Luke is very open about his feelings for Kayla, but knows that Kayla needs time. The development of their romance was gradual and a little slow. It did feel natural, but Luke was extremely patient with Kayla. Was he too good to be true?
The suspense of Alan hunting for Kayla almost overshadowed the love story between Luke and Kayla.
The ending had plenty of irony and I was mostly satisfied. I wondered about the fate of a minor character.
The epilogue was not far into the future, but good. About the length of another chapter. An HEA 4.25 stars!
I love Ms James' writing.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
Each chapter alternates Kayla, then Luke. They meet each other a few chapters into the book. Kayla is very closed off. She resists Luke's charms. This throws him off since he's evidently a people person. Kayla's son Eli makes friends with Luke's dog, Daisy. Luke then makes friends with Eli-which him leads to Kayla. The build up to their relationship is very gradual. Kayla is very cautious and cringes when Luke comes near her. He figures out she has issues with men. With a man. He sees her bruises. Kayla and Eli live in a very small apartment near Luke's house. Luke's gentleness helps gradually gain Kayla's trust.
The supporting characters were very good. I loved Luke's mom Raylene. She's very sweet to Kayla and doesn't judge her being poor. In fact, no one in Paradise is negative to Kayla or Eli. Cal & Zoe and Rochelle- from book 1, have supporting roles.
Meanwhile, Kayla's ex, Alan-- that won't accept being an ex, has been trying to find her. Alan is pure evil. I guess that he's a total loss of a human. He's in Boise, trying to find leads on Kayla's whereabouts. Every time he appears in the story, it's like a huge black cloud.
Luke is so caring and gentle with Kayla. Gradually, they spend more and more time together. Luke also spends a lot of time with Eli. I liked the realistic way that Eli acted toward Luke. He was suspicious, like he was checking if he would strike out & then act nice-just like Alan did to his mom. Luke and Alan couldn't be more opposite.
Luke to Kayla:
"...This man's going to be here for you. And it's what you said. The past is gone. What we've got is the future, and I want it to be with you. I couldn't be your first, and I can't help being sorry about that. But I sure would like to be your last."
Luke is very open about his feelings for Kayla, but knows that Kayla needs time. The development of their romance was gradual and a little slow. It did feel natural, but Luke was extremely patient with Kayla. Was he too good to be true?
The suspense of Alan hunting for Kayla almost overshadowed the love story between Luke and Kayla.
The ending had plenty of irony and I was mostly satisfied. I wondered about the fate of a minor character.
The epilogue was not far into the future, but good. About the length of another chapter. An HEA 4.25 stars!
I love Ms James' writing.
ARC provided by NetGalley.
November 10, 2015
First off, I received a free advanced copy of this book for my honest review. I was not required to write a positive review and all the opinions are mine alone. Then I bought the book to support the author.
This is not a Rugby Romance set in New Zealand, but the second in the series named Paradise, Idaho.
I think this may be the best book I've read this year. I know the people will stay in my heart and mind for a long time. I adore these characters. This book was very emotional for me. I found myself running the list from laughing to crying.
We first meet Luke Jackson in "Carry Me Home" as the younger brother of Cal Jackson. He was pretty good there but he is damn near perfect in this book.
Kayla Chambers is running for her life and the life of her son, Eli, because of an abusive relationship. Rosalind James handles the domestic violence issue with a lot of finesse. The abuse, of course, has made Kayla very leery of men. But Luke does almost everything right to help Kayla and Eli make a new life. I so admire Kayla for making a new life for her son and herself. I enjoyed her journey.
Lots of people show up from "Carry Me Home". Rochelle, Cal and Zoe come to mind.
Rosalind James always writes strong women and good men. Her heroes have manners, are tender, sexy and very protective. This is a sexy book and very well written. There is wonderful information about abuse - what it is and where to go for help - in the back of the book.
Buy this book because it was written with hope for a better life.
This is not a Rugby Romance set in New Zealand, but the second in the series named Paradise, Idaho.
I think this may be the best book I've read this year. I know the people will stay in my heart and mind for a long time. I adore these characters. This book was very emotional for me. I found myself running the list from laughing to crying.
We first meet Luke Jackson in "Carry Me Home" as the younger brother of Cal Jackson. He was pretty good there but he is damn near perfect in this book.
Kayla Chambers is running for her life and the life of her son, Eli, because of an abusive relationship. Rosalind James handles the domestic violence issue with a lot of finesse. The abuse, of course, has made Kayla very leery of men. But Luke does almost everything right to help Kayla and Eli make a new life. I so admire Kayla for making a new life for her son and herself. I enjoyed her journey.
Lots of people show up from "Carry Me Home". Rochelle, Cal and Zoe come to mind.
Rosalind James always writes strong women and good men. Her heroes have manners, are tender, sexy and very protective. This is a sexy book and very well written. There is wonderful information about abuse - what it is and where to go for help - in the back of the book.
Buy this book because it was written with hope for a better life.
Read
October 7, 2021Hold Me Close had great potential but the characters felt kinda bland and boring. Storyline was easily predictable and plain. I was struggling to finish. I guess authors like Susan Elizabeth Phillips and Linda Howard have spoiled me with their wonderful storytelling, characters and storylines, so other authors often pale in comparison.
March 29, 2017
Good Suspense believable characters
Before I write this review I need to address something that was in the first book and is again mentioned in the second, as if impact Luke's (main protagonist) income. In book one Cal (Luke's) brother mentions that he is buying his brother and sister out of the farm land for $100,000 a year over twenty years on 1,000 acres. I know this sounds like a lot, but normal farm folk buy out the parents who own the land. Until the parents kick it, the siblings don't really have inheritance. Plus the author most not have known many farmers because trust me farmers don't retire or stop at retirement age; farming is in the blood we don't retire. I've seem eighty year old men climb in combines not because they have to buy because it is a way of life. ***of soap box***
Okay now to the book, which was a romance I relished between a woman and her son running for their lives from an abusive boyfriend. The woman is Kayla, a is a dirt poor widow who was hoodwinked by a evil Prince Charming. Her and her son were pretty much homeless when she met evil Prince Charming. During the story you find out Kayla never had an easy life. As a reader I felt for Kayla and felt her pain and failing her son and herself. Luke is the high school principal, I know shocking a romantic hero not a billionaire. Wow. The romance part is center stage and the suspense part is minor but also very scary in the end. James writes scintillating sexual scenes that are explicit but also tender. This book isn't as riveting in suspense as book one, but the character development of Kayla and her son Eli is worth the trade. I recommend this book as a buy if you don't have kindle unlimited. I borrowed this one and listened and read it. The audio narration is very well done.
Before I write this review I need to address something that was in the first book and is again mentioned in the second, as if impact Luke's (main protagonist) income. In book one Cal (Luke's) brother mentions that he is buying his brother and sister out of the farm land for $100,000 a year over twenty years on 1,000 acres. I know this sounds like a lot, but normal farm folk buy out the parents who own the land. Until the parents kick it, the siblings don't really have inheritance. Plus the author most not have known many farmers because trust me farmers don't retire or stop at retirement age; farming is in the blood we don't retire. I've seem eighty year old men climb in combines not because they have to buy because it is a way of life. ***of soap box***
Okay now to the book, which was a romance I relished between a woman and her son running for their lives from an abusive boyfriend. The woman is Kayla, a is a dirt poor widow who was hoodwinked by a evil Prince Charming. Her and her son were pretty much homeless when she met evil Prince Charming. During the story you find out Kayla never had an easy life. As a reader I felt for Kayla and felt her pain and failing her son and herself. Luke is the high school principal, I know shocking a romantic hero not a billionaire. Wow. The romance part is center stage and the suspense part is minor but also very scary in the end. James writes scintillating sexual scenes that are explicit but also tender. This book isn't as riveting in suspense as book one, but the character development of Kayla and her son Eli is worth the trade. I recommend this book as a buy if you don't have kindle unlimited. I borrowed this one and listened and read it. The audio narration is very well done.
December 7, 2015
4,75 ‘Love Doesn���t Bruise’ Stars
“Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.”
Kayla Chambers has had enough. On the outside, she seems to have the perfect life. Everyone thought she was “(...) so lucky to have such a charming man, so crazy about her...” All the women wanted to be her, with the hot, rich boyfriend that treated her so well and gave her everything.
“Be careful what you wish for...”
Alan is a man with no patience for a woman who doesn’t know how to follow orders.
“I’m not so hard to please (…). Your only job is to keep my home the way I like it, and keep me happy. That doesn’t seem so hard, does it? Am I such a bad guy?”
(Yes, a**hole, you are. So shut the f*** up.)
He beats her for everything and nothing. Dinner late? Beating. Towels out of place? Beating. Vacuum not done the way he liked it? You guessed it… Beating.
In his head, he would give her presents the next day, apologize and everything would be good again, right?
Wrong.
“She went where he told her to go and wore what he told her to wear and did what he told her to do. And it still wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.”
So Kayla decides she won’t take it anymore.
“Love doesn’t come from your fists and your feet. Love doesn’t terrorize. Love doesn’t bruise.”
She finally gains the courage to ask for help and runs with her son, Eli, to the small town of Paradise. A place where she was happy when she was a child.
What she didn’t expect, was to find the boy she once knew.
Luke is the high-school principal. He took one look at Kayla and felt the pull. It didn’t matter that she was a mess.
The ‘problem’ with an abused woman, is that old habits die hard and Kayla doesn’t trust Luke. Alan burned her so bad that she finds herself having exaggerated reactions to simple things that she wouldn’t have bat an eye at before Alan.
But Luke isn’t one to give up when he sets his eyes on something he wants.
“… Sometimes, it doesn’t come with strings attached.”
This book was soooo much better than I thought it would be. It’s hard to write a real description of an abused woman inside and out, but Rosalind James does it. I cried so many times reading this book, I’ve lost count.
It’s heartbreaking, sweet, emotional and draining. I actually felt drained after I read it.
I loved Kayla. She had actions and reactions that I know will annoy many people, but I fell for her so hard. For the fighter in her.
Luke was a sweetheart and a gentleman. Not a sexy alpha who pushes a woman until he breaks her walls, but a sexy man, with an infinite patience, a killer protective instinct and a soft heart in what concerns Kayla and Eli.
Then we have Eli. I LOVED him. I won’t get into many details of what he did, because I don’t want to spoil it for you, but that kid broke my heart. A nine year old boy with a maturity so far beyond his years. From wanting to take care of his mother, to protecting her from Luke, he was downright adorable.
The only thing missing in the book was a little more action in certain parts, but I loved it anyway.
And on a final thought…
For everyone suffering any kind of abuse, remember…
“Love doesn’t bruise.”
*An ARC was provided by the author via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review*
***
“Life is what happens while you’re busy making other plans.”
Kayla Chambers has had enough. On the outside, she seems to have the perfect life. Everyone thought she was “(...) so lucky to have such a charming man, so crazy about her...” All the women wanted to be her, with the hot, rich boyfriend that treated her so well and gave her everything.
“Be careful what you wish for...”
Alan is a man with no patience for a woman who doesn’t know how to follow orders.
“I’m not so hard to please (…). Your only job is to keep my home the way I like it, and keep me happy. That doesn’t seem so hard, does it? Am I such a bad guy?”
(Yes, a**hole, you are. So shut the f*** up.)
He beats her for everything and nothing. Dinner late? Beating. Towels out of place? Beating. Vacuum not done the way he liked it? You guessed it… Beating.
In his head, he would give her presents the next day, apologize and everything would be good again, right?
Wrong.
“She went where he told her to go and wore what he told her to wear and did what he told her to do. And it still wasn’t enough. It would never be enough.”
So Kayla decides she won’t take it anymore.
“Love doesn’t come from your fists and your feet. Love doesn’t terrorize. Love doesn’t bruise.”
She finally gains the courage to ask for help and runs with her son, Eli, to the small town of Paradise. A place where she was happy when she was a child.
What she didn’t expect, was to find the boy she once knew.
Luke is the high-school principal. He took one look at Kayla and felt the pull. It didn’t matter that she was a mess.
The ‘problem’ with an abused woman, is that old habits die hard and Kayla doesn’t trust Luke. Alan burned her so bad that she finds herself having exaggerated reactions to simple things that she wouldn’t have bat an eye at before Alan.
But Luke isn’t one to give up when he sets his eyes on something he wants.
“… Sometimes, it doesn’t come with strings attached.”
This book was soooo much better than I thought it would be. It’s hard to write a real description of an abused woman inside and out, but Rosalind James does it. I cried so many times reading this book, I’ve lost count.
It’s heartbreaking, sweet, emotional and draining. I actually felt drained after I read it.
I loved Kayla. She had actions and reactions that I know will annoy many people, but I fell for her so hard. For the fighter in her.
Luke was a sweetheart and a gentleman. Not a sexy alpha who pushes a woman until he breaks her walls, but a sexy man, with an infinite patience, a killer protective instinct and a soft heart in what concerns Kayla and Eli.
Then we have Eli. I LOVED him. I won’t get into many details of what he did, because I don’t want to spoil it for you, but that kid broke my heart. A nine year old boy with a maturity so far beyond his years. From wanting to take care of his mother, to protecting her from Luke, he was downright adorable.
The only thing missing in the book was a little more action in certain parts, but I loved it anyway.
And on a final thought…
For everyone suffering any kind of abuse, remember…
“Love doesn’t bruise.”
*An ARC was provided by the author via Net Galley in exchange for an honest review*
***
May 16, 2016
Depressing
Really, this was he last thing I wanted. I like adventure/suspense short romance novels as a light escape; in this case a break in the violence/gore of the horror novels I've been reading. This book was violent and unrelentingly sad. Kayla, a widowed mother of a young boy, was charmed by a malicious abusive powerful man, Alan, who beats and subjugates her. Kayla escapes Alan through a Domestic Abuse group that takes her to Paradise, Idaho where her rich neighbor up the hill is a hot high school principal who knew her as a little girl. From here the story could have lightened and become a funny tale of blossoming romance before the danger of Allan's obsession came into play for the sake of suspense. That's not what happened. Every few pages the message is Kayla is poor, Kayla is sad, Kayla is untrusting, Kayla is damaged. This is likely accurate of the sad situation many women find themselves in. There were some sex scenes 64% in but I was not in the mood. I skimmed the last thirty percent, there was little payoff. The afterward has numbers for domestic abuse help lines and advice/statistics on intimate partner violence. It's obvious the author cares about the subject but I much preferred her work in Just Good Friends which also dealt with this topic but managed to also be an enjoyable read.
Really, this was he last thing I wanted. I like adventure/suspense short romance novels as a light escape; in this case a break in the violence/gore of the horror novels I've been reading. This book was violent and unrelentingly sad. Kayla, a widowed mother of a young boy, was charmed by a malicious abusive powerful man, Alan, who beats and subjugates her. Kayla escapes Alan through a Domestic Abuse group that takes her to Paradise, Idaho where her rich neighbor up the hill is a hot high school principal who knew her as a little girl. From here the story could have lightened and become a funny tale of blossoming romance before the danger of Allan's obsession came into play for the sake of suspense. That's not what happened. Every few pages the message is Kayla is poor, Kayla is sad, Kayla is untrusting, Kayla is damaged. This is likely accurate of the sad situation many women find themselves in. There were some sex scenes 64% in but I was not in the mood. I skimmed the last thirty percent, there was little payoff. The afterward has numbers for domestic abuse help lines and advice/statistics on intimate partner violence. It's obvious the author cares about the subject but I much preferred her work in Just Good Friends which also dealt with this topic but managed to also be an enjoyable read.
November 7, 2015
I have been a fan of Rosalind James for a few years now and have read every book she wrote. I can tell you that Hold Me Close is, hands down, her best to date.
This book grabs you with both hands the minute you start reading it. I could not put it down. It was suspenseful, emotional, romantic, humorous, poignant and hopeful.
James took on the subject of domestic abuse with courage and sensitivity and gave us a story filled with raw emotion and realistic reactions. You will love Kayla and her son Eli and cheer for their strength and perseverance. You will love Luke for his heart and patience and excellent instincts. And Kayla’s abusive boyfriend is so sinister and twisted that it takes your breath away.
This story has everything you need: love, hope, families, children, and, of course, a dog! "Hold Me Close" is a realistic story with relatable characters. A definite must read!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
This book grabs you with both hands the minute you start reading it. I could not put it down. It was suspenseful, emotional, romantic, humorous, poignant and hopeful.
James took on the subject of domestic abuse with courage and sensitivity and gave us a story filled with raw emotion and realistic reactions. You will love Kayla and her son Eli and cheer for their strength and perseverance. You will love Luke for his heart and patience and excellent instincts. And Kayla’s abusive boyfriend is so sinister and twisted that it takes your breath away.
This story has everything you need: love, hope, families, children, and, of course, a dog! "Hold Me Close" is a realistic story with relatable characters. A definite must read!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
October 8, 2015
As one of Rosalind's beta readers, you may take my review with a grain of salt ... but, I really, really think you need to read this book if you like romantic suspense. You see, I DON'T particularly like that genre, but I loved this book.
The characters are REAL. The characters are dealing with real problems, as best they can. And although we don't get any sexy stuff until quite a way into the story ... oh, man! it was worth waiting for.
I love the small town, college town setting. I loved that we got to see characters from the previous book ("Carry Me Home.") But make no mistake - this is a stand-alone. You don't need to have read the first book.
James is so easy to read and she is a master storyteller. That's all you really need to know. I'm not going to spoil it by telling you the story here. I'm just going to tell you that it was a great book. Even for someone who doesn't really even like romantic suspense. =)
MG
PS. Oh ... and bring a box of tissues! Whoooeee!
The characters are REAL. The characters are dealing with real problems, as best they can. And although we don't get any sexy stuff until quite a way into the story ... oh, man! it was worth waiting for.
I love the small town, college town setting. I loved that we got to see characters from the previous book ("Carry Me Home.") But make no mistake - this is a stand-alone. You don't need to have read the first book.
James is so easy to read and she is a master storyteller. That's all you really need to know. I'm not going to spoil it by telling you the story here. I'm just going to tell you that it was a great book. Even for someone who doesn't really even like romantic suspense. =)
MG
PS. Oh ... and bring a box of tissues! Whoooeee!
December 7, 2015
Absolutely adored this book! The story is highly emotional and you can't help but cheer for the strength and determination Kayla shows while escaping a very bad situation. While the last thing she needs in her life is a man, she didn't let her experience make her bitter. She's cautious but open to meeting new people and trusting Luke when she needs to. The parts of the book that were written in the POV of the abuser were a little creepy but kept that air of danger in the story as he tries to track Kayla down. Overall an excellent read and I would definitely recommend it.
November 28, 2017
This audio was like a Hallmark movie narrated by easy listing disc jockeys...but in a good way. You know how most audios divide the m or f narrators by chapter? Not so with this one. Whenever a male voice was in the book, the male narrator read it and vice versa. I loved that. There was also murder, abuse, and sexy times (no fade to black...unlike Hallmark). I actually thought
August 1, 2023
simply just not good
January 17, 2016
I have a few of the New Zealand books by Rosalind James and so I was interested in what she was doing in her next series. Thanks to Rosalind James, Amazon Publishing and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Although the story line is becoming a little overdone - the abused spouse/girlfriend running and hiding away from an abusive ex into the arms of the hero, Ms James did a nice job of not making it too cliché. Kayla Chambers was not a doormat, she did not stay in the abusive relationship for years but recognized she had gotten herself and more importantly her son into a bad situation and they needed out. She made a plan, executed the plan and she did get them out. The portrayal of her ex seemed on point for a controlling and abusive person and Ms. James definitely provided some nice dark undertones in the scenes he was a part of. I actually thought this part of the book was really good and had a nice dark suspense element that I enjoyed.
Here's where the story took a dive for me. She's independent and making sure that she keeps herself and her son safe. She doesn't want to take handouts. She wants to stand on her own two feet. She still jumps at the imagined boogeyman. But this abused woman turns from not wanting to be touched to a bitch in heat and it DID NOT work for me. Even with a person you love, even with a person you are attracted to the pages and pages of sex scenes did not work and I had to skip a ton of pages to keep the characters more in line with my "imagined reality". I had to skip over most of this as it just didn't seem to be coming from someone who had just escaped an abusive relationship. And then there was the advertising to everyone and sundry that we are having sex. Take my kid, I want to have sex. Let's put a rush on blood testing so we can have unprotected sex. Let's make sure the clerk knows we want to have unprotected sex and spend tons of dialogue asking her to rush it. Who can take my kid so I can have a raunchy night of sex. I'm so passed being abused that I'm hot for no condom. What? I think the whole blood testing and sex without a condom was supposed to have some humorous overtones, but it came off weird. I definitely didn't feel that those scenes worked in this story.
I wished there would have been more of a reunion with her "uncle" Bill - a temporary step parent from her youth who is related to Luke and how she had met him in her youth. This could have been more of a touching reunion and actually would have been a potential babysitter for her son so that she could have sex. Oh, wait, that's right I was annoyed at the take my son for an overnight so I can have a night of sex.
Luke was this awesome guy who was supportive and didn't push and seemed way too perfect - as in way, way too perfect. The only time he didn't seem perfect was when he's trying to sweet talk the administrator into putting a rush on the blood test so that he can have sex without a condom. What type of gentlemen makes a big deal about this in public? What type of gentleman then drags her to the women's public restroom to make out? This wasn't hot and steamy. This bordered on vulgar. I'm surprised he didn't take out an ad in the Sunday newspaper.
Considering the way that a majority of the book was written these scenes didn't mesh. They stood out. I know Ms. James likes to incorporate sexy scenes in her books and generally they work well. But in this story and this subject matter, it down played what a lot of women would feel in these circumstances. Yes to the relationship, but the sex should have been dealt with a little more tastefully and save these type of scenes for the Billionaire and his assistant themed books. It would have been a 4 star book for me if Luke had been less perfect and the sex would have been toned down.
Although the story line is becoming a little overdone - the abused spouse/girlfriend running and hiding away from an abusive ex into the arms of the hero, Ms James did a nice job of not making it too cliché. Kayla Chambers was not a doormat, she did not stay in the abusive relationship for years but recognized she had gotten herself and more importantly her son into a bad situation and they needed out. She made a plan, executed the plan and she did get them out. The portrayal of her ex seemed on point for a controlling and abusive person and Ms. James definitely provided some nice dark undertones in the scenes he was a part of. I actually thought this part of the book was really good and had a nice dark suspense element that I enjoyed.
Here's where the story took a dive for me. She's independent and making sure that she keeps herself and her son safe. She doesn't want to take handouts. She wants to stand on her own two feet. She still jumps at the imagined boogeyman. But this abused woman turns from not wanting to be touched to a bitch in heat and it DID NOT work for me. Even with a person you love, even with a person you are attracted to the pages and pages of sex scenes did not work and I had to skip a ton of pages to keep the characters more in line with my "imagined reality". I had to skip over most of this as it just didn't seem to be coming from someone who had just escaped an abusive relationship. And then there was the advertising to everyone and sundry that we are having sex. Take my kid, I want to have sex. Let's put a rush on blood testing so we can have unprotected sex. Let's make sure the clerk knows we want to have unprotected sex and spend tons of dialogue asking her to rush it. Who can take my kid so I can have a raunchy night of sex. I'm so passed being abused that I'm hot for no condom. What? I think the whole blood testing and sex without a condom was supposed to have some humorous overtones, but it came off weird. I definitely didn't feel that those scenes worked in this story.
I wished there would have been more of a reunion with her "uncle" Bill - a temporary step parent from her youth who is related to Luke and how she had met him in her youth. This could have been more of a touching reunion and actually would have been a potential babysitter for her son so that she could have sex. Oh, wait, that's right I was annoyed at the take my son for an overnight so I can have a night of sex.
Luke was this awesome guy who was supportive and didn't push and seemed way too perfect - as in way, way too perfect. The only time he didn't seem perfect was when he's trying to sweet talk the administrator into putting a rush on the blood test so that he can have sex without a condom. What type of gentlemen makes a big deal about this in public? What type of gentleman then drags her to the women's public restroom to make out? This wasn't hot and steamy. This bordered on vulgar. I'm surprised he didn't take out an ad in the Sunday newspaper.
Considering the way that a majority of the book was written these scenes didn't mesh. They stood out. I know Ms. James likes to incorporate sexy scenes in her books and generally they work well. But in this story and this subject matter, it down played what a lot of women would feel in these circumstances. Yes to the relationship, but the sex should have been dealt with a little more tastefully and save these type of scenes for the Billionaire and his assistant themed books. It would have been a 4 star book for me if Luke had been less perfect and the sex would have been toned down.
October 25, 2015
This book made me cry.
The first book in the series, Carry Me Home, dealt with campus rape. And it was really hard to read that book, but at least Zoe wasn't the one being targeted by the serial killer (well, at first anyway).
I used to volunteer at a domestic abuse shelter, and I taught at an alternative school in a third world country. I don't know what it was that made Rosalind's book so authentic, but she got it right. Maybe it was the research. I don't know. But it was hard to read those parts, especially when it came to Eli, because I'd seen a lot of those kids.
I was glad that Kayla escaped, and that Luke's family greeted their once-step-niece with open arms. That was really nice, and it made me happy. Luke and Cal's mother is especially good. I like her so much. She's pretty much the symbol of home.
The book starts out with Kayla getting out of a terrible situation and running to a place where she thinks that she'll be safe: Paradise. Luke starts out by picking up little Daisy, who was an excellent addition to the story. Daisy's connection with Eli and her later importance at the climax was great. I love that little dog.
For me - and this is probably strange for a romance novel - the most important character was Eli. Seeing him happy and safe was Kayla's main motivation throughout the book, and so he took on an importance much like Prim Everdeen in The Hunger Games.
This is a pretty simple story: single mom with trust issues and not a lot of cash going and finding a big strong man who can make her love again. What Rosalind does is really make the characters come alive. She fleshed out Kayla's trust issues with a spotlight, so well and so precisely that it made me cringe. I had to flip over the parts where she details the abuse, because it was hard. Really hard.
SPOILERS:
I really liked the part where she put in some very light bondage. I think that it was key for the story that she was telling, because Kayla honestly did need some trust, and Luke did the perfect thing. Her heroes are always strong, giving men, and I really liked Luke, maybe the best of all of the men. He never really badly messed up. There was no black moment in this romance novel when the hero messes things up and has to patch everything up with the heroine later and say he's sorry. Luke gets to stay a good, patient guy all the way through, and this is my favorite of Rosalind's novels so far.
I got a free review copy, but I'm going to pick up a copy when it comes out. I've already pre-ordered.
The first book in the series, Carry Me Home, dealt with campus rape. And it was really hard to read that book, but at least Zoe wasn't the one being targeted by the serial killer (well, at first anyway).
I used to volunteer at a domestic abuse shelter, and I taught at an alternative school in a third world country. I don't know what it was that made Rosalind's book so authentic, but she got it right. Maybe it was the research. I don't know. But it was hard to read those parts, especially when it came to Eli, because I'd seen a lot of those kids.
I was glad that Kayla escaped, and that Luke's family greeted their once-step-niece with open arms. That was really nice, and it made me happy. Luke and Cal's mother is especially good. I like her so much. She's pretty much the symbol of home.
The book starts out with Kayla getting out of a terrible situation and running to a place where she thinks that she'll be safe: Paradise. Luke starts out by picking up little Daisy, who was an excellent addition to the story. Daisy's connection with Eli and her later importance at the climax was great. I love that little dog.
For me - and this is probably strange for a romance novel - the most important character was Eli. Seeing him happy and safe was Kayla's main motivation throughout the book, and so he took on an importance much like Prim Everdeen in The Hunger Games.
This is a pretty simple story: single mom with trust issues and not a lot of cash going and finding a big strong man who can make her love again. What Rosalind does is really make the characters come alive. She fleshed out Kayla's trust issues with a spotlight, so well and so precisely that it made me cringe. I had to flip over the parts where she details the abuse, because it was hard. Really hard.
SPOILERS:
I really liked the part where she put in some very light bondage. I think that it was key for the story that she was telling, because Kayla honestly did need some trust, and Luke did the perfect thing. Her heroes are always strong, giving men, and I really liked Luke, maybe the best of all of the men. He never really badly messed up. There was no black moment in this romance novel when the hero messes things up and has to patch everything up with the heroine later and say he's sorry. Luke gets to stay a good, patient guy all the way through, and this is my favorite of Rosalind's novels so far.
I got a free review copy, but I'm going to pick up a copy when it comes out. I've already pre-ordered.
November 6, 2015
What an emotional roller coaster! I was totally drawn in!
"Hold Me Close" surely takes the reader through some eye opening situations as you are exposed to domestic violence, not only the emotional but also the physical. The damage it does not only the directly abused but their child/children, and the fall out and slow process of rebuilding.
What I appreciate about Ms James is that she is not bashful to expose and explore sensitive subjects. The combination of this taboo topic blended with her usual spicy contemporary romantic style gives the reader such a contrast of the ugly and the wonderful that exists out there and how survival of the 'bad', strengthens us and we are rewarded with the wonderful.
We see through the eyes of not only the two main characters but also the h, Kayla's son, Eli, who is battling his own demons from watching and hearing his mother's abuse. How does a young child deal with this? Will he even learn to trust again like his mother?
The story begins at the point of Kayla and Eli's escape, and while the flashbacks clue you in to her experiences of abuse, we are not bombarded with it and the story is well balanced with the positivity that enters her life in the form of Luke and his family (whom she was apart of for a short time as a young girl) as well as her new friend Rochelle, whom you cannot but love with her open no boundaries personality.
This is the first time I have read a story where I outright detest a character and dreading his parts... That to me is one of the points of a successful writer, a story where a range of emotions are clearly bought into play. From anger to frustration, crying to laughter and ahhh.... the romance threaded throughout.
I couldn't put the book down there was so much happening and while I knew there was a HEA coming I was eager to see the outcome.
How Ms James moved us through the various scenarios and emotional tides. The healing process for Kayla and Eli and the explosion of heart and true patient love of Luke, one of the sweetest characters to date that we have been introduced to.
There is so much still to say... BUT... I encourage you to read this story and experience for yourself the ebb and flow, the heat and passion and the joy of hope and promise all rolled into this story... And the twisted mind of a villain.
Experience Ms James at her finest as every book supersedes the last for me and I can do no more but recommend to surround yourself with her various journeys.
"I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review."
"Hold Me Close" surely takes the reader through some eye opening situations as you are exposed to domestic violence, not only the emotional but also the physical. The damage it does not only the directly abused but their child/children, and the fall out and slow process of rebuilding.
What I appreciate about Ms James is that she is not bashful to expose and explore sensitive subjects. The combination of this taboo topic blended with her usual spicy contemporary romantic style gives the reader such a contrast of the ugly and the wonderful that exists out there and how survival of the 'bad', strengthens us and we are rewarded with the wonderful.
We see through the eyes of not only the two main characters but also the h, Kayla's son, Eli, who is battling his own demons from watching and hearing his mother's abuse. How does a young child deal with this? Will he even learn to trust again like his mother?
The story begins at the point of Kayla and Eli's escape, and while the flashbacks clue you in to her experiences of abuse, we are not bombarded with it and the story is well balanced with the positivity that enters her life in the form of Luke and his family (whom she was apart of for a short time as a young girl) as well as her new friend Rochelle, whom you cannot but love with her open no boundaries personality.
This is the first time I have read a story where I outright detest a character and dreading his parts... That to me is one of the points of a successful writer, a story where a range of emotions are clearly bought into play. From anger to frustration, crying to laughter and ahhh.... the romance threaded throughout.
I couldn't put the book down there was so much happening and while I knew there was a HEA coming I was eager to see the outcome.
How Ms James moved us through the various scenarios and emotional tides. The healing process for Kayla and Eli and the explosion of heart and true patient love of Luke, one of the sweetest characters to date that we have been introduced to.
There is so much still to say... BUT... I encourage you to read this story and experience for yourself the ebb and flow, the heat and passion and the joy of hope and promise all rolled into this story... And the twisted mind of a villain.
Experience Ms James at her finest as every book supersedes the last for me and I can do no more but recommend to surround yourself with her various journeys.
"I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review."
December 9, 2015
Another winning novel from Rosalind James! I will freely admit that she is one of my favorites, but this book is really different than the other novels that I have read from her. I first became a fan of hers when I found her "Escape to New Zealand" series which feature romances between professional rugby players and American women. She really manages to paint a picture with her words -- I get pretty stressed and I love to step into my Kindle (so to speak) and to just go to a different place. Ms. James' books have always managed to take me there. The overall tone of this book, however, while still romantic, could really not be any different than that of her other series. It's the story of Kayla, a young widowed mother, and her young son Eli. They are fleeing a physically and emotionally abusive boyfriend of Kayla's and hiding in plain sight in the small town of Paradise, Idaho. Kayla has little education, no family to rely on, no real friends, and no money. On a whim, she went to Paradise because of her good memories that she had from her former step-father, Bill, who she has not seen since she was a small child. Once there in town, she was startled to recognize Luke, Bill's nephew, and the current high school principal. First Luke and Eli, then Luke and Kayla become close. However, wary of developing any close relationships, Kayla has to figure out how to extract herself from Alan's clutches, how to trust again, and how to establish independence. Ms. James paints a vivid picture of a budding romance. She also shines light on domestic violence and how the wounds from emotional abuse can run so very deep. The chapter she places at the end of the book that speaks further about this issue is compelling and well thought out. I won't give any spoilers, because I don't want to ruin this for anyone who wants to read it for themselves. I will say that I cried more than once and I blushed a few times, too. This is the second book in a series, but could be read as a stand-alone. It does have some pretty steamy scenes, so I would say that it is an adult-only book. Again, I really, really, liked it and found it hard to put down. Can't wait for the third one.
December 16, 2015
I read Carry Me Home, the first book in Rosalind James' Paradise, Idaho series a few weeks ago and thoroughly enjoyed it. With this second book of the series, she has totally won me over. While I found Carry Me Home quite lighthearted with lots of witty banter and humor, the atmosphere of Hold Me Close was much more serious and highly emotional. I've read several books this year that focused on domestic abuse, but this one definitely affected me the most. The way the author portrayed the fear and insecurities of the abused, especially the effect it had on a young child, was really heartbreaking. The chapters from the abuser's point of view were totally creepy and disturbing.
That said, it wasn't all depressing and sad. There was plenty of fun stuff and romance, too. In fact, there were a lot more sex scenes in this one than in the previous one, so the emphasis was definitely on romance rather than suspense. My reason for giving this 4 instead of 5 stars: Luke was a bit too perfect to be real, and the shooting of the detective was a bit of a loose end. The suspense side of it just got resolved too easily and quickly for my taste.
Nevertheless, this series is now among my favorite romantic suspense series. Some of that may have to do with the absolutely awesome narration of the audio books by Phil Gigante and Natalie Ross. Love the way the narrators stick to their gender for narrating the male and female parts and swap back and forth within the chapters. Great audio production! I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review, but ended up listening to the audio version, which I couldn't resist purchasing.
That said, it wasn't all depressing and sad. There was plenty of fun stuff and romance, too. In fact, there were a lot more sex scenes in this one than in the previous one, so the emphasis was definitely on romance rather than suspense. My reason for giving this 4 instead of 5 stars: Luke was a bit too perfect to be real, and the shooting of the detective was a bit of a loose end. The suspense side of it just got resolved too easily and quickly for my taste.
Nevertheless, this series is now among my favorite romantic suspense series. Some of that may have to do with the absolutely awesome narration of the audio books by Phil Gigante and Natalie Ross. Love the way the narrators stick to their gender for narrating the male and female parts and swap back and forth within the chapters. Great audio production! I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an unbiased review, but ended up listening to the audio version, which I couldn't resist purchasing.
December 7, 2015
Love doesn't come from your fists and your feet. Love doesn't terrorize. Love doesn't bruise...
4.0 RATING- I debated reading Hold Me Close because I hadn't read the first book in the Paradise Idaho series but finally caved. I have a hard time resisting a "woman on the run" story. I didn't have any problems jumping right into this second book but do have plans to go back and read book on eventually.
Besides being drawn in by the blurb, I was looking forward to finally reading something by Rosalind James. Her Escape to New Zealand series has been on my TBR list forever and recommended to me by more than one friend. I'm glad I finally was able to give this author a try.
I found the writing very readable and enjoyed the characters and overall story. The hero was almost too perfect but no deductions for being a stellar guy. While the story pulled me in from the beginning it did seem to drag just a bit in the middle. Not enough to where I wanted to stop reading but just enough that I thought the book was a little long. I also thought things got a little sappy towards the end but the romance in general was sweet and I was glad to see this couple get their HEA.
I definitely will read more from Rosalind James in the future and look forward to seeing what's next in this series.
Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
December 8, 2015
*I received a free copy to read & review for Wicked Reads*
I must say, the Paradise, Idaho series has honestly impressed me. I absolutely love the characters that Ms.James creates.
They're real - simple as that.
Hold Me Close is the story of a Kayla, single mother, who's running away from an abusive situation. She's learning to live again, and trust, and regain her faith in humanity. She's a strong character, of course she has flaws, but she is a survivor!
The only place that she feels safe is Paradise, Idaho and only due to fond childhood memories. Starting over isn't easy for anyone, but this place has "called" to her.
Luke Jackson noticed the moment Kayla and her son,Eli start moving into an apartment nearby. Approaching Kayla didn't really work out, but something about her intrigues him - and Luke DOES NOT give up easily.
This was a beautiful story. Two people find everything they've ever needed from each other. Two families come together and all is right in the world...until it isn't.
I must say, the Paradise, Idaho series has honestly impressed me. I absolutely love the characters that Ms.James creates.
They're real - simple as that.
Hold Me Close is the story of a Kayla, single mother, who's running away from an abusive situation. She's learning to live again, and trust, and regain her faith in humanity. She's a strong character, of course she has flaws, but she is a survivor!
The only place that she feels safe is Paradise, Idaho and only due to fond childhood memories. Starting over isn't easy for anyone, but this place has "called" to her.
Luke Jackson noticed the moment Kayla and her son,Eli start moving into an apartment nearby. Approaching Kayla didn't really work out, but something about her intrigues him - and Luke DOES NOT give up easily.
This was a beautiful story. Two people find everything they've ever needed from each other. Two families come together and all is right in the world...until it isn't.
November 10, 2015
Loved this book! In it Rosalind James approaches domestic violence with wisdom and heart. Kayla Chambers is a single mom who is trying to escape an abusive husband. She heads to Paradise Idaho for a fresh start and a new identity. Her escape is wrenching and captivating. James allows the reader to feel the strength, courage and the hope that comes with getting oneself out of this type of relationship.
Along comes high school principal Luke. Luke
Is among my favorite book characters. He is caring, smart, patient and allowed Kayla to be Kayla. Plus he has a dog! The dog plays an important role in the story and the healing that takes place.
Another note- the one thing I appreciate about Rosalind James' writing is that her female characters are smart. Kayla doesn't rush into a relationship. She uses her head to escape her boyfriend and to move on I to the next steps of her life. Well written, compelling and well with the read!!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own
Along comes high school principal Luke. Luke
Is among my favorite book characters. He is caring, smart, patient and allowed Kayla to be Kayla. Plus he has a dog! The dog plays an important role in the story and the healing that takes place.
Another note- the one thing I appreciate about Rosalind James' writing is that her female characters are smart. Kayla doesn't rush into a relationship. She uses her head to escape her boyfriend and to move on I to the next steps of her life. Well written, compelling and well with the read!!
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own
November 13, 2015
As always, Rosalind James pulls you into the storyline from the first pages. This book has to do with domestic abuse.
The way it is written, you are able to understand not only Kayla's physical pain, but Kayla and Eli's emotional distress. You get a good sense of Luke's hesitation. His difficulty with moving slowly and cautiously, while taking Kayla and ELi's fears into consideration. All the while there is the underlying tension and suspense of her abusive ex, Alan, being on the hunt for her.
Luke and Kayla's romance was slow, sweet, and sensual. The way he took care of Kayla and Eli was heart warming. This was truly a good book that was difficult to put down. I would highly recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
The way it is written, you are able to understand not only Kayla's physical pain, but Kayla and Eli's emotional distress. You get a good sense of Luke's hesitation. His difficulty with moving slowly and cautiously, while taking Kayla and ELi's fears into consideration. All the while there is the underlying tension and suspense of her abusive ex, Alan, being on the hunt for her.
Luke and Kayla's romance was slow, sweet, and sensual. The way he took care of Kayla and Eli was heart warming. This was truly a good book that was difficult to put down. I would highly recommend this book.
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I was not compensated for my review, and I was not required to write a positive review. The opinion expressed here is my own.
November 10, 2015
I love books Rosalind James writes and Hold Me Close is no exception.
Hold Me Close is a story of a battered woman who has the strength to get herself and her son away from her abuser and begin building a new life for themselves. Kayla settles in Paradise, Idaho, a town she remembers fondly from her childhood. There she meets Luke Jackson, a boy she remembers from all those years ago. Luke doesn't remember her at first but he is instantly attracted to Kayla. She is hurt and scared for her life and it takes her some time to trust Luke and she eventually tells him her story. She learns to trust again and finds herself falling in love with Luke and he with her.
The characters Ms James writes about seem very real and she does an excellent job pulling you into the story. I never want it to end. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I know you will too. Well done Ms James.
Hold Me Close is a story of a battered woman who has the strength to get herself and her son away from her abuser and begin building a new life for themselves. Kayla settles in Paradise, Idaho, a town she remembers fondly from her childhood. There she meets Luke Jackson, a boy she remembers from all those years ago. Luke doesn't remember her at first but he is instantly attracted to Kayla. She is hurt and scared for her life and it takes her some time to trust Luke and she eventually tells him her story. She learns to trust again and finds herself falling in love with Luke and he with her.
The characters Ms James writes about seem very real and she does an excellent job pulling you into the story. I never want it to end. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and I know you will too. Well done Ms James.
November 10, 2015
This is another excellent book from Rosalind James, who remains one of my absolute favorite authors. I have been a big fan of all of her books, and her latest, "Hold Me Close" is no exception. Romantic Suspense is not my go-to genre, but I read this book due to its author, and it was definitely a recommended read - great interaction amongst the characters, an enjoyable build-up to the romance, and enough suspense to make me nervous and wanting to reach the end to find out the conclusion! This book definitely makes a statement regarding spousal abuse, and includes information at the end to help those who may be struggling in this situation. It's just a great read!
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