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Holding You
Crazy Daisy is what they used to call her, beautiful but deranged. She was the prey to every bully in our school… including me.
After graduating Blackthorn, I thought I’d never see her again, then she walked into the fundraiser my father was putting on and I couldn’t help but be drawn to her.
I’d always wanted her, but never acted on my feelings. Now was the time to claim her, but there was something standing in our way… her father and a secret I never saw coming.
***This is a short novella that was previously published in a multi author box set under the name My Bully Valentine.***
After graduating Blackthorn, I thought I’d never see her again, then she walked into the fundraiser my father was putting on and I couldn’t help but be drawn to her.
I’d always wanted her, but never acted on my feelings. Now was the time to claim her, but there was something standing in our way… her father and a secret I never saw coming.
***This is a short novella that was previously published in a multi author box set under the name My Bully Valentine.***
76 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 17, 2020
78 people are currently reading
228 people want to read
About the author
J.L. Beck
236 books7,169 followersJ.L. Beck is the USA Today Best Selling author of unapologetic romance. She lives in WI with her husband, two kids, and four dogs. She enjoys writing and recently starting a literary agency to help represent authors in the industry.
To learn more about her books or interact with her go here: https://linktr.ee/jlbeckbooks
J.L. Beck xoxoxo
To learn more about her books or interact with her go here: https://linktr.ee/jlbeckbooks
J.L. Beck xoxoxo
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Displaying 1 - 24 of 25 reviews
August 1, 2020
Holding You: A Blackthorn Elite Spinoff
by J.L. Beck C. Hallman
4 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐
R T C
by J.L. Beck C. Hallman
4 STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐
R T C
Want to read
June 4, 2020🎁 FREE on Amazon today (6/4/2020)! 🎁
August 24, 2020
I read this book in roughly thirty minutes the same day I finished The Jock and started Savage Beginnings. It was a brief read that didn't particularly mention any of the Blackthorne Elite cast with a blink-and-you'll-miss-it reference of Cameron and Stella from Hurting You. It was a fairly enjoyable read, even though I didn't 100% forgive Carter for not standing up for Daisy for years until she had a glow-up. Yes, he protected her from her father, but years of bullying her don't make it okay. I wish there was a deeper look into how Daisy's dad gas-lighted and drugged her for years, but this novella was a fairly enjoyable and short read for fans of J.L. Beck. I am relieved that Daisy and Carter made their own happily-ever-after, but the chemistry between them was lackluster and the banter was weak.
Happy Sunday! I hope your day is going well. And if it isn't, I hope that tomorrow or sometime soon, it gets better. Because I promise that it will get better. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day soon. There's a light at the end of the tunnel, and you have to keep going until you exit the tunnel. Life gets rough, but we always find peace.
Do things that make you happy, and above else, amor omnia vincent.
with love forever,
Reenie
💋
Happy Sunday! I hope your day is going well. And if it isn't, I hope that tomorrow or sometime soon, it gets better. Because I promise that it will get better. Maybe not today or tomorrow, but one day soon. There's a light at the end of the tunnel, and you have to keep going until you exit the tunnel. Life gets rough, but we always find peace.
Do things that make you happy, and above else, amor omnia vincent.
with love forever,
Reenie
💋
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2021
This was a spinoff, novella of the Blackthorn Elite series. I wasn't the biggest fan of that series, but (and I'm gonna just be honest here) this was already on my Kindle (it was a freebie) and it was sort of short, so I decided to give it a go.
I actually enjoyed this one more than I did the rest of the series. It really came down to the heroine, Daisy. (Definitely sensing a theme with the books I like these days) She was a strong character, and was doing what she had to do to look out for herself and her mom.
I wasn't as crazy about Carter. We are supposed to think he's this alpha male, but he watched as his friends bullied Daisy in high school, then he ignores her in college. And we're supposed to believe that he was really into her even back then? Like a truly strong, alpha dude wouldn't worry so much about what others thought. Carter was way too weak of a character for me to believe that he was this Uber-masculine, women swooning, men wanting to do business with him dude.
The plot was decent. It was a bit rushed. I would have liked it if we had some sort of motivation behind why Daisy's dad was doing the things he was doing. I feel like there was a lot of story possibilities there. I was interested and wanted more.
Shout out to the authors for not making Daisy a virgin when she has sex with Carter. Yes, she was inexperienced, but honestly, at this point, I'll take it. I'm over a majority of romance heroines being virgins while the heroes sleep around like it's their job. Daisy had sex (off page, pre seeing Carter again) with a random guy. I thought the entire thing just made sense to the story. Frankly, if I had even thought of only giving this one two stars, I would have bumped it to three for just avoiding the naive, virgin trope.
So, while I didn't love this series overall, I enjoyed this one and would recommend giving it a read. (It can be read completely as a stand alone)
I actually enjoyed this one more than I did the rest of the series. It really came down to the heroine, Daisy. (Definitely sensing a theme with the books I like these days) She was a strong character, and was doing what she had to do to look out for herself and her mom.
I wasn't as crazy about Carter. We are supposed to think he's this alpha male, but he watched as his friends bullied Daisy in high school, then he ignores her in college. And we're supposed to believe that he was really into her even back then? Like a truly strong, alpha dude wouldn't worry so much about what others thought. Carter was way too weak of a character for me to believe that he was this Uber-masculine, women swooning, men wanting to do business with him dude.
The plot was decent. It was a bit rushed. I would have liked it if we had some sort of motivation behind why Daisy's dad was doing the things he was doing. I feel like there was a lot of story possibilities there. I was interested and wanted more.
Shout out to the authors for not making Daisy a virgin when she has sex with Carter. Yes, she was inexperienced, but honestly, at this point, I'll take it. I'm over a majority of romance heroines being virgins while the heroes sleep around like it's their job. Daisy had sex (off page, pre seeing Carter again) with a random guy. I thought the entire thing just made sense to the story. Frankly, if I had even thought of only giving this one two stars, I would have bumped it to three for just avoiding the naive, virgin trope.
So, while I didn't love this series overall, I enjoyed this one and would recommend giving it a read. (It can be read completely as a stand alone)
June 11, 2020
Daisy has been bullied all her life by her peers due to the effects of the drugs that her father gave her daily in the form of vitamins. Now at 22 her father has stopped drugging her bc he has something planned for her. Daisy is longing to escape but does not dare leave her sick mother alone with her father. Her father takes her to a party to exhibit her, and at that party Daisy coincides with Carter, the boy who had a crush on for years, but has never lifted a finger to defend her.
Carter always liked Daisy but out of fear of his reputation and then for shame, he has never dared to take the plunge. When Carter sees Daisy at the party and how her father treats her, he decides to act and take her away from him with the excuse of making her dance. Carter asks her to spend the night with him and she agrees, and they both have the best sex of their lives, but in the end Daisy’s pain for everything she suffered in the past with Carter doing nothing for her , causes her to abandon him. They return to the party and when Carter hears Daisy’s father offer her in marriage as an object and as he mistreats her afterwards, he decides to act and save her from the situation.
Carter always liked Daisy but out of fear of his reputation and then for shame, he has never dared to take the plunge. When Carter sees Daisy at the party and how her father treats her, he decides to act and take her away from him with the excuse of making her dance. Carter asks her to spend the night with him and she agrees, and they both have the best sex of their lives, but in the end Daisy’s pain for everything she suffered in the past with Carter doing nothing for her , causes her to abandon him. They return to the party and when Carter hears Daisy’s father offer her in marriage as an object and as he mistreats her afterwards, he decides to act and save her from the situation.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 23, 2020
This is a short story about two young people who went to school together. Daisy, who everyone bullied and called crazy Daisy, they didn't know that Daisy was being drugged by her father to keep her under his control. Then there is Carter Davis, who everyone wants to be friends with, men want to be his friend and women want to be his girl friend. But he did not like the fact that all the people who hung around him bullied Daisy but he wasn't strong enough at the time to stick up for her. The both with to Blackthorn. His father had the say in who goes there or not. The gala they were both at tonight was a charity for his father. So will Carter finally get up nerve enough to let Daisy know how much he has always like or or will he still not have enough confidence. Great short story. Great built up of characters. Good reading.
October 28, 2020
While I love anything and everything to do with Blackthorn Elite to include this novella it just felt rushed. I wanted more background on why her father decided to do what he did to her and her mother. I wanted her father's creepy friend to be punished too. I wanted more about her mother and her now. Plus Carter stood by for years while she was being bullied and tormented and never stepped up to help then WHAM she forgives him like that! Grant it she always liked him and he saved her from her father but dang! It truly needed to be a full book. Now with that being said it was still worth the read.
3.5 ⭐⭐⭐
3.5 ⭐⭐⭐
October 2, 2020
Quick HEA Read
Holding You is a quick read, but packed with a dirty alpha, a tormented soul, and a sweet HEA.
Daisy has always been known among the kids as Crazy Daisy and Carter has always had a thing for her, but never acted on his feelings. Daisy was always looking for him to save her and now after graduating college comes his chance for redemption. A chance meeting, A second chance for love and hope, and too many wrongs made right.
Even with this short novella Beck and Hallman mark this read with their signature alpha angst.
Holding You is a quick read, but packed with a dirty alpha, a tormented soul, and a sweet HEA.
Daisy has always been known among the kids as Crazy Daisy and Carter has always had a thing for her, but never acted on his feelings. Daisy was always looking for him to save her and now after graduating college comes his chance for redemption. A chance meeting, A second chance for love and hope, and too many wrongs made right.
Even with this short novella Beck and Hallman mark this read with their signature alpha angst.
September 29, 2020
I thought there was a lot of potential in Daisy and Carter's story but this quick read really just scrapes the surface. Was it good? Yes. Was it fully satisfying? No. Some subjects, situations or mistakes (Yeah, I'm talking to you Carter!! I mean WTH were you thinking?!) require much more depth to do them justice. Still, as it stands I thought it was a good read. I am choosing to post a sincere review.
November 11, 2020
Loved this quick read!
Daisy has been called crazy and been made fun of all her life. Now that she knows what made her that way she is trying to find a way out. She runs into Carter at a fund raiser and thinks he's the perfect fall guy for her plan. I mean he didn't ever stand up for her and sometimes even joined in when his friends were making fun of her. Grab this short story today and find out what happens when Crazy Daisy is not so crazy anymore.
Daisy has been called crazy and been made fun of all her life. Now that she knows what made her that way she is trying to find a way out. She runs into Carter at a fund raiser and thinks he's the perfect fall guy for her plan. I mean he didn't ever stand up for her and sometimes even joined in when his friends were making fun of her. Grab this short story today and find out what happens when Crazy Daisy is not so crazy anymore.
August 4, 2020
Very quick read and it had the story moving very fast to get it all in.
I would have liked a longer version of this tale for sure. Carter needed to grovel a bit more for his past wrongs. It also would have been nice to see Daisy's dad get what was coming to him vs the simple closure
All in all a good steamy quick story
I would have liked a longer version of this tale for sure. Carter needed to grovel a bit more for his past wrongs. It also would have been nice to see Daisy's dad get what was coming to him vs the simple closure
All in all a good steamy quick story
March 24, 2024
This is a cute quick story of ‘Crazy Daisy’ and Carter Davis (son of mayor). We see their characters in the Blackthorne Elite series. They are now 22 and trying to figure out their lives. There is a lot packed into one story with saving the girl and steamy scenes.
I don’t generally like when the h is not having the H’s child so that is always a minus for me, but overall a good read.
I don’t generally like when the h is not having the H’s child so that is always a minus for me, but overall a good read.
June 20, 2020
❤️
I have a really hard time with novellas. There is so much that has to happen in such small space. Hallman and Beck did an awesome job with this one. I loved the characters and story. I would love to see a series of full-lengths come in the future.
I have a really hard time with novellas. There is so much that has to happen in such small space. Hallman and Beck did an awesome job with this one. I loved the characters and story. I would love to see a series of full-lengths come in the future.
July 18, 2020
Yaaaay!!! S**y short and sweet 😊
This novella is a perfect addition to the Blackthorn Elite series. I love Carter and Daisy so much. They are well incorporated into the this world. I highly recommend them to you!
This novella is a perfect addition to the Blackthorn Elite series. I love Carter and Daisy so much. They are well incorporated into the this world. I highly recommend them to you!
November 26, 2020
Great short read!!!
Loved Carter and Daisy so much. Carter became a better man because of Daisy who fights for herself and her mother. They came together to also take down a very bad man, Daisy's dad. I'll have to read the blackthorn series now most definitely!!!
Loved Carter and Daisy so much. Carter became a better man because of Daisy who fights for herself and her mother. They came together to also take down a very bad man, Daisy's dad. I'll have to read the blackthorn series now most definitely!!!
June 25, 2020
A beautiful short story/novella about Daisy and Carter. For years they’ve looked at each other, but a ’cocky Jock’ and a ’crazy Daisy’ don’t exist together.
Years later they meet again...
Years later they meet again...
July 26, 2020
Brilliant
Brilliant book well written and a great cast of characters loved this book I couldn't put it down will read from this author
Brilliant book well written and a great cast of characters loved this book I couldn't put it down will read from this author
August 25, 2020
3.5 stars
Even this is a short read, its packed with heat, intrigue. This duo never disappoints their readers. A recommend book.
Even this is a short read, its packed with heat, intrigue. This duo never disappoints their readers. A recommend book.
October 7, 2020
Eh.
Fuck that guy. Both of them. The dad and the lover. Fuck them.
Daisy deserves better.
Fuck that guy. Both of them. The dad and the lover. Fuck them.
Daisy deserves better.
November 14, 2020
It says spin off so I can't wait to see how this goes. I will say I'm not too sure what to make of this one. Not a favorite from them. I hope they do more with these characters in the future
January 26, 2021
HOT and quick read.
February 16, 2021
Carter doesn't deserve daisy.
She can do better.
She can do better.
May 31, 2021
Blackthorn one of my most favorite books from Beck and Hallman. I wished this book would have been longer, but as a spinoff I must say that I really loved reading this one.
July 12, 2021
I don’t like to give spoilers on the books that I read. I believe the blurb on the back is enough for you to decide if you will read the book or not. If you choose to read, enjoy!
Displaying 1 - 24 of 25 reviews