Everyone thought college sweethearts Bex Holmgren and Hayden Archer were headed for the altar… until a tragic accident sent young Bex running from a future she wasn’t ready to claim. But when she’s offered her dream job at Archer Brewing, Bex can’t pass up the chance to reconnect with the big, crazy family that once welcomed her with open arms—and the one man she’s never stopped loving.
When he returns home after a year in France, Hayden is less than thrilled to find his ex-girlfriend working for his family’s company. He’s finally moved on, and being around her rekindles long-buried feelings he’d rather ignore. But Bex isn’t the same girl he knew—she’s more mature, more beautiful, more tempting than ever—and he can’t resist the pull of the intense passion he’s only ever shared with her.
Have five years changed them enough, or are they doomed to repeat the mistakes of the past? The only thing Bex knows for sure is that for her, Hayden is still the one.
Review:
Hold Me (previously published as You’re Still the One) is Hayden and Bex’s second chance romance. Hayden’s the last of the surviving siblings to find his HEA, and though it could be read on its own it really works best when the series books are read in order. (This is definitely a case of do as I say, not as I do, because I’ve read books 1, 2, 6, and 7. I know, I know—I’m working on it). There are so many people and significant others and backstories going on throughout the book (Hayden, the hero, is the seventh child with a set of sextuplets in front of him) that I really felt as if I needed a cheat sheet at times to remind me of who’s who and with whom. It’s not hard to follow the story, it’s just a tad bit overwhelming to keep everyone straight.
Kind of like growing up in the Archer family clearly was, so in a way that works!
If you have read the rest of the series, you’ll love this one–everyone’s here, you’ll see the end result of the project that they’ve been working on since book 2 (the death of a character after book 1 sets everything in motion), and of course there’s the satisfying second chance romance here for the youngest—and last unattached–child. Definite catnip for series lovers, and a good read for everyone else.
Hayden and Bex were a major item five years ago, before the unthinkable happened and Bex took off, leaving Hayden in a bad place. Now they’re both back in town and determined to put their past behind them. Except fate–and Hayden’s entire meddling, busybody family has other ideas…which adds to the issue, because that same family is part of the reason they split the first time.
Can Bex learn to cope with having so many people involved in…well, everything…after the solitary life she has lived up until now? Can Hayden be a real part of his family and still stay true to himself?
A whole lot gets resolved by the end of this story. Bex and Hayden come to terms with their past and commit to their new future, Hayden finally finds his place both in his family and with his career, and the Archers finalize the project they’ve spent six books getting ready.
If you love second chance romances and stories with large, chaotic casts of characters, give this book (and series!) a try!
(CW: suicide of a character off page, applicable for series books 2 and up)
Rating: 4 stars / B+
Be First to Comment