“Corinne Michaels and Melanie Harlow are a match made in heaven. Five-Sweet-Stars for this unforgettable collaboration!”
–A.L. Jackson, New York Times bestselling author
Hold You Close, an all-new second chance standalone romance by New York Times bestselling author Corinne Michaels and USA Today bestselling author Melanie Harlow, is available now!
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Synopsis
From NYT Bestseller Corinne Michaels & USA Today Bestseller Melanie Harlow, comes a second chance standalone romance.
Ian Chase broke my heart at seventeen, and I’ve spent the last eighteen years hating him for it.
He makes it easy, with his smart mouth and playboy lifestyle—which I unfortunately have to observe since he lives behind me. Every time I see him climbing out of his pool, practically naked and unreasonably sexy, my blood boils.
I’ve always loved to loathe him.
I never planned to need him.
***
London Parish is my little sister’s best friend, not that it stopped me from falling for her.
Our history is complicated. The only thing we have in common is being godparents to my sister’s three adorable kids—until our lives are changed in one tragic moment.
Now we’re trying to raise the children we love, mourn an unthinkable loss, and fight an undeniable attraction.
My life is already upside-down, and the last thing I need is for old feelings to resurface.
Because I’ll never be able to keep her, no matter how hard I try to hold her close.
Review
Such a gorgeous story, I loved it! 4 stars!
When I heard that two of my favourite authors were teaming up to co-write, I was beyond excited. Melanie Harlow and Corinne Michaels have individually written some of my all-time favourite books, and together they have created a beautiful story that is heartfelt yet fun, romantic and sizzling with chemistry with a sexy and swoony second-chance love story. Combining some of my favourite tropes (young love, best friend’s brother, second-chance and enemies-to-lovers), I was sucked right into the emotional ride that is this book, and I loved every moment, unable to put it down. Such a great read, I loved it!
London and Ian met as kids, he was the older brother of her best friend and she pined over him for years before he finally reciprocated, and they confessed their love for each other as teenagers and had one magical night together before it all fell apart. For years they have kept their feelings at bay by ignoring and/or arguing with each other, turning their feelings for each other into what they call ‘hatred’. But when Ian’s sister and her husband are tragically killed, they are forced together to come together to care for their three orphaned children, putting them into an emotionally intense situation and making them finally address their past and deal with the feelings that are still very much present between them.
London represents everything I’ve ever wanted but didn’t deserve.
She’s a pain in the ass, but she’s also brilliant, funny, kind and loving. I loved her once and let her go because she needed to fly.If I couldn’t have her, I had to hate her. It was the only way I could get over her.
But as I sit here and watch her leave my house, I know that deep down, I never did.
London is a great heroine – smart, sensible and relatable. She is mostly content with her quiet, single life and is devoted to her career, but she loves the children as if they were her own, and despite her difficulties with Ian, she throws herself into the situation to care for and support them. And Ian! OMG, I love him! He is sexy, arrogant, and a complete playboy. Bold and irreverent with a delightfully playful edge, he doesn’t hold anything back, and his antics and outbursts had me laughing out loud more than once. And the animosity between them brings a fantastically fun dynamic.
The thing about love is that it’s irrational and stupid. I work with statistics and analyse hard data – I weigh probabilities and risks, and think in truths and facts.
Truth – Ian broke my heart.
Truth – Ian is the man I’ve never gotten over.
Fact – Ian is a selfish player who doesn’t give a shit about me.
Fact – I want to rip his clothes off and fuck his brains out.
And OMG I love the set up for this story! Of course it’s tragic, but it means that emotions are running high from the very beginning, and Ian and London are immediately all up in each other’s faces as they battle with each other. It’s hot and feisty and full of feeling, and it’s only a matter of time before years’ worth of pent-up emotion comes out.
“I don’t hate you. I wish I hated you. It would make things easier, it would mean I don’t care.”
There is so much emotion between these two. Ian had his reasons for breaking London’s heart, thinking he was doing the right thing, even though she has no idea, but they both know that they’ve never really moved on from each other. There are years of animosity that they need to overcome, and it takes some time for both of them to accept everything that’s happening between them, but every step of it is sizzling with chemistry.
“Are you thinking about when I kissed you?”
Her lips part. “No.”
I keep walking toward her, waiting for her to stop me. “No? You don’t want me to hold you in my arms, press my lips to yours, and remind you how good we fit?” She doesn’t move and now we’re just a breath apart.
I could kiss her right now.
I could do everything I’ve wanted to.
But I won’t make a fool of myself again.
“No, I don’t.”
She’s lying, but I’ll let her have it.
“The next time I kiss you, London Parish, it’ll be because you beg me to,” I promise her.
The sexual tension is absolutely fantastic! And once they give in to it, it’s not only really freaking hot, but the romance unfolds easily and naturally, and I loved watching it happen for them.
His hand cups my cheek. “I meant what I said before you left. You might think I’ve charmed you before, but you haven’t seen anything yet. I hope you’re ready.”
My throat goes dry at his promise. “What if I’m not?”
He smiles down at me. “Then you better find a way – and fast.”
But when the time comes for life choices to be made, priorities shift and hearts are put on the line as they are forced to figure out what it is they truly want. The drama is high, and the conflict is slightly eye-rolling but it’s resolved quickly and in sensational style, fitting well as part of their journey and I loved watching it all play out.
“I never stopped loving you. Ever. Even when we fought, even when I pretended to hate you, even when I tried to forget you, you’ve always been the one.”
Oh swoon!!!!!
It’s such a gorgeous story, and I loved every stage of London and Ian’s story as they battled hard, and loved even harder. Though I would have liked to have seen a bit more interaction with the kids. Of course they are involved, and they are each well-developed characters, but at times it felt like London and Ian were more interested in what was going on between them then with the welfare of the kids which, given their circumstances, seemed a bit unrealistic. But it ensures some great development in the love story, and the way that the kids played into it was really sweetly done.
This is a great read. Fun and sexy with lots of heart and a beautiful romance (and an epilogue that is just perfection!), and I was easily swept up in the story. It’s a great beginning to what I hope is a writing duo that we get to see more of (and bonus points for the Jack Valentini and Eli Walsh references!).
I loved it – 4 stars.
An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author in exchange for an honest review.
Excerpt
“Ian,” my bartender, Toby, calls with his hand out.
“What’s up?”
“You have a call.” He pushes the phone toward me.
No one calls the club for me other than vendors, and it’s eleven-thirty at night, so whoever it is can wait.
“I have to deal with something now, send them to my voicemail.”
He shakes his head. “She’s called three times.” The annoyance in his voice is clear, even over the music.
She?
The only woman that would resort to calling the club is my ex-wife. God only knows what bullshit she wants now. For all I know she broke a nail, it’s my fault,
and she thinks I should pay for her new manicure, or a hand replacement. She’s like the gift you’ve tried to return but can’t find the receipt for, so you’re stuck with it. I hate unwanted presents, and I hate Jolene.
“Send the devil to my voicemail,” I say and walk away.
I head out to the sidewalk. Drea wasn’t kidding, the line is nuts. “Hello, Officer,” I say to the pudgy cop standing next to the bouncer.
“Mr. Chase, we’re getting complaints,” he says, looking down the sidewalk at the line.
“I can’t help that we’re popular.” I shrug. “I’m at capacity, and can’t kick out the paying customers to take care of the line.”
“You’re obstructing the entrances of other businesses because of the way your overflow lines are set up.”
How the hell would they like me to handle it? We’re not inside the casino, there’s no way to control the line. I’m not about to turn away people when we hit the number ten. This is a business, and part of the free marketing I get is thanks to the line.
“All right, I’ll figure something out.” I grip the back of my neck.
I feel my phone vibrate in my pocket. If this is Jolene, I swear to God, I might lose my fucking mind.
The name flashes across the screen, London Parish. For fuck’s sake. Like I need to deal with my sister’s uptight, irritating best friend right now. London would be incredibly hot if she wasn’t such a raging bitch. I look at my call log and see this is the third time she’s called.
I walk down the strip a little, and after a few deep breaths, I call her back.
“Ian, you need to come to my house.”
I smirk. “Well, this is a first. Did you have the stick removed from your ass?”
“Don’t. Not today, please. Just come here.” I hear her sniff and my protectiveness kicks in. Someone made her cry. We don’t get along at all—partly because we’re polar opposites and partly because of our history—but no one gets to make her cry.
“Are you hurt?” I ask.
“Not in the way you think.” Her voice hitches.
I’ve known London for twenty-five years. I can count on one hand how many times I’ve seen or heard her cry—I was the reason one of those times.
“What’s wrong? Is it an emergency? Because I’m at work and the club—”
“Now, Ian. You need to come here now.”
She also doesn’t play games.
Fuck.
I look at my watch and blow a deep breath through my nose.
It’ll take me at least thirty minutes to get there. This is seriously a shitty night. “I’ll be there as soon as I can.”
“Just . . . hurry,” London says and hangs up.
Dread pulls at my stomach, telling me there’s something going on. I don’t know what, but I know I need to get there.
“Get rid of the line, no more get in,” I tell the bouncer, and then head inside.
Drea is at the bar, and my anxiety is starting to grow. London needs me there, why? What happened? Did someone break into her house? Mine? Maybe it has to do with an ex, if she even has one, or it could be nothing like that. Regardless, her voice was shaky and I can’t waste time wondering.
“I have to go,” I tell Drea.
Her eyes widen. “Go? Go where? It’s a packed house.”
“I’m aware of that, but something came up. I need you to handle things tonight.” I turn to Toby. “Stay until Drea is done closing and I want you to escort her to her car at the end of the night.”
He nods.
I never let her walk out of here alone. Even if I have someone coming home with me, Drea’s not going to be unescorted. Too many men get the wrong impression because she’s nice to them. Over my dead body will she be hurt as a result of working at my club.
After I get in the car, my mind is racing. I drive faster than I should, telling myself that London is just being dramatic.
And then I remember . . . she has my nephew and nieces at her house.
My foot pushes down on the pedal of my Jaguar, making the engine howl with each mile. I turn into the development where we both live, pass my house, and head to hers. I still hate that our backyards touch. Every damn day I see her sitting out on her deck, reading her books, looking down at me with her disapproving attitude.
When I get there, the flashing lights of a police car brighten the road. I don’t think. I don’t know if I even put the car in park before I’m out of the vehicle.
“London!” I yell as I rush through the door. “Christopher? Morgan? Ruby?” I call out for the kids, praying it’s not one of them.
When I get to the living room, I release a heavy sigh—they’re all there, not hurt.
Then I see the tears streaming down Morgan’s face. London gets to her feet. Her eyes are red, puffy, and black mascara runs down her cheeks. “Ian.” She chokes on my name.
“What’s wrong? What happened?”
The girls start to cry again, and my nephew pulls them into his arms.
London moves toward me, placing her hand on my chest.
“They’re gone.”
“Who?” I ask, confused.
“Sabrina and David,” she whispers.
Yeah, they went on a trip. Why the hell are they crying? “This is what you called me for? They’ll be home in a few days. Why are you crying too?” I ask.
Her green eyes meet mine and her lips part. “No.” She shakes her head. “They won’t.”
I look over at the kids again, and then to the muted television.
My feet move closer, because I have to be sure the words flashing across the screen say what I think they say. “Flight 1184 crashes off the coast of Hawaii. Three hundred missing and presumed dead.”
My sister was going to Hawaii.
My sister is gone.
I sink to my knees in front of the kids, unsure what to say.
They just lost their parents, and my heart is breaking. My sister was my best friend. She was the one who pushed me to open Veil and do what I wanted. I’ve always had her support, and now she’s gone.
Christopher lifts his head, his brown eyes filled with unshed tears. “They’ll find them,” he says with conviction.
“Okay,” I reply. We both know it’s a lie, but it’s one he has to tell himself. I remember being fifteen; there was no telling me I was wrong.
“Dad wouldn’t . . .” he starts, and then stops as his lip quivers.
My own tears start to fall, as Morgan grabs my hand. “What do we do now?”
I have no fucking clue. How do I tell these kids how to survive?
I’m the last person in the world equipped to give this advice. I look to London. Her hand touches my shoulder and she wipes the tears that fall silently down her cheeks.
“We hold each other close,” she says.
About the Authors
New York Times, USA Today, and Wall Street Journal Bestseller Corinne Michaels is the author of nine romance novels. She’s an emotional, witty, sarcastic, and fun loving mom of two beautiful children. Corinne is happily married to the man of her dreams and is a former Navy wife.
After spending months away from her husband while he was deployed, reading and writing was her escape from the loneliness. She enjoys putting her characters through intense heartbreak and finding a way to heal them through their struggles. Her stories are chock full of emotion, humor, and unrelenting love.
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Melanie Harlow likes her martinis dry, her heels high, and her history with the naughty bits left in. When she’s not writing or reading, she gets her kicks from TV series like VEEP, Game of Thrones, House of Cards, and Homeland. She occasionally runs three miles, but only so she can have more gin and steak.
Melanie is the author of the AFTER WE FALL series, the HAPPY CRAZY LOVE series, the FRENCHED series, and the sexy historical SPEAK EASY DUET, set in the 1920s. She lifts her glass to romance readers and writers from her home near Detroit, MI, where she lives with her husband, two daughters, and pet rabbit.
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