![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Holding-Onto-Hope-Banner.jpg?resize=640%2C242&ssl=1\")
<\/h4>\n<\/h4>\n<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The biggest gifts often require the greatest sacrifices.<\/p>\n
Italian winemaker, Antonio Giovanni is tall, dark, and handsome with an accent sexy enough to leave a trail of women\u2019s panties in his wake.<\/p>\n
Including Hope\u2019s.<\/p>\n
Master Sommelier, Hope Tidwell travels the globe seeking out the finest wines. She refuses to let relationships get in the way of her career and abides by a strict set of rules:<\/p>\n
No ties.
\nNo expectations.
\nNo risks.<\/p>\n
Lucky for her, those rules work just fine for Antonio.<\/p>\n
Until they don\u2019t.<\/p>\n
When Hope\u2019s sister asks her to do the one thing she\u2019s sworn never to do, she can\u2019t say no.<\/p>\n
Can she?<\/p>\n
She never intended to travel down this road.<\/p>\n
When unanticipated and devastating events throw the trajectory of her life so far off course, she can\u2019t even recognize her world anymore. Suddenly, the rules no longer apply.<\/p>\n
Will Hope be able to do the one thing that terrifies her the most?<\/p>\n
*Please note Holding onto Hope was previously released as The Italian.<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n <\/p>\n Wow, what a surprise! Super-emotional, oh-so-hot and gorgeously romantic, this book absolutely captivated me and I loved every moment of it!<\/b><\/p>\n 5 stars!<\/strong><\/p>\n This is my first read by Beverly Preston, and I absolutely loved it! Her writing is emotive and descriptive without being overly sappy, and she swept me right up into the story. I feel like I\u2019ve been on a journey, and I read this book in one sitting unable to put it down. This is book #2 in the Beyond the Preston Family<\/i> series, but it\u2019s easily a standalone. Obviously I haven\u2019t read any of the other books and I was able to follow along fine \u2013 though I\u2019m now adding all of the earlier books to my TBR because I want more!!<\/p>\n Hope Tidwell is a successful, independent and single-minded career woman. Her enviable job as a sommelier sees her travelling the world tasting wine and negotiating big-budget deals. Her itinerant lifestyle leaves her no time for a relationship \u2013 not that she wants one \u2013 and she has a collection of men around the world that she calls up whenever she\u2019s in town for no-strings, guilt-free sex. She\u2019s living her dream.<\/p>\n Antonio Giovanni is one of Hope\u2019s hook ups, and the one she feels the strongest connection with. He is a winemaker at his family\u2019s vineyard in the rolling hills of Tuscany, and through their years together they have become great friends as well as lovers \u2013 but neither of them have ever tried (or given any indication of wanting to try) for anything more.<\/p>\n For most people, relationships were as natural as breathing, on the contrary, Hope and Antonio were two players who mastered in the art of seduction and the fear of emotional intimacy.<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n I admit that the beginning of this book took me on a bit of a ride that I was in no way prepared for. I was expecting one thing and got something completely different, but OMG did it set up for something truly special! The feels were intense as we get got to know Hope and see her deal with some huge shifts in her life, and when she finds herself at rock bottom, she finds the strength to pick herself up and start over \u2013 in Italy and right near Antonio.<\/p>\n OMG, this love story is beautiful! Hope is understandably scared of a relationship, but she finds herself drawn in by Antonio and the bond that they have always shared. Of course he\u2019s gorgeous, successful and sexy as all hell, but more than that he is her rock, and somebody that she knows she can open up to and depend upon. And amidst banter filled teasing, sweet and romantic moments, soul-baring conversations and passionate encounters, the man who has loved her secretly for years sets about breaking down her walls.<\/p>\n \u201cHaving feelings isn\u2019t a weakness. It just means you\u2019re human.\u201d Antonio is a bit of an alpha, but he\u2019s also gentle, understanding, loving and affectionate and I just adored the way he cared for and supported Hope. He knows her so well, knows exactly what she can handle and what she isn\u2019t ready for yet, and even though the book is written in entirely in her POV, I could see everything that he was feeling. The way he treated Hope, the way he spoke to her, and the way he wore his heart on his sleeve for her absolutely melted me. And holy hell, the man is hot! He is perfect!<\/p>\n \u201cYou need to trust me, bella.\u201d Hope has been through a lot in her life, with more challenges to come, and her fear of love, intimacy, and losing control of her carefully ordered life are very real. But having said that, there is no angst or stupid drama in this book. Of course there\u2019s some drama, but it fits the story, and makes sense. There are challenges that need to be overcome, and the drama that comes with that all ties in to the character development and is honest, realistic and emotional. I could understand where both Hope and Antonio were at and I never got annoyed or wanted to smack anybody (and that is, sadly, a rare thing!). Hope\u2019s journey is beautifully written, and I could feel and empathise with everything that she was going through, and I just loved her as a character. And her and Antonio together were something truly special.<\/p>\n I feel like I was taken on a journey with Hope\u2019s story and I finished this book with a massive smile on my face. I laughed, I cried, and I fell in mad love, easily lost in the story, and eager to check out more of this author\u2019s work.<\/p>\n 5 stars.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n A Taste of Summer (#1)<\/strong> Holding Onto Hope (#2)<\/strong> <\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cStay,\u201d he suggested in a tone so sinfully rich it made her head swim.<\/p>\n \u201cCan\u2019t.\u201d Hope bobbled on one foot, slipping the other into her leather crisscross Louboutin black pump. A smile tipped the curve of her mouth, catching Antonio\u2019s reflection in the full-length mirror. He lay naked, sprawled out across the bed looking rumpled and warm, watching with wide-eyed interest as she bent to fasten the tiny buckle at her ankle.<\/p>\n \u201cRimani Qui<\/em>?\u201d Antonio repeated the request in Italian, the pull of his accent intoxicating and powerful. His light-grey eyes, full of playful offerings, gleamed in the early morning sunshine pushing through the window.<\/p>\n An involuntary laugh escaped her parted lips, attempting to conceal the hint of regret riddling her voice. \u201cI\u2019ve already extended my trip. My boss might think I\u2019m taking a vacation on her dime if I stay any longer.\u201d<\/p>\n It took every ounce of composure to keep her wits about her. Out of all the lovers Hope encountered during her travels, Antonio was always the hardest to leave.<\/p>\n Antonio Giovanni was the epitome of all men that women dreamed of. Tall, dark, and handsome with an accent sexy enough to leave a trail of women swooning in his wake. The man wore charisma like a fine silk suit\u2026flawless and molded to perfection in all the right places, leaving just enough concealed to make you wonder what lay hidden beneath the faultless exterior.<\/p>\n \u201cSi, I think you need some rest and relaxing. Come back to bed, bella.\u201d<\/p>\n Drawing a long breath through her nose, she envisioned a week-long Tuscan rendezvous curled up beside him, under him, on top of him. Hope\u2019s lashes dusted shut at the delicious image. Tempting<\/em>.<\/p>\n \u201cI really have to go or I\u2019ll be late for my meeting with Tracy. I don\u2019t want to embarrass myself in front of your sister-in-law.\u201d<\/p>\n Taking hold of the extended handle of her suitcase, she started for the door. Antonio rolled to his back. Reaching an arm above his head, he caught her around the hip, halting her rush. A low laugh simmered in her chest at his tenacity.<\/p>\n \u201cYou have plenty of time. Tracy said she\u2019d be in her office between nine and ten.\u201d Antonio slipped a strong hand beneath the hem of her indigo wrap dress. His thumb played mindlessly along her bare thigh, coaxing a shiver up her spine. \u201cAnd it\u2019s only eight thirty<\/span>. Let me take care of you before you go.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cI have to be there at nine, otherwise I\u2019ll be cutting it close to make my departure on time, and I can\u2019t miss my flight again.\u201d Her voice diminished, feeling his long, strong fingers curl around the back of her leg, pulling her close, until her knees rested against the silk bedding. The subtle aches in her inner thighs, sweet and electrifying, brought reminders of the night before.<\/p>\n Digging a heel into the mattress, Antonio inched his body further across the king-sized bed until his head dropped over the edge. The stark white sheet purposely arranged low on his hips, exposing the dark, trimmed hair at his groin. Heaven lay just beneath the silky sheets.<\/em><\/p>\n A small, wistful sigh of appreciation floated from her lips, taking in his lean body and sculpted abs. He looked nothing short of breathtakingly exquisite.<\/p>\n \u201cSi\u2019. I\u2019d hate to make you miss your flight again.\u201d<\/p>\n He didn\u2019t sound one bit remorseful.<\/p>\n \u201cLiar,\u201d she teased, barely able to hear her own voice over the pulse hammering in her ears. \u201cI think you\u2019re trying to torture me.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cSi, I could torture you all day. Stay,\u201d he murmured, taking a gentle bite of her outer thigh.<\/p>\n She smiled down at him, running her fingers through his thick, dark hair. If she didn\u2019t leave in the next sixty seconds, she\u2019d be straddling his face in sixty-one. A tousled mass of golden brown curls fell over her shoulder as she hinged at the waist, placing a long kiss goodbye to the edge of his scruffy jaw.<\/p>\n \u201cSo beautiful,\u201d he murmured. Pushing the loose tresses from her face, he twisted, brushing his lips to hers. Taking her mouth, he deepened the kiss, their tongues dancing in a smooth, masterful art of seduction. The provocative pressure, demanding yet playful, drew a low groan from her throat.<\/p>\n \u201cCiao,\u201d she whispered contritely in his ear.<\/p>\n \u201cEmail me the next time you\u2019ll be in Italy. Ciao, bella.\u201d<\/p>\n Hope smiled, brushing the tip of her nose to his. Her upside-down stare connected with his, soaking up the last few glimpses of silvery grey before walking out the door.<\/p>\n She lives in Las Vegas with her husband, four kids, and two golden retrievers. If she\u2019s not spinning richly emotional stories, you\u2019ll find her on her spin bike.<\/p>\n Website\u00a0 <\/a>|\u00a0 Facebook\u00a0 <\/a>|\u00a0 Twitter\u00a0 <\/a>|\u00a0 Instagram<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Pinterest<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Amazon US\u00a0 |\u00a0 Amazon UK\u00a0 |\u00a0 Amazon CA\u00a0 |\u00a0 Amazon AU\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback Blurb The biggest gifts often require the greatest sacrifices. Italian winemaker, Antonio Giovanni is tall, dark, and handsome with an […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20098,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"nf_dc_page":"","yasr_overall_rating":5,"yasr_post_is_review":"","yasr_auto_insert_disabled":"","yasr_review_type":"Product","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[52,50,49,9,29],"tags":[562,563,48],"class_list":["post-15928","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-drama","category-favourite","category-feeeeeeels","category-romance","category-steamy","tag-beverly-preston","tag-beyond-the-mathews-family","tag-review"],"yasr_visitor_votes":{"stars_attributes":{"read_only":false,"span_bottom":false},"number_of_votes":0,"sum_votes":0},"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Holding-onto-Hope.jpg?fit=150%2C225&ssl=1","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"jetpack_shortlink":"https:\/\/wp.me\/p7gaNL-48U","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15928","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=15928"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/15928\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/20098"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=15928"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=15928"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=15928"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Holding-Onto-Hope-Teaser.jpg?resize=522%2C438&ssl=1\")
<\/p>\nADD TO GOODREADS<\/a><\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nReview<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n\u201cI know,\u201d she lied, averting her gaze to the window.
\n\u201cYou don\u2019t fool me, Hope.\u201d He curled his finger beneath her chin, bringing her focus back to him. \u201cThis is the best I\u2019ve ever had\u2026the best I\u2019ve ever felt in my life.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\n
\n\u201cI do trust you, Antonio.\u201d
\n\u201cI want you to trust in this. In us.\u201d Antonio took her hand and placed it on his beating chest. He laid his palm over her heart. \u201cI\u2019m not going anywhere.\u201d<\/i><\/p><\/blockquote>\nBeyond the Mathews Family
\n<\/strong>Standalones<\/h4>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/A-Taste-of-Summer.jpg?resize=80%2C122&ssl=1\")
\u00a0\u00a0![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Holding-onto-Hope.jpg?resize=80%2C122&ssl=1\")
<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nBuy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n
\nReview<\/a>
\nBuy:\u00a0 Kindle Ebook<\/a>\u00a0 |\u00a0 Paperback<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\nThe books in this series can be read as standalones, but do have connections to The Mathews Family<\/a> series.<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\nExcerpt
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n
\nAbout the Author
\n<\/strong><\/h4>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/www.escapistbookblog.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2017\/01\/Beverly-Preston.jpg?resize=173%2C193&ssl=1\")
<\/strong>Beverly Preston is a USA Today<\/em> bestselling author of contemporary romance. She writes emotionally rich and sinfully sexy stories about the ultimate alpha good guy; the kind of man you want to drag you to bed and put a ring on your finger. She also has a passion for strong, humorous, female characters and stories ingrained in a solid sense of family and loyalty.<\/p>\n