Sawyer LaGrange.
He’s my best friend’s older brother.
He’s quiet, brooding, sinfully sexy… brave.
And I want him.
Secrets.
Everybody has them.
Big, small, innocent… forbidden.
Mindy was a line I should never have crossed.
But I did.
She was beautiful… sassy and tempting,
And rules were made to be broken.
We broke them all.
Now I’m home, released from service with hidden scars.
Now my secrets are the demons that grow stronger every day.
I try to send her away, but I can’t let her go.
She’s my reason to fight, and I’ll walk through hell to be the man she deserves.
To give her a reason to stay here with me.
(HERE WITH ME is a STAND-ALONE best friend’s older brother, second-chance, military romance. No cheating. No cliffhangers.)
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Emotional without angst overload. This author gives us such wonderful characters that you just want to wrap your arms around them and squeeze! Sawyer as the responsible, strong man that is loaded down with so much at a young age. Two younger siblings and a thriving peach orchard. It’s not how he saw his life going but he does what he has to for his legacy and then joins the Marines. The military is not what he expected and when he’s sent home after a harrowing mission he’s not the same. Crippling PTSD forces him to leave his girl. And what a girl! I loved Mindy’s spirit and stand-by-your-man attitude. Of course, that man is the hunky love go her life. From a young age Sawyer was Mindy’s hero and her lifeline. She’s been in love with him for so long and she thought after the Marines he would see her as grown up and ready to move forward in their relationship. It’s almost good between them when their sizzling chemistry turns sexy hot and Sawyer is sneaking in her bedroom window at night. But both need to find themselves so they go their separate ways. Will these two soulmates find their way back to each other? I loved the small town Louisiana backdrop and all the peachy going ons. Terrific family and friends in this story as well as a sweet and sexy hot romance. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC.
I read Here With Me all at once, I liked the story and the characters. Saywer has had alot of responsibilty since the loss of his parents, taking care of his younger sister and brother, as well as keeping the family farm going. Mindy and Saywer were so good together, they supported eachother. I liked the secondary characters, the emotion and family bond. Can’t wait to read the next book in this series.
A stunning love story that had me captivated from the very first page and didn’t let go. A best friend’s sibling romance that is powerful, inspiring, emotionally raw, intense, and breathtakingly romantic. Tia delivers a story with so much heart and soul that is bleeds from the pages. The characters and storyline are very well-written and relatable. I adored the small town setting of the story. Tia writes small town romance amazingly; I felt right at home. I fell hard for the characters and their story. Sawyer is a broken man who is incredibly sexy, loyal, and fiercely protective. Mindy is beautiful, sweet, genuine, and resilient. They share an inseparable bond that began in childhood and slowly grew into something so much more as teenagers. These two are absolutely magical together. The chemistry between them is undeniable and electric. A breathtaking love story of hope, trust, and faith. Watching them fall in love was absolutely breathtaking. How they fight for one another is powerfully moving. I could feel every emotion they experienced and it was a roller coaster of emotions. Some scenes just stole my breath while others shattered my heart. The wisdom interlaced throughout this incredible story left a lasting impression. I absolutely loved every second of this book and wished it didn’t have to end! Here With Me is a must read!!!
Tia Louise is one the handful of authors that I read no matter her cover or blurb. There’s only a select few that fall into the “must buy” category for me. I obsess over every single romantic suspense she writes and fawn over every contemporary romance. No matter the specific genre, I swoon over Every Single Male lead she creates. I’m so obsessed I read the books, generally buy a signed paperback and purchase the audiobook as soon as I can. So you get it… I’m a total fangirl!
Here with Me was pure perfection! I adored the sweet story that brought me back to first loves and all the sweetness and heartbreak that comes with it. Tia Louise has this was of building up an amazing story while giving her characters flawlessly flawed. I love when characters aren’t perfect, when the characteristics build up and create a person similar to people I like to spending time with. Mindy and Sawyer were fighting this strong and assertive chemistry for so long. However, what really pulled me to them was the friendship they shared. There was a special bond between them. They knew that they could always count on the other. I
Mrs. Louise is one of my favorite authors for a reason. I find myself reading her words and feeling connected to the people and the situations. I’m always so obsessed with the small town charm and romance Tia Louise writes about. It’s a sweet and wholesome feeling but there’s still this sexy chemistry that you get. I think I say it every time but I’m obsessed with Tia Louise. It’s everything about her books… the words, the characters, the situations, THE FEELINGS AND EMOTIONS. I just feel it all! She makes me laugh and cry! I feel an overwhelming contentment that only a Tia Louise book can give!
I received an ARC of this book with the hope that I would leave an Unbiased Opinion. I was not required to leave a review, positive or otherwise, and my opinions are just that… my opinions.
Once you start reading Here With Me, you will not be able to put the book down. Such a sweet story that will bring out so many emotions. You will swoon, you will laugh, you will blush and you may also share a tear, both happy tears and sad tears. It is a heart warming story that you will love. And you will certainly fall in love with a couple of old ladies. 🙂
*First Loves
*Best Friends Brother
*Military
*Small Town
*PTSD
This book has all the feels. I laughed, cried, swooned, cheered. The characters are so real, you feel like you know them. Sawyer and Mindy are fantastic. Tia Louise did a wonderful job building this world and all the characters in it. I couldn’t put the book down.
This book really hit me in the gut. It has it all. I cried early on, laughed, and absolutely fell in love with Mindy and Sawyer. Tia Louise has a true gift. Her ability to weave such heartbreak into such a beautiful story of healing, loving, and growth is what floored me. Having read Wait for Me, I knew what was coming in the introduction of the characters, but they way she told Sawyer’s point of view had me in tears. The path he walked and the heartache he felt was palpable and so, so real. Mindy’s growth was equally beautiful to read about as well. She needed to become the strong, fierce young women everyone knew she could be.
I finished this book with a smile on my face that carried me through the evening. Wonderfully, written and a love story so beautifully told. I highly recommend both Wait for me and Here with Me to all readers.
An angsty, tear jerker read that doesn’t disappoint. And boy does it give you all the feels. My heart broke over and over again with all of Sawyer’s struggles. He’s a gorgeous, brooding, sweet talker that I just fell head over heels for. Mindy is beautiful inside and out. She has a nurturing heart and an unbreakable bond with the people she loves. The steam is breathtaking. I was completely invested in this read from the start. Such a beautiful read!
From the moment that she took his hand on one of the worst days of his life, fate drew Mindy and Sawyer together. At first, she is too young. Then, he is too broken. But through it all, Mindy has been steadfast and unwavering in her love for Sawyer.
Sawyer loves Mindy, but knows he isn’t good enough. He’s damaged, but too proud to seek the help he needs. He’s worried he will let everyone who has been depending on him since he was only 16 years old down.
Mindy has done all that she can, and now it’s up to Sawyer to stay broken or fight for the life that should have been his from the moment she first grabbed his hand.
I adored Mindy! She is so in love, but knows she also has to love herself (thank you Deacon!) I loved watching her find herself and her passion and become all that she was meant to be. It didn’t mean she stopped loving Sawyer, it just meant that she made room to love herself too. And, her relationship with Miss Irene and the other ladies at the retirement home was simply fabulous.
And, Sawyer’s battle to take back control was stunning. His acknowledgement that he needed help and also needed to share his struggles with those that cared about him most was very powerful. The conversation with Mr. Hebert was a truly amazing moment from one veteran to another.
Here With Me was emotional and Intense. I wasn’t sure how things would play out, as Sawyer just about broke my heart right along with Mindy’s a few times, but the way it did was simply perfect for this couple. 5 stars
As soon as I read the prologue I knew I was in for something special. Here with Me is that and so much more. These two, oh so perfect Sawyer is the broody tortured hero and Mindy is his cure She is strong independent and loves Sawyer with everything she has.
Raw, emotional, tug your heartstrings, tender, sweet all rolled into one amazing story.
I laughed with them, cried with them and loved with them.
A perfect second chance best friends brother romance that will hold a special place in your heart.
Luv Mindy.
I really enjoyed this book. The story was really good I’m a sucker for second chance romance and this author does some of the best. I met the 2 main characters Sawyer and Mindy in Wait For Me Taron and Noel’s book and was dying to know more about them. I was delighted to know they were getting a book.
Mindy is a great character it’s is a strong woman but does doubt herself at time. She has loved Sawyer since she was a kid and get love for him as just grown over the years. But things got in the way so she alway hoped they would be a couple eventually. Mindy could deal with hard times she had been through them and so had Sawyer but now things were different she never got back the guy she once knew there was a darkness there but he never let her in long enough for her to find out. She just held on to what she had she would take whatever he offered her.
Sawyer is a complicated man life has been easy for him and brother and sister but he would do anything to make sure they were ok. He stepped up when he has to even though he wasn’t in the right frame of mind at times. He hide things well, well he thought he did. Mindy has alway brought him light and seeing her made him feel things he didn’t think he could feel but there are things stopping being the man she deserves but he didn’t know what it how to stop it. He couldn’t hurt her she meant everything to him. He just didn’t want her to miss out on a life and career for him.
I think this could be a book where I loved the heroine more than the hero. With this authors book its strange to say it cause her men are alway so hot and alpha. But there was something I didn’t connect with in Sawyer I can’t pinpoint it and it didn’t put me off the story Mindy well made up for that but Sawyer he wasn’t the alpha I’m used to. Don’t get me wrong this guy is super hot and I did like him but Mindy was the winner in this book for me. Her character is funny and strong even though she doubts herself and her confidence is where it should be I just love the way she loved Sawyer and would do anything for this man no matter if she had to push her career away.
I would recommend this book There isn’t a book that I don’t like from this author. Her books just get better every time the characters are addictive and so are her stories. I’m really looking forward to seeing what she does next.
Great story mixing best friend, military second chance romance, and made a fantastic read. Mindy and Sawyer’s story started years before and took a long emotional journey to get together. This story will grab you from the start and never let you go, definitely a must-read, the series, all standalone are fantastic and definitely a must-read, but this one is on my top favorites. I heard also the audiobook and Patrick Zeller and Emma Wilder did a fantastic job narrating this story, I enjoyed it immensely, felt every emotion through their voices, I recommend it.
We all know how I love and adore Tia!
So it was no surprise I was gonna love this book. And it was a military romance as well, so yeah lol.
Sawyer was someone that I was drawn to since Noel’s book. He just seemed so broken since he had to grow up so fast and take care of the farm and his siblings. Then you throw in what happened to him while he was out on a mission with his fellow Marines. I wanted to get inside his head and see how he thought and what was the meaning behind his actions.
With Mindy being Noel’s best friend, you had to wonder if she secretly liked one of the brothers lol. I mean what girl doesn’t have a crush on her best friends brother at one point. But to find out that it was Sawyer and they had a secret relationship in a way was something I wasn’t expecting! I loved how they first started, just a simple act of holding his hand in his time of need and she became his anchor!
4⃣.5⃣
recommendation
I was patiently waiting for Sawyer’s story and Tia Louise made his story amazing. Sawyer and Mindy grew up together in a small town. From the time they first held each other’s hands at age11; their love was meant to be. Tragedy occurs to Sawyer at the age of 16 and soon after he enlisted in the military. When he returns from the military he has changed but he knows deep down he will always love Mindy and is determined to find that love again. He has to fight the horrors he’s seen while he was in the military in order to move forward with Mindy. This story was so beautifully written and will tug at your heart strings!!!!
Audio Review
This is such a great make you feel series. They each have the past they are fighting to live with as well as present day struggles that the strong women that love them help them get through. This is Sawyer and Mindy’s story and it starts a long time ago when they were young and innocent and grows into adulthood where the world around them gets complicated. Mindy is friends with Sawyer’s little sister and she is also several years younger than him but her love for him is still strong. Sawyer is the head of the family after they lost their parents and he holds all the responsibility of keeping the orchard and everything else running properly. He is also fighting his demons from his time in the service and he can’t seem to let it all go. Can he heal and keep Mindy or will he have to let her go to become the man she needs him to be?
So many emotions in this book. Sweet tender times and heart wrenching make you tear up at others. I love all the feels and I love all the characters in this story. These books are written as a standalone but the characters carry over to each book in the series so you get to catch back up with old friends.
Patrick Zeller and Emma Wilder do a great job as Mindy and Sawyer. Emma has that sweet southern charm and Patrick has the southern, broody, hot Sawyer down perfect.
I loved this audiobook and highly recommend it.
Amazing love story you do not want to miss! If you are into angst, thrills, and the power of love, this book is for you.
Who knows what love feels like? For those who have lived a life of struggle and raising your own brother and sister with no parents to help, love may be more difficult to describe. After recognizing the feeling, if you have no life reference to look back on, how do decide if you are worth that love?
War changes a man. More so if your experience ends up hurting people you care about. PTSD is real and our courageous soldiers come back suffering for the rest of their lives with this illness.
I loved this book!
I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thanks to the author for sharing a copy with me.
So many FEELS! Sawyer & Mindy are perfect together. Tia Louise has done it again. This is a must read book for sure. I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Oh wow!! After reading Noel and Taron’s story in Wait for me, I was so excited to find out that Tia was writing Sawyer’s book next. I couldn’t wait to get a glimpse behind the scenes of Sawyer Legrange. He was always so quite and broody! And to find out his love interest was Mandi!! I loved her from the first book, she was Noel’s best friend. This book was so deep and emotional! I hated the way Sawyer struggled with his PTSD. I hated how it came between the two! I had such great chemistry together and just knew that had to find a way to make it!
Loved the dual POV. I enjoy getting into the mind of both of the main characters. And I enjoyed getting updates on all the character from Wait with Me. Although both of the stories can be read as a standalones, I highly recommend reading both of them!
I read and listened to the audiobook! The narrators were amazing!! Hope we get more from this series!! Maybe we can get Deacon’s or Leon’s story next!!
Sawyer and Mindy’s story was sweet, sexy, emotional and beautiful. These two found each other at a young age and were bound and anchored together through tragedy and darkness.
Sawyer has been dealing with the loss of both his parents from a young age that forced him to grow up much faster than he should’ve. Taking on the responsibility of running his family’s peach orchard while caring for his two young siblings since he was 16. Now at 31 he has recently returned home from serving with the marine’s and he is even more closed off and guarded than before.
He was such a strong, determined, protective, supportive, sexy and caring guy but also broken, lost, hurting in ways that will break your heart but you will surely fall in love with him. I loved every thing about him.
Mindy has been in love with her best friends brother long before she even really knew what love meant. She is determined now more than ever to do everything she can to make him hers for the long run while also working towards reaching her goals and exploring her passions. She wants to be there for Saywer as long as he is willing to let her in.
Mindy was a passionate, sweet, motivated, kind, patient, funny, sassy and loyal girl. I loved watching her grow as a person separately as well as alongside Sawyer. She never gave up on what she wanted and deserved in life and I both admired and loved her character.
Sawyer & Mindy’s connection, chemistry, heat and passion felt very raw, natural and real. I loved their story so much and have been loving this series of interconnected standalones and can’t wait for the next one Tia releases
Sawyer LaGrange has suffered more than anyone should when both of his parents die when he was 16 and he blames himself for the death of his dad. Luckily other families were there for him and his siblings so they didn’t lose the family peach orchard. When he was old enough he went and joined the Marines but now he is back to help the family and try to move on from everything he went through when he was overseas.
Melinda Claire “Mindy” Ray has been in love with her best friend, Noel’s, older brother Sawyer since they were kids and he was there for her and in return her there for him. Yet when he joined the Marines he left her behind and left her wondering if he still cared.
Now that Sawyer is back will he let Mindy back into his life or will he continue to push her away due to their age differences and the fact that he doesn’t want to hold her back from achieving her dreams. Can Mindy convince Sawyer that when they have is the real thing before she loses him for good?
This was a great book about overcoming your own demons before you can truly give yourself to someone else.
I loved the beginning of the book when Sawyer, 16, was there for Mindy, 11, when he found her but then she was there for him when his world was completely turned upside down. I can’t even imagine what he was going through and I was upset at his dad for putting himself above his kids.
The relationship between Sawyer and Mindy was unique in that it was obvious that there was a certain level of trust between them right from the beginning of the book but at first I wasn’t sure what had occurred between them in the past and why they were still keeping things secret. Gradually you learn more about their past and how Sawyer is the main stumbling block.
I liked Sawyer but he was forced to grow up so fast and he in turn left to join the Marines when he had the chance. I think it was almost like he was afraid of the ghosts around the orchard. But when Sawyer came back he was a changed man and I hated how he was so afraid of getting the help he really needed. He wanted Mindy but felt like he would hold her back from achieving her own dreams if they were to get involved in a serious relationship.
Mindy was a great character who truly wanted Sawyer more than anything and I was shocked at the things that she did in hopes of convincing him that they should be together, yet it was still subtle. She had dreams of owning her own design firm but she knew she needed to stay close to her mom and therefore really never thought about leaving town.
There was a history between Mindy and Sawyer and you truly root for them to be together but when Sawyer has an incident you realize everything he is holding in and you know he needs help and that Mindy isn’t going to be able to solve it for him. It broke my heart when Sawyer made a decision but I knew it was the right one.
I was so proud of Mindy for going out and achieving what she did and getting herself stable on her own two feet instead of basing it upon anyone else. At the same time I was so happy that Sawyer made the decision that he did and truly worked on improving himself and got the help he needed.
The end was super intense and I was overjoyed that Sawyer never quit looking for Mindy!! I was so happy that the two found each other and got through it all together!
4.5 Stars
By Rebecca