Rock bottom has never felt so good.At least, that’s what I tell myself when I bargain with the enemy and score a renovation for my hair salon. The enemy? Nick Stamos, my best friend’s older brother. He’s got a body and face the Greek gods would envy but his personality needs a major overhaul. He’s surly. A rule-follower.Did I mention he’s seen me n*ked? I may have crushed on him for years, but … n*ked?
I may have crushed on him for years, but the only place I want Nick swinging his hammer nowadays is at my salon.
Except, he needs something in return. . .
A fake girlfriend.
And I’m just reckless enough to say yes.
HOLD ME TODAY is a steamy slow burn romance. It’s the first book in the highly anticipated series, Put A Ring On It, and can be read as a standalone.
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Ermione (Mina) is less than thrilled that her best friend’s brother, Nick, is the contractor who’s going to be renovating her salon. Nick, the man she’s always crushed on. The man totally her opposite, who is a grumpy rule-follower, and who has never seen her as more than his little sister’s best friend, a pita one at that. So when he needs a fake girlfriend, she can’t say no, can she? Not to the man she’s still crushing on, even as they drive each other nuts?!
Best friend’s brother/brother’s best friend is one of absolute favorite romantic tropes, and the author does well by it here in Hold Me Today. Nick and Mina have so much chemistry and it’s obvious where this is going from their very first meet on page. Their history, spanning years, is given enough weight to anchor their relationship in the present, and aided by a wonderful secondary cast, their relationship slowly evolves from fake companions to true lovers. There were a lot of obstacles to be stumbled over, most significantly, both their many insecurities, and I admit to wanting to skim a tad, and that’s why 4 instead of 5 stars. But aside from that I really liked this beginning to the Put a Ring On It series. It’s sweet, it’s sexy, and Nick and Mina are absolutely perfect for each other once they work out their demons. I’m definitely looking forward to more from this series and this author in general.
I freaking loved this book. I wish I could read it again for the first time.
Mina is realizing her dream of owning her own salon, but the contractor she hired to do the work ran away with all her money. Desperate, she turns to her best friend’s older brother Nick, who owns a renovation and restoration company. Mina and Nick have always been more frienemies than anything. Even though they’ve grown up together they have always teased and bickered with each other.
Nick is willing to help Mina, but he needs her help too. He appeared on a Bachelor-type reality show under the coercion of his sister Effie, and even though he made it to the very end he just didn’t have feelings for the intended bride. The gossip sites are hounding him, though, and he wants a pretend girlfriend to make them leave him alone.
What I liked: SO much! Mina is incredible. She is hilarious and ambitious and unapologetic and fierce, but she’s hiding a well of insecurities stemming from her tormented childhood. Nick is practically perfect, for real. I love how he calms Mina and helps her work things out, and doesn’t try to stifle her. Honestly, if I listed everything I liked about this book we’d be here all day.
What I didn’t like: Not a thing. This book is wonderful.
Overall: READ THIS BOOK! It is soooo good.
Hey look! Maria Luis has a new series out today. Hold Me Today is a sweet, emotional best friend’s brother/ hate-love/ fake relationship tale of two people searching for love.
Nick Stamos wanted the HEA so bad he even went on a reality show in search of it, but came away without the prize he was after.
Mina is a hard-working Greek girl trying to build her own business but so far, life and her reno man haven’t been playing ball. She needs Nick’s help. Too bad she hates him. Her one time high school crush.
Nick needs a fake girlfriend so it’s a win-win, eh?
But, as the get closer, the lines between fake and real get blurred and they fall hard. Will it end the way it should or is this just another fantasy ready to hit the dirt.
I loved everything about this book. Nick was hot and sexy, Mina, cute, smart and sassy. Grab your copy today, you won’t be sorry.
Loved it!
Maria Luis is one of my go-to authors.
What I liked:
The writing style
The characters
Nick
The humor
The snarky dialogue
Frenemies to lovers
Dual POVs
Part of a series: Put A Ring On It
Standalone
HEA
Epilogue
I have loved all of Maria Luis’ books, and I always look forward to her next one, but I’m really, really looking forward to finally reading Owen’s story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an ARC.
This is another great read by Maria Luis. She once again brings strong well developed characters and weaves an entertaining romance between Nick and Mina. They’ve had a love / hate relationship since grade school and I enjoyed their bantering back and forth. The author does a great job moving their story and it was fun watching them come together , realizing their love for one another was real. I loved reading their story and would highly recommend this book. Well done!!
I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book. All opinions in this review are my own and freely given.
After writing over 700 book reviews in less than two years, it gets harder and harder to be creative; however, Luis is one author who continues to excite my reader’s heart, suck me into her stories, and effortlessly has me in love with her characters before I even realize it. My problem with her books is my inadequacy to do them justice in a review. Her skills as a storyteller continue to grow as she sharpens her wit, perfects her pacing, and pours more of herself into her work. And this book? This book is easily the pinnacle of her work to date. There is so much MORE in this book! More impeccably timed humor, more perfected imperfections of authentic characters who steal the reader’s heart, more soul-deep connections between the characters and the reader, and more complex, deep emotion. And steam. We can always count on Luis for just the right amount of fun, smexy times! So whatever term you prefer, “This book is everything,” or “This one has all the feels,” Hold Me Today is THAT book.
Where do I even begin with these two characters? Nick is the swoon-worthy alpha that every girl wants, but he’s such a darn nice guy with a big heart and a sweetly vulnerable side that is oh, so delicious as it’s revealed. And Mina, OMGee, Mina. This girl has layers for days and so many contradictions. She’s a tough, driven over-achiever, yet she’s been searching all her life for a place to belong. She’s had challenges all of her life and she’s fought and scraped for every millimeter of success. Is it wrong that I have a girl crush on her? She is easily my favorite Luis heroine, because there’s just something about a girl who fights every day to overcome challenges and negativity and is successful in spite of it. Then, throw in a happily ever after with the guy who was made for her, the one who knows her, loves her imperfections, and fits her like no other – my heart is done. Wrecked. Destroyed. And I couldn’t be happier!
Nick is Mina’s best friend’s older brother, and they’ve know each other forever. For most of those years she was simply his sister’s friend and a thorn in his side, but he sees things in a different light when he agrees to renovate her hair salon and they spend more time together. And did I mention she agrees to be his “fake” girlfriend to keep the media off his trail after the whole “Put a Ring On It” debacle? Hindsight being 20/20, Nick realizes that, at every pivotal point in his life, Mina has been there offering comfort and support but asking nothing in return. A part of me wishes they had seen the light sooner, but destiny has a way of playing out so we learn the life lessons we need in order to make us ready for the next chapter of life. Sometimes when I read a book, I think of how I would have written things differently, but Luis got Nick and Mina’s story exactly right, every step of the way. This is perfection, pure and utter perfection.
This is the first book in the Put a Ring On It series, and Luis has set the series up in such a way that I’m insanely excited about what is to come! Not only am I completely in love with Nick and Mina and can’t wait to see them again, but there are hints of some wickedly wonderful things to come with both Dominic and Owen’s stories. If you like romantic comedy (and who doesn’t?) you’ll definitely want to grab this one and start reading ASAP. Humor, heat, heart, and an author pouring her soul into the characters and their story. What’s not to love? This one deserves all of the stars in the night!
Fantastic Romance!
OMG! Maria has written a fantastic book! It’s one of the best books I’ve read in a while! It’s my favorite book of Maria’s so far! Hold Me Today is a great start to the new Put ARing On It series!
I loved Nick and Mina! They were perfect for each other! It just took them awhile to figure it out! Their chemistry made for some hot sexy times! I loved how Maria brought the Greek culture into the story. I absolutely loved Hold Me Today! I can’t wait for book 2!
Thus far, 2019 has proven to be the year of great book boyfriends, and now I have Nick Stamos to add to the growing list. A good male lead can make or break a book for me, but what puts Hold Me Today over the top is the fact that the female lead (Mina) is equally as great. This book was pretty much written with me in mind, as it features two of my favorite tropes: best friend’s sibling/sibling’s best friend AND a fake relationship. The kicker is Maria Luis handles the characters and the plot so well: there is heart, humor, and heat (my favorite H’s). It was a bit of a slow burn and the pacing lagged a bit in parts, but all in all, a good time was had by all (and by all, I mean me) and I can’t wait to read the next book in this sparkling new series! 4 out of 5 wine glasses.
I loved it! In true Maria Luis’s fashion she got intrigued and in love with this couple from the very beginning. I loved Mina and was heartbroken for her, her parents were horrible, no child should have to go thru that it was not her fault to be born under those conditions and treated as such. But luckily Mina continued and got what she deserved and that my friends was my hottie Nick, he was wonderful and even though he seemed to have it all together he didn’t he was vulnerable and looking for love only in all the wrong places when he has Mina right in front of him…Grab a copy my friends and Enjoy! because you will!
Rcvd an ARC at no cost to author..Voluntarily reviewed with my own thoughts and opinions
Everyone needs to stop what you’re doing and one-click this book RIGHT NOW. Seriously, Maria Luis has out done herself. It’s got a little bit of everything going on. Angst? Check. Laugh out moments? Double check. Steam? Yes yes yes!! Nick is the good guy who always does the right thing. Mina is head strong, fiercely independent, and pushes Nicks’s buttons like no one else can. Nick coming out of his shell and breaking the rules was so much fun to read. These characters are definitely not perfect, which is what makes them amazing and relatable. Plus, the glimpses into the rest of the guys in the Put a Ring on It series makes me so excited for what’s to come! Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m gonna go back a read the stairwell scene for the billionth time
* I voluntarily chose to review an advanced copy of this book
Wow! This was my first book by Maria. I love finding new authors and getting lost in another writing style. Nick and Mina’s story is definitely a page turner. I am looking forward to more from this author. Great start to a series!!!
This is a very well written friend to lovers romance. The author has given us a storyline with her uniqure flare that I just love. The book is funny, romantic and will most certainly touch your heart. The characters are down to earth and very relatable and the situations they find themselves in are very common to most people.
Mina has had a crush on Nick, her best friends brother, since she was a very young girl in school. The older she got the more the crush involved into deeper feelings, well at least on her side. Even when she was crushed when the told her he was marrying another, Mina stood by him her feeling never wavering, at least on the inside. But Nick and Mina have always been there for each other even though they fuss and pick at one another in their own crazy way. But through it all to Nick she was just his sister friend and to Mina he was her whole world.
Mina always had a dream to open her own business. But when her dream of opening her own salon are all but crushed the only person she can depend on for help is Nick. But can she stand to be around Nick for weeks while her salon is being built and not let him see how she’s always felt?
This is a very funny, delightful story that will warm your heart and have you laughing and smiling a lot. 2 Thumbs up for this heartfelt 5 star read. I highly recommend it and look forward to book 2 in the Put a Ring On It Series.
So far I haven’t read anything bad or subpar from Ms Luis, she just gets better. Her characters are full of depth and layers. I wasn’t sure about Mina or Nick and how they would end up together. I’m not a fan of The Bachelor or The Bachelorette kinds of programs but I can see why Nick would have put himself through that experience. At first, I thought that Mina might be a little too flaky but the more that I got to know her, the more I saw how competent and insightful she was. Especially after learning more about her childhood and family issues. And Nick, OMG, is the perfect package; patient, hard working, puts others that he cares about first, and, of course, sexy. The only problem that I can see is that I will have to reread because I devoured it as soon as I received it. Can’t wait for the next book!
5 STAR Review by Jodi for Ruby Red Romance Review
I could not put this book down. No, seriously, this book was everything I never knew I wanted and so, so much more. This book had it all, it made my laugh, it made me cry, it made me want to fall in love all over again. Nick and Mina were/are special. There’s so much more to them than what you see on the surface. I don’t know what I was expecting when I signed up to review this book, but I can honestly say, I got way more than I bargained for.
Nick and Mina were witty, sexy, hilarious, and just what I needed. I loved Mina and her sass. Nick is the silent, broody, sexy type. Something I love, but together these two had it all. I think what I love most about this story is the evolution of their relationship. Mina has loved Nick for years. Something that was not reciprocated until Nick figured out that his feelings for Mina were far more than he thought.
This story flowed well and had me entertained from the start. I’m new to Maria Luis, but don’t think that she hasn’t found a new fan. I loved her writing style. I felt like I was right there they whole time. This story was one that keep me wanting more. Please check out this awesome book!
Charming, funny, romantic, Hold me Today, is also well written and a great read. Peppered with references to Greek culture, it brings the joyous MyBig Fat Greek Wedding to mind, but is far from being a copy of the film. Nick is a fabulous hero! Gorgeous inside and out, the build up of his relationship with Mina, is written with tenderness and warmth. Mina is a beautiful, emotionally vulnerable heroine, for whom we want nothing but the best…and that is Nick. Read and enjoy!
You HAVE to read this book!
This is such a romantic story! Nick and Mina have known each other for more than twenty years, growing up together in Boston’s tight-knit Greek community. Mina always knew Nick was never going to see her as anything other than his little sister’s best friend, so she buried her crush and lived her life on her own terms. Until the day she needs a general contractor like Nick, and Nick needs a fake girlfriend to divert the media from his recent reality-show appearance.
The romance is exquisitely paced as Mina and Nick first examine the depths of their friendship before giving thought to the growing awareness of their sizzling chemistry. The character development is amazing throughout. Nick and Mina learn as much about themselves as they do about each other, challenging what they thought was true and seeing each other in a new light.
There’s a wonderful cast of secondary characters, and the author establishes a vibrant community that draws the reader in right from the start. The emphasis on the extended families gives the story a solid authenticity that really brings these characters to life. Their HEA was hard-fought and satisfyingly sweet. I honestly hated to leave this book world once the story was over. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.
Hold Me Today- a perfect romance! What a swoony sweet read! Nick and Mina- she’s his sister’s best friend and he’s known her most of his life. He’s her teenage crush! Now she needs his help and he needs hers.
Maria Luis takes readers on a journey of love and romance and honesty for Nick and Mina- not just for each other but for themselves. There are so many sweet beautiful details of how well they really know each other! From tattoos to murals, I laughed, I cried a bit for them.
I loved the brokenness and honesty and chemistry that gets these 2 characters to a happily ever after! All the characters throughout the book were well written. I love Effie and Dominic, the Blades… and so much more! I cannot wait for book two!
Hold Me Today by Maria Luis is book One in the Put A Ring On It Series. This is the story of Nick and Mina. Nick and Mina have know each other for several years because of their family connection and friendship along with their tight Greek neighborhood. Mina has always had a crush on Nick but knew that it wasn’t going anywhere because he only saw her as a ‘little sister’ to his friend. But now in their present day, she need help with renovation at her hair salon and Nick agrees to help but he needs something in return. Nick is in need of a fake girlfriend and wants Mina to be that acting girlfriend. A Deal is made, but the price might be at the cost of their hearts.
This was such a great book that you will not want to put down. I love the sparks and works that flew from them along with the secondary characters. I need to have more books from this author and with those secondary characters!