A military hero with scars. The son he never knew he had. And the woman he could never forget.
Mira Shipley is far from home, raising her son on her own—and the babysitter has just quit. Then salvation appears, in the messiest—and hottest—form possible: Sam’s real dad, who’s an Army Ranger. Jake Taylor was Mira’s first love—her first everything—and she always vowed that if she ever saw Jake … ever saw Jake again, she’d tell him he had a son. But she wasn’t expecting him to be so wounded and angry. Part of her wants to walk away—but she knows she needs to be patient with him.
That was before he volunteered for childcare duty.
Now they’re under one roof together. There’s no way to keep this alpha warrior at a distance. No way to protect her own heart, or her son’s. No way to deny the wild chemistry between them. It’s a recipe for the deepest intimacy of her life. The most intense connection she’s ever known. And maybe, if she and Jake can both overcome their fears, a recipe for…family.
“One of the best books I’ve read so far this year.” —Bette, Goodreads
“LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.” —Denise, Goodreads
“Sweet, sexy and real . . . In Hold On Tight, Serena Bell has written a beautiful story about a wounded soldier and the woman strong enough to love him.”—USA Today Bestselling Author Jessica Scott
“Hold On Tight gave me all the feels. I love that it’s about healing, finding something to fight for, learning to go after what you want and that love is never a bad thing. …”—The Book Dutchesses
“I was completely swept away with the characters, story and the writing.”—Twin Spin
“The authenticity of their story is resounding. This isn’t a story of instant love, but of an uphill battle and determination, of making decisions, and of living in the here and now.”—Heroes and Heartbreakers
“Hold On Tight is one of those romance stories that warms you right through to your very soul.”—Nicci’s Book Blog
“Bravo to Serena Bell for some truly astounding character work in this book!”—Smitten with Reading
“This contemporary second-chance romance is Bell’s best written book yet. It deals with the horror of war beautifully and with great care, weaving it into a great love story, and many, many swoons.”—The Book Hammock
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Jake and Mira will grab you from the start with their chemistry, humor and complicated backstory. It makes for an absolutely impossible-to-put down book (All 3 books in the series are this way).
They had a youthful, sweet love affair that ended because Jake struggled with his emotions and couldn’t handle how much he felt for her. She didn’t know she was pregnant, he deployed and she could never find him to tell him about the baby, despite many times trying. The first chance she can tell him, she does. They run into each other at his physical therapist office… where she happens to be with their seven year old son, Sam…. who Jake didn’t know about.
I loved Mira. She tells Jake right off about their son. She is so honest, upfront, and throughout the book reacts to Jake just how he needs. She is full of both kindness towards him and what he’s gone through, but also has guts to stand up and push him towards a new life.
Jake struggles with depression and anger and hasn’t yet figured out how to deal with his civilian life and the injury that has brought him home from Afghanistan. He hesitates to get involved with Sam and Mira… but the chemistry is just “there” and he’s such a good person at heart… there was no way he wasn’t going to become a huge part of their lives.
He helps Mira out with babysitting… and learns to fall in love with his son… and it all rekindles his feelings for Mira. He gets to know his son, and his young son inspires him to embrace his full self and altered life with his injury. Jake starts to realize he needs a new vision and dreams and starts to formulate how to get there… as he falls for Mira again, despite their deal to keep it simple.
Their love… it’s literally heart melting and also their chemistry is off the pages!
All parts of their story is so rich in emotion, and so well written.
You feel like you could know these three; Mira, Jake and Sam… in your real life.
This story has it all; such heart and heat and love and new beginnings healing old hurts.
Highly recommend.
Emotional, heartfelt, and real. A wounded military vet, a young mother, and a too smart for his own good seven-year-old – these characters and their story grabbed hold of me and didn’t let go. The whole story is beautifully done, but the stand out element for me lay in the characters. They aren’t perfect by any means, and their romance certainly isn’t all sunshine and roses, but they also aren’t over the top. What they are is authentic. These are people who could be your neighbors, your friends, people you could run into at the grocery store. The doubts, the fears, the anger, the hope, it’s all there as Jake and Mira do the best they can with their circumstances. They don’t always make the right decisions, and they don’t always do what we think they should, but their actions and reactions feel genuine. This couple does have great chemistry, and they are drawn together with an almost magnetic force, which makes it impossible not to root for them, especially with young Sam in the mix. I absolutely loved Sam with his inquisitive nature and honesty that is so prevalent in children. The only drawback for me was that wrap-up felt a little unnecessarily drawn out, but it’s also understandable because I didn’t want to let go of these characters at the end either. Hold on Tight is suitably named because it certainly held on tight to me from the very beginning. It’s an engaging story with a sometimes grumpy vet with a heart as big as Texas, a single mom doing the best she can, and a sweet little boy I constantly wanted to hug.
Eight years ago they shared a blissful week together, but then it came to an abrupt end when Jake’s deployment came calling. He didn’t want to let go of what he shared with Mira, but where he was headed called for complete concentration, and that meant there wasn’t any room for distractions. So, he just walked away, but that didn’t stop him from letting her wander into his mind every now and again.
Then the unexpected happens, and he finds himself injured and being sent back states side. And the moment he wanders back into town he comes face to face with the woman who has had a starring role in all of his fantasies for the last eight years, and she comes bearing a surprise. One that rattles him to his core…
Hold on Tight is a heart-wrenching story of healing, forgiveness, and second chances. You better have your Kleenex nearby because this one is an emotional one, it had the tears welling and my emotions all over the place. But you may also want to have a fan nearby to because it packs a powerful punch in the heat department too, wowza these two had some serious fireworks! I really enjoyed having the chance to go back and meet the couple that started it all, their story was good on my heart and full of moments to swoon over! I loved their story just as much as the other two stories in the series, it had the same heart-string tugging story line I was accustom too, and came with unforgettable characters that you can’t help but fall for! Highly recommend!
I requested an advanced copy of this title from the publisher, and I am leaving my honest opinion.
You never know what soldiers go through psycho logically
I loved this writer’s style, her turn of phrase. The characters were mature people (in their 20’s) who reacted thoughtfully. The hero is a wounded warrior; he lost his leg above the knee and has to redefine himself and his life. This is the first in a series of four. I did not find the next two as well-done but this one is a keeper.
Sweet, sexy and real… In Hold On Tight, Serena Bell has written a beautiful story about a wounded soldier and the woman strong enough to love him.
Hold On Tight is intensely sensual, with three-dimensional characters and a romance worth rooting for. Serena Bell is a master of sumptuous realism.
After returning home from serving in Afghanistan, Jake Taylor must learn to adjust to his new life back in the States. He and his team suffered an attack that left them with life-altering injuries and Jake finds himself struggling to learn to live a normal life again.
During a visit to his physical therapist, Jake runs into the one woman that he was never able to forget. Mira Shipley is just as gorgeous as he remembered and memories of their time spent together has a fire igniting in Jake once again.
Jake soon learns that the passionate nights that he spent with Mira many years ago left them both with a surprise that neither of them was expecting. Together they have a son that has grown up without knowing his father. Can Jake learn to adjust to his new life as a father and find love again with Mira? Or will he struggle with his new life and lose his second chance at happiness?
(I received a copy of Hold on Tight from Serena Bell in exchange for my honest review.)
Hold on Tight is a heartwarming military romance. Jake and Mira share a steamy past that neither of them has forgotten. Now that fate has brought them back together, they must find out how much they are willing to sacrifice for a second chance at love.
If you love steamy, smart contemporary romance, Serena Bell always delivers!
I LOVED this book! Could not put it down and had to finish it in one sitting. (And I read 3-4 books a week!) The characters are relatable and real, the storyline is compelling and fulfilling, and the writing is beautiful. I can’t wait to read the next in the series, and then devour everything else Serena Bell has written. LOVE. LOVE. LOVE.
Jake and Mira had a very short, but passionate, relationship 8 years ago, and their paths are about to cross again. Jake is a war hero. Not only that, he’s a wounded war hero, who is back home after a devastating experience overseas. Mira is a single mom, who just moved across the country, and away from her parents, to prove that she can take care of herself and her 7-year-old son. What will happen when Jake finds out he has a son? How will Mira deal with Jake’s reemergence into her life? Will she tell her son, Sam, that Jake is his dad?
I adored Sam. This kid had a heart of gold, and he was not afraid to ask the tough questions. Have you heard the saying, “…and the little child shall lead them”? Sam is that child. I started reading one of the chapters, and when it started out, it made me think it was going to be from Sam’s POV. It didn’t turn out to be, but I thought to myself, “How freaking great would that be, to get a chapter from a child’s own perspective???” It’s definitely something I have not seen before, and didn’t know I’d love until that moment.
I loved this book. LOVED. I’d read another military hero book recently, and it was pretty bad. It wasn’t realistic, and it was very light on the facts. I don’t know what experience Ms. Bell has with military life, but I found her descriptions to be very authentic. Jake had experienced some very harrowing things while he was deployed, and he had a very difficult time dealing with the challenges of life back home. It all felt very real and honest.
I’ve also come to realize over the past few years that sexy times must be REALLY difficult to write, because some authors just aren’t very good at it. Serena Bell, let it be known, is NOT one of those authors. Her sexy times are off-the-charts hot. It’s possible that I enjoy them so much because I’m really rooting for her characters and I want them to have good sexy times, but I don’t think so. She’s just really good at writing super sexy scenes, which at no point make the reader pause and say “wait…what?”
I’m very excited about book 2, Can’t Hold Back, because it’s not just another book in the series, it’s a continuation of sorts. We meet the main characters, Nate and Alia, at the end of Hold on Tight, and it appears we will also be able to follow Mira and Jake (and Sam!) on their continuing journey.
If you like military heroes, or second chance romance, or secret baby stories, or indie authors, or all of the above, PLEASE go buy this book. I will definitely be bringing you reviews of the other books in this series, as they are released. I hope you love Jake and Mira’s story as much as I did!
Hold On Tight is a sweet, sexy second chance story that I quite enjoyed. I loved the emotional depth of the characters and story. I recommend to those who love military stories.
Copy provided by author
Who knew a visit to the physical therapist could change the life of rehabbing Vet Jake Taylor. Struggling not only with the loss of his leg but also his identity as a Ranger he is shocked to see the girl he walked away from eight years ago but has never forgotten.
This is an amazing story told with the flair I have come to expect from a Serena Bell book. Well written storytelling, endearing characters, dealing with realistic issues makes this one of the best books I’ve read so far this year. Absolutely a recommended read.
This heartbreaking yet sweet romantic novel was a pleasure to read. I did shed a few tears but there were so many places I smiled.
Jackson Taylor, known as Jake, is a severely wounded soldier in both body and mind. He’s lost, doesn’t know if he has a life worth living and is only going through the motions. He only life he thought he had was as an Army Ranger, a warrior. Now he has only one leg and carries an enormous amount of guilt. A chance encounter at his physical therapist’s office rock’s his world. He recognizes the beautiful young woman he had a short encounter with seven years ago. Her name is Mira Shipley. He knew at the time she was someone very special, but he was being deployed, she was very young and he didn’t want entanglements. She is there with her young son who had broken his arm. They recognize each other immediately, but he is difficult, angry, refusing to take a minute for coffee and some talk. She explains that she had been trying to reach him every way possible, always reaching a dead end, her son, their son Sam was the child receiving therapy. Jake reacts as a “grumpy asshole”, so she shoves her phone number at him and offers him a chance to get to know Sam and walks away from him.
The characters in this novel are so interesting. Mira grew up with parents who were always trying to shelter her, especially after Sam was born. She actually discovered her father was paying her boyfriend at the time, to take her nice places. She finally moved to Seattle to start a life for her and Sam on their own. Jake had a difficult childhood, his mother was an alcoholic, but over the past several years has become sober and healthy. He has a brother and sister that love him and want to help him, but he keeps himself behind his lonely shell. His guilt too much for him to share. Sam and Mira coming into his life puts a crack in his shell and letting Sam get to know his father is all Mira dreamed of. They both have a hard past to get over, but the love is there, has been since they first met.
Thank you to the publisher and author for the opportunity to read and review this entertaining story.
Pat Fordyce
Mia and Jake’s second-chance story in Hold On Tight by Serena Bell, book one in her Returning Home series, was an emotional, enjoyable and heartwarming tale. Eight years prior, Mira Shipley had a beautiful summer with the soldier she met, Jake Taylor. Jake was Mia’s first love, her first everything, and unfortunately they parted, not on great terms. When Mia discovered consequences from their last night together, she tried to find Jake to let him know about their son, but was unable to locate him, anywhere throughout the Army. At that point she vowed that if she ever saw Jake again, she would tell him he had a son, Sam.
Mia was tired of living at home with her parents and very tired of her controlling father. When she is offered a job, across the country in Seattle, where they used to live, she takes it. Mia is raising her son on her own, without family or a support group nearby, her babysitter just quit, and while waiting for her son during his last PT session, in walks the messiest and hottest guy she’s ever seen, Jake Taylor; Sam’s real dad. Mia never expected to ever see Jake again, and is surprised at his anger and that he is wounded. Jake wanted to be a Ranger since he watched the destruction on 9/11; it is the only life for him. Getting injured and losing a leg in the explosion that killed his best friend has Jake at a loss as to what to do with his life. Then he sees Mia, the one woman he could never forget; the one woman he saw a future with. He is shocked at Mia’s news, that he has a son, but before she leaves, offers to watch Sam for her. Mia accepts Jake’s offer and realizes she needs to be patient with him; as well as give him a chance to get to know his son. Mia soon realizes that when it comes to Jake she’s a goner; there is no way for her to keep this alpha warrior from breaking her or her son’s hearts. After eight years the magnetic attraction and off the charts, sizzling chemistry is still there between them. It is going to take time and determination before they can overcome their fears, learn to trust each other, and maybe, just maybe, re-connect and become a family.
Ms. Bell wrote an emotional and heartwarming romance that should not be missed. This tale abounds with emotions, magnetic attraction, sizzling chemistry, wonderful dialogue, and authentic characters giving Mia and Jake a second-chance at love while having a forever together as a family. I highly recommend Hold On Tight to other readers
03/17/2021 Once I started “Hold on Tight” (nook) I was unable to put it down until I finished. This book is a well-researched marvel regarding wounded warriors and their struggles. Sensitivity, love, angst, saddness and determination lead to Jake’s and Mira’ HEA. I loved the story!
I enjoyed the premise and discovered the different struggles our vets return home to face.
Wonderful read
Yes enjoyed
Great characters with great determination. Empathetic yet realistic. A really enjoyable read