“Hang on for this completely unexpected hard-hitting ride!”—**Fresh Fiction
Not needing him won’t stop her from wanting him…**
Trucker Sterling (Star) Parson is no stranger to the challenges a woman faces, both in her industry and in life. But she can take care of herself. She’s never needed—or wanted—a man around…until she meets Cade McKenzie. The take-charge bar owner sets off all kinds of alarm bells for Sterling, but he also sets her heart racing.
Cade’s lived in Ridge Trail long enough to know trouble when he sees it, and the moment Sterling—Star—walks into his bar, he knows trouble’s come to call. Secrets run deep in the small town and Cade can tell Star’s got as many as he does, leaving him itching to uncover every last one. But finding common ground will mean trusting one another, further feeding an intense attraction that’s growing impossible to resist.
No Holding Back
By lorifoster
This is a new series from Ms. Foster. It is a bit grittier than some stories, but not offputting.
Sterling Parson is a truck driver who knows the dangers a woman can face. She does not need a man to protect her or to rescue her.
But Cade McKenzie makes her want a man around. He knows she is trouble, and has secrets. Problem is, he has secrets also. Can they learn to trust each other and resolve their differences?
I very much enjoyed this book. I gladly read and reviewed an advanced reader copy of this book.
I can sum up this novel in one word, and that word is, “Wow!” When I requested an advance reader copy of this novel, I expected something akin to Lori Foster’s Body Armor romantic suspense series, but this first novel in her new McKenzie’s of Ridge Trail series quite simply blew me away, and it gets 5 stars from this reader.
First, the warnings, the subject matter of this novel is dark–human trafficking/rape. It’s as violent as it is steamy, but if off-screen rape, and on-screen graphic sex and violence are triggers for you, I’d recommend finding a gentler, less violent novel to read.
Star/Sterling Parson was kidnapped, trafficked, raped and abused when she was a teenager, but unlike so many other girls in the real world, she managed to escape. Ever since then, she’s been on a mission to rescue other girls and women in the same situation, and she’s learned that she can often find them along the I-25 highway in Colorado, and at the truck stops along it. She’s become a big-rig trucker, so her frequenting truck stops draws no attention, nor does the way she dresses, playing down her looks and becoming one of the thousands of anonymous truckers on the road. She’s also found a rather seedy, out of the way, bar in a small town where she can stop, have a drink, and fall asleep at one of the tables, feeling both anonymous and as safe as she ever feels, which isn’t much for this quiet loner. The reason for that feeling comes in the form of bartender Cade McKenzie, a big, tall, handsome hunk of a man who has always seemed protective of her while keeping his distance, and by making sure that his other bar patrons keep theirs.
Each of these well-drawn, intriguing characters is more than what they seem at first, as Star is about to discover. Cade has been content to watch her, let her rest, and wait, but when he sees and hears her flirt and make a date with two disreputable men, he’s about to reveal that he’s more than what he seems, and although he’s barely had a conversation with her, Cade sees far more deeply into Star’s character, and her life, than she could possibly imagine, and he realizes that now is the time to get involved, and does he ever. Things are about to get very complicated, very steamy, and very dangerous, very fast.
No Holding Back is as dark and action-packed a romantic suspense novel as I’ve read. The subject matter is both harsh and timely, but, if you like edge-of-your-seat suspense, danger, and drama, like to be invested in characters with real issues, real backstories, real depth, and plenty of angst, characters who are prone to self-examining their own feelings and motivations, and who deal with each other with great compassion, respect, understanding, and yes, even humor, then I think you’ll you will be as impressed with and drawn to this brilliantly written novel as I was. I have no idea how Ms. Foster is going to top this novel, but I can’t wait to find out.
As stated, I voluntarily read an advance reader copy of this novel. The opinions stated are my own.
What better way to start the new year than with a new Lori Foster series! And what a series it is. A little reminiscent of her Love Undercover series which was one of my favorites. Yet this series promises to be a little darker and I’m a big fan of dark. Books like this are why Lori Foster is an auto buy for me.
Cade and Sterling were fabulous characters. Both had heartbreaking back stories that had led them to their current paths and also made them the perfect match for each other. Cade was the sexy alpha that Lori Foster writes so well and Sterling his confident and capable match. When these two team up to take down human traffickers, you know you’re in for a wild ride. Their attraction was instant but the build- up of their relationship was slow and sizzling. And while I loved the sizzle, I also loved the emotional connection the two forged.
This book has the perfect blend of emotion, passion, and danger. It’s fast paced and will grab your attention from the start. If you’re a fan of off the charts steaming romance and engrossing suspense, you’ll be thrilled with this new series. Make sure you’ve got plenty of time because once you start reading, there’ll be no holding back. 2021 is off to a great start!
I loved this book. These are my type of hero/heroines. They both are strong, resilient and fiercely protective. Cade would be the perfect man for me in real life, as he is alpha but is not overbearing and a jerk about it. I love how Sterling gives as good as she gets to everyone. Both have fears and things that run deep especially Sterling but they are also strong. Both Sterling and Cade get each other exactly how couples should. Cade also seems to have special way of knowing exactly what Sterling needs and when to back off. I so can’t wait to read more about the McKenzie family. I think this might be my favorite book so far by Lori Foster but she always seems to top them with her next book.
*I received this free book from NetGalley/author and am leaving my honest opinion*
I received this ARC of No Holding Back for my honest opinion.
Ms. Foster handled the scary subject of sex trafficking in a way that many of us wish we had the strength to handle ourselves. I have no idea what prompted her to touch on this scary subject, but she did it with grace and humility. Our heroine, Star, a victim of sex trafficking, who managed to escape reinvented herself in order to help save other girls and women of the same fate. Our hero, Cade and his family have made it their life’s mission to destroy sex trafficking rings. When the two meet, the fireworks begin. Together, they must overcome their fears of the past and learn to trust each other in order to move forward to a promising future together.
No Holding Back is the first book in the new McKenzies of Ridge Trail series. It has been a while since I have read anything by this author, and I am blown away by it! It was action-packed but also heartwarming as this family takes up the fight against human trafficking and rescuing innocent women. They wouldn’t meet the standards of a “normal” family so finding that special someone was not easy for them. Sterling (Star) Parson was a survivor, smart, sassy, and perfect for Cade McKenzie and you could feel the sizzle between them from the beginning.
Star had been taken by human traffickers while in high school but was able to escape before she was harmed. Now she tries to help innocent women and stop the men in charge of operations. She works alone and trusts no one but when Cade inserts himself into her life, she slowly comes to trust him as she realizes they are both working toward the same goal. Cade and his family are closing in on a human trafficking operation and Star was about to ruin it. Cade knows he must keep her safe, but he also needs to keep his family’s activities a secret. Cade and Star both must open up and share parts of themselves in order to build trust between them.
All the action and suspense in the storyline kept you on the edge of your seat until the very end. The characters were intriguing, and you couldn’t help but fall in love with them. I hope the next book will be Reyes’s story and I can’t wait for it!
I received an ARC from NetGalley and am voluntarily leaving a review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Great start to a new series!!! Cade and Sterling have off the chart chemistry that begins with a reluctant partnership that Sterling is not really interested in, due to always having to rely on herself. When Cade interjects himself into her business they begin an unlikely relationship that catches then both off guard. Add in Reyes with his snarky interactions and the discovery that they share a common enemy, sparks fly. Watching these two fall hard and try to make certain each is save, while dealing with Cade’s family makes for a edge of your seat enjoyable read.
Sterling is so strong but so vulnerable. Cade watches over her even though he doesn’t know anything about her. When he sees her take on some guys that he knows will harm her, he decides he needs to keep an eye on her. Whether she wants him to or not. Sterling doesn’t trust anyone. She had a bad childhood and then she was abducted when she was a teenager. She doesn’t want to be a victim ever again and she wants to help others who are in the same position. Cade and his family are secretly doing the same thing. Can Sterling trust him enough to work with him? Can she trust him with her heart?
This book captivated me from the first page. Human trafficking is real and scary and this book brought it the forefront. There was a great cast of characters and the first book in the McKenzies of Ridge Tail is a great start to a new series.
Star is a young victim who decides never again and goes about finding a way to save as many girls as she can. She is strong and bada$$. She doesn’t trust and when Cade steps in to help she lets him know she is one woman team. Until one day she finds herself in need of help. She grudgingly accepts help, only to discover he can be very helpful. There is great chemistry between them even tho Star isn’t sure she can ever trust. Cade is ex military and I love his honor and courage in facing the demons in her life.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series!
I love this story so much.
Lori goes in a different direction in No Holding Back, but. she tells the story with her usual heat and heart. I love it when the Hero and the heroine join forces to fight a common enemy instead of fighting each other.
Cade, when crossed, is a force to be reckoned with, but he also has a soft spot for family and Sterling, or Star, as he likes to call her. Sterling is a strong woman, but she recognizes and accepts her limitations. She is not foolhardy. Together she and Cade work, along with his family, to rescue women in distress.
This is Cade and Sterling’s story, but I’ll bet we’re going to get to know other members of the Mc Kenzie family, and I say, “Bring it”
Lori Foster starts her new series with a story about human trafficking and a vigilante family focused on stopping the human traffickers. It was intense, it was nerve wracking, it was wonderful. Sterling/Star grew up in a dysfunctional home and was abducted by a sex trafficker when she was 17. She escaped, but it gave her life a new focus – saving other women from the same fate. It also made her a loner, keeping to herself, keeping a low profile.
When she starts going to Cade McKenzies’ bar he knows she is hiding something, but he just keeps a protective eye on her. Once they start interacting, the story really takes off and this is one couple that will stay with me for a long time. The good guys are everything you’d want them to be. The bad guys are really evil with no redeeming qualities, just as they should be. The McKenzie family is fascinating, each person a well-defined individual. This is a great start to a new series.
Thank you to Lori Foster and NetGalley for an advance reader copy; this is my honest review.
*I received a free review copy of No Holding Back. This has in no way influenced my voluntary review which is honest and unbiased.*
No Holding Back is the first book in a new series by Lori Foster, and it blew my socks off! I loved Sterling, she had definitely been through hell. She was therefore far from trusting, but she was a very strong character, both physically and emotionally. Cade was a fantastic character as well, fighting the good fight – all in secret – he felt like there was something about Sterling from the first time she came into his bar.
This story is a fast-paced romantic suspense, and I loved how complete it made me feel. There’s a lot of action – both in and out of the bedroom – and I enjoyed the fact that Cade did not steamroll over Sterling’s wants and needs, he treated her as a partner in every way of the word.
Author Lori Foster killed it in this first book of the McKenzies of Ridge Trail series…literally and figuratively.
The strong heroine in this story, Sterling Parson (Star), is out for revenge, working under the guise of being a truck driver, and taking refuge in the local bar. Cade, a bartender in the small town bar, knows more about Star than he will let on, but he won’t let her know until he has to, for her safety. The frequenters of the bar know to stay away from her, but she doesn’t seem to know her limits.
The McKenzie family dynamic is a mix of strong-minded individuals with a dark, twisted history and a very strong connection. The storyline is intense, deep, tragic, romantic and protective. 4.5 stars for this wonderfully written romantic suspense.
**possible triggers…
human trafficking
abuse
Wow, what a start to a new series! This story has it all–action, humor, family, intense emotion and lots of heat. Cade is drawn to Sterling, who has been a frequent visitor to his bar which is in a seedy part of town. Sterling is strong-willed, feisty and a tad skittish which intrigues Cade like no other woman. There is more to both Cade and Sterling which comes to light after one intense encounter that entwines their lives on many levels. You will love the journey these two take but don’t overlook the “cherries on top”: Reyes, Madison, Parrish and Bernard.
I am so in love with this new series. Generally I find it takes me some time to get to know and warm up to the characters in a new series but that was not the case with this book. All of the main characters have their own distinct personalities and there is an interesting dynamic within the McKenzie family (including their butler/chef Bernard). And while the subject of human trafficking is a serious matter, there are so many light hearted and snarky moments throughout the story that I often found myself laughing out loud. And given Reyes personality, I can hardly wait to read his story.
Lori Foster continues to tackle the tough topics, weaving in steamy romance, in “No Holding Back” the first of a new series.
Readers will love alpha hero, Cade, and strong heroine, Star.
*I received an arc from Netgalley, author & publisher for an honest review.* This is a new series by Lori Foster & what an amazing start! Sterling aka Star meets Cade after going into his bar. She keeps to herself but knows there’s more to him than just owning a bar. Cade also keeps an eye on her because she intrigues him & he knows there’s more to her story. They soon find out they’re both trying to take out sex traffickers & end up working together with Cade’s family. While it’s a serious story line there’s still the strong sense of love & family (between Cade, his brother Reyes, sister Madison, Dad Parrish & family friend Bernard), humor & love story between Cade & Star. Star never had a family to count on & finds it difficult to trust Cade & his family. She finally trusts Cade & his love for her and gets the man she loves & the family she never had. Lori also has rescue animals in her books (homeless Mama cat & kittens this time) that I also love!! Another amazing book by Lori Foster!! Looking forward to Reyes & Kennedy’s story!!
This is the first book in a new series, and I can’t wait for there to be more! This book has everything I expect from a Lori Foster book, great characters, plenty of heat, and an interesting plot that draws you right in. Once I started this book I could not put it down. I loved Cade and Sterling together, and I am so pleased with the ending they got. The idea behind this book, and the organization the family runs is really interesting. I can’t wait to read Reyes and Madison’s stories and to revisit this world again. Another great book by Lori Foster. This is my honest review of an ARC I received on netgalley.
No Holding Back is the start to Lori Foster’s newest series, and it gave me vibes from the Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor and Love Undercover series. I enjoyed Foster’s return to this kind of writing because she does it so well.
Sterling (Star) Parson was a prickly woman, for good reason. As a survivor of a past trauma, she strived to help others who suffered through similar experiences. Cade McKenzie was a bad ass of a man, who worked with his vigilante family to rescue those subjected to human trafficking and wreak vengeance on their abusers.
Cade and Star had excellent chemistry. Obviously they had great physical connection and amazing intimacy, but they also fit together emotionally, with their career and life goals, and the like. I loved seeing it all unfold.
The action and suspense of the story kept me intrigued and entertained, and I appreciated how everything wrapped up.
I greatly enjoyed Reyes and Madison, and even Parrish and Bernard. I can’t wait for this series to continue!
***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy generously provided by the author.***
What a great start to a new series! Sterling (Star) is such a fascinating character, she is a female truck driver but also moonlights as a protector of young women. She had survived a horrible time in her young life and has made it her mission to not let that happen to anyone else. She had been stopping at the local bar and had caught the eye of the bartender, Cade McKenzie. But he too is not all that he seems. The two of them, along with Cade’s family, have a common mission. After a near miss, Star is convinced and willing to work together, but she is still protecting herself. I absolutely loved the way Cade approached Star, he saw the sadness and hurt in her eyes and he does not strong arm her or manipulate her at all. He allows her to make her decisions, but stays by her side.
I loved so many things about this book, we have a very strong and independent heroine, an alpha protector in the hero, the suspense that kept me on my toes, intense chemistry between Star and Cade, and the banter between her and his family was awesome. I really enjoyed this book and am looking forward to the next in the series.