He’s ten years older. My brother’s best friend.And for the next two weeks, he gets to have me in all the ways he’s ever wanted.HOLLANDThe last time I saw him, he still called me kiddo.But fast-forward five years and more than a few things have changed.He’s still Iain Thorn. He’s still my brother’s best friend and the painfully sexy man I clearly never stopped wanting. But me?Apparently, I’ve … wanting. But me?
Apparently, I’ve grown up in more ways than he can resist.
IAIN
I’m going to hell for looking at her like this.
She’s too young for me. Too sweet and naive.
She has no idea what I would do to her.
But since the day she walked back in my life in that tight little dress, I’ve felt myself caving. I said I’d never in my life get involved with Holland Maxwell.
But since I’m already going to hell, I might as well make it worth it.
*** NOW OR NEVER is a standalone in the Irresistible Series ***
Sweet Spot – Lukas & Lia
Bad Boss – Julian & Sara
Dirty Deeds – Emmett & Aly
Hothead – Drew & Evie
more
Hooked from the first sentence to the last word! And I didn’t want it to end!
I know that after every book in this series I’ve said it was the best one but this definitely IS the BEST one! I’m not sure if it’s because we had to wait so long for this one and I’d built it up – or maybe down – but I was totally blown away!
I couldn’t put it down! Little girl crush to big girl reality. So hot! At one point my heart was torn wide open and I read faster to heal it only to have it ripped up again. But all was well in the world of Iain & Holland and I didn’t want to leave!
Love, love, loved it!!! I love that Drew and Mia (from the last book, Hothead) played a part here as well. Again, I didn’t want to leave!
Stella Rhys never disappoints!
This is the book I’ve been waiting for! I love all the detail that went into building up the relationship. Even the age gap felt natural, and less kink. So many books make it into a Daddy issue thing, but in this scenario, it felt so realistic. Flawless.
Now or Never is sexy, well-written, entertaining, captivating, and emotional which is exactly what I’ve come to expect from a Stella Rhys Novel. Every single one of her books I’ve had the pleasure of reading has been a damn good time. She never fails me, and this time was no exception!
Holland is a heroine that I adored right from the start. She was raised by a strict, overprotective/mentally abusive mother that not only sheltered her from the world, but also alienated her from her peers and others in their community. Despite that, Holland is a confident, well-adjusted woman that strives to be positive and grateful for the good things in her life. She could have become a bitter, anti-social, pessimist (and really who would blame her?), but she doesn’t allow her past pain to steal her future joy.
The hero, Iain, is a former wild child turned successful sports agent. He poured every bit of himself into his job leaving very little time to relax and have a personal life. In fact, he was in a monogamous strictly sex only relationship for 5 years to avoid feeling anything deeper than surface level for anyone. It’s what made his interest in Holland even more meaningful right from the start. Witnessing the big, badass, business man fall for her was everything! I loved watching her knock down every single one of his walls.
Iain and Holland are explosive together! The chemistry between them is palpable! The sexual tension is so intense I found myself holding my breath at times while reading. Stella Rhys excels at sex, and this might be her hottest book yet! I mean, grab your man, your b.o.b, or both, because you’re going to need them when you’re done! Holy shit! From the beginning, I needed a fan! Y’all might think I’m exaggerating, but I’m not!
Now or Never has to be one of my favorite novels from this author to date! She always delivers me with the most enjoyable escapes from reality I could ask for. Her stories entertain me. Her writing sucks me in and won’t let go. Her characters are well developed and endearing, and the steam between them will blow you away. On top of that, there is a surprising amount of depth and emotion woven in that makes me fall in love with the characters and their creator even more. That’s why Stella is and will always be one of my unicorns. If you’ve never tried one of her books, you’re truly missing out!
Fans of steamy romance, awesome heroines, and big, broody heroes, this one’s for you!
Wow. This book was that good, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
This was a great read. Iain was a jerk but he started to grow on me and in the end, I really loved him. I’m glad Holland learned how to grow and stand up for herself.
I chose this story because I was looking for a good age gap with a steamy couple, and also because I love brother’s best friend romances. And don’t get me wrong, it doesn’t disappoint on that. But this story was deeper than I thought. It made me cry and smile. So emotionally perfect.
Another hot and consuming story by a new to me author. This was the second of 3 books I binge read on KU and I couldn’t put it down. Stella Rhys knows exactly what to give her readers and leaves them wanting more. With each book, I’ve devoured it and then wanted to discover it all over again. I can’t recommend this author enough!
Swoony, Team Holland, Kindle on Fire! Good grief! This book was swoony, had me rooting for Holland, lit my kindle on fire … all while I stepped into a world of familiar characters I adore!
I am a HUGE Stella Rhys fan, and a bigger Irresistible series fan….this book took it to a whole new level for me! The book hooked me in the first scene and I was glued to my iPad constantly!
Why? Characters and the storyline…. Ian and Holland are both battling wounds from the past… character development takes place as the story progresses … bits of the past and the present come together here. They try to fight their attraction, but it doesn’t work.
With these types of stories, we all know how it ends (HEA here as with all of Ms. Rhys’ books), but the journey is why I read her books … with this one, you’ll want to buckle up … and by that I mean put the phone on silent, order in, ignore the laundry and housework, and play sick on the couch!
Download this book! You’ll be happy you did.
I received an ARC. This is my honest review.Stella Rhys
This is my first book by Stella Rhys, but it will not be my last. I absolutely loved this book! Holland and Iain were perfect. I also did not feel like I missed anything by not reading the other books first. I actually didn’t realize it was a serious until I was finished.
Holland is finally on her own after years of working and saving her money in secret. She was shetlered by her mother and wants her freedom. Iain is an amazing sports agent and has the world at his finger tips basically. But when the past slams into them both one night, neither know how to respond.
Now or Never is everything I want in a book, well-written, sexy, emotional, and had me hooked from the start. Rhys wrote amazing characters that I could not get enough of. I loved Holland right from the start, she’s made to look helpless by her family but she is anything but helpless. She knows what she wants and she goes after it, she’s fierce, and sassy, and so much fun to read about. Iain is hot, sexy, alpha guy we love to read.
This book was so much more than hot, steamy scenes, the emotional connection between these two was amazing. It didn’t matter their age difference they just clicked and belonged together. Iain being Holland’s brother’s best friend added the forbidden part and had me on the edge of my seat waiting to see how he found out about the two.
Stella Rhys delivered a fun, sexy, captivating book that left me needing more. I can not wait to go back and read the other books in the series now. I loved Iain and Holland’s story.
Iain can be a Thorn is my side any day he likes!!
Now Or Never is the 5th book in the ‘Irresistible’ series by Stella Rhys, and it’s been a long, hard wait for it to be released, but it was so, so worth it. It’s a kind of taboo, but not, as well as a brother’s little sister and in a way, a second chance.
Holland and Iain have known each other since meeting when Holland was thirteen. She crushed hard on him and was devastated when he disappeared without a goodbye four years later. But, now she’s twenty-two, and starting out on her own after getting away from her mom’s controlling clutches.
They meet by accident at the bar that Iain frequents and where Holland has just started working. Iain recognizes Holland instantly. Holland is surprised to see him again, but when he does something behind her back, she’s furious and takes a stand.
She’s not a kid anymore and knows what she wants. Unfortunately, that just happens to be Iain.
Iain has a past that torments him. It make him wild as a teenager and into his early twenties, but then, one day, that all changed and he had to be the responsible man he has become. It’s left him cold and callous, an unfeeling brute of a man, until Holland spins back into his life. Try as he might, he can’t deny the chemistry they share and the volcanic attraction that leads to him wanting, needing more.
This was an emotional story, it had a few funny moments, but there were deeper, darker, grittier times too. But, they both grew as characters, Holland especially, when she sees what Iain needs, more than even he does.
I loved both Holland and Iain, and was rooting for them from the start. Give this book a chance today, it’s Now Or Never.
3.75 stars!
“You were made to be mine…And I was always made to be yours.”
Holland has had an unrequited crush on Iain since she was thirteen years old. There is a ten-year gap and she has always been seen as the kid sister of his best friend; however, when he sees her all grown up working in the bar he frequents, he can’t stop thinking about her. She has always been off limits but what if they could have one night to get over the attraction they clearly have? Could they walk away in the morning or will their hearts change everything?
This book delivers a smoking hot romance that has just the right amount of humor and heart to bring on the feels. There are hidden truths that leave you guessing until the end and a little bit of angst to keep you rooting for this couple.
I loved Holland. She had a difficult and lonely childhood and she has worked hard to get to where she is today. She grows into her own and is confident and independent. I love that she takes her life into her own hands and admire her strength and determination.
“I’d endured twenty-two years of being treated like the most pristine little doll. I’d specifically moved to New York to escape that life, and if last night’s screaming outdoor orgasm was any indication, I did enjoy being treated the opposite of fragile.”
Iain is a successful sports agent and has no trouble getting the job done. When he sees Holland for the first time in five year he is caught off guard. The surprise feels genuine and he’s not exactly happy to see her. But now she’s caught his eye and it is exhilarating. Holland’s crush has come back full force and Iain can stop thinking about her in the naughtiest of ways.
Holland and Iain’s chemistry is sizzling and the sexual tension is off the charts, especially with their push and pull banter. Add the fact that technically she is still off limits, it only intensifies everything and makes every interaction delicious. When they decide to give in to their desires for one night in an effort to get each other out of their systems, they find it lights a fire between them and they can’t keep their hands off of each other.
One touch is all it takes to send them into a frenzy. It’s hot and thrilling and mostly physical. They think they can keep it casual by putting a time limit on their agreement but the more time they spend together, the closer they grow.
“He was making me feel adventurous and alive in every way I’d hoped and prayed for when I was anxiously planning my move to this city and waiting in secret for the day to finally come.”
They remember the past, their friendship, and what they truly mean to each other. They have a connection and, though it takes a while to uncover the truth, it deepens as they open up about their pasts.
Iain comes across as a total jerk to Holland in the beginning and it took me longer to fall for him. Every time he changes him mind about what he wants, I got another dose of whiplash. I knew there were secrets and a reason for his hardened heart, and I was desperate for them to rationalize his actions. He has a lot of guilt and pain on his shoulders and it really made me feel for him when we finally get the backstory.
Holland is a breath of fresh air that Iain didn’t know he needed. I love that Holland helps him work through it. She is there for him even when he pushes her away, and I loved that she believed in him. Her feelings were authentic and she never gave up on him.
“In just a few weeks, she’d turned me upside down. Obliterated the stability of my long-practiced routine.”
I really enjoyed the secondary characters. Lovers of Hothead will enjoy seeing Drew and Evie again and getting a glimpse into their life as parents. I also loved Drew’s relationship with Iain, and I enjoyed seeing Adam and AJ’s interactions making me desperate for a book featuring them.
There are a few things that brought my rating down a bit. I love brother’s best friend romances but I was expecting a bit more off limits feels. Some of the actions seemed a little out of character making me question some of the motives. There were also some angst that I think was unnecessary. However, overall, I did really enjoy the story making Now or Never is a steamy addition to the Irresistible series.
*ARC generously provided by the author and Give Me Books Promotions*
Stella Rhys knows how to bring sexiness, wonderful characters and those steal your breath moments to life!
Now or Never is book five in the Irresistible series and most definitely my favorite! Stella Rhys gave us a brother’s best friend trope that was perfection!
Iain is a sports agent (whom you meet in the other books in the series) who is a hard-working guy who knows what he wants. Enter Holland, his best friend’s little sister who is about to turn Iain’s life upside down!
I truly enjoyed the relationship between Iain and Holland. While Iain is struggling with how to look at Holland now that’s she is a grown woman (and tens years his junior), Holland blew me away with her outtake on life. The struggles she endured, some while Iain was around in her younger years, really pushed her to be a strong woman. We slowly see Iain change his outlook on life and I loved watching him come out of his shell.
The banter, emotion and the sexiness between the Iain and Holland had me enjoying every single moment and made this story an absolute favorite of mine!
Now or Never is a story that will not only light your body up like a fireworks display but the love story between Iain and Holland will dominate your mind with an intense passion you never expecting. Iain was a character that appeared composed and unaffected but you felt the want and affection he kept locked inside but it was the reason for this that you needed to uncover. Holland held you captive by not only her vulnerability but also her internal strength. This was a story I devoured, kept me on the edge of my seat as the layers were peeled away one chapter at a time to finally give us the all consuming love that had been brewing between two people who had always had a connection. This was a book you did not only read but felt with every fiber of your being.
I was lucky enough to receive a free copy through Hidden Gems and I voluntarily chose to review it. This is a well written story. This is the first book I have read by this author but it will not be the last. I will be honest I wasn’t sure I was going to like the male character during the first chapter but I gave him a chance. As it turned out I grew to like him. This is one you need to give a chance, it is worth it.
One thing I can be certain of when I read a Stella Rhys title is that I’m going to get a story that’s filled with angsty drama and plenty of spice. When we saw cool, calm, collected Iain in the previous books I never suspected such a mass of seething emotions within him. This was another book where my heart hurt to read the pasts that brought our main couple to the point where they connect again. Circumstances kept Iain and Holland apart when they were younger, but now they’ve brought them back together. It was a roller-coaster ride watching these two work through the baggage of their shared pasts and learning to be their best selves. Iain’s alpha-hole attitude felt over the top at times, but so was Holland’s sunny optimism. They balanced each other out beautifully, though. One thing that bothered me a bit is that there’s next to no talk about seeking proper, trained medical help for these extremely deep mental and emotional wounds. I would have preferred to see more about getting professional help than the mostly self-treatment methods shown. However, now I’m desperately hoping that we haven’t seen the last of this series.
I received a complimentary copy of this book through Hidden Gems Books.
The first thing I have to say is that this series takes to long to come out. 🙁 Stella brings out these books that you can NOT put down.
Ian and Holland, we have seen in the other books off and on. We are finally getting their story. Ian is best friends with Holland’s brother. Now that Holland is in New York and living away from her family. When Ian sees her for the first time in five years, he can’t believe how much she has changed. And the heat is on with these two.
I loved not only the chemistry between these two but the history and friendship. Ian has a history that he is trying to keep buried, and Holland is trying to see the best in everyone. It makes them an interesting pair. Holland is smart beyond her years, and even though there is an amazing amount of sex in this book, the relationship forms while you read.
Now or Never is a must-read book!
Oh, jeez! This story was fabulous! It was hot AF, had angsty moments, and so heart-meltingly swoony in places that I was just a puddle of goo by the end of it!
“She had no idea what she did to me. How many images I already had of her forever burned into my mind.”
When Holland Maxwell was a kid, the only person who really saw her and took the time to talk to her and support her was her brother’s best friend, Iain Thorn. Ten years older, he was her whole world and she lived for the times when he used to stay with her family. Then five years ago, all contact suddenly stopped. Now, at 22YO, she’s suddenly face to face with her childhood crush, and he’s nothing like the warm, young man she remembered. Worse, he’s pretending that she’s a complete stranger.
“I found myself aching badly to taste her lips. To taste her mouth and her tongue and confirm just how sweet I knew she was.”
Iain Thorn has worked hard to turn his life around and cut out his previous reckless behaviour. As a result, he’s immensely successful but a workaholic with no time for relationships and feelings. When Holland is suddenly before him, and all grown up into a woman with curves for days, he feels a spark for the first time in years – but she’s completely off limits, not to mention too good for him. But she’s an itch he needs to scratch. Just once. Or, maybe more than once.
“My weakness…you’re my [f…] weakness, Holland. And I’m never letting you.”
Gaaaah! The chemistry between Holland and Iain was OFF. THE. CHARTS!! It was absolutely palpable and electric. God, he had such a dirty mouth! However, what I really loved was underneath his inscrutable demeanour beat the heart of the old Iain that Holland knew and loved. His words! I swooned SO HARD for this guy. I loved his alpha, dominating ways but his fierce feelings for Holland and his tenderness OWNED me. Holland was a spunky heroine. I admired her so much – the life she’d previously overcome to have the life she had now. The fact that she’d suffered but came out the other side full of positivity and gratitude.
This story was addictive reading, sexy as hell, with a fab storyline. Totally adored it!
This was a really good read! I love when this author comes out with a new book, I’m not sure I’ve found one yet that I didn’t enjoy. The writing flows well, and I loved Ian and Holland together. I didn’t like Ian at first, but it becomes clear pretty quickly why he was acting the way he does. I thought Holland was a great character, and I liked her for Ian. Ian was an alpha, which I loved. They have super hot chemistry, and it’s there right from the start. The only thing that I would have liked was a little more closure on something, Holland’s mom. It was just left hanging in my opinion. The ending was very sweet, and I loved seeing them get their HEA.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
This book is ubelievably, sexily, naughtily HOT!
Iain “Mr. Angry Sex In A Suit”, is beautifully broken, very much in control of his life, company and emotions, until her. Holland is beautifully complicated, stifled as a child, teenager and young adult until she breaks free.
He’s ten years older than her, her brother’s best friend, her childhood champion. She was manipulated, controlled and sheltered by her mother, she is strong, resilient and tenacious.
Together they are slightly damaged perfection and the best thing to happen to each other. A delicious coming together and a much deserved happily ever after.
TBR this great book and if you’re like me and this is your first book by Stella Rhys, you’re going TBR the rest of the books in The Irresistible Series and look forward to (hopefully) Adam and A.J’s story. (I read an ARC and am voluntarily leaving a review.)
I dont usually like older man, younger woman stories, but I loved this one! Holland is very mature for her age. She has been thru a lot which adds a lot of depth to her personality. Iain is seemingly cold but Holland is his weak spot. Their story is sweet, sexy and redemptive. I hated for this book to end!