One night brings them together. Another night tears them apart.Grace Miles misses her easy friendship with Asher, but growing up means growing apart. And really, how could he fall for her when they spent their childhood getting muddy in the creek and splitting sticks of gum?But this summer, something feels different. If Grace didn’t know better, she’d think Asher was flirting with her. Those dark … flirting with her. Those dark eyes, hard body, and wicked smile make her insides swirl and her heart dare to hope for things she’s convinced herself she’ll never have.
Falling for your best friend shouldn’t be complicated, but for Asher Bailey, loving Grace is anything but simple. The road to romance isn’t smooth thanks to his pack of wild brothers who are protective of the girl next door, a take-no-sass grandmother, a small town where gossip is a spectator sport, and a feud that spans generations.
But Asher realizes his feelings are too big to ignore. Loving her isn’t the risk. Losing her would be.
And one night, one kiss, changes everything.
Finally admitting their feelings is the beginning of their happily ever after. Until their fairy tale love story is tragically interrupted, and neither of them will ever be the same.
Author’s note: Lifelong soulmates, ridiculous pranks, brother shenanigans, and a feuding town. Protecting You is the Bailey Brothers series origin story. Be there when it begins and fall in love with this wild band of unruly brothers.
The Bailey Brothers is meant to be read in order, and Grace and Asher’s story concludes in book two, Fighting for Us.
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If you’ve read Claire’s Miles Family Series then you have already been introduced to Grace. (If you haven’t – you need to fix that ASAP!!) There have been so many questions about Grace. Why is she wearing a ring? Who is she waiting for? Where is he?
THEN we find out he’s in prison. And the questions change to: What did he do? And why is she waiting for him??
This is the beginning of their story. There is friendship and a bond between Asher’s family and Grace’s family. They’ve been neighbors forever and grown up together. And their love for each other is like no other.
The supporting characters in the story are amazing!! Gram is full of patience as amazing wisdom. The Bailey brothers – well they’re crazy and so much fun.
And even though you know the ending of this book will be hard, Claire connects you so much to these characters that it is still like a punch in the gut when it happens.
This is the perfect introduction to Grace and Asher. I love that it was its own separate story and not just the beginning of a really long book.
I cannot wait to see these two get their happy ending in Fighting For Us!!
Wow. Just…wow. It’s taken me a week to process all the feels in this book and I still don’t think I’ll be able to do this review justice. Suffice it to say that this story contains more heart, more love, more loyalty, more tenderness, and more devotion than any book I’ve read in years. Grace and Asher’s progression from childhood best friends to lovers is perfection. From the pure, innocent love of their youth, to the newer, complex emotions that develop as they age, this epic love story is why this is my favorite trope.
This is a prequel to the new Bailey Brothers series and gives you the beautiful origin story of Grace and Asher. But, that also means you’ll want to pencil in some time to read Fighting for Us immediately after you’ve finished Protecting You.
If you’ve read the Miles Family series (not a prerequisite, but do yourself a favor and check them out,) you’ll know the basic storyline of Grace and Asher already. If you haven’t read them, fear not…your heart will survive! This was a well-written, epic love story set in a beautifully crafted world that I can’t wait to visit again and again during this series.
This is the first in a new series by Claire Kingsley.
Fans of Claire’s Miles Family series met Grace Miles a while ago. We knew she had a fiance and that they couldn’t be together but we didn’t know what happened. This is story of how Grace and Asher, best friends since childhood, fell in love but were ripped apart.
Protecting You is a lovely story of friendship, romance and love. It definitely pulled at my heart and I can’t wait to see how Grace and Asher reunite in Fighting For Us. Excellent start to this series!!
Asher Bailey, lives next door to Grace Miles. He is a year older, but since his parents died, at a young age, he has always felt the need to protect his family including his best friend and neighbor Grace.
As they go off to college, they start to drift apart, but when Grace comes home for summer break, he realizes that she is the only one for him. He’s never acted on these feelings, because he was worried he’d mess things up and lose his best friend.
Gracey (bear) Miles, is the literal girl next door. She is sweet, pretty and smart. She has had only a few boyfriends, but it just didn’t seem right.
She was always holding out for the right guy, but deep down she knew there was only one person who would do. The problem was, to her, he never showed her those kinda feelings.
Now, however, there’s no mistaking that she has always been the one for him and he’s going to get her and protect her at all costs.
This is such a beautiful and tragic love story. I cannot wait for the next book in this series to find their happy ever after.
Claire Kingsley’s writing style is phenomenal. I absolutely know I’m going to adore this series, with these five fascinating men.
4.5 Heartbreaking Stars
Protecting you is the first story in the Bailey Brothers series and also my first by ClaireThis story is bittersweet as it takes us through a quick glimpse of Asher and Grace’s lives as kids and as adults how they become more than friends Unfortunately, a night that was supposed to be magical turns into absolute tragedy and I have to admit broke my heart for this couple
I’m looking forward to seeing what happens next Thank you to Claire for my advanced copy for which I willingly leave my honest review.
Ready for the next book. This is everything that fans of Claire Kingsley are looking for to set up this new series to dive head first into.
There you go. What more do you want?
Okay fine. Let’s talk series, series cross-over, tears, and other reader expectations.
Do you have to read the Miles Family series before this one? No. But you would be dumb not to. Let’s say you choose no. This is the origin story of the Bailey family and the town of Tilikum. Here we learn about all those little known facts and inside jokes so we will feel part of the family once the series takes off. HOWEVER, there will be a cross over from the Miles connection and you will be sad you don’t know that family. Let’s avoid that unnecessary drama and read the Miles Family first.
Tears? Nope, not heavy angst or ugly cry here. This story ends at the point where you know (because you took my advice above) this was coming. I wasn’t sad but more excited for where this story is going. However, I can see if you didn’t take my advice above and start here, I can see this book would leave you forlorn. But trust the romance. We are getting book 2 soon and all the joyful HEA our reader hearts come to expect.
My advice- Grab a copy, a glass of favorite reading drink and spend a few hours to indulge in the start of another family of love stories.
Recommendation: Read It
I tried to take as much time as humanly possible when it came to reading Protecting You because I didn’t want it to end. I so can’t wait for Fighting For Us after reading this. My heart breaks for both Asher and Grace being put in such a life changing position. They are finally able to be together only to be ripped apart. Claire doesn’t even realize just how awesome of an author she is. I haven’t read one of her books that I haven’t been sucked into, including this one.
I live for small-town family romances and Claire Kingsley has just blessed us with the Bailey Brothers! This is a heartwarming love story of longtime friends, Asher and Grace, that will leave you in tears as it ends in a tragedy that tears them apart. This novella packs a punch and I just know this series will be gold. One book in and I’m already obsessed with the Bailey Brothers! Claire has completely upped her game with this book, and it’s just the novella!! I cannot wait for more!
Oh my heart! It cracked wide open and I was hanging on by the tiniest of threads…well, I still am! Claire has been a favorite of mine so I knew this was coming but I still wasn’t prepared. Have the tissues ready, it was so sweet and heart wrenching at the same time! Protecting You was the first book in Claire’s Bailey Brothers series and I can tell it will be an amazing ride!
Asher had loved Grace for years but he never acted on his feelings, until now. Something in him clicked and he knew he could not live without her.
Grace was over the moon! Her best friend wanted her, and she wanted him. With lots of decisions on the horizon, they decided to take it one day at a time, until the day that changed it all. Would one mistake take everything they had built away?
Seriously, I did a lot of swooning! These two are so amazing! Fair warning, it ended way before I wanted it too…I can’t wait for Fighting For Us!!
I knew this prequel would break me, but oh goodness I has no idea just how all in my feels I would be. Claire is one of my favorite go-to authors and this book clearly shows why. The depth of emotion that she’s able to convey, the way I feel like I genuinely *know* these characters, the love they have for each other, the heartbreak.. It’s all just so phenomenal!
Asher and Grace have been the best of friends their entire lives, but for the last few years there’s been something off between the two of them. They are no longer as close as they once were, and that due to them both being so in love with one another, but so afraid to do anything about it for fear of ruining their friendship. However, that fear quickly becomes unfounded when they start an all consuming, passionate love that you can’t help but root for. It seems everything is falling in place for them, until a heartbreaking and horrifying incident takes place, and Asher is imprisoned for eight years. (I will always maintain that he got a shitty deal. I won’t spoil anything, but when you read it you’ll understand why. #FreeAsherBailey)
My heart broke during the last 20% of the book, and you just know that the way Asher was before he went to prison won’t be the same Asher that gets out. I just know we’re in a world full of hurt for these two, and I pray that Grace is strong enough to bring him back without breaking herself in the process. Ugh, I need bribe Claire with something good so she will sneak me part two. This is her best work yet, and we still have so much more to go!! I can’t wait!
While this new series is a standalone, I encourage you all to read the Miles family series first! Trust me, those books are pure gold!
**I received an ARC of this book and these are my honest opinions!**
I loved Grace in the Miles Family series and kept hoping we’d get her story. I am so happy it’s here! I knew there would be so many emotions with this story but I was so happy to see how Grace & Asher’s relationship started. In this book we get glimpses of Grace’s life from before & after she met the Miles family as well as getting to meet the Bailey family. This is such an incredibly well written story that introduces us to this wonderful family. I loved how Asher took a lot of responsibility in helping his younger brothers since he’s the oldest as well as seeing how his friendship with Grace changed from childhood friends to eventual sweethearts. I cannot wait to see how their story ends with the next book in the series.
Asher and Grace have grown up together, best friends. Grace and her mom live next door to Grams and her five grandsons she is raising after their parents were killed in a house fire. Asher was the oldest of the boys. They were inseparable until the last year or so of high school when Asher started dating. Grace realized he didn’t have the same progression of feelings she did so she worked hard to get a scholarship to a college away from their town. She didn’t want to watch him create a life and family with someone else.
When she comes home for the summer after her second year of college, Asher acts like differently. He is flirty and spending a lot of time with her. He has realized that he better make his move or he might lose her forever. This is where it gets so sweet. They turn back into Gracie Bear and Bear and hold hands. They go on dates and have their first kiss in front of “their house.” They talk like they used to. Life is good.
The brothers were so perfectly brothers, thundering up and down the stairs, tackling each other like puppies all the time. Gram was just the wisest and most loving grandma. I loved her so much.
But of course, there has to be a huge twist to leave us hanging off the cliff at the end of the book. To make us furious at Asher and go all Fangirl at Gracie for her awesome letter she pens to Asher. At least we don’t have to wait for the 2nd book, Fighting For Us, it’s already out! This is for sure a FIVE STAR READ!
So this was just the prequel for Claire Kingsleys upcoming series featuring the Bailey Brothers. This started out super sweet and I’m smiling as I’m reading and then BAM….the big moment comes. I mean, I knew something was coming but holy wow! No more smiles and instant heartbreak for all the characters involved. I need the next book now please!
Protecting You is an amazing prequel because Claire Kingsley is magic with her words. This small town friends-to-lovers second chance read gives you an awesome mix of heartbreak, humor, angst, tragedy, off-the-charts chemistry, swoon-worthy moments, passion, a feuding town, family, lots of feels and an unexpected ending.
I volunteered to review an advance reader copy of this book.
Asher and Grace grew up together and were best friends. There were next neighbors and there families watch out for each other. Grace went away to college and came home fir the summer. Asher and Grace started to realize they had feelings for each other but didn’t want to ruin the friendship. With the feeling growing they decide they have to be together and everything is going great. Asher than asked Grace to marry him in front of there families and she says yes. There are outside forces that are against them. Can there live survive ? Great characters and storyline. Highly recommended. Love Asher and Grace and all of the characters.
Ohmigosh, this book was such a great way to begin a series!! Protecting You introduced the characters and their families in a way that made it so easy to be pulled into the story quickly. I have been ready to read this story since Grace was introduced in the Miles Family series and she did not disappoint. I loved how Protecting You introduced Grace and Asher’s story and hooked me in so fast! They were so adorable, and I want more of them immediately along with all of Asher’s brothers.
I loved Asher’s go-getter attitude and how he worked for everything he wanted and did his absolute best to not let anything get in his way. My heart broke for Asher in this story, as he was getting his life together and beginning his adult life and it all blows up as only life can do, and I cannot wait to see his perspective on everything he is going through at the end of the Protecting You. For contemporary romance, this is not your usual cliffhanger but I am so ready for the next book and absolutely cannot wait!!
I cannot wait for Fighting for Us to release! I need to know what happens between Asher and Grace! In Protecting You, the first book in the new Bailey Brothers series, we have best friends Asher and Grace. Then as the years go on, their friendship has waned until one summer Asher and Grace realized they miss the friendship and time they shared once. Grace and Asher take us on a whirlwind adventure that will draw you in, until one night changes everything and leave you in a ball of emotions. But the journey is worth the read and wait for the next book! Can’t wait to see what happens between Asher and Grace!
Protecting You is the first book of an all new series where we are introduced to the Bailey family. 5 brothers and their gram.
Asher Bailey is the oldest brother and grew up being best friends with Grace Miles, however, as they got older the grew apart. While Grace was like a sister to the rest of the brothers, Asher never felt that way about her. There was always a bond and connection between the two of them, however, neither one of them thought the other felt the same. Finally, one summer when Grace is home from college Asher gets the courage to tell Grace how he feels. They had a summer together. They had plans. Until everything changed in the blink of an eye.
Asher and Grace’s chemistry is amazing. I love a great best friends to lovers romance with the mix of a small town. This was a pretty quick read, but a great introduction to not only Asher and Grace’s story, but to the entire Bailey family. It is hard not fall in love with all the brothers. They are some different from each other, but those boys love fiercely. Plus, Grams. The moment she was introduced I loved her. She is a saint for taking care of the five crazy boys, but also so wise.
I can’t wait to see where Asher and Grace’s story goes and to get to know more about this family. A MUST READ!
This book is absolutely everything! If you’ve read Claire Kingsley’s Miles Family series, you’ve met Grace before, but we didn’t really get much of her story. I’ve been so curious about her ever since! (Don’t worry if you haven’t met her, because this is really were her story begins, and what a story it is.) Let me tell you, this book was worth the wait!!
We frequently hear that a book “brought all the feels,” but it is absolutely true when it comes to this book. I laughed, I swooned, I felt those giddy butterflies, and I cried while reading this. Their story is so well written that you can’t help but feel ALL the emotions they go through, and I loved every minute of it. Asher is so hot. He’s an alpha protector, but he also has a heart of gold! Grace is the perfect combination of sassy and sweet. Together, they go from friends to adorable first love to off the charts chemistry and sexy times.
This book does end on a cliffhanger, but I’m so glad the books are releasing so close together. While I would normally wait and read them both together, I couldn’t resist the urge to dive right in, and I’m so glad I did. I quickly fell head over heels in love with this couple as well as all the other characters. I can’t wait to see what the rest of Asher and Grace’s story holds, and I’m so excited for the rest of this series as well!
Grace and Asher’s story is truly incredible. You can just feel (right away), the love these two have for each other. I also loved meeting the Baileys and Gram. I cannot wait for the next book!