AN AMAZON TOP 50 BESTSELLERStephen Hastings is a control freak. He’s arrogant. He’s smart as a whip and sexy AF.He has too much money. He’s bossy, and he’s usually right. All I saw were his clear blue eyes, tight butt, and ripped torso. I gladly handed him my V-card that night, ten years ago. I was so stupid. I swore I’d never be that stupid again… again…
Emmy Barton works for a dry cleaner?
Yes, that Emmy Barton—long, blonde hair, bright blue eyes, pretty smile…
Sexy little body. Smart mouth.
She was the only girl who interested me, but I was leaving to be an officer in the Navy.
Now I’m home, running my business. My life is perfectly ordered until I bump into her, divorced and struggling to make ends meet.
I hate seeing her like this. I hate that she married Burt “The Dick” Dickerson. What an a–hole.
She says she hates me, but when we fight, it’s all heat and lust.
I won’t leave her this way.
She will let me help her and her son. She will stay…
It’s a thin line between love and hate, and this line is on fire.
(STAY is a STAND-ALONE enemies-to-lovers, second-chance, marriage of convenience romance. No cheating. No cliffhangers.)
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O.M.G! The attraction, the pull between Stephen and Emmy is e-reader-kindling hot… you could see the steam billowing from the sides…
And the emotions boiling up…. so intense… so palpable… It felt so real like I was living in Emmy….arrgh!
But there also are really, REALLY gut-wrenching parts in this story about Eli, Emmy’s son, that made me ugly cry out of compassion. There is so much emotional drama – so vividly described – that as a mother, I felt the torment, pain and inner conflict of a fictitious mother deep inside of me …
What an excellent masterpiece, with so much depth and passion… WOW!
4 Stars
Stay is the all new stand-alone by Tia Louise. It is a single parent, enemies-to-lovers romance novel. The story itself was so good and the characters were relatable. Full of emotions, second chances, and swoon-worthy moments, Stay is one store you do not want to miss!
Single mom Emmy has her hands full with her seven year old son Eli. After being married to the biggest jerk, she has focused solely on Eli and taking care of him. She is not interested in any type of relationship whatsoever. But when her first love comes back into the picture, all bets are off.
Stephen was a great character. Smart, successful, and alpha to the core. He doesn’t believe in marriage or kids and has no desire to change. So when he bumps into Emmy, a girl he once knew, he has no idea how much his life is about to change.
Stay was a fantastic story! So full of heat, heart, and amazing characters. The story flowed well and I couldn’t put it down. I highly recommend reading it!
Tia Louise brings us the perfect second-chance, enemies to lovers, ALL THE FEELS story with Stay! Her writing is flawless, beautiful, awe-inspiring! My admiration for Tia & her words grows stronger with each new story she creates.
Stay is Stephen Hastings story, Stephen is a character we previously met in Make Me Yours.
He is my favorite kind of hero! Arrogant, brilliant, confident but underneath his tough exterior he has a heart of gold that makes him the swoon-worthy hero we all desire!
Emmy is my favorite kind of heroine! She is a single mother whose strength knows no bounds. Her love for her son is so transparent in this story and makes her the most relatable character of Louise’s that I’ve met so far. I felt her pain. I knew her worries. I admired her courage. I ached to see her get everything she ever wanted.
Stephen & Emmy have a passionate, hot as hell connection that bonded them in a way that only true love can. When they are reunited after years of living separate lives, that connection is instant and only grew stronger over time. While Stephen remains the bachelor he has always been, Emmy is now a single mother with a very special son. Her dreams haven’t played out exactly as she imagined but she persevered in the most amazing way. When Stephen arrives back in town all he wants is to help Emmy and her son and be the hero in her story. While these two have this undeniable attraction, Emmy is cautious of Stephen and has her doubts that he will stay.
I loved watching these two and their love/hate relationship blossom into something so beautiful. Tia Louise never disappoints! She always creates stories that give me heart palpation’s while making me grin like a fool. I know that with her words I will be carried away into the escape I crave as a romance reader. She is the best of the best and Stay will be at the top of my favorite list for the year!
Other than the anti-hero dark romance trope, this is my absolute favorite type of hero. Sexy billionaire, bossy but with a good cause behind it, broody but with a giant heart, I am officially in love with Stephen. This book will capture your attention from page one and your heart will follow shortly after. Emmy is an amazing woman and her love and sacrifice for her adorable son Eli, is just extraordinary.
It will make you swoon, make your pulse jump, make you fan yourself, and at times make you want to jump inside your kindle and deck someone. It will simply make you fall in love with HEA.
“I Voluntarily Received and Reviewed an Advanced Reader Copy of this book”
Stephen and Emmy are wonderful! Stay had me hooked and in love from the very first chapter. Emmy is a strong, stubborn, sassy single mom just trying to survive and care for her son. Stephen is determined to get what he wants, but he also has a heart of gold that had me loving him until the very end. Aunt Lou and the adorable Eli completed the perfect combination of sweet and funny. Mostly heart wrenching, with a few giggles to sooth the pain. A beautiful stand alone , second chance love story with a HEA.
This story gave me a serious book hangover for days! This one has all the feels! I felt hearts breaking. I held my breath during the serious parts (don’t want to give spoilers but you’ll know when you’re there). I could hear the laughter. I could see the glitter, feathers, zippers, and signs at Miss Con-Cleaneality. I could envision the blue room.
Everything about this story is alive. It’s definitely not a typical second chance, enemies to lovers romance! There’s so much more to it.
Stay by Tia Louise
My heart is full of love for Stephen and Emmy, oh I can’t forget little Eli either. STAY is another fantastic read by Tia, she has really put a lot of heart and soul into this one.
Emmy has had a crush of Stephen for as long as she can remember. She is in college now and gives her virginity to Stephen. thinking that he will finally be hers. Wrong. Stephen thanks her and wishes her good luck with school and walks off. Emmy is crushed.
Ten years later, divorced and raising her young son Eli who suffers with epilepsy. Stephen is the last person she expects to walk into her work place, he is just as surprised to see her.
Stephen has never forgotten his short time with Emmy all those years ago. For some reason she doesn’t want to have anything to do with Stephen – she hates him and he has no idea why. Stephen finds out that Eli needs a medical procedure to help him with his seizures. He has a proposition for Emmy that will help her get the help Eli needs. Will she except the terms of his proposition? Will Emmy get over hating Stephen? Throw in a douche bad for an ex and the drama never ends.
You will be laughing, crying and rooting for them. The chemistry between Emmy and Stephen is HOT and steamy. Get ready to fall in love with Stephen, Emmy and Eli like I did. Thank You Tia Louise for another fantastic read.
This book is EVERYTHING..!!
I am so in Love with this story…and I guarantee that anyone who decides to read this Magnificent book will fall in Love too.
I swear Tia Louise’s writing gets better and better with each book she writes,I am sure she is psychic and she custom makes all of her heroes especially for me.Because Stephen Hastings is as Hot as Hades and I totally fell head over heels for this arrogant bossy Alpha.
I just Love Tia’s writing it is one of my favourite things EVER like a comfort blanket,I always feel so at home reading her books,they are perfection.From the characters she creates to the communities she builds they are just bliss for me…and Stay is a book that I cannot praise enough.
Enemies to Lovers,Second Chances,a fake marriage are a brilliant combination that will have you addicted to Stephen and Emmy’s super sexy,steamy,highly emotional Romance.My tear ducts are still in recovery from all the feels.It caught me off guard with how emotional I felt reading this and how much I adored Stephen,Emmy and Eli (Emmy’s son).
This is a Must,Must,Must read ,put it on your TBR and get it on you kindle as soon as you are able to,I for one unapologetically devoured this greedily,and it was even in my thoughts when I wasn’t reading it.It captures the essence of Romance and how wonderful Love can be if you let it in.
Stay is Exquisite in every way and I give it my highest of recommendations.
Stay is sexy and fun with combustible chemistry. Loved Stephen.
“Wherever he goes, whatever we do.
I will.
Stay.”
When I reach for Tia Louise’s book, I always know that the emotional ride waits for me. That was also the case during reading Stay. Stephen and Emma’s story is a beautiful tale about the second chance that appears on the character’s path after 10 years since their last meeting. And despite the passage of time and the different directions their lives took, you can feel amazing chemistry already during their first reunion after so many years. But the arrogant Stephen Hastings will have to work hard for Emmy to gave him the chance, because their last encounter left a real distaste… and a broken heart.
I loved literally everything in this book. From an interesting and addictive storyline, to the every emotion that poured from the pages of this story. The characters are perfectly created and I’m delighted with them both. Stephen, even though he’s sometimes arrogant and bossy, he’s also caring, devoted and completely swoon-worthy! Definitely a book boyfriend material! Emmy in turn is a very strong woman, but she also knows when to swallow her pride. Her love has no bottom and there’s nothing she wouldn’t do to help her son with seizure disorder. That’s why she agreed to marry Stephen- their agreement could make the life a little bit easier for Emma’s son. But living under one roof with electrifying chemistry and unrestrained lust definitely blurs the lines. Will they reach the happy ending this time? They only need to forget about the past and just… stay together.
Tia Louise is a real unicorn. Book after book I’m getting more addicted to her flawless writing and I still want more. Even though her stories are angsty and often the character’s journey to the HEA is tough and bumpy, I’m always confident that I’ll finish reading the last page with a smile on my face. And that’s exactly how it was with Stay. This read was another amazing adventure that warmed my heart. Standing ovations!
Tia Louise has done it again. Made me fall head of heart for someone I didn’t like two minutes after meeting them. This big city, second-chance romance was full of heat and heart. And I didn’t want it to end.
I liked young, wide-eyed, hopeful Emmy. She wore her heart on her sleeve but it didn’t take long for that tender heart to get crushed. But Stephen’s was just as soft and staring loss in the face, he wasn’t quite himself. His actions that night weren’t who he really was but it was all he could give at the time…
Flash forward to the now. Things have changed in a big way for both Emmy and Stephen. Emmy, down on their luck, just doing her best to keep her son, Eli, safe and happy. Stephen, with more money than he knows what to do with, and so lonely. Nothing exciting to look forward to until a random twist brings them face to face after years. I loved Emmy’s reaction to seeing him again. That she wasn’t happy or impressed or swooning all over the place. But that didn’t mean he would be deterred. There was something about Emmy that called to him and he couldn’t let it go, let her go. Especially when he learned all that she had been through.
So Stephen, doing what he does best, fixing things, puts a plan into place. It was crazy but it would work if Emmy would let it. Despite the complications that arose, everything was going as smoothly as hoped. They fell hard and fast, now if only they could admit it to each other…He may’ve been the smartest man in the room but when it came to feelings, he was clueless. Case in point, how things went down at the party. Cue the heartbreak…All the happiness Emmy had found came crashing down in a haze of jealously and booze. But Stephen wasn’t going to take it laying down. He put on his hero cape, and went to save the day. He knew he had to go big and it was just what Emmy, and Eli needed.
With not one but two sassy, older ladies, a sweet kid that stole my heart, sequins and romance, Stay gave me all the things a second-chance romance needs. Passion, angst, humor, drama and redemption. I love how Stephen redeemed himself, not only in Emmy’s eyes but in his own. And that ending, was more than I could’ve hoped for. There was so much that had went wrong, that I was so glad they finally got it right.
Emmy has always had a crush on Stephen growing up but something happens that leaves a bad taste in her mouth. Stephen and Emmy happen to run into each other and the chemistry is still there even though Emmy is in denial. Stephen doesn’t know why Emmy is so standoffish with him but he determined to find out. When something happens Emmy has to decide if she can let the past go and move forward.
I really enjoyed reading this book. I loved both characters because they both played off each other. Even though Stephen loved being in control that didn’t make Emmy submissive to him. I loved how she stood her ground with him outside the bedroom. The real scene stealer was little Eli which I loved from the beginning.
4.5 Stay with me Stars!!!
I had a hard time putting this one down, I hate when life gets in the way of reading sometimes! I was completely drawn in to this story from the beginning. Stephen is a hard one to stay mad at, especially when you see his caring, protective side. I loved that Emmy put Eli first and foremost in her life and did everything to protect him, their relationship was so sweet. I liked that the story was well-balanced; sexy yet serious, heartbreaking yet fun-loving, bitter yet sweet. While you can see where this one is headed, the ride was perfectly executed by Tia’s amazing way of creating a story that gives you all the “feels”.
There is not a Character in this book I did not like….OK maybe I’m lying ~ Burt wasn’t my favorite, but he was necessary! Lulabell & Bex are AWESOME!
“The best people are the ones who stay!”
I love these characters and I love this book. It is a sweet, sexy, emotional story that you will not want to put down.
This is Emmy and Stephan’s second chance although their first chance didn’t have the same impact for each of them. When the meet again years later, Emmy is a single mom raising a son with a serious medical condition. She will do anything to protect him and unfortunately his father is the one she needs to protect him from the most. She is still heartbroken from her first encounter with Stephan many years earlier, but Stephan doesn’t realize how much he had hurt her. This time around he is her knight in shining amor as he not only steps up to help her, but he does everything he can to help and protect her and her son, Eli and somewhere along the way Stephen realizes that he needs them as much as they need him.
Emmy and Stephen share one night together and then he’s just gone. Emmy gets married and has a son. When she finds out her ex is cheating, she leaves and finds a job. That’s how she runs into Stephen, he’s dropping off his aunts items. It’s like all the memories come back, but the question is will either act on it?
Such a beautiful story!! It was raw, emotional and incredibly entertaining. I instantly loved Emmy, my heart broke for her and all of the struggles that she had dealt with. But then Stephen Hastings reenters her life and they turn each others worlds upside down. I couldn’t put it down.
I love how Tia Louise writes a story that makes an alpha male the sweetest guy EVER! And everyone loves him. I love Stephen and Emmy’s story! After being together years before- Stephen and Emmy re-connect. She is divorced with a son. They have an immediate connection even though Emmy really can’t stand Stephen. He totally controlling and annoyed yet irresistible!
Male characters like Stephen are so great because they put a wall around themselves and appear arrogant but really they are broken. Stephen wants to help Emmy and Eli in their situation but he really needs help himself. No spoilers but when Stephen and Emmy are honest with themselves and each other- they are amazing!
Tia Louise writes these stories that flow, have great connection and chemistry of characters- and I fall in love with her writing and books more and more!!
If you love romantic enemy to lovers and second chances stories, you will love this book. This book has all the elements to make it an enjoyable, hard to put down fast pace read. Stephen and Emmy are great characters with incredible chemistry and Emmys little boy Eli is a real sweetheart. It has good banter between Stephen and Emmy and some sweet moments as well as a good dose of angst to keep you hooked. Once again, Tia has given us a brilliant and superbly written story!
When we are young, we dream of our future, we map out our steps to achieving our goals, and our tender hearts soar with love and anticipation. This is true until obstacles present themselves. How we steer through this and realign our path will determine how successful we are in the end.
Emmy’s crush on Stephen leads her to give herself much to her disappointment. It wasn’t the time or place. Stephen was in an angry and crushing headspace and was not in tune to the emotions flowing from Emmy.
As they meet years later, that one instance has obviously shaped both their paths. Clueless of the impact, Stephen has to finally face the impact he has had on Emmy’s life.
This is a love story. Love of self, our children, our family, and memories. It takes a lot of maturity to face life’s problems and to make the best of what the choices we are given. If along the way we are able to fall in love and find out soulmate, we can consider ourselves extremely lucky!
I am voluntarily reviewing this book. Thanks to the author for sharing a copy with me.
Again Tia Louise has written a story that consumed me. Stephen is hot and serious and sexy and caring. Emmy is a strong single mom doing what she has to do for her son. She’s beautiful and caring and witty. This story will make you feel all the feels. My heart broke for Emmy and Stephen but it was put back together in the end and I loved the end! I love Stephen for Emmy. Emmy and Eli were exactly what Stephen didn’t know he needed. Just read it! It’s amazing.