I can't get enough of Shannon Stacey. Her sweet love stories, her sexy characters. Always well written to pull you in emotionally. Always a way of bringing out a smile. This wasn't obe of my favorites, but it still left me completely satisfied.

What a beautiful and touching love story Hold Her Again was. Shannon Stacey always makes my heart sing with her books and this one was no different.

The story of Ava and Jace was a bittersweet but beautiful one. They were meant to be together but circumstances, broken promises and broken hearts were keeping them apart. When they finally do get together, it’s perfect, fitting but, did Ava really forgive Jace for the decision he made 5 years ago?

I couldn’t blame Ava for her feelings or for the way she treated Jace when he came back to town. She felt betrayed and didn’t know how to get over loving the man that held her heart since they were teenagers and threw it away for a chance at fame. But, she knew she couldn’t ignore him or the reason why he was back in town. The townspeople were just waiting for her to break down and she wouldn’t give that to them. But, she had a huge heart … she may not have been able to forgive him but she couldn’t let him wallow in sadness either.

Jace knew he made a mistake 5 years ago and has been trying to find a way to make it right. He didn’t want to push her but he did want her to talk to him, listen to him. He knows that he will grovel if that’s what it takes. When she finally does agree to talk, he couldn’t be happier. Now, he will have the chance to tell her how empty life is without her.

I couldn’t stop reading this story. I knew that Shannon Stacey would find a way to bring the two of them together again. I just didn’t know how she was going to get Ava over the heartbreak. But, she did it beautifully. She did it with grace and elegance. Then, I shed a few tears at the end with a stunning happily-ever-after that really brought this story full-circle.

I absolutely loved reading Shannon Stacey's newest book, Hold Her Again. It was amazing!

Shannon Stacey is one of my favorite authors. I love love love her books. Such a sweet read. You can’t help falling in love with the story. Awesome read.

I love this author but this one was just average for me. I couldn't really get into it and thought that it was pretty forgettable.

I’ve read and enjoyed most of Stacey’s backlist. When I saw the premise for this novella I was super excited. Music star + reunited lovers by Stacey = Total Win! Sadly, it didn’t work for me as much as I thought it would.

Jace and Ava fell in love in high school and ran off to St. Louis together as soon as they could to pursue a career in the music industry. When a popular manager approached them and told Jace she only wanted him, he chose to leave Ava behind and pursue his dream of fame and fortune. She returned home and went back to work waiting tables at the local diner. Six years later Jace is forced to come back to their hometown for his father’s funeral. He hasn’t stopped loving Ava and can’t wait to see her again. But six years is a long time, and Ava doesn’t think she can let go of her hurt and anger over the way Jace turned his back on her….on them.

My biggest issue was with the time of separate between Ava and Jace. He was gone way too long for me to accept his feelings for Ava were genuine. If he never stopped loving her and thought of her every day, why did it take him six years – and the excuse of his father’s funeral – to come back? I might have been able to accept his reasons if he stayed away a year, but six? I just couldn’t get past it. I spent most of the book feeling all rage-y inside.

Ava was a good heroine, and I liked the town and secondary characters. I even liked Jace. But I didn’t like him for Ava. It was easy for him to claim he’d love her forever and never leave her again now that he’d already achieved all his dreams. The length of the story didn’t provide sufficient time for me to forgive him for what he did. As always, Stacey’s writing was wonderful, but even a great heroine and lovely writing couldn’t save this story for me.

2.75 out of 5

A short, festive novella with plenty of romance to cheer you up over the holiday season, this story brings childhood sweethearts back together with perfect chemistry. There is a depth of history created in so few pages which really enables us to get to know the characters better and showcases Stacey’s excellent storytelling ability when it comes to these festive instalments.

*Full review available on the blog*

I felt bad for both Jace and Ava, although I wanted to give Jace a little kick in the pants for waiting so long to come back.  Having his POV helped a lot because I don’t know that I would have been as quick to forgive him otherwise :)  Leaving Ava like he did, and staying away for so long, was a really crappy thing to do.  I know that he was young and I understand how his childhood turned him into that person, but 6 years is a long time and if he really felt the way he claimed he’d have manned up a bit earlier.  I get that he didn’t think that she’d have anything to do with him but he should have at least tried harder.  Good for him Ava’s a bit more tender hearted (or tender headed) than I am.  She does struggle a bit (as she should) but those old feelings that never really went away make it hard to fight him.  He will have to prove himself, and she’ll have to figure out how to let the past go, but they may just be able to work it out with a little luck and a whole lot of love. 

With Hold Her Again Stacey delivers a wonderful second-chance romance, perfectly bringing the feeling of the holiday season.

I love second chance romances, rock star romances, and Shannon Stacey so this story seemed like the perfect slam dunk for me. I’ll start with the good. There is a lot of small town charm that Stacey is able to bring to life and makes it easy to feel a part of the town, which is difficult to portray in a novella format. Ava and Jace were really interesting characters and well developed and would be very easy to root for and want together except… Now for the bad. Jace was such a jerk to Ava when he left I personally couldn’t really get over that and I really couldn’t see how Ava could. It actually made me like Ava less as a character for being able to forgive so easily. I think this is where the novella length really hurt the story because I get for the sake of time this needed to happen quickly, but it just felt too forced and was hard to enjoy all of the rest of the good in the story.

I have read all of Shannon Stacey's books and have fallen in love with all the characters, I really feel like part of the Kowalski series. Definitely will recommend this book.

I loved this small town second-chances Christmas romance! All of my favorite tropes rolled into one beautiful, heartfelt read! Shannon Stacey pens an amazing story full of heartbreak, remorse, healing… and hope.

I was quickly drawn into the story and was easily able to empathize with both Ava and Jace. Normally, I’d dislike a hero that selfishly leaves behind the woman he loves in order to chase his own glory, but I found myself quietly rooting for Jace. It still doesn’t excuse what he did, but I found myself falling hard for this sheepish, yet deeply sincere country boy.

It’s beautifully written, the characters are lovingly crafted and it was an absolute joy to read.

HOLD HER AGAIN is the perfect holiday read!

***I voluntarily read a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and feelings are my own***

I enjoyed the story and the second chance aspect. This was my first from Shannon Stacy. I just felt that Ava didn't make him grovel enough. I felt for her more than I did for him. It didn't really have a Christmasy feel. Like I said the story was a good one but it didn't reach the great potential because I kinda had a hate on for the hero and it never really abated.

An enjoyable one-time read, but probably won't read it again.

Shannon Stacey has developed her writing into a sweet but powerful books about strong personalities who grow together. Hold Her Again is the story of Jace and Ava, high school sweethearts who thought they would be together professionally and personally - until Jace's career took off, and Ava was left with a broken heart. I loved how both of them had to grow personally and realize that what happened was actually for the best. Second chance romances are catnip for me, and this one definitely did not disappoint.

It’s that time of year when I just want to be wrapped in a cuddly blanket and read a sweet and heartwarming holiday romance. I usually enjoy Shannon Stacey’s contemporaries, so this was a no-brainer to pick it up especially since it’s a standalone.

There were things about this story that I liked more than others, but the overall verdict here is that I enjoyed it and it delivered some of what I was looking for. This fell more in the wintery story feel than bringing the spirit of the holidays in full force (other than for a few small bits) and it features a second chance romance between a famous country singer and his old sweetheart. As with most of my fave holiday reads, it’s set in a small town. Lots there that I was eating up. And if you don’t like your holiday romance to be overflowing with Christmas cheer, then this may just fit the bill perfectly by having just a dash.

One thing that kept me from really enjoying this was the issue they had years ago and what broke them up in the first place. I’m kind of a bitch and can hold a grudge but I just couldn’t forgive the hero quite so easily, it seems. I like Ava and I would find myself hoping she would hurt him back, or not give him the time of day.

Shannon Stacey delivers lots of small town charm in this one. The sense of community, the meddling, the history between H/h. And not just the history but the chemistry that is still between them. I was both rooting for them to get together and also wanting Ava to make him suffer through it a while longer. A perfect story to read in one sitting with a nice cup of tea this season.

Very well written. I love a good second chance romance. The character are well developed and likable. A great holiday novella to get to in the spirit of the season.

Ava knew jace was back in town. Jace had seen his father- Brian - for six years but he was back to bury him. Ava was a waitress at the restaurant and had been since she was fifteen. Jace had broken Ava’s heart and she had given up her dreams. Jace was now a country music superstar. Ava had lived in Cottonwood Creek for her whole life, except for the six months she had wasted chasing dreams with Jace. Ava’ best friend was the cook -Whitney. Ava said she had no interest in seeing Jace but Ava knew she had to at least go to the funeral and she doubted Jace had learned to cook so she would see him here at work. Whitney suggested she take some sick days but Ava had too much pride to do that. Ava said she should be over Jace by now both as a couple and when they had sang together. Jace had thrown Ava away the first time a shiny witch dangled a recording contract in front of Jace. Jace had thrown them away for a chance to be rich and famous. Jace now knew he had been wrong over five years ago when he chose the chance of fame over him and Ava. but Jace didn’t know how to fix or make things right between him and Ava. He didn’t want to push but jace needed to talk to Ava and make her listen to him. Jace had never gotten over Ava.
I so loved this book. It was a short read and a great second chance romance. I loved the plot and the pace. I didn’t want to put this down and it totally kept my interest from beginning to end. I did choke at times. It wasn’t very easy to like Jace at first for what he put Ava through. I did think Ava forgave him a little too easily for what he had done to her. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend

Hold Her Again by Shannon Stacey is a well written and enjoyable second chance love story.
I enjoyed the plot, it held my interest all throughout the book, I found myself turning the pages late into the night as I didn't want to put it down.

It was heartwarming watching Jace and Ava get their second chance at love, these two never stopped loving each other and while life was good there was something missing. And that something was each other.

Hold Her Again a sweet second chance romance that will touch your heart and perfect for the upcoming holiday season.