There is a couple of things that an author can do in their books that really excite me. One is where you have a character from prior books and you don't really like them and then they get their own book and you have to learn all about them in a whole different way. Another is when you like a character in a prior book but they piss you off in the next book you read.

Happily for me, both happened in this book. It ended up being an emotional rollercoaster ride for me.

Loved it!

I'm sure after all that you guys want to know what's going on. In the prior book, you meet both Joey and Ryder. I have to say that I really didn't care for Joey in the Choosing You. Most of that was about what she did and her inner thoughts. She really didn't do anything terrible to put you off other than what happened to end her marriage.

In this one, I saw her from let's say the other side and I learn a thing or two. For her daughter's sake, she really changed her life and has learned to think a bit differently. She made some horrible decisions before and paid for them dearly. It took a long hard road for her to pull herself out of the mess she got herself into. I'm happy that she stuck with all she had to do to make things better for herself and her daughter. I'm also happy that she moved her whole life to another town just for that daughter. Shows how much she really loved her.

Right away you know Ryder is a good guy. What takes a bit to learn is that he carries a burden in his heart that is stopping him from moving on in life. He takes a bit to realize what he wants in life and that it's okay for him to love and move on but once he does, the sky is the limit.

One of the things that I really loved is how he stood for Joey and wouldn't let anyone say a harsh thing about her around him. He gets so mad at times that he almost overreacts. That might not always be the best but it's for a good reason. I also like how much he loves his mom and takes care of her. He's a really good guy.

Now for the other thing, I mentioned above about how I could go from liking characters to not. That happened in the book with Ethan and Brynn. I loved them in their book but they got on my nerves in this one. I felt just like Ryder and wanted to slap them. Mostly Ethan.

This is why I love reading series. You never lose touch with the characters and sometimes you even get to see have a breakout of warts. But seeing them in a different light makes for better characters. We all have flaws, no one is perfect and it's good for us to see that with the characters/series we love.

Not to worry you will be so happy by the end of the book. All of it comes together and everyone is off to have a happy life. Sadly not me since this is going to be the last book in the series, or is it? Fingers crossed someone pounds on her creative mind-door.

Holding On is the twelfth novel in the Nugget series. The prologue in this story is the continuation of an event that occurs at the end of book eleven, so you might be a little confused as it reads like the middle of a story. However, this story is easy to understand even if you have never read the others as there are enough contexts and some exposition to catch the reader up in the events that occurred in the previous novel. The characters in this novel were featured in the previous, but now we get to see Joey get her own story and get to know more about the mysterious “Matthew McConaughey” she was flirting with during the previous novel.

Joey Nix (formerly Daniels) is now divorced from her ex-husband, Ethan. He is now settled with Brynn after their courtship during book eleven. After being sober for the past two years when she became addicted to pills and is getting her life back on track. She has applied for an appeal to get her nursing license back, so she can return to working in a hospital, and is living in limbo as she awaits a decision. In the meantime, she has been working as a home care nurse in Reno where she lives with her parents. Now that Ethan trusts her to spend more time with their daughter Roni, Joey dreams of living in Nugget. Work and money are an issue, so now she must find a solution. Enter her former flirt partner, real name, Ryder.

Ryder Knight owns a trucking California and is putting down roots in Nugget as it is a good halfway point between his usual routes. His 66-year old mother just had a stroke and is in recovery. Therefore, Ryder needs someone to take care of his mother, Siobhan “Shiv” Knight, while he is on the road. The perfect candidate is presented to him by a placement agency, but he already has a complicated history with her as it is Joey. With no other better options, Ryder agrees to hire Joey as the live-in caregiver for his mother. The two of them then work to get to know the other as they each have complicated pasts.

I admit that I was not Joey’s biggest fan and did not care a lot about her part of the story during the previous novel. Now that she has her own story, I began to love her and root for everything to work out for her. She is a new resident of Nugget and is just trying to be accepted after the mistakes she made in the past. I loved that the town does not judge her and just wants what is best. Joey still struggles with the new family dynamic now that Brynn and her son Henry are in the picture. The blended family is a difficult concept for her to accept, but she is trying her best to become okay with it. The author wrote her journey very well as it is not perfect and there are a lot of raw emotions that sometimes do not show the best side of someone and it gave a new depth to the story.

The story includes three perspectives as there are Joey and Ryder along with Ryder’s mom. She is going through recovery from her stroke while balancing clinical depression. It was interesting to me as she was written as elderly as I guess I do not think of mid-60s as being too old for some activities. My parents are around the same age and they do everything their children do as we range in age from mid-twenties to early forties. There were times where she was treated as someone in their eighties, but it could just be my interpretation when reading. I did love her as a character, though, and I would be very excited to read more from her if she gets included in a future novel.

Overall, Nugget continues to be a town of healing where there complicated characters that have been through a lot and hopefully find love along the way, whether it be romance, friendship, or themselves. I do not recommend starting this novel at 11 at night when you have to get up at 5 the next morning, as you might do what I did and read it all in one sitting. It was well worth being tired though as it is an incredibly sweet story with great characters. The romance between Ryder and Joey was a great match and I loved the two of them getting to know the other. It did become a little rushed in some moments towards the end, but it was still a great romance where I could picture the two of them lasting as a couple. This was another excellent addition to the Nugget series and I cannot wait to read more!

**I want to give a special thank you to Netgalley and the publisher, Kensington Press, for a review copy of this very enjoyable novel. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.**

I met the heroine, Joey, in the book Choosing You. I wasn't sure I was a big fan of her in that book, but I really liked her in this book. I thought the author did a good job of pairing Joey with the hero, Ryder. Joey is a recovering addict who moves to Nugget, CA to be close to her daughter. Ryder is a character with a complicated past that he's still healing from. The author develops a fun, heartwarming and enjoyable story with these two characters.

I really enjoyed this story. In true Stacy Finz fashion, the characters were well developed and the story had the right amount of depth and emotion that I enjoy. The book was well written and I really liked it. I appreciate that the author has been able to write and release so many books in this series. I love getting to enjoy a long series of books and see past characters. I highly recommend all the books in this series. Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for allowing me to read and review this book.

It is rare, I mean so rare I can’t even name one character that started out as the bad guy in a story and became a positive character by the end so that I wanted them to have their own HEA. That is until Joey. Thank you Stacy Finz for giving Joey that in Holding On. While I have never been through anything like Joey, I had total compassion for her and was rooting for her even before I started reading. This was everything I wanted for this character.

Joey has tons of baggage most of it she admits to bringing on herself but don’t think for a moment that Ryder doesn’t have a truck load of his own. In fact, a time or two I just wanted to shake some sense into that man, even his mama couldn’t do that either. A realistic story in which I was glad brilliant surgeon ex-husband didn’t come across as so perfect. I agreed with Ryder on the whole attending the wedding part of the story.

As always by this author a well-written story with complicated relationships and even more complicated people. I now want to know more about Ryder’s brothers, hoping that there could possibly be a story for each of them in the future.

A nice romance. I really felt for Joey and her situation. Some parts could have been expanded on, especially Shiv and her health. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I love the small town, though I felt we met too many side characters.

This book was read thanks to NetGalley but this doesn't influence my review.


This is a love story, apparently is part of a series.


We can see the protagonist moving on with her life and doing the best she can to be better, trying to amend all the things she did wrong before, but I am not talking to make things go to what they were but rather I made some mistakes is my time to fix them, she is not the perfect mother, human, but she knows and she tries to be her best which is way better.


The romance flows in a way that doesn't feel rusher on the contrary, helps you to understand them


Highly recommended to those who enjoy stories with real humas


TW:: ABUSE OF SUBSTANCE RECOVERY

An endearing romance. I wanted a happily ever after for many characters, not just the main couple involved. This was my first visit to Nugget, California, and I certainly hope it is not my last as there are many stories previous to this one to enjoy. I would have been happier without the intimate details, but those were easy skipped over to enjoy the heart-warming tales of past and present issues.

Nugget reminds me of growing up in a small town!

Former rodeo champion Ryder Knight (I’m a child of the 80’s, it made me laugh) needs a live-in caregiver for his mom after she had a stroke while he’s on the road with his trucking business. The only full-time candidate for the position is Joey Nix who he couldn’t get out of head after she kissed him.

Joey needs a job near Nugget, California so she can hopefully spend time with her daughter Roni. Joey had hit rock bottom when she lost her nursing license so getting a live-in care position would keep her close to Nugget while she waits to find out about her license.

I’m happy that Joey has found her happily ever after because she took responsibility for the problems she caused when she was married to Ethan.

This series reminds me so much of growing up in a small town!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you NetGalley, author Stacy Finz, and Lyrical Press publishing for giving me a free arc of this book in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own!
4.5 stars
TW: talk about past substance abuse, spousal loss, child loss, and cancer.
This book is the 12th book in the Nugget series, but the first one I have read!
This book is about two strangers that have an instant connection that leads to an intense first kiss. Without the exchange of names or numbers, both leave the bar, thinking they will never see each other again.
A year later, Joey Nix is looking to get her nursing career back after being suspended due to forging prescriptions for pain killers, losing custody of her daughter to her ex, and completing treatment in a rehab center. She is waiting for the results of the hearing of her nursing license's being reinstated, so she is currently working as an in home caregiver. Hoping to get a job closer to her daughter, Joey interviews for a job in the small town of Nugget. The job of taking care of a older woman, who has recently recovered from a stroke, is a perfect fit, not only for her skill set, but also in the location. There is just one catch, the woman Joey is to take care of is the mother of the man she made out with a year ago. Ryder is a retired two-time rodeo champion, who has recently moved to the small town of Nugget in order not only to help take care of his mother, but also to start a cattle transport business. Ryder is more than willing to hire a highly qualified nurse in order to help his mother make a full recovery, but Joey is the last person he should hire due to their unforgettable kiss a year ago as well as their undeniable attraction for one another. Ryder reluctantly hires Joey and that is where the story takes off. Can their instant lust turn into something more meaningful and long lasting? Can two broken people find healing and self forgiveness?
This book had so many great characters! I loved Joey! She was so self-aware, willing to own up to her mistakes, and was willing to continue to do what she needed to do in order to gain back the relationship she had with her daughter. I was glad to read about a divorced couple that did not use their child to hurt each other, but had healthy communication in some pretty uncomfortable situations.
While Ryder was a devoted son and did all he could to give his mother the best care, I don't think he was the best love interest for Joey. He seemed to want a no strings attached arrangement with Joey, but did not want all the complicated feelings that went with it. I felt Joey was more invested in their romance that Ryder. I could understand some of the reasoning behind Ryder's fear of getting romantically involved, but he really should have talk with someone about his loss and grief.
Shiv, Ryder's ailing mother who's suffered from a stroke, is rather down on life through most of the story but her recovery is key to all the main characters and I liked the way the author resolved her situation.
While I have yet to read the previous books in this series, I did not feel confused nor lost in reading this book. I believe it can be read as a stand-alone. I would recommend this book for those who are looking for a small town romance. I can't wait to read the other books in this series!

This is book 12 in Stacy Finz's Nugget Romance series but the first one I've read.

"One divorce, one mind-blowing kiss with a stranger (code name: Matthew McConaughey), and one year later, Joey Nix desperately needs to find a job in Nugget. It's the only chance she'll have of sharing custody of her sweet little daughter with her soon to be remarried, renowned surgeon ex-husband. Luckily, Joey's qualified to work as an in-home caregiver. Coincidentally, a job offer comes from the afore mentioned unforgettably sexy stranger (real name: Ryder Knight). It's a terrible, irresistible idea . . .

Ryder needs help with his ailing, depressed mother, and darn if Joey isn't the best candidate. Good thing he'll be sleeping in his camper, because their chemistry is still crackling. Besides, the loss of his wife and unborn child five years earlier have left Ryder squarely focused on his trucking company—and even that's on shaky ground. Still, Joey knows how to lift his mom's spirits. And his too—despite a troubling secret she's shared with him. But when she asks him to accompany her to her ex's wedding, Ryder “I don't do weddings" Knight will have to do a lot of soul searching. What he discovers just might surprise them both . . "

I'll admit I wasn't sure I'd like this story when I first started reading it but I was wrong. I quickly fell in love with the two main characters Ryder and Joey and the small close knit town setting. Both main characters have complicated personal histories that slowly unfold throughout the story and the way these two flawed characters truly embrace their tragic pasts and find a future with each other really stole my heart. It's also a love story with a lot of steam. I definitely want to pick up the other books in this series now.

Trigger warning - substance abuse, spousal loss, child loss, cancer

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for the digital ARC of this book. All opinions remain my own as always.

💞Broken people on the mend?

This was a good story, made better by a female lead who has fallen on hard times thanks to her admitted mistakes and is working hard to come through the other side. Joey, a recovering pain killer addict, is stuck in a difficult situation but is willing to suffer difficult people and situations in order to be with her young daughter. I really liked Joey and sympathized with her.

Her love interest/employer, Ryder, a former rodeo champion who now runs his own growing long haul trucking business, was another matter. His attitude toward their fiery connection and Joey's feelings for him was not, in my opinion, justified by his past. He did not grow on me all that much though, it must be said, he's a caring and devoted son. Shiv, his ailing mother who's suffered a stroke, is rather down on life through most of the story but her recovery is key to all the main characters and I liked the way the author resolved her situation.

I had not read the earlier eleven books in this Nugget series and, for the most part, this story can hold up on its own without reading the earlier stories. Occasionally the inclusion of all those earlier characters felt a bit too much, something that probably would not have happened had I read more of the series.

Thanks to Kensington Books and NetGalley for providing a complimentary advance copy of the book; this is my voluntary and honest review.

Joey's doing her best to get her life back after losing almost everything to an opioid addiction. She's moved to Nugget to be close to her daughter Roni (who lives with her ex) and taken a job as a caregiver to Ryder's mother. after she had a stroke. Ryder, who was a rodeo star, now runs a trucking company. He's also trying to heal after the death of his wife and unborn child. These two met once and didn't see each other for a long time but now they're around each other all the time. We know what's going to happen, right? Finz has added some nice details and a bit of bite to the trope and the characters are good. I'd not read the earlier books in this series (don't know how I missed it) but did't stop me from enjoying it. Thanks to Netgalley for the ARC. A good read.

A sweet story about picking up the pieces of your life after tragedy, after mistakes, and after health issues. I enjoyed the small, close knit town setting, and also the relationship between the divorced parents who truly care about their daughter and want the best for their former spouse, even after a difficult breakup. Refreshing to not have spiteful vindictive exes at play!

I received this book as an ARC through net galley in exchange for an honest review

I ended up DNFING this book as did not connect with any of the characters and i wasn't loving the romance in this book. I think maybe if you have read some of the other books from this series you might feel differently however it wasn't a difficult book to read. Also from what I read I did love the setting of this book and the small town vibes.

I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I have read and enjoyed other books in this series and found this one to be just as enjoyable.

I really didn’t think that I would like Joey and couldn’t imagine her ever getting her HEA, but the author did a wonderful job telling this story and sowing that sometimes parents have to correct their mistakes and give each other a second chance at raising their children and most importantly they need to get along for the sake of the children. I was pleasantly pleased with how this book turned out and even if they are fictional characters, I wish them well!

Thank you to the author, Kensington Books and NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I didn't realize this book is part of a long-running series, but it read well as a stand-alone. Lots of funny and cute vignettes of life in a small town and the inevitable eccentrics that populate it. What didn't really work for me was the central love story - both of the main characters bring a lot of baggage to the table. Their attraction seems purely physical, there doesn't seem to be an emotional connection until quite late in the book.

This was my first Stacy Finz book, and I did not realize it was the 11th in a series - I could not be more please! I fell in love with the town of Nugget, it felt so very real and sincere. I loved the stories of redemption, or family both blood and found. Joey and Ryder were great, and I enjoyed seeing their romance play out - I also loved the side characters and plot lines sprinkled throughout. I will say I was quite confused by the beginning and had to check that I hadn’t accidentally skipped ahead. Can’t wait to dive head first into the rest of the series!

I’m so glad to read Joey’s story after meeting her in Choosing You, her ex-husband Ethan’s book. Redemption stories are my catnip, and Joey is in desperate need since her fall from grace. The best part: she does the work herself. She wants love, but she needs to feel proud of herself. She’s struggled from a really dark place, and getting to see her choose her own well being is so powerful. Ryder is a wonderful man who is carrying around a lot of hurt, too, but it’s made him afraid to see his blessings. While there’s instant attraction and longing, there is no magical rescue.

Of course, no trip to Nugget is complete without some visiting around town, and I did enjoy getting to catch up with many of my favorites – and a couple not-so-favorites. The ending seemed to wrap up a little abruptly, but I really enjoyed this read. I received an advance copy in return for my honest review.

In “Holding On” wird die Geschichte eines Nebencharakters aus “Choosing You” erzählt. Ich war auf die Geschichte sehr gespannt, dem Joey ist eine Frau mit einer besonderen Vergangenheit und Personen wie sie bekommen selten die Chance, Heldin in einem Liebesroman zu sein.

Der Anfang des Buches hat mir dann auch sehr gut gefallen. Ich mag die unaufgeregt Art, wie Stacy Finz ihre Geschichten erzählt und finde ihre Charaktere interessant. Bis etwa zur Hälfte des Romans habe ich die Geschichte wirklich genossen und mich auf den Rest gefreut. Ich hatte Spaß dabei die neuen Charaktere kennenzulernen, mehr über Joey zu erfahren und wieder in die Nugget-Welt einzutauchen.

Danach nahmen zwei Handlungsstränge, mit denen ich wenig anfangen konnte, für meinen Geschmack etwas zu viel Raum ein.

Auch empfand ich Ryder als Charakter zu blass. Folgerichtig war aus der Liebesgeschichte zwischen ihm und Joey gegen Ende des Buches für mich leider die Luft raus. Die körperliche Anziehung und Sympathie zwischen den beiden konnte ich auf jeden Fall fühlen, aber leider nicht die tiefe Liebe.

Trotzdem gab es auch im zweiten Teil des Buches immer wieder schöne Passagen und ich denke, dass alle jene Leser:innen, die ein gewisses Gemeinschaftsgefühl zwischen Bewohner:innen eines Ortes mögen, hier auf ihre Kosten kommen werden.

Blicke ich auf mein Leseerlebnis zurück, so gab es Licht und Schatten. 🖤🖤🖤1/4

Nugget, California is a delightful small town with mostly really nice people. While each book can be read as a stand alone, this book directly follows the previous one, Choosing You and is really more like part 2 of it. The main characters, Joey Nix and Ryder Knight were there. Joey is divorced from Dr Ethan Daniels, the H of Choosing You. Ryder is a is a handsome truck driver, who Joey has run into, nicknaming him Mathew McConaughey (before he got creepy). They shared a fireworks worthy kiss and then she walked away.

She was a pediatric orthopedic nurse, but got hooked on opioids following an accident and almost cost Ethan his license when she forged prescriptions. She went into rehab and has been clean for 2 years, but lost her nursing license and is trying to get it back. Because of the addiction, Ethan was given full custody of their daughter Roni and moved them to Nugget, but now Joey wants to be back in her daughter's life, which means moving to Nugget and finding a job there. While she waits for her license to be reinstated, she looks for a job as a caretaker. The only job that is available, is for Siobhan Knight, a 66 year old woman who is recovering from a stroke. The problem is that her son, is "Mathew McConaughey", who has a magnetic pull to her, but she realizes that she is not at a place to get involved with any man, especially one who is just interested in a hook up. Ryder is a widower, who is still in mourning for his wife and unborn son, who were killed in a car accident. He feels it was his fault as she was coming to see him at a rodeo event. He was a rodeo champion. He left the circuit and started his own trucking business moving livestock. He also realizes that Joey would be too much of a temptation, but no one else is available. It is a lovely story of how many broken people help each other heal.

I read an ARC from NetGalley.com. This is my unbiased and voluntary review.