Veena’s review of Holding On Tighter (Wicked Lovers, Book 12) by Shayla Black
Contemporary Romance published by Berkley 07 Feb 17

This latest romance from Shayla Black in her Wicked Lovers series is the perfect blend of suspense, action, and romance. Jolie Quinn is a workaholic. From an early age she’s been independent and determined not to depend on men or look for romance. She runs her sister and office with an iron hand sheathed around a velvet inside, until Heath Powell comes into her life. Suddenly her rules are flying out the window and all bets are off.

Heath Powell does not do romance. After the death of his wife, he has meaningless sexual encounters to get the edge off. Jolie is a job. She’s under his protection and he will take a bullet for her, but she’s off limits to him sexually, even if all his manly parts stand up at the sight of her. It would take a greater man than Heath to resist when she doffs her clothes and comes out to where he’s attempting to sleep on her couch.

In the guise of protection and making her office and technology safe, Heath moves in with Jolie and brings in a bodyguard for her sister. Jolie’s sister is so cute in how she’s the polar opposite of her sibling, looking for love every time an attractive man comes into her vicinity.

Jolie herself is so feisty. She has no qualms about taking action and protecting herself from the wandering hands of her would-be investor, dumping her meal into his lap. Her drive to success against all odds, even a wealthy father who puts obstacles in her path, is a great inspiration to women entrepreneurs with skills and smarts. Yet she gets taken in by an enemy who targets her soft inner core where she hides her vulnerabilities.

The story takes a lot of unexpected twists and turns and the truth, when revealed, will surprise readers. It’s great to re-visit all the other characters in the series through parties and as Heath’s backup. In my opinion, this is one of the best books in the series.

Grade: A

It’s a wicked fight for power in the fashion industry. Something that Jolie Quinn has experienced first hand. The determination that Jolie has exhibited has driven her to the top of the industry. Something that is the sole focus in her life. The last thing Jolie is looking for is a man to rule her life. Watching her mother flit from man to man and never ‘making it work’ forced Jolie to take a hard look at where romance really stands in her plans for her professional life. Determination keeps Jolie from succumbing to romance. Until she meets the sexy Brit she put in charge of security at her company.

With a tattered past that includes the loss of his wife, Heath is determined to have zero attachments to his current assignment. As a former MI5 operative, Heath knows how to weed out a threat. Something that helps him with his current job working for Jolie. The less connections that Heath makes in a town, the better he likes it. With no desire for attachments, Heath has no problem using a woman for his needs. Until he crosses paths with Jolie.

A security threat throws Heath and Jolie together in a way neither could have predicted. Both attracted to the other but fighting it every step of the way. As Jolie finds her life in jeopardy, Heath steps in to keep her safe. Also offering a safe refuge in his arms. Neither could have predicted the intense need the other would spark. The only question was where would their relationship stand once the dust was clear?

Love is found in the most unexpected ways for Heath and Jolie. These two scream sexuality. Their romance is quick and full of uninhibited bliss. The dominance that Heath exhibits with Jolie is just the right touch in their romance. Not too forceful but the balance she needs to match her straightforward ways. A testament to the independence in both characters.

The secrets that unravel in Holding on Tighter were a great balance with Heath’s past. Unexpected but full of the alpha male prowess of all of our male characters. There was a great cast of secondary characters …some we have come to love in past book of the series. The epilogue did leave a bit to be desired. A cheesy filled addition that the story could have done without. Epilogue aside – this book is a great addition to the series.

All good things must come to an end.... And yet I don't want them to!!! Can I pout like a baby right now?!?! I have been a fan of the Wicked Lover series for so long! How can Shayla end it?!?!

Ok, onto the book....

If you have read the Wicked Lovers series, then you already know what to expect. Girl finds boy. There is hot- hot- hot chemistry and that boy is an Alpha Male! Oh, and throw in a little adventure just for good measure. You now have a typical Wicked Lovers series.

In Holding on Tighter we get Heath & Jolie's story.

I have to tell you, although there have been a few books throughout the series that have been misses for me, I loved this one.

Jolie is a strong woman in her own right. And Heath is a man who has been through a lot and swears he will never fall in love again. But when a mysterious enemy threatens to Jolie and her company, Heath steps in to protect not only Jolie, but her company as well.

Of course it would not be a Shayla Black story without the amazing hotness that happens between the two main characters. Hot may not even be the word. Sizzling is more like it.

Shayla, thank you so much for allowing me to read Holding on Tighter prior to its release. Although I am sad to see the Wicked Lovers see come to an end, I am excited to see what you have coming our way in 2017. As a blogger, I am loving what I am see!

~ Review written by Heidi Pharo

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Heath Powell hasn’t had a relationship since his wife died seven years back. He gets by with the meaningless hookups figuring he doesn’t deserve happiness when he couldn’t protect his wife from a violent death. No one tempts Heath to change things until he starts working as Jolie Quinn’s chief of security. She’s confident, smart, and doesn’t bend for any man, and while Heath is the consummate dominant personality, he’s powerfully attracted to Jolie. He’s tempted by her more than he’s ever been tempted by any woman. Could he get this strong-willed, feisty woman to submit? It would certainly be fun to try.

Jolie was raised seeing her mother center her life around the wants and whims of a man, only to be used and have her heart broken. Jolie refuses to be that woman. She’s built her business from scratch and doesn’t need a man to provide anything for her. Or so she thinks. Jolie’s very drawn to Heath, but she’s heard about his reputation and therefore keeps her distance. She will not become another notch in his belt, but when a threat puts her sister and her in danger, Jolie must put aside her reservations about Heath and stick close. Can she resist that dangerous pull of attraction or will she become a heartbroken castoff like her mother has done time and time again?

This was a high intensity romance, from the burning attraction Jolie and Heath share to the danger they face. I wouldn’t categorize this as a BDSM romance, but there was some definite power play between Jolie and Heath. He wants her to submit her body and trust that he can provide mind blowing pleasure by doing so. As they draw closer, Heath wants Jolie to submit her mind and heart, as well. I enjoyed the push and pull, and their time together got me hot and bothered!

While I easily guessed the mystery behind all the threats it was still an exciting ride. I was a little annoyed with some stupid behavior in the end, but the situation was short lived so it wasn’t too bad.

Absolutely amazing!!! I have loved this series from the beginning but this book is my absolute favorite. I can't wait to see what Shayla Black has up her sleeve next!

✦Spotlight, Review & Giveaway: HOLDING ON TIGHTER (A Wicked Lovers Novel) by Shayla Black http://bit.ly/2l15XyG
Publication Date: February 7, 2017
Genre: Erotica/ Contemporary Romance
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Cori
Rated: 4.5 Stars

I really enjoyed this hot new release in Shayla Black’s Wicked Lovers Series. HOLDING ON TIGHTER is the twelfth book in the series and while some of the characters show up throughout the series, each book is a standalone that features different main characters. I always prefer to read a series in order, but you can read these books in any order and be fine. HOLDING ON TIGHTER is a scorching hot romance with some suspense. It took me a while to warm up to the heroine and Heath did a few things that annoyed me, but I understood why by the end of the book. Who doesn’t love a sexy Brit? Yum! I recommend this book for romantic suspense/ erotica lovers. When I’m in the mood for erotica romance that has a suspenseful storyline I reach for one of Shayla Black’s books. Her books always satisfy my addiction.

*Review copy provided by Penguin in exchange for an honest review.

~*~*~*~

Kindle http://amzn.to/2iib60m | Amazon PBK http://amzn.to/2kc3LAw | Amazon Series Link http://amzn.to/2kWDElC

HOLDING ON TIGHTER is the twelfth full length installment in Shayla Black’s contemporary, adult WICKED LOVERS erotic, romance series. This is thirty nine year old, former MI5 agent and security specialist Heath Powell, and thirty year old women’s fashion mogul Jolie Quinn’s story line. HOLDING ON TIGHTER can be read as a stand alone without any difficulty. Any important information from previous story lines is revealed where necessary. The reader was first introduced to Heath Powell in Wicked For You-Wicked Lovers #10.

Told from dual third person perspectives (Jolie and Heath) HOLDING ON TIGHTER focuses on a series of threats against our story line heroine Jolie Quinn. A self-made fashion entrepreneur Jolie and her younger sister Karis, have become targets of a twisted mind. Enter Heath Powell, former British Intelligence Agency (MI5) and security specialist. On the advice of her best friend Callie Ward- MacKenzie, Mitchel and Sean’s wife (Their to Cherish #8) Jolie hires Heath to increase the security at her thriving business, never expecting to fall in love with a man who wants nothing to do with relationships or happily ever afters. What ensues is the quick building relationship and love between Jolie and Heath, and the increasing threats against the woman with whom Heath will fall in love.

Heath Powell lost everything he once loved and cared about, and in this our hero is unwilling to again risk his heart for love. A one-night stand kind of guy, Heath finds himself impossibly attracted to the woman he has sworn to defend and protect. One night will never be enough especially when the threats against Jolie Quinn begin to take on a more dangerous nature.

Independent, strong and successful, with attitude to spare, Jolie Quinn does not want to be like her mother-a serial bride with a succession of broken marriages and divorces to her credit- and a woman whose history with men has marked our heroine with a negative attitude about relationships and love. When Heath ‘demands’ nothing more than a one-night stand, Jolie has a difficult time processing the feelings that begin to grow. The $ex scenes are intimate and intense; Heath is a dominant but he has trouble taming the woman with whom he is falling in love. Some readers may take offense to Heath’s manwhoring ways especially in the early pages of the story line premise. He pushes at all of Jolie’s boundaries, and in this his dominant persona is a struggle to accept especially when very little time passes between sexual conquests.

There is a large ensemble cast of secondary and supporting characters including Jolie’s sister Karis, and fellow employees business accountant Arthur, PA Wisteria and website operator Rohan. We are also introduced to Heath’s former partner and best friend at MI5 Myles Beaker. Several of the previous story line male leads have cameo roles as they volunteer to help Jolie and Heath when things spiral out of control.

The world building looks at the threats against Jolie and Karis; the sister’s struggle to find happiness in spite of their disastrous earlier years; and Jolie and Heath’s acceptance that everyone deserves a happily ever after.

HOLDING ON TIGHTER is a passionate story line of betrayal, revenge, romance and love. The premise is entertaining and captivating; the characters are colorful, dynamic and spirited; the romance is intimate and sensual. Shayla Black’s WICKED LOVERS SERIES is a seductive look at romance-outside of the box.

Copy supplied by the publisher through Netgalley

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The moment I read the blurb for this book, I knew I was going to like it. Holding on Tighter is the twelfth book in Black’s Wicked Lovers series. Jolie Quinn is a rising fashion designer who is at the brink of unparalleled success with company Betti. After a rash of burglaries threatened her business, she enlists the help of security expert Heath Powell.

Heath is former MI5 who has no plan on sticking around after the job is done. He doesn’t want or need the encumbrance of a relationship. He takes what he needs for that night and doesn’t hesitate to walk away. His philosophy has served him well until he meets Jolie.

Despite the obvious spark of attraction between them, Heath and Jolie are wary of starting anything. But both have been informed by their pasts. Jolie by her mother’s revolving door of failed relationships, which made her cynical and distrustful, and Heath by the tragic and violent passing of his wife. Their relationship started off rocky, to say the least. Jolie is the kind of woman that normally wouldn’t attract Heath. And Jolie, with her cynicism is a bit of stuck up. Both have good reasons for not starting anything. But when Jolie’s life was threatened Heath steps in daring her to trust.

First off, I love Jolie Quinn. She’s tough, smart, ambitious and ruthless but with a hint of vulnerability hidden underneath. It’s not impossible to find a heroine in romance is accomplished but I have to admit that CEO heroines aren’t as plentiful as its male counterparts. So the fact that Jolie is a business woman with lofty dreams is a breath of fresh air.

Second, the chemistry between the Heath and Jolie are off the charts hot. They both have strong personalities and they both give it as good as they got. I like the dynamics between them. Heath is a natural dominant (although not exactly a Dom in a strict sense) but he’s a force of nature. He likes his women pliant and submissive. Jolie no submissive bone in her body and is too independent and self-reliant. And yet they work.

Heath recognizes Jolie’s need for independence. He revels in it knowing that when she submits, she does it because she trusts him and not because she was a natural at it. I really enjoyed that aspect in their relationship. They are equals in every way.

That said, this book is not without its flaws. The ending was a bit of a cheesefest and the epilogue was just confusing. I for one love cameos from characters from the previous books in the series. But not all of them at the same especially when there has been 11 books to the series already. I felt lost and that satisfying feeling that usually comes along with reading an epilogue dissipated.

Still, I enjoyed it very much and would definitely recommend it.

I was so sad when I found out this was the end of the wicked lovers series, but Mrs. went all out and gave us the best possible ending to the series! The ending is a must read if you loved the series!

Heath and Jolie are brought together by danger, neither has any interest in relationships and have both been burned. Will they break down each other's walls and find their happily ever after?!

Holding on Tighter
Wicked Lovers series book #12
Release Date: February 7, 2017
Review copy provided by the publisher

I have followed this series from the beginning. Shayla Black took my breath away from the first page of Wicked Ties (book #1 in the series) and has left me starry eyed ever since.

I'm just going to come out and say it...I had a wee bit of a struggle getting into this one. Which was shocking, because in all the previous novels, I devoured them in one sitting. It wasn't that it was bad or anything like that, it was just slow moving. But you know, I could totally get over that. It's not that big of a deal. What I can't get over is when the hero, Heath, picks up a random woman at a bar, has sex with her in said bar, and then later that very same night, has sex with the heroine! Gross! And the kicker, the heroine, Jolie, knows that he hooked up at the bar because she saw him! *shudders* At least Heath was enough of a gentleman to shower first *insert sarcasm here*.

Ok, so I had to make a conscious decision to just move on from that, because in all honesty, I wanted to put the book down. But I couldn't put it down because it's Shayla Black for crying out loud! And she is pretty damn awesome!

I liked, Jolie from the get go! She's strong, independent, and wickedly sassy. She's jaded and shies away from emotional entanglements. But there's something about Heath that gets to her. She wants him and that just pisses her off.

Heath has never gotten over a tragedy that rocked his soul to its core. He merely moves through life, not really living, but drowning himself in his work and faceless women. Jolie is the first woman in a long time that has made him crave more.

I really enjoyed watching Heath work for Jolie's heart. She was an enigma to him. Women normally throw themselves at him, so this was new territory. It was entertaining to say the least!

Once I got passed the bickering between them, the chemistry hit me full force. There was no denying that the bed aerobics was going to be sweaty and delicious! Shayla Black has never let me down in the sexy times department in her books. Her heroes are always so wonderfully filthy. Heath was certainly no exception!

Like all the other books in this series, there is a mystery/suspense back story. It keeps things moving quickly ( after the initial slowness at the beginning ) and allowed me to put my super sleuthing to the test, which apparently I'm awful at! I love a good romantic suspense novel as long as it doesn't take over from the love story. The romance is first and foremost for me. It was a good balance. I didn't feel pulled out of Jolie and Heath's journey as a couple.

The writing is incredibly solid in this book. The attention paid to detail is obvious and adds a lot to the overall plot. I often wonder sometimes how Shayla keeps her books from all sounding the same. It would be easy to follow a recipe and just change the characters names, but she doesn't do that. Each book is a different journey with unique characters that draw me in.

So, after a bit of a bumpy start, I was able to fully immerse myself in Shayla's Wicked Lovers world. I'm glad I didn't let the icky bar scene sour me, because I truly loved getting to know Jolie and Heath, and visit with some of the characters from previous books. Shayla set up the epilogue so it left me wanting the next story right now. But that's how it works with this author...I always want more! I want to stay in her fictional world and go another journey.

What's not to love about this book?! Hot guy with an even hotter accent or the take what I want woman in charge! Jolie is not looking for romance all she wants is to get this investor for her business! And Heath doesn't do relationship after what he went through he thinks he will never love again.

Joile needs help, security and she looks to Heath to get it, but when a misplaced warning turns his interest Heath decides otherwise. As they work together there the chemistry these two have is immediate and sparking all over! The banter between these two is one I found sexy and sweet. There is some suspense that will have you guessing till the end and overall this was a Great read and a must buy!

I was super excited to read the last book in Shayla Black's Wicked Lovers series as her books are sexy, emotional and heavy on the d/s. I did enjoy this latest installment with Heath and Jolie but felt that the novel was slightly all over the place in terms of plot and character development and heavy on the insta-love, which seemed out of place and contradictory at times.

I deeply enjoyed Jolie's strength, passion and dedication to her employees, family and her career but felt that she was borderline cold and callous when it came to her relationship with Heath. I never really saw her warm up to him. In addition, I felt that the author might have unnecessarily tried to create drama by combining two separate storylines (past and present) to an unsatisfying and confusing conclusion.

All in all, this was a nice read but not up to par with the outstanding novels I have read from this author in this series. But I will continue to read Ms. Black as I feel she has an innate ability to write magical books and amazing characters that stay with you!

I would like to thank NetGalley and Berkley Publishing Group for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review. 3.5 stars ~Ratula

You cannot see me, but I am wearing black, for I am mourning. This is the end of the Wicked Lovers series and I am saddened. I have been with Shayla on this wickedly hot journey since Jack Cole spirited Morgan away to his cabin in the Bayou in Wicked Ties and brought her to that yummy play room.

I have loved every book, every character. Don’t ask for a favorite, because I have quite a few. Right down to hot MI5 agent Heath Powell and the sassy, control driven, fire cracker, Jolie Quinn. For being the last book in the series, this was done right, with two stand out characters. Both of them wanting to avoid relationships like a case of Hemmorhagic Fever. A threat to Jolie brings Heath closer and the results are hotter than the fireworks on the Fourth of July.

Heath is a sexy, dominant, Alpha male who knows how to handle Jolie’s anger and the walls she’s built against men. The ending of the book was wonderful, and you’ll need to read it to see what I mean. And methinks that new characters introduced along the way may just make it into a new series, so keep an eye out!

The Wicked Lovers series is one that I really enjoyed when I started reading it many years ago, but somewhere I fell behind and have yet to get caught up. Luckily, Holding on Tighter was easily readable as a semi-standalone. There is character crossover from previous books in the series, but it wasn't so overwhelming that I felt completely lost.

I started off on a really good note with the heroine of this story. Jolie Quinn is an extremely driven, ambitious, independent, and hardworking woman. As an up-and-coming fashion designer, Jolie has literally dragged herself out of the trailer park to make something of her life, while helping to raise her younger brother and sister. Her mother's history of failed marriages has tainted Jolie's views on love and relationships, and she is now married to her job. Her drive, ambition and independence really resonated with me and I thought I would have a good connection to her character... but she went from admirable to bitchy quite fast and I found myself annoyed and not liking her character. I was a bit worried about the judgmental hardass aspect would turn me off the story... but in all fairness, Jolie's character does experience some personal growth and she stopped throwing that hand up so much as the story progressed.

Heath Powell is a sexy and dominant Brit. An ex-spy with a tragic past, he has come to the States drowning his grief in no-strings-attached sex in seedy nightclubs. Being hired to evaluate security for Jolie's clothing line, Betti, Heath is getting his first experience with an Type A female personality, and is undeniably drawn to Jolie's strength of character. I liked Heath's character, despite him being a bit of a horndog picking up random chicks left and right. Once you know his story, you will understand his behavior and will probably be siding with him when Jolie's bitchy side comes out.

The majority of this story takes place over a week or two... but something about the pacing kept it from feeling like an instalove situation. Neither Jolie not Heath was looking for a romantic entanglement, but you know what they say - love finds you when you aren't looking. The two had great chemistry and there were lots of steamy sexytime scenes to satisfy any smut lover. Personally I would have liked to sacrifice a sex scene or two to develop the suspense plot more... but I may be in the minority on that. After danger comes to Betti, Heath works to find out the motivation and culprit behind the attacks. The resolution was both (slightly) predictable and far-fetched... but that didn't detract all that much from my enjoyment. I just would have liked to see a little more action and anticipatory anxiety as I was reading.

The epilogue was a nice wrap up but I was so sad that I couldn't remember all the past couples that got in an appearance. This tells me its time to go back and re-read the series before I catch up with the later books.

I voluntarily reviewed an advanced copy of this book that I received from the publisher, Berkley.

I've really struggled in writing this review. I have loved the Wicked Lovers series from the very beginning--binge reading the initial 4 in the series to catch up and then anxiously waiting for each release. I've read EVERYTHING related to this series and was extremely sad to hear Ms. Black was ending it with Holding on Tighter. But I figured the series would end with a bang; unfortunately it ended with barely a whimper in my opinion.

I found the story line dragged a bit for me. Heath and Jolie were both very strong characters, but their romance never fully engaged me. It was missing something--something a bit more Dominant. Perhaps Jolie's true submission. Wicked Lovers is a series about Dominants and their submissives. That element was severely lacking in Holding on Tighter. While I bought into the insta-love between Heath and Jolie, I never really felt the depth of their relationship that a D/s scene would have brought. I did enjoy catching up with some of my favorite characters from previous books; however that wasn't enough for me to embrace the wrap up of this otherwise phenomenal series.

This is part of the Wicked Lovers series and with each and every book in this series, Ms. Black writes a story that keeps and peaks my interest and makes me crave more. The plots , the action and the passion is just as intense and fresh as if it were book 1.
Holding On Tighter is book 12 in the series and the main characters in this book are Jolie Quinn & Heath Powell . Heath is one sexy and powerful British alpha male who has this past that he is trying to run from. He is ex MI5 and has now been hired as security for Jolie. Jolie is a woman that doesn’t take guff from anyone and she is struggling to keep her company together. She has learned from a young age that men lie and they cut out and run. Sorry lessons for a young girl to learn. So she depends only on herself and makes sure that her family can depend on her.
When an admirer starts leaving gifts for her sister and threats for her , things get hot and heat up super-fast. Heath comes in to be her bodyguard- not only does he want to be her bodyguard but he wants her except Jolie doesn’t want him to be that close to her because she cant afford to feel any attraction to her bodyguard. Things start to heat up in more ways than one. There is a stalker out , wanting to cause harm but who is the intended target? As the mystery of who her sister's admirer could be and who's after her continues to deepen, Heath and Jolie grow quite a bite closer. But the danger is growing closer and someone is going to get hurt. OMG, there is a lot of danger, passion, and heart that is in this book which made me really fall so much more in love with MS. Black’s “Holding on Tighter”, and the MC, especially the hero Heath. His past made him leery to fall in love yet when he meets Jolie, he fell so hard, so fast yet he didn’t want to admit what was right there- this alpha male was definitely the right man for Jolie. She reminded me of a thorny rose –delicate yet with a bite to her. Oh this is one book you do not want to miss. One of the best in the WL series yet!

My Rating: 4.8 stars *****
"I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book in exchange for an honest review***

***ARC Provided by the Publisher and NetGalley***

For me, a 5 star read is one you are still thinking about the next day. It's one that you can't put down, or if you do it is only because you have fallen asleep. It's one where you feel you have gotten to know the characters in the book, and have come to care about them.

I want to know what happens after the epilogue for Jolie and Heath. I loved their chemistry and their attraction to one another was amazing. I loved that she went after what she wanted. I also really liked the fact that they were both fairly sure of who they were and what they wanted.

Heath has a one-night-only rule. He doesn't break it. And then he meets Jolie...and he struggles with the rule. And then he breaks it (not really a spoiler as it would be tough for them to develop much of a relationship if he held to the rule)and the internal dialog is great. You get to know him, how he thinks, and what he wants.

I loved that Jolie was not only strong, but was able to recognize when others had her best interest at heart. I appreciated this a lot. Often, strong women are depicted as unable to recognize this and that becomes the issue of the relationship. In this, they each respected the other for who they were...and they loved one another for who they were. I liked this a lot.

And, he is intense. And this is great. This is not my first book by Shayla Black, but I have not read all of the books in this series. That said, you don't need to have read them for you to be able to enjoy this entry into the series.

I recommend this book. Highly.

Shayla Black can be relied upon to deliver a hot read, and she doesn’t disappoint with Holding on Tighter. It is the twelfth (12!) book in her Wicked Lovers series, and you might have met Health Powell in a prior book if you’ve read the series. He is a British ex-MI5 who is now working security in the United States and is hired to protect Jolie Quinn.

Jolie is a successful and sassy fashion designer who isn’t afraid to say what she wants and what she needs, especially with her business. She doesn’t feel like she has time for a relationship and isn’t looking for one, but one night she begins seeing her bodyguard in a new light one.

Heath is wildly attracted to Jolie and takes this opportunity to get to know her a lot better - both in and out of bed. Jolie is a strong woman who has a hard time allowing anyone to take care of her, but Heath is just as strong and a whole lot alpha. Jolie's little sister has an unknown stalker that begins to threaten her and Jolie, and Heath takes command to ensure their safety.Holding on Tighter is another great addition in a great series.

ARC provided by publisher via NetGalley, but this review was voluntarily and honestly written.

Holding on Tighter by Shayla Black is book 12 in the series, but I read it without the others and didn't have an issue. I did struggle with parts of the story though...

So, we have Jolie, our heroine and entrepreneur. She hires a private security guy, Heath, to provide her company with security support. Heath is hot and Jolie thinks he is going to break her sister's heart, so she warns him off. Then sleeps with him...

Jolie has a rocky history with men. Her mom is not the best role model, having just concluded her 4th divorce, and Jolie has her own heartbreak. When you combine the super tough, driven career woman with the man hating woman with trust issues, you get one of 2 characters. Either the heroine comes off as insecure and awkward around men or she comes off as a raging bitch. Jolie was the later and that always disappoints me. Why do strong women have to come across as bitch and defensive? I will say that Jolie wasn't so bitch that it ruined the book for me or anything, but its one of those cliche' that really bothers me.

Heath is your classic alpha male man whore. Seriously, you get a lot of back story on his previous conquests and get to experience one in the beginning of the book. His wife died 7 years ago and when he finally moves on and falls in love with someone else, the feeling isn't returned. So, he decides to bang his way through the female population of Dallas in dive bars. Again, another cliche character trope that I don't care for. I can get past that though.

I think my struggles with the book were the combination of these two characters. I didn't dislike either independently, but together, I didn't care for them as the main couple. I struggled to really care about them. I felt a great deal of ambivalence towards them overall. The plot was good and there is a bit of mystery woven into the story that held my attention more than the characters. So, while I didn't love this book, it didn't really have anything to do with the writing style or anything like that and I will probably pick up previous books in the series.