KEEP ME CLOSEby J. H. CroixIt was supposed to be simple. One night with no strings. I had just gotten the worst news of my life and wanted to forget everything.
A tall, dark and broody firefighter was perfect. Our night together was so hot, I forgot everything but the rules.
I never expected to get pregnant. It was supposed to be impossible.
All I knew was his name and the small town where I found him.
Chase & Hallie’s story is perfect for readers who love small town romance, sassy heroines, surprise/accidental pregnancy, slow burn, emotional romance with a dash of angst, oozing with swoon, and protective heroes who’ll do anything for the woman they love.
Hallie received some devastating news and, in an effort to step away from her real life and forget everything, she headed out of town and indulged in a one night stand. There was no denying the attraction and connection between she and Chase, but she was firm about the rules: no last names, no phone numbers, and the next morning they said goodbye. But that one night had some long-lasting consequences, namely an unplanned pregnancy. That meant returning to the small town of Willow Brook and finding Chase - and breaking the news that he was going to be a father.
Keep Me Close is the fifth entry in Croix's Light My Fire series, but it was easy to step into this world and appreciate Hallie and Chase's story as a stand-alone. There was an ease to their relationship, despite the circumstances they were dealing with, and although neither planned to be where they were at, they both acted like mature adults and talked things through. Chase stepped up immediately and made sure Hallie knew he wanted to be involved in every aspect. I loved the level of support he offered Hallie. He was dealing with his own issues, having recently learned of the half-siblings he'd never knew he had, but he was still present and supportive and wanted a future with Hallie.
While the story felt a bit repetitive at times - Hallie and Chase would have the same conversations over and over, as well as certain words/phrases being overused - Keep Me Close was a sweet and sexy romance that wasn't marred by an abundance of drama. I appreciated the lack of angst and melodrama and instead sat back and enjoyed this story of two people who came together with no expectations, but instead found their forever.
Note: I received a complimentary advance copy of this book for review. This does not impact my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
MEET J.H. CROIX
Croix writes steamy contemporary romance with sassy women and rugged alpha men who aren't afraid to show some emotion. Her love for quirky small-towns and the characters that inhabit them shines through in her writing.
I do like the idea of a tall, dark and broody firefighter. ;D
ReplyDeleteLark: Right? I'm right there with you. lol
DeleteNot a big fan of the whole pregnancy trope, but that's great it was low on the angst and drama!
ReplyDeleteLauren @ www.shootingstarsmag.net
Lauren: I can take or leave the surprise pregnancy trope (doesn't bother me), but I was so happy at the lack of drama. It was like, oh look, two people acting like mature adults. lol
DeleteI think I would take repetitveness over drama any day of the week haha this is an author I have been meaning to try out though. And I love a firefighter, I feel like we hardly see them as heroes anymore.
ReplyDeleteRenee: Yes! I feel the same. It was a little repetitive but I was so willing to go with it because I appreciated the main characters acting like mature adults so much. And bring on more firefighters!
DeleteThis sounds like an interesting premise. I'm not sure how I feel about the pregnancy trope. I haven't read many of them. Thanks for stopping by my blog.
ReplyDeleteJenni - The pregnancy trope it used a lot. I don't mind it but I do wish it wasn't used so often.
DeleteThis sounds really good other than the overuse of phrases and conversations. I've been noticing authors doing that more and more lately. It definitely decreases my ratings for books when it's done.
ReplyDeleteAlison: I notice it now and then and it just feels like lazy writing to me. When you're rehashing the conversations instead of adding something new. Or reusing the same words and phrases... it's just lazy. Like you, it definitely impacts my feelings for the book.
DeleteI like a small town romance. Nice review, Tanya!
ReplyDeleteWendy: I love small town romances, too. :)
DeleteI do enjoy a low level of drama in my romance. I does get old to hear the same arguments/conversations over and over. Glad to hear you enjoyed it overall!
ReplyDeleteRachel: I tend to read so many angsty, emotional books that sometimes I just crave a story with no drama. All about the balance. lol
DeleteIt's nice to grab a book that is just mature adults without drama! I may read this, just because I can't help but wonder, how did she find him with no last names, no ANYTHING?! Great review.
ReplyDeleteBerls: Yes! Sometimes I crave a story with no drama. Oh, and finding him was pretty easy. Super small town and she knew he was a firefighter. No problem there. lol
DeleteThis can be quite the predicament.... Lovely dreamy cover and it sounds like an intriguing romantic drama.
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Mareli - It was a nice change of pace for me. :)
DeleteRedundant? Ugh. Why must authors do that. I loved how else you described the story. I might still need to give it a try. I haven't read this author before. If you like no/little drama, this Dating series I'm reading by Monica Murphy is really light and fun.
ReplyDeleteDeanna: I mentioned the repetition because it was enough that it stood out to me, but it certainly didn't ruin my reading experience. I wouldn't hesitate to read more from Croix.
DeleteI haven't read a book by this author before. It sounds fun and I love that cover!
ReplyDeleteMaureen: This was my first by Croix and I'm sure I'll read more. :)
DeleteI honestly have no strong feelings on the accidental pregnancy trope, but I do love low drama stories. Have you read the other books in the series?
ReplyDeleteSam: Same here. The whole accidental/surprise pregnancy trope is a non-issue for me, but I've seen several reviewers who get pretty salty about it. lol I haven't read the previous books in the series, but I imagine at some point I'll go back and do that. I've been subscribed to Croix's newsletter for ages and have several freebies from her. Having enjoyed this one, I wouldn't hesitate to read more from her.
DeleteI can really appreciate a lack of drama sometimes! This sounds like a realistic story.
ReplyDeleteAngela - Same here. I tend to read a lot of super emotional books. Sometimes the low drama/low angst is a welcome change!
DeleteThis sounds really good. I love angsty drama-filled stories but sometimes it's nice to read a drama free one for a change of pace. :)
ReplyDeleteSuzanne - Exactly! After a few angsty books I need a low drama palate cleanser. :)
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