Hold On to Me

Carolina Classics, Book 2

De: Karen Grey

Narrado por: J. F. Harding, Mackenzie Cartwright

She’s my boss, and she’s a stone-cold fox.
Two months ago, I lost my boat, my cat, and—with my leg in a cast—my income. Until I can walk again, the only job I’m fit for is one few have survived.

See, my new boss has a reputation. She's grumpy, no-nonsense, and runs a tight ship. Keeping a firm hold on a movie budget does require nerves of steel, after all. Especially when disaster strikes.

When she yells at me, all I hear is the passion in her voice. All I want in those moments is to kiss her until she can't think straight.

And then convince her that it's okay to fall in love with me.

Fans of 1990's movies like Swimming with Sharks and Beautiful Girls will love this slow-burn, boss-assistant, younger man older woman, entertainment biz, 1990’s office romance from USA Today bestselling author Karen Grey.

©2022 Karen Grey (P)2025 Home Cooked Books

Great romance!

I received this audiobook in exchange for an honest review. First of all, I really really loved Sully. He was just a great hero. He was comfortable in his own skin and laid back. He knew he wasn't meant to be driven in his career. He wanted to make money and enjoy a good life. I can definitely respect that. These characters really jumped out of my headphones in this book. The author did a great job of drawing the listener in and holding on for a great great ride. I really cared about this story and these characters. I especially loved Helen. She was tough on the outside with a soft center. I loved how Sully brought out the best in her. This book drew me in and brought out all the feels. The steamy scenes were great. I loved the 90s time frame with the movie set back drop. The narrators did an excellent job telling this story. I can't wait for the next one.

Sweet Romance

The chemistry between these two characters is felt from the beginning. Sullivan is just what Helen needs. Helen is strong and trying to make it in a man’s world. Helen need a new assistant and Sullivan needs a job. Sullivan is just the person that can keep up with Helen’s demands.

The only think I didn’t like about the audio book was the sound before each chapter. Mackenzie Cartwright and JF Harding did an amazing job!

Fabulous Story & Narration🎧 A Heartfelt Delight!

Karen Grey pens another wonderfully entertaining novel set in her “Carolina Classics” series and I loved everything about it, from her fabulous writing style to the fantastic characters and storylines she created to the perfectly cast narrators who bring it all to life from the pages to your ears. Also love how she put her own unique spin on a workplace romance, age gap, boss and personal assistant, and all the blast in the past mentions of the times, the late nineteen-nineties, even one of the lead characters had a personal experience in what was later to become one of Hollywood’s biggest scandals, newsworthy headlines that were twenty years in the making. This book is Sullivan “Sully” Calloway and Helen O’Neill’s story and it starts with a bang or rather a crash. Sully was getting away from some family and relationship drama, he set sail on his beloved boat with his beloved cat, found a nice tranquil place to moor, not too far off of shore when he hears loud music and then sees a boat heading straight towards him, he tried to save himself and his cat but the crash was inevitable. He suffered a broken leg and the boat he worked hard on was a wreck. He normally works on the set at the studio, but cannot do it with his injury and while on crutches. No longer able to live on his boat, he stays at his friend Violet’s house, who winds up getting him a job working in an office as a personal assistant to one of the behind-the-scenes movie executives. Helen O’Neill worked hard to be where she is in the film industry and can be a demanding boss, so much so it is hard to keep an assistant and with filming about to start, she needs a new one. And when Sully walks in for the job, she is not sure what to make of him, good looking, knows the business but never held an office job, but with no time to spare she hires him with reluctance. And he excels at the job way more than she thought he would, he is also hard to resist, despite their age difference, but she must since he is her employee, a younger employee. But there are no fraternization policies in place, besides it is Hollywood, filming on location in the Carolinas and if it is ok for men to fool around with their female subordinates, why can’t it be the same for women? I adored both these characters, the chemistry between them is magical, but can they or will they make it work or will they let their careers get in their way? This fabulously plotted story has the perfect balance of drama, charm, humor, heartfelt emotions, and steamy romance. Karen Grey, thank you for another amazing story, a blast in the past and emotional rollercoaster ride.

🎧📚🎧And for the wonderful narration, J.F. Harding and Mackenzie Cartwright did an amazing job portraying these characters and did so with a complete understanding of their persona, giving them a voice that suited them perfectly and was believable in every role they played. Cartwright nailed it as Helen grasped every side of her personality, including her bossy take charge and no BS attitude. Harding’s Sully was spot on, smooth worthy with a cool demeanor. Both were great performing the roles of the secondary characters too. They set the perfect tone for the story, captured all the character’s emotions and projected them into their performance. These versatile voice artists are entertaining storytellers and a pleasure to listen to.

Perfect together!

This was great! I really liked Sully and Helen and thought that they worked really well together. Sully survived a crash that took his boat and left him using crutches so he needs a job that will allow him to stay off his feet. Helen works in the movie business and needs a new assistant since her last one just quit. It was obvious right away that their personalities fit together perfectly. I couldn’t wait to see them find their happily ever after together.

I thought that Sully and Helen had wonderful chemistry with each other and I loved the way that they seemed to understand each other. Sully’s group of friends was great and I thought that they added a lot to the story. The 90s references were a lot of fun and brought back quite a few memories.

I listened to the audiobook and thought Mackenzie Cartwright and JF Harding did a fantastic job with the story. I liked the voices that they both used to bring this story to life and I thought that their voices complimented each other very well. I believe that this is the first time that I have listened to either of these narrators but I wouldn’t hesitate to pick up their work again in the future.

I would definitely recommend this audiobook to fans of contemporary romance. This is the second book in the Carolina Classics series but it can easily be read as a stand-alone. I cannot wait to read more of Karen Grey’s work!

I received a copy of this audiobook from the author/publicist.

Sweet, Emotional, and Engaging!

This is the third book in the Carolina Classic, a throwback series. Sullivan/Sully and Helen's story is beautifully written, sweet, emotional, and engaging. They are both interesting characters. I liked their slow burn romance, and push and pull relationship. The definitely complement each other. This is an excellent reverse age-gap/office romance. I enjoyed it. Mackenzie Cartwright and J.F. Harding did an outstanding job bringing this story to life. They are perfect as Helen and Sully. This is an excellent addition to the series. I highly recommend it.

Love Helen and Sully

I have to say the narrators on this really made this book come to life for me. The book itself was so good but they added that extra. Loved it! Definitely a 5 star listen.
Karen Grey does an amazing job at writing about the past, making it so relatable and the characters so loveable. I love all the retro references, 1998 was a good year...
Sully is a man down on his luck after a boating accident and in need of work. Helen is in need of an assistant so she hires him. The attraction between the two is instant. Helen is a very demanding boss. She puts on a good front but Sully breaks through her walls. These two have baggage from past relationships that keep them from fully committing. Once all is revealed these two go all in. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Sully and Helen's story. These two are so perfect for each other.
I was sent a free audiobook and am voluntarily leaving this honest review.

Age -Gap Romance

I enjoyed this audiobook narrated by MacKenzie Cartwright and JF Harding. I liked the storyline and the fact the heroine is ten years older than the hero. She sees it as a problem, but he does not. She is also his boss.

Reverse age gap & “Boss”!

Story Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨ 4.5/5
Audiobook Rating: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧 (0-5)
Overall Rating: 4.75/5
Steam: 🔥🔥🔥 (0-5)

What I’m Starry-Eyed Over:
🤩 Retro 90s setting, fun movies and mix tapes.
🤩 Small Carolina beach town (and a bonus Virginia beach cottage).
🤩 I went in blind (not usual for me) and was so excited to get another workplace romance!
🤩 Girl-boss in the entertainment/movie production industry.
🤩 Helen doesn’t trust males (she’s been deceived) in her business but she’s desperate for an assistant.
🤩 Reverse Age Gap! Yes!
🤩 “Boss” nickname.
🤩 Also, when Helen refuses to be called Mrs. O’Neill & Sully calls her O’Neill! Swoon!
🤩 The narration portrays strong feelings really well—depression, desperation/anger, frustration, drunk, turned-on, worried/stressed . . .
🤩 Forced proximity in more than one way—whoop! 🙌🏻
🤩 The cutest physical attraction—both ways.
🤩 So much honesty.
🤩 AMAZING friend group is so good to Sully when he’s going through physical therapy.
🤩 Sullivan Calloway is total book boyfriend material. “Give us a chance O’Neill. I’ll make it worth your while.”
🤩 Cat lovers, you’re in for a treat.
🤩 Reproductive rights representation.

What I’m Wishing/Dizzy About:
💫 I’m greedy for more physical connection (steam) especially after time apart. Maybe just one more scene to confirm the HEA.

Fun retro story with great narration

Hold On To Me picks right up where You Get What You Give (Book 1) in the Carolina Classics series leaves us on a cliffhanger. Sullivan /Sully is forced to take on a new job, not one that he wants, but one that he needs. This job will force him to be a bit humble, patient and to get along with his grumpy boss. Helen is hell on wheels, tough to work for but she is determined to do things right. She feels like she has to be tough and perfect because of her line of business and competition with men in the business. Tough on the outside but soft, sexy and vulnerable on the inside. Sully and Helen have an instant attraction but do their best to keep their workplace professional. I love the banter and sass between the two and they give us some funny moments. Wanting to remain professional and not cause issues they decide to keep their romance a secret…until it isn’t. One of my favorite scenes is how Helen finally announces their romance…it’s brave, bold and fantastic. I loved the cameo appearances from other characters in book one. This is a sweet and emotional romance that takes you back to all the fun things from the 90’s. Mackenzie Cartwright and JF Harding deliver a fantastic performance with the characters. JF’s characterization of Sully is fantastic - his voice is smooth, confident and patient when it comes to Helen. Mackenzie voice is fantastic, strong and determined which is perfect for Helen. Loved the cassette tape sound between each chapter….brought back lots of memories.

Solid 4.5-star listen!

I enjoyed this book so much! Small-town, great characters, reverse age gap, all the 90s vibes, and a fun, romantic storyline. This was a solid 4.5-stars for me.

Sometimes you have to get into a book a bit before you really start to feel the chemistry between the main characters. That wasn’t the case here. Sully and Helen had great chemistry from the beginning. He seems to just really get her. She's used to being in control due to her job and having to hold her own in a male-dominated industry. Being able to give up control to him is just what she needs. She tends to get stressed out, while Sully is a bit more chill. They’re a great balance for each other.

There are quotes and words of wisdom at the beginning of each chapter that were a really cool addition to the story. If you started with the first book in the series you’ll enjoy the references and inclusion of some of those characters in this book.

The narration was superb. Mackenzie Cartwright played Helen perfectly and JF Harding had me swooning over Sully.

If you want a fun, sexy, romantic read, I highly recommend this audiobook.

I was provided with a free copy of this book and this is my honest review.