Hold On to Hope

By: A.L. Jackson

Narrated by: Andi Arndt, Zachary Webber

Length: 10 hrs and 31 mins

Publisher's Summary

Evan Bryant wasn't your typical hero. But he was mine. Broken by the worlds' standards, he was still the strongest boy I would ever know. My best friend. The boy I'd given everything to. My heart, my body, and the promise of forever. The day I'd needed him most, he walked away. He left me shattered and questioning the love I'd thought we'd shared.

Three years later, I wasn't prepared for him to return to Gingham Lakes. It wouldn't have mattered if he wasn't the most beautiful man I'd ever seen. My fingers still would have ached to caress his skin. My body still would have begged to get lost in his touch. And my heart...it would have always sung his name. But time changes things. With it, secrets that could ruin everything. 

Can we find a way to love again, or have the fears of our past stolen the hope of our forever?

A best friends-to-lovers, stand-alone romance from The New York Times best-selling author A.L. Jackson.

©2019 Amy Lichtenhan (P)2019 Amy Lichtenhan

ALL THE STARS, ALL THE FEELS & ALL THE LOVE

Oh.. my.. God this book! This book rips your heart out with its damaged tortured feels.. it tells of heartache, hope, forgiveness, redemption, possibilities and love between two soul-mates who’d lost their way for a while because of a selfless act. It’s a beautiful, sweet, touching and emotionally raw love story.. and nobody (IMO) writes heartache, chemistry and the emotionally deep bottomless feelings of soul-sharing love like ALJ. But in this love story she coupled it with a life-threatening disease, a disability, a secret, a sweet little boy and a suspenseful chilling threat that loomed and hovered.. striking again and again - then waiting in the shadows to strike their final blow. The heart-and-soul connection and magnetic chemistry between these two lovers could be felt from every chapter.. the heartache screamed from every scene.. the hope blazed bright from every paragraph.. and the passion and pain was breathed from everyone’s lips.

Worth a credit? For me, definitely yes - its third person past and dual PoV present chapters were odes to love. Innocent, happy, caring love between two small children who just clicked the moment they met not knowing they'd each found the missing piece of themselves. Best-friends love who looked out for each other, shared everything and were never apart. Teenage love that awakened new feelings.. and the promises and hopes that bloomed were beautiful. Sacrificial love as one walked away from the other.. both losing so much when they parted. Forgiving love three years later when the emotional walls between them had been scaled, the regrets and apologies given and the secret had finally been spoken. And it ends with forever love when the life-threatening drama of the who, what and why was blissfully over.. leaving hopes, plans and dreams for a happy future together filled with love. The vastness of feels were all expertly performed by two well-loved narrators who brought the characters and their emotions to life making this a very touching and enjoyable story.

Not good

I don't understand all the 5 star reviews. What a waste of money. The narrators were good. But the story just dragged and was pretty much inner turmoil for so long. I can't count how many times I rolled my eyes. I wished I could just yell "CRY" at the H/h through all their "poor me" BS. Actually, no need to yell it at the h bc all that train wreck did was cry. Super weak heroine. And the nerve of the H. "I didn't want to hurt you with my death and leave everyone waiting for it so I'm just gonna speed it up and hurt you now and then show up with a kid and expect you to still want to be with me." No. Bye, Felicia. Don't care if it hurts so bad my heart falls out my butthole, no way I'd be such a pathetic twit for a man who i was going to marry but then blew me off for 3 years, came back with a kid, THEN expects to still be the only person for me?!? NO. What a weird take on a story. Trying too hard to add drama. Got so annoyed with all the "woe is me" ish. Too much. Too much. Too much. Too many times their hands shook, throats got tight, heart shattered. I don't get it. Guess I just don't like the over the top drama and all the inner monologue. Must just be me according to all the reviews.
AGAIN, the narrators are awesome!!!

Loved it

Loved, loved, loved it!!! This book will make you cry, laugh, love, and have hope. I love Frankie Lee and Evan!!! I read the book and listened to it, and both were the absolute best. Love A L Jackson.❤❤❤

Amazing

This was absolutely amazing! loved this book. Hoping for a book with Carly. Can't wait for more!

All The Feels

This epic book gave me all the feels. ALL OF THEM!! Evan and Frankie Leigh were perfect and while their story was heartbreaking, it was perfect as well. I can't recommend this book enough. please read/listen to it. you won't regret it.

Meh

Wasn’t good. The story was weird and throughout the whole book, it seemed important pieces were missing.

This is my new favorite AL Jackson book

This book was perfection, from the narrators to the first page to the last, the story was heart gripping and full of angst and such a great coming of age story of two young people who grow into young lovers. With a mystery and lots of hurt that needs healing this book captivated me from the first chapter. It’s just one of those books that will definitely stick with me.

♥️♥️♥️♥️♥️Fantastic book & perfect performances!

I love Amy Jackson’s writing style- it’s as though you can feel the wind blow and hairs rise on necks just as the characters feel- it’s such a lyrical dance of expression that grabs you and keeps you floating through the story...captivating and heartfelt this one is another superb offering from one of my favorites and narration by my all time top duo! Don’t miss this one as it has all the feels, great angst and a beautiful love story that will leave you smiling in the end. Love that it’s set in Alabama as well! RTR! ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️

Heartbreakly Good!

This book is filled with so much emotion, it will gut you and have you crying like a baby one minute and laughing out loud the next.
Frankie Leigh and Evan are childhood friends that grow to be so much more. Evan was born deaf, has a heart defect, and has a heart transplant when he was very young. As he grew up, he saw himself as not being whole and not enough for Frankie Leigh. So he leaves to find himself and maybe make things better for her.
Frankie Leigh only ever wanted Evan, her words "We need to go see Evan, he can have my heart" had me balling my eyes out. And what she did next had me crying even more. her love for Evan never wavered until the day he left. It was the day she needed him more.
Now three years later and he is back and with a baby on his hip. Frankie Leigh can't move, can't talk and it hurts to even look at him. Can she give him the chance to explain why he left? Will he leave again when she tells him her secret? Who is leaving those messages and notes?
I haven't read the series the parents of Frankie Leigh and Evan are from and it didn't seem to matter. This was a story that pulled me in and didn't let go until all my tears were shed and I felt at peace. Frankie Leigh and Evan are MADE for each other in every way. I want to go back and read the other series now.

Zachary, you killed me, again!

Zachary and Andi are perfect! Maybe ending was quite predictable although beginning was perfect, but because of narrators I could listen to this story again and again! p.s. the same feeling was about book "Maybe someday", because, you know, Zac... ;)

Beautiful story

I loved this book the characters and narration were Amazing the author is excellent I would highly recommend this book

Bitter Sweet

I couldn't stop listening. Their history, Friendship and fight for life was exceptional. The narrator's as always gave life to this story.

Emotional

Al Jackson sure knows to find the strings to my heart! And those childhood scenes!!!
Love the narrators as well,they work perfectly together making this story come alive

So heart touching

What a amazing story so much love since childhood that's amazing love this story so much but always so heart braking I could not stop crying

Another fabulous book

Simply amazing and great continuation. Another must read hands down.

You will laugh, you will cry but you will must importantly feel the love