Hold You Now

The Rosewood Bay Series, Book 2

By: Carly Phillips

Narrated by: Angela Dawe

Length: 4 hrs and 27 mins

Publisher's Summary

A secret baby and a second chance. 

From troubled teen to successful contractor, Jake Nichols is used to starting over. From childhood to his recent divorce, he’s a pro at making the best of things. 

Phoebe Ward thought she’d never see her first love again. Until a client meeting brings her face to face with the sexy man...who is the father of her child. 

After all these years, they finally have the opportunity to finish their story - if they can find their faith in a happy ending. 

This book was formerly called Breathe. No changes from original.

©2018 Carly Phillips (P)2018 Blackstone Audio, Inc.

Oof

Well that’s four hours I’ll never get back. Why is this genre so lacking. Crap story line.

Tired of weak heroine character

Female authors need to stop create dumb and weak heroine. The woman raised a child without the father yet she took the fault for not telling him. Really?! The guy married and had another child from another woman and she can’t move on? Are all women this dumb? I guess so according to this author

Another sweet story in Rosewood Bay

We met Phoebe in bk 1...older sister of Haley, realtor and single mom...now we get her story. Phoebe was in the foster care system until her aunt found her at 16. By then she was pregnant and scared. Although her aunt searched for the father of Phoebe’s baby, she did not find him. With the help of her aunt and sister, Phoebe has raised her soon-to-be 12 yo son.
Imagine her surprise when she goes to check in on a client’s renovation and comes face to face with Jake...her son’s father. Will Phoebe tell Jake that he’s a father, especially when she learns that he has an ex-wife and 6 yo daughter. Aaaand, considering that the ex doesn’t really want to let go.
Jake is thrilled to reconnect with his 1st love but how can he juggle his ex, daughter and his son?
Is there an HEA in store for Phoebe and Jake or have they missed their chance?

Dull

Unfortunately this book was everything that I’ve come to dread about the modern romance genre. Lifeless, unimaginative story. Predictable plot elements. Paper-thin characters, and intimate scenes that are more “roll your eyes” than “steamy”. Carly’s audio books are always a brief listen, but this is the first of Carly’s books that couldn’t end soon enough. My biggest disappointment is that I know Carly can (and has) put out much better offerings.

The one redeeming element was Angela Dawe’s performance, which was quite good. Her pacing was flawless and her vocal range to differentiate the male, female & kid voices was among the best I’ve come across. She deserves to be featured on some of Carly’s better works.

lovely

when I first started this series I was for good story was wonderful to listen.

awesome

awesome...I loved it! This wrapped up the 3 sister's for me and I enjoyed each one!

Dull, dull, dull.

The plot idea had potential. It could have been outlined to be romanticand exciting with all the possible obstacles
Unfortunately very boring. The story was flat, so predictable. zzzz. There was no arc, no build up just boom they are in love again after their romance at 16. <eye roll> Where they were foster kids together EXCEPT he as an adult has a mother in his life. There is no indication that there was EVER family issue with Jake so why would he have been in foster care. Huge mistake, so so dumb!!
Then It was just about the sex between them. I lost count of how many times the author said "her nipples puckered". And the sex scenes could have been cut and pasted from a million other mediocre erotica novels. I say erotica only because it is so crude, not sensual! There was just no heat since there was no frustration, no growth or development of their relationships or the characters themselves.
Everything is too easy for them. There is supposed to be some internal struggle in the FMC but it is so trite and ridiculous. The ex could have been written to be sly or at least present conflict but nope there is just nothing interesting about it.

By chapter 6 I had to keep skipping ahead, noting that I wasn't missing much.

The voice of the narrator was uncomfortable... I had to play it at 7.5 to get. through her screeching.

Forgettable. Easy to give this one a hard pass.

Cute

A cute, sweet and charming second chance romance. A definite feel good story. I enjoyed it.

Great

Another wonderful by Carly. I enjoyed the storyline and the continuation of characters. I can't wait to read/listen to the next book.

Second Chance

Second book in series with a young woman with 11 yr old son by the boy she Loved in a foster care home.
Sweet heroine and son and a decent lost love who, unless I missed it, never looked for her once the separated. He also married and had a young daughter and only divorced because his ex pushed it. I can’t get past that and never could fully embrace the hero. Otherwise a decent second chance. Good narration