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loverofromance's review against another edition
4.0
This review was originally posted on Addicted To Romance
Can't Let Go by Gena Showalter, is the fifth book in this series, and boy what a book. I honestly loved the previous books so much so I was curious to see how this book would match up with the rest of the books in the series. And I would say FABULOUS!!! There was something so endearing about this book that felt different from the previous books. I think what made the biggest impression was their chemistry. Because its like off the charts but there are other factors involved that keep them from just entering into a relationship smoothly.
So our hero, Jude Laurent, is suffering some emotional trauma. His wife and two daughters were killed in a car accident while he was injured and lost his leg. So its been a couple of years later and it still haunts him.
He is full on against anyone drinking alcohol and so he so doesn't approve of Ryanne running a bar. He is this haunted brooding male that doesn't approve of anything Ryanne does and always looks for the bad before the good. Our heroine isn't ashamed of what she does and she is so careful in making sure no one goes home drunk and she is sassy, independent and strong. I love how she pushes Jude's boundaries.
There is a big obstacle though, Jude's fear. His fear of the past and not wanting it to effect what he has with Ryanne causes some not so good tension. So we see our hero really deal with some real hard fears that he has to learn to overcome if he doesn't want to lose Ryanne. There is so many various feels that Gena Showalter implements in this story and worked me more than I thought it would. This story did crack me up though, Showalter is one of those authors that makes you laugh and grin when you don't expect it to.
Can't Let Go is a story that delves into in depth emotion, rollercoaster of laughs and tears and a sexy small town tale any romance reader will be bound to love.
[foogallery id="18238"]
Can't Let Go by Gena Showalter, is the fifth book in this series, and boy what a book. I honestly loved the previous books so much so I was curious to see how this book would match up with the rest of the books in the series. And I would say FABULOUS!!! There was something so endearing about this book that felt different from the previous books. I think what made the biggest impression was their chemistry. Because its like off the charts but there are other factors involved that keep them from just entering into a relationship smoothly.
So our hero, Jude Laurent, is suffering some emotional trauma. His wife and two daughters were killed in a car accident while he was injured and lost his leg. So its been a couple of years later and it still haunts him.
Loved ones left marks on your soul, and when they died, those marks became scars.
He is full on against anyone drinking alcohol and so he so doesn't approve of Ryanne running a bar. He is this haunted brooding male that doesn't approve of anything Ryanne does and always looks for the bad before the good. Our heroine isn't ashamed of what she does and she is so careful in making sure no one goes home drunk and she is sassy, independent and strong. I love how she pushes Jude's boundaries.
If you didn't take time to enjoy your life, to make others happy rather miserable, did you have a life worth living?
There is a big obstacle though, Jude's fear. His fear of the past and not wanting it to effect what he has with Ryanne causes some not so good tension. So we see our hero really deal with some real hard fears that he has to learn to overcome if he doesn't want to lose Ryanne. There is so many various feels that Gena Showalter implements in this story and worked me more than I thought it would. This story did crack me up though, Showalter is one of those authors that makes you laugh and grin when you don't expect it to.
Can't Let Go is a story that delves into in depth emotion, rollercoaster of laughs and tears and a sexy small town tale any romance reader will be bound to love.
[foogallery id="18238"]
tanyad74's review against another edition
4.0
In Can't Let Go, we have two characters we met in the previous book, Can't Hardly Breathe. Ryanne is one of Dorothea's best friends while Jude is one of Daniel's buddies and business partner in their security firm. Jude has a pretty bad attitude, justified after all he's been through, but he takes it out on Ryanne and her bar while fighting the attraction he has for her. He doesn't want to be attracted, especially to someone who is serving drinks. Even responsibly, she is still a bar owner.
Jude's mind makes him do things that I was a little confused about. He takes his determination not to feel again to extreme measures. Especially when he feels his wall against Ryanne cracking. He is really and truly messed up emotionally. Ryanne is a fun character. Her feelings are pretty much out there for the world to see and her determination to save her bar is admirable. She can be down, but she'll bounce right back with creative ideas on how to fix the troubles that befall the bar. Mud and oil wrestling? Foam parties? Between Ryanne and Selma, they come up with some fun ways to prove they are here to stay.
I have to admit, that even though Jude causes a lot of his own problems, I really felt for him. He has some pretty hard breakdowns in his journey to Ryanne and they are heartbreaking. That just made the changes in him, and the happiness he gains so very special. Of the three, (Brock, Daniel & Jude) I think Jude is my favorite. His problems just seem so much more intense. I love the side of him that Ryanne brings out, and the man she is with at the end is so much different than at the beginning of the story. He actually learns innuendo, which Ryanne is queen of to my great amusement.
It may sound corny, but I LOVE the way Gena references her other books here. Video games and cat names after her other series and mentioning other authors and their books. It is fun to see that carryover.
Overall, Can't Let Go was a fun, romantic read with some great characters. I have always loved Gena's characters, which is what brought me over to her contemporary. I was not disappointed and loved them all. Can't Get Enough (coming out Dec. 5th) is going to have to really bring it to top my love for Jude and Ryanne!
This review was originally posted on Rantings of a Reading Addict
Jude's mind makes him do things that I was a little confused about. He takes his determination not to feel again to extreme measures. Especially when he feels his wall against Ryanne cracking. He is really and truly messed up emotionally. Ryanne is a fun character. Her feelings are pretty much out there for the world to see and her determination to save her bar is admirable. She can be down, but she'll bounce right back with creative ideas on how to fix the troubles that befall the bar. Mud and oil wrestling? Foam parties? Between Ryanne and Selma, they come up with some fun ways to prove they are here to stay.
I have to admit, that even though Jude causes a lot of his own problems, I really felt for him. He has some pretty hard breakdowns in his journey to Ryanne and they are heartbreaking. That just made the changes in him, and the happiness he gains so very special. Of the three, (Brock, Daniel & Jude) I think Jude is my favorite. His problems just seem so much more intense. I love the side of him that Ryanne brings out, and the man she is with at the end is so much different than at the beginning of the story. He actually learns innuendo, which Ryanne is queen of to my great amusement.
It may sound corny, but I LOVE the way Gena references her other books here. Video games and cat names after her other series and mentioning other authors and their books. It is fun to see that carryover.
Overall, Can't Let Go was a fun, romantic read with some great characters. I have always loved Gena's characters, which is what brought me over to her contemporary. I was not disappointed and loved them all. Can't Get Enough (coming out Dec. 5th) is going to have to really bring it to top my love for Jude and Ryanne!
The Original Heartbreaker series
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amandaventure's review against another edition
4.0
Can’t Let Go is a fun enemies to lovers romance in the Original Heartbreakers series by Gena Showalter. I was interested in Ryanne and Jude’s story ever since I met them in Can’t Hardly Breathe. The strange thing is that I liked them better outside of their own book. This happens for me from time to time and it’s not necessarily a bad thing in this instance. I still loved Can’t Let Go but if I compare it to the previous book, Can’t Hardly Breathe, I found Can’t Let Go missing that something extra to make it extraordinary. Which really doesn’t make sense because Can’t Hardly Breathe has super LOW stakes while Can’t Let Go has super HIGH stakes. Seriously, there are Russian gangsters, vandalism, peril, and even kidnapping. There was just something that didn’t endear me to the characters as much as I would have liked.
I loved Ryanne. She was a sassy bartender with an independent streak and a heart of gold. Really, what’s not to like about her? Well… occasionally she did act pretty dumb like following a known gangster while alone and thinking nothing could happen to her. Girl… you are cruising for bruising! But overall, I found her likeable and spunky: just like I like my heroines. Jude on the other hand… well he was harder to love. Don’t get me wrong, I could sympathize with Jude. Who wouldn’t? I just couldn’t sympathize with his treatment of Ryanne. This hot and cold bullshit was exactly that. Bullshit. I can understand his struggle with trying to move on with his life and with a new woman after his wife and daughters were killed. It all makes perfect sense but he still goes out of his way to be a dick to her for so long when she’s only ever nice to him. If I was Ryanne’s friend I would have told her it may be best to not get involved with Jude. Yes, I know everything turns out great in the end but still. Practically speaking it wasn’t the best start to a relationship.
Now this next section will have some spoilers in it so I’m just going to hide it and let everyone feel free to read it if they want:
All in all, I still loved Can’t Let Go because it’s Gena Showalter and she’s an amazing writer. I’m completely enamored with the series and the characters and I’m definitely going to continue on with the series. Can’t Let Go in particular was just over shadowed by its predecessor Can’t Hardly Breathe in my opinion.
I loved Ryanne. She was a sassy bartender with an independent streak and a heart of gold. Really, what’s not to like about her? Well… occasionally she did act pretty dumb like following a known gangster while alone and thinking nothing could happen to her. Girl… you are cruising for bruising! But overall, I found her likeable and spunky: just like I like my heroines. Jude on the other hand… well he was harder to love. Don’t get me wrong, I could sympathize with Jude. Who wouldn’t? I just couldn’t sympathize with his treatment of Ryanne. This hot and cold bullshit was exactly that. Bullshit. I can understand his struggle with trying to move on with his life and with a new woman after his wife and daughters were killed. It all makes perfect sense but he still goes out of his way to be a dick to her for so long when she’s only ever nice to him. If I was Ryanne’s friend I would have told her it may be best to not get involved with Jude. Yes, I know everything turns out great in the end but still. Practically speaking it wasn’t the best start to a relationship.
Now this next section will have some spoilers in it so I’m just going to hide it and let everyone feel free to read it if they want:
Spoiler
Can’t Let Go falls victim to the dreaded “whoopsie baby” trope. You know the stories where the heroine winds up pregnant even though protection is used and there shouldn’t be a logical way for her to become pregnant in the first place. Now this one in particular was stretching that trope to its limits. Ryanne was on the pill, they used a condom (although it broke), and HE HAD A FREAKING VASECTOMY! Yet somehow, miracle of miracles, she gets knocked up. COME ON! This really didn’t need a whoopsie baby. I think maybe at the end there could have been talk of Jude getting his vasectomy reversed (yes, they’re reversible) or maybe even adopting or using a sperm donor from either Brock or Daniel. All I’m saying is that there were a lot more options available rather than an against all odds whoopsie baby.All in all, I still loved Can’t Let Go because it’s Gena Showalter and she’s an amazing writer. I’m completely enamored with the series and the characters and I’m definitely going to continue on with the series. Can’t Let Go in particular was just over shadowed by its predecessor Can’t Hardly Breathe in my opinion.
alleskelle's review against another edition
DNF @26%
Do real people really talk like this? Am I the only one bored with the narrative? Sometimes it feels the author jolted down funny sentences on a notepad and thought it would be fun to include them in this book. The result feels so labored to me I can't connect with the characters or care about the main plot. The seemingly push and pull dynamic between Jude and Ryanne isn't enough to get me interested, sadly.
Arc received in exchange for a review.
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You can find me here too ☞
Do real people really talk like this? Am I the only one bored with the narrative? Sometimes it feels the author jolted down funny sentences on a notepad and thought it would be fun to include them in this book. The result feels so labored to me I can't connect with the characters or care about the main plot. The seemingly push and pull dynamic between Jude and Ryanne isn't enough to get me interested, sadly.
Arc received in exchange for a review.
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
sgrizanti's review against another edition
2.0
This cannot be the same person that wrote the first few LoTU books. Cannot. Because I enjoyed those. I enjoyed those characters and the world building and the banter and the sex. This. Ugh. Real people do not talk like this. They don't get over their issues by thinking them through in the span of 15 minutes. They don't say things like, "slathered with cream" with a straight face (barf). Not for me.
*Arc in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley*
*Arc in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley*
kindlelovingmom's review against another edition
4.0
I loved this story of 2 damaged people finding a real connection, and being smart enough not to let it go, even when it hurt. The characters really spoke to me, and I enjoyed the story so much.
Ryanne Wade has sworn off men. It's why she's still a virgin at 25. After a lifetime of witnessing her bombshell mother flit around from husband, to husband, to other women's husbands, always searching for "true love", Ryanne swore she would never be like that. So, she lives in the small town she grew up in, Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, and owns the local bar in the center of 3 small towns. She's a flirt, and likes keeping her customers happy. She also feeds the homeless guys in the bar's back alley once she closes each night. She is just an all around sweet person, and it surprises her the level of attraction she has for such a snarly man, who clearly doesn't like her, or her bar, at all.
Jude Laurent lost his wife and twin daughters to a car accident caused by a drunk driver 2 1/2 years ago. He lost his leg in the war, before that. He's a broken man, and he embraces his misery. He hates that Ryanne runs a bar, serving patrons who could then drive a car and kill someone. But, she's friends with his best friend's fiancee, so he has to be around her a lot, and he's learning to deal. The biggest issue is his strong attraction to her. He doesn't want to be feeling it, but he can't seem to help himself, and that just pisses him off more. But, then a local gangster moves into town, and threatens Ryanne, and her livelihood, and Jude vows to protect and help her. Steering clear of her romantically shouldn't be hard, right?!
Jude and Ryanne clearly have a strong chemistry, but they are fighting it for different reasons. Then, Ryanne decides she's done fighting, and starts to try to change Jude's mind. Their push and pull was fun, and sexy, and it was definitely realistic for a widower to be so reluctant. I loved their banter (and nicknames!), and I enjoyed watching their story play out. Often it was heartbreaking to see what Jude was going through, and when he did screw up, which was often, he screwed up badly. Ryanne had infinite patience, and I really loved her soft heart, but spine of steel. I also enjoyed their honesty and great communication, even when it hurt.
This was a redemption story of sorts, as well as a second chance at life, and love for the hero. For the heroine, it was her first time finding a man she could love and trust implicitly, and it was beautiful to watch. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm so glad I read it. Now I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series, which will focus on the last 2 singles in this little crew. That one is going to be a doozy, as both characters have HUGE issues and pasts to overcome. I can't wait to see what happens.
ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Megan from Alpha Book Club
Ryanne Wade has sworn off men. It's why she's still a virgin at 25. After a lifetime of witnessing her bombshell mother flit around from husband, to husband, to other women's husbands, always searching for "true love", Ryanne swore she would never be like that. So, she lives in the small town she grew up in, Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma, and owns the local bar in the center of 3 small towns. She's a flirt, and likes keeping her customers happy. She also feeds the homeless guys in the bar's back alley once she closes each night. She is just an all around sweet person, and it surprises her the level of attraction she has for such a snarly man, who clearly doesn't like her, or her bar, at all.
Jude Laurent lost his wife and twin daughters to a car accident caused by a drunk driver 2 1/2 years ago. He lost his leg in the war, before that. He's a broken man, and he embraces his misery. He hates that Ryanne runs a bar, serving patrons who could then drive a car and kill someone. But, she's friends with his best friend's fiancee, so he has to be around her a lot, and he's learning to deal. The biggest issue is his strong attraction to her. He doesn't want to be feeling it, but he can't seem to help himself, and that just pisses him off more. But, then a local gangster moves into town, and threatens Ryanne, and her livelihood, and Jude vows to protect and help her. Steering clear of her romantically shouldn't be hard, right?!
Jude and Ryanne clearly have a strong chemistry, but they are fighting it for different reasons. Then, Ryanne decides she's done fighting, and starts to try to change Jude's mind. Their push and pull was fun, and sexy, and it was definitely realistic for a widower to be so reluctant. I loved their banter (and nicknames!), and I enjoyed watching their story play out. Often it was heartbreaking to see what Jude was going through, and when he did screw up, which was often, he screwed up badly. Ryanne had infinite patience, and I really loved her soft heart, but spine of steel. I also enjoyed their honesty and great communication, even when it hurt.
This was a redemption story of sorts, as well as a second chance at life, and love for the hero. For the heroine, it was her first time finding a man she could love and trust implicitly, and it was beautiful to watch. I really enjoyed this book, and I'm so glad I read it. Now I'm really looking forward to the next book in this series, which will focus on the last 2 singles in this little crew. That one is going to be a doozy, as both characters have HUGE issues and pasts to overcome. I can't wait to see what happens.
ARC provided by Publisher in exchange for an honest review.
Reviewed by Megan from Alpha Book Club
lpcoolgirl's review against another edition
5.0
Oh, this was another amazing book in this series, with such a deserving couple! I loved reading about them and their story! So sweet and yet, heartbreaking! Such a great read!
laurla's review against another edition
"theres something you need to know about me. i'll never do what a man commands. call it a quirk. and even if you were to wise up and ask nicely my answer would remain no."
"oops. some of her hurt had escaped the lockbox. stuff. click. shove."
"he chased us down and demanded to know what was going on. I told him we'd be sure to tell him all about it the moment the information was his business."
"you're looking at our sweet little ryanne the way a serial killer looks at his next victim. you planning on locking her in your basement, boy? maybe wearing her skin?"
"fight for what you want while you still can. if you don't, someone else will win your prize and you'll have no right to complain."
"you're doing your I am man, hear me bark thing."
"tell your sweet ryanne you're sorry for whatever you did because we both know you're at fault. you're a man and sometimes you guys don't have enough oxygen in your brains."
"you aren't worth two shits and a giggle."
"brock does whatever it takes to make the people around him fall in love with him, if only for a little while, since he can't love himself."
"oops. some of her hurt had escaped the lockbox. stuff. click. shove."
"he chased us down and demanded to know what was going on. I told him we'd be sure to tell him all about it the moment the information was his business."
"you're looking at our sweet little ryanne the way a serial killer looks at his next victim. you planning on locking her in your basement, boy? maybe wearing her skin?"
"fight for what you want while you still can. if you don't, someone else will win your prize and you'll have no right to complain."
"you're doing your I am man, hear me bark thing."
"tell your sweet ryanne you're sorry for whatever you did because we both know you're at fault. you're a man and sometimes you guys don't have enough oxygen in your brains."
"you aren't worth two shits and a giggle."
"brock does whatever it takes to make the people around him fall in love with him, if only for a little while, since he can't love himself."
brsrhr's review against another edition
5.0
I absolutely love this series and this book was wonderful.
The original heartbreakers series really is just a nice romantic read I can’t get enough and hope she wirtes more books like these
The original heartbreakers series really is just a nice romantic read I can’t get enough and hope she wirtes more books like these