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letlanieread's review
4.0
Laura works in a small town where the tourism industry needs a makeover in order to save the livelihoods of the people that live there. Laura starts working with a marketing company and finds herself in a love triangle with two of the men that work there. It is cute, steamy, and a quick read.
Both of the men in this book are very likable and love Laura and I found myself rooting for one over the other the whole time. Spence completely won me over, and the last page in this book melted my heart. If you're looking for a quick romance, with little conflict, and a happy ending, pick this one up!
Both of the men in this book are very likable and love Laura and I found myself rooting for one over the other the whole time. Spence completely won me over, and the last page in this book melted my heart. If you're looking for a quick romance, with little conflict, and a happy ending, pick this one up!
ratetheromance's review
1.0
Well, THAT was not for me.
I'm never too into love triangle romances in general
because it always feels like someone's "cheating", even when it's more "emotional cheating". But, in this book you get the ACTUAL cheating. It was really weird reading descriptive, open door, sex scenes between the same woman and two different men.
It's a shame because this book had really engaging characters and good writing. But the cheating destroyed it for me.
Also important to note there is ZERO talk of condoms, birth control, or use of protection in this book despite there being multiple sex scenes with two different men and the leading lady.
I kept wishing that one of them men had never been in the story at all. This could have been a great book without the love triangle. I know some readers are into this trope, but it's just not for me. Lesson learned.
RATING: ⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated NC-17
TRIGGERS: Fatal aneurysm, cheating
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I'm never too into love triangle romances in general
because it always feels like someone's "cheating", even when it's more "emotional cheating". But, in this book you get the ACTUAL cheating. It was really weird reading descriptive, open door, sex scenes between the same woman and two different men.
It's a shame because this book had really engaging characters and good writing. But the cheating destroyed it for me.
Also important to note there is ZERO talk of condoms, birth control, or use of protection in this book despite there being multiple sex scenes with two different men and the leading lady.
I kept wishing that one of them men had never been in the story at all. This could have been a great book without the love triangle. I know some readers are into this trope, but it's just not for me. Lesson learned.
RATING: ⭐️
STEAM LEVEL: Rated NC-17
TRIGGERS: Fatal aneurysm, cheating
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
thepaperbackbruncher's review
5.0
Thank you to Netgalley and Rhapsodic Press for my eARC copy of "Why I Held Your Hand" in exchange for an honest review.
This book came with a HIGH HEAT warning, and phew - it was much needed. Grab a cool glass of milk, turn down that AC, and get ready - because this book packs some SERIOUS SPICE.
I will say this was one of my favorite reads of the holiday season, even though it wasn't inherently Christmas-y, which is usually my cup of tea. The book begins with small town Laura, who is concerned about the future of their picturesque small town, and enlists the help of a marketing team. Through this team she meets hotshot business man David, and awkward quirky (and TALL TALL) marketing team member Spence. The love triangle ensues, and it is HOT HOT HOT.
I will tell you I blushed, I laughed out loud, and I forced a friend to read along with me so we could discuss *several* scenes. I gave it 5 stars for the unique storyline, the humor, the interesting storyline about the town, and the spice.
Buckle up boo, it's a wild ride.
This book came with a HIGH HEAT warning, and phew - it was much needed. Grab a cool glass of milk, turn down that AC, and get ready - because this book packs some SERIOUS SPICE.
I will say this was one of my favorite reads of the holiday season, even though it wasn't inherently Christmas-y, which is usually my cup of tea. The book begins with small town Laura, who is concerned about the future of their picturesque small town, and enlists the help of a marketing team. Through this team she meets hotshot business man David, and awkward quirky (and TALL TALL) marketing team member Spence. The love triangle ensues, and it is HOT HOT HOT.
I will tell you I blushed, I laughed out loud, and I forced a friend to read along with me so we could discuss *several* scenes. I gave it 5 stars for the unique storyline, the humor, the interesting storyline about the town, and the spice.
Buckle up boo, it's a wild ride.
bookish_heidi's review
4.0
Alright y'all, I was expecting a cute little rom-com with this book and instead I got a laugh out loud, love triangle. It was freaking fantastic! I spent pretty much the entire book laughing! And talk about steamy
suzifevens's review
4.0
Why I Held Your Hand is a romance set in a small town, a town that is in desperate need of a marketing campaign to get tourists. Our main character Laura loves her town and is desperate to help it survive which is why the mayor on her recommendation, hires a marketing team to save it.
Little did Laura know that she would fall in love with one of the three men on the marketing team and she and he kick-off a romance without disclosing it to the marketing company. In the meantime, Laura finds herself working closely with another member of the team and while she tries to ignore them, starts to have feelings for him too.
When a chain of events leaves both men to find out about one another Laura is left with what seems like an impossible choice.
This is an open-door romance and over-all I enjoyed it but I feel like Laura crossed some lines. It's one thing for someone to cheat (or nearly cheat) with someone, but it's totally different if the person you are almost cheating with honestly thinks you're single and available to date. I don't know, that sort of rubbed me the wrong way, but otherwise I liked it.
Thanks for NetGalley for this ARC.
Little did Laura know that she would fall in love with one of the three men on the marketing team and she and he kick-off a romance without disclosing it to the marketing company. In the meantime, Laura finds herself working closely with another member of the team and while she tries to ignore them, starts to have feelings for him too.
When a chain of events leaves both men to find out about one another Laura is left with what seems like an impossible choice.
This is an open-door romance and over-all I enjoyed it but I feel like Laura crossed some lines. It's one thing for someone to cheat (or nearly cheat) with someone, but it's totally different if the person you are almost cheating with honestly thinks you're single and available to date. I don't know, that sort of rubbed me the wrong way, but otherwise I liked it.
Thanks for NetGalley for this ARC.
erin_boyington's review
2.0
Well, the title and cartoony cover art are somewhat misleading. There is a LOT more than hand-holding going on in North Powell.
In fact, the really looong and explicit sex scenes (head-scratchingly complex at times, with zero mention of any use of protection) alternating with the saccharine gooeyness of the love story gave me whiplash. Love stories, technically, since this is a love triangle where the heroine is actually in a relationship with one of the guys while entertaining sexual attraction to the other one.
I appreciate some of the bold narrative choices there. It reminded me that romance novels are pretty conservative and have some deeply entrenched, unspoken expectations about the moral uprightness of its heroines (but not necessarily of the heroes, as we all know). Heroines may be sex-positive these days, but outright cheating and having multiple partners is a definite no-no.
The real strength of the story is the banter between the leads, which is a lot of fun. The prose could use some fine-tuning: though I'm no prude I find sex scenes that are all about the sex rather than expressing the relationship to quickly veer into pornographic territory. It's a reminder of how hard those things are to write. Er, excuse me--difficult.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
In fact, the really looong and explicit sex scenes (head-scratchingly complex at times, with zero mention of any use of protection) alternating with the saccharine gooeyness of the love story gave me whiplash. Love stories, technically, since this is a love triangle where the heroine is actually in a relationship with one of the guys while entertaining sexual attraction to the other one.
I appreciate some of the bold narrative choices there. It reminded me that romance novels are pretty conservative and have some deeply entrenched, unspoken expectations about the moral uprightness of its heroines (but not necessarily of the heroes, as we all know). Heroines may be sex-positive these days, but outright cheating and having multiple partners is a definite no-no.
The real strength of the story is the banter between the leads, which is a lot of fun. The prose could use some fine-tuning: though I'm no prude I find sex scenes that are all about the sex rather than expressing the relationship to quickly veer into pornographic territory. It's a reminder of how hard those things are to write. Er, excuse me--difficult.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
mibookobsession's review
3.0
Laura loves her little town of North Powell and would do anything to bring back tourism to compete with the neighboring towns. When the town council hires a marketing firm, Laura falls for David, the head of the project. He's smart, funny, and hot... but he's not allowed to have a relationship with a client so they decide to keep it secret until the project is over. Meanwhile, she's required to spend a lot of time with creative director, Spence. He seems genuinely interested in helping her town. He even helps her apply for a landmark permit for her favorite Victorian home, the Powell house, which she wants to renovate into a museum. They spend hours together fixing up the place, and Laura starts to fall for him too. How will she ever decide which man she wants when she loves them both?
I thought this book was well written and I loved Laura's enthusiasm for saving her small town. The whole time I thought Spence was more suited to her personality, but I hate how wishy-washy she was in her decision.
I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. This review is given voluntarily.
I thought this book was well written and I loved Laura's enthusiasm for saving her small town. The whole time I thought Spence was more suited to her personality, but I hate how wishy-washy she was in her decision.
I received an advance reader copy of this book through NetGalley. This review is given voluntarily.
danireads1225's review
5.0
This book literally has it all!! Small town ✅. Steamy romance ✅. Love triangle ✅. This book has the rom-com down like no other. Laura is secretly dating David, when along comes Spencer. This book held my attention with everything going on. Definitely a “do read” book!
christine_queenofbooks's review
4.0
Thank you to Rhapsodic Press and NetGalley for a free e-arc of this title for review.
I really enjoyed Why I Held Your Hand! It swept me up and had me itching to see how the story would play out.
It's set in a small town, which Laura is trying to bring more tourism dollars to via a marketing campaign. She falls into a bit of instalove with David, the team's project manager. But the story doesn't end there! The synopsis will give you a bit more info on the plot, but I liked going into the reading experience without, so I won't mention more.
I didn't totally love one of the character's behavior in a few spots; I wish it were made clearer that what they did was just not an appropriate way to treat someone. It also felt off for Laura's weight and bustiness to be pointed out.
Still, a fun reading experience (that kept me turning the pages past my bedtime). Also the sex scenes are pages long.
3.5 stars
Content warnings: flippant comment about wanting to kill oneself, recollection of the death of a parent
I really enjoyed Why I Held Your Hand! It swept me up and had me itching to see how the story would play out.
It's set in a small town, which Laura is trying to bring more tourism dollars to via a marketing campaign. She falls into a bit of instalove with David, the team's project manager. But the story doesn't end there! The synopsis will give you a bit more info on the plot, but I liked going into the reading experience without, so I won't mention more.
I didn't totally love one of the character's behavior in a few spots; I wish it were made clearer that what they did was just not an appropriate way to treat someone. It also felt off for Laura's weight and bustiness to be pointed out.
Still, a fun reading experience (that kept me turning the pages past my bedtime). Also the sex scenes are pages long.
3.5 stars
Content warnings: flippant comment about wanting to kill oneself, recollection of the death of a parent
amywheresshereading's review
3.0
Laura Delaney just wanted to save her small hometown of North Powell. He hired a marketing team to come up with an idea. Little did she know that when that marketing team walked into her life that they would turn it around in more ways than one.
Laura met David Harper the head of the team, who she quickly starts to date on the down-low until the end of the project. She also met Spence Markham, the dreamer and idea man behind on the team that Laura works closely with to set up the festival to save the town. Caught between the two, Laura feels pulled in two different directions her head and her heart.
This was a quick read. It is the first book by the author I have read. There is definitely some steamy scenes in the book for sure, some of which seemed a little out of place. But I definitely wanted to know what would happen and who Laura would end up with in the end.
Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC copy to read and review.
Laura met David Harper the head of the team, who she quickly starts to date on the down-low until the end of the project. She also met Spence Markham, the dreamer and idea man behind on the team that Laura works closely with to set up the festival to save the town. Caught between the two, Laura feels pulled in two different directions her head and her heart.
This was a quick read. It is the first book by the author I have read. There is definitely some steamy scenes in the book for sure, some of which seemed a little out of place. But I definitely wanted to know what would happen and who Laura would end up with in the end.
Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC copy to read and review.