Holding Out

Name: Holding Out
Rating: 4.375 (8 reviews)

Serena Bell

May 2019 · Returning Home Book 4 · Jelsba Media Group

4.4

8 reviews

Ebook

267

Pages

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About this ebook

She wants him to be her first. He’s willing to help her out. Only now he can’t stop wanting more.

The answer has to be no, of course. No way Griff Ambrose is going to help Becca Drake lose her virginity. Sure, she’s beautiful and hot as hell, but she’s his friend’s little sister. And Griff won’t ever risk being hurt again the way he was the day he came home from war to find his house empty and his wife gone. But he can’t get Becca’s request—or pretty much anything else about her—out of his head.

Becca has turned her life around, and she’s proud of how much butt she’s kicking. There’s just one more demon she has to exorcise: her virginity. Griff is the perfect candidate to do the deed: He’s her friend, he knows how to get her going with a glance, and neither of them wants anything serious. Until Becca takes a job at the veterans’ retreat where Griff works. Now she and Griff can’t stay out of each other’s way. Worst of all, it’s getting harder and harder for Becca and Griff to lie to themselves about what they really want...

“I loved this book. A friends-to-friends-with-benefits-to-lovers romance that is fun, sweet and heartfelt with fantastic characters and a sexy and emotional love story, I was completely hooked!” —Escapist Book Blog

“Wow. This was such a great book! I loved that both Griff & Becca had to work on themselves before they could find their HEA. I also loved that they both saw the best in each other, and had more faith in the other person than themselves. I didn’t want to put the book down!!” —Messy Bun Book Blog

“A wonderfully emotional and captivating romance, Holding Out by Serena Bell is truly a lovely read. It’s well-written, absolutely charming, incredibly touching, and so beautiful in many ways.” —Sincerely Karen Jo

“This was a great story. I loved the banter. These characters so obviously should be together. The pace was good, the heat was such a good build, and goes great with the series.” —Kitty’s Book Spot

“5 Steamy Stars! <3 If you are looking for a great book full of romance and good background stories then I would highly recommend reading this book and any other by the author!” —Jackie’s Book World

“I absolutely loved Holding Out! Griff and Becca’s story was just wonderful. It was sexy, funny, and fun.” —Becky on Books and Quilts

Ratings and reviews

4.4

8 reviews

Fedora Chen

May 21, 2019

Holding Out is the fourth in Serena Bell's Returning Home series, about veterans returning to civilian life after service. It's about Griffin Ambrose and Becca Drake. Becca's sister Alia is married to Nate (the focus of Can't Hold Back, the second in this incredible series), who works with Griff at R&R, a retreat focused on serving veterans and providing care and services to help them heal and reintegrate. Griff's been deeply wounded by the devastation of his wife leaving him while he was overseas. He's determined to protect his heart by guarding his emotions more securely than Fort Knox. If you want orgasms, he's your man. But he doesn't do relationships, period. Becca's finally got a handle on her life, and New Becca is going to stand up for herself, whether is at the workplace or with dates. One of the things on her to-do list is finding someone to help her get rid of that now inconvenient virginity. Becca and Griff have had a chance to get to know each other a bit as friends through get togethers, and during one of their conversations, Becca reveals that she's been looking for someone to help her punch that V-card. Griff declines, but he can't stop thinking about her request. Becca figures Griff's perfect for the job--they're friends, and he doesn't want more than a one-and-done anyway. But reality sometimes has a way of being different than we originally plan... Serena Bell's story is sexy and emotional and incredibly satisfying. Not only are the characters real and three-dimensional, they are a part of a warm and supportive community of the same. The Returning Home universe is one where the characters exist not in a vacuum but in a thriving network, where friends and family lend us strength and support and also don't pull their punches when that is needed. Becca and Griff navigate the sometimes choppy waters from a single night to understanding what they truly want, and being brave enough to work for that. And never alone. Holding Out is a deeply satisfying read. I look forward to more of Ms Bell's writing.

becky moe

May 23, 2019

First rule of Operation V-Card is, there is no Operation V-Card... I absolutely loved Holding Out! Griff and Becca's story was just wonderful. It was sexy, funny, and fun--with a refreshing lack of BS (beyond the traditional "we're just going to do a one and done and move on like nothing happened" that a premise like this demands--but let me tell you, when the delusional "one and done" is as good as this one is, I am here for it). They did attempt to hide their "Surprise! Even a 'three and free' isn't enough!" sexcapades from their friends, but that lasted about a hot minute (with a painfully funny and awkward moment) and that too was a big ol' checkmark in the plus column of this book. Even when the relationship's black moment comes--and boy, does it come--the way Becca and Griff each reacted to it meshed up perfectly with their characters. They both had a part to play in the disaster, and they both had realizations to come to and reparations to make. It's more of a mutual confession and declaration that gets them back together than a grovel--and it was perfect. Since Griff and Becca are both invested in the R&R community, past series characters are throughout the book. If you haven't read their stories yet, it's not a problem--this book works fine as a standalone. I'm going to bet, though, that you'll enjoy them all so much you'll want to go back and read all the rest of the books in the series--you have been warned! Rating: 4 1/2 stars / A I voluntarily reviewed an Advance Reader Copy of this book.

Becky Baldridge

May 22, 2019

If ever a book were suitably named, it would be this one. Griff and Becca certainly know how to hold out on each other - except in bed, that is. Both are so closed off to relationships, each with their own reasons, which makes them kind of perfect for each other. They certainly have great chemistry, and I loved how they pulled each other out of their comfort zones without even trying. This fourth in the series can be read as a standalone, but for those who have followed from the beginning, we get lots of time with the whole gang, so we see where each couple is now. As for this book. Griff and Becca are a great addition to a wonderful series.

About the author

USA Today bestselling author Serena Bell writes contemporary romance with heat, heart, and humor. A former journalist, Serena has always believed that everyone has an amazing story to tell if you listen carefully, and you can often find her scribbling in her tiny garret office, mainlining chocolate and bringing to life the tales in her head.

Serena’s books have earned many honors, including a RITA finalist spot, an RT Reviewers’ Choice Award, Apple Books Best Book of the Month, and Amazon Best Book of the Year for Romance.

When not writing, Serena loves to spend time with her college-sweetheart husband and two hilarious kiddos—all of whom are incredibly tolerant not just of Serena’s imaginary friends but also of how often she changes her hobbies and how passionately she embraces the new ones. These days, it’s stand-up paddle boarding, board-gaming, meditation, and long walks with good friends.

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