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Hold Me If You Can (Soulfire #3)

by Stephanie Rowe (Goodreads Author)

3.73 of 5 stars 3.73 · rating details · 165 ratings · 43 reviews

Stephanie Rowe is an acclaimed author whose high-octane romances are attracting a growing readership. The third in a paranormal romance series packed with danger, sensuality and clever twists features Nigel Aquarian, a warrior with an artistic bent, and Natalie Fleming, a chocolatier who has a new lease on life. But her freedom comes with a dangerous gift she doesn't want.

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Paperback, 357 pages

Published January 1st 2012 by Sourcebooks Casablanca

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Jan 22, 2012 Wicked ♥ (Wickedly Bookish Reviews) aka Bat-Jess rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: arc-or-galley, netgalley, pre-release-review, 2012, demons, erotica, paranormal-romance, smut, supernatural, winter-reads

Reviewed for Wickedly Bookish
http://wickedlybookish.blogspot.com/

It's unfortunate when the first thought that comes to your mind once you've finished a book is "Thank God it's over!"

The entire experience was painful. Hold Me If You Can is a paranormal romance so coated in sugary silliness I literally think I got a cavity. There wasn't a single moment in this book I could take seriously. The fierce warrior hero uses flower shaped throwing stars... Okay... and if that wasn't weird enough the vill...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Ailsa rated it 1 of 5 stars

Originally posted at The Book Bundle: http://thebookbundle.blogspot.com/201...

I’m sorry, but this really isn’t a positive review at all.
I really, really tried to give this book a chance. I made myself keep going, telling myself to see how it went as I got further. About 2/3 of the way in, though, I decided there are enough books out there I am desperate to read, so I called it a day with this.

First of all, it’s part of a series, which I didn’t realise from the description, or from being in Natal...more

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Jan 02, 2012 Judy & Marianne from Long and Short Reviews rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, action-adventure, non-erotic, paranormal

Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

If a reader is looking for a book that teeters on the edge of a cliff, keeping them off balance with suspense and daring do, then this story will be worth checking out.

First, this is a part of a series but a new reader will have no problems with feeling connected to the storyline or characters. They are going to be consumed with Nigel and Natalie because the author focused solely on them. There are references to the previous book but...more Originally posted at: http://longandshortreviews.blogspot.c...

If a reader is looking for a book that teeters on the edge of a cliff, keeping them off balance with suspense and daring do, then this story will be worth checking out.

First, this is a part of a series but a new reader will have no problems with feeling connected to the storyline or characters. They are going to be consumed with Nigel and Natalie because the author focused solely on them. There are references to the previous book but in a natural way during conversations between characters so everything flows and is connected as it should.

For readers of the series, this book isn’t as funny but the tortured heroes are just as tortured and aggressive about escaping Mari’s influence in the Den as they ever were. Mari is a leftover villain who thinks she’s not evil or twisted or mean. I’ll let readers judge for themselves what role she truly plays once they’ve read this story. The author had my feelings for Mari’s character bouncing back and forth like a tennis match. I’m still not sure which side of the net I’ve landed on.

For Natalie and Nigel my sentiments aren’t as ambiguous. I liked Nigel. I’m warm to Natalie. I found Ella to be intriguing, and Christian is a man who needs saving. Pascal and Blaine haven’t been twisted in emotional pain enough to get their own story…yet. I’m betting that Christian is next. And I really want to know who he’s going to end up with because this book introduced some incredible options that beg to be explored. I’m already hooked for the next installment.

The author’s creation and use of smut, deedubs and dream genies continues to be ingenious and unique. The idea of men being part metal and having the ability to do amazing things with their bodies still entertains and fascinates. I never know what the author will come up with next. I can’t even guess. Ms. Rowe has an exceptional imagination.

Even with all the praise, Hold Me If You Can is a rollercoaster. After awhile, I got tired of the few steps forward and many steps back that Nigel and Natalie take on their journey to their happy ever after. Granted, it was suspenseful and many times dramatic; most certainly it’s well written. But, eventually I got inured to all the self flagellation and lack of confidence they both had in themselves. It slowed the story down and lasted too long. The ending didn’t seem like it had enough time to feel complete, to be enjoyed. The protagonists went through so much emotional and physical hardships, I had hoped for a more emotionally satisfying ending. I didn’t get it. Yes, they finally realized they loved each other and the final chapter had some cuteness to it, even a bit of humor. But there wasn’t enough of what I needed to keep the happy glow alive longer than it took to close the book.

Hold Me If You Can is a page turner. It has thrills and chills and quite a few fun parts to keep a reader entertained and interested. Natalie and Nigel are a vibrant couple with some quirks that make having a happily ever after a challenge to achieve. It’s how they eventually accomplish it that will amaze readers and keep them on the edge of their seats. It’s a book worth reading.

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Oct 11, 2011 Amy rated it 4 of 5 stars

Nigel seeks out Natalie's help when the one thing that keeps him calm is sending his friends back to the Den. His drawing. It seems that Mari is trying to draw the warriors back to the Den using Nigel's gift. What he doesn't know is that Natalie has a problem herself. Since coming back from the dead she seems to have lost her gift of influence. She is now turning into a deebub, the thing that killed her before. So she has to race the clock to avoid the taken over by it. So Nigel has to help Nata...more

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Mar 18, 2012 Jaimie rated it 5 of 5 stars

This was my favorite in the series so far. You either love these books, or you don't. If you love the Princess Bride, you should love these books. Oddly enough, I'm not a fan of the Princess Bride, however I do have a fondness for this series. They're kind of romance novel spoofs but you still get a good romance novel. I actually really liked this one for a couple of reasons. One was that it didn't follow the typical boy meets girl, boy gets girl, boy loses girl, boy gets girl back format. Anyti...more

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Jan 15, 2012 H rated it 1 of 5 stars

High-octane? High-octane? Have you ever watched the movie Crank? Ya, this book was Crank on crack. From page one it was nothing but non-stop, inexplicable, confusing, ridiculous action and bizarreness. I didn’t even have a chance to settle in to the book before the author started throwing battles with chocolate obsessed leprechauns(?) and metro-sexual warriors with roses tattooed on their faces at me. Wait, what? Who are these people?

Too many unanswered questions about the setting, the characte...more

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Jan 15, 2012 Rebecca rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: reviewed, 2012, paranormal-romance

You can also read this at Reflections on Reading Romance

Rating: 3.75 out of 5

The other day I posted on Twitter that Stephanie Rowe’s Hold Me If You Can is crazy goofy but lots of fun. That pretty much says it all! This was one hilarious paranormal romance, full of all kinds of silliness. I happen to love that sort of book, but if you’re more into gritty urban fantasy or less humorous paranormal romance, this book is not for you.

I have to admit that I haven’t read any of Ms. Rowe’s books before...more

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Dec 16, 2011 Michelle rated it 3 of 5 stars

Hold Me If You Can is the third book in the Soulfire series by Stephanie Rowe and a Paranormal Romance from SourceBooks Casablanca.

Book Blurb:

Escaping Hell Was The Easy Part...

Nigel Aqurian has escaped with his life, and with his inner demons. He needs beautiful Natalie Fleming, the woman he’s admired from afar for years, to soothe his turmoil...if only she wasn’t consumed with her own problems...

Staying Out Is Gong To Be The Real Challenge...

Ever since her brush with death, all Natalie wants is...more

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Jan 13, 2012 Scooper Speaks rated it 2 of 5 stars

Favorite Lines: “She was desperate, she was still carrying way too much fear, terror, and generally debilitating phobia from her trek down “murder victim lane.”" (p. 15, egalley)

I only have a few things to say about Stephanie Rowe’s Soulfire series. First of all, I really liked the first book in the series (Kiss at Your Own Risk). It was hilarious and so different from other paranormal romances I’d read at the time. Best of all the heroine was not normal at the beginning or end of the book. Well...more Favorite Lines: “She was desperate, she was still carrying way too much fear, terror, and generally debilitating phobia from her trek down “murder victim lane.”" (p. 15, egalley)

I only have a few things to say about Stephanie Rowe’s Soulfire series. First of all, I really liked the first book in the series (Kiss at Your Own Risk). It was hilarious and so different from other paranormal romances I’d read at the time. Best of all the heroine was not normal at the beginning or end of the book. Well, Rowe takes that great model and puts it back to work in book three of her Soulfire series. She also keeps her outrageous villains coming in book three, Hold Me if You Can; unfortunately, it was not a pleasant experience.

The over the top actions and language of the villains pretty much made me bust a gut when I read it in book one. When I read it in Hold Me if You Can I rolled my eyes and skipped over it. What do I mean? Well this:

"His nuts had already swollen to the size of grapefruits, and they were red and inflamed. Elephantiasis on the way. “A man’s jewels of ecstasy are personal zones of safety, woman!”"–p. 112

"Dear Lord. His nuts were like watermelons with poison ivy."–p. 112

It felt silly and immature and worked as an irritant instead of comedic relief. That irritation kept coming as the book progressed. In book one, I leaned a lot about the villain’s lair which is called the Den of Womanly Pursuits. The unique methods of torture and the abominations created there caught my interest. This go around I wasn’t half as interested. For the most part, each visit to the den became an exercise in annoyance which disappointed me because there was so much unfulfilled potential to Hold Me if You Can.

I liked the heroine and the hero, but the story felt over blown and grandiose in a bad way. Things were taken to major extremes; instead of making me laugh they made me roll my eyes and sigh. I read and enjoyed book one. I missed book two and felt lost as to what was going on in book three. Once I settled into the over the top story I understood what was going on, but I can’t say it’s a book I’d recommend.

It’s kinda like the American Pie movies. The first one shocks you into laughing and you keep watching to see what’s coming. However, by the times American Pie 2 (2001), American Wedding (2003), American Reunion(2012), as well as all the American Pie Presents videos (Band Camp, The Naked Mile, Beta House, and The Book of Love) have been released the shock factor no longer works. What was amusing in a shocking and fresh manner comes across as immature.

Once again, I’m in the minority according to GoodReads.
Scooper Speaks (less)

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Mar 01, 2012 Jeanne rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stephanie Rowe continues to be one of my favorite authors. HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is another wonderfully imaginative read full of fabulous characters one just has to love… or hate in some cases. Her heroes are not the stereotypical bad-asses. Sure, they have all the traits we expect in good guy-macho men but they also have unusual interests most consider soft, like needlework, hair styling and drawing. They are conflicted about these hobbies but find a release in them from the harsh world they’ve be...more

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May 03, 2012 Joie rated it 5 of 5 stars

I loved this story. Nigel the tortured warrior artist was just inspiring and Natalie so relatable. I picked this one up at the library not knowing it was two others ahead of it so you can read it as a stand-alone. The romance between Nigel and Natalie was just scorching to say the least. The storyline was surprisingly fastpaced and action-packed. As well as the magical world Rowe created being fascinating and fun. I loved the other guys of the den I am hoping Christian gets a book next because I...more

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Jan 01, 2012 Alexia Chantel rated it 3 of 5 stars

3.5 Stars

Pick up a piece of high quality chocolate and let it melt on your tongue. The smell of it, the feel of it as it melts, and the pure joy you feel all add up to the seduction that is chocolate. Imagine that all packaged inside you, understandable that there would be creatures salivating at the very sight of you.

Chocolate and seduction go hand in hand, and for Natalie you can’t separate the two. With her affinity to chocolate Natalie has survived being the target of such a creature and de...more

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Jun 24, 2012 Lisa Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: contemporary, paranormal, physical-collection

HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is a paranormal romance with a lot of spunk and heart! Stephanie Rowe has crafted a fun and fantastically addictive series with zany characters and plenty of thrills.

Surviving her first murder by a deedub was one thing, but opening her boutique chocolate shop is a whole other kind of nightmare. Natalie Fleming is trying to shake her difficult past and look forward to a bright new future. Still, the dreaded deebubs keep tracking Natalie down, attempting to finish the job they f...more HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is a paranormal romance with a lot of spunk and heart! Stephanie Rowe has crafted a fun and fantastically addictive series with zany characters and plenty of thrills.

Surviving her first murder by a deedub was one thing, but opening her boutique chocolate shop is a whole other kind of nightmare. Natalie Fleming is trying to shake her difficult past and look forward to a bright new future. Still, the dreaded deebubs keep tracking Natalie down, attempting to finish the job they failed at before. Luckily for her, she has a warrior like Nigel Aquarian around to protect her. Yet when someone from Nigel's past returns to make him a permanent prisoner in the Den of Womanly Pursuits, Natalie may be the only person who can save him. Yet if Natalie wants to help him, she has to let go of her sensual side, something that she refuses to do because of the repercussions she has suffered in the past. Nigel may be the one thing that changes her mind, because she soon finds she would do anything to protect this fierce warrior who has claimed her heart.

Nigel was the alpha hero with a soft side. I loved the artistic side of him that brought out the sensitive emotions, it was charming and sweet. Yet that doesn't completely describe Nigel at all. He is fierce, compulsive and always willing to fight for what he believes in. Natalie was the perfect match for him by the fact that she was just as stubborn and courageous as Nigel. Her past led her to live life a little on the safe side, but the more drama that came her way, the more determined she was to protect everything that mattered to her.

While the leads were incredible, it's hard to forget that Ms Rowe creates a world with crazy characters that make the novel an absolute treat. Whether it was the villains or the friends, the companions in this series stand out just enough to catch your attention. They make you anxious to learn more about them and eager to read about it!

This was an extremely fun novel, but some things were really out there...even for a paranormal. Nigel has a pink rose tattoo on his cheek, which I found really difficult to visualize on an alpha hero, and blades rapidly shoot out of his skin. This was another thing my poor little brain had problems imagining. Nearly all of Ms Rowe's world-building aspects made the story very enjoyable. Yet there were still a few things that were more difficult to process. When you read "Use your chocolate power to make it happen! Now!" in the middle of a dramatic fight scene, you have to assess the kind of book you are reading. Despite all that, that is the unique appeal of the Soulfire series. It certainly wasn't anything I expected it to be, which is always a nice refreshing change when you step into a paranormal. You don't always want to read the same bland generic plot lines, so HOLD ME IF YOU CAN certainly made my reading more fun and enjoyable.

All small problems aside, I will say this: I had great difficultly putting this book down. As a matter of fact, I really only stopped reading the book once or twice. I devoured this book in a few sittings. Mainly because among the humor and excitement was a truly captivating story! HOLD ME IF YOU CAN will have you on the edge of your seat trying to figure out what's going on and how the story will pan out. Not to mention the fact that this book is dangerously sexy. Natalie and Nigel have a pretty amazing chemistry that will leave readers gasping for breath. I'm very excited to re-visit the imaginative world Stephanie Rowe has created in future novels.

HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is the latest installment in what I've learned to be a very unique, yet fascinating series. I was very intrigued and surprised by it all. Considering the fact that it is a paranormal, Ms Rowe may have overcome one of the most difficult obstacles and that is keeping the novel fresh. Yes, it's chessy, but it's the awesome kind of cheesy. The kind of cheesy where the spectacle of it all brings you back again and again. HOLD ME IF YOU CAN is unique, it's funny and it's one helluva of a ride!

Originally posted at The Romance Reviews(less)

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Feb 08, 2012 Sherri rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: rlftci2012chl, romchal12, update-2012, contemporary-romance, demons, e-book_2012, paranormal-romance, part-of-a-series, read_2012

Natalie Fleming is a Sweet, a supernatural whose blood is irresistible to the Deedub race. In Touch if You Dare, Natalie was killed by a Deedub, but escaped that fate when her sister put her soul in another body. She was pretty lucky, or was she?

Nigel Aquarian is a warrior with an artistic bend. He was a warrior held captive in the Den of Womanly Pursuits, which was a hellhole where he and his warrior friends were tortured for 150 years. Some of the torture devices are just plain crazy and I’m...more Natalie Fleming is a Sweet, a supernatural whose blood is irresistible to the Deedub race. In Touch if You Dare, Natalie was killed by a Deedub, but escaped that fate when her sister put her soul in another body. She was pretty lucky, or was she?

Nigel Aquarian is a warrior with an artistic bend. He was a warrior held captive in the Den of Womanly Pursuits, which was a hellhole where he and his warrior friends were tortured for 150 years. Some of the torture devices are just plain crazy and I’m truly amazed at Ms. Rowe’s creativity (or insanity) in thinking them up. Each warrior does something to help curb is warrior instincts. Nigel’s is drawing the emotions of his subjects and from the moment he saw Natalie he has been attracted to her.

Natalie is a chocolatier in pursuit of the distinguished Michelin-O award while trying to avoid another killer Deedub. Nigel has sworn to protect her and the antics begin. Add a psycho dream genie, another Sweet and a hedonistic researcher with a mysterious past and you have an enjoyable hot mess of a story.

Natalie and Nigel were both likeable characters for me, not lovable though. Natalie was a bit whiny and indecisive for me. Here she was given this great second chance to change and make something of her life and she falls into the same patterns that she did the first time around (while complaining about everything). Nigel was more open to change and I liked him better than Natalie. However, both of them were just stuck in their past and the book’s pacing staled in the middle while getting the hero and heroine together.

Hold Me If You Can is the third book in the Soulfire series. For those that have read the other books, well, you know what you are going to read. For those that have not read any them, well, hold on, because its going to be a non-stop ride.

The otherworld created in the Soulfire series is like nothing you have read before. The craziness of virility balls and dominatrix mistresses' reforming warriors with flower arranging and knitting is not for everyone. At times, it’s a bit cheesy and had me shaking my head. But if you are looking for a read that is not a dark, heavy paranormal then Hold Me If You Can may be a read you would enjoy. Similar type series include Aisling Grey: Guardian Series and Silver Dragons by Katie MacAlister and MaryJanice Davidson’s Undead and Alaskan Royal Family series.

My rating for Hold Me If You Can is 3 flowers with a sensuality rating of 2 1/2 flames
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Feb 07, 2012 Lynsey (The Demon Librarian) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: received-for-review, rotflmao, romantic-elements, magic-tastic

This series continues to be completely insane in the most entertaining way possible. This time we have a heroine that has chocolate related super powers of influence and persuasion. And a hero that is a human weapon factory with a penchant for sketching portraits whenever things get a little tense. Completely and utterly mad, but immensely enjoyable.

Nigel Aquarian, our hero, is the third warrior of the original four who escaped from the DWP. No, not the Department of Work and Pensions, the Den o...more

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Dec 23, 2011 Wendy Mitchell rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: must-read-series, requested-review

Natalie has barely survived one death, now that she’s lost her power to influence, the master chocolatier may just loose her business as well. Without her magic, her virility balls no longer have that little spark that makes a man “stand tall”. Nigel has learned to release his inner aggression through his art, and this enables him to control the warrior lurking underneath his peaceful laid back exterior. Now with his artistic subjects being sent back into the hellhole known as the Den of Womanly...more Natalie has barely survived one death, now that she’s lost her power to influence, the master chocolatier may just loose her business as well. Without her magic, her virility balls no longer have that little spark that makes a man “stand tall”. Nigel has learned to release his inner aggression through his art, and this enables him to control the warrior lurking underneath his peaceful laid back exterior. Now with his artistic subjects being sent back into the hellhole known as the Den of Womanly Pursuits, he needs a magical influence to keep his warrior under control and his artistic endeavors at a standstill. He also needs to rescue his friends that he unknowingly sent back into the pit. Not enough to hold your interest yet? There’s also an insane dream genie who wants to rid the world of dreams to bring about the ultimate in peace. Sounds a lot like Buddhism to me.

I do enjoy Stephanie Rowe’s sense of the whimsically bizarre. She uses the terminally cute to paint over some seriously dark and disturbed characters. She is a master of literary illusion, and by that I mean, while I’m thinking yummy chocolate and flowers, I’m actually absorbing mass murder and unfettered soul rending. I am at a loss for how she does it. She is either brilliantly gifted or just a tad psychotic. If it’s the latter, the world is in serious trouble, because she is insidiously devious. She has created this sparkly, incredibly detailed magical world that would be absolutely perfect if not for a few heinously evil villains, who mostly feel they are trying to do good in the form of torture and murder. There are a few who just want to eat other beings, but mostly there are just the evil but seriously delusional and misguided do-gooders. Thankfully, Blaine, Jarvis, Nigel and Christian are always consistently wonderful. They have their little manly quirks, but they are like touchstones of lickable hottness. Their continued quest for freedom and peace is what drives this addictive series and keeps me coming back time after head scratching time. Every time I finish one of these books, I always ask myself “How did she do that?”. How did she take me from point A to point Q without me realizing it? It still remains a mystery. Maybe I’ll find out in Christian’s book.(less)

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Dec 23, 2012 L.E.Olteano added it

Shelves: arc, blog-review, netgalley, did-not-finish, reviewed, received-for-review

Originally posted on Jan 2 2012 at Butterfly-o-Meter Books:

This is a first for me (when I'm writing this; it's November, lol); finding a book that's part of a series that just makes me feel like I'm too out of context from not reading the rest of the book. Many books I've read made more sense if read in the series order but did hold their own well enough by themselves, too.

In this case, I went for about half the book before finally giving up. Just too much "Huh?" going on in my head to keep goin...more

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Dec 24, 2012 Book Chick City rated it 2 of 5 stars

Shelves: romance-paranormal

Reviewed by Vickie for www.BookChickCity.com

Natalie Fleming is a Sweet with a problem. Bitten by a Deedub when she was a small child her life has been a series of ups and downs ever since. She has gone through hell just trying to have a normal life and has even died in the process! Now she is back, and on the verge of opening her new chocolate store Scrumptious which will allow her to help people find their sensual side! That's if she can avoid being eaten by the Deedubs. Something that the deli...more Reviewed by Vickie for www.BookChickCity.com

Natalie Fleming is a Sweet with a problem. Bitten by a Deedub when she was a small child her life has been a series of ups and downs ever since. She has gone through hell just trying to have a normal life and has even died in the process! Now she is back, and on the verge of opening her new chocolate store Scrumptious which will allow her to help people find their sensual side! That's if she can avoid being eaten by the Deedubs. Something that the delicious Nigel Aquarian is only too happy to help her with. Having watched Natalie from afar over the years, the time has now come for him to teach Natalie how to release her natural sexual side in order to save herself from the Deedubs and him from the new mistress of the Den.

I haven't read any of Stephanie Rowe's work before and I am disappointed to say that I was glad to finish reading “Hold Me If You Can”.

I really struggled with the main character being a person whose veins were filled with chocolate scented blood, in other words a Mystic breed called a Sweet. Sweets are a type of people whose “soul needs to work with chocolate” in order to make delicacies such as virility balls which will help her male customers by... actually I think I am going to leave that to your imagination.

Her family was wiped out by a bunch of baddies (Deedubs) that resemble leprechauns, who have a very sweet tooth, and crave chocolate. One of the Deedubs bit Natalie when she was a child and this caused her to slowly change over the years, to a point where she craved orgasm after orgasm until she finally had the big one that killed her. This was all in a previous book and she has since managed to come back to life to pursue her dream of opening Scrumptious, and gaining recognition with the Michelin-O gold star rating team.

Add to that, the hero, Nigel, a tulip shaped, star wielding, warrior, artist, who has been held in The Den of Womanly Pursuits for over 150 years along with some of his team, being taught (read tortured) by Deaths Grandma and being instructed how to be a Quality Male. He has to draw in order to centre himself before a battle, or to stop himself becoming totally taken over by his inner demon. I actually quite liked Nigel, although he was rather flowery.

There are actually some parts of this book that I really enjoyed, but they were swiftly followed by sections with so much saccharine sweetness, that I found “Hold Me If You Can” just too syrupy for me.”

“The kiss was of bright sunlight, of fresh air, of the silken touch of rose petals. It awakened in her a sense of freedom, of lightness, of carefree delight. It was the kind of kiss that young girls dreams were made of. The kind that would turn a raggedy washer girl into a princess.”

VERDICT:

“Hold Me If You Can” could have been really good had the author stepped away from the adjectives, and chosen some different nouns! I haven't read the previous books in the series but "Hold Me If You Can" certainly has a style of its own. There were some aspects of the story that I enjoyed but overall it just wasn't for me. However, if you like tongue in cheek humour in your books then you may well enjoy the book.(less)

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Dec 15, 2011 Amanda P rated it 5 of 5 stars

Release Date: January 1st, 2012
Summary:

Natalie has been given a second chance in life after she was bite by a Deedum while she was very young she was left with an expiration date, having already lost her mother and everyone of her sisters except Reina, Natalie knows loss. Natalie beat the curse and now she wants to live her life, but she doesn’t know how, she lived in fear her whole life and then lived out of control before her “death” she now doesn’t know how to find that happy medium so has sh...more Release Date: January 1st, 2012
Summary:

Natalie has been given a second chance in life after she was bite by a Deedum while she was very young she was left with an expiration date, having already lost her mother and everyone of her sisters except Reina, Natalie knows loss. Natalie beat the curse and now she wants to live her life, but she doesn’t know how, she lived in fear her whole life and then lived out of control before her “death” she now doesn’t know how to find that happy medium so has shut down everything having to do with sensuality and exists solely to get her shop back up and running and to catch glimpses of Nigel, the fearsome warrior yet sensitive artist that is best friends with her sisters mate. Nigel has lived with the curse of his metal all of his life, after killing his mother with them he has lived in fear of losing control. The only thing that has managed to help him keep his stability and serenity has been his art. Now that has been threatened and he can no longer draw, his stability has been compromised and the only person that can help him get it back is Natalie with her power of persuasion. For weeks Nigel has been watching and drawing Natalie but keeping his distance, but now he has no choice he needs her. Natalie’s power of persuasion is gone and right before the reopening of her store. She needs to get it back, and then Nigel comes to her for her help, but to be able to help him and herself she has to tap into a place within that she refuses to go, her sensuality. Nigel is willing to take one for the team, he has to get Pascal back from Mari, but to do so he has to be stable, so whats a man to do… He’s got to help Natalie tap into her inner sex pot. In the midst of seducing Natalie, stabilizing Nigel, setting up the store, avoiding more Deedums, rescuing Pascal from the clutches of Mari, they discover that Natalie has become Mari’s smut deposit and she is turning into the thing she fears most a Deedum. Things are not looking good for Nigel and Natalie, it is doubtful that either come out of the alive and sane.

Review:

I have to say that this series is one of my favorite paranormal series, it’s just so refreshing and not quite like anything else out. Stephanie Rowe really knows how to create a unique world and I am happy to visit it anytime. Nigel is sexy and that interesting combination between artist and warrior, who could resist a combination like that, it’s like getting the best of both worlds. He’s protective and fierce, yet understands what Natalie needs even if she doesn’t and can see deep into her soul. Natalie is trapped within herself; she has lived in fear for so long and then lived so far out of control she doesn’t know how to live and now she has lost her powers and that is terrifying in itself. Natalie manages to stifle her inner essence, the thing that makes her who she is and Nigel is just the man to help her find it again. For Nigel she is willing to try. This book actually made me sit back and think a bit on myself and the way I live my life and reflect to see if I am living true to myself and it’s rare for that to happen and not unwelcome. However, while you are sitting there contemplating life you are still entertained by the twists and turns S. Rowe takes you on and laugh the whole way through. You really can’t ask for more. The only thing I missed in this book were my beloved cooky side characters, Augustus was barely there, the Godfather was only mentioned, Death and his crazy grandmother were not to be seen as well as my Blaine, Trinity and Reina. Oh how I love my strange characters from this series and oh how I missed you. Although, S. Rowe did give me some new ones and let me tell you, she left me dying to read the next installment! I don’t know when it’s going to be released but it’s not soon enough!

Rating:4.5

*This book was provided to me for an honest review through NetGalley.(less)

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Nov 30, 2011 Jill rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy-pnr-sci-fi-romance

Natalie Fleming, owner of Scrumptious the boutique chocolate shop, has finally managed to repair the damage to her store by demonic leprechauns and is awaiting the Michelin-O (O for Otherworld) team that will rate her magicked desserts. Natalie is a Sweet, gifted with theability to create supernatural chocolate desserts and treats. She crafts sweets for men with sexual problems and gives people the ability to follow their sensual dreams. After being bitten as a child and cursed, she’s been given...more
Natalie Fleming, owner of Scrumptious the boutique chocolate shop, has finally managed to repair the damage to her store by demonic leprechauns and is awaiting the Michelin-O (O for Otherworld) team that will rate her magicked desserts. Natalie is a Sweet, gifted with theability to create supernatural chocolate desserts and treats. She crafts sweets for men with sexual problems and gives people the ability to follow their sensual dreams. After being bitten as a child and cursed, she’s been given a second chance at life.

Nigel Aquarian, has survived almost 150 years of torture, escaping with four other warriors from the Den of Womanly Pursuits where flower arranging and writing poetry went hand–in-hand with arugula and beet salads. Now Nigel has been asked to protect Natalie while her sister is away. But with the restraining order failing to keep the murderous, chocoholic demons at bay, Nigel’s only thought is to whisk Natalie away to safety. Afterall, Natalie has been his salvation since he first set eyes on her.

This is the third book in the Soulfire series. For those who’ve read the first two books in this series, you’ll already know what you’re getting yourself in for. For those newbs like me who haven’t read them, you may wonder what on earth it’s all about. With chocolate virility balls and death by orgasm, why would I be confused? It was a little difficult to understand at first, but it didn’t take that long to catch on to what was happening. And there’s an awful lot happening. It’s busy. It’s action-packed with a lot of characters. It’s fast-paced. And it’s unpredictable.

With paranormals I pretty much expect and accept anything and everything. I really thought I’d seen it all. But Hold Me If You Can still managed to surprise me. The whole thing is so ridiculous and yet entertaining, so over-the-top and yet I still cared about the characters and the outcome.

The hero is absolutely wonderful as is the heroine. The world, the characterisations, the story are all really well done. I particularly liked when all the warriors got together, their banter, their teasing, their jokes. Although these alphas have been freed from the Den they still retain remnants of their more sensitive sides, like creating butterflies out of thread, keeping a pink heart pillow nearby when napping, and eating sushi pizza. And somehow the author makes it work – incredible hot, warrior alpha males talking chick stuff or indulging in traditional girlie pursuits.

Really I don’t think this book or series would be for everyone. It is kinda cheesy. But there’s cheesy boring, and there’s cheesy entertaining. And this is definitely entertaining, worth reading if you can suspend belief (even more so than normal for pnr). If you can just sit back and go with the flow and accept it for what it is, an absurdly over-the-top paranormal, you’ll enjoy this. I giggled and snickered and rolled my eyes and shook my head. And kept reading.

ARC courtesy of Sourcebooks (Casablanca) via NetGalley(less)

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Jan 06, 2012 Ally rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ebook, netgalley, paranormal-romance, 2012

The third in a paranormal romance series packed with danger, sensuality and clever twists features Nigel Aquarian, a warrior with an artistic bent, and Natalie Fleming, a chocolatier who has a new lease on life. But her freedom comes with a dangerous gift she doesn't want. Nigel and his fellow warriors have only just escaped imprisonment when an even worse threat emerges. Natalie is the only woman who can help Nigel—but she's also the one most likely to bring him down.
Hold Me If You Can is the t...more The third in a paranormal romance series packed with danger, sensuality and clever twists features Nigel Aquarian, a warrior with an artistic bent, and Natalie Fleming, a chocolatier who has a new lease on life. But her freedom comes with a dangerous gift she doesn't want. Nigel and his fellow warriors have only just escaped imprisonment when an even worse threat emerges. Natalie is the only woman who can help Nigel—but she's also the one most likely to bring him down.
Hold Me If You Can is the third instalment in Stephanie Rowe’s Soulfire series and features Natalie who was a secondary character in the second book Touch If You Dare, which I really liked because first off you got to know a lot about Natalie and a little about Nigel in that book which set-up Hold Me If You Can perfectly and secondly Hold Me If You Can follows on the same sort of theme, journey as the previous two books which is what I really like about this series, one of other the things I really like about this was the sense of humour Ms Rowe brings to these books through her hero’s. Yet as each book has progressed the humour in each book has been more dialled down, which is understandable as each book touches on different subject matters about the hero’s horrible past but it does lessen the uniqueness of the book for myself because I think that was one of the real winning things when I read the first book Kiss At Your Own Risk how Ms Rowe used humour through her hero’s to bond them and help them get through their past. Nigel as more of an artist wasn’t full of the humour I’ve come to know and immensely enjoy from this series but I think Natalie helped loosen Nigel up a little and brought some of the humour along. From reading Touch If You Dare it was obvious that Natalie and Nigel had something between them yet I wouldn’t have thought of putting those two together if Ms Rowe hadn’t introduced the possibility in the second book, not because they didn’t go well but because the thought never occurred to me.
Hold Me If You Can is another clever and interesting story in the Soulfire series and after reading it am possibly even more addicted in finding out where this series will take us. I’m interested in seeing who will be the hero in the next book and how this series will continue to develop.(less)

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Jan 20, 2012 Cindy rated it 3 of 5 stars

I normally don't do negatve reviews...and that's not stating this is a bad book. It just seemed to me that for every step forward our hero and heroine took forward, they took two steps back. They would fall into a grave situation, think of a plan to get out, implement it and go into a worse situation. *sigh* It took me 5 days to read what should have been a FAST read for me. I will still read Stephanie's works because I like her style, but this one just wasn't my cup of tea.

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Jul 27, 2012 Farrah rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-reviews, e-books

I do believe that Stephanie Rowe is now officially a kept paranormal romance author for my shelves! Third book in her Soulfire series and I’m still enjoying them and looking forward to the next. Not only is there passion but LOTS of fighting action where good fights evil even if at some points it is themselves. LOVED it! If you like a good paranormal romance read that will make you laugh, fill you with awe, and of course have you pretending to be in on the “kick-ass” scenes, then you’ll enjoy Ro...more

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Feb 14, 2012 Marquetta (LoveToReadForFun) marked it as dnf

Shelves: for-review, netgalley, pnr, sourcebooks

I could not finish this book. I felt like I was dropped in the middle of a movie and missed the first hour. The book started off as if the reader should already know what is going on. Normally with books in a series, there is a little catch up that the author provides at the beginning to refresh the reader's memory or to provide background info to a reader who is new to a series. There was none of this and my frustration with not knowing or understanding what was going on had me not enjoy what l...more

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Jun 05, 2012 Casey H rated it 1 of 5 stars

I am a huge fan of Stephanie Rowe, and have loved all of her books until I read Hold Me If You Can. I hate giving it a bad review, but honestly, it was so bad that I gave up less than half way through. Rowe tried to make it a more emotionally ladden book while keeping the same sense of humor from the previous two books in the series. That didn't work out, and ultimately, Hold Me If You Can was just one big train wreck.

Like I said before, I am a huge fan on Stephanie Rowe. So, if you've never re...more

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Dec 12, 2012 Dana rated it 1 of 5 stars

In my entire life, I have only stopped reading three or possibly four books. This makes five.

Good lord this was just soooooooooooooo inconsistent and cheesy that I couldn't find one good thing to say about it. It was just bad.

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Jan 11, 2012 Michelle Khzouz added it

Thank you Goodreads for the advanced copy! Although I enjoyed the book, since I hadn't read the first two books, I had a hard time following the story line. I don't think I can give it a fair rating without reading the entire series.

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Nov 18, 2011 Mark Mccarragher rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: first-reads

I was a first reads winner for this book. A wonderful book. Well written and a good mix of genres in my option Fantasy and romance go very well together. I recommend this one to lovers of both kinds of books. I will be looking into others by this author.

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Aug 17, 2012 Kimberly Lord-bartoszek rated it 1 of 5 stars

This book was so awful, thank god I didn't pay for it. The way it was written was very boring and the main story line just seemed to be going in circles not really getting anywhere.

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Jan 24, 2012 Mammatess rated it 5 of 5 stars

This series is a MUST READ! Love the books and the author, she keeps you laughing threw the whole book.

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About Stephanie Rowe

Four-time RITA® Award nominee and Golden Heart® Award winner Stephanie Rowe is a nationally bestselling author of more than twenty books. A life-long reader, she began crafting stories at age ten, but didn't realize it was her dream until she was an adult.

Once the light dawned, she immediately left behind "work" as the world defines it and went to "work" as she defines it, which means getting up...more

More about Stephanie Rowe...

Books by Stephanie Rowe

Date Me, Baby, One More Time (Immortally Sexy, #1)

Darkness Awakened (Order of the Blade #1)

Darkness Seduced (Order of the Blade #2)

He Loves Me, He Loves Me Hot (Immortally Sexy, #3)

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Hold Me If You Can (Soulfire #3)

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