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Hold Me
Katie McCabe's life is going nowhere fast when FBI Special Agent Lucas Vasco jumps into her car at an intersection. Luc, his undercover guise blown, is on the run from the Mafia and expects to be killed at any moment. What he doesn't plan on is finding himself attracted to the firecracker beside him. He feels compelled to protect her when her life is threatened, and insists she stay with him for her own safety.
After learning she has become the target of a psychotic hit man, Katie is whisked off to Luc's house to hide. Once there, she's shocked to discover that she and Luc have an unexpected connection; a connection Luc already knew existed, but withheld. Will their intense attraction reach flashpoint despite their misunderstandings and the pain of the past?
104,000 words
After learning she has become the target of a psychotic hit man, Katie is whisked off to Luc's house to hide. Once there, she's shocked to discover that she and Luc have an unexpected connection; a connection Luc already knew existed, but withheld. Will their intense attraction reach flashpoint despite their misunderstandings and the pain of the past?
104,000 words
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 5, 2011
7 people are currently reading
335 people want to read
About the author
Betsy Horvath
7 books47 followersBetsy Horvath was raised on a steady diet of old MGM musicals, Nancy Drew, and Harlequin romances, so nobody should have been shocked to discover that one day she would be writing romance novels of her own. Especially not once became clear that, when given the opportunity, she could sing the entire soundtrack from the Sound of Music, regardless of whether or not anyone asked her to (nobody ever did), and that the only books she ever wanted to read were the ones with happy endings (which made things interesting in college).
Let’s face it, Betsy is a hopeless romantic. But she’s good with it.
You can find Betsy on her website / blog (www.betsyhorvath.com) or frolicking through the verdant fields of social media at Facebook (www.facebook.com/BetsyHorvath) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/BetsyHorvath)
Let’s face it, Betsy is a hopeless romantic. But she’s good with it.
You can find Betsy on her website / blog (www.betsyhorvath.com) or frolicking through the verdant fields of social media at Facebook (www.facebook.com/BetsyHorvath) or Twitter (www.twitter.com/BetsyHorvath)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 37 reviews
September 13, 2011
Not too sure what happened, but between the first 20% and the last 10% of the book, I just lost interest in it. The beginning part was very exciting and funny, during the Hero's crazy car chase that resulted him to jumped into heroine's car to get away from the bad guys. That resulted them to get arrested by the police later on. The dialogs were very witty, I absolutely LOVVIT! And I was looking forward to a 5star read.
But sadly the whole story fell flat after that. I just flipped through to get to the end.
But sadly the whole story fell flat after that. I just flipped through to get to the end.
November 4, 2011
Fantastic, funny, romantic, steamy read with a crazy mobster subplot. This was a terrific romantic suspense that was heavy on the romance and light on the suspense. I'm definitely reading more from this author.
For the Austin Book Club (ABC) chicas - 0 on the weird meter! LOL
For the Austin Book Club (ABC) chicas - 0 on the weird meter! LOL
April 13, 2017
Warning... I'm just going to lay it out here so beware... BIG SPOILERS!
Katie the doormat and Luke the guy with his head up his arse.
I almost DNFed this several times. Not really sure why I stayed with it but it got to a point around 80% where I was more interested in the love story between Katie's parents than any of the other whiny drivel. And I didn't even get satisfaction there as the parents split up without even an hfn on the horizon.
Listened on Audio and the reader, Montana Chase, was meh. NY accent that bugged me and too much emphasis in odd places.
At the very beginning of the book there's a long description of Katie's ex fiancee screwing around on her with his boss and nothing ever comes of that. SOOO many instances like that where the author goes into great detail and wastes paragraphs on stuff that just isn't important to the story and will never go anywhere.
Luke, the moronic undercover cop jumps into Katie's car while running from the Mafia. Now Katie is in danger and must stay with Luke for protection. Luke discovers that he knows Katie from his childhood friend in foster care, Melanie who became adopted by Katie's family. This is a connection that Katie is unaware of as Melanie is also a douche bag and has kept big parts of her life secret from her so called 'beloved' sister Katie. Does Luke mention that he knows Melanie? No of course not because that would be intelligent. Of course Katie finds out but is she mad, no of course not, because she is a doormat.
Occasionally some danger happens. Katie's mother is kidnapped by the bad guys. Luke's ex fiancee who is a tw*t waffle turns out to also be crazy as a loon, and I wonder that this police department ever catches bad guys.??!
The whole story was predictable and not in a nice way. In an annoying way. Luke pushes her away til the very end when he seems to have a retarded epiphany that he loves her and therefore shouldn't be such an a-hole to her and that maybe it hurts her feelings. Duh!
My forehead hurts at this point from all the times my palm has struck it.
Finally, even if the story had been good it never would have risen above 3 stars because of the author's writing style. Talk about repetition. It made the book so long i was surprised it wasn't 600 pages. Every time she monologues in one of the characters heads she describes things in triplicate. here's a paraphrasing example;. He was so hot, so tall and dark, so fantastically... you see what I mean? You get where I'm coming from? You understand how annoying that is?
Smack.. another palm to my forehead.
I'm just mad cause I wasted so much time on this one.
Katie the doormat and Luke the guy with his head up his arse.
I almost DNFed this several times. Not really sure why I stayed with it but it got to a point around 80% where I was more interested in the love story between Katie's parents than any of the other whiny drivel. And I didn't even get satisfaction there as the parents split up without even an hfn on the horizon.
Listened on Audio and the reader, Montana Chase, was meh. NY accent that bugged me and too much emphasis in odd places.
At the very beginning of the book there's a long description of Katie's ex fiancee screwing around on her with his boss and nothing ever comes of that. SOOO many instances like that where the author goes into great detail and wastes paragraphs on stuff that just isn't important to the story and will never go anywhere.
Luke, the moronic undercover cop jumps into Katie's car while running from the Mafia. Now Katie is in danger and must stay with Luke for protection. Luke discovers that he knows Katie from his childhood friend in foster care, Melanie who became adopted by Katie's family. This is a connection that Katie is unaware of as Melanie is also a douche bag and has kept big parts of her life secret from her so called 'beloved' sister Katie. Does Luke mention that he knows Melanie? No of course not because that would be intelligent. Of course Katie finds out but is she mad, no of course not, because she is a doormat.
Occasionally some danger happens. Katie's mother is kidnapped by the bad guys. Luke's ex fiancee who is a tw*t waffle turns out to also be crazy as a loon, and I wonder that this police department ever catches bad guys.??!
The whole story was predictable and not in a nice way. In an annoying way. Luke pushes her away til the very end when he seems to have a retarded epiphany that he loves her and therefore shouldn't be such an a-hole to her and that maybe it hurts her feelings. Duh!
My forehead hurts at this point from all the times my palm has struck it.
Finally, even if the story had been good it never would have risen above 3 stars because of the author's writing style. Talk about repetition. It made the book so long i was surprised it wasn't 600 pages. Every time she monologues in one of the characters heads she describes things in triplicate. here's a paraphrasing example;. He was so hot, so tall and dark, so fantastically... you see what I mean? You get where I'm coming from? You understand how annoying that is?
Smack.. another palm to my forehead.
I'm just mad cause I wasted so much time on this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
November 20, 2011
Surprised Me...In All Kinds of Good Ways
With a cover that is obviously and spectacularly blown, FBI agent Luc Vasco is forced to run for his life from the mob family he'd been investigating. And that strategic...if slightly panicked...retreat isn't going so well. Luc's already had to ditch the sweet Vette he was driving, then crashing, and he's hobbled by the ankle he wrenched when he jumped out a window. He just doesn't have all that many options left. Well...less than not all that many. One. He has exactly one option.
The Chevy Nova loudly sputtering at the nearest stoplight.
Katie McCabe's life isn't going so hot right now. It hasn't for several months, actually. Not since she caught her fiancé doing push ups on his desk in his office...with his hot supervisor spotting him from her position underneath him. She may have swept the cheating bastard out of her life...um...literally...but she lost her job at the company over the incident. Apparently taking a broom to his bare ass is considered more indiscreet than his infidelity. Who knew?
She's waiting at a stoplight, her beloved but ancient Nova giving her a bit of trouble, when the door to the passenger side is jerked open and a strange man dumps himself into the seat beside her. It isn't until the bullets start flying, though, and the man starts shouting at her to drive, that Katie realizes that she had been wrong about one very important detail. Her life hadn't, in fact, hit rock bottom. It couldn't have, as it's obviously still in a rapid free fall - with gunfire, car chases, and strange men claiming to be federal agents tossed in for that extra bit of terminal velocity!
Not that she's freaking out or anything!!
Then she finds out that not only is the man chasing them the son of a notorious mob boss, he is a known psychopath, and in saving Luc's life and embarrassing the psycho in front of the cops by just defending herself, she's put herself squarely on his Needs To Be Brutally Killed list and is no longer safe to live her crappy little life. Nope, now she has to live a crappy, life-threateningly dangerous life.
Because that is so much better!
She just can't handle one more thing going wrong right now. Not one.
Pity, then, that Luc has a few secrets he's refrained from telling her, even as he sets out to keep her safe, because when she finds out who he really is and how they're connected, he's fairly certain the tempestuous woman is going to try to finish the job the mob started.
~*~
I have to admit, when I picked up this book, my expectations weren't high. I had a fairly open mind about it, but the mention of the mob in the book summary didn't thrill me. I'm not a fan of mob-related fiction. I am, though, quite happy to say that I hadn't even finished the prologue before it was clear that this book was not going to be like anything else I've read recently. Three chapters later and I realized that I had become quickly and thoroughly enchanted.
Yeah, yeah, mob related...peripherally, anyway. Didn't give me a problem. And sure, technically its a book that has a suspenseful plotline. Right. Didn't pay much attention to that, though, either. At least not at first. I was too busy being totally enamored by Katie and Luc as characters and falling in love with their quirky charms and the mix of sobriety and humor that is their wacky, rocky relationship.
First, the man has a castle that intimidates him a little. Come on, that's priceless! And Katie is a total firecracker. She's quick-witted, sharp-tongued, and feisty as hell...though I wouldn't ask her for directions to the corner store if I were you. She tends to blow up emotionally, then calms down and logics things out in a way that I found very appealing...and, okay, more than a little familiar. And the picture Luc carries in his pocket - and the meaning behind it - gave me all sorts of happy sighs of sappy romantic contentment.
I loved them together. Their characters and the arc of their relationship throughout the book is what made it shine so spectacularly. But even without them there were a lot of good things. Katie's mother was an interesting secondary character, and Némes stole every scene he was in. David was wonderful and there is lots of untold story around Melanie, too, and the list goes on.
There is actually quite a lot ground covered in the book, and not all of it was comedic. Some of it was realistically sober and sad, some dark and disturbing, and even some sickly upsetting. To be honest, the whole psycho mob son plot thread never really came together for me. The suspense was a nice enough backdrop, sure, and it provided some thrills and chills, but it was a bit inconsistent and didn't blend all that well with other aspects of the book. It also gave some room for Katie to tread over the line into some thoughtlessly dangerous actions that I would consider stupid in any other book. In this case the stupidity was slightly alleviated by the lighter tone of the surrounding narrative. It was more like a dramedy in places than serious suspense that inspires a true sense of danger.
It was entertaining, though. Very entertaining. I was caught totally by surprise by this one, and happily so. Now I'm left with a desperate hope that this book segues into a series featuring some of the secondary characters we met here. Némes and Melanie both would be perfect as main characters in their own books (either individually or together). There was tons of stuff throughout the book practically begging for further development, and I refuse to believe that there will be no better resolution to the issue with Katie's parents. I want more of all of it. Please?
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
With a cover that is obviously and spectacularly blown, FBI agent Luc Vasco is forced to run for his life from the mob family he'd been investigating. And that strategic...if slightly panicked...retreat isn't going so well. Luc's already had to ditch the sweet Vette he was driving, then crashing, and he's hobbled by the ankle he wrenched when he jumped out a window. He just doesn't have all that many options left. Well...less than not all that many. One. He has exactly one option.
The Chevy Nova loudly sputtering at the nearest stoplight.
Katie McCabe's life isn't going so hot right now. It hasn't for several months, actually. Not since she caught her fiancé doing push ups on his desk in his office...with his hot supervisor spotting him from her position underneath him. She may have swept the cheating bastard out of her life...um...literally...but she lost her job at the company over the incident. Apparently taking a broom to his bare ass is considered more indiscreet than his infidelity. Who knew?
She's waiting at a stoplight, her beloved but ancient Nova giving her a bit of trouble, when the door to the passenger side is jerked open and a strange man dumps himself into the seat beside her. It isn't until the bullets start flying, though, and the man starts shouting at her to drive, that Katie realizes that she had been wrong about one very important detail. Her life hadn't, in fact, hit rock bottom. It couldn't have, as it's obviously still in a rapid free fall - with gunfire, car chases, and strange men claiming to be federal agents tossed in for that extra bit of terminal velocity!
Not that she's freaking out or anything!!
Then she finds out that not only is the man chasing them the son of a notorious mob boss, he is a known psychopath, and in saving Luc's life and embarrassing the psycho in front of the cops by just defending herself, she's put herself squarely on his Needs To Be Brutally Killed list and is no longer safe to live her crappy little life. Nope, now she has to live a crappy, life-threateningly dangerous life.
Because that is so much better!
She just can't handle one more thing going wrong right now. Not one.
Pity, then, that Luc has a few secrets he's refrained from telling her, even as he sets out to keep her safe, because when she finds out who he really is and how they're connected, he's fairly certain the tempestuous woman is going to try to finish the job the mob started.
~*~
I have to admit, when I picked up this book, my expectations weren't high. I had a fairly open mind about it, but the mention of the mob in the book summary didn't thrill me. I'm not a fan of mob-related fiction. I am, though, quite happy to say that I hadn't even finished the prologue before it was clear that this book was not going to be like anything else I've read recently. Three chapters later and I realized that I had become quickly and thoroughly enchanted.
Yeah, yeah, mob related...peripherally, anyway. Didn't give me a problem. And sure, technically its a book that has a suspenseful plotline. Right. Didn't pay much attention to that, though, either. At least not at first. I was too busy being totally enamored by Katie and Luc as characters and falling in love with their quirky charms and the mix of sobriety and humor that is their wacky, rocky relationship.
First, the man has a castle that intimidates him a little. Come on, that's priceless! And Katie is a total firecracker. She's quick-witted, sharp-tongued, and feisty as hell...though I wouldn't ask her for directions to the corner store if I were you. She tends to blow up emotionally, then calms down and logics things out in a way that I found very appealing...and, okay, more than a little familiar. And the picture Luc carries in his pocket - and the meaning behind it - gave me all sorts of happy sighs of sappy romantic contentment.
I loved them together. Their characters and the arc of their relationship throughout the book is what made it shine so spectacularly. But even without them there were a lot of good things. Katie's mother was an interesting secondary character, and Némes stole every scene he was in. David was wonderful and there is lots of untold story around Melanie, too, and the list goes on.
There is actually quite a lot ground covered in the book, and not all of it was comedic. Some of it was realistically sober and sad, some dark and disturbing, and even some sickly upsetting. To be honest, the whole psycho mob son plot thread never really came together for me. The suspense was a nice enough backdrop, sure, and it provided some thrills and chills, but it was a bit inconsistent and didn't blend all that well with other aspects of the book. It also gave some room for Katie to tread over the line into some thoughtlessly dangerous actions that I would consider stupid in any other book. In this case the stupidity was slightly alleviated by the lighter tone of the surrounding narrative. It was more like a dramedy in places than serious suspense that inspires a true sense of danger.
It was entertaining, though. Very entertaining. I was caught totally by surprise by this one, and happily so. Now I'm left with a desperate hope that this book segues into a series featuring some of the secondary characters we met here. Némes and Melanie both would be perfect as main characters in their own books (either individually or together). There was tons of stuff throughout the book practically begging for further development, and I refuse to believe that there will be no better resolution to the issue with Katie's parents. I want more of all of it. Please?
Disclosure: An ARC of this book was provided to me by Carina Press via NetGalley. This rating, review, and all included thoughts and comments are my own.
~*~*~*~
Reviewed for One Good Book Deserves Another.
May 9, 2019
Good romantic suspense with engaging characters.
September 12, 2011
Review originally posted here: http://thebookpushers.com/2011/09/12/...
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley
This was the third and final September suspense release from Carina Press I got, and the debut novel for author Horvath. Although I didn’t think it was as good as the other two I read, it also wasn’t bad. I did enjoy the story overall.
Katie has broken up with her fiance, changed jobs and is avoiding her mother. She is going through major changes and when a stranger jumps into her car, she freaks out, but drives recklessly around town to save his life. When she bests a mafia boss’ son, threats against her life are made immediately.
Luc knows he needs to protect Katie, but he also has ulterior motives. She has been the one woman he had fantasized about for years. When he and Katie get closer, things heat up between them, but finding out about their connection throws their relationship into an awkward territory. Then, things get out of control and Katie and Luc set out on a task that might get them both killed. But when all is said and done, will they be able to set aside their pasts and move forward to a future?
There were a lot of things I really liked about this book, and some I really didn’t. At times I felt as if Horvath struggled with keeping the story moving at a pace the reader could keep up with, stay engaged in, and keep interest in. There were some parts that moved very, very slow and others that had just the right amount of action and drama to keep the story going.
I really enjoyed Luc’s character in the beginning. He was reserved, yet protective of Katie. He was funny and yet always serious. It was obvious he would do anything to protect her, and yet he was constantly pushing Katie away. It got to the point where I wanted to smack him towards the end. He went on and on about how much he loved her, how he had always loved her. But when the goings got tough, he didn’t want to put in the effort. He was ready to throw in the towel for reasons that I didn’t think were strong enough. I ended up wanting so much more from him.
Katie was the opposite for me. She started off as a weak heroine, someone who needed to be coddled and led along. But as the story progressed she seemed to really come out of her shell more. She took more initiative in keeping herself safe, she wanted to fight by Luc’s side and protect him while he protected her. She grew a backbone and I loved that. Granted, she had a few moments that I thought were a little ridiculous, and her willingness to not fight for Luc at the end was a little out of the character she had become, but I enjoyed her at the end.
One of the things that impressed me about Horvath’s writing was how well done her secondary characters were. Between Katie’s brothers and sisters, the fellow FBI agents, and even Katie’s parents, I will definitely be picking up more of Horvath’s books in this series. I hope that we get either David or Justin next, and that Katie’s sister Melanie gets a chance at an HEA. I also hope we can see more of Katie’s parents and potentially get their story, I loved their moments together.
The suspense part of the plot wasn’t the best, but like I said it wasn’t horrible either. The slow then fast moving plot had a lot to due with my lack of interest in the suspense, but I did like the mafia aspect of it all. It made for some fun comparisons in my mind while reading. =)
All in all I think this was a good debut novel. There is definite room for improvement, but I think Horvath has the potential to be a great suspense author. I spent parts of the book frustrated, and other parts so engaged I had tears streaming down my face. If she continues on with this series (which I hope she will), I will be picking up the other books to check out the strong characters and fun relationships.
I give Hold Me a C
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley
Publisher: Carina Press
Publish Date: Out Now!
How I got this book: NetGalley
This was the third and final September suspense release from Carina Press I got, and the debut novel for author Horvath. Although I didn’t think it was as good as the other two I read, it also wasn’t bad. I did enjoy the story overall.
Katie has broken up with her fiance, changed jobs and is avoiding her mother. She is going through major changes and when a stranger jumps into her car, she freaks out, but drives recklessly around town to save his life. When she bests a mafia boss’ son, threats against her life are made immediately.
Luc knows he needs to protect Katie, but he also has ulterior motives. She has been the one woman he had fantasized about for years. When he and Katie get closer, things heat up between them, but finding out about their connection throws their relationship into an awkward territory. Then, things get out of control and Katie and Luc set out on a task that might get them both killed. But when all is said and done, will they be able to set aside their pasts and move forward to a future?
There were a lot of things I really liked about this book, and some I really didn’t. At times I felt as if Horvath struggled with keeping the story moving at a pace the reader could keep up with, stay engaged in, and keep interest in. There were some parts that moved very, very slow and others that had just the right amount of action and drama to keep the story going.
I really enjoyed Luc’s character in the beginning. He was reserved, yet protective of Katie. He was funny and yet always serious. It was obvious he would do anything to protect her, and yet he was constantly pushing Katie away. It got to the point where I wanted to smack him towards the end. He went on and on about how much he loved her, how he had always loved her. But when the goings got tough, he didn’t want to put in the effort. He was ready to throw in the towel for reasons that I didn’t think were strong enough. I ended up wanting so much more from him.
Katie was the opposite for me. She started off as a weak heroine, someone who needed to be coddled and led along. But as the story progressed she seemed to really come out of her shell more. She took more initiative in keeping herself safe, she wanted to fight by Luc’s side and protect him while he protected her. She grew a backbone and I loved that. Granted, she had a few moments that I thought were a little ridiculous, and her willingness to not fight for Luc at the end was a little out of the character she had become, but I enjoyed her at the end.
One of the things that impressed me about Horvath’s writing was how well done her secondary characters were. Between Katie’s brothers and sisters, the fellow FBI agents, and even Katie’s parents, I will definitely be picking up more of Horvath’s books in this series. I hope that we get either David or Justin next, and that Katie’s sister Melanie gets a chance at an HEA. I also hope we can see more of Katie’s parents and potentially get their story, I loved their moments together.
The suspense part of the plot wasn’t the best, but like I said it wasn’t horrible either. The slow then fast moving plot had a lot to due with my lack of interest in the suspense, but I did like the mafia aspect of it all. It made for some fun comparisons in my mind while reading. =)
All in all I think this was a good debut novel. There is definite room for improvement, but I think Horvath has the potential to be a great suspense author. I spent parts of the book frustrated, and other parts so engaged I had tears streaming down my face. If she continues on with this series (which I hope she will), I will be picking up the other books to check out the strong characters and fun relationships.
I give Hold Me a C
September 5, 2011
www.obsessionwithbooks.blogspot.com
Hold Me was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Carina Press
Katie McCabe is fresh out of a relationship where she caught her fiancé Tom cheating on her with a work colleague and resulted in her being arrested due to a ‘broom’ incident. She has since lived a seemingly normal uneventful life until undercover FBI Special Agent Lucas Vasco jumps into her car whilst trying to evade the mob and a known criminal, Joey Silvano.
Katie has no idea whether Lucas can be trusted; he has no credentials on him and appears to be dangerous. They end up on a high speed chase with bullets being sprayed and numerous near misses which eventually lead to them being stuck in a quarry and arrested by the local police.
What she soon finds out is she could possibly be on the bad guys hit list so will be placed in protective custody with Lucas, he has offered his home rather than a safe house as there is a suspected leak within the FBI, this is where she will remain until the bad guys are bought to justice with no communication with her family, friends and workplace whatsoever. All this because she has supposedly embarrassed Joey Silvano in front of the police and ruined his reputation.
I enjoyed the drama, suspense, action and of course the romance, I liked how we are taken on a journey to find out who can and can’t be trusted and to rescue a member of Katie’s family who has been kidnapped due to mistaken identity.
Katie was a wonderful, caring and endearing heroine, her life was turned upside down but she seemed fearless and even faced with danger she didn’t cower. Lucas was a dominant alpha male but was also vulnerable due to his past, he didn’t feel worthy of Katie and seeing him struggle with his feelings was at times difficult. I loved the banter and the humor between them, I liked that there was a connection through Katie’s foster sister, Melanie that both were afraid to act on or talk about; I was so anxious to see them discuss their feelings as I was reading along.
Ms Horvath has given us insight into a number of the secondary characters and I am intrigued to read more about them, especially Justin Nemes, David Allen and Melanie. I also liked the addition of Luc’s Newfoundland Dog, Spot.
It was an evenly paced plot with a few light twists to keep you guessing. The romance and suspense was balanced perfectly and I enjoyed Ms Horvath’s style of writing, the dialogue was snappy and entertaining.
All in all, an enjoyable debut novel from Ms Horvath.
Hold Me was kindly provided to me by Netgalley for Carina Press
Katie McCabe is fresh out of a relationship where she caught her fiancé Tom cheating on her with a work colleague and resulted in her being arrested due to a ‘broom’ incident. She has since lived a seemingly normal uneventful life until undercover FBI Special Agent Lucas Vasco jumps into her car whilst trying to evade the mob and a known criminal, Joey Silvano.
Katie has no idea whether Lucas can be trusted; he has no credentials on him and appears to be dangerous. They end up on a high speed chase with bullets being sprayed and numerous near misses which eventually lead to them being stuck in a quarry and arrested by the local police.
What she soon finds out is she could possibly be on the bad guys hit list so will be placed in protective custody with Lucas, he has offered his home rather than a safe house as there is a suspected leak within the FBI, this is where she will remain until the bad guys are bought to justice with no communication with her family, friends and workplace whatsoever. All this because she has supposedly embarrassed Joey Silvano in front of the police and ruined his reputation.
I enjoyed the drama, suspense, action and of course the romance, I liked how we are taken on a journey to find out who can and can’t be trusted and to rescue a member of Katie’s family who has been kidnapped due to mistaken identity.
Katie was a wonderful, caring and endearing heroine, her life was turned upside down but she seemed fearless and even faced with danger she didn’t cower. Lucas was a dominant alpha male but was also vulnerable due to his past, he didn’t feel worthy of Katie and seeing him struggle with his feelings was at times difficult. I loved the banter and the humor between them, I liked that there was a connection through Katie’s foster sister, Melanie that both were afraid to act on or talk about; I was so anxious to see them discuss their feelings as I was reading along.
Ms Horvath has given us insight into a number of the secondary characters and I am intrigued to read more about them, especially Justin Nemes, David Allen and Melanie. I also liked the addition of Luc’s Newfoundland Dog, Spot.
It was an evenly paced plot with a few light twists to keep you guessing. The romance and suspense was balanced perfectly and I enjoyed Ms Horvath’s style of writing, the dialogue was snappy and entertaining.
All in all, an enjoyable debut novel from Ms Horvath.
February 5, 2015
3.5 stars
February 18, 2021
3.5* ARC Review – Love from the Museum to Atlantic City
This ARC was provided by Hidden Gems in exchange for this review. I had read part of this author’s Hardy Falls series, so I was familiar with her writing. What I appreciate about her style is that her characters do not have perfect families or lives and don’t live in idyllic towns which makes them more realistic. This story was good but at times I found it challenging to keep reading. I felt that the story took a while to get where it was going and at times the heroine seemed oblivious to the danger, she is in.
The book starts by showing us a flashback to Katie discovering her fiancé cheating on her and how she handled it by attacking him with a broom. Then she meets Luc, an FBI agent who is on the run and jumps into her car while on the run from mobsters. By the time the chase ends, Katie has run a mobster off the road and embarrassed him. This causes her to be in danger and go into hiding with Luc in his enormous house, the Museum and with his huge dog. There is chemistry between the two and a hidden past that is uncovered. Although they fight the attraction, they end up working together to resolve the situation that will otherwise keep Katie in danger from the mob. Plenty of action as the story ends.
This ARC was provided by Hidden Gems in exchange for this review. I had read part of this author’s Hardy Falls series, so I was familiar with her writing. What I appreciate about her style is that her characters do not have perfect families or lives and don’t live in idyllic towns which makes them more realistic. This story was good but at times I found it challenging to keep reading. I felt that the story took a while to get where it was going and at times the heroine seemed oblivious to the danger, she is in.
The book starts by showing us a flashback to Katie discovering her fiancé cheating on her and how she handled it by attacking him with a broom. Then she meets Luc, an FBI agent who is on the run and jumps into her car while on the run from mobsters. By the time the chase ends, Katie has run a mobster off the road and embarrassed him. This causes her to be in danger and go into hiding with Luc in his enormous house, the Museum and with his huge dog. There is chemistry between the two and a hidden past that is uncovered. Although they fight the attraction, they end up working together to resolve the situation that will otherwise keep Katie in danger from the mob. Plenty of action as the story ends.
February 19, 2021
"She hated all of that and more. But she didn’t regret last night."
I enjoyed reading new-to-me author, Betsy Horvath. While mobster romances aren't among my favorites, our hero is on the right side of the law - he IS the law! FBI Special Agent Lucas Vasco, and Katie McCabe, have an unusual "meet cute," to say the least. Now, in attempting to save his OWN life, Luc has put Katie in grave danger. To make matters worse, (yup, it gets worse,) Luc and Katie have a special connection, that she is unware of, and he doesn't bother to inform her - at least, in a timely manner. Katie has plenty of reasons to hate Lucas, and it probably would be healthier if she DID. Such is the road to their happily ever after. Mobster, opposites attract, perhaps a bit of a second chance, mystery, and thriller. With "Hold Me," you can expect drama, angst, mystery, intrigue, danger, violence, betrayal, family drama, humor, amusing situations, sexual situations, romance, and love. Hopefully the start of a new series, there's plenty of appealing characters, that have stories to tell. An entertaining read. I received this book from Hidden Gems Books, and I volunteered this review.
I enjoyed reading new-to-me author, Betsy Horvath. While mobster romances aren't among my favorites, our hero is on the right side of the law - he IS the law! FBI Special Agent Lucas Vasco, and Katie McCabe, have an unusual "meet cute," to say the least. Now, in attempting to save his OWN life, Luc has put Katie in grave danger. To make matters worse, (yup, it gets worse,) Luc and Katie have a special connection, that she is unware of, and he doesn't bother to inform her - at least, in a timely manner. Katie has plenty of reasons to hate Lucas, and it probably would be healthier if she DID. Such is the road to their happily ever after. Mobster, opposites attract, perhaps a bit of a second chance, mystery, and thriller. With "Hold Me," you can expect drama, angst, mystery, intrigue, danger, violence, betrayal, family drama, humor, amusing situations, sexual situations, romance, and love. Hopefully the start of a new series, there's plenty of appealing characters, that have stories to tell. An entertaining read. I received this book from Hidden Gems Books, and I volunteered this review.
February 14, 2021
A fun and exciting romance from beginning to end. I loved the authors’ writing style and humor that was interwoven into this mystery. Katie McCabe is still reeling from the unexpected breakup of her engagement, getting fired, and her first trip to a police station when a man jumps into her car. He says he is Special Agent Lucas Vasco, but has no I.D., but he does have a gun. This begins her first introduction to car chases. When Katie enrages Frankie Silvano by defending herself when he attacked her, he swears revenge on her for embarrassing him. The author’s description as the two were trying to elude the mob was exciting and “laugh out loud” hilarious. As Katie & Luc hide out at his home, their closeness leads to a sexual attraction they can’t deny. Just when you think they are finally safe, once again they are fighting for their lives. I can’t wait for the second book in this series. I received an advance review copy at no cost and without obligation for an honest review. (by paytonpuppy)
February 16, 2021
There are so many layers to this story; family, crime, suspense, relationships, secrets, lies, trust, bravery, honesty, humour, romance and love. It had good characters, connection, chemistry, a storyline that held my interest and a truly wonderful dog. I have enjoyed reading this one and hope to see some of the supporting characters get their own stories. I am voluntarily leaving this review after receiving an ARC from Hidden Gems.
February 15, 2021
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! I love a heroine with spunk and Katie certainly has that! Trouble followed them throughout but love still won out.
This is my first from this author but I hope she will have more to this series.
**I received this book from Hidden Gems as an ARC for an honest review.**
This is my first from this author but I hope she will have more to this series.
**I received this book from Hidden Gems as an ARC for an honest review.**
February 16, 2021
The first book in the Love’s Most Wanted series a well written story by an Author that is new to me. Katie McCabe and FBI Special Agent Luc Vasco’s story of suspense, drama, danger, villains, and romance. I enjoyed reading this story and I want to read more in this series. I received a copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 17, 2021
Fantastic, funny, entertaining, romantic, steamy read with a crazy mobster subplot.
This was a terrific romantic suspense that was heavy on the romance and light on the suspense.
I'm definitely reading more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.
This was a terrific romantic suspense that was heavy on the romance and light on the suspense.
I'm definitely reading more from this author.
I received a free copy of this book via Hidden Gems and am voluntarily leaving a review.
February 14, 2021
That was a really solid good book, with funny banter, a villain or better villains, a big family and a really good couple. For an agent of the FBI he was in a lot of trouble, but it was a really good story and I enjoyed this book very much. Now I am curious what is happening with her parents.
August 28, 2011
I received an e-arc copy of this book - LOVED it!
Just got the go-ahead from the author to post my review :)
This book comes out September 5th - I really recommend this book to anyone who loves a great romance, with lots of "ups and downs" :) the romance isn't too heavy,but it's perfect for this book though :)
I have not read a book this good since I read New Moon a few years ago :) Seriously! I loved this book THAT much!
The book starts off with *ahem* Katie observing her .. soon to be ex- at the office with his mistress -
Lol She was planning on sneaking out of the office, that was until she spotted a broom leaning against the wall -
Next we're in Luc's POV - he's thumbing through Frankie's office while he's out of town, only he's not as out of town as he thought he was. As he jumps out of the window, twists his ankle and runs towards his car, all of Frankie's mobster guys are after him.. with guns
Back to Katie , just about to leave the office when she gets a phone call from her concerned mother - her mother is great - I love this woman! She is so strong, so stubborn and such a great lady all around. And she truly wants what's best for her children. All of them!
When Katie finally pulls her Green Nova (Kota) out into the street, and it stalls at the light - just in time for Luc to jump in the passenger seat. Bullets whizzing by, Katie panics and speeds down the road. Trying to have a conversation with this guy, trying to figure out if he's the good guy or the bad guy - lol his awesome sense of humor isn't much help either :)
The bad guys catch up to them at the Quarry, and somehow Katie manages to knock the car into the quarry just as she sees the uzi pointed at her head! Finally the police show up - Whew -
just as everyone is getting arrested, Frankie breaks free from the police that's holding him, and goes after Katie - after all, he's never been in trouble with the law before, and now he is - but she plows him with her 50 pound purse and kicks him hard in the leg and he goes down. Before he can get back up to attack her, the police grab him and shove him in the squad car.
At the Police Station, the same cop that had arrested her for the "Tom" incident started questioning her. He didn't believe her story that she was car jacked. and he wasn't going to, she was so screwed!
Inside Luc's questioning room, David Allen, his Commanding officer from the FBI comes in to find out the details that happened. Luc's cover is blown, and this lady's life was threatened because he jumped in her car. If he knew it was Frankie himself that was after him, he never would have involved another person. So there is only one thing to do.. bring her home with him so he could protect her.
Well there is something else that Katie doesn't know - but Luc does... He knows her. He knows her well. and yet,he's never met her... but he's wanted to for a really long time.
Lots of struggles go on in this story - I really loved this book. Nothing out of the ordinary, well unless you count the big black Newfoundland Dog, Spot :) Reading about the dog they all refered to as a big grizzley bear, I had to Google what it looked like. we are raising 6 American Bulldogs in my home - but they're all my husband's dogs - I'm begging for a Newfoundland puppy for my own now :)
I love Spot - she is the perfect dog - even for a "seeing eye dog" in the middle of a restaurant :) She played a great character in this book as well :)
BUT back to the story - lots of action goes on with car chases, and mob people shooting at everyone. Lives being threatened, good guys turning into bad guys, who can you trust?
Then there is the ending - OMGosh! The Ending! I cried - I cried. My husband made me walk away from reading because I was crying so much - Then I sat back down and re-read it and cried again just as much hoping for something to change, anything to change - see that's why I compared it to New Moon - not giving anything away about what happened at the end, but I've read New Moon 8 times, and I still cry and hope for a different scene after they go into the woods together. Now I'm not saying this book has that same type of thing going on or not, I'm just say that no matter how many times I re-read this book,I'm going to be crying and I'm going to be hoping that something changes...(I'm a delusional reader :)
But also like in New Moon - there is a happy Ending - and same with this book - although it took a LONG time to get there - seems like a new thing kept popping up at you, clear until the 98% mark on my kindle - lol I just wanted to keep reading and reading and reading - I will defiantly be re-reading this one in the future - and recommending it to all my friends :)
Awesome book!
Just got the go-ahead from the author to post my review :)
This book comes out September 5th - I really recommend this book to anyone who loves a great romance, with lots of "ups and downs" :) the romance isn't too heavy,but it's perfect for this book though :)
I have not read a book this good since I read New Moon a few years ago :) Seriously! I loved this book THAT much!
The book starts off with *ahem* Katie observing her .. soon to be ex- at the office with his mistress -
Lol She was planning on sneaking out of the office, that was until she spotted a broom leaning against the wall -
Next we're in Luc's POV - he's thumbing through Frankie's office while he's out of town, only he's not as out of town as he thought he was. As he jumps out of the window, twists his ankle and runs towards his car, all of Frankie's mobster guys are after him.. with guns
Back to Katie , just about to leave the office when she gets a phone call from her concerned mother - her mother is great - I love this woman! She is so strong, so stubborn and such a great lady all around. And she truly wants what's best for her children. All of them!
When Katie finally pulls her Green Nova (Kota) out into the street, and it stalls at the light - just in time for Luc to jump in the passenger seat. Bullets whizzing by, Katie panics and speeds down the road. Trying to have a conversation with this guy, trying to figure out if he's the good guy or the bad guy - lol his awesome sense of humor isn't much help either :)
The bad guys catch up to them at the Quarry, and somehow Katie manages to knock the car into the quarry just as she sees the uzi pointed at her head! Finally the police show up - Whew -
just as everyone is getting arrested, Frankie breaks free from the police that's holding him, and goes after Katie - after all, he's never been in trouble with the law before, and now he is - but she plows him with her 50 pound purse and kicks him hard in the leg and he goes down. Before he can get back up to attack her, the police grab him and shove him in the squad car.
At the Police Station, the same cop that had arrested her for the "Tom" incident started questioning her. He didn't believe her story that she was car jacked. and he wasn't going to, she was so screwed!
Inside Luc's questioning room, David Allen, his Commanding officer from the FBI comes in to find out the details that happened. Luc's cover is blown, and this lady's life was threatened because he jumped in her car. If he knew it was Frankie himself that was after him, he never would have involved another person. So there is only one thing to do.. bring her home with him so he could protect her.
Well there is something else that Katie doesn't know - but Luc does... He knows her. He knows her well. and yet,he's never met her... but he's wanted to for a really long time.
Lots of struggles go on in this story - I really loved this book. Nothing out of the ordinary, well unless you count the big black Newfoundland Dog, Spot :) Reading about the dog they all refered to as a big grizzley bear, I had to Google what it looked like. we are raising 6 American Bulldogs in my home - but they're all my husband's dogs - I'm begging for a Newfoundland puppy for my own now :)
I love Spot - she is the perfect dog - even for a "seeing eye dog" in the middle of a restaurant :) She played a great character in this book as well :)
BUT back to the story - lots of action goes on with car chases, and mob people shooting at everyone. Lives being threatened, good guys turning into bad guys, who can you trust?
Then there is the ending - OMGosh! The Ending! I cried - I cried. My husband made me walk away from reading because I was crying so much - Then I sat back down and re-read it and cried again just as much hoping for something to change, anything to change - see that's why I compared it to New Moon - not giving anything away about what happened at the end, but I've read New Moon 8 times, and I still cry and hope for a different scene after they go into the woods together. Now I'm not saying this book has that same type of thing going on or not, I'm just say that no matter how many times I re-read this book,I'm going to be crying and I'm going to be hoping that something changes...(I'm a delusional reader :)
But also like in New Moon - there is a happy Ending - and same with this book - although it took a LONG time to get there - seems like a new thing kept popping up at you, clear until the 98% mark on my kindle - lol I just wanted to keep reading and reading and reading - I will defiantly be re-reading this one in the future - and recommending it to all my friends :)
Awesome book!
September 18, 2021
Sacha's Book Reviews Blog
I grabbed a copy of this book via an ARC program. Usually a mob plot is a hard “no” for me — I prefer to watch that kind of content on TV. But the prologue blew me away, and I took a leap of faith. I’m so glad I did.
The Premise
Still reeling from a break-up that involved her taking a broom to her ex’s naked cheating ass, Katie is clearly a force to be reckoned with in her own right. As she pauses at a stoplight with her character of a vehicle (literally, it has a name: Kato), injured FBI agent Luc hops in to escape from the bad guys — and in an instant, Katie’s life changes. Guns, bullets, mobsters and a high-speed car chase — the whole nine yards — quickly ensue, and it screeches to a halt as she knocks the mobster’s vehicle into a quarry pit. The psycho mobster, embarrassed to be shown up like that in front of his mob family and also the police, launches a vendetta against her. Luc takes her into hiding at his castle (that’s right — he lives in a castle) which is guarded by his ginormous dog Spot. However, as they get to know each other, Luc soon realises she isn’t a stranger but she is linked to someone he’s known all his life, and they already have a shared past. Things soon heat up between them, and the danger seems to be momentarily forgotten — but meanwhile, the mobsters are on their trail, and feisty Katie and damaged Luc soon find themselves in way over their heads.
The Pros
This book was insane — in a good way. There was hilarious comedy, fast-paced action, on-the-edge-of-your-seat suspense, fresh dialogue, and characters that kept me turning the pages frantically to see how it would end up. There was so much here that my head was spinning. One minute there are steamy sexy moments, followed by slapstick comedy, and then in come the blazing guns. I felt like I had whiplash, as it went from one thing to the other. There was never a dull moment. I also appreciated that there were some serious issues here, with the foster care background of abuse and long-term marriage relationship issues, but these did not impinge on the overall levity. The characterisation was well done, as I could easily envision the two leads, and there were also a few side characters that stole the show. Even Spot was right there in the middle of everything, a character in her own right — a nice touch!
The Cons
I loved this book, but a mobster book it is not. Mind you, I’m not a fan of mobster books, so this was fine by me. And while it held my interest, the plot seemed at times like it was all over the place. It felt like the author was trying to shove it all in, and honestly — it wasn’t necessary. There was more than enough here to make an amazing book, and all the add-ons just took away from the overall effect. I could have easily chopped off about 10-20% and given this book 5 stars. The mother’s relationship issues I didn’t really care for, the sister’s unrequited love arc didn’t seem necessary, and the hero’s waffling back and forth at the end just didn’t make sense at that point. They’d already been through so much, and suddenly he’s back to square one wallowing in self-doubt. There were also some moments that were funny but seemed entirely unlikely — goading a mobster generally isn’t wise; and some plot choices that I just wish had been left out.
Conclusion
This was a thoroughly enjoyable read, despite my issues I had with the overall plot. I want more of it, so much more. I want more of this author. I want to be inside that head of hers. She is crazy talented, to create a story with so many elements and somehow tie them all in together. I would recommend this book to anyone who needs a burst-your-sides laugh of a rollicking read, with a little sprinkling of psycho mobsters. Yeah, who needs mobsters when you have all the other amazing things happening here?! Despite my hefty “Cons” column, this book was STILL amazing. So trust me, it’s worth the read!
___________
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April 15, 2012
4 stars on Ordinary People, Extraordinary Works
HOLD ME by Betsy Horvath is a movie waiting to happen - or it's already been a movie, at least pieces of it. Lucas Vasco, known as Luc, is an FBI Special Agent who's been undercover for quite some time... Until his cover is almost blown. In his haste, he jumps out of a window, hurts himself, and then finds himself in a beat-up car with Katie McCabe. Katie's just gotten out of a relationship, though not exactly because she wanted to leave. Seeing her fiance with another women made the decision for her. Unfortunately, the appearance of Luc in her car doesn't really help matters. In fact, her life gets worse -- or does it? Now the target of a psychotic mob man, Katie is forced to live under Luc's roof, except not all is as it seems because there's a connection from their past that shocks both of them.
When I first saw mixed reviews regarding Horvath's debut novel, I was a bit uncertain as to whether or not I should read it. I decided that I should, only because I can't ever say no to a bit of suspenseful romance, and I'm truly glad I read this one. From the first page, HOLD ME starts off with a bang - both literally and figuratively - and the pace keeps up throughout the book, even with a few slower scenes of romance. But just because this is a romance doesn't mean that's all it is, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. While much of the book explores the relationship between Luc and Katie, both as strangers and as maybe-something-more-from-the-past (that's a mouthful), there's action and I don't just mean of the in-bed type. There are bad guys chasing the main characters. There are gun fights and racing cars. There's suspicion.
I actually cared about Katie and Luc. I wanted them to make it even though it didn't always seem like they would match perfectly. Luc keeps everyone at arm's length. Katie is hurt by a confession. They're not perfect beings, though. There were times I rolled my eyes at Luc and times I wanted to smack Katie, but in the end, I was rooting for them to make it - both together and as individuals. Katie is a rare type of heroine in that she starts off almost meek and, for a reader, annoying because she doesn't seem to know what she wants anymore. Yet, with each chapter, and each scenario, she grows and becomes the strong one, the one who gives an ultimatum, who makes a stand. It's not all roses and butterflies from there; she has her ups and downs, but her transformation was lovely to read.
A mosh pit of secondary characters create provoking thoughts as well - David, Luc's superior who may or may not be as trustworthy as one thinks; Maureen, Katie's mother, who has her own problems but loves her daughter more than anything; Melanie, a girl who links Katie and Luc in a way neither expected; and Liza, a strangely compelling and interesting woman who used to be engaged to Luc - and that's just to name a few. Part of me hopes that Horvath makes this into a series of sorts because there's so much I want to learn about with these characters, especially Katie's parents.
Horvath writes a solid first novel in HOLD ME. To be honest, as soon as I finished, I looked her up to see if she had any other novels to read. None yet but I look forward to her next project. This was a book I'm glad I decided to read.
HOLD ME by Betsy Horvath is a movie waiting to happen - or it's already been a movie, at least pieces of it. Lucas Vasco, known as Luc, is an FBI Special Agent who's been undercover for quite some time... Until his cover is almost blown. In his haste, he jumps out of a window, hurts himself, and then finds himself in a beat-up car with Katie McCabe. Katie's just gotten out of a relationship, though not exactly because she wanted to leave. Seeing her fiance with another women made the decision for her. Unfortunately, the appearance of Luc in her car doesn't really help matters. In fact, her life gets worse -- or does it? Now the target of a psychotic mob man, Katie is forced to live under Luc's roof, except not all is as it seems because there's a connection from their past that shocks both of them.
When I first saw mixed reviews regarding Horvath's debut novel, I was a bit uncertain as to whether or not I should read it. I decided that I should, only because I can't ever say no to a bit of suspenseful romance, and I'm truly glad I read this one. From the first page, HOLD ME starts off with a bang - both literally and figuratively - and the pace keeps up throughout the book, even with a few slower scenes of romance. But just because this is a romance doesn't mean that's all it is, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. While much of the book explores the relationship between Luc and Katie, both as strangers and as maybe-something-more-from-the-past (that's a mouthful), there's action and I don't just mean of the in-bed type. There are bad guys chasing the main characters. There are gun fights and racing cars. There's suspicion.
I actually cared about Katie and Luc. I wanted them to make it even though it didn't always seem like they would match perfectly. Luc keeps everyone at arm's length. Katie is hurt by a confession. They're not perfect beings, though. There were times I rolled my eyes at Luc and times I wanted to smack Katie, but in the end, I was rooting for them to make it - both together and as individuals. Katie is a rare type of heroine in that she starts off almost meek and, for a reader, annoying because she doesn't seem to know what she wants anymore. Yet, with each chapter, and each scenario, she grows and becomes the strong one, the one who gives an ultimatum, who makes a stand. It's not all roses and butterflies from there; she has her ups and downs, but her transformation was lovely to read.
A mosh pit of secondary characters create provoking thoughts as well - David, Luc's superior who may or may not be as trustworthy as one thinks; Maureen, Katie's mother, who has her own problems but loves her daughter more than anything; Melanie, a girl who links Katie and Luc in a way neither expected; and Liza, a strangely compelling and interesting woman who used to be engaged to Luc - and that's just to name a few. Part of me hopes that Horvath makes this into a series of sorts because there's so much I want to learn about with these characters, especially Katie's parents.
Horvath writes a solid first novel in HOLD ME. To be honest, as soon as I finished, I looked her up to see if she had any other novels to read. None yet but I look forward to her next project. This was a book I'm glad I decided to read.
September 3, 2011
This is Betsy Horvath's debut book. I was looking through netgalley's website and came across it and decided to check out the blurb and then of course i wanted to read it. This is how i came to read this one. Hold me is a sexy little romantic suspense. Let's get to the blurb.
Coming September 5, 2011 from Carina Press
Available for pre-order now
Katie McCabe’s life is going nowhere fast when FBI Special Agent Lucas Vasco jumps into her car at an intersection. Luc, his undercover guise blown, is on the run from the Mafia and expects to be killed at any moment. What he doesn’t plan on is finding himself attracted to the firecracker beside him. He feels compelled to protect her when her life is threatened, and insists she stay with him for her own safety.
After learning she has become the target of a psychotic hit man, Katie is whisked off to Luc’s house to hide. Once there, she’s shocked to discover that she and Luc have an unexpected connection—a connection Luc already knew existed, but withheld. Will their intense attraction reach flashpoint despite their misunderstandings and the pain of the past?
This is a great debut book for Betsy Horvath. Lots of action but lots of hot sweaty sex and of course romance. lol Katie McCabe is minding her own business driving her car down the street when it stalls at a intersection. All of the sudden this guy opens the door and jumps in and tells her to GO! Uh uh not happening. She tells him to get out but he can't because he has a killer after him. He finally gets her to go when bullets starts flying around her. This would be Luc FBI special agent Luc Vasco hot guy! They get away from the bad guy when they crash but they both end up arrested. Once everything is sorted out though Kate kinds herself the object of a killer's evil eye. He wants her dead. Luc decides he has to protect her and keep her safe. Luc has a secret though. They already know each other. Katie has a big family 3 brothers and 2 sisters and a foster sister. The relationshipa for some characters are very complex. You get a little glimpse of some of them but the main focus is of course on Katie and Luc. When i read this i kept thinking i can totally see a follow up book or two. Guess what? I emailed the author and she confirmed there are 2 more in the works. There were some really good secondary characters in this book so my mind wanders to who they could be about. Could it be David his supervisor who has been like a brother to him. Justin his ex partner or Melanie his and Katie's Foster sister?? Perhaps one of Katie's brothers. Lots of potential. This book had some of everything i like in a romantic suspense. Hot steamy sex scenes, pretty nifty car chases, bad guys, romance and my favorite humor. I give Hoold me by author Betsy Horvath 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick Stars. To find out more about Betsy check out her website and blog by clicking here www.betsyhorvath.com
Coming September 5, 2011 from Carina Press
Available for pre-order now
Katie McCabe’s life is going nowhere fast when FBI Special Agent Lucas Vasco jumps into her car at an intersection. Luc, his undercover guise blown, is on the run from the Mafia and expects to be killed at any moment. What he doesn’t plan on is finding himself attracted to the firecracker beside him. He feels compelled to protect her when her life is threatened, and insists she stay with him for her own safety.
After learning she has become the target of a psychotic hit man, Katie is whisked off to Luc’s house to hide. Once there, she’s shocked to discover that she and Luc have an unexpected connection—a connection Luc already knew existed, but withheld. Will their intense attraction reach flashpoint despite their misunderstandings and the pain of the past?
This is a great debut book for Betsy Horvath. Lots of action but lots of hot sweaty sex and of course romance. lol Katie McCabe is minding her own business driving her car down the street when it stalls at a intersection. All of the sudden this guy opens the door and jumps in and tells her to GO! Uh uh not happening. She tells him to get out but he can't because he has a killer after him. He finally gets her to go when bullets starts flying around her. This would be Luc FBI special agent Luc Vasco hot guy! They get away from the bad guy when they crash but they both end up arrested. Once everything is sorted out though Kate kinds herself the object of a killer's evil eye. He wants her dead. Luc decides he has to protect her and keep her safe. Luc has a secret though. They already know each other. Katie has a big family 3 brothers and 2 sisters and a foster sister. The relationshipa for some characters are very complex. You get a little glimpse of some of them but the main focus is of course on Katie and Luc. When i read this i kept thinking i can totally see a follow up book or two. Guess what? I emailed the author and she confirmed there are 2 more in the works. There were some really good secondary characters in this book so my mind wanders to who they could be about. Could it be David his supervisor who has been like a brother to him. Justin his ex partner or Melanie his and Katie's Foster sister?? Perhaps one of Katie's brothers. Lots of potential. This book had some of everything i like in a romantic suspense. Hot steamy sex scenes, pretty nifty car chases, bad guys, romance and my favorite humor. I give Hoold me by author Betsy Horvath 4 out of 5 Modokker Book Pick Stars. To find out more about Betsy check out her website and blog by clicking here www.betsyhorvath.com
December 4, 2011
Betsy Horvath's Hold Me is the story of an undercover FBI agent who accidentally involves a civilian in his work, only to discover that she has been part of his life all along.
Katie McCabe's life had been going pretty much nowhere since she broke up with her fiance. Breaking up with him had been the absolute right thing to do, since she caught him screwing his boss at work on his desk late one night. Beating them both with a handy broom handle might not have been Katie's best idea. Totally deserved, but not her best idea.
Lucas Vasco is an undercover FBI agent, and his cover has just been blown. He knew that breaking into the mobster's empty office this particular evening wasn't his best idea, but the guy and his goons were supposed to away all night. Diving for the window seemed like his only way out.
Luc's window dive put him on the street as Katie was driving by, six months after her infamous break-up. Her life was still a mess. Her career had sunk after the broom beating, and her car was barely functioning and in need of serious repairs. Then an FBI agent being chased by gunmen jumps into her car, says he's one of the good guys and asks her to drive, fast. Then the gunmen start shooting at her.
When the cops show up, they're certain it's all Katie's fault because of the broom handle incident. The FBI shows up and vouch for their agent. But the mobster now knows who Katie is, and he's just off his rocker at getting his name on the police blotter, even if no charges are filed. Katie didn't witness anything, so she can't go into Witness Protection. But since the mobster is a nutjob, she needs some serious protection. Luc takes her home with him.
Luc doesn't just want to protect Katie from the bad guys, he wants to protect her forever. But Luc isn't just an undercover agent, it's his whole life that is undercover. He has a lot of secrets about his past that he needs to reveal to Katie before they have any chance at a happily ever after.
Verdict: I picked this up because the description reminded me of an old TV show, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, and I loved that show. That story was about a spy who accidentally involves a civilian and falls in love with her. Hold Me starts out a little like that, but keeps adding more layers. First, FBI agent drafts civilian. Then he has to protect her. After that, her mother gets kidnapped by the mobsters. Everyone goes to Atlantic City for a big showdown in the casinos. and a second showdown back home with the FBI mole. And his foster sister is also her foster sister. That last bit may have been one layer too many on the cake. This was a good story and these were great characters without foster care added on. The side story of Katie's parents' marriage falling apart was heart wrenching but made enough of a counterpoint to the main story.
Escape Rating: C: Worth finishing at lunch the next day, but the subplot pile-on was too much to keep me up into the wee hours waiting for the pile to crash.
Katie McCabe's life had been going pretty much nowhere since she broke up with her fiance. Breaking up with him had been the absolute right thing to do, since she caught him screwing his boss at work on his desk late one night. Beating them both with a handy broom handle might not have been Katie's best idea. Totally deserved, but not her best idea.
Lucas Vasco is an undercover FBI agent, and his cover has just been blown. He knew that breaking into the mobster's empty office this particular evening wasn't his best idea, but the guy and his goons were supposed to away all night. Diving for the window seemed like his only way out.
Luc's window dive put him on the street as Katie was driving by, six months after her infamous break-up. Her life was still a mess. Her career had sunk after the broom beating, and her car was barely functioning and in need of serious repairs. Then an FBI agent being chased by gunmen jumps into her car, says he's one of the good guys and asks her to drive, fast. Then the gunmen start shooting at her.
When the cops show up, they're certain it's all Katie's fault because of the broom handle incident. The FBI shows up and vouch for their agent. But the mobster now knows who Katie is, and he's just off his rocker at getting his name on the police blotter, even if no charges are filed. Katie didn't witness anything, so she can't go into Witness Protection. But since the mobster is a nutjob, she needs some serious protection. Luc takes her home with him.
Luc doesn't just want to protect Katie from the bad guys, he wants to protect her forever. But Luc isn't just an undercover agent, it's his whole life that is undercover. He has a lot of secrets about his past that he needs to reveal to Katie before they have any chance at a happily ever after.
Verdict: I picked this up because the description reminded me of an old TV show, Scarecrow and Mrs. King, and I loved that show. That story was about a spy who accidentally involves a civilian and falls in love with her. Hold Me starts out a little like that, but keeps adding more layers. First, FBI agent drafts civilian. Then he has to protect her. After that, her mother gets kidnapped by the mobsters. Everyone goes to Atlantic City for a big showdown in the casinos. and a second showdown back home with the FBI mole. And his foster sister is also her foster sister. That last bit may have been one layer too many on the cake. This was a good story and these were great characters without foster care added on. The side story of Katie's parents' marriage falling apart was heart wrenching but made enough of a counterpoint to the main story.
Escape Rating: C: Worth finishing at lunch the next day, but the subplot pile-on was too much to keep me up into the wee hours waiting for the pile to crash.
October 7, 2011
This review was posted at Under The Covers
I am sad to say I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. It starts off great and then at about 15-20% it just loses me.
The storyline had potential: undercover FBI agent gets discovered and as he's running for his life he ends up jumping in the car of a civilian woman to run away from the mobsters following him. Now he puts her life in danger because they threaten to kill her.
What started throwing me off was when Lucas Vasco, the hero and undercover FBI agent, realizes that the woman he put in danger is the same woman he's been in love with for years. How is that possible you ask? Well there's a girl that he was in a foster home with whom he considers his sister. And she gave him a picture a long time ago with her sister at her new foster home. And he's been MADLY IN LOVE with that girl from the picture ever since. But he was too scared to ever meet her.
So that scenario was a bit weird to me. Now she's in front of him, she has no clue who he is, and he has to protect her. So he takes her to his home in New Jersey. Well... he lives in a castle, which he inherited from his grandmother. Again, a little strange.
But what grated on my nerves the most was Katie, the heroine. I found her a bit annoying, and quite frankly TSTL.
The book does get my attention back towards the end but I had pretty much lost interest. The actual writing style of the author was good and it flowed nicely. The story however was just not for me.
I am sad to say I didn't enjoy this book as much as I thought I would. It starts off great and then at about 15-20% it just loses me.
The storyline had potential: undercover FBI agent gets discovered and as he's running for his life he ends up jumping in the car of a civilian woman to run away from the mobsters following him. Now he puts her life in danger because they threaten to kill her.
What started throwing me off was when Lucas Vasco, the hero and undercover FBI agent, realizes that the woman he put in danger is the same woman he's been in love with for years. How is that possible you ask? Well there's a girl that he was in a foster home with whom he considers his sister. And she gave him a picture a long time ago with her sister at her new foster home. And he's been MADLY IN LOVE with that girl from the picture ever since. But he was too scared to ever meet her.
So that scenario was a bit weird to me. Now she's in front of him, she has no clue who he is, and he has to protect her. So he takes her to his home in New Jersey. Well... he lives in a castle, which he inherited from his grandmother. Again, a little strange.
But what grated on my nerves the most was Katie, the heroine. I found her a bit annoying, and quite frankly TSTL.
The book does get my attention back towards the end but I had pretty much lost interest. The actual writing style of the author was good and it flowed nicely. The story however was just not for me.
November 4, 2011
Okay...I need to own The Museum...which was Luc's family home throughout the story. OMG
Just gorgeous. It was a freaking castle! For real!
Too amazing. I think that alone gave this book the 5th star. I was wavering. I hate to over use my 5 star ratings. But this is definitely a bump for setting. If they'd just used a regular safe house it might not have had the same punch. A very solid suspense story with a ton of character charged moments. I truly enjoyed this book.
Katie and Luc have killer chemistry and each of them come with their own baggage. How they mesh together from a carjacking to living together for her protection, to a history that neither of them could have fathomed...it really just all worked for me. I pounded 461 pages in a very short period of time because the book just drew me right in.
And hell, I cried through the end of it. I'm a sucker for the guy that doesn't think he's good enough. He had a rough life with foster homes and all the horrible things he's done working for the government only compounds that I'm-No-Good-For-You thing that some heroes have. And in this instance it didn't annoy me as much as it does in other books. A true testament to Mz. Horvath's writing skills.
And the girl's got skillz.
I don't want to ruin the reading of this one for anyone but there's intrigue, the bodyguard trope, a huge mutt of a dog named Spot, a freaking castle! (I know I mentioned it but...gah! Castle!!) a freakish killer, an even freakier relationship with the killer's half sister (insert heebie jeebies), and a supporting cast that doesn't instantly flag series...but probably will get their own books.
A really great romantic suspense, IMHO.
Just gorgeous. It was a freaking castle! For real!
Too amazing. I think that alone gave this book the 5th star. I was wavering. I hate to over use my 5 star ratings. But this is definitely a bump for setting. If they'd just used a regular safe house it might not have had the same punch. A very solid suspense story with a ton of character charged moments. I truly enjoyed this book.
Katie and Luc have killer chemistry and each of them come with their own baggage. How they mesh together from a carjacking to living together for her protection, to a history that neither of them could have fathomed...it really just all worked for me. I pounded 461 pages in a very short period of time because the book just drew me right in.
And hell, I cried through the end of it. I'm a sucker for the guy that doesn't think he's good enough. He had a rough life with foster homes and all the horrible things he's done working for the government only compounds that I'm-No-Good-For-You thing that some heroes have. And in this instance it didn't annoy me as much as it does in other books. A true testament to Mz. Horvath's writing skills.
And the girl's got skillz.
I don't want to ruin the reading of this one for anyone but there's intrigue, the bodyguard trope, a huge mutt of a dog named Spot, a freaking castle! (I know I mentioned it but...gah! Castle!!) a freakish killer, an even freakier relationship with the killer's half sister (insert heebie jeebies), and a supporting cast that doesn't instantly flag series...but probably will get their own books.
A really great romantic suspense, IMHO.
November 2, 2011
3.5 stars
When FBI agent Lucas Vasco jumps into Katie McCabe’s car during a police chase, she quickly becomes an assassination target of the Mafia who want her out of the picture. Unable to return to her usual life, Katie moves into Lucas’s home under his protection. They have an instant chemistry and a longstanding connection which draws them to each other.
Katie is a feisty and stubborn character with wild red hair and freckles who can be quite endearing and also a pain as she ignites the fiery and stubbornness traits in Lucas also. Their tension is entertaining and complimented by lots of tender moments as the author shows us the soft and vulnerable sides of these two outwardly tough characters. I also love the role of the boisterous large bundle of fur, Spot (Lucas’s dog) who has a personality of her own.
Katie and Lucas both have inner conflicts and difficulties sharing their feelings and being emotionally vulnerable. These barriers created many challenges in their developing relationship but kept the storyline flowing. Lucas and Katie go on many escapades to keep safe from the Mafia and so there is plenty of action and suspense.
An entertaining romance novel with strong characters and an interesting storyline.
When FBI agent Lucas Vasco jumps into Katie McCabe’s car during a police chase, she quickly becomes an assassination target of the Mafia who want her out of the picture. Unable to return to her usual life, Katie moves into Lucas’s home under his protection. They have an instant chemistry and a longstanding connection which draws them to each other.
Katie is a feisty and stubborn character with wild red hair and freckles who can be quite endearing and also a pain as she ignites the fiery and stubbornness traits in Lucas also. Their tension is entertaining and complimented by lots of tender moments as the author shows us the soft and vulnerable sides of these two outwardly tough characters. I also love the role of the boisterous large bundle of fur, Spot (Lucas’s dog) who has a personality of her own.
Katie and Lucas both have inner conflicts and difficulties sharing their feelings and being emotionally vulnerable. These barriers created many challenges in their developing relationship but kept the storyline flowing. Lucas and Katie go on many escapades to keep safe from the Mafia and so there is plenty of action and suspense.
An entertaining romance novel with strong characters and an interesting storyline.
October 9, 2013
There's a difference between determined and brave and just plain stupid, and unfortunately, heroine Katie crosses the line in this romantic suspense. Though the book started so promising with fast dialogue, witty hero/heroine interactions, steamy, steamy passion and some fun car chases, the plot became increasingly frustrating as the book neared its end.
Katie transforms from spunky and smart to clichéd and "I want to push you off a cliff" stupid, rushing into danger with no combat training, skills, or logic because she just needs to participate. She puts everyone in danger and by doing so turns herself into a damsel in distress, which is sadly not empowering or even remotely dramatic. Furthermore, she then has an internal rant asking why everyone thinks she's stupid...um Katie, sweetie, maybe it's because right now you are.
So I was very disappointed. I started out really loving this new Carina release, and ended with me literally throwing my e-reader across the bed in angst and ranting to my roommate. That said, I do think the author has promise and definite talent. She just needs a smarter heroine who understands that being stubborn does not equal being empowered.
Katie transforms from spunky and smart to clichéd and "I want to push you off a cliff" stupid, rushing into danger with no combat training, skills, or logic because she just needs to participate. She puts everyone in danger and by doing so turns herself into a damsel in distress, which is sadly not empowering or even remotely dramatic. Furthermore, she then has an internal rant asking why everyone thinks she's stupid...um Katie, sweetie, maybe it's because right now you are.
So I was very disappointed. I started out really loving this new Carina release, and ended with me literally throwing my e-reader across the bed in angst and ranting to my roommate. That said, I do think the author has promise and definite talent. She just needs a smarter heroine who understands that being stubborn does not equal being empowered.
September 2, 2011
I received this ARC from NetGalley.
Pretty good book with lots of action that balances the romance perfectly. In this book we find Lucas, a FBI agent, running for his life from the mob and hops into the car of Katie. After a car chase and an arrest by the local PD, Katie also must go on the run and who better to guard her then the very man who got her into the whole mess to began with. Over the next couple days they act on their attraction while coming to terms with secrets that could tear them apart. I liked how Katie seemed to become a stronger woman who could stand up for herself in the face of a very scary man. She didn't stay the weak woman who went along with what the strong alpha males dictated to her. I would love to read a follow up book to find out more about Lucas's friend and boss, David.
Pretty good book with lots of action that balances the romance perfectly. In this book we find Lucas, a FBI agent, running for his life from the mob and hops into the car of Katie. After a car chase and an arrest by the local PD, Katie also must go on the run and who better to guard her then the very man who got her into the whole mess to began with. Over the next couple days they act on their attraction while coming to terms with secrets that could tear them apart. I liked how Katie seemed to become a stronger woman who could stand up for herself in the face of a very scary man. She didn't stay the weak woman who went along with what the strong alpha males dictated to her. I would love to read a follow up book to find out more about Lucas's friend and boss, David.
September 13, 2011
I enjoyed this romantic suspense story. I found both Lucas and Katie to be likeable characters, and I enjoyed the way their relationship played out. The plot was fast moving and had plenty of action. I'll be looking for more by this author.
When undercover agent Lucas jumps into Katie's car to escape a dire situation, he inadvertently endangers her by bringing her to the attention of the Silvano crime family. Lucas is determined to protect Katie, and takes her to his home where he believes he can keep her safe. As they try to stay alive, they must also deal with their developing feelings for one another.
I thought that this book was a very good balance of romance and suspense. I enjoyed the fast pace of the book, and I liked seeing the relationship develop between the main charactrs. I receivd this ARC from Netgalley.
When undercover agent Lucas jumps into Katie's car to escape a dire situation, he inadvertently endangers her by bringing her to the attention of the Silvano crime family. Lucas is determined to protect Katie, and takes her to his home where he believes he can keep her safe. As they try to stay alive, they must also deal with their developing feelings for one another.
I thought that this book was a very good balance of romance and suspense. I enjoyed the fast pace of the book, and I liked seeing the relationship develop between the main charactrs. I receivd this ARC from Netgalley.
October 27, 2011
Lucas Vasco is a FBI agent who in the first chapter was working undercover but had to get away to save his life and when his car stop in the middle of a highway his only choice is to catch a ride with a homan, and worst off all a civilian.
Katie was only going home after a tiring day at the new job when a atranger gets in her tiny car, who also has a name, but I won't say not to spoil it the fun.
The truth is that they never saw each other but Lucas hasa photo off Katie when she was just a teenager and amazing as that sounds he fall in love with her.
But the bad guys start to follow their lead and Katie has to hide on the best place is Lucas house.
The book is all about hiding, running, and car racing, but they do dealt with their fellings in the end.
You Might Enjoy This Book If:
You like a good police book, with a tinny romance.
Katie was only going home after a tiring day at the new job when a atranger gets in her tiny car, who also has a name, but I won't say not to spoil it the fun.
The truth is that they never saw each other but Lucas hasa photo off Katie when she was just a teenager and amazing as that sounds he fall in love with her.
But the bad guys start to follow their lead and Katie has to hide on the best place is Lucas house.
The book is all about hiding, running, and car racing, but they do dealt with their fellings in the end.
You Might Enjoy This Book If:
You like a good police book, with a tinny romance.
September 18, 2011
This book was reviewed for musings of a bookworm
I really liked this book, the story was one of acceptance of who you are and learning to really live. the suspense part of the plot was tight and well thought out and I didn't see who the leak was even though once it was revealed it was obvious. I have to say I think this is the leak of a really good story. I liked that nothing was hurried in this story either, the whole thing kind of crept along but it worked because the tempo only really changed in the action sequences so the slower tempo made them all the more interesting. I also have to say I smiled when the prologue and epilogue started the same way it gave the feeling of Katie coming full circle.
I really liked this book, the story was one of acceptance of who you are and learning to really live. the suspense part of the plot was tight and well thought out and I didn't see who the leak was even though once it was revealed it was obvious. I have to say I think this is the leak of a really good story. I liked that nothing was hurried in this story either, the whole thing kind of crept along but it worked because the tempo only really changed in the action sequences so the slower tempo made them all the more interesting. I also have to say I smiled when the prologue and epilogue started the same way it gave the feeling of Katie coming full circle.
September 23, 2015
FBI undercover agent gets made in the house of a mobster, barely gets away but then he hurts his ankle and totals his corvette. Gangsters are closing in so he jumps into the passenger seat of an unsuspecting civilian dealing with her own drama. The car chase ends up with everyone being arrested and the mobster's head's son has it in for the beautiful civilian. Thus starts the process of protecting said civilian and romance development.
What really caught my attention, aside from the plot, is the humor in this book. You don't usually find a romantic suspense book where you crack up at the most inopportune moments. It was a great combination and made me love the characters even more.
Definitely a 5-star.
What really caught my attention, aside from the plot, is the humor in this book. You don't usually find a romantic suspense book where you crack up at the most inopportune moments. It was a great combination and made me love the characters even more.
Definitely a 5-star.
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