Don't Let Go

Hope #6

by Jaci Burton

In the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Love After All and the Play-By-Play novels, running from the past isn’t nearly as satisfying as facing the future…

Brady Conners is hardly the settling type, but when tragedy strikes in his family, he has no choice but to return home to Hope, Oklahoma. Setting up shop to work on custom motorcycles and pass the time, Brady has no intention of letting anyone get close—until he meets Megan.

Pastry shop owner Megan Lee is drawn to quiet, brooding Brady. Their connection is undeniable, and it quickly develops from physical attraction into something much stronger. But with Brady putting up barriers, Megan is afraid to truly open her heart—unless she can convince him to let go of the past…

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, Contemporary, Audiobook, Fiction, Adult, Erotica

304 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 26, 2016

About the author

Jaci Burton is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling, award-winning author of over 85 books. She lives in Oklahoma and when she isn’t on deadline (which is often), she can usually be found wrestling with her uncooperative garden, wrangling her dogs, watching an unhealthy amount of television, or completely losing track of time reading a great book. She’s a total romantic and longs for the happily ever after in every story, which you’ll find in all her books.. Visit her website at www.jaciburton.com for excerpts, book information and contests.

Reviews

[Jonetta · Rating 4 out of 5]

Brady Connors recently returned to Hope after a self-imposed hiatus following his brother's tragic death. He and bakery owner Megan Lee were sort of thrown together by well-meaning friends at a couple of events but nothing developed. Brady's not interested in any kind of meaningful relationship, including close friendships, but Megan's sunny disposition and easy personality makes it tough to keep his distance. It also helps that she serves up the best morning coffee and sweets at her bakery.

This is one of those stories where you just sit back and enjoy listening to a fairly uncomplicated relationship develop slowly and naturally. You know there will come a point when Brady's wall around his emotional compartments will reach a meltdown climax but in the meantime, you'll just appreciate two really good people finding their way. The first step to that takedown happens when Brady rescues a stray dog who he eventually names Roxie and decides to keep. Yeah, she often steals the show and that worked for me (and them!).

What also worked for me was the inclusion of the characters from past stories. Their updates were meaty and helped instill the strong theme of friendship and community in a meaningful way. I loved the narrator as she seemed to adeptly capture both Megan and Brady's personalities, as well as those continuing characters. I love this town, the series and my decision to switch to the audio version. It was just a very nice listening experience. Oh, and including dogs in each story was an unexpected bonus. 3.5 stars

(I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)

[Anna's Herding Cats · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reviewed for herding cats & burning soup.
Amazon: http://amzn.to/29Gzlof

A heroine with a passion for baking and setting down roots, a sweets loving hero who dreams of escaping connections, a cute pooch who charms them all, and lots of heat? Yeah, Don't Let Go was a good time.

The quick of it is that Brady is biding his time until he's saved up enough funds to start a bike shop somewhere else. He doesn't want ties to the community or to settle down. But everything and everyone around him? Hell bent and determined to get this man attached. To the town, to the people, to the girl, to a sweet little pup all by itself. Hope may just become home after all.

So. I had a good time with this one but at the same time it wasn't a perfect read for me...

What Worked

I really loved both Brady and Megan. They're fun people who are passionate about what they do--he does custom paint jobs for bikes and she's a baker. I loved seeing that spark that lit in them when they were working. They were both a little damaged but not too much. He was cute and a reluctant socializer. She's a caretaker and both kind and sweet.

They were pretty hot together. The sex scenes were steamy and plentiful. They also did a lot of stuff out of bed that was fun like going on a poker run for charity which was neat to see.

I love love love his puppy! Brady found a little dog and totally rocked at being a puppy daddy. It was so cute and totally adorable. Yall. He even got little goggles so the pup could bike ride with him. It was so cute!

The food was yummy too. Megan's a baker and that's one of the ways she shows people how much she cares about them. And she cares a LOT! lol Muffins and strudel and cheesecakes and cupcakes and cookies and omg I wanted to go to the bakery up the street and just eat all the goodies.

What Didn't Work

There was SOOOOO much page time devoted to everyone else in town. I like catching up with past characters but it felt like a good 50% of the book was them going to events and gatherings with her friends then his new friends then all the friends and it was just too much. Baby shower, book club, basketball games, dinner out, birthdays, baby being born, another baby being born, group work day on someone's house, BBQ, wedding, visiting the babies!, men suck party, another night out for drinks or dinner. It was just excessive and I quickly became bored of the group time and them rehashing the same things over an over again when they got together. Everyone wanting babies, talking about the babies, pushing Brady and Megan together, asking how they were doing and this person was doing and on and on. I had to force myself not to skim. Just too much.

All in all

So, Don't Let Go, was a hard one for me to rate. Brady and Megan and their romance? I'd give them a four star even though their relationship was heavy on the sex and light on everything else. It was still pretty solid and I enjoyed my time with them. They were funny and touching and easy to be with. When all the other elements are added in, though, it lands the overall book on a 3. It was just too much of everyone else and instead of adding to the romance and story they were a detractor.

~~~~notes~~~~

5/16--Yes! Yes! It's in my hands! #MustReadFaster

[Annie · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Hope series by Jaci Burton is quickly becoming one of my favorite Contemporary Romance series. If you love small-town romances that are sweet and are very family oriented, then you’ll absolutely love Hope and all the wonderful characters who live in this quaint, friendly town.

Brady Connors is kind of an outsider. He’s a loner by nature and doesn’t really like to mingle with the others so much ever since his brother died. All he really likes to do is just work on his bike and stay in his apartment above the garage. However, he gets paired up with pastry owner Megan Lee who is chatty, sweet and very considerate. When she notices that Brady has been alone for far too long, she extends her kindness and reaches out to him, inviting him over for some cake and coffee. It’s quite sweet how these two get together because Brady is just so clueless with what to do, but Megan won’t let him retreat so easily.

I wouldn’t say this book is a slow burn because the romance does move at a swift pace, but Burton does take her time in making sure that the romance is believable and true to the characters. I loved both the hero and the heroine in this novel, but if I have to choose one favorite, it would be Brady just because I find being in his head so interesting. Because of his loner status, he has a much greater distance to travel emotionally and I think Megan coaxes him out really well.

There are some amazing sex scenes in this one. They’re blazing hot, yet sweet and sexy at the same time. If you follow this series, you’ll also get updates on a lot of the other characters as well. There are lots and lots of babies so you have that to look forward to.

Fans of Toni Blake’s Destiny series will fall in love with this world that Burton has created. Hope has just the right amount of sweet and sexy to interest any reader looking for an escape! DON’T LET GO is definitely one of my fave books of the year!

[Syndi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this book is more like Bella Andre/ Layla Hagens book. But this book is even worst than their books.

There is no character development, no character chemistry and no story. No plot, no drama. Nothing. Except a lot of baking, dog, motorcycle painting and water. I dont know what is it about drinking water that the author always insert it into the sentences.

2 stars

[Rejane]

Heroine dated/fucked hero’s brother (now he’s dead) and it seems like it’s not a big deal at all.
Besides, this review made me laugh so much. 🤣 😆

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...

[Sophia · Rating 3 out of 5]

This gentle yet sizzling small town romance series are like well worn comfort jeans or home-cooked goodness when I want something cozy and familiar. They aren't full of dynamic characters or explosive scenes, but just people trying to find a bit of joy and love along with some fun with their friends and family in Hope, Oklahoma. This latest tackles two characters, Brady and Megan, who have been around for a while in the books. Megan is bubbly and sweet and Brady has been a quiet loner so I was eager to get to know them better.

This is book six in the series. The books all connect in the sense that the past couples and situations have ongoing storylines that carry over so I don't think it makes a good standalone.

The story opens with Brady Conners determined to finish enough jobs doing auto body repair at Carter's garage and taking side gigs doing custom painting for motorcycles to earn enough to go out on his own possibly in Hope, but more than likely somewhere new and fresh where the memories of his brother won't haunt him. Brady was very close with his brother, Kurt, and it broke him a little when Kurt's drug habit led to an overdose. Brady had left because he couldn't handle watching Kurt spiral down and Brady feeling helpless that his brother wouldn't take or get help. He and Curt were supposed to open a shop together. Now Brady must continue the dream on his own and he won't get close to Carter, Molly and their friends because getting close and letting people in leads to pain.

Megan runs the town bakery and loves making sweet things for her friends and caring for people through food. She sees all her friends settling down with men who love them and with babies and wants that, too. Only the only guy to catch her eye is one determined to be a recluse. Her friends challenge her that if she wants Brady then she should go for him. So she does. The way to a man's heart is through food, right? Megan doesn't let Brady's quiet deter her and brings him coffee and sweets, but it is the little abandoned puppy who latches on to Brady that gives Megan her best ally. Slowly, Megan gets something going with Brady knowing full well that he is not a permanent sort of guy and she can't get attached. Only, the heart and the head are not in accord and she starts falling. Can she and her friends help Brady work through his grief to give the hometown and her a chance?

Alright, I enjoyed this pair together. Brady's pain was hard and it hit close to home since we've had a similar death in our family. I understood why Brady struggled and his parents responded the way they did to Kurt's death. The author wisely gave time so that the grief and guilt wasn't swept aside so quickly that it was insulting.

Now that being said, this was a very slow-paced story, but not because of Brady's grief. I both enjoyed and was bored by the large chunk of the story taken up with the events in the lives of the larger group of friends. Don't get me wrong, I liked seeing where past characters were at, but yet I felt like it was a progression of one event after the next baby showers, book club, Friday get togethers for the whole gang that didn't do much for this current story. I wanted to see more of Brady and Megan striking out on their own a little and maybe having a separate story line beyond the attraction and working past Brady's grief. The charity motor cycle ride was the bright exception and I enjoyed it. I think this issue I had will depend on how much the reader wants more romance vs the more general story of the group of friends. I like both, but I guess I was in the mood for a little more isolated romance.

That wasn't a monster issue and I still enjoyed this latest visit with the people of Hope and look forward to what is coming from a certain book store owner and the construction worker she left behind after high school. I can heartily recommend this series for those who want tender, cozy and gently paced Contemporary Romance.

My thanks to Penguin Group for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

[Stephanie · Rating 4 out of 5]

EARLY REVIEW
DON’T LET GO: Grief, Growth & Heat
http://fangswandsandfairydust.com/201...

E-Galley provided by publisher for review. No remuneration was exchanged and all opinions presented herein are my own except as noted.


After the first two books in this series, which I loved, I think this is the one I like most. Grief is treated as an emotional response with many variables — guilt, sorrow, anger, fear, and shame — not as a simple time-will-heal-all event.

Brady grew up in Hope and is back there after his brother dies. He works at an auto shop on auto-body repair. They were close until Brady moved because he couldn’t help his brother as he descended into addiction. He feels all kinds of stuff about his brother but he won’t talk about it.

I like that Brady’s friends give him some space, but also don’t give up urging him to reengage with society.

Brady is a motorcyclist and paints them with great artwork. His other car is a pick-up truck which helps keep him a solo act. He won’t paint other than motorcycles either, even though he is talented.

Symbolism:
One is alone on a motorcycle; even in a group one is free of talking and socializing, and even, maybe, because it’s noisy and requires concentration, much internal dialogue. There’s all kinds of symbolic reference and meaning here. I don;t know how much more or less Brady was social before his brother died, but since his parents aren’t handling it well either, it’s hard to tell if that difficulty is rooted in their family or if it is an effect of the way Kyle died. Even with another person on the bike, unless you have helmets with some kind of walkie-talkie you only deal with the physical presence.

Deciding to stay isolated is, however, rooted in nonacceptance. If you don’t feel then you don’t have to change, admit, or come to terms with your problem.

But, unless Brady were made of stone, an animal in trouble is bound to pick at the mortar in Brady’s wall. And, that is was begins to open the man up.

It’s tough to read about someone struggling with the aftermath of such a loss. Jaci does it so well that it felt very personal.

Megan is the opposite – she is the offspring of cold parents but a warm grandmother. But her response to that chilly upbringing is the opposite. She is warm and cooks and bakes as an expression of love and caring. She is generous, but not too pushy. And, she is not a doormat.

These two have been dancing round each other for a couple of books and it’s clear they are attracted and would suit if Brady’s walls would just come down a little. Do people close themselves up so much? I can say they do; we’d like to believe that all adults can respond to grief with strong emotional skills, but, that is not how it goes for everyone, and not just in response to grief.

The couple does have some very hot hook ups although they do, like most couples, fall into a bit of a routine. How many ways are there to do it after all? Megan doesn’t seem like the kinky type, but she isn’t repressed or inhibited. And, Burton writes sex well, not uptight, but not crude or raunchy either. I am not a big fan of some sexual language — it just doesn’t do it for me and I found this book just “dirty” enough.

One good thing about most of this series is that there’s usually enough to allow the books to stand alone and this one also can stand alone, but there is a lot of backstory with other characters and the follow through from them will make you curious, but not confused.

There are several stories in this series with dogs and this is another. She’s completely adorable!

I highly recommend DON’T LET GO!

[Simply Love Book Reviews · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amanda's review posted at Guilty Pleasures Book Reviews

Don’t Let Go is the 6th full length novel in the Hope series by Jaci Burton and it is a great addition to this charming series. Just looking at the cover it was begging me to read it! It is so hot, sexy and adorable all in one which sums up the story itself. Brady Conner is the body repair man at the auto shop and pretty much a loner since his brother’s death a few years ago. Megan is attracted to the brooding man and goes out of her way to connect with him. He fights it at first but he finds it hard to resist the pretty baker and her baked goods.

This story was about Brady coming to terms with his brother’s death and how he learns move forward with his life. He has it in his mind that he is better off alone, lying low, and staying distant from everyone. That doesn’t last for long as Megan slowly eases herself into his world but not so much to make him totally back away. With each encounter they slowly get to know each other and spend time together, and time with her friends. Brady takes in a stray dog and takes her everywhere he goes. It just adds to his appeal when you see him and Roxie on his motorcycle and how he treats her so well. Brady can’t reconcile his life without Kurt, his older brother, and carries so much hurt and anger around with him. Even his relationship with his parents is strained since they too haven’t moved on after their son’s death. Brady isn’t a complicated person but has a hard time accepting people’s opinions about his life and how he spends his time. Thankfully Megan was there to show him how he can be more accepting if he let them in.

Megan is that all around American girl who works hard for a living, is a good friend, and wants what most of her friends have. She’s attracted to Brady and takes small steps in getting him to notice her and take their friendship to the next level. Once they let the sparks happens – wowza! Burton is one of those authors that can write passionate love scenes and I look forward to them being in her books. I like Megan and how she let their relationship evolve on its own and experiencing new things with him when they do the Poker Run charity bike event. Megan speaks her mind and is intuitive when she converses with Brady on certain topics that may be too sensitive to broach. What she and Brady have is special and she figures it out that what she has with him isn’t anything she’s felt before and hopes he feels the same. Unfortunately it took a little time on his part to figure it out.

Don’t Let Go is one of those stories that includes the other couples from the previous books along with a new and budding relationship between Brady and Megan. The author has created a cast of diverse bunch of characters and we see how their lives impact one another, and how they support one another both in fun and in business. The story engaged me and read smoothly from page to page, even if the ending was predictable. I enjoyed it and hope there is more to come from Hope, OK.

Review copy provided for an honest review.

[Under the Covers Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always look forward to a Jaci Burton read, so it's no surprise that I was really excited about DON'T LET GO. The Hope series is one that I always gobble up in one go because I can't put the books down.

Brady and Megan have gone on a couple setup dates, but Brady is really having none of it. He's not looking for love or a relationship. He needs to get his head and life together and probably leave town as soon as he has enough money to open up his own motorcycle shop. The death of his brother and the addiction he battled before that has left a mark and quite a bit of guilt on Brady. His parents living in the past doesn't help either. The last he needs is a woman that he would be no good for. But Megan is perfect for him! She's kind of plain and uncomplicated, extremely sweet and kind hearted. And deep down Brady is the same as well, she just needs to get through the tough exterior.

I really enjoyed this story! I kept saying, I'll read one more chapter, and then it was 3am and I had finished the book. Not to be cliche but I didn't want to let go of this story until I finished it! DON'T LET GO is the perfect feel good summer read. Hot and sexy hero you'll fall for. Adorable heroine you'll be rooting for. Cute puppy. Lots of good food. Great chemistry. Bonds of friendship. It had everything I look for in a small town romance!

I do wish we had seen Brady dealing with his past and his issues a little better. These are not things that one can simply and easily get over if they were affecting him so deeply, and I would've liked to have seen that explored a bit more. Even though it does take a while for Brady to come around, once it does it felt a bit fast for me. But overall, I think Megan was the perfect catalyst to turning his life around. It wasn't just about him healing enough to be with someone and comfortable to give himself to a relationship, but also for him to be a part of the community and forge his own bonds of friendship with the men of Hope.

If you're in the mood for something that will leave you with a smile on your face and that it's a breeze to read through, then pick up DON'T LET GO. I know I haven't pulled an all-nighter in a while reading a good and happy book, so this hit the spot for me. Now, I'm ready for the next one Ms. Burton!

*ARC provided by publisher
Reviewed by Francesca

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[Jessica · Rating 3 out of 5]

I have lost count of how many Jaci Burton books I've read now. I can always count on her for a sweet romance and I was super excited to read the sixth book in her Hope series. While it was fun visiting the small town of hope again, I was sad the story spent so much time on the other characters of the town and left our main characters lacking in depth and development.

After tragedy struck his family, Brady Conners distances himself from everyone, including his own family. Starting a relationship is entirely out of the question. Megan Lee is intrigued by the quiet, serious Brady and is tired of being single while all of her friends are settling down and having babies. While the two have an undeniable attraction to one another, can they really start a relationship when they both want entirely different things?

I am a huge fan of stand-alone series because that means that each book is its own story but we still get to see the cast of characters from the previous books. This book, though, seemed to rely too much on the storyline of the other characters. Megan was constantly catching up with them and talking with them about their lives and I feel like we lost getting to know Megan more. I wasn't invested in her relationship with Brady as much as I felt like I should have been. Yeah, I wanted them to get together, but I didn't really feel the romance of their relationship.

I loved the beginning of this series, but the last few books have lost my interest. I didn't really care for Megan's story and found myself rushing through the end of the book just to finish. While I liked Brady, he wasn't someone that I found myself fawning over and hoping that Megan could finally tame. While the story was nice enough, it was missing the connection between the characters and with the reader.

I went into this one hoping it was as good as the beginning of the series, but unfortunately I was met with another lackluster continuation of the series. Things got a little too cheesy when time was spent with the past characters and I just wanted more from our main couple. Not a bad read, but a disappointing one for this series.

[1-Click Addict Support Group · Rating 4 out of 5]

Even though this is the sixth book in the Hope series, this is the first I have read—though after reading this one I am going to go and read the other books. Don’t Let Go is a cute, small town romance.

Megan and Brody have been set up by their friends a few times, but Megan decides to really go for it with Brody and try to make a relationship with him. Brody is a little put-off from relationships because of what has happened in the past, and, after a while his excuses got a little old. I wanted him to get it together, but he took his sweet time. However, Megan was a sweet person with a good heart and she ended up being the right person for Brody.

This story also focuses a lot on their friends in the town. Most of these people have had their books already, so I got to know a lot of their stories and they intrigued me enough to want to read more about them. I haven’t read a small town romance in a long time and this one was definitely a change of pace from what I normally read. I liked this book; it was sweet and refreshing. ~ Leah, 4 stars

~~~

A sweet gathering of old friends….

Each time I come back to the Hope series I know there will be a reunion of old friends and another couple in their circle having their chance at love. This outing focused on Megan, baker extraordinaire, and Brady, who wielded his own artistic magic with motorcycles. When a man determined to keep himself aloof from everyone meets a woman looking for that someone special, what could go wrong?

As usual, there is no crazy drama but also no heart-piercing highs and lows. Don’t get me wrong, I really like the characters. And there is ample opportunity to catch up on what everyone is doing—babies and all! Megan and Brady are, despite some token protests, courting with the usual getting to know you dates and gatherings with friends that bring them only closer. Megan is loving and open in direct contrast to Brady’s quiet and closed-off demeanor. On the surface, at least, they’re definitely opposites, but physical attraction as well as Brady’s addiction to Megan’s delectable pastries are going to keep them coming back for more…

“You’re like the sweetest dessert… And no matter where I taste, it’s like I can’t wait for the next bite, the next lick of you.”

The back and forth, the will they or won’t they, meant a gentle roller coaster ride of self-reflection, friendship and love. They really did seem to like each other, and they were given chance after chance to explore what they could have together. With friends, both human and a cute-as-a-button four-legged canine, paving the way, this couple had all the support they could want to see them through…

Things wrapped up quickly and neatly at the end but I know we’ll be back for Loretta and Deacon’s story. Thank goodness Loretta has a bookstore—I feel like I gained five pounds from all the goodies made and devoured in this sweet-filled outing! If you have a hankering for cheesecake—and are trying to resist—enter this story at your own risk… ~ Diane, 3.5 stars

[Coral · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book's biggest sin is that it's boring. The plot is minimal and could have been resolved with a few awkward conversations. This town desperately needs a therapist. The writing style was decent enough, but there were several things that bugged the shit out of me:
Everyone was having babies, talking about or getting pregnant. What is in the water in this town? Maybe it's near one of those Oklahoma fracking fields. And it pissed me off so much when the hero says he doesn't want kids, some rando lady he barely knows is like "oh you will when you meet the right girl. It's biology." Fuck you lady. But of course, by the end he desperately wants a whole herd of rugrats.
There's also a whole lot of gender essentialism here. Many instances of "all women want x" and "all men do y". Boring, lazy writing and also wrong.
The heroine is a professional baker and she burns some cinnamon rolls because the thermostat in her oven broke. I'm the world's worst cook, and I still have a separate thermometer in my oven. That's a baking basic.
And one thing that was absolutely gobsmacking to me: the heroine dated the hero's dead brother (before he died, it's not that kind of book). And nobody mentions it. She fucked his brother. Like that doesn't at least warrant a mention, when it could have been a plot point. At one point the hero is doubting his sexual prowess, and all I can think is that it never crosses his mind that she also did his brother. Huh?

[Talk Books To Me · Rating 3 out of 5]

Whoever designs Jaci Burton’s cover’s, they need a medal! They are always so eye catching (yeah, I know there’s always a hot guy but shush!) and oh so sexy!

This is my first Hope novel (yes, I know there are 5 others) because the premise drew me in. Bike shop owner meets pastry girl? Why yes, I think that sounds delish! And it was just what I ordered. Small town feels, sweet girl, resisting boy, a puppy and written by Jaci Burton.

The reason this is only a 3 star for me is more on my end. There was a lot of scenes with other character’s from previous books and since I haven’t read them…well, you know how that goes. So, if I had started at the beginning, I’m sure this would have had a higher rating because Meghan and Brady did sizzle up the pages and I enjoyed their story.

[Sonya · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is simply a great series, and it's not losing steam. Way to go Jaci Burton! I cant wait for Deacon's and Carter's story!

[Nancy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Too steamy 4 me.
My book cover has a red truck on it as well as a silo and barn.

[Shannon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don’t Let Go


The Characters:

Brady Connors is a good guy. Super traumatized by the loss of his brother. Can’t figure out how to move on.
Megan Lee didn’t have it easy growing up. Has built her own family out of friends. Successful bakery owner.

The Story:

Brady and Megan are so good for each other. Well I should say Megan is so good for Brady. He is very stuck emotionally and caught up by his baggage concerning his brother that I’m sure if it wasn’t for Megan he would never move on. From there the story goes pretty typically. They start they stop, they have hot sex, they realize they love each other, he runs away, then comes back cause how could he ever live without her.

Though many things are typical I still enjoyed the story. I like the town of Hope. The previous characters were heavily involved in this book and though sometimes the scenes with a large cast got confusing it was good to catch up with them.

Overall, though this was not my favorite of this series I can honestly say I liked it.

The Random Thoughts:





3 Stars

[Reading In Pajamas · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spotlight, Review & Giveaway: DON’T LET GO (Hope, Book 6) by Jaci Burton http://wp.me/p3d0RZ-5Ue
Publication Date: July 26, 2016
Reviewed by: Reading in Pajamas/ Donna
Rated 4 Stars

REVIEW:
A lovely little romance set in Hope, with all the characters we’ve already met playing a large part of the story. The scenes when they’re all together seem so natural that you can’t help but feel that you’re a part of the story. This sexy romance had Brady and Megan feeling their way through the emotions of a new relationship. It was made more intense because Brady was carrying a load of baggage he had to overcome. Overall it was a nice, sweet and sexy story.

*Review copy provided by Pengiun in exchange for an honest review.

Kindle: http://amzn.to/29Vgg3d | Amazon Series Link: http://amzn.to/1XB7eWc

[Sherry Saylor · Rating 2 out of 5]

Boringggggg

This book just wasn't for me. Didn't feel that the h an H ever really connected. More like they were together by process of elimination cause everyone else was either married, getting married, pregnant or popping out babies every other page. Spent way too much time on secondary characters. Boring.

[Keri · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 Stars;

[BBMoreB ~ · Rating 5 out of 5]

Recommended Hot Summer Read!

Don't miss this one...
There was so much I enjoyed about Don't Let Go.

Lucky for us readers the small town of Hope is overflowing with an oddball assortment of characters - just waiting for inspiration to strike - and love to happen. Brady and Megan are very different individuals which, oddly, makes them an even more awesome couple. As expected, we get to spend time with previous characters, get updates.

FYI: I wanted the pup's name to be Strudel - and have decided our next furry addition will be named just that...since it is probably too late to get Ms. Burton to change her mind.

Disclosure: This book was provided to me free of charge for the sole purpose of an honest review. All thoughts, comments, and ratings are my own.

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this latest installment in The Hope series about Brady and his self imposed isolation over his unresolved guilt and grief over the death of his brother and Meghan the owner of the town bakery. They were thrown together a few times in previous books but nothing came of it. Meghan didn't give up in this book though and Brady really met his match with her. She was a delight, strong and sympathetic but no pushover either. Their chemistry was off the charts hot. I loved watching Brady's walls come down, with Meghan and the guys and actually begin living again. Throw in a stray dog and never ending descriptions of delectable baked goods and I was hooked. The previous couples make numerous welcome appearances and we are teased with future couples in future books. I love this series depicting small town living at its best. Highly recommend. 5 stars.

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Kirstin's Review:

Don't Let Go by Jaci Burton 3.5 out of 5 stars

This is book 6 in the Hope series. It featured Brady, the mechanic still heartbroken from his brother's death, and Megan the local baker looking for love.

I usually love Jaci Burton's books, but this one was just average. There wasn't a lot of emotion or drama until the very end of the book, although the main characters had pretty of hot sex.

Overall, it was an easy, predictable romance. So, if that is what you are looking for, this may be the book for you.

[Jo · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's slow, we all knew where to go before read but we still hope there will be something special, make your heart had feels.

It didn't, but still good. Megan n Brady, they r nice but broken, when two broken people meet, they need times to repack, trust n try to feel again. They did it but a long long way.

[Marlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

This joint review was originally published at The Book Pushers

Reviewed by: E & Marlene

E: Somehow over the blur of the last 1.5 ~ 2 years I missed most of Burton’s Hope series. When I received this in the mail and early in the text spotted a reference I remembered from Twitter, I thought this had potential to be a story I could sink into. Overall I found Don’t Let Go a cute read and when I finished reading, I was curious about the other relationships so I went back and picked up the books I had missed.

Marlene: I’ve not only read the entire Hope series, I’ve reviewed them all here at the Book Pushers. Sometimes with partners in crime, and other times all by my lonesome. I’ve generally enjoyed the books but they haven’t been a WOW! As E says, a cute read.

E: Wedding and baby fever seems to have taken over Hope with most of Megan’s group of friends married, pregnant, or engaged and she was looking forwards to meeting the new little ones and celebrating the next marriage. Megan liked to bake and feed people so owning her own bakery and bringing treats to group gathering provided a pretty good life. The descriptions of her baked goods made me want to visit a bakery. And if sometimes she felt a little wistful about not being in a relationship or having a baby of her own to cuddle that was perfectly normal, as was her attraction to the town’s mysterious man Brady.

Brady returned to Hope, Oklahoma, his hometown, after the death of his older brother. He came back to help his parents but all three of them seemed stuck in the same place, unable to move forward and just going through the motions of living. Brady had plans for the future but instead of doing anything he continued to work his day job, pull extra jobs on the side, save his money, sleep, and eat. He refused to build any connections or friendships with those around him because connections meant feeling and feeling meant pain and loss. But somehow he couldn’t stop thinking about Megan.

Marlene: The endless descriptions of Megan’s baked goods made my mouth water. I will say that for someone who lives in a bakery and cooks all the time, it was not just amazing but a little bit mind-blowing that Megan seems to be a perfect size 2 or 4. I was expecting her to be a little zaftig, and it would have been nice to have a curvy girl as one of the heroines in this series.

That being said, I liked Megan. Just as with nearly all the heroines in this series, Megan is someone who has her life together. She would like to find the right man for her own happily ever after, but she has made a good life for herself and she recognizes that it is good. She doesn’t need to be rescued.

And now I’m going to get up on my soapbox for a minute, so bear with me. There is a lot of baby fever in this book, which is not necessarily my favorite trope. However, there’s a scene in the beginning that raises a topic that never fails to set my teeth on edge. Two of the women are nine months pregnant, and some of the others are about to be married and looking forward to having children at some point in the future. Two of the women say they are not ready for children, or not thinking about them at the moment. And every woman in the room piles on to tell them that they will change their mind when the right man comes along. As though childbearing is every woman’s mission in life. There is more than enough pressure surrounding this topic without baking it into romancelandia.

Dismounting soapbox now.

E: I think I really had three favorite parts of this story. The first involved Megan and her friends. I laughed every time they got together because I could see them weaving bonds out of their differences and similarities as they ate delicious food and gave each other advice. The second was the group of guys. They were all loyal to each other and at the same time willing to open up and let others join the group. They helped each other out as needed and for the most part seemed like a pretty good bunch. My third favorite was the relationship Brady developed with his rescue puppy. This was the relationship, which allowed me to see who Brady really was and could be.

Marlene: Little Roxie steals the show. In every book in this series, there has been a canine companion who has brought out the unexpected best in his or her human, and Roxie is no exception. Brady finds the tiny mutt abandoned near his apartment, and can’t help but fall for her. In falling for Roxie, we see that he might manage to bring himself out of the isolation he has inflicted upon himself since the death of his brother Kurt.

One of the other themes that runs through this entire series is the joy and sustaining strength of both women’s and men’s friendships. While each of the couples is marvelous together, they are never isolated. These people are close and help each other when necessary. They also enjoy each other’s company and generally have a great (and often hilarious) time together.

E: I will admit I struggled a bit with Brady and Megan. I liked who they were together, I liked who they were around friends but I didn’t like how Brady was willing to take and only give in certain areas. I don’t know how well I would be functioning if I lost a sibling like he lost his brother, but I don’t think I could be intentionally cruel either. I wanted to see Brady grovel more or watch him work his way back into Megan’s trust instead of flipping a page and all is perfect. As utterly devastated Megan was I thought she needed more. I did like how Brady went back and cleaned up things with several people including his parents instead of leaving the rest in limbo but again I wanted a bit more. His emotional detachment was one of the huge points of conflict in this story and I felt somewhat cheated of the payoff.

Despite my complaints I did enjoy reading most of Don’t Let Go and I want to see where Burton goes with two characters who don’t quite seem to be completely over each other…

I give Don’t Let Go a B-

Marlene: The way that Brady and Megan’s relationship develops was slow and steady with a whole lot of simmering heat. They were both gun-shy of a relationship, but coming from different places. That Brady was withdrawn in the aftermath of his brother’s death, and that he suffered from a whole lot of survivor’s guilt made sense. But the way that he treats Megan when it overtakes him was a major jerk move. While for the HEA to work she had to eventually take him back, she was much, much too easy on him. He should have had to earn his way back, because the next time he withdraws, she’s going to be rightfully worried that he’ll just cut and run again. He has work to do and it didn’t happen.

However, like my friend E I did enjoy reading Don’t Let Go. This is a series where I just like the characters, and want to see how they are doing, even if a particular couple doesn’t ring my bell. And I’m looking forward to that same next story that E is.

I also give Don’t Let Go a B-

[Connie N. · Rating 4 out of 5]

#6 in the Hope romance series

I was looking forward to Brady and Megan's story, and it definitely did not disappoint. Megan, the local baker extraordinaire, is warm and sweet and giving. She's looking for an eventual marriage and children, but she's not in a hurry. Brady, broken and grieving from the loss of his beloved older brother, keeps to himself and works in Carter's garage until he can open his own shop. As two of the few singles in the group of friends, they are sometimes paired at big events, and they decide they are attracted enough to each other to maybe start dating. It's so nice to watch Brady come out of his shell and begin to make friends and build a relationship. And it's sad when he gets too close to people and starts panicking. Megan is willing to help him, but she has needs too. This story seemed particularly sweet, with Megan (and the whole group of friends) trying to help Brady become the man they all know he can be. The only negative was that the ending seemed a bit rushed. After they find each other again, then there are only a couple of pages and it's all done. I would have like a little more closure to their relationship. Two new babies are born, with another on the way. Can't wait for Loretta and Deacon's story.

[Marcia · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I have read other books by Jaci Burton, I have not read this series, so I had no connection with the characters, but there was enough back story to at least understand the different relationships.

Brady Conners lost his older brother to drugs. The brother who had once been his best friend, with whom he had planned their future business of custom motorcycle paint shop. He tried so hard to get Kurt to quit, but now only feels guilt that he was not able to and is determined never to care for anyone again. Meanwhile he works at Carter Richards's shop saving money for his own place, living in the tiny apartment above the shop and acting like a hermit. Megan Lee has her own very successful bakery shop, but is drawn to the glum hunk. Slowly she tries to drawn him out of his solitary life, but she has also been hurt before. Will she risk telling Brody how she feels before she is sure of him?

Lively banter, a likable group of friends and the adorable Roxie make this a pleasant read.

[bookedrightmeow · Rating 3 out of 5]

Don't Let Go is book #6 in Jaci Burton's Hope series. While I'm a big fan of Burton's Play-by-Play books, I've felt lukewarm about the past few books in this particular series. I felt a little more warmly about Don't Let Go until near the end, when the book turns into Hope, Oklahoma: Baby Fever edition. Also, the hero messes up and I wanted more grovelling on his part. Having said all that, I liked the book just fine but this is another case of feeling slightly "meh" about the series at this point.

Brady is a character we've seen on the periphery in previous books: he's brooding, moody, and kind of mysterious. He does custom body work on motorcycles and cars at the local garage with hopes of opening his own shop someday. The reason for his loner status is revealed to be the result of grief: Brady's brother, a drug addict, died of an overdose a few years prior. Brady and his parents are still dealing with a tremendous sense of loss.

Megan owns the bakery in Hope. Baking is Megan's life--it takes up the majority of her time, but it also brings her a great deal of joy as well. Since she's always working, Megan doesn't have much time for dating, but she and Brady somehow end up going out on a date. They've shown passing interest in each other in previous books and finally decide to act on it.

To me, the beginning of their relationship seemed a little unnatural. I've felt this way with the past few couples in the series. It's like they're only pairing off because there are so few single people in Hope left (at least within this particular circle of friends) and not because of any unique connection between them as individuals. I didn't feel that Megan and Brady had anything special that drew them to each other, other than proximity. So, I had trouble believing the relationship.

The story is very formulaic in the sense that 1) the main characters start sleeping together without the intention of commitment 2) they start to develop the feels for each other 3) some conflict drives them apart and 4) they have to figure out if it's worth it to stay together. In this scenario, Brady is hesitant about commitment because of his grief. He's afraid to love someone because he doesn't want to lose them--in this case, Megan. He also has residual guilt because he believes he should have done more to try to save his brother from addiction.

Megan tries to help Brady realize that his brother's death wasn't his fault, but Brady won't believe it until he's ready. Eventually, Brady's reticence pushes Megan away. It's up to him to decide whether he wants to stay living in the past, emotionally paralyzed by grief, or be willing to give love a try.

As I mentioned, Brady behaves in a pretty hurtful manner toward Megan and I wanted him to do some epic grovelling in the end. This doesn't happen, but he does show some growth and maturity. As a character, Megan doesn't really go on a journey the way that Brady does, so I felt that this was more his story than hers.

As always, Burton excels at writing sex scenes, but for me they seemed slightly repetitive in this particular story.

My biggest pet peeve about the book is all the baby fever. As can be expected, we check in with couples from the other books and they're all settling down, married or getting married, and having babies. For me, the last straw was when yet another character (not Megan) finds out that she, too, is pregnant. The implication, cliche as it may be, is that the recipe for happily ever after = get married + have kids. But the reality is that many people simply don't do this, for various reasons. I just wanted the focus to be on Megan, Brady, and their relationship. I didn't need all of the catch-up and baby subplots. That's my only real rant about the book.

As for the things I enjoyed, despite Brady's lapse of judgment toward the end, I really did like him as a character. He definitely shows the most growth, both with regard to the aftermath of his brother's death and on a personal level. When the story begins, Brady is almost reclusive but by the end, he has learned to open himself up to friendships and love. I also liked Megan's close friendships with the other ladies in Hope. Lastly, Brady adopts a stray dog, Roxie, and she's just adorable. I really love how Burton includes dogs in this series and makes them supporting characters in their own right.

Despite my complaints about the book, overall, I did enjoy it and will continue reading the series.

[OpenBookSociety.com · Rating 5 out of 5]

http://openbooksociety.com/article/do...


Don’t Let Go
Hope, Book #6
By Jaci Burton
ISBN# 9781515954972
Author Website: http://www.jaciburton.com/
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer jerjen

Synopsis:

In the latest novel from the New York Times bestselling author of Love After All and the Play-By-Play novels, running from the past isn’t nearly as satisfying as facing the future…

Brady Conners is hardly the settling type, but when tragedy strikes in his family, he has no choice but to return home to Hope, Oklahoma. Setting up shop to work on custom motorcycles and pass the time, Brady has no intention of letting anyone get close—until he meets Megan.

Pastry shop owner Megan Lee is drawn to quiet, brooding Brady. Their connection is undeniable, and it quickly develops from physical attraction into something much stronger. But with Brady putting up barriers, Megan is afraid to truly open her heart—unless she can convince him to let go of the past… (Goodreads)

Review:

Megan owns a pastry shop in Hope and she is pretty content with her life. She loves her shop and enjoys making delicious baked goods for the town. It makes her very happy when someone loves one of her delicious sweets. She loves her friends and and all of their families and feels thankful for them. But sometimes she wishes that she had that special someone to share her life with.

Brady has returned to Hope and is happy working in a body shop. But what he really wants to do is open his own shop where he can customize motorcycles. But Brady is not really a happy person, not since his brother died. He has become withdrawn and bitter and most times he feels guilty for his brother’s death. He prefers to be alone and does not really like to socialize with others.

But all of that begins to change when he finds a little dog. He finds that he likes her company and realizes he does not really want to find her owner. He even names her Roxie. And when he happens to get invited to dinner at Megan’s, he is shocked that he accepted the invitation. He finds that he has enjoyed spending time with her. And although he knows he will never settle down, and is not even sure if he will stay in Hope, he finds himself wanting to spend more time with her.

The characters are well developed, well rounded and three dimensional. Megan has not had the happiest of childhoods and is not really close with her parents. Brady’s whole life changed when his brother died and he is not that comfortable spending time with his parents. Although they both have baggage from their pasts, they find that together they are happier people. Megan’s friends are such a tight knit group and they mean the world to each other. They are there to help celebrate, to console, and to give advice (even if it is unwanted) to each other. This group makes these books extra special to me and adds so much to the story line. I have read other books in the series and it was so nice to catch up on all that was happening with them. We should all have friends like them in our own lives.

The writing style flows smoothly and the book is an easy read. The author is very talented in her descriptive writing and much of the time I felt like I was right there watching the activities going on around me. I felt like I was on the back of the motorcycle cruising along with Brady and Megan. I enjoyed reading about the interaction between Brady and Roxie, it was heartwarming to see this tough guy fall for a little dog.

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys a well crafted women’s contemporary romance. I would not recommend letting a young adult read this book due to some language and a lot of steaminess. This is a great series and I have enjoyed all of the books that I have read.

[Marianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

RTC

[Francesca the Fierce (Under the Covers Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I always look forward to a Jaci Burton read, so it’s no surprise that I was really excited about DON’T LET GO. The Hope series is one that I always gobble up in one go because I can’t put the books down.

Brady and Megan have gone on a couple setup dates, but Brady is really having none of it. He’s not looking for love or a relationship. He needs to get his head and life together and probably leave town as soon as he has enough money to open up his own motorcycle shop. The death of his brother and the addiction he battled before that has left a mark and quite a bit of guilt on Brady. His parents living in the past doesn’t help either. The last he needs is a woman that he would be no good for. But Megan is perfect for him! She’s kind of plain and uncomplicated, extremely sweet and kind hearted. And deep down Brady is the same as well, she just needs to get through the tough exterior.

I really enjoyed this story! I kept saying, I’ll read one more chapter, and then it was 3am and I had finished the book. Not to be cliche but I didn’t want to let go of this story until I finished it! DON’T LET GO is the perfect feel good summer read. Hot and sexy hero you’ll fall for. Adorable heroine you’ll be rooting for. Cute puppy. Lots of good food. Great chemistry. Bonds of friendship. It had everything I look for in a small town romance!

I do wish we had seen Brady dealing with his past and his issues a little better. These are not things that one can simply and easily get over if they were affecting him so deeply, and I would’ve liked to have seen that explored a bit more. Even though it does take a while for Brady to come around, once it does it felt a bit fast for me. But overall, I think Megan was the perfect catalyst to turning his life around. It wasn’t just about him healing enough to be with someone and comfortable to give himself to a relationship, but also for him to be a part of the community and forge his own bonds of friendship with the men of Hope.

If you’re in the mood for something that will leave you with a smile on your face and that it’s a breeze to read through, then pick up DON’T LET GO. I know I haven’t pulled an all-nighter in a while reading a good and happy book, so this hit the spot for me. Now, I’m ready for the next one Ms. Burton!