Keeping Her: A LOSING IT Novella

After being disappointed in my re-read of Losing It I wasn't sure I would actually read Keeping Her (the reason I re-read Losing It in the first place). I didn't care for either of the characters in the first book, but I thought I have it might as well give it a try. I was surprised to find that it was much better than the first book.
*some spoilers ahead*

Garrick and Bliss have been dating for a while now and plan on getting married. The only thing left to do is take Bliss to London to meet Garrick's parents. Bliss is very stressed out about this. Garrick's mom is very overbearing and Bliss is worried she will hate her. If she does what will that do to them?

Garrick is so much sweeter in this book. I actually liked him. I saw why Bliss might be with him, and not just because he has an accent. He was wonderful.

Bliss though turns into this weak girl when she gets around his family and friends. At least at first. She is so worried about doing something wrong, and about what she has already messed up, that she is kind of a mess. She does quickly pull it together though and is a formidable foe for Garrick's mom. Of course standing up to his mom wins her over and quickly they are like the best of friends. I buy that one. Yeah.

The rest of the story is just Bliss thinking she might be pregnant and freaking out. I was reading and noticing I only had a few more pages left and thought really? This is over already? It didn't really feel like a full story, just a short chapter that should be in a longer work. Not sure what else I was expecting, but it just seems to end suddnely. It was just like yey! Bliss and mom are bff, she is not pregnant, hooray! End of story. It was just missing something to make it really complete. Or maybe the end was too rushed. Something was off for me. Oh well, it was much better than the first book.

This review was originally posted to Jen in Bookland

Newly engaged Garrick and Bliss are off to London to visit Garrick’s parents, and there’s no way Bliss is getting out of it. The best she can hope for is that she doesn’t say or do something as embarrassing and inappropriate as…well, just about every other day of her life. Of course, it doesn’t help that Garrick’s friends decide to get them drunk as soon as they’re off the plain. Or that Garrick’s parents have decided an engagement party is a great time to show just how much they disapprove of his choices. Or that his mother might be Satan incarnate.

The Verdict: I was a little leery of picking up this novella. I absolutely loved Losing It, and I was afraid the charm couldn’t carry over into a second story. But as it turns out, I had nothing to worry about.

Bliss was just as awesomely crazy as before, and Garrick was just as sweet, accepting, and witty as I remember. The story, though short, again perfectly captures the fun and love of their relationship, and it throws in some more wonderfully awkward scenes that could only happen to Bliss. It’s difficult to really write a thorough review, though, because everything I loved about the story is something you need to read for yourself. Garrick’s mother is something else, but Bliss’s adorable inability to react to anything the way a normal person would keeps things light, and of course Garrick is as in love with her and as supportive as ever. If you miss this crazy couple like I do, definitely give Keeping Her a read. It’s short, hilarious, and sweet, and it’ll leave you wanting to reread Losing It all over again.

Originally posted here: [...]

After falling in love with Bliss and Garrick in Losing It, I knew I had to read this book so I pre-ordered it, but only got to read it recently. I understand that this is just supposed to be a novella, but I found it way too short. Where’s the wedding? I’m not sure if Cora Carmack would be writing more about their story, but I do hope so because I need more than what this book gave me. I also thought that this would be in Garrick’s POV considering the title and how Losing It was i Bliss’s POV only. So I was quite surprised reading from both of them. It’s not a bad thing, just unexpected.

As compared to Losing It, I think this book was a little more dramatic, and it focuses more on getting over insecurities and planning for their futures. Bliss is simply scared of meeting Garrick’s parents, and I think she had every reason to be. Garrick’s parents are uptight rich people who wanted to control Garrick’s life. I like how it was shown how Garrick was able to grow up and how he learned to choose to do what he loves. Bliss is still pretty much her clumsy and awkward self, but I think she has grown to be a strong and smart woman over the course of her stay in London. And Garrick is still the sweet, caring guy that I fell in love with in the first book. But he will be facing major decisions in this book and he will need to choose between the easy way out or the path he has always wanted.

I think my favorite part about the book was when Bliss said these words:

<blockquote>“I didn’t want to be scared alone.”</blockquote>

There was a possibility of a life-changing situation and Bliss was so afraid. She didn’t know what to do about it, and she was trying to hide it from Garrick. But she was able to think things through, and decided to tell Garrick anyway. And that was her reason. She didn’t want to be scared alone. And I personally think that it’s just beautiful. Sometimes we have so many problems in life that we tend to forget that there are other people who love us and are more than willing to help us, comfort us, and even lighten the load. I like how Bliss and Garrick were able to rely on each other.

**************************************************

OVERALL, Keeping Her gives a closer look into Bliss and Garrick and their fears, desires, baggage, dreams, and whatever things they must deal with as they enter the world of adulthood of jobs, marriages, and families. I wasn’t expecting a lot of what happened in this book, and I guess there were some really good things that I got from Keeping Her. This novella still had the same Bliss and Garrick that I loved and who made me laugh, swoon, love, and feel for them. I just really wish for more from this novella.

Steph's Thoughts
Actual Rating: 3.5 Stars

Have I mentioned that I just love reading about awkward situations? I have to say, you cannot go wrong with Cora Carmack if you are looking for something quick, witty, and downright secondhand embarrassing to read.

After all the rather unpleasantly uncomfortable events that Bliss and Garrick have gone through, it's not quite over just yet. The BF/GF status is settled, and now the next step is marriage...which means it's time for Bliss to meet Garrick's insanely wealthy and mannered aristocratic parents. In London.

Guys, Bliss is involved. Speculate about as much humiliating moments as you want, I'm sure it will show up at some point. This book made me LOL so many times. Honestly, Bliss should just put a hazard warning somewhere on her body. Maybe her face would work too :) Let's just say the "first meeting" doesn't go off to quite the greatest start much to my dear lovely Garrick's chagrin.

So why 3.5 stars? It's also Bliss. Bliss Bliss Bliss. I loved her and I was not amused with her at the same time. She's not exactly some great and terrible heroine in this book, and I feel like her confidence level actually went lower than her confidence in Losing It. Isn't she passed that yet? She's got the guy, got the ring, got her acting career and everything, and yet she frets so ridiculously much over the small stuff. Not the greatest character development there. One moment I was guffawing at her utter klutziness, and then next I was just waiting for her self-pity and self-rebukement festival to be over.

This was cute, but not totally necessary. Often times us readers always want to know "what happens next" even though the series or standalone is already over, but honestly, novella's most of the time will just never equate to the real thing. I mostly read this because I thought "Garrick!", and couldn't stop myself from getting the ebook. Yes, that man and his accent are amazing, both

--Steph @ A Walk on Words
(This review can also be viewed on the blog!)

This review is on my blog: http://bookchick2013.blogspot.ca/2014/01/review-keeping-her-losing-it-15-by-cora.html

An interesting short story at Bliss and Garrick - after Losing it, but before Faking It. It's good to go back to Bliss and Garrick.

I felt a little detached when I read this book. I've only read one book by Cora Carmack, Losing It, but this felt different from her writing. I felt as if I didn't know who Bliss and Garrick where - which I thought was strange. That had never happened to me while reading a book. But his one did.

Garrick was his sweet kind and gentle self as usual - Oh, and don't forget swoon worthy! Bliss was still her funny self, clumsy as possible. I enjoyed this short story and liked to go back into Bliss and Garrick's life.

Throughout this novella, I did feel sorry yet happy for Bliss and Garrick, but I got annoyed with Bliss the tiniest bit because she wouldn't share this one thing with Garrick. Yet the book still had it's humor to it.

You know what made this book extra sweet? Reading Garrick's point of view! I mean, wow, I am in love all over again! He is definitely competition to other swoon worthy guys! I mean, he didn't even get angry with her when she didn't feel like sex. And he practically carried her everywhere, which I loved.

I recommend this series to readers who enjoy romantic yet humorous books.

Rating: 6.8/10
Parental Rating: 16+

Disclaimer: Review copy received from publisher in exchange for an honest review. This has, in no way, affected my opinion of the title.

I was VERY excited for the opportunity to review Cora Carmack's Keeping Her, as I am a HUGE fan of her Losing It series.
Keeping Her is a novella told from both Garrick's and Bliss's POVs from Losing It--though slightly more Garrick's--and revolves around that ever-dreaded moment of MEET THE PARENTS! ARGH! For Garrick and Bliss, the whole `dreading it' is no different when Garrick takes Bliss off to London to meet his socialite parents.
Both of them have their own reasons for the trepidation, though. Bliss because she's worried they won't like her. And Garrick, because he's ... okay, he's worried they won't like her, too--but his concern is on a whole other level as he knows the depth of his parents' snobbery, and Bliss is ... well, let's face it, Bliss is Bliss and comes with a whole heap of `Blissisms' that not every person out there--especially disapproving parents--is going to appreciate.
Keeping Her was just as much fun as I expected it to be, and catching up with this GREAT duo was awesome. It reminded me why I fell in love with Garrick, and reminded me why I had SO MUCH FUN chasing Bliss alongside her awesome sense of humour and ridiculous behaviour. There are just as many `hot' moments in Keeping Her as we've come to expect from Ms Carmack's books, and the story arrived with so many `incidents' and twists and turns, and GREAT side characters--especially Garrick's British friends--as well as a couple of `oooh' moments and surprises, that this one barely read as a novella at all.
From the off, we're thrown into their issue, followed by Garrick's jealousies and insecurities, which we don't get to witness so much in Losing It, when Bliss meets his friends. I loved this duo, even though Ms Cormack didn't quite get all of her Britishisms right or a couple of minor points about our behaviours (those mostly only added to my amusement), because they were evidently a pair of rascally rogues, who as a young girl you'd want to meet, and as a parent you'd want your daughters going nowhere near. I also loved how meeting this duo, and the first introduction to Garrick's family, gave a whole lot of insight into the person he used to be with so little back story required.
And those surprises I mentioned above? Yeah, there's a lot more to Garrick's parents than meet the eye. Especially his mother. Because her character development was so awesome, and because Bliss was involved, with those `Blissisms' of hers, it was also totally believable. Add that to the twists and turns, and Keeping Her will have you guessing as to how the heck it could possibly end right up until ... well, the very end.
What more can I say other than: if you're already a fan of Ms Cormack, READ IT! And if you're not? Where on earth have you been?
Gimme more stories, CC. Please.

My Thoughts:

Garrick and Bliss are the sweetest couple ever! Their personalities really shine through in this novella. Bliss was sweet, funny, shy, and a little awkward. She is such a real character, and her essence came through. Garrick was so gallant, handsome, devoted, and sexy. He made me sigh, and go "awww," many times throughout the story as he "swooned" me.

These two prove time and time again, that whatever obstacles are thrown in their paths, they will get through it, because they share a beautiful, and selfless type of love. They always worry about each other, more than themselves. Let me tell you, they had their share of challenges in this story! It was very eye opening getting Bliss and Garrick's alternating point of views. I love how Ms. Carmack continued the story for us. Many times, we get the happily ever after ending, and that concludes the story, but often I wonder, "now what?" Well, Ms. Carmack answered my question beautifully, as we get to see that Garrick and Bliss' story didn't end, it fact, it was just beginning.

Keeping Her has topped the list of my favorite novella's! It had all of the ingredients that I know I can expect from a Cora Carmack story. Keeping Her, had well-rounded characters, humor, romance, sexiness, and a fast-paced, well developed story. I loved learning more about Garrick, where he came from, his best friends, and background. London was such a romantic setting, and Ms. Carmack's descriptions were pure perfection. I felt like I was in London on vacation, and I enjoyed all the sightseeing. Ms. Carmack was a great tour host. The dialect, and sayings were authentic of the English. I enjoyed Garrick's "mates," Graham, and Roland. These two guys had me laughing at their antics, and storytelling. I could picture Bliss blushing constantly.

Poor Bliss got the mother-in-law from hell! That lady was really stuck up, rude, condescending, and intimidating. Garrick's father only cared about money, prestige, and putting on a "show" for everyone. He was so fake. Poor Garrick, I didn't blame him for moving far away from his family, and keeping his parent's wealth, background, and snobby attitudes, away from Bliss. It's a wonder that Garrick turned out so amazing, with the parents he had. I loved Bliss and Garrick's relationship. It felt so real, and admirable. I was extremely happy with the ending! There was no cliffhanger, and everything was resolved beautifully.

My Rating:

I give Keeping her by Cora Carmack 5 Beautifully Written, Resilient, Romantic, and Swoon-Worthy Stars! I highly recommend this novella. Ms. Carmack fit a great little story in to a hundred pages, and I was impressed. If you haven't began the Losing It Series, start now. You don't want to miss out!

My Favorite Quote:

"As I tried to keep from squirming, he said, As much as I'm dying to have you right now, you're mine. And I don't share. I swallowed, and squeezed my legs tighter. This was somehow the worst and best moment of my life. In fact, most of our relationship fell into those categories. Best Boyfriend. Worst embarrassing moment. Best kiss. Worst excuse ever. Best (well...only) sex. Worst timing. But I could take all the worsts, if the best always followed." (eARC, Loc. 619)

~Bliss

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As a little teaser novella between Losing It and Faking It, Keeping Her was a fun little visit back into Bliss and Garrick's world. After reading Faking It and with Finding It out in just weeks, we were going to be getting more and more removed from the story that started all craziness - Bliss and Garrick. And that's what makes this little glimpse into Garrick's world a nice reminder.

Story / Tempo

I'm still trying to figure out where exactly in the time frame this story fits in. It starts off with Bliss and Garrick getting ready to leave for London so she can meet Garrick's parents. They are already engaged. But if you look at the beginning of Faking It, Garrick breaks it to Cade that he's going to propose to Bliss. So is this Losing It #1.5 or #2.5? I have no clue... someone is going to have to clarify that for me because I MUST be missing a detail somewhere.

Soooooo... we're heading to London with Bliss and Garrick and guess what? This story is told in dual POV so we're getting both Bliss's story and Garrick's side of things - awesome!! Now the fun is starting because we meet Garrick's old school chums first. Then it's off to meet the dreaded parents. This is Bliss meeting the parents so of course, it couldn't possibly go as planned.

Characters

But it's not just Bliss bumbling around Garrick's family. We learn so much more about Garrick, his past, and why he left London for the States. Ultimately, we learn that Garrick is so utterly devoted to his relationship with Bliss, he'd do absolutely anything to keep her happy and in his life, to his own detriment.

We also see Bliss mature and become comfortable in her skin. Perhaps it's because of Garrick and his love? You'll have to read the story to decide for yourself.

"The world has given us plenty of surprises, but each one has turned out better than the last. I have no doubt that this will be the same."

Cora Carmack nailed it once again.

Keeping Her marks the return of Bliss and Garrick from the author's debut novel, Losing It. She writes their story through the eyes of both Bliss and Garrick. I liked getting insight into the inner workings of Garrick's mind as the couple traveled to London to meet Garrick's parents and friends.

I can summarize my feelings about Keeping Her in just one word: SWOON.

Garrick is such a delicious book boyfriend, and you can't help but love Bliss for all her awkward life fails. I fell in love with this couple when I read Losing It, and was beyond excited to get my hands on an ARC of their novella.

"And you'll always be the man that encouraged me to follow through on my dreams, the man that taught me how to make the bold choices and go after what I wanted."

For fans of the first book, prepare yourselves for a total fan-girl frenzy meltdown. This book does anything but disappoint.

"It was just me...failing at life again."

I laughed at Bliss' less than graceful moments. Once again, Bliss is anything but coordinated and rehearsed. Her lack of mental finesse and clumsiness does a great job of balancing the inevitable troubles Garrick and Bliss face during their stay across the pond.

"My biggest fear was that someday she would talk herself out of our relationship. That she would shake her head and listen more to her own poisonous thoughts than the words coming out of my mouth."

I cringed as more obstacles found their way into the couple's life. They wouldn't be Garrick and Bliss if everything was always rainbows and butterflies. There were quite a few hiccups this time around, and a couple I didn't see coming. I think these events caused both characters to truly question themselves and each other. As much as I fretted while reading it, I loved every single word. You can really see how the characters have grown in the time that has lapsed.

"We're going to meet my parents. We'll smile and talk long enough that they feel like they've met you, then we're finding a place to be alone. My bedroom, the bathroom, the kitchen, I don't care where. The only thing I care about is ******* you so hard you can't see straight."

And last (but certainly not least), my jaw dropped when Garrick's dialogue got a little naughty. Holy hotness. I really shouldn't have to say much more after that. (I know everyone who loves Garrick is nodding in agreement right now).

Keeping Her is a quick read that I devoured in lightning speed. If you enjoyed Losing It, you will love this novella. Like the perfect dessert after a delectable meal, it satisfied my appetite for more Bliss and Garrick, leaving my heart full and content.

Dear KEEPING HER,



Like the sister before you, I am writing you this love letter review to basically tell you and Cora Carmack and the whole world how much I adore you. You are a tease in so many ways and yet you left me content by giving me a dose of the Bliss and Garrick love I have missed oh so much.

I was thrilled that Cora Carmack decided to write a continuation of what I originally fell in love with in LOSING IT. I believe she has the magic touch because it's just so easy to get lost into Carmack's writing, so of course reading you was better than a walk in the park or eating a popsicle on a really hot day. I didn't even realize the few hours that have passed until I finished praying-wishing-hoping-yearning for more. 


Let me go ahead and tell you that I absolutely, positively loved being in Garrick's head! It was like the whip cream and cherry on top of an already delectable hot fudge sundae. I really got to know him on a much more deeper and intimate level. I liked knowing who he was before and where he came from. I couldn't help but feel warm fuzzies in my heart at how much Garrick loved Bliss. At how much he made her feel beautiful. I just loved his sweetness, the way he called her "love" and how he continually reassured her. Especially the little things he did for Bliss like the marry me and airplane seat thing, the man was just perfection. And can I mention that Garrick was already sexy, but dirty talkin' Garrick was triple X sexxxy. *fans self*

I really missed Bliss and her awkward, silly, quirky, and charming self. She doesn't even have to try, really. I just love her. Adore her. I liked that though Garrick told her it didn't matter what his mother thought, it mattered to her. It was cute to see her unsure and flustered. I just loved her overactive outrageous imagination. Bliss was so freaking hilarious, I couldn't even. I did felt some sadness at the way Bliss worried and questioned herself, but like always, I knew she would rise up to the challenge!

I love you, KEEPING HER because you not only gave me super cute I-want-to-die-from-happiness moments with Bliss and Garrick, but you also let Carmack throw a twist in there that totally had my heart racing. And I really liked that though Bliss and Garrick had their happily ever after in LOSING IT, they weren't this perfect couple, but two people who were reachable, relatable and grounded. Cora Carmack just keeps getting better and better and damn, I'm so ridiculously in love with her writing it's what I call crazy stupid love, (possibly borderline obsession, but don't tell her that!)

My dear KEEPING HER, you are short and sweet and everything nice. You gave me a wonderful glimpse of what happens with Garrick and Bliss after LOSING IT and I couldn't have asked for more! (Though I really do want more *winks*).

Love forever and ever,
Jessirae xx

Reviewed by Guest Reviewer/Lisa & posted at Under the Covers Book Blog

This is the story after the "Happily Ever After" of the first book in the series "Losing It". Now if you haven't read that one, please turn away now. There is no way for me to review this without giving away the entire ending of the first book. Are they gone? ::looking all the way to the back of the room:: Ok, I think we're alone now. We join our hero and heroine a year after the first book ends. Bliss and Garrick have survived in secret until the end of the school year when he was able to resign as Professor, and she was able to graduate without anyone (well, not including her friends of course) being any the wiser to their relationship. They both have part time jobs leaving them time to audition and take parts in small plays while awaiting their big break. Garrick feels that since they plan on getting married within the next few months, that it is finally time that she "meets the parents", so they travel to London to remedy the situation. I don't know who is more nervous, him knowing what a barracuda his Mom is or her being fearful of not being liked by either of them. Now Garrick has been tight lipped about his upbringing, never revealing that he came from money, and to quote himself, he was "a right prick" before moving to America and becoming the man that she loves.

This is a very short book, only 77 pages, but it really packs a punch for it's size. This book is not without drama and is a must for anyone who read "Losing It" to see how their story continues. I enjoyed it immensely, and was welcomed right back into their story as if I had never left. Unlike the first book, this one is told in alternating first person accounts, exactly like she did with "Faking It", the second story in the series that's about Bliss's friend Cade, and his adventures in "It"ing it. I look forward to the next book in the series "Finding It", which gives her best friend Kelsey a chance at "It"ing it. I did get a small taste of it in this ARC and am looking forward to it's release in October. Cora Carmack has a wonderful writing style that had me laughing out loud in one chapter, and tearing up in the other. I am officially a fan girl and just hope to get the opportunity to meet her one day and thank her for her delightful stories.

*ARC provided by publisher

Keeping Her is a shout sweet novella about Garrick and Bliss time in London UK, Having read Losing It and loving it I was looking forward to reading this one.

Everything is going great for Garrick and Bliss, their jobs are keeping them busy but they are making it work, they are happy and very much still in love. And now Garrick is talking Bliss to London to meet his parents her future in -laws.

To say that Bliss is nervous would be an understatement; she is worried about everything, that they won't like her, they won't think that she is not good enough for Garrick, and that she won't fit in as he come from money. I did feel sorry for her.

Garrick is also nervous, his relationship with his parents is not an easy one, and they have never been happy with his decision to leave London. He doesn't want Bliss to get caught up in their issue and his parents especially his mother can be very intimidating.

Garratt and Bliss's time in London in does run smoothly, they have a drama or two, but as two are perfect for each other, it's nothing that they can't get thought together. We learn a bit more about Garrick and his past, we meet his best friends who were very charming and funny.

Overall this was a very cute and sweet novella, told in both Garrick and Bliss's point of view. That showed how much they loved each other but also the insecurities that they both have.
I didn't think the story added anything extra to Losing It; it just was a lovely reminder of why we love Garratt and Bliss's. I will say my only disappointment was that even thought it was a novella I found it really short; and I wasn't expecting it to end when it did. I thought there was more to tell. I will say that Cora has left me I was left wanting more so I'm looking forward to reading the next book in the series.

"She was my everything- the lungs that allowed me to breathe, the heart that had to beat, the eyes that let me see. She'd become a part of me, and all that was left was a piece of paper to tell the worlds we were as inseparable as I already felt we were."~ Garrick

*I received an ARC from William Morrow PB via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.*

I absolutely adored Losing It! What's not to love? Garrick is hot, yet endearing - so sweet, understanding and charming. He is the total package - gorgeous, smart, creative, supportive, and not afraid to express his feelings. Bliss had me rolling on the floor in hysterics. She is so awkward, insecure and accident prone. I couldn't get enough of her quirky internal dialog and the hysterical things that came out of her mouth! And how can you not love her name? There aren't very many books that have me laughing out loud, but this was one of them.

I am such a fan of Losing It that I jumped at the chance to get my hands on Keeping Her. Not only did I want to know where Garrick and Bliss's story went after Losing It, but I wanted to re-visit these amazingly funny, sweet and quirky characters.

Keeping Her is the novella that continues the story begun in Losing It, so you really need to read Losing It first before picking this one up. And I highly recommend that you do so - have I mentioned how much I loved Losing It? Anyway, there may be spoilers of Losing It in this review, so for those who still need to read it, you might want to stop here and one-click it before going any further.

Keeping Her did not disappoint. It follows Bliss and Garrick to London to meet his family after they get engaged. Hijinks ensue when insecure and accident-prone Bliss meets Garrick's stuffy, upper crusty family. The best thing about Keeping Her is that we finally get more of Garrick's POV, and what a delicious POV it is! If you thought he was amazing before, he becomes even more so when you climb into his head. His love and desire for Bliss is so endearing and sincere.

"She was my everything - the lungs that allowed me to breathe, the heart that had to beat, the eyes that let me see. She'd become a part of me, and all that was left was a piece of paper to tell the world we are as inseparable as I already felt we were."

Ahhh, Garrick. How I wish you were my boyfriend! ~Dina

I absolutely loved Losing It from the moment I started the book and Bliss is one of my favorite female MC's. I also adored Garrick and the relationship between him and Bliss. That being said, I was so excited to have a chance to read Keeping Her and get a little more of these two.

Bliss and Garrick have been together for a year now and they are going to London so Bliss can meet his parents. Bliss is a nervous wreck and while Garrick keeps telling her that she'll be great and his mom will love her, he knows that his mom will be difficult. He tries to hide it from Bliss but she isn't foolish and she can see right through his reassurance. Bliss has a lot of insecurities and they are evident in this book but I don't blame her because Garrick's mom is a real treat. She is kind of cold and definitely judgemental towards Bliss. However, I love the way Bliss doesn't let her intimidate her and holds her own. In the end, I think she just may win her over.

"When I saw her name on the caller ID, it was like seeing the Dark Mark hovering above my apartment."

Garrick hasn't been back home in 8 years and we learn that he didn't leave on the best terms with his parents. His dad is very goal oriented and puts a lot of pressure on Garrick to be somebody he's not. He doesn't waste any time with his antics and is already putting the pressure on when Garrick and Bliss arrive. It was really interesting to get a little peak at Garrick's family and a little background on what led him to Bliss. I also really liked meeting a couplf of Garrick's friends in London and found them both fun and refreshing. They were quite the crackup.

As a novella, this wasn't long enough to develop a full storyline but it was still able to add a little drama to their lives. Bliss and Garrick experienced another bump in the road that threatened their almost perfect relationship. However, they proved their love for each other and they overcame the chaos together. I loved the dual POV and getting into Garrick's head a little bit. I'm only sad that it wasn't longer. I could take a whole other novel with Bliss and Garrick.

"She was my everything--the lungs that allowed me to breathe, the heart that had to beat, the eyes that let me see."

Review: 4 ½ out of 5 stars

I absolutely adored Bliss Edwards and Garrick Taylor in Losing It so I was so anxious to read the novella Keeping Her which shows them travelling to London to meet the parents.

Bliss and Garrick have had many ups and downs but they are committed and ready to settle down so travelling to the UK was a big step that didn't come without the nerves and insecurities but the love they had for one another really shone through despite the obstacles they had to face such as a doubtful mother-in-law, a number of awkward moments, a job offer and a lot of distrust and misgivings but I loved the way it was all dealt with.

Bliss has really matured and I found myself admiring her, shed make the perfect best-friend and Garrick {swoon} is caring, sweet and oh so smexy! I loved their interactions and the way they supported one another. Things didn't come easily for them but I adored the way they would work everything out - together.

Keeping Her was a great addition to the series, I always enjoy catching up with characters I have loved to see where they are up to. Garrick's friends Rowland and Graham were wonderful additions to the story and bought us some fun times and humour.

Keeping Her is a quick, easy read with a wonderful outcome, beautifully written with dual POV's and truly entertaining; I'm not usually a fan of novellas but this one was well worth it.

My only gripe is I wish it was a full length novel, Bliss and Garrick are fabulous! Losing It should be read before this book.

Thank you kindly to William Morrow/Edelweiss for the opportunity to read and review Keeping Her.

Confession: I haven't read Faking It or Losing It by Cora Carmack. I know, I know. I should hang my head in shame because the rest of the world has already read both books. After reading Keeping Her, I will definitely make time to do so.

Basically Keeping Her is sort of an Ever After type of novella that shows Garrick and Bliss taking the next step towards forever so be sure to read Losing It so you're up to date on some of the back story. I was a bit lost in that department. I gathered she was his former student but he gave up teaching to be with her. There was some smexing and a move from Austin to Philadelphia. So definitely read this novella after reading Losing It.

They head off to London to meet his family and Bliss is nervous as all get out. She's got the Kristen Stewart lip biting and worrying down to a science. After arriving in London, she meets Garrick's mates who totally had me laughing with their banter (perhaps some future short novellas for these two blokes?). Then they head off to meet his parents which end up in a surprise party and Bliss breaking a vase, standing up to Garrick's mother and some smexy loving--behind closed doors and in Garrick's old room, of course. Then a hiccup of sorts arises and they have different views as how to resolve it.

This was a quick, fun read fill with humor, pop culture references (hello Harry Potter and Alex Mack) and a forever you'll be rooting for. Ms. Carmack is definitely an author I will be reading more of. In a British accent--in my mind since I don't think the general public is ready for my accent imitation which somehow ends up sounding Russian in the end.

Review copy provided by Edelweiss

I absolutely loved Losing It when I read it earlier this year, I have a huge crush on Garrick and Bliss is the kind of heroine who reminded me of myself as a teenager. As much as I enjoyed Cade and Max's story in Faking It I was excited to revisit my favourite couple in this novella.

Keeping Her shows how Bliss had Garrick are getting on several months after the ending of their book, there is no point in picking up this story if you haven't read Losing It yet but fans will enjoy getting their extra Garrick fix! The couple are living together and more in love than ever but they are going to face new challenges when Garrick takes Bliss to London to meet his family. It was great to get to spend more time with them both and see how they cope with the pressures of real life but I have to admit I was a little disappointed with how short it was. I could happily have read another full length novel with these two.

One thing I will say is that you could tell the British characters were written by an American. I don't remember noticing this too much in Losing It but then Garrick is a Brit living in the US so I probably would have forgiven any errors in his way of talking as something he'd picked up living abroad. It was much more noticeable when the setting for the story is London and it's his English friends who are talking like Americans. I know this isn't a major issue but it did bug me a little.

What I enjoyed most was the fact that the story is written from dual POVs, I loved the chance to get inside Garrick's head and hear his thoughts about Bliss. Overall I thought this was a nice little addition to the series, it isn't essential reading but if you're a big fan of this couple then I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

I loved Losing It, the beginning of Garrick & Bliss' story. So I was pretty excited when I found out that Cora Carmack was giving us another installment in their journey together and in London no less!!

This book is told from Dual POV, which I found really worked for the issues that were being dealt with. I love Garrick so being able to read what is going through his mind enhanced the story 100% for me. Cora has released a few Garrick POV's over the last few months, and I must admit that I love his dry British sense of humor and use of Britishisms!

For a short novel, quite a lot happens, but it doesn't feel too rushed and the story flowed really well. I love that Bliss finally found her confidence to stand up for herself and express her opinions. It also gives us a good look at Garrick's life prior to moving to the US, in the form of his family and friends. This for me was the main plus point of the book as you don't get a huge back-story for him in Losing It, mainly because the book is told from Bliss' POV, but also as he was pretty much on his own in the US.

I only post spoiler free reviews, so as such I can't really say a lot about the book in itself, as a lot happens in a short amount of time, but I know that anyone who loved Losing it will enjoy this extension (albeit a pretty short one) to Garrick and Bliss' story.

Finding It - (book 3 in the series) is due for release mid-October, and I hope that as well as giving us Kelsey's story, we also get further updates on Bliss, Garrick & Cade.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for the above honest review.

I adored Bliss and Garrick in Losing It. Her sweetness and awkwardness was endearing. His kindness and charm was sexy. They got their Happy Ending, but it's almost always nice to see how beloved couples are doing a little farther down the road.

Keeping Her was very sweet and very, very amusing. Of course Bliss brings the awkward; as a fellow awkward girl, this made me happy. Another thing that made me happy--well, not happy so much happy as "I feel your pain, girl." --was the terror of meeting the parents. I could completely relate with Bliss, so much so that when she met Garrick's mom, I almost broke out in a cold sweat and suffered flashbacks.

I also enjoyed Garrick's point-of-view, seeing how much he loves Bliss, his doubts about being good enough for her, and the overwhelming pressure of visiting his parents. Again, that's something I can relate too a little too well through my husband. Carmack did such a nice job of expressing the fears and doubts Garrick and Bliss both face.

Keeping Her was very funny. I had forgotten how much I laughed while reading Losing It until I read this. The story was amusing without being too much, and I just genuinely enjoyed it.

Many readers do not enjoy novellas. Some don't like the shorter length or faster pace. Keeping Her managed to cover a meaningful space of time in Garrick and Bliss's life, and did it without forcing the pace or putting "too much" into it. It is a good addition to the series and to Carmack's works.

Oh, how I loved jumping back into Bliss and Garrick's relationship. I fell in love with this couple in Losing It and it was great to see where they are in their lives right now. Cora's writing is as clever and entertaining as ever and I just smiled the whole time reading this.

Bliss and Garrick are so cute and so sweet. I especially fell for Garrick all over again. How attentive and loving he is with Bliss is just so great. No matter what happens, he always takes time out to show his love for her and be there for her. Bliss is as clumsy and awkward as ever and I still find her so adorable. Granted, she was still a bit too insecure for me at times, but it was understandable once you met Garrick's family. Carmack does a great job at "selling" London, as if I didn't already want to visit there, and I loved seeing all the sights and fun places through her character's eyes, if only for a moment. Also, there were quite a few funny moments, in between the sweet moments I was gushing over, that I just loved and laughed so hard over.

Keeping Her was just too short! I want more! I definitely could use more Garrick. He had me all kinds of swoony and mushy while I was reading this because he's just so sweet. I would love to see glimpses of him and Bliss in upcoming companion novels of this series, such a cute couple. This was definitely an adorable and quick read. I really enjoyed it.

Keeping Her. Cora Carmack.

ARC supplied by Netgalley.

I enjoyed Losing It, the first book featuring Bliss and the lovely Garrick. This is a follow up where they go to London and meet Garrick's parents. Given that he'd gone to US to escape from them, and hadn't told them until after he left, Bliss has a bit of an idea of just how dominating they will be, and of course they're not from a London tower block flat but live in a huge country mansion. She's nervous about meeting them and in the beginning when they finally get there its seems she's right to be that way.
We meet some of Garrick's long time friends too, Bliss sees London as she's always wanted and she and Garrick have a hard decision to make.
Its a sweet tidy up of any lose ends, but there's not really any depth or any drama and I'm not really sure why this was needed. If you've not read Losing It then don't read this as it'll mean nothing to you. Its inexpensive though at 77p for 176 pages/268kb so if you want more from the couple you might enjoy it. I did enjoy the update but TBH I did feel this book was a bit superfluous....I just didn't feel this added anything important to their story.
Stars: three.

Fun!

The best thing about Cora Carmack’s first book, Losing It, was Bliss. And she’s back with Garrick! They’re flying to London to meet Garrick’s family and of course, mayhem ensues. I really enjoyed Losing It, which is the first book in this series. It’s light, fun and sweet. This short novella doesn’t disappoint. There are some hot, steamy scenes and some fumbles, like only Bliss can pull off. Garrick and Bliss make a wonderful couple, insecurities and all.

I liked how Garrick’s family has their own dynamic and issues, and how Garrick overcame them. Even under pressure, Bliss is still hilarious and passionate.

Maybe I have a soft spot because my husband is from England and I too had to fly overseas to meet my future family. (Though my in laws are wonderful people and not like Garrick’s family at all!)

Overall, a quick, light read that reminds me how much I like Cora Carmack’s writing and characters. I hope she writes more stories about Bliss and Garrick. I know they had their HEA, but still… they’re one of my favorites!

Rating 8 Cookie Worthy

Garrick Taylor and Bliss Edwards managed to find their happily-ever-after despite a rather . . . ahem . . . complicated start. By comparison, meeting the parents should be an absolute breeze, right?

But from the moment the pair lands in London, new snags just keep cropping up: a disapproving mother-in-law-to-be, more than one (mostly) minor mishap, and the realization that perhaps they aren't quite as ready for their future as they thought.

As it turns out, the only thing harder than finding love is keeping it.

I haven't read Faking It or Losing It by Cora Carmack, so I was a bit lost in the first few pages. This was a quick, fun read fill with humor, pop culture references such as Harry Potter. Cora Carmack has a nice writing style that had me laughing in one chapter, and crying in the next.

Overall this was a very cute and sweet novella, told in both Garrick and Bliss's point of view. It showed how much they loved each other but also the insecurities that they both have.

I will definitely be reading more of Cora Carmack books.

I am so glad that Cora Carmack brought back Garrick and Bliss for this novella. I can't even explain how much I missed them!
We get to meet up with Garrick and Bliss as they travel to London to introduce her to his parents. Bliss is a nervous wreck and as clumsy as ever! Garrick is also a nervous wreck but he does his best to keep Bliss calm and secure her in their love. Garrick is still totally HOT & well, basically perfect. Saaa-Wooon!!
His dad is a selfish prick and his mom comes off as a pretentious biotch!!
During their visit life throws them another curveball but it's how they handle it that makes me fall in love with them both all over again. I really love that they are completely honest and forthcoming and decided to concur any obstacles together! Seriously amazing!!
My only problem with this book is that it gave me just enough more of their story that I'm already craving more. Garrick and Bliss are forever one of my favorite fictional couples!!
G & B 4-EVAH!!

**I received an ARC from Edelweiss & Ink Slinger PR in exchange for an honest review**

(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Random House UK, Ebury Publishing and Netgalley.)
This is book 1.5 in the `Losing it' series.
This is a short story about Garrick taking Bliss to England to meet his parents. Bliss is nervous, and Garrick tries to calm her down.

I thought the story was okay, and there were a couple of funny moments, I did get a bit bored at one point though, and Garrick also kept asking Bliss to marry him, even though she'd already repeatedly said yes, which unfortunately instead of being sweet started to get annoying.

It was nice to hear more from Bliss and Garrick again, but this story was really short, and I think I would have preferred another full-length novel. The last 22% of this book wasn't even part of the story, it was an excerpt from book 3 `Finding it'.
Overall; an okay catch-up with Bliss and Garrick, but unfortunately nothing special.
6.5 out of 10.

KEEPING HER is an amazing follow up to LOSING IT, Bliss and Garrick's introduction. Like many readers, I wanted to know more about Garrick and Bliss and their life after their relationship became official. Readers got a little glimpse in FAKING IT, Cade and Max's story, but of course we wanted more. That is exactly what KEEPING HER gives you.

Bliss has always been a little (okay a lot) insecure, and the prospect of meeting Garrick's overbearing mom does not excite her. Going to London, however, well that is very exciting. Even though he tries to put on a brave face, Garrick is worried about how his mum will react to Bliss.

KEEPING HER is a short story, but Bliss and Garrick will undergo a lot. Several challenges present themselves, but will the couple stay as perfect and happy as they have been lately? Be sure to purchase this novella if you are a fan of Cora Carmack's writing and Bliss and Garrick's story. It is an excellent addition to the collection.

Read this review in its entirety at MIDWEST GALLEY GIRL.

[...]

Without giving away the farm, these are my reasons to read KEEPING HER.

1. Garrick's back story is a big chunk of the story. His parents are old-money aristocrats in London and don't appear to approve of his lifestyle in the states.

2. Garrick's best pals from childhood provide plenty of comic relief once our lovebirds touch down at Heathrow.

3. Both characters are given a chance to be tested and prove each other to the other time and again. It's nice to know it wasn't all about the sex in the first book. Garrick is so head over heels for Bliss...a well-deserved glimpse into his psyche after LOSING IT was clearly Bliss' tale to tell.

All told, KEEPING HER is more time spent with people you likely already loved hanging out with in LOSING IT. Time well spent, in my humble opinion.

Stay delightfully awkward Cora. I'll be back for more.

This Novella was great, i was right back into their relationship, which seemed to have blossomed whilst we had left them. Garrick's Mother has us all quaking in our boots and I look forward to that situation, but first after a fretful plane ride....we meet the Friends, hysterical one liners, after plying Bliss with a few drinks for dutch courage, i am actually laughing out loud, blushing and then cringing when they finally stumble into the house and do meet the future Mother-in-Law!

A wonderful Week with Bliss & Garrick, like a pop into see some old friends, i really enjoyed this, wishing it could have been more, but hopefully we will get more, there are some Fabulous Characters in this which i am itching to get to know!

You have to read Losing it First, then read this, it is 'Bliss'!!

Read as an ARC for an honest review.

***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***

Keeping Her by Cora Carmack
Book 1.5 of the Losing It series
Publisher: William Morrow
Publication Date: August 13, 2013
Rating: 3 stars
Source: eARC from Edelweiss

Summary (from Goodreads):

Garrick Taylor and Bliss Edwards managed to find their happily-ever-after despite a rather . . . ahem . . . complicated start. By comparison, meeting the parents should be an absolute breeze, right?

But from the moment the pair lands in London, new snags just keep cropping up: a disapproving mother-in-law-to-be, more than one (mostly) minor mishap, and the realization that perhaps they aren't quite as ready for their future as they thought.

As it turns out, the only thing harder than finding love is keeping it.

What I Liked:

This book was really short, so hopefully, this review will be short! We are back in Bliss and Garrick's world! I personally loved Losing It the most, of the three Cora Carmack books I've read. I liked Faking It, but I was ready to read more about Bliss and Garrick. They were the couple I feel in love with, you know? Losing It is the best of the three, in my opinion.

Anyway! I... enjoyed this book. The first scene is so funny - Bliss trying to make breakfast, and effectively ruining it. The first scene is in Garrick's POV, and it's easily the hottest scene of the book. Bliss is so worked up over going to London to meet Garrick's family... that she needs a little helping with staying calm. Which Garrick is happy to provide. *wink wink*

So, Bliss and Garrick go to London. Garrick's father is an uptight, rich, businessman-type, and Garrick's mother is harsh, cold, critical, and not too kind. For Bliss, this book is basically about Bliss standing up for herself, in her relationship with Garrick, and in her relationship with her mother-in-law. For Garrick, it's about facing his past and taking charge of his future.

The romance, a.k.a chemistry, steamy scenes, hot stuff, whatever, is pretty much all in the first scene, but Bliss and Garrick do get mushy-gushy, touchy-feely at times. Since this book has both points-of-view in first person, we get to see Bliss and Garrick's naughty thoughts, in different scenes.

Overall, it was fun to see Bliss and Garrick back in action.

What I Did Not Like:

Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed reading this book and am grateful for the opportunity given to me. However, there were several things that I really didn't care for in this book.

For one, I felt like this book was a little unnecessary. Okay, yes, most novellas are not needed when reading a series. And it's totally nice to see Bliss and Garrick again. But this novella didn't do much for me. It didn't really show me a side of Garrick that I never saw. It didn't teach me anything new about Bliss's character. I didn't really care much about Garrick's parents, or what Bliss was stressing about after she meets Garrick's mother. This novella didn't do anything.

And the novella seems to be just Garrick and Bliss thinking about each other... all the time... in every scene... like lovesick fools. Okay, they are lovesick fools. I mean that nicely. But it was a little, ahem, sickening. The first scene is a very chemistry-filled, intimate scene. After that, it's a bunch of naughty thoughts about the other, or kisses, or caresses. I was kind of like, um, okay?

And then, the last 25% of the book? Isn't even about Bliss and Garrick! We get a sneak peek of Finding It (Kelsey's book), and then a bit of Losing It. An entire fourth of the ebook isn't Keeping Her! I was kind of pissed when I saw that.

Basically, if this book were priced at more than $0.99, I would not be buying it. There's not much to the story! And a fourth of the book isn't even the book! Ugh!

Would I Recommend It:

Ummm... not really. It's $0.99, but you could totally save your $0.99 and get a bag of Skittles. BUT, it's only $0.99, so that's not as bad as novellas priced at $2.99 and aren't worth crap.

Rating:

3 stars. YAY for Bliss and Garrick!

I really enjoyed Losing it and Faking it, but this book was lacking. It did continue the sweet story of Garrick & Bliss but just didn't grab me like the others. I kept waiting for it to be "hard to put down", but it just didn't happen. And the ending was just too abrupt for me. When it was over, I thought no way it stops here...looked down and my Kindle said 72%. But the author just used the remaining space in the book to recap the other books in the series (and to debut another book). I really enjoy Carmack's writing but this book wasn't my favorite

After finishing Keeping Her, I now realized how much I missed Bliss and Garrick in Faking It. I love these characters and I adored seeing how much their relationship has grown since the conclusion of Losing It. It was especially a nice treat seeing inside of Garrick's head in the chapters written in his POV. The novella is a brief look at what happens when Bliss and Garrick visit his uptight family. The setup allowed for plenty of funny and sexy moments between the characters.

4/5 Stars

Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book for review!

Novella about Bliss meeting Garrick's mother in London.

Short, sweet, cute but nothing too drastic.
I still adore Garrick and love Bliss's nuttiness.

Garrick's mom is just what I imagine a British mum to be like. Polished on the outside but smooshy on the inside. His mates are priceless as well.

Happy story for the most part, happy continuation of Garrick and Bliss.

What I Loved: Once again, Cora Carmack has managed to make "awkward" funny and romantic. Garrick and Bliss take on London, his mates and his mom, in this hilarious and heartfelt mini-adventure that kept me thoroughly entertained. I really enjoyed the dual POV because, Garrick. (If you've met him, then you'll understand why I don't need to list a bunch of reasons.) Getting a glimpse into his world was a nice touch as was seeing how things played out between Bliss and her future Mother-in-law. Fans of LOSING IT will love it!

What Left Me Wanting More: I DIDN'T WANT IT TO END.

Final Verdict: This is a great addition to the LOSING IT series!

Favorite Quote: "Bliss smash!"

Garrick and Bliss are back in this sweet novella that will make them take a look at each other and what they really are ready for, marriage or not??? This is a great story to pick up and read. Cora is a magical writer that does another brilliant job in keeping us in the book until the very end. You have to read this book, it is great. I give it 4 stars.

Well that was interesting. Where's the rest of the book? I got to the end of chapter 11 and was like, "Huh?!?!" So, my question is, is there going to be a continuation to this story or did a get a messed up ebook? Because there are SO many loose ends that HAVE to be tied up!!!