Hold On To Me (Against All Odds Book 2)

I loved the preceding book, Wait for Me, and read it again immediately after the first time I finished it. I was so excited for this sequel, but the story just didn't measure up. I found myself skimming just to get the gist and be done.

Naughton’s books are always enjoyable and well written. WAIT FOR ME, the first book in the series was a very touching, inventive love story. In HOLD ON TO ME, I particularly enjoyed the relationship between Simone’s daughter, Shannon, and her lover, Mitch. Mitch never pictured himself a father but is a natural with Shannon. He is at ease with her, enjoys spending time together and misses her as much as Simone when they’re apart. Shannon is equally taken with Mitch.

Following the typical love story guidelines, HOLD ON TO ME starts with the happy couple on the verge of taking their relationship to the next level when all hell breaks loose, literally. While trying to avoid the murderers on Simone’s tail, Mitch and Simone waffle between the most intense, sincere love and the defeatist attitudes that convince them they’ll never find happiness. A series of incredibly scary situations have the couple running for their lives. Their lack of openness with each other threatens their lives and their love.

Naughton’s books are always enjoyable, well-rounded stories. This is no exception though I didn’t find Mitch and Simone quite as gripping as Ryan and Kate from the first book. Naughton remains one of my “must read” favorites.

Received for an honest review.

Rating: 4

Mild: Mild detailed scenes of intimacy, mild violence or profanity.

Reviewed by ReadWarrior

Courtesy of MY BOOK ADDICTION AND MORE

Hold On To Me. Against All Odds 2. Elisabeth Naughton
Review from Jeannie Zelos Book reviews.
I'd read the first in this series some time ago, and was interested to see what book two would be like. Its got the same magic blend of suspense, danger and romance as the first, and was a really good read. Mitch is a great guy, he's in love with Simone, even though its taken time to get her to unwind and trust in him. He feels she's still holding something back – little does he know just how right he is!
Simone been protecting her daughter Shannon from the shadowy dangers that may have killed her husband for years now. She's just about accepted that as nothing has threatened them for so long its safe to take a chance with Mitch when – bang- everything hits at once. She's panicking, doesn't know what to do or where to turn, and acting on impulse she makes plans to leave everything and run...Shannon is ten now though. She doesn't know what's upset her mum, but doesn't want to leave Mitch. She knows he plans to ask her mum to marry and is all for it. She unwittingly sets things in motion that bring in the rest of the family, including those from book one. The dangers pile up, Mitch and Simone are at loggerheads most of the while, as they are both still keeping secrets from each other and can't seem to get past the breakup but are both deeply in love with each other. They need to find a way to get back to where they were, but with danger round every corner that’s difficult. .
Its a sensual romance, and an addicting adventure full of shoot-outs, bombings and danger at every turn. They don't know who they can trust and can't afford to get it wrong as their lives are at stake.
I really enjoyed this. I do like suspense but I need a strong side of romance with it and got that here :) Its priced at £3.08 for 300 pages and as usual is full of Elisabeth's trademark quality writing and plotting. Its a book that will no doubt reveal more clues on second and subsequent readings.
Stars: Four and a half, great read.
ARC supplied by Netgalley

Simone is a lawyer with a daughter. Her husband died several years ago while they were in WITSEC. She finds the man of her dreams when her past comes back. Mitch is an outdoors man and an engineering geologist working for an oil-and-gas conglomerate. But just as he is about to propose, Simone gets a call that sends her into a panic. To breaks up with Mitch and us getting ready to run with her daughter. Circumstances keep bringing them together but between the secrets, lies, and killers after them will they be able to find their way back to each other?
Both acted sort of childish. Steamy sex. A possible HEA. A secret society.
*WON a copy in a contest*

NUMBER OF HEARTS: 4
REVIEW:
Oh this story had so much heart break!! But was so good. I think both Mitch and Simone learned that secrets, no matter the reason you are keeping them, will kill a relationship faster than anything else. This was a great story with lots of twists and turns. Mitch and Simone are feisty as always. It was great to see how Katie & Ryan are doing. But I have to say little Julia stole the show at the beginning of this book. This girl is going to be a terror when she gets older :)

If you read the first book in this series Wait for Me I think you will really love Hold on to Me.
If you have not never fear!! I think that you could read Hold on to Me and be okay. BUT, I think that you would enjoy it more, because you get to see how Mitch & Simone started, if you read them in order.

Disclaimer:
I received a complimentary copy of the book from Elisabeth Naughton in exchange for an honest review. This review is my own opinion and not a paid review.

Another page turner! it is a contemporary romance, but also a suspense. What happens when, as a young a man, Mitch pledges to a Secret Society in college, only to find it comes back to haunt him years later when he meets Simone, the love of life, thewill have you turning the pages past your bedtime. Simone has just come out of the Witness Protection Program,made necessary because of iher late husband's involvement as an accountant for the same Secret Society that is Mitches' nemesis. She is a layer now, and raising her daughter alone, when she meets Mitch. Now, because of what they think she knows and because they've learned that one of their members is involved with her, they are being hunted buy the Secret Society. Simone is forced to run again, what happens next, is anyone's guess. Be prepared to be surprised.

I love reading and have a huge personal library and I am always looking for different reads to add to my collection and I am so glad I came across this one. The book just holds you the whole way through and in your mind the movie is playing out in your head as you read it and you cant help but find a connection with at least one of the characters. It's worth branching out from the typical readings!

Hold on To Me by Elisabeth Naughton is the second book in her Against All Odds series. I read the first book in this series, Wait for Me, which was my favorite romance suspense of 2012. I was happy when I found out that Elisabeth was going to write a sequel, and it was going to be Mitch’s story. I could not wait for Hold on to Me.

The story starts with Simone, who we knew from the first book, as she was Katie’s best friend, and the woman that Mitch was falling in love with. Simone has a hidden past, one she tells no one, and which she and her daughter Shannon have been running away from. Simone finally thinks the past is behind her, and we watch her happily head home from a trip to meet Mitch. But along the way, she gets a disturbing phone call that floods the past to the forefront, and a terrified Simone rushes to pick up Shannon and run again. She runs into Mitch, who is all prepared to ask Simone to be his wife. Because she fears for her life and Shannon’s, as well as trying avoid putting Mitch in danger; Simone tells him it was a mistake, and leaves him heartbroken, as she takes Shannon and leaves.
This was the very start of the book. An angry and crushed Mitch, also leaves to get away from it all, vowing to never trust a woman again. But danger follows both of them, until the only way for them to survive is for them to work with Mitch’s family, including Katie, Ryan, and Tate. The secrets that Simone must reveal, will help them try to find a possible resolution. Ryan takes control, and Mitch is sent away with Simone into hiding.

Their hot chemistry together brings them back into each other’s arms, but both their stubbornness and the ensuing danger constantly seems to bring them apart again. Mitch and Simone’s romance was very steamy, and you can tell how much they love each other. Which was another reason why I wanted to take turns smacking them both at different times. In Simone’s case, she loved Mitch, and it was this belief that she saving his life. Mitch, after being hurt by Simone, took awhile to see reason; but I did feel bad when every time he would bring her back into his arms, something would happen to scare Simone again. Mitch had his own secrets, which if he had told Simone, it would have helped them all.

Elisabeth does a fabulous job creating such wonderful characters, as I was very happy to see Katie, Ryan, Julia, & Tate again. All of them together was great.

Hold on to Me was a great story, filled with non-stop action, excitement, danger and suspense. As I have said, it was a great romance, though I found myself being annoyed with Mitch & Simone a few times. Nevertheless, a great story and one I wholly recommend. If you have not read Wait for Me, I suggest you read that awesome book first, in order to know more about all the characters and Mitch and Simone. However, you can read Hold to Me without much trouble, even if you have not read the first book.

Many people have already reviewed this book but i just had to take a moment to say this series is fantastic! I love all the intrigue and mystery of each story. I am onto the next. This is a great read. I was up all night to finish it.