Review: Holding Her Close by Lexi Ryan

After spending my entire acting career being cast as the airhead, I finally have the serious role I've been dying for, and I screw it all up during a four martini dinner with my ex. Now, thanks to the morality clause in my contract, I might lose the role of a lifetime. My only hope is to convince the media (and my eccentrically conservative director) that I've entered a committed relationship. But when I use my brother's costume party to launch Operation Fake Fiancé, I end up in front of the camera with the wrong guy, leaving my reputation—and the fate of my career—at his mercy. Any other guy I could sweet talk into playing the supporting role I need, but not Officer Cade Watts. Not the man who hates everything about me. Not the man who would most revel in seeing me fail.

He's everything she needs.

I don't care how good it felt to have her in my arms. I don't care that I can't close my eyes without remembering the way she tastes or the sound of her moan. I want nothing to do with Janelle Crane. Her scheme to fake an engagement to save her own career is exactly the kind of manipulative Hollywood crap I left LA to escape. But when her fan mail turns threatening and the tragedies befalling her former co-stars seem to be anything but coincidence, everything changes. Now I don't just want to play the part of Janelle's fake fiancé, I demand it. I won't let my jaded heart cost me another case. I may not trust Janelle but I do care, and the only way I know she's safe is if I'm holding her close.

4 Stars
Review by Jen Skewes

Janelle is a Hollywood actress known for her role on Roommates, a popular sitcom.  But she has recently made some bad decisions that may cost her the next big role that she wanted.  She has a plan and that plan includes a fake boyfriend to prove that she is over her ex and moving on.  But the night she was supposed to meet her new “boyfriend”, she mistakes another man for him,  but sparks begin to fly between the two of them.  They have one night of passion.  While Janelle knows exactly who this man is, she is a complete mystery to him.  Until their passionate kiss ends up being plastered all over the media, the next morning.   The word is out.  Actress Janelle Crane has kissed police detective Cade Watts.

Cade had an amazing night with his mystery woman.  But when he finds out the truth the next morning he is pissed.  That may actually be an understatement.  He confronts Janelle which makes him even angrier when he finds out more info.  But once Janelle is back in California and he finds out that she is in danger, those harsh feelings he had towards her are put aside.  He is a very protective person when it comes to the people he cares about.  And despite the wall he has up and how mad he was at her, he does care for Janelle.  Maybe more than he would like to admit.

Cade and Janelle have a very interesting relationship.  There is no doubt that these two are certainly attracted to each other.  But Cade does not belong in her world at all.  He’s been there, done that and had been crushed as a result.  He has a huge wall around his heart that is very understandable.  But Janelle is different and he just needs to see that for himself, and in many ways he does, but then he also wonders if maybe he is wrong abut her.  Is Janelle really that genuine of a person of is she just like every other Hollywood actress, doing whatever it takes to further her career?

I really enjoyed Cade and Janelle together.  They were hot and sexy and despite their differences we so good together.  Cade is a very protective person but he is also a very loving man, even if you don’t see that side of him oftern.  At times he is a complete ass to Janelle and acts in a way that you just want to punch him.  But knowing his back story you understand where it is all coming from.

I have always loved Janelle.  She is spunky and genuinely a good person.  She is Nate’s sister from the Here and Now series and I have always loved her relationship with her brother.  And because of how close they are we get to see more of Nate and Hanna, which I loved.  These two are my favorite couple from this series.  And I loved how close Hanna and Janelle have become.

Holding Her Close was a sexy and enjoyable read with the right amount of drama and suspense.  I tried to figure out who was behind all of the drama and at times I thought I had it figured out only to find out that I was wrong.  I wasn’t sure who to trust and who truly cared for Janelle.  When the truth comes out I was a bit surprised for one reason that I cannot say.  But for me I felt like a paprt of that storyline did not get wrapped up as I had hoped. I felt that once the truth was over certain parts or characters of that storyline were glanced over.  But overall I loved this one.  Cade and Janelle are hot and sexy and I loved them both.  I do not know if this is the end of this series or not, but no matter what I look forward to what Lexi Ryan has planned.