Hard to Hold - Stephanie Tyler

Title: Hard to Hold
Author: Stephanie Tyler
Publisher: Dell
Published: 2009
Pages: 370
Genre: Romantic Suspense
Series: Hard to Hold Trilogy - Book #1

Stephanie Tyler is noted for writing about her sexy Navy Seals. She has a Harlequin Blaze trilogy of Navy Seals...Coming Undone, Risking it All, and Beyond His Control. I haven't read these yet...but I am definitely getting my hands on them. Hard to Hold is the first book in her trilogy written for Bantam Dell and after reading this one...the next on is on my To Be Bought list.

I have to say, this wasn't your usual happily ever after book. The hero and heroine have a lot of healing to do from both of their tragic pasts, but in the end...the healing has started and you get the feeling that...well, I don't want to spoil the ending for you...so I will just say it is left to the reader's interpretation.

The book has three storylines going...all converging on one villain. The main characters, Jake and Isabelle, then there is Clutch and Sarah, and Cal and Jeannie. While the story does jump between these three couples...it was easy to follow and the writing flowed smoothly. All the characters are well-developed and complex. Each carrying their own scars from the past and dealing with them in a believable and realistic way. Not only are we treated to romance, suspense, and intrigue, but she goes on to introduce us to the rigors of SEAL training as well. Ms. Tyler seems to know this subject with an in-depth knowledge that added a reality to the story that wasn't bogged down with too much information. I was captivated by the type of training the SEALs have to endure in order to shape the skills needed to survive in any circumstance.

The story opens with Jake having to smuggle Isabelle out of Africa after she was held captive and tortured for three days. She was a doctor for Doctors without Borders and taken by rebel forces. After two months Isabelle has healed from her ordeal, at least physically. She is able to resume her duties and is assigned to the base where Jake resides.

The attraction between Isabelle and Jake was instantaneous from when she first set eyes on her rescuer. However, Jake thinks that Isabelle's interest is due to the fact that he rescued her...but she is determined to show him that it goes deeper. Forced together because Isabelle's attacker is still on the loose, Ms. Tyler does an excellent job of writing about the tension between the two. Jake understands that Isabelle is still healing emotionally from her abuse and tries to control his physical desires. "But nothing could prepare them for the passion this wild..this crazy...this hot!!" Their courtship is fraught with as many complications as their pasts have been. It is a gradual build up that is realistic because of their emotional wounds. But once they reach out to each other...the pages start steaming up!!!

The secondary characters were developed with a depth of character that you usually don't find in other books. They each had their own stories and heartfelt emotions that pulled you into their situations as well. Clutch is a mercenary who works for a secret group in Africa...something he wants to get out of...but the only way out is death. You feel yourself pulling for Clutch and hoping he gets his own happily ever after. Sarah is a photographer in Africa with her own tragic past. The two have an intense relationship that deepens throughout the book.

The ending is infused with plot twists that I didn't see coming. And, of course, there are some issues that aren't resolved in order to make the reader want to pick up the next book and see what further happens with these characters. The next book is about Jake's brother, another Navy SEAL, Nick. And the last book is about the third brother, Chris. They are brothers through adoption, but the connection that they have is close...furthered along with them being SEALS on the same team.

Can you tell that I really loved this book?? I hope that it was brought to the forefront from my review. This is the first book that I have read by Stephanie Tyler but it certainly will not be the last!! I enjoyed her writing style, the suspense throughout the book...both with the antagonist and with the romance between Jake and Isabelle. The secondary stories were excellent and hopefully we meet up with Clutch and Sarah again.



Rating: 4.75/5
Pages: 370
Completed: 1/28/10

Hard to Hold - Stephanie Tyler

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