Hard to Hold by Katie Rose
Series: Hard to Play, #1)
Romance Contemporary/Sports
September 13, 2016
Loveswept
Reviewed by Tori
New Jersey Hurricanes striker Logan Hart is an international soccer star who plays hard on and off the field. Gorgeous, rich, and single, he has the perfect life.That is until a former one night stand hands him a baby, claiming it’s his, and disappears. Logan doesn’t know the child is really his or not and has no idea how to care for her. His sister puts a call into a nanny service. Logan’s all for handing off this new responsibility to more capable hands so he can get back to his single ways but when the sexy, blond, take no prisoners nanny shows up and informs him she is the nanny, not the parent, and his participation is non-negotiable, Logan finds himself looking for more than just a new notch on his bedpost…he wants to win her heart.
Isabella Bennett takes pride in her career as a professional nanny. Using her skills, she not only cares for the children of the rich and famous but also helps to teach the parents how to become a family. Logan and his child desperately need Isabella but their mutual attraction could create some problems. Isabella is there to whip Logan into shape, not fall into his bed. As the chemistry between them only continues to bloom, Isabella finds herself hoping that this is the real thing. But a secret Isabella is keeping may be the one thing that stops her from finally getting her happily ever after.
Hard to Hold is the first in a new sports based romance contemporary series by Katie Rose.An appealing premise and cover piqued my interest right away. I enjoy sport based romances and I’m always looking for more secret/surprise baby tropes that don’t follow the norm. Rose sets the stage right off the bat with a bold scene and narrative. Our hero, Logan Hart, is home from Europe and having a drink with a teammate. A young woman interrupts Logan’s night out, handing him a baby and informing him he is the baby’s father and she’s done. Logan is shocked and tries to chase after her but she drives off before he can stop her. Logan heads home, calls his sister, and proceeds to freak out. And rightly so. His sister helps him out by putting him in touch with a professional nanny service send over a nanny who instantly sets to right the chaos that has descended, winning his admiration, trust, and eventually his heart.
This lightweight predictable story hits all the basic notes for a romance but doesn’t develop beyond a singular level. This surprised me because I read and reviewed The Heat is On, #4 in her Bad Boys of Summer series, and enjoyed it. I found the overall romance and storyline much better developed and balanced in comparison to this one.
An antagonistic employee/employer relationship develops and trips along with a wee bit of angst, humor, and some push and pull in the romance. Logan sees a beautiful woman he’d like to get to know better but has no ambition towards making it something more permanent while Isabella sees a gorgeous abet arrogant man who needs to to be taken down a notch. They dance around each other as Logan learns how to be a parent while dealing with the team, the gossip, and locating the baby’s mom.
The chemistry is plausible and helped along by some steamy scenes but the connection is weak. Isabella seems determined to keep Logan firmly in “player” category though there is no evidence of this besides second hand gossip. I was also not happy with her presumptions about his having one night stands and obviously not using a condom. Logan struggles with crossing the line between them, knowing he needs her more for his child then his bed. When they decide to go forward, he stops them at a critical point and she ends up taking it personally. They don’t really seem to get to know one another on a personal level, and I never saw the moment it went from attraction to affection for either of them.
The best part of the book for me was watching Logan grow into parenthood. He doesn’t instantly take to the baby and there was a sense of realism there. The confusion and fear were evident and Logan learns to deal with it while growing to love his child. There was a small storyline concerning Logan that didn’t seem to offer much in ways advancement in the book or his character. Logan suffers under the care of a host family while in Europe as a teenager and resents his parents didn’t believe his claims. Interesting but there is no resolution and it disappears as quietly as it enters. A minor conflict concerning Isabella’s secret is the catalyst that pushes Isabella to trust Logan and we are left with the HEA we never doubted was coming.
Hard to Hold is sure to appeal to fans who enjoy predictably sweet and lightweight romance contemporaries with a hint of spice that doesn’t push any real boundaries or demand much emotionally.
Grade: C
Recent Reviews:
Publishers Weekly
Becky M Moe
Goodreads I Author Website I Series List
Leave a Reply