Wren returns to Crowley and she goes to her sister’s Bennie’s record store and goes to her sister. Bennie was the bright spot in Wren’s life. Wren throws herself into Bennie’s wren throws herself into Bennie’s arms. Wren had been gone for three years when Bennie asks Wren how long she would be there she answered she didn’t know why she just felt she should be there. The only communication between Bennie and Wren had been random postcards from Wren and Bennie had no way to get a hold of Wren.It was so strange and familiar being back. Wren thought she would never step foot back in Crowley again. Wren thought she could handle anything but all it took was one possessive abusive boyfriend- Dylan- to show her just how little she was. Bennie’s employee is Preston who is gorgeous in Wren’s opinion but he took over Wren’s job and apartment but he was odd. When emptying her bag her bag Wren finds a gps tracker. Wren tries to not think of Dylan knowing where she is or him coming there. Preston is such a mystery to Wren. Wren does get Preston to take her to Franklin with him as she needed some essentials to add to her wardrobe. Wren thought she saw Dylan but when she looked again he wasn’t there. Preston needs order and control as he has a severe case of OCD and struggles with life everyday. Even though Wren is more of a tornado then the order and control Preston needs to get through the day yet somehow she brought some peace to Preston. But Preston did like Wren and did like being around her and slowly grew feelings for her. Wren was attracted to Preston yet she accepted the way he was and didn’t try to change him. I enjoyed this book, At times it dragged some for me. It was definitely a different type of book. I did like the plot. I also thought this was well written. I really liked how the romance built slowly and built especially with Preston and wren being such opposites I also really liked how Wren grew as the book went on. I loved Preston’s poems at the end of the chapters it gave us insight to what he was thinking and feeling. I also loved how Wren didn’t try to change Preston just accepted him. I love the characters and the ins and outs of this story and I recommend.

At 18, Wren left her small town behind in her search for adventure and to see this world. She opts to come back 3 years later after getting involved with the wrong guy. Preston works works at her sister's music store. He happens to grab her attention. 
I really liked Preston and I thought he was portrayed very well (from his mannerisms to how he get through each day). Preston has OCD. What kept me reading was Preston. I liked his poetry at the end of each chapter (I think there was 1 that didn't have any). 
Wren, on the other hand, was immature. Yes, I did like her by the end of the book, but it took me the whole book to get there. I didn't like how she treated her sister Bennie. She's gone for 3 years, arrives (not having told Bennie) and acted surprised when she didn't have her job/apartment any more. While she on "on the road," her sister had no way to contact her. Wren shrugs it off because she sent post cards! Well, that's just ducky! Wren's expectation of honestly was also annoying because she wasn't honest either. Pot. Calling. Kettle. Black.
Wren *did* get better as the book went on and I did like how she would try to protect Bennie from their toxic parents. 

eARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing and NetGalley.
Publishes on Dec 11th

****Full Review****

 

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

 

Kat is on the run, accused of murdering her stepfather and out on bail she decides Canada sounds better than a lifetime in jail. On the road Kat finds herself behaving and doing things she never would have thought herself capable of before. Only one man has been able to catch up with her, a bounty hunter she calls Steel because of his hard grey eyes and refusal to tell her his real name. Steel has been in the game a long time and plans on retiring after he collects this last bounty. The only problem is the closer to giving Kat up the more he doesn't want to. It becomes a game of who captured who and who will save who?

This story is written in first person pov with chapters alternating between Kat and Steel, this is not my favorite writing technique and is a personal prejudice that probably added to a lower rating, I feel it disrupts the flow of the story. If this doesn't bother you then please consider that when looking at my rating. The author also has a tendency to write with lyrical prose, very over descriptive and flowery, which I didn't really connect with. The suspense side of the story had a broad arc that was intriguing and good but some of the finer points were missing. The USB key around Kat's neck is mentioned sporadically throughout alerting the reader it is probably important but not until the very end is it explained and utilized in the story. Also, Kat is said to be a computer genius but her or Steel never take a moment to sit down and think about how they keep getting tracked down, seems like something people on the run would focus on. These were just two examples of the problem I had with the storyline, solid connecting puzzle pieces were left out in favor of creative writing side tangent ones.

The relationship between Kat and Steel worked better for me. Steel was alluring with his distant, hard, and cool personality. Kat is in her early twenties (Steel is in his early thirties) and their age difference with Kat's good-natured, pop culture spouting, light attitude ,and personality appeal mightily to his tired world weary soul. It is clear they both sense something in the other that each other needs and wants, Steel and his strength and Kat with her humanity. They play well off of one another, if not quite delving too far below the surface. This is in the vein of a New Adult so while Kat and Steel are extremely attracted to each other the sex scenes are muted.

There is an abrupt ending with everything wrapped up far too cleanly but also satisfactorily. There are a lot of hands in the pot, clingy ex-girlfriend, psycho sister-in-law, mother murder drama, and competing bounty hunter that fill out the puzzle, if not entirely click together. Held Against You is a quick read with a mysterious, sexy, and dangerous lead male that will capture your attention even if the surrounding story falls a bit short.

This story is written in first person pov with chapters alternating between Kat and Steel, this is not my favorite writing technique and is a personal prejudice that probably added to a lower rating; I feel it disrupts the flow of the story. The author also has a tendency to write with lyrical prose, very over descriptive and flowery, which I didn't really connect with. The relationship between Kat and Steel worked best for me, they play well off of one another if not quite delving too far below the surface. Held Against You is a quick read with a mysterious, sexy, and dangerous lead male that will capture your attention even if the surrounding story falls a bit short.

Full Review to be posted (Jan 7) closer to publication date.

For how over wordy and descriptive this has been so far, the sex scene was disappointingly short and lackluster :/