Holding Out for a Holiday Hero by Cynthia Eden-review

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ABOUT THE BOOK: Release Date November 26, 2024

A holiday romance with a dash of romantic suspense and a former military hero who is so not feeling the festive spirit…

Bah humbug. Bounty hunter Jake Hale hates Christmas. He doesn’t do twinkling lights, festive packages, and you definitely won’t ever catch him singing Christmas carols. What he will do? Track down the worst of the scum out there. The former special ops soldier makes merry by tossing the naughty into prison cells and getting a grand pay day. Ho, ho, ho.

Then a ghost from Christmas past walks through his door.

True Blakely is always at the top of the nice list. Beautiful, sweet, with an innocence that—yep, he might have been tempted to destroy once or twice—she’s there to hire him. There have been a string of dangerous accidents in her life, and True fears that someone is trying to kill her. Not at all the sort of case that Jake would usually take—he hunts down the criminals after they jump bail, not before they’ve even been arrested. But one look into True’s bedroom eyes, and he can’t refuse. Maybe he still is a bit too tempted by the girl who got away…and surely one nice act won’t kill him? For her, he can play the hero.

He’ll close the case and be home in time for Christmas dinner.

Except, on the first morning of his investigation, he finds a dead body. One waiting underneath True’s glittering Christmas tree. The attacks are real, and it’s clear that someone is gunning for True. But Jake is on the job now, and no one is going to hurt her. His protective instincts are in overdrive…and so is the desperate desire that he’s always felt for True. This time, he’s done fighting that desire. He’ll finally show True just how fantastic it can be when you aren’t nice. Welcome to his naughty list.

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REVIEW:HOLDING OUT FOR A HOLIDAY HERO by Cynthia Eden is a stand alone, contemporary, adult, romantic suspense story line focusing on former special ops soldier turned bounty hunter Jake Hale, and museum curator True Blakely.

Told from dual omniscient third person perspectives (True and Jake) HOLDING OUT FOR A HOLIDAY HERO focuses on the protection of our story line heroine. Approximately one year earlier, museum curator True Blakely returned to her home town in the wake of her divorce. Fast forward to present day True believes she has a stalker, and local law enforcement refuse to investigate in the wake of no solid evidence and a perception of coincidence. With no other choice, True contacts a former high school acquaintance, a man who knows how to track people down. Enter bounty hunter Jake Hale, the man with whom True will fall in love. Jake struggles with his reaction to the woman in question, the woman who controls all his fantasies and dreams but when they find a dead body under True’s Christmas tree, all bets are off, when Jake becomes True’s guardian, protector and happily ever after. Jake doesn’t believe himself a hero but he is the only line of defense between True, and the person taking aim at our story line heroine.

The world building focuses on the protection of True Blakely, and the search for a killer. Strange incidents , all placing True in dangerous situations, forces Jake to claim our heroine as his own but with no potential suspects , everyone in True’s radar becomes a suspect until the killer is caught. Jake has never considerer himself a hero but as he story line progresses, more than one person is witness to his true acts of heroism.

The relationship between True and Jake is an opposites attract. Jake dislikes the Christmas holidays, a Grinch by observation, and True is all about the decorating and celebration. Unable to return home, Jake demands True remain by his side, including staying at his place for the foreseeable future. A lifelong confession by Jake finds our heroine falling for the man who has stolen her heart. The $ex scenes are intimate and passionate without the use of over the top, sexually graphic language and text.

The secondary and supporting characters include several co-workers and security at the local museum, as well as over extended and over worked Detective Harris Avery, True’s ex-husband Richard, and Jake’s intrepid and eager professional assistant Perry Cornwell.

HOLDING OUT FOR A HOLIDAY HERO is a story of betrayal and vengeance, friendships and relationships, acceptance and love. The premise is intriguing, dramatic and captivating; the romance is passionate and seductive; the characters are desperate, charismatic and determined.

Copy supplied for review

Reviewed by Sandy