Review by Leah for Love Romance Books

I was asked by the author for an honest review.

3 Stars

Welcome back to Miami and Panic in the second installment of Sidney Halston's Panic Series. I read the first book as an ARC and was very impressed with it. Unfortunately, this book didn't quite hit the mark for me. This book predates the first book by about 18 month and we get some of the backstory prior to the Federal bust at the club. "June", actually April, an undercover detective, was not only on the case, but the one to actually gain entry into the upper reaches of the business. All she had to do was sex-up Matt, one of the owners and a lawyer, as her way in, but she disappeared just before Matt's world came crashing down. Fast forward one year after those events and Matt almost makes her on the street; things are about to get real.

I thought the premise of the story was good, but April's affliction seemed contrived. I think the author floundered and had to figure out an illness or event that would add authenticity and a way to force Matt and April into close proximity for an extended time. While what happened is possible, I expect Police Officers, especially those that had been undercover for some time, to have better situational awareness. As to the characters themselves, Matt's missing of the clues while April was undercover is understandable. Those in love, especially the first bloom therein, have a tendency to now see what is in front of them. I was surprised by Nick's, Matt's brother, reaction and calm acceptance of the events that transpired though. Overall, it wasn't a bad book, but Pull Me Close definitely outshone Make Me Stay.

Ughhhh!! I love this series! Matt he was so loving and he fell fast for June/April so much so that I was shocked. He hasn't dated before June/April. I don't know if I could have forgiven June/April b/c it's just so much hurt that was caused even though it wasn't really her fault. The was Matt treated her was understandable. I want more of this series. The only reason it's not 5 stars is because one sentence they would be in a restaurant and then jump right to the bar. But it's an unedited version so that's understandable. Thank you for allowing me to review.

Make Me Stay
Panic #2
Sidney Halston
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This is Matt and April's story. Matt meets April while she is undercover. Although he doesn't know that she is an undercover cop. He falls for her but she is gathering evidence against his dad.
After disappearing for a year, April returns to Miami and runs into Matt. Matt finally puts two and two together after seeing a news report. He is so angry with April.
April gets attacked and now has amnesia. Matt takes her home to help her heal and recover her memory. Even though he still hates her for what she did. After spending more time with her, Matt realizes he is still in love with her.

This was such a cute romance. I enjoyed reading this one. I will be recommending this to my reader friends. Can't wait for the next Panic story to come out.

Thanks to NetGalley for the arc in exchange for my honest review.

When I met Matt in Pull Me Closer, I loved him and I couldn't wait to read his story. The story was totally worth the wait! I don't want to give any spoilers about the actual story, so I'm going to make this brief. The writing and story was perfect. I loved reconnecting with the characters that we met in Pull Me Closer, although you could read this as a stand alone book. Matt turns out to be the guy that I imagined him being and I fell head over heals for him as he works through so tough things. Great read!!!

This is the second book in the Panic series and this time it's Matt's story. We got a teaser from the last book and I'm very intrigued. We start out by getting a glimpse of the girl Matt is looking for and we get a intro on their past. Right away there was something fishy for me, I had guesses, waiting for the shoe to drop. Being so invested I felt hurt for Matt also a big oh no when it gets revealed.

The story resumes when we find out why she was missing. After it's all said and done Matt's anger about being betrayed is understandable I would be too. It feels like a huge kick that everything you felt was a lie or was it? They had something good from the brief intro, it was genuine despite the hidden things. Then when it all turns around it's a eye opener. The conflicted emotions is normal and I wasn't expecting that but it was right that they start on a cleaner fresh slate even if it was awkward at first.

I really liked Matt he had his shortcomings but he was truly a good solid guy. He has moments of vulnerability but is sincere. Despite everything I like April fiery and confident. I had moments I felt for her too, her job was not easy and you can't help you feelings. They didn't have an easy go of things but you could tell it was real. I liked hearing an update of Nico and Katie plus their other friends.

Forgiveness is hard but maybe needed to move on. Maybe this time even form something new. Focus on the now and really try to get past it all. I really liked the mystery element that you don't know what's going on but your suspicions are there. I'm really liking how not so typical this series is in terms of theme the heroine having a disabilities of some sort and how they overcome it. The setting revolves around the club owners and that lifestyle. The author has a way of capturing my attention and the creative side of the story makes it interesting. I'm curious on the next book after that little teaser.

Unfortunately the book was not for me, no review was publicly posted on Amazon, B&N, Goodreads or Twitter etc, so no ratings were affected in relation to it

Matt Moreno dreads each day as he works all week at his law firm then all weekend at his family's night club. Then he met and fell hard for June Simpson. For the 5 blissful months they were together Matt had never been happier. Then she just disappeared. Gone without a word. Now 2 years later his life is completely different. His father is in prison. He was fired from the firm. The night club is barely hanging in there. Then he's certain he see's her again but she disappears into the crowd. Again! Then out of nowhere she turns up in his club with apologies and explanations Matt doesn't want to hear.

A fantastic story of forgiveness, love, and following your heart. While it's the second in a series it is easily read standalone. The characters are fantastic and the writing is great, making for a very entertaining book. I highly recommend this book.

I received a copy of this e-book and am voluntarily leaving my honest opinion.

This is Book 2 in the Panic series. This story is about Matt while the first was about his twin brother.

Matt is a lawyer but comes down on the weekends to help his brother and father with the club that dad owns. The club is called Panic and is a popular place in Miami. It's a pretty grueling schedule for Matt but he tries to help as much as he can.

Now Matt, he has no trouble finding companionship but he doesn't want anything steady since his life is so busy. That changes when he meets "June". She is at the club one night and another patron is demeaning to her so she dumps her drink on his head. This of course causes another whole set of problems but Matt is impressed by her.

She starts coming in a little more regularly and Matt takes full advantage of it. She is a pharmaceutical rep and is out of town quite a bit. They begin dating and really do have feelings for one another. After them being together for 5 and a half months, June disappears....

Then life gets worse. The club is raided and Matt, his brother and father are arrested for selling drugs and prostitution at Panic. The brothers are released and charges dropped but their father goes to prison for 20 years.

Matt is heartbroken and even hires PI's but no one can find her. A year later Matt sees a woman he swears is June... Matt has such a bad time, he is heartbroken by June leaving. All he does is drink and be miserable and his brother is pretty fed up. He actually tells Matt he must be losing his mind when Matt says he saw June.

June is really April...an undercover cop. When she comes back to town and Matt sees her, she knows she has to explain everything to him. She really does care for him... When she goes to see Matt, there isn't anything she can tell him that he will accept, especially when she was involved in the clubs bust. He really says horrible things to her in his anger and pain.

Then April is attacked and nearly killed and because of the trauma she doesn't know who she is. Dean, her friend and fellow officer is her next of kin but he has to start another case in a couple of weeks and he calls Matt who must now take care of her...

When I first started the book I said to myself, oh here we go...Matt is one of those shallow guys who can get any woman...but I soon changed my mind. Matt said he would never lie to June but June could never tell him the truth of who she was so you saw her trying to push him away and not be charmed by him...try not to like him you knew something was going on with her.

When Matt took over the care of April...this part could have been a book in itself! You have Matt trying to take care of a woman who lied to him about her very existence and then you have poor April who is lucky to be alive and has hardly any memories of her life. Matt has a hard time with his anger toward her but he can't really tell her why since she is so fragile and April can see something is wrong which frustrates her even more.

The writing was awesome, just wonderful!! I found myself teary more than once and heartbroken right along with the characters. They both have a lot of healing to do just to live life much less have a relationship.....

This is a MUST READ!!

If you read Pull Me Close you know the Moreno family, Matt and Nick are the owners of the hottest night club have a lot on their plate. We met Nick while he was struggling to handle his strung out girlfriend while managing the club when he falls for Katie. While he and Katie are starting their romance Matt is suffering his own drama. Matt's story is told in two parts, the first is before Nick and the second is after Nick and Katie. It explains why and how their dad ended up in prison and why Matt was spinning out of control. June/April was an intriguing character, charming, and mysterious. I had absolutely no clue what was happening until near the end of Part One, I was truly lost in their relationship and oblivious to everything else. Halston gave us a fabulous story with twists and turns, my heart broke a bit and them came back together. I found myself captivated by their chemistry and was invested in them a hundred percent. Can't wait for new comers Lola and Fox. I received my copy through Netgalley and have written this review voluntarily.

DNF @ 50%. Unfortunately this story isn't working for me.

I'm going to preface this review by saying I read book one in Halston's <i>Panic</i> series solely because I was approved for this title. So while I wasn't necessarily interested in book one, I <b>was</b> interested in book two. And I would not have thought that, of the two, book one would be the stronger, and more enjoyable, read. After PULL ME CLOSE went from having a lot of potential to having some problematic and 'it's not you, it's me' issues, it reinforced my thoughts that MAKE ME STAY was the better fit, story-wise. And so I'm <b>shocked</b> at how almost from the opening pages I was struggling with this one.

Book two takes place during events, and situations, that predate book as well as come after. I was looking forward to the backstory around the take down of the Moreno brothers' father, especially the cop who turned Matt's head, and what would happen when they reunited after he discovered she was undercover. And yet.. I didn't like any of it.

Despite the fact that he was my favourite of the two brothers in book one, I never found myself liking Matt. Didn't hate him but never warmed to him. So in that sense he did better than April/June.. who I did <b>not</b> like. After their reunion events occur that cause April to lose her memory, a plot direction that seems sorta like cheating to force a reconciliation between these two characters; we have Matt, who doesn't know who April really is, if "June" was all a lie, and now April doesn't even know herself.

Spoilers ahead.


However. I could maybe have moved past the amnesia plotline had the memory loss been consistent. Initially it's determined she remembers nothing from the last few years, yet the only clear memory she has is graduating the police academy.. ten years earlier. So, what is it, only two or three years lost (including the memory and identity of her undercover partner) or a whole decade gone? She also conveniently forgets her lifelong illness. So, that doesn't add up. Then, weeks later when she's adjusting, she makes a comment about always being athletic and not just to get through the police academy, and yet seems surprised she can fight..? You're a fucking cop.

Also, I'm no doctor, but should someone who is nearly beat to death, put in a coma due to fractures to her skull, be discharged after only two weeks..? And walking around fine and dandy a few days later? I feel like no.

I also didn't like that the "June" we knew through experiencing scenes with Matt when she was undercover comes across as the worst actress in the world. Shady, worried, hesitant, not smooth at all with some of the aspects of her coverstory. Yet in a few flashbacks we get via Matt's POV, of moments we never saw, there's none of that awkwardness. Is it the rose coloured glasses? Or was "June" just written poorly as a way to foreshadow the reveal of her fake persona? I don't know, but it was annoying, and made it hard to accept that this woman was somehow put undercover as an agent for this major drug take down. She could barely lie her way out of a wet paper bag.

<i>I wish I could remember. I want to give him some sort of reason. A justification for why I pretended to be someone else.</i>

Oh my god it isn't hard. You were undercover. He was your in to get to his father. This has been explained. The fact that this 'woe is me' angst was still being hashed over and over again at the 89% mark.. I have no words.

While I was looking forward to this middle installment in the <i>Panic</i> series I have to admit that this series, and this author, isn't for me. I won't be reading the final installment. I don't particularly enjoy her writing, find the dialogue to be pretty weak (especially the early exchanges between the brothers), found some transitions to be awkward (which may just be the ARC) and I'm just no longer interested. Especially as the brief glimpse of book three's couple did nothing to hook me for anything further.

Sorry, would not recommend.

1.5 stars

This is Matt Moreno‘s story & book two in Sidney Halston’s “Panic” series.
Matt & brother Nick run “Panic” a club in Miami. In book one we know that Matt fell in love with June and she just vanished one day. Shortly after June’s disappearance, the police raid the club. Matt’s dad is convicted of drug trafficking & imprisoned.
Over a year after book one ends Matt thinks he sees June walking on the street. We go back in time to when Matt & June first met & fell in love. We see June trying to hold back in the relationship but the physical & emotional chemistry wins out .Matt & June fall in love.
Back in the present June whose real name is April confronts Matt.. Matt is so hurt & angry on so many levels & April is devastated by Matt's reaction to her truths. April & Matt will have to forgive each other & themselves to find love again.
I loved book one & this one didn’t disappoint. The writing is crisp and the story flows well. Sidney Halston kept me engaged & emotionally invested in the outcome throughout. I found myself cheering for Matt & April to make it.
Thanks NetGalley!

I read the first book in this series earlier this year and absolutely loved it. When I heard the next book was about Matt I couldn't wait to get my hands on it, especially after that ending of book one. Let me tell you this second book didn't disappoint, in fact I actually enjoyed this book ten times more than the first. I loved Matt and Aprils story. Seeing them come back together after everything they both went through was truly beautiful and didn't gloss over any of the struggles of their relationship. I highly recommend this book to any and everyone. Thank you so much for providing and arc for me to read and I can't wait till the third book is released!!

Wow! I really enjoyed this book! This was my first Sidney Halston book and it certainly won't be my last. I have read a lot of romance and many of the story lines seem to be similar but I can say that this one is very different from anything I have ever read. What a great story! I don't want to give anything away because it would spoil things for you but believe me when I say this book has everything you love in a romance plus a lot more!! The chemistry between Matt & June is off the charts! They go through so much more than your average couple goes through and you will find yourself rooting so hard for them to get their HEA!! I know I was!

Thank you so much to Netgalley for the opportunity to read this ARC! I am so glad I took a chance on someone new to me!

Make Me Stay was such a good book. I loved watching the relationship roll out, with all the ups and downs between them. To see how each character dealt with the fallout and the working through things was amazing. This was truly a fantastic read and I highly recommend you read it.

Make Me Stay is the second book in the Panic series. Set in the hot, hip city of Miami, you are taken on a smoldering journey with April and Matt as they learn to love each other again after betrayal rocks their world. If you dare, enter a world of sex, drugs, and betrayal and expect to have your world rocked.


Make Me Stay is Matt’s story and one that I was eager to read. I loved Pull Me Close when I read it and I was really expecting to love Make Me Stay as much as Pull Me Close. While I didn’t love it as much as Pull Me Close, I still loved it.

Matt didn’t get off on such a great foot with me. His anger and trust issues almost ruined the book for me. I understand that April/June did a huge number on him by just walking out and not saying anything. I really do. And I can understand his anger when he sees her again. But, when she got injured and had no memory. Then his anger seemed, well petty because she couldn’t remember anything. I mean, she would do something and Matt would go off in a tizzy. I seriously wanted to reach through the book and smack some sense into him. Also, with him blaming her for getting his father arrested. Everyone, including his twin brother, tried to tell him that his father did that to himself (which he did) but it took an actual visit to his father to get it through his thick skull. What saved him from me not liking him totally was that he really, truly loved April/June and that he did push past most of those feelings to take her in when she was injured.

April/June, I liked. I understand what she did for a job, deep undercover, was not the perfect way to start a relationship with Matt. But, she did come back after her last case was solved to try to explain. She truly loved Matt, warts and all. I was devastated when she was attacked and lost her memory. She was so verunable and she knew something happened with Matt, she just didn’t know what. I also like that she had Crohn’s disease but she didn’t let it rule her life.

The sex scenes between Matt and April were beyond hot and I couldn’t get enough of it.

The ending was great and was a tear-jerker.

How many stars will I give Make Me Stay: 4

Why: Hot sex, great storyline, and great characters

Will I reread: Yes

Will I recommend to family and friends: Yes

Age range: Adult

Why: Sex, language, and violence

**I chose to leave this review after reading an advance reader copy**

Make me Stay by Sidney Halston was the second book I've read in the series and just as good as the first book if not better. Interesting plot with captivating characters. This author is going to an automatic buy author for me. Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for a honest review.

Make Me Stay is Matt's story [Nick's twin brother from Pull Me Close]. The story is written in two parts, the past and the present.

Matt is a hard working lawyer during the week and co-owner of Panic, a Miami nightclub, on the weekends. When he meets June/April one weekend whilst working, she rocks his world and leaves him questioning his lifestyle. Little does he know she carries a secret that will change everything... especially after she suddenly disappears then Matt, Nick and their dad are arrested.

When the couple is finally reunited in the present, it isn't exactly a happy reunion. Matt is hurt, full of hate, and seeking answers to his questions. But he also cannot deny how he feels about April.

There is a twist in this book that turned my little world upside. This couple will have to fight with everything they have to claw their way back.

This book was everything! Matt and April captivated me from the very first chapter and took me on an emotional journey. They were two people who really deserved to find love and happiness.

I love Sidney Halston and her writing. This is a great series so far and I can't wait for Foxes' story!

Make Me Stay is book two in the Panic Series. It can be read as a standalone, however I would read Pull Me Close first. The author writes about difficult situations, and how it affects a persons daily life. I found the story was interesting and so emotional. The characters Matt and April aka June were so good together, and they truly loved one another. I enjoyed this story and looking forward to the next book in this series.

This is an enthralling mix of second-chance romance paired with a tiny bit of suspense along with character growth. This is the second in Halston’s series revolving a Miami nightclub, Panic, run by two hunky twin brothers. The book is divided into two, or actually four, parts. The earlier part is about the growing romance between Matt, one of the nightclub owners, and June a semi-mysterious woman who shows up at nightclub. We see them fall in love, but can sense that June is holding something back. She’s hiding that she’s an undercover police officer looking into drug trafficking through the nightclub.

Partway through the book she disappears and Matt is heartbroken. Then he find out who she really was, not a dark-haired woman named June, but a blonde named April working for the team that got him and his brother arrested and their father sent to jail. He’s furiously angry and hurt. Eventually, through an unforeseen plot twist, he comes to understand a bit more of her side, but still can’t find his way to forgiving her and she can’t find her way to forgiving herself.

The reader hangs on to find out how these two damaged people can find their way back to their very real love for each other. And I certainly enjoyed the ride and could barely put the book down.

I would have liked a little more about April’s job as an undercover policewoman. How did she get to that job and how tough is she since she never comes across as all that tough in the book. Plus I wasn’t clear on why this was a police job and not a job for the FBI. And then she goes off to work in LA. Why would a Miami-Dade policewoman have a job in another state? And what was she really doing as an undercover job at Panic besides planting bugs? We’re never shown any of that, but just told that she was working to prove that Matt and his twin brother Nick weren’t in on their father’s drug dealing. Despite these plot holes, I thoroughly enjoyed the book and am already looking forward to the next book in the series.

I was given a free ARC of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.