This was a nice read with a good plot and likeable characters, the story flowed nicely. A good read but it didn’t blow me away

Reviews by the Wicked Reads Review Team

Avid Reader – ☆☆☆
M/M Romance

This is a sweet story where Shane is trying to figure out how to juggle being at work and co-parenting his three kids with his ex-husband, Leo. When a bad storm hits the town where Shane lives and works, he has no choice but to head towards the destruction to try and save the equipment.

Aaron is a firefighter who loves his job, but it's a poor substitute to what he used to do – smoke jumper. Despite being unable to jump any more, he still loves saving people and being a firefighter. He isn't into family time and doesn't do long term relationships, but he's willing to take the hot guy to bed who he met at the job.

Aaron and Shane have a somewhat youthful relationship. Shane is secretive with his kids and Aaron isn't sure this is a relationship he wants. Leo is Shane's ex-husband and truly wants Shane to find someone to love. It's a good story where family comes together to support each other and new relationships take off, but overall, it lacked chemistry and an organic development of the relationship.

Despite it being a sweet story where there is a happy ending, I thought that there needed to be more "grownup" dialogue between the two main characters – it just had young adult feeling to it.


Erica – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars

Get a Grip is the 19th installment in the Bluewater Bay series. The series features standalone titles by various authors, which can be read out of order or as a standalone with little to no confusion. The town setting and the production of Wolf's Landing are the connecting factors in the series.

I'm a sucker for second-chance romance, especially dealing with divorce or widowed characters. I enjoy the more mature approach to relationships and romance, expecting an emotionally mature character. Toss in kids, some pets, and a firefighter and I'm sold on the story. (I was a volunteer in a department for fifteen years, so I'm always drawn to stories featuring that aspect of my former life.)

In his mid-thirties, Shane is a divorced (two times) father of three, and he's a bisexual man ready to get back into the dating scene now that his kids are getting older. Aaron's a volunteer firefighter in his mid-forties, but he owns a garage. Mother nature intervenes, drawing the two men together.

Get a Grip was sweet and fluffy, an easy read that was a great escape. So why not give out 4 or 5 stars?

With this being a second-chance (or more) romance, involving a man in his mid-30s and one in his mid-40s, with three children involved, I expected more maturity from life experience. Their interactions, actions and reactions, and speech patterns, were suited more for late teenagers or young men in their early twenties.

My tastes run more toward building tension, making the characters work for the climax, but they are instantly infatuated with one another, giving into lust quickly after meeting. While Witt delivers the steam, to me, it just felt like it was 'the end' before it began, leaving little room for character development.

The epilogue comes out of nowhere and feels slightly rushed, but it left me with a sense of the warm and fuzzies.

I'm a fan of the series, and look forward to more. However, it's hit or miss with me when it comes to L.A. Witt. I either gush fangirl praise or find the book middle of the road. That doesn't mean it wasn't worthy as a novel, or that I didn't enjoy it, just that it didn't resonate with me, not leaving a lasting impression.


Sarah – ☆☆☆
3.5 stars

Firefighter Aaron and Wolf’s Landing grip Shane meet when a storm causes damage to Shane’s set. The attraction is immediate but life gets in the way of a relationship between these two.

I’m slightly conflicted about this one. I like that it is a story about grownups with complicated lives. These guys both have demanding jobs and their schedules don’t always coordinate. Shane has kids and ex-partners. As a reader of a similar age, this is a refreshingly realistic story.

However, I tend to read romance as an escape from the adult responsibilities in my own life. Arranging dates around ex-husbands and babysitters isn’t terribly sexy. Kids and work commitments preventing sex? Also not sexy – and far too realistic. I’m also guessing that anyone who has ever been a single parent will cringe with sympathy at Shane’s attempts at online dating.

For older guys with life experience, these two are both still pretty terrible at relationships. Their communication skills are pretty awful and they are both far too old for the ‘no commitment’ nonsense.

This isn’t one of my favourite LA Witt books. It was a sweet story and a quick read but I felt it lacked chemistry, passion, and romantic tension.


Veronica – ☆☆☆☆
First off, I loved this book. I found it seriously hot. The chemistry between Aaron and Shane is off the charts. In preparing to write the review I was trying to think of why I clicked with this story. It is well written but isn't a new story to me. Two guys who want a no-strings attached affair that end up wanting more. Plenty of stories out there along similar lines.

Then I realised Shane was the reason I was so sucked into this book. Shane becomes a parent young and is now a single dad to three kids who are starting to grow up. Twice divorced, he is now wanting to go out and have the kind of fun he missed out on when he was young. That I can relate to. As a parent whose child is soon to hit adulthood, I understood Shane and had a ball living vicariously through him. There was plenty to like around Aaron too. He is a volunteer fireman and an animal lover and I adored the way he treated and interacted with his fur babies.

Get a Grip is another great Bluewater Bay novel.

Read it it too many bits - like a few pages at a time over too long a time - so didn't end up finishing. What I read I liked a lot, always love LA, but I just couldn't face nearly starting it from scratch. Will do that at some point, but not now

Cover Love: I can really image these guys as Alex and Shane.
Shane is thirty-something father of three that has never had a chance to sow his wild oats. he took responsibility of his daughter at the age of 19 when his boys came along a few years later. Two divorces in and he is ready to live but still feels guilty having the children home or with his ex-husband. Then a tree falls on the sounds stage at Wolf's landing where he is a grip.

Alex is in his forties but sworn off relationships. He is retired from fire-jumping, owns his own garage, works part-time as a volunteer fireman. He finds his release on apps like Grindr.

I liked both of these characters. Of course, a man like Shane is swoon-worthy putting his kids first. Even though it's not a major difference in age it is there and I love this trope. The story itself is good, the sex hot and as with any LA Witt book its worth a read!

Shane doesn't have time to be looking for love so soon after his divorce, and with three kids and a busy job. When a tree gets knocked on the soundstage at Wolf's Landing, and firefighter Aaron shows up, Shane is knocked for a loop. Shane wants a relationship and Aaron just wants to have fun, but as they spend more time together, what they want start to change. When Aaron is ready to make a commitment to Shane, all Shane wants is to have some fun. Add in kids that know something is going on, but not being told, and its a tale for misfortune and losing out on a chance for love.

Another Bluewater Bay book that I enjoyed.

2.5-3 Stars

When I requested this book I was looking for another L.A. Witt book I could fall in love with. I seem to be having a hard time with her books lately. I just can't seem to connect with them. What He Left Behind and Just Drive so far have been the 2 that I really enjoyed.

I'll just dive right into my review.. This was an ok read. It started off slow for me. It took a little while for it to grab my attention. But it seemed to come in waves. It would pick up and then slow down....pick up again then slow down. That was hard for me.

Shane & Aaron had some serious chemistry. The sex between them was pretty hot. But what killed it for me was Shane wanting to relive his twenties again. He wanted to to do all the things he didn't get to do because he became a dad at a young age.
The whole trying to be wild again and wanting to do a threesome really wasn't doing it for me. Then we have the whole Shane running from Aaron thing. I was hoping for them to be a little more mature than they were.

I don't think this was the book to get me out of my L.A. Witt book funk. I really wasn't feeling this book. But, I will still stick it our with her books. I know there is one out there that I will fall in love with!

L.A. Witt has become one of those authors I know I can rely on to write a solid story at the least, and another favorite at best. I think Get a Grip might be somewhere close to the latter. It wasn't my favorite but I also had a hard time putting it down. Which is often the case with books by this author. And I found this to be a great addition to the Bluewater Bay series!

The books where the main characters are so stubborn and blind that they don't realise they already have feelings for each other - when they're still like "no feelings; just sex", but the reader can spot that denial a mile away? Those are some of my faves. I really love that trope because it's so much fun and I love the anticipation when the characters finally realize that there's something.
So, Get a Grip was right up my alley and definitely delivered on that.

The main characters couldn't be any more different. Aaron, the eternal bachelor, a adrenaline junkie who craves what others shy away from, and Shane, the father of three who never had the chance to be wild in his twenties because he became a father at quite a young age. He's divorced for the second time and really isn't looking for anything permanent, so when he meets Aaron he seems like the perfect guy to have fun with. I love these "they don't fit, but then they're perfect for each other" kind of stories.
They first meet when Aaron helps to clean up a fallen tree on set of Wolf's Landing. While there's attraction there, they don't act on it because of the uncertainity if the other is interested too. But later that evening they come across each other's Grindr profiles - I guess I don't have to say what happens next. ;)

I loved their chemistry and their easy banter. Both agree to have a friends with benefits kind of arangement but of course, feelings happen. The whole time I sat there holding my kindle, grinning like a fool and turning the pages as fast as possible.

One thing I absolutely adored about this story was that there was no evil-ex. Shane was on good terms with his ex, and said ex was still involved in the kids life despite not being related to that. We don't see that often enough in romance! Give me the ex-spouses who are still friends with each other. Who are not backstabbing assholes using the kids as bargaining chips!

I loved how Shane put his kids first in everything - although I did want to shake him when he just wouldn't see that being with Aaron was a good thing! But alas, they got their happy end, and I was thoroughly satisfied by it. Most definitely recommended!

What's it's about:
If a tree falls in Bluewater Bay . . . could it be fate?

A year after his divorce, Shane Andrews isn’t interested in dating—not that he has time, between three kids and a demanding job as a grip. When a windstorm knocks a tree onto one of the Wolf’s Landing soundstages, Shane’s there to help with the mess . . . and so is firefighter Aaron Tucker.

A former smoke jumper, Aaron’s an adrenaline junkie and way too restless and reckless to be relationship material. As far as he’s concerned, monogamy is for penguins, and he’d rather be alone than tied down. Signing up to be a stepparent? No, thank you.

But after a scorching-hot night together, they’re hooked. Aaron is a taste of the excitement Shane’s been lacking, and Shane’s pushing buttons Aaron didn’t know he had. The more they’re together, the less Aaron craves wild nights with other men . . . but the more Shane wants to play the field like he never got to in his twenties.

This could be the love neither man knew he needed, but only if Shane gets his feet back on the ground before Aaron walks away

My thoughts
A steamy hot romance,
At all I can say about it,now I need to get the rest of the series, with that said I want to think NetGalley for the chance finding a new series I actually want to read .

I really liked this one. It's was a cute M/M love story, complete with horrible puns. What's not to love? The characters were likable and the story was simple, but sweet. I would recommend it.

Get a grip doesn't mean what I thought it meant...

I was actually going to take a pass on this one. I'm not even really sure why probably more a case of 'so many books, so little time'. Anyways, somewhere along the way during my reading of 'Three Player Game' book #20, this one keep niggling at my brain and I peeked at it more than a couple of times finally deciding that if I was going to spend this much time reading the blurb and starting at the cover, I needed to read the book and just get it done.

What I discovered was that I would have missed out on a really good story if I'd kept to my original plan and skipped this one. Sometimes changing your mind really is a good idea.

Shane's works as a 'grip' on the set of 'Wolf's Landing', he's bi and the father of 3 a teenage daughter and twin boys. It's been a long time since he's dated and after his last divorce he's decided that his relationships needed to be attachment free.

Aaron own's a local garage, he's a volunteer firefighter and adrenaline junkie. He's also a confirmed bachelor who belongs to a large dog named Jack and three cats...Snowball, Oreo and Tiger and luckily he likes his relationships attachment free as well. It's a match made in heaven, right?

Or at least it should be. But when what you think you want suddenly becomes what you have and the last thing you need. Things can get a little confusing. Shane just wants some no strings attached sex and the chance to relive his youth...the one that he missed because he was busy being a single dad raising his kids. But now that they're getting older and don't need him there quite as much...maybe, it's time for Shane to take a walk on the wild side.

When Aaron shows up on the Wolf's Landing sound stage following a storm that's done some serious damage. Both men are interested but work is neither the time nor the place in either of their opinions. Later that day when Aaron spots Shane on Grindr, Aaron's surprise is quickly replaced with renewed interest leading to what's suppose to be a one time hook-up that quickly turns into more taking things from one-time to as often as they can.

My biggest reservation with this one was that it was going to be over the top sex that would have me rolling my eyes and the story getting lost because of it...not an unrealistic expectation given that this relationship is very much a 'lust-at-first-sight' situation. But sometimes ya just gotta' have faith and I've read enough L. A. Witt books lately that I've really enjoyed to realize I should have known better.

Shane and Aaron definitely have their share of sexy times but I'm good with the how the author handled this. Not all the sex is on page, or given in totally graphic detail, but don't panic, we're given some very good sexy times with these two. The not graphic and off page is well balanced with the hot, steamy times that are very much present and on page and along with this we're given two men getting to know each other. Sharing time together that doesn't always involve getting naked but talking and cuddling and kissing these two love to kiss...which for me can be every bit as hot and sexy as getting naked when there's hearts involved.

I loved Shane and Aaron. I loved that they were both older. Shane is in his 40s and Aaron is in his early 30s, so they've both been around for a while and have a bit of life experience under their belts. I was thoroughly take with their relationship from how it started to how it grew and changed and ultimately how things came to be resolved between them. it was a hard earned HEA for these two and one that I was so happy to see them finally get.

'Get a Grip' is book #20 in the Bluewater Bay series and while I've only read 11 of them (including this one)...yes, I have some catching up to do and I'm looking forward to it. I've enjoyed reading this series and although it goes against my 'must read in order' compulsion I've come to really appreciate how easily these books can be read out of order and still fully enjoyed.

Get a Grip is a hot, satisfying read. Shane is a divorced man with 3 kids who's finally ready to date, or at least do something other than work and take care of his kids. When he meets a hot, older man on the set of the movie he's a grip for, he finally feels something. Imagine his surprise when he gets a message on his Grindr app from Aaron.

Aaron is older, in his 40s, a volunteer firefighter and owner of a garage. He loves animals and is a total sweetheart. But, he's commitment phobic. That's fine with Shane, at first, because all he wants is to have some fun. Until it's not fine with Aaron, until he realizes that Shane and his kids and the whole relationship thing is actually something he wants, wants badly. But, can he get Shane to want that too? With him? Or is Shane loving his single status too much, finally being able to let loose and have some fun?

I really liked Get a Grip. It's hot, it's sweet and both Shane and Aaron are great characters. I like that they're older and more experienced. And I love that Shane has a good relationship with his exes. As much fan as ex drama is, seeing a character with stable relationships with his exes is a breath of fresh air. And of course it's always fun watching a former player being brought to his knees by love the way that Aaron is.

~ 4.5 Stars ~

A hook up that became the real deal. We’ve seen this trope many times, but when it’s done right it’s one of my favorite themes. In this book, it’s absolutely done right! There is no rush. Their deal is clear and at first it works just fine. When feelings come out to play, it happens in stages and not unexpectedly and out of the blue.

In the beginning, Shane was a bit all over the place, not knowing what he wanted and unable to decide how he felt about a casual arrangement. He changed his mind all the time, even in the course of a single dialogue, and I struggled to follow his thought process. I guess it was a understandable, as he found himself with a bit of freedom and the ability to be a little wild for the first time in his life.

Aaron, even though he was seeking adrenaline and excitement, read as the more grounded of the two. He knew what he wanted and was able to communicate it to Shane. He was content with how his life had turned out, and was happy with his choices.

I enjoyed reading this book, and I liked the MCs as well as the side characters. I liked that Shane’s kids had a role in the story, and weren’t just names thrown around. Shane spent time with them on page, and interacted with them. I would have liked more scenes with them and Aaron in the same room, though. The fact that Shane was able to be friends with his exes made me like him even more. Leo was an amazing person, from what little we got to see of him. I will read his story in a heartbeat if it’s ever told. I liked his relationship with the kids and the fact that he wanted and managed to remain in their lives after the divorce from Shane. As a bonus, this book has a huge, adorable boxer-mix named Jack, who loves to cuddle and has a whip for a tail. It also has three cats, but Jack’s presence overshadowed all other pets. What can I say? I’m a dog person, so he stole the show whenever he was in a scene.

At times, I had trouble remembering who was supposed to narrate the chapter I was reading. The story is told in the first person, and the narrator changes in every chapter. Their voices were pretty similar, so I often had to turn back and reread dialogue in order to understand who was saying what. It bothered me a bit and frustrated me because I was pulled out of the story, but in the end, it didn’t do much damage to the story. What I didn’t like was the ending. It felt rushed and like everything was neatly tied with a big red bow in order for the characters to find their HEA. I wanted to see more of them as a committed couple trying to merge their lives together. With kids, pets, friends, jobs and exes in the mix, it would have been an interesting process to witness. I also wanted to see Aaron trying to win the trust and acceptance of Shane’s kids instead of just getting it.

If I could have, I would have read this in one sitting. I kept wanting to find out if Shane was going to sow the wild oats that he wanted to so much. The fun part is that I couldn’t decide if I wanted him to succeed or not. I think I liked reading about his fantasies, but didn’t want to see him actually making them come true. I won’t tell you if he experienced everything he wanted to, because that’s one of the things that I wanted to keep reading and find out for myself. I will tell you, though, that he had Aaron with him for the ride…

Reviews shared on Goodreads, B & N, Amazon, and V's Reads: https://vsreads.com/2017/08/03/true-love-get-a-grip-a-review/

This is a book in the Bluewater Bay Universe, but enjoyable as a standalone.

Shane is a twice-divorced bisexual father of three kids. He’s tight with his previous ex, Leo, who still acts as stepfather to the kids, though non of them are his blood. (COOL GUY!!) Shane’s been celibate for over a year when he meets Aaron on the Wolf’s Landing set following a big storm that sent a tree crashing into the production studio. Aaron’s an experienced firefighter who volunteers on Bluewater Bay’s crew.

He’s also forty-six, and down for anything.

Aaron and Shane hook up like a wildfire devours a countryside–their chemistry is white hot. But, Shane’s not good at casual sex, and Aaron’s not really interested in a commitment. Or so they think. I liked the way these guys let themselves simply be, for a while. Aaron’s promising no-strings sexytimes fun, what Shane totally missed out on becoming a father so young in life. They have grand plans to be super adventurous, and those fall through. The upside is, they still have each other, and they like it that way.

Both Aaron and Shane try to talk themselves out of taking this relationship into the serious side, but neither of them can stop the progression they are making. There’s room for mistakes, and making up for the missteps. I loved watching it all unfold, and well, there are a good number os yummy sexytimes, so…bonus points! The end is sweet and tender. I appreciated Aaron’s hurt, and Shane’s willingness to make it right. Brought me in mind of “You had me at hello” and that was lovely.

I also liked that these guys are a little older, and have some struggles acting like kids on the prowl. They are good with the self-deprecation on that score. It’s a yummy-sexy-sweet read and I’d recommend it. I received a review copy via NetGalley.

An enjoyable addition and read to the Bluewater Bay series.

Shane and Aaron hook up via an app. It's Shane's first time for casual sex- he has lots of baggage. Aaron isn't looking for anything serious. After an explosive night together can they both overcome obstacles they put in their own way. I found both characters likable . Their baggage was very believable and the way each approached his inner demons was realistic. There was definite heat and chemistry. I wasn't sure the characters were different enough for a 5 star rating, but it was an enjoyable read. Witt explores the dynamics of dating with a family well and as always the book is edited well and a smart read.

Like anyone else would surely be, Shane Andrews was completely unprepared to be a teenaged dad, especially when he ended up raising his daughter alone. Now, two more kids and two divorces later, he’s ready to reach beyond his role as the responsible father and experience some of the fun and sexual abandon he missed out on all those years ago. When an unexpected disaster on the Wolf’s Landing set brings him together with a sexy firefighter, Shane gets more than he bargained for.

Having been burned in the past in more ways than one, Aaron Tucker gets his kicks via random hookups, rather than jumping into fires—or relationships. Casual suits him just fine, thanks. Until the lonely father of three he wanted in his bed suddenly claims a piece of his heart without his noticing. But, Aaron’s new longing for a commitment with Shane can’t go anywhere if the latter won’t stop running.

Get a Grip, the latest in the Bluewater Bay series, has a lot going for it. I thought Shane was pretty relatable as a single father of three who had to grow up too fast, and is trying to work through the guilt and accept his own desire to play for a while, now that his kids are getting older. Aaron was just as intriguing, if not more so, given his openness, enthusiasm, and increasing affection for Shane. And while it wasn’t without an awkward moment or two, there were plenty of very nicely written scenes in the story that kept me involved and eager to stick with the narrative to the end.

Even though the protests from both Shane and Aaron became a little too rote towards the end of the story, I still found it extremely rewarding when they both realized they’d been in an accidentally successful monogamous relationship the entire time. The “well, what do you know?” effect was sweeter than I thought it would be, and I liked it despite the skepticism I’d been prepared to feel. Shane’s epiphany was especially pleasant, given that I sort of wanted to smack him at that point:

“I didn’t miss doing everything I hadn’t been able to do in my twenties. I missed the man who’d been worth waiting my whole f***ing life to find.”

Once again, the Bluewater Bay series presents readers with an often fun, yet thoughtful look at complicated situation that deserves more attention. Shane has always made his children his top priority, but that doesn’t mean he’s not entitled to carving out a life for himself as well. Aaron was still my favorite of the two, however, and there was a sweetness to his changing emotions that I really appreciated. I also absolutely loved seeing Brennan, Tariq, and Zafir from All the Wrong Places, and catching up with them was definitely a highlight of the story for me. On the whole, I thought Get a Grip was a welcome addition to the series, and I’m keeping my fingers crossed for a cameo with Aaron and Shane (and the kids and pets!) in the future.

I’ve not always had the best of luck with this series, but I was really attracted to this because it has some older MCs. (I’m a sucker for those!) And a family, too!

What I liked about this was the sincere emotions that flowed between our guys throughout most of the book. (Of course it was super annoying when they kept ignoring the obvious…but, hey, that’s what kept me turning pages!)

Witt is amazing when it comes to hot sex scenes and there are plenty here! But she’s also great at giving us really relatable characters with real life problems without bringing it to the level of mundane. (I loved that the 'ex' is still part of the picture!)


You don’t have to be following the series at all to enjoy this (it’s really only peripherally part of the series) and I think if you like later in life / second chance love stories this will be right up your alley!

(The only thing that kept this from being a 5 star read was the soft HEA – though it felt very promising I’d have liked to see them a bit further down the road, or with a more definite “promise” if you know what I mean!)



Highly Recommended!

4.5 of 5 stars

What a sweet, romantic little read with some H.O.T loving' mixed in!

Aaron is a mechanic/fire figher. He catches the eye of Shane, single Dad to 3 and well, you could say the rest is history. These two have an insane, super intense attraction to each other however, they are completely different in what they want out of a relationship. Aaron could care less for one, and Shane has been burned so many times he's at point where e thinks he just wants to have fun, sew his wild oats....however, the more time these two men spend with each other, the more they fall for each other and the lines of their "relationship" become blurred.

I enjoyed both these character's and their journey of self discovery towards their much deserved HEA!

I turned the last page with a smile on my face.

Fantastic. Sweet and funny and, most of all, heartwarming.

Shane is a single dad of three. He hasn't had good luck in the relationship department. One missing baby mama and two divorces later, he's ready to reclaim his lost youth.

Aaron Tucker is a bit of an adrenaline junkie. That includes not being tied down to a single partner. He's not a stranger to commitment, but now in his forties, he's happy to take whatever fun life offers and appreciate the thrill.

When Aaron and Shane first lay eyes on each other the heat is immediate. When Aaron sees Shane's new profile on Grindr it's inevitable, the flames flare.

As sweet as this story is, it does not lack in the heat department. Aaron and Shane burn up the sheets!

Great, easy romance with only a touch of angst. I adored it!