Ryanne and Jude are both flawed and broken characters who have been severely hurt in past. Neither are looking for a relationship but the chemistry better them leads to something more.

ARC received for review

DNF

I love Ms. Showalter's Lord of the Underworld, but I can't stand Jude or Ryanne. I do not care whatsoever about the rest of their story.

Gena Showalter is such an amazing writer. She has her hands in a few different genres and each book is filled with intense characters that are easy to connect with and storylines that leave you wanting more. This specific book is part of a series and is the fifth installment.

Ryanne and Jude are the main characters in this book and the chemistry between them was so good. They were different in a lot of ways but came together to show that opposites attract and can have a love to last a lifetime. Ryanne has a past that has forced her to give up love, but Jude enters her life at just the right time and turns her world around.

Overall, I really enjoyed the characters. The side characters were fun and easy to relate with as well.

Gena Showalter is one of my all-time favorite authors. I've read just about every book she has written and there has not been one that I have not truly enjoyed. Can't Let Go is such a great read. I love that we get to know more about the characters from Can't Hardly Breathe. Gena always does such a great job of developing her characters. I really enjoyed this book from the beginning of their romance to the challenges they face. Highly recommend..

Gena Showalter is quickly becoming one of my all-time favorite authors. Seriously, I greatly enjoy her books so darn much.

Ryanne Wade is beautiful and mistrusting of all men. Then she meets Jude Laurent and she’s smitten. Too bad the grumpy ex-ranger wants nothing to do with her. Jude lost his entire family to a drunk driver. While he may be slightly attracted to Ryanne, everything about her job as a bar owner is a no for him. When competition from another bar owner has Ryanne’s life being threatened Jude steps in to protect her and begins the quick descent of falling for her.

I adored Ryanne’s character. Finding out more about her after reading Can’t Hardly Breathe was great. Ryanne had a tough childhood growing up with her mom parading around man after man in her life. One of the step-fathers was a great influence on Ryanne and left her his bar when he passed. Now she does everything she can to keep the bar running the way he would have wanted with a smile on her face and a happy attitude to match it. When she meets Jude everything changes for her. She wants him like she’s wanted very few things in her life.

Jude was a huge douche tree for a majority of this story. He is dealing with PTSD and the loss of both his leg and his wife and children. He struggles every day with coping and thus is a huge grouch. I definitely felt for Jude’s character. I hurt for him. I wanted to make everything good for him. At the same time, I felt so bad for Ryanne’s character throughout this book because Jude was so mean to her. When he finally got his head out of his rump, I could see the man he used to be and couldn’t have been happier when Ryanne and Jude got together.

The plot point that ties these two together was an interesting twist I wasn’t expecting. Ryanne’s bar in under attack by a mob boss who wants to take the bar from her. When Ryanne says no, bad things start happening to and around her bar. When Jude steps in to protect Ryanne and her bar things get hot and heavy real quick. I was reading from the pages cheering. No lie.

Ah, such a great read. I couldn’t have been happier for the characters to have gotten their happy ending despite the struggles. I can’t wait for more of Gena Showalter’s books.

Can’t Let Go
The Original Heartbreakers, Book 5

I Picked Up This Book Because: I like the author.

The Characters:

Ryanne Wade:
Jude Laurent:
Brock, Lindy, Dorothea and Daniel

The Story:

I enjoyed Jude and Ryanne’s story even though their alternate stubbornness got on my nerves sometimes. Jude’s constant battle to not continue to live and constantly push Ryanne away irked me. Ryanne is a better woman than me. I wouldn’t have given him so many chances. Then again, I don’t want him the way Ryanne does. Her fierceness will keep him in line for years to come.

The Random Thoughts:

I love that the video games Ryanne loves so much are named after other Gena Showalter book series and that the kitties are named after the Lords of the Underworld.


4 Stars

I love Gena Showalter. I have read all of her books in this series. They keep getting better. I loved Jude and Ryanne so much I couldn't put it down. Gena Showalter is so great at creating characters and showing the depth of their personalities.

Review: Can’t Let Go by Gena Showalter is hot, sexy, and charming. The tale is about finding one’s perfect happily ever after. For the main protagonists, that seems to be the hardest thing in the world. Their attraction is there…they have some barriers to fight through before they’re on their way to being happy. Danger, risks, and second chances are major themes provided in this book. Can’t Let Go is the latest title by this talented writer. I usually look forward to Gena Showalter’s books. This one, seemed to not as addictive as her other works. Take the characters for instance. Their lives were messed up and they took on more than they could chew at their present moments. Their past still kept them stuck. The plot sounded promising but didn’t quite reach it with me.

Ryanne is the leading female protagonist. Her relationship with her mother weirded me out. What mother would try to hit on her daughter’s boyfriends? I didn’t know why Gena Showalter went thisnroute with her book but, she did. At first, it was weird and gross. Until later on, which was when the aha moment came on…but still it wasn’t great. Ryanne’s past wasn’t too great but she’s a fighter. I liked her I can do it attitude. Plus, she liked being independent and she was comfortable in her own skin. These things made me like her a lot. Her attraction to Jude is stronger yet.

Jude is the sexy hulk of a man. His attitude would scare off most of the population men and women included. He has male friends who are friends with Ryanne. The female bartender of her own pub, Scratching Post. Weird name…Jude is a fighter, too. His steel like manner doesn’t put Ryanne off. Instead it intrigues her more than it should. She wants to see Jude smile and have fun. Can he have fun? That’s the big question. He’s all stiff and business like. Mr. tough guy. A sexy as hell tough guy. But he has a heart of gold.

There are tattoos & sex before marriage themes that might make those with conventional viewpoints to turn away from this read. Despite that, it’s worth reading. It was fun watching Ryanne try to poke the bear…aka Jude. Jude can only handle so much teasing from the sexy lady who heats up his blood in more ways than he would like. Can’t Let Go seems like the perfect title for this novel. Overall, I recommend it to other readers.

I wanted to love this one because I have loved this series. But I just couldn't get through it. I'm tired of reading angry romances. Yes, Jude is suffering, but he is a complete jerk to Ryanne all of the time. Why does she want to be around him? Because he is hot? Ugh.It felt so forced. I'm sorry but when a man tells you to stop flirting with him, you stop. When I got to that part and she laughed it off, I was done.

I really had trouble getting into the book initially and getting caught up in the emotions of the characters. The storyline was good, but it just didn’t stand out in my mind amongst other books in the genre. The blurb was great, but overall the book just fell flat for me.

Another great addition to my line-up of Gena Showalter reads!!

Jude lost half of his leg while he was deployed but after returning home to heal, he also lost his wife and twin daughters to a drunk driver. Now his life was all about pain. It had been two and a half years since he lost his family. He still grieved every day. So what was it about the bartender, Ryanne, that got on his nerves so much? Why did he let her get under his skin? It was disloyal to the memory of his wife to let his thoughts stray the way they have been, wasn’t it?

Ryanne has made it her life’s purpose to be nothing like her mother and that ended up with her love life being non-existent. But there’s one man who gets her insides burning and also ignites her temper, and that’s the sexy as hell, ex-army ranger, Jude Laurent, who spends most of his time scowling and throwing insults at her.

The characters are – as always when it comes to a Gena Showalter book – so realistically written and interesting right from the start. They are the beating heart of this wonderful story!
Let me tell you more about Jude. Jude is this broody, intense and damaged ex-military man who’s suffered immensely and as a reader, you connect with him – at least, I did. It was so hard to see him struggle with his memories and all the pain in the wake of his accident overseas and especially in the wake of the accident with his wife and twin daughters – Accidents like these are just so so terrible and I always become really emotional when reading about stuff like this. It was clear from the first moment we met Jude and knew he would have his own book; Jude was going to have to fight a lot of demons before he could start facing a possibility of having a brighter future. It was excruciatingly painful sometimes to see/feel him struggle with everything and it’s amazing how Gena wrote this character. How she was able to make me feel so much for and with him. It was really sad, tragic and beautiful to read about Jude and to see him develop throughout this story and fight against his demons. At the same time, he’s very good at making your panties soak buwhahaha. Damn, this guy is sexy, intense and interesting! So yeah, there’s a lot of emotion, heartache and such but the sexy stuff is definitely ‘ON SPOT’ as well – although I don’t think Gena could ever disappoint me regarding writing sexy romances because she’s amazing at writing these kinds of books.

❝I don’t mean to stare,❞ she said, ❝but my hormones are busy giving you a standing ovation. Gold star for today’s wardrobe selection, Mr. Laurent.❞

And then there’s Ryanne. Her dreams of traveling the world and getting out of Strawberry Valley are still very much alive and she has her first trip planned and ready to go. But that is all in jeopardy when a rival bar opens up across the street and wants to buy her out. When she refuses, the owner starts putting some nasty pressure on her of the not so legal or safe variety. That’s where Jude comes in when Ryanne hires him to protect both her and her business. Ryanne is determined when it comes to Jude. She has this feeling that he could be ‘the one’ and she makes it almost a life mission to make sure his walls come down and he opens up again – preferably to her of course haha. She’s a strong female lead. With all of the sh*t thrown her way in the past and now also in the present, she remains steadfast and I really admire that about her.

Jude and Ryanne have incredible chemistry and whenever they’re in each other’s presence, you can feel the sexual tension flying off the pages. It was inevitable that they’d be giving into their passion and let me just say; when the time came.. it was INSANELY HOT and it may be even had me drooling a bit, lol! I was not in the least bit disappointed! And of course, there’s so much more than the obvious sexual tension between these two. This romance is a perfect balance of physical attraction, chemistry and developing feelings that turn into a soul-deep love that could shatter the world.

“With you, I don’t feel like a man defeated by his past. I feel like a man with a future.”

When the story develops, Ryanne continues to break down Jude’s defenses. One night leads to more and then more isn’t even enough. Jude craves Ryanne like he craves his next breath. But what if something were to happen to her, what if he loses her too? Jude fights the overwhelming need to lock Ryanne up to keep her safe, so he won’t have to worry about her safety. Even though these two open up to each other more and more, they also keep clashing with one another and I love how well balanced out everything is. The character development and the romance development goes side by side and is just extremely well done. The story-line is written at a nice and steady pace, which makes it a page-turner right from the start. It contains angst, excitement, romance, humor and amazing characters. What more could you want in a contemporary romance? Exactly!

And as always, Gena’s writing is enthralling, addictive and excellent. From the very first page until the last; I was hooked. This is that kind of book that you start reading and just want to finish in one sitting. Can Jude overcome his demons and his fears? Or is hoping for a future in which he isn’t living in constant pain not too much to wish for? Will Ryanne be able to tether him down a bit and can Jude keep her safe from the threats coming her way? So many questions going round and round in my head while reading, aaahhh… But I thankfully got all my answers and you’ll get all the answers too when you read it hehe, so go read the book for yourself and find out 😉 You won’t regret it!

Once again Gena Showalter proves that she is an experimented, steadfast and talented writer, as she delivers a romance story built around a relatable heroine and a broken hero. With great storyline, character and romance developments and some twists, this 5th installment of the original heartbreakers series is a great read to pick up when you’re in need of a contemporary romance!

I’ve been trying to read/finish this since the end of August. I don’t know whether it’s a reading slump or just the fact that I’ve read so many books from the same genre. Whatever it is, this book hasn’t managed to keep me hooked/interested enough to finish it.


It has everything, Great characters that you can’t help but love? Check. A good storyline? Check. Red hot romance? Yes, Yes and Yes! So I’m honestly at a loss as to why I’m just not… Clicking with it.


Which is why, I’m going to shelve it for now and come back to it/re-review it in a few months.

Oh, wow. Was Can’t Let Go a wonderful story! I truly loved the storyline and how everything progressed between Ryanne and Jude.

Ryanne was hysterical. She knew just what to say to keep the gloomy Jude. Yes, he has a right to feel the way he feels about his life but there is no reason why she can’t try to put a smile on his face and maybe a little happy in his life. She lived with her own issues growing up and it take a lot for her to trust a man. But, Jude has her trust and she is doing whatever it takes to get him to accept it and her in his life.

Jude was distraught. He’s lived with the misery of losing his wife and twin daughters for two and a half years and can’t stand the feelings he’s starting to have for the flirty, vivacious Ryanne. All he can think about is Strawberry Shortcake when he’s around her and, of course, protecting her from Dushku. He can understand the protection part, he can’t get past his wanting her the way he does. He can’t tarnish the memory of Caroline and will never have children again. He could never live through losing someone he loves again.

Once Jude has a taste of Ryanne, he can’t stop. Unfortunately, he’s running hot and cold and Ryanne will not stand for that. It’s time for him to put his past to bed and look forward to the future. But, can he get over his fears? Can he allow himself to love again? Can he accept Ryanne and everything that she has to offer? It takes his in-laws and the support from his friends to get him to see what is staring him in the face.

I love Gena Showalter. I love how she can lighten up a tense and serious scene. I love how she weaves a story. I love how she brings out the true feelings of her characters. Ryanne was written beautifully and she was the star of the show. Jude was intense and, in his own way, loving – even when he didn’t think he was showing love. I giggled as Ms. Showalter brought the Lords of the Underworld into the story and how she did it.

It was wonderful being back in Strawberry Hill … visiting with Daniel and Dorthea … waiting for Brock and Lyndie’s story.

Okay, so I may or may not be skipping around this series... okay, so I'm totally guilty of skipping around. It hasn't been intentional, honest. I've just kind of lost track... a lot. I read the prequel in the Original Heartbreakers, The One You Want. Then I missed books 1-3, but I picked the series back up at Can't Hardly Breathe and here we are at Can't Let Go. I really do intend to play catch up, but in case you're wondering, other than a few references here and there, I didn't get lost at all. Although, I did enjoy watching the back and forth between Ryanne and Jude in Can't Hardly Breathe. ;)

Jude's back story is heart breaking. Watching him begin to care for someone after everything he's been through is both amazing and gut wrenching. I still found myself getting frustrated with him at times for the way he treated Ryanne. He had a lot to work through and Ryanne understood that, but it was still hard to watch. Having him not have issues would have been less realistic and believable though, so his slip ups were easy to forgive... eventually.

Ryanne's determination, along with the love and support that they both had from their friends is honestly what made this story work. I know I sound like a broken record, but stories with a strong sense of family get me every time and this series is full of those kind of connections. Brock and Lyndie are next in Can't Get Enough and it will not be a book that I will be skipping. ;)

Let me start off by saying that I have a love hate relationship with this series. I genuinely disliked the first two books in the Original Heartbreakers series and I decided not to continue with the series. Fast forward to a few years later and I decided to give it another shot by reading Can't Hardly Breathe. I actually found the new set of friends to be much better than the previous ones so I decided to read Can't Let Go.

So the first disclaimer is that though this is a part of a series Can't Let Go can be read as a complete stand alone. Some characters and friends to reappear and things are set for the next book but it is easy to follow. This is the story of Jude and Ryanne. Jude has been trying his hardest to ignore Ryanne for the longest time. He has already lost way too much in his short lifetime and except for his two best friends he is not willing to invest emotions in anyone.

Ryanne on the other hand has had a mother who went from men to men at the speed of lightning. She doesn't trust men and just wants to run her bar successfully. Ryanne wants to travel the world and see places. What she doesn't expect is to be pulled in by Jude's damaged soul. I liked Ryanne she had a nice personality but I did find her to be childish at times.

Ryanna and Jude had chemistry. There is no doubt about that. The only issue I had- and I've found this happening more and more with Gena Showalter's books -is that I found both the hero and heroine to be quite immature at times. They each changed their mind about the other at the drop of a hat and were never quite sure of what they wanted from the other.The constant yes or no got irritating for me.

Gena Showalter writes really well and it shows. I really liked visiting Strawberry Valley again and meeting all its residents. I also genuinely can't wait for Brock and Lyndie's story which is next. I think they both truly deserve a happily ever after. So all in all while I liked Can't Let Go it wasn't my favourite read.

*Note: A copy of this book was provided by the author/publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. We thank them.

3,5-4 STARS

I was curious to see how this book would match up with the rest of the books in the series. Jude Laurent, is suffering some emotional trauma. His wife and two daughters were killed in a car accident while he was injured and lost his leg. He is full on against anyone drinking alcohol and so he so doesn't approve of Ryanne running a bar.I really loved their chemistry!They were intense and passionate.It just didn't felt 100% realistic I don't know why I couldn't feel connected as much as I wanted.

While I love both Ryanne Wade and Jude Laurent, their constant on again off again relationship got tiring after the third or fourth "off again."

Ultimately, I did enjoy this book, but it is my least favorite in this amazing series.

Alternating heart breaking and heart warming. This was a beautiful story with broken and vulnerable characters that I couldn't help but love.

The story was well-written and had me captivated the entire time. No matter the genre, I truly enjoy Gena's work. I am always excited when I see she has a new release. This series has been stunning and I can't wait to read more in the series and from this author.

This is book 5 in the Original Heartbreakers series. I have enjoyed this series and hope the author continues to write more book to continue this series. Jude Laurent is a former army ranger who was seriously hurt during an battle. He then lost his wife and daughters to a drunk driver. This is a very emotional story line