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

Can’t Let Go might be my favorite book in Gena Showalter’s amazing The Original Heartbreakers series. There is so much emotion in this epic love story that your heart will squeezed to the point of bursting, and you’ll be left a satisfied mess. Jude has been through so much and his story is heartbreaking, but it also breathtakingly inspirational when he falls for the sassy and feisty Ryanne. He has deep emotional wounds that it will test their burgeoning relationship, but the best things in life are worth the fight. These two feel destined for each other, and Can’t Let Go is a memorable, passionate and epic romance.

A bit too angsty for me, but otherwise a wonderful story. I loved Ryanne's snark and persistence! And I liked seeing Jude transform into a romantic protector from the mournful jerk he was.

I'm sorry but this was a DNF. I enjoyed the previous book but this was a bit too dreary for me. I still love Gena's books but this one isn't for me.

I enjoyed this one very much, closer to the 4.5 scale than 4. Jude's character is so deliciously broken, and I love them broken and vulnerable that way - Ryanne is a burst of bright light...even when everything has her down - I loved it!

3.5 Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Can’t Let Go is book five in The Original Heartbreakers series, but it can easily be read as a standalone. Some secondary characters are from the previous books, but I never felt as though I was missing something big having not read every book in the series. It was a pleasant read, heart-warming and sexy with a bit of suspense.

Ryanne is a sassy and feisty heroine. She’s independent, has dreams of traveling the world and has no intentions of looking for love or settling down with a man. Her attraction to Jude begins as just that, an attraction- and a desire to seduce him- but eventually that desire grows, and she finds herself wanting more.

Jude has suffered great loss and has no intentions of moving on. He doesn’t want to feel anything for Ryanne, or any woman ever again, but he just can’t seem to help it. Even though I felt for him, I didn’t entirely like Jude for a while, but that changed for the better by the end of the story. The banter between the two characters and their push and pull relationship was entertaining and fun. They had nice chemistry, and their relationship built slowly, but not without some bumps along the way. 

Quick, sweet and worth the read if you enjoy this series. I’ll be checking out the next book once it’s released!

When I picked up this book, I knew it was going to be a tough read. A woman with trust issues and a man who lost not only his wife in an accident, but his baby as well. It's a very tough subject matter to tackle as a writer, but it is also a tough subject as a reader as well.

Gina has done a really great job at portraying a broken man and an independent woman! Please don't take a 3.5 star rating as me not liking the book. This book was one I enjoyed. I would also recommend this book to those who like broken men and angst.

I had a hard time connecting with the heroine. That is not to mean you won't. I actually really liked her! She was a BAMF through and through. I want to BE her when I grow up! I just didn't connect with her as a romance heroine.

I love the A-hole alphas, and Jude is a top contender for A-hole of the year. But under that, there is a man hurting. I liked that he could be vulnerable at times, but he kept a lot of it close to the vest.

There is a lot of danger and excitement in this series, so if you're a fan of drama and action, you will love this one! I got a vibe similar to those from the Corps Security series, but this definitely was not a knock off, this book has it's own two legs to stand on!

Can't Let Go (The Original Heartbreakers, #5) by Gena Showalter is a great book and a wonderful addition to this series. This emotional romance is powerful and will surely touch your heart. Jude is a former Army Ranger that was wounded in action and has suffered the loss of his wife and children to a drunk driver. This has injured him inside and out and he carries the scars that prove it. Ryanne is a bartender . She's funny and upbeat. These two are attracted to each other and that attraction really sizzles. Can Jude move past his pain, make peace with his past and move forward with Ryanne? When danger begins to surround Ryanne can Jude protect her? Read this amazing book to see. I am posting an honest review after reading an ARC copy of this book.

I very much enjoyed this book.  I  read it all in less than one day and I just couldn't put it down.  

I do highly recommend.

I knew Jude would be a tough nut to crack, he has been through more heartbreak then most people could deal with. He found the strength to keep going but he was barely living. Until Ryanne came along and started messing with his plans to stay disconnected from the world. At first I didn't really connect with Jude, like Ryanne it took me awhile to crack his hard shell and see the soft underneath. He definitely made mistakes when trying to deal with his relationship with Ryanne but in the end he manged to conquer his fears which was really impressive considering what he'd been through. I really liked how Ryanne refused to change her dreams for a man but still found a way to compromise so that she still followed her dreams and found her HEA. Really enjoyed this one and I'm looking forward to the next in the series, can't wait for Brock and Lydia! 

ARC Provided By NetGalley For An Honest Review

My Review:
ooh, talk about sexual chemistry. Jude is a guy who NEVER wants to love again. He loved his wife and twin girls with everything he had. When they died, he had nothing left to give, nothing left that he wanted to give to anyone. He loved them completely and their deaths broke him. (seriously, how can you not fall in love with a hero like this?)

Ryanne is the local bar owner. BUT the local mob boss has decided that he doesn't want Ryanne in business anymore, so he's slowly terrorizing her and threatening her. So, she goes to Jude, who is already halfway guarding her bar already. 

There is a TON of emotion and underlying conflict in this book. Jude's family died because of a drunk driver that was served too much alcohol at a bar. He hates bars, but Ryanne is part of his "family" in that she's part of his circle of friends. That puts her under his protection, but Jude has made a ton of assumptions about Ryanne that are nowhere near right. As he works with her, he begins to realize that. Before he thought she was unfairly sexy, but as he begins to actually like her, his draw to her becomes undeniable. 

Gah...there were so many times I wanted to put this book down and simply weep for the pain that Jude has gone through. If you love books with broken heroes, omg, you will LOVE this one. 

Ryanne is one tough chick. I loved how she comes across as this confident flirt, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Ryanne is hiding some hurts, too, that have kept her from EVER making connections. She and Jude are fantastic together. He's protective of her. She pushes his limits. It makes for a great, sexy combination! I liked it!

I received a complimentary copy of this book in return for an honest review

Awesome read! I really liked all the ups and downs between Jude and Ryanne as everything develops. I loved the tension, animosity, and drama as well as the playfulness and sweetness. I was hooked the entire time. And Jude, oh my! This man with all his gruffness, watching him open up was amazing!

I thought Jude and Ryanne had a fantastic story. Jude had a heartbreaking history and I enjoyed getting inside his head, he had serious demons to battle and I could feel his pain. It was emotional but every time he opened up, another layer peeled back and he opened his heart even more and it made me melt. Ryanne was so full of life and outgoing but also guarding her heart because of how she was raised, so watching their relationship evolve and grow was wonderful. They had so many playful and flirtatious moments mixed in with his grumpiness and I thought there was a nice balance between them. There’s really good chemistry and animosity, and a really nice amount of heat as well.

I love how the author dealt with Jude's battle, he was just in so much pain and moving on could be hard and I really like how that was portrayed. I also really liked how Ryanne was there for him and understanding, though sometimes I think she forgave a bit to easily. The back and forth, push and pull between Jude and Ryanne was off the charts. It happened a lot and often but it helped make for a great build. They both frustrated me at times, said some things they shouldn't have, and fought their feelings but getting to that moment when everything clicks was so worth it.

I really enjoyed the secondary story that's happening as well with Ryanne. It made for some really nice drama and I liked that extra bit of suspense. I was excited about the updates on other characters from previous stories in the Original Heartbreakers series and liked getting to see more of Brock. He and Lyndie's stories is next and I’m definitely looking forward to it.

I think this is such an awesome series, the build is fantastic while everyone figures themselves out. There's a really nice cast of characters as well with a great mix of drama, emotion, and heat. It's just a well rounded, full story that had me cheering for the Jude and Ryanne to get their happily ever after. This was a winner!

Sadly, this is a case of I-liked-them-more-in-the-previous-book. 

Ryanne is - or she used to be - pretty badass. She owns a bar and she has this dream of traveling, seeing the world. I applaud that. You go, girl! 

Enter Jude - I liked him in the previous book, at all in this one - and Ryanne's neurons start dying. They just throw in the towel. 

And I hate, hate when that happens. I really don't understand why the author feels the need to dumb the heroine down. Oh and she's one to accept any crumbs thrown her way.

Ms. Showalter compared Jude to Lucien. I find that insulting to Lucien, a badass Lord of the Underworld. 

Whereas Lucien was a grumpy one, Jude's just a plain a-hole. 

I wanted to like the book, I even wanted to finish it, despite not liking the characters all that much. But then Jude goes and screws it up big time and that's when things started going downhill for me and I decided it was time to throw in the towel. 

I'm pretty much throwing in the towel for this series. I won't be reading the next one.

So, it's a DNF and standard 2 star rating. I voluntarily agreed to read an early copy of this book through Netgalley.

This is the second book in the series and I have not been able to finish either book. I am sure the fault lies with me since I have been in a book reading and enjoying slump lately. Even failsafe authors don't seem to offer the same escape they used to.

Favorite Quote: 
“How did I resist you?”

“I don’t know. It’s one of life’s greatest mysteries.”

Jude Laurent survived a negligent childhood and a war-torn battlefield only to lose it all when his family was killed in a car accident. After his discharge from the military, his best friend Daniel Porter convinces Jude and their buddy Brock to come home with him to Strawberry Valley, Oklahoma and to start their security business. Jude is a walking time bomb-barely living as he can’t get past the guilt and anger over his losses. Only one woman tempts him to rise from the depths of his despair and that is the one woman whose choice of employment offends him.

Ryanne Wade is just trying to make an honest living. Having inherited her bar from her stepfather, she just wants to preserve his memory while saving up for her trip around the world. Having sworn off men, Ryanne finds herself willing to break her vow of celibacy with the sexy and oh so emotionally unavailable Judd.

When Ryanne and her business is threatened by a local mob boss, Judd snaps to attention vowing to protect her at all costs. But when their hearts get involved, he’ll have to learn to let her go if he wants to keep her.

I am a sucker for antagonistic romances and this one certainly delivers on that note even if only one ½ of this couple is antagonistic and the other half is just plain determined. Can’t Let Go is the fifth in Showalter’s contemporary romance series-The Original Heartbreakers. Set in the neighboring town of Blueberry Hill (I always get hungry reading this series), Showalter once again gifts readers with an emotional, humorous, and sensual romance built on love, loss, hope, and second chances when a damaged war veteran and widower reluctantly falls for a beautiful bartender. Delightful antagonistic chemistry spits and sparks as Showalter slowly builds this couple’s relationship.  A dash of suspense adds some zing to the story.

Jude and Ryanne’s journey is an emotional one as their growing attraction to one another forces them to face their fears head-on and exorcise the ghosts around them. Both are stuck in the past though Ryanne is able to compartmentalize her feelings far better than Jude. An external force provides a bit of suspense and pushes them together.  I enjoyed their interactions once they call a truce. Ryanne loves to poke the tiger and you can’t help but laugh as she flirts and teases Jude to distraction.

Day one was all about the hair flip. Slow, sensual and just like a shampoo commercial.
Day two, she practiced her shimmy. Any time she had an opportunity to shake her butt, she shook her freaking butt. 
Day three, she focused on her cleavage. Or rather, she made certain Jude focused on her cleavage. She wore a low-cut top, her breasts pushed up until she was pretty sure she’d asphyxiate. 
Day four, she put her finger to her mouth at every opportunity. A lick here, a nibble there. 
Day five, she forgot to wear a bra. Oops! […] 
For day six, she decided to up her game, and wore a short skirt but no panties. Walking to her office, when no one else stood in the hallway, she accidentally dropped a pen and bent down to pick it up. Her phone buzzed, but she didn’t check the text until she sat behind her desk, no cameras nearby.

Cowboy: I think you dropped something else.

A laugh bubbled from her. Grumpy Jude Laurent had just teased her sexually!

Showalter takes her time with their romance, moving slowly but with a purpose, though they engage in a sexual relationship rather easily on.  Readers need to remember their foreplay started a book or two ago. The chemistry between them is hot and heavy with lust and tension-made more so by Jude’s reluctance. The witty banter between these two contrasts perfectly with the serious subject matter and thick emotional undertones.

‘Had anyone loved life with such abandon? Part of him hated her for that.’

A strong and personable cast of secondary characters (some new and some very familiar faces) provide Jude and Ryanne with a strong support system at their back with humor and compassion. From their besties to family, to the local bar patrons, Jude and Ryanne are blessed or cursed with a number of people who want them both to be happy. They aren’t offered instant solutions but rather plenty of advice, opinions, a few metaphorical shakes, and a shoulder or two to cry on.

“Very subtle, Mr. Porter […] but I’m on to your tricks.”

“I told you to call me Virgil, son. And FYI, I have no tricks. I just wish you’d use your outside voice so we could hear your conversations better.”

We learn more about Jude’s deceased wife and Judd’s life with her. I liked that Showalter doesn’t make her a villain or a saint in order to create even more conflict.

I did have some issues with the romance. Some obviously manufactured conflicts and miscommunication litters storyline as did the HUGE MASSIVE foreshadowing that pretty much told you what would happen-just not how. The two steps forward and 5 steps back dance because of Jude’s internal struggles becomes a wee bit monotonous as time passes while Ryanne’s occasional emotional grandstanding annoys. I also took issue with Ryanne’s description of Jude’s penis.

Hide «

Apparently, it is the width of Ryanne’s wrist and so long that when erect, it pops out the waistband of his jeans. Really? Now, in erotica and erotic romance, this isn’t all that rare. Penis’ are large, in charge, and practically sentient. But in rom com, I expect a bit more realism. The average rise on men’s jeans is 8.5-9 inches. The average woman’s wrist is 7 inches. So Jude’s penis, in theory, is around 10-11 inches in length and 7 inches in circumstance.
WHAT? NO. *crossing legs tightly*

The ending comes as no surprise with our couple jumping their relationship hurdles, defeating the bad guys, and looking positively towards their future.The resolution of the main conflict wraps up the story nicely and helps to pave the way for book six-Can’t Get Enough-set to release December 5, 2017. 

GRADE-C+

CAN’T LET GO is an enemies to lovers romance between a broken Hero and a feisty Heroine. I was intrigued by the couple while reading the previous book and I knew that their story was going to be one I could not pass up. Jude and Ryanne have incredible chemistry and whenever they’re in each other’s presence, you can feel the tension building. It was inevitable that they’d be giving into their passion and let me just say it was INSANELY HOT! I was not in the least bit disappointed!



Ryanne Wade owns the local bar in Strawberry Valley. She has had to deal with a lot of judgment and harsh criticism from some of the town folk throughout her years because of her mother’s tarnished reputation. 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.




Jude has suffered loss that would have obliterated most. A drunk driver destroyed his life one stormy night when he decided he was ok to get behind the wheel and ended up killing his wife and little twin daughters. Jude is but a mere shell of the man he used to be. He is plagued by his grief and unimaginable guilt he still feels over the deaths of his family. It’s been two and a half years since they passed and he has never had the desire to move on or to get romantically involved with another woman, but Ryanne has stirred something inside of him and he’s overwhelmed by his feelings that he’s not at all ready to face.




When a shady businessman decides to open up a nightclub across from Ryanne’s bar and he soon wreaks havoc on her life and livelihood, Jude jumps in to handle the security of her bar and also designates himself her personal bodyguard. This delights Ryanne since she can’t help but admit that she is extremely attracted to Jude but he’s as cold as ice and seems almost impervious to her charms. With each passing day, Jude is finding it hard to fight his attraction towards Ryanne and when they finally let go of their fears and give in to their feelings, they both agree that it will be a one-time thing. Once they’ve had a taste, neither of them are satisfied with the one and done scenario.




Ryanne has dreamed of traveling abroad almost her entire life and has a month long trip to Italy already paid for. So the two agree to continue their heated affair until she leaves for Italy in a few months. 




Will they be able to let each other go when their temporary relationship has met its expiration date? Can Ryanne break through all of Jude’s defense mechanisms and ultimately own a piece of his heart?

For me, Can't Let Go is another great addition to this series.  It handles tough subject matter and leaves you with hope for a future.

The story picks up where Can't Hardly Breathe leaves off.  They are all getting ready for the wedding between Daniel and Dorothea.  Jude served with Daniel and considers both Daniel and Brock brothers. Jude has lost more than one person should ever have to lose.  He now lives to make sure his friends are happy and safe. That now includes Dorothea and her friends.

Ryanne is best friends with Dorothea and Lyndie.  She is the owner of the local bar.  She also comes with her own emotional turmoil.  Ryanne has major trust issues with men because of her mother and because of mother she is a virgin.

Because Ryanne is the owner of the local bar, this is an issue for Jude.  He wants to hate Ryanne because he doesn't want to have anything to do with alcohol. But because Brock still goes out to the bar and Ryanne is best friends with Dorothea, Jude feels like he must do everything in his power to protect Ryanne.  This becomes an issue when the mob moves in across the street.  Jude is now put in the position of protecting something he hates because he has feelings for the owner.

This book took me on a rollercoaster of emotions.  Ryanne is so likable and you want good things to happen for her.  And you can't help but feel the despair that Jude has gone through.  You want him to see that loving another person doesn't change the love that you had.  Their chemistry was amazing and left you with hope.  I love this series and can't wait for the next installment.

3,5 stars

 

An ARC has been kindly provided by the Harlequin via Netgalley in exchange of an honest opinion.

I adored “Can't Hardly Breathe” and was really thrilled when the Harlequin contacted me to review Can't Let Go.

So basically that day this was me all giddy!!!


Once again Gena Showalters proves that she is an experimented writer as she delivers a romance story built around a relatable heroine and a broken hero. With the right pace and some twists readers should be happy campers.

Sadly this book did not wowed me like Can't Hardly Breathe.

Maybe because my expectations diving in were very high or maybe because I just had finished one of my best reads of 2017 or maybe...

If Ryanne is a great female character with spunk, sass and a big heart she did not moved me like Daisy did. It is unfair to compare both women but my head constantly came back to Daisy…
Daisy's evolution and empowerment were fabulous elements in Can't Hardly Breathe. Ryanne certainly evolved in this story but she had not a long way to go like Daisy had.
What I really liked about Ryanne was her independence and confidence. She is sexy, caring and very determined.

Jude on the other hand shot down their relationship repeatedly and made mistakes upon mistakes. To the point that I wanted to be done with him. Truly he grated on my nerves.

Objectively I knew he had a traumatic past and reasons to grieve but reading about someone wallowing in grief is never pleasant.
I knew he was a gifted soldier. I read that he was handsome etc. But all these qualities were lost on me when I saw him repeatedly sabotaging his future.

That being said the plot was built carefully with a villain wanting to take Ryanne's bar with force and violence if necessary. Reading about Daisy and Danielle, Brock and Lyndi as well as Ryanne's mother Selma warmed my heart.

So all in all it was an enjoyable read mainly thanks to Ryanne but not an exceptional read for me.

My taste is no universal law so what prevented me from truly loving my read might be what you are looking for in a story. So I would say make your own opinion as the author sure knows how to write a story.

s Gena Showalter back? 

I think so and it was so much fun reading this story about two very different people finding something they never expected to find and I really liked it.

I wasn’t so sure about how this book was going to be for me –given the fact that I hated the previous one but boy, Ryanne and Jude were really good together. Chemistry? Yes. Fun? Yes. Love? Yes.

And it was such ride from not wanting to be around to hopelessly in love, not only I liked the couple but I also liked the individuals a lot. Ryanne is a sweetheart with a heart of pure gold and one hell of a personality who just wants to go travel the world and learn about different cultures… she was a blast to read.

I found myself really caring for her and it was great to read about her –until everything went south for me.

Halfway through the book, it was going to be a 4 or maybe a 4.5 stars but then there were two things that happened that were rushed and wrong af.

And even though I enjoyed the book a lot those two things and the fact that I didn’t feel that much of a connection between Ryanne, Dorothea and Lyndie and Brock, Jude and Daniel’s group. We were told those trios were really tight and cared about each other like brothers and sisters but I didn’t see that –they all cared, yes but it wasn’t like in the three original trilogy. It didn’t have that feeling.

Besides that, I truly liked the story and the love between Ryanne and Jude who were perfect for each other and helped each other in so many ways. In the end it’s a nice written love story that made me fall in love with this series again because it’s not a secret I didn’t like the previous book so my expectations for the following one are the highest.

This was a fabulous contemporary romance from a great author.