Can't Let Go is the fifth installment of Gena Showalter's The Original Heartbreakers Series.  As with the other books in the series, Can't Let Go features a damaged hero and a woman who has exactly what he needs to heal the physical and emotional needs of his past.

Jude Laurent hasn't had an easy life.  Between being neglected as a child, losing his leg in a bomb blast while in the military and losing his wife and twin daughters in a car accident, Jude is just focused on surviving and putting one foot in front of the other day after day.  There is absolutely no way he's going to get involved with Ryanne Wade, even if the sassy bar owner makes him feel more than the never-ending grief that has become his life.

Ryanne Wade has big plans for her future.  She will be living her life on her own terms, traveling the world to see all of the sights that she has been dreaming about for her entire life.  She most certainly follow her mother's footsteps by having a life that revolves around whatever man she is with at the time.  She knows that Jude isn't in the right frame of mind to have a relationship with anyone given his past, but she is determined to help him find some happiness in the few weeks they have together before she leaves for Rome.

***Warning... spoilers ahead***

I expected to love this book.  I have read all the other books in the series and I was looking forward to seeing Jude and Ryanne finally come together. I did like the book, but there were some elements of the writing that kept me from loving it.

Positives:

Jude's turmoil and emotional pain were handled well.  The scenes that showed Jude falling apart completely as the grief overwhelmed him helped the reader see how tortured he still was.
Ryanne was everything I love in a heroine.  She was sarcastic while still being vulnerable and caring.
Negatives:

The scenario for Ryanne getting pregnant felt very over the top.  You have a virgin heroine who is on the pill having sex with a man who recently had a vasectomy and is wearing a condom that breaks, yet she still ends up pregnant.  I understand that it is possible that this could happen, but it is so unlikely that I couldn't help but roll my eyes.
When the references to Showalter's other book series as video games started in the earlier books, I thought it was cute and maybe smart marketing on her side.  After reading references multiple times in this book I'm over it.  I don't want to feel beat over the head with references to your paranormal series when I'm in the middle of your contemporary world.
Sex on a mechanical bull... I don't think I need to say more here.


In the end, I thought Can't Let Go was decent, but not up to the level of other books in the series.  Unfortunately it felt like it was trying to hard to follow a formula and the quality of the storyline seemed to suffer as a result.   I'm keeping my fingers crossed that the next installment doesn't follow the same path because I must read what happens between Brock and Lyndie.

Ryanne and Jude had a lot of issues to work through, but I loved this couple. Well I love everyone in this series... their tension was fighting against their attraction with each other and managing to get through some tough gangs trying to steal Ryanne's bar... looking forward to the next book..

This is another scintillating tale in the heartbreaker series. Jude and Ryanne are a match to end all matches. It's the perfect example of opposites attract. This spicy Latina has enough fire to melt the ice in this scarred warrior's soul. She knows what she wants and she goes after it. He is terrified of her after the tragedy he suffered, but they are able to break through every obstacle that gets thrown at them. If you love romance with a bad ass warrior and some good action this is the perfect book for you! Praise to Gena Showalter for another amazing installment.

It's time to watch Ryanne and Jude take their tumble into romance. I have to say, a bar owner/bartender making time with a man who lost his family to a drunk driver is not an easy couple to picture together. Jude's carrying around a boatload of pain and he's not looking to give it up any time soon.

Yep, it takes time for Jude to unbend. Time and a few deadly threats against Ryanne. And a lot of soul searching.

Meanwhile, Ryanne is equally as determined to not give up her dreams for a man. Mostly because her mom gave her some serious trust issues. Her mom was...interesting. I think that's all I'm going to say about her.

Ryanne's determined to see her plan to travel the world through and Jude's determined to hold onto his pain for as long as he can. It takes a lot of tension-filled encounters before they're both in the same headspace and ready for more.

I REALLY like these couples. All of the Originals have their issues and watching them work around them is a treat.

Just a preview. Not a way to reflect on the whole book.

In the beginning of Can't Let Go I couldn't see how such polar opposite people, like Ryanne and Jude, would ever end up together. Ryanne is all sunny happiness and she lives in the moment. Jude is still grieving from his past and lives each day with fear. When a dirty businessman threatens Ryanne's bar and her life, she hires Jude's security firm. 

Ryanne launches an all-out flirt assault on Jude to get him to lighten up. This is no small task! Day after day she wears down his defenses. He sees himself as "broken." All Ryanne can see are possibilities. Will their on-again/off-again relationship survive several attempts on Ryanne's life? Will Jude ever really let the past go? Gina Showalter never disappoints! Definitely put this book on your TBR list. With its sexy times and plot twists, you'll love Can't Let Go!

WOW! I read this last week on vacation and it was the PERFECT book to get lost in. The Original Heartbreakers series is one of my favorite contemporary romance series and The Hotter You Burn has held the spot as my favorite in the series but Can't Let Go has me questioning that decision. 

Ryanne runs the local bar and Jude's family was killed when someone drove drunk after leaving a bar. So you can imagine how hard it is when these two are attracted to each other. Jude is at times mean and difficult but still I couldn't dislike him. Ryanne is hilarious and an indiscriminate flirt. I adored every second she was in. 

Add in a rival bar owner willing to go to any length to drive Ryanne out of business and you have a book full of everything I could want. Angst, sex, humor, action, and my absolute favorite cast of characters. This is a must read for me. 

~miranda

**I received an advanced copy of this title from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.**

Wow. I've read a few of Gena Showalter's books before, and knew I'd probably like this one as well. Ryanne (the main lady of this novel) was an extremely lovable character. Despite being a total babe, she's also a very independent woman, who runs her own business and has some serious flaws, something a lot of new adult novels are missing these days (clumsy is not a flaw. Trust/daddy/mommy issues are flaws). 

Jude is also an interesting character. You don't see a lot of honest looks at men who have been ravaged by war. Ryanne's gestures towards him are more real than any I've seen: installing grab bars in her shower for him. IDK about you guys, but that seems more genuine than a lot of romance novels I've read lately. Overall, I'm super excited to see what my friends have to say for this book, which is saying something because that implies that I'll recommend it. I'm definitely a fan, and can't wait for Lyndie's story next.

I really enjoy Gena Showalter's "Lord of the Underworld" series and I felt like this title did not do her other works justice. I found the characters trite and the storyline unbelievable. I didn't enjoy the characters, the plot, the dialogue, or pretty much anything about this.

I'm not even gonna lie, I thought 'Can't Let Go' was the most heartbreaking book I've read this year. Jude's story broke me into a million pieces; and I felt his pain so deeply. Oh, how I felt it. Ryanne was a great character all the way around. She doesn't take anyone's crap, she's beautiful, and she has a heart of freakin' gold. I enjoyed immensely watching Jude and Ryanne fall in love. 

Trouble starts when a rival bar moves across the street and offers to buy out Ryanne. But she isn't selling her business and the man who wants it, will stop at nothing to get what he wants. Enter Jude. He will do everything in his power to protect Ryanne; even if that means spending more time with her. He doesn't want to want her but we all know what they say about how the heart wants what the heart wants. 

One fateful night while Jude was in recovery, his whole world was shattered. Meaning that Jude wasn't living, he was surviving. All Ryanne wants to do is make the man laugh, maybe even squirm a little. What the two don't expect is passion like no other. Jude messed up a lot. For good reason but messed up a lot all the same. Ryanne for the most part was very forgiving of Jude. 

I loved this book so much. Second chances are a blessing and while Jude may have lost a lot in the past, his future holds so much more for him. If you haven't yet picked up this series, I HIGHLY recommend doing so. Swoonworthy men, strong heroines, and amazing storylines that pull at the heartstrings. This is what reading is all about!

*Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

After reading (and LOVING) Daniel & Dorothea’s book, Can’t Hardly Breathe, giving this beauty a shot was a no-brainer. Ryanne is such a kickass character, and her encounters with Jude that were filled with sexual tension and endless bantering was so much fun to read.
I love a good ol’ story about second chances. And seeing Jude overcome his grief and loss in a very steady and realistic pace was phenomenal. Seeing glimpses of Dorothea & Daniel and Lyndie & Brock (WHOSE BOOK I’M PRETTY SURE WILL BE MY FAVORITE!!) reminded me of the reason why I love small-town romance novels.

Ryanne Wade has major trust issues with men. She is the owner of a bar that she has inherited from one of her Mothers ex-husbands.  Ex ranger Jude Laurent has been going thru the motions since his wife and twin daughters were killed in a car accident. He is attracted to Ryanne but feels guilty. A competitor is building a strip club/bar across the street from Ryannes business and he wants to buy her out. This guy has mob connections and has a history of getting what he wants, by any means. Jude and 2 of his ranger buddies have a security company LPH Protection and Jude isn't about to let this guy push Ryanne around. 

Ryanne and Jude are both attracted to each other but they have to be willing to let go of their pasts in order to move forward.  This book is part of a series but it could be read on its own. I liked the plot, there was romance and suspense. The book held my interest all the way through and I would recommend it to readers of romantic suspense. Thank you to net galley for an advanced readers copy.

After reading Can't Hardly Breathe by Gena Showalter and getting a glimpse of Daniel and Dorothea I was eagerly anticipating Jude and Ryanne's story. Can't Let Go was even steamier and hotter than Can't Hardly Breathe and it even manages to pack in some thrilling action and suspense elements to the story which is fitting as Daniel and his friends are ex-military. What I liked about Can't Let Go was that Jude and Ryanne actually started off as "friends" before hooking up. And of course I adored all the friendships in the book (especially the bromance between Jude and Brock and to a slightly lesser degree, Daniel) although I do wish we got to see a bit more of Ryanne and the girls. Finally I appreciated the complexity of Ryanne's relationship with her mother, as both are flawed, especially her mother, but she does truly care about Ryanne albeit in her own warped way. Can't Hardly Breathe has gotten me greatly anticipating the next book in the Original Heartbreakers series, which will focus on Lyndie and Brock, a couple which I was initially not sold on. However, after reading the Can't Let Go and the synopsis for the next book I definitely want to see more of them as well as more of the characters from Strawberry Valley.

Jude doesn't appreciate when people give his woman a hard time, “you have five seconds to leave,” he said, his voice soft but filled with pure menace. “When I get to six, I start whaling.” Jude sure is a jealous man, “no, I’m ultimatuming you with ***. And you will not turn to someone else. You try, and the guy, whoever he is, will end up in the hospital.” I really liked this book, and moody Jude.

Very good story by Gena Showalter. Ryanne and Jude's story was heartwarming.

4 stars

The blurb does an excellent job of summarizing the book, so I won't repeat a summary here. I'll just give my own observations.

Jude is a very, very damaged man. He's living a half a life, if that. When Ryanne tries to bring him back to life, stubborn doesn't begin to describe how much he resists. He's haunted by the drunk-driver deaths of his wife and twin daughters, and feels disloyal by having anything to do with another woman, especially a bartender. Especially one who...well, you'll find out. Suffice it to say that Jude completely BLOWS it with Ryanne at least twice. BIG time!

Ryanne is a flirt and everyone assumes she's as loose as her mother. But is she? Ryanne is a bright ray of sunshine to Jude's storm clouds.

What I love about The Original Heartbreakers series is that Gena Showalter includes tongue in cheek references to her other series. Look for hilarious references to Alice in Zombieland and especially Lords of the Underworld.

If you haven't read any of The Original Heartbreakers, be sure to start with the 5-star THE CLOSER THEY COME. You'll be happy you did.

***
ARC provided by the publisher, but I would have read and reviewed this book anyway!

First off... Love the setting.  All the character of a small town with all the typical antics.  We also get a bit of suspense in this one.  Most important is the frenemies relationship with our h/H.  Ryanne and Jude seem miles apart except that they keep being drawn to each other.  And when they do finally get together?? Whew!  Too bad Jude was still an ass at that point.  

Lots going on in the story.  Some heavy work with PTSD and healing hearts.  Great group of friends to support these two through life as time goes by.  All of the secondary characters add a lot to the story. I would love to catch up with them again just to see how they are managing everything.

Loved, loved, loved it! Better than the first and I really liked that one! Love the unplanned pregnancy and watching the hero heal. Can't wait for the next book!

Can't Let Go is tantalizing and hot! This story offers the perfect alpha male who will protect the one he cares about to the bitter end, and a sassy and strong heroine that will make readers smile! There were many times throughout the novel where I was giving invisible high fives to the characters and even more times where I found myself blushing! This is the PERFECT romance for fans of all types of romance novels and I can't wait to read more in the series!

***I received a copy of this book from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

The fifth installment of the Original Heartbreakers series and wow! This was about Ryanne Wade and Jude Laurent. I couldn't put the book down from the emotional to the sexual tension and the sassy comebacks. This book was amazing!

I had a hard time not getting emotional though, nothing like Can't hardly breathe but it was a close second. The book also had a lot of intensity that kept you wondering what next?

Ryanne Wade was sassy, strong and fun to read about. I enjoyed how her character went from fearing a little but searching to secure and happy. Her zest for life was amusing, trying to see the brighter things in life despite her loss. I loved that she never gave up or gsve in, and no matter what she saw the best in everyone and everything. She had a strong character and her development enthralled me.

Jude Laurent was a hard man to love at first, he was harder than a brick wall! More stubborn than a bull and no matter how much I wanted to give him the benefit of a doubt for his loss, I could not help but say "you silly silly man".Every time you think he give in, he took back and went to his old ways. But the man broke my heart, I will not lie I cried like a slumbering baby whenever he had his meltdowns. The memory of losing his wife and twins in a car accident paralyzed him and kept him from living his life. So I was VERY thrill when he finally saw what he needed. Ryanne helped him see that.

As per usual Gena had humor, sadness and a lot of steamy sex scenes. The intensity was very present here, she never lets you down with her writing. This book was a lot more intense than the first three. I recommend the series and THIS book because you'll fall in love with the characters and enjoy every last page!