Thank you, thank you Nicole McLaughlin for writing such a wonderful, funny, sexy read thru Only With You. I received an ARC thru Net Galley.
I loved Hannah Walter's strong sense of intuition, her battle of her own inner demons, but love her more with her relationship with Aidan Knight. Hannah was a consistent, persistent (in a good way), her sense of humor, her compassion, and love for Aidan was truly amazing.
Aidan Knight, a National Guardsman has feelings for Hannah, but pushes those emotions back and tries to forget them, until he can no longer deny them. However, Aidan feels broken, not able to give everything he can to a woman, and is unsure of how Hannah will react about his broken and "troubled" past. Aidan has a heart of gold, so much love to give, but will his past get in the way, so to speak . As Hannah and Aidan's love for one another blooms, Aidan's is ready to lay everything at Hannah's feet, and same for Hannah. Such a wonderful story, and cannot wait for your next story Nicole McLaughlin.

Aidan has had a bit of a crush on Hannah for a while but thought his friend Jase wanted her, now that he knows the truth will he reveal his feelings? Will his past come back to ruin any relationship they may have? This is a fast-paced read with plenty of drama, great characters and steamy chemistry. This sweet and emotional story really draws you in and keeps you entertained throughout. I really liked it.

This was my first Nicole McLaughlin and I really enjoyed it! It wasn't quite as light and breezy as I expected. Both Hannah and Aidan have real issues and this isn't a relationship that is just an instant connection. The issues that they have are very real (and Aidan's is especially heartbreaking) and it's easy to see what's holding them each back from really becoming a couple at first.

Hannah is very sweet and talkative but there's a lot of insecurity hiding behind her bright façade. I loved how her job as a 3rd grade teacher was really part of the book and liked her interactions with her coworkers. It added a bit of depth and a bit of realism to her character and it was nice to have her be able to confide or talk to people who were out of her usual circle of friends.

Aidan is a really wonderful hero. He's so sweet and kind and a touch shy. Why he has some very dark demons he isn't bitter or mean he just has a tendency to disconnect to a situation. There's a disconnect to how Hannah and Aidan interact which leads to some misunderstandings. Normally this would drive me crazy but it actually worked here. Part of this is because while the relationship stretches out over the course of months the pacing is very fast so we don't really wallow in the conflict. As well it just kind of worked for the characters. Yes they needed to talk to each other but the reasons they weren't wasn't because they were being unnecessarily stubborn but because of their own personal issues.

I really liked the timeline. This wasn't a whirlwind romance. While it's a short book the plot stretches out over the course of months which I really liked. There are some real issues here and McLaughlin doesn't just wave a magic wand and fix everything which I really appreciated. If you're looking for a fast read with developed and sympathetic characters and a lovely romance this is a great choice!

A searingly emotional contemporary romance that will tug at the heartstrings and have readers wiping away a tear or two, Only with You is a dramatic, poignant and intense read that has got keeper written all over it.

Aiden King is a National Guardsman who cannot remember a time when he was not head over heels in love with Hannah Walters. Although Aiden is deeply attracted to Hannah and would love nothing more than to move out of the friend zone and see if they can take things to the next level, Aiden has always been reluctant to make a move and to tell her how he really feels about her due to her close relationship with his best friend. Aiden is not prepared to jeopardise his friendship for the sake of somebody who might not reciprocate his feelings for them, so he has always kept his cards close to his chest and his infatuation with Hannah a secret. However, when Aiden’s best friend gives him his blessing, a flabbergasted Aiden wonders whether the time is finally right to tell the woman he has loved from afar for years and years the truth about the depth of his feelings for her. But opening his heart to anyone – even Hannah, the woman he has fantasized about and loved from a distance for so long – might mean revealing powerful secrets from his past that are stopping him from moving forward with his life. Is Aiden ready to stop living in the shadows and to take a chance on love? Or will he continue to be held hostage by old ghosts?

Hannah has wasted far too much time on men who do not deserve her. She wants to be treated like a princess and to experience the kind of romance to be found in books and movies – even if Mr Right seems to have passed her by. With a failed engagement under her belt, Hannah has found great solace and comfort in Aiden King’s friendship and support. His broad shoulders and sympathetic ears have been an absolute godsend in the last couple of weeks and she cannot help but wonder how she would have coped if Aiden hadn’t been around in her hour of need. With each passing day, Aiden and Hannah’s friendship deepens and it soon becomes clear that they are made for each other. But the closer the two of them become, the more Aiden pushes her away. Is Hannah misreading the signals? Or does Aiden have a reason why he refuses to act upon his obvious feelings for her?

When Aiden suggest they go on a road trip to get their mind off things, will he and Hannah manage to find their way to the happy ever after they so richly deserve? Are they ready to take a chance on love? Or will they be better off as just friends?

Only with You is a wonderfully written and highly emotional tale told with compassion, understanding and heart. Nicole McLaughlin has written a mesmerizing, compelling and engrossing read that effortlessly juggles escapist and intense contemporary romance with some difficult issues that certainly never detract from the reader’s enjoyment of the book.

A story told with sensitivity, emotional integrity and pathos, Only with You is a story of second chances, healing from the past and the redemptive power of love with characters that are so wonderfully realized they leap off the pages from the get-go. Aiden is a flawed hero and a damaged soul readers will lose their hearts to and Hannah is a great heroine to cheer for and root for.

Only with You is a tale of hope, renewal and new beginnings that will touch readers’ hearts and which continues to cement Nicole McLaughlin’s standing as a contemporary romance writer to watch out for!

4 1/2 stars

In January, I reviewed Should’ve Been You by Nicole McLaughlin (you can read that review here). While it was a novella that I felt could have easily (and probably should) have been a full-length novel, it did introduce me to McLaughlin’s writing and the Man Enough series. Only with You proves that my intuition in wanting to follow up with this author and series was right on the money.

Hannah was the sister in Should’ve Been You who inadvertently kept Jase and Becca from each other over the years, yet, by the time the novella ended, I felt a lot of sympathy for Hannah.

So I wasn’t surprised that I truly liked Hannah when it came to reading her story in Only with You. Hannah likes to talk. In some ways she reminds me of a character that Zooey Deschanel might play: extremely talkative, vulnerable, seemingly ditzy but really smart. She’s the perfect companion for the stoic, nonverbal Aiden.

Aiden, despite being referred to as Alpha (a characterization that frequently leaves me scratching my head; probably because I always think of dogs), is sensitive, a great cook, and a gentle guy. He rides a motorcycle (I got you with that one, right?). However, he was the victim of bad stuff in the past, and it’s that stuff that threatens to keep soulmates Hannah and Aiden apart.

There are topics in novels that I tend to stay away from and if I had known from the start that one of them would appear in Only with You, I might have not read the novel. But McLaughlin handles the subject with sensitivity. I think it’s also because the heroine was Hannah a character who has some very human flaws and not some fervent do-gooder that made this palatable for me.

There were many instances where I laughed, appreciated the vulnerability of the characters, and had tears fill my eyes.

Nicole McLaughlin is an excellent writer considering that she can ably, and without calling on huge quantities of sentimentality, make her reader laugh, cry, and enjoy the steamy scenes in the space of a few hours. I look forward to reading more by her.

I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This is an emotional and intense yet sweet and romantic story. Aidan is broken, but he's caring and kind a has a big heart. Hannah is immature and pushy, but she's also vulnerable, kind, sweet and brave. Aidan has been attracted to Hannah for a while, but feels like he's too damaged to inflict himself and his issues on Hannah. But when Hannah wants something, or in this case someone, she goes after it. It leaves Aidan confused and angry, so he pushes her away, which initially makes her more determined. When everything falls apart, they each need to decide if trying to have a future together is worth the risk and pain. I really liked Aidan, he's a very likeable and sympathetic character. Hannah is not so likeable in the beginning, but as she learns to love, she becomes a brave and respectable character.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. This is my honest and voluntary opinion of it.

I have mixed feelings about the way the author tackled the serious topics of this book. It’s competently written and tackles some very difficult issues but Hannah’s character was too flighty for this serious storyline. Hannah thinks the world revolves around her and her constant yammering about everything and anything was very confusing to me in light of the serious subject matter of this book. Eventually her character did show signs of compassion and understanding for Aiden but unfortunately they were short lived and inconsistent which spoiled the momentum of the story for me. Aiden is a wonderfully complex character who has serious personal issues that make an intimate relationship with Hannah, or any woman, an uphill climb but the revelation of Aiden’s past was not written in a way that made the story better. Having said that, I think it’s just my personal taste that gives me mixed feelings so in fairness to the author I have given this book 4 stars. I read a complimentary copy of this book through NetGalley and all opinions expressed in my voluntary review are completely my own.

This is a classic story of attraction between opposites but Hannah Walters is very determined that the relationship formed with National Guardsman Aiden King will survive against some very serious odds. She is very talkative in comparison to the quiet Aiden but after stopping at a few auctions and going on a road trip together and camping out, they know that they want to make this work out.

Thanks to the publisher and to NetGalley for an ARC; all opinions are my own.

The second book with Hannah Walters. In the last book her twin sister ends up with the guy who they had grown up with. In this one she is focused on Aiden King who she thinks likes her but has not come out and said so. She enjoys being around him and he is easy to talk to. Aiden wants to be with Hannah but when he tries something inside of him stops short. When his grandmother passes away and he ends up finding his mother he thinks this will help but it does not and as Hannah who is trying to be patient with him is falling for him she cannot wait around for him when she begins to make the next step and he shuts her down. Frustrated and confused she tells him that he needs to work out what is going on with him and come to her when he is ready, she will wait but not for ever. Now he must chose weather to fix himself or let her walk out of his life forever. Read this book and see what happens.

Wow!!! Only With You, written by Nicole McLaughlin was a sweet but deep story about overcome life difficulties and past traumatization. Aiden King is a man whose major encounters has so far hinder his abilities to grow and face one of life basic needs, love with the opposite sex. He can face a man in hand to hand combat. However, he has difficulties communicating his feelings, especially to Hannah Walters. The one person he can see growing old with. He knows, in order to express his feelings, he first must overcome his past demons.

Hannah Walters a school teacher who has finally had enough of false love. Has decided to wait, if all possible, for the kind of love that you can only read about in romance books or see in movies. The kind of love where just the sound of his voice has tingles running throughout her body. After the failed engagement, she's wondering maybe that's why their called fiction.

This story was so surprising to me. This was a last-minute choice that I was hesitant and now I am glad that I did select to read this story. At the beginning of this review, I said that the story was sweet. It was sweet in the way that we finally got to see a strong alpha male, whose also damaged in the way that only the love of a good woman would make him whole.

This wasn’t your standard romance book. The romance was not of intimacy but of deeds, the action of both characters. I liked the way the author had Hannah figured out what happened to Aiden, instead of him telling her what happened. For some reason having her figuring out that Aiden was abused as a child made more…I don’t know…shows that Hannah was more attuned to Aiden’s feelings and emotions.

By the end of Only With You, it was without a doubt that Aiden King was Man Enough to realize that being damaged was okay. That your past doesn’t always define who you are.

Hannah has such a huge heart and is so ready to find true love when the right guy is right in front of her will she take the chance on loving him? I love that Hannah is an estate sale fanatic, it is just a fun and quirky side to see in this character. Her relationship with Aiden starts off a bit slow and it is a very slow progression throughout this book but it is so heartwarming that she doesn't back down from the challenges that come with falling in love with Aiden. Aiden has been through so much in his life and he is damaged from his past but Hannah still sees the good in him and get him to open up to her and show Aiden that he is capable of being loved and loving another person. It is a sweet story, a bit slow and seemed to drag on in different parts but overall it was a cute book.

TRIGGER WARNING!: sexual abuse

I'm also going to be talking a bit about how this topic was handled in my review, so if that's a trigger for you, perhaps stop reading now.

Still with me? Good.

This is definitely not a light-hearted fluff read. One of the characters is dealing with some major trauma in their past, and there are some situations that set off flashbacks (that don't go into detail) but the book does describe the character's thoughts and feelings about the past abuse while alluding to what happened without ever really spelling it out or going deep into detail. I really, REALLY appreciated that the character continues to deal with the fallout of this abuse even after meeting "the one." I feel like a lot of times books and stories about abuse and rape survivors have them magically move on once they find "the one," like their love instantly heals them. Only With You is not one of those books, and instead shows the struggle for an abuse survivor to connect in a physical way with a romantic partner, as well as how hard it can be for the partner/spouse of an abuse survivor to deal with everything happening (hurting for the person you love, the struggle to not feel rejected when they need some space, encouraging them to get help). McLaughlin addresses this really, REALLY tough issue in a way that's real - which means it's not very pretty, but REST ASSURED! This romance has a HEA, ok?

While this was definitely heavier than my usual romance reads, it was so well written that I couldn't put it down. I love Aiden and Hannah, and how he is so quiet and she's so chatty, and they click together like puzzle pieces instead of struggling with that. I also love me a man who can cook! It lost half a star for some of Hannah's creepy behavior ("You like girls, right? Are you bi?") which she immediately realizes is not OK but just didn't need to be there. The descriptions and relationships between Hannah and Aiden and their friends and families are so complex and multi-faceted, they all felt like real people to me. I found myself caring a lot about what happens to all the characters in this book, and definitely need to go back and read the first books in the series.

This is the fourth book in the Man Enough series, and it's got some spoilers for a previous book that deal with Hannah's best friend Jase and her sister Becca as the MCs. It can absolutely be read as a stand alone though, as it covers enough of that situation to catch the reader up.

A Romantic Suspense.

The plot was simple but touching. For me, I felt like maybe a secondary or minor plot would do the story good.
That being said the main plot was written and the unraveling of everything was slow and kept me on the hook.

Unlike some of the Romantic books. This one is not heavy on sex. Or barely even there. However, there is enough intimate almost moments to tell me that it is sizzling.

Like I told you, the plot is simple and emotional. One that would get you to think about relationships and love. And what it means.

I like this series a lot. The men are real (and manly!) and the women are interesting and different. Hannah and Aiden were a sweet couple, coming together as friends first. I loved how Aiden payed attention to Hannah and tried to give her the things she needed, even when she didn't know she needed them.

Very heartbreaking, emotional sad read. This story is a super sad, super horrific topic that dominates the story. There is so much anguish and heartbreak that the romance doesn't stand a chance at capturing my attention! Hannah and Aiden are perfect for each other and the trials they go through together will make your heart hurt for the little boy Aiden had been and the tormented man he is now! The story isn't explicit about Aidens history but the after effects as an adult and trying to be "normal" touches every part of you.
There are some things left unanswered where his mother and her past are considered and what becomes of that relationship as well as a super quick ending , topic of story (needed more than sadness in a book)is why 3 stars only. With how heartbreaking this story is to read I needed more than a fast wrapped up ending to make me feel better about the characters, the story and emotionally over all. Instead of feeling joy and happiness at the end I just feel bad. I need to see Aiden living happily, I needed to see him overcome his past and see the amazing man he is!
This is a story that needs that happy middle & ending because it was not a happy topic!
Book gifted for honest review. And I honestly feel like listening to sad music and having a long cry after reading this book. 😢

4.5 stars

Surprisingly good. The heroine was in need of a lot of redeeming in my eyes. The last book didn't allow her to show her best self. The hero is everything you expect from a great guy. The surprise is that he has a serious trauma in his past, and it’s a tough one. The author handles that situation well and allows us to see the heroine in a much needed better light. It turns out that these two characters are perfect for each other. So it was great to see Aiden, especially, get his HEA.

I received an ARC of this book, from the publisher, via NetGalley, in exchange for a fair and honest review.

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. This is the story of two very headstrong people, Hannah and Aiden, who kinda know each other, but decide that they should know each other better. There are struggles and fun, hidden things in each of their pasts that they need to overcome, but this is a good story and a great read. This is definitely one to pick up.

Hannah is close to Jase, one of Aiden’s best friend and a national Guardsman who is in Aiden’s unit, but they are not romantically involved. Aiden, for his part is very interested in a relationship with Hannah but has backed off because he is unsure because of Hannah’s closeness to Jase. When Jase encourages Aiden’s relationship with Hannah, Aiden goes for it. However, each of the pair has big stumbling blocks to overcome before a solid relationship is possible. In Aiden’s case, he has a background filled with a lot of events and persons and events in his past that work to prevent him from going forward with a relationship. Still, Aiden determines to push on forward himself, and even manages to overcome the lot. Hannah is the “bad” twin to her sister Becca’s “good” twin. I have not read any Becca’s story which an earlier part of the series is, so I am not very familiar with Becca or her relationships/actions/events and cannot explain the twin’s relationship here. Hannah also has experienced heartache in past love and is now determined to find herself before succumbing to romance again. Thus, each has his/her own share of problems/secrets to work through, but, if they can manage to succeed, a solid relationship will occur.

The book was an okay read, but it will never be one of my favorites. I personally was not taken by either of the two main characters, Aiden and Hannah. Aiden was not really that open to life or relationships and had some very difficult past issues to overcome—which I am a bit surprised he could do himself. Hannah came across as self-absorbed and unwilling to give her all to the relationship. Things moved along at a mixed pace, sometimes slow, sometimes fast. There were a lot of references to characters who obviously had been in earlier books in the series, which I often wished I had read, so I would have known more about them. In this book, it seemed like Aiden needed to be more up-front with Hannah, though he probably was just taking things slowly as he wanted. However, somehow the story just did not come together well for me. It is an okay read, but, as I said, will never be one of my favorites. If you enjoyed the rest of the books in the series, this may be another to read to complete it. It also is not a terribly long book, so can probably be read rather quickly. I received this from NetGalley to read and review.

I really loved this story. Normally it is the women who have the hang up but it was refreshing to read about a man who was dealing with past issues. While it was a very sensitive subject and was sprinkled throughout with out being very revealing, I think it was handled very well.

I like that Hannah didn't push Aiden too much and that their relationship grew over time. It was steamy without being overdone. Loved their chemistry and Aiden's personality.

Hannah wasn’t even sad she ended her engagement to Jonas after two months. Maybe she was broken or maybe Hannah was looking for something unattainable. There was no doubt loved her neighbor and best friend Jace for years. She wondered if her inability to love another man fully was because of Jace. Hannah had a twin sister Becca although Jace and Becca had been crushing on each other for years and Hannah felt she stood in their way but they were together now- they had started seeing each other in December- and Hannah was talking to Aldan who was a man of few words and didn’t usually smile but Hannah made it her mission to make him smile and laugh. He had said he had never really been in love either. Hannah knew eventually it would happen but losing her best friend to her twin was hard. Hannah had spent a lot of her life jealous and feeling inadequate next to Becca. Becca seemed to excel at everything she did. The one person who always made her feel good about herself was Jace and he was with Becca now. Hannah taught third grade. Aidan owned his own bar- Smokeys- for several years now. Hannah didn’t know it but Aidan really wanted her as well as cared deeply about her but he was messed up in his head from being a sniper in the army but more so for the abuse he had suffered when he was younger that no one knew about. Hannah was out with the girls- other teacher from the same school and they had told her to loosen up. Hannah had fajitas and realized how much better Aidan’s fajitas were. And texted Aidan that and he told her he would make them any time for her. Hannah decided to go see her sister Becca and Aidan offered to make fajitas for them at his bar. Jace said not to lead Aidan on as she had to know he was into Hannah. So Hannah made sure she said they were just friends and then regretted it. Then Aidan’s grandmother died and Hannah drove to him and they went on his bike for a ride and ended up at the lake. Then Hannah and Will were kissing with him over her but then he pulled away from her.
I loved this book In a way it was a hard book to read for all Aidan had been through especially the abuse but it was so worth reading. Also the author did a very good job handling the abandonment issue, the sexual abuse of a young girl, and the abuse Aidan had suffered. I felt that was very realistic. I loved how Hannah and Aidan interacted most of the time even when he hurt her or she hurt him. I loved how Aidan’s National Guard friends wanted to be there for him especially Jace considering he didn’t know of Aidan’s past and he also wanted to be there for Hannah. I couldn’t find anything to criticize in this book happily and I loved the ending. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I highly recommend.