DNF.

Sadly this author's writing style is not for me. I've restarted this book so many times in hopes that I could make it past 20% but alas.

After reading and loving a book by Charish last year, I was super pumped to read this one. This is a lovely read and hooray for the hot librarian. At this point, I'll read anything Charish writes!

Thank you for letting me read and review this book. This was a case it's not the book but it's me. I didn't loved the title. I will try another book from the author.

For the last several years, I’ve made it a habit to seek out at least one or two new to me authors a month, this year I pledged to myself to add more diversity into my reading. So, I was happy to pick up Hearts of Hold by Charish Reid for review. I loved the way the characters met (actually the email before they meet was pretty priceless), I loved the hero’s family dynamics, I loved the heroine’s friends who set her straight and keep her sane, and I very much appreciated the message the author relayed throughout this book. While Hearts of Hold contained some serious issues, there were enough laughter and light moments to balance it out making it truly enjoyable.

Dr. Victoria Reese is a somewhat high strung, but professional and much sought out professor of English literature at a prestigious college outside of Chicago. While she loves teaching and enjoys shaping the minds of her students, her colleagues especially her department chair leave a lot to be desired. As a black American, Victoria is determined to make a difference, she wants to set an example for all students but especially those that are marginalized, and she wants tenure something she is worried won’t happen given the way her department head constantly undermines her. When Vicky has an idea for an internship with the local library to help boost enrollment in the English department little does she know her public library contact will we a six foot five male librarian who heats her up, makes her laugh, and stimulates her mind as well as her body.

Life for John Donovan just got a bit harder; in addition to being put in charge of working on an internship with Pembroke University, he’s gone from fun uncle to father of his niece, Becca, while her mother is out of town for several months on a work assignment and her father is MIA licking his wounds from a divorce after being caught cheating. John knows kids, as a children’s librarian he has experience working with them and he loves Becca like his own, but he knows being in charge full time is going to be a challenge as some days his ADD makes it hard to keep himself on track much less a 12 year old as well.

I enjoyed their attraction from the start, John’s teasing and somewhat laid back approach to life and the contrast to Vicky’s need to always be in control made things very entertaining. While they agree to a “sordid affair” while working together it is easy to see them both falling for one another along the way all while trying to deny it to themselves. Their relationship had challenges, Vicky’s need to plan everything and John’s life being busy while trying to understand and help his niece through some trying times. One of my problems with this book was I felt like there were too many subplots running through it for me to really enjoy the relationship aspect of this book. I didn’t have enough time with these characters just being a couple, the times they were together were often rushed or interrupted and as a reader I felt cheated so I could only imagine how they felt. Some were interesting like John’s family dynamic; his “twin” step-sister (they are the same age) and his step-mom both of whom he adores are black, as is his niece and his step-mom and mother have bonded and become great friends since his father’s death. He has an amazing relationship with his sister and it is easy to see that he appreciates all the women in his family and life. When his niece feels like she doesn’t fit in at the private school she goes to that is predominately white, he encourages her to find one friend and before long she has a whole girl gang which takes an interesting turn after a bullying incident gets her a week long detention. What I would have loved was to see Vicky and John spend more time with Becca, I think it would have done them both good but it didn’t happen and I kind of felt that was a missed opportunity. The storyline of Vicky’s overbearing mother who only seemed to add more stress in her life as well as the part about Becca’s father both added nothing to the story to further the plot and took time away from our hero and heroine getting more together time.

I loved that this author brought in the lack of diversity of Vicky’s workplace situation and that of the minority students at the school, I think in this day and age it is important for that to be explored in all types of literature including romance. I appreciated that she wrote characters that were multi-faceted, they were flawed, but also so very well rounded and real.

I enjoyed this book a lot, at times I felt the romance got lost in the shuffle, however I did love these characters both individually and as a couple. Ms. Reid’s voice is fresh and compelling and I look forward to reading more from her in the future.

There was much promise evident in Ms Reid's Hearts on Hold and yet, also, an author not quite in control of her material. In sum, for this reader, I loved Victoria and John apart, but disliked them together. Ms Reid writes with humour and an awareness of the inequalities women face, especially women of colour, in academia. I thought Victoria's sparring with her nemesis managed to capture both. I also loved Victoria's conversation with her mother, great characterization and psychology.

When John interacted with Jessi, and especially with Becca, I thought what a great guy. How funny and sensitive a hero is drawn here. But his about-face, from Jekyll to Hyde, in his crude flirting with Victoria wasn't something I enjoyed at all. The romance lacked any build-up, mystery, fascination, the slow-dance to fulfillment so important to great romance. And I get that John was drawn with his ADD impulsivity, but why couldn't he bring some of that nice-guy to his interactions with Victoria?

Ms Reid is a capable writer, and obviously has some interesting themes and ideas embedded in Hearts On Hold: enough to urge me to try her next book, but this one, sadly, was disappointing.

5 Stars / 3.5 Steam Fans

Hearts on Hold is my second Charish Reid book, and can I just say that I have been sleeping on this author. Victoria is a university professor holding on by a strand to make tenure under a department director that does not treat her with respect. Victoria suggests a 4-week initiative to work with the local library where she meets and connects with John, the children's director. Victoria and John have instant chemistry that jumps off the pages from their first interaction through emails. I loved that I could see my relationship throughout this story being an interracial romance. Throughout the pages, you could feel that Charish Reid used her personal experiences or researched real interactions of interracial couples.

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Victorias library internship idea is not well recieved. Some of the language is boring. I couldn't get interested but Victoria is likeable

Victoria is poised, driven, and focused. She is a patient daughter, a good friend, and a dedicated professor who wants to see all of her students succeed.

John is laid-back, slightly disorganized, warm and caring. Despite not having children of his own, he is a good father figure to his 12-year-old niece, Becca.

Hearts on Hold begins with a cheeky email and plenty of sexual tension, which leads, quite naturally, to sex. Lots of it. There's office sex, greenhouse sex, maintenance room sex, dry-humping on the sofa, and sex in the bedroom while dinner is simmering on the stove. And that's just part of it. Add in a panty theft and a couple of bra fondlers, and you've got everything you need for a great story.

Ms. Reid expertly crafts an engaging world with memorable characters, navigating John and Victoria through life's challenges with lots of humor, and bringing their tale to a delightful end.

This novel was such a pleasure to read and I encourage you to pick up a copy to enjoy.

The subtitle of Charish Reid’s latest book, Hearts on Hold, is A Librarian Romance. Is it any wonder I needed to read it? Happily, the content lived up to the title and I had so much fun reading this novel.

Here’s the synopsis:
What happens in the stacks stays in the stacks…
Professor Victoria Reese knows an uphill battle when she sees one. Convincing her narrow-minded colleagues at the elite Pembroke University to back a partnership with the local library is a fight she saw coming and already has a plan for. What she didn’t see coming? The wildly hot librarian who makes it clear books aren’t the only thing he’d like to handle.
When a tightly wound, sexy-as-hell professor proposes a partnership between his library and her university, children’s department head John Donovan is all for it. He knows his tattoos and easygoing attitude aren’t quite what she expected, but the unmistakable heat between them is difficult to resist.
And then there’s the intriguing late fee on her record. For the Duke’s Convenience… A late fee and a sexy romance novel? There’s more to Dr. Reese than she’s letting on.
John might like to tease her about her late fee, but when he teases her in other ways, Victoria is helpless to resist. Mixing business with pleasure—and oh, it is pleasure—always comes with risks, but maybe a little casual fun between the sheets is just what Victoria needs.

I love that Reid flipped the script in her novel. Victoria, the heroine, is the professor whereas John, the hero, is the librarian. This shouldn’t be such a big thing but it honestly was. Even I initially assumed, based on the title and before I read the synopsis, that the librarian referenced in the title would be the heroine. Plus, he’s a children’s librarian. Not an area of the library you’d typically find men and that was also refreshing.

Not only is John the librarian, he’s not at all threatened by Victoria’s successes and her demanding job as a professor. Personally I haven’t dealt with any men who would be threatened by a woman like that (so either I’m surrounded by very, very good men, which is true, or some of the more casual acquaintances I have are very good at hiding their idiotic feelings). (That’s not to say I haven’t dealt with men who cannot seem to comprehend that a little woman, such as myself, would have thoughts and expertise on anything.) ANYWAY. The point is, I see men like John in my own life and it was nice to see that reflected in a romance novel.

Victoria, on the other hand, is quite the prickly character. She’s dealing with a ton of stress at work (her work environment is infuriating with an old, white, male boss who can’t handle her competence) and now she has this good-natured librarian teasing her about a romance novel that he says is overdue. I don’t think she’s used to men like John so she gets her back up a little bit which makes her even pricklier. I’m sure some people have said they didn’t like Victoria but that would only be because she wasn’t seen as…soft enough, I guess? I don’t know. I don’t get that because I adored her. She was intelligent and an incredibly caring friend and someone I would love to get to know.

You (should) all know that I love me a good romance. I like that I’m going to have a Happily Ever After and knowing everyone will be in a happy place by the end of the novel doesn’t bother me one bit. So, it pleases me to no end that Carina Press (an imprint of Harlequin) has a Carina Press Romance Promise, which they say is all the romance you’re looking for with an HEA/HFN. We’ve all read books where we’ve expected one outcome only to have the rug pulled from under us and all of a sudden there is Much Sadness. Not what I want in a romance! I don’t care if the end is for all time or just for the moment, the emphasis is on happy.

Hearts on Hold was the first Charish Reid book I’ve read but it won’t be the last. I loved the characters she created – especially the smart, sassy, wonderful females – and the way she wrote this story. It was sweet and sexy and a whole lot of fun. If you’re like me and falling down a romance rabbit hole during this pandemic, I definitely recommend picking this one up!

*An egalley of this novel was provided by the publisher, Carina Press/Harlequin, in exchange for review consideration. All opinions are honest and my own.*

This is my first Charish Reid book which I picked due to her hilarious description of it on Twitter and I really enjoyed it. I liked out characters and really enjoyed their chemistry and the progression of their relationship. It is a bit slow at times and I did get frustrated with Victoria's rigidness, but it didn't curb my enjoyment of the book. I really loved the issues that were explored with Victoria being in academia as black woman, John taking care of his niece and Victoria's struggles with her mother.

All in all, I am so glad I discovered this author and I immediately purchased her previous book to read.

When one of my book-loving pals on Instagram told me there was a "laid back, tattooed, librarian hero meets prickly super-smart heroine" up on Netgalley, I immediately requested!! This book took me by surprise because I was not expected to outright love this one as much as I did. Reid brought so much into this book that it made me feel right alongside these characters.

To start, you have John, the chill children's librarian who is currently caring for his niece while his sister in aboard for 2 months. Then you have Victoria, a wickedly smart English Professor who is trying to find her place as a black woman at a predominantly white university. Victoria is incredibly strict with herself and plans every minute of her life. She meets John when she has the idea of creating an internship program with his library. As they form a working relationship, she offers a little saucy recreation on the side. A scheduled, sordid affair. As things get heated with John and Victoria, it starts to get messy. They each become more involved in each others lives.

Here are the things that stood out to me:
1. John was highly caring and considerate. He was perfection when parenting his niece and so patient with Victoria. Ugh!! Loved.
2. Victoria's strained relationship with her mother & how that made Victoria who she was. This felt so real and I loved how it was resolved.
3. Side characters of Victoria's friends & John's parents. I loved! They all had tough love but were supportive.

This was such a great read, I am looking forward to more from this author.

*~~*ARC kindly provided from the publisher/author to me for an honest review *~~*

Full review to come

5 stars

This book was very sweet. I liked the main characters a lot, and the depiction of academia and being a black woman in academia felt very true to form.

However, as a librarian, I was entirely distracted by the depiction of the public library.

First off, **do not have sex in the stacks, for god's sakes.** Children are there. People have been banned for much much less. I understand that's what makes it sexy to some, but as a librarian, no don't. Also it's someone's workplace. Just. Don't.

Second, the depictions of library workers were kinda demeaning and inaccurate. They suggested that people staffing the reference and circulation desks have little to do but read. They have a ton to do. Have a librarian read your book next time.

Third, the librarian breaks ethics rules. Librarians do not use their access to patron information to flirt. It was completely inappropriate, and there was no acknowledgement of that.

I know this sounds like a very stodgy review. But librarians are so happy to tell you about their work or to give yours a beta read. AND they are a primary audience for this book. Don't disappoint us like this please.

I don't want to end the review there because most of it was in fact very charming. I just got distracted by the above. Read this book, really, but just know that librarians are better at their jobs than this.

In Hearts on Hold Victoria is an uptight English professor who is trying to make it in academia, where she has to battle sexism and racism constantly. She also has to deal with a lot of pressure from her highly demanding mom. Meanwhile, children's librarian John is laid back and disorganized, and taking care of his 12 year old niece while his sister is away on a business trip for two months. Victoria decides to pitch a library internship for her students to her university's president, and works with John to get the internship set up. I really enjoyed this book - Victoria and John were great together, and I liked how they balanced each other out. I also loved the supporting characters in this book - Victoria's friends were wonderful, and John's niece and his sister were adorable. (I did find Victoria's mom so stressful; her interactions with Victoria were painful at times. Though they did lead to a hilarious scene in which Victoria has a mishap while wearing a dress her mom picked out while dancing with a man her mom also picked out.) This book was a delight the whole way through. As someone who works in both academia and a library, I was a little worried it would hit too close to home, but I really enjoyed it. I'm hoping this becomes a series, and I'm looking forward to Charish Reid's next book.

I did really enjoy the heroine’s work as a Black professor in an elite private college and her fight with discrimination – this felt extremely realistic to me. I loved that aspect of the book. However, I had heard there was a librarian overstep with a Librarian getting a reader’s information but I honestly assumed people were overreacting to it so I picked up the book anyways…I was wrong. The male MC (the librarian) gets into the female MCs library account and sees that she never returned a book and then brings it up in a non-library setting, at their FIRST meeting. And then repeatedly brings it up. It just really bothered me because Librarians take privacy very seriously. I couldn’t overcome how much this bothered me so I finally DNF this one.

I don't know what it was about this book... I should have loved it. There were many loveable elements to it. I particularly loved the way that Victoria was introduced. I thought it was incredibly smart that she was introduced as arguing feminism with an outdated old fogey in the English department at the university she worked in.

Likewise, I adored the introduction of John, changing roles from fun uncle to single dad for a short time while his twin step sister was away in Stockholm doing research shortly after a divorce with her child's father.

In any other book, these kinds of elements would be the kinds that would get me jumping straight into the book and not looking back. Certainly, that was what I thought would happen when I started reading this book!

And then the two main characters met and I.... did not gel with their interactions. John's words suddenly become clunky and weird sounding even though he was trying to seduce. Victoria no longer seemed like a strong feminist character. I did not like the two of them together, and that was a problem for a romance novel. I think this is the first Carina title I have not liked. :(

This is one sexy story about an uptight professor (who needs to let her hair down) and the sexy librarian who helps her do just that. Loved experiencing Victoria and John's path to love as it developed from a saucy fling to something more.

Although east to read and slow to start, it becomes a story that really grabs you right around the heart and squeezes all the feels right out of you.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

This was such a delightful read! I enjoyed both character's backgrounds and the way in which they both jumped into their relationship with their goods and bads. I enjoyed the pieces around academic politics, but also the wonderful place that John plays into his niece's life.
10/10 recommend for a lift-up reading

*I was given an ARC in NetGalley*