I absolutely loved the McKenzie family and can't wait to see what's in store for Cade's siblings, Reyes and Madison. Lori Foster's characters are the best and her storylines always capture my attention. No Holding Back was the perfect start to the McKenzies of Ridge Trail series!

It had been a minute since I had read one of this author's stories but this one drew me in. It is also a plus because it is the beginning of a new series. In this we are introduced to Trucker or Star and Cade. The foundation will be secrets it seems so that will be fun reading when they are exposed or come to light. Either way though this one is a good yarn that has us wanting to kn ow so much about these two and delight in seeing the relationship build. The elements are what we will see build as part of it. Gotta love a good romance.

Wow! What a great start to a new series! Sterling and Cade were both bad at connecting to people and had a strength of character that made them want to help even to their own detriment. Their shared goals were what brought them together. Their chemistry was hard to fight off. Great dialogue, love the snarkiness! The family has some great characters and I can’t wait for more!

Oh yes! This is the kind of book we remember this author writing in the past and have longed for and finally received. This was full of heat and suspense and even some edge to it. Sterling (Star) is on a mission...to save women and the best way she feels she can do that is by traveling the roads driving her big truck and frequenting the stops where trafficking happens. Cade McKenzie is not an ordinary bartender and he knows there is something special about the woman who comes into his bar and sits in the corner and falls asleep. When these two come together the sparks ignite and all bets are off. This is a standalone and I for one am glad there is more to come in this series!

**Received this ARC for review from the publisher via NetGalley**

I love when Lori Foster starts a new series, because not only do I get an awesome book, but I get the potential of so many more awesome things to come! This book felt a little steamier than her last couple, but nowhere near enough to push her into the "erotic" category - it was just the right amount of heat to have me glued to the story and desperate for more! One of my favorite things about Lori Foster is that she writes such true-to-life characters. Her heroines are women I admire and would want to be friends with, and her heroes are ones I want to meet and fall in love with. I can't find anything bad to say about this book, which is normal, since Lori can do no wrong. She's such a good writer, I know I will always get a solid read when I pick up one of her books, and as always - this is a perfect example of that. Highly recommended for contemporary romance fans!

3.5*

No Holding Back brought me back to the days of The Men Who Walk the Edge of Honor series! That series was one of the first I read by Ms. Foster and will always be a forever favorite.
While NHB had a similar feel to When You Dare, with the kidnapping/human trafficking storyline, this book is definitely a little darker and grittier than most of her recent books.

I liked how strong Sterling was, how she's able to hold her own when it came to not only the bad guys, but with Cade as well. I appreciated how protective Cade was with her, but still able to accept that she wasn't going to just let him take over and control things, especially when it came to dealing with her kidnappers. They worked very well together, along with the rest of Cade's family.
I enjoyed the action and intrigue of this story, I think a bit more than the romance, if you can believe it!
I got a kick out of Reyes, Cade's brother, and I'm looking forward to his book. I think he's in for a run for his money when it comes to Kennedy, and I can't wait to see what her story is.

This latest release from the author grabs your attention and gets your heart pumping from the very first sentence. Sterling aka Star was tough, she had to be. Spending time in this seedy bar gave her the opportunity to rest and get herself back to a sense of normal. Too bad the guy behind the bar made her feel like he knew all about her. He was always watching her, but she found she didn’t mind it. He was a distraction she didn’t need but did she want?

Cade knew Star had a rough life, he tried to get her to relax around him so she felt comfortable to let him in. Knowing what she most likely has been through, seeing it first hand, made him both angry and incredibly sad. She didn’t deserve this, none of them did. That’s why he made it his mission to make the men responsible pay.

Star, Cade and his family need to work together if they are going to be able to take down this ring of nasty people. But with each core member having their own agenda, that could prove to be more trouble than success.

No Holding Back is a great introduction to interesting new characters. As with all Lori Foster books, this pulled me right in and right along for the ride. Can’t wait to see what the future holds for the McKenzies.

I am a big fan of Lori Foster and this is another fantastic story to add to any reader's collection. Such a serious subject that was handled very well. Great start to the series.

This book captivated me from the first page. Human trafficking is real and scary and this book brought it the forefront. There was a great cast of characters and the first book in the McKenzies of Ridge Tail is a great start to a new series.
Star is a young victim who decides never again and goes about finding a way to save as many girls as she can. She is strong and bada$$. She doesn't trust and when Cade steps in to help she lets him know she is one woman team. Until one day she finds herself in need of help. She grudgingly accepts help, only to discover he can be very helpful. There is great chemistry between them even tho Star isn't sure she can ever trust. Cade is ex military and I love his honor and courage in facing the demons in her life.
I can’t wait for the next book in this series!

Strong characters, suspense, and a sizzling hot romance had me devouring the first novel in the McKenzies of Ridge Trail by Lori Foster. No Holding Back was pure Foster perfection.

The tale begins when we meet Sterling in a horrible situation. Then we meet her again when she walks into Cade’s bar. Tough, hyperaware and on a mission… what she doesn’t know is that the sexy bartender who makes her feel safe is on a mission too.

From the McKenzie family, to sassy Sterling (Star) I was all in. Foster delivered suspense, humor and heat in this first in series contemporary romance.

Secrets, goals, and desire kept me flipping the pages. Foster did a wonderful job of balancing the suspense angle as we got to know Sterling and Cade. The suspense thread hits on a relevant topic that may cause triggers for some. View Spoiler »

Cade didn’t push Star even when his alpha male wanted him to. Instead, he heard her and treated her as an equal. All of which made him incredibly swoon-worthy.

The McKenzie family and their housekeeper/chef who stole scenes have me excited for the series. Their story touched me and I loved the operation they are running. Foster set up the next book and I cannot wait to read Reyes story. (Cade’s brother) His sister Madison is the tech geek, and you’ll love how feisty and determined she is.

The back-and-forth banter between brothers and then between Sterling and Reyes had me rolling. It served as a tension breaker against the darker suspense thread. I laughed, swooned, and held my breath as the outside world slipped away.

Foster outdid herself, and I can already tell this series will be among my favorites.

What a great book to start this new series. Sterling (Star) and Cade have chemistry off the charts, it's the trust they need to work on. I was a little nervous about the topic of sex trafficking however as always Lori Foster wrote this story respectfully. Sterling and Cade both have the same agenda for similar reasons and this story was full of passion, danger, determination, love and eventually trust. I look forward to the rest of the books in this series.
I received this book as a ARC but the author for an honest review.

Sterling/Star is a former victim of a sex trafficking ring who is determined to bring them down, no matter the cost. Cade is a bar owner/quasi vigilante who, along with his family, is trying to rid their part of the world of sex traffickers and help the victimized. They meet at Cade’s bar when Star gets in over her head. She doesn’t want his help, but he is going to whether she wants it or not. They end up working together to bring the trafficking ring down. This book has everything you expect from a Lori Foster story, suspense, sex and plenty of adventure. All of the characters are great, and the story keeps you involved until the end. A great book on a tough topic.

I like light easy romance, when I started this book I took pause when the book starts with such a heavy theme, I didn't know if I wanted to continue but Sterling's character pulled me in. Sterling is survivor and a loner, she's not taking anything from anyone, at least not without a good fight. Yes the theme is heavy but there is humor, a melt your knees sexy Cade who understands Sterling better than she knows, plenty of passion and kick butting. The cast of quirky characters and their true loyalty makes this a wonderfully written story! I am so glad I kept reading--I had to know what happens next and the banter between Sterling, Cade and his family kept me coming back for more:) You don't want to miss this one! There's even a heart stealing mama and her kittens.

3.5 stars

No Holding Back introduces to a brand new group of characters with the McKenzie family, focusing on older brother, Cade.

I found myself liking Cade and his siblings. They had an interesting dynamic and it was fun to see them work together to accomplish their goals. Sterling/Star was a good match for Cade and she fit in well with the family.
One of my favorite things about the book, was seeing the bond between Cade and Sterling develop into a friendship and more.

The overall story here is interesting and I appreciated the shared goal that helped bring Cade and Sterling together, but there were several things I struggled with. The first - Sterling/Star, I was never clear on why she changed her name and why Cade insisted on using the old name. The second thing I struggled with had to do with this being the first book in a new series. There was almost too much going on- we had world building, romance, intrigue, and even setting up book 2.

Even with my struggles, I still very much enjoyed No Holding back and am looking forward to more from this family.

This book reeled me in from the start and kept my attention. Sterling (Star) regularly visits Cade's bar but has a "keep away" attitude. Cade, suspecting past trauma, approaches cautiously and befriends her. They discover that they both have the same goal of eliminating human traffickers and helping those enslaved by it. Sterling and Cade have great chemistry and their romance blossoms as the story unfolds. Cade's family provides humor and snarkiness to brighten the story. This was an easy and enjoyable read.
I received this as an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) provided by the Author and Publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an fair and honest review.

Another great start to a new series! I really enjoyed the suspense and the character dynamics. Lori always writes relatable stories and slowly draws you in. I could not put this book down! I’m excited to see where this series will go!
This is my honest and unsolicited review.

Gritty, realistic romantic suspense story!

This is the first book by this author that I've read, and I am already combing through her back catalog for more thrilling books like this one. Star and Cade are fire together, with chemistry for days and an innate sense of the other that makes them perfect partners as they work together to take down a human-trafficking ring.

But it took a long time - a very long time - for them to get past their guarded natures in order to trust each other, and I was simply blown away by the intimacy of their interactions, even well before they ended up in bed together. Both the romance and the crime story had me on the edge of my seat throughout and I loved every bit of it.

Cade and Star have a wonderful HEA, but the series continues with Cade's family and their foundation. I'm looking forward to reading more from this author. I voluntarily reviewed an ARC of this book.

What an awesome start to a new series! Such a great story. An emotional storyline that was engaging from the first page to the last. Star has always been alone but slowly learns to trust Cade and ends up with an amazing support system and family. The cast of characters is so amazing. I can't wait for the other books in this series!

No Holding Back is the first book in new series .
The moment I start to read this book, I couldn't stop.
Reading it, I felt outrage, sadness, hope and happiness.
Star is very strong, she has been through a lot.
Cade is fighting bad guys.
Love both characters.
Another wonderful story by Ms. Foster.

What an amazing start to a new series. The content is gritty and raw but very well written. There is a perfect balance between the romance and the suspense with plenty of family drama and dynamics thrown in.

I truly enjoy this author’s writing and her ability to make the reader feel like they know every character with her descriptions and dialogue.

I will be patiently (well maybe somewhat impatiently) waiting for the next book in the series.