Hold on Tight

I have enjoyed the previous books in this series, but I think this one is my favorite.
The story centers around widowed, single Mom, Danielle/Dani Brown, and single widower Dad, Jackson Koch. Both have suffered great loses and are still trying to find their way in life as a single parent and an individual.
But instead of giving you a summary of the story , I will go a different way.
This story is about the loss of a spouse and finding your way back to the living. About having to take a step forward everyday for your children , whom you want to give the best life can offer.
About overcoming the sadness and finding hope . About realizing that the life you had before is gone forever , but also that the one in front of you, is opened to opportunities ,and maybe love.
A touching story that at times is heartbreaking but in the end heartwarming.
Lastly, I enjoyed getting a chance to “visit” with the characters of previous books and seeing how they were all doing.
Another winner by this talented author.
I was entrusted a copy of this book by Netgalley. The opinions expressed are solely my own.

I received back complimentary copy of this book from Blackstone Publishing through netgalley. For a exchanged of my honset opinion! I really loved the story it was heartwarming and you will not want to put it down loved the love story between Jackson and Danielle. They had both suffered a great lost.

I would like to thank NetGallery, the publisher and author, Shelley Shepard Gray (a new author to me) for the opportunity to read and give my honest review of “Hold on Tight.”
I found the story to be very heartwarming....a bit slow in parts but, enough going on to keep my interest. The story revolves around two main characters, Dani and Jackson, who have both suffered the loss of their spouses. What follows is a story of hope and finding love again.
If you enjoy a heartfelt contemporary fiction, this book is for you.

This heartfelt story is about two widowed, single parents just trying to get by and make the best life for their child. Jackson is trying to figure out what he wants to do with his life after losing his wife and career, but with the help of Dani, at least he doesn't have to worry about someone to watch over his 3 year old daughter. Dani is trying to get back on her feet after the sudden loss of her husband and discovering they weren't as financially stable as she thought. Her 14 year old son adores all things baseball, but she's burning her candle to the ground between babysitting, a cleaning job and taking classes. Can Jackson and Dani figure out a happy medium, especially when they start to develop feelings for one another? I enjoyed this light-hearted story and will be going back to read the first two books in the series!

I received a copy of this book from NetGalley for a honest review


Jackson his moved to Bridgeport with his tiny daughter Kate for a new starts, some of his buddies from his home town invited him and now he's starting to fit in. Dani and her son are his neighbor's and Dani watches Kate for him when he works at night. Both have lost their spouses and both are finding their feet. Overall cute story, but I felt the romance suffered a bit, I liked both Jackson (Cookie) and Dani but I didn't feel their romance, it felt like something was missing. I still enjoyed reading about this couple, I just didn't love it.

Jackson Koch and Dani Brown have some things in common. For starters, they have both lost their marriage mates in death. Further, they each have a child, he with three-year-old Kate, and her son, Jeremy is fourteen. They live in the same building and Dani watches over Kate while Jackson tends bar at night.

Jackson has had it rough. He lost his wife and his job as a miner in a very close span of time and he is doing his best to be there for Kate, even if being a bartender is far from his dream job. Dani is struggling. She is working at cleaning houses, taking classes, caring for Jeremy and his dream of baseball, and, as mentioned, watching little Kate.

Jackson is the perfect guy who spots a situation that he just feels impelled to rectify. Can he be there for Dani as more than a friend? Especially when it comes to Jeremy? Meanwhile, will Dani be able to accept growing feelings for Jackson without losing her hard-won independence?

Hold on Tight is the third book in the Bridgeport Social Club series. In each story, relationships thrived between deserving couples. One thing I really like about this story, and the trio of books in the series, is the fact that there are children in each story. That is something that always warms my heart. Friendship and community also play huge roles.

I have read each book in the series, and enjoy the continuity of characters, especially with their situations and growth. This is definitely a character-driven story, with a slow burn romance, and it is quite fulfilling. This is especially so because it is quite an emotional read that I would gladly recommend.

Although part of a series, this story can serve well as a standalone novel.

Many thanks to Blackstone Publishing and to NetGalley, as well as Edelweiss, for this ARC to review in exchange for my honest opinion.

I enjoyed returning to Bridgeport and meeting some new people destined to become part of the Bridgeport Social Club. I like how welcoming the core group of people are to newcomers and to those in need. They’re a great example of what a community is and should be. The fact that they gather around a poker table is fun and unique. While I haven’t played poker in years, I love the camaraderie felt around a table playing cards. It’s a place to relax and set aside your cares for a time and often people’s real needs become clear as the conversation swirls. That’s just what happens in this series.
The four main characters of this novel have all dealt with significant loss. When a chance to move on or begin afresh presents itself, they are understandably hesitant. This is a story of second chances, of grieving and hope, and of helping others. It was nice to reconnect with the characters from the other books in the series as well.
Thank you to Blackstone Publishing for providing me with an e-copy of this book. All opinions are my own.
Book 1: Take a Chance
Book 2: All In
Book 3: Hold on Tight

I have only read two of the three books in the series so far. I have loved the characters! They have all come to life. Jackson has moved to the town with his young daughter for a fresh start. Too many memories were to much. Learning a new profession and taking care of his young daughter can be daunting. However with the help of his pretty neighbor Dani, Jackson finds himself settling in. Dani needed a new start also. Losing her husband left her with dreams she is trying to grasp. Raising her teenage son isn't cheap. Will she be able to afford all the expenses? When Jackson sees Dani struggling, he decides to help. Will she accept it? Follow along in the Bridgeport Social Club. I received a copy through Netgalley. A review was not required.

I loved the first two books in this series and this one shows that Gray knows how to keep delivering.  Both Dani and Jackson have experienced hardships in their lives and are just doing the best they can for their kids.  The easy way these two manage to create a kind of friendship and then something more is very appealing.  And realistic.  There are so many ways that this could have gone sideways but Gray manages to keep things real and relatively drama free.

Dani has spent so many years having only herself to rely on that it is hard for her to accept someone else’s offer of help.  She can’t get past the feeling of owing someone and while Jackson is ready to be there for her it takes a bit for her to get to the point of being able to accept it. 

Jackson has been struggling with losing both his wife and his job in a short amount of time.  He had a little problem with depression (understandably) for a while and getting him & his daughter out of their small town was the best for both of them.  It’s just super hard to accept a life where he is now a bartender – a good job just not what he imagined for himself.  But he has good friends and with a little self-examination he’s starting to feel a better about his situation. 

You aren’t going to find a lot of drama moments with this series.  It’s just realistic characters, living their lives and trying to figure things out – pretty much like you and me :)  Instead, go into it with a relaxed mind and an attitude of just enjoying the ride.  You’ll find plenty to appreciate about the well-crafted characters and the normality of their lives.

This heartwarming novel tells the story of a single mother struggling to make ends meet and when her widow neighbor who can occasionally babysits for catches on, he comes up with a plan to help her during the financial woes. Finding love again can be difficult for anyone and author is able to convey that in her words. A cute, romance about two single parents finding love again.

This is a beautiful story about finding love again after loss. It is very well written and holds your attention from the beginning until the end. It is not a sugar coated story, it reads true to life. Thank you Blackstone Publishing via NetGalley for the copy of this book. All opinions expressed are my own.

I enjoy Shelley Shepard Gray's books and this one was not a dissappointment!! You will travel through the forest of loss, guilt, fear, overcoming and finally, a rebirth into LIFE. It is at times a tear jerker, but not especially so, but Kleenex is recommended. You will find yourself contemplating your journey, if you were forced into this walk of loss......maybe it will give you some insight into how you should change before this walk becomes reality. I enjoyed this novel and am sure you will also!

A touching, heartwarming story that takes your breath way. With characters that will have you feeling so many emotions throughout the whole story. Just loved this book and can’t wait to read more by this amazing author. Happy reading!

Hold on Tight is a very well written romance. I enjoyed the plot and the believable characters. I was surprised when I found this author wrote books that were not Amish. I definitely will be reading books books in this series. I received an arc from Netgalley and this is my unbiased review review.

This was a totally clean tale that was a pleasure to read. It is a truthful story, of average people, living simple lives, ones who struggle to make ends meet, to fit in, to not feel alone, or lonely. Real, salt of the earth, people.
The people are Jackson Kosh about thirty or thirty-one. I would guess who is from Virginia where he was a miner. He loved his work, unfortunately, not only did he lose his wife to cancer. He lost his job when the mine closed. Being depressed when he has a toddler to raise is not good. So, friends who had moved to Bridgeport, Ohio told that he needed to follow.
They told him it was a great place to raise a child the community was bigger and there were more opportunities. Jackson also figured less ghost of his wife there also. He loved her immensely, but it was time to move on and live his life for Kate’s sake.
He did and met Dani Brown when he was getting their mail. Kate liked her so he asked if she would be interested in sitting evenings when he bartended. She said, yes. You see she is a widow, about thirty-three, with a fourteen-year-old son. Her day job she cleans houses and then she takes college courses on-line.
After six months their friendship has progressed, and more info passed. That’s when Jackson finds out Jeremy has been asked to play on a traveling baseball league. He’s that good. Which cost big bucks which he knows is more than Dani makes. He wants to help.
Jackson has a plan to help…
This is a fun read. I really enjoyed the characters they were really down to earth and friends all of wish we could find and hold on too. Slow in a few parts but not bad at all. I give this: 4 stars. Provided by netgalley.com. Follow us at www.1rad-readerreviews.com.

Hold on Tight is yet another brilliant book by Shelley Shepard Gray. I fell in love with Jackson Koch and his heartbreaking past, and knew when I met Dani that she was perfect for him! This story made me cry and smile it was a phenomenal read!

I love Hold on Tight. I first read Shelley Shepard Gray as an Amish author, but I have loved this series so much. The characters are so well developed and the story is sweet and clean and will have you laughing and crying and cheering. I am never disappointed by this author and can't wait to see whats next. Thanks to netgalley for the arc, the review is my personal opinion.