Book: Holding Ground by Piper Rayne
Reviewed by Maggie Hayes
Rating: 5/5
Holding Ground by Piper Rayne
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (5/5)
Elliott and Emelia earned my whole heart with their single-dad, enemies-to-lovers romance.
Elliott is my perfect man: devoted to his daughter, Baylor, with a tough outer shell, a sweet center, and a natural instinct to protect the people he cares about. His childhood and previous relationship trauma broke my heart, but that touch of grump he has is absolute catnip. I love his dedication to preserving the small town of Echo Lake for Baylor; he truly is the best dad. Even when he thinks he doesn't like Emelia, he feels protective of her in a way that goes far beyond his duties as her landlord.
And Emelia? She is one of my favorite Piper Rayne heroines. She is intelligent and ambitious, wanting to get ahead at work but unwilling to compromise her morals and ethics to do so. She is kind and patient, and she is so good with Baylor. Her personal journey was especially touching as she tried to find a place where she truly felt like she belonged.
Together, Elliott and Emelia are EVERYTHING. They have great banter, tons of tenderness, and enough heat to keep them warm on those chilly Maine autumn nights. I love the little family unit they form with Baylor so much!
I adore Echo Lake and all of its inhabitants. Having grown up in a small town in Maine, I can confidently say that the attitude and culture are spot on. All that was missing was one of the townspeople describing Emelia as "from away." I can't wait to come back to Echo Lake and spend more time with the Thermos Crew.
Thank you to the author and Valentine PR for providing an ARC.