Review: A Satisfying Ending to Frey and Liese's Story
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 12 21, 2013
I loved the first book in this series, Truly.Madly.Deeply.You, but Holding on Forever was even better, going into greater depth and offering a fuller, more realistic view of Frey and Liese's relationship.  If the first book was the story of two friends finally admitting they feel more than friendship for each other, than the second book was a test of whether their newfound relationship could survive the trials of their pasts and presents.In the first book, we got a lot of insight into Liese's tragic past, with the loss of her husband and unborn child three years earlier.  In this book, we learn more about Frey; I actually think his past is even more heartbreaking than Liese's, since his losses extend so far back into his childhood and have really shaped the person he's become.  Even when Frey receives some unexpected and wonderful news about his family, the impact of that change has its own difficult repercussions.  I really came to care about Frey and want him to find happiness and security with Liese in this novel.Liese is still dealing with her own losses in this novel, and there's an especially tense moment when she and Frey run into her former husband's mother that had my heart racing.  This encounter was believably ugly and painful, and I also liked the way the author eventually resolved it.Holding on Forever covers a much longer time span than the first novella; Frey and Liese have fights, struggle with the demands of their jobs, and sometimes go way too long without seeing each other.  All these setbacks make their love more believable and ultimately more satisfying.  We also get a richer view of the secondary characters in this installment, including the couple's friends Ria and Liam, and Liese's parents.  Her dad was hilarious!  I also really enjoy the Vienna setting of these novellas; while it isn't essential to the story, it adds another layer of interest.Overall, Holding on Forever is a very satisfying conclusion to Liese and Frey's story.  Although I have a feeling we might see a cameo from them if Liam and Ria get their own well-deserved story!