Review: A Debut to Hold On To
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 11 2, 2012
HOLD ME by Betsy Horvath is a movie waiting to happen - or it's already been a movie, at least pieces of it. Lucas Vasco, known as Luc, is an FBI Special Agent who's been undercover for quite some time... Until his cover is almost blown. In his haste, he jumps out of a window, hurts himself, and then finds himself in a beat-up car with Katie McCabe. Katie's just gotten out of a relationship, though not exactly because she wanted to leave. Seeing her fiance with another women made the decision for her. Unfortunately, the appearance of Luc in her car doesn't really help matters. In fact, her life gets worse -- or does it? Now the target of a psychotic mob man, Katie is forced to live under Luc's roof, except not all is as it seems because there's a connection from their past that shocks both of them.When I first saw mixed reviews regarding Horvath's debut novel, I was a bit uncertain as to whether or not I should read it. I decided that I should, only because I can't ever say no to a bit of suspenseful romance, and I'm truly glad I read this one. From the first page, HOLD ME starts off with a bang - both literally and figuratively - and the pace keeps up throughout the book, even with a few slower scenes of romance. But just because this is a romance doesn't mean that's all it is, which is one of the reasons I enjoyed it so much. While much of the book explores the relationship between Luc and Katie, both as strangers and as maybe-something-more-from-the-past (that's a mouthful), there's action and I don't just mean of the in-bed type. There are bad guys chasing the main characters. There are gun fights and racing cars. There's suspicion.I actually cared about Katie and Luc. I wanted them to make it even though it didn't always seem like they would match perfectly. Luc keeps everyone at arm's length. Katie is hurt by a confession. They're not perfect beings, though. There were times I rolled my eyes at Luc and times I wanted to smack Katie, but in the end, I was rooting for them to make it - both together and as individuals. Katie is a rare type of heroine in that she starts off almost meek and, for a reader, annoying because she doesn't seem to know what she wants anymore. Yet, with each chapter, and each scenario, she grows and becomes the strong one, the one who gives an ultimatum, who makes a stand. It's not all roses and butterflies from there; she has her ups and downs, but her transformation was lovely to read.A mosh pit of secondary characters create provoking thoughts as well - David, Luc's superior who may or may not be as trustworthy as one thinks; Maureen, Katie's mother, who has her own problems but loves her daughter more than anything; Melanie, a girl who links Katie and Luc in a way neither expected; and Liza, a strangely compelling and interesting woman who used to be engaged to Luc - and that's just to name a few. Part of me hopes that Horvath makes this into a series of sorts because there's so much I want to learn about with these characters, especially Katie's parents.Horvath writes a solid first novel in HOLD ME. To be honest, as soon as I finished, I looked her up to see if she had any other novels to read. None yet but I look forward to her next project. This was a book I'm glad I decided to read.-- originally reviewed on Ordinary People, Extraordinary Works --