Hold Me Forever: a feel-good romance (The Maxwell Brothers)

I am a huge fan of Layla Hagen books and she has done it again. This is the second book in Layla's new standalone series. This is a wonderful story about family and love. Tylor and Kendra have amazing steamy chemistry and there are some steamy scenes. Tyler is a Hockey player who had a injury and was benched and suspended for a while. Tylor met Kendra while doing some volunteer work.I absolutely love Tylor. I love his personality. I love his protectiveness and his alpha jealous personality. I'm a sucker for that kind of sexiness. I love his family.This book is steamy but has a wholesome family feel to it. It was a great contemporary romance read. It will leave you will a smile on your face.This is a standalone book. Tylors brother Tate had a book that was written before this one. It is called "Promising Me Forever". Both books are standalones, but characters will show up in both. If you fall in love with the Characters and Maxwell family then I suggest reading that book alsoIf you need a good sweet steamy read that will leave you swooning and happy. Then I think that you will love this book as much as I did.

It Is Another Great Story About The Tight-Knit Maxwell Family. The Maxwells Are Vibrant & Alive With History & Controversy – Watch For More To Come!This is the second book in a series about the Maxwell family of Chicago. The legendary Maxwell family is known for the famous bookstores they once owned. Ten years ago, those stores were sold off as the next generation went off to pursue their own dreams. Though each of the Maxwell kids received a trust fund from the proceeds of the sale, their sense of hard work kept them from becoming lazy.ABOUT THE MAXWELL FAMILY:Emmett and Lena Maxwell are enjoying their retirement now, but they worked hard as they raised their six boys. Beatrice, Emmett’s mother, had lost her husband years earlier, and she stepped in to help with the task of raising the children. Still, family dinner was always an important event for the entire family. Emmett’s younger brother had worked for the family business as well. Though retired in London now, he had turned to work to nurse his broken heart after his wife died, frequently traveling abroad. In his absence, his two daughters were left with Emmett and Lena as they grew up, adding to their large household. The family is very tight-knit. There is plenty of ribbing, but there is also an abundance of love and support.Declan is the oldest Maxwell brother. He has a take-charge personality and a practical approach to life. He is a successful attorney.Luke is second in birth order. He is Declan’s opposite, always trying to cause trouble. He enjoys being a ringleader in his efforts to sow chaos. Luke is closest in age to their cousins, Kimberly and Reese. He owns his own company.Tate is the third oldest. Like Declan, his mother considered him a “trusted general.” He developed a love of wine as he grew up – something that he and his father had bonded over. Today he is CEO of Maxwell Wineries, headquartered in Chicago. He is skilled as a businessman, but his people skills, in general, aren’t as sharp. He is the single dad of nine-year-old Paisley, a badge he wears with honors, but it comes with scars.Tyler comes next, and he lives for hockey. He plays goalie for the Stanley Cup-winning Chicago Blades. He has summers off but is busy much of the rest of the year. He enjoys getting rowdy and believes in trying everything once.Sam is sometimes quieter than his brothers, but he has a rowdy side as well. He works abroad for Doctors Without Borders.Travis is fearless and independent. He is celebrating the success of his startup, seeing all his hard work finally pay off. His personal life takes a backseat to work; he hasn’t had time for anything more than one-night-stands for the past three years. He sometimes gets into trouble, but he is also there to offer a helping hand when needed.Four of the brothers keep offices in the same downtown Chicago building, making it easy to grab a drink together after work. Sam and Tyler travel for work but visit whenever they can.Kimberly, their cousin, lives overseas.Reese, Kimberly’s sister, lives in Chicago and is nursing a broken heart. She always enjoyed spending time in the family bookstores growing up and is happy to begin working in their only remaining bookstore – the flagship store that started it all. Their Gran had kept the solitary store for sentimental reasons.FROM PROMISE ME FOREVER, BOOK ONE:Tate Maxwell, thirty-four, is the CEO of Maxwell Wineries. The company is his passion, but his daughter Paisley will always be his number one priority. He got married just over ten years ago right after college. He was young and naïve, believed he and Nora were in love, but he eventually discovered that had all been an illusion. Nora had given birth to Paisley almost ten years ago, but modeling had been her true love. Tate was left to raise Paisley alone, and though there might be no love lost, the failure of his marriage weighs on him. He wants the world for his daughter, and he punishes himself for the fact that she barely has a mother, save for one or two visits each year. As the summertime nannies come and go over the years, he realizes he needs something more stable for Paisley for the daytime house while he is at work – a female figure that can serve as a constant in her life. He turns to an agency to help find the perfect nanny – one that can continue on beyond the end of summer break.Lexi Langley, thirty-one, has a golden rule: never date parents. She teaches fourth grade and loves her job – working with kids is a pleasure. She enjoys spending time by the lake on her summers off, but this year is different. Her parents back in Boston live on a modest income, her mother a school teacher and her father a carpenter. With her mother’s medical bills piling up, Lexi is determined to do all she can to help out. Towards that end, she hopes to find a summer job this year. When she gets sent to interview for a nanny position, she ends up pleasantly surprised in more ways than one. The job looks promising and the little girl she would be working with is adorable. Moreover, her potential employer is captivating – and if not mistaken, he seems to have eyes for her, too. She really needs the job, but she knows instinctively that her golden rule is in real danger in Mr. Maxwell’s presence.Wow! Tate and Lexi sizzle in this single dad and nanny romance. Their sweet and sexy story is infused with a keen sense of family and loyalty. The Maxwell family of Chicago is introduced here; watch for more to come. Readers get immersed in the Chicago setting – downtown, the lakefront, Lincoln Park, etc. The story is wonderfully written. The plot is fairly simple as it pertains to Tate and Lexi. The story is character-driven, and there are a number of characters, each with their own stories spinning in the background. Collectively, there is a lot happening. The story is written in first person. The POV alternates between Tate and Lexi. I rate this book five stars.IN THIS BOOK:This book opens in early October, about one month after Travis sold his startup. Tate engaged to Lexi, and Tate’s daughter Paisley is now ten.Tyler Maxwell, thirty-one, lives for hockey and family. He is the fourth of six boys, and his family is very tight. Tyler doesn’t have time for relationships because his career is just too demanding. At his age, he is lucky to still be playing, but the fact that he is the best goalie in the league helps. He is signed with the Chicago Blades, but for now, he is benched. Tyler doesn’t regret standing up for his cousin Reese last month, but her ex-fiancé not only injured him, but Malcolm also staged it all on video to get the maximum damage. The video had gone viral, and the Blades’ management isn’t happy about it – the video was bad for their image and turned off sponsors. Tyler would be off the ice anyways due to his shoulder injury, and he takes it all in stride. He is excited about the volunteer work that management has set up for him in the meantime to improve his image. Coaching underprivileged pre-teens is right up his ally – he is comfortable with kids thanks to all the time he has spent with his niece Paisley. Teaching kids to play hockey, and absorbing all their energy, should prove to be fun.Kendra Douglas, twenty-nine, is the volunteer and program coordinator for The Illinois Volunteer Society, headquartered out of Bucktown. She matches volunteers with programs, working with various groups across the city. She loves her job, but it does demand a lot of her time. Her younger sister Emma followed in her footsteps, and the two now share an office together. They are best friends, but they are nothing alike. Emma got the creative gene from their mother, and Kendra inherited her practical nature from their father. Kendra is serious and disciplined. Their childhood was not easy following their father’s death. Their mother worked tirelessly to support them, but the strain was hard on them all. They were very lucky they escaped the clutches of social services and foster homes. Kendra is the proud owner of her first home, the realization of one of her biggest dreams. It needs a little work, but she doesn’t shirk from responsibility and is no stranger to pinching pennies. She doesn’t have time for a social life now – even for someone as sinfully hot and surprisingly considerate as her newest volunteer. Fortunately, Tyler Maxwell’s arrogance and his puck bunny fan club make it easier for her to resist his charms.When Tyler and Kendra first meet, they have immediate chemistry. Neither is looking for a relationship, but they eventually break down the barriers that hold them back. Their story is about family and responsibility. The couple has a few challenges, but they eventually find a happy ending.Tyler and Kendra’s steamy hockey romance sizzles. It is another great story about the tight-knit Maxwell family. The Maxwells are vibrant and alive with history and controversy – watch for more to come. The story is nicely written, although it sometimes dwells a little too much on the minutia. The plot is fairly simple. The characters feel real. They are three-dimension and easy to connect with. The story is told in first person. The POV alternates between Tyler and Kendra. I rate this book four stars.I received an advance copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.

This is the next book in the Maxwell Brothers series. Tyler be is one of the middle children. He has five brothers, Declan, Luke, Tate, Travis and Sam. Then he has two cousins Reese and Kimberly who they all treat them like they are their sisters. Reese and Kimberly's father is their father's brother and he lives in England, Reese lives in Chicago and Kimberly lives in Paris. Tyler has been suspended from his hockey 🏑🏒 team because he was filmed fighting with his cousin Reese's ex fiance and so because he is has a shoulder injury and his reputation is not great at this time he is assigned community service. Volunteering is part of his condition for rehabilitating his image. Kendra works for the Illinois Volunteer Society and she is a volunteer coordinator. Kendra has a sister Emma and both her parents are deceased. She has Tyler assigned to train a group of young boys, I believe around 12 years old to play hockey 🏑🏒. So this is how their relationship begins. It's a wonderful story and builds there characters as Layla Hagen does so well.

Tyler finds himself needing to improve his image while he is rehabbing his shoulder. For him, not being on the ice is a true challenge but when he gets setup to coach a group of kids for his volunteer assignment, well, this allows him to continue to enjoy the sport he loves. What he never expected was Kendra, the volunteer coordinator to be so captivating and fun. She is a breath of fresh air for Tyler and someone he wants to get to know. For Kendra, she isn’t sure what to expect from Tyler but when he starts helping with several of her projects, he shows the genuine man that he is, she has a hard time not falling for him. I enjoyed this couple and all the wonderful moments they found together. Along the way, we get to spend more time with the entire Maxwell family which I loved. This couple gave me passion, desire and hope for love and family. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

This is Tyler’s book. Tyler is riding the bench because he punched his cousins ex. Not only was that bad PR he also injured his shoulder in the process. His hockey team felt he needed to do some PR work to spruce up his image even though he was in the right. His team set him up with volunteer work which is where he meets Kendra. Tyler is known as a “playboy” and was told that Kendra was off limits which wasn’t a big deal because Tyler doesn’t do relationships but Kendra took him by surprise and he was smitten from the get go. Kendra has walls up and it takes some time but Tyler begins to put cracks in them. Something he still wasn’t sure why. The kids in the program were also getting to him. It was a really good read as you saw both of their realities begin to change. Their chemistry was good but so was the friendship. It was a really good journey of discovery and HEA. Another good book which a recommend you read.

Tyler story was brilliant it had everything you want in this book.Characters were also great love the banter between the brothers.Glad Kendra found her soul mate after what she went through she deserves some happiness and a family that loves her that she needs.Looking forward to reading the next brother.

I thought Tyler would be swoonworthy but nothing prepared me for how much!!! another amazing story and kept me glued and couldn’t put it down!!! Loved the way they were there for each other and this family is just as special as the first time I read the Bennetts. Can’t wait to see what happens in Declan’s story. Thanks Layla for another gem!!

Great love story which gives you a fell good factor. Layla writes in such a way that you are able to submerge yourself in a believable world. Loved every chapter. Roll on April for Declans story.

I enjoyed reading Tyler's story. We met him in book one of the Maxwell Brothers and had finished the book with him suspended from his hockey team for being involved in a punch up.We pick up with him meeting Kendra, who is organizing the volunteer work that his manager has told him he needs to do.These two hit it off from the word go.I love this author's series with siblings because we get to meet each sibling in their own book and we get to see the progression of their relationships in subsequent books.I look forward to reading the next book in the Maxwell Brothers series.