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Hard to Love #0.5

Longing to Hold

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Prelude to Hard to Love

From USA Today bestselling author Willow Winters comes the prelude to the heart-wrenching, edge-of-your-seat gripping, romantic suspense Hard to Love.

There’s a moment when I forget he’s not mine. This small spell of time, when I let my thoughts carry me away.

He holds me. He kisses me. He makes all of this better.

That moment when I’m his and everything is all right, is gone in an instant. It’s quick and fleeting, moving so fast that it slips through my grasp. If I could catch it, I’d hold on to it forever.

I always thought this thing between us would only ever be just that. A passing moment, a pleasant dream that helped lull me to sleep at night.

If I’d known what was to come, maybe I would have thought twice.

I couldn’t have prepared for this.

Longing to Hold is a short prelude to the Hard to Love series.

56 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2019

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About the author

W. Winters

53 books7,193 followers
Willow Winters is so happy to be a USA Today, Wall Street Journal and #1 Contemporary Best Selling Author!

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All the other details you need to know: https://linktr.ee/willowwintersauthor

Willow started writing after having her little girl, Evie, December 2015. All during her pregnancy with Evie she continued to read and she only wanted to read romance. She was reading a book a day — sometimes two.

In January 2016 Willow was staying up late with Evie and just thinking of all these stories. They came to her constantly so she finally sat down and just started writing. She always wanted to do it so she figured, why not? Today Willow cannot be happier for making that decision!


Merciless World

A Kiss to Tell

Possessive
Seductive

Merciless
Heartless
Breathless
Endless

All He’ll Ever Be

A Kiss To Keep

A Single Glance
A Single Kiss
A Single Touch

Hard to Love
Desperate to Touch
Tempted to Kiss
Easy to Fall

Merciless World Spin Off

It’s Our Secret

Standalone Novels:
Broken
Forget Me Not

Sins and Secrets Duets:
Imperfect (Imperfect Duet book 1)
Unforgiven (Imperfect Duet book 2)

Damaged (Damaged Duet book 1)
Scarred (Damaged Duet book 2)


Standalone Novels:
All I Want is a Kiss
Tell Me To Stay
Second Chance
Knocking Boots
Promise Me
Burned Promises
Forsaken, cowritten with B. B. Hamel

Collections
Don’t Let Go
Deepen The Kiss
Kisses and Wishes

Valetti Crime Family Series:
Dirty Dom
His Hostage
Rough Touch
Cuffed Kiss
Bad Boy 

Highest Bidder Series,
cowritten with Lauren Landish:
Bought
Sold 
Owned 
Given

Bad Boy Standalones,
cowritten with Lauren Landish:
Inked
Tempted
Mr. CEO

Happy reading and best wishes,
Willow xx

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5 stars
463 (41%)
4 stars
334 (29%)
3 stars
241 (21%)
2 stars
59 (5%)
1 star
18 (1%)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews
Profile Image for Shatarupa  Dhar.
620 reviews81 followers
March 31, 2020
Longing to Hold is a detailed account of Seth and Laura's life after her father died. It shows us how their young love first blossomed in that neighbourhood, ten years before the incidents of the first book. The story has been there in the other books, peppered throughout, but reading it like this here was a wonderful experience. It was strange though, a good kind, because we know what actually transpired all those years ago that led to Seth behaving protectively towards Laura. In four short chapters, Winters sprinkles her magic and announces the Hard to Love Series.
Profile Image for Jannat Bhat.
Author 9 books126 followers
August 17, 2020
This is a short prequel to Hard to Love Series and I liked to read more about Seth and Laura back when they were younger and yearning for each other.
Profile Image for Athena D..
949 reviews58 followers
December 12, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 5 STARS

This prelude gives us a chance to peer into the commencement of Seth and Laura's journey. It's perfect and I love that we get to read more about this couple. This is an amazing series you don't want to miss!

Longing to Hold by Willow Winters is an EPIC read and will join the ranks of the BIBLIO-ARISTOCRACY!!!
Profile Image for Bree Hill.
941 reviews574 followers
December 19, 2019
1 in the morning, can’t sleep read. Willow Winters really sets the scene for what’s to come with this series in this preclude. Very sexy intense with very obvious secrets involved. Can’t wait for more!
Profile Image for Tami.
250 reviews7 followers
December 5, 2019
I love Seth and Laura's story, so when I found out Winters was releasing a prelude , I knew I had to have it!
Profile Image for Sela (Skullinda) .
408 reviews7 followers
December 10, 2019
The perfect tease to a sex-filled and oh so delicious series. Seth King will have any woman begging at her knees. Longing to hold is the perfect addition in which we get the beginning of Seth and Laura’s story and watch these puzzle pieces fall into place.

This is the prelude to the Hard To Love series and is by far my favorite love story of Willow’s creations.
Profile Image for Siobhan.
4,813 reviews592 followers
March 21, 2020
Longing to Hold is the prelude to the Hard to Love series by W. Winters, and I went in with high hopes. Unfortunately, this didn’t work for me.

I expected this prelude to have me invested in the characters, I was hoping to fall madly for them, but I was indifferent. I did not feel anything between them, and the only reason it had me wanting to continue to the first book is due to the air of mystery surrounding certain elements.

All in all, this prelude didn’t win me over, but I remained curious to dive into Hard to Love.
Profile Image for hopelesslyinlovewith_books.
817 reviews16 followers
March 25, 2020
This book really sets the scene on what’s to come in the Hard to Love series. It was short but so full of longing that I can’t wait to read what happens next!
Profile Image for TheSassyNerdBlog.
1,060 reviews411 followers
December 4, 2019
I adored Seth and Laura, so when I found out there was a prelude to Hard to Love, I was all over it. I needed more. This book gives us a better look at the past, and how Laura and Seth's relationship came about. It shows us different sides to these characters that we had seen in Hard to Love. How Laura reacted to Seth wanting her to be his and only his. How shy she was at first and how determined Seth was to make her his. I didn't think I could love this couple any more than I already do, but this book proved that to be untrue.

It was full of emotions and a bit of angst and it did pull at my heartstrings. I was completely fixated on these two from the start, so to see how they came together and become each other... It was amazing to read.

Once again, Willow Winters flaws me with her ability to weave together her words and create a book that has me consumed beyond belief.

If you are reading this book first and haven't read Hard to Love and Desperate to Touch, IT IS A MUST, and they are already available to purchase. You will not be disappointed. Be prepared for one hell of a ride when it comes to these two. Ms. Winters does not hold back and that's one of the many reasons I love her work!

5 Stars!
Profile Image for A Book Obsessed Brit.
555 reviews67 followers
December 5, 2019
Longing to hold is a short and sweet prequel to the Hard to Love series. It gives a little insight to Seth and Laura's relationship a few weeks after their worlds collide, when they are both young adults.
This quick read novella is in dual POV and you can feel already how Seth is a man who goes after what he wants consequences be damned - a quality that hasn't changed over the years to the man he is now. Both characters are equally smitten with one another and I liked the insight it gave me before all the darkness clouds their world.
Profile Image for Andrea.
1,666 reviews16 followers
December 8, 2019
The title is program.... in this prequel everything revolves around longing.....
Seth and Laura yearn to become a couple. The chemistry between them is off the charts, the anticipation of their first kiss builds up painfully slowly....
I loved the young Seth and his dominant but caring way for Laura ... he is simply irresistible!
And I loved Laura and her sass.

A real appetizer for this amazing series!
Profile Image for My Introvert Bookish Life.
703 reviews37 followers
December 11, 2019
SETH & LAURA, PRELUDE TO THEIR HEART AND SOUL GRIPPING STORY.

This prelude was such a welcome surprise to the Hard To Love series, Seth and Laura’s story grips my heart in ways that I can’t fully describe. There’s a sweetness amidst the chaos and violence that surrounds their lives.
Longing To Hold is the perfect introduction to their all consuming story.
Again, Willow Winters writes with her heart and every emotion can be felt through her words. Her characters pulse to life and there is a special something about this story that is so raw and beautiful.
5 STARS ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Pnina Azar.
253 reviews10 followers
December 15, 2019
To understand the story of Seth and Laura, Willow Winters gives us a first glimpse and how it all began.
Also in this prequel you can see that their story is not easy. See how their raw story develops into an amazing story full of secrets and anger yet there is a huge love.
Willow does so with so much emotion that you fall in love with them the first moment.
Profile Image for Sara Reads Romance.
674 reviews115 followers
January 30, 2020
What a great introduction into the Hard to Love series. Can I tell you I’m already kind of in love with Seth and Laura? I am already very excited to start the hard to love series but reading this prelude really amped up my excitement.

Super short and quick, I read it in about 10/20 minutes, but well worth it. Can’t wait to see where this series takes up.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Profile Image for Misty Schott.
4,098 reviews29 followers
December 10, 2019
Excellent prequel to Seth and Laura's story!!!

This is a wonderful quick introduction to Seth and Laura's story. Seth has decided he wants Laura to be his and he will do whatever it takes to make that happen. Then grab Hard to Love which is the beginning of their story.
Profile Image for Madeleine.
4,040 reviews10 followers
Read
December 12, 2019
This prequel was good from beginning to end and it gave you an insight about Laura and Seth's relationship. The beginning of what promises to be a beautiful relationship between Seth and Laura. Loved it.
Profile Image for Mar-Mar bookaholic.
1,033 reviews93 followers
November 4, 2020
I love W. Winters writing. You have to be in a specific mood to read them. As I read her new book Wounded Kiss, I discovered there is still much to read from her.

So here I am and I hope this will be good.

It's prequel and we have a short story how their love story started, well kind of.
Profile Image for Mandii.
336 reviews
June 22, 2022
Loved this novella. I’m invested in learning more now with the full story!
Profile Image for emily ✨️.
198 reviews4 followers
May 19, 2024
wish i read this before the first one but i already love them ❤️
Profile Image for Joan.
2,710 reviews40 followers
May 10, 2021
Review of eBook

Laura, still reeling from the death of her father, finds solace in Seth’s self-appointed duty of walking her home; she dreams of a relationship with him while he [unbeknownst to her] wants her. But will the secret he’s keeping destroy any chance of a relationship with her?

This short story, a prequel to the author’s “Hard to Love,” focuses on teens Laura and Seth as the relationship between them sparks to life. For most of the story, they are usually at school or on the way home after. When they do finally have a date of sorts, Seth’s friend, Derrick, doesn’t seem to think much of Seth and Laura having a relationship; nevertheless, Seth perseveres.

But Seth and Derrick, along with some unnamed others, are involved in something clandestine. What are they involved in and what does it have to do with the death of Laura’s father? And what is the secret Seth is determined to keep from Laura . . . forever? Readers will find no hint regarding any of this in these pages.

Unanswered questions remain when the reader has turned the last page. [Presumably, these are resolved in “Hard to Love”]; here they set the stage for events to come and provide an undercurrent of mystery for the larger story.

As Laura and Seth each take a turn at telling their story, there’s enough longing and teen angst to offset Laura’s shyness and Seth’s determination to keep something from her. There is a hint of sweetness in the story that softens the fretting over what the reader knows is coming . . . but no one knows exactly what that might be.

The only downside here is the overuse of an offensive expletive; it’s off-putting and lowers the rating for this story.
Profile Image for Brianne Pennington.
192 reviews5 followers
May 20, 2020
After finishing, Hard to Love, I just needed a little bit more.  Instead of reading the next book in the series, I decided to jump into the prelude.  I was not disappointed.  This was the perfect enhancement/addition to Hard to Love and just what I needed/wanted after reading that book.
Profile Image for Kriss.
43 reviews
November 16, 2020
2020.11.16.hétfő elolvastam 23:25

4 oldal

Főszereplők- Laura Roth & Seth King

Emlékeztető: Laura gyászolj az édesapját. Seth mindig hazakíséri, de nagyon titokzatos. Nem lehet tudni, hogy milyen hátsó szándéka van. Rövid idő alatt közelebb kerülnek, de az első csók még nem csattant el... Seth rettentően akarja Laurát, és meg is kapja...legalább is saját állítása szerint. Majd kiderül.

Na szóval ez a rövid előrész egy sorozat első része és kurva jó volt. Mármint az első oldal lenyűgözött és a többi is. Ilyen egy tökéletes bevezető egy sorozatban.

Ami tetszett:
-valóságos
-rohadtul tudtam azonosulni a csajjal, pont olyan érzései és megfigyelései vannak, mint nekem. Végre.
-a könyvborító nagyon találó az eddigi sztorihoz
-titokzatos a sztori, de ettől még jó
-párbeszéd: szépen lassan melegednek össze, elég szerény a beszélgetés közöttük, de van egy kis flörtölés is
-tökéletesen àbrázolja az író, hogy milyen amikor gyakorlatilag egy olyan ember tetszik, aki elérhetetlen vagy foglalt, olyan érzéseket kelt a sztoriban, amik ilyen szitukban alakulnak ki
-a gyász részletezése és az ehhez való viszonyulás. Ilyent még egy könyvben sem olvastam. És tudtam azonosulni vele. Érdekes volt számomra erről olvasni.
-Laura naplózza az eseményeket. Hát cuki. Én is szoktam. Ebben is tudok azonosulni vele. Minél több dologban tudok azonosulni vele, annál jobb lesz majd.

Nem tetszett:
-van egy rossz érzésem, hogy ez az egész sztori elmehet egy nagyon rossz irányba. Remélem, kérlek, kérlek, ne menjen el rossz irányba.
-van egy olyan érzésem, hogy Seth tett valami rosszat és ez utol fogja érni őt a következő részben

☆☆☆☆☆ régóta adtam 5 csillagot egy könyvnek. Bevezetésnek ez megfelelt, de vajon továbbra is le fog nyűgözni?! Nagyon remélem, hogy nem fogok csalódni.
Profile Image for Cynema.
602 reviews100 followers
January 9, 2020
THE ART OF THE TEASE -- **4.5 intrigued stars**

"Everyone lets me be ... everyone, except for Seth King"


With this prequel to the Hard To Love series, W.(illow) Winters has certainly perfected the art of the tease. My 2020 resolution to branch out in my reading has paid off by rediscovering this author and her ability to engulf me in absorbing characters and infectious storylines. And what a tease this story snippet is … Who are these teens and what is it that should keep them apart? Who exactly is Seth King? High schooler Laura is withdrawn, bordering on being a misfit, while mourning the death of a parent. High school senior Seth King takes a protective interest in Laura and walks her home after school each day. Sparks fly between them, but Seth doesn’t act on it ... because he shouldn't. Yet he can't stop wanting her ...

I don’t care that bad boy Seth behaves older than he is – it makes him more commanding and intriguing. There are criminal overtones nipping at the seams of this love story, and it wouldn’t have quite the same ring if Seth was a typical teen. So much more than meets the eye ensnared me in the situation of these would-be lovers. The prequel grabbed my immediate attention, and is riddled with enough understated tension and mystery surrounding this couple to whet my appetite instantly and 1-click all the books in the series. I’m left feeling a little tight in the chest about revelations-to-come in an obviously star-crossed romance, but the novella more than piques my interest.
Profile Image for Roxs Reads.
770 reviews1 follower
December 5, 2019
I loved this glimpse to the past of Willow’s beloved couple Seth and Laura. Longing to Hold gives a bird’s eye view of how it all began; how they were drawn to each other from the very beginning.

Our fingers brush one another when she does. Electricity strikes me, coursing through my arm and then down my body. It’s hot and the heat lingers long after she’s sulked back to sofa, sitting on the armrest with her arms crossed against her chest. I want to feel that all the time. The way she makes me feel with such a simple touch.

This short prelude to Hard to Love introduces us to a shy and timid Laura who has her curiosity piqued when Seth pays an interest in her and decides she is now under his protection. He may hide his reasons and motives but the secrets are still hidden and the intrigue begins as Seth battles against his attraction for the recently orphaned girl and his common sense.

“Whatever gave you the idea that I’m a gentleman… I take it back. You should know I’m practically a savage.” My joke is rewarded with a sweet laugh and a complementary blush coloring her cheeks. Laura rests the pool cue against the table so she can take another sip of beer before telling me, “I may have picked up on the savage part.”

Had I not already read Hard to Love, Longing to Hold would have me diving in. These two are magic together and have an amazing story.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 177 reviews

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