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Hold the Line

The Kelly Ranch

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Hold the Line

By: Julia Wolf
Narrated by: Emma Wilder, Sean Masters
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Deacon Slater was my high school crush—the bad boy with haunted eyes that made my heart skip a beat. But in our small town, the Slater name is synonymous with trouble, and Deke lived up to it when he landed in prison a few years after graduation.

He served his time and now he’s back, living in the apartment above mine, covered in ink and even more intriguing than before.

As the owner of Sugar Rush bakery, I’m used to building bridges with my muffins and cookies. I’ve seen cowboys nearly come to blows over the last lemon bar. But Deke wants nothing to do with my treats…or me. He keeps his distance, barely speaking when I knock on his door.

Until the day he doesn’t have a choice.

He’s there when I need him, stepping in to protect me, showing me the caring man beneath his rough edges.

We couldn’t be more different. I’m a curvy ray of sunshine in a pink apron and he’s a stoic, tattooed carpenter in work boots. But the more walls we tear down, the closer we get. And piece by piece, we discover how well we fit.

But when darkness from his past comes looking for him, what we’re building could all fall apart. Because this time, trouble isn’t just circling Deacon Slater.

It’s coming for us both.

(This is Phoebe Kelly's story and can be listened to as a complete standalone!)

©2025 Julia Wolf (P)2025 Julia Wolf Romantic Suspense Westerns Heartfelt
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Listener received this title free

Omg Deacon and Phoebe - what a love story - I loved both the characters so much but I do definitely have a soft spot for Deacon.
The narrators were amazing in duet narration - Emma and Sean were excellent

Duet narration at its finest

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Listener received this title free

Hold The Line by Julia Wolf, is book two in the Kelly Ranch series. And it’s a 4 .5⭐️ read.

Book two kept giving me everything I loved about the first book, and this time we got to see Phoebe step fully into her own light.

The sweet sister with the baking skills and successful business had so much more depth waiting to be discovered, and watching her grow into her own person within such a close-knit family made me smile.

Then there was Deacon, who completely broke my heart. Seeing where he came from and how life had shaped the man he’d become made me want to wrap him up and tell him he deserved happiness too. This man needed people who loved him, cared for him, and reminded him that he didn’t have to carry everything alone.

The duet narration by Emma Wilder and Sean Masters was once again fantastic. They brought so much warmth, vulnerability, and emotion to Phoebe and Deacon’s story, making the connection between them feel genuine and beautifully immersive.

This story reminded me that sometimes the people who seem the strongest are the ones carrying the heaviest burdens. We all deserve to be seen beyond our past, loved beyond our mistakes, and given the chance to discover who we can become when someone finally believes we’re worth fighting for.

Spice Level - 🌶️🌶️

💬 “I know a good place to bury the body, nobody would find him.”

Note: Please read and review all trigger warnings before picking up any recommended book. We love to read for our pleasure, so keep your mind, and emotions safe!

Tropes:
🌺 Small Town Romance
🌺 Plus Size FMC
🌺 Tattooed, Blue Collar MMC
🌺 Grumpy x Sunshine
🌺 Light Suspense
🌺 Neighbours to Lovers
🌺 She’s His First Girlfriend
🌺 Close Proximity
🌺 Found Family

“I liked to imagine I was the queen of an empty kingdom.”

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Listener received this title free

Phoebe has finally found herself and her place in the world, she is happy making her bakery work and being loved by her family. Deacon has returned to Sugar Brush having fallen foul of the law. He works hard surveying the roads for his friend's family business and works with wood in his spare time trying to build a business that is just his. From the wrong side of the tracks and a family with a bad name he doesn't believe in his own worth. Then he meets Phoebe, she sees him really sees him, now she just needs to convince Deacon he can be loved. This is a beautiful listen, the narrators bring Deacon, Phoebe and the rest of the characters alive, I felt like I was actually there listening to them all for real. The story will make you smile, despair, want to shake some sense into Deacon at times take you on a roller coaster of worry and terror, but most of all want to sink into the life in Sugar Brush and be drawn into the love that is phoebe and her family.

These narrators have made an already amazing book come alive

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Listener received this title free

I think I enjoyed this one even more than the first book in the series. This follows Phoebe, the younger sister of the FMC from book 1, and Deacon, her high school crush who’s just moved back into town, after 4 years in prison and into the apartment above her. They’re both in their late 20s now.

I love both main characters. Phoebe is a bubbly, confident baker from a wealthy family and Deacon is the guy from the wrong side of the tracks – reserved and misjudged. I love how he doesn’t let his upbringing pull him down. He’s made some mistakes, but he’s a good guy who works hard and wants a better life for himself and his little sister.

I enjoyed the development of the romance. Initially, Deacon is standoffish, but he slowly warms up to Pheobe and let’s her in. I like that the spice doesn’t hit till about 60%. I liked seeing them take their time and get to know each other without getting physical. There was lots of kissing, though. Phoebe is a plus sized girlie who gets self-conscious about her appearance and her appeal to men, but Deacon is not having it. He lets her know how much she is desired and loves her as she is. My only issue with that (physical) aspect of the relationship is that Deacon has little to no experience in the bedroom and there was no fumbling. He immediately knew what he was doing. It was unrealistic.

I liked the pacing of the story. There is a break up in this but it actually happens before the 3rd act. it kept the story exciting and created room for some character growth. I liked how self aware Deacon is. He knows his shortcomings, and he’s not afraid to ask for help in overcoming them. There’s a suspense storyline that runs through the book, and I loved the way it was written, the build up is gradual and when everything came to a head, it had me on the edge of my seat.

The Kelly family added a layer of depth, heart and humour to the story. they’re a lively welcoming bunch and I love how they gave Deacon the benefit of the doubt. This is a second generation story and I’d love to read the parents’ story to experience more of their warmth.

The narrators for this book are the same as the last one and I enjoyed their performance. They were the perfect choice for the grumpy/sunshine characters and the duet narration added an extra layer of depth to their performance.

Heartwarming with an exciting bit of suspense

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