In HOLD ME CLOSE, Shane Callahan is meeting his best friend at O'Hare airport after Maggie O'Leary arrives from Ireland. Maggie left Chicago almost two years years ago to find herself and recover from the devastating rape by her ex-boyfriend five years earlier. Her family owns and operates the O'Leary bar and it's time to face her fears, coming home again to work again at the bar. Her brothers, Ryan, Quinn, Colin and Liam, are super protective of her, and her sister Moira is equally supportive.

Arriving damaged with several hang-ups over her rape and sex, Maggie plans to work at the family bar towards eradicating the horror and its aftereffects from her mind. With her school chum, Shane, at her side, anything is possible for Maggie. She has dreams of steaming hot sex with a faceless man with huge hands, and the dream fulfills every fantasy she could imagine. Shane is elated Maggie is back but is intent on protecting her as she works at the bar. After sessions with Dr. Janzen, she decides to overcome her sexual hang-ups with the only one she trusts, Shane. Finally convincing him, he insists if he agrees it will be at his pace and his terms. Eventually successful in giving her the most erotic and explosive orgasms ever, her hopes are to overcome the sexual fears to find a man to share her life. Shane, on the other hand, has not only loved Magpie all these years but has been in love with her and wants her as his own forever. Revealing his true feelings to Maggie might just destroy their closely bonded friendship.

This is the first novel I have had the pleasure of reading by this gifted author, Shannyn Schroeder. HOLD ME CLOSE is the last book in the O'Learys series and I will definitely go back and read the previous ones. I feel like a part of this family as each of their characters is carefully defined and I fell in love with the family. The emotions of Maggie's past rape were clearly felt throughout the meticulous descriptions of Shannon Schroeder. I am impressed with her ability to convey the degrading and horrendous lasting fears following the rape of a woman. This is a marvelous story of a young woman recapturing her life and self esteem.