In this modern retelling of “Hansel and Gretel,” 13-year-old foster children, Holden and Griselda, escape from their abductor after three years of brutal captivity and try to cross the Shenandoah River on foot. Tragically, one of them makes it to safety but the other is left behind.
Ten years later, Griselda’s boyfriend drags her to a fight club grudge match where her world is turned upside down when she watches Holden step into the ring.
Though the connection between them is fierce, bitter regret, simmering rage and a cache of physical and emotional scars lie between them, just as dangerous as the whitewater of the Shenandoah.
Never Let You Go is a story of fear and hope, defeat and survival, and two people - once profoundly broken – who discover that love is the only thing that can make them whole again.
This is a standalone novel inspired by Hansel & Gretel. New Adult Contemporary Romance: Due to profanity, scenes of physical abuse and very strong sexual content, this book is not intended for readers under the age of 18. (Note: children are not sexually abused in this book.)
4 Finding Love Again Stars
This is my first Katy Regnery book. I’ve heard of The Vixen and the Vet and so I was really curious about Never Let You Go. I can see why people are mega fans of Katy, her books take you to another place and you kind of just get sucked in.
Each book is a standalone and has a fairytale theme. Never Let You Go’s theme is Hansel and Gretel.
The beginning of the book starts out with a bam. We are introduced to Holden and Griselda. Both are foster kids and at the age of ten they are kidnapped. The kidnapper is not a rapist, so don’t worry, it’s NOT that kind of book. I loved reading this part. I loved reading childhood friendships and the sweet bond Holden and Griselda have.
Holden and Griselda are beaten and treated badly. They only have each other. Three years later, they plan to escape, but something happens and only Griselda escapes. This completely got my heart and I’m not giving anything away. It’s important to know that the two of them get separated.
10 years later, both Holden and Griselda are in their early twenties. Griselda has a boyfriend who treats her badly. She believes she should punish herself since she got to escape and Holden didn’t. She wonders where Holden is and has been working on finding him, but with limited funds, it’s hard for her.
Holden also has a girl. She isn’t his girlfriend, but he’s sleeps with her. He uses her to keep himself company, but he still lingers and still feels for Griselda. He’s a shell of a man and doesn’t know what to do with his life.
One day Holden and Grisdela meet. AND EVERYTHING HAPPENS.
A lot happens in this book and it will make your head spin, but in a good way. I enjoyed the second half of the book a lot more. I think the intensity of the relationship between Holden and Grisdela kicks up a notch. They find each other again and it’s a good reunion, but there’s a lot that has happened in the last ten years. Both have painful wounds that need to be healed and there are a lot of unanswered questions.
The thing I enjoyed most about Never Let You Go is the feelings I felt. I felt Holden and Grisdela’s pain. I understood Grisdela’s need to self-punish and Holden’s lack of empathy towards women. I also loved the passion Holden and Grisdela felt towards each other. It was just pure LOVE and it’s the kind of love that I crave when I read books.
As long as we’re together, we can figure it out. I… I’d do anything for you
I mean that you’re my reason for breathing, for eating, for drinking, for sleeping, for living. I will never hurt you. I will never leave you. I will always protect you.
This could have easily been a 5 star book for me, but due to the length of the book, I was a bit overwhelmed at some of the parts. I knew it was 110K words, but I guess I didn’t realize how long it was until I started to read it. I know this isn’t a problem for many people. I’m not sure if it needed to be split into two books, but I felt that some parts could have been omitted. On the other hand it’s nice to have extra, so take it how you see it.
Never Let You Go is a wild, intense and a crazy journey, but it will melt your heart.
An ARC was provided
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For June and July 2015, 25% of all gross royalties will be donated to the Elizabeth Smart Foundation.
Vixen and the Vet (Beauty and the Beast) - AMAZON
Katy Regnery, award-winning and Amazon bestselling author, started her writing career by enrolling in a short story class in January 2012. One year later, she signed her first contract for a winter romance entitled By Proxy.
Now a hybrid author who publishes both independently and traditionally, Katy claims authorship of the six-book Heart of Montana series, the six-book English Brothers series, and a Kindle Worlds novella entitled “Four Weddings and a Fiasco: The Wedding Date,” in addition to the standalone novels, Playing for Love at Deep Haven and Amazon bestseller, The Vixen and the Vet.
The Vixen and the Vet is included in the charity anthology Hometown Heroes: Hotter Ever After, and Katy’s novella “Frosted” will appear in the upcoming (Jan ’15) anthology, Snowy Days Steamy Nights. Additionally, Katy’s short story, “The Long Way Home” will appear in the first RWA anthology (Feb ’15), Premiere.
Katy lives in the relative wilds of northern Fairfield County, Connecticut, where her writing room looks out at the woods, and her husband, two young children, and two dogs create just enough cheerful chaos to remind her that the very best love stories begin at home.
Facebook: www.facebook.com/KatyRegnery
Twitter: @KatyRegnery
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