Never Let You Go: A Modern Fairytale (A Modern Fairytale)

by Katy Regnery (Goodreads Author)

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.)

For June and July 2015, 25% of all gross royalties will be donated to the Elizabeth Smart Foundation.

(The next standalone a m o d e r n f a i r y t a l e novel, Ginger’s Heart, inspired by Little Red Riding Hood, will be released in Winter 2015/2016.)

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Never Let You Go is part of the a m o d e r n f a i r y t a l e collection, which will include five standalone, unrelated novels:

"The Vixen and the Vet" (Beauty & the Beast) - available now
"Never Let You Go" (Hansel & Gretel) - available June 2015
"Ginger's Heart" (Little Red Riding Hood) - available TBD
"Don't Speak" (The Little Mermaid) - available TBD

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Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy from Author

Genre: Contemporary Romance

Part of a series but can be read as a standalone

My Never Let You Go Review ...

This is my first Katy Regnery book and it won't be my last. In his book it is considered to be a modern day Hansel & Gretel. I've got to admit that it has been over 30 years that I have read that fairytale so it was great to get a modern spin on a very old tale.

Here we have Holden and Griselda who are foster brother and sister but have a huge bond after being abducted and held captive together for years. This event caused a strong requited love at a very young age. The one thing that kept them holding up hope were their shared feelings and dreams of the future. On one fateful day they have a chance to escape but their plans get spoiled causing a downward spiral of consequences from that day forward.

I'm whole. I'm whole because I'm with you.

Now 10 years later fate has intervened and brought these two back together, but its not all roses and unicorns with this reunion. Presently Griselda is in an abusive relationship as she thinks its all she deserves after her fateful choice, while Holden's going through the motions of life and his bevy of females since his heart is hollow after losing Gris.

Besides, taunted her cruel mind, he has a girlfriend . . . and a shitload of tally marks. (Ugh! Double standards. How can heroines get mad when they have their own boyfriends? How? Plus they were apart for TEN YEARS!!! )

"We're both with people we don't even like," said Holden, reading her mind. "Do you have any idea how fucked-up that is?"

I liked the idea of this book so much but Griselda didn't win me over with all her double standards and insecurities. I get what they went through will play havoc on their emotional development but when reading it at times it becomes too much that you just want to her to finally get her head of the sand.

"I don't want to judge you for it." "Then don't" (Good idea. But it would have been to easy for this advice to be taken)

"Stop shakin' your head, Griselda Schroeder, because this is my truth, and I am sharing it with you, and you need to respect that."

"I'm breaking things off with him when I get home." (Gah! So frustrating)

"Girl, for the record, I think this code of silence is crazy." (Agree. WTF? Gris.)

"You d-don't trust me." (I get their insecurities but at times they became too much and drove me a bit batty)

Gris's past choices have caused an extreme collapse in her emotional capabilities when it comes to relationships. I loved Holden but Gris's wishy washy ways didn't always win me over.

The moment Holden sees Gris again he knows exactly what he wants. What he's always wanted. He will do anything to get it, even though to get their isn't an easy journey. He too had some coward and insecure moments but for the most part he captured me from the beginning to the end.

I understand the book being back and forth from past and present to help us get into the mind set up the characters but at times I felt it more distracting then helpful. In the end, I quite loved the book, but it took me awhile to get there.

It is a story about second chances, friends to lovers, forgiveness, survival, hope and love.

What was my favorite part of the story? The idea of the story. What was my least favorite? Gris's double standards and insecurities. Sorry I know that sounds harsh but there was just something about how she handled things that didn't endear her to me. Did I like the ending? Yes? Will I read more from Katy Regnery? Absolutely. Will I read more from this series? Yes

3.5 Fairytale Loving Thumbs up!

. 5

Lauren

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