(inspired by Hansel and Gretel) (A Modern Fairytale Book 2)

This book was fantastic! The two characters had strength and courage. I could not put the book down as I had to keep reading. Kate Regnery's writing pulls you in and keeps you interested until the end. I was invested in the characters and had to find out how the story ended. Highly recommend it to anyone who loves a good story that will keep them up at night.

Another beautifully written story by this author. From start to finish I felt like I was there, right in the story. I could see the dirty bed and feel the chains. I felt the emotional roller coaster Gris and Holden were on. Totally worth reading, I recommend this book.

A thousand shattered pieces of life stitched together within an unbreakable bond; that is the story of Holden & Griselda. This is a tale of a journey, not a race. The first buildup and resolution in the story is so climactic that what comes after seems restrained in it's pace. Stick it out. There is a complete yet complex picture of character development and growth. At the end, you will be able to breathe again.

Holden and Griselda both seem like they needed therapy from what happened to them and to also learn to live their lives for themselves. I mostly liked the story but felt their love seemed a little unhealthy.

Definitely a longer read, which I enjoyed immensely. It means I get to KNOW the characters better and understand what makes them tick. A beautiful story, spicy "bedroom" scenes and full of all kinds of emotion. You are definitely going to want a box of Kleenex nearby, especially for the last several chapters. I bawled like a baby! I found myself wanting the story to move faster in places, simply because I wanted to see a happy ending, but I'm so glad the author took her time getting there, it truly made for much more interesting read!

This was a "feels" story! Oh god just remembering what this amazing couple H&G went through, I literally can't even. There were times I had to walk away from this story because it was so emotional and very sad at times and I just needed a breather, the love these characters have for one another and the hope, strength, love and courage is astounding! Katy Regnery wrote this book with compassion and brought so much life to H&G that I felt everything. I felt it all with this book!

Another amazing book from Katy!! My heart is still swooning! Never Let You Go is an intense book that will break your heart at certain points but I promise Katy will mend it all back together!
5 IMYLCILYF STARS!!! It's definitely a must read!

I really loved this book
The deep love they shared and kept them together during their childhood until they met again was just GREAT. And how the author created the end of the story twisted my heart. A strong love survives all

I have told whoever would listen about this book! What these two went through, what their lives became took me on an emotional rollercoaster ride. I did not want to put this book down and I highly recommend it!!

I loved it . From beginning to end I was captivated by the storyline and the intense connection of the characters. My heart broke for what Gris and Holden had to endure. Their story is a journey of finding your way home, in more ways then one. The writing was wonderful and the story beautifully done. Look forward to many other works by this author.

I really enjoyed this story. Made my heart ache and tears flow.. The only thing I didn't like, was the Gemma part. I wish the author would have left that out. Both main characters had enough hurt and drama to deal with and then *Bam* had to deal with Gemma... Hated that part!! But everything else was so heartfelt and touching...

Based on the popular fairy tale “Hansel and Gretel”, this book by Author Katy Regnery contains issue of child abduction and abuse. Set mostly in West Virginia known as the land of rugged mountains, the author successfully captured the right elements needed to invoke a sense of fear, danger and grief to the readers as they read the first chapter “Escape”.

The story begins as Holden and Griselda, two foster siblings-barely at the age of thirteen-tried to escape from their abductor after 3 years of captivity and abuse. Running barefoot through the cornfields, the two children rushed up towards the Shenandoah River with the deranged mad man and his dog on their tails.

"Stone to stone. I jump, you jump."

But the story didn’t end there. One of them is left behind, and there begins their painful and heartbreaking journey to find healing and redemption.

As heartbreaking as it is beautiful, this book will blow your mind in the same way that it will touch the deepest part of your heart. This is one of the saddest yet most powerful book I’ve ever read in my entire life.

Watching the characters break and barely survive with so much agony and pain, it was truly heartwrenching. These two kids were taken when they were only ten years old. With no one else around, they depended and protected each other against the man who kept them chained outside during the day, and locked them in the dark cellar at night. They lived and breathed for each other to survive. Through the author’s spellbinding narration I was able to picture the story well. Enough to make me feel like I was there as a witness. I can’t count the times that I felt like my chest would explode because it felt so real and it was achingly devastating. Readers will wonder what actually happened at the Shenandoah River. Why they were taken after all. What truly happened to Holden after all the years. How will they find each other and how different they are now from what they once were. How death, grief, and rage change a person and how much pain people can endure before they truly break.

"Ask me if I’m whole…"

Told in Third Person POV, it alternately narrates Griselda’s life and Holden’s. There were lots of flashbacks from the time they were at the man’s farm and it was during those moments that the readers will see how their bond deepened. Despite their difficult past and present lives, I loved these characters and the difficult choices they made.

Never Let You Go is an intense, powerful book, stunning, and achingly beautiful. It has so much feels I could hardly contain them all. It broke my heart into pieces but in the end it was all worth it. I absolutely loved it. Definitely one of the best books I’ve ever read and perfect for readers who wants romantic stories with just enough suspense, stories that break and mend hearts.

Friendship, survival, sacrifice, forgiveness, finding redemption and the capacity of human heart–no matter how it had been deeply broken–to be able to love and accept love in return… to be whole again.

This story will stay with me for a very, very long time. I don’t think I will ever forget it. I don’t want to. Please read this book. I can't recommend it high enough.

Katy Regnery certainly has a way with words and this story most definitely did not disappoint! Such an incredibly written story of losing hope,learning to trust again and finding love that was never truly lost!

This was such a powerful story, heartbreaking but so so beautiful. What Holden and Gris had to endure to finally find each other again was just wow... This is a story that's told in such an elegant way and it moved me profoundly <3

Good strong characters, lots of our d lets they cross, and live thru to find those hard things ALWAYS are better to traverse with a partner and strong relationship. Some romances get the "getting" together down easy, but reality is STAYING is the tricky part.

The story is very emotional. The characters get under your skin and can't stop thinking about them even after reading the book. I would definitely read this book again and go through the emotions all over again.

Katy Regnery does a superb job with the modern day fairy tale. Holden and Griselda grow up in foster homes and fall in love as teenagers. Their lives are so full of heartbreak and twists and turns as they grow up. At the end they get married and start raising a family, this is a love story worth reading!!

Such an emotional and sweet story. I laughed, I cried and felt just about every other emotion in between. This is the second book I've read from this author and I will definitely be reading the others.

Loved every minute! Beautifully written story about the importance of finding self-acceptance and choosing to heal before you can truly love and trust another with your heart. Engaging characters that pull at your heartstrings from page one, so much so that you can't help but root for their happily ever after through the ups and downs of their story. My first read by this author, but definitely not my last. Off to stalk her other works! Do yourself a favor and READ THIS BOOK!

I started this with high hopes and quickly became impatient for Holden and Griselda's reunion. So, I skimmed a bit to get there and then realized that I was selling the story short by missing the details in between. I was worried before I started reading this because of some of the other reviews' mentions of child abuse. I wasn't sure what to expect. I am mother and typically reading about children being hurt is really difficult for me. The author managed to temper the awfulness of their childhoods by showing the innate strength that both of these children had. They also really mustered their courage and imaginations to weather what was a truly awful experience. It was lovely to read. This is the first time in a long time that a book has made me really want to cry. They were equally wonderful characters. Griselda was strong, canny and incredibly loving. Holden was smart, selfless and also very loving. For children that were shown so little love, their ability to be so empathetic and forgiving was inspiring, This is a real love story. Pure romance at its purest form (Boy meets girl, boy loses girl, boy and girl get back together)

I have been reading a lot of romances lately. They are typically complete fantasy with characters that couldn't really exist in our world (rich, gorgeous and wildly successful before the age of 30). I like those stories because reading is my escape from the day to day realities of my life. But, these characters were refreshing in the sense that they had read problems and were struggling with the basics of life like most of us do. I LOVED Holden. I thought he was an extraordinarily written character. I LOVED Gris. She is my kind of girl. Even her self imposed lack of "good" in her life was understandable. I loved how quickly she shed when the she realized her reasons for feeling guilty were unfounded.
I won't recap the plot because the description of the book does a great job painting an accurate picture of what the book is about.
I would say if you are looking for romance, grit and a story that stays with you, this is a book you should read. It has substance. I actually felt excited as the book was coming to an end because the characters were making SUCH leaps and strides in their efforts to build better lives. Yes, there are sad and hard moments. It is not all rainbows and caviar. But you can feel it striving to give these characters the HEA they deserve. Not some neat and easy ending, but one that is worthy of their struggle as individuals. It was a really well written book. No typos and grammatical errors (it's a shame this is an exception to my more recent experiences, but it is). It is not an expensive book and definitely worth buying. Enjoy!

What a beautiful story of love, loss and finding that love again. Holden and Griselda were fostercare brother and sister who were kidnapped around the age of ten. They were held captive by a crazy man who kept them locked in his cellar and made them wear chains around their ankles. They were never sexual assaulted but they were both mentally and physically abused on a regular basis. After three years, they see an opportunity and attempt to escape. Sadly, only Gris gets away.

Gris has spent the last ten years broken. She's tried to find Holden and secretly saves money without her abusive boyfriend knowing. She plans to hire a private investigator to find Holden. She hopes but isn't sure if she'll ever get him back.

Holden is dead inside. He died the day his abductor told him he killed Gris. For the last ten years, he's lived one day at a time not caring for anyone. He works a dead-end job and fights for extra money. One night at a fight, he sees Gris and can't believe she's alive. Both Gris and Holden want to be together, but both have current lives that interfere. Gris' boyfriend is abusive and doesn't take the news of her leaving him well. Holden's girlfriend is vindictive and plans to do whatever is necessary to keep him. But the love between Gris and Holden is stronger than any outside force and they'll fight to be where they belong, together. "I jump, you jump."

This is an emotional story of finding your lost soulmate and making your heart whole again. It's told in the present tense, but has flashbacks throughout from the events that Gris and Holden lived through. They're both so strong to have made it this far. Holden is amazing. You'll love his character the minute he's introduced. He is protective and loyal and will do anything for Gris. She's a little more skittish with her feelings afraid to be left alone once again. But it's understandable and she finally realizes she has to trust in Holden and their love.

Wonderful story. There are a couple more books scheduled in this series and I look forward to reading them.

I love, love, loved this story! Such a beautiful and poignant love story with real heartbreak and such wonderful characters. It's not often a book moves me so, and I can honestly say, this one had me in tears. Well worth the read.

This is one of those stories that you find yourself thinking about weeks after you've finished it. There is a a lot of darkness in this novel, but author Katy Regnery somehow even creates hope and joy in the darkest of moments. The flashbacks are expertly placed so you are always wondering what happens next--in the past and present.

I jump, you jump. This was a highly emotional read. It was definitely a difficult one to get through but the author does a great job with the story as a whole and I loved the ending, it worked for them.

If you have ever read much traditional folk lore you can count on three basic things: 1. Good people in bad situations. 2. Nasty villains. 3. Trueness of heart that overcomes 1 & 2. In simple terms, this is a bare-bones synopsis of Katy Regnery's retelling of the Hansel and Gretel tale. Of course this modern story is so much more.

I won't attempt to recount the plot as you can read that in the product details, but will discuss the quality of the characters. As young adults who have been in the foster-care system and survived their cruel abductor each carries emotional (and physical) scars. It is the shared memory of their close friendship during the difficult days that sustains and eventually reunites Holden and Griselda. It is the "trueness of heart" of these two characters that really captured me. They ARE both damaged individuals, but they hold those memories of closeness and it helps them both survive at a certain level. It also colors the relationships they find themselves in until they reunite.

This was not always an easy read. It isn't strictly romantic fiction. It is a novel that will appeal to a variety of reader because it explores so much of the nature of the human condition. Holden and Griselda's often heart-wrenching journey through the many challenges of their lives kept me reading--waiting to see what else life would throw at them. It is a worthwhile read for anyone who enjoys a well-told tale.
I really appreciated the opportunity to participate in the author's advanced reader copy (ARC) lottery for a chance to read this early in exchange for an honest review.

What a wonderful surprise! This is NOT a light read, but if you need to root for someone, and you want to really get to know your characters, THIS is a lovely story. Looking forward to more from this author.

The characters are strong and amazing. Their true love endured even though they had so many road blocks.I had a difficult time putting the book down. I hope that Katy Regnery writes a a follow up to Holden and Gris.

Loved loved this book really heart stoping great I never wanted to put the book down two late late nights for me. It's wonderfully written every step is worth it a love story to last forever. Thank you

I loved this book! It literally yanked my heart out of my chest! I love these dark romance type books! I don't know why I feel the need to torture myself, but I will keep reading as long as they write them!

My first response after I closed this book (and yes, physically closed it) was “Holy Smokes. I am speechless.” Now that I have let it set for a couple of days, I am hoping I can put into words what is really on my mind and how I got so many feels with Never Let You Go.

Even before the book starts, placing us at Griselda and Holden’s age of 23, so much has already happened to these two, it’s even a wonder that they are living their lives with a bare whisper of a soul inside of them.

How else would you expect them to continue on when their entire reason for breathing is either dead or missing in a world of billions?

Griselda escaped the hell she trapped her and Holden in at the tender age of ten and survived three years of. She was stubborn, smart, and had the will of ten thousand men to live. Holden wasn’t so lucky. Holden wasn’t able to make it across the Shenandoah River and they were forced to be without the one and only person they loved.

Nothing seemed to matter to Griselda other than finding Holden. She was desperate to find him and know that he was okay. She wouldn’t stop looking for him until she had proof that he was dead. But she was also thirteen with no money. Griselda put all of her efforts into saving her money in order to find Holden. Until then, she survived. She didn’t live. She allowed herself to be with someone she thought she deserved since she abandoned Holden all those years ago. And even if that relationship was toxic, it did ultimately bring her to Holden.

Holden couldn’t believe that Griselda was gone from the world. He had no hope, no love, and no reason to continue on with life, but he kept on going. He managed to make it through life and found himself doing what he needed to have a roof over his head and try to forget the thirteen year old girl that he loved and was forever parted from.

But could life actually be more than just surviving? Holden and Griselda find themselves together again, but have no idea what to do next. It has been ten years since they last saw each other and they are both filled with guilt and regret.

As they attempt to repair their relationship, they realize their bond never disappeared and has grown stronger over the years.

But, as they have learned in their twenty-three years of living, life is a cruel piece of work. Circumstances land them in a precarious position in which decisions must be made. Life and death situations that causes a separation that neither are sure will ever be fixed.

My emotions were all over the place with Never Let You Go. I was happy for Holden and Griselda as they discovered each was alive and sad because all these years they were apart. I was terrified they wouldn’t be able to give into what the other truly wanted. I was estatic when they found a balance and acceptance within each other, but felt powerless when reality threw itself through the door of their peace. I can only imagine how much one person can go through in a lifetime, much less when it comes to love and losing that person over and over again.

I laughed, I cried, and I just couldn’t put it down. Never Let You Go will truly have a place in my heart forever.

This book started out soo strong. It blew me away. I absolutely love the book until like 90% of the way then I didn't like a few things but all in all it really was a great book. Took away a star for one part that's all.

This book is impossible to put Down. You Will live the Holder and Griz - and you will hate some of the other characters.

You will feel their pain, their heartbreak and their healing. Lovely story