REVIEW: Never Let You Go by Monica Murphy

In Never Let You Go  (Never Tear Us Apart #2) by Monica Murphy, Ethan is the boy from Katherine’s childhood who saved her from the man who tortured them both, albeit in different ways. He’s been her guardian angel for almost a decade even though they haven’t been in contact for several of those years. But she knew he would watch over her somehow. When Katherine found out he was back in her life, but under false pretenses, she was shocked. Ethan’s lies made it almost impossible to figure out if his intentions were real or if he was lying, just like the man who hurt them both so terribly.

“You were each hurt by the same person, and that unites you both.” She makes us sound so romantic. To the outside observer, maybe we are. But our story is more like a romantic tragedy.
“It also divides us,” I murmur.

Ethan spent years wandering, never feeling like he had a place in this world after ending his contact with Katie. So when he had a chance to see her once again, to make sure she was okay, he took it. He never meant for his lie of omission to get so out of control but he’ll do anything to make it up to her. But as soon as Ethan and Katie begin their relationship over again, the monster from their past rears his ugly head once again. And this time the whole world will be privy to their story when it appears on national news. Can they find a way to fight through the darkness of their past and create a future for themselves full of love and honesty?

‘This girl is it for me. We’ve been through too much, have seen and done too much together. No one can ever take her place in my heart. She belongs to me.’

What an incredibly fitting and compelling ending to this two-part saga. Never Let You Go was everything I had hoped for, emotionally rich and as well-thought-out as all of Monica Murphy’s other books I’ve read in the past. Oh the feels…

‘He gave me light when all I’d ever felt was darkness.’

Okay, so I have to caution readers of a few things. First: this is part two of Katherine and Evan’s story and you MUST read book one first or you’ll miss big chunks of their journey. Second: there was a dark undertone to this book (just like with the first book) as it dealt with kidnapping, rape, emotional abuse and depression. And third: toward the last quarter or so of the book we got serial killer/rapist Aaron’s POV. Needless to say it got a bit intense, as we saw exactly how twisted he was during his narrative. But I thought adding his POV, as well as that of journalist Lisa Swanson, made a huge difference in how I viewed each character and what I thought the outcome might be.

Now having said all that, don’t worry that the whole book was dark and heavy. It wasn’t. There were moments of joy and such sweet, tender scenes between Katherine and Evan that it completely balanced out the whole feel of things. But talk about a complicated situation! Gah. My emotions were all over the place right along with our protagonists. I could totally feel that connection, that unity, they shared after being targeted by the monster known as Aaron Monroe. I understood what it meant for them to want to be together after what they’d been through. So I loved that Evan and Katherine were able to build something meaningful and real out of what started off as a horrible event in their lives.

It felt like both Katherine and Evan were beginning to know themselves more and were growing stronger day by day in this second book. Of course there was angst over what to do and some poor decision making on both their parts but the overall feeling I got from this was one of hope. And love. Theirs was such a completely fascinating yet heartbreaking journey. It seemed like there was no way for them to overcome all of their obstacles to finally be together in a way that they would be universally accepted. But I can say that it does work out in the end and in a manner that seemed plausible, given the storyline.

Beautifully written with touching, poignant scenes that both broke my heart and filled me with hope, Monica Murphy’s conclusion to Katherine and Evan’s harrowing tale was something to behold. Forbidden love has never felt so tangible, so powerful, or so right before.

Book Info:

Publication: Published May 3rd 2016 | Bantam | Never Tear Us Apart #2

The second novel in this darkly sexy contemporary series from bestselling author Monica Murphy wraps up an emotionally powerful two-part tale of forbidden love.

The truth hurts, they say—and my pain cuts deep. While I was falling for Ethan, he was deceiving me the entire time. He held a huge secret, protected by his lies. When I discovered what he was hiding, the truth shook my world, threatening to ruin us forever. Ruin me. But I soon realized that what we share can’t be destroyed.

The connection between us is too strong. It always has been. I can’t deny him any longer. And I can’t deny my truth: I’m in love with Ethan.

I don’t want to let him go.

While we’re trying our best to make this relationship work, other forces are fighting against us. My family, who wants to keep me safe. The media obsessed with my tragic past. The public that feeds off of it. Even Ethan’s father—the man who nearly destroyed me all those years ago. He’s doing his best to finish the job.

Despite my love for Ethan, the doubts creep in, clouding my mind. Is he worth the pain? Will our love survive, or will we have no choice but to end it—end us—once and for all?