This is the 4th thriller I have read by Chevy Stevens and I have thoroughly enjoyed them all. Nail-biting fear and suspense ooze from the pages of "Never Let You Go".

Ten years ago Lindsey fled, with her 6 yr old daughter Sophie, from her abusive, controlling, manipulative and violent alcoholic husband Andrew. He chases after them resulting in a horrific accident which lands him in jail for 10 years.

When her ex-husband is finally released from prison scary incidents occur making Lindsey believe that Andrew has found them. She realizes that both she and Sophie are in danger as Andrews obsessive behaviour is to blame.

Tension builds throughout this game of cat and mouse and the surprise ending is riveting!
A heart-pounding, page-turning thriller!

Thank you to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an arc of this novel.

Wow, what an awesome read! This was an intense, edge of your seat thrill ride! Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash escaped into the night with her young daughter, Sophie and left an abusive relationship. Her ex-husband was sent to prison and she started over with a new life. Now Andrew has been released and back in town. The plot isn't anything new and you think you have it all figured out but then another surprise comes along. There are tons of twists and keeps you guessing all the way until the end.

The story flows back and forth from past to present and is told from both Lindsay and Sophie's point of view. Usually this writing style can get confusing but it really worked well in this book.

I loved the book and highly recommend it.

Thank you to NetGalley, St. Martin's Press and Chevy Stevens for an advanced copy of "Never Let You Go" in exchange for my honest review.

never let you go initially seems like sleeping with the enemy with a twist but it is so much more. The characters were really easy to engage with, I could picture the scene and I just couldn't stop reading to find out what was going to happen!! A gripping well written book which I enjoyed thoroughly!

I went into this with a vague idea of the fact that it's about an abusive marriage in which the wife manages to escape and then the husband gets out of prison and things start to go downhill for her.

If this sounds like a familiar storyline it's because it is of course. Domestic thrillers have been taking over the psychological thriller genre for quite some time and in terms of movies, there's the hugely popular Sleeping with the Enemy. I was convinced Chevy would bring something new to the table, something that might make me hold my breath and feel tense throughout. Unfortunately, for me, that just didn't happen. I've thought for the last 4 days about why this book didn't grab me and I can't come up with one specific reason. I think, maybe, it's a combination of factors, including a lack of character connection on my part and a dislike of the narrative structure.

The story starts off from Lindsey's perspective in 2005 and we are immediately submersed in the dance of destruction and manipulation that is her and Andrew's marriage. To make matters worse, their young daughter Sophie is witness to it. I wondered if I would've felt differently had she chosen to start the story in the past when they first met which is where it eventually jumps to. So while I'm on the subject, if you're a fan of frequently alternating perspectives and multiple jumping timelines then you'll probably really like this narrative structure. I'm not and I think that's another reason I wasn't engaged with the story. The novel goes back and forth between Lindsey's perspective and her teenage daughter Sophie's, as well as shifting time perspectives from the past when they met to the past during their marriage to present day. There is LOTS of jumping around which, for me, led to a lack of feeling connected and engaged with the plot and characters. Also, I'm not sure I completely bought into Sophie's motivations of totally disregarding everything her mother said about her violent dad. This and the rest of the teenage angst storyline fell flat for me.

So, here's the interesting part about my reading experience with this book....I read it in about 4 hours...that's how incredibly "readable" it is. Chevy Steven's writing just flows, there's something about the way she writes that makes you stay glued to the pages and turning them as quickly as possible. In terms of the mystery, there isn't a lot of possibilities as to the who so you very well may figure that out (as I did) but the why and how played out in an interesting fashion. I was very impressed with how the author pulled together all the loose threads into a tight conclusion! Overall though, I just felt underwhelmed with this one but it very well may be a case of wrong book wrong time for me as the reviews on Goodreads and Amazon are excellent. Give this a try if you like fast paced psychological thrillers with alternating timelines and perspectives.

Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash escaped into the night with her young daughter and left an abusive relationship. Her ex-husband was sent to jail and she started over with a new life. Now, Lindsey is older and wiser, with a teenage daughter who needs her more than ever. When her ex-husband is finally released, Lindsey believes she’s cut all ties. But she gets the sense that someone is watching her. Her new boyfriend is threatened. Her home is invaded, and her daughter is shadowed. Lindsey is convinced it’s her ex-husband, even though he claims he’s a different person. But can he really change? Is the one who wants her dead closer to home than she thought?

So I received an ARC of Never Let You Go several months ago, but just didn't get to until a few days ago. I wish I had read this book sooner because I absolutely loved it! This is the first I have by the author, although because of my excessive book buying, I already own all of the other books she has written. Which is great, because I loved her writing and I loved this book. I really enjoyed all of the characters and there development throughout the story. The book is separated into three parts. Part one is told from Lindsey's perspective, but flips back and forth between the late 1990's, when she first got married, the mid-2000's when she leaves her husband and present day. Part two and three are present day and are told from both Lindsey's perspective, as well as her daughter Sophia's perspective. This is one of those books that I just didn't want to stop reading because I simply needed to figure out what was going on and how it ended.

Beyond the character development, which I thought was done very well, I just really enjoyed the author's style of writing. I also enjoyed being able to read from both Lindsey and Sophia's point of view, as it gives the reader a deeper view into their lives and how they are both reacting to the same events. I also really enjoyed the bond that Lindsey and her daughter had after so many years of it just being the two of them. This book was quite suspenseful throughout and the plot moved along at a very steady pace. It is one of those books where the whole time you are just trying to figure out what the plot twist is or at least that was how I read it. I couldn't quite figure it out, I knew what direction it was going in but the author does a good job at giving you enough clues from different characters that you just can't quite put your finger on it. I loved this book and I can't wait to read the rest of her work!

Never Let You Go was SO GOOD! I loved it! Part one of the book alternates past and present from the main character, Lindsey, who is in an abusive marriage. We see how their relationship started, how it progressed, and how her husband Andrew turned obsessive and violent. We also see her present day life with him as she tries to leave and escape her marriage with her seven year old daughter, Sophie.

After Part One, we fast forward 11 years, where Andrew is in prison and Lindsey and Sophie live alone in their new life. However, when Andrew is released from prison, Lindsey can't shake the feeling that someone is watching her. Things progress, and she can tell someone has been in her house. Has Andrew come back to finish what he started all those years ago when he tried killing Lindsey?

Read more…

I'll say it again - I loved this book! I especially loved the characters. We really got to know Lindsey and Sophie, and I loved the chapters that were told from both of them. I really enjoyed how close they were and their relationship both as mother/daughter, but also as friends. Sophie acted the way I'd imagine any teenager would, and there were times I wanted to shake her, but I think that lent itself really well to making the book feel realistic!

When I first started reading the book, it reminded me a lot of Into the Darkest Corner by Elizabeth Haynes, which is my all time favorite thriller, so I loved that! That said, the book deviated and definitely was it's own story, which was great in that I didn't feel like I'd already read the book before. Sometimes with thrillers it feels like storylines repeat themselves fairly often across different books, and I'm happy to say that was not the case here.

This book had me tense the entire time! I was dying to know what would happen and how everything played out, and I had a hard time putting it down. When I did have to set it down to do other things, I couldn't stop thinking about it, which is the sign of a great book in my opinion! I was suspicious of everyone, and even still, I didn't predict the ending, which I love.

Overall, this was an excellent (and super creepy!) thriller that I'd recommend for all fans of the genre! I cannot wait to read more from Chevy Stevens. A huge thank you to Netgalley, Chevy Stevens, and the St. Martin's Press for an ARC of the book in exchange for an honest review. Never Let You Go is out now, so GO and buy it!

Lindsey left her abusive husband Andrew after he was thrown into prison for killing a woman in an accident. Lindsey and her daughter Sophie have started life over in a new town and Lindsey finds out that Andrew has recently gotten out of prison. Odd things start happening to Lindsey and she is worried that Andrew is stalking her.

The story goes back and forth between the past and the present, and we find out what Lindsey’s marriage was like, as well as what she had to do to move on. Some of the story is told from Sophie’s point of view and we see her struggle with being a teenager and growing up without her father. This story is very emotional and it shows the psychological damage that abuse does to a person. I think Lindsey is very brave for getting away from her husband and starting over.

I thought Never Let You Go was a great story. It was full of suspense, it left me guessing and it kept me entertained throughout the whole book. This was my first book by Chevy Stevens and I can’t wait to read more of her work.

As an avid fan of Chevy Stevens I was anxious to read NEVER LET YOU GO, by any other author I would have thought this book was very good but it just wasn't Chevy Stevens caliber to me. This is truly a compliment to the author as it was a very good book but I am used to spectacular.

The book is fast paced and a pleasure to read but normally I can barely breathe while reading Ms. Stevens novels, this book was not nearly as suspenseful. I figured out the plot early on but still was quite happy reading to the very last page.

A domestic violence story, Lindsay marries Andrew, her Prince Charming only to find out he has an abusive side. The domestic violence is chilling and disturbing.

I highly recommend any Chevy Stevens novel, my favorite being STILL MISSING for an intense, edge of your seat read.

I've been looking forward to this one. I've read several of Chevy Stevens' novels and I've enjoyed them. Her characters always have horrible things happen to them, but she has a way of writing it so you're so hopeful for the characters still.

This book is no different. The main character, Lindsay, is married to a possessive, controlling, abusive husband, Andrew. They have a daughter, Sophie, which is the reason that Lindsay stays with him. The story bounces back and forth from the present to the beginning of their marriage when everything was roses. Lindsay eventually escapes Andrew with Sophie, but at the same time, Andrew gets into a car accident and kills a woman. He is sent to jail for 10 years. Lindsay and Sophie start a new life, without him. But eventually Sophie wants to get to know her dad about the same time he is released from prison, essentially inviting him back into their lives. Things start happening and Lindsay knows that he hasn't changed and is coming after her to punish her for leaving.

I loved reading this book - I thought it was a great story and it kept my focus until the last page. This is Chevy Stevens best book so far, which is hard to do because Still Missing is one of those books that I keep thinking about *shudder*. I will definitely recommend this to my friends and anyone that likes suspense/thrillers. I look forward to the next book from her.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC.

To begin, I love Chevy Stevens. I've been eagerly awaiting this book for months so I was over-the-moon excited to get an ARC of Never Let You Go.

This book is just as good, if not better, than all of her previous novels. What I love most about Chevy Stevens is that all her books are consistently great. This book kept me intrigued from the start, right to the final page.

This book is about Lindsay and Andrew, and their daughter Sophie. Andrew physically and mentally abuses Lindsay. When he is drunk she finally breaks free of him and runs away with Sophie. But on that night, Andrew crashes his car and kills a woman and is eventually sent to jail, but only for 10 years. Fast forward to Andrew's release. Lindsay is scared of what he will do to her, Sophie wants to get to know her dad, and scary/creepy things keep happening to them.

I've really started loving reading books that jump between different characters POV, as well as back and forth in time. Chevy did a really good job telling the story in a way that kept me in suspense without giving anything away. I thought the story was going to be obvious but I didn't figure out what was going on until page 259 (kindle) and at that point I quit work and sat and finished the book until it was done.

I'm sad that I read it so fast because I really love Chevy Stevens' books so now I have to wait again - please write another one right away!

Thank you for the ARC copy!

St. Martin's Press and NetGalley provided me with an electronic copy of Never Let You Go. This is my honest opinion of the book.

Lindsey Nash barely escaped an abusive marriage to her husband Andrew, after many threats to her life. After an accident results in the death of another driver, Andrew ends up in prison for 11 years. Their daughter Sophie is now a teenager, confused and wondering about the parent that she does not really remember. When Lindsey has the feeling that she is being watched, that someone has been messing with her things, she is convinced that her now ex-husband is back to finish the job. As her paranoia reaches an all-time high, will Lindsey be able to protect herself and her daughter from the unseen threat?

I have read all of the previous books by Chevy Stevens and, unfortunately, Never Let You Go did not have the intensity of those others. The constant time shifts does help to deliver the background to the present timeline a little at a time, building suspense as the story continues. The twist toward the end was expected, simply because the author spent so much time pointing the reader's attention in a particular direction. Lindsey Nash is a strong main character, but I just did not connect emotionally to her story. Although Never Let You Go was not one of my favorites, I would not hesitate to recommend this author to other readers.

Thank you for an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. This one had me hooked from the beginning and kept me going with all of its twists and turns. Another good read by Chevy Stevens!

One of the things I really liked about this novel was the way in which it approached the topic of spousal abuse. The scenarios that the author depicted gave me a sick feeling in my stomach. I had such a strong reaction to the scenes of abuse and fear that Lindsay had to go through, because it was so vividly and accurately depicted. It captured every essence of it and didn't hold back on any details. Having it presented in this way meant that I was forced to face the reality that abuse happens and it happens often. It can happen to me and it can happen to those I love and care about. It just made a very strong impression in my mind as I read the story. I liked the flow of the story, the different characters that were introduced, and the overall writing style. I didn't get that much of a thrill and the ending was quite easy to figure out, but this did not detract from the story itself. Overall, a powerful story about domestic violence and the paranoia that comes from living through such a horrendous situation, as well as the strength that can come from defending oneself and moving on.

Traveling With T’s Thoughts:

I’ve only read a couple of Chevy’s books- THOSE GIRLS and THAT NIGHT. After seeing the dark places that Chevy took readers in Those Girls, I wasn’t sure what to expect from Never Let You Go, but I knew after reading the excerpt- I had to find out.

What set Never Let You Go into motion is a tale of domestic violence. Lindsey knows that one day her husband will kill her. He’s jealous, possessive and evil. She feels that she is in a rock and hard place because her husband, on the outside, is perfect. He’s helped her family, he loves their child. Only she knows the ticking time bomb that he truly is.

What I liked:

The cover. It’s dramatic and bold.

The subtle shifts in the mystery. The ease of key details being revealed. The fact that there is a mystery in a mystery in a mystery here.

The sucker punch. When a huge key to the story is revealed I said “Holy batman folks!”



Bottom line: Lindsey is a character that was in danger, then safe and now back in danger. She thinks she knows where the danger is coming from- but does she? And that is the appeal of the book- it’s not easy to spot the danger.



*This book was sent to Traveling With T for review consideration. All thoughts and opinions are mine alone.*

**Never Let You Go is a March #FuturitsicFriday selection from Traveling With T.**



Happy Reading and Bookishly Yours,

T @ Traveling With T

Wow what a thrilling ride of a book!!! I couldn't put it down!!! Lindsey Nash is married to Andrew and all is well at first. Then he becomes abusive, very abusive!!! With the help of her brother, she is finally able to escape with her young daughter Sophie. Andrew has a car accident drinking and driving and ends up in jail. 10 years later, Lindsey and Sophie have made a wonderful life for themselves. Andrew receives parole and now Lindsey is being followed, her home broken into, and her boyfriend is hurt in a hit and run. Is it Andrew causing all of this or does Lindsey have a new stalker wanting to cause her harm? It was a thrilling book and I loved all the twists and turns. It is a story of a mother's love and protection. Thank you so much to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for allowing me to read and review this book. I received an ARC of this book for an honest review.

4.5 STARS

Lindsey Nash married the man of her dreams—or, so she thought. What Lindsey once saw as a dream, was in reality, a nightmare in disguise. For years, Lindsey endured both physical and psychological abuse at the hands of her husband Andrew. Worried for both herself and their young daughter Sophie, Lindsey plots their escape when Andrew’s abusive behavior suddenly escalates. But fleeing proves to be difficult; in fact, their eventual escape is hard fought, with dire consequences for all those involved. But once Andrew is secured behind bars, Lindsey and Sophie are finally free to live their lives without fear.

Years later, Lindsey and her (now) teenage daughter, are content and living their lives, when bizarre and terrifying occurrences infiltrate their peaceful world. Is it merely coincidental that these events correspond with Andrew’s release from prison? Or has Andrew returned, determined to make Lindsey pay for his perceived betrayal? Despite Andrew’s repeated proclamation of innocence, Lindsey is adamant in her assertion that Andrew is responsible for her current torment. Sophie, however, is torn between her allegiance for her mother and her desire to reconnect with the father she barely knows, desperate to believe in his innocence. This, therefore, begs the question: Could Andrew be telling the truth? If so, then something--or someone--more nefarious is now at play.

A gripping storyline riddled with twists and turns, “Never Let You Go” is a suspenseful, psychological drama that drew me in right from the very start. A page-turner of epic proportions, I found it nearly impossible to put down. And while, initially, I cast a suspicious eye towards several potential culprits, I did come to deduce the truth prior to its reveal. Still, that did not detract from my overall enjoyment of this story, which kept me on the very edge of my seat as everything came to unfold.

Looks like I'm in the minority with my lower rating for this novel, but I just wasn't that into Never Let You Go.

Lindsey was in an abusive relationship and desperately wanted out. One night, she takes her young daughter and leaves her husband. Her husband chases after them and goes to jail. Now 10 years later, Lindsey's ex-husband is out from jail. Lindsey wants nothing to do with him, but can't seem to escape him.

I think the biggest reason why I didn't love this novel was that I didn't connect with the 2 main characters, Lindsey and her now teenage daughter, Sophie. The novel alternates between Lindsey and Sophie during present day, as well as Lindsey 10 years ago during her abusive relationship. I didn't like Sophie at all and found her to be a bit spoiled. I liked Lindsey a bit more, but didn't agree with all of her decisions, especially uprooting her daughter during her final months of high school.

I did enjoy the twists that this novel had and I liked how I could never trust Andrew. I was constantly seesawing back and forth on whether or not his time in jail had changed him.

Reading this book made me wonder if I have read too many thrillers lately or if this book was too easy to figure out. I guess a bit of both, to be honest. I'm not saying that I did not enjoy the book, however, when everything in a thriller points to one thing (or in this case to one person being behind something, that's when I often grew suspicious.

Never Let You Go is a thriller that is not groundbreaking or even really thrilling, to be honest. It does have an interesting story and the main characters, Lindsey and her daughter Sophie, are easy to like. But, what the story really lacks is some great twist. There is just no shocking twist to the story. I was suspicions towards one character that turned out to be good, but looking back I see that he was just a red herring. But, the ending was just not surprising enough to raise my pulse. It was so ... logical. Even the reason for everything was something that was easy to figure out.

The book's strength lies in that both Lindsey and Sophie were so likable. Especially, Sophie. I fully understood her wanting her father to have repented. To be a good man, despite everything pointing to the contrary. I do admit that I was at first not really appreciating Lindsey. I do have a very black and white view of abuse and don't see why anyone would stay in such a relationship. However, love and fear can make people do all sorts of crazy things.

Never Let You Go may not have been so thrilling for me, but I enjoyed reading the book. While the twist may have lacked the shocking punches I was after did the characters impress me. This was the first book I have read by Chevy Stevens and I wouldn't mind reading more books from her.

4.5 of 5 - kellybookblog.com

Thriller/Suspense (Not Romance)

ARC provided for an honest review through NetGalley.

Emotional, heartbreaking and heartwarming!

This book packs a punch! It's full of emotions and a roller coaster ride of a read!

This is a captivating story about a mother surviving an abusive relationship and her daughter learning to cope and grieve her father’s disastrous choices. It’s a complex story with well written and developed characters. Both Lindsey, the mother, and Sophie, the daughter, have to overcome tough obstacles, physical and emotional. Seeing them react to the tough situations was enlightening and inspiring. Their actions and reactions were thought provoking and relatable. I felt as if I was living in the story with the characters. They were so real, I could feel their emotions and I grew with them. Chevy Steven’s covers all the emotions in this story. The heartbreak, fear, love, courage and nervousness that comes with surviving and learning to live after being beaten down in a toxic and abusive relationship. Absolutely amazing!

Chevy creates a detailed world and setting for this book that struck me as dark and REAL. Every little detail is described in a way that made me remember and reminisce my everday life. I could feel and smell the rain. I could hear the wind howling. The cold was biting at my ears and nose. I could FEEL as the characters experienced the same. Setting up the real and detailed world while setting the scene without bogging it down with too much detail is an art to me. I loved it!

I could not put this book down. It’s full of suspense that will keep you guessing. I must admit, I didn’t see the twists towards the end…and I think it made me love the book even more!

Available NOW on Amazon.