Perfect for readers of Colleen Hoover, Jay Crownover, and K. A. Tucker, the first novel in this darkly sexy contemporary series from bestselling author Monica Murphy kicks off an emotionally powerful two-part tale of forbidden love. Crazy how eight years can disappear in an instant. One look at Katie Watts, and I'm a fifteen-year-old again--the one who risked everything to save a terrified girl from her twisted kidnapper. She's grown-up now--beautiful, quiet, composed--and telling her story to the world. A story that involves me in more ways than you can imagine. She used to call me her guardian angel. Sure, I risked my life, but she was worth dying for.
I need to make contact with her. Just to ensure that she's safe.
Somehow we reconnect. We become friends . . . but I want more. I want to make her mine. And she wants me too. Does she know who I am? Has she figured me out? Not yet. But she will. In the meantime, I need to make sure that whatever hold that animal had on her is gone.
So, yeah, I'm stealing these moments with her. Savoring them. Knowing, dreading, that she'll soon find out who I really am. And everything will fall apart. All because of that twisted, perverted monster sitting on death row. Her kidnapper. A convicted serial killer.
My father.
MELISSA'S REVIEW: 4 STARS
Simply put this book is consuming. I was immediately pulled in by the fantastic writing and intriguing storyline and soon became captivated by the keen attention to detail and complexities of the characters.
I fell in love with Katie/Katherine and Will/Evan. Ms. Murphy does such an exceptional job of creating characters that are dynamic and responsive to the storyline that feels both genuine and necessary. I enjoyed the dual POV, and felt especially curious about Will/Evan. I reveled in the chapters presented in his POV. His motives and behaviors read as harried, anxious and at times hysterical. Katherine/Katie's character was just as compelling and I could not help but feel compassion for her. I loved her strength and her openness towards therapy and her empathy for Will despite her own horrific past experiences.
I felt that the switching back and forth between past and present between both characters was essential in building reader intrigue, yet the back and forth did have the tendency to thwart my attention to the scenes in the present. My interest in the story continually peaked and waned that by the end of the story, when we finally get to the climax I wasn't as overcome as I hoped to be.
I did also feel that it was a little long. The story is laid out pretty well and readers know what's coming the entire time, but getting there? Gah, it took for-ev-er. I'm still undecided on whether that is a positive or negative aspect of this story, but it definitely obstructed my complete enjoyment of and reflects in my star rating.
I thought the way the topics of kidnapping, rape and child abuse were presented realistically yet delicately. Sensitivity was given in the more harrowing scenes as they were not gratuitously explicit. These scenes will be triggers for readers but had they been left out, the story would not have been as powerful and affective.
I'm hesitant to give a blanket recommendation on Never Tear Us Apart. I think readers like me, ones that enjoy pushing boundaries and that revel in emotional and sensitive stories, would definitely enjoy this. For the majority of romance readers I would recommend it for the A+ writing and multi-faceted character development.