Never Let You Go

Never Let You Go is a beautiful romance filled with angst.
Ash came home from a mission where he had been tortured and all that kept him going was thoughts of his Aunt and lover Brighton. When he got home his dream fell apart.

Brighton had been waiting for months for Ash to come home but he never did. He thought there was no one came back. Then his sister dies and he becomes a father. This gives him something to help take his mind off Ash a little.

This is a poignant story full of angst, love, hope, broken hearts, and men that have been friends since twelve and lovers since they grew up. There is PTSD on Ash's part. I love stories with men that are broken and we get to go on the journey of their healing. Andrew Grey is a master at this.

Jeff Gelder did an amazing job narrating. He keeps you engaged and breathes life into the characters.

*Copy provided to Bayou Book Junkie by Dreamspinner Press for my reading pleasure in hopes of an unbiased opinion, a review was not a requirement.*

Never Let You Go is Book 2 in Andrew Grey's Forever Yours series. This book could probably be read as a standalone, but the characters from the first book make an appearance in this one. And, really, I always recommend reading the books in a series in the appropriate order. For me, I think you get more from the stories when you know the history and connection of the characters.

Ashton and Brighton were best friends growing up and found love as teenagers. They continue their relationship throughout Ashton's time in the service, and then on Ash's last mission, the worst happens. Brighton finds out that Ash is missing, and then believed dead. He never hears anything more regarding Ash and grieves for the loss of his love. But Brighton doesn't have time to grieve. His sister dies leaving a daughter that Brighton is now raising. His cousin moves in with him, and though it's a tight squeeze, they're both raising her and Brighton is trying to move his life forward. Ash is finally able to leave the hospital and is making plans to get his aunt's house remodeled and move her from the nursing home back to her home. He heads back to town to let Brighton know he's alive and back for good, when he sees Brighton with another man. He leaves to lick his wounds but continues to work on the house and himself while grieving the loss of Brighton. When Brighton and Ash see each other again, it takes talking from both men to figure things out and they quickly fall back into their relationship. But, Ashton's mental health is still a concern and Brighton's lack of understanding creates issues for the men to work through.

I liked Ashton and Brighton. I thought they were both easily likable characters; they were both family oriented, which is pretty typical for this author's men; and they both needed to be smacked in the back of the head to wake them up a little. Thank goodness for Ashton's aunt and Brighton's cousin, who were the ones to point out the obvious and push these two men together when they needed the help. I wasn't a fan of Ashton's jumping to conclusions and just walking away at the beginning. And, I was less of a fan of Brighton's trying to sweep Ashton's PTSD under the rug. But, in the end, they get it together and are able to be adults and understand what is needed to be partners. Though, as I'm thinking through this review, their behavior may be understandable. These are two men who know each other. All their best stories involve the other. They've been close since a young age and found love early in their lives with each other. But, even though they still love the other, they don't really know this version of each other so it's expected that they're going to have difficulties as they adjust to the changes in each other.

Regardless, I think this is an enjoyable story with great supporting characters, and of course, a cute little girl. This is a story about young love growing into an adult and forever love.

Rating: 4 stars

✩ ✩ ✩ ✩ FOUR-STAR ✩ REVIEW ✩ ✩ ✩ ✩

> > Judging a Book by it's Cover < <
Two shirtless men are standing with foreheads touching in upper half of the photo. Lower area fades to a small town main street type scene. Average font, Neutral colors. Overall, there's nothing to really catch and keep the eye, but the composition is clean and well-arranged. The synopsis made me want to read it.

> > Looking Deeper < <
POV ~> Third-person

Ash was a POW and is now a medically discharged soldier looking to get back to the one man that kept him fighting for his freedom but when he returns home, he sees Brighton with another man and flees.
Brighton was led to believe that Ash was killed on that last mission and he still grieves for the loss. Only having his cousin as a roommate and, now, the responsibility of raising his niece, as his dying sister wished, has kept him from spiraling too far. But even still, he has no desire to put himself out there again.
Ash returns to their little town when his elderly aunt, the woman that raised and loved him as her own, needs assistance. When the two men meet again and the spark reignites, they have to decide if life has changed them too much or if they still want the same things as they had years ago.
Other than a cameo from the characters from CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT YOU and they were loosely connected to a secondary character, the cast primarily seemed to be immediate family and Rose, the owner of the diner they like to frequent. This story CAN stand on its own quite well. The plot was good; steady but without any dynamic twists or fun surprises. It flowed smoothly; almost sedately. There were times that I'd hope something would happen in the plot to add a touch of excitement, but the opportunity was lost as the story continued on at a standard-fare contemporary pace.
The only place where predictability was present was throughout the final chapter and epilogue, which featured a solid HEA for Brighton and Ash. Overall, it was a well-written story with a small-town vibe and pace and likable characters.
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Rating: [R] ~ Score: 4.05 ~ Stars: 4
Possible Triggers: PTSD with flashbacks and nightmares of time in captivity are mentioned without great or graphic detail.

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⭐ ⭐ **** Disclosure of Material: I received a copy of this book from RBTL Promotions and the Author/Publisher with the hope that I would voluntarily leave unbiased and unsolicited feedback. I was not asked, encouraged, or required to leave a review - nor was I compensated in any way. I am posting this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255: "Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising". ***** ⭐ ⭐