Oh. My. God. What an emotional read! This story is one of the most intriguing I’ve ever read, and it’s nothing like what Monica Murphy has previously written. It’s intense. Gritty. Raw. Captivating. Heartbreaking. It’s a story of innocence lost and hearts reconnecting. I’m pretty stunned at what Monica Murphy has created in Katie and Ethan’s story – this might be my favorite book of hers yet.

But I’m none of those things. Confident. Strong. Carefree. Those words belong to the old me. Once innocence is lost, you can never get it back. That’s my problem. I lost my innocence at the age of twelve, far too early. And the man who stole it from me will haunt me forever.

Eight years ago, when Katie Watts was twelve, she was kidnapped and raped by a serial killer. She’s a survivor, but for the past eight years, she’s lived in silence, a shell of herself, but no longer. Now, hoping to free herself of her past, she’s ready to tell her story of her abduction, and of the boy who saved her – her hero, her guardian angel… her kidnapper/rapist’s son.

Will Monroe, now Ethan Williams, has never forgotten the girl he saved. She haunts his dreams as his father haunts his nightmares, and now that Ethan has found Katie again, he can’t walk away from her a second time. The powerful connection that existed when they met all those years ago has never truly gone away, and Ethan is now compelled to be there for Katie, to be her hero and savior once more. The only problem is that when Ethan enters Katie’s life again, he doesn’t tell her the truth of who he is and hides behind his Ethan persona. So what happens when past is dying to be free and Ethan can’t hide who he is anymore?

I wanted her, body and soul, as much a part of me as breathing.

If you’re worried about how Monica Murphy portrays Katie’s kidnapping and rape, don’t be. The author does not romanticize what happens to Katie. She doesn’t write it in some gentler light, but neither does she go into all the details, all of which I appreciated.

Never Tear Us Apart is brilliantly written, told in Katie and Ethan’s past and present POVs. Monica Murphy had me feeling like I was experiencing every heart-wrenching feeling right alongside these characters. What was interesting to me was that the past wasn’t told in a consecutive timeline, and instead jumped around a bit, which threw me off sometimes. Ethan did weird me out in the beginning when he got a little too intense with his feelings for Katie, but otherwise, I was hooked onto this unputdownable story. It wasn’t perfect, but it’s different, and if you’re looking for something intriguing and unique, I highly recommend this book. Be forewarned though, this is a two-book series, so Never Tear Us Apart does end in a cliffhanger, but the cliffie is definitely worth the read.

Quotes are taken from the arc and are subject to change in the final version.

Reading Order: Never Tear Us Apart series

#1 ~ Never Year Us Apart: Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads
#2 ~ Never Let Me Go: My Review • Ebook • Paperback • Audible • Goodreads

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