From USA Today Bestselling Author Aly Martinez comes an emotional new standalone.Growing up, Ramsey Stewart branded my soul in ways time could never heal.At twelve, he asked me to be his girlfriend. At thirteen, he gave me my first kiss. By sixteen, we’d fallen in love, planned a future together, and had our eyes set on the horizon. Love never fails, right? But for Ramsey, it did. Love failed … fails, right?
But for Ramsey, it did.
Love failed him.
I failed him.
The entire world failed him.
At seventeen, Ramsey was convicted of killing the boy who assaulted me.
Move on, he wrote in his first and only letter from prison.
Start a new life, he urged.
I don’t love you anymore, he lied.
There was no such thing as giving up on Ramsey. Love may have been our curse, but he was mine—then, now, and forever.
So here I am, twelve long years later, waiting for a man I don’t even know to emerge from between the chain link gates.
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Short review. Wow. I really wish I had read the negative reviews before reading this. Lots of angst for the sake of angst. I like how Ramsey and Thea met and how they became friends. But the rest had me questioning why I was torturing myself with this book, there is a lot depressing and angst things in this book. There is way too much of being inside our two main characters head and not enough of dialogues between the characters, we also spend way too much time in Ramsey and Thea’s childhood. I wish the childhood part had been told in flashback form instead of the first 100 pages. I kept wondering was Thea supposed to be likable because many times throughout the book I found her overwhelmingly and annoying, the reveal really seal the deal for me on not liking her.
****Spoilers below***
How Thea handle the truth about who killed her rapist was disheartening and left me wishing I had quit reading before the reveal. The fact that she couldn’t understand why Ramsey would take the blame in order to spare his 14 year old sister from having to go to prison, made me wish I could reach in the book and smack her. The reveal makes Thea come off very selfish, cold hearted and self-center that she didn’t care about what happened to Nora because she only cared about her own happiness.
‘Release’ is a first love and second chance love story wrapped up in one large gift of thoughtfully put together words.
A lot of people throw around promises like ‘I will wait for you’, but life happens and this promise is broken. But not this Thea, not Thea.
This book is everything. It was my first Aly Martinez read, and there is no turning back because she has forever gained a loyal fan in me. Her writing is downright captivating and this book just stole my heart.
This book is a story of love built on such a solid foundation that it was eventually able to overcome lies, betrayal, secrets, hurt, pain, and so much more. It is a story of unconditional love, a story of a heroine who truly stands by her man even when she has every reason not to. Talk about perseverance.
You surely want to dive into the story of Ramsey and Thea. #RAMSEA
Oh my that book just put my emotions through the wringer BIG TIME!! Aly did such a great job and my heart was in my throat.
These characters are thrown so much crap in their lives. Just when things could get better they don’t. He isn’t about to burden her with all his crap and it just keeps coming. Secrets are revealed, heartbreak is dealt and so much more!!!
This is another don’t miss read by Aly Martinez. This is why I love her books so freaking much!!!
Ramsey & Thea’s story gutted me but in the best way possible. This was a story of love, heartache, and forgiveness. Release is the first book I’ve read from this author but definitely won’t be the last!
Great and fantastic book and Author. Five Stars
Thea;
She’s a woman that made decisions that cost a man, her man, time in jail. While the world, time, and days continue forward, she can’t help blaming herself for all the heartbreak and loneliness her family has had to endure. Soon the man she thought was going to spend the rest of her life with will be released. Thea never counts down; she only counts time and days to remind her of the loss they both have suffered. He told her to move on, but she can’t stop loving the man she knew.
Ramsey;
I would spend a lifetime in prison for Thea if I had to. My secret of that day that sealed my fate, and I went to jail. She thinks it her fault; it is not. I told her to move on; she will not. I can not let her in; she will find out the secret I have to keep. My life is over, and that means she needs to stay away, event while my heart is breaking to do so.
Read this book and come to realize that Thea thinks she knows what happened and finds out her life is one big lie. Read as Ramsey try to protect Thea from the truth, all the while letting a lie destroy them both.
I have always enjoyed Aly Martinez books, and this is no exception. She weaves a wicked tale of love, loss, heartbreak, redemption, and life. With excellent world-building, charters, word building, and everything in between forwards and backward that can only be described and fantastic.
Congratulations for this beautiful read. I look forward to more from you and your excellent writing skills.
I Loved everything about this book! Everything!
Y’all the things Aly Martinez just did to my heart. I can’t even.
This story was such an emotional experience. I don’t always love it when I’m given a love story in flashbacks because I feel like I spend the whole story braced for all the ways it went wrong. But it worked here. I think for me it helped that Thea and Ramsey were just kids and their love story was filled with this sort first love energy. That is – it was youthful and hopeful and desperate. And it served as the most bittersweet background for their decidedly heavier, grittier, present day love story.
It was just stunning. Breathtaking sometimes. Frustrating other times. But I loved these two fiercely at all times and I was on board from the first word to the very last.
On top of all the ways I loved the romance between Thea and Ramsey, I also loved the family dynamic. I loved how Ms. Martinez gave us the arc of the entire family unit. I loved this broken little family something fierce and I’m not sure i loved anyone more than I loved Joe Hull. Good gravy, I’m still in my feels over this dad of the year. So amazing. So heartwarming. So rewarding. I cannot gush about this loudly – or enthusiastically – enough.
The storytelling was compelling and captivating and clever. Some scenes literally took my breath away. Other scenes had me trying to stifle my sobs. I laughed, and cried, and felt my heart grow three sizes over the course of this book. It was a fantastic five star read!
One totally freaking amazing book! I am always looking for that book that will grab you, pull you in and not let you go. This one took all those wants, rolled it up into one intense emotional read. This book overflowed with emotion and had me addicted from the prologue. I don’t know how but it stuck it’s words into my soul and didn’t let go. Perfect book to start 2020 with! If I could give it ten stars I would. Best book I have read since Heartbreak Warfare in 2018! Truly spectacular!!
Having an Aly Martinez book in your hands is like having the key to a world full of surprises; drama; suspense and romance beyond belief.
Numbers. Time.
They were important in Thea’s life.
Ever since she was a child when she saw her mother slowly fade from illness, Thea knew it was a matter of time before her mother left.
And it was on the day of her death that Thea met the boy who was about to change her life.
Ramsey had his own demons to exorcise, but it was ‘using’ Thea that he lived up to his mother’s advice: “smile to hide your suffering.”
Their friendship tightened despite the difficulties, and became love.
But that love was proved when once again Thea found herself paying attention to the hours and time, but this time waiting for her great love to get out of jail.
But their story doesn’t end here. This is where it begins…
5 stars
I read this book via ku and am leaving my review voluntarily. This author was unfamiliar to me until I saw her name on the Apollycon list.
Triggers: rape, sexual assault, murder, physical abuse
**spoilers**
I rarely read 2nd chance or friend to lover books but this one was very good. Author Aly Martinez made her characters so real it was not hard to imagine yourself as part of the story. Grab a few tissues.
Thea is devastated and angry when her mom passes and her dad basically ignores her. She meets Ramsey who also lost his mom but only because she chose to leave.
They eventually become the best of friends.
The story follows them from age 10 to 28. There are alot of good times, fun times, sad and tragic times that happen in between. HEA
The author did a good job keeping the storyline and characters interesting and believable.
I look forward to reading more from this writer.
Aly Martinez delivers every single time, and the book Release is no different. I think I know how this story is going and boom there is the twist I never expected. Good book. Standalone. HEA.
NO SPOILERS!
Release was a sweet, sexy, emotional, and entertaining friends-to-lovers standalone romantic suspense, and I loved the storyline and characters!
Aly Martinez has been the reigning queen of keeping readers on the edge of their seats, and has never failed to shock them with unexpected plot twists and turns. Just when I thought I knew what was going to happen next in Release, the author threw me for a loop and completely took me by surprise. I loved Ramsey and Thea and how their relationship progressed from childhood best friends to lovers to everything in between. Their story was raw, real, emotional, and gave me all the feels, both good and bad. It was a difficult journey, to say the least, but oh so worth it in the end.
Release was unlike anything I’ve ever read before, and I loved Ramsey and Thea’s emotional, sweet, sexy, and entertaining friends-to-lovers story! I can’t wait to see what Aly Martinez has in store for the future!
When I first started this book, I had no idea what I was going to get besides heartbreak. This author has always managed to give her readers something different while still having a beauty in the story. Release is a friends to lovers romance that will give you heartbreak, fill you with hope, and make you believe in the power of love all over again
How could one tragedy change the course of your life? One significant moment and poof, the life that you knew, is suddenly gone. Well for The past twelve years, that has been a reality for Thea and Ramsey. After a brutal night that resulted in Ramsey going to prison for that amount of time, Thea is now looking forward to having to having her best friend back in her arms. But that’s easier said than done because the boy that she once knew, is now a complicated man who wants nothing to do with her.
There are two things in this world that Ramsey cares about. His little sister and a girl who stole his start from the moment he fell out of a tree. But when he goes to prison at the age of seventeen for doing something he felt was right at the moment, little did Ramsey know that he was going to spend the next twelve years without the love of his life and that one moment will change his loved ones.
It’s no secret that that I’m a HUGE fan of this author and I truly enjoy her books and this one was no different. I loved the dual povs and the past to present was executed beautifully. The only thing I would have liked to seen was more time in the present and how Thea and Ramsey navigated life “After”. That felt a little too rushed for me and I was a bit disappointed but aside from that, I enjoyed this couple’s journey and their love.
If you’re looking for a heartwrenching read, then this one is for you.
*Arc received for an honest review
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/ – Release by Aly Martinez is a contemporary, friends to lovers, second chance romance filled with heartache and perseverance. Martinez is a new to me author so I wasn’t sure what to expect but the blurb completely sucked me in so I HAD to check it out. I am soo glad I took a chance with Release, it was an unexpected gem!! Even though there were a few things I would have liked to have seen go differently, it was still a great read that held my interest. Plus, that plot twist, I NEVER saw it coming and that very rarely happens anymore so that earned another whole star from me right there! Told in dual POV and flashbacks between the past and the present, you will love the story of Ramsey Stewart and Thea Hull.
. . .
– I would have liked a bit more steam. If there had been, this would have been a five-star read for me. The chemistry, the tension, and the buildup were all there but the sexy scenes fell a bit short for me.
, . . . . . . ’ ’ ’ .
ℂ – Nope, no cliffhanger. Thea and Ramsey finally get their happily ever after… after YEARS, and an unexpected twist that is!
– There are difficult subjects that could be considered triggers.
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Romance Rehab: book recs, author services, general badassery: https://www.romancerehab.com/
If you’re looking for extremely well-written high emotion and angst, look no further…
Plot overview: Thea and Ramsey were childhood best friends and high school sweethearts until Ramsey went to prison (served 12 years on a 16 year sentence) for killing the guy who assaulted Thea. The book details the events leading up to Ramsey’s incarceration, and also everything that happens once he’s released.
First of all, Aly Martinez is one of the few authors who writes super angsty books that I really enjoy. I mean, I’m a grumpy old lady, folks. I have a low tolerance for youthful angst. But Ms. Martinez does it right. I never get irritated with the characters. I feel for them. That can only be credited to the author’s talent.
Second of all, I adore Ramsey. Watching him change from the sweet, sensitive boy who loved Thea into a tough, jaded, just-out-of-prison man was heartbreaking. But under the tough exterior, Ramsey is still a gooey cinnamon roll of a hero at heart. Even when he was trying to be a jerk and push Thea away so that she could be free of his dumpster fire of a life, he was still a good guy underneath it all. I understood his motivations, so I never got annoyed with him for trying to push Thea away “for her own good.” (That kind of asshattery would normally make me DNF with a quickness, but…what can I say? There are exceptions to every rule, and Aly Martinez is DEFINITELY an exception to all my reading rules.)
Thea is a pretty awesome heroine, too. She never gave up on Ramsey, even when I think most women would’ve. AND, best of all, she never let his “I’m going to push you away for your own good” fuckery get in her way. She knew what she wanted, and she went after it. I really admired that about her. She was also a survivor of a horrific assault, and she didn’t let that event define her or drag her down. She was tough and resilient. There are few things I love more than heroines with surprising inner strength, and Thea had it in spades.
All in all, I really can’t recommend this one highly enough. It’ll mess you up a little emotionally, but it’s totally worth it.
Thea and Ramsey are the proof that when it’s meant to be … it’s meant to be. Their love story is full of angst and heartbreaking moments.
AM knows how to write story that not only have a unique story line but also capture your attention from the very first page.
I was emotional and shouted at my kindle while I was reading and the twist …. OMG
If you like angst with a capital A , this book is for you.
My introduction to the story telling of Aly Martinez was delicious. She took me on a journey of first kiss, first love, first heartbreak, first regret. Ramsey and Thea had a history together. Ramsey’s life changed just as he was set on becoming a man. Thea world stood still.
I was expecting a read to hold me still. I was not expecting a page turner. I wanted to get to the next portion. I wanted to know how Ramsey was going to try and stay away from Thea. I wanted to know how they come back together. I wanted to know how they worked through it all.
This was a winner for me.
“”I can’t do this without you.” “Do what?” He lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “Breathe.””
Guilt, resentment, loyalty, secrets, loss, heartache, friendship, family, anger, healing, love and tragedy are just a few of the emotions you will be putting your heart through while riding this amazing journey.
“Regret was nothing but a chain tethering you in the past.”
So many secrets, so many decisions made out of love, so much pain and healing…twist and turns throughout this book…events are never as they seem. How do you move forward? Would you be able to forgive and not hold a grudge? How long is too long to wait for your happiness?
“…there had to be something good that would come from all of this pain. There just had to be.”
Release was heart wrenching, emotive and incredibly moving. Thea and Ramsey have a difficult beginning, a tragic middle and a beautiful ending.
Ramsey Stewart and Thea Hull meet as children on one of the hardest days of both of there lives. They very slowly become best friends and their relationship naturally progresses as their age does. By 16 they’ve planned there lives together and a short time later it all falls apart for them when Ramsey is convicted of a crime and jailed.
“Love changes a man – even when he’s not yet a man at all. We were friends, but Thea was still quiet, stoic, borderline rude a lot of the time. However, in that tree, suffering alone and also together, I fell in love with her like the stars falling from the sky.
Thea made me feel.
It didn’t take long before I was utterly addicted.”
Ramsey and Thea are both strong characters who bring out the best in each other, they’ve been through some truly horrific events that destroyed them both but also brought them closer together and repaired them
“I swear. It’s me and you forever, Ramsey.”
“I swear too.”
His voice only became more urgent. “I can’t do this without you.”
“Do what?”
He lifted one shoulder in a half shrug. “Breathe.”
Release is a beautiful, friends to lovers romance that had me hooked from the prologue, Aly Martinez created angst with every word she wrote, and created the most enticing passion between them Ramsey and Thea. I loved reading this healing story of love and redemption and am so blown away by Aly Martinez’ writing in this heart wrenching story. I was turning pages fast to find out what was happening and then slow so the story would never end.
I highly recommend reading Release if you’re looking to be completely consumed by a beautiful and angsty book!
“Sometimes you have to let go of the life you planned in order to live the one you’re given.”
5 Stars
Review by Elizabeth
Late Night Reviewer
Up All Night w/ Books Blog
Where do I sign up for more? Release is the best Aly Martinez book I have ever read.
When Thea met Ramsey, she was not impressed. She had just lost her mother and wanted an escape for a little while. Just to forget. What she encountered was a boy, her age, hanging out in a tree.
Said boy, Ramsey, then proceeded to land on her when jumping out said tree. Needless to say, they were anything but friends according to Thea. Little did she know he would be her knight in shining armor.
Ramsey and Thea have a love story like no other. They were not friends, then they were the best of friends, and then lovers. They were inseparable until one night changed it all. With everything that happened, everything that caused Ramsey to leave Thea, she never once gave up on their love.
They made plans when they were younger to travel, to see the world. So while Ramsey was away, Thea went to all the places that Ramsey would not be able to visit. Why? Because she knew in her heart that they were not over. They would survive their years apart. However, there was one complication. Ramsey refused to talk to her. He cut off all communication. He wrote one letter telling her he never loved her, telling her to forget all about him. How could she though? Ramsey was the love of her life. The love she was not willing to let go.
When Ramsey and Thea were reunited it did not go as Thea had planned. If anything, it was worse then what she imagined. She imagined they would run into each other’s arms and Ramsey would confess that he lied, that he did, in fact, love her. Through their interactions after Ramsey was released, you can tell the chemistry is still there but Ramsey has issues that he needs to work on. He has been in prison for years and feels like he is a failure because of it. Ramsey is a loveable character that captures your heart from the very beginning and keeps it. He will do anything for Thea and you can tell. There were many things that stood in Ramsey and Thea’s way to the point where he never wanted to be near her.
Ramsey and Thea are both stubborn and it shows. Thea will do anything to be with Ramsey while he will do just about anything to stay away from her. But things are never as they seem. Ever.
Ramsey and Thea’s love story is epic. So epic you will not want to miss it. Ramsey will capture your heart and make you cry. Thea will make you cry because she is so broken. Just like Ramsey.
If you want to feel all the feels, this wordy creation by Aly Martinez will make you feel them. I laughed, I cried, and I felt the emotions from each character. I look forward to what Aly comes out with next.