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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You know, I should have known better. Really. I should have known that Aly Martinez wasn’t going to make this easy on me. I should have known that Release is like an iceberg; just because you see plenty above the surface, doesn’t mean you’re prepared for what’s hidden below.
Ramsey and Thea are soulmates. There’s no debating that. Having been so intricately woven into each other’s lives when they were kids, you can’t tell where one begins and the other ends. But life doesn’t care, even if both of them have had more than plenty of hardship to deal with in their young lives. No, life doesn’t care when it decides to really give them a kick and rip them apart when they needed each other most.
But after twelve years, they are reunited and now, Thea has to fight to keep them afloat. To remind Ramsey that they’re connected in every way that matters. Ramsey did the fighting when they were children, so Thea knows it’s her turn. She refuses to give up, knowing that what they share is too important to quit.
But just when you get start to get comfortable, start to let your guard down, you get hit again with an awful truth that’ll leave you reeling, wondering what in the world just happened. It’s devastating, crushing. It’s one of those things that you’ll both be able to understand completely and not understand at all in the same breath.
Time is a funny thing, though. Sometimes it works in our favor, but sometimes it doesn’t. But for Ramsey and Thea, it means everything. It means sharing a lone tree in the middle of a hayfield, sharing a road with someone in the middle of the night, or sharing a cabin in the mountains. Years, months, days, hours, minutes, and seconds… it all adds up to the beautiful, emotional, heartbreaking story of Ramsey Stewart and Thea Hull.
You know, there’s a reason that Aly Martinez is one of my all-time favorite authors, and why I will read anything she writes. And that reason is that Ms. Martinez always- Always!- writes a book that has such an unusual plot, and while they fit into the romance genre, they always have a unique feel to them. Release, as typical, is such a unique read!
After twelve years in prison, Ramsay is being released. Thea has waited for this day. She has literally counted the days and hours until Ramsay gets released. But while Thea is excited, Ramsay… not so much. But they’re thrown together, and that old attraction is still there, although Ramsay fights it and fights it- all because he thinks Thea deserves more.
I loved these two. I loved their struggle, their back-and-forth love, their commitment, their dedication, their perseverance. I just loved them! This is a top read for me in 2019!
Ahhh! All the FEELS! This was such an incredible second chance story. Aly is my go to author when I want to feel and boy did she deliver. I laughed, I cried, I bawled, I smiled and cried all the happy tears in the end. SIGH! This was so beautifully written.
Ramsey and Thea meet when they are young during a time when they are both feeling abandoned by their parents and feeling angry and confused. Through their pain they form a beautiful, unique friendship that turns into young love until one fateful day that changes everything.
Fast forward 12 years later and Ramsey and Thea are reunited and it is not all hearts and flowers at first but deep down they’ve always loved each other and it was such a beautiful thing to see them work through everything.
I love the ability Aly has in writing these big, epic love stories where the characters meet as children and we get to see them grow up together and see their love grow.
I loved all the side characters but especially Ramsey’s sister Nora and Thea’s Dad, Joe. We see such growth and healing from beginning to end.
5++ Stars!!
Note: I was provided an ARC by the author via Social Butterfly PR in exchange of an honest review.
I have never read an Aly Martinez book… I have several on my kindle and it’s just not having enough time to keep up that has kept me from reading one of her books. I wanted to start off this year reading books from authors I have never read before and after reading the blurb, I knew that I wanted this to be my first Martinez book. And WOW… what a masterpiece!
I love the friends to lovers/second chance romance trope and this was right up my alley.
I laughed, I cried (the tears omg!), I smiled and I rejoiced… the friendship and love that Ramsey and Thea shared throughout grief, sadness, separation was simply beautiful. To be LOVED by a man like Ramsey, who all men should be like, was something to cherish… it made my heart soar.
This journey that Thea and Ramsey make together is a tough one—from start to finish—but I was on that ride… living and breathing it with them because their story consumed me.
I am IN LOVE with Martinez’s writing and I can’t wait to read the books I already have on my kindle and catch up to what I have been missing. This is my third book to read in 2020 and my FIRST top fave of 2020… Unforgettable, breathtaking, mind blowing, beautiful —I will never forget this story that gave me ALL THE FEELS and made my book loving heart so very happy. <3
“Sometimes you have to let go of the life you planned in order to live the one you’re given.”
Wow what an emotional roller coaster of a book!!!! I loved every heart stopping, heartbreaking, emotional, lust filled, loving, tear filled page of this epic book!!!!!
I have been reading Aly’s books for years and honestly adore Every. Single. One. Of them but this book has become my all time new favorite!!! And that is saying a lot because with each book she releases I swear the next book can never top the one I just read! And with each new release she surprises me by giving a new set of characters that I swear can never be topped!!!! Ramsey, Thea, Nora and Joe have forged their way straight into my heart. These characters are EVERYTHING I could have hoped for and more! Their love, loyalty and perseverance is unwavering, raw, emotional and oh so beautiful!!! What a dichotomy of emotions I experienced reading Release. One minute my heart was shattered with tears flowing down my face and in the very same paragraph I was laughing hysterically at the banter between these characters. From page one I found it virtually impossible to put this book down. The angst, love and emotion flew off the pages solidifying this book as one of my all-time favorite reads. It is not a book you just read it is one you experience, feel and live right along with Ramsey And Thea.
Release rounds out my all time favorite reads of 2019! Aly, as always you far exceeded my expectations! I’m looking forward to what you have in store for us for 2020!!!!
Aly Martinez is at her finest with this one. If you’re a fan of her duets, this STAND ALONE is something you’ll want to grab immediately!
What is time? Webster’s Dictionary says “the measured or measurable period during which an action, process, or condition exists or continues : duration.” When I started Release by Aly Martinez I knew I was going to need exactly that… Time. Aly does not pen simple stories, and this one definitely fits the bill.
Thea Hull went from a storybook life to one of turmoil and sadness. With many people time has a way of resolving pain, but for others, not so much. Independent and strong willed, she is forced to grow up much quicker than she wanted. With each step she takes heartache follows.
Ramsey Stewart was the new kid in town. Moving to a new place can be just the restart some people need. For others, it can just be a continuation of the agony they left. How Ramsey deals with his challenges is unique and his timing, while not always good, is always noticed.
These two opposites that grew to deal with life lessons over time definitely learned to lean on each other to make themselves better. With Release we see their battles elevated with each turn of the page. Even when you think you know, you don’t. And THAT is what makes Aly such an amazing story teller.
Aly Martinez pulled heartstrings while creating heartache at the same time. This story is not one you will let go of easily, because from page one, you are engulfed in the picture. The more you read, the more you will discover that picture is bigger than you thought. With each page turned you will be shaking your head. There will be OMGs, there will be WTFs and there will be Damns. But in the end, you will be sitting there saying BRAVO Aly. Job well done.
All the stars Aly Martinez, all the stars!
Gah!!! Once again Aly Martinez ripped my beating breaking heart from my chest, only to slowly put it back together again. Release was EVERYTHING I have come to love from the mind of Mrs Martinez.
Ramsey and Thea’s love story isn’t easy, it’s gritty, and raw. Yet so beautiful in the beginning. From strangers to best friends to lovers I couldn’t get enough of these two. Then BAM! A tragedy occurs and the fallout from it ruins the lives of Ramsey and Thea forever.
Watching these two try to find their way back to one another was heartbreaking. And then as if my mind wasn’t blown from this beautifully crafted story, Mrs Martinez once again hits us with an unexpected twist that will leave you with your mouth hanging open, just speechless.
Release will stay with me for a long time. I’ll not soon forget how Ramsey and Thea stole my heart. 5 forever stars!!!
I’m making rules for reading this book. Follow them (or don’t but don’t say I didn’t warn you)
1. Have a full box of Kleenex on hand
2. Have water and your drink of choice ready (you’ll need to rehydrate after losing half your body weight in tears, you’ll need the other drink for the same reason minus hydration)
3. Don’t read in public unless you’d like many concerned strangers thinking you’ve lost your mind.
4. Don’t make any plans or have any responsibilities. You’re going to forget them or burn your house down by not paying attention to anything but this book.
5. Prepare to entirely lose your heart.
6. Brace for the mother of all book hangovers.
So basically what I’m saying here is that Aly Martinez knocked it out of the park, the year hasn’t even begun and I can guarantee this is one of the best books of 2020.
Ramsey and Thea are so much more than just a couple with amazing chemistry. They’re the epitome of soulmates. The love they share isn’t just constant easy hearts and rainbows. It’s silent strength. It’s rocky roads. It’s pain wrapped around absolute beauty. It’s real. So freaking real. Spanning most of their lives their relationship is something I can’t even begin to describe. No words can really do it justice. Their story is just SO MUCH. So much love, so much heartbreak, so much strength. It’s one you have to experienced first hand to really understand how incredible it is.
Aly Martinez has a writing style that gets me every time. Her words just flow from one sentence to the next, from page to page and, although I’m sure she has a ton of time and work in her books, her words seem effortless.
I’ve never read a book by this author that I didn’t love and Release is no exception. The way she lays out the plot, builds the story and the characters is perfect in my eyes and there is absolutely nothing that I didn’t like about Release. It’s the perfect blend of heart destroying and heart mending. The dedication that Ramsey and Thea has is, well, I’m not sure there are accurate words to describe their connection so I’ll settle for “epic”.
“His voice only became more urgent. “I can’t do this without you.” “Do what?” He lifted one shoulder in a half shrug, “Breathe.””
This book is definitely on my favorites of all time shelf!
Holy moly what a ride! As usual with Aly Martinez, I knew I was in for a fantastic read and this one didn’t disappoint, loved the twists and turns, the emotion and angst. Could not put it down at all. 5 stars!
Thea and Ramsey’s story is an emotional roller coaster ride throughout, and this tale flits between the past and present. This is a beautifully written fast paced story which is filled with angst, twists, emotion, and is a heart-breaking and poignant love story. This is this gifted author at her best! I was totally captivated throughout this addictive page turner, and I highly recommend for all readers.
– 3.5 stars –
“Thea and I were two of a kind. Lost. Broken. Forgotten. Stuck.”
Release is a fast-paced childhood friends-to-lovers romance. I always get very excited when I see that Aly Martinez is releasing a new book. Release started out really good, and the prologue had me intrigued to see how Ramsey and Thea got together. I was happy that the past was shown in one big piece, instead of inserting flashbacks every other chapter. I loved how these two broken characters came together. Both have their own struggles and hurt they are dealing with, however, one is better at hiding it than the other. Ramsey was a great character, he took all the hits Thea threw his way. He could see her pain and didn’t give up on her. It was very painful to see how this beautiful boy turned into a broody and angry man after serving almost 13 years in prison. Thea wanted to take up where they left off, but that was impossible. Ramsey did his best to push her away, feeling like he stole her life as well, having her wait for him to be released. These scenes were very emotional and painful to read. My heart broke for both of them.
“It’s impossible, Ramsey. Easy or not, letting go of you is not an option.”
Release, in my opinion, had more potential. It was just too short for me, especially the time spent in present time when Ramsey was released from prison. I wanted to see more of how they healed and how their relationship grew stronger. Especially the ending was just rushed, and it left me a but unsatisfied. It would’ve had a bigger emotional impact on me if I could’ve spent more time with the characters. It ending before I could really get into the story. Otherwise, the plot was great, and the characters were interesting. I enjoyed reading about how Ramsey and Thea met and grew closer together. I also loved the relationship Ramsey’s sister Nora had with both him and Thea. I wanted more scenes with Ramsey and Nora, and see them heal as siblings as well. There were many issues that needed to be handled, and I thought that some were rushed. Regardless, I still enjoyed this book a lot and was hooked to the story. The characters were very likable and I loved seeing them all come together again.
I’m still reeling after reading this angst filled, page turner of a book. Release was touching, raw, emotional and simply outstanding. Ramsey and Thea’s second chance romance blew me away and I can’t get over their beautifully written story. Aly Martinez is a genius when it comes to writing books with jaw dropping plot twists, she didn’t disappoint when it came to the plot twist in Release and while I was reading it, I felt like I had been punched in the gut. Ramsey and Thea’s story had so much depth, meaning and given everything they went through, their strength and resilience was outstanding.
Release is nothing short of amazing and I devoured it within hours. It’s a definite MUST read!!
As always Aly Martinez managed to wreck me in the most amazing way. Release did not disappoint
Wow!!! This is filled with all the feels and completely grabs you from the first page and doesn’t let you go until you’ve read The End. Between the story, the characters, ALL of the emotions, and the amazing mind of Aly Martinez that gives you more than one “Holy S***!” moment, this was one heck of a way to start the new year! You have 2 lost souls, Thea & Ramsey, whose worlds were turned upside down on the same day. Though bumpy at first (that’s one way of putting it lol), they become besties, boyfriend/girlfriend, soul mates, each other’s everything. Until one night changed it all. Now, 12 years, 8 months, 3 weeks, 4 days, 13 hours and 13 minutes later, she’s going to fight for the life they should have had, they could have, and she desperately wants. This book was beyond epic! I completely & totally love Thea & Ramsey My heart was all in with them and their journey. This is the first book on my 2020 re-read list. It was just that amazing
Aly Martinez took me on an incredible journey with this story. A great trio of characters who went through the ringer to get to the place they should be. I read it back to back in 2 hours.
My first 5 star read of 2020 and a recommended read.
***5 ‘Siri Off’ Stars***
This one hit all my romance buttons in just the right way. It was funny, frustrating, heart breaking and heart melting and kept me turning the pages to see how two broken souls found their way to an HEA they both truly deserved.
I loved Thea and Ramsey. Thea is a force to be reckoned with. Once she decides on a path she doesn’t deviate, at least not until she decides she’s exhausted all available avenues. Ramsey is sweet, charismatic and is quite protective of those he calls his own. Their journey to their HEA was a rough one from the moment they collided, but it was one that gave me all the feels as life threw them all kinds of curveballs and found a way to work through them all. I loved watching their relationship grow, evolve, ‘break’ and then heal so that they could finally get the HEA they most definitely deserved.
After reading the blurb, I knew this book would put me through the ringer and it most definitely did. The issues that Thea and Ramsey live through were harsh, and may be triggers for some, but they were definitely defining moments, and that little plot twist was one I didn’t see coming and yet made perfect sense once it was revealed. As for the secondary characters, Nora and Joe were very well written and both end up going on their own journey’s throughout the book and I ended up really liking them and wouldn’t mind seeing them again one day.
~ Copy provided by SBPR & voluntarily reviewed ~
This book! Gah! So much tragedy and love mixed into one rollercoaster ride. I absolutely LOVED this book! Definitely gave me feels of the Page brothers but Ramsey and Thea had a story all on their own. Aly knocked this one out the park. This is definitely a story I’ll be returning back to over and over again.
“Release” was an angsty, gut-wrenching coming of age, second-chance love story. This is a standalone book with a HEA. It is told in dual POVs with flashbacks from past to present. The prologue starts off with a bang! It grabbed my attention and never let go.
Ramsey and Thea’s love story is far from easy. They have both experienced serious hardships in life. They meet in an unusual way. Initially, Thea is closed off but Ramsey is determined to win Thea over. He knows that she needs a friend and he won’t be deterred. Once Thea lets him in, a beautiful friendship begins that eventually turns into romance. The connection between Ramsey and Thea is a rare, once in a lifetime thing. It is funny, touching, and beautiful. Ramsey and Thea experienced all of their firsts together until tragedy strikes one night and things are done that can’t be undone. It is tragic, heartbreaking, and life-altering.
This book was so angsty and emotional! I loved the characters. Ramsey was strong, determined, sweet, selfless, loyal, and caring. He will do anything for those he loves. Thea is stubborn but loves with all of her heart. She is strong, loyal, and relentless when she wants something. The plot was addicting, kept me on the edge of my seat, and just so well-written. My heart broke, I laughed, I swooned, and the steam level was hot! Then Aly throws in a plot twist at the end I didn’t see coming! All in all, this was a beautiful love story. Parts of this story will shred your heart but Aly puts it back together in the end. It is a roller coaster ride of emotions but I am glad I took the ride.
****ARC generously provided in exchange for an honest review.****