A friends-to-lovers second-chance romance from USA Today bestseller Siobhan Davis. Standalone with HEA and no cliffhanger. Keanu Selena played me. Confirming I wasted years loving someone who didn’t love me back.It should be easy to move on, but since she dumped me, I can’t shake her from my thoughts, no matter how hard I try.Dates and random hookups don’t help, because no one measures up to the … random hookups don’t help, because no one measures up to the girl I still love with my whole heart.
When she appears at my door, begging me for help, I can’t turn her away. My protective instincts kick in, and I grasp this second chance with both hands.
This time, I’m determined to open her eyes.
To help her realize she made a mistake throwing what we had away.
To prove our love is the real deal.
Selena
Keanu has it all wrong.
I let him go because I love him too much to continue holding him back.
And I’ve paid for it every day since.
I didn’t think it was possible to miss someone this much, but my entire being aches for him in a way that isn’t healthy.
It’s why I continue to keep my distance even though it’s killing me inside.
No one understands me the way he does, so, when my ugly past returns, threatening to undo years of progress, he’s the first person I run to.
If anyone can keep me safe, it’s the love of my life.
Maybe, this time, I’m strong enough to be the woman he deserves.
If my past doesn’t take me from him first.
Releasing Keanu is a STANDALONE new adult romance in the Kennedy Boys world. No cliffhanger, no cheating, and a guaranteed HEA. Please read the trigger warning at the start of the book.
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Out of all the Kennedy Boys Books that have been written so far, this has been my Favourite. If I could give it a higher rating of 5 stars I would. Words fail me how much I enjoyed reading an ARC copy of this amazing story. I love how the Character’s love can get through the tough dark times that Selena went through and came out stronger together.. I wish I had my very own Keanu In my life. I look forward to the next installment in The Kennedy Boys series.I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book
Ok- I thought Kyler was my favorite Kennedy, but Keanu comes pretty darn close. His love and dedication for Selena is amazing. I love the suspense of her past that was woven into their love story! Love them together!!!
Releasing Keanu is the 8th book in the Kennedy Boys series and can be read as a complete standalone. It’s is a second chance, friends to lovers, new adult romance. This is the first book in the series that I’ve read and I was comfortable enough with the familial background given to not be lost or confused. There was just enough backstory on the other Kennedy Brothers to make me want to read their stories too.
So I pretty much went into this story blind and man did it blow me away. I had no expectations but after finishing, I realized this story was EVERYTHING I wanted and more. From the prologue to the very last page, I was hit with all the feels and I just knew I was going on an emotional ride.
Selena had a very traumatic past and suffers from PTSD and anxiety. She has a successful modeling career but lacked independence due to her battle with anxiety. Feeling like she was leaning on Keanu too much, she cut ties with him to heal herself. She made huge strides in coping with her past and her anxiety until her past showed back up to haunt her. Now 2 years after breaking both their hearts, she quickly finds herself sitting on Keanu’s doorstep, the arms of Keanu the only place she’s truly felt safe.
Keanu is every woman’s dream come true. I don’t know that I’ve ever read a more caring, compassionate, patient, and understanding hero. His love for Selena made my heart sing. He loves her so fiercely and he’s so protective of her. She’s his number one today, tomorrow, always, and nothing can change that. Their love is a magical, once in a lifetime, soul deep love that was beautiful to watch unfold. A love everyone should experience at least once in their life.
This story covers some extremely sensitive topics and may cause triggers for some. There are some descriptive details that will make you cringe and definitely invoke some feelings of anger, but I LOVE that Ms Davis opted to focus more on Selena’s recovery and her HEA than add more details for wow factor. There is a certain stigma surrounding mental health and Ms Davis handled these topics with care and finesse.
Selena’s strength and determination is inspirational and I’m happy to be closing out my reading year with her story. I 100% recommend you read this book. Just PLEASE read the trigger warning first. I will stress again this book contains sensitive topics.
I really enjoyed this book! This story was heartbreaking and sweet and loving!
My heart absolutely broke for Selena and everything she went through. She is a strong woman. She’s tough and determined to work through everything that happened to her. She also wants to give herself to help others. She’s a very selfless person. She is always looking out for other people.
Keanu has a special place in my heart too. He isn’t like his brothers even though he tried to be. He hated himself and what he did. He knew that if he was every to try and get Selena back she may never forgive him.
I really loved this story!! I really wanted more of their story! I wasn’t ready to say goodbye to them!!!
I volunteered to be one of the first to read this book and I am so glad I did. I was packed with so many emotions I’m still spinning. The love, the tragedy, the romance and even the suspense was everything and more than what I expected. Amazing read. It can be read alone but my advice is to read the whole series of the Kennedy brothers so you have a full understanding of all the brothers and their significant others. They are all amazing reads! You did it again Siobhan! I am so excited to read about the other two Kennedy brothers soon! Five steamy stars for this amazing read!
What an emotional read.
Well what can I say I alway thought keanu was the moody model type and that selena was stuck up. How wrong was I. Keanu was sweet, sensitive and loyal. Selena complete miss understood there is a massive turning point for the kenndy’s in this book. It’s a true love storey with a twist there is a lot of emotion’s and a lot to over come there may be some triggers on some of the sensitive material but I loved that this book cover such an important topic. Can not wait to see more of these character in future books.
The story of Keanu an Selena was so good!
They love each other, but Selenas past keeps them apart for some time, until they find each other again. Keanu is the perfect gentleman and the perfect boyfriend for Selena. Their love is so strong! Love can overcome everything!
This book do have some triggers, but it’s full of love, drama and everything that I love in a good book.
Loved it!
Loved this book!! I’ve enjoyed reading all about the Kennedy Boys but gaah words cannot explain how much I enjoyed reading Selena and Keanu’s story. What an emotional journey, but so worth it!! Apart from Loving Kalvin, this is my favorite book in the Kennedy boys series!
My love for the Kennedy boys is a total addiction. I have been anxiously awaiting the triplets- convinced that they will be my favorite men, and so far, I’m 100% right. Keanu does not disappoint- he’s jumped straight into my heart and soul.
This story is definitely the most emotional of the stories for me thus far. There are parts that are hard and painful to read. While every couple has had their own fair share of drama and some painful personal of couple history, this one rocked me the most. Selena has a dark history- and here we get the full spectrum of her past pain. There are dark and gritty parts, and sweet and gentle parts- either way, I was ALL in my feelings long after reading this story. They are so sweet, so powerful, so STRONG- and they owned me.
Selena is such a survivor- she has a quiet and stable strength that is a wonder to behold. She’s beautifully broken, deeply wounded by her past, but she refuses to be totally lost to it. And the love between her and Keanue is earth shattering- authentic, consuming, and intense. He’s her safety. Keanu stole my whole heart- one of my fav brothers if not my fav. He’s protective and alpha, but he’s also patient, understanding, respectful, and SO giving when it comes to Selena. He listens to her, lets her guide their progress- he reads her almost like her every heartbeat is his own. And truly, perhaps it is- they are truly connected in their souls. Their partnership is just stable and healthy- the way they listen and understand each other, the way they support each other’s’ needs- gah, it warms my heart. These two grow together so beautifully- they love each other intensely. They make mistakes, but they work through them- they find a path to one another. My heart ached for them and cheered for them- their love filled my heart up with hope and admiration.
I knew I’d get my Kennedy angst, some suspense and drama, but even then this story still surprised me. This one had so much soul- a deep emotional center. Siobhan gets me every time- but Keanu may be one of my all times favs
Perfect is not a good enough word to describe this book. I love the way that she tackles mental health specifically PTSD and anxiety. It’s just amazing. We get to see Selena grow and develop as she learns to deal with her past trauma, especially when it comes back. She is tough and amazing. She shows that there is no right way to deal with mental health and trauma and that while its great to learn to stand on your own two feet, sometimes you need to lean on someone else. Selena learns to let more people in and build a life for herself as well as a relationship. We watch her tackle each obstacle and deal with each setback with an amazing strength that is to be awed.
But it’s not just Selena who is amazing, Keanu deserves so much praise and love as well. He is so supportive and caring of Selena. We see him learn what he can do to help and support her while also dealing with his own thoughts and emotions surrounding her trauma. As he learns more about what happened he has to learn how to accept and deal with the fact that this happened to someone he cares about. He is prepared to go above and beyond to help the woman he loves and that’s what he does. This has to be my absolute favourite book of the series so far, and I can’t wait for Keaton and Kent’s stories
If you like a good friends to lovers and mix in a second chance romance you will definitely like this book. Its another great book by Siobhan. Keanu and Selena have always been friends and will always be there for each other. This book is full of real life issues that we all deal with and how we handle them. Keanu will do anything for Selena no matter what. Can Keanu forgive Selena for things that happened in the past and can these two start over. This was by far my favorite book in this series and I can’t wait for the next book in this series to come out.
The topic of sex trafficking is one that needs to be heard and acted upon, and the way Siobhan tells Selena’s story is truly heartfelt and encouraging. There are so many outcomes for those who are stolen and forced into a life of horror and pain, and many will not survive. I felt Selena’s story to the core while reading this book. Keanu has always been a bit of a mystery in the past books, and the raw emotional journey he goes through with Selena made me love the man Siobhan created. My hope is that every survivor finds their own Keanu who will love them unconditionally and encourage them to grow and heal. With such a horrific background for Selena it feels almost wrong to call this book a sweet read, but it truly punches you in the gut and then lifts you up in the sweetest and most endearing way. It’s a masterpiece everyone should read.
I feel like I’ve been desperate for Keanu’s story since the moment I met him, all the way back in the beginning when first meeting Kyler.
Something about him just CALLED TO ME!
That and Kent.
I mean crap … I love ALL the Kennedy boys! They ALL called to me lol
I will never be able to hear the name Kennedy without thinking of the amazing characters Siobhan created for us all.
The first book within the Kennedy triplets and it is one that cannot be read lightly due to issues addressed. Keanu Kennedy and Selena Douglas has this special relationship that is challenging not because of their chemistry rather then personal history. This in turn had the two breaking up with many unanswered questions for many years.
With an unexpected appearance by Keanu ex on his doorstep he cannot help to want to protect her at all cost regardless on how much it may hurt being around her again. He is determined to take this opportunity and do anything she needs to prove what and how much she means to him regardless of her demons. Keanu is putting out all the stops to make Selena see that he is there for her and that she is the one. Selena had let Keanu go fo reasons to safeguard him. Is it possible for a second chance for being more?
“You are perfect to me, Sel. You always have been.”
Get ready for your feels to break with hopes for more. This triplet will have your heart filled with comfort and joy. The Kennedy family is once again there for each other and seeing snippets of updates always warms my heart.
This book was so good, however there will be major triggers for some people. Keanu and Selena finally get their chance to reconnect their love. Both have suffered immensely from their time apart, but in her moment of need all she knows is she needs him. On auto pilot she ends up at his place and reignited their relationship. If they can keep her safe, and help her through the crazy amount of trauma and pain she endured in the past they’ll be golden. Too bad her past keeps finding is way into the present. The Kennedy family have dealt with evil before, and they’ll be darned if Selena is touched by it once more. There’s plenty of suspense, and many levels to uncover in this read. At the heart is one incredibly resilient, strong, LOVING woman who deserves only happiness in her life. Thankfully Selena us surrounded by a wonderful support system. Sit back, get comfy and enjoy this crazy ride!
4.5*
Now that the book is live I can update my review. This has trigger warnings a plenty (there’s also a section at the end with services to contact) for rape, child sexual abuse, depression, anxiety, fear of being touched even in a friendly way and a whole host of similar things.
What Selena went through was sometimes hard to read, although it goes a lot of the way to explain her reactions when she’s brought up in previous books. And my darling Keanu. What a sweet baby angel he is.
Their second chance romance is everything I needed it to be. They had a large period of time apart (two years) and even though Keanu had his heart broken, he never stopped loving Selena, nor she him, and it’s explored why she needed to do what she did. At it’s core, this book is about healing. Both as individuals and as a couple. Selena knew she couldn’t move forward and be the best her as a couple and that’s okay. Thanks to Social Butterfly P.R. for the ARC.
Keeping this as spoiler free as possible until after release.
Next to Brad’s story, this might be my favourite. I knew that Keanu and Selena were endgame from way back and he is the sweetest cinnamon roll. And Selena..wow what a bad ass. My favourite of Siobhan’s heroines. So far.
AND I’M SO DESPERATE FOR KEATON’S STORY I WILL SELL MY LIVER FOR AN ARC.
I’ll update this review when the book goes live with more thoughts and so on. But I really missed being in the Kennedy world..and I’m already desperate to go back.
Siobhan Davis wrote a painful and emotional second chance romance story that you’ll feel long after you finish reading it. From the prologue to the very last page, this book had my emotions on a rollercoaster edge.
Releasing Keanu has a well-thought out storyline with a smooth flow that keeps you turning the pages, complex and believable characters, suspense, trauma, heartbreak, twists, angst, tragedy, love, and plenty of steam.
WARNING: There are some serious triggers in this story, so if this is something you aren’t comfortable with, this is probably not the book for you.
I volunteered to review an advance reader copy of this book.
God ive never wanted two characters to end up together more than Selena (FMC) and Keanu. With all the abuse and sexual violence Selena went through in her early life (which was difficult to read in parts) i loved how patient and compassionate Keanu was with her. If i didnt know this was a coming-of-age book id think the characters were much older. Maybe it was the content in this book but i think its more the emotional maturity of both of them. Especially Keanu. Yes its a darker read than some of the books in this series but it also has some sweet, heartfelt romance too. I just totally loved this series and every book so far have been brilliant. This book is no different. A great read
My Thoughts:
Releasing Keanu was my first book in The Kennedy Boys series, and I was excited to delve in to this new release, because each installment is a standalone, and I love Siobhan Davis’ writing style.
Keanu and Selena’s story was emotionally charged and such a powerful story about courage, resilience, and healing. I love the second chance at love trope, and this story executed it phenomenally.
The story opened up with a disturbing and traumatic scene from Selena’s childhood, and as I’ve noticed has become a pattern with all Ms. Davis’ books, I was instantly hooked! From there we move to the present, which is told in the dual perspectives of Selena and Keanu.
Selena broke up with Keanu two years ago because she needed to heal herself and felt that he deserved better, but he is the love of her life, and there has never been anyone else. Keanu was devastated, and didn’t know why she left him. No one could ever measure up to her. So when Selena is in desperate need, and filled with terror; she only wants Keanu.
From the moment these two re-enter each other’s lives, I was rooting for them to make it as a couple. Keanu was so patient, caring, kind, and compassionate towards Selena. He anticipated what she needed and when she needed it. He was very protective, with very good reason, and you could “feel” how much loved her. Selena adored Keanu and wanted only the best for him. She worked so hard on healing her broken psyche, and I admired her strength and courage.
Releasing Keanu had a sweet and emotional love, a strong heroine, and swoon-worthy hero. I loved the Kennedy family and their significant others, and am looking forward to reading each of their stories.
Selena let him go to give him a chance at happiness, and has regretted it every day since. Keanu is still heartbroken over the breakup with the love of his life, and will never understand why she bloke off their relationship. When Selena sees a man from her past, her world, and the work she has done to recover from the trauma it caused her, comes crashing down. In her desperation to run from the pain, she turns to the one man who understands her the most.
Wow! Compelling, sizzling hot, and unique characters that will find their way back into each others arms, and find their happily ever after. This book covers a tough subject, and I imagine a hard one to research, and then write. I thought it was a fascinating read with suspense, some action, and plenty of twists in the plot that kept me reading into the early morning hours. Fantastic!
I am voluntarily leaving an honest and non-incentivized a review of this ARC.