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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ARC review. Releasing Keanu is so much more than just a second chance romance.
This 8th Kennedy Boys Book is emotionally darker than the previous ones but with that light there always offering hope. It addresses serious issues with respect and dignity. I kept thinking about why this book was titled Releasing Keanu when it was focused on Selena’s coming to terms with, more than just surviving the atrocities that she experienced as a child, actually finding love and being able love unconditionally in return. I think in finding the strength to overcome and love Keanu both emotionally and physically she released Keanu to love her freely in return.
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Releasing Keanu by Siobhan Davis is the eighth book in the Kennedy Boys Series. Releasing Keanu is an emotional, new adult, second chance romance that you do not want to miss! Although Releasing Keanu can be read as a standalone, to further enjoy the Kennedy family, I would most definitely recommend reading the previous books in the Kennedy Boys Series. For those of you who are familiar with the Kennedy Boys, get ready because you are about to fall in love with yet ANOTHER Kennedy boy! I have read ALL of them and trust me, I could re-read them again and again! This whole series has just been amazing! I went from wanting to find, lose, AND keep Kyler, to loving Kalvin, to wanting to save Brad, to wanting to seduce Kaden, to forgiving Keven, and NOW… I’m supposed to release Keanu… but I’m not gonna! I’m claiming ALL of the Kennedy boys!
Keanu is one of the Kennedy triplets, he’s also a male model. Which is how he met the lovely Selena Douglas when they were just young teens. Selena and Keanu quickly became friends when Selena refused to work with anyone other than Keanu. Their relationship went from friends to a relationship soon after that.
Keanu is EVERYTHING to Selena. Her best friend, her boyfriend, her protector, her entire world.
Until she breaks up with him. Breaking Keanu’s heart and her own in the process.
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Selena has her reasons for breaking things off with Keanu, but she never really gave him the explanation that he very much deserved.
Two years after their split, horrors from Selena’s childhood unexpectedly show up in Boston.
The only person Selena has ever felt safe with is Keanu. So she runs to him. Keanu doesn’t hesitate and takes her in with open arms.
Now that the two have finally found their way back together, they just have to figure out a way to protect Selena and keep the past from repeating itself.
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Gahhh… if you have been following the Kennedy Boys Series then let me just say, it all makes perfect sense now. I have soooo much more I want to say about this one, seriously SO.FREAKIN.MUCH.MORE, but this is just one of those ones you have to go in without all the deets! Trust me, you won’t regret it!
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Keanu… my sweet, sweet Keanu. He is literally EVERYTHING that you look for in a book boyfriend, or hell a real boyfriend for that matter! He was a mess without Selena for the two years that they were separated and he’s willing to do anything to keep her with him and safe now that she’s finally back in his life.
Throughout the Kennedy Boy Series, we have continued to read bread crumbs about Selena and Keanu, but Selena was always an especially evasive “mystery” character. I always thought she was just shy… but now we know exactly why she didn’t participate in all those Kennedy family functions in the past.
Selena may be bent but she’s far from broken, even after everything that she’s been through she is such a strong character. Her PTSD and anxiety make her feel like she’s weak but she is FAR from it. Although I hate that they both had to go through the heartbreak of separation, Selena did the right thing. She needed to grow and heal on her own, instead of always leaning and relying on Keanu. Her choosing to let Keanu go, no matter how much it crushed her to do it, to become the woman that she needed to be for not only him but for herself, just shows how truly special this leading lady is.
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These two have had it tough. Even at the beginning of their relationship when they were just kids, they had so many hurdles to face with all that Selena has been through. Both of these characters have been through so, so much that my heart broke for them. I was more than a little teary-eyed once things finally started to fall in place.
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If you follow my reviews then you already know I am a HUGE Siobhan Davis fan! There is just no one that writes the way she does. Period! I have never been so captivated and enthralled by a story then I am when I read one of her releases. I knew that I would enjoy Releasing Keanu but what I wasn’t prepared for was just how emotionally devastating this book would be. I was completely hooked, from the prologue until the very last page. Releasing Keanu is a prime example of why I love everything, Siobhan Davis. She’s not afraid to delve into the hard stuff, the tough topics, the ones that need warning labels.
There are only two more Kennedy boys left, two more stories to read. I am super excited to finally have Keaton and Kent’s stories BUT… I’m also going to be sad to see this amazing family go. Hopefully, Davis will check in with them every once in a while. *HINT, HINT* Next up is Keaton’s story, and after those bread crumbs at the end, I already have some theories, and if his story is going where I think it’s going… come on September 2020 I am so ready for Adoring Keaton! I highly recommend checking out Releasing Keanu as well as the rest of the Kennedy Boy Series!
– I would give Releasing Keanu soooo many stars if I could! If you follow my reviews then you already know I am a HUGE Siobhan Davis fan! There is just no one that writes the way she does. Period! I have never been so captivated and enthralled by a story then I am when I read one of her releases. I knew that I would enjoy Releasing Keanu but what I wasn’t prepared for was just how emotionally devastating this book would be. I was completely hooked, from the prologue until the very last page. Releasing Keanu is a prime example of why I love everything, Siobhan Davis. She’s not afraid to delve into the hard stuff, the tough topics, the ones that need warning labels.
/ – Due to the subject matter in this one, it’s most definitely not as “spicy” as some of Davis’s other work. But with Selena testing the waters of her sexuality, there are still some pretty sexy scenes but they are written exactly how they should be for this couple, more sweet and sexy. Either way, Davis did not disappoint.
ℂ – Nope, no cliffhanger. After a whole lot of heartbreak Keanu and Selena’s story wraps up with an HEA. There are bread crumbs though for Keaton’s story, Adoring Keaton, and let me just say come on September 2020 because I already have a whole bunch of theories about where I think Davis is going with Keaton’s story and if I am right… GAHHH I’m beyond ready for it!
– There are difficult subjects that could be considered triggers.
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5 Cannot be Destroyed Crowns
This is unlike any of the other stories in this series. Siobhan takes us on a journey that is at times hard and will indelibly leave a mark on your soul. You still get the same angst and sexiness that we’ve come to know by Siobhan but there’s a deeper more intense storyline involved that will twist your insides and make your heart ache. And the love that Keanu has for Selena will undoubtedly bring tears to your eyes as they traverse their beautiful love story.
“Her big, beautiful eyes latch onto mine, and she nods. It’s like being sucker-punched in the nuts. This girl owns every part of me, and despite the pain, I wouldn’t have it any other way. ”
So, I have been intrigued by Selena since we had a brief glimpse of her in Kyler’s trilogy, we don’t get much more than that. But, with that glimpse I thought I had an idea of where Siobhan was going to take her story, but I was completely wrong. What Selena had to endure growing up is something that never should happen EVER. You know it does happen you know these things happen in this world but every time you see it a part of you is altered irrevocably.
“No measure of time apart will ever erase my feelings for her. Or destroy the connection we share.”
Selena is this beautifully broken soul. She is working hard to come to terms with her past and deal with all the issues that have arisen due to it. She is so much stronger than she gives herself credit for. What happens to her scars not only the outside but the inside. She continues to build herself and grow with all the help that surrounds her. She could have let what happen to her destroy her, but she doesn’t, yes, she has issues, but she is doing her best to deal with those issues and become the woman she is meant to be. The way Siobhan approached the mental health aspects in such a realistic way hit’s you on a visceral level.
“Her inner strength shines the brightest when she’s with you.”
Keanu is her safe place he knows what she’s been through and he goes through tireless lengths to be prepared when she has an episode. I knew very little about him even after reading all the other stories in this series. He is definitely not what I imagined he would be. He’s a sensitive soul who is completely selfless. It doesn’t happen very often in kids of his age. But I think growing up the way he did is a contributing factor on this front. Keanu loves Selena with a ferocity that is unmatched, he loves every one of her broken pieces and the strength that she exudes trying to meld those pieces.
“I love you beyond anything humanly possible,” I say. “Beyond words. Beyond logic. Beyond space and time.”
This is not at all how I expected this story to go. Siobhan throws you for a loop and keeps you guessing throughout. This family has drama in spades but through it all you can feel how much they all mean to each other. There isn’t a single one who wouldn’t drop everything and help out. Siobhan has created such an addictive series with the Kennedy’s and I’m going to be sad to see them end. There are only 2 brothers left and I am so excited to see where she continues to take us on this journey. I am not going to even try to guess where we go with Keaton since I was so completely wrong about Keanu. Which has upped the anticipation factor for the next two books tenfold.
Siobhan is a master at bringing all the romance, suspense, and angst you could possibly want. Each brother and each character are so completely different, you can feel their individuality in every story. Each book feels utterly separate from the rest and can be read as standalones for this reason, however I wouldn’t recommend it, you still get glimpses of the other brothers throughout. So, If you are in the mood for a series that has all the drama you could want than this is that series for you.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced complimentary copy of this book
Keanu was devastated when Selena broke his heart. He didn’t understand why. He knew about her past and was willing to do whatever was needed for her. He’d wait forever. Selena loved Keanu too much. She was willing to break his heart along with hers to release him from the prison she felt she was keeping him in. She wanted him to be free, to thrive and be a normal teen.
I loved these characters so much. Both were so strong amd had such a love for each other. Of course they both had issues and their flaws with misguided notions of protection of the other. I think that was all necessary for their story though. I truly enjoyed following their journey. What an amazing read from beginning to end.
I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary of this book.
I have read all the books in the Kennedy Boys serie. This book is different. Keanu is sweet and caring. He supports Selena in her struggle to find herself again after such a trauma of human trafficking. Some things of Selena’s past are difficult to read.
I can’t wait for Kent’s story.
Absolute a great book!
Where do I sart with this story Siobhan has done it again with a phenomenal book that sucks you in and doesn’t let you go. Selena and Keanu’s story is not for the faint-hearted it’s full of so many emotions and Saban makes sure that you can feel each one of them. The story had me close to tears many times with all the heartache and fears that Selena went through as well as Keanu. In this story Selena breaks up with the love of her life to try and get better emotionally and physically due to the past trauma that she’s been through and she feels that she needs to do that away from Keanu. She doesn’t want to hold him back from anything so she lets him go even if it breaks her to do so. Keanu has a hard time he just wants to love Selena and be with her so when she breaks up with him he kind of spirals out of control and start sleeping around and doing things he normally wouldn’t. Over the next couple of years Selena does try to move on with her life without him until her past comes tumbling back and she finds herself on Keanu’s front door looking for help. Of course he left her in with open arms willing to do everything in his power to keep her safe and help her. These two go through so many ups and downs together but each one makes them stronger and more in love as time goes by. I don’t want to give too many details away to the story but this is an absolute must read I have read a bunch of books by Siobhan and I have to say this is my favorite by far. This will not disappoint but get prepared for all of the gut-wrenching feelings because this story will pull each and every one of them out of you and put them back together. Truely an amazing love story.
Releasing Keanu was a beautiful and well thought out story. It touched on a serious topic that I could tell Siobhan handled writing it well.
The characters were strong with depth, and chemistry. I am looking forward to more from this author!
LOVE this family! All these hot Kennedy brothers and the insane situations they find themselves in.
Keanu is no different than the rest, he has found his woman but there are situations in her past that are keeping them apart.
Selena lets Keanu because she wants him to live life to the fullest and she’s convinced herself that she’s holding him back while dealing with her demons. When things get dangerous, there’s only one person she wants and needs…the love of her life! Keanu would never turn Selena away, he might have had some rough moments since their breakup but he loves her in a way he knows he’ll never love another. To meet the person that makes you feel that way and at such a young age, I can relate to this!
One of the best things about this novel is Selena’s recognition of her own self healing and her actually taking the steps to accomplish this. When we experience traumatic events in life people are too quick to dismiss the impact of such events on your mental health and the rest of your life. Siobhan handled this in an amazing way, I love reading about the different way authors find for their characters to deal with real life situations.
I’m already dying for the next Kennedy brother! LOVE this series!
WOW. This one pulled at my heart strings more so than the 7 before it. Definitely not an easy read as the topic is a tough one, but just devastating because sadly there are young girls and boys who have suffered through what is depicted in this story. A great addition to the Kennedy boys series though and I can’t wait to see what comes next for the remaining triplets! I voluntarily reviewed an advance complimentary copy of this book.
Do not I repeat do not start a Siobhan book when there’s adulting that needs to be done because the second you read that first page forget it that’s it your sucked in and the rest of the world is just going to have to wait!
I love that this story picks up two years after the last book! Though you can read each brother (and I say brother not book because kyler is a trilogy) it’s better to enjoy these boys in order! Trust me if you haven’t started the Kennedy boys you need to because you fall hard and fast for this family! I feel like I have been through and seen it all right along with them and Keanu’s story absolutely blew me away! His strength and love for Selena is just amazing and you can’t help but just fall in love these two! Selena has been through hell and back and I’m happy that they found their peace with one another!
Another amazing brother and it was so awesome getting to catch up with the others! Can’t wait for the final two brothers!
There are so many emotions in this book. If you’ve read previous Kennedy Boys books you know Selena’s past has been eluded to. This book reveals the horror of what she has dealt with. You can’t help but want to cry for her innocence. Keanu is just amazing! There is so much love between the two in this book. The story will grab you and keep you completely absorbed.
As always Siobhan Davis has written another 5 Star read. Releasing Keanu will hit you with all the feels. Selena is relatable and easy to connect with and the way Keanu loves her will make you swoon. Every time Siobhan Davis releases a new book I know I’m about to read something I can’t put down.
Selena and Keanu’s book broke my heart!! Siobhan didn’t shy away from the hard topics in this story and I for one am glad.. I think that is why I loved this book so much more. Keanu was amazing and I love that he never stopped loving Selena regardless of what happened in the past.
Selena has experienced more trauma in her young live the most people. However she puts on a strong face and is trying to get her life back on track.. that is till the day she see’s her past, her horror.. right in front of her. This of course leads her straight to Keanu..
Keanu has spent the last couple of years feeling empty and void of life.. After a devastating and heartbreaking breakup from his one true love Selena, he fell into a downward spiral.. dabbling in mindless sex and alcohol. That is till he shows up at home to find the one woman to hold his heart stetting on his doorstep.
Can Keanu and Selena find the way back? Will Selena’s past be to much for both to handle?
Siobhan this book was absolutely amazing and I can not wait to read our next Kennedy boy!!
The Kennedy’s know how to keep us on our toes, and Keanu’s book is no different.
Our eyes are opened up to a lot of the story we have skimmed over in previous books.
We are shown the true story behind Selina and Keanu relationship.
Nothing in life matters for either one but making the other one happy and you get this feeling of how broken each were without the other. Nothing is ever what it seems on the surface.
This story brings back all our favorites we have grown to love but also showing us the Kennedy way that family is always there for each other.
Another amazing story by Siobhán. I can’t wait for the last 2 books in the Kennedy series.
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This is book 8 of the Kennedy Boys series. Aside from this one, I’ve only ever read one other—Forgiving Keven.
This book is a second chance romance but it’s definitely far from the usual cutesy romcom we romantic saps usually devour… It’s darker, has more angst than I’ve anticipated… it touches on sensitive real life topics such as physical abuse, mental abuse and emotional abuse. It was a slow burn for me simply because I couldn’t really relate with Selena. I mean I have depression and anxiety but not as bad as Selena’s.
The pacing was good, the characters were insteresting. I mean the storyline isn’t something I haven’t read before but like I said earlier, it was a slow burn for me.
This book will make you realize that you need to face your fears… to stand strong and be resilient… to make you realize that things will work out in their own time…and that it’s okay to ask for help when you can’t anymore. It’s part of surviving life…
First off, if you are triggered by sensitive sexual subject matter this may not be the book for you. The story is focused on the recovery of a sexual abuse victim and her escaping her past. It is very well written and is handled with the the love and care it deserves.
The characters that the authors has created are some of my very favorites. Keanu is the most caring, protective and respectful Hero I think I have encountered. He loves Selena with a love that can heal and restore her broken soul. As a person who suffers from PTSD and anxiety I connected with Selena on a personal level, thee entire book was an emotional roller coaster for sure. What a beautiful story that Siobhan Davis has written, it deserves to be read. Definitely a 5 star read for me.
Oh boy. Can’t decide which brother I love more. I enjoyed them ask but, Keanu was by far my favorite. A beautifully written story which has all the feels for me. It kept my attention the entire time.
I was pretty excited to officially meet Keanu. Over the course of the Kennedy brothers books, Keanu was gone a lot so we didn’t see him much and finally we got to dive into his head and his love story!
Keanu Kennedy is literally the sweetest ever. All the boys are, but I think he takes the cake. He’s so supportive, forgiving and loving.
Selena is so amazingly strong and has had the hardest life of the the heroines in this series. She has a lot of demons to deal with so she broke things off with Keanu a couple years prior to the start of this story in order to focus on herself and healing from her past. There are some elements around Selena that are hard to hear, but it just shows how strong she is.
When they reconnect it’s as if no time has passed. Their relationship is so sweet and Keanu is so amazingly patient with her.
As always I love that we see the other brothers and Keven was back again being his hot, protective self!
Their story was well written and I really enjoyed it If you are in the mood for a lot of sweetness this is a great book for that
This book was amazing. It had everything I want and expect from a Siobhan Davis book.
My heart was ripped open and put back together again.
There’s so much love and angst/ heartache peeled through every page that keeps you turning and rooting for these two.
Keanu swept me off my feet and I loved Selena for her strength. Being able to survive everything that she went through to make it and keep going.
5 stars 🙂 I can’t wait for the next books in the Kennedy series… I <3 these brothers.
Keanu is another Kennedy brother more than worth the wait! He is sweet caring and loving and the Rock for Selena whose experienced so much darkness and tragedy in her life.
Author Siobhan Davis nails it again!
I was given a copy and am voluntarily giving my honest review.