This is an amazing read. It touches on the taboo in a way that makes it less inappropriate and more organic if that's possible. Ren and Della's relationship evolves into adult love from proximity, fear, trust. At times I wished it moved at a faster pace, but that was primarily due to my need for more information. I'm disappointed that I'm forced to wait for the second book to to see how their story ends.

This isn't your typical coming of age story. I was intrigued by the blurb and had heard a lot of good things about this story so I was looking forward to reading it. You can tell Pepper Winters is a good storyteller; the storyline is unique and totally different from anything I had read before.

Unfortunately for me it really missed the mark, it was a great idea, with strong characters and a good storyline. It tells of struggle, rejection and innocent love; it takes you on a twisted road throughout the first eighteen years of Della’s life. I did feel for their struggle and wanted them to survive and find happiness. It is told from Ren’s POV throughout those eighteen years and Della’s looking back from the present and I found it just went on and on.

I kept waiting for the story to get going, for the real story to begin but for me, it just didn’t. I also struggled with some of the events and the plausibility of what happened, I won’t say what or why because I’d hate to spoil the story for others.

I think if it had been shorter and sold as a prequel to book two I might have enjoyed it more. However, as it stands I felt that the story just lacked depth and a good narrative, which is a shame because the idea is great.

One of the things that I appreciated about this book was how the bond between Ren and Della developed over time. When their story began the reader was able to sense the resentment that he felt towards baby Della and what she represented. As time passed Ren started feeling protective of Della; they both needed each other to survive. I loved their relationship and how it gradually became more. I cannot wait for the next book in the series!

It’s taken me four days to work out how to write a review of this book without spoiling it for anyone else.
Thrown together by circumstance Ren and Della characters grow as their age increases.
This is a story about relationships, coming of age and unrequited forbidden love.
The story has you turning the pages but also making you read at a pace to savor the writing and this remarkable story.
Ren is just so incredible in his protection of Della that you cant help but love him, his work ethic, his protective nature and his coming of age.
Without ruining it I would say, pick this up and go for it. Challenge yourself to take it slow and you will thoroughly enjoy it.
The end is a cliffhanger to the second book so hangs on to your heart!
5 incredible stars

4 stars!

“Once upon a time, there was a boy and a baby.”

The Boy and His Ribbon spans almost two decades. Our main character, Ren, escapes from captivity after being sold and in the tender age of ten he finally runs away, only to discover that he accidentally took with him the family's baby. This is a story of a kid trying to run away from his crappy life and ultimately survive on his own but baby Della puts him on a new path. Their relationship transforms from pure hatred, for the little girl who in her short life has had everything Ren never could and now she's stopping him from running away like he wanted to, to reluctant friendship, to romantic feelings that leave the both of them confused. Or not so confused.

“I didn’t want this. I didn’t want her. I wanted my freedom, and she was just another form of imprisonment."

Della, is such a cute character and we get a chance to see her growing up with Ren. He slowly accepts this new addition to his life and takes care of her even when he doesn't want to. I like books that allow the readers to really get into a character's life and this one did an excellent job at it, eighteen years is a long time and even though there were times I wanted the book to fast forward more I still enjoyed being with them.

Multiple times most of the time this book didn't make sense. The characters were a kid and a baby, that had to survive in the wilderness and live on their own with limited to no human contact at all. The stuff they had to do to survive were beyond ridiculous for any age let alone theirs and still, this book somehow made sense despite the parts where it didn't make sense. Why? BECAUSE OF REN!

“How many times do you think a person can survive a broken heart?”

Ren has to be one of the most likable characters I've read, he went above and beyond and he truly made this book my favorite by Pepper Winters and I haven't really enjoyed any of her other books so far, sorry not sorry. But this? I had to double-check to make sure this was actually her, it blew my mind!

“There is no me without him.”

If you're anything like me, suspending disbelief and going with whatever the story throws your way will be a struggle but the parts were the main characters live a - in comparison to the rest of their extreme upbringing - normal life, these two really clicked and I got it. It's one of those books in which the characters are enough to cover any plot holes or outrageousness. Sure it needs a bit of balance between the unbelievable survival plot and the deep emotional character developments but I'm more than ready for the second one.

The Boy and His Ribbon is my very first Pepper Winters novel. I've been wanting to read a book by this author for quite some time now, because I've heard so many people sing her praises. Well, I finally see what all the fuss is about! It's obvious to me from this book that the author is an amazing storyteller. 

This is such a unique coming of age tale/romance. The romance aspect isn't as much the focus as is the actual survival, struggle, and bonding of Ren and Della. Don't get me wrong, the love they share is front and center, but not in the way you might think. Something tells me that might change in the next book though. Now that both characters are legal adults, and their feelings are being made more clear, it's probably just a matter of time. 

Spanning about 18 years, we are with Ren and Della for most of their lives watching them grow up. This book feels really long, and I think it's because we actually do get that experience of seeing them change from toddler/child to adults. The way they rely on one another and the complicated emotions and feelings they have for each another is heartwarming and heartbreaking all at once. 

When it comes to the hero and the heroine, I have a clear favorite between the two. Ren is a remarkable character that you can't help but feel for. He suffered things a child should never have to, witnessed the worst of humanity, and still came out of it a good man. Let's not forget that he cared for and provided for a child while he was one himself. The way he sacrifices pretty much everything for Della is touching. I challenge you to find a more hardworking, loyal, and selfless hero than Ren. Above anything else, I just need him to have a happily ever after in the end. 

The Boy and His Ribbon is a fantastically written and emotional tale of survival, friendship, unconventional relationships, and forbidden love. I did have to suspend disbelief many times while reading, but I was still able to enjoy the book despite that. The storytelling was so good that I got over it pretty quickly. Upon reaching the ending, I was left somewhat unsatisfied, but that's only because I want the entire story and to know how everything works out right now. I'm greedy like that. Lol Needless to say, I'm going to be reading the conclusion to this duet as soon as possible!

If you're tired of the same old romance plots and want something just a little bit different, this one's for you ! I recommend this book to fans of taboo romance and super slow burns!

This is by far my favorite book that Pepper Winters has written and I can't wait for the conclusion!

I adored both Ren & Della and their connection. I loved the forbidden aspect. I loved how it was written from both points of view and in past and present. Give me more!

"He was mine. I didn't have much, but I had him, and I had no intention of ever losing him."

Della Ribbon only had one person in her life - Ren Wild. And she wasn't letting him go, no matter how they had to live. It's not like she knew any different anyway.

"Della was home to me, and there was something infinitely perfect just being the two of us again."

Ren Wild has lived a hard life - but nothing gets better than time with his Ribbon, no matter how it is spent.

I seriously could not put this book down. I'm not going to lie; I love Pepper Winter books, but I often have to take a break when reading just to let go of the darkness, but with this story, I simply couldn't get enough. I got mad when I had to put it down. This is my favorite of Pepper's books and added to my top ten books of all times. I cannot wait for The Girl & her Ren!! I need to know how their story concludes! (5++ stars)

5 Blue Ribbon stars for Della and Ren. I wish I could give more stars!

This book is absolutely AMAZING! So much love and angst and feelings. OMG! I absolutely cannot wait to read book two! I could not put this down. This is my first Pepper Winters read and it for sure will not be my last. I am literally chomping at the bit to read A Girl and Her Pen. I definitely recommend this book 100%!

I went into this book blind and I am glad that I did so I will try to keep this review vague and focus on my feelings. Ren is a child slave on a farm and decides to run away only to discover he has a stowaway. The first half of this book reminded me of the author’s “Unseen Messages.” The first half was largely a tale of survival. Ren was easy to love. Della was a charming child. The description of Della’s love for her blue ribbon was charming.

The book has dual POVs with Ren describing the details and some chapters where Della reflects on the past from the present day.

The second half of the book is full of angst. There is forbidden love with an age difference. My heart broke repeatedly for Ren and Della. I thought the author handled the conflicting feelings well. I am dying for the conclusion to the story.

I don think its possible to describe how incredible this story was, but, I will try my hardest by saying that this story was a completely captivating story that completely over took my mind and thoughts since I read it. Even after I have finished reading this story it has continued to be on my mind. This shows how powerful of a writer Pepper Winters is with her ability to captivate me with her stories. I cannot wait to see what happens next with these two characters.

The Boy and His Ribbon scared me. I've read this author before and while I whole heartedly acknowledge her talent, she's normally a bit too dark for my taste. I prefer the fluffy romance to the dark and twisted. But several of my friends assured me I'd like this so I dove right in not knowing exactly what to expect.

To say I'm now dying for book two is an understatement! Ren and Della's story is told in alternating POV's although Della's are all in letter form in present day while Ren's are from his POV but in the past. I do agree with my friends who told me the book isn't dark but it is HIGH in angst and has some difficult themes of child abuse.

I would have given this five stars had it been a little more believable. I won't ruin any part of the plot but essentially what Ren and Della go through is pure fiction and the things they get away with would never happen in the real world. At least not in the U.S. as I'm not sure where this story is set.

Anyway, Ren is great and a bit of a different hero. Is he a nice guy? That's debatable but he has a great heart. Della is a bit of a brat. But her story is engrossing and I think book two will bring her character a lot more depth.

Pepper's writing is fast paced and everything developed well from the characters to the plot. I'm so glad I took a chance on this and look forward to book two.

When Ren was a child, his mom sold him to a farmer. He was abused there, so when he was able to do it, he escaped. Unknowingly, he didn't escape alone. A little girl, the farmer's daughter, was hidden in his backpack.
The relationship between Ren and Della, the little girl, is different from the beginning. It is obvious for the reader. But poor Ren is so naive... He refuses to see it. And that's the key to this story.
They enter in a whirlwind of heartache which they both start. They are like the two sides of a coin. He doesn't want to admit what it's in front of him. Or he just can't.
And Della, who is younger and wilder, doesn't want to ignore her feelings. Or, again, she just can't.
I really liked the story. Although I wish I could have opened Ren's eyes.
The ending is just awesome. And now, we have to wait (sigh).

This was so completely different then anything I have ever read. I knew it would be dark, but the twists in this story even shocked my little black heart. I am a lover of a good true love story when all the world is against them....and that is exactly what this is

Going into The Boy And His Ribbon I truly didn’t know what to expect. Ms. Winters’ blurbs are always enticing but I’ve only had time to read her Debt Inheritance series. That series is one of the darkest I’ve ever read. Early on ‘The Boy’ had the potential to go that route but I was pleasantly surprised when it didn’t. While it may not be dark per se, it is not your average tale. I’ve been trying to sum this story up and the one thing I keep coming back to is that it’s about Della coming of age. She struggles with the normal childhood growing pains while also dealing with her feelings for the boy that is raising her. Her feelings for Ren range from love, anger and jealousy. I am dying to get my hands on The Girl And Her Ren! I cannot wait for June and to find out what lays ahead for Della and Ren.

I don't know where I should start with The Boy and his Ribbon!! My heart broke for Ren and the situation he was sold into as a child. The love that he should have received was no where to be found and the happiness that he had in a dire moment was ruined.

Ren was young and his life was not what any child would want. He was hurt at a young age and forced to do things that ultimately made him a stronger person. He craved the feeling of being free and being able to make his own decisions but he also needed the things that he knew. He made the choice to make a change for him but things never turn out the way you want them!!

Della was a hiccup but one that Ren knew he had to protect above everything else including himself. Della was the daughter of his owners and as a baby, she was in for the thrill of her life...or so she thought. Growing up with the person who you assumed was family became real but also there were times of confusion of how her "brother" felt about her.

The fun times, bad times and scary times come to a halt when things take a turn while they are on this adventure. Ren has to make decisions that could destroy them in many ways or these decision could make both him and Della better.. It is time for both of them to grow up or get caught!!

I must say when I began reading the book I didn't know what to expect with Ren and Della but now I can't wait to find out what happens with both of them. I maybe the only one who doesn't want the HEA and that is weird for me to say. I think there are a lot of things that each of them need to experience and can't do that!!

5+

I would like to thank Netgalley and Pepper Winters and Buoni Amici Press, LLC for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I knew when I requested this book that it would be one to tear my heart out and my goodness did it ever! From page one this book tore me apart. I usually run in the other direction from these types of books but something pulled me to want to read it. This book had me staying up way to late reading it and then wanting to stay home from work just to lie around and cry about it the next day.

I’m really not sure how to review this book without dropping spoilers left and right. But I’ll do my best. This is a dual POV that switches between Ren and Della and it also switches between the past and the present. A lot of it is told through Della’s eyes as she is writing about her life for a college assignment.

This is a very emotional book about a little boy who is sold into slavery and escapes, unknowingly taking the slave owners baby with him. For so many years it is just Ren and Della who form a bond where it is just them and no one is allowed in between. Growing up with 9 years between them their relationship goes from parent/child and brother/sister and then towards the end it turns taboo where Della forms romantic feelings for Ren and he is fighting his own feelings for her. As much as it is taboo I am actually rooting for them to be together. I feel like they deserve to be together.

Overall I would say READ THIS. It’s an emotional roller coaster and does end in a major cliffhanger but it was so worth the read!! Amazing book Pepper Winters! Congrats and I can’t wait for the next book!

**4.5 Stars**

The Boy and His Ribbon was a boundary-pushing and complex story focused on the development of two characters from early childhood. This complicated tale felt as emotionally touching as it felt taboo. Winters’ storytelling hit a high note by being both beguiling and evocative in its portrayal–traits that made this tale even more unputdownable.

Told mostly in the past, this story focused on a young boy of ten escaping his owners only to realize he had a very young stowaway in his backpack. Most of the story centered itself in Ren’s point-of-view, and became the most engaging element of the story. Winters’ manuscript closely detailed the struggles of this young boy as he fought for not just his own survival but hers as well. The harsh realities of living off the land were prominent and deeply explored with heart and authenticity. I was mesmerized from the start on how atmospheric their little world was and the anxieties that were constant with two people living off of the grid but forced into being a part of civilization, and how that changed as they both became older. Winters played with the element of a love story and how unusual one can be before it crosses that unseen line, and was so honest about it that it furthered the reader in relating to both characters and their different sides. I won’t lie and say that I didn’t have moments of uncomfortableness with the experimentation of this representation of love, but I also cannot say that I didn’t also enjoy it. The nuances of their bond were so integral to who they were that when it became mired by adulthood it became even more palpable.

As the first in a duet building up to what’s to come, I cannot help but worry over what comes next for our main characters. The Boy and His Ribbon had so many elements of reality–the ideas of love, trust, family dynamics, and self-realization–and explored them in a different way than I’ve seen before. All pushed together they created a full-figured plot with striking writing, and a story many will be talking about.

Get your one-click finger ready! In The Boy and His Ribbon, Pepper Winters masterfully weaves an unforgettable story of friendship and love. In this unconventional tale of survival of the fittest, whose heart will survive? The love Della and Ren have for each other starts out of necessity and develops into heart melting loyalty and a bond that is not easily broken. This book is part of a duet that provides a past/present context and dual points of view. I eagerly read through each chapter with the need to better understand the trials and tribulations of Della "Ribbon" and Ren Wild. I highly recommend this book and I'm looking forward to reading the conclusion of their story, in The Girl and Her Ren.

*I was provided a Netgalley ARC in exchange for an honest review.

have read several books by Pepper Winters and none have ever disappointed me. I've learned two things about this amazing author. 1: she makes the unbelievable believable. 2: she leaves you wanting more every.single.time.

This book is heartbreaking in so many ways as it tells the story of two children who have amazing strength to overcome the odds. It starts with Ren being sold into modern day slavery as a very young child. Throughout the abuse (branding, amputation, beatings), he remains strong. He finally gets the courage to runaway at the ripe old age of 10. He survives getting chased and shot at when he runs, but finally manages to escape.

Then he opens the bag he stored some food in.

Somehow the owner's one year old daughter crawled into his bag before he left and he essentially kidnapped her.

So the tale begins of a very young boy who can barely care for himself who now has to care for a baby because returning her to her home means getting caught. He tries to do right by her, at one point even giving her to a nice family to raise her. But then she ends up on the news as social services announce that they're about to take her away.

Ren and Della become inseparable as they fight to survive together. Their bond becomes far strong than two siblings or even between a parent and child. As they both get older, the bond only gets stronger.

My heart broke for Della and what she was going through. It was so easy to see how she could fall in love with Ren even though she knew she shouldn't. All she had in her life was this amazing young man who dedicated his entire life to her and making sure she had everything that he didn't.

I absolutely cannot wait to read the next book in this series because I NEED to know what happens next. Ren and Della's story can't end here!

4.75 stars--THE BOY AND HIS RIBBON is the first instalment in Pepper Winters’ dark, contemporary, adult THE RIBBON Duet focusing on the tumultuous life of Della and Ren.

WARNING: Due to the story line content, there may be some triggers for more sensitive readers.

Told from dual first person points of view (Ren and Della) using present day and memories from the past THE BOY AND HIS RIBBON covers close to eighteen years in the life of Ren, a young boy sold into slavery who makes his escape, at the age of ten, unknowingly carrying the most precious cargo anyone could have imagined. Throughout the story we are up close and personal as a young Ren must forage and battle the elements in order to survive; to protect the child that has become the sister of his heart; and to keep his distance as the two battle their attraction and love for one another as the teenage years and adulthood blossom on the horizon.

The reader becomes privy to the emotional and personal fall-out of Della as she struggles to journal her thoughts and memories into a story that reads more like fiction than the truth that is had become.

THE BOY AND HIS RIBBON is a heart breaking journey of mind, body and soul. The horrific beginnings for a boy whose childhood is destroyed by abuse and neglect, and for a young girl who has never known anything other than the life she has shared amongst the forest and the stars.

Pepper Winters writes a dark, emotional and impassioned tale of one boy, one girl, a blue ribbon, and two souls who struggle to survive against the odds. The premise is unique, controversial and consuming. THE BOY AND HIS RIBBON ends on a cliff hanger (of sorts)-you have been warned.

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