WHYYYYY did I wait so long to read this? I didn't even realize it was a duet at first. Now I need the next one!
This book is so good! It's heartbreaking and real. This book will rip you apart, have you flying through the pages dying to know what is happening! How it's going to go. Obviously, you can't find out in this book, but a girl can hope for a sliver of information!
"What do you do when you meet your soul mate? No wait...that's too easy. What do you do when you meet your soul mate and have to spend a lifetime loving him in secret?
I'll tell you what you do.
You lie."
That statement could not be more perfect for this book. Two people growing up so closely together, knowing they can't cross that line, but being in love and never being able to act on it. You just lie. You lie to yourself, you lie to everyone around you and you lie to the one you love. The ONLY person you love. The only person who knows the real you. Wow.
Della and Ren are thrown together in the strangest way, but Ren has a heart of gold and would do anything for Della, so he does. Over and over.
This book truly broke my heart. I love that Pepper (that's my niece's middle name) can make this amazing story that leaves you needing more, but pondering all the pages before. I sit here and wonder could this possibly happen? Is it?
I cannot wait for the next one!

This title was archived before I had a chance to send the file to my kindle. I am unable to review at this time.

WOW, I was absolutely blown away by this read. The only other book I have read by Winters is Unseen Messages, which introduced me to the way Pepper Winters has the unique ability to write a beautiful story that feels epic and all-consuming. The Boy and His Ribbon was no exception-it was absolutely amazing! I cannot recommend enough that all readers, even ones that don’t like romance, should give this book a read because although it does have romance, it is more a story of survival, unconditional love and the struggle of growing up and accepting the changes that it brings.

Pepper Winters has some of the most beautiful and poetic writing. When I read this book, I was in awe because I couldn’t believe that it is possible to weave such beauty using the written word. I will say that I couldn’t believe that this book was only 394 pages because it felt much longer. So much happens in this book-beginning when the characters were only children and ending when they are young adults. It chronicles the two main characters lives with such detail that I felt like these individuals really existed. I felt their pain and sadness, along with their triumphs and happiness. This was an epic coming-of-age story that really pulled at my heart strings while making me root for these characters to succeed and survive the dire situation they had been forced into.

This story is told in dual POV’s, alternating between past and present with Ren’s voice describing the events of the past and Della being the voice of the present. I thought this aspect was done very well. Most of this book focuses on Ren and Della as children and how they forged an inseparable bond as they learned how to survive on their own, trust in one another and overcome many obstacles.

I absolutely loved these characters! Winters created very complex and developed characters. Even the secondary characters were well-rounded and added depth to the story and its progression. I will say that this story might not be for everyone because it is VERY character driven. The character’s emotions, desires, and motives really were the driving force behind the story. Both the main characters, Ren and Della, were relatable even though most of their experiences would not have been had by most. The emotional conflict of growing up, the bodily changes and finding ones place in the world are things most readers can understand. This was a beautiful coming of age story that pulled at my heart strings and made me question my moral compass.

Like I have stated above, this book does not focus on romance. In fact, romance does not even play a role in the story until the end of the book. However, I believe that this book was essential in establishing what is yet to come in book two. This is not just a taboo story of unrequited love-it’s a journey about how dependence turned into friendship that then morphed into something that is still unknown. It crushed my heart and I really felt for these characters.

I HIGHLY recommend this book, but just let it be known that it does end on a cliff hanger. I can’t wait to get my hands on the next book because I have the feeling it will be more gut wrenching than the first, but I am hopeful that these characters will find happiness.

First 5 Blush Review

Okay, I’ll start this review with the obvious. 4.5 to 5? What’s that about?? I set the book down a lot and then came back to it. It might just be because stuff was on my mind, but usually, that is a determining 5-star factor. For a 5 it’s usually un-put-down-able. But like I said, I had stuff, so who knows.

What I can tell you, without a doubt, is that Pepper’s writing is flawless.

Did you guys read Unseen Messages?

Man oh, man, did I love that book. It’s a Pepper Winters book that wasn’t as popular as her brilliant Tears of Tess,but in many ways, there was something magical about that book.

Why am I bringing up other Pepper Winters books, instead of talking about The Boy and His Blue Ribbon? It’s because in The Boy and His Blue Ribbon, Winters takes everything that is perfect about Unseen Messages and Tears of Tess and she created this book. There is taboo, but there is also this striving to survive in desolate situations, that you get in Unseen Messages. This had a perfect blend of those elements.

Oh, snucks!

I think I just talked myself into this being a 5. Yep, definitely, was my own stuff going on. This book, now that I’m mentally going over again the details, and the journey and the way Winters grabbed me and made me think about surviving in the forest and the feels. Oh, the feels!

I watched a blogger, whose VLOGS I used to enjoy, go on about this book the other day, and I was in the middle of reading it and I was like, yeah, Molly is right!

This book is the shiznuts. (Yep, I just typed that!)

If you are new to Pepper, or you thought she was too dark, wait no further, to read her, for, in this book, you will get dark, but light too. It’s such a perfect blend of everything I’ve read from her that I think you will fall in love with it.


Second 5 Blush Review
Unconventional love. Coming of age. The Boy and His Ribbon is the first of this duet. It’s told in a dual POV.
Fate brought them together.
Ren is a 10 year old boy who is running for his life from the terror he has endured. He has no money, food or shelter. The only thing he’s got is his backpack. Will he survive? He’s struggling within the depths of the unknown. Della is someone Ren is responsible for. But how can he protect her when he doesn’t know what will happen to him?
Pepper Winters has written a book that I have never read before. She has you so engrossed in these characters and this plot that you don’t want it to end. It’s written as past and present. You see a lot of character growth throughout. Ren and Della are incredibly in-depth characters. This is about sacrifice, friendship, and survival. It’s an emotional story of love. I enjoyed how different it was. It’s a breath of fresh air.

Third 5 Blush Review

This is the first book of Pepper Winters that I have read. And it definitely will not be the last.
Where do I begin? There are some books that stay with you. Have an impact on you. The characters wiggle their way into your heart, and they grab hold and vow to never let go. The Boy & His Ribbon is one of those. This book..... it EPIC.

Ren and Della take you on a journey of survival, sacrificing, trust, friendship, and love. Ren's story broke my heart in the first chapter of the book. So when he took me on his journey, I loved his determination, his protectiveness, and his values. When faced with an obstacle when he discovers he took something from the farm when he ran, he had choices to make. Choices a ten-year-old never should have to face.

Lets fast forward... I will not give any spoilers, so I can't go into too many details in my review. But TRUST ME.... You want to read this book.

As the years go by, Ren and Della become each other's world. They are both faced with difficulties as they grow into themselves. As they try to find their way in life. There is a ten-year difference between the two. Ren always the protector, Della always the child. But what happens when Della is no longer a child? Will Ren be able to control her? Discipline her? Will their past come back to haunt them? Hurt them?

When you love someone, that has the power to destroy you. The power to cripple you. That's exactly what love did to Ren and Della. Sometimes you love someone who you shouldn't. There is a difference between being in love with someone and loving someone. Do Ren and Della know the difference between the two?

I devoured this book. I never wanted it to end. I went on this journey with Ren and Della and I hurt for them. My heart literally hurt for the two of them. I have to say the only thing I am mad about is... I have to wait for The Girl & Her Ren to release. I wish I could read them back to back.

DEFINITELY, A 5 STAR READ

This is the story about a young boy and a baby. Ren & Della we’re never meant to be together, but became all each other had. One is a child born to monsters, and the other is a kid no one wanted. There is a ten year age difference between them, but they become the best of friends. Ren is just a kid, but he protects Della at all costs. He takes it upon himself to be responsible for her safety, happiness, and well being. She was precious to him. For better or worse, she was his, and he’d sacrifice anything for her to have everything.

The book spans many years as Ren & Della grow up together & it goes from past to present. They became family and trust only one another. Life is hard, but they have each other. Their only plan is to stay alive and hidden. As Ren raises Della she can’t help but adore him. He was her entire world. She absolutely worshipped him and their time together.

As they evolve, so do their feelings. As children things were innocent as they needed each other. As they get older Della’s love changes from infatuation to intoxication. She learns to keep her feelings to herself, and love him in secret. They both experience forbidden cravings & taboo things they think they shouldn’t feel toward the other. Truths are finally revealed and they both learn sometimes love can hurt you the most.

This book was fantastic! One of those books you can’t put down that completely consumes you. This was my first book by Pepper Winters, & WOW!!! I still can’t stop thinking about it! I’m dying for the next book! This book was so extremely unique. It was a heartbreaking story about two soulmates trying to survive. They were the one constant in each other’s life & in each other’s heart. This book was about the most pure love. The way Ren loved Della so selflessly was beautiful!

With its different approach to romance, this read may not be for everyone. This story is most definitely filled with so much love and emotion. that even if you think this might not be the read for you... GIVE IT A TRY ANYWAY! The character building and pace build slowly and then packs a punch that you know is coming, but you are still knocked on your bum in the end. It's a heartfelt page turner regardless of your take the relationship. Root for Ren and Della to get through this, or don't. It doesn't matter, because this is dang good writing. I cannot wait until I get my hands on the conclusion! June is just around the corner, but still feels so far away. Loved it!

I read a lot of dark books, but this bothered me so much because it took something that should have been pure and tainted it. I hate stories when people fall in love as children especially when there's a big age difference. It's creepy and wrong. Just because Ren and Della weren't technically related didn't make it okay. They were family; Ren raised her.

This didn't work for me. I can see why other people would like it. Aside from the taboo incest vibe, it wasn't very dark.

**3.5 Stars**

I wanted to love this book after hearing how good it was. Overall, I think I just feel kind of meh about it. I think the plot of the book and story line were good, and I wanted to find out what was going to happen, but I just kind of feel like it took forever to get there. This is my first Pepper Winters book, and honestly even though I want to find out how this two book story ends, I'm not sure if I will actually read the next book due to the length of this book. I feel like it was too drawn out.

Amazing! Man I can't wait for the conclusion!
I'm a huge fan of Pepper Winters and The Boy and his Ribbon is simply a beautiful story that will make you wanting more. The writing is amazing and that only pulls you in even more. Buy it, read it...you won't regret.

4.75 stars!

Things I loved about this book (in no particular order): The call of nature. The simplicity of life. The unsimplified way of life. The importance of friendship. The pitfalls of codependence. The purity of innocence. The revulsion of corruption. The angst. The angst. The angst.

This book turned me upside down and had me tossing and turning in bed all night. This was not a light read and it was not one that I wanted to put down at any time. I actually ended up reading it in one sitting. Oops.

I usually have an aversion to dual POV novels. I, however, went out of my enjoyable comfort zone and decided to read this novel based on the description alone. I am so happy that I did.

The reader dives into the harsh, complicated lives of Ren and Della. Two very different individuals but yet so similar. I hate to give anything major away. I want to. I really do, but just trust the juice is definitely worth the squeeze.

Warnings:
There is a pretty big age gap between our two protagonists so if that is not something that you are comfortable with then this book is not going to be for you. Different strokes for different folks and all.

This book also ends on a cliffhanger so if you want everything wrapped up in a nice bow by the end then you should just wait till the release of the second installment, The Girl and Her Ren, out June 5th!

This book was everything that great storytelling is supposed to be. I knew when I started to read this one, that two things would be true... I would be moved to tears and I would never forget these characters, and this was exactly what happened. I didn't cry once in this book, I was on the verge of tears all the time, but I could not stop reading either. And Della and Ren were painfully and beautifully etched into my soul. I loved them more than I should, I hated them more than I should. But in the end their story was just so them. So wild, so ribboned, it was just so beautiful. I can honestly say that I can't think of a single thing in this book that was not exactly as it should be. Though believe me there were times I knew the bad was coming and I just wanted to rush through it, I couldn't because to truly understand this story you have to take the bad with the good.
I loved the way Pepper Winters tells the story, the present through Ren's point of view and the past through Della's , I think it made for such great reading. And these two characters are so well put together, its a amazing. The way they mature, the way the author allows us to see the changes in the way they speak, the things they say, and how clear it is that they are growing up. I loved both POVs but there was something so special about Della telling the story in hindsight, it allowed the reader to know what was coming and also to know Della as Della, because the way Ren saw her was definitely different from who she was. And Ren, my beautiful Ren, I understand why every woman who meets him falls in love with him. Because he is just the absolute best. I also loved that there were people along the journey of these two that made the effort to make things better for them (though there are also several who make things worse). This is the kind of story that you never forget because is pure magic. I have to wait three weeks for the next book, and I think it will be absolute torture.

Ren is ten years old when he escapes from the farm where he has been enslaved for two years. On his way out, he thoughtlessly picks up a backpack containing the very last thing he needs: his owner's baby daughter, Della. Ren can't bring himself to treat her with the heartlessness he has been subjected to, and so he keeps her. For almost seventeen years, he raises Della as his real family. She's the only person he has ever loved. As Della becomes an adult, Ren realizes to his horror that their familial relationship is growing into something else. Narrated by both Ren and Della as they look back on their life together and reflect on their decisions and mistakes, I was reminded a lot of "Wuthering Heights." Ren is like Heathcliff, with his intense rage and feral love for his "sister" Della (Cathy), who can't help but charm everyone she meets with her beauty and natural intelligence. I felt instense frustration and hope and love for two very real people who go through hell alongside each other and as a result are meant to be together, but are kept apart by societal expectations, miscommunications, and the unusualness of their relationship. I hope that their journey doesn't end in them destroying themselves and almost everyone around them.
This story is not happy. It is not light, it is not sweet, and, since it is part one of two, it definitely doesn't end on a HEA. There are mentions of child slave labor, severe abuse, and homelessness. Your heart will definitely break for the protagonists. And then it will break some more. However, this story contains the barest, rawest form of love, which makes for an unforgettable reading experience. If you're looking for a story that will truly tear at your emotions and draw you into a relationship unlike any other, this is it. I am awaiting impatiently the conclusion of Ren and Della's story.

Amazing, amazing, amazing!!!
Pepper Winters has done it again. Her story telling is superb and she makes you feel so intwined within their lives. This story touched me in so many ways and I couldn't stop reading even if I wanted to. Page after page I just had to know what would happen next to Ren and Della. How old would they be next? What would be the next big event? I can't wait for the sequel.

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review from Buoni Amici Press, LLC.

3.5 stars

Overall we think this book was an original story and was well written for such dark subjects. However, there was a lot of things that just seemed so unbelievable or maybe we just read to much and couldn't put tolerate some of the things in this book. Also there was a lot of angst, we mean A LOT- it was just a lot. We kind of checked out at some point in the book, just because it was just so much.
This book just end in a cliff hanger of sorts, but the next book The Girl and her Ren will be out soon for the conclusion.

The Boy & His Ribbon is a captivating sensation that will leave you dumbstruck. This tremendously written story is one full of real life tragedies that two beautifully written characters are able to come together to make a go at living in the at times harsh and cold world. However going through all the impossible challenges and near separations have made their relationship such a unique one that feelings begin to grow into something more that could cause devastating effects to their relationship. This is my absolute favourite book I’ve read by Pepper Winters and cannot wait to read the next in the duet series ‘The Girl & Her Ren.

Five stars just isn't enough for this book! I love Ren with all of my heart. He encompasses all that is good and pure in this world. He wasn't given a fair life, but he has fought hard to give Della the best life possible considering their circumstances. This is a beautiful, emotional read....now I am dying for The Girl and her Ren. Wow....this book just made me feel.

4.5 stars

This is the first book I've read by Pepper Winters although I bought other works by this author. The reason why I decided to start with "The Boy and his Ribbon" was that its plot seemed different and intriguing compared to other stories I've read recently, and I wanted something "new". I've got to say, finishing this book was hard and it took me more days than I usually take to finish reading it. The reason is the plot itself. This book is not for everyone because of its dark themes first and foremost, but also because Pepper Winters has such a deep and intricate way of describing places, emotions, characters and whatnot, that you need to read carefully or you'll be lost.

This story was full of details and it explored different themes. People who are sensible and like sugary romances may find it hard to digest this book because it describes the horrors of being abused, sold and tortured at a young age among many things, that the male protagonist Ren Wild has suffered ever since he was young. One night, when Ren is 10 years old, he finally escapes the farm where he was basically a slave along with other children, but he was not free yet. On the other hand, the night he obtained his freedom was also the night he was bound to another human that he despised that hid in his backpack, the 1 year old daughter of the family who owned him, Della Mclary.

"The Boy and his Ribbon" explores the friends to lovers thrope but in an unconventional way, because Ren hates Della at first, but then he starts caring for her since it wasn't her choice to have such horrible parents. As they escape far from the Mclary's Farm together, these two people become attached to each other and form a strong bond. At first, when the story starts and Ren is 10 and Della is 1, their relationship is the one of a brother and a sister, but as the story slowly progresses and they grow up, their familiar love turns into something forbidden that either of them understand since they are innocent and have lived most of their lives on the run and they only trusted each other.

The book has a dual POV, but the majority of it is told by Ren and it starts when he is 10 years old, while Della's POV is in the present. They are recounting us their story, but we don't know where they are now, we will probably find out in "The Girl and her Ren" which is the second book of the series that will come out in June. I wish that this one is told more by Della's perspective because most of what we know from this one is what Ren showed us.

Admittedly, I'm a sucker for anything Pepper Winters writes and in the past, she had originally drawn me in with multiple dark romance/suspense series. A Boy and His Ribbon is unlike most of her well-known works, yet similar to Unseen Messages (one of my all-time favorites), as both stories are based on characters living wild. A scenario that speaks to my wanderlust soul and moves me like no other topic. The story follows Ren and Della, two children who escape abuse and a fate worse than even any animal should endure. Growing up alone, fending for themselves, this story takes us through years of this unlikely pair growing up uneducated, unsocialized and learning from each other. And with such fierce love, devotion and determination from children so young... We've all had to deal with the ups and downs of growing up. Imagine facing your teenage years that come with messy feelings and changes, without any guidance or expectations? This Coming of Age/Romance teeters between not quite right and completely understandable. Like every other Pepper Winters title in the past, I devoured this book. It tore my heart out, leaving me in suspense until book 2 in the Ribbon Series, The Girl and Her Ren is released in June.

The Boy and His Ribbon is about forbidden love between a girl and her surrogate brother. A young boy named Ren, at the age of 10, runs from a horrible abusive home to survive in the woods. He discovers a baby, named Della, in his backpack and they live together as he provides for her. I found this fact to be quite unbelievable and far fetched. The book is about their lives as they both grow up and live side by side, mostly on their own camping in the woods. As they grow up their relationship also matures. I would classify this as a fantasy romance. I will say that this was not the book for me but I did find the writing to be very good and interesting. For this reason I gave it a solid three stars.
I received an ARC from Netgalley and this is my honest review.