Million de rubans-étoiles! Ce livre est la perfection du début à la fin.

Sweet baby Jesus! I must be dreaming because I’m still on cloud number nine. The Boy & His Ribbon is a mind-blowing book, a graceful unicorn! Books like this make my heart beat faster in my chest. This book literally blew my mind far away. Pepper Winters has done it again! Her writing is always beautifully elegant and this time she delivers a haunting story.

In all the chapters, Pepper maintains the excitement with the intensity of the story and the complexities of the main characters that make this book such a page-turner. The story line goes smoothly from past to present and it is narrated in dual POV’s. This book is perfection from the begging to the end. Each chapter is filled with brilliant and compelling words that squeezed my heart many times.

This book broke my heart the same times as Della’s young heart and the pieces were put together by Pepper’s writing the same way Ren did with Della. How many times could a book break your heart? This book proves me that it could be infinite times and you will love it and you will hate it at the same time. It is a bittersweet experience.

The plot is brilliantly well developed. The characters are extremely complex. It amazed me the way Pepper could show us how a child could experience the kind of love Della felt for Ren. It is beautiful and forbidden. With her words, she shows us what pure love is. Ren and Della are on the top of my favourite book couples. They have a special place in my heart.

There is a little taboo because of the age gap between the characters but trust me. It is well handle by the author. There is nothing filthy. The characters are so real and human. Pepper did an excellent work by the way she told us Della and Ren's story. The synopsis intrigued the life out of me. I was hooked from the first chapters until the end. This book is the kind of books that you don't want to end it because you can't deal with the ending of a fabulous story. I was afraid to end it. Now, I can't wait to read the conclusion of this Duet. I absolutely recommend you this book. This is a must read with capital letters. Ren and Della have too much to tell. Mark my words: Their love is going to be epic.

This book was amazing!!! It deserves 10 stars!! Ren is such an awesome character, a survivor and he has no choice but to take care of himself all by himself at age 10. So sad what happened to him but he rose above it and became an upstanding, responsible young man. When Ren ran away from his captors, he accidentally took their baby girl Della with him. He decided that he would take care of her and give her the best life he could, and he does. The love between Ren and Della is so strong and so beautiful. The feelings they have for each other literally leap off of the page and into your heart as you read. I absolutely can not wait to read the sequel!! Planning on reading more of Pepper Winters as well. LOVED this book!!!! Thank you NetGalley!!!

Pepper does it again! She brings to life another great story with well developed characters you want to know more about & can't help but become invested in every aspect in. Pepper has a way of writing that you can't help but feel every emotion of the characters. I love all of Pepper Winter's books. She never disappoints.

This book grabs your heart and bounces it around like a basketball. The buildup is masterfully rendered; the parts of how their relationship evolve are crucial to the story as they explain the whys and hows of the changes in Ren and Della.

The pace is deliberate and moderate. This is not a typical romance book so do not go into it looking for the same formulaic rendition. Aren’t you tired of reading the same pattern over and over though? I’m glad I gave this a chance; it’s worthy of its high ratings.

*ARC provided by publisher through Netgalley; honest review is my own.

This is not your typical Pepper Winters book is what you will hear. However, this book still has all of the elements of a Pepper Winters read sprinkled throughout. Although this story starts while the main characters are young, Ren and Della will captivate you and weave their way under your skin.
Ren trying to escape the life he was sold to finds an unexpected passenger amongst his things when he flees. I could honestly say that I felt as torn as Ren while reading as to what he should do. Let’s just say that as the story progressed I was glad he made the choice he did.
The bond that forms between Ren and Della is strong. Having kept to themselves during her formidable years not only explains her dependency on Ren but her awe of him. Ren has become that of a big brother/father figure and mentor but let us not forget that they are not blood.
I loved their story. The determination to make a life for themselves. The want of Ren to give everything to Della that he did not have. Her ability to share her newfound knowledge with Ren to give back to him. That Della recognized the sacrifices that Ren was willing to endure for her happiness and wellbeing.
There are few secondary characters in this book but they all have a very important role. There are several firsts given by Cassie to Ren, Patricia and John are seemingly the first adults Ren and Cassie trust and John gives Ren the opportunity to work for him to provide a safe environment for Della to grow and learn.
But as time passes the lines begin to blur. Although they have always presented themselves as family feelings begin to twist. I felt bad for Della having to share “her Ren” with others. It was definitely an adjustment for her to watch him grow into a man while still a child. Her knowledge and needs not the same in that respect. They call them the seven deadly sins for a reason. Jealousy and lust can blind a person and without the proper outlet Della has brought trouble to their door more than once.
I was conflicted towards the end of the story, though I am not sure I was more than Ren and Della. I could see this story from many different angles and in some their actions would not be questioned. What I will tell you is that I will anxiously be awaiting the release of The Girl & Her Ren to see where this story ends.

Yesterday, I got this arc by netgalley and immediately started reading because I was so excited about this and uhm.. I kind of finished it at the same day? 😅😂
It was addictive, it was dark, but also heartbreaking- beautiful.


I read many reviews which said it was a dark forbidden-love between the two main charters (love those) and because I'm a reader who wants to know exactly what a book is about, I researched and found out why it's called forbidden.
When Ren runs away from a Family who adopted and abused him, he later realizes that in his backpack were not only supplies but accidentally also their baby daughter. At first, he wants to get rid of her, but then slowly learns to love and care for her. He, only 10 years old raises Della and they become close. Della and Ren are very cute together and the way he cares for her let my heart melt. Della sees him as an idol, looks up to him and she makes his life complete.
Now here's the answer to the question of why there is a forbidden love: As Della becomes older, she starts feeling more for Ren than just the family-kind-of-love when she was a little child. They are not related, but when they arrive at a town, they make people believe they are brother and sister, because it would sound weird If Ren would say: “I found Della in my backpack when I ran from my abusive family and care for her since then.” Right? It would sound suspicious. Because the book is written bei their POV's you can feel with the characters in as the story proceeds.
It gets weird when Della starts showing feelings for Ren, who doesn't seem to notice at first. I have to say this book is not for everyone, because people have different opinions about what they think is inappropriate or not. For me this book was beautifully written and softened my heart in a gripping way. It also left me heartbroken in the best way.


Now why I loved this book so much: I like reading about forbidden love and this one was perfect! We follow Ren and Della as they grow up and how both struggle with problems in life, but always have each other's back. Their bond was so strong, convincing and heartwarming! Rens character was well-developed and his caring loving actions appealed to me. I loved reading about their relationship and enjoyed the plot very much. To be honest, I rarely give 5 stars, but this bitter-sweet novel truly deserves it. I already preordered the sequel The Girl & her Ren, which comes out June 5th. Fortunately, it's already may, which means I don't have to wait so long until it's finally published!

This is the story of Ren who is a 10 year old slave who in the process if escaping his Master accudentally steals the master’s infant daughter. The story follows them through towns , cities and wilderness and describes the hardships they face, their physical and emotional growth and their strange relationship with one another.
The first half of the book dealing with the escape and the trials they face, the difficult decisions Ren faced had me hooked to the book. The story is told in alternating pov and the first half was mostly in Ren’s pov. The immense maturity Ren showed and the responsibility he shouldered at that young age of becoming a parent and all the feelings going through his head was so starkly and honestly portrayed. I couldnt help but fall in love with him.
But coming to the second half, which had a lot more in Della’s pov was a disappointment. Honestly the only word to describe Della is that she is a complete brat. Maybe the situation she was in and the way she was brought up had something to do with it but try as I might, I couldnt connect with this character and that one fact made it difficult to enjoy the rest of the book.
The story became predictable in the second half. One can guess the direction which the book was taking si the cliffhanger at the end did not come as a surprise and kind of fell flat.
I hope the author can make me love Della a little but more in the second book and because I had really good expectation from this book after the first half. So fingers crossed next book is unputdownable, meanwhile I am giving this book a 2.5/5 stars

Ren did not have an easy start to life. His own mom sold him to a farmer who forced him to work and treated him like a barn animal. After his finger was cut off for taking food to live, he decided he’d had enough and made a plan to run. He never expected that the farmer's daughter would crawl into his backpack and make the escape with him.

I probably should go back to my notes to write this- but I think I highlighted about half the book. There was just something about this story that drew you in. I just ate up every word. I loved the dynamic between Della and Ren in the first half. And I stressed right along them in the second. I'm truly torn in my thoughts. With the way it was written, it’s hard to see the conflict as anything but shades of grey. And its the kind of conflict I would know my stance on without a doubt in real life. I’m sort of glad there’s another month before part two comes out. I think my emotions need a break before part two.

Ahhh man, this book was a rollercoaster in the best possible way. It started off slow and stuttered as it climbed, but by the end, I was whooshing through all the emotions and FEELS of Ren and Della.

The book started off a little slow for me and I didn't know if I would be able to make it through the first couple chapters. Maybe it was because I was feeling like garbage from a cold and my ability to maintain interest was shot, or it might have been that the characters were so young and I didn't find their situation incredibly believable.

Case in point, as I have three kids myself, I know that a one-year-old will NOT quit crying when thrown a mean glare or when told to "STOP THAT!" I mean, c'mon, is Della a prodigy in perception? So, there was definitely a LEAP between the believability of what Pepper Winters wrote about Ren and Della's early years on the run and my own real-life experience.

Once I set my personal experiences about raising a small child aside, I was able to get into the book a bit more. I did enjoy the back and forth POV, even though Della's angsty writing had a flair for the dramatic and was somewhat obnoxious at times.

Now on the all the good parts of the book, namely.....REN. He was everything a main character should be. He was troubled and dark, yet held true to his code of morals. He was young but burdened with the heaviness of life's darkness. He was complicated, swinging between what was right and what was wrong in terms of his responsibility to Della.

The last third of the book was a build-up of tense actions and emotions between the two, leading to an explosion that would change the course of their relationship. I think this is where Pepper Winter's writing really shines.

As the pages diminished, I was stupidly hoping for some kind of happy ending for Ren (because let's face it...at this point Della is still behaving like a spoiled juvenile). But it was not to be, as the ending came with no resolution and here I am, eagerly awaiting the second part of this duet to drop in June.

Now, this book may not be for everyone. I would definitely place it in the New Adult genre, but the taboo (evolving) relationship between Ren and Della may turn some reader's off. I'm not in that boat, as I think the depth and uniqueness of their relationship can only lead them to a fated outcome that feels completely right.

I give The Boy and His Ribbon a rating of 4.5/5 with slight detractions for believability and an annoying female protagonist.

*I was provided with a free copy of the book by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

The Boy and His Ribbon is the first book in a new two part duet from Pepper Winters and one I knew I had to read. I love Pepper's books, rarely does she disappoint me and with a beautiful cover like this one I had a feeling I would enjoy this. I was surprised by this book though as it wasn't what I was expecting. I find with synopsis' often they tell to much, mostly I avoid reading them but with The Boy and His Ribbon, maybe it didn't tell me enough.

The story is told from Ren and Della's points of view. We hear from Ren in the past, in fact he starts the story in a very nasty, dark situation. Those opening pages I wasn't ready for and admit it was heart wrenching to hear what was happening at that farm. The book follows Ren from age 10 when he leaves the farm to near present day at the end of the book. Ren felt a reliable story teller and it was good to see how he grew and changed throughout the book from a boy, to a teenager and then a man. Della's story is told both in past and present tense. I loved that we were hearing her story in her words at the same time. In fact I admit I connected with her chapters more, maybe because we were both women/girls? I understood her frustrations, her growth throughout those chapters  but mostly I loved how she kept me reading. For its not till a good 85% in you realise some things aren't completely what they seem. The story has a lot of ups and downs, but mostly you see its about learning to love, about family, trust and surviving. The Boy and His Ribbon isn't like anything I've read recently, in fact it felt truly different which in the Romance/New Adult genre I personally think is hard to do these days.

There is a dark element to this book I should add, but it didn't over shadow the story. I cannot talk about the relationship of Ren and Della, nor do I want to talk about characters from their journey as I do not give spoilers. I will say that Pepper really has wrote something both beautiful and tragic, but done it in such a way that I felt everything. 

As I stated at the beginning of this review I love Pepper's books, I knew I'd probably enjoy The Boy and his Ribbon too. I wasn't however expecting it to end like it did (Cliff hanger -ish!) and feel depressed (Almost) as the new book isn't out till June I believe (The Girl and her Ren). I cannot wait to see what happens next for Ren and Della, in fact I need to know. This is such an intricate, tragic story but one I can see many enjoying if you enjoy a good romance that's not traditional and likes to pull on your emotions. 4 stars.

If you want a book that will give you all the feels, then this is your book. If you want to be left wanting more, then get this book. If you want an unforgettable story written written by an unforgettable author, then READ THIS EFFING BOOK!

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.

Firstly I really didn't think I would get this book but I though why not request it and lets see and then I got it and was shocked. I am a big fan of Peppers writing love all her books but this was different from her other books but it really tears at your heart strings.

Ren ,At 10 years old he runs for his life from the family that bought him, but he doesn't realise that he has a surprise in his bag. There begins the story of Ren and Della. This tale goes on for many many years and every word is heart felt. The journey is heartbreaking , consuming, emotional, driven , passionate. This is the tale of love in its purest form. It is written so beautifully that you feel it to your core, that you yourself get consumed by this story and after its done you still think of it weeks down the track because it was written so perfectly that it will not be easy to forget. I would say Pepper has written another must read yes but she has written a book that should be in class all on its own she has written a book that should be in a category like EVERYONE SHOULD STOP WHAT YOUR DOING AND READ THIS BOOK. I cant wait for the second one the waiting will kill me but I know it will so be worth the wait..

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

I'm in tears. This was such a difficult read for me. So emotional. The writing of course is spectacular and fluid. The storyline, well I didn't really read the synopsis when I asked to review lol I just saw the writer and was like yep. So, unrequited love is heartbreaking to read let alone go through. I really felt for this girl because I could have been her. I was her back in my early college days right after high school. I'm hooked on this story and I need to see this one through till the end. My girl needs her happy ending. You will love the characters because they are so easy to identify with one way or another and this is something that really happens in real life and why it's so believable and heartbreaking. It's worth the read and the next book comes out in a few weeks. Get your copy today and prepare for a deep emotional read.

I’ve read and loved all of PW’s other books and was excited to get stuck into TBAHR.
Unfortunately, for me at least, this one didn’t work.

Had it been based in a fictionally “made-up, fantasy-style” world, some of the far-fetched details, plot holes, and language/thoughts/skills of the children may have been easier to overlook.
But it was based in a real life world.
A baby/toddler in any scenario would not be able to act the way Della did throughout the earlier parts of the story. It made it so fantastically unreal that it caused me to disconnect.
This disbelief carried on to when she was 2, 5, 8 etc. It was all just too... adult.
And then things like discovering a little boy’s “worm” would happen and I’d wonder if this child had multiple, confused personalities.
The meshing, continuity, and realism of age (particularly in Della) didn’t work at all.

Then you have the drawn-out length of this story and I do enjoy a slow burn, but so much of this was unnecessary, or maybe it was because I’d already disconnected. I was beyond bored but continued hoping for something more.

Pepper Winters does have a magical way with words. Maybe this is a case of the right story but the wrong reader.
As a mother of three, it wasn’t the taboo aspect that bothered me (again, I wasn’t connected enough to worry either way) but the farfetched fake-realism that killed this for me.
Something that started in chapter one when an unscathed and quiet 1yo survived being tossed like an odd sock in a washing machine filled with tins of beans and supplies for at least 12 hours with barely a grumble and not a single mark.

I desperately wanted to fall in love with this story.
But it looks like it’s a case of it’s not you, it’s me.

A fantastic read! Pepper Winters' prose is beautiful. Her words stunningly portray ugly and brutal beginnings that fuel a deep and undeniable connection between two people. A connection that cannot be severed no matter how much fate and life try to intervene.
Right from the first pages of this story I was gripped and soothingly mauled by the voice Pepper Winters gave her characters. Written in dual POV I was taken on an absolutely beautiful and treacherous journey spanning eighteen years.
I don't think I've read a more soul stealing, heart rendering, breathtaking coming of age story. These characters find a way into your literary being and take root, building, evolving, ebbing and flowing. The story unassumingly and quietly burns, building a fire that cannot be extinguished.
D 5/5

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.