Storyline: 5
Angst: 4
Tissue: 1
Value: 5
Panty Scorching: 5
Over All Rating: 5 Stars
Kindle eArc provided by Netgalley

Being sold at eight years old, Ren doesn’t believe that love exists. At ten he finally runs away from the slavery at the farm but he ends up with a little stowaway. Something he never wanted. Baby Della is in his backpack and somehow Ren is now begrudgingly responsible for her. As the two go through life trying to survive, Della finds herself lying to Ren as her hero worship develops into something more. Something forbidden.

“I’m living proof that a heart can be broken a thousand times and still function, still keep you alive – desperately hoping that it won’t happen again, all the while knowing it will.”

I was completely sucked into Ren and Della’s world as the two standalone against the world just to survive. Ren has really taken Della on as his responsibility and sister even though she comes from the family that delivered such abuse to him. As they both come to age at different times, I really could see the profound effect where they are always in such close proximity but one is still growing; still at that curious grade school age where the other has been pushed into young adulthood with so many tasks and never a chance to just be a kid or to have an education. It was heartbreaking. There are so many twists and avoidable rifts as communication between the two becomes difficult as Della matures. I really am dying to know how their story continues. My heart goes out to Della because the little girl grew wiser beyond her years. The guilt. The keeping it all inside. I need more now.

Pepper’s writing always is so captivating and the idea behind this duet really intrigued me because it’s so different. Just what I needed to bring out that voracious reader inside of me and feed the monster. I’m really addicted to the way she thinks about the world.

Outstanding.

There really isn't much I can say with this review that will make justice to this work of art.

From the very first page I was mesmerized and captivated by the originality of the story, by how it gripped my heart since the beginning, and because of how quickly it played with my mind with the different turns of events I found while turning the pages.

I had a hard time setting a pace for my reading because I was desperate to know   all the details of Ren and Della's story, I wanted to know how they managed to survive for so long, I wanted to understand their feelings and their thoughts along the journey they shared but I also wanted to absorb in every word, I wanted to slow down when the plot was pulling at my heartstrings to the point of breaking and let myself breathe a little before diving back in the sea of angst and emotions.

The bond Ren and Della share is really powerful and has the potential of hurting them both, but at the same time, given the circumstances, it's the best thing to happen to them. With every turn of the pages you read about how the bond gets stronger, and how between them grows a complicated relationship that fills them with hope, makes their hearts more fragil, and will eventually consume them.

I felt on a never ending roller coaster because of how deep the emotions the characters had run through me, because of how quickly something ugly could turn into something beautiful and viceversa.

My heart ached for them so much, to a point I now have an idea of the level of devastation Ren and Della felt at one or other time. Even though, there is so much heartbreak and sense of loss there is also, without doubt, the most beautiful, big and intense love a human is capable of feeling.

Extraordinarily beautiful.

I cannot put down this book its wild, addictive, and nothing like I have read before! Its also my first read by Pepper Winters — HIGHLY RECOMMEND!!!! This book talks and compares LOVE all encompassing romantic and familial love. In this dual POV you follow along these characters' lives for a long span of timeframe of growing up out in the wild and on the run.

The beginning of the book providing the layout of the plot was a bit odd for me, but I felt it is needed to understand the beginning premise of the characters. Its not annoying by any means just very different.. Being a mom to young children I think it impacted me that I could or did not want to accept that a situation like this could occur....

If your looking for a book completely different from what you have read in Romance -- PICK UP THIS BOOK!
If you enjoy a spin on a taboo forbidden romance -- PICK UP THIS BOOK!

The story is just so unique and left me reeling for these characters!

Wow! Past and press over 17yrs from both Ren and Della. I was gripped from the very first sentence. So different from her other series but honestly one of her finest

I love Pepper Winters and once again her writing was exceptional. This story of Ren and Della is just that a story , fiction. It will not be for everyone. It is a coming of age journey watching a 10 year old and 1 year old struggle with survival ,love ,life and growing up .They had a brutal start to life . Parent and child , brother sister friends . We watch over 17 years what they go through. However for me I had issues with some things , key things . I can understand the basis of the relationships . I can understand the reason behind a lot of what was happening and why. For me it was just a lot of time with a lot of longing. Repetitive At times . I’m very intrigued for the next book to see how this ends. *Arc provided by NetGalley for review *

Such a captivating story!
I totally enjoyed this side of Author Pepper Winter's writing.
Ren & Della are characters that will grip you and make you go on soo many emotional levels.
You will not be able to resist loving these two hard.
I was a wreck while reading this because this story about Ren & Della was soo moving to me. Such an intense love story that had me wanting to hug and take care of them both.
Go grab this book and be ready to grip your reader hard with the intensity that flies off the pages.

WOW where do I begin with this AMAZING book? Let me just say I NEED book two NOW!!!! This book was EPIC and a must read!
Pepper writes such a beautiful story of Ren and Della in The Boy & His Ribbon! I was instantly drawn to these two! I felt a connection to both of them and my heart broke when their hearts broken!
This book has it all and you need to one click it NOW!!! Don't miss out on what is going to be an amazing series!!

This is such a beautiful read that is deserves more than 5 stars. Ren and Della are simply amazing characters that will drag you into their world and have you laughing and crying through their ups and downs. Loving the simplicity of not needing anything except each other. What will happen as they grow and the simplistic love they share grows more completed? Plenty of drama and emotion. I was hooked from beginning to end and look forward to reading the next book. LOVED IT!

*I received this copy from the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

5 "Brilliant and Beautiful" Stars!!!!!!

Ok, let's do this. I was going to give myself time before I wrote this review. But I think it's best to write this now, since my emotions are still very raw. You know, one of the joys in reading is discovering authors your haven't read before. And I hit the jackpot. I mean I'm talking HUGE, MEGA and ALL the money in the world, jackpot. My disheveled hair, puffy face and tear streaked cheeks, while tears continue to escape my eyes are all thanks to Pepper Winters. Congratulations Pepper, you've ruined me. Ruined me to the point that I can't come back. The old Vanessa, gone, bye, she's never to be seen again. You've unleashed the new version of myself. The new version that now knows what reading a book by you entails. I want to ask that old version of me what the hell she was thinking, why the hell did it take her so damn long to read one of your books? I want to shake her and make her see the light, make her walk down that path where she will be forever changed. You see, your words Pepper, your words cracked open my soul. You took broken pieces I didn't know I had and put them back together. You revived a heart that I didn't know was lifeless.

It's safe to say my world was turned upside down as soon I opened The Boy and His Ribbon. This book, THIS BOOK is a game changer. I want to tell you about it. I want to tell you everything. But, I can't and I won't. You need to read for yourself. You need to experience this book in all it's wonderful glory. You need to feel every crack your heart will endure. You need to shed all the ugly tears. You need to feel every push and pull. I promise you, it's all worth it though.

I said I couldn't and wouldn't talk about the book, right? But I can't not tell you a little about him. Ren. The boy turned man who was everything and more. He claimed me. He seeped in the crevices of my heart and made a home there. He's a savior and protector. He will do anything in his power to make sure that the ones he cares for have everything they need. He puts everyone first. And because of his upbringing he doesn't expect anything from anyone. He's learned to survive on his own and he likes his solitude. He loves. And the way he loves is inspiring. Being loved by Ren is the greatest and most beautiful thing. Ren was my favorite. I fell, and I fell hard for the boy turned man.

I know I didn't go into detail, but I don't want to ruin this book for you. I didn't want to slip up and accidentally spoil something because I need you to read this book. READ THIS BOOK! READ THIS BOOK! READ THIS BOOK!

Pepper, I'm thanking my lucky stars. Thanking them for shining the light I needed to FINALLY read one of yours book. And I honestly don't know what I did to deserve your words, but I am so grateful. And now, I don't know what the hell I'm going to do until June 5th. I NEED the conclusion to this story, NOW!!!

copy received for honest review
This story was amazing. The author has a way of weaving a tale that will keep your turning pages. I don't know where to start. This is a historical journey of the life of REn and Della. Ren escaped a terrible situation at the age of 10. When he ran, he had something extra in his bag, Della. It was too dangerous to take her back and too hard to keep her. What follows is a somewhat unbelievable trip through 18 years of survival. The emotional rollercoaster of their life had me filled with tension; waiting for the next shoe to drop. Everything the characters went through seemed like a personal experience for the reader. You, as the reader are always rooting for them to be safe and to be able to stay together. Things get complicated quick and often. The ending leaves you panting for more. I am anxiously waiting to read the conclusion. Great story.

I have been excited to read this new book by Pepper Winters because the storyline pulled at my heartstrings. Who wouldn't feel bad for Ren. He has learned from a young age that love could be bought and sold. As he ran from the foster family, the Mclary's, who used him for free labor, he realized that one Mclary has followed him on his escape.

This story hurt my heart but I could not stop reading. I was so entranced with the way the story moved between Ren's thoughts and Della's that I finished this book in one day. The love between these two will live with you even when you finish the book. I am not a big fan of cliffhangers, but this book is worth the read.

I received an ARC copy of this book from NetGalley for my honest review.

Ren was 8 years old when his mother sold him to a farmer who owned 15 other kids that worked their fingers to the bone on his farm. When Ren was 10 the farmer and his wife had the “golden” child ... the only one that was their biological child. When Ren was 11 he ran away from the farm while the farmers’s bullets narrowly missed him ... only to find he had extra cargo in his pack ... Della, the farmer’s daughter. As Ren cannot take her back, they embark on a journey that will make you believe in mankind while it breaks your heart.

When I started reading this book, I knew it was going to be special ... one of those books that you will never forget. I can honestly say that I have never read a book even remotely close to this and it broke my heart. This book took me on an emotional journey like no other. I just didn’t cry ... I sobbed! Even writing this review, the tears are running down my face and I can’t get this story out of my head. Normally I write the review right after reading the book ... but with this one I had to let it sink in for a few days and it still brings tears to my eyes. If I could give more than 5 Stars ... this book would definitely qualify! I can’t wait for the second book for Ren and Della’s story to continue.

I received an ARC courtesy of Buoni Amici Press through NetGalley in exchange for a honest review.

I first fell in love with the cover for The Boy and His Ribbon - isn't it beautiful?

My heart quickly broke for Ren. It completely ached for Della. Together, they just shattered me.

Whilst this is not the usually mind eff, dark read from Ms Winters, it completely wrecked my heart.

Just when I thought that there could be nothing else that happens to our lovelies, boom, I turned the page and I was annihilated once again.

The Boy and his Ribbon is an emotional roller coaster that had me smiling, had my crying, had me mad as heck, never knowing what I was going to get in the next chapter.

Ms Winters books are always a journey. One you will love. One you will hate. But always an amazing journey.

We are left on a bit of a cliffy, but it is not long until the second part of the duet, The Girl and her Ren, comes out.

I can't wait.

This book was just beautiful. I read this as an ARC through NG and feel privileged to read the life of Ren and Della.
Ren; escapes a life of hell at the age of 10, with a surprise visitor on his backpack! Della is a baby who escapes with Ren and together they form a love like no other.
They live in the forest for years before finding a home. But that home comes at a price; and once again they are running.
Ren and Della’s story continues over nearly 17 years and the love I felt for both of them was overwhelming.
Congratulations to the author on an amazing read and I look forward to the conclusion!
Must Read for all.

The Boy and His Ribbon was something new and different than what I'm used to from Pepper Winters. She's mostly known for her dark romances but this book was a coming of age romance. 3 stars may seem a lower rating than I usually give books written by this author but I want to say that I definitely wasn't disappointed in it. It was a good read but it didn't go beyond 3 stars for me. Coming of age romances have never been my type of genre. I just like her dark romance books more. This doesn't take away any of the possitive things about The Boy and His Ribbon, though. It was quite a beautiful book.

Like I said this is something different and the beginning certainly isn't the most conventional of book beginnings. It all starts with ten-year-old Ren who's running away from the farm that he was sold to by his mother two years ago. What he doesn't know is that he's got a secret stowaway in his backpack; one-year-old Della. This might seem a little bit silly and I thought so at first too but somehow it does work for this story.

It really was a coming of age story because we seem Ren and Della growing up together through the next seventeen years. There weren't chapters of every single year but it was close enough. I wasn't the biggest fan of the childhood years because I never really liked to read about characters when they were children in any book. That's just a personal preference, I'm guessing but that's just how it is. I did like how well Ren took care of Della when she was so little and how he did everything in his power to keep her safe. It got more interesting once Della entered her teenages years, even though some of it was quite awkward for her and Ren.

Overall, The Boy and His Ribbon by Pepper Winters is a book that will definitely give its readers a rollercoaster of emotions. It was beautifully written, melancholy, touching but at times it exasperated me a bit because of the characters' choices and actions. I can't deny that it broke my heart a little, especially in those last few chapters. This also caused me to desperately want the second book, which is the conclusion to Della and Ren's story. I'm eagerly anticipating it because the way it ended left me wanting for more.

As always when finishing a book by Pepper Winters, my feelings are all over the place.

At ten years old, after two years as a slave, Ren decides to make a run for it. What he didn't expect was a baby hidden in his luggage. Faced with decisions no ten years old should ever have to make, Ren becomes Della's protector, her guardian, her family.

We follow their story through 18 years and from both POV. From Della's present self, recounting thing for an assignment, and from Ren's as things happened.

The Boy and his Ribbon is... I'm not sure I have the words right now to describe it. There is so much feelings and emotions in those pages. You feel the love, the hope and despair, the growth of Ren and Della. But most of all, we witnessed the hardships that Ren faced all those years and what it meant for Della. And you can't help but fall in love with those characters. Ren's devotion towards his Ribbon is a beautiful thing one can only hope to someday achieve. And Della's dedication and revelations through her assignment will leave you wondering about her future.

I've just finished this book and I already want the next one. Surely that's what everybody will want after reaching the last page.

I received an e-copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

My heart has been stolen by Ren and Della. How do I describe something so unexpected, all-consuming and just absolutely beautiful. This is what I experienced as I devoured The Boy and His Ribbon. The pure grit and determination that lives in Ren to escape the horrors his mother delivered him into is powerful. But when he is faced with an unexpected challenge, a baby, well, he shows his true character. As much as he wants to be a loner due to his distrust of adults and humans, his moral compass shines through and Della becomes his world. Della doesn’t know a life without Ren. Her innocence and trust provide a needed beacon into his dark view of the world. How their journey unfolds is magical and truly something everyone needs to experience for themselves. I voluntarily read an ARC of this book and this is my honest review.

I would die for her
I would live for her.
I would kill for her

OMG! WOW...JUST WOW!! I can’t even describe what I just finished reading. This book was unique, interesting, and I had so many highs and lows reading this. The cover is what initally drew me in and then I saw Pepper Winters and I knew it was a done deal. This WOMAN CAN WRITE!!
Told from dual POV’s of Ren and Della and alternating between past and present, you get sucked into their world. The emotions of these two hate, devotion, love, loyalty, sexual tension, forbidden feelings. This was not at all what I was expecting, yet it was everything I wanted!
The Boy and His Ribbon is the first book in the Ribbon duet.


“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.”
Past Year 2000
Ren is a ten year old boy who was sold to a family and is repeatedly beaten and starved by this family. He hates them and wants to escape, but he is afraid. He knows that he will die if he stays any longer. Armed with nothing more than a few supplies to get him by, Ren flees. When he finally feels safe, he settles in for a night, he discovers that he not only took some beans and other meager belongings, he took one of the most precious things to the family... Della Mclary. His nightmares child. She must have crawled in his bag and now he doesn’t know what to do. If he returns he will be killed, he could leave her, he could kill her or he can keep her? What to do, what to do?

Dear Professor Baxter, I know you asked us to write something true that reads as fake, but I have a problem. I’m not trying to be difficult and refuse to do the assignment but...well, this problem of mine...it’s a fairly big problem. You see, I’m not allowed to tell the truth. Ever.

Della’s is writing a story for her creative writing class. She is pouring her heart out with memories of her life with Ren from her own perspective. It is suppose to be a true life story that reads like fiction story. Della is struggling on whether to turn her paper in because really who would believe her and these are memories and moments that are special to her. They tell the love story that would be looked at as something that is not right in most people’s eyes, a forbidden one. They tell a story of a boy and girl who have lived a lie for eighteen years.

We go on an adventure with these two and I was in deep right from the start. We see and experience the struggle that they go through. This runs over the course of eighteen years. We see Della grow from a baby, to a toddler, to a child, to a teen, to an adult. Ren of course goes through his own changes from child, to teen, to man. We also see their relationship mature throughout the story.

I don’t want to go into details because this is hard to not to reveal spoilers. But I will say this book is perfect! It is well written, the characters are complex, the storyline is developed and you will experience so many emotions. It is almost poetic! I am intrigued on how their story will continue, because the ending leaves things open and I am curious as to where they go from here. These two leaned on each other, loved one anther and grew up together. Both characters are strong characters and what ever one is lacking, the other steps up. Its hard to say this is a romantic love story because it is, but yet it isn't. Its an all consuming love story that pushes a few boundaries on what is right and wrong.

What happens when you lie to yourself for so long, you feel almost like your dying? How seeing the one you love move on and you can’t do anything about it? How can love be forbidden? How can the one who has devoted their life to you not return the feelings you so desperately want? I am so blown away by this book, that I am salivating for the next one. June can’t come fast enough. Pepper Winters you took a chance with this and will blow everyone’s mind. 5 Plus Stars!