A solid 4.5 so I'll round up.

Scrappymags 3-word review: Riveting on-the-run mystery

Shortest summary ever: Lindsey Nash escapes and divorces her abusive husband who is in now (and fortunately) serving time in prison. She and her teenage daughter have created a meaningful, successful life for themselves until... Lindsey's husband is released from prison and strange things start happening.

What's good under the hood: I love Stevens' writing style - it's direct and her story-telling is accurately paced and intriguing. I love her engrossing characterization - that Lindsey is no damsel in distress. I hate to admit it, but I will, that I am often critical of women who stay in abusive relationships, particularly with the many resources available to help women (I solemnly swear I try not to judge) so I was thrilled that Lindsey is a take-control person - moved to a new location, protecting her daughter, attenting a support group, engaging in self-defense classes etc. What I loved most was the realistic portrayal of what it's like when an abuser is freed from prison. They know the system. The system sucks. That feeling - being frightened yet not wanting to scare your child and at the same time feeling empowered to stay and not let the abuser win - I think that dynamic was wonderfully written and probably crazy accurate. The twists and turns are realistic and the suspense kept me hooked reading until 3am. No cloyingly dumb characters that sometimes plague the genre (yes!), thus intelligently written with taut suspense.

What's bad or made me mad: Another book that I can't think of anything too negative. Minor lulls in the storyline knocked off a mere 1/2 point. Close readers might catch some foreshadowing but many paths of suspicion will lead readers in different directions.

Recommend to:

Fans of suspense
Another good book club read as it deals with abuse issues
Stevens fans should be thrilled. I've only read one other book of hers but I've chatted with her diehards who firmly sit with me in the "Thumbs Up" category.

Thanks to NetGalley and St. Martin's Press for an advanced copy in exchange for my sleepless night and my honest review.

This is the first book I have read by this author and, on the back of what I have read, it definitely won't be the last. It is the story of Lindsey Nash who, eleven years ago, managed to escape her abusive relationship and started a new life with her teenage daughter whilst her ex languished in jail. Sadly, all good things come to an end as Lindsey is notified of his release. As things happen to her that have her senses tingling, with her husband now free, is she still safe or is her nightmare about to start again?
Oh my goodness, I whizzed through this book, hanging from every word I devoured. This author sure does know how to ramp the tension up to high! She is also pretty good at leading a reader a merry dance as she lured me into one direction only to throw curve ball after curve ball as she spun me around until, by the end, I was quite dizzy. Very very satisfied but completely done in.
Her characters are all brilliantly drawn and all very credible. Well, within their personalities and storyline anyway! I managed to make connections with several from the off and that always helps me as a reader. The others I warmed to slowly but soon enough to make sure I was well and truly emotionally invested in what was going on. The story itself was, to me anyway, quite original. A little predictable at times but I would put that down to the fact that I read an awful lot of this genre and so I can probably spot things going on easier than some. There were some threads that were screaming out to be followed and I had a few inklings of where they would lead but I had to be patient and wait for the author to allow me to go there. Definitely worth the wait though, I can tell you!
I already mentioned that this was my first book by the author but it really didn't feel like that at all. After only a couple of chapters I found myself very comfortable with the writing style, almost like she was already one of my favourite authors. Obviously I am going to nurture this connection and plough my way through her back catalogue. So many books, so little time sigh...

My thanks go to the Publisher and Netgalley for the chance to read this book.

Never Let You Go is the first book by Chevy Stevens I have read, and Wow! it was amazing.
I started reading it having already heard good things so I was really looking forward to getting stuck in.
Little did I realise just how compelling this book would be. I had sleepless nights because I could not put it down, thinking I'll read just one more chapter, then another and another......
The author brought the characters to life, I really felt like I knew them and the ending was a complete surprise.

This book is utterly brilliant and I recommend it to everyone who enjoys these kind of psychological thrillers. It might only be March, but I'd say this book will be in my top ten of the year.

Thank you!

I had a review copy of this book months before its release date and kept putting off reading it until closer to publication but finally succumbed after seeing a few reviews appearing around the place.

I really loved Chevy Stevens' Still Missing which I read years ago, have read almost all of her books since and follow the author on social media. In a non-stalkerish way. #Obvs

Unfortunately I had no idea I was going to get so engrossed in this book which I read in one very long bath-sitting. I actually started it after finishing something else, thinking I'd just flick through the first few chapters....

(I insert blurb here)

A couple of hours later I'd had to exit the bath to refill my champagne glass and stock up on chuppa chup lollipops. (Or as I like to think of them... h'orderves)

So, obviously I loved this book.

Stevens flits about in time a little in the beginning of the book and gets us up to speed quickly.

I liked that she didn't draw Lindsey's life / relationship with Andrew out excessively. We popped in on a few occasions over several years to see him change from an older and slightly controlling - though mostly charming - suitor, to a more controlling and jealous newlywed, to an abusive (and mostly apologetic) husband. Of course those around Lindsey weren't aware of his behaviour, exacerbated by his heavy drinking and by the time their daughter Sophie is 7, Lindsey feels stuck. But rather than a lengthy cat and mouse scenario during which Lindsey fears for her life and laboriously plots her escape, Andrew is incarcerated... so she and Sophie flee and don't look back.

In the present it's 11 years later and Sophie is about to turn 18. Lindsey owns a small cleaning business, is happy with her life and has started a new relationship when she discovers Andrew has been released from jail.

When things start to happen: someone's been inside a client's house and then her own place, Lindsey knows it's Andrew. But things are complicated this time around as she soon learns that Sophie has reached out to her father and seems convinced by his stories of redemption and transformation.

Of course the backcover blurb and Stevens' past record make it pretty obvious that things won't actually be as cut and dry as we suspect. Andrew is not the only possible culprit and seems concerned about the accusations, claiming it's not him.

So, with a twisty and addictive plot Stevens lures us in, offering up complex characters in Lindsey, Sophie and Andrew. And then there's Lindsey's boyfriend who she seems reticent to commit to; Sophie's brand new boyfriend (who seems unduly fascinated with her mother); Lindsey's long-term support and self-defence instructor who understands loss; as well as her brother... who worries for her safety.

It's rare I'm kept guessing until the end but Stevens managed to do just that, offering up some obvious suspects and many red herrings. And I was floored by something that occurred 2/3 of the way through the book and... Really. Did. Not. Expect. It.

So... in case it's not obvious, I adored this new release from the talented Canadian author and highly recommend it.

This was a very solid mystery thriller. I was hooked by this book from the first page and I had a really hard time putting it down. I do have to say that the beginning of the story was a bit better in my opinion. I liked the last half of the story as well but it just wasn't quite as enjoyable. I picked up this book because I was looking for a change of pace and it definitely filled that need. This book really turned out to be quite the page turner.

The book opens in the past and it does jump around in time for the first bit of the story. Lindsey is the focus of this book and as the story beginnings we learn piece by piece what her marriage to Andrew is like. There were some scenes that were truly frightening. Eventually Lindsey is able to get away from her abusive husband with her daughter. Her husband gets in wreck that same night that ends up sending him to jail for the next ten years.

Lindsey and her daughter, Sophie, have been moving on with their life. Lindsey owns her own housekeeping business and Sophie is almost done with high school. They have connections and are doing okay. Sophie doesn't remember everything that happened between her parents and was shielded from most of it by her mother when it was happening. She is curious about her father and reaches out to him while he was in prison. Unfortunately, this means that he knows where they are.

This book took a few twists and turns and there were some things that happened that completely caught me off guard. I thought that Lindsey's fear of Andrew was demonstrated remarkably well. There were several characters that I didn't quite trust completely. There were also more than a few moments that I really wished Sophie would just listen to her mother. While I wasn't completely sold by the ending, I did really appreciate the fact that this book ended up in a direction that I would have never guessed.

I would recommend this book to fans of mystery thrillers. This is only the second book by Chevy Stevens that I have read but I do enjoy her writing style. I plan to read more of her work very soon.

I received an advance reader edition of this book from St. Martin's Press via NetGalley

Skillfully constructed, menacing and incredibly gripping!

This is a riveting, suspenseful thriller that reminds us how easy dominance, intimidation, manipulation and obsession can be mistaken for love and how long-lasting the emotional, psychological and physical effects of domestic abuse has on its victims.

The characters are strong, resolute and wounded. The writing is flawless. And the character-driven plot with its past/present style, fast-pace, twists, turns and surprises keeps you engaged, immersed and on the edge of your seat from the very first page.

What more can I say? This truly is a well written mystery about survival, friendship, familial relationship, motivations, secrets, fear and revenge that I highly recommend.

Thank you to NetGalley, especially St. Martin's Press, for providing me with a copy in exchange for an honest review.

Whoa...this book was intense! From start to finish it was a non stop page-turning, riveting story that held my interest with every paragraph. Every foreshadowing moment was carefully laid out, any character's action (good or bad) was deliberately written. I found myself wanting to skim pages to get to the next event in the storyline, but I made myself go back because I didn't want to overlook anything!
Even when I felt like I finally had the story wrapped up in my mind, something else came along that threw it all to the wind.
I'm looking forward to picking up more of Stevens's previously written books - this was a fabulous and thrilling way for me to be introduced to her work.
I highly recommend this book, but I suggest you only pick it up if you have the time to devour it properly, it's hard to put down.

NEVER LET YOU GO by talented author Chevy Stevens, (author of Still Missing), is a fast-paced psychological thriller with alternating POVs and twists and turns that will satisfy fans of psychological thrillers and keep them guessing until the end. This novel is due for release in March 2017. I loved it!

This novel focuses on domestic abuse and the impact it has on family and relationships.

Lindsey flees with her daughter Sophie, from her abusive, alcoholic controlling husband, Andrew after suffering years of mental and physical abuse. Even when he was sober, he was jealous and cruel and threatened to hurt her if she ever left him. When he starts using their daughter Sophie as a pawn, Lindsey must step in to protect her child.

“Our marriage isn’t working. I’m not happy. You’re drinking all the time-and Sophie sees, she knows. You won’t let me do anything. You’re so controlling. I feel like I’m suffocating.”

Her ex-husband, Andrew had gotten into a car accident when he had been drinking and someone had died, and he was sent to jail…and Lindsey and her daughter start over with a new life. But Andrew is eventually released.

And then strange things start to happen to her and she involved the police again. Lindsey believes that she has cut all ties. There is no way that he can ever find her or her daughter again! Lindsey runs a cleaning business, and she thinks that she is being stalked by her ex-husband. Andrew has always liked to play mind games!

But someone is watching her…tracking her every move. Her new boyfriend is threatened and her home is invaded. Will she have to move again?

This novel is told from 2 POV (Lindsey and Sophie) and alternating between past and present tense. The character development was excellent. I admired Lindsey’s strength and the strong bond between mother and daughter. I also enjoyed Sophie's point of view, and teenage perspective on life. There was so much to this novel to like.

Another winner from Chevy Stevens.

Many thanks to Chevy Stevens, St. Martin’s Press and Netgalley for the ARC.

3 stars--I liked the book. (Warning for some brief scenes of animal violence, lots of domestic violence.)

If you've read and enjoyed any of Chevy Stevens' other books, you'll probably like this one too--it has similar twists and themes as her previous books.

Like all her books, this one was difficult to read in parts (some of her descriptions of domestic violence made my stomach hurt), but also very "readable"--I kept turning pages to find out what would happen. There are plenty of red herrings here, and the pacing was brisk.

Stevens' writing is very simple, but I think it gets better with every book.

I received this review copy from the publisher on NetGalley. Thanks for the opportunity to read and review; I appreciate it!

When Lindsey Nash met her husband she thought she had met her knight in shining armor, but soon after they were married he started to show his true colors, and she found that he was nothing like the man she thought she married. He spent his nights trying to find the bottom of the bottle, and it brought out an angry, possessive man that wasn't above getting a little rough to get his point across, and more times than not Lindsey found herself taking the brunt of it. Being abused by her husband left her ashamed and scared to confide in anyone about what was happening since it was likely to bring about more abuse, but finally after enduring years of it she found the courage to speak up, and tell her brother what was happening, and from there he helped her devise a plan to break away from this miserable world she found herself stuck in... but her husband wasn't about to let her and their young daughter get a way so easily. Soon after leaving him he winds up in jail and for the first time in a long time Lindsey starts to feel like she can breath a sigh of relief, her and her daughter then enjoy eleven years of freedom from him. But the happy little life they have created for themselves is now in jeopardy, he is being released from prison and Lindsey is certain she is about to pay for the last eleven years he spent behind bars...

It has been a while since I have read something that completely captivated my attention the way this one did, from the very first page I was hooked, it was SO addictive!!! This was my first read from this author and I have to say she totally lured me in with her gripping tale, I was teetering on the edge of my seat the whole way through!! It is definitely one of the best mystery's I have had the pleasure of reading this year!!

This spine tingling little tale will reach out and grab you, have you on the edge of your seat gasping for your next breath, and keep you guessing right up and until the very last page!!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this title.

This was a good thriller. It was suspenseful, and the twist surprised me (though looking back at it, I'm a little mad at myself for not realizing it). This was my first Chevy Stevens books, but I will definitely be reading more in the future!

Oh how I enjoyed this fabulous thriller. Chevy Stevens is amongst my favourite authors - she never disappoints and this one is one of her very best. I was so pleased to have the opportunity to read her latest novel and later on to review it. ‘Never Let You Go’ is full of mystery and suspense that does not let up throughout the whole story.
Lindsey Nash and her husband Andrew are made for each other and she loves the gentle and respectful way he treats her. He adores her and shows it unashamedly. He’s handsome, hard working and a real gentleman. Just what else could a girl wish for? So when their treasured daughter Sophie is born and he becomes a hands-on father, Lindsey could not be happier. He is so proud of his girls that she feels really blessed. He looks after her family and even makes her father up to be his foreman. Life is so good.
But gradually things change. Andrew enjoys a drink with his team on the way home; a release, whether in celebration of a job well done, or in harder, worrying times. He is not a happy drunk and becomes belligerent and demanding; even controlling and jealous. Lindsey begins to feel the threat of his presence and is fearful when he arrives home, wondering what his mood will be like that night. Matters deteriorate as the years go by until one night she can bear it no longer and takes flight with her young daughter; a carefully planned and executed escape. But Andrew wakes and discovers his family missing. In his haste to catch up with them and bring them home he is involved in a fatal car accident and is gaoled. Lindsey and Sophie make a new life for themselves. She makes a new home for herself and her daughter, obtains a divorce, builds up a cleaning business and gets on with her life.
When Andrew is released a decade later he says he is a different man; totally changed and that he accepts her decision to move on. But Lindsey can’t help but feel that she is being watched and all the old fears come back. She is convinced that Andrew will never let go of his obsession with her. Then when her home is breached and her boyfriend is attacked she fears for her life and once again decides that she and Sophie must seek a safe haven before it is too late.
The sense of menace and danger escalates as the story continues through a series of twists and turns and shockingly violent actions. I literally could not put the novel down. The fast paced storytelling and absorbing story kept me reading late into the night and resuming again as soon as I woke up. The characters were wonderfully developed, believable, some endearing and others dark and disturbed. I loved the way Chevy looked at the situation and motives of each of the characters and wrote with compassion and empathy. I felt afraid for Lindsey and Sophie, tingling with anticipation and worried about their survival. But there was also good use of ‘smoke and mirrors’ and things were not always as I expected them to be. The suspense was crippling and the final few chapters haunted me until at last the truth was laid bare. I would like to thank NetGalley and publisher Sphere for my copy of ‘Never Let You Go’, sent to me in return for an honest review. It was chilling in the extreme, a real cracker of a read. This is a 4.5* read, unmissable to those readers who are enthralled by this genre.

Never Let You go is a psychological thriller that most times had me on the edge of my seat. Just as I was beginning to relax, It caught me off guard and it started all over again. Lindsay is the mother of a teen aged daughter, Sophie, and they are both victims of domestic abuse. As a reader I felt frustration, fear and anger at times. This was an excellent thrill ride for me. Thank you Netgalley and St. Martin's Press for the Advanced Readers Copy.

See link to goodreads review

Never Let You Go is a well-written suspense novel with memorable characters and a fast-paced storyline.

The novel opens with Lindsey Nash, a young woman married to an abuser, Andrew. They have a small daughter and they are in Mexico on vacation. This chapter is a perfect way for Chevy Stevens to showcase an example of Andrew's manipulation and abuse of Lindsey.

From then on, we get Lindsey and Sophie's POV with the narrative jumping between past and future.

In the past, Lindsey meets Andrew and falls in love and details how the marriage changed from a happy one to an abusive one.

In the future, Lindsey is living in a small town with her seventeen-year-old daughter Sophie who's about to finish high school. Lindsey is dating Greg after many years of being alone while Sophie is dating one of her classmates. Things are looking up for both women until Andrew is back in the picture and Lindsey starts feeling like someone is stalking her... And just when I thought I knew where the story was going, a TWIST happens.
Wow, what a TWIST it was!! It made this story so much more. From that moment on, I couldn't put the book down. I NEEDED to know how it was going to end. In the end, I was very satisfied with its resolution although, I couldn't avoid feeling sad about a certain event and wishing for a different outcome but that just might be me.

I won't hesitate to read another book by this author. Never Let You Go is a winner.

Cliffhanger: No

4/5 Fangs

A complimentary copy was provided by St. Martin's Press via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Wow what a read, it's a fast pace novel that grips you right in, a real page turner which will have you hooked until the last page.
It tells the story of Lyndsey who is married to her controlling and abusive husband Andrew, Lyndsey sets out a plan to leave him with her daughter Sophie, little does she know that her leaving leaves a trail of despair and destruction. 10 years later and her husband is free and he wits them back. Your in for one hell of a treat from Chevy Stevens with this book.

Another excellent read from Chevy Stevens. So many twists and turns that it is difficult to know who to trust. A fast paced page turner and well worth more than the five stars I can give

Its been a long time since I read my first book by this author, Still Missing, I enjoyed that and I loved this one too,the lady knows how to write,no doubt there.This book is told from the point of view of Lindsey and her daughter Sophie and tells the story of the aftermath of an abusive relationship.the question is can you ever really be free,that is the crux of the book really, no spoilers but the tension really rockets and you don't know what the outcome is going to be,and I'm not going to tell you.I recommend that you get a copy of this book by hook or crook and read it for yourself its well worth it I'm very grateful to Netgalley and the Publishers for an ARC in return for an honest review.

This was my first Stevens book but I’m not even exaggerating when I say before I even made it to the halfway point of this book I had filled my Amazon cart with every other book she’s released. I don’t often find myself so connected to an authors writing, you guys know I read a lot and I generally know how to choose books that I end up liking, but not always loving. But this time? I’m completely hooked on Stevens, I feel like I found one of my new favorite, auto buy authors. Is there a better feeling for a bookaholic?! I don’t think so.

This is told from two perspectives; Lindsey a woman who has escaped a really frightening past and her daughter, Sophie. It flashes back from past to present outlining Lindsey’s abusive relationship and how it all ended to now when Sophie’s all grown up and they’re both settled and as happy as can be expected. Stevens transitions back and forth flawlessly drawing you in steadily, hooking you in with razor sharp writing and an unbelievably tense plot. The sense of dread and anxiety gradually amps up as I feared for Lindsey and Sophie’s safety. It was one of those reads where my heart was in my throat for the majority of the book.

There were so many unpredictable twists here that I’m choosing to avoid discussing the plot at all really. The characterization was amazing, I loved Lindsey and Sophie and thought their relationship was genuine and heartfelt. The insight into a troubling abusive marriage was authentic, chilling and disturbing, so beware if abuse is a trigger for you. I loved how the mounting tension resulted in a heart pounding climax, my anxiety was through the roof but I love when a thriller makes me feel like that. If, like me you’ve been living under a rock and haven’t read Stevens before AND you consider yourself a fan of thrillers, pre order this one, its remarkable.