I really enjoyed this book. I love the writing style of the Author and the pace of the story. The story maintained my attention and every day I was looking forward to continuing Holly and Tyson's story! This is the second book I've read by the Author with Torn being the first, and I continue to be more and more impressed the more I read.

I didn't really love the first book I read by this author so I didn't have super high hopes going into this one. Ended up DNF'ing this one somewhere between 10-15% because I couldn't relate to the characters, the writing is just okay, and I'd rather read something else. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to be an early reader. All thoughts are my own.

Two extremely broken people reunite many years after a series of horrific events upended their upbringing. Tied is a sad, beautiful love story.

Holly's prince reappears after he heroically rescued her from a bad guy. Their special connection is unfaultered as others try to keep them apart. The solace they find in each other to heal was heart-warming. The epilogue was everything as love endures for a lifetime.

Thank you, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) | Forever

I couldn't put it down! It's all about these two incredible characters, Holly and Tyler, who have both been through so much. Holly's past as an abductee and Tyler's reclusive lifestyle make them so relatable and intriguing. When they finally come together, it's like magic. They support and understand each other in ways that no one else can. Tyler's initial reluctance to let Holly in only adds to the tension and makes their eventual friendship even more heartwarming. I seriously couldn't get enough of their story. It's a beautiful journey of healing, growth, and the power of human connection. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a heartfelt and uplifting read. Trust me, you won't be disappointed!

This was such a trauma filled, emotional read for me. I love dark and deep novels, especially when the characters are tied together by and unspeakable bond, This book was incredible and any reader who loves an angsty romance will fall head over heels for this one, just be mindful of the TW as they are very real! Incredible story, so so good.

Holy Cow! Tied by Carian Cole was a fantastic read with a surprise twist I was NOT expecting.
After reading Torn, I was really looking forward to Tyler's story. His kindness towards animals and gruff/limited interactions with his brother made me think there was so much more to him and his story.

Here's what I loved:
🌹 The cover of this version is beautiful
🌹 I enjoy age gap romances and thought it was represented really well in Tied. Very different from the age gap trope in Torn.
🌹 Holly was a really interesting character. It was inspiring to follow her on her journey back to herself as she worked through her traumatic past. I loved the relationship she had with her brother and his wife. They met Holly where she was in her recovery and I appreciated that they never forced her to be "okay". The same couldn't be said for her parents though.
🌹 Again, that twist! I did not see it coming at all.
🌹 The ending and bonus epilogue were SO sweet. Perfection.

I tandem read Tied with the audio version and it perfectly complimented the reading experience. I highly recommend reading both versions together.

Thank you to NetGalley, Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and Carian Cole for an early review copy. These are my honest thoughts.

READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS ON THIS ONE FIRST

This story includes some extremely emotional moments and both main characters go through very traumatic experiences.
I saw that some people dubbed this a "today's beauty and the beast telling" and I can agree with that.

While I think this book was generally good, I don't think I loved it. This story was brutally slow for me and I just kept wanting to skip forward through the chapters to get to the good parts.

With some books I read that have very toxic relationships or storylines, I can overlook and eventually enjoy them so long as I like the characters and the overall story. This just didn't happen here for me.

After reading Torn, I could not wait to get my hands on the next installment in this incredible series. My interests in reading tend to be all over the place and I wanted something romantic, angsty, a little edgy but very far from cookie cutter. Torn and Tied have been that for me.

Tied is an inspiring story of perseverance and love. Tyler Grace and Holly Daniels show what life after trauma looks like. It is not always sunshine and rainbows and not everyone can heal 100% but with the love, care and commitment of those that truly love them, there can be something beautiful that comes from it.

The romance builds slow. But to be honest, it couldn't have happened any other way. These two individuals need to find their safe space to land and learn to love each broken piece of themselves.

I read this book in less than 4 hours. I couldn't put it down.

PS...Like Torn, animals are another central part in each characters rehabilitation. For me, I can't think of anything better.

Thanks to NetGalley for a copy for my review!

3.5⭐️

Tied by Carian Cole was definitely a heartbreaking and romantic read.

I almost put this one down, as it did have an age gap that threw me off a little. But as I was reading, I realized that Tyler also probably had a delay in traditional ‘aging’ too, as he was a similar age to Holly’s when his events happened to him.

Tyler was so sweet and showed he cared in so many ways. I cried over Holly’s story and I definitely wanted to see her grow into herself! I’m glad she had Feather, Zac and Anna by her side, as certain elements with her parents made me so frustrated.

This was a very different and interesting read for me, but I would recommend looking up trigger warnings before reading this, as it dealt with many heavy topics.

While I wish there was a bit more development, it was still a sweet love story and I did end up enjoying it! Thank you to NegGalley and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for an eARC in exchange for an honest review!

A beauty and beast retelling set in today's world. If anyone were to read this, please do check the trigger warnings as this is a pretty heavy novel. If you like a heart wrenching romance with many twists and turns, Tied is definitely the novel for you. Unfortunately, I couldn't fall in love with the story. I think the premise of the FMC being kidnapped/captured and then falling in love with her savior - was just simply not for me. I couldn't get over the age gap of her being a child and him being a full grown adult. The pacing was a bit odd as well.

However, if you're interested for an angsty age-gap romance, this may be it for you!

Thank you to NetGalley, Carian Cole, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for the complimentary ARC of this book. All opinions are my own. I was not compensated for this review.

Overall, I enjoyed the story quite a bit, but it felt somewhat rushed in places. It was a good story in many ways, yet I think with a bit more time spent on development, it could have been even better.

wowowow! this by no means was an easy read, but I thoroughly enjoyed it! this was my first by this author but I will for sure be running to read more by her! this was a slow burn but very healing.

thank you Forever & Carian Cole for the arc <3

Remember to check your triggers, as we get glimpses of Holly during her captivity. That aside this book drew me and didn't let go. I loved their relationship, it started slow and grew as they did. This is also a slow burn but that didn't even phase me. When their shared past was revealed, I was shook.

Kidnapped at the age of five, Holly's childhood and innocence were stolen from her. She took comfort in the fairytale books she carried in her backpack for eleven years, waiting for her prince to save her.

The man who saved her was scarred, covered in tattoos, and didn't speak.

The moment their eyes met, she knew he was the one, her prince.

Tyler Grace is haunted by his tragic past. So he's punished himself to a life of solitude in the woods.

The day he found Holly, he killed her captor with his bare hands. She was warned to stay away from him. But she can't stop thinking about him. She knows they both are both scarred and she's sure he's the only one who truly understands her.

Together they can have everything that once once felt impossible. But can they escape the horrible past that binds them together?

Thanks so much to the author and Forever Publishing for this ARC to review.

Oh, this book. Whew, let me start off by saying I enjoyed it. But it is not an easy read by any means.

Holly was abducted as a five year old. Her captor kept her for years with her only comfort being the fairytales she had in her backpack and her sweet dog. She wished for her prince to save her. Her prince came in the form of Tyler. Tyler has been living with his own demons. He's scared. He lives alone in the woods and barely talks.

Holly returns to her family, but it is very difficult. In a lot of ways, they've moved on. So, after a few years, Holly is reunited with Tyler.

Tied is not graphic in the way it tells us about Holly's past, but there are clues to how horrific it was for her. We also get Tyler's past, too.

Love grows in the most unexpected of places. It wasn't just two wounded souls coming together but two people who came to love each other the way no one else could.

It's a slow burn, with a LOT of issues between them, but when these two finally worked it out, I cheered. Tyler had to realize for himself what he had to give.

Broken pieces....

Holly has suffered plenty of trauma and abuse from a young age and for a very long time.
Tyler had a decent into all the bad things. He's tatted and doesn't talk, but he does do many illicit things.
He's an anti-hero and Holly is damaged and traumatized.
What I liked is that they weren't rushed into a physical relationship all too soon and without addressing her traumas. They both (but especially Holly) needed time to heal and deal with all the bad stuff and work through it.
This book has a lot of potential triggers, but its handled well.

Tied by Carian Cole is book Two in the All Torn Up Series. This is the story of Tyler and Holly. This is a interconnecting series so I do think it adds to your enjoyment if you have read the previous book. Holly had a rough time of it and wanting a hero but thinking she would never find that one. But then Tyler Grace happened and he didn't look like a hero that he turned out to be. I hope to read more from this author.

Ok thought I knew what j was getting myself into after the first book but wow! 😮 This book is FULL to the brim and overflowing with trauma! If that is not your thing walk away now as this will be trigger after trigger for you. But if you like the trauma this one was written for you.

This is one of those books where you stress over the characters because you care so much for them, and you feel all the feel! Very well written 🩷

It's really hard to rate this book. If you have a thing for lots and lots of trauma, then I give this book 4 or 5 stars. If trauma is hard for you, then 3 stars. There were definitely points in the book that I had to take a breather, and there's definitely a twist at the end that connects the characters even more that felt super far-fetched, but maybe is supposed to make me feel better about the emotional rollercoaster I was just on...

Tyler is your average motorcycle-riding bad boy who has had a very irregular descent into violence and anger after his face is burnt in a horrible accident. His girlfriend dumps him, he becomes addicted to drugs, sex, and fighting. But of course, this is a Romance (ish?), so he has a soft spot for Holly. She was kidnapped as a child and kept for years by a "horrible man" who abuses her sexually, physically, and emotionally. Even after Tyler saves her, her transition back into "normal life" is not smooth. Her parents treat her like she's broken, and she has a hard time navigating social situations, Tyler seems to be the only person who understands her and vice versa.

If you are looking to cuddle up with a book that will make you very nervous and worried for the characters, and your jaw drop with the sheer number of unlikely coincidences, then this is the book for you.

All Tyler did was save a girl and his life went to crap. He was already the wild loner, the scarred, and this alienated him even more.
Sweet, kind Holly experienced something no one, especially a child, should have to experience. Kidnapped as a child. Even after she's saved, does she get to have love and warmth in her life? No, poor girl is still alone. All she wants is her hero prince.

This deep slow burn was all about finding your twin flame, and healing. These two were meant for each other in every way. We literally got to read these two go from the worst of themselves, to finding each other again, to friends, to healing, to lovers. The spice was not emphasized here, and it was actually refreshing to have them wait for so long, especially given Holly's trauma. The healing was so integral to them and the story, and we are so glad it wasn't rushed. These two broken souls deserved the entire world and more, and we are so happy they got their happily ever after.

As with alot of Carians books, this story was heartbreaking and tragic. But having two very damaged people come together and heal, it's worth the hurt to get to the beautiful end. And like most fairytales go, in the end Holly does get her prince 🥰

4.5 out of 5 stars!

This book was mysterious and intriguing, and full of angst. Holly was kidnapped and held captive for 11 years. When she escaped, Tyler is the one who found her. You would think that his scarred face would have scared Holly, but nothing was worse than what she suffered in captivity. I was aghast at the dad that her family didn’t seem so welcoming, having her live in a facility and then her own apartment, not wanting much contact. I imagine I held a grudge against her parents for a majority of the book. Then there was finding out how Tyler’s face got scarred and how it was linked to Holly’s kidnapping??? Then Holly spending time with Tyler and their feelings growing? At first I thought Holly felt this connection to Ty because he rescued her. But really they were two lost souls who found each other and learned how to live life together.

I received an advance copy of this book at my request and voluntarily left this review.