Review: Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens

 

Title:  Never Let You Go: A Novel
Author:   Chevy Stevens   (Facebook) (Website) (Twitter)
Genre:   Mystery, Thriller and Suspense
Publisher: St. Martin's Press (March 14, 2017)
Length:  416 pages
Source: Netgalley.com

 

 

About Book: (From Good Reads) 

Eleven years ago, Lindsey Nash escaped into the night with her young daughter and left an abusive relationship. Her ex-husband was sent to jail and she started over with a new life. Now, Lindsey is older and wiser, with a teenage daughter who needs her more than ever. When her ex-husband is finally released, Lindsey believes she’s cut all ties. But she gets the sense that someone is watching her. Her new boyfriend is threatened. Her home is invaded, and her daughter is shadowed. Lindsey is convinced it’s her ex-husband, even though he claims he’s a different person. But can he really change? Is the one who wants her dead closer to home than she thought?

My Review/Rating:  Young Lindsay meets the handsome, Andrew Nash.  They are young and in love.  They get married quickly and things start to change.   Andrew become possessive and psychologically abusive.  Chevy Stevens skillfully shows the progression of abuse in their relationship.  They have a baby, Sophie but the abuse does not stop.   Finally, Lindsay flees with Sophie in fear for her life.   Andrew is arrested and sent to prison.  Author, Chevy Stevens gives the reader a up close and personal look at domestic abuse.  Some of the scenes, may be difficult for some to read as they are very charged and powerful. 

With Andrew in prison, Lindsay is able to start a new life with Sophie.  Lindsay is a very resilient and strong character.  Even though she is fearful, she bravely continues on with her life.  She makes a nice little life for herself and her daughter.  Lindsay then hears that Andrew has been released from prison.   She knows he will come to find her and Sophie.

Andrew is released and does attempt to contact Lindsay and Sophie.  Strange things start to help and Lindsay believes that Andrew is stalking her and Sophie.   Things unravel and Lindsay seeks assistance from others in her inner circle that she trusts.

Never Let You Go by Chevy Steven is told in the voice of Lindsay and Sophie.  The story shifts between the past and present giving more clues of the past through out the story.   I love that Never Let You Go moves quickly and keeps you on the edge of your seat from the very beginning.  Warning – if you get to the end of the book, plan on staying up until you finish the book!!   A very suspenseful, quick moving story with a bit of a twist.  

I have been a fan of Chevy Stevens for years and once again she does not disappoint.    Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens is a 4 star read for me!  You know a book is good, if  I am even reading it on my phone app!   The ending is intense…..you can’t stop reading and you have to finish the book!

Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens was also reviewed by Crime By the Book, Vilma’s Book Blog, and Clues and Reviews.

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Never Let You Go by Chevy Stevens was received from NetGalley.com reviewer program and St Martin’s Press in exchange for a fair review. All opinions are my own.  This post contains affiliate links.

Review: Those Girls by Chevy Stevens

Title: Those Girls
Author: Chevy Stevens (Author Website) (Facebook)
Narrators: Jorjeana Marie/Emily Woo Zeller/Nicol Zanzarella
Publisher:  Blackstone Audio
Length:  11 hours and 29 minutes
Source: Audiobook Jukebox‘s reviewer program
 
About the Book: (from Goodreads.com)
Chevy Stevens is back with her most powerful, emotional thriller yet— a story of survival…and revenge.

Life has never been easy for the three Campbell sisters. Jess, Courtney, and Dani live on a remote ranch in Western Canada where they work hard and try to stay out of the way of their father’s fists. One night, a fight gets out of hand and the sisters are forced to go on the run, only to get caught in an even worse nightmare when their truck breaks down in a small town. Events spiral out of control and a chance encounter with the wrong people leaves them in a horrific and desperate situation. They are left with no choice but to change their names and create new lives.

Eighteen years later, they are still trying to forget what happened that summer when one of the sisters goes missing and they are pulled back into their past.

This time there’s nowhere left to run.

As much of a thriller as it is a deep exploration of the bonds among sisters, THOSE GIRLS is an unforgettable portrait of desperation, loyalty, and evil.

About the Author:  (from author website)

Chevy Stevens grew up on a ranch on Vancouver Island and still calls the island home. For most of her adult life she worked in sales, first as a rep for a giftware company and then as a Realtor. While holding an open house one afternoon, she had a terrifying idea that became the inspiration for Still Missing. Chevy eventually sold her house and left real estate so she could finish the book. Still Missing went on to become a New York Times bestseller and win the International Thriller Writers Award for Best First Novel.  Chevy’s books have been optioned for movies and are published in more than thirty countries.

Chevy enjoys writing thrillers that allow her to blend her interest in family dynamics with her love of the west coast lifestyle. When she’s not working on her next book, she’s camping and canoeing with her husband and daughter in the local mountains.

About the Narrators: Jorjeana Marie/Emily Woo Zeller/Nicol Zanzarella - The narration was consistent and flowed very well.  I really found that the voice of each girl help me to identify with them as individuals.  I have enjoyed Jorjeana Marie as a narrator on numerous occasions and find her very talented.

My Review: Those Girls by Chevy Stevens is a story of three sisters, Jess, Courtney and Dani who had a very difficult life after their mother dies and are raised by their father on a ranch in western Canada.  After an altercation with their father the sisters leave home.  Those Girls by Chevy Stevens starts out as story of 3 sisters trying to get through a difficult situation to a story of survival for their lives.

The sisters make their way in a stolen truck to Cold Creek, which is where their nightmare begins.  This is a difficult read as you see the darkest of humanity and their actions.  The story is initially told by Jess and 18 years later the narration is taken over by her daughter Skylar. 

Halfway through listening to Those Girls, I realized I had already read the book.  It is so powerful as an audio that I had to finish it.  It is a very emotional read and you truly feel the fear and anger of the characters.  

The  nightmare begins again 18 years later when one sister is set on revenge.  Chevy Stevens is a masterful suspense writer that truly has you heart beating out of your chest until the end. 

My Rating: 3/5 – liked it- Those Girls is not get everyone, it is very intense and touches on the darkest side of humans and trauma they can cause.   You truly feel the fear of the characters. I literally wanted to stop listening, though I knew the ending.  Those Girls is a true thriller with skillful pacing, which maintains the suspense throughout the story and great character development.   You are really invested in and care about the characters. 

My Rating Scale: 1 – didn’t like it; 2 – it was ok; 3 – liked it; 4 – really liked it; 5 – it was amazing

Those Girls by Chevy Stevens was also reviewed on the following blogs:  That's What She Read, Vegan Daemon,  Criminal Element.com, Book Journey, and Booking Mama .

Happy Reading!

**Disclosure – Those Girls by Chevy Stevens was received from Audiobook Jukebox’s reviewer program and Blackstone Audio in exchange for a fair review. Opinions are my own.