3.5 Fairytale Loving Stars! 
 Source: eARC for Honest Review Courtesy from Author 
 This is my first Katy Regnery book and it won't be my last. In his book it is considered to be a modern day Hansel & Gretel. I've got to admit that it has been over 30 years that I have read that fairytale so it was great to get a modern spin on a very old tale. 
 Here we have Holden 
 and Griselda who are foster brother and sister but have a huge bond after being abducted and held captive together for years. This event caused a strong requited love at a very young age. The one thing that kept them holding up hope were their shared feelings and dreams of the future. On one fateful day they have a chance to escape but their plans get spoiled causing a downward spiral of consequences from that day forward. 
 I'm whole. I'm whole because I'm with you. 
 Now 10 years later fate has intervened and brought these two back together, but its not all roses and unicorns with this reunion. Presently Griselda is in an abusive relationship as she thinks its all she deserves after her fateful choice, while Holden's going through the motions of life and his bevy of females since his heart is hollow after losing Gris. 
 Besides, taunted her cruel mind, he has a girlfriend . . . and a shitload of tally marks. (Ugh! Double standards. How can heroines get mad when they have their own boyfriends? How? Plus they were apart for TEN YEARS!!! ) 
 "We're both with people we don't even like," said Holden, reading her mind. "Do you have any idea how fucked-up that is?" 
 I liked the idea of this book so much but Griselda didn't win me over with all her double standards and insecurities. I get what they went through will play havoc on their emotional development but when reading it at times it becomes too much that you just want to her to finally get her head of the sand. 
 "I don't want to judge you for it." "Then don't" (Good idea. But it would have been to easy for this advice to be taken) 
 "Stop shakin' your head, Griselda Schroeder, because this is my truth, and I am sharing it with you, and you need to respect that." 
 "I'm breaking things off with him when I get home." (Gah! So frustrating) 
 "Girl, for the record, I think this code of silence is crazy." (Agree. WTF? Gris.) 
 "You d-don't trust me." (I get their insecurities but at times they became too much and drove me a bit batty) 
 Gris's past choices have caused an extreme collapse in her emotional capabilities when it comes to relationships. I loved Holden but Gris's wishy washy ways didn't always win me over. 
 The moment Holden sees Gris again he knows exactly what he wants. What he's always wanted. He will do anything to get it, even though to get their isn't an easy journey. He too had some coward and insecure moments but for the most part he captured me from the beginning to the end. 
 I understand the book being back and forth from past and present to 
 help us get into the mind set up the characters but at times I felt it 
 more distracting then helpful. In the end, I quite loved the book, but it took me awhile to get there. 
 It is a story about second chances, friends to lovers, forgiveness, survival, hope and love. 
 What was my favorite part of the story? The idea of the story. What was my least favorite? Gris's double standards and insecurities. Sorry I know that sounds harsh but there was just something about how she handled things that didn't endear her to me. Did I like the ending? Yes? Will I read more from Katy Regnery? Absolutely. Will I read more from this series? Yes 
 All quotes taken from pre-published eARC & may be altered or omitted in the final copy. 
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