Release: 1 (The Release Series)

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My heart went out for Althea Floye Hull, as he sits under a tree, mourning the loss if her mother. Ramsey Stewart jumps down the same tree, landing on her and breaking her foot. This could be a sign of things to come, he then proceeds to break her heart and her life in the years to come. We were two lonely people who relied on each other. We’d never been brainwashed enough to believe that the world wasn’t a horrible place. We’d been disenchanted with the beauty of life since the day we’d met. But we had each other. That was the one constant we needed for happiness." Because when I was ten years old, I met a boy. I hated him. But I needed him like my veins needed blood. He broke my leg. He broke my patience. And eventually he broke my heart. But there hasn’t been a minute that’s passed that I haven’t loved him with every single broken shard.”

When they're in high school, whats supposed to be one of the best nights of their lives turns into something tragic and traumatic and sets things on a whole different trajectory for them both. Though Ramsey is only seventeen, he's sent to prison for over a decade. For years, Thea stays true to him. She never gives up on him or their love. Even though Ramsey is insistent she lets him go and moves on with her life, she can't. She can never move past their love. For her, there is only him. And now that he's released, she's ready to prove it. When I first started this book, I had no idea what I was going to get besides heartbreak. This author has always managed to give her readers something different while still having a beauty in the story. Release is a friends to lovers romance that will give you heartbreak, fill you with hope, and make you believe in the power of love all over again He, albeit reluctantly, lives in her home, refuses to eat her food, uses her money, time, wears the clothes she buysAly Martinez is the queen of feels and plot twists. The woman will tug at every heart string you have and then turn your world upside down with a twist you never see coming. And Release brings both of those things in spades. MAN. My heart. My whole heart. Thea and Ramsey are both fighters. They were both dealt a crappy hand in life, but they always had each other and that made all the difference. I loved Thea so much. She's definitely going on my 'top heroines' list. She's resilient, faithful, and unwavering in her love and devotion. Ramsey was amazing as well. Though there were times I wanted to shake him, I completely understood why he did the things he did. Their story was heart breaking at times, but it was also healing and beautiful. He broke my leg. He broke my patience. And eventually he broke my heart. But there hasn’t been a minute that’s passed that I haven’t loved him with every single broken shard.” I recommend this to those who likes: Aly Martinez, friends to lovers, second chance, coming-of-age, enemies to lovers, slow burn, emotional read, and a happily ever after. There are several elements I enjoyed about this story. Namely, how Thea and Ramsey connected at such a crucial time in their lives and experienced so many firsts together. Ramsey is such a noble character with a big heart, and while sometimes it is to his detriment, it makes him endearing. As for Thea, she is strong character, though some point she needs to realize she isn’t the only one suffering. However, Thea knows the value of friends and family.

As for safety, neither of them sleeps with another person. She waits for him for so many years and when he comes out of prison, he doesn't sleep with anyone else although he pushes her away all the time. Thea hated Ramsay when she met him but at that time she would have hated anyone, there was so much bitterness in her. Ramsay's smile, his cheerfulness, his persistence of not letting Thea's abrasive behavior drive him away broke through her walls and they became first best friends, then lovers and then...nothing. The tables have turned and it is now Thea fighting for Ramsay. Isn't that beautifully righteous? And fight she does. Damn that girl can play dirty. I loved how she just soldiered on although she was dying inside from the hurt Ramsay delivered because he thought he needed to protect her. Overall, this novel was not just another amazing story by this author, but a powerful portrayal of a couple who came out on the other side after years of painful and tumultous heartbreak. Ramsey and Thea found a safe haven in one another throughout their whole lives and Martinez portrayed that beautifully. Bravo! 5 stars! ~Ratula ❤

Publication Order of Retrieval Duet Books

Their happily ever after was plainly all Thea's effort. She never once gave up. I understood the way she behaved when she was a kid. She acted meanly tow

If you always wanted to try one of Aly Martinez's books, this is a great place to start. RELEASE is a complete standalone with new characters that will give you all the feels, some humor, intense storytelling and a beautiful story about soulmates who deserve their HEA.

The two of us could sit outside for hours talking about nothing, and it filled the massive hole in my chest with new life. I got invested in the budding symbiotic friendship of Thea and Ramsey from the get go. Aly manages to adeptly paint the innocent love picture, complete with rosy hues and starry dreams. All pulled away in the blink of an eye, stomped on and tattered in a single fateful night.