Review: Tied by Carian Cole

He was the myth and the legend of our small town. But no one knew the truth... except me.

Me
My childhood was stolen by a monster. I’ve forgotten what love feels like. What happiness feels like. What hope feels like. I am numb.

Him
He’s possibly as damaged as I am. Maybe even more. Scarred just as much on the inside as the outside. Just like me. He doesn’t speak. He doesn’t smile. He hides in the woods like an animal. I should be scared of him. But I’m not. He’s the only one who has ever made me feel. And I want to make him feel, too.
Everything...


** Can be read stand-alone.

** This is a slow burn romance. It is not erotica, nor are there lots of sex scenes. This is about two lonely, damaged people learning to trust, love, and find happiness. Their story does not revolve around sex.

** There is no cheating in this book.

** While the heroine was kidnapped and abused mentally and physically as a child, I do not give any graphic details about what happened to her out of respect to survivors who may read this book. This book focuses on hope and moving forward and I felt there was no need to include graphic details to get the point across. 

4.5 Stars
Review by Jen Skewes

This book was so much more than I could have ever expected.  To be honest I signed up for it knowing it was Tyler's story and really knew nothing else about the story itself. But I'll say going in blind was the perfect way to read this book.  This book was just so beautiful and amazing.  It deals with two very damaged, very lonely and very broken people.  It is about hope and finding happiness even if you feel you don't deserve it. 

Holly has been living in hell for the past ten years.  I'm not even sure you can call it living.  More like trying to survive.  She was held captive for so many years just waiting for her prince to come and rescue her.  When he finally does rescue her he disappears just as quickly.  But a year later she unexpectedly finds him.  His name is Tyler Grace and while he did save Holly, he is no prince.  And least he doesn't seem to think so.  

Tyler is a loner, a recluse who lives deep in the woods by himself.  But he likes it that way.  He once had a great life.  He was an athlete in high school, had a beautiful girlfriend, was close to his family.  But in one instance everything changed.  He knows when Holly keeps coming around to his house that he should tell her to leave but he's drawn to her.  For the first time in a long time he has managed to smile again.  He knows that she has been through hell and knows that she's trying to survive in a world that is very foreign to her.  He must take things slow, be her friend and help her to move on.  But it's not that easy. They are both so broken inside that you have to wonder if they can ever truly heal and move forward with their life ?  Is love and friendship the one thing that they both need to make that happen?  

Ahhh!!  I loved this book so much.  First to see how much of a struggle life is now for Holly was done in such a way that you understood her fears, her insecurities and her pain.  Ms. cole never went into graphic detail about what happened to her but you knew. And that just made you feel for this girl even more.  She was so young and naive, so innocent, so lost in a world that she didn't know or understand.  But Tyler was that person to help her. Being with him was the only place that she truly felt safe.  She found comfort with her prince and he felt it with her. And that is what made this story so beautiful and emotional.  

Tied is one of those stories that will stay with you.  A story of hope and love, friendship and healing.  Two broken souls finding love and comfort in each other.  There was a twist that was so unexpected and made me wonder how this would affect Holly and Tyler.  Would this cause them both to take two steps back and ruin what they had?  

Carian Cole has a beautiful way with words.  The writing is flawless.  She made me feel everything with every word written.  No words can really express how amazing this story was.  It's one you that you have to experience for yourself and just feel.