I loved the two halves of a story this gives us. There was a sort of poetic justice in seeing Ramsey fight for Thea and do everything she doesn't realize she needs in the first half as they were kids, to then watch Thea return the favor for Ramsey all those years later. She doesn't shy away from his growling and convincing he doesn't need her. She knows the heart beneath the new roughened exterior and she won't rest until she proves that their love isn't so easily forgotten. stars for Twenty-four years, three months, one week, five days, eighteen hours, eleven minutes, and counting… 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. There are two things in this world that Ramsey cares about. His little sister and a girl who stole his start from the moment he fell out of a tree. But when he goes to prison at the age of seventeen for doing something he felt was right at the moment, little did Ramsey know that he was going to spend the next twelve years without the love of his life and that one moment will change his loved ones. Thea ignores his rejection yet lives a good life; reaches her goals; makes a name for herself; travels, etc

Then, nearly 12 years ago, that awful thing happens to the heroine she is raped, the hero goes to prison and as far as we know, he killed the guy who raped the girl he loved but the truth comes out much later and it is an infuriating revelation. Actually, his sister was also raped by the same guy so she kills him and her brother (our hero) takes the blame. Release flits from 'Past to Present' seamlessly, allowing us a broader connection with these two characters. Eleven year Ramsey and his younger sister Nora were the newcomers to Clovert, moving just doors down from Thea after being evicted from their home.So, yeah. Aly Martinez had me all up in my feelings again with this one. WAY up. But the two most prevalent ones had me laughing at one point and smiling from ear to ear the next - hilarious anecdotes and deep discussions of the past providing a serious emotional barricade. But that certainly doesn't negate the fact that a twist thrown in there didn't just make me gasp like, "no biggie!" But with that first kiss, Ramsey sealed our promises. Promises that would change us for the better, for the worse, and for everything in between. 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 The reason I list those is because, when I rate books, I rate them against other books within the same genre or, if I have read other books by that same author, against other books by that author. This was the perfect escape away from the silly season, there’s nothing I would change about this book, a slow burn that got its hooks into me chapter by chapter, So easy to get into, so hard to put down!.. Oh how I loved these two! Soul mates from the age of ten, first kiss, first love, first heartache, first everything. An emotional rollercoaster, a twist in the plot that ripped my heart out, lies and deception, and an all consuming love, this book had it all..

RELEASE:' Is a coming of age, full length romance, standalone novel by Aly Martinez. Spoken in 'Dual Perspectives.' Thea and Ramsey owned my heart from the very first chapter. Martinez takes you on a spellbinding journey as they meet as children. What starts off as grudging friendship between two broken kids, slowly blooms into something much more potent. Ramsey and Thea meet at a time where they need each other the most, though Ramsey's pain isn't as obvious as Thea's. Young Ramsey is undeterred by Thea's hissing and swatting him away as kids. He slowly but surely weaves his way into her heart with his easy smile and sweet demeanor. But that easy smile hides painful secrets, secrets that young Thea doesn't spot right away. Their friendship slowly blossoms into teenage love, but then one dark evening shatters their life as they know 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 But carved into my soul for the rest of my days would be the earth-shattering realization that the woman in my arms wasn’t my wife. 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. The twist towards the end just punched me in the gut and I wasn't ready to forgive either. #IStandWithThea. Thea and Ramsay are two of the most resilient people I've read about in a while - they have that survivor's gene that just won't let them give up, no matter how dire the situation looks. But I guess, when you know you're fighting for your soul mate there is no such thing as giving up. Thea and Ramsay were meant to be but until they were allowed to have their happily ever after my heart took quite a beating. But that's Aly Martinez for you - she makes you hurt and earn those happy moments. She makes sure that you deserve that happy ending when you get there.