Shhh, Mommy's in the Bathroom.,.Reading: Never Let Go By Nicola Haken #4 Take My Hand Series with Review & Giveaway

In the final book of the Take My Series, Emily and Dexter are finally on course to a happy future. Arriving back in the UK with Aunt Sarah in tow, everything seems to be slotting into place. For the first time in his life, Dexter has found his purpose. Surrounded by family, friends and the woman he adores, he has at long last made peace with his demons and is determined to fight for the life he now knows he deserves.

With best friend Rachel back by her side and a resolve to work things out with her parents once and for all, Emily’s life is also on the right track. Or so she thinks… When a tragic revelation threatens to destroy Emily’s world, it sends her spiraling down a path leading to more secrets, lies and heartache – leaving her questioning her whole life and everyone in it. To top it off, Emily almost lost one of the most important men in her life once before, is it about to happen again? “This is it, doll. Our future. I need you to hold on to it and never let go.”

Never Let Go

By Nicola Haken

#4 (and final) in the Take My Hand series

Review by Christina

5 stars

Have you ever picked up the last book in a series with trepidation because you just weren’t ready for it to end? That’s this book for me; it is a series I have come to love and I’m not ready to say goodbye.

Never Let Go picks up where both books two and three leave off (books two and three take place simultaneously, for the most part). Spoilers (If you have not read this series yet, STOP HERE! Immediately go and one-click book one, Take My Hand and catch up, trust me, it’s worth it!) At the end of book two, Hold On Tight, a bombshell is dropped that Chris has a brain tumour. Needless to say, this news sets the tone for the mood of the final book. But while chronicling the last days of a person you love can be gut wrenching and destroy you emotionally, Ms. Haken has managed to craft moments where the love between these characters is so readily apparent, you can’t help but smile, and understand that while his time on this planet may have been short, Chris was important to a lot of people in many different ways.

In this volume we really get back to what made the first book, Take My Hand, so good, the relationships. Emily and Dexter have managed to move on from the drama that had taken place in the States and their relationship is stronger than ever. Dexter has matured greatly, understanding that he will always be an addict, and is quickly able to recognize the triggers that made him use and work through them, rather than turning back to the drugs. Emily has matured greatly as well, especially when learning a huge family secret, which makes the relationship with her parents make a whole lot more sense.

We also watch Jared & Rachel’s relationship strengthen as they get closer and closer to becoming parents. They each have major physical obstacles to overcome, but they must learn to cope and conquer, knowing they will soon have two little lives depending on them. Even Aunt Sarah’s life is about to change in a major way, one which no one saw coming!

Never Let Go is a very proper send off for a group of individuals who ended up becoming more of a family than anyone could dream of. There were plot twists that I didn’t see coming that made Chris’s sendoff easier to digest, although you will still want to have the tissues handy. I have loved Ms. Haken’s use of humour throughout the series and there is no shortage of it in this book, despite the emotional heaviness of it. Snickers (Rachel) is back with a vengeance and her banter with just about everyone lightens the mood significantly, and the relationship that has developed between Chris and Dexter goes beyond friendship, right into brotherhood. This series has played upon nearly every emotion that we can experience and yet at the end we’re given such a sense of catharsis that these people, through all of the trials and tribulations over the last year of their lives, will finally get the HEA they so deserve.

While I’ll miss Emily, Dexter, Chris, Rachel, and Jared, I am thankful they were given the type of sendoff they deserve. The epilogue wraps up everything nicely and we’re given a sense that everyone is going to be just fine. Five shining stars to cap off an amazing series. Thank you Ms. Haken, I’m definitely looking forward to the next ride you take us on!

Christina Mock

3/22/14

Nicola lives in Rochdale, England with her husband and four children (six if you include the dogs!) She is the author of New Adult/Contemporary romance novels Inevitable, Saving Amy and the Take My Hand series. When she is not busy playing with her imaginary book friends (or talking about them with real life friends!) she can usually be found carrying out her ordinary mum/housewife/all round slave duties. Oh, and if the kids ever ask, she moonlights as the Pink Power Ranger while they’re sleeping…