Never Let You Go: A Novel

by Erin Healy

Losing everything has Lexi clinging to her daughter. Hell is determined to loosen her grip.

It's been seven years since disaster struck her family. Lexi Solomon has held it all together since then--just barely.

But now Lexi is losing it. The husband who deserted her is back in town, wanting to see their daughter Molly. Her sister's shameless murderer is up for parole. An unsavory old friend is demanding payment for debts that Lexi knows nothing about and can't begin to meet.

And something else is going on--something Lexi feels but can't explain. A dangerous shift is taking place between this reality and the next. Forces beyond her imagination are vying for control.

A rare novel that will satisfy a wide range of readers, Never Let You Go explores the high-stakes decisions played out in the thin spaces between heaven and earth. As the enemy's grip tightens around Lexi, she will have to decide what's truly worth holding on to.

"Keeps you glued to the pages until the very last."--Tosca Lee, author of The Story of Eve

Genres: Christian Fiction, Fiction, Suspense, Christian, Thriller, Mystery, Adult Fiction

352 pages, Kindle Edition

First published May 4, 2010

About the author

Erin Healy is a supernatural-suspense novelist and an award-winning fiction editor. She began working with Ted Dekker in 2002 and edited twelve of his heart-pounding stories before their collaboration on KISS, the first novel to seat her on "the other side of the desk."

Erin is the owner of WordWright Editorial Services, a consulting firm specializing in fiction book development. She lives with her family in Colorado.

Reviews

[K.D. Absolutely · Rating 2 out of 5]

Forgiveness of oneself and others who wronged you is a precursor of love. No matter what you believe in, your heart will show you the way. Through all of these, love always prevails.

For me, the above summarizes the strong messages that Healy wants to send through this exhilarating book, her first solo debut as a writer. She used to write with Ted Dekker. Now she has a book that she can call her own. Once in a while, it is nice to read debut novels as it makes you discover other unpolished voices that not many people know about.

If you love suspense thrillers, I am sure you will like this book. It has all the elements of edge-of-your-seat plot peppered with mystery, supernatural and spiritual (Christian) elements. Healy skillful storytelling makes use of intense vivid imagery that for a couple of times sent shivers down my spine and towards the end tugged at my heart. Oh well, I always have that soft spot in my heart for religious writings especially those that prove that good always triumphs over evil no matter how implausible the story is that is akin to watching a convoluted TV drama series.

This novel will particularly be appealing for women readers because of its strong female character in the person of Lexi Solomon, a single mother who has a past and is now maintaining two jobs to provide for her 9-y/o daughter Molly. Not to spoil the fun of future readers, I will not reveal what her past is all about. Suffice it to say that this past plus all the other misfortunes in her life make her unforgiving and giving genuine love from her heart difficult except the love that she feels for Molly.

My only comment again is that male characters are relegated to stupid roles: a demented father, a drug pusher father, two male murderers and even a strict male boss. Why does this appeal to some (or most) female readers? Is it because they want to escape from the double-standard kind of morality that still exists in some countries? I assume that with female writers continuously writing this way, I know that they are being patronized by their also female readers.

Not only that. The characterizations of each of these male characters are not enough for me to differentiate where they are coming from and what drove them to be where they are or who they become in the story in relation to Lexi and Molly. Compare, for example, with the supporting female characters of mother Alice and nanny Gina who Healy developed by giving their backgrounds… Well anyway, I think Healy is targeting the female readers so I should not have bought this in the first place.

Overall, not a bad read and I will not have a second thought picking a book by Healy again when I see one in a second-hand bookstore. With Jodi Piccoult lording it over the family drama and Sophie Kinsella in chic lit genre, I think there is room of Erin Healy in mystery suspense cum paranormal genre. All in the current female-readers-and-writers’ big chunk of the market.

[Aerykah · Rating 1 out of 5]

Well..... I battled long and hard, but was never able to bring myself to finish this one. Try as I might, I couldn't get into the story. I couldn't connect with any of the characters or find any real interest in the storyline.

[Yolanda Smith · Rating 4 out of 5]

Erin Healy never disappoints. This book was a riveting, action-packed tale. Highly recommend!

[Jaci · Rating 5 out of 5]

En serio, amo este libro, pues nunca crei que iba a ser así.
Me sorprendí por la historia, muy interesante e intrigante. Luego, el mensaje es bien claro, pues me hizo pensar mucho, y wooo! me tuvo pegada hasta la última página, y de verdad, valió la pena haber leído este libro :-)

[J.S. Bailey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Never Let You Go is one of the most enjoyable books I have read in a long time! I was hooked from page one, and found it to be very suspenseful. The plot revolves around themes of forgiveness and the terrible things that may happen if we continue to hold grudges against those who have wronged us. I highly recommend this book for Christian readers who are fans of suspense.

[Mishel Forte · Rating 4 out of 5]

NEVER LET YOU GO is another gem from Thomas Nelson Publishers that is yes you guessed it…Christian Fiction! I’m continually being surprised by how much I’m enjoying the recent books I’ve read in this genre. I’ve read BURN which was co-authored by Erin Healy. NEVER LET YOU GO is Erin’s first solo book published and I really enjoyed it!

Lexi is a very “real” character. She could very well be people we all know or even one of us. Her druggie husband, Grant, walked out on her seven years ago and ever since then Lexi has been terribly down on her luck. Her beloved sister was murdered shortly after and then her father had a mental breakdown. With her mother traveling all the time Lexi struggles to get by every day as she takes care of the most precious thing in her life – her daughter Molly.

Grant has come back into Lexi’s life wanting to establish a relationship with Molly, her sister’s murderer is up for parole, and the man who led Grant to a life of drugs has come to demand payment of Grant’s past debts that Lexi has no way of paying. Her world is starting to fall apart all over again and to make matters worse there seems to be strange supernatural things taking place that no one can explain. Lexi could very well be losing her grip on reality when she needs it the most.

So I will say I was a tad bit confused at the beginning. I didn’t really enjoy how the start of the novel was set up. But as the story progressed I was quickly engrossed in Lexi’s life and the strange happenings going on in it. I became attached to her and the other characters including Grant who of course I hated in the beginning. NEVER LET YOU GO was filled with intricate twists in the plot that had me reeling. I really enjoyed the writing style and found the Christian “undertones” of the book not too over the top. They aren’t very subtle either but I think I enjoyed the story so much that the message being written about didn’t really bother me.

After reading BURN and finding it “just okay” I was excited when I finished NEVER LET YOU GO and came away with such satisfaction. Thrilling, suspenseful and with dynamic characters, I definitely recommend giving NEVER LET YOU GO a shot!

[Ally · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly reading this genre was reading out of my comfort zone. I don't read many books that are suspense. I've also read quite a few reviews that only gave the book a 3 out of 5 so I was a little reluctant. But as they say, never judge a book by it's cover or on a few reviews. I will be honest and say that I was surprised, but I really enjoyed this book.

It was complex and I found it required a lot of concentration to keep up with the twists in the storyline. The level of suspense for me was more intrigue, but I really wanted to find out who was who and if all my weird and wonderful guesses where correct! It also brings the message that love never really lets go and that a deep and abiding love will always draw people back to each other, one way or another. I didn't think the Christian message overwhelmed the book but rather was the undercurrent as it revolved around forgiveness and a touch of supernatural.

This book told the story of an incredibly strong and determined young woman whose sister was murdered and her husband walks out on her leaving her to raise a young daughter alone. Her father succumbs to mental illness and her relationship with her mother is difficult. Yet through it all she finds strength in the need to raise and support her daughter.

This is an unusual book and I've never read anything quite like it before but I enjoyed it much more than I expected to.

[Jennifer (JC-S) · Rating 3 out of 5]

‘We’re all to blame for something.’

The past seven years have been tough for Lexi Solomon: her sister was murdered; her husband deserted her; and she is struggling to make ends meet. Lexi has devoted her life to her daughter Molly. Lexi juggles two jobs and her friend and flatmate Gina helps care for Molly. Life wasn’t easy, but Lexi was getting by. Surviving, but not thriving.

And then, things started changing. Some events and people from the past re-entered her life – and they cannot be ignored - especially when Molly is involved. In order to move into the future, Lexi needs to come to terms with the past and to accept the importance of forgiveness.

I liked many elements of the novel, but I found that a couple of elements didn’t work particularly well for me. While the power of the paranormal or the suspense of the spiritual and supernatural adds a dimension to Lexi’s journey, I didn’t think that the story really needed it.

This novel is described as Christian/Suspense. It is both of those things, but the power of forgiveness and the themes of good versus evil are not exclusive to Christianity. Most of the characters in this novel are likeable human beings who like the rest of us sometimes make poor choices, and then have to live with the consequences. Or do they?

Jennifer Cameron-Smith

[Jill Henson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this book solely based on the cover. Yeah, sometimes I do that, go ahead and judge me 😊 I didn’t realize it was a Christian based book but what a pleasant surprise! If you like books by Frank Peretti or Ted Dekker you will probably like this. It’s not quite as intense as theirs but it is a good story of the spiritual warfare happening behind the scenes in our daily lives. I will most certainly look for more books by Erin Healy.

[Maureen Mantrop-utterback · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't normally read books for the purpose of teaching me something, but I was pretty far into the story before I realized this book revolved around faith. Did not find it preachy at all.By the end of the book I quite disliked the main character, Lexie, which I am pretty sure was not the point of the story

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was originally drawn to this book because it was about a mother fighting for her daughter. As a mother of two young daughters who has already been through quite a bit of fighting for them, I can relate. Once I got into the book, I was a bit put off partly because I was introduced to too many characters so soon into the plot and a lack of unique characterization made it difficult for me to keep up with the plot (and this is coming from someone who has read Sara Douglass). A second reason was that it somewhat reminded me of another book I read recently with the meth theme. Drugs are just not something that I purposely want to read about in my fiction. The only thing that really kept me reading was Lexi's relationship with her daughter, Molly. Along the way, I discovered that there actually is a fantasy-like aspect to the book that is difficult to see for at least half the book. This is probably as close as you can get to the fantasy genre without actually qualifying for the classification. I so badly wanted the book to come "out with it" over the supernatural aspect that I flew through the rest of the book. The ending was mostly satisfying in that the bad guy gets his just desserts and all the lose ends are tied up appropriately, but my fantasy-loving side wanted a more fantastical intervention than what actually occurred. At times, the plot felt like a soap-opera, with Lexi's affair and two other characters being convicts, as well as Ward's constant harrassments and almost reality-defying omnipresence. I would describe the book as high-intensity suspense combined with overdramatic reality and a dash of supernatural.

[Jenny · Rating 2 out of 5]

I didn't know when I picked this up initially that it was Christian literature. I wasn't sure how I felt about that, but I still gave it a shot. After about 200 pages, I just skimmed through the rest of the book. The premise is that Lexi is caring for her daughter, Molly, as a single parent since her husband Grant left town seven years ago. Lexi's sister was murdered and her father mentally collapsed. Warden, who was Grant's illegal drug selling partner, wants Lexi to testify on behalf of her sister's killer, Norm, at the hearing or he will expose her secrets, that she had an affair with Norm years ago. Also, Grant is back and going through Lexi's mom to send a letter to Molly asking her to meet him. All of this would actually make a decent story if it was written better. I thought there was a cover-up about Lexi's sister's murder, but there wasn't. Then when Lexi read the letter from Grant, she initially saw it as aggressive and rude; readers learn that it wasn't written that way at all, we just saw Lexi's filtered assumptions. Kind of clever in a statement about what we expect from others, but not well-executed here. Also there is a showdown between what is clearly a demon and angel meddling in human affairs (Warden and Michael/Angelo respectively). I liked the character of Molly.

[Sue · Rating 2 out of 5]

Two stars just because I read the whole thing!! This book desperately needed an editor, or, at the least, a proofreader. There were so many errors, not typos, but real errors. For instance, you can't get your hair cut and colored blonde on one page, and then a few pages later have someone running their hand down your long dark hair...I do not believe you can come out of the ocean (after your plane crashed into it!) with nothing in your arms but a strangers baby...and end up with: a cellphone, a satellite phone, an I-phone, and a laptop. Please.

I did read it all, hoping by some miracle it would improve. It did not. Sorry. I really almost like the main characters, but they weren't believable and were way too quick to get involved. Like trying to cram too much food in your mouth, the story was too crammed into too small of a book. Again, the errors were huge and I can't give this book any kudos. I do wish I could go to the island, though - it sounded absolutely beautiful!

[Nieko · Rating 2 out of 5]

Weirdly religious with a strange theme. Point of view changes mid-chapter so hard to follow. Kindle version had multiple typos. Too forgiving and storybook to be enjoyable...boarders on cheesy in parts.

[Alicia Harmon · Rating 1 out of 5]

What a long, confusing book. It desperately needed a prologue— nothing clears up until you’re about a third of the way in. It’s very religiously based, which I wasn’t expecting. I wish I had abandoned it instead of forcing myself to read it.

[Vicki Hightshue · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent book on spiritual warfare

This book keeps you guessing at first and then it all becomes clear. Kind of reminded me of Frank Peretti's books.

[Leah · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great book! Excellent writing and suspense. Makes you not want to put it down! Beautiful cover too!!

[Jennifer Olson · Rating 4 out of 5]

In Never Let You Go by Erin Healy, there are many characters, but these two stick out the most to me. First, the main character which is Lexi Solomon, she loses everything after a disaster hits her family. Lexi works at the Red Rocks Bar and Grill because she wants to give her daughter anything she can just to see the smile on her face. The only person she’s close with is her daughter Molly Solomon, who lives with her mother Lexi because her father Grant left when she was younger. Lexi’s husband Grant is a very flippant character because he lacks respect for his family and began doing drugs. Lexi only has an iota amount of people she trusts due to the big disaster at the beginning of the novel. The setting takes place in a small town called Craigs Nest. The plot, in this novel there are many relationships that get built, but the biggest one is Lexi with her daughter Molly. Molly is all that Lexi really has left due to her husband leaving and her father being unstable because her sister died. There many things that happen throughout this book some things that Lexi doesn’t understand. One of Lexi’s hardest things she had to go through was her sister got murdered and the murderer is up for parole. Then her husband Grant comes back to town, wanting to see his daughter. My opinion about this novel is that if you like a challenge read it. If you like a suspenseful novel that has a little supernatural, read it. I would recommend this book because if you like suspense it’s a great book for that. Also if you want something that is interesting and will keep you on your toes, this book will fit perfectly for that.

[Kelli Dickson · Rating 5 out of 5]

First couple of chapters delved into some drama which hooked me into the story. The it became a little slow but when the story line formed and got to a point of understanding it turned out to be an exciting read.
The morals of each character were highly relatable. As a mom myself, overthinking & second guessing everything pertaining to your child is an all day occurrence and the author did a phenomenal job describing a mother's love for her child; ranging from protection to everyday affection.
I loved the message of forgiveness built into the storyline as well. I loved how the author was able to describe the complexity of forgiveness in each situation.
This was a great book! Really enjoyed it.

[Andrea · Rating 3 out of 5]

Christian fiction is not typically a genre to which I gravitate. I've been curious about Ted Dekker and Frank E. Peretti for some time and when this audio title, "Never Let You Go" showed up on the discount shelf at Half Price Books, I decided to give it a try. I understand this is Erin Healy's first solo novel after writing with Ted Dekker for a time. It was slow in a few spots, but mostly kept me captivated enough to keep going back for more. The last few chapters were gripping enough to keep me in the car listening after reaching my destination. I will undoubtedly read other works from this author in the future.

[Elaine Aughey · Rating 4 out of 5]

My rating system

⭐ Hated it. If I'm leaving a one star review, there wasn't one thing I loved about it.

⭐⭐ Didn't love it. If I were to go back in time, I'd be fine leaving it on the shelf, unread.

⭐⭐⭐ Found it mildly enjoyable.

⭐⭐⭐⭐ Loved it. Enjoyed it with no complaints... but it lacked a little something to give it that perfect five stars

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Life changing. I'll remember this one forever. This rating comes with the caveat of being a personal one, that fifth star having as much to do with a story impacting my life than the overall quality.

[Kristy · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting story focusing on how the devil can use our own unforgiveness and bitterness to imprison us and that only love can free us. I thought it should have been clearer earlier on that Ward was in fact a demon and not just an ordinary villain; I felt like it would have added more to the story to have that more detailed than it was. Overall, a good book. Not Healy's best work but still a worthwhile read.

[Amanda · Rating 1 out of 5]

It took me very little time to DNF this book, and that was largely because I felt like I had walked into the middle of a series. There was no solid introduction to the characters, so they all blended together and were almost impossible to differentiate from each other. There was no backstory, just details dropped in randomly. All of this led to a complete failure to capture my attention, so I moved on to something else.

[Boyschool · Rating 4 out of 5]

Spiritual tale of single mother Lexi who works two jobs and takes care of her 9 year old daughter Molly. When a bad guy from her past shows up to threaten Molly, there is also Angelo, a good guy, who shows up to protect Molly. Lexi will have to work through her anger and bitterness if she wants to save her daughter.

[CindyHunt · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good and Evil

Plot is very intriguing and keeps you wondering....If you believe that Angels really do watch over us and Satan has minions that will try everything they can to turn us away from God's will in our life, you will really like this book. I did!!!

[Anita Truesdell · Rating 3 out of 5]

Different type of book than I usually read

I felt like this book started out in the middle or I was missing something but finally got the gist of the book and it turned out to be a decent read.

[Onome · Rating 3 out of 5]

Good book! I expected more in the building of suspense but didn't really get it. It would have been a better story if things were knit tightly. Lexi Solomon's character showed a lot of promise but I didn't get enough of that. I enjoyed Kiss by Tedd Dekker and Erin Healy. This was just OK...

[Amy · Rating 1 out of 5]

So many things went wrong in this book and I'm not sure where to start. I didnt like any of the characters, the main character is really annoying. The story is horrendous. Erin Healey is just not for me

[Jenna Campbell · Rating 2 out of 5]

I thought this was boring. I only finished it because I was curious of the ending. But it was kinda a drag reading the whole thing. Don’t honestly recommend if you want something with a little more action.

[Kimi Dahl · Rating 4 out of 5]

The characters and storyline were a little confusing in the early middle part as people were introduced, but the characters were believable and things came together by the end. Plotline was predicable but still an enjoyable read for something I picked up in a LFL.