Tethered

Accidentally on Purpose #4

by L.D. Davis

“You were born to be mine and I was born to be yours.”

Donya Stewart’s chest filled with the soft beating wings of butterflies when she first met Emmet Grayne’s green eyes at the ripe age of five. Unable to identify the tugging pressure within her when in his presence, Donya moved through the first several years of her life addled by her feelings for the boy who was her best friend’s brother, and very much like her own sibling. But one cool autumn night in her mystifying teenage years, Emmet erases any ideas Donya has of him being anything like a sibling.

Donya and Emmet, unable to deny the invisible cord that fetters them together on an incredibly visceral level, begin a long journey on a road abounding with challenges, hurdles, and destructive forces. Their love for one another is absolute, and the emotional link between them is strong, but when they make a series of painful decisions and mistakes that pull them apart, the strength of that tether is challenged.

Donya’s career as a model took her around the world and away from Emmet who was working hard for his law degree. When Donya makes a hard decision for both of them, the tether between them stretches beyond what seems possible.

“The tether contorted and quivered and groaned in protest.”

With age comes maturity and hindsight. Will Emmet and Donya have to live apart and with the consequences of their choices? Happy endings aren’t always a guarantee, even for two people who were born into this world for each other. Will the link between them bring them together or prove to ensnare them in heartache?

If you are in search of an angst-filled romance novel, get tied into Tethered…


Note From Author: Tethered is meant for mature readers over the age of 18. This is a standalone novel - reading my other published novels is welcome, of course, but not necessary.

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, New Adult, Friends To Lovers, Interracial Romance, Second Chance, Contemporary

Unknown Binding

First published April 4, 2014

About the author

L.D. Davis is a New York Times Bestselling author residing on the east coast of the United States with her family, two cats, and fish. She enjoys wine, audio books, bursting into song like a Disney character, and lounging on the beach.

Reviews

[TJ ☾ · Rating 4 out of 5]

this couple is such a mess. THE ANGST. THE OW/OM DRAMA. THEM SAYING RANDOM HORRIBLE SHIT TO EACH OTHER EVERY 50 PAGES AS AN EXCUSE TO BREAK UP.



this book had me so hooked. it has a super similar plot to A Love Letter to Whiskey but i liked these characters more for some reason. (might have something to do with the black heroine who's a model and serving up some serious naomi campbell energy oop)



this book still had its issues tho, for example:

↠ the whole 'i can feel where you are' tethered thing..... nah bruh. this is not a fantasy book
↠ the way this girl talked about herself in third person (specifically during sex)...... do you hate me? why else would you put me through this cringe?
↠ i thought it was super weird how long the heroine didn't tell her best friend she was banging her brother
↠ the last 20ish% was kinda boring. i know it was necessary to show how much they'd matured but.... i missed the messiness



for the most part tho i loved it cause THE WAY THE HERO WAS TRYNA WIFE HER FROM THE START. THE WAY IT WAS NEVER GONNA BE ANYONE BUT EACH OTHER. he was fucking everybody under the sun which shoulda made me wanna kill him but tbh it barely bothered me cause he woulda put that shit on lock if girlie would just commit to him 😩😩😩

but i loved that she wouldn't 😈😈😈



i couldn't wait to see all the ways they fucked up their relationship. if you don't like toxicity or couples that go round and round and round and sleep w other ppl for like two decades, then don't read this. but for us mess lovers,

[Gwen ~the Book Diva · Rating 5 out of 5]

**UPDATED REVIEW**

6 "Unbreakable" stars! This book is THE reason I love to read romance!



If you've never been one to believe in that undeniable connection between soulmates, this book will change your mind! L.D. Davis cleverly makes that connection a living breathing thing. The "tether" that binds Emmet and Donya is almost a character of itself.

This is a true romance novel of "The Notebook" proportions . Yes, I said it and I mean it! I feel like the word "epic" is way over used but it definitely applies to this story.



My immediate reaction at the end was that I needed a hug...



Gah! It is so packed with rip-your-heart-out emotions that I didn't know what to do with myself! The story begins with Emmet and Donya after meeting as kids and follows them over the course of maybe 20 years. All the while that "tether" between them is getting stronger and stronger with each passing year. I love that I understood the decisions each of them made regarding their relationship. It really sucked but it all made sense! Some things are never easy and you have to learn from your mistakes in order to be better going forward! Even though the story was a bit long, I was fine with it. I remained interested the whole time. I lived for Emmet and Donya moments!

My absolute favorite, can't-catch-my-breath-moment involved this quote *spoiler free*

"I heard you baby," he said as his voice cracked. "I heard you."

IT DOES NOT GET ANY BETTER THAN THAT SCENE...EVER!!!



I loved Emmet's beautiful soul and I admired Donya's strength and grace. They are perfect for each other! Proof that the heart will not be denied no matter how much you fight it.

Oh and I just gotta quickly mention:
I also REALLY dug that although Donya is African-American, race was NEVER an issue, it wasn't brought up, nobody made any racial jokes or slurs. It was a non-issue. Period. The only reason we knew this about Donya is because the author had to physically describe her and she's gorgeous!

HIGHEST OF ALL THE HIGHEST OF THE WORLD RECOMMENDED! LOL! (I sound like I'm kind of high, too!)


<3 ARC provided to G the Book Diva Blog for an honest review! <3

[Jenny••Steamy Reads Blog•• · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book. Omg this book. It had me literally everywhere. I loved the deep unique love these two shared.

I loved the connection that tied them together.

I hated the back and forth they did to each other.

I hated how much they hurt each other.

But most of all I hated how much they both walked away from each other.

Let me start with Emmet. He's amazingly sexy, he's driven to obtain happiness, and he never denies the one he truly loves. I loved him at the beginning and the end. He was such a lovable character until he started doing dumb things. I was in a constant state of

He ultimately let himself have his dream, live his life the way he dreamed. He was perfect and dreamy.


Donya. She put herself in front of everyone else, she constantly put herself first, in love and in life. I liked this about her, I liked that she looked long term and she wanted the best for herself. She loved deeply and she loved hard. She tried with everything in her to stay strong, to wait patiently and faithfully but you can only be so strong when knocked down so many times. She was beautiful inside and out.


I loved reconnecting with Luke & Emmy in this book, I loved their wild journey in precious books by this author. But mostly I adored this ending!!! I loved Emmet & Donya and I am so happy they got the ending they both so deserved!!❤

[It's just me Shelly B · Rating 3 out of 5]

Let me start by saying that this book is good BUT it drove me crazy!!


However not CRAZY enough to DNF......noooooooo....I had to finish it.


I MEAN come on Donya....this man would have done anything for you!!! Quit being the martyr and let it BE!!!


But does she do that NOOOOOOOOOOO...


It just goes on and on and on and on and on and on....you get the idea!! Let me also throw in that I'm a lover of LONG books I would rather read a 900 page book than a 250 page book if I like the way the story is balanced out.....I wasn't crazy about the balance here.

I mean the book starts when she's like SEVEN!!!


I can only read teenage retardness for so LONG....but something made me want to stick with it and so I did....and teenage retardness lasted for quite AWHILE!


However did I STOP? NO!!!!! I kept torturing myself because bottom line it is a good book and it's well written...it just didn't go the way I wanted it to go. YES that's a ME problem.....I'm well aware of that!!!


As a romance book I just didn't think the main characters got enough time in the present, most of the time we spend with them is WAY in the past and for some reason that annoys me in any book. I don't mind a little in the past but we didn't get to the present until about 85%....too much is gone at that point! Like I said previously this a ME issue bc the book is well written and I can completely understand why people could love this book.


So the bottom line is if you like romances starting in childhood this book is perfect for you!!!

If NOT then find another book:).

This book did remind me of one of all time favorite books.....DUSTY....but it didn't pack the PUNCH that one did;)

[Precious ✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMFG,
*takes a smoke break*


I’ll be back with a review once moonlight is finished and when I’ve decided on a full-blown spoiler review or not.

Buckle up, sluts


This is my first book by L.D. Davis, and I shamelessly want her to ruin me again.
Tethered is an angsty contemporary romance that does deal with cheating (of the heart.) I know some readers are extremely anti-cheating, it doesn't necessarily bother me if they are end game.

Tethered is about Donya and her best friend Emmy's brother Emmet. The prologue drops us into Emmy's wedding, and Donya is dancing with her friend's husband, warning him that crossing a line is easier than it seems. She rushes off the dance floor later and is out alone when Emmet, finds her, and hugs her. Then, it cuts to the beginning of time when they first meet when Donya is in Kindergarten. The book takes place in chronological order; there are time jumps, but L.D. does not have us teleporting back and forth. It worked for me, but you do have to get through the first two chapters of them being kids, (which is super sweet.)

"when Benny pushed me Emmet dropped the basketball he had been bouncing around in the street and took off after Benny. “Don’t ever touch my sisters!” Emmet yelled after he bloodied the other boy’s lip."

After that, they are in high school for a quarter of the book. Regardless there is drama.

So what happens is Donya has absentee parents. They don't care and practically throw Donya to the Grayne's (Emmy and Emmet's family) to raise her. Granted we end up finding out about their demons but that's for the book to tell you, not me.


She is over there 95% of the book. There's a three (maybe two? it's unclear) year age gap between Donya and the older Emmet. Being practically, raise together Donya is unsure of what her feelings are and again she's like 14-15 right now. Emmet however is not.

“I care about you,” Emmet answered quickly. “Not like a sister,” I bit out. “You made that clear.” He was quiet for a long moment. And then “No, not like a sister, but you’re too young and too dumb to get it, which is exactly why I won’t be explaining it to you.”

So they orbit. 🪐 "That tether, however, was very much intact. I could feel him wherever I went. I knew when he was close, and I knew when he wasn't. I didn't know if he still felt it, too. I wasn't going to ask."
& the shit show begins🌟
Secret kisses and handholding, jealousy and big emotions galore, a big blowout that was as quiet as a single birthday candle.



Donya moves on to become a supermodel while still being 17 and Emmet goes on to college. They reconnect when Emmy can't come to a party thrown by Donya's newest BFF Felix (love him and really wish I could have a light sweethearted book about him) and she sends her brother instead. Bad thing is the timing is never right. I think this is another reason why I was so enamored with this story. The focus and connection between these two was n e v e r in question. They are just not on the same path that allows them to be together the way they want.
Now while they are together here for a year or so, Donya's career skyrockets, their relationship is continued to stretch beyond what they can handle until they get to the point where someone is going to have to put their dreams on pause.

"You’re going to hand yourself over completely to a man who is barely a man, who is still between being a boy and being a man, and lose yourself completely?"
Phew ma'am, when you put it like that NO. 😒
and thus ends part one, with big fat crocodile tears from both the couple and my sappy self.


Me: upset but like respecting the "not never, but not right now," and homegirl making the tough choice of making Emmet do what was best for him and herself.

PART TWO
We come back not too long after their break-up. Donya is a mess. Just withering away, nothing and no one can get her to stop retreating into herself. Until she hits a nasty rock bottom which is Emmet giving her a reality check.
"You said you didn't want to be your mother, but you are, You're just another version of her. Get your shit together, Donya, and prove to me that breaking our hearts was worth it."
-She gets better but is never the same. Time passes until Emmy and Felix throw a NYE's party where we have another connection. The whole meeting the eyes thing kills me and I gobble it up everytime.
"Every time he moved, I felt a tug on the line, and I was forced to look up and meet his eyes. There was not one time that looked for him and did not find him already watching me, oblivious to the people talking and laughing around him."

This party was one of my favorite parts of the book! There is so much I want to say but I decided against a full book report (barely.)

After this though-later on in this part of the book- other relationships and misunderstandings come into play. Here's where it may get dicey for others because even when they have others even if they do not act on anything physically, they both understand that the first and only person in their hearts is each other.

"I am ingrained in you. I am woven into every cell of your body. You cannot eradicate me without losing yourself, too.”

Chapters 45-48 will g u t y o u .
"I loved you!" Emmet shouted. "I was ready to give up my whole fucking life for you and you fucking denied me!"


"You may become his on paper tomorrow, but you will always be mine, and I will always be yours. Think heavily on that before you make the biggest mistake of both of our lives.”


“I am not letting you go so that you can fucking marry Jerry and forget about everything we’ve ever had. I’m not letting you go.” “Everything we had is gone,” I announced crisply. “It’s all gone, Emmet. It’s been gone for a long time, and it’s time we both face that.


Andddd that ends part two..

While I have you here. Let me just say something really quick about Emmet. He has no scruples LMAO. When I say he did not care about anything more than Donya!!
His career? -
"I will be working, but I guess it also depends on where you will be working too.” “I’ll go wherever you go, baby,” he said and kissed me. so nope.
My man's said "give me simp or give me death" and I love the fuck outta that. Seriously, I'm going to love Emmet forever.



His Family? -
“What do you think I’m saying that I don’t mean?” Emmet demanded. “Do you think that I don’t mean it when I say I love Donya? Do you think I don’t mean it when I say that I won’t give her up? Which part, Mom? Because I happen to mean every last word of it!” N o p e.

Anyone he is even remotely talking to? -
“No one else will ever completely own you,” Emmet growled in my ear. “I am the only one who will ever completely own you, and you are the only one that will ever completely own me. Do you understand?” nopity nope.

Donya.
She had moments where she sounded too wise, but she was quick to choose violence whenever she felt necessary and folks that's all you need to know.
“Donya,” he said my name on a sigh as if I was overreacting, when, in fact, I wasn’t sure if there was any other reaction except for violence. I was underreacting.

PART THREE:

“You still hate me,” he said in a small voice. “No, no,” I said hurriedly. “I don’t hate you, Emmet.” “Then say it,” he quietly commanded.
“I love you, Emmet,” I said hoarsely.

Now we have finally come full circle with the prologue and I thought LD was smart for that. This is where they are in the present and why. They are brought back into each other's orbits after a few years since part two. & this is where they finally crash for the last time.




TL;DR: Even with the less desirable pieces I loved this one a whole bunch. If you can deal with this long, messy review of the book I think you will be able to get into it.

[Vishous · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5

This book!!!!
GRRRRRRRRRRRRR
This book!!!!
This book frustrated me so much!
I wanted to bitch-slap both of them!!!!
She made me so angry!!!!
He was so hazy sometimes!!!!!
I needed some answers, not speculations in my head!
She was so stupid like she knows everything!
He wanted to give her everything!!!
She wanted to find herself in the world and then thought she had rights to say something when he "moved on".
She fucked up!
He fucked up!
He should have given up on her ages ago.
All that time they could have been together in peace and harmony!
He begged and cried!
She deserved what he told her what happened!
They didn't deserve each other!
They are idiots!
Idiots that can't live without each other!
It's like their story had no fucking end!!!
I swear it was like searching a needle in the haystack!
You know the end is there, but you just aren't reaching it!
And yet I seemed to like this torture for my brain...

[moonlight ☾ [semi-hiatus]]

on hold @ 53%

br with Precious - im sorry our br was a fail LOL, hopefully our next one will be much better 😭

note: the book was fine, it had some good moments. the drama and angst were there, but i mainly read this book bc i heard it was similar to A Love Letter to Whiskey (which im still having a book hangover from) and i just ended up comparing both books. :/ this was a 'it's me, not you' situation so don't let my on hold stop you from picking it up if it interests you! :)

[❥ KAT ❥ Kitty Kats Crazy About Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG I didn't think I would EVER finish this, this was soooo ass kicking LONG!! It just kept going and going and going *gasps* and GOING!! BUT well worth the read, one click this baby put aside at least a few hours *coughs* took me two days!! And you will not regret it!!

[Zizz · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5stars

From Against All Odds to Mud Vein and straight to Tethered. I think self-flagellation would have been less painful.

The three books aforementioned carry a common theme: soul mates. Apparently, the concept involves bone-crushing/soul-searing pain. Depression ensues and happy endings are never guaranteed. Why bother, right?

Do I believe in the concept? I've been married a long time and have met thousands of couples in this lifetime. I don't think I've met anyone who has professed to an "invisible connection" that tugs and pulls and retracts. My belief is that love is constant work once the initial surge of hormones is over. Over time, we've come across this wisdom one too many times: once the passion fades (that feeling of falling in love), you hope that there is enough love for companionship going forward.

If there is anything I've learned the most in these soulmate themed books, it is this: if you find your great big love - one that is unconditional ,one that does not judge, one that sacrifices and one that sees you through your flaws, brokenness and general mood swings then you need to grab it and never let go. Life is too short for missed chances caused by silly mistakes - miscommunication, obstinacy and grudges.

While I don't believe in soul mates, I do believe that Emmet and Donya belong together. This is my favorite romance of all - childhood friends (somewhat siblings even) that grow into love. It's a combination of several things - their familiarity, shared history and how they've looked out for one another over the years. I think it was all of these factors alongside a great love for one another that connected these two in life.

As far as angst central went, Tethered's level was surprisingly manageable. We've all read this story before and it is usually littered with melodrama as the couple flip-flop their way through life. I am grateful that L.D. Davis did not take this route. Instead she took her time out to build this couple's relationship. They fell in love as young kids and therefore had many slight hiccups along the way. But kids eventually grow up and herein lay the crux of Emmet and Donya's problem..."You're very young...the paths you will follow separately will slowly take you apart, piece by piece."

We're on two different paths in life. They don't parallel and they don't converge, they go on in opposite directions."

Sadly, at the end of their respective journeys to finding their true selves, Emmet and Donya find themselves falling further apart instead of finding their way back to one another. Later on, they belonged to different people. But I was already invested in the couple and believed that even then, they belonged together. With this ingrained in my mind, I felt no ugliness nor disgust in things that transpired.

I have one big complaint and that is the overuse of the concept of tether/connection. It was there in every scene that they were together and in Donya's POV. All I had to do was look up at the page and know this. I get it. There was no need to incessantly pound my brain with it.

Nonetheless, this did not take away from the fact that this was a beautiful story that spanned several decades - of two people who believed they were meant to be and did find their way back to each other.

[~♡AB♡~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC gratefully received from LD Davis

[Vallsykes · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
This book can serve as a manual on how two people can love each other, but totally muck up each other's lives & possibly the lives of others. Selfishly.

Why I kept reading...I don't know. The heroine, Donya, pissed me off, and the hero, Emmet, made mistakes that made me what to whack him upside his head. But they were also likable. It was painful to read a love so deep while at the same time knowing it was so doomed. The author did a good job with that element.

I rooted for them. Yet, Oh! The angst! But, at least there was a voice who told it like it is...Emmet's father,

“You two had plenty of opportunities to fix your relationship..."

Yes. They did. I would have appreciated the angst more if I could understand why they were so eager to create it. It belied the fact that they were tethered.

What stops me from giving it 4 stars is the fact that I probably wouldn't read it again, I got fed up with everything that kept them apart and it took up almost the whole book. It was like they were perpetually clueless & I didn't like having to read about the other man or the other woman involved.I don't like love triangles and I don't like separation plots OR lovers who willingly "love" other people while they're so in love with each other. It makes words like "you own me" and "you're mine/I'm yours" a little null and void.
This book hit upon a couple of those pet peeves. It has to be really good to make me enjoy any of those elements. This one was decent and surprisingly passable in its execution. Who knows? I may revisit my rating later, because the couple got their HEA in the end.

[Tina Manuel · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 88% (Crazy I just can't finish the last 12 %)So I am going to be the party pooper of the numerous high ratings for this book and am giving it a 2. I was not very fond of Donya, nor was I very fond of Emmet. (Actually, to come to think of it, I wasn't very fond of much of the characters in this book.) I just couldn't understand if Donya & Emmett felt so connected, so tethered did they feel the need to marry other people. I ask myself why because of the repetition of this connection, that was repeated so many times, I kind of got the picture the first couple of times said. I didn't like having to read the same repeated we are connected, soul mates, tethered. over and over again. Their disrespect and deceitfulness for and towards one another proved in the events that unfolded. I think maybe if this was my friend or someone I knew personally happen to, I'd probably think this is why the divorce rate is higher than marriage. Donya and Emmett had to go and marry other people, for the wrong reasons. Yet they felt so connected. I think this story is ridiculous. It didn't show any redeeming qualities after reading their teenage years to adulthood. They were still the same, in my eyes. They still didn't grow up, didn't mature, and still after all this time lacked respect towards one another or maybe they did, and I just didn't get to read the bits they grew up and found happiness and peace with one another. I guess I will never know til I read the last 12%

[Vicki Smith · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying I thoroughly enjoyed accidentally on purpose series but this book is just "more". It starts with the prologue and you already know by a few lines in and also if you have read the previous books that they are both married with children. So you start think uh oh don't think I'm going to like this. But wow.......just wow! I loved it. It is very rare that a book pulls you in so much that you hang on every written word and have absolutely no reason to skip/skim here and there to get were you want to be.......the story between Donya and Emmet is truly heart breaking in places and utterly beautiful in others. The pull they feel between each other is so well written about you can actually feel their pain/ longing/ love/ hope/ sadness/ despair and happiness. L.D. Davis has completely outdone herself on this novel. Great length book, 3 books in 1, that leaves no stone unturned and no questions unanswered and NO Cliffhangers!!!!! Must read. Go and buy it now !!!!!

[Gigi · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book left me feeling all kind of ways. Mostly: I was glad it was over! Hated that whole we are tethered but we can't be together because...other people, circumstances and the works. All thru the book I wanted to bitch slap all the characters. The wishy washy heroine, the hero who lovedLOVED the heroine and this he knew from the beginning but still was impregnating women all over the place, the opinionated and meddling family members and friends, the constant bad decision makings. Why did I continue reading? Because it was well written, it was captivating, I needed to read that fucking-finally-for-the-love-of-all-HEA. I was entitled after putting up with all the drama, damn it.
And if I never have to read the word tethered again, I would be blessed.

The 3 stars because: the story was well written, it was just not my cup of tea.

[Kiandra · Rating 3 out of 5]

Okay so this review will probably be long. But if you've read this book or you're contemplating reading this book...you should be able to handle the length of this review.

So let's talk about Tethered.

- This book is long. This is the main issue I had with the book. Let me explain.
This complicated story is told over the course of some 20 years maybe more of Donya and Emmet’s lives. And I love the idea of this. But it wasn’t done in a way that made the storyline any better than it would’ve been without the readers knowing almost every detail of the lives of Donya and Emmet’s from the time they first met until they broke their engagement . After the prologue, we start when Donya is five and each chapter from there skips to either one year or few years ahead. When we get to years 15 through 18, the book basically stops skipping and we have detailed chapters and chapters of Emmet and Donya’s relationship. Then we get back to skipping years to get to more important events of their lives. By the time we get to Donya and Emmet as adults (24+), it’s extremely hard to see them as adults because we spent so much time with them in their teen years (around 300 pages in which they acted and spoke like adults). There is minimal change and minimal growth. Just filler years of young love, true love, mistakes, missed opportunities, and detailed career paths. When we finally do get to the last part of the book and we’re expecting to see Emmet and Donya grow back together as adults in love and as a couple, the ending is so rushed that we miss that. There are five chapters at the end in which Emmet and Donya get back together because Emmet ‘heard’ Donya calling through their ‘cord’ or ‘tether’ or whatever the hell it is. And after 56 (yes, I said 56) long chapters (not including the prologue) of just reading about these two grow up…this is a highly unsatisfying ending.

And if you didn't click on the spoiler text, let me make it short and sweet for you. In a normal romance novel, you expect this. Characters meet, characters fall in love, something threatens characters love, characters overcome, and characters get their HEA.

In Tethered we get, 56 (yes, I said 56) long chapters of characters meet, characters fall in love, multiple things threaten characters love, and 5 chapters of characters overcome and get their HEA. Plus a prologue and epilogue.

To be clear, I love long stories. I live for them actually. They give us a chance to really get to know the characters, fall in love with the story, and feel content and satisfied when its over. Tethered didn't do this for me.

- Emmy and Donya’s relationship. At the end of the day, so much time was spent on the tug of war/love between Emmet and Donya that Emmy and Donya’s (who met at five and should be like sisters) relationship is sorely lacking. This is due to a number of issues, of course. One being that Donya did not trust Emmy and subsequently kept secrets from her, which seemed to put a gap in their friendship. They felt more like close friends, not best friends let alone sisters.

- Fred and Sam As close as these two were to their children (Emmet, Emmy, and figuratively speaking Donya), they NEVER stepped in to give guidance. They made their displeasure known. But they never gave the guidance and advice that could've saved Donya and Emmet so much heartbreak.

-Emmet’s lack of balls. At several points throughout this long story, Emmet and Donya could’ve had their chance at happiness without all of the complications and drama IF Emmet would’ve taken a chance and fought for Donya. After they had grown up, started careers finished schooling Emmet had the chance to chase her. But he let her walk away every time. And after that, he made colossal/stupid errors that tore her away from him and pushed her completely into someone else’s arms.

- Donya’s selfishness and sketchy decision making. No matter what you’re feeling or how your heart is breaking, you don’t make decisions about your future based on those feelings. But Donya did this. Time and time again.

-The tether. …or cord or rope or whatever. This thing is mentioned in nearly every paragraph that directly involves Emmet and Donya. At first the metaphor is heartfelt and meaningful. But after that, the way the author describes the thing begins to escalate and I’m given cause to wonder if the author actually thinks something like this is real and possible. Hence the ending where Donya calls Emmet through the tether and he ‘hears’ her through the tether. In short, this metaphor is overused and overplayed.

Before, I conclude…
I would like to apologize for the length of this review. I meant everything I said. But it was almost like an emotional release, because to say the least, this book left me feeling some type of way. I’m still reminding myself that it is a work of fiction.

Now to conclude.
Would I recommend this book?
Maybe. Depends on who I am making the recommendation to and their taste in books.

Why did I give it 3 stars?
Because of everything I said up there. The length of the book was not used properly. I was not content when I got done reading this thing. It’s an unsteady roller coaster that will jerk you around so much that by the end of it, you won’t know whether to throw up or sigh in relief. But nonetheless the three stars go for effort and a good premise. In other words, great idea poor execution.

Will I read it again?
Absolutely not. I’m still working on forgetting Emmet and Donya and their crazy love story.

Thanks for reading my long review and I hope it helps you decide if this book is for you or not. Because it is a pandora's box. You can't close it once you open it.
If you have any questions for me, please reply to this review.

[Monica **can't read fast enough** · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is another book that has left me in a bind emotionally. Tethered is so well written and the story is full of heartache & sorrow with brief glimpses of joy and stolen moments of ecstasy. However, it is basically the story of a very young girl who is forced to experience and navigate the world as an adult. It is so sad that she has to fight to save the tatters of her own pain riddled innocence. Donya is not afforded the luxury of just being a child despite the love and support that she finds in her "adopted" family. I didn't want her to need to have the maturity that she displayed, but unfortunately if she hadn't she wouldn't have survived as successfully as she did. Donya experiences the fallout caused by her mother's mental illness and her father's apathy with the resilience that no child should have to posses. Fred & Sam Grayne gave her the family that every child deserves with security, stability, & unwavering support-proves that accidents of birth such as blood relations, sex, or race does not define what a family is supposed to be.

Emmet, on the other hand, makes the mistakes and choices of many teenagers although he is more mature than most he isn't on the same plane as Donya. Emmet also feels the tether that binds him to Donya from an early age. However, he tries to write it off as something other than what it ultimately is. He recognizes the age difference between them and the fact that she is his pseudo sister plays a big part in the guilt and confusion they both feel when their feelings for one another emerge. Emmet ultimately makes a mistake twice that at the very worst should only be made once by anyone. Even with his mistakes, I couldn't help but root for these two to one day make things work out despite the myriad number of obstacles that they faced. Even when some of those obstacles were self inflicted I wanted them to figure it out.

The description of the tether that binds them is truly one of the most beautiful means of describing the connection between two people that I have ever read. When this love affair is started Donya is so very young and I didn't like that. Yet, with that being said, if she had been even 5 years older the story couldn't have been told and experienced the way that it is. In order to get the full scope of Donya and Emmet's relationship Donya needed to be this young, it just doesn't make for a fully comfortable experience. I have daughters at the ages and stages that she is in the majority of this book so the love affair that she has makes me a little squeamish. What Donya and Emmet have together is truly, deeply, and meaningfully a love affair, it is just experienced too soon and some of the problems Donya and Emmet face are direct results of their immaturity. Their experience of love is all consuming and beautiful, but it is definitely not one that I would wish for my own children at such a young age. Yet, the ability to feel and experience what she does at such a young age is precisely what makes Donya unique, it just makes my heart ache for her that she had the life that lead to it.

If you are looking for a read that you can completely immerse yourself into and emerge from it at the end a little bit tattered and weathered around the edges for having read it go grab a copy of Tethered. This is a book that will take you there and more. This is going on my favorites list immediately!

My favorite line maybe of all time:

"I think I loved you the moment you were born into this world even though I didn't know who you were yet."

Yep, pass the tissue...

You can find more at Monlatable Book Reviews
http://www.monlatablereviews.com/

[TinaNoir · Rating 4 out of 5]

Long, meaty book with a soulful, angsty, messy romance at it's center.

The one thing I will say for this book is that at no time did I ever, ever, ever doubt that Donya and Emmet were in love. This was displayed in technicolor in the book. And I appreciated it a lot. I really bought their connection

The writing was really good. Evocative and immediately engaging. I liked the confiding tone of it. It was told in first person Donya's voice. The lion's share of the book takes place in the past, although Donya is narrating the story from her present day perspective. I rather liked the effect.

Outside of the central romance, the thing I liked best about the story was how the author portrayed family. From Donya's dysfunctional blood family to her seamless integration into Emmy and Emmet's extended family and the drama with the cousins, as well as the family they all created as they got older...I enjoyed the various iterations and what it means to be 'family.' I also like how she even though there was a large cast of characters, she didn't lose track of anyone and managed, in a story that spanned roughly 20+ years, to check in with everybody throughout the years.

Under normal circumstances this would be a five-star book. But one thing that takes a star off is I felt a bit of a bait and switch happened here. I don't read YA and I barely read NA. And I would put this book firmly in the YA/NA category.

The book starts off with a smallish prologue that takes place in present day and then goes back to when Emmy and Donya first meet in school when they were six(?) years old. At 65% of the book, Donya was still only 17 years old Emmett was a few years older. By that point she and Emmett had gone through more romantic travail than people twice their age. I was uncomfortable reading steamy, erotica level sex scenes for people who were still minors. I honestly think the teen years went on about 100 pages too long.

It is a testament to the level of the storytelling that I was invested and interested enough to keep reading. But I breathed a sigh of relief when Donya & Emmett finally, FINALLY hit their twenties at last (at around 74% of the book).

And yeah, there were aspects of their romance that felt needlessly complicated. Honestly at one point, I thought to myself 'there really is no reason for you guys to still be apart.' To the author's credit she seemed aware of this too, she basically had a character in the book, Fred, Emmet's father, point this out to the couple in no uncertain terms. He pretty much said said everything I was thinking and he said it in force. I loved Fred!

And yeah the whole thing about them 'feeling' each other wherever with this invisible tether was a bit too woo-woo for me. But overall this was a good book to sink into.

[Yesi ~ LLL · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Destiny can be tricky. The road to your destination is not always a straight shot.”

This epic love story is not even remotely a straight shot, not by a mile. Tethered is a standalone novel that is intertwined with the Accidentally on Purpose Trilogy. We meet both Donya and Emmet in that series and what a series it is. If you enjoy angst, love triangles, and major drama then the AOP series is for you. AMAZING! Okay, back to Tethered, when I first read the synopsis I was floored by who this book would be about. Of course if you haven’t read AOP then it wouldn’t really make a difference to you, but since I devoured that series, this was HUGE. To say that these two characters have history, is putting it mildly.

“We were meant to be together. The force holding us together is bigger than the entire universe.”

I could not agree more. Never have I read about a couple that were truly meant to be from the day they were born. The story begins when they are kids, then moves on to their teenage years, and eventually adulthood. From the moment they met that pull was there. Childhood innocence turns to a teenage crush, and eventually to a love so strong that you feel that pull between them deep in your heart. I am not going to lie, this is a long book, and while it does start off a bit slow, do not doubt the power of L.D. Davis’ storytelling. It is magnificent.

“Great achievement is usually born of great sacrifice, and is never the result of selfishness.” Napoleon Hill

If one quote could sum up this story, it is that one right there. A love story that begins from childhood cannot be an easy one and Donya and Emmet deal with great sacrifices throughout their life. They find true love only to experience heartbreak. They find a would be perfect life, only with other people. They can sense each other at every turn, only to be separated. My heart broke over and over for these two because they were perfect for each other and their love was more than evident every time their paths crossed. Life had other plans. This is truly an epic romance that stands the test of time. L.D. Davis does a phenomenal job with Tethered. It has it all ~ love, romance, angst, drama, heartbreak, joy, and eventually peace. Plus, it is SEXY AS HELL!!! Good Lord Emmet has it going on! Will they get their Happily Ever After though? You must read to find out. It is a journey, a long one, but one worth every single minute of your time.

“No matter what, you will always belong to me.”

[Deloris · Rating 4 out of 5]

APB Perspective Review:
I absolutely loved this book! Sometimes you are lucky enough to read a book that you will always remember, Tethered is one of those books. The book is more like a saga than one book, it takes through the lives a soul mates Emmett and Donya , the love story begins when they first meet when Donya is seven years old, they don't understand the connection but they feel it as they grow up together. Along the way you will learn much about both families you will laugh, cry and have several moments of awe. You will love and want to know more about these secondary characters and the authors gives you the gift of getting to know them well. I felt Tethered to this couple and when they were in room together you could feel the electricity and love between them, and I rooted for them. I was mad at them when they did things to keep them a part, I didn't like anyone who came into their lives to separate them, I even read those parts with a side eye because I felt their connection and wanted them together. When you read this book I suggest you start on a weekend so you will not be taken away from Donya and Emmet's drama, this is a book that will hold you, tether you to it until you read the very last page.

[Bev · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where's that 6th star when you need it??

This was one hell of an epic, heart pounding read. It blew my mind. This was not a mind f*ck but a heart f*ck. I found it hard to read at times I hurt so much for Emmett and Donya. The stupid mistakes they made with their life choices (more bloody Donya - she needed a slap upside the head at times grrr) that left them both with a long, torturous path to eventually get to their happy.

This book - the relationshop between Donya and Emmett devastated me at times, I cried a lot of ugly tears for them, my heart hurt and was pounding out of my chest.

This book - kept me awake, I was so chewed up about their pain.

This book - had my emotions and tears in total overdrive.

This book - is so beautifully written.

This book - is worth a hell of a lot more than 5 stars. Totally bloody amazing and L.D. Davis is now an autobuy author for me.

An emotional, heartbreaking then thankfully heartwarming fan-frickin-tastic 6 STARS!!!

[Jinx · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book made my heart hurt and it made me cry a little (okay a lot). I hoped that Emmet and Donya's journey would consist of rainbows and sunshine but I was wrong. ='(

This book had my heart racing. Every time their relationship fell apart I was crushed. This book is upsetting and devastatingly consuming and I wanted to stop reading for the sake of my sanity and hurt feelings but I couldn't.

I read so fast my eyes hurt but I had to get to the end to make sure everything with Emmet and Donya turned out how I so desperately wanted it to. So page after page after page I read holding my breath until Emmet and Donya got what they fought so hard for... Each other

[Gisele Walko · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm positive that this is the most beautiful book I've ever read. I laughed. I cried. I believed the whole time that Emmit and Donya were made for each other. Please don't let the size of this book discourage you from reading it. It's well worth the hours and emotions. I'm sure I'll remember this book for years, and reread it again and again. If you have eyes and a heart, this book is for you!

[A. · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 stars

[Fre06 Begum · Rating 3 out of 5]

Really enjoyed this book and I loved loved the ending def worth a read!

[Ivory · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whew.....I need a minute.

[♡Meme♡Reads love♡ · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story right here was amazballz loved loved loved loved it!!!!
Oh this story was just so wonderful I'd give it more stars if I could this was by far the best read I had this year the best I tell ya!
L.D. Davis you get a round of applause from me my dear
What an absolutely, wonderful beautifully Journey I went on with this book there is honestly nothing I can say bad about this novel it was perfection Honestly if I every get to meet you L.D I'd be like

yes you'd get all kinds of thumbs up from me!!! Like seriously


Here is my fav couple of the year I cant stop thinking about them they will be with me always

[Rachel · Rating 5 out of 5]

10+ stars- I was so emotionally drained after reading this I had to give it a day before a review and I still get a little weepy. I liked Donya in Accidently on Purpose. She was stong willed and you could see her love for Emmy. I had no idea how much I would love her after reading this. And then Emmet- WOW!!! The lake scene where he asked her not to marry Jerry did me in. I loved him from the get go. It was so beautiful to see them grow and change throughout the years but never question their love or connection with one another. I won't go on too much but this was such a personal favorite of mine. I adored Sam and Fred in this. Could they have a book??? All of L.D. Davis books tend to stick with me. I have a hard time putting them down and then coming away from them once read but this one is really going to stick. These books draw you in so much that you feel part of these peoples lives. It was almost a problem how much this book affected my mood. My poor kids suffered microwave dinners, I missed shows I typically watch in the evening, and my butt grew from not being able to exercise because I could not put this book down. This is an amazing love story of growth, heart aches, heart breaks, never ending love, and how two beautiful characters find their way back to each other time and time again. I am obsessed with this book!!!

[Jennifer · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 Amazing Stars

Tethered was simply amazing. this is Donya and Emmett's story. They have loved each other since they were kids. They have this intense love like no other. So intense that you feel that love. you del the strength of the connection that they share. They are each's there half but finding their way to happiness is not an easy one. They are young, in love and have a whole life ahead of them. Their are so many obstacles in their way. There was this push and pull between them and every time they are apart you feel the pain that they feel. They are two people that are meant to be together but need to get their shit together before that can happen. How much heartache and pain will they have to endure before they finally become one. To finally become whole and live their lives together? This story will frustrate you, at times break you and leave you smiling in the end. It was truly the perfect ending to an emotional story. Absolutely loved it!!



Full review to come on blog tour.

[Nelly · Rating 1 out of 5]

If I wanted to read a book from five years to teenage years I would of watch a Disney movie at 32 percent of the book I had to stop. Book was so out of sort. The dialogue was so whacked. Sheesh how much time I am gonna here tethered connected pull. I want to pull my eyes out for even reading this filth. I cannot in my good senses recommend a book told from one sided narration and teenagers more less... Save your money and passed this train wreck.

[Ioanna · Rating 1 out of 5]

minor spoilers ahead


Worst book ever.she is a virgin, she keeps teasing him.he has sex with others because she keeps telling she is not ready ....I am so so sick of heroes that have sex with others and tell the heroine that she is the most beautiful and the others didn't matter as much as her. I want to shoot myself right there. He gets pregnant another girl but he is angly with her because she didn't give him a chance to explain. Now I want to stab myself.