Set Me Free

by London Setterby

Miranda Lewis is desperate to get away from her controlling ex--so desperate she leaves him in the middle of the night. She ends up on a remote island off the Maine coast, where she befriends a bubbly shopkeeper, Claire, and becomes fascinated by Claire's son, big, brooding Owen Larsen, a woodworker who keeps to himself. Even the friendliest locals here are secretive--and Owen is at the center of their secrets.

Still, Miranda loves the salt air, the craggy coastline, and, most of all, the work of the island's beloved local painter, Suzanna White. Miranda wants to stay--to claim a life of her own, to paint again. But the longer she stays, the more her fascination with Owen increases. Why is there a painting of his stern, handsome face in the art gallery by the beach? And why is everyone so afraid of him?

Genres: Romance, Contemporary Romance, New Adult

248 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 8, 2016

About the author

Hello! I'm London. I write Gothics and fantasy romances, including my debut standalone Gothic romance, Set Me Free, which is currently part of Wattpad's Paid Stories program. As L. Setterby, I write gritty erotic contemporaries, starting with Breathe. With all my subgenres, I write all genders and sexual orientations, meaning you'll eventually find straight, queer, cis, and trans romances from me. :-)

For exclusive giveaways and freebies, and to be the first to know about my new releases, you can sign up for my newsletter. You can also find me on Patreon.

Reviews

[Hazel *Craves the Angst Reviews* · Rating 4 out of 5]

Find This and Other Reviews At Craves The Angst.

Set Me Free is a New Adult, Romance, Suspense written by London Setterby. I was gifted a copy from the author in exchange for an honest review through Xpresso Book Tours .

4 Mystical Stars!

The Review:
This was such a great read. It had an energetic mystery with a sweet romance and an amazing, lively cast of characters. I really enjoyed this one from beginning to end...

Story/Characters...
Miranda Lewis is running from an abusive relationship. For the past year, she’s let one man consume and control her life but when she’s finally had enough, she takes off in hopes of a peace that’s been missing for far too long.

Something pulls her to stop in a picturesque town on an island off the Maine coast where she finds mysteries and art and the love of one townswoman steeped so deep into the town's core, she can’t help but want to discover more as she’s trying desperately to also discover herself once again. Add on top of that a viking like man who fascinates her and she soon finds herself as much an intricate part of the island as the locals.

This book had an entire cast of magnetic and formidable characters. Every one of them stood out for one reason or another and I enjoyed getting to know them and guess at the secrets they were hiding. The death of a beloved local sends this sweet romance into an incredibly well played mystery that kept me guessing most of the way through the book.

Miranda was a determined heroine who was strong and capable and her viking of a man, Owen, was shy and sweet, but he was suffering speculation, guilt, regret and sorrow as an entire town blamed him for the murder of their beloved.

And then there’s Suze. Through the author's telling of Suze, she became lifelike, taking on a vibrant personality so real, it was as if she was still physically there, hovering between the pages. I guess in a way she was. The town lived and breathed Suze and she was woven into every part of their lives. The author brought that out and she felt as real as Owen, Miranda and the rest of the living cast in this book.

I enjoyed the enchanting way the author laid out the symbolism, the red herrings, the mystery and especially the odd occurrences, which gave this book a supernal feel.

Downside...
There really wasn’t a lot to complain about with this read. I enjoyed most everything about it. But I did think the ending was rushed and too conveniently laid out. The author had a chance to put some real emotional angsts and some real drama in there with a hint of danger as the ending played out but instead it was a bit syrupy and too well put together. Other than that, it was a solid read.

The Wrap Up:
This was my first book by this author and I enjoyed the writing style and the story enough that I’ll definitely be checking out her other works.

[Cortnie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was so good! I loved every second of it. I even read it all in one sitting.

[Lynda Dickson · Rating 3 out of 5]

Miranda Lewis leaves her abusive partner Rhys and travels from New Haven, Connecticut to Fall Island, Maine. She stops there for the night and decides to stay and start a new life. She gets a job at the Widow's Walk pub, makes friends, and rekindles her passion for painting through her new-found muse, the dead Suzanna White. Miranda even discovers passion of a different kind with blond "Viking god" Owen Larsen. All the while, she lives in constant fear of Rhys showing up on her doorstep; even though she's left him, she still isn't free. Owen, too, is under the spell of someone from his past. Will he ever be free to move on with Miranda?

Miranda's story is interesting, but the development of her relationship with Owen is unrealistic. She's a victim of abuse, running from a violent man straight into the arms of a stranger who is feared by everyone in his own home town. And Owen is supposedly still obsessed with his previous lover, yet he finds Miranda irresistible. It's also hard to reconcile Miranda's behavior (her outgoing dress style, her penchant for sexy lingerie, and her initiating sexual activity) with someone just coming out of an abusive relationship.

Warnings: explicit sex scenes, coarse language, violence.

I received this book in return for an honest review.

Full blog post (13 July): https://booksdirectonline.blogspot.co...

[Robin Powers · Rating 4 out of 5]

A pretty good mystery/suspense/romance. I liked Miranda's tenaciousness in figuring out how to set Owen free. The small town characters were intriguing and loved how Miranda escaped her past. Full review coming on The Smut-Brarians.

[Avylinn Winter · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review to come later tonight!

[Pat · Rating 4 out of 5]

A modern day tale of Beauty and the Beast in a gothic romance. The characters are so interesting and the underlying suspense will keep you riveted. Everything about Fall Island seemed dark and foreboding.
Love, honesty and loyalty save the day.

[Lustful Literature · Rating 4 out of 5]

Josie's Review 4.5 STARS

Set Me Free was such an amazing and captivating read, the blurb did not do this book justice. I will admit that after I read the synopsis for this book I was curious and had so many thoughts and ideas running through my mind. I am so pleased that NOT ONE was right. I love a book and an author that can challenge me and take me on a journey that has my mind working from the beginning to the very end and that is exactly what this author did to me. Miranda and Owen’s characters were so captivating and awe-inspiring, I could not get enough of them.

Miranda was nothing at all what I expected, although she was running from an abusive ex-boyfriend and feared the day he found her, she was strong, fearless and without a doubt determined to find out the mystery behind Owen and the town’s obsession with Suzanne. Miranda didn’t let the town’s anger, fear and misguided feelings towards Owen deter her from getting to know him. I loved that about her character. She did not judge him based on others. She felt a connection to him, one that told her that he was more than what everyone sees.

Owen was mysterious and I could not for the life of me figure out why the town and its people feared and had such a deep seeded hate for him. He was gentle, not only with others but with animals and with life in general. There was a tenderness and vulnerability to him that pulled me in. He did not bend to the people’s will, nor let their harsh and cruel treatment towards him scare him away. He was hiding something but the way he was with Miranda was unique and special.

I wanted to understand what was going with him and the town, but I was also pulled into Owen and Miranda. I loved the relationship the two had. It was not rushed nor filled with over-rated sex. It was a slow build, one that they took cautiously and that meant so much more to me as a reader. It felt real. They both were protective of the other and defended their relationship to anyone who objected. When we finally get to the real mystery surrounding Owen I was shocked and my heart broke. What made this book special was that learning what we learn was just the tip of the iceberg. This author added more suspense and mystery and I could not get enough.

This was a quick read but the author packs quite a punch with her words, descriptions and added twists. All the way to the very end we are left guessing on what really is going on. It does not end with the mystery behind Owen, because when Miranda’s ex’ finally discovers her whereabouts, he is dead set on bringing her home at any cost. The healing and self-journey that Owen and Miranda discover is one that left me breathless. This is a perfect summer time read. It is filled with hope, suspense and people you will love to love and hate to hate.

[Molly · Rating 3 out of 5]

Wow. I read this a while back and I am now coming to write a review. The character development in this book was so intensely amazing I almost didn't recognize them by the end. This book was a quick read but that doesn't mean it wasn't full of substance. This book touched on some things I haven't ever read about and I felt like they were done in an accurate style. I want to read more from this author in the future!

[Khendy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read it it Wattpad. ❤️❤️❤️ Miranda and Owen are so cute. Especially Owen's actions towards Miranda in the end. 😍 I would have finish this book in one day if I didn't have work. Anyways, I love reading Wattpad stories (especially with romance in it) anyone wanna reccomend me some books?

P.S I'm currently reading Kaye and Andy's story.

[Ken Seals · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is so good. I first read it when it was just on Wattpad and LOVED IT! The author released the physical copy a while later and I had to buy it. Compared to the wattpad book there was some new things added. Mainly just nsfw stuff but also a LGBTQIA+ character. This book is so interesting and well written. It’s been one of my favorite books forever. I would definitely recommend it.

[Kassyreadsalot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was such a great story and I couldn't put the book down! I first read this story on wattpad and when I finished I had to buy the physical format and I do not regret it!

[Nada Sobhi · Rating 5 out of 5]

“If you’re not an English major, what are you?” Owen asked.
“I’m…” Before Rhys, I was a bartender and a painter. But since then? “I’m nothing.” Absolutely nothing.

Set Me Free by London Setterby is an interesting emotional read. The story opens with main character, Miranda, named after Shakespeare’s Miranda in The Tempest, running away from her abusive and domineering boyfriend Rhys. She has no idea where she’s going except that she needs to get as far away from him as possible.

I liked how the title Set Me Free , not only involved the protagonist Miranda but also Owen. The whole town of Falls Island needs to be set free from a tragedy that happened seven year before.

Everyone has a secret in the novel; Miranda’s is the fact that her ex was abusive and that she ran away from him. She is constantly terrified that he would find her – and for good reason – which constantly keeps her on edge, thinking that any sound might be him. He, too, is relentless in his search.

“Anything that made me think of Rhys – Scott grabbing my arm, a hand raised in the darkness – terrified me, until my bones shook and my lungs felt crushed.”

I particularly liked how Setterby portrayed Miranda, the abuse victim’s emotions throughout the novel. Even when Miranda stands up for herself, she begins to have a change of heart about her actions. This happens several times in the novel.

“I should have been proud of myself. But instead fear and adrenaline gave way to numb shock. Over? Truly over? How would I live without him? How long could I sleep in my car and live off leftover French fries?”

As soon as Miranda sets foot on Falls Island, she discovers artwork by a painter called Suzanne White, whom she learns died seven years before. She later learns that Suzanne was believed to have been murdered by her boyfriend.

Miranda is enamoured by Suzanne’s work and later by the woman herself when she sees a self-portrait of her. As she begins to get to know Owen, she starts to compare herself to Suzanne, who as “Beloved of All” in the town.

I loved Miranda’s attempts to solve the mystery behind Suzanne’s death and the bit of amateur sleuthing involved. The way she made the discovery at the end and exposed the hidden killer was brilliant; it was very creative on Setterby’s part.

“I knew enough about grief to know that it never truly went away, even after seven years. Sometimes it was just a stone you carried around with you, hardly remembering it was there, and other times it hit you with its full shrieking malevolent force – always at the strangest moments, like when you were driving or at the bank.”

One of the fun things about the dark tale of Set Me Free was the references to literature. Miranda’s father is professor who teaches the works of Shakespeare, hence her name, while Owen’s mother, Claire, names her dogs after famous British writers and poets.

I also liked Setterby’s hints as the possible paranormal aspect of the novel, leaving the reading wondering whether things happen for a reason or there is some other force at work guiding the characters and events.

“The hair on the back of my neck prickled. I couldn’t help imagining the island plucking Owen and I from our beds and setting us down on the granite hilltop – chess pieces on a board only the island could see.”

Although I did not feel the gothic aspect much, which for me felt like a lot of mist. I also felt that sometimes I was unsure if the weather was cold or warm in the novel, like the grass being icy but Miranda is wearing just a dress and jacket. Felt odd.

Still I liked the novel, which had a lot of romantic and mushy lines and quotes, another aspect that the author is lauded for.

“Owen was already temptation personified, no matter what skeletons he had in his closet.”

There is major character development for both Owen and Miranda, along with the whole town, which has become used to believing things that aren’t true but because they are the norm or what everyone is doing. The development part for me is important and Setterby has done a splendid job for the two main characters.

“Being brave once was not enough, or even a dozen times; I had to keep being brave, no matter how hard it was.”

Note: I received a free copy of Set Me Free by London Setterby via Xpresso Book Tours in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour for the book.

[Rae Sontheyon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Running To Find Herself And More . . .

This novel was a mix of romantic suspense with a hint of supernatural surrounding an art based crime thriller. At its core the book is unique but could have been flushed out into about three different stories instead of just this one novel. I'd most likely have rated this book higher if the it had been split in two parts, because the protagonist offered a myriad of issues to read about.

After much secretly planning for months, Miranda Lewis was finally able to runaway from her controlling and abusive ex Rhys. Fleeing in the middle of the night Miranda ends of stopping in the small coastal town of Fall Island in Maine. The small town is a welcome reprieve from her travels and Miranda begins to make roots. So when Miranda notices a certain Viking built man named Owen Larsen, who has the town mystery and whispers surrounding him, Miranda can't help but find out more. Once an artist before Rhys took that joy from her, Miranda begins the activity again only to learn her talent resembles the beloved late Suzanna White. Miranda knows she must learn more about Suzanna to understand Owen, the past and the town. The only question is will Suzanna's killer let her or will Miranda's past catch up to her first?

Overall, okay read but could have been better. Miranda was presented as fleeing from an abusive relationship but shows buoyancy in dating Owens even with the threat of Rhys still out. The fact that Miranda constantly blows off Rhys threats was annoying because those she talked to and trusted told her to get help. My favorite aspect of Miranda was when she became painter sleuth, using her skill to understand a fellow painter and bring down the bad guy. Owen for all his might was a big softy, poor guy was hated on so much and only wanted love. So I must say that I was a bit turned off by him in the sex scenes, both of them were just trying too hard. The chemistry for me only felt mediocre at times because Miranda is running from a psycho ex and Owen is still broken over his dead ex. The pair had baggage galore. But seriously the dead ex girlfriend, Suzanna, appeared to be a presence at points but then wasn't, so I'm still confused if she was or wasn't, kinda felt unresolved or unexplained. Anyways the story was an interesting read, so if you are looking for a girl who finds her own strength and saves the guy from his past to hopefully build a future together, then this should be a good pick.

**I received a free copy in return for an honest review**

------Read more of my reviews at: http://heyitwasfree.blogspot.com/------

[The Smutbrarians · Rating 4 out of 5]

Panty Scorching – 4.0
Storyline – 5.0
Angst – 3.0
Tissues – 0
Value – 5.0
Overall – 4
Kindle eArc provided by Author
Reviewed by Robin

Miranda is trying to outrun her abusive past when she ends up in on a small island off of Maine. The small town charms her even if the locals seem a little wary. Especially with their open dislike of Owen, the son of the coffee shop owner. Trying to fit in and start over, Miranda senses there is a secret about Owen that no one seems to want to share with her. Add in a dead mysterious painter that everyone seemed to worship and Miranda is determined to figure out what’s going on. If only her past doesn’t discover where she is first.

“This whole time, I’d tried it, and I couldn’t do it. It wasn’t enough for me. I deserved so much more. I deserved a man who could love me as much as I loved him.

And Owen, too, deserved to be happy, to be free, finally, after all this time. But he could never be free of the prison he’d made for himself if he didn’t want to be.”

I definitely loved the mystery feel of this romance. This was a pretty quick read, and I really couldn’t understand the town’s obsession with Suzanne. Poor Owen. He became the pariah of the small town and they never let him forget it. I don’t want to give anything away but I did enjoy going along with Miranda while she tried to sleuth out what the deal was with Suzanne and why everyone was so mean to Owen. All of this while also navigating her own healing from the issues that caused her to run.

When you need a quick mystery and suspense romance for the beach, why not give this one a try. I loved the small town feel where everyone grew up knowing each other. It was really different from the books I normally read.

[naz · Rating 2 out of 5]

"I loved her more than my
own life." > Bruh that's about another woman, fuck that shit. Nope, Idec if she is dead, that's not what i want to hear from the hero! Everyone is so hung up on precious Suzanne, I'm over it. Even Miranda was obsessed with her. It's so obvious Owen loves Suze more than Miranda, even though she cheated on him. Fuck off, that doesn't make this book romantic at all. He stayed with her KNOWING she was fucking numerous men, that's fucked up and even after all that, he still loves her.

[Zara · Rating 2 out of 5]

Pointless cliche of a book.
Main character was very annoying but on a positive note the writing was not half as bad. Couldn't quite connect or feel anything for any of the characters.
Story started out well but just became predictable.A few things were never fully explained so definitely some loose threads left behind.Romance moved too fast and the second half of the book just dragged on and on without much point to it really.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is an intriguing mix of a story. Just a hint of the paranormal, mixed with suspense and romance. Not an easy relationship between Miranda and Owen, and it is fair to say that there is a heavy helping of fate laid over it. However, anything work having is worth working for.

A touching story of faith in love and relationships. Thoroughly enjoyed it.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Laura · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a wonderful romance and mystery with a Gothic feel - it gave me strong Rebecca vibes, which is a fantastic thing in my book! I loved the Maine island setting, Miranda and her new friends, and the mysterious painter who "haunts" the novel. There were a few details related to Miranda and her escape from an abusive relationship that didn't quite seem realistic, but overall it was a great story.

[Shreshtha · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved it! The words written had so much meaning in them, tore my heart away! you wouldn't regret reading this. GO READ IT. I said READ IT.