Collared by Nicole Williams
Published by Self-Published on March 22nd 2016
Genres: Contemporary Romance
Format: eARC
Source: ARC
Purchase @ AMAZON  or  BN
Add to Goodreads
My Rating  5/5

When a seventeen-year-old girl vanishes,
A community is shaken.
Parents turn desperate.
Friends hold vigils.
And the boy who loves her searches.

When a year goes by,
The community is recovering.
Parents feel hopeless.
Friends feel helpless.
And the boy who loves her continues his search.

When ten years go by,
The community has forgotten.
Parents cling to the past.
Friends move toward the future.
And the boy who loves her . . .
Brings her home.

Jade Childs spent ten years in ca…

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The day we’ve all been waiting for has finally arrived! #NicoleWilliams’ #Collared is LIVE!

Did it live up to all the hype? YES! YES! YES!

Read all 3 of our 5 STAR reviews below.

Angie’s Thoughts:

4 hours… That’s how long it took for this book to completely break my heart, not break… shatter my heart. Every word took a piece of me with it. Every paragraph sliced through my heart with such precision like a surgeon’s knife. 4 hours and I’m still not whole and I don’t think I ever will be.

This book changed something inside me. Jade’s story is so heartbreaking and real that you actually feel like you are her and you feel for her. I have read a lot of dark books and even though this book isn’t dark, it still crushed me more than most dark reads and left me unsettled.

You find things out that make you squirm. That zoo scene for one! Geesh! And left you with a lot of questions but I think that’s what Nicole Williams was going for. This story is told solely from Jade’s POV. This is her story to tell not anyone else’s and I loved that. We watch her go from being strong to broken to not being 100% whole.

I can’t say much without ruining the book for you and believe me you have to read this! I loved how Torrin is very much a huge part of her life. I love Torrin. Period. I mean what’s not to love?? He’s perfect!

This is that one book that I’ll always remember and never forget. I’m still not whole after reading it.

“The chain might be invisible and a little bit longer, but I’m still bound to it”

Micah’s Thoughts:

If there were more than 5 stars, I would give all of them to this book. I wish I could give this book 10. This book makes me want to go back and lower other books ratings because of just how perfect it was. I feel I lack the capability to convey to you the sheer beauty of this book.

I went into this book blind. I had a friend pushing me to read it before other ARCs, but the schedule got in the way. I am glad I did because this book destroyed me in the best way.

This book is honest and horrible and beautiful and unsettling and amazing and raw and disturbing and hopeful…all in one. The unsettling moments are so horribly unsettling that you might have to walk away for a time. I did. One scene that stood out as an example is the zoo scene. I will never be the same or look at a zoo the same after that. I was processing Jade’s emotions, my emotions. Another was her first interview with the detectives. I felt like my heart twisted in my body. But the beautiful moments were so beautiful, they shined a light into my heart so brightly, I felt like anything was possible.

One testament to how brilliantly Nicole was able to write this novel was I felt so much sympathy for EVERY single character in this novel. Even the kidnapper. Earl took her, held her for years, collared her, and I feel BAD for him. He obviously had some mental issues. I feel for her family and their inability to handle Jade or to know what best to do. I feel for Torrin. Who never stopped, ever. Most of all, I feel for Jade.

I loved the ending. I feel it was so complete. It left me so much peace. It was, in a word, perfect.

I have cried for 2 books in total in my entire life. One was Making Faces by Amy Harmon the other Lily and the Octopus by Stephen Rowley. I didn’t shed a tear in this one. However, I put my kindle down and stared at the wall for at least 20 minutes trying to process and let the entirety of the book settle over me. And then the tears came. I cried for a solid 30 minutes at the overall beauty of this novel, the perfection. While it gutted me, while it was difficult to read, it changed me as a person and isn’t that what reading books is for? So, for the record, now 3 books have caused my face to leak.

And all the while I wrote this down, I still don’t feel like my review does justice to the perfection of this book. And that is why you should read it. And write a better review than mine.

Liezel’s Thoughts:

What was the last book that kept you up all night? If you asked me…  it is this book right here! From the very first chapter until the very end, “Collared” had me completely consumed to where I couldn’t put it down even if I tried.

What is”Collared” all about? In short, it is a story about a young woman’s struggle to return to her old life after being held captive for ten long years. Jade Childs lived such a carefree and happy life before the incident but when she returns every single thing  has changed. She tries  to become that same person for the sake of her family  but all her attempts fall short. It seems that the only person that keeps her functioning is her first and only love, Torrin.

Torrin, however, isn’t the same either and as much as he wants to bring back how things were, he just can’t. He is now committed to a life where certain obligations are expected.  This is what made this story so  agonizing. Even from a very young age you can tell that these two were fated to be together but, after all, that was said and done, they’re not.

That being said, I can’t tell you how heartbroken this book made me feel. Yes, the book is disheartening but you know what? Even if it didn’t end as I would have hoped, it doesn’t take away the fact that “Collared” is a remarkably well-written, awe-inspiring and empowering story. I personally loved it! The only thing is that it ended too soon. Hopefully,  Nicole Williams will one day add more to this magnificent story.

The Final Verdict:

 

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