Creed - Kristen Ashley

Way too young, eleven year old Tucker Creed and his six year old neighbor, Sylvie Bissenette, find they have something awful in common. Creed then decides he’s going to do everything in his limited power to shield his Sylvie from her ordeal. So he does and Creed and Sylvie form a bond that grows and blossoms with their ages.
They plot to leave their lives behind, the town they live in that will hold them down and the histories they share that, unless they break free, will bury them. Sylvie goes to their special place, Creed never shows and she doesn’t see him again until it’s too late.
With Creed gone, Sylvie is forced to endure a nightmare and do the unspeakable to end it. To deal, she develops a hard shell with sharp edges that very few can break through. So when Creed again finds his Sylvie, he discovers the girl he loved is locked away and he has to find his way back into her heart without getting shredded in the process.

Wow!  All I can say is wow!  Even though I waited way too long to pick up this book, I can honestly say that it is a KA beauty. I was so afraid of the darkness and depth that I let this slip through my fingers for 5 months. My Mistake! 
Let me just say Creed is much different that any other KA book that I have read- and I have read almost all of them. She introduces us to a darker and more complex relationship that has been in any other book. The only ones I can think to compare are "For You" & "Golden Trail". All three of these books see true love torn apart or separated for years and the desire to find it's way back.
This is a story of two young people setting up to leave their abusive and stormy lives and run off to find their own brand of happiness. Their love and devotion is so solid that they know that just being together will be enough for them to endure the hardships they come across. Then on the day of their departure, Creed never shows up and leave Sylvie alone and unsure of everything.

Through the years, Sylvie is forced into an abusive marriage and never hears from Creed again so she takes matters in her own hands and builds a fortress of armor around her heart and feelings. Once she has freed herself and moved on, she continues to live her life as if she will never be effected with emotions again.

When Tucker Creed is asked to work on a special case with a new client he immediately knows that Sylvie will be back in his life. What he didn't expect is all these years and the pain she endured has formed a hardened shell of what he once knew as  "his Sylvie".
This journey is sad, emotional, steamy, raw, and extremely satisfying. Even though I am left with a few unanswered questions, I can honestly say that Tucker Creed is probably one of KA's most enduring characters. She allows his emotions to be forefront of the reconciliation.
I am very glad that I read this book and I am excited for the series to continue.

Creed was written with such depth and passion that my heart broke for the characters.