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Don't Let Go
An Awakening Rose Wu’s ordinary life as a concierge clerk was only meant to be a means to a financial end. Yet there is one resident in her high-rise luxury building who makes coming to work worth it. Cindy Ling, the enigmatic businesswoman who always has a lady on her arm, also has a wink to spare the mild-mannered clerk looking her way. When chance brings Rose up to Cindy’s penthouse suite, her life isn’t simply changed forever. It’s transformed. A Reckoning From the moment she first sees her, Cindy knows that Rose is a font of endless potential. For a woman who has spent her whole life running away from a core part of her identity, taking Rose as a lover is not only the greatest escape, but Cindy’s best chance at reformatting her image as Taiwan’s foremost playgirl. Except whenever Cindy makes such drastic changes to her life, she discovers that the old ghosts she attempts to lock away come hurtling back. Falling in love with Rose is a blessing and a curse from the very deity Cindy has held a grudge against since the tragic death of her father. But Cindy knows they’re a match made in the stars. This time, she’ll overcome her inner demons. A Bargaining Yet when Cindy is inevitably consumed, Rose persists. She’ll overcome her traditional family, her sheltered upbringing, and her insecurities if it means not only bringing Cindy out of the darkness, but reclaiming the world Rose knows they deserve to inhabit. No matter how hard Cindy pushes her away, their carnal connection and fairy-tale romance are too pure to spoil. Rose has nothing to fear. She won’t let go. DON’T LET GO contains no-holds-barred references to mental illness and features non-Western beliefs and settings. It introduces brand-new characters and clubs to the Dane-Billings universe of billionaire girlfriends and the women who are transformed by loving them.
410 pages, Kindle Edition
Published December 13, 2019
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Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews
November 23, 2021
So… where do I begin?
I admit I picked this book up because the two main characters are Taiwanese. As a Taiwanese, I am intrigued. The final verdict is that the Taiwanese portrayal are not terribly accurate; the accuracy is at about 30%. I can definitely see the effort of the author (Cynthia Dane is Hildred Billings; they are the same person) researching on our history and names. The names in Mandarin for Rose (24, indigenous Tayal & Bunan) and Cindy (35) and their mothers are 90% on-point in terms of the decades they were born in. However, the capitalizations for their names are a bit weird. Typically, first names are hyphenated and capitalized, and I’m not sure why the second part of their first names were in lowercase. But I do love that they’re in Wade–Giles, just like my name is. In case you’re also wondering, no, I don’t like to hyphenate my name and I had to specifically request to have it removed from my passport.
Before I dive into more Taiwanese accuracies and inaccuracies, I want to talk about the biggest disappointment of my reading experience. While I don’t usually read erotica (hi, I’m ace) because everything just looks like insta-lust with zero connection to me, I wasn’t expecting most of the intimate scenes in this book to be so... bland. Yes, you read that right. Bland. Cindy mentioned so many times that she wanted to train Rose into the perfect sub, and I was so upset that we didn’t get to see any of that; we suddenly got a BDSM scene where Rose was already fully trained. What about the hard part of them as a couple getting there? Wasn’t that the whole point of their relationship buildup, and we didn’t even get to have one scene of their training in Cindy’s bedroom (there were some non-BDSM sex though)? In short, there was so much summary that the book didn’t progress in a smooth curve. We have shy Rose in the beginning and out of nowhere she’s this perfect sub everyone is salivating after.
Now for what Laura called the bogeyman: Cindy’s mental illness. It was used more as a plot device than being a good rep, since throughout the whole book, everyone was avoiding talking about Cindy’s meds, not Cindy, not her mother Vera, not her friend Terry (who has her own book that I don’t think I want to read). And it played a huge role in the conflict, which I am not a fan of.
Apart from the plot lines, this book also needs an editor that is not the author. I understand that even after careful editing and reviewing manuscripts, there might still be some typos, but there were just too many of them in Don’t Let Go. There were name mix ups, sentences that made zero sense, and lots of spelling errors. Also, I don’t understand why the author would choose to call Rose “[Jameson’s] sister” or “[Cindy’s] lover” when we’re in Rose’s point of view. It was somewhat confusing as I kept wondering just how many people there were.
I think the book and I got off on the wrong foot. I had high expectations for it after seeing all the high praises and the fact that both leads are Taiwanese in a book set in Taiwan. In the first few chapters, there were too many thoughts in the narrative for my taste and I constantly felt like the book was dragging. It was too long. They met at Cindy’s residential building, which I still don’t understand why she is just renting (nobody with Cindy’s money and status would not buy a condo), went to some sex parties around the world, and had a conflict. Sorry for the mild spoiler but that would’ve been nice for a 240-page book and not a 400+ one. I had trouble pushing through the book after a while.
Back to Taiwan and Mandarin-related issues. It was mentioned multiple times that “xiaojie” (小姐) has a prostitute connotation in Mandarin in Taiwan. No, it does not. It could, however, mean prostitute in Mandarin in China. I remember learning about it when I visited China several years ago. And it kind of confuses me that Rose didn’t know much English. English was mandatory starting from third-grade (Rose and I are born in the same year, so I should know) all the way through high school, but maybe it was because the learning resources are often scarce in mountainous regions in Taiwan. I also find it really interesting that Cindy and all the other rich people switch between Mandarin and Hokkien and English and Cantonese. First of all, Cantonese is not super common in Taiwan. Secondly, we don’t really do that? Mixing Mandarin and Hokkien is quite normal but not with English. Was this an attempt of making them sound more obnoxious? There were also a lot of sentences that I couldn’t imagine being said in Mandarin or Hokkien.
While back in the days (I’m talking about decades and centuries ago), “baijiu” (白酒, literally “white wine”) meant some type of clear liquor, it does not mean the same thing in modern Taiwan. It means white wine, as in the alcohol that is made from grapes. The characters had “baijiu” on a few occasions and it sounded like they were having high proof liquor. That was a misuse. Another thing to note is that I think Cindy and Terry talk like they’re in their sixties with all their aiyo’s and -ah’s.
I am not fluent in Hokkien (I can understand it and maybe carry basic conversations) and I couldn’t figure out what “sio-ti” meant for the longest time. I don’t think people say that, but I’ve heard the usage of “sio-tu-e-dio” (相佇會到) that fits the context (meaning “you’ll see” in a challenging tone). And I don’t know much Cantonese, but “dui mm zu” (對唔住, meaning “sorry” or “excuse me”) is most certainly not Hokkien as was mentioned in the book but Cantonese (and Hakka and Teochew).
Also, what was Cindy’s day job again? (It was never mentioned what her rich company does.)
content warnings: graphic sex, public sex, BDSM, bipolar, not taking prescribed psychiatric medications, misogyny, homophobia, classism, Taiwan’s past authoritarian era
Buddy read with Gabriella! Check out her thoughts here!
I admit I picked this book up because the two main characters are Taiwanese. As a Taiwanese, I am intrigued. The final verdict is that the Taiwanese portrayal are not terribly accurate; the accuracy is at about 30%. I can definitely see the effort of the author (Cynthia Dane is Hildred Billings; they are the same person) researching on our history and names. The names in Mandarin for Rose (24, indigenous Tayal & Bunan) and Cindy (35) and their mothers are 90% on-point in terms of the decades they were born in. However, the capitalizations for their names are a bit weird. Typically, first names are hyphenated and capitalized, and I’m not sure why the second part of their first names were in lowercase. But I do love that they’re in Wade–Giles, just like my name is. In case you’re also wondering, no, I don’t like to hyphenate my name and I had to specifically request to have it removed from my passport.
Before I dive into more Taiwanese accuracies and inaccuracies, I want to talk about the biggest disappointment of my reading experience. While I don’t usually read erotica (hi, I’m ace) because everything just looks like insta-lust with zero connection to me, I wasn’t expecting most of the intimate scenes in this book to be so... bland. Yes, you read that right. Bland. Cindy mentioned so many times that she wanted to train Rose into the perfect sub, and I was so upset that we didn’t get to see any of that; we suddenly got a BDSM scene where Rose was already fully trained. What about the hard part of them as a couple getting there? Wasn’t that the whole point of their relationship buildup, and we didn’t even get to have one scene of their training in Cindy’s bedroom (there were some non-BDSM sex though)? In short, there was so much summary that the book didn’t progress in a smooth curve. We have shy Rose in the beginning and out of nowhere she’s this perfect sub everyone is salivating after.
Now for what Laura called the bogeyman: Cindy’s mental illness. It was used more as a plot device than being a good rep, since throughout the whole book, everyone was avoiding talking about Cindy’s meds, not Cindy, not her mother Vera, not her friend Terry (who has her own book that I don’t think I want to read). And it played a huge role in the conflict, which I am not a fan of.
Apart from the plot lines, this book also needs an editor that is not the author. I understand that even after careful editing and reviewing manuscripts, there might still be some typos, but there were just too many of them in Don’t Let Go. There were name mix ups, sentences that made zero sense, and lots of spelling errors. Also, I don’t understand why the author would choose to call Rose “[Jameson’s] sister” or “[Cindy’s] lover” when we’re in Rose’s point of view. It was somewhat confusing as I kept wondering just how many people there were.
I think the book and I got off on the wrong foot. I had high expectations for it after seeing all the high praises and the fact that both leads are Taiwanese in a book set in Taiwan. In the first few chapters, there were too many thoughts in the narrative for my taste and I constantly felt like the book was dragging. It was too long. They met at Cindy’s residential building, which I still don’t understand why she is just renting (nobody with Cindy’s money and status would not buy a condo), went to some sex parties around the world, and had a conflict. Sorry for the mild spoiler but that would’ve been nice for a 240-page book and not a 400+ one. I had trouble pushing through the book after a while.
Back to Taiwan and Mandarin-related issues. It was mentioned multiple times that “xiaojie” (小姐) has a prostitute connotation in Mandarin in Taiwan. No, it does not. It could, however, mean prostitute in Mandarin in China. I remember learning about it when I visited China several years ago. And it kind of confuses me that Rose didn’t know much English. English was mandatory starting from third-grade (Rose and I are born in the same year, so I should know) all the way through high school, but maybe it was because the learning resources are often scarce in mountainous regions in Taiwan. I also find it really interesting that Cindy and all the other rich people switch between Mandarin and Hokkien and English and Cantonese. First of all, Cantonese is not super common in Taiwan. Secondly, we don’t really do that? Mixing Mandarin and Hokkien is quite normal but not with English. Was this an attempt of making them sound more obnoxious? There were also a lot of sentences that I couldn’t imagine being said in Mandarin or Hokkien.
While back in the days (I’m talking about decades and centuries ago), “baijiu” (白酒, literally “white wine”) meant some type of clear liquor, it does not mean the same thing in modern Taiwan. It means white wine, as in the alcohol that is made from grapes. The characters had “baijiu” on a few occasions and it sounded like they were having high proof liquor. That was a misuse. Another thing to note is that I think Cindy and Terry talk like they’re in their sixties with all their aiyo’s and -ah’s.
I am not fluent in Hokkien (I can understand it and maybe carry basic conversations) and I couldn’t figure out what “sio-ti” meant for the longest time. I don’t think people say that, but I’ve heard the usage of “sio-tu-e-dio” (相佇會到) that fits the context (meaning “you’ll see” in a challenging tone). And I don’t know much Cantonese, but “dui mm zu” (對唔住, meaning “sorry” or “excuse me”) is most certainly not Hokkien as was mentioned in the book but Cantonese (and Hakka and Teochew).
Also, what was Cindy’s day job again? (It was never mentioned what her rich company does.)
content warnings: graphic sex, public sex, BDSM, bipolar, not taking prescribed psychiatric medications, misogyny, homophobia, classism, Taiwan’s past authoritarian era
Buddy read with Gabriella! Check out her thoughts here!
November 23, 2021
1.5ish stars. Yeah no...this wasn't for me. I didn't like either main character, the writing wasn't great, there was no real romance, the mental health rep was 99% evasion...bleh. Even as an erotica book, I don't think it did its job well, though one sex (?) scene was super fun.
Check out Laura's review for some detailed and hilarious insight! Also check out Hsinju's review for some in-depth discussion of the (in)accuracy!
Buddy read with Hsinju!
Check out Laura's review for some detailed and hilarious insight! Also check out Hsinju's review for some in-depth discussion of the (in)accuracy!
Buddy read with Hsinju!
January 9, 2020
And I've been having such a good year so far...
The good: Set in Taiwan, and there was a lot of cultural nuance and titbits that I enjoyed reading. The writing wasn't good but at times it was fun and witty in a way that approached good? And some of the sex was 🔥.
The bad: Poorly written, poorly edited. Lots of word confusion and mistakes. I can always enjoy a novel with little plot if the character interaction is good enough to get me hooked, but I in no way believed that these two women were particularly good for one another. There was no chemistry. The billionaire thing was played in exactly all the ways that make me go blehhhh. The way the book approached Cindy's BPD was baffling in the extreme. We've known from the beginning that she has a mental illness; why shroud it in silly mystery and make it the book's boogey man?
(We know why.)
There are about a hundred other things that I didn't like but I can't currently remember them, and I doubt I'll come back to this review to document them.
1.5 stars.
The good: Set in Taiwan, and there was a lot of cultural nuance and titbits that I enjoyed reading. The writing wasn't good but at times it was fun and witty in a way that approached good? And some of the sex was 🔥.
The bad: Poorly written, poorly edited. Lots of word confusion and mistakes. I can always enjoy a novel with little plot if the character interaction is good enough to get me hooked, but I in no way believed that these two women were particularly good for one another. There was no chemistry. The billionaire thing was played in exactly all the ways that make me go blehhhh. The way the book approached Cindy's BPD was baffling in the extreme. We've known from the beginning that she has a mental illness; why shroud it in silly mystery and make it the book's boogey man?
(We know why.)
There are about a hundred other things that I didn't like but I can't currently remember them, and I doubt I'll come back to this review to document them.
1.5 stars.
June 7, 2021
This is a a story with many layers. Cindy has a health issue that is culturally not spoken about. Rose is realizing her sexuality and her kinky side. They are a match in many ways. However Cindy is too scared to tell Rose everything about herself. It is a long journey that is honestly written and very well narrated. I truly enjoyed listening to this audiobook.
December 20, 2019
Outstanding storyline
I have been thoroughly impressed by this book. The main characters Rose and Cindy were a breath of fresh air. Not being into BDSM this was an eye opener. Needless to say I became obsessed with what was going to happen next. I really was amazed with the way Cindy was able to lead Rose so easily down the path to the roll of a submissive and the joy Rose got from it. The introduction of a debilitating illness was a total surprise but the handling of the spiraling symptoms were treated with a gentleness that was surprising. Thank you the author for providing such an interesting and informative experience with this read. I can assure the author that even though I have read several of her books that I will definitely continue reading everything she writes and publishes. And that I fully intend to reread this story a second time .
I have been thoroughly impressed by this book. The main characters Rose and Cindy were a breath of fresh air. Not being into BDSM this was an eye opener. Needless to say I became obsessed with what was going to happen next. I really was amazed with the way Cindy was able to lead Rose so easily down the path to the roll of a submissive and the joy Rose got from it. The introduction of a debilitating illness was a total surprise but the handling of the spiraling symptoms were treated with a gentleness that was surprising. Thank you the author for providing such an interesting and informative experience with this read. I can assure the author that even though I have read several of her books that I will definitely continue reading everything she writes and publishes. And that I fully intend to reread this story a second time .
February 12, 2021
i'v just finnished don't let go and the other book set in taiwan, about last night, both books brought me to tears, and both books deserve a second chance i love nyla a woman soposidly sub in her nature
but terry brings out the domme in her.
in dont let go rose and cindy are so good for each other that you could forget they were gay the fact that rose comes from the mountains, and becomes the life long lover companion and eventual wife ? of cindy i fellin love with them and the end scene was so sweet that rose was'nt prepared to give up on her true love, had me in tears of happyness
to the authers i say no beg, please could we look in on terry and nyla and rose and cindy again, please, please,
but terry brings out the domme in her.
in dont let go rose and cindy are so good for each other that you could forget they were gay the fact that rose comes from the mountains, and becomes the life long lover companion and eventual wife ? of cindy i fellin love with them and the end scene was so sweet that rose was'nt prepared to give up on her true love, had me in tears of happyness
to the authers i say no beg, please could we look in on terry and nyla and rose and cindy again, please, please,
July 11, 2022
I'd read a book by these authors before and it referenced this book so I decided to try this out as well. Well, it was worse than the book I read. There were so many typos and it seems that the names of the characters changed as well. (I went back to the first book I'd read just to check the name of the lead character that appears as a side character in this one.) Also, the romance wasn't bad but they seem to do some weird filter on their sex scenes sometimes where they start to describe in explicit detail and then it turns into purple prose. It was a bit annoying for me because what's the fun in reading a sex scene without detail? Either fade to black and skip ahead or write the whole scene.
February 15, 2020
Incredible story
As a person who struggled with being bipolar manic depressive since my teen years & continue to cope with mental illness' impact in & on my life, I am grateful for the authors bringing this story to life. It was genuinely portrayed— in all its instability between manic glory & depressed abyss— making me even more grateful for the people who loved me enough to save me from myself!! Thank you so much!
This story was absolute perfection!!! With every page I read, the more I identified with & felt connected to these characters then the more I became invested in their journey of revealing pieces of themselves & exploring each other.
As a person who struggled with being bipolar manic depressive since my teen years & continue to cope with mental illness' impact in & on my life, I am grateful for the authors bringing this story to life. It was genuinely portrayed— in all its instability between manic glory & depressed abyss— making me even more grateful for the people who loved me enough to save me from myself!! Thank you so much!
This story was absolute perfection!!! With every page I read, the more I identified with & felt connected to these characters then the more I became invested in their journey of revealing pieces of themselves & exploring each other.
November 7, 2023
Who knew I would enjoy Taipei this much?
These two women, Cynthia Dane and Hildred Billings certainly have a wonderful way with the written word. This book draws so much from the world where it is set, and develops feelings so strongly. While I am in no rush to visit that country, in a book it is exciting. These authors are so talented that one feels the heat and steam in the air as the characters walk through the streets. I can feel the humidity as if I was there. Then the characters that are created take on a life of their own in my mind. Wow, what incredible power these women have!
These two women, Cynthia Dane and Hildred Billings certainly have a wonderful way with the written word. This book draws so much from the world where it is set, and develops feelings so strongly. While I am in no rush to visit that country, in a book it is exciting. These authors are so talented that one feels the heat and steam in the air as the characters walk through the streets. I can feel the humidity as if I was there. Then the characters that are created take on a life of their own in my mind. Wow, what incredible power these women have!
January 4, 2020
A different side to these authors
Kudos to the author for delivering such a necessary and relevant subject matter in Don't Let Go. As someone that also has a relative that has been diagnosed I found it easy to relate to all of the supporting characters in the book. I loved the progression of Rose and Cindy's relationship. I think that everything about this book was spot on. The natural progression of the story, the chemistry between the leads, the supporting characters, and last but not least they give us what we want with those steamy love scenes. Loved it!
Kudos to the author for delivering such a necessary and relevant subject matter in Don't Let Go. As someone that also has a relative that has been diagnosed I found it easy to relate to all of the supporting characters in the book. I loved the progression of Rose and Cindy's relationship. I think that everything about this book was spot on. The natural progression of the story, the chemistry between the leads, the supporting characters, and last but not least they give us what we want with those steamy love scenes. Loved it!
September 26, 2020
Touching!
This is a very well written book with a main character who suffers with a mental illness that is only now coming into public awareness, although it's more common than most realize. Rose and Cindy have a whirlwind romance and everything seems to be going quite well for them. Rose moves into Cindy's penthouse and they vacation in NYC. Soon after, Cindy stops taking her medication and begins a negative spiral into a deep darkness. Can Rose bring Cindy back from the brink of death? Is their love strong enough? Put this book on your must read list to find out!
This is a very well written book with a main character who suffers with a mental illness that is only now coming into public awareness, although it's more common than most realize. Rose and Cindy have a whirlwind romance and everything seems to be going quite well for them. Rose moves into Cindy's penthouse and they vacation in NYC. Soon after, Cindy stops taking her medication and begins a negative spiral into a deep darkness. Can Rose bring Cindy back from the brink of death? Is their love strong enough? Put this book on your must read list to find out!
September 5, 2023
Manic, hot ride!
I felt the erratic rush to pleasure and leisure that the characters seemed to race for. The book has a "climbing to the top of the cliff as fast as you can" feel. The hot scenes are electric blue and red!
I like that the author gave us both the cultural experience and the reality of mental health in romance. Of course, there is an exaggerated relationship, but the reality of mental health issues and mental illness stigma through such a cultural lens was refreshing.
Definitely recommend!
I felt the erratic rush to pleasure and leisure that the characters seemed to race for. The book has a "climbing to the top of the cliff as fast as you can" feel. The hot scenes are electric blue and red!
I like that the author gave us both the cultural experience and the reality of mental health in romance. Of course, there is an exaggerated relationship, but the reality of mental health issues and mental illness stigma through such a cultural lens was refreshing.
Definitely recommend!
November 28, 2022
Super read
This is a great read, I have enjoyed immersing myself in the stories set in Asia, full of terrific characters. This is my favourite so far, so hot 🔥 it still manages to have an underlying mystery to it, it is as expected a mental illness besetting the main character, I love that the books interweave people from the larger group as you really want to know more about them. Thankfully there's plenty of others to explore, I loved sweet loyal rose.
This is a great read, I have enjoyed immersing myself in the stories set in Asia, full of terrific characters. This is my favourite so far, so hot 🔥 it still manages to have an underlying mystery to it, it is as expected a mental illness besetting the main character, I love that the books interweave people from the larger group as you really want to know more about them. Thankfully there's plenty of others to explore, I loved sweet loyal rose.
December 21, 2019
Woah
I really loved this book, maybe even more then “On the Rocks” which is my favorite book by this author. I was so grateful it was a long read but wish It was even longer it was THAT good. Crying to the gods for you to make a sequel to this.. and maybe one to on the rocks too?! PLEASE
I really loved this book, maybe even more then “On the Rocks” which is my favorite book by this author. I was so grateful it was a long read but wish It was even longer it was THAT good. Crying to the gods for you to make a sequel to this.. and maybe one to on the rocks too?! PLEASE
January 23, 2021
Here too stay.
When rose went too work every morning too sapphire tower she have this thing for this one guest that she like too see because she is very attractive too her. But one day she delivered a package that was for the guest in the penthouse she went too drop it off then they got too talking and next thing happen they ended up liking each other.
When rose went too work every morning too sapphire tower she have this thing for this one guest that she like too see because she is very attractive too her. But one day she delivered a package that was for the guest in the penthouse she went too drop it off then they got too talking and next thing happen they ended up liking each other.
December 12, 2020
Great book
I loved this book. It had very good characters and their chemistry was wonderful. I liked how Cindy put in motion to meet Rose and they had the chemistry that proved that they belong together. Even with the print that Cindy was going thru Rose stood by her side.
I loved this book. It had very good characters and their chemistry was wonderful. I liked how Cindy put in motion to meet Rose and they had the chemistry that proved that they belong together. Even with the print that Cindy was going thru Rose stood by her side.
July 26, 2022
this story highlights the kinky activities and romance between a rich magnate domme and a mountain girl sub. There was some corny stuff in between but the hot stuff was off the charts.
4 stars if you're after the erotic content and 3 stars if you are after the plot.
December 27, 2020
Enjoyed the book but the ending was rushed and didn't feel complete.
February 2, 2021
Erotic romance with very light BDSM elements. It also has elements of living with mental illness. Both MC’s were very likable. This was a page-turner for sure.
Read
February 10, 2022
Trigger & Content Warnings
Sexism
Homomisia
Classism
Sexism
Homomisia
Classism
July 14, 2023
For a BDSM story, it lacked the kinky.
June 16, 2020
Wonderful story
I have enjoyed this book even with the mental illness and the asian culture that I don't know but enjoyed getting to know.
I have enjoyed this book even with the mental illness and the asian culture that I don't know but enjoyed getting to know.
Displaying 1 - 23 of 23 reviews