| Title | : | Forbidden (Ward Sisters #4) |
| Author | : | |
| Rating | : | |
| ISBN | : | - |
| Language | : | English |
| Format Type | : | Kindle Edition |
| Number of Pages | : | 326 |
| Publication | : | First published May 20, 2021 |
The former fighter is a lot of things — a single dad, a widower trying to start over, and a watchful presence that knocks her off her very capable feet.
To make matters worse, Isabel had a crush on him for the entirety of her teenage years. Doodles in her diaries and letters declaring her admiration—while never sent—haunt the absolute crap out of her now that she has to face him every day.
No woman has ever tempted Aiden to move on from the memory of his wife—until Isabel. She’s too young, too fiery, too much of everything he should avoid.
But avoiding is impossible, just like pretending the blistering chemistry between them doesn’t exist.
Now that the unshakeable woman is shaken and the untemptable man is tempted, Isabel and Aiden have to decide what they’re willing to risk for a taste of the forbidden.
Forbidden (Ward Sisters #4) Reviews
-
Well it was kinda cute or whatever, I am giggling like a schoolgirl over there. 😳😱
The good news: the story is the safest, sweetest thing I've read in a while.
The bad news: the story is the safest, sweetest thing I've read in a while.
Lol.
My personal issue with the book is that it had such a bittersweet feeling to it. Aiden's wife died only 2 years ago, he loved her, she was his high school sweetheart 😭 and gave birth to his daughter. At the same time, the heroine didn't even have normal relationship, has pined after him since teenage years. Consequently, the hero is her one and only, while he had already loved someone else strongly enough to marry the woman and have a child with her ... (shit I'm feeling salty just thinking about it).
This type of love stories rarely manage to sound convincing to me (to be fair, I gave 5 stars to two books with the same tropes). This one made me believe in their attraction, but not love. Somehow the slow development of their relationship failed, in my opinion, to provide depth and solid foundation for their future together.
Even the prologue that basically described his wife's death was less about the terrible loss and more about the wife giving her approval of finding "the right NEW mother" for her daughter which just made me roll my eyes a little.
That's more of a personal issue, I tend to get salty about men not grieving for their other half less than eternity (lmao).
Anyways, I really did like both main characters, I found them both likeable and their interactions sweet. They didn't have the slightest idea how to flirt and neither do I, so I guess we all, Isabel, Aiden and I felt comfortably awkward throughout the book. 😂
As I've already pointed out, I liked both protagonists, and my only complaint is that they were kinda boring. I cannot say there were any unexpected twists, turns or thoughts. I constantly seek something that will send my mind wonder, and, unfortunately, the book failed to become memorable for me... Some scenes were cute and adorable but, generally speaking, everything was plain. -
4 GINGERSNAP STARS ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
THIS!!! This was what I’ve been waiting for. Aiden and Isabel are hands down the best couple in this series.
Tropes:
✨ Age Gap - Isabel (25), Aiden (35)
✨ Forbidden - boss/employee
✨ Slow Burn - with insta-attraction
✨ Single Dad
✨ Family Dynamic
✨ Sports Romance - ex-fighter and gym focused
✨ Grumpy hero and badass heroine
✨ SPOILER FILLED REVIEW ✨
Dead ex is a trope that is really hard to pull off because it means the character has been in epic love before you, and you are essentially the second choice.
But here? Karla did the trope justice.
Aiden Henessey and Beth (who sadly passed away from cancer) were friends who then turned into lovers as teenagers. They fell slowly and sweetly and had a daughter named Anya. After her death Aiden was grieving and knew in his heart he would never love again. Wanting a new start they moved and Aiden started his new career as a gym owner.
Isabel Ward, is the strong and most badass Ward sister, who first walked into a gym at 14 years old ready to fight the world due to all her pent-up anger from her mother abandoning her and her sisters.
Isabel works at the gym which now has a new owner in Aiden, an ex-fighter, and also Isabel's teenage crush. Isabel, who is never rattled and always fierce, is unable to cope with her attraction to Aiden, whilst Aiden is also attracted to her which has confused him because he wasn’t looking for anything and hasn't felt this way about someone so quickly/strongly.
I freaking loved Isabel, who was always the sassy girl in her sister's books previously, be totally flustered in front of Aiden. I’m sure every girl can relate to acting like a total mess in front of their crushes. Aiden was so gruff in the beginning but you could feel his loss and pain, so I was rooting for him to find some happiness.
I liked the fact that even though it was insta-attraction, their build-up was an intense slow-burn (they kissed at 80%), but the tension was present throughout. I loved how they bonded through their love of sport and family. I felt like they were the mirror image of each other, both having dealt with loss and pain, two halves of one soul.
Aiden described it perfectly, what he had with Beth was sweet and innocent, but everything happened for a reason which lead him to Isabel who really is his soulmate. I loved Anya too, she was so cute asking Isabel random questions from her list every time she saw her 🤣 like girlie really got the opposite of what she was told!
I can’t believe this is the end of the ward sisters! (well according to the extended epilogue we will deffo be seeing Emmett soon!). I lived for the family dynamic. Paige was her glorious motherly self, Logan was daddy AF, Molly and Noah’s wedding 😭 was so goddamn precious and the Claire and Bauer crumbs were delicious. As disappointing as Lia & Jude's book was I loved them here with their little baby 🥰 Emmett is 100% my fav character that boy is a king in the making. this really was the best book in the series and had the most perfect epilogue!!!
I didn't rate it the full 5 stars because Isabel was flustered a lot in the beginning, once/twice was fine but I wish she got over it a lot quicker than she actually did. I also wish they struck up more of a friendship in the beginning rather than just running away from one another because they only just learned each other's basic likes/dislikes after the 80% mark, but I guess that's minor when you learn deeper things about each other instead.
Ward Family Books in Order - my ratings
✨ Logan & Paige -
The Marriage Effect - 4 stars
✨ Molly & Noah -
Focused - 3.5 stars
✨ Claire & Bauer -
Faked - 3.25 stars
✨ Lia & Jude -
Floored - 2.25 stars
✨ Isabel & Aiden -
Forbidden - 4 stars -
4 stars
I’ve enjoyed the ‘Ward Sisters’ books so much and I was really looking forward to this one. I know this is the favorite book of many (book 2 is still my favorite- Claire and Bauer were everything) and I loved it! You can never go wrong with a slow burn/age gap/single dad romance. So many troupes I adore!
Isabel works at and manages a gym and it’s her home away from home. It’s getting new ownership, in the form of retired fighter, Aiden Henessey. A fighter Isabel crushed on as a teen. Isabel is sassy and fun, but also innocent in so many ways. I do love that her story was a slow burn, but I wish Aiden would have came around a little faster. I did love the scenes with his daughter and the dynamic Isabel had with her. Overall this one was a win for me!
Audio book source: Hoopla
Story Rating: 4 stars
Narrators: Savannah Peachwood & Tor Thom
Narration Rating: 4.5 stars
Genre: Contemporary Romance
Length: -
i'm so upset, this book had so much potential but i needed MORE. SO MUCH MORE. the ending felt rushed and the character development just wasn't enough for me to love this:(
__________________________________________
isabel ward and aiden hennessy, a retired MMA fighter who is also a single dad???? count me fucking in.
and it’s forbidden because that’s her new boss!! the sexual tension might end me. grumpy hero??? i'm salivating. silent yearning?? yes please. secret & soft glances?? i’m ready. sneaking kisses at work??? lingering touches whilst (hopefully) training together?? FUCK YES. angst?? make it HURT
AND MORE CHAOTIC WARD FAMILY CONTENT -
I am honestly so in love with Karla Sorensen's books and cannot wait to get to her backlist. I read the first book in this series and loved it, but I skipped two and three because I was just too excited to get to this one. Isabel works at a gym and she used to have a crush on Aiden Hennessy when he was a famous fighter and she was a teenager. We're talking posters on the wall and love letters. Now, Aiden is a single dad and just bought the gym that Isabel works for. Isabel has no idea how to act around Aiden and is usually a hot mess, and Aiden is just trying to raise his daughter and do a good job with the gym. But the more the two spend together, the more they start wanting to give into their attraction. Just like the first book, I loved all of Isabel's family and how big they were in this book. There was just so much angst in this book and I was obsessed with the emotion in this romance. I cannot recommend this series enough!
-
I would probably give this book higher raiting if it wasn't about Isabel. She was the one who intrigued me the most ever since I've read Logan and Paige's book😩
There was nothing wrong with Isabel and Aiden as a separate characters. She is still the most stubborn girl, full of anger who keeps everything bottled up and Aiden is single father still griving his wife while somewhat trying to move on.
I just didn't like how Isabel was so tongue tied in the beginning around Aiden and how everytime he asked her something she gets embarassed and avoided him. It just didn't match my original opinion about her. She was acting like a schoolgirl with a crush and the first time it was cute but then it started getting annoying. And I HATED how inexperienced she was and she also a virgin? Like really why the need for that🙄 and I still didn't get the reason behind it, was it because she had a huge crash on Aiden her whole life and didn't think someone elso could handle her? Idk if I got that part right🙄
Aiden was an okay H, but a little undeveloped imo. His only personality trait was being a widower🙄 I thought as a former famous MMA fighter that part would be much explored but noup,nothing.
He was also so clueless, stubborn and one of my biggest pet peeves in romance books is when other characters start to push or are giving ultimatums about the MCs relationship😐 In this case that was Molly, Isabel's sister who gave him a speech why he needs to start fighting for her. Why Aiden couldn't figure it out on his own? 🤦♀️
The whole I love you and the ending was so abrupt and the sex scenes were a little underwhelming.
Note that this is a sloooowburn and their first kiss is almost at 80%.
Also I would liked more scenes with Isabel and Anya, Aiden's daughter.
That's my opinion about this book- I would love more of - everything😂 There was a lot of repetitiveness expecially in the first half and not enough developing the story.
Their scenes together were so cute and also that epilogue🥺
I would miss the whole Ward fam and I'm so glad that we are getting more books in this universe!!! -
Forbidden is the fourth and final installment in the Ward Sisters series, and let me tell you that Karla Sorensen knew exactly what she was doing here. This book can be read as a standalone, but if for some reason you haven't started this series YET (+ The Marriage Effect), this is me yelling at you to do it as soon as possible! What to expect:
🥊 grumpy-grumpy trope (yes, you read that right 👀)
🥊 workplace romance
🥊 slowburn
🥊 age gap
🥊 strong heroine with a vulnerable side
🥊 male character scared to love again
🥊 best family dynamic ever!!
🥊 the cutest and funniest kids
Isabel Ward is the reliable and unflappable sister in this crazy family, all her sisters know to go to her for advice because she has always been the most rational, no feelings involved, literally nothing can make her lose that stoic personality... but Aiden Hennessy −her teenage crush and idol−), being her new boss. She kinda forgot how to speak.
Aiden Hennessy was looking for a new future for himself and his 7-year-old daughter Anya. After losing his wife and leaving his professional career as an MMA fighter, he just wanted to be close to his family and live a quiet life, so that was how he ended up buying a gym, but Aiden was OBVIOUSLY not expecting Isabel Ward as the manager of the gym, and from the first interaction he knew there was something about her, awakening in him a feeling that he had never felt before.
This book... many days have passed since I read it, but I still can't find the right words to explain everything it made me feel. I've been waiting for Iz's book since that scene with Paige at the gym in The Marriage Effect, and although with each book I could saw a little more of her guarded personality, I didn't expect the plot of this book at all! but this story had me hooked from beginning to end and I really didn't know whether to try to make this book last as long as possible, or to devour it in one sitting.
The romance in this book was nothing like the previous ones. Aiden and Isabel really took their time to act on it, BUT THE TENSION!! THE CHEMISTRY!! This slowburn almost made me pass out... It was a relationship with a lot of feelings in it; light flirtation, funny moments, a lot of intensity and also some angst between these two. To see them circulate around each other without knowing how to act, with them having awkard interactions at first, and slowly progressing to friendship and something else with an innate trust in each other... the way they affected each other... HELP I'm leaving this review here to go reread this book.
And if Iz and Aiden were amazing main characters, the side characters are not far behind. If you know me then you already know that I have two favorite fictional families and one of them are the Ward, so getting crumbs from each of them in this series is basically paradise for me. Logan and Paige are basically king and queen, the relationship they built with the sisters is one of the most beautiful things to read; the way they protect each other so passionately, but also the way they call each other out when they are wrong, and the way they tease and anoy the shit out of them... MOST WHOLESOME FAMILY DYNAMIC!!! I'll never tire of reading about them! And now we have the kids too! I loved seeing more of Emmett here, and also Anya -Aiden's daughter-, they were so funny, but also so cute especially the relationship between Anya and Iz, which made me remember a lot of what happened between Paige and Iz when Logan first brought her into the family, even if the dynamics between the two pairs was opposite they had the same dynamics with the power to bring me to tears.
To end this rambling, it only remains to say that Forbidden was my most anticipated reading of the year and now I don't know what to do with my life. It feels a bit bittersweet because it's a goodbye to this series that became one of my comfort books, but I'm also happy because the author is gonna stay in this same universe for a while with the next gen!
P.S. Aiden having all those SINGLE brothers and sister... don't think I'll overlook that! i'm sensing something coming in the future 👀
ARC provided by the author and Wildfire Marketing in exchange of an honest review.
------------------------------------------------------
First review: IF I DIE TOMORROW I WILL DO IT AS A HAPPY WOMAN BECAUSE MY MOST EXPECTED BOOK OF THE YEAR GAVE ME EVERYTHING I WAS WAITING FOR AND SO MUCH MORE!!! I LOVED IZ AND AIDEN, I LOVED THE PLOT, I LOVED THE WARD FAMILY EVEN MORE AND NOW I FEEL LIKE CRYING ALL OVER AGAIN 😭💘 -
4.25 stars ⭐️
“One of us was a locked box, and the other was on display for the world to see. Neither made it easy to make real connections.
Wow🙌 I wasn’t expecting to love this book or enjoy this book as much as I did! When I read the blurb and the reviews, I thought this was going to be your typical “forbidden- age gap- workplace- grumpy” book but OMG it was so much MORE!!
This was my first book by Karla and I haven’t read any other books in the series but it can easily be read as a standalone, for all those who’re wondering!
“Change was here, and his name was Aiden Hennessy.”
Aiden Hennessy, 35, lost his wife and decides to move in hopes of getting a fresh start. He was a MMA fighter but leaves his job after losing his wife,Beth to cancer and then decides to buy a gym (where he meets Isabel). I really didn’t know what to make of Aiden. At first, I couldn’t get a read of him because of his introverted behaviour but then when he started to form a bond with Isabel and started interacting with her, I knew I was a goner😩 I understood his reasons to stay away from Isabel but it was really entertaining watching him fight his attraction towards Isabel and how he was failing miserably😂 I loved his relationship with his daughter,Anya and every time he called her “gingersnap”, my heart would skip a beat.
”Isabel Ward was the blood-red apple, tempting just by being herself. She was the thing I shouldn’t want but might wreck the world around me in order to try.”
Isabel Ward, 25, is such a strong, “give-no-fucks” character and I loved to see her interactions with Aiden and how she would always do something embarrassing 😂 watching her squirm was the best thing ever😂 I really found Isabel a great character and was written beautifully. I would die to have a family like hers and the relationship she shared with her family and coworkers was so precious🥺 i loved her bonding with the seven year-old, Anya!
“The fire in her was palpable, and I knew I was about to walk into it.”
I loved the side- characters so much! The banter, the teasing was so good i cant-😂 Adored the friendship between Emmett and Anya! They are so adorable🥺🥺
“But watching the flash behind her eyes, like someone dropped a match into a vat of gasoline, I knew I was right. This was Isabel Ward. And she was fucking glorious.”
Overall, I loved the book so much! I just felt something was missing?? I wish Iz and Aiden would’ve formed more of a bonding before getting together and I lowkey felt things rushing after they got together which didn’t feel right to me. I’m excited to read the following books in this universe which is gonna have second gen characters!!
”He was so big and tall and strong, his hands so broad and capable-looking, and if he kissed even a fraction as well as he did anything else, I’d never survive it. Forget sex, I’d perish from his tongue in my mouth.” -
4.5 ⭐️ THIS WAS SO GOOD WTF 😗✌🏻
i’m cackling at the fact that i skipped two books in this series and went straight into this.🧍🏻♀️
the slowburn hit different & i adored the characters. Aiden & Isabel were amazing people and ANYA???? bye. an icon.
the only reason it’s not a full 5 is because i feel like i didn’t get to see their LOVE all that much, like when did that even happen? idk 🤡 but i understand showing the passion and wanting is hard in slowburns. i still enjoyed the hell out of this. <3
“It wasn’t fireworks and explosions, but something even better. It was forever.” -
4.75stars
" Isabel Ward was the blood-red apple, tempting just by being herself. She was the thing I shouldn’t want but might wreck the world around me in order to try. "
Oh boy how I loved rereading and being emerged once again in this beautifully poignant love story.
Was the book perfect? No.
Was the storyline well exploited ? Yes and no. For the length of the book the slow born was well drawn but it felt a little rushed nonetheless. The book could have been quite a masterpiece if it had been a bit longer.
⚠️spoilers⚠️
Isabel aka my favorite Ward sister. She is known for being a badass and could do anything and everything for the ones she loves, her personality is a mix with some anger issues that balances with her "way too mature persona since childhood”.
" They saw the same thing that everyone else did. Isabel, the intimidating sister.
But every once in a while, I wondered at how they couldn’t see what was underneath all of that. “
She was never genuinely interested with dating or what comes with. Except from a harmless crush for her favorite MMA fighter. Well when the said crush become her new boss, harmless wouldn’t caricature the situation at all.
" I was utterly convinced I’d meet and marry him someday."
Aiden lost his wife a couple of years before the story started and the prologue was one of the most heartbreaking things I’ve ever read.
" If Mommy is going to heaven soon, does that mean I’ll get a new one? "
I loved how Aiden’s little girl was an important variable in them being together and in the storyline in general. The girl said the most heart wrecking things. And her quest to find the woman that checked all the boxes of the list her late mother had given to her was another layer of hurt as well but it was one of the main reasons Isabel and Anya’s bond was sooo well developed.
"She told me I’d know,” Anya said. “Even if you didn’t match the list, I’d know."
"Mommy said I’d know because she’d make us all happier. And that’s you "
*crying my eyes out*
I don’t know how miss Sorensen has done but the tension and chemistry between Aiden and Isabel was a chef kiss. So. Well. Done.
I particularly liked the fact that "Aiden’s ex wife subject" wasn’t taboo in their relationship and that he talked fearlessly about her with Isabel.
" But I can’t compete with the wishes of a ghost, Aiden.” My eyes burned with unshed tears. “I won’t.”
“ That’s what makes this so fucking hard for me,
When it comes to you, Isabel, there is no competition, and I don’t know how to make peace with that.” "
Sure Aiden took some time to figure everything out and try to understand his unexpected feelings for Isabel but I think it just added more authenticity to the storyline.
Loves being back to the crazy Wards family dynamics!
1st read : 7/24/2022
2nd read : 2/26/2023 -
2.5 Stars
Overall Opinion: Whomp whomp. This didn’t work for me. I didn’t connect to either character. I didn’t feel their connection to each other until they do a complete 180 from avoidance and denial to mushy, toothache love. I didn’t get the progression to deeper feelings. It might’ve also been the fact that I didn’t even get a kiss until ~80%! I’m definitely not a fan of that slow of a burn! It made it feel like nothing happened and it was too much time spent in their inner dialogue to where it even felt repetitive at times. The ending also was lackluster with them finally getting officially together, a time jump off page, and some big life changes to wrap it all up in a pretty bow. Oh! And there was nothing “forbidden” about it 🤨
Brief Summary of the Storyline: This is Isabel and Aiden’s story. Aiden lost his wife and moves his young daughter and himself to a new town to be closer to his family. When the gym that is Isabel’s life gets sold to her childhood celebrity crush, Aiden, she is unsure what that really means for her. There is a lot of tiptoeing around each other, some family drama, a few sexy times, and some sweet moments…and they get a HFN ending.
Point Of View (POV): This alternated between Isabel and Aiden’s POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Alright. This did feel slow at times and the super slow burn could’ve contributed to that (see heat section below). I never skimmed and I thought it flowed well otherwise.
Instalove:Kind of in the sense that it came out of nowhere for me.
H (Hero) rating: 3 stars. Aiden. While I understand and felt for him with the struggles he had to get past, I also didn’t feel like I connected with him.
h (heroine) rating: 3 stars. Isabel. I didn’t really get her either. She was kind of all over the place in being damaged and strong and insecure and secretive.
Sadness level: Low, no tissues needed (but I can see where others might get emotional)
Push/Pull: Yes
Heat level: Mild. They have some mild tension, chemistry, and a few scenes -- but not so much it takes away from the story. This is absolutely a slow burn because they don’t even kiss until ~80%!!
Descriptive sex: Yes
OW (Other Woman)/OM (Other Man) drama: Yes
Sex scene with OW or OM: No
Cheating: No
Separation: No,
Possible Triggers: Yes
Closure: This ends in an alright place but I would still classify it as a HFN ending (even though others would probably be fine calling it a HEA) .
Safety: This one should be Safe with exception for most safety gang readers depending on personal preferences -
From the title itself, I thought this book is going to be forbidden romance. Well turns out to be a sexual frustration woman who needs to get it off with a sexy, brooding hero who lost his wife. And the hero is a single dad.
I myself expecting so much more from Miss Sorensen. Such a famous writer, I have high expectation. I think I can like it better if Isobel character can be build more complex and sophisticated. Maybe with some emotional burden from the past.
Well anyway.. moving on
3 stars -
"My smile was as easy as breathing, which was sort of how it felt to fall in love with him."
Out of all the Ward sisters, Isabel was definitely the one that intrigued me the most. Even as a teenager, she had this depth and way of looking at the world that just amazed me. When I found out that she was going to have her own book, I couldn't be happier because I wanted to see who was finally going to break down her walls and love her like she deserves to be loved.
Aiden Hennessy was the perfect person for Isabel. He understood her struggles and never judged her for her decisions. Even though her family loves her fiercely, I think Iz has always just needed someone who wasn't impacted by her mom to believe in her.
The slow-burn romance made sense considering both of them went through a lot of trauma and decided the better way to survive was to close off their feelings. I liked that every moment between them was special and crucial for their development as a couple and as a person. Their growth was very real and one of my favorite things about "Forbidden".
I wish there were more moments between Iz and Anya cause they were so freaking precious together. I always thought Iz was going to be a perfect mom and I wasn't wrong in the slightest. Thank God Karla is going to write a third-generation series and we'll get to see Aiden and Iz being perfect parents.
I couldn't finish this review without talking about Isabel's relationship with Paige. I absolutely love how they trust each other, how Paige wants to protect Iz from everything, and how Iz looks up to Paige. I know Paige loves every one of her kids like crazy, but it's undeniable that the connection they share is different and deeper.
Overall, Karla Sorensen wrote the perfect ending for the Ward Sisters series and for Isabel. I have no doubt that the Ward family will always hold a special place in my heart <3 -
KARLA SORENSEN IS A SPORTS ROMANCE GODDESS.
Seriously. As if I didn't fall in love with her enough with the Washington Wolves series, she has absolutely captured my heart with Forbidden. Isabel is SUCH a bad ass. I fell in love with her more than the Hero if I'm being honest. She was just so refreshing, and unique, and different from any heroine I've ever read before. I loved how her family and friends knew her so well, knew the way she handled emotions, and even SHE seemed to be self-aware. I loved how passionate she was about her job at the gym, and how adorable she was crushing on her new boss.
Who, by the way, is VERY hot and swoon-worthy.
The heated dance between these two burned up every chapter. This is some slow burn voodoo that had me frothing at the mouth. No spoilers, but by the time these two get close enough to touch? I was SWEATING.
Closet scene. Enough said.
ANYWAY, if you love single dad romance, this one will capture your heart. Kids and family play a huge role in Isabel and Aiden's story and you'll be swept up with the Ward sisters and Aiden's rowdy group of siblings, too.
Forbidden is slow burn magic. I was panting and sweating and begging for more -- which is exactly what I long to feel when I read romance. Bravo, Sorensen. 5 stars and a gingersnap! -
A virgin too....well another author I thought I liked on the will not read anymore list. It is past time to stop with the virginity crap especially paired with a man she will have NO first with. He has been married, had a kid, loved before, had sex before and she just gets him, how romantic...eff that
-------------------------------
I usually like this author but I am so tired of the widower hero who finds a second love of his life paired with a heroine who never loved before. It makes her feel second best and that just isnt romantic for me so I will skip this one. -
from all of the Ward sisters, Isabel has been my most favorite so naturally i was really excited for her book so i hate to say it, but this just did not work for me. after all the teasers of her and Aiden that i have read in the previous books, i definitely had way more expectations than what was delivered.
i think my biggest problem with this story was how it was so underdeveloped especially the actual relationship between Isabel and Aiden. but, at the same time it felt so rushed??? like at the very end they are confessing their love to each other without even actually having any moments that declare “oh shit, they are in love.” you know? the romantic vibe just felt so off to me like they just didn’t make me feel anything. by the way, Aiden reminded me a lot of Dallas from
Wait for It and Aiden from
The Wall of Winnipeg and Me, also in some ways this was kind of similar to
Kulti like the foundation of the romance. overall, this book was alright, nothing memorable, but honestly speaking it's quite forgettable 😐 though i still enjoyed all the family and sisters’ moments plus the scenes of Isabel and Anya so.. 🤷🏻♀️
i love the Ward family, and Logan and Paige still remain the best couple in this entire Washington Wolves’ universe. their moments throughout this series have been so gold— every single time. also, i had a feeling with the way little kids were being popped out in this series that there will definitely be another spin off so you bet i’m here for that. -
Holy smoking slow burn!
I really can't say no to a single dad trope it seems.
Throw in a workplace forced proximity, an age gap, second chance at love and the heroine's teenage celebrity crush becoming real? Add some layers of the dad being a widower and a grump, the heroine a hopeful virgin and you've got the definition of a TROPETASTIC romance.
And what a wonderful angsty slow burn it was.
I enjoyed this one a lot but nitpicking is my second name so I'll say this: I felt the proportion of their slow burn topped with the hero's coming to term with his grief unbalanced to the on page times they finally get together. I wished the author would have given the readers more time to finally enjoy the pay off! I loved both characters, the awkwardness between them, especially coming from Isabel trying to get over her lifelong crush on Aiden. The resulting tension was great so this is mostly greed talking, that being said, I really needed more of them as a couple after so many chapters of yearning and mutual pining.
Talking of unbalance, the hero's grief was sorta... swift. The story starts right when Aiden moves back to be closer to his family so he's had off-page two years of grieving. On page though? His coming to term with his grief was a huge reason—the only reason, the turning point even—his attraction and feelings for Isabel should remain buried but it felt under developed here.
Stoicism and romance should not co-exist but alas... I'm probably the most stoic romance reader out there. So take with a grain of salt my irritation over the quality cheese given us at times. I like sweet reads alright but there were a few times I rolled my eyes at the cheese fest on offer.
The kids in this book were great, especially Anya, she was an overload of cuteness (the good kind), I loved seeing her interact with her dad, I liked her contrived hunt for a new mom a little less though.
To clarify, this is a positive review (could have fooled you I know), I'm just a nitpicker's at heart and can't pass up an occasion to perform! "Forbidden" kept me company last night during a sleepless night due to my lungs acting up, giving me a welcome distraction from anxiety and pain and I'm thankful for it.
CW for
More reviews and book talk at :
You can find me here too ☞
-
4.5 stars - Aiden has green eyes😏
-
✨4 stars!✨
Isabel as a temptation for me alone was one thing, hidden in quiet moments between the two of us where it was about greedy hands and whispered desires. But Isabel showing me glimpses of a future I’d mourned was something I wasn’t prepared for.
I totally called it, internally that is, that Isabel and Aiden would be my favourites in this series. From the first time we met them in Molly's book I knew we'd get a good helping of angst. And while I wouldn't call their relationship forbidden exactly, there was a lil bit of we just can't that I'm a sucker for. In fact Aiden says exactly that a few times.
Though I have to say I was expecting the angst to be a little more intense. It felt like Angst Lite instead of the heartbreaking, separated by circumstance situation I was looking for.But tonight, Aiden walked in, and without flinching, he knew exactly what I needed from him to smooth the raised hackles along my back. He met me where I was instead of trying to smother the flames.
Regardless I veeeeeeery much enjoyed Isabel and Aiden together. Their chemistry was palpable throughout the book and I was dying to see how they'd be together once they finally gave in. They said quite a few times that they'd basically explode once they got together, no casual Ah yes, I love you and that's lovely type situation here but some demolition fireworks.
And honestly, it just didn't live up to the hype in the end. They were somehow... too sweet?? I loved that they talked through all their shit at the end but seeing as they didn't even kiss until 90% when they'd now decided to be together... the slow burn that had promised me an explosive fire once they connected just continued along softly (honestly I can't figure out how to finish that metaphor lmao).Some people found a soul mate in the one who filled in the gaps and closed in their pieces with one of their own. But she and I, we weren’t like that. Isabel and I were the same in the heat that ran through us, and instead of tempering the flames, we burned that much brighter together.
But but but!! There was so much good here!! The way the dead wife trope worked wasn't annoying at all, in fact I loved the way it went down. Anya and Isabel are absolute peak chosen family. The Ward family dealing with their abandonment trauma was 10/10 and just generally I had a great time. So yay for that. -
“I’m sorry I made you wait,”. . . “You’re worth it.”
Forbidden is the final installment of the Ward Sisters series and I’m a little bit sad to say goodbye. It was a good ending and brought many things full circle in this series. Did I expect Isabel Ward to have a slow burn romance? No. Did it make complete sense once I really thought about it? Yes. A heroine who keeps her feelings close to her until she really trusts you and a single dad hero who has lost someone who he’d have forever. I mean, so good. This one burns pretty slowly. Possibly personal preference for me, but at times the anticipation felt a little more like pounding the last bit of ketchup out of a bottle than watching someone mix up your ice cream at Coldstone. All that said, I still enjoyed this read and I’m still sad it’s over. Yes the usual glimpses at the rest of the family happen in this one and it’s so good. Love getting updates on the Ward crew.
If you enjoy slow burn and two leads who really take some time to trust and open up to each other then you will love this read!! -
4.5⭑
Tropes;
Age Gap - 10 years (25&35)
Boss/Employee
Single Dad Romance
Slow Burn Romance
Dual POV
I knew this would be my favourite from the series and it didn’t disappoint!!
Going into this series, I knew Isabel would be my favourite out of the Ward sisters based on how much I loved her in The Marriage Effect.
I will admit the whole teenage girl crush act Iz had towards Aiden at the start of the book seemed a bit out of character and it was a tiny bit annoying but as soon as she got over it, I was back to loving her.
I was also worried going into this as it has the dead partner trope and I hate when authors have the hero compare the heroine to their dead wife. It was done a few times in this book because Iz and Aiden’s wife are complete opposites, but it was done well. Or well enough to not annoy me.
And of course, my favourite thing about the book was that it had the single parent trope. I just love the relationship development of the kids with the love interest and it was done so beautifully in this book.
Ward Sisters Series
#1 Focused - 3.75/5
#2 Faked - 3/5
#3 Floored - 4/5
#4 Forbidden - 4.5/5 -
If this review had a title, it would be “Do you like waiting?”
Spoiler alert: I don’t.
While I enjoyed the other books in this series, I was especially wild about number one, Floored, so I was really excited about this one. As a newer romance genre reader, this was the first time l’d found an author and read through a series to the point that I was waiting for the new release. So that was fun—the anticipating. Exciting, right?
Once I started reading Forbidden, though, I discovered that most of this book was that same experience—anticipating, and not the sizzling, sexual tension kind.
That sit-on-your-hands kinda waiting was done excellently in Floored. Here, the waiting and waffling went on and on, (and yes, healing, for Aiden so that was good), and there was just too much time knocking around inside the characters’ heads for reflecting, pondering, internal monologue-ing, doubting, locking feelings into metal boxes and all that, to the point that it got repetitive and eventually boring. Kind of like that last sentence I just wrote.
Shamelessly, I skimmed ahead in the name of ripping my own bodice.
When Isabel and Aiden finally hook up, it was so unclear that had to re-read the action...wait, did he go down on her? Is her thong on or off? Oh, he DID go down on her and no one has ever done that to her before (NOW cue internal monologue, please), AND she’s a virgin so how did that go? (How about some reflection on this huge life moment, perhaps?) I’m *pretty sure* she liked the s-e-x but we’ll never really know. Lost opportunity there, IMO.
The utter lack of detail lands this romance more in the PG-13, or light rated R camp in a way that other stories in this series weren’t. Huh. Weird, and I wonder why. Maybe that will work great for readers who prefer that variety of lovin’—vague and nondescript.
One more grumble: I never did figure out Aiden’s character. He was so subdued that he was almost an observer of his own story. Who was he? We’ll never know. He seemed nice. And hot. And fit. And tall. And a great dad. Not so good with the words, but ok. That scratching sound you hear is the scraping of the surface.
I’m figuring out I prefer my romance novels to be more spicy than sweet, so I feel you, sweet romance reader-consumers. If that’s you, then this book might pluck your heartstrings if you’re into delayed gratification without the gratification part. But you might also like it if you’ve read the other books and have an investment in these characters and their unique family. The other novels were hotter, though.
When Aiden and Isabel “get together” at about 80%, that’s usually when the lovers are breaking up in most of the other romance novels I read. I was half expecting that, what, with the well-developed theme of waiting in this book. Thanks to small mercies, that didn’t happen, because that would have been a kindle-thrown-against-wall situation. We readers were all earning their coupling up to that point, just waiting for it...and waiting for it. And waiting some more for it. But I’m glad Isabel got her man in the end. She deserves it. -
I knew this would be a five star read when I already wanted to cry after chapter one (if I was a cryer, I would have shed tears 😢)
I loved how it was such a slow build up and filled with so much tension right from the start. I was definitely giddy the entire time and couldn’t get enough… just wanted to keep turning the page
I wouldn’t have minded a couple of more chapters of Aiden’s POV but I can’t really fully complain about that since I didn’t feel like there was anything missing… I just would have taken more 😏
Anyway, I loved this. Definitely recommend it if you want an easy single dad, workplace environment romance where you get to watch the guy realize that you can’t plan when someone your going to fall in love with comes crashing into your life 😊
I now have to backtrack and go read the other books in this series to see her sisters fall in love and definitely want to check out the Washington Wolves series to see how it all started with Logan and Paige -
4.5 Felt It Deep Stars
* * * * 1/2 Spoiler Free
Karla Sorensen has a deft hand in understanding feelings, all types. This is an excellent study of how we all manage deep feelings from our past experiences. We learn how to allow others to find that one person who "Got You" and allowed you to be you.
This story has all the makings of something easy, not earth-shattering...yet when Isabel and Aiden cross paths as manager and owner of the newly acquired gym by Aiden, neither have any clue as to what the outcome will be.
Isabel is strong, keeps pain in, and only releases it through her personal working of the body bag. She came to the gym when she was 14, and from that moment, she felt at home, accepted. There she could release all her anger and frustrations and no one would get hurt or think less of her.
She loved MMA fighting and when Aiden came on the scene as a fighter, she became a devoted fan. She may have only been a teenager but her love/crush was serious. Yes, she grew up and knew whatever fairy tale she composed in her head with Aiden wasn't happening but deep down, those feelings were always going to be there.
Aiden was having the life. His career was strong and getting stronger. He had a beautiful wife who loved him and his daughter so much. He was trying to be everywhere at all times, there for the fights and home for the family but one night while he was away, terrible people did terrible things and his wife did not survive.
Now Aiden is only devoted to his daughter. She is the one in his life. He decided to focus on this gym he just bought and will work on making it a success. He understands he needs to be considerate to the former employees as their reputations all are stellar, especially Isabel's.
Isabel is having a difficult time being around Aiden. She knows her stuff and yet she keeps coming off as a stuck-up ass. She is either nervous around him and can't breathe or says two sentences or she comes across with resting bit@hface.
The story takes these two and puts them through a few challenges causing each to re-evaluate what they thought of the other. Also, the little daughter Aiden has is a hoot and terrific means of bringing them together. It starts as a slow burn and then ignites in this relationship.
I thoroughly enjoyed this and it was worth the read.
Forbidden
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
~~~~~ Before Reading ~~~~~
Lucky Me, Have This Goodie in my hot little hands!
April 1, 2021
Oh, Those Old Cliches Have A Way Of Bearing Fruit...
What Hell Does That Mean...
You May Ask...
Well, A Long Time Ago...
A Teenage Isabel Ward Longed For The Impossible...
Odes Of Love Sonnets Were Written...
Doodles And Practiced Name Writings Were Done...
All To The Heart's Desire Of MMA Legend Aiden Hennessy...
It Was All Innocent Enough...
After All, Isabel Was Only One Of The Thousands...
Who Admired The Skill And The Body Of The Man...
Who Could Do No Wrong In The Ring...
So What's The Problem...
With A Past Teenage Crush Now...
Nothing Except One, Itsy Bitsy, Tiny Thing...
Aiden Hennessy, Big As Life...
Has Just Walked Into Isabel Ward's Gym...
And In His Hot Hands Is The Ownership Papers Of Said Gym...
Now, Granted, Aiden Has Lived A Life...
Had The Grand Love, Only To Have It Taken Away...
Has A Wonderful Child And Is Looking To Start Over...
But Not Even Thinking Of Ever Finding Love Or Interest Again...
Then The Impossible Happens...
One Look At Isabel And He Is At A Loss...
And For Isabel, The Man Before Her...
Has Always Owned Her...
Now It Is Only A Question Of When Not If...
For These Two Are On...
The Collision Course Of The...
Forbidden-May 20, 2021
Forbidden
https://www.goodreads.com/review/show...
A gifted copy provided by Wildfire Marketing in exchange for an honest review
For more Reviews, Free E-books and Giveaways
-
“Some people found a soul mate in the one who filled in the gaps and closed in their pieces with one of their own. But she and I, we weren’t like that. Isabel and I were the same in the heat that ran through us, and instead of tempering the flames, we burned that much brighter together.”
May 20th 2021 :
You know the incredible feeling you feel when one of your most anticipated book about your favorite character in the series does not disappoint you and actually just makes you fall for said character even more? Forbidden is one of those books for me.
Everyone who knows me knows the Ward Sisters series is one of my favorite series ever and that Isabel has been my favorite Ward sister ever since The Marriage Effect, and every book since then, from Focused to Floored has cemented that. And this book, her book, was the nail in my coffin; in other words, there's no going back for me when it comes to Isabel Ward.
I think, in some ways, I related to Isabel in some ways. I saw myself in her in so many ways, but what attracted me to her most was that she does things I wish I had the guts to.
I have to admit, this book took me by surprise. I love that it has its own unique pacing; out of all the Ward sisters books, this was THE angsty slow burn, and as much as that goes perfectly with Isabel as a character, it still surprised me how hers and Aiden's relationship unfolded. Their chemistry was undeniable from the very first scene, which made the will they won't they even more excrutiating.
I honestly love what Karla Sorensen did with Isabel and Aiden, I love how she strayed from the whole opposites attract and took two people who resemble each other so much that they couldn't possibly have found any other person to understand them as much as they understood each other. Which is why I used Aiden's quote describing this exact thing above. And it also reminded me of Logan & Paige who are one of my favorite couples ever (coicidence? I think not), especially when Logan describes how he recognizes Paige's fire in the one he himself has. I MEAN, MY FAVORITE WARD SISTERS' ROMANCE TROPE PARALLELING MY FAVORITE WASHINGTON WOLVES COUPLE? I stood no chance! Well done miss Sorensen, well done!
Another thing that made this book my favorite in the series is miss Anya Hennessy. That kid IS THE ABSOLUTE CUTEST! I love her so much and I love how her relationship with both Aiden and Isabel was written. I especially love how her relationship with Isabel wasn't forced and built outside of Aiden and how natural it felt, especially after THE scene. Anya truly was a scene stealer in this book. The cutest one, too!
And this wouldn't be a complete review if I don't mention my ultimate weakness when it comes to this series which is THE WARDS!!! Once again, this family proves that there is nothing they wouldn't do for each other and to see each other happy! Everytime we see Paige's momma bear side come out my heart grows 10 sizes! Her and Logan are honestly the perfect "surrogate" parents! I love how Isabel kept describing Paige as her "mother in every way that counts". I also adore the relationship between Molly, Lia, Claire and Isabel; there's always that teasing between them and they love embarassing each other in every possible way, but never once do you doubt how much they love each other and that there isn't a thing they wouldn't do for each other's happiness, and when push comes to shove, if you hurt one of them, you're fucked!
I also wanna mention how much I love the fact that as soon as one of the Ward sisters falls for someone who is worthy, he immediately becomes an honorary Ward and the entire family adopts him as one of their own!!
The only thing I wish was different was the amount of Aiden POV chapters; I wish we'd gotten more of them, but to be frank, even that didn't lessen my enjoyment of this book.
Honestly, this series is so fucking perfect and has such a big place in my heart, I cannot wait to reread it again and again and again! It is bittersweet for me to see it end, I wish I could get and infinite supply of Wards content, but as far as ending goes, this one was perfect!
April 30th 2021 :
MY HEART IS SO FUCKING FULL!!!!! I LOVE ISABELAIDEN AND THE WARDS SO MUCH!!!!
*ARC kindly provided by the author and Wildfire Marketing in exchange for an honest review! -
![Elle ♡ [semi-hiatus]](https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/users/1521418447i/78060090._UY200_CR25,0,200,200_.jpg)
3.5-3.75 stars
I've been looking forward to this book since book 1 of the Ward Sisters series when Isabel sees the retired MMA boxer across the gym who recently became a widow and a single dad. It was so brief, but I was immediately shipping them haha.
My review for book 1 where all I do is talk about Isabel 😂
This book has a lot of my favorite tropes:
✔️age gap (10 years)
✔️single dad
✔️boss/employee
✔️sports/MMA (to an extent with him being a retired MMA fighter)
Aiden Hennessy retired from MMA to take care of his wife during her short battle with cancer and care for their young daughter, Anya. Two years after his wife died Aiden (now 35 years old) and Anya (now 7 years old) move to Washington for a fresh start where Aiden buys the gym Isabel manages and becomes her boss. Aiden has a few of my favorite qualities in that he's a big, brooding, quiet hero with a soft heart. Isabel Ward, the second oldest Ward sister at 25 years old, has always found solace in exercise and has considered this gym her second home since she was fourteen years old. Naturally, Isabel is upset that her beloved boss is selling the gym and resistant to any change, but Aiden specifically presents a unique challenge for her as a new boss because she's had a crush on him since she was a teenager. It was fun seeing Isabel who has come across as unflappable and tough in the previous three books literally tripping all over herself whenever Aiden is around, blushing and therefore hiding/avoiding him at all costs while secretly still crushing on him hard. In general, I feel like we really got to know a whole other side of Isabel that she hides from the world behind her tough girl shell to protect herself from getting hurt again the way her mom hurt her when she abandoned her and her sisters. She's a lot more innocent, vulnerable, and soft than she lets on and it was sweet seeing that side of her finally come out.
*There will be some spoilers in the rest of my review*
So obviously we know Aiden is a widow which means there's the dreaded dead ex that will factor into the romance. This is hard to get right, but I feel like it was handled well in this book. Oftentimes authors choose to have the dead wife be a secretly shitty person so it's easier to believe the heroine is the love of his life, but many authors also choose to have the first wife/love be a perfect and amazing person and that makes it really hard for the new love interest to compete. In that case, you know the previous relationship didn't end because they grew apart, cheated, etc., and that they would most likely still be together with the hero not giving the heroine a second glance if that person were still alive today. Beth (the dead wife) was sweet, funny, beautiful and Aiden's high school sweetheart😦I was worried about how Isabel could possibly mean as much to him, but I feel like the author did a good job of emphasizing that Isabel wasn't second best, but a different kind of love altogether. Beth and Aiden's love slowly built from friends to more and was a sweeter love. Aiden was constantly battling with the fact that his feelings for Isabel were so different from how he fell in love with Beth. His feelings for Isabel came on much more quickly and were too aggressive for him to ignore even though the last thing he wanted was to fall in love again. Isabel wasn't anything like he would've imagined for him and his daughter, but as he got to know her he couldn't imagine their life without her.
I feel like their love was pretty slow burn, but at the same time also insta-love 🧐lol. Things were building slowly (no sex until like 90%😳), but there was good sexual tension and the transition from strangers to friends was sweet, but then the jump into 'I love yous' & forever felt way too sudden especially since they hadn't even kissed yet when things started to get really serious. I didn't totally believe how big their feelings got so quickly and I wish they had taken more time with that especially since Aiden has a kid and it's not just about them.
Speaking of Aiden's daughter, Anya, I wish she had a bigger part in the book. There were definitely some cute scenes with her, but I was greedy for more haha. I'm a lover of the single parent romance trope and I especially love when the kids play a big role in the story because they're an important part of that couple making their relationship work and I find it just plain adorable when the love interest spends time bonding with the kid(s). Anya and Isabel clearly liked each other a lot, but we didn't see Isabel becoming a part of Aiden and Anya's life they just had coincidental interactions so I would've liked more purposeful bonding.
Some things about this book I didn't love:
• I found the sex scenes to be a little confusing/ambiguous rather than explicit. I was like 'wait are they having sex yet?' 'Did she come just now?' Just questions I don't really want to be asking when I'm reading a sex scene lol. And after the first scene it was just the like 'we made love again' kind of smut which 🤷🏼♀️ain't my favorite, but not a big deal.
• Once Aiden and Isabel got together it was cheese town USA. It just got a bit OTT cheesy for me.
• I hate the mom plotline. The mother of the Ward sisters is an awful human being and after reading the whole series with her being brought up and discussed in each book and saying the same things about her it just felt like beating a dead horse and I was so over hearing about this bitch. I agree that each book should stand alone and obviously each sister is going to have their own trauma to work through in regards to being abandoned by their mom, but she is so insignificant like the whole inviting her to the wedding thing was unnecessary drama that ultimately resulted in nothing and then some quasi-feel-good closure at the end that I didn't need or want lol.
Overall, this was a nice conclusion to the Ward Sister series. This book held my attention really well and I thought it would be the first book in a while that I started and finished on the same day, but then ~✨life happened✨~ in an unexpected and spectacular fashion (as it does) so I was pretty distracted finishing this book and my feelings aren't as coherent as they probably would've been otherwise. That said, I still really enjoyed reading this and I'm sad this series is over. Though the author did announce at the end of this book that she is planning to write a spin-off series featuring the next generation of kids from this series and the Washington Wolves series so I'll probably check those out in the future. I'm kind of surprised she didn't announce a spin-off for all of Aiden's siblings because he's got 3 younger brothers and a sister who all featured pretty heavily in this book and I'd honestly be down to read more about them and Aiden's sweet family. -
AIDEN
● widower
● single dad (7-year-old girl)
● retired MMA fighter
● after his wife died he moved from California to Washington
● bought a local gym
ISABEL
● manages the gym Aiden bought
● as a child had a crush on Aiden
● been going to the gym since she was 14-years-old
● virgin
SLOW BURN, FORCE PROXIMITY, AGE GAP, SPORTS ROMANCE, SINGLE DAD
Ward Siblings:
The birth order of the 4 sisters and their brother:
1) Logan - (Washington Wolves series) The Marriage Effect
2) Molly - book 1: Forced
3) Isabel - book 4: Forbidden
4) Lia - book 3: Floored
5) Claire - book 2: FakedAudiobook source: Hoopla
Narrator: Savannah Peachwood & Tor Thom
Length: 9H 02M -
4.5 stars⭐️
Isabel is the superior Ward sister. i don’t make the rules🤷🏻♀️
i’ll start with why this wasn’t a full five stars for me. the beginning bothered me.
cant say i was a fan of Isabel being a fumbling mess around Aidan in the beginning🥴 the reason she was my fave is bcos she was a feisty, stubborn kick arse bitch who had the patriarchy by the fucking balls. she was reduced to a blushing schoolgirl and it just didn’t fit her character :// like her barely being able to string a sentence together. her choking on water. falling over in front of him. it was irritating and cringey too bcos it didn’t align with the person she was previously portrayed as.
im glad it didn’t last forever tho. after their late night sparring session is when the book really took off for me and i found myself enjoying the feisty Isabel again. and then i could enjoy the romance without being too wary that Isabel was gonna be an idiot again lmao. she was back to the version of her i adored. she was equally vulnerable and soft, and fierce and stubborn. her protective nature was what i loved the most about her. even when her sisters pissed her off, she’d literally take a bullet for them. and i was so happy to see someone else protecting Isabel. she deserved it. i think i always loved her the most bcos i see a lot of myself in her. she’s stubborn as hell and holds a grudge like a motherfucker, but she’s really just gentle and kind and wants to love people. i just loved her.
the slow burn really worked for me too. then tension was ✨delicious✨ i was anxious it would piss me off but it really worked well to pace the story. mainly bcos of Aidan’s grief. i don’t think a faster paced romance would have worked since Aidan still had so much to deal with.
i really liked the portrayal of Aidan’s inner turmoil when grappling with his feelings for Isabel. normally the dead spouse trope is my least favourite, but i think this book handled the trope really well. Isabel didn’t feel like second best to Aidan’s dead wife and that’s always my greatest fear when reading this trope so i tend to avoid. i hate the heroine living in the dead wife’s shadow and the hero never fully committing to the heroine— always feels like she’s competing with a ghost and that there’s three in the relationship not two. but Aidan truly loved Isabel and it didn’t diminish the love he had for his dead wife either, and i really appreciated that balance. i think it’s a bit of a cop out when the author portrays the dead spouse as an awful person just to big up the heroine. instead, the author does a really good job at showing Aidan’s new love with Isabel— how scared and daunted he is by it, and how hopeful it makes him feel too.
Isabel was never competing with Beth. even tho the two never met, the way their ‘relationship’ if you will was portrayed was really beautiful.
and Aidan pushing her away made me surprisingly emotional bcos i understood it and how much it hurt them both. and he wasn’t an arse about it either. he was just so conflicted, but Isabel didn’t let him walk all over her either which i loved. she stood her ground with him while also understanding his grief.
my fave scene of them was when Aidan had to wake her up every few hours to make sure she didn’t have concussion. it was just so soft, sweet and unassuming. they’re always my fave romantic moments, not so much the loud and fiery ones (although i still loved them— like the scene in the gym😏).
Molly and Noah’s wedding also made me emotional af omg. i wasn’t expecting the consecutive emotional punches to the gut, but i smiled so much. it was truly beautiful. im such a whore for deep and loving familial bonds in books and tv shows (my fave shows are the originals and the umbers academy bcos i adore the family bonds). i just melted at the undying love the Ward siblings have for one another while simultaneously bickering and arguing with each other.
and Aidan calling his daughter gingersnap while she called him daddysnap was probably the cutest thing i have ever heard.
so overall, it was a beautiful conclusion to the series and im so glad the author saved Isabel for last ;)) -
In Forbidden Karla Sorensen wraps up the Ward Sisters series with a sparky, sizzling, utterly combustable slow burn. And, holy mackerel, I was here for every minute of this emotionally charged, sultry scorcher.
The set-up for this was firmly in my wheelhouse. I am a huge sucker for the sort of desperate love that sparks between Aiden and Isabel. Add in that they are both working through some trauma and healing from some past hurts and the emotional set-up for this is my personal catnip (plus - single dad. Guh.). I was sometimes frustrated with their inability to let their walls down, but I was also obsessed with the tangible chemistry between them. I also found them interesting - and invested in their romance almost immediately.
As always, I adored the sisterhood and the family camaraderie in this one. I think family-based series might be a favorite of mine (right up there with sports romance, for which this also fits the bill) because I enjoy the fierce loyalty and deep connections that the characters feel for each other. Also: the teasing, the playful barbs, and the accurate portrayal of how annoying it can be when people know you better than yourself. This added another layer of enjoyment for me and it was scenes between the Wards that drew tears to my eyes. They're such a special family and I'm so glad I had the opportunity to fall in love with them.
In all - this was a satisfying conclusion to a series that I couldn't get enough of. I adored Isabel and Aiden's connection, and the sweet family unit they built together. It was heartfelt, intense, and sexy as all get-out. My heart is satisfied, my face is smiling, and my cup is full of love for the wonderful Ward family. ~ Shelly, 4.5 Stars
****
9/2022
I was so obsessed with reading Isabel's story after getting hints about her mystery man/her new boss in previous books. I really loved this story. It had the perfect amount of pining and need between the hero and heroine. I will admit seeing the usually confident and self assured Isabel tripping and stuttering was a little bit frustrating as it seemed out of character for her but I really did wnjoy their connection. It was heartwrenching and poignant and the most amazing conclusion to the series! 4.5 stars! ~Ratula
