Unforgiven Lib/E

by Rebecca Shea

Lindsay Christianson seemingly has it all, until one phone call changes everything and forces her to choose between her perfect life and her professional dreams. The choice seems clear when the opportunity to propel her career abruptly sends her across the country, leaving everything she loves behind. Navigating a new city with a broken heart and a job where her colleagues will do anything to sabotage her, the pressure quickly becomes too great. When old habits resurface, Lindsay finds herself chasing demons she thought were long since buried. With pain and destruction left in her wake, will Lindsay find a way to erase the damage she's done, or will her sins remain unforgiven? Contains mature themes.

Genres: Romance, New Adult, Contemporary, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Amazon, Second Chance

Audio CD

Published December 30, 2014

About the author

I grew up in the suburbs of Minneapolis/St. Paul, Minnesota and currently reside in Phoenix, AZ with my family.

Aside from reading and writing, I enjoy spending time with friends, hiking, watching my boys play football, my daughter dance, and baking (not cooking...those are two very different things!)

I am obsessed with margarita's, coffee, and diet coke and can't live without my iPad.

Reviews

[~ Becs ~ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unforgiven is marked up as the final book in the Unbreakable series and a companion novel to Unbreakable and Undone starring Lindsay, Landon, hero of book 2’s sister and Matt, Landon’s former cop partner.  We got some pretty hefty hints about these two being a possible couple during Undone and I was very much looking forward to reading this one.

Well, I’m so happy to say that Becca Shea has done it again – this is yet another heart-wrenching, emotional story to round out the series and I positively galloped through Unforgiven.  It’s very compelling – harrowing, yet compelling.

The story pans out rather like a love story in reverse.  Matt and Lindsay start the book idyllically happy.  They’ve discovered the kind of love that everyone envies, the kind of love the soothes all hurts from the past and heals all their emotional wounds.  They’re besotted with one another and the beginning feels like a happy ending but Rebecca Shea is about to rip all that apart and send us, the readers, down a painful and difficult path as we watch their happiness just disintegrate into misery and despair.  It’s a cautionary tale, that’s for sure.

Lindsay is a TV reporter for a local station and she gets offered a job right across the country – it’s a fantastic opportunity and one she finds hard to turn down but, to Matt’s horror, she makes a snap decision and chooses to go further her dreams.  He can’t believe she can choose so quickly, that he means so little to her and is desperately hurt and they part on bad terms.  I understood her need to go – she needed to get out into the big bad world and stake her claim on it, to really stand on her own two feet after a lifetime of being protected by her brother and then Matt but I just don’t think she really took the time to think about this carefully and only heartbreak awaits.

Lindsay discovers that the grass isn’t always greener and that she may just have left her one chance at happiness behind.  Lindsay, as we know from previous books, has not had an easy childhood and her loneliness in her new life manifests itself in a destructive spiral of addiction and despair.  It’s painful to watch – it’s almost like a  car crash.  You can see it about to happen but there’s nothing you can do about it.  You can see her descending, destroying herself and know that she will eventually hurtle down into rock bottom, even as you’re screaming at her to stop.

All the while, as we’re watching Lindsay self-destruct, Matt’s heartbreak was doing a number on me too.  He was desperately hurt by her decision, her very hasty decision, to go and his misery, his strong sense of rejection was a powerful theme throughout the story.  Possibly, at least to me, even more painful than Lindsay’s descent into darkness and his overwhelming sadness was positively palpable.  The way he felt, especially when he discovers just how far gone she is made me think of this beautiful song by Bombay Bicycle Club – it’s called Still and is from the album A Different Kind of Fix and there’s a moment in Unforgiven when Matt makes a discovery that shatters his heart completely and the lyrics just seem to fit that moment  in time.  Oh, and they make me cry!

Still

It’s a powerful storyline, sensitively handled by Rebecca Shea and this book is very much Lindsay’s journey and I came to see her a little like Dorothy in the Wizard of Oz tapping those ruby shoes together and chanting ‘there’s no place like home’.  She really made my heart hurt – despite the love that people around her have for her, she’s very hard on herself and this is very much an exploration of addiction and compulsive behaviour and heartbreak.  It’s an uncomfortable, if ultimately satisfying, read – poignant, thought-provoking and very sad. 

I powered through this, even though it’s quite a painful read, it certainly packs an powerful emotional punch and it’s hard to look away.  A great way to round out the series with plenty of Jess and Gabe and Landon and Reagan to keep fans of the previous books happy.

4.5 heartbreaking stars

[Perks Of Being A Fangirl]

Another book by Rebecca Shea..Bring it on.

[The Junkie's Fix is Reading (it's Em) · Rating 5 out of 5]

TEARY 5+ stars!

Again, Rebecca Shea wretched my heart into million pieces! (more than she did in UNBREAKABLE). I can't remember reading a book in which 90% of the whole story, I've spent buckets of tears. It's flawlessly written. Taking me to the next level of angst!Lol.

Lindsay - I pitied her, then hated her more and then I became so proud of her - I love her! She has grown so much and learned so much. GO! GO! Lindsay!

Matt - Wow. Wow. My heart is shred into tiny bits :'(

I also loved the appearances of Landon and Reagan (Undone) and Gabe and Jess (Unbreakable). They also brought unending tears in my eyes.

And the EPILOGUE - GOSH!!! My heart! I love it. Best conclusion ever! I wanted to read a bonus scene in the future. :)

The only thing I hated is JONAH. The thing with JONAH. And everything about JONAH!! ERRRGGG

But over-all, it was a fantastic read! and I will re-read Unbreakable Series again and read more of Ms. Shea's future work.

#highlyrecommended

[The Hopeless Romantics Book Blog · Rating 4 out of 5]

Review: Surj Harvey

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I first met Lindsay and Matt way back when in "Unbreakable" and the more I got to know them over the course of this series, the more I wanted each of them to get their own book. Well lucky me because I got my wish. Yay!!! One fun loving, larger than life younger sister to Landon and one very hot cop who worked alongside said brother and it was a match made in heaven right? Well holy shit balls because I should have known better. Rebecca Shea, you went and did it again. You broke me!!! Fair play because I should have learned my lesson after reading the first two books in the series but no, I played right into your hands and as such, allowed you to rip my heart out and trample all over it!! And for that... I thank you (weird huh... but it's just the way I roll... the more angst, the better)!!!

"Promise me one thing," I whisper. "Don't ever leave me. My voice cracks with emotion.
"Never," he says with conviction.

I wish I could say the first few chapters of this "Unforgiven" lured me into a false sense of security but the synopsis made it pretty obvious that this was no sunshine and rainbows kinda read. I chose to ignore that fact and got so lost in the perfect relationship between Lindsay and Matt that I just never saw it coming. I mean what they shared was love at its best. It was a connection that appeared unbreakable, an intensity that was overwhelmingly beautiful. What this couple had was what every girl dreamed of having and fifteen seconds was all it took for it all to crumble. A brief moment, gut instinct, a lapse in judgement, impulse... call it what you want but in the blink of an eye it was all gone and the consequences left me devastated.

"You love me? You love me so much you made what should have been the hardest decision of your life in fifteen seconds."

It was hard not to feel for Lindsay. I'd always loved her character but to see her slowly lose it was heart breaking. Unfortunately, in her vulnerable state, all it took was old demons to come knocking on her door, and instead of turning them away, she embraced them, using them to cope the only way she knew how. And Matt... beautiful Matt... he too struggling, the loneliness consuming him.

Today I'm fully aware of what it feels like to be dead- not physically dead, but emotionally. Emotionally, I'm a dead man. She was everything to me- everything.

Lindsay and Matt's story wasn't an easy one to read and for the most part, I read with a heavy heart. There was so much pain, anger, resentment and hurt from both sides and as much as I loved each of these characters, there were moments I wanted to knock some sense into them, their choices and decisions frustrating the hell out of me but alas, all I could do was sit back and wait with baited breath hoping that all would come good in the end.

"You'll learn to live without her, Matt."
"What if I don't want to?"
"What if you don't have a choice?"

"Unforgiven" was a heart wrenching, soul destroying read and Rebecca Shea did an amazing job in pulling me in right from the start. Her writing is such that I was drawn to her characters and their story, connecting with them from the first page to the very last, feeling everything they went through on their journey...yes at times it made for painful reading but the reality is, life isn't perfect and sometimes we must hit rock bottom before we finally find our place in the world. This book was a true testament to that.

If you haven't picked up this series yet, I would whole heartedly recommend it. Each book has been brilliant and I've loved each and every character I met along the way, their stories truly wrapping themselves around my heart. I'm just sad that it's all over (although I'd love to read Jonah's story. I can imagine that would definitely be an interesting one). I cannot wait to see what this author comes up with next. What I do know is that I'll definitely be reading it. I rated "Unforgiven" 4 Hearts.

[Nikki · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my favorite book of the series, but please note, all three are fantastic reads. This book is the story of Lindsay (Landon's sister) and Matt (Landon's best friend and old partner). The book is written in dual POVs, but it is very much Lindsay's story. Rebecca Shea excels at dual POVS - we clearly get different voices from Lindsay and Matt and aren't forced to read the same situation from each side.
I love these characters. Rebecca Shea writes great characters. They're very real, and they deal with real situations. You can picture Lindsay as your friend, and you feel everything she's feeling as she goes through her journey.
Lindsay and Matt are in love and happy at the start of the story. Lindsay makes a tough decision regarding her career and we see how the decision affects their lives. I didn't see what was going to happen throughout the story but felt every emotion from Lindsay and Matt.
This book did give me anxiety because I knew we would see emotionally tough situations. I could feel it coming as the story unfolded. I gave in and let Rebecca Shea's writing take me through their lives.
5+ stars, LOVED this book!

[HMS · Rating 5 out of 5]

Perfect, career catapulting job or perfect man surrounded by all those who love you??? Two very different dreams separated by thousands of miles. The rest of the synopsis you can read on your own, but our heroine has one hell of a choice. I believe this was the best of the series and am sad to see the series end, however there is no doubt in my mind this author will write something just as good in the future. She has an ability to write a good story with believable characters. While the HEAs of this series were just a wee bit saccharine and typical (for me) I still give this one 5 stars.

[We like it big book blog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Melanie's 5-OVERWHELMING Stars Review:

I'm just going to go ahead and jump right into it and spare you all some proverbial introduction to my review of Rebecca Shea's Unforgiven.

I loved, loved, loved this book. I loved the way it made me feel, I loved the way it made me think, I loved how it caught me by surprise. This was an all feels sort of book meant to enrapture you and the author did just that.

It's no secret that I'm a huge fan of Rebecca Shea. Over exceeding my every expectation when I picked up her debut novel, Unbreakable; no sooner finding myself in total book lust when she introduced me to one of my favorite male book characters, Landon. I've been a fan of her works but I am proclaiming Unforgiven as her best work yet. This final novel in the series is her masterpiece. It is that picture frame you put front and center for all of your family and friends to see. Rebecca should be extremely proud of her work in this book. The amount of growth in her writing insurmountable. She made me feel every single word uttered on each page. I saw what her characters saw. The amount of detail not only in the way she expressed how they were all feeling at any given time but she gave me the 3D version in every scene. I saw every flinch, every tension of a muscle, tasted the salty flavored tears that ran rampart so many times, smelled the delicious antipasti Reagan would prepare. What I'm trying to convey through these examples is that I was there with them in every step of the way, in every single page of this book.

Unforgiven took me by surprise as this book was solely and truly driven by Lindsay's journey to self destruction. I was exhausted by the end of the day from all the crying I did throughout the entire time I read this book. There was not one huge scene or a massive plot change that made the dams break. I was seriously shedding tears, feeling the disparity that Lindsay was feeling. It was impossible to fight the depression that seeped its way into my system. The writing was so cunning, so strong that Lindsay's story ultimately took up residence in me.

Going into this book I was expecting the atypical love triangle. The angst and the catch me if you can storyline but Rebecca Shea threw me one hell of a curveball, putting the spot light on Lindsay and showing us all how much deeper her storytelling could go. The scars that Lindsay has cuts so deep you could honestly see the muscles laying beneath it. The message of this book is so haunting- the self destruction we are all so capable of. Being your own worst enemy a ringing reminder throughout. I traveled the journey with her and I came out of this elated to see the power of her inner strength. Lindsay Christianson has got to be one of my ultimate favorite heroines. She is flawed and unafraid to admit her struggles long after her self discovery. There was something just so real about it.

Matt's character was a dream come true in the first few chapters. I loved how he saw Lindsay, loved the words he spoke of her and to her but quickly took a nose dive when sh*t hit the fan. I was angry at him through most of this. I was angry at how weak he was and yearned for him to have been a pillar of support. I wanted him to fight for her, I wanted him to be what Landon was to Jess (yes, you read that right). I honestly tried time and time again to put myself in his shoes but just couldn't fathom how he could just walk away. I do however have to say that my already aching heart broke so many times for this guy. Many of the lumps formed in my throat and the tears were for Matt. So does he atone for his sins? Guess you'll just have to read and see.

While I wish that I he was unwavering, I quickly look back and have to thank Rebecca for not doing that because this book was all about the strength behind Lindsay's character. Unforgiven is truly her journey to finding happiness first within herself before she could find that with another. This is what I think most readers may struggle with but I say to you, embrace this. Feel the power behind the female lead and appreciate the intent.

I applaud Rebecca Shea for this superb book. She has clearly outdone herself whether she realizes it or not. Her writing is off the charts and I so, so, so look forward to all her future works. This is a bittersweet ending to an emotionally charged series. I must confess that this last book just fuels my thirst for more of these characters because this was done so exceptionally well. So bravo, Miss Shea for saving the very best for last. You amaze me.

Rebecca Shea

[Amanda Walker · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start off by saying I am not a blogger or someone who reads and reviews on a daily bases. Putting into words how AMAZING this book is might be hard because I don’t know all the fancy “book review lingo,” but I can start by saying Rebecca Shea is an amazing writer. She is one of the few who can write a book that makes it so easy to feel what the characters are felling. You feel their heart break because yours is breaking right along with it. You can tell by her writing alone how much she loves the characters in her books, as she is usually behind her computer cry while she is writing. Whenever I hear about a new idea or book she plans on writing, I know it will be amazing before I know anything about it. She puts her all into her work and it is clearly visible in the books. Not only is she an amazing writer, she is an amazing person.

Now to Unforgiven, I loved every ounce of this book. From beginning to end, I was drawn in. It was emotional, heart wrenching and the message behind the story is real and powerful. Matt has to be one of the sweetest guys ever (he comes in a close second to Gabe). He isn’t afraid to feel. He doesn’t try to hide is anger or sadness in a “macho” way. I really liked Lindsay. She did anger me plenty of times and wanted to slap her through the screen, but she is very likeable. She is making some decisions that not everyone would agree with. It can easily cause someone to not like the book if they don’t try to understand that sometimes you have to fall apart to find yourself. Some of the decisions she made really angered me, but I can easily see this happening in real life. It’s all about living and learning. I do feel that Amanda was written to be a bit too harsh; I mean her name is AMANDA after all! I mostly enjoyed having all the characters in the same book: Jess & Gabe, Landon & Reagan, and Lindsay & Matt. It was a perfect way to end a series.

Unforgiven is a book that teaches us that we all make rash decisions and make mistakes and that we are all human. Rather you agree with the decisions or not, it’s about understanding the road it takes to find yourself. Unforgiven teaches us forgiveness, and how important family is. When you feel that you have no one at all, you should always have you family. Unforgiven teaches us that when we fall down, we have to get back up. I recommend not only this book, but the Unbreakable series to everyone who likes having their heart ripped out and put back together. This is the easiest 5 star I have given. Amazing job Rebecca!

[Raunchyrudereadersblog · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so stoked to get an Arc copy of this book, after reading unbreakable and Undone I was so excited to read unforgiven. 
This book is Matt and lindsay's story and what a heartbreaking story it is. 
My heart was shattering with every page I read I started reading it in the afternoon and 4 hours later I'd finished it along with a full pack of tissues and a big bar of chocolate....... honestly this book is one not to be missed, it deals with alot of issues apparent in the present day, I think Rebecca shea writes the story beautifully and so true to life you actually imagine yourself as the characters in the books I think thats what makes it an emotional rollercoaster. 
At first you think oh great Matt and Linsays relationship is out in the open it's going to be a real love story. The love Matt shows Lindsay he's a proper prince charming with the words he says to her and his actions towards her even when hes tired after his long shifts he still makes time to show her how much he loves her, it soon becomes apparent that fairytales aren't real.
Linsay gets the call that changes her whole life in a matter of seconds by her own choice, my heart broke for Matt when she made the choice but I was sad to see him just sit back and not really fight for her, I was actually shouting at my kindle when he did this.
It soon becomes clear that the choice she made was the wrong one and it sent her life into a downward spiral spinning out of control and she soon gets into old habits.
She alienates her family and even her friends. Has she done to much to be Forgiven or does everyone deserve a second chance ? 
This book will pull all sorts of emotions out of you, I know it did me.

The most upsetting part of the book for me was getting to THE END  I hated that part.
I guess you never want a great book to end, I can promise you this book will not disappoint you, Rebecca shea did a beautiful amazing job with this book and can honestly say its her best to date....I can't wait to read more from her. I wish I could give more than 5 ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ To say I'm a little addicted to Rebecca shea's books would be an understatement, I can't wait to buy the paperback copy of forgiven to finish of my collection.

[Erycka · Rating 5 out of 5]

Again I am plagued with the responsibility of how. How do I write a review for a book that I loved from an author that I adore and NOT give anything away?!? I am not certain I know the answer; however, I’m going to do my best!

Unforgiven is third and final book in the Unbreakable series. I fell in love with this series by accident, really. I received my daily deal email and Unbreakable was “on sale” for that particular day or week…oh who knows, it has been so long! Anywho…after falling in love with Jessica and Gabe…and Landon, I made it my mission to find Rebecca (to stalk her really) and make sure I was privy to any other books that she may have been working on. Imagine my elation when Landon’s story came out and then Lindsay’s!!! Pure joy!! Like the happy dance kind of joy! (Yes the overuse of exclamation points is necessary!)

Lindsay touched me in Undone and I secretly prayed for her to have her own story. So, when I embarked on the task of reading Lindsay’s story, I wasn’t sure which direction Rebecca planned to take her. I. Did. Not. Think it was going to be how it is. Whoa!

She and Matt, they were/are perfect together. Leaving him nearly destroyed me, and I am just a mere reader. Yes, this is how wonderful of an artist Rebecca is. She captured me from page one, and made me feel Lindsay and Matt. The pain, the sorrow, the anger…all of it. There were several points in which I cursed Ms. Shea for making me hurt. But then she’d make me laugh…and then cry. Truly, I was a mess. A mess!

“It’ll get easier. I know right now, it doesn’t seem like it, but I promise you will…”

I wasn’t sure I believe the words I was reading. I couldn’t imagine the agony getting better. The pain subsiding long enough to find happiness again. At this point I asked, “How?” Thankfully, because she is a master with words, my question was answered.

“You never have to question my love you – ever.”

Simply said, I LOVED this book. This entire series was amazeballs! Truly, I wouldn’t lie to you. Read it. Love it. And Review it!

[Virginia · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I loved all 3 books in The Unbreakable series, I have to say Unforgiven is my favorite of them all. It is also by far Rebecca’s best work to date and is fabulous from start to finish! Although it can be read as a standalone, I would read the other 2 books in the series first so that you can appreciate all of the characters and their backgrounds fully.

Every word in Unforgiven is perfect. The writing is smooth, fluid, detailed and a pleasure to read. The story captures your attention and you don’t want to put it down. And you will feel for the characters as if you know them.

We met Lindsey and Matt in the previous books and know they are already a couple. Unforgiven is their story but I think it is mostly about Lindsey and her journey during this time in her life- getting offered the job of a lifetime and deciding whether or not to take it, which means moving to another city and leaving Matt and her family.

Lindsey is a complex, well developed character. Sometimes we make decisions thinking they are the right ones only to learn they aren’t. As her life spirals out of control Lindsey doesn’t always make the right decisions but we all know life isn’t always pretty and easy. She ends up hurting herself and those she cares about the most. Can she forgive herself? And can others forgive her for what she has done? You need to read to find out!

Rebecca touches on very real life issues in this book, such as addiction and eating disorders. Many of us know people who deal with these issues in real life. I do feel that Rebecca portrays everything very realistically. The emotions involved, the drama, the heartache- they are all described in a way that draw you in and make you empathize with the characters.

I loved Unforgiven- every word, every character, every scene. And the fact that it’s told in dual POV, my favorite way, is a bonus. Grab it now and read the whole series if you haven’t already! Rebecca, I am so excited to see what you have in store for us in the future!

For more reviews, go to www.lovenbooks.com

[Danita B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unforgiven is the third and final book in the Unbreakable series, and I have to say, Rebecca saved the best for last. I absolutely loved this book. While the first two books in the series were emotional, Unforgiven was completely heartbreaking.

Matt and Lindsay truly love each other, and have basically since the moment they met. However, the love that Lindsay feels for Matt isn't enough to keep her from pursuing her dreams, and she moved across the country, leaving Matt heartbroken.

Lindsay's new life isn't turning out as she had hoped, which causes old demons to resurface. Will she be strong enough to face them on her own? Or will near-tragedy cause her to have to go back to the only place she knows? The bigger question is, will Matt be willing to forgive and give her another chance?

Rebecca truly outdid herself with Unforgiven. While I hate to see this series end, this is a perfect conclusion. We get to see glimpses into the lives of Jess and Gabe, and Landon and Reagan, tying everything together perfectly. This is a must-read.

(ARC received in exchange for an honest review)

[Jessica · Rating 5 out of 5]

"You have to forgive to move forward. We'd be stuck in a vicious cycle of anger, hate, and resentment if we didn't learn how to forgive others--but most importantly, ourselves."

I really, REALLY loved this book. I loved everything about it. (Even that one particular scene of 'regret') I thought Lindsay was a very strong character, even at her weakest. And Matt, oh man, Matt! LOVED him. There were times where I wanted to strangle them both. Communication! You crazy in love kids. Remember that. Communication is key. The back and forth "Is she? Is he? Are they?" made me want to come through the pages and knock their heads together. HA! Overall, they were a fantastic duo. They felt real and solid, even with every disastrous event that would be thrown at their feet. Even the secondary characters caught my attention.

So, what is the story with Jonah? Good guy? Bad boy? Lost soul? Hopefully there is a spin off to find out these questions.

Sad to see this series end, but so happy to have gone on this journey with such beautiful characters.

[Michele · Rating 5 out of 5]

Unforgiven is the final book in this series, and although I really liked the previous two books, this is by far my favorite! We met Matt and Lindsay in Undone, and this their story.
I absolutely adore Matt!! There were times he made me mad, but I could understand why he did and said the things he did.
Lindsay is a beautiful broken soul. When she is offered the job opportunity of a lifetime, she has to decide whether to follow her professional dreams across the country, or stay with the love of her life.There were times when I was frustrated with her too, but I could understand why she made the choices she did and how the consequences of her decisions led to her downward spiral.
This book is an emotional rollercoaster. There are so many heartbreaking moments, but so so many sweet moments too.
My absolute favorite moment of the entire book was at the Starbucks. *swoon*
This book will tear you apart, but it is so worth the read!
5 beautiful broken stars!

[Darcy · Rating 3 out of 5]

This one was a bit different from the others in the series. Yes the main character had an issue, but this time it was inflicted to herself. I hated seeing Lindsey fall into a drunk and druggie. Hated it because it seemed like at first she knew what she was doing, but didn't care, then later it didn't matter as she needed it, or thought she did.

While it was horrible to see Lindsey hitting bottom and making bad choices along the way, I was glad to see she did. That she was surrounded by friends and family that gave her the support she needed to claw her way out of the hole that she dug herself in.

I thought it was great that Lindsey didn't make any excuses for her behavior and accepted that she hurt those she loved and liked seeing her ask them for forgiveness.

I loved how this one ended, Lindsey deserved a HEA.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh where to begin....I absolutely loved this story. I loved Lindsey and Matt throughout the series. I loved her spunk and his come right back at you attitude they had with each other. I did kinda guess there was something between them before they finally told the world even though everyone that mattered already knew! I love series books where the characters from the previous books come back for visits so you don't feel like they are lost to the story. The strong bond Lindsey had with Landon was unique. I know my heart was in my throat when she decided to take the job and that whole spiral that took place. The only downside was I felt they spent too much time apart then the reunion was rushed. The writing of the struggles with Lindsey's issues was spot on. I am sorry it took me so long to read this entire series but so glad I did. It is well worth the read.

[iloveladyporn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Matt & Lindsay have a fabulous relationship but Lindsay wants to keep it a secret. When she finally announces her relationship to her family she gets a job offer that could make her career. Her snap decision to take the job and leave Matt behind causes them to break up. Lindsay doesn't have an easy go of it in a new city. Things slowly start spiraling out of control. It takes an almost fatal event to get Lindsay on the road to recovery. Matt is there to see her through it until he discovers she's moved on. Broken hearted yet again he goes home. Now that Lindsay is home and healthy she needs to right her wrongs she just hopes someday Matt will forgive her. Some hot, steamy sex- nothing too detailed over over the top. Fabulous ending.

[Anne Z. · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unforgiven was my least favorite of the three books. I liked it, but didn't love it...

It is also a bit different than the others in the sense that the issue here is self inflicted. I hated seeing Lindsey fall into drink and drugs. She came off from the very first book as such a strong person. It felt like the author gave her a complete makeover.
Things like that happen in real life though and it was nice to see how many people she had in her life that cared for her.

We don't get much of Matt since Lindsey is the one with the big struggles. As understandable as that is it means we don't connect with him as much. He feels like a secondary character.

All in all another good book by Rebecca Shea, just not her best.

[Angel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Best of the series

I absolutely adore Rebecca Shea and her writing. this series was amazing and I'm sad to see it end. I will say while every book had me an emotional mess th is was the one I loved best. Lindsey's journey was a tough one and to say this character had me an emotional mess is an understatement. She and Matt had a very hard road together, but I guess that's what made this book what it is. her relationship with Land on ahhh I just love him to pieces who could ask for a better brother. seeing characters from the first two books was another plus and the ending well I can't tell you, you will have to read it. this is another I couldn't put down.

[Bella · Rating 5 out of 5]

I saw the ARC reviews for this third installment and immediately downloaded the book when it went live today. I was not disappointed. The underlying messages of forgiveness and love were successfully woven throughout the pages of this book. I appreciated the HEA because both characters deserved it. We has humans often make rash decisions and are met with consequences we never considered. Linds did not cope well which led her down a self-destructive path that took all of her strength to overcome. I did not shed tears but I felt the pain and conviction of each character.

[Judy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am not one to write reviews, but had to for this wonderful author and for this great series. So with that, here is my short but heartfelt review. What a great ending to this amazing series. Although I am so sad to see this series end (Ava and Jonah could have had interesting stories...just saying!), I am really looking forward to the new things that are going to be coming from this great author!

[Natrina Felan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy smokes

Literally laughed out loud, almost cried and scared the shit out of my dog for screaming out loud

[Dianne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh no! I'm so sad that this series is over. All I keep thinking is I hope Jonah gets a story or that there will be a spin-off with their kids! Love it!

[Alicia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I finally read the last book in this series today! I didn't know there even was one

[Sandie Book Boyfriend Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love Rebecca Shea, like bordering on obsession. I was first introduced to her during a blog tour for her first book Unbreakable (the first book in this series). She blew me away with her writing and the way the book was just so real. Plus you know she has a mexican as her male protagonist so yeah I was sold. (Review for Unbreakable and Undone )
Now here we are book #3 in this amazing series. We have Gabe and Jessica's story in book 1 which led us to Landon and his book with Reagan in book 2. Who else was left you ask? Lindsey and Matt and what a story!

Lindsey seems to have everything she could ever want until she is given a chance to enhance her career. With that opportunity there are loses to be had while others gained. At first I was shocked at what she was willing to lose for her career. 


Lindsey! Oh that girl. She makes some decisions that had me questioning her damn sanity. Seriously, WHAT.THE.HELL?! I am so glad that she had a great support system. 

Matt, oh Matty. I know how devastated you felt. My heart hurt, my eyes stung with tears and all I wanted to do was tell you, talk to Gabe cuz he pretty much went thru the same shizz!!! Except for you know other elements that Rebecca had to throw in there to make me cringe. 

I love that Gabe and Jessica make an appearance. I love how Matt allows Lindsey to grow. Yeah I was sad but I understood his reasons. Ah and Jonah what can I say? I didn't hate him as much as I hated Landon in book 1 but there was defo some tinge of dislike in there for him.  

All in all Rebecca has done it again. She made me cry (again) and made me feel like love is the best when found with someone who knows how to let go and let you fall. They also know that once you pick yourself back up you will be stronger and better. Even though it broke my heart I got it, I get it. DAMN IT REBECCA I UNDERSTAND! I love you that much more for it.

Lindsey and Matt's story is not an easy one. I didn't expect what happened in this story to happen and I appreciated it that much more. Like I said Rebecca has a way of writing that makes these characters so real. Each one of these characters has embedded themselves in my heart. This book was the perfect ending to this series. Even though I am sad it is over, I have to be like Matt and let the ones I love go so that greater things will come along. I know Rebecca's next books will be just as amazing as these have been because she has an extraordinary gift for story telling. She has proven to be an author that can push limits and exceed ones comfort zone. Oh and always make sure you have tissues!!!

[Donna ~ The Romance Cover · Rating 4 out of 5]

Unforgiven (Unbreakable #3) by Rebecca Shea
4.5 stars!!

“The most important lesson I’ve learned is that forgiveness is a beautiful gift to give, but an even more beautiful gift to receive.”

I honestly don’t know where to start reviewing this one…hmmm what can I say? Well, this book is about Lindsay and Matt, there was a hint about a blossoming romance between these two in Undone, but you were never sure. Lindsay is Landon’s sister and Matt is Landon’s partner in the police force. These two are the only people that Landon trusts and loves. It is because of this love and trust issue that Lindsay wants to keep their relationship to themselves, Landon is finally in a happy place and Lindsay does not want to rock the boat, however this secret turns out the be the worst keep secret in the history of secrets and in fact Landon could not be happier for them.

This book starts with Lindsay and Matt being blissfully happy despite them keeping everything hush hush. Lindsay is a TV reporter and her career is on the up and up and as we know Matt is in the police force. Their love for each other is obvious, they have been together for quite a while and both are totally smitten. Work seems to be coming between them though, with Lindsay’s insane hours and Matt’s shift pattern. Lindsay is extremely career minded; she wants to be the best of the best and is putting in all the hours that she can to promote herself forward. She is extremely driven and is very good at what she does, it doesn’t take long for her agent to get the “dream job” that she has always been aspiring to.

This is where it all goes a bit crazy and Rebecca Shea literally rips your heart out, smashes it to smithereens, and stomps on it for good measure until you are a mush and feeling extremely lifeless. I must say I did read this while zonked out on cold and flu meds so was feeling extremely under the weather, but I seriously balled my eyes out, but I found this book to be extremely emotional. It really did tug at my heart strings both for Lindsay and for Matt.

Lindsay makes the decision to take this job and this means that she will be hours and hours and hours away from Matt, it is not so much how Lindsay made the decision, but how quick. She made it in a few seconds flat seemingly giving no credence to her relationship with Matt, she literally dismisses him. Matt’s heart break was extremely evident, he wears his heart on his sleeve and I cried for him. He literally was destroyed.

“Today I'm fully aware of what it feels like to be dead - not physically dead, but emotionally. Emotionally, I'm a dead man. She was everything to me - everything.”

And

“You love me? You love me so much you made what should have been the hardest decision of your life in fifteen seconds.”

Lindsay soon finds out that her dream job is not all what it is cracked up to be and is soon regretting her decisions and making some incredibly stupid mistakes. It is here I will stop, you have the bones, and I will leave you to read the meat. This story is incredibly moving, at times distressing and incredibly emotional. We continue to catch up with Landon and Reagan and they do still appear heavily and we are also treated to snippets from Jessica and Gabe, who were in book 1, Unbreakable.

This book does cover some tough topics and these we all handled brilliantly and sympathetically, I felt for Lindsay throughout and her journey of self-destruction and re-generation was certainly a roller coaster ride of emotions. Although our Lindsay always seemed to be the strong one from the outside, internally she was full of self-doubt. Both hers and Landon’s past seemingly leaving an indelible mark. But despite all the emotional, this book is smattered with humour and the snippet below had me howling with laughter and may have even had a few tears too with the belly laugh that resulted!

“Well, the skank look isn’t working for you, sweetheart. So tuck those tits back into that blouse and lay off the black eye liner. There is a difference between smoky eye and Goth. We want to attract viewers, not f**king scare them.”

All in all this was a great follow up and a great way to end this series. All three couples have been a pleasure to read about even if their stories at times have been heart-breaking!

www.theromancecover.com

[Kim · Rating 4 out of 5]

I know the sins I've committed against the person I love the most are unforgiven, and that's my cross to bear.

We met Lindsay and Matt in the previous books Unbreakable and Undone. Linsday is Landon's sister and Matt is his best friend and former partner. They were in a passionate, emotional relationship for over a year but had been keeping it under wraps...kind of. They were perfectly matched even if their careers and schedules did not always flow well.

But when Lindsay has to choose between a career move and Matt, she chooses quickly and leaves devastation in her wake. She moves her life to Arizona, but leaves her heart at home in Wilmington. She is now navigating a new world alone. She makes some new friends Mike and Javier that try to help support her...and Jonah who also tries to help her, but sometimes has the opposite effect. I enjoyed these side characters and their interactions with Lindsay. But she also gains some enemies that would like nothing more than to make her miserable and see her fail.

She's alone, lonely, wracked by guilt and pain. Her self esteem and coping mechanisms are challenged. And she tries to mask it by numbing her pain in unhealthy ways. The girl that was usually in control, finds herself spiraling out of control without much of a safety net since she pushes most people away. And guilt just continues to eat at her.

"Yeah. Some of the damage I've done is pretty unforgiveable."

This is not a pretty, happy love story. Yes, there is a love story. But it is not the typical boy meets girl in the beginning, romantic dramatic middle, and happy ending. We meet up with these two already in love, and deeply connected. But sometimes life and choices get in the way of happiness. This is really Lindsay's journey towards finding what she needs to truly be happy. There is heartache, tension, mistakes, destruction, and devastation, but also love, hope, recovery, and redemption. This is mostly about her finding herself, coming to terms with her life, and fighting for what is important. And even if she can forgive herself, will the others she has hurt be able to all do the same?

"Is it possible to forgive yourself for hurting others, even if they don't forgive you? I mean, sometimes you hurt people so badly they can't find it within themselves to forgive you. Is is possible to forgive yourself for the hurt you've caused when they won't let it go?"

I was frustrated for quite a bit of the book due to all of the issues and sadness. Lindsay was in a bad place and made some poor choices. But she not only needed receive forgiveness from various people but also needed to give it too.

I loved Matt and have since he was introduced. He was so caring, devoted, thoughtful, and charismatic. But he also had his own life to live and Lindsay was the person that had the potential to destroy him more than anyone else. I hated to see him hurt and lost, but understood his reactions to the situations they were going through. They had a lot to deal with and there were many setbacks, miscommunications, and plenty of drama. They both had to figure out if love was enough for them and if forgiveness could be granted.

It was told in both of their points of view so we could see their happiness and their heartache first hand. It was emotional and heartbreaking, but also inspirational, passionate, and romantic at other times. I loved seeing more with the characters from previous books: Jess, Gabe, Landon, and Reagan and getting a bigger look into their futures. They all have come a long way since their difficult beginnings and dramatic courtships. And Hallelujah for a much appreciated epilogue!

I was gifted a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Kendall {Book Crazy} · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn't wait to read this book! I just loved the other books in the series, and although I knew this book was going to be about other characters in the series, I still couldn't wait to read it! This book really was amazing! There was so much in it and the characters went on a whirlwind journey, both separately and together! The plot of this book dealt with love, forgiveness and redemption! There was also drug use and anorexia in the plot too, which played a pretty big part! The plot just had so much light in it with the main characters relationship, but there were really dark phases too! It also progressed at the perfect pace and I zoomed through this book so fast! I would have read it in one sitting if I hadn't forced myself to leave the last 20% until I had started writing my review lol! I just couldn't get enough of it! The characters were amazing! Lindsay was the main female character and she went through so much in this book! My heart just went out to her! I was silently begging Lindsay in my head to stay herself and not listen to any of the people being nasty to her, but Lindsay bent under the pressure and she turned to drugs, which lead to her becoming anorexic! She came such a long way in this book though and she grew so much! I just loved her! Lindsay also appeared in another book in this series, so I knew who she was before reading this book, but she was a secondary character in the other book! Matt was the main male character and love interest of Lindsay! Matt was seriously hot, but I felt really sorry for him in this book! I saw him deliriously happy at the beginning, but then it sort of all came crashing down, which made Matt sort of kept himself to himself! He had such a hard time dealing with losing the woman he loved too! Matt came a long way in this book too though! He experienced life without the woman he loved, which showed him how strong his feelings for her were! I have to say that I loved that Matt didn't rush back into a relationship with Lindsay and that they gradually grew back into a relationship! It definitely worked out better for them! Matt also appeared in another book in this series, but I loved getting to read his story! I loved that this book was written from both Lindsay and Matt's point of views! I wasn't sure if it was going to be, but I'm really happy it was! It made the plot even better and it really helped me connect even more with the two characters! I also loved that characters from the other books in the series made appearances in this book! It was amazing to see how their relationships had progressed! This book is last book in this series, which makes me really sad! I just loved reading this series so much! The ending of this book was beautiful though and summed up the Matt and Lindsay's story perfectly! I can't wait to read more from this author too! The cover for this book is stunning! I fell in love with it as soon as I saw it and I love how well it suits the other covers in the series! Big thank you to Rebecca for an ARC of Unforgiven and to Shh Moms Reading for having me on the Release Week Event!

[Bridger Bitches · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my was this book a doozy!! I have loved Lindsay and Matt for awhile now and was so excited we were finally getting their story. Oh boy what a story they have!! This book had it all and took my emotions on a ride I wont soon forget. I sat down to get started on this one figuring I would read just a little bit and then really dive in to it over the weekend. Um no that didn’t happen, next thing I know my eyes are burning (from tears and lack of sleep) and I realize its the middle of the night (on a work night) and I have devoured the book in one sitting. Just one more chapter kept happening until there was no more chapters to go. While Matt and Lindsay’s “secret” romance is finally publicized (no this is not a spoiler, it has always been the worst kept secret in the series) the relationship hits some serious road blocks and there were times that I was very angry at Rebecca Shea for toying with my emotions like that. Some very serious issues are thrown in and I applaud Rebecca for including them in this story. I feel these are issues that touch so many people and were written so realistically that everyone should be able to connect in some way. In all honesty I did not know where this story would end and was often afraid to finish but I am so glad I did. It truly was an emotional, heart wrenching honest story full of the characters we love and a few new ones you will adore.

5 Stars

♥ Sophie

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was an intense and emotional story. I was easily drawn into Lindsey and Matt’s world and even though I couldn’t relate, I could easily feel their emotions and found myself hoping that everything would work out. I plowed through the book in just a few hours, unwilling to put it down until I’d finished.

Matt and Lindsey’s story started in secret and just when they come out publicly with their relationship (even though everyone already knew) a kink gets thrown into their plans. I loved Matt. He was sweet and caring but also not afraid to do the right thing for those he cares about and also himself. Lindsey was a bit harder for me. Don’t get me wrong, I liked her personality once it truly got a chance to shine. Her mistakes frustrated me but also helped to solidify her as a well rounded character with flaws just like everyone else. These two work well together and I loved that they got their own story.

The story line in this book took me on an emotional rollercoaster at times. It was well written and an enjoyable read. I loved the characters and the transitions between Matt and Lindsey’s POV was distinct but smooth. This was a wonderful story about mistakes, learning from them, and forgiveness. I truly enjoyed the book and even though I’m sad to say goodbye to the characters, I can’t wait to see what else Rebecca Shea has in store for readers. 5 out of 5 stars!