Without Bound

Magnolia Creek #4

by Ryan Marie

Bishop She’s the forbidden fruit and I am Adam, tempted by what I cannot have.

Like a song she called to me, serenading me with the lyrics that would unlock my heart and a desire that never existed until her. I knew there was danger involved, but my will and my sanity was only as strong as the man who possessed it. And I was a weak man.

My friends kept our love a secret from the one man who could threaten to tear us apart. A man who was more like a brother than a best friend. A man that she called family. And when the chips fell, there was no one there to catch me. No one but her. Anais.

My butterfly.

Now I stand on my own, only her by my side, as we fight the world against us. The family I once would give my last breath for won’t lend me a hand when I’m down. It’s a battle between love and loyalty, and I’m faced with losing it all. Do I give up the friendships that have seen me through the worst? Or do I let love rule?

There are only two things I know to be true. Setting a creature that beautiful free would bring me a lifetime of pain. But holding on too tight could only prove to suffocate her. Whichever path I choose will bring me a pain like I’ve never known.

Maybe it’s time I walk alone.

326 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 25, 2024

About the author

Ryan Marie is a big city girl living in a small town literary world. When she’s not busy being just mom, you can find her building the next Happily Ever After with diverse characters who are everyday people. She loves a good love story, but won’t hold back when adding some gut wrenching drama that will have readers in tears. But don’t worry…you’ll always get that HEA. Adopted by Texas, she’s a proud southerner and enjoys introducing readers to southern slang and all the bless your hearts you can handle.

Reviews

[Serena · Rating 3 out of 5]

**I received an advance copy from the author in exchange for an honest review**

**May contain spoilers**

I also have to start by saying that it really pains me to say this.. but…

Unfortunately.. this just did not do it for me 😬 the age gap trope usually does not bother me at all.. but for some reason with this one, it did.. (she’s 19 and he’s 31)

I found Anais to be immature and kinda childish (I mean she’s only 19 after all..)

I didn’t care for the way she kept throwing herself at Bishop the way she was. He was trying really hard to stay away from her due to her age and being his best friends niece.

I feel like if the age gap was the same but she was a few years older, I would have liked it more. But unfortunately this just didn’t hit the mark.

I also didn’t like the way she was treating everyone after the .. incident .. when they were just trying to help Bishop get settled and feel more comfortable back at home. It was really childish and inappropriate considering the way they kept the secret for them as long as they did.. like girl how did you expect Nix to react?? It’s almost to me like she felt nobody was entitled to their opinions if they were different from hers. And how was CeCe the only one who didn’t agree with their relationship!? I didn’t like how Anais and even his parents acted like they all weren’t there for him when they all were except CeCe (who was entitled to her feelings imo) 🤷🏼‍♀️ maybe I missed something idk but that really bothered me.

Somethings I did like:
-seeing the other couples/side characters again
-Nix’s jealousy over Bish having sleepovers with the girls, their gossip time, and being called “the fifth sister” 🤣 so funny.
-the apology conversation
-Dagen
-the epilogue - I love getting glimpses into the future of characters you become close too .. it kinds saved the book for me.

[Donna McEachran · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF for me. Anais is manipulative and Bishop is weak. Just couldn't do it!

[Mindy Menotti bookishly_mindy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anais & Bishop! WOW! The perfect duo to end one of the absolute best series I have ever had the pleasure of reading.

The Magnolia Creek Series has been nothing short of compelling, captivating, and pure perfection.

Ryan Marie skillfully blends this beautiful story with plenty of spice and a satisfying blend of tension and romance, that will pull at your heart strings and have your emotions flowing all over the place.

Bishop is the epitome of a truly amazing man, the teddy bear we all have grown to love in the previous story. He is best friends with Phoenix West (my man) - but starts to have feels for Nix’s niece, Anais. Though she is quite a bit younger, and he knows she’s that unspoken forbidden woman, he continues to try & fight against his gravitational pull to her.

Bish is such a sweet sweet man and shows so much love and adoration to so many of the side characters throughout the book. I wanted to reach into the pages and love him, hug him, high five him & take care of him. I was crying my eyes out multiple times while also swooning and cheering him on throughout the entirety of his story.

While I also was so proud of Anais and her growth and voice! She is such a relatable character and I truly adore her. The palpable tension she has with Bish was put to page in such a way to keep readers hooked. And that’s what I was from page one- HOOKED!

I cannot recommend this book or this series enough. It’s seriously a masterpiece!!

I am beyond sad that the series is now final, but this was the perfect ending to a beautiful universe that Ryan Marie has built for us. Great job! Bravo! And so excited to see what you have up your sleeve next!

[joleigh berry · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bishop wants the one person he shouldn't, Anais, not only is she 12 years younger than him, but she is his best friends niece! No matter how hard he tries to avoid her, she tries even harder for him to notice her. Is what he feels worth the wrath he knows would come his way if he dared let his heart lead over his head?

This book is an age gap romance at its finest! Everything about this book is beautiful. It is the fourth and final book in the Magnolia Creek series, so we already know I adore the gang and anais slots fabulously into the fold. Bishop is our big cuddly teddy bear whose love story I have been dying to read about since the first book. Bishop and Anais together are precious!!! I have to admit, at first, I was abit taken aback with Anais and the way she pursues Bishop, like girl he said no back the hell off! But the way she stood by her man and fought for what she wanted soon had me falling in love with her.

The storyline of this book had me hooked from the get-go. It was an emotional rollercoaster, and yes, I may have cried for Bishop. It had me feeling feelings I never wanted to feel towards some of my beloved characters *cough Nix cough* but it did, and it worked. It made the book different, and I loved that. And let's not forget the spice!! It spiced!!!

Overall, it was a beautiful ending to the series, and I highly recommend you read all 4 of the books if you haven't already. They have a bit of everything, cowboy, baseball, billionaire, and now age gap!!! And all wrote so so well!

[Anca A · Rating 5 out of 5]

#Review: *Without bound* - ARC - Ryan Marie [18+]
4.5/5✨
3.5/5🌶️

I'm going to be honest - I didn't know what to expect from this part of this series, mainly after I read the 3rd book, *Trusted bound*, with which I haven't resonate that much 🫤. But I was surprised in the best way possible with this one! Grateful to be part of Ryan Marie's ARC team, Red Heel Ladies! 🤗

Bishop has been forced to retire from professional baseball league after an injury. Now he is assistant baseball coach at Rice University. After learning this, Anais, Phoenix's niece, has decided to apply to the same university, just to be close to him. She has a huge crush for Bishop, but everything about this connection is very much forbidden, because she is 12 years younger than him.

It becomes the main focus for Anais to make Bishop see her as a woman and fall for her. But she doesn't know that Bishop has his own struggles with keeping his distance from her, to not fall into those forbidden feelings. As you already know, the opposite sides of a magnet are drawn to each other even if they don't want to. That's exactly what happens to Bishop and Anais - the longer they're trying to stay away from each other, the stronger their desires and connection become. Especially with Anais continuous teasing.

The angst was so powerful and I just wanted the best for them. I felt pretty sad for everything they had to face. But seeing how their love flourished was the most beautiful thing! It was genuine, pure and it was powerful enough to fight against the world.

This story was waayy different from the previous one and I just loved it! I fell in love with the characters and lived every emotion with them. I truly recommend it if you love the tropes from the below list.💖

✨Tropes:
#AgeGap;
#ForbiddenLove;
#SecretRomance;
#Taboo;
#BestFriendsNiece;
#Banter

[BookishRaquel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Rating: 5/5 ⭐
Heat Rating: 3.5/5 🌶️

What to Expect:
- Best Friend's Niece
- Forbidden Romance
- Taboo Romance
- Age Gap
- Secret Relationship
- No Third Act Breakup
- Found Family

Without Bound is the fourth and final book in the Magnolia Creek series, featuring Bishop and Anais. This emotional story had me locked in from the start. I found myself re-reading chapters because I didn't want this book to end. I started this series with book 3, and I'm looking forward to going back to read books one and two.

Bishop, 31, is a former professional baseball player whose career ended due to injury. He is now the assistant baseball coach at Rice University. Anais, 19, is the niece of one of Bishop's best friends (Nix) and a freshman at Rice University. They've both had their eyes on each other, but neither has acted on their feelings due to their ages. Now that she is an adult, Anais does everything she can to get Bishop to see her as more than just a child. Meanwhile, Bishop works overtime to avoid Anais and hide his attraction to her. He knows she is off limits but can't help himself, eventually giving in to his feelings.

Bishop and Anais were so good together! I am a sucker for an age gap, and Ryan Marie did the trope justice. I loved Bishop! He is protective, possessive, and has a huge heart. Anais is feisty and independent. She knew what she wanted and didn't stop until she got her man. I enjoyed the development of their relationship. It was not an easy road. Their friends and family did not support their decisions, but Bishop and Anais were confident in their love and refused to give it up. They were solid, and I loved how they worked through everything together. It was evident how deep their connection was. I loved their texting, their love of music, the nicknames, and how they communicated with each other.

Without Bound is well-written, and the characters are well-developed. I appreciated the character growth throughout the story. This book had laugh-out-loud moments, swoony moments, and lots of heat. It's always sad when a great series ends, but I can't wait to see what Ryan Marie has in store.

[DG. · Rating 3 out of 5]

I feel bamboozled by the tiktok teaser. 🥲

2.5/5 stars. God, Anais was unfathomable. And the friend group? Absolute worst.

[Anais Rosa · Rating 4 out of 5]

“You want a chase, little butterfly? Well then you better fucking run.”

“Without Bound” is the fourth book in the Magnolia Creek series by Ryan Marie, featuring the story of Bishop and Anais. Fun fact: my name is Anais, which is quite uncommon, so it was lovely to read a book with a main character who shares my name. Thank you, Ryan!

For the best experience, I recommend reading this series in order to fully grasp the group dynamics. However, if you enjoy the following tropes, you’ll love this book:
🦋 Taboo
🦋 Age-gap romance (12 years)
🦋 Best friend’s niece
🦋 Found family
🦋 Teddy bear male main character
🦋 No third-act breakup

4.25 ⭐ | 3 🌶️

“I want Bishop Michaels to go from the man of my dreams to the man of my reality.”

Bishop, a former baseball player who had to retire due to an injury, is now a baseball coach at RICE University. Anais, the 19-year-old niece of one of his best friends, captures his attention. Despite their age difference, they are irresistibly drawn to each other. Anais works hard to be seen as an adult by Bishop, who tries to keep his distance to avoid conflicts with his friend. Eventually, Bishop can’t resist any longer, and they begin a secret relationship. However, he is torn between old friendships and his love for her, knowing either choice will bring pain.

“I want her, plain and simple. I want her despite who her uncle is. I want her without bounds.”

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book. The development of Bishop and Anais’s relationship was beautifully portrayed. Despite her age, Anais displayed maturity, especially when she stood up to Bishop’s friends. Bishop was an amazing friend, and it was heartbreaking to see characters from previous books leave him unsupported. I was really upset with them and disliked their actions.

Bishop and Anais shared a deep love. He found happiness with Anais, something he had been missing. Despite the lack of support from his friends, he prioritized his relationship with Anais. Bishop treated Anais with great care, ensuring she didn’t neglect her responsibilities and always encouraging her to achieve her goals. Their communication and chemistry were exceptional, and their love was palpable. The romance was wonderful, and the spice? Absolutely incredible! I thought Luca in “Trust Bound” was hot, but Bishop? He was on another level! I was blushing and utterly amazed by him.

“You want it hard, little butterfly?”

I loved their dates and the songs they exchanged. Bishop truly is a teddy bear, and his nickname for Anais was perfect. However, I was frustrated with Anais at times because she delayed talking to her uncle, though knowing Phoenix, his reaction would have been the same.

“You have my heart, my little butterfly. I want you to know that you will always have my heart. No matter what happens, where the future may take us, it is yours.”

It’s bittersweet to see the series come to an end, but this book provided a satisfying conclusion with this sweet story. Have you read any of Ryan Marie’s books yet? If not, I highly recommend this series. It’s definitely worth a try. Now, I’m eagerly awaiting what Ryan has in store next and can’t wait for her new series to be released.

Thank you Ryan Marie & Butterfly PA Services for the advance copy. This review was left voluntarily.

[Maz · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️ 🌶️

Last one in the series but it was perfect. Ryam Marie knows how to emotionally connect her readers.
Bishop was always my favourite side character and I was so glad he got his love story. Because he deserved it so much.
Bish is the big giant teddy with the heart of gold. He is there for everyone and anyone. While his friends are all getting married and becoming parents he still hasn't found his THE ONE.
Anais, neice of Nix and he is Bishop's best friend.
But it was live at 1st sight for Ana. She knew he was the one.
She spent the whole year trying to get his attention but he sees her as too young because of 11 yrs age gap and best friend's neice, so she is double off Limits.. Then she comes to the uni he works at. She is very hard to avoid.
I loved how sure she was with who she was and strong willed.
Half the book is him pushing her away until he couldn't. Slow burn, as he kept doubting himself and his loyalty cane before his feelings.
I loved this group of friends but along with Ana I was so disappointed in them except for Vaughan. I really disliked Cece, not sure why she was sitting on a high horse. They all abandoned him and chose Nix instead. I sat there crying for Bishop 😭, he is so nice and they really hurt him.
But my goodness me the way Ana stood by him and didn't hold back when it came to them.
I was so happy for them but so sad at the way Bishop was treated. However this just proved how strong and true their love was. The spice was out of spice scale 🥵.
Because of who he is he forgives them eventually. I don't think Cece apology was acceptable and I didn't forgive her. 🤷🏽‍♀️ It's the Virgo in me haha.
Bishop and Anais were my favourite couple because they were funny, electric chemistry, passionate, cute and so loving. I want a Bishop for myself.
That epilogue was the perfect ending to the whole series. We got to see where everyone was in their relationship.

“I’m already yours, Anais. I think I have been from the moment I laid eyes on you.”
.
"I want to pull her into my lungs so that I breathe her."

[Erin Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨🔮🌞🌕🍄🌕🌞🔮✨
ARC REVIEW

🦋Without Bound🦋 - Ryan Marie

5/5⭐️
4/5🌶️

✨✨✨✨✨✨
Okay Ryan Marie Bishop is DEFINITELY the FAVORITE now!! Omg this book has left me absolutely speechless! It’s a bittersweet feeling finishing off this series but have loved being along for the ride! Nix has been my favorite throughout but Bishop blew that out of the water. That big teddy bear was everything that Anais wanted and needed in her life. After much fighting the fact Bishop soon realized Anais brought the happiness into his life he much deserved. The way these two fought for each other had me in tears at points. I really loved all the moments with the group especially Viv and Nix(until that yikes moment). Overall I really loved Without Bound and if you haven’t checked out this series yet I HIGHLY recommend!

📚📚📚
If you like to read:
🦋 𝑻𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒐
🦋 𝑨𝒈𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒑
🦋 𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝑵𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆
🦋 𝑻𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒚 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒓
🦋 𝑵𝒐 3𝒓𝒅 𝑨𝒄𝒕 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒖𝒑
… You should definitely check this out

📚📚📚

Thank you so much for sending me a copy for an honest review in my own words.

✨What’s the last Taboo or age gap romance you’ve read? If not give me a recent read rec you loved

#books #booklover #smut #booknerd #bookfriend #bookish #booklovers #bookishcommunity #bookloversunite #instabook #bookporn #bookphotography #reviews #igbooks #ilovereading #smutty #bookaddiction #bookhoader #hotnsexy #fortheloveofbooks #bookrecs #yummy #givemeallthebooks #readingthepainaway #booktok #arc

[Jackie Gonyer · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without Bound🦋
Book 4 Final Book in Magnolia Creek Series
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️5 Stars
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️ The Right Amount of Spice and Chemistry
💧💧💧💧💧 Sad/ Happy Tears For This Being The End

Tropes:
🦋Taboo
🦋Age Gap (12yrs)
🦋Best Friends Niece
🦋Found Family
🦋Teddy Bear MMC
🦋No 3rd Act Breakup

Review/Thoughts:
This is the final book in the Magnolia Creek Series and it didn’t disappoint. I’m always sad and excited to see how an author wraps up a series and Ryan did a great job, Bishop was the guy that we would all want and need we just don’t know it. He is also the one that is great for his friends and actually is a retired baseball player who had to retire unfortunately because of an injury. Anias is a 19yr old who we see the growth with in this story and we see her mature and why she is so good for Bishop despite the 12yr age difference. But age is just a number right? In these two’s case that is all there ages are. But before these two even begin anything if I literally wanted to have a stopwatch counting how long it takes because the chemistry between these two you wonder how long are they going to continue to do this to eachother and finally give in? When they finally come together will what others think keep them apart or is there bond too strong? When they finally are together you see why Ryan puts these two together just like the previous couples in the other books. Speaking of previous couples don’t think we don’t get to say goodbye to them,we get to see them before this comes to a close. This book has spice but more it has this incredible story they both share. You will enjoy it so much if your like me you will go back and start this series over again. I cannot wait to see what Ryan brings out next this has been one enjoyable series where each of the couples have something that makes them each stand out in there books.

[Natorious Reading · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh my goodness, what an epic end to this series. Bishop and Anais were everything! I will forever love forbidden age gap romances- as long as I know that these people were truly meant to be, and these two were.

We’ve seen Bishop throughout the series as Vaughan and Phoenix’s best friend, and I was excited to get his love story. Anais is Phoenix’s niece. We’ve seen a bit of their attraction before, and I was ready for more.

Bishop was definitely a teddy bear as described, but also very protective of those around him. He was exactly what Anais needed and loved her with all his heart. Now, he was dirrty in the bedroom (and the phone!) and had such a filthy mouth on him. He struggled with wanting to have her, and knowing that he couldn’t since it was so forbidden. Her uncle considered him like a brother.

I loved Anais’s growth throughout the book. She really was a strong young woman who knew what she wanted, and had to learn to go after it. There were emotional, heartwarming moments between her and Bishop, and also plenty of fun, playful banter. They just had such a connection.

I loved this book from the beginning to the last page of the amazing epilogue! I have loved this series, so it’s bittersweet to be at the end for now. I recommend this whole series to see the entire friend group and their love stories.

Thanks to Ryan Marie for allowing me to be a part of your arc team, and letting me read this incredible book!

Ratings:
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Tropes:
🦋 𝑻𝒂𝒃𝒐𝒐
🦋 𝑨𝒈𝒆 𝑮𝒂𝒑
🦋 𝑩𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝑭𝒓𝒊𝒆𝒏𝒅’𝒔 𝑵𝒊𝒆𝒄𝒆
🦋 𝑻𝒆𝒅𝒅𝒚 𝑩𝒆𝒂𝒓
🦋 𝑵𝒐 3𝒓𝒅 𝑨𝒄𝒕 𝑩𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒌𝒖𝒑

[Shani (Bttrflymama88) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without Bound by Ryan Marie

Book 4 in the Magnolia Creek series bring us Bishop Michaels!!! And holy smokes was this man worth the wait!!! 🥵🤤🫠

This book gives you forbidden romance, age gap, she's his best friends niece and he's 12 years older! It brings you the push and pull. Will he finally give into her, cause our girl Anais, is persistent as hell! She knows what she wants and she's not stopping until she makes Bish hers! This book for sure gave me anxiety! Disappointed me a little because I expected better from this friend group! But then healed me all in the end!

You get all those hidden moments, some that'll make you swoon and others that with SPICE up your life! Bishop Michaels is hot as sin! Did I say that already?! Good Lord that man! 🤤🥵🫠

This book is the perfect example of you can't help who you fall in love with and age is just a number! Like Cami says Bishop and Anais have found their twin flames in one another. And that's not something you should ever let go of!

This book was full of all the feels and gave me all the things I needed in Bishop's story! I loved watching these two grow, settle and fall in love with eachother. Everyone deserves a hea, and im glad Bish got his finally! Well worth the wait!! Ryan nailed this one! But again doesn't surprise me! She's easily one of my favorite indie authors! & I can't wait to see what she does next!

[Mandy Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Let me start by saying, I was late to my Ryan Marie journey, but thanks to a lot of recommendations from my bestie and tons of praying to get approved for the arc team, here I am and WOW did Without Bound showcase just how talented Ryan Marie is.

To say I love Bishop would be an understatement - he is everything, the total package! A strong, tall, baseball player, with the heart of gold, the best cuddly personality and a deliciously spicy side? Sign me up!

The connection between Bishop and Anais is power and emotional and had me all over the place. Their banter and the will they won’t they have this book had me hooked right away and I loved every second of the rollercoaster ride!

I will say the one thing I love more than characters and character growth is when i can read a book and just totally tune out the world and be emerged in something new, and Ryan Marie is a master at just that. Her writing style is simple and easy to understand yet detailed and intricate enough that you are never bored and are always wanting to get to the next page as quickly as possible. Without Bound was such an easy fast read that I ate up so quickly!

As sad as I am that this series is ending, I am so glad this book was saved for last because honestly I feel like it was my favorite one! You can tell that Ryan Marie really poured her heart into this one!

[Erin · Rating 5 out of 5]

WOW!! Talk about a story that had me in a chokehold, sobbing into my pillow and clutching my heart hoping that all will be okay in the end. I was instantly hooked and captivated with how incredibly emotional this last story in the Magnolia Creek series was. This final book was absolute perfection in every way.

Bishop is such an incredible man, a complete teddy bear, and the best friend that you want in your life. As the last man standing, he was due to find his other half. What he didn’t realize was that she had been standing right in front of him all along. Unfortunately, she’s forbidden fruit that if plucked, could have some nasty blowback for both of them.

Anais is such a persistent, fierce, independent and feisty young woman. She knows what she wants and will do what is necessary in order to get it.

"I dream about you, Bishop. About us and the moment I finally get to call you mine."

The constant pushing and pulling between Anais and Bishop had my heart in tatters. These two want to love each other so badly but don’t want to hurt those closest to them in the process. Their connection was strong but the pull to be together was even stronger. Bishop tries his hardest to fight that pull but Anais doesn’t make saying no easy.

The hurdles these went through had me sobbing like crazy. They really captured my heart, and I loved them both so much.

This was such an incredibly beautiful love story with a truly phenomenal ending that left my heart full of love for Bishop, Anais and all of Magnolia Creek.

Highly recommend.

[kinsreads17 · Rating 5 out of 5]

Without Bound
By Ryan Marie

I am literally blown away at how much I love this book. Now it’s Ryan, so I knew that I would love it, but I couldn’t put this down. It was 3 AM and I was fighting for my life to keep my eyes open to find out what happened😂 We’ve all been waiting a long time for Bishop’s story and eeekkkk was it worth the wait!! 🤭

“𝙇𝙤𝙫𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙞𝙨𝙣’𝙩 𝙙𝙞𝙛𝙛𝙞𝙘𝙪𝙡𝙩, 𝘼𝙣𝙖𝙞𝙨.”

"𝙄 𝙬𝙖𝙣𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙩𝙤 𝙠𝙣𝙤𝙬 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙬𝙞𝙡𝙡 𝙖𝙡𝙬𝙖𝙮𝙨 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙢𝙮 𝙝𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙩. 𝙉𝙤 𝙢𝙖𝙩𝙩𝙚𝙧 𝙬𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙝𝙖𝙥𝙥𝙚𝙣𝙨, 𝙬𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙛𝙪𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚 𝙢𝙖𝙮 𝙩𝙖𝙠𝙚 𝙪𝙨, 𝙞𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙮𝙤𝙪𝙧𝙨."

Bishop is kind hearted and sweet, the epitome of a teddy bear MC, I am obsessed and he is my new favorite man in Magnolia Creek. Annais literally is iconic, goes after what she wants and don’t even try to mess with someone she loves. They make such a perfect couple and I just love them together so much. *cue the tears- grab the tissues* Ryan once again you wrote an amazing book, and it’s the last Mag Creek and I’m sad. I’m going to miss them!! 😭 Thank you for letting me be apart of this, you are iconic and this book is amazing 💓 I know what you come out with next will be just as amazing! 🫶🏻👠

[Jersy.the.romantasy.moms · Rating 4 out of 5]

The final book in the Magnolia Creek series will take you on a ride of forbidden romance. Anais and Bishop are meant to be together. Anais just has to get him to see it.

I instantly fell in love with both of these MC's 😍 Anais knows what she wants, and she does not stop until she gets it! Bish has been fighting his obsession with his best friends neice for a while. He knows it would be a great betrayal and end his friendship if he ever looked in her direction.

Going through this forbidden journey with Anais and Bish put me through all the feels. I love their hearts, personalities, and the way they fight for each other.

I can tell Ryan Marie put her heart and soul into this story. 🫠 It was swoony, spicy, and had many LOL moments. The characters and plot were well developed. I was most pleased that the ending wasn't an abrupt HEA. She really had these characters working for resolve. Which made my slightly broken heart feel justified and then healed 🩷

Loved this so much!!

[Mrs Wilson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I. TEARED. SO. HARD. and in such a good way. This book TORE ME UP. Already, I cannot wait to go back and read this again.

Bishop and Anais were a great couple. While she was only 19, she was more mature than your average college student. The timeline seemed a little off compared to Trust Bound, but you can follow it easily enough throughout the book. I teared at least 5 times during these 326 pages. The angst was so good. Bishops struggles was so heart wrenching. Ugh. I died inside for him.

This is book 4 in the Magnolia Creek series. While you CAN read them all as stand alone books, I would HIGHLY recommend reading the first three before this one. What happens with Bishop will hit you so much better if you have the FULL, 100% context of what he goes through will make the tears so much more worth it.

I will recommend this book to any romance lover. There were several descriptive sex scenes.

Thank you for the copy, this is my honest opinion.

[Vikki · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ryan Marie's writing is heartfelt and compelling, and it's evident that she poured her heart and soul into this story. The characters are well-developed, and I couldn't help but fall in love with both Anais and Bish. Their personalities and the way they fought for each other made me root for their happiness all throughout the book.

The plot is well crafted, filled with swoon-worthy moments, spicy encounters, and plenty of laugh-out-loud moments. I appreciated that the ending wasn't a rushed happily-ever-after, but rather a journey of growth and resolution for the characters. It made their love feel more authentic and their struggles more meaningful.

"Without Bound" left me feeling satisfied and emotionally invested in the characters' journey. Ryan Marie has created a beautiful love story that will tug at your heartstrings and leave you with a sense of fulfillment. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys passionate and well-written romance novels.

[Merrit Townsend (always1morebook) · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is book 4 in the Magnolia Creek Series. Each story is an interconnected standalone that will follow a different couple. While these are standalone, I do suggest starting with book one for the best reading experience.

-Age Gap
-Uncles best friend
-Forbidden relationship
-Taboo
-Found Family
-Crazy Banter
-No 3rd Act Breakup

What a crazy ending to a fabulous series. This book had me on the edge of my seat until the very end. The angst had me pulling at tummy collar with the need to know how this story ended. There were some surprises I did not see coming and the ending was absolutely perfect. This story held my heart in its hands and gave me that beautiful ending I was craving. There were a few times that I wasn't sure if this was going to be a happy ending but Ryan had our backs and gave us everything we needed. I will never look at a butterfly ornament the same and absolutely fell in love with Anais and Bishop.

[Theresa Lambe · Rating 5 out of 5]

Coming into a series on the last book is hard. There is a familiarity found without characters that you miss out on, even on stand alone books. But at the same time, it's also really nice because it makes you go back and read the others.

Personally, I feel in love with Bishop. I love his kind and gentle heart and how he wanted to do the right thing. And when he finally let hid guard down, it was a sight to behold. I loved how he fought for it too. And Anais....was she mature for her age? Of course! And tenacious. She knew what she wanted and didn't let anyone tell her no, especially the man of the hour. There were times she was a brat, but far too often she was bada$$ going after who her heart fell in love with.

It's a slow burn to the finest degree and one I highly suggest. I think you'll love these two as well. Because they do give all the vibes.

[Lakshmi Praveen · Rating 5 out of 5]

*cue ugly cry* Yes that's me. First the series is over, next the series is over , next this beautiful story was told in such an amazing way and I don't want it to be over!! Bishop and Anais talk about, age gap, forbidden romance and teddy bear vibes , oh the story is just how it's ought to be. Bish caught my eye when I was reading book 2 aka Nix and Viv, and appreciation just grew more and more for the amazing man that he is. And he definitely did not disappoint here. Anais is treasured so much by this man it's beautiful you want to weep. Yes i did weep...sssh don't tell anyone. All the ups and downs these two had in the book hurts you and heals you. I loved every moment of it. Ryan you are amazing and have brought such a wonderful world to us!! You rock queen!!

[Connie · Rating 5 out of 5]

 This is my first book by Ryan Marie and I can say that I will be going back for more. This book was good. From what I see this is the 4th book in the Magnolia Creek Series but can be read as a standalone as I haven't read the other 3 books but didn't feel like I was missing important information. This book had some spice along with a great mix of tension and a good plot. It had my emotions all over the place. Bishop is an amazing character. He’s a big old teddy bear. From what I gathered he is best friends with Phoenix (I’m guessing from one of the other books possibly) but with that he starts to develop feelings for Phoenix's niece Anais. She is yonder than he is and he knows that she should be off limits but he just can't help his feelings. He tries to fight the pull to her but alas he can't. I really liked his character. Anais was also very relatable. You can see how she grows and finds her voice in this book. Overall this was a very good read and will leave you wanting more but sadly from what I am seeing this is the final book in this series. But I can tell you that I will be going back to read the rest of this series and I hope they are like this one. 

[Kari Tidwell (karisbookstodevour) · Rating 5 out of 5]

The final book in this series is literally the most gut you and break your heart, love is worth everything, swoony and sexy book out of them all and it is phenomenal! Bishop and Anais are that couple who love without shame, regret, are totally meant to be, and just grip your heart the second they’re together. Total must read that just has you all up in your feels and believing in love and happiness.

These two…just dang! They risk it all, go through the wringer together and come out the other side just as solid as they were before and make you just swoon with how much they support each other and believe in what they have. I did in fact shed a few tears, because it is hard to read through what they almost lose but it is so incredibly worth it. Just read this, that’s it!

[CASSIE STOCKDALE · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anais and BISHOP. Ryan Marie is one of my favorite authors...she can so quickly and easily evoke emotions from you. Book 4 in Magnolia Creek, no disappointment here. This is forbidden love, done VERY VERY well. It's not forbidden for just a few pages. Bishop is GOLD for how long he holds out on allowing ANY sort of "inappropriate" interaction with Anais...and she goes HARD for him. Bishop is just the biggest teddy bear and goes all out for anyone that he loves. He's so swoony! I won't lie, there's heartbreak in here. There's me being so angry at some of my favorite characters from Mag Creek that I wasn't sure there was going to be enough book left for redemption. There's definitely an HEA for Anais and Bishop along with more happiness for other Mag Creek characters! 100% recommend!

[Megan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Bishop and Anais are my favorite Magnolia Creek couple to date! Forbidden from every angle, but such an undeniable connection for these two characters. Anais’ character is so flirtatious and I love the way she relentlessly teases Bishop, but also how she is the first to jump to his defense no matter who she needs to take on. Bishop is such a big softie and this tender man is impossible not to love. Without Bound is a fantastic end to this series that has a little bit of everything with such a strong friend group.

You’ll find —
Baseball Coach x College Student
Best Friend’s Niece
Age Gap
Teddy Bear MMC
Found Family
Afro Latina FMC

Thank you Ryan always for the opportunity to read early!

[Victoria Shelton · Rating 5 out of 5]

HOLY WOW! The emotions you feel from beginning to end in the book will leave you in tears by the end. The age gap trope of mine, Bishop is definitely something of his own breed. This group of characters is so developed through this book but really this whole series. The push and pull that they both fought because they were worried about Nix, just shows the love they have for Nix. When things come to ahead, the FMC takes charge of their relationship and puts her foot down. The whole time with each interaction she put her foot down and dang, i was like “get it girl! Show them who her man is!” Bishop has definitely moved into my number Ryan Marie book boyfriend. Highly recommend reading this story. Girl! The whole series is 🔥 🔥 🔥 🔥

[a_reading_rose · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden Romance, Age Gap and No Third Act Breakup….such a great way to round off this series!!

Bishop and Anisa have a lovely relationship! He’s protective, kind and with a huge heart that you can’t help but love and Anisa is fiesty, independent and knows what her heart wants…their relationship is beautiful!!!

This story rounded up the Magnolia Creeks Series wonderfully! The Found Family Trope is a huge part of this series and the ending to ‘Without Bound��� was so heartwarming.

Thank you Ryan Marie for the ARC.
It’s been a pleasure to be a part of the ARC team and I hope it continues for future books😊

#authorryanmarie #indieauthor #romanceauthor #kindleunlimited #kindleunlimitedromance #spicyreads #spicybookstagram #newrelease #withoutbound #series #magnoliacreek #tropes #agegap #magnoliacreekseries

[Jennifer Painter Slotter · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was my first book by Ryan Marie and it definitely will not be my last. Wow, wow, wow, what an epic love story! I always love a good age gap when the two people are truly meant to be together and Bishop and Anais were 100% meant to be. Loved the angst, the emotions, the steam, the romance, ALL OF IT. Bishop tried so hard to deny their connection but just couldn't. Such amazing character growth in both Bishop and Anais and the way they took care of each other was PERFECT. Loved the other characters as well and looking forward to going back to read the first 3 books in the series. This book brought me to tears and the conclusion was 100% satisfying. Loved every moment of this book!

[Kendra ♡ Shannon · Rating 5 out of 5]

the end of an era 😩 honestly, this is my favorite book of the series! I say that every time, but foreal this is Ryan’s best book yet. I am so happy I got to come back to the Magnolia crew’s world. I missed the girls, they crack me up!

Bishop was a pleasant surprise. I’m not a taboo age gap romance girlie (sometimes) so i was nervous going into this but I loved Bishop so much. Anais was also a great FMC, I mean she was young but she fought for her man🤣 i’m talking ten toes down.

this was a really great read if you want an easy quick paced taboo romance that is filled with plenty of spice!🥰

***
Also seeing my name in the acknowledgments brought things full circle for me 🥹 Ryan was the first author to let me into her Arc team and i am forever grateful 🫶🏼