Forbidden Flames: A brother's best friend billionaire romance

by Tiesa Parkin

Orion De Luca is a force to be reckoned with—dark, dangerous, and cloaked in secrets.
He's cold, ruthless, and completely opposed to any form of relationship that extends further than a night in the bedroom.
To the world, he's a mysterious businessman recently named New York's Most Eligible Bachelor, but the facade hides a man who crosses lines without remorse and who's pursuits know no boundaries, heedless of the consequences.
But when he's forced to protect his best friend's sister from a past threat, he's forced to ask himself one question: is Emerson a line even he shouldn't cross?

Emerson Fields is an aspiring lawyer who's life so far has been one tragic event after the other.
Ready for a fresh start and excited to embrace her future, Emerson moves in with her protective older brother, Atlas, when she returns to the city after college.
But following a series of unfortunate events, Emmy finds herself sharing a penthouse with the one man who manages to turn her world upside down with a single glance.
Despite his indifference towards her, the danger leaking with every step he takes and their continuous tendency to butt heads, Emmy finds herself drawn to him like a moth to a flame.
Her brother's best friend. A promise of corruption. And against her better judgement, she couldn't seem to stay away.


Their relationship becomes a whirlwind of possessiveness and heat but as their relationship ignites, secrets buried deep begin to surface, threatening to unravel not only their forbidden affair but also the very fabric of Emmy’s life, and as she learns to heal from her past, she discovers that some truths are more devastating than she ever could have imagined.

Genres: Dark Romance, Romance, Billionaire Romance, Smut, Enemies To Lovers, Contemporary, Dark

456 pages, Paperback

Published August 22, 2024

About the author

As a lover of contemporary romance novels, Tiesa spends her free time reading and writing, using her overactive imagination to create the next flawed but heart-capturing book boyfriend to add to an ever-growing list.

She enjoys writing fast-paced, steamy stories with real-life problems that allow her readers to relate to the characters.

When she isn’t writing, she’s usually binge-watching old episodes of Gilmore Girls, cuddling with her cats, and creating new vegetarian recipes. Tiesa also uses her free time for volunteering with the local communities, in particular with the National Children's Deaf Society having being born deaf herself.

She works best at night, will never deny chocolate and can’t function without her morning mocha.

Find her on:

Tiktok: @AuthorTCParkin
Instagram: @AuthorTiesaParkin
Facebook: Author Tiesa Parkin
Facebook group: Tiesa’s Forbidden Squad

Reviews

[Samantha Rodriguez · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you love billionaire romances with a dash of brother’s best friend/forbidden romance and all the spice then you will love this book. My favorite thing about this book is how sassy and witty Emerson, the FMC, is, and how the MMC, Orion doesn’t stand a chance. There is plenty of tension and banter that really sets the tone for the book with a little slow burn for the first about half of the book. The plot was great with a buildup to a dramatic ending that will have you flying through the pages. Highly recommend!!

[Rebecca Graham · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC (my very first) 😍

This story was everything. Orion De Luca has my throat in a god damn chokehold! Literally.

If you like forbidden romance - best friends brother - this is for you!

If you love touch her and 💀 vibes - this is also for you.

If you love he falls hard and fast - and probably first - again this book is for you!!

The back and forth banter between these two characters was another level. The first 40% was off the charts. However as soon as they gave into temptation it was FIRE 🔥

I loved the tragic back stories they added a lot to the story, the ex boyfriend especially!

I like a book with some plot and this book was it!!

I’m so excited for everyone else to read it!!

Easily 5 stars for me.

Thank you to the author for letting me read it before anyone else got the chance!! Can’t wait for the next.

[Kaity · Rating 5 out of 5]

BETA READ <3

Arc review:
Orion, what a steam fest of an MMC!
He may have been morally grey, but he was so dang romantic!

Emmy, her character journey was so heartfelt. It may be triggering for some, but it was handled flawlessly.

The spice…! Hot damn!! ;PP

Thank you Tiesa for allowing me to beta and arc read. <3

[Olivia Gawel · Rating 4 out of 5]

what can i say? i’m easily entertained when the story is about a guy who is so obsessed with a girl he would kill for her. SUE ME

[Kayla Cyré · Rating 5 out of 5]

My goodness, where to even start.. okay, let's start with Emerson. Our fmc is smart, sweet, funny, but is also a trailblazer and is not afraid to talk back! She has a heavy past, and because of that, she's guarded. She can't help but feel something for her brothers best friend, Orion. But she stays clear of him and those feelings until circumstances change, and she's left with having to face him and those feelings head on. Now, let's talk about Orion 😮‍💨 first, let me just say that I love that name! Orion not only has a difficult past but a dark past as well. He has been through so much yet clawed his way to the top and is successful. He knows Ermerson is off limits, but he can't help the pull he has towards her. He has to have her! The banter was something else, but that tension!!!! Wow! I was on the edge 😮‍💨🥵 and the spice!! 🫣🔥 but on top of all of that was the all-consuming love that did it for me! The things that Orion said were beautiful and passionate 🥹 Emerson and Orion both wanted love, and they both figured out that their love was the kind of love they so desperately needed 🥺❤️‍🔥 now, that ending.. the ending was suspenseful, and I've never read an ending like that! I loved this book so much and highly recommend it 🖤 by the way, this song is perfect for this book!! 😮‍💨

✨️Forbidden Flames is now available on Amazon and KU!

Thank you so much to @authortiesaparkin for selecting me to read this arc of your debut! It was remarkable!! 🤌🏼

Rating:
🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
🔥🔥🔥🔥- Orion was not playing around!! 🥵

Tropes:
❤️‍🔥Brothers Best Friend
❤️‍🔥Billionaire Romance
❤️‍🔥Forced Proximity

[Abbey Gilbert · Rating 2 out of 5]

This had no plot

[Moonlight_and_novels &#x1f319;✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨Arc Reader✨


Omg this book is chefs💋

Orion Deluca 🔥🥵 Morally grey, sexy Italian 😍

This is the author’s debut novel and omg she did an amazing job. The writing was superb, the storyline epic and has lots of smut. An absolutely stunning dark romance

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️


Released on the 26th August. Check trigger warnings beforehand 🩶

[Nic29 · Rating 1 out of 5]

Why didn’t Emmy hate the fact Orion got her her dream job?
Why did Orion lie and tell her the notion of other women for him was gone the second he met her when he literally booked a hotel room for him snd another woman after he met her?
What happened with the sex tape miles had?
Why did Orion not think to tell her miles was out of prison and after her?
I could keep going but I’m winding myself up 🤦🏻‍♀️

[Tiffany · Rating 1 out of 5]

The dedication sucked me in, but the book did not live up to it. The characters felt flat and forced. The storyline did not mesh, almost felt like reading a rough draft. Could be good, but needs changes

[Mills · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, the wildest thank you to ForeverAfterPR and Tiesa Parkin for giving me access to this arc in exchange for a totally honest review.

Synopsis:
Orion De Luca is an absolute powerhouse; he's serious, strong and not someone you would want to mess with. So when he is asked by his best friend, Atlas, to look after Emerson, his little sister whilst he is away on business, he hardly seems thrilled. To make matters worse, he has thought about Emmy from the very moment he laid eyes on her. He could never go there, after all, she is his best friend's little sister.... Emmy may be Atlas' little sister, but she is an awful lot more than that. Determined, courageous, and with a heart of gold, Orion struggles to say no....

Thoughts:
Parkin wrote this novel beautifully. From the way she described the characters, to the topics she explored, I felt and heard every single word. I really found the backstory of Emmy to be extremely hard-hitting but also made me develop such a special bond with her in a way I do not always develop with female protagonists. I felt for her on such a deep level and wanted her to be protected at all costs. Orion was exactly what everyone needs in a male protagonist for a romance novel; an emotionally-unavailable, sexy billionaire who pretends he could not give less of a damn about this woman, making every single encounter seem like an inconvenience, which couldn't be further from the truth. The development of their relationship, alongside the sheer dedication Orion had to Emmy and her safety, just made me adore reading this book from start to finish. It was raw, emotional, but had me laughing throughout at the sassiness of Emmy and the sarcasm of Orion. It is worth mentioning that there was plenty of spice in this novel of varying degrees, so if that is your thing, delve in.

There was SO much to this novel; narrative strands that I was rooting to be resolved, and obviously the strand with Miles which had me genuinely seething from the very moment we heard about him. He was a vile character and made me root for Orion even more, especially considering all the precautions he took to keep Emmy safe when Miles was released. The book took a real turn around 90% of the way through, and the way in which the narrative was moving genuinely had me concerned for Emmy and her safety. I do not want to spoil too much about this section but I will say, it made me detest Miles even more.

This book was hard-hitting, so I highly recommend checking the trigger warnings before delving in. This being said, the topics explored were honest, raw and were not sugar coated in any way, quite explicit in fact.

A compelling romance novel, full of love and protection.

[jade gregory · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to read this as an arc
Meet Emmy she's not had the best time, she lost both parents in a hit & run & then ended up in an abusive relationship which nearly left her for dead. No wonder her brother Atlas is over protective! Cue Orion the hot tall dark brooding billionaire who is also Atlas best friend!
Emmy's abusive ex is looking for Emmy but Atlas has to work away so he asks Orion to keep an eye on her, & keep an eye on her he does, much to Emmy's annoyance he keeps appearing like a bad smell! The tension between the two is 🔥 & both of them are so frustrated by it until one day it all comes to a head 🥵. However, there's one problem in the form of Atlas, how's he going to react? Alos is the abusive ex going to catch up with Emmy? & what does the future hold?
This book was so good with the mix of so much spice & the banter between Emmy & Orion, but there was also a dark side that had you at the edge of your seat it was a perfect mix of everything I love! I would definitely recommend this book & I can't wait for the next installment where we get to find out more about Emmy's friend Arianna & F1 driver Caden 😀
⛔️Please check trigger warnings before reading
Spice rating 🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

[Sandbooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating :
4 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tropes:
» Brother’s best friend
» One bed
» Morally grey MMC
» Dislike to lovers
» Spicy

Review :
I was so excited an grateful to receive an arc copy of this book as I immediately knew I would love it. This tension and the chemistry between Orion and Emmy was perfect as we the reader were just waiting for them to stop fighting the tension between each other and just get together. This book would definitely get you out of your reading slump as it is extremely fast paced. This book is also quite spicy as it includes restraints, breath play, ice play, toys and mirrors.
I also loved Orion being a morally grey MMC but also being romantic when it came to Emmy. For example he bought her a bouquet of a hundred roses ( the way I’d cry if a man did that for me) or eating the pancakes she made him even though he hates pancakes.
When reading this book I wasn’t expecting Emmy to be a serious character. What I mean is that I didn’t expect real life themes to be discussed. Emmy is a survivor of DV and I appreciated her struggles how it was portrayed in this book.
I cannot wait to continue this series and I’m so excited to read about Arianna and Caden’s book. I also hope by girl Clover gets a book I feel like it will be about her and Hauge or her and Cole.

[Danielle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 Stars

This book has some incredible moments. It is a dual POV between the MMC and FMC and not many characters were introduced besides these two and a handful others but this was good. Alot was going on at times and it was good to not have to worry/ remember different characters.

This is a spicy book - there are alot of spicy scenes but I loved them - the tension between the two main characters was fantastic and therefore once they got spicy it was NEEDED!!!

I would make sure to check trigger warnings as both characters have a lot of traumatic baggage and could be triggering to those who have experienced the same thing.

There were certain moments I thought oh no its the same old brothers best friend billionaires romance but the story brewing in the background changed it up which was needed! It added further depth to the story and i enjoyed it. I do think some parts of the FMC's past could have been explained a little more - it felt like big things were mentioned and then just forgotten about but apart from that - very good book.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden Flames was a fun but hard-hitting read that I thoroughly enjoyed. The topics touched on in this book were written beautifully and the tension built up throughout the book were fabulous.

I loved reading about Orion and Emmy, seeing how their relationship grew. From the start I was hooked and it had some of my favourite tropes in.

The side characters were great, I can't wait to read more about them in future books. I hope Atlas gets a book at some point too, I'd love to know more about him in the future.

The spice throughout this book was good, just the perfect amount while still having a decent plot.

This was a beautiful debut book from Tiesa and I can't wait to read more from this world.

[Caitlin Maison · Rating 5 out of 5]

Genuinely really enjoyed this book, it’s a very different take on romance to what I’ve previously read. The spice level is THROUGH THE ROOF!! I loved the style of writing, the plot, integration of characters and a different type of romance. It’s a really unique, modern romance. Nothing negative to say about this book apart from very long chapters. The dedication for this book says it all.

[Natasha Carmichael · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much for sending me the ARC for this book! I was absolutely hooked throughout. The chemistry between the main characters was everything and I loved the way Orion cared so deeply for both Emmy and Atlas throughout. Such a good read and cannot wait for book 2!!

[Mara · Rating 4 out of 5]

3,5⭐️ Also war bessen different wei Biicher dei ech soss liesen. Amfong ass Et eng Dark Romance an heinsdo war et mer besssen too much hha

[Colette aka Colatte · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5
Fun, dark, and spicy!

[May]

DNF at 58%. Lost interest

[Pearl · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️

I received this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I want to start by saying that I think that for a debut novel, this is a really decent attempt. And I would encourage anyone who enjoys romance with a bit of a dip into the dark side to give this a go.

It’s an easy read with some really beautiful writing.

However, having said that, there were some things that I couldn’t ignore.

There were some grammatical errors all the way throughout the book which should have been picked up during the editing process:
- The book shifts between past and present tense constantly, sometimes within the same sentence. Some of this is just inconsistency, such as one flashback chapter being in present tense and then others being in past tense. A lot of it seems to be errors though with a random sentence or word being in the present tense before shifting back.
- The word “queue” being used instead of “cue”.
- Some of the sentences were quite long, with the overuse of metaphors to explain every single thing. Although some of this was beautiful, I will admit. But it was just too much and I found myself having to go back and reread sentences constantly.

Other general observations I had:
- The first 50% of the book is Emmy and Orion trying not to think about each other. It’s repeated multiple times that they’re “not going there” when they start thinking of the other. But honestly, I’m not sure why because they don’t know anything about each other and neither do we really. It’s all very surface level and a physical attraction, which isn’t enough to draw me into the characters.
- After this, most of the remainder of the book is smut. There’s mentions of them having some dates etc. however we don’t really see this. We still don’t know much about them and their actual relationship, apart from the fact they have sex a lot. I think Emmy’s career would have been great to highlight more, to give her more purpose. And the fact of how she got the job I think was unnecessary, because it made her seem incapable to me rather than a powerful, intelligent woman.
- The Miles plot I think could have been really great. But I would have loved more mystery along the way. It felt like all the cards were dealt very quickly and I would have loved more tidbits instead to keep me guessing. But I knew everything that was going to happen way before it did. Although I have to say, I got the creeps during the thing at the office so that was nicely done and well written to give me goosebumps.
- The jealousy thing didn’t do it for me. Sometimes I find it really hot but this time it kind of gave me the ick a bit. Maybe just a bit too overbearing?

I hope that this is helpful in writing the next book, because I think that it could be really great. The writing style is really lovely already and with a few tweaks could be excellent!

As I said before, I still encourage others to give this book a chance.

Happy reading!

[Dionne Scorgie · Rating 4 out of 5]

If a billionaire morally grey MMC with a touch her and die attitude is your thing then this is the book for you, you need to introduce yourself to Orion De Luca. I loved the spice, I loved the story and I highly recommend 👌

[Samantha · Rating 4 out of 5]

If you're an Ana Huang fan, then you will eat this up!

This book was checking all of the boxes for me. We had billionaires, morally grey MMC, sassy FMC, touch her, and you'll be sorry, brothers best friend, dual POV, psycho ex, and so much more. Oh, and the spice? Once it started, it didn't stop. It was explosive between them, and you could tell it had been building up for far too long!

Orion comes across as an arsehole, but we all see right through you. I knew you needed someone special to help soften you up. Granted, he was only sweet to Emmy, but isn't that what we want? Their interactions at the beginning were so funny as Emmy was giving as good as she got, but watching Orion crumble as he tries to compose himself around her was even better. Orion is a shady guy, but he's also loyal, and we find out the lengths he'll go to to protect what's his.

Emmy had such a rough past, and her ex, Miles, really put her through hell. We slowly find out her backstory as we make our way through the book, and it breaks my heart knowing this actually happens to people. No one should ever be made to feel that way or hurt like that. Despite her past, Emmy manages to build herself back up again and make a life for herself with the support of her brother Atlas and BFF Clover. Not only is Emmy a kick ass lawyer, but she also holds her own against Orion. She definitely puts him in his place, and I loved the banter between them. I wanted her to find all the happiness in the world, and with Orion by her side, I think she will.

Miles is a piece of sh*t and I hate what he put Emmy through. Just when I thought he couldn't get any worse, he proved me wrong. I did suss out what his connection was towards the end, but it was still a shock when the plot twist started twisting. Hearing about Miles makes me wonder if I should start doing background checks on anyone I meet going forward.

Atlas is definitely my favourite, even though we didn't get much of him, and I'm hoping he'll have his own book in the future. Was he overbearing and overprotective of Emmy? Yes. Annoyingly so. But that also added to his charm for me. He had cinnamon roll/hidden morally grey vibes, and I can't wait for more tea on what happened between him and you know who...

All in all, I absolutely loved this book! I mean, come on, it's a dark billionaire romance! I will admit that some of the spice scenes felt a little repetitive, but it didn't take away from their connection. I am looking forward to the next book as I suspect that was 100% a setup for book 2 at the end! And it's already looking like it's going to be so gooooood!

I want to say a massive thank you to Tiesa Parkin for allowing me to read an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Stacyfrancesreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

Okay, Forbidden Flames by Tiesa Parkin is one spicy, wild ride that had me hooked from the get-go! Orion De Luca? He's dark, dangerous, and a walking red flag…but honestly, we kinda love that in a book boyfriend, right? 😏 He’s got that brooding, morally grey vibe that pulls you in, even though you know he’s trouble.

"Got quite a mouth on you, don't you, Tesoro? Someone should teach you what to do with it."

And Emmy? Total badass FMC who isn’t afraid to push all of Orion’s buttons—literally all of them—and it’s hilarious to watch.

"And who's going to do that? You?"
"You shouldn't tempt me, Tesoro. You're begging for someone to put you in your place."
"And you think you could do that? Cute. I could have you on your knees in a heartbeat. It would suit you, actually."

The chemistry between Orion and Emmy is 🔥🔥. Their enemies-to-lovers, brother’s-best-friend dynamic is filled with tension, and the possessiveness from Orion? Next level. I mean, the man is protective to a fault, and seeing him go soft for Emmy was everything. You just know he’s catching feelings, even if he’s fighting it the whole way.

"You shouldn't look at me like that."
"Like what?"
"Like you see something that isn't darkness."
"I see the darkness, Orion. But I also see the beauty that you're incapable of seeing."

Now, the plot has its twists and turns, and things heat up as secrets start bubbling to the surface, threatening to tear their forbidden love apart. The pacing was good, but I did find a couple of issues in the writing with past vs present tense—nothing that ruined the story for me, but it did throw me off here and there.

Overall, this book is definitely a solid 4 stars. It delivers on the spice, the tension, and the morally grey hero you’ll love to hate (and love again). Plus, I’m super excited for more from this series—bring on Arianna and Caden’s story in Forbidden Greed next! 👏


______________________

Favourite quotes:

"She was sunshine, mixed with a little hurricane."

"I could have you on your knees in a heartbeat. It would suit you, actually."
"You think about that a lot? Me, on my knees, between your legs?"

"Averti è avere le stelle."

"If I'm your salvation, then you, Orion, you're my sin, and everything in between is our own twisted fairytale. I'm not romantacizing you into being my Prince Charming, Orion, because I know who you truly are. But if you're the beast in this story, I don't want saving. I want to embrace your darkness, to know your scars, and to learn your pain. I want to love you, but you have to let me."

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Emerson Fields has just graduated Harvard and is moving back in with her brother in New York City until she can get on her feet.

Little does she know that her brother will be away for weeks at a time for his own job and due to Emmy's disturbed past, her brother ensures she won't be alone by orchestrating a 'water emergency' at their own apartment so that they have to stay with his best friend. By day, Orion De Luca is the owner of a fortune 500 company supplying security for the richest clients in the world. By night, Orion's activities are not as straightforward and narrow that his company allows people to believe.

Emmy and Orion dont exactly get on, him - a man of power who is used to exactly that. And Emmy, who has learned from her past and become an independent and outspoken pain in his ass.

Slowly, and with thanks to Orion's sister, Avery. Emmy and Orion are forced to spend time together on a trip to Santorini where things between them become heated.

I absolutely loved this book, it was a wild ride flitting between the love-hate relationship between our two main characters and their spicy antics, and a manhunt for Emmy's abusive ex boyfriend who was recently released from prison, Orion stops at nothing to keep her safe.

I'm a sucker for a 'touch her and die' story and this was a perfect, fast paced and entertaining read. Well done, Tiesa. I can't wait to read Ari and Camerons story next!!

[Lenna Wright · Rating 5 out of 5]

Where to start with this story...
It has most of what I love to read.. brother's best friend... he goes mad as he wants what's in front of him, but he can't have, she invades his mind, body and soul and fights himself in respect for his best friend... stubbornness from both main characters... darkness in the main guy with a life of tragedy but never does he let it drown him of life... explosive chemistry, all-consuming love hate sex combo with a little 50 shades of grey added into their life, with a side of villain from her past. Very well written and attention grabbing right from the start. For a minute there I would have thought I might like a certain part where Orian was going to meet one of his long-standing bed partnerships, but he couldn't even think of touching her since Emmy was already embedded into his brain other women would never get her out.

Trigger is the ex-boyfriend of Emmy that beat and left her for dead years ago and caused her to suffer unexpected miscarriage due to what he did. He is the reason why Atlas is the way he is with his baby sister.

Emerson met Orion De Luca when she was 15 and her brother Atlas brought Orian home from college for thanksgiving when the boys were 18 and for decade later, her past is free and on the hunt. Brother is overprotective and since he works for De Luca as a guard, he recruits is boss and best friend Orian to watch Emmy. Emmy and Orian, well say war is about to happen and who will be the winner but at what cost?

[Saskia :) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden flames

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️/5

“We’ll walk out together, that way if you fall, you can take me down with you.”

“You’re my north star that shines so incredibly bright, even in the depths of my darkness, there’s no stopping my heart from being led to you.”

Orion is a billionaire who is cold and dangerous and isn’t afraid to do what he wants. He isn’t interested in any kind of relationship until he sees Emmy for the first time in years.

Emmy has been through a lot with her past relationship, she’s just graduated from her law degree and on the hunt for her new job.

Emmy’s brother’s best friend has been given the task to keep Emmy safe from her past and he would do anything for his best friend. But he can’t betray him by having his best friend’s sister.
I could sense the chemistry between Emmy and Orion from the moment they laid eyes on each other. I really enjoyed this book, i liked how it had a bit of mystery to it and was a good page tuner. I loved Emmy’s character growth and her relationship with her best friend clover.

Thankyou so much for giving me the opportunity to have this as an arc i do apologise how late i am!!

Troupes
♥︎ Billionaire
♥︎ Brother’s best friend
♥︎ Grumpy X Sunshine
♥︎ Morally grey MMC
♥︎ Touch her and d¡e
♥︎ One bed
♥︎ Forced proximity

[Ella Sinclair · Rating 4 out of 5]

I LOVED this book… but the ending felt rushed

This book was soooo good… but I think it could have benefited from about 100 more pages. Everything about this book was hitting perfectly; the slow burn was hot af, the storyline and side plots were really good. I loved the chemistry between the 2 MCs; the push and pull of the slow burn, the way Emmy would do things like rearrange the bookshelves or tilt all of the artwork in the house just to get on Orion’s nerves was possibly one of my favorite things an FMC has ever done to get the MMC’s attention. And once they get together?? Whew, the spice was REAL!
Loved Orion as an MMC; he was the perfect amount of OTT jealous/possessive. Emmy was an awesome FMC, not allowing Orion to overwhelm her, Atlas to control her, or Miles/Liam to replay her past.
I was just really disappointed by the ending of this book, since it all happened so quickly. It feels like we didn’t really get much of a payoff from some of the later parts of the story and we didn’t get much of the aftermath of the escape/rescue. I’m hoping there will be an extended epilogue released or maybe another book that will have a continuation, since this book ended a bit suddenly. I still think this book is worth reading, though!

[Sara F · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emerson ‘Emmy’ is a small town girl finishing up law school, missing her brother Atlas whose running around the world doing security missions for his boss and best friend Orion. When Orion sees Emmy for the first time 10 years after Emmy and Atlas’s parents are killed in a hit and run accident, it’s as if she has blossomed into a new woman. Emmy’s troubled and violent past with her ex Miles comes back to light when Atlas finds out he gets released from jail. Keeping it a secret from Emmy, he enlists Orion to watch over her and keep her safe. With Emmy and Orion at each other’s throats, it’s only a matter of time before one of them kills the other…right?

4.5/5 🌶️ I found Orion’s dirty mouth and ‘must please her to please myself’ attitude to be sexy as hell. He makes a bold confession to Emmy in his office one night that he desires her - from then on, the two are at odds, that soon turns into a delicious romance built on lust, need and awe. Well written spicy scenes, with enough of them to not overwhelm or take away from the storyline itself.

10/10 would recommend to my friends if they are looking for a ‘touch her and die’, forced proximity, all in romance. Morally grey and borderline psychopathic.

[Cat · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can’t believe I have finished this, tbh 😭 thank you thank you thank to ForeverafterPR & Tiesa Parkins for the opportunity to receive this as an ARC🥺

This story follows Emmy, a law graduate trying to escape the wounds of her violent past and establish herself as a practicing attorney, and Orion, a dark and enigmatic billionaire who runs his own private security firm—and just so happens to be best friends with Emmy's older brother.

Emmy finds herself both intrigued and infuriated by Orion. Though she has no intention of flirting with her brother’s best friend, circumstances force them together when her brother, Atlas, is out of town. As she spends more time with Orion, she begins to realize there’s more to him than she initially thought.

For her debut novel, Tiesa Perkins has truly hit it out of the park here. This book is perfect for fans of slow-burn, angsty romance filled with tension, twists, and a "touch her and you die" dynamic. I highly recommend🫶🏼
AND THE SPICE🥵🌶️🤭

P.S. I can confirm that this book does discuss some dark topics, I recommend reading the trigger warnings beforehand as parts of this plot may be upsetting to read.

[Jessica Cooke · Rating 5 out of 5]

Immediate 5 ⭐️ ARC review

I was completely enthralled by *Forbidden Flames* from the moment I picked it up. Tiesa Parkin has crafted a story rich with passion, suspense, and unexpected twists that kept me hooked from start to finish. Orion and Emerson’s connection is electric, and their forbidden love adds an extra layer of intensity that makes the narrative both thrilling and deeply emotional. The writing is simply stunning, bringing the world and its characters to life in a way that’s hard to forget.

The dynamic between Atlas and Orion, especially when it comes to caring for Emerson, adds a compelling dimension to the story. Emerson is a standout as a fiercely independent and intelligent heroine who has overcome her past to build a strong future. The character development is superb, allowing us to delve into each character’s background and witness their growth throughout the story. Every interaction adds depth, making it impossible to put the book down.

This is a must-read for anyone who enjoys steamy, well-crafted romances, and I can’t wait to see what Tiesa Parkin offers next.

Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read early 🩷