Forbidden Dreams

Dream #2

by Natasha Madison

Montgavin Township will never be the same when one night changes the lives of six people.

When the single mom moves in next door, it's your enemy's soon-to-be ex-wife.

Lines are drawn, and I have to remember not to cross them.

Brady
For once, my life was calm.
Behind us was the threat our distillery was going to be shut down.
Now we could focus on growing our brand exactly the way I dreamed of doing it when I took it over.
Nothing was going to stop me.
Until she moved in next door.
My enemy’s wife with her seven-year-old son.
I don’t need this right now.
But everything inside me pulled me toward her.
Even offering her a job. Little did I know, again, I was starting a war.
However, I’m ready for it this time.

Harmony

It was no secret my husband had a wandering eye.
Leaving him shouldn’t have been a shock to anyone.
For Winston, it was more about failing at something that got under his skin.
Besides, he had to make his parents happy.
Which means he’s going to make my life unhappy.
When the pounding starts at my door one night, I’m ready to ignore it.
Until the stranger next door comes to our aid.
He’s everything you want in a man.
I know I shouldn’t involve anyone else in my life.
But maybe it’s time for me to see what dreams are made of.

Genres: Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Small Town Romance, Forced Proximity, Contemporary Romance, Audiobook, Workplace Romance

396 pages, Paperback

First published January 3, 2025

About the author

When Wall Street Journal and USA Today Best Selling Author's nose isn't buried in a book, or her fingers flying across a keyboard writing, she's in the kitchen creating gourmet meals. You can find her, in four inch heels no less, in the car chauffeuring kids, or possibly with her husband scheduling his business trips. It's a good thing her characters do what she says, because even her Labrador doesn't listen to her...

Reviews

[Ally Cee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book where others are gushing over it and you’re left thinking “did we read the same book?” Well this was that for me.

Harmony might be the most pathetic MFC I’ve ever read. She jumps from one man who controlled her life to another man who while his intentions are better, also wants to control her life. There is no independence within her and after all she experienced, this story should have been about her gaining that back. That could have happened while a friendship built between her and Brady first but nope, just full fledge put all her eggs into his basket. And don’t even get me started on how she acted when a woman showed up ONE TIME at Brady’s house as if her ex hadn’t been showing up multiple times banging on doors and screaming his head off.

And Brady’s macho man persona gave me so much ick. I know romance authors try to paint it as the protective type but there is nothing cute about a man raising his voice every time they disagree and who gets jealous because another man so much as looks at the MFC. Also the calling her baby every other sentence was too much.

This story idea had potential but it should have been a slow burn where the MFC actually builds a life for herself before jumping in all over again with another man. Do romance authors know that it’s okay to write strong women characters who don’t need a man to save them but instead a man to walk beside them? This books pissed me off, rant over.

[Grace Btrs · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always, Natasha Madison's books do not disappoint on any emotional level.
She excels at the single-parent trope and this one was a complete blast.

I really enjoy the worlds Madison builds and how she connects them together, but more than that, she brings the world to life and makes us believe in that place where all of this is happening.

This book made me want to have kids right away.
The narrator, Savannah Peachwood, had such a motherly and warm tone, I was feeling my heart turn to goo inside.
Mother-son bonds aside, the found family and found father/son aspect were just as heartwarming. Brady did so right by Wyatt, loved him in all the right ways, and stepped up to be in his life because he wanted him as much as his mom.
And again, praise to Natasha Madison for always knowing how to showcase this found parent trope so so well.

The romance was just as homey. Brady and Harmony were 2 pieces of the same puzzle finally finding each other.
The spice was more of a 2.5 🌶️nothing out of the blue or too kinky, while not discounting the presence of said kinks.

The audiobook -for which I received an advanced listener's copy- was a good companion.
It was a dual narration.
Sannah did an incredible job, hands down.
However, Gregory Salinas is probably not the narrator for me. There were moments when the dialogue was common between Savannah and Gregory, and I could taste the difference between both styles.
Compared to Savannah, Gregory was a bit off.
The rhythm was also a bit off for me, and I wasn't even listening at my usual speed.
That is not to say that the audiobook was not good.
Savannah 4.25 🌟/5
Gregory 3 ⭐/5
Overall 3⭐⭐⭐/5

--
Just here screaming because I got the Advanced Listener Copy 😱😻

[Gigi · Rating 4 out of 5]

OMG, the drama in this book was EVERYTHING and I could not stop reading!

Harmony is a total queen. She took charge of her life, left a toxic marriage, and made sure she and her son, Wyatt, were safe. Seriously, I admired her so much for that.

And then there’s Brady… oh man. His “don't mess with me” attitude had me swooning hard! The way he stepped up to protect Harmony and Wyatt was a total hero move. Plus, let’s be real, the man’s got a mouth on him, and I was here for it.

I also loved seeing Autumn and Charlie from the first book pop up in this one. It made me fall for those two all over again!

This story was sweet, dramatic, and just so good. If you haven’t read book one, start there for all the juicy backstory, but trust me, this series is worth it. I’m already counting down the days for the next one!

Read this if you like:
❤️‍🔥 Single Mom
❤️‍🔥 Enemies to Lovers
❤️‍🔥 Opposites Attract
❤️‍🔥 Boss x Employee

🚨🚨 TW: Domestic violence, alcoholism, emotional abuse, car accident

[Jennifer Kyle · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 Stars ⭐️

[Christi (christireadsalot) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden Dreams is the second book in the Dream series by Natasha Madison. This is my favorite series I’ve read from this author and I’m just loving the emotional element to the storylines!

This is a small town, single mom, forbidden (he hates her ex and his family), opposites attract, emotional scars, boss x employee, forced proximity (neighbors) romance!

Harmony is recently divorced and just wants a fresh start with her son Wyatt. Her ex and his family are wealthy and powerful in town and her ex husband continually shows up being toxic. Her new neighbor is Brady and while he hates her ex and is wary of her moving in next door, he can’t help but step in multiple times when her ex shows up drunk and yelling at night. Shortly after, Brady gives Harmony a job too and all the forced proximity was that. I loved how much he wants to protect and keep her and her son safe!

We see the couple of book 1 a ton in here as Brady is Autumn’s brother (heroine of book 1). I liked how much his family was there for Harmony and Wyatt. Such a great series, while book 1 is still my fav, this was a great audio listen as well! I received an audio ALC, all thoughts in this review are my own.

[ItaPixie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden Dreams was a great read. I just can't resist to a small town and a single mom with an adorable son story.

Since her split-up with her husband Harmony and her son Wyatt have been forced to change home again and again in order to avoid him and his bad temper. Her last neighbour is Brady, the town's bar and distillery owner, who hates her ex husband and his family, so he doesn't want to get close to Harmony and Wyatt either. Soon he'll find himself in some situations and it will be difficult to stay away from them as he had thought.

Natasha Madison wrote two incredible good characters. I was amazed by Harmony tenacity and Brady protectiveness. Their love is really special, exploding in their hearts, and bringing warmth to mine at the same time.

I highly recommend this story. I can't wait to read next one in the series.

Copy kindly provided by the Publisher/Author.

[Megan Coggins · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh the forbidden.

Brady (autumns brother) and Harmony (Winston cartwrights ex wife)
Cue the drama.
Read Shattered Dreams before this for the backstory!

Enemies to lovers my fav
A single mom with a terrible ex she’s trying to leave.
Small town
Opposites attract
Healing/second chances
Neighbors

The thing I really loved was how much Brady connected with Wyatt, harmony’s son, and they did activities together and bonded. You truly felt he understood they were a package deal. ❤️

I love the drama and angst!!

Arc review ✨

[glavreads · Rating 4 out of 5]

this series is angstier than the others i’ve read by natasha but i’m loving it!

harmony finally left her cheating, abusive husband but in the months after, she’s struggled to find a job or place to live in the town that’s scared of his family. she finally finds a run-down rental that happens to be next door to a man her ex’s family hates and he quickly becomes everything her and her son need.

brady was the ultimate protector and it was sooo cute how he wanted to stay away from her but couldn’t stop himself from giving her a job intervening when her ex wouldn’t leave her alone.

[FANCHON · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐️

This is an interconnected series with different couples as the focus in each book. You really should read them in order to get the full appreciation though. The accident that is a main plot point is covered in book one and connects all of these characters. While the accident itself isn’t exactly a pivotal plot point (or even covered in any detail) in this book, all the characters are, and the ramifications from it are important. You don’t truly know how awful the Cartwrights are without that information.

Things I loved:

The small town vibe (for good and bad), the family connections (always a treat to see the Casey Barnes crew), seeing how awesome Brady is with Wyatt. Him protecting both Harmony and Wyatt from Winston the ex. I also appreciated the realism with the struggles Harmony faced as a single mom hustling to make ends meet, dealing with her ex and the challenges of getting a fair legal order. He’s a spoiled POS, and unfortunately their situation is NOT all fiction. I also loved that he and his family got a smack down in the end. The bad guys DON’T always win.

Things I didn’t love:

I think the pacing felt off to me initially. Brady went from “I loathe this woman and want nothing to do with her. She’s my enemy forever” to instalove caveman in the blink of an eye. At the first switch I said to myself that I wish there had a been a bit more build up to it. Like even a week of NOT hating her first? Or maybe a few days of waffling over his softening feelings? I don’t know. Her relationship was emotionally over for years before she left her husband, so as someone who was in a similar position I can understand how she would be able to “jump” into another relationship seemingly so soon. But his switch felt like a light switch flipping.

At the beginning of the story, Brady is in a long term but non-exclusive relationship with Taylor. They may not be exclusive, but five years is a long time. It’s only non-exclusive because HE won’t agree to more btw. And she very much is a frequent intermittent part of the story, texting him for a hook up often. He doesn’t follow through, but he also doesn’t end things. He just makes excuses for why he’s too busy. “Can’t get together today, I’m swamped with work”. 🙄. Or just not even responding. I’m not a fan of the main characters being involved with others. He left her hanging until 85% into the book, when Harmony is living with him and they are sleeping together. And who knows how long he’d have left it if Taylor hadn’t just shown up at his doorstep looking for a hook up. 🤬

It wasn’t at all like the multiple times HER ex showed up at the door because Brady always knew about Winston and Harmony had left him six months ago.

Why? Do authors hate women? Is that it? No he didn’t cheat. But he didn’t break things off with his LONG TERM non-exclusive girlfriend (who he already KNOWS is in love with him and wants more). Then she shows up on the door, just like Harmony’s ex’s multiple mistresses did many times to her…. And she’s going to just say “it’s ok”?!?! No. It’s not. Why is she being a doormat? After what she went through, she should demand to be treated better, and he should be fucking GROVELING. Nope. A half assed “but I love you” and some sex makes it all better 🙄

Oof… deep breaths. Overall- not a bad read. I actually like the series. Honestly, if the Taylor thing had been played out differently I’d probably have liked it better. It felt unnecessary. Dude, text her that you moved on if you’re too chicken shit to end things to her face.

I will certainly be reading the next one to see Everleigh and Brock’s story, and how he redeems himself after what went down with the Cartwrights.

[Kristie (read_between.the_wines)]

**beta read**

[Anna · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wowowowow I ate this up!! I’m on a role with these neighbors to lovers, single mom romances and this one is absolutely one to add to your TBR! The story was sooooo good and there was a suspenseful/tense aspect with the FMC’s ex where I just couldn’t stop reading! Brady is THE MAN & the way he goes from someone who doesn’t want to be near Harmony to becoming head over heels for both her & her son had me a big ole swoony mess! He is down BAD and my god he is filthy.

The audiobook was great and honestly had the best time!
Spice: 3.5🌶️

Tropes:
Small town
Enemies to lovers
Single mom
Forbidden
Opposites attract
Boss x employee
Forced proximity

[Chiara^•^ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden Dreams by Natasha Madison
4/5⭐
2,5/5🌶️

“ɪ ᴄᴀɴ'ᴛ ᴘɪɴᴘᴏɪɴᴛ ᴡʜᴇɴ ɪᴛ ʜᴀᴘᴘᴇɴᴇᴅ. ᴀʟʟ ɪ ᴄᴀɴ sᴀʏ ɪs, ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ ɪs sᴏ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀ ɴᴏᴡ. ᴍʏ ʜᴇᴀʀᴛ ᴋɴᴇᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍɪɴᴜᴛᴇ ɪ sᴀᴡ ᴛʜᴇ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇᴍ ᴍᴏᴠɪɴɢ ɪɴ ɴᴇxᴛ ᴅᴏᴏʀ ᴛᴏ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴛʜɪs ᴡᴀs ᴅɪғғᴇʀᴇɴᴛ."

I just finished the second book in this series, and I loved it! We met Brady in the first book—he's Autumn's brother—and I was super excited to see he got his own story. Harmony is the soon-to-be ex-wife of his rival and also happens to be his new neighbor. She’s been stuck in a tough marriage for years, and it was such a relief when she finally broke free. Brady initially tries to keep his distance because he doesn’t want to get involved with the family that caused his own family so much trouble. But he can’t help but feel for Harmony, especially when he sees how much she’s struggling.

My heart truly went out to Harmony. She’s fighting for her freedom and trying to create a safe, stable life for her son, despite her ex-husband and his family constantly trying to sabotage her. I felt her pain and desperation, and it was tough to watch her battle through it all alone. Her strength is so inspiring, and I admired how she didn’t give up and proved to be so brave. I was thrilled when Brady stepped in to protect her—she finally had someone to support her and face her challenges alongside.

Brady won me over completely! Even though he hesitated to get involved with Harmony’s ex-family, he couldn’t just stand by and watch her be treated poorly. From the very beginning, he was there to defend her, and he even gave her a job when no one else would hire her. How he looked out for her and was always ready to lend a hand melted my heart. Plus, I loved how he took on the role of a father figure for Wyatt. The things he did for them were so sweet, and I was cheering for him from the start.

Overall, I enjoyed this book! It might not be as angsty as the first one, but it had its emotional moments. I loved seeing how the relationship between Brady and Harmony developed over time. I can already tell the next book is going to wreck my heart, and I’m ready for it! Thank you so much, Natasha Madison and The Author Agency, for the gifted e-ARC!

“ʏᴏᴜ ᴡᴀʟᴋ ɪɴᴛᴏ ᴀ ʀᴏᴏᴍ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪ sᴡᴇᴀʀ ᴛᴏ ɢᴏᴅ, ɪᴛ's ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪ'ᴍ ᴄᴏᴍᴘʟᴇᴛᴇ. ɪᴛ's ʟɪᴋᴇ ɪ ᴡᴀsɴ'ᴛ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ ʙᴇғᴏʀᴇ ʏᴏᴜ, ᴀɴᴅ ɴᴏᴡ ɪ'ᴍ ʙʀᴇᴀᴛʜɪɴɢ, ᴀɴᴅ ɪᴛ's ғᴜᴄᴋɪɴɢ ᴀᴍᴀᴢɪɴɢ.”

[chenaey ౨ৎ · Rating 3 out of 5]

my rating: ★★★.75

aesthetic: 🧒🏼🍰📦🏠🥃⚾️🚓👩🏼‍⚖️💼☕️🐎

Forbidden Dreams tackles heavy, real-world themes with emotional storytelling. The novel dives into the challenging realities of navigating a domestic case against a wealthy and influential family, offering a raw and honest look at the emotional toll and legal battles that often come with such circumstances.

One of the standout aspects of the book is its realism. The courtroom scene and the protagonist’s struggle against systemic power imbalances are portrayed with grit and authenticity, making the stakes feel tangible and relatable. Madison doesn’t shy away from depicting the emotional strain of facing a nightmare like this, which adds depth to the story and provides a refreshing sense of grounding in what might otherwise feel like an overly dramatized plotline.

However, the romance feels less compelling. The chemistry between the main characters seems to lack the spark that readers might expect. Their relationship feels somewhat forced, and the moments that are meant to ignite passion come across as repetitive, failing to build the depth and emotional connection that could have made their bond more convincing.

The writing itself is polished, but the story’s tendency to rehash similar emotional beats and interactions makes parts of it feel redundant. While the pacing keeps the reader engaged, there’s a sense that the narrative doesn’t quite break new ground in its exploration of the characters or their relationships.

Overall, Forbidden Dreams is a mixed experience. It shines in its authentic portrayal of a harrowing legal battle and the emotional scars that come with it, but the romance and repetitiveness hold it back from being truly standout. Fans of the series will appreciate the continuation of the story, but others may find it lacking the spark of its predecessor.

[Alia ✩ ♬ ₊.🎧⋆☾⋆⁺₊✧ · Rating 4 out of 5]

Forbidden Dreams hit me right in the feels 🥹. Harmony’s strength as a single mom was so inspiring, and Brady? Grumpy, protective, and totally swoon-worthy 😮‍💨. Their slow-burn romance had the perfect mix of tension and heart. I loved the emotional depth and family drama—but I wanted just a little more groveling from Brady. Still, the ending was beautiful and gave me all the warm fuzzies 💕
A must-read if you love emotional small-town romance with a strong heroine and a soft-on-the-inside hero ✨
Can’t wait to read the next book in the series! 💭📖

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Forbidden Dreams
🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Natasha Madison

This is book two of the Dream Series and while this could be read as a standalone as there are interconnected characters and these books are just so good you might want to start with Shattered Dreams first. I read this immersively by listening and reading at the same time!

This book is about Harmony and her son Wyatt when Harmony leaves her husband Winston Cartwright who are both wealthy and connected in the community.

Harmony find a rental home that is next door to Brady Thatcher and while Harmony and Brady found themselves at odds for so many years, Brady starts to see Harmony in a new light.

This book for me was about starting a new life, how good can overcome evil and how hard work can prevail! I know those aren’t necessarily tropes but I read this in one day and these three things are what had me hooked!

Natasha, I just can’t wait for the next books in this series!

[Jamie Engel · Rating 2 out of 5]

this is really one of those books where I see all my mutuals loving and me sitting here wondering if I got a different book. This one was not for me and I am sad about it. I love Natasha and the first one in the series left me some hope that this one could be good. But it wasn't. The premise was there...execution was not.

I did not enjoy the FMC jumping from one relationship to the next. Not to mention how she acted when she saw a woman at the MMCs house...like are these characters older than 18?
The MMC was cringey and don't get me started on the spicy scenes. I know he was supposed to be "protective" but came off as a macho asshat.
I also don't think I can eat cake again after reading this one...was mentioned way too much.

Overall: 2
I am not rating this spice

Tropes:
Enemies to Lovers
Single Mom
Small town
Opposites Attract
Second Chance at Love
Neighbors

[Sammy 💗 · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book pulled me in right away with Harmony facing a tough decision and finally reaching her breaking point. I loved her character and how she handled all the challenges of being a single mom while fiercely protecting her son. Brady was incredibly sweet, especially in how he treated Harmony and her son. I also loved the ending of this book—they make such a great couple.

[prarthita · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was so boring and I didn't care about the characters. Too insta-lovey for me

[Jamie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what direction this book would go in, but I was pleasantly suprised. I was expecting Brady to be a little more hateful but I'm so glad he wasn't. He had a soft spot for Wyatt and I loved that. I'm also glad that he realized that Harmony was just as much of a victim as the they were.

What was even better was getting to see Ryleigh Richards again! She is absolutely the person that Harmony needed in her corner to fight. Not to mention, Casey, Matthew and Max. Those three will tear apart anyone that comes for their family.

I think the only thing that I didn't care for was the whole Taylor thing. I found that completly unnecessary. All Brady and Harmony needed to do was have a conversation. That's it. The Taylor thing just added a hurt that Harmony didn't need, but it's what forced them to have a conversation.

Even with that, I still loved this book. Natasha Madison is one of my favorite authors and she always seems to deliver a great book!

[Shanna Ferris · Rating 4 out of 5]

• Single mom in distress
• Adorable little boy
• Possessive MMC
• Small town
• Enemies to Lovers
• Forbidden
• Emotional
• Forced proximity

Natasha Madison's single mom books are always my favorite! I absolutely loved getting to know Brady and Harmony and her sweet boy!

This book was full of all the feels. Watching Harmony overcome so many obstacles placed in front of her by her ex-husband was everything! And this book only made you realize that having money and people in your back pocket will only get you so far.

The relationship between Brady and her son really stood out to me in this book! Wonderfully done.

This was a great addition to this series!!


🎧Audiobook review🎧
Dual narration
Narrated by Savannah Peachwood and Gregory Salinas
It's been a minute since I've listened to Savannah Peachwood and I was so excited when I found out she would be the one doing the voice of Harmony. Savannah nailed her performance as Harmony flawlessly covering every emotion that Harmony was experiencing and had experienced!! Gregory Salinas was the perfect voice for broody possessive Brady!! His strong voice only brought out Brady's strong protective personality even more! These two did a great job on these characters and I look forward to seeing where else Natasha takes this series!

[Haily Volk · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5⭐️
2/5🌶️

I was blessed with the early audiobook of this book and let me tell you I was HOOKED. Brady & Harmony will forever have my heart.

Forbidden Dreams is the second book in the Dreams Series. Harmony wants what is best for her son, Wyatt. She is in a loveless, abusive marriage and decides that enough is enough and doesn’t want her son to be like his father, so she ends up breaking the cycle & leaves him for good in the middle of the night. Little does she know that her new next-door neighbor is her ex-husband’s family’s rival. Brady Thatcher is not happy with his new neighbor because of her last name. but that doesn’t stop him from wanting to protect Harmony & Wyatt after seeing the domestic dispute between Harmony & her ex.

This is such a beautiful story! I love them so much. Harmony has so much strength for leaving. She was brave, lovable and inspiring. I love how Brady would do everything in his power to protect her and her son. Seeing how Brady was with Wyatt warmed my heart. I couldn’t recommend this series enough!!

Thank you so much The Author Agency & Natasha Madison for the ALC 😊

Tropes:
☁️Single Mom
♥️Close Proximity
☁️Small Town Romance
♥️Boss x Employee
☁️Neighbors to Lovers
♥️Opposites Attract
☁️Forbidden

[Ioana Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 baking stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
3🌶


Am adorat primul volum, Shattered Dreams, si abia așteptam și povestea fratelui lui Autumn..nu a dezamăgit!
Desi a fost mai puțin emoțională ca primul volum, a compensat cumva, prin comunicarea excelenta dintre cele 2 personaje principale!
Mᴀᴍᴀ sɪɴɢᴜʀᴀ
ʀᴇʟᴀᴛɪᴇ ᴛᴏxɪᴄᴀ
ɢʀᴜᴍᴘʏ/sᴜɴsʜɪɴᴇ
sᴍᴀʟʟ ᴛᴏᴡɴ
Și dacă vrei o poveste care sa-ți aducă aminte cât de puternica ești, femeie, și câte poți face, din iubire, atunci adauga aceasta carte în TBR-ul tău pt ca vei iubi fiecare pagină a povestii!

[Jess (GetbookedwithJessica) · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/4.5 stars

This is book two in the dreams series and though the story could be read as a standalone, but I strongly suggest starting at the beginning to truly understand the town backstory. And book one is so worth the read!

Harmony is so fierce as a single mom and puts everyone else first. Brady learns from her how to open up and has the sweetest relationship with Harmony’s son Wyatt. This one is just as angsty as book one and the drama makes the HEA that much sweeter. Single Parent romances always give me everything I need!

This book isn’t as emotional as the first, but it is still an emotional journey in a different way. This is a small town, single mom, forbidden (he hates her ex and his family), opposites attract, emotional scars, boss x employee, forced proximity (neighbors) romance!

[Maddy · Rating 5 out of 5]

Did a nice little audio reread of this book and I’m still unwell over how much I love Brady & Harmony…

Single mom trope is def becoming one of my favs 🤭

Brady and Harmony really stole the show with this one. I am so not over how much this book SCREAMED soulmates. Every interaction and moment between these two was just *chefs kiss*.

Let's just talk about Harmony for a minute because DANG - that woman is strong, fierce, protective, and deserves an award for all of the shit she put up with. Her character development during the book was so amazing.

My man Brady had me swooning. From day one his natural instinct was to protect Harmony and her son. You can't tell me they aren't soulmates. I refuse to believe otherwise.

I love that this series is giving us all these couples we sit and wonder "how the heck are they going to get together" but end up being made for each other.

☁️Single Mom
☁️Small Town Romance
☁️Neighbors to Lovers
☁️Close Proximity
☁️Opposites Attract
☁️Boss x Employee

[April | Aprilsbooknook_ · Rating 5 out of 5]

*SOBS WITH FORBIDDEN TEARS*

“𝘠𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘤𝘰𝘯𝘴𝘶𝘮𝘦 𝘮𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘢𝘭𝘭 𝘐 𝘤𝘢𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘬 𝘰𝘧 𝘪𝘴 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘵𝘸𝘰 𝘰𝘧 𝘺𝘰𝘶.
𝘒𝘦𝘦𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘴𝘢𝘧𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘮𝘢𝘬𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘴𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘺𝘰𝘶 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘣𝘰𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘬𝘢𝘺."

After leaving her awful husband, Harmony and her son find
themselves living next door to a grumpy Brady. She is the ex
of his enemy. He should want nothing to do with her. Yet he
can't help but feel this strange protectiveness over her.

I love them. I love the lengths Brady went to keep her safe. I
love the way he stepped up for her boy and did all the things
a dad should do. I love how he stood up to his family. I just
loved them. So much .🥹🤍

[drea · Rating 2 out of 5]

I am having a really hard time believing that this book was written by the same person that wrote Shattered Dreams. Shattered Dreams? Angsty, emotional, intense, and engaging. Forbidden Dreams? ... nothing but red flags and cake.

I honestly don't want to shit all over this because I'm actually really enjoying going through this author's backlist, but this just was not good.

Brady was a walking red flag. I did not appreciate the way he ordered Harmony around and gave zero regard to her autonomy in too many situations for my liking. I never even got a chance to warm up to him. He, understandably, starts off very grumpy and then he goes from 0-100 from one page to the next in a way that made no sense to me. None of it really sat right with me. I was not a fan of Brady.

Also, the amount of times cake was mentioned in this was unreasonably high??? 79 times. That's how many. It felt like every other page they were joking around about Autumn eating too much cake. I felt crazy???

This honestly could have benefited from another round of editing. Some of the writing choices were odd or felt unfinished. I hate to be such a hater, but this did not feel like a final draft.

Anyway... that being said, I cannot wait for the next book.

[AJ · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

A sweet and sexy single parent romance, I really enjoyed this one!

This is the second book in the Dream series. Brady is the brother of Autumn from the first book Shattered Dreams, and though there is reference made to family dynamics and an accident in the past which changed so many lives in the town, you can easily read this one as a standalone.

Brady has been through a period of turmoil, but life is finally looking good. He’s settling into his new normal with hope for the future, when trouble arrives next door. Harmony is a single mother with a 7-year-old son who is struggling to break free from her abusive husband – who just so happens to be Winston, overall bad guy, and son of the most influential family in town, sworn enemy of Brady’s family. He’s trouble, and when he threatens Harmony at her doorstep, Brady jumps in to help. He goes a step further when he offers her a job at his family’s bar, starts to spend time with her son, and pretty soon their lives become quite entangled. And when he realises the danger they are both in, he promptly moves them into his house to keep them safe.

It's a great set-up, and so much fun watching the story unfold. There’s an attraction there between Brady and Harmony from the beginning, but it’s inconvenient, and they both try to ignore it. But the more time they spend together, it becomes impossible to ignore, and the sexual tension is so good. Brady is a man who knows what he wants, and though he’s never really had a serious relationship before, he is all in with Harmony and little Wyatt. He is sweet, thoughtful and beautifully protective, he's also sexy and possessive with a dirty mouth, and these two are seriously steamy together. Their relationship unfolds like nothing of them have ever experienced, and I loved watching them fall so hard and so completely for each other.

“You asked me tonight why I was single, and I told you I haven’t met the one who I want to do everyday life with, and I lied to you.” He takes a step to me. “I have met her. I’ve met her and her son, and I’ve gone and fallen completely and madly in love with both of them.”

Brady may be a bit on the controlling side, but Harmony is all for it, and he’s SUCH a sweetheart. He’s protective and caring, and the way he cares for both Harmony and Wyatt stole my heart.

“You both consume me and all I can think of is the two of you. Keeping you both safe and making sure you are both okay. You walk into a room, and I swear to God, it’s like I’m complete. It’s like I wasn’t alive before you, and now I’m breathing, and it’s fucking amazing.”

There is drama for them to contend with – all external to the relationship – and I loved how Harmony bravely faces it all, And there is Brady, who is there for her in all the ways, and his extended family steps in as well. There are some great cameos in this book which fans of Natasha’s work will love, and I loved seeing her and Wyatt folded into the family.

This is such a sweet read. It’s funny and sexy, heartfelt and romantic with a satisfying ending all round. I really enjoyed this one.

3.5 stars.

I listened to this as an audiobook, narrated by Gregory Salinas and Savannah Peachwood, and this is a great one to listen to!

An Advanced Review Copy was generously provided by the author for an honest review.

[Nadene (Totally Addicted to Reading) · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

In Forbidden Dreams, the second installment in her Dream series, Madison delivered another small town, enemies to lover's romance. However, this time around the featured heroine is a single mother fighting for both her and her son's survival. Romance readers looking for a heart-warming small-town romance with the themes of family and second chances will enjoy this latest offering from the author.

Forbidden Dreams tells the story of Brady Thatcher, brother of the heroine from book one, and Harmony Cartwright.

After years of disrespect, emotional, verbal and physical abuse, Harmony took her son and left the matrimonial home. Her husband and his family thwarted her many attempts to obtain a divorce. The divorce wasn't the only thing they thwarted. They also undermined Harmony's attempts to acquire a job. Everyone in town was afraid of the Cartwrights because of their influential position in the town. Despite leaving her husband, he kept showing up on her doorstep in the night exhibiting toxic behaviour. It was this action that led to Brady stepping in despite being wary of her presence next door

Madison addressed the issues of abuse, divorce, child custody battle and the obstacles faced when going up against a wealthy and influential family. It was pleasing to see Harmony standing up to her husband and his toxic family. This aspect of the story intrigued me and kept me reading with the aim of discovering the manner in which Harmony would be free of the Cartwrights influence.

One can understand Brady's reasons for his wariness towards Harmony moving next door. He hated the Cartwrights based on their history with his sister, and Harmony's marriage to one made her guilty by association. However, the more he steps in to help her his perspective where she was concerned changed and soon, he found himself falling for the single mom and her son.

The romance here is different from what one have come to expect from the author. The physical connection remains constant, but this time around she gives readers a slow burn romance. The story would have benefitted from a deeper exploration of the emotional connection between the protagonists. Once again, I felt shortchanged as Madison chose not to dive deeper in Brady's relationship with his father and sister. Characters from the previous book as well as a few from her Meant For series made an appearance. Their roles aided in driving the story.

I enjoyed the writing style and the story on audio was excellent. This was my first time experiencing Natasha's book on audio and it was a gratifying experience. The narrators, Savannah Peachwood and Gregory Salinas did an excellent job in bringing the story and the characters to life. This was my first experience with the narrators, and I would definitely listen to them again.

Overall, I enjoyed Forbidden Desires and look forward to the next book in the series.
.
 This review was originally posted on Totally Addicted to Reading

[Jessica Alcazar · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧🎧AUDIOBOOK REVIEW🎧🎧

I’ve read/listened to Natasha Madison’s books very sporadically in the past. Every time I go to read a book, I realize I probably would have been better off starting at the beginning of whatever series they are in. That’s a complete me thing most of the time. I was skeptical of starting this story before reading/listening to the first in the series because of this but also because of ”Montgavin Township will never be the same when one night changes the lives of six people”, which is part of both blurbs. I did it anyway and yes, I’ll be going back to the beginning and reading both of the stories before I continue on to the 3rd when it releases, but only because I’m ridiculous lol not because this book didn’t stand on its own. I honestly wasn’t going hmmmm at any point.

To say this journey was emotional is an understatement. It travelled the line of “emotion” from beginning to end. Some of that emotion was gut-wrenching, horrific and quite frankly ghastly. Other times it was sexy, flirty and heartwarming. At no point was it ever not emotional. I can’t say that it was “too much” because that’s what the storyline called for, but it also means I thank the heavens the audiobook was only 8 hours long! Lol It didn’t hurt that 🎤🎙️Savannah Peachwood and Gregory Salinas🎙️🎤 performed Natasha’s words perfectly and brought this story to life, with all its ups and downs, vividly. Not only did the story capture my attention but their performance was one I could not get enough of!

I loved the growth of the story along with the growth of the characters as individuals and as a couple. The story unfolded pretty much the way you’d expect this kind of story to unfold but it wasn’t really cliché. I can’t really tell you how or why it wasn’t cliché because it honestly wasn’t very surprising. I think the emotion behind all the ”circumstances” and plot-points is what kept me glued. It is abundant and rich with it and it just made the story huge for me. The character growth is undeniable and ridiculously beautiful and heartwarming. So much so that at times, you might not really care all the boulders these two had to jump to make it to the ❤️sweet spot❤️(that’s HEA for those of you new lol).

[CourtneyS · Rating 4 out of 5]

OVERALL: 🌟🌟🌟🌟.5/5
•Storyline: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
•Narration: 🎧🎧🎧🎧🎧/5
•Spice Level:  🌶🌶/ 5
•Swoon level: 🫠🫠🫠🫠🫠/5
•Re-Listen/Re-Read: Yes, I would
•Recommend: Yes
•Platform: Audiobook and Ebook
•Trope: Neighbors to lovers, woman in trouble, single mom.

• Thoughts:
This series is becoming one of my favorites. I love the angst, I love the hurt/ comfort. The deep-rooted drama. I am here for it! I love Brady and the fact that he falls for Harmony, the ex of the family that ruined his family! She is a single mom, and no matter how hard Brady tries to stay away from her, he is absolutely drawn to her. Not just her, oh no, her little guy Wyatt as well. They fall into a friendship, and he becomes very protective. Which naturally turns me into a pdluddle of goo! This whole book makes me so happy! Natasha has done everything such a great job! I am positively ecstatic for the next book. I am telling you this series is perfection!

NARRATOR THOUGHTS:
• SavannahPeachwood and GregorySalinas.
•Dual Narration
•Listening at a 1.5 speed.
Savannah and Gregory do an amazing job bringing Brady and Harmony to life! They captured them perfectly, and I didn't want their story to end. I love everything Savannah and Gregory narrate and I truly have loved them narrating this series!