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Forbidden Men #4
With Every Heartbeat
*New Adult Romance*
**Explicit Scenes and Language**
I used to think everything was black and white, truth or lie, easy or hard, that if I could just escape my strict, overbearing, abusive father, my life would be perfect. But since I’ve found a reason to risk his wrath and leave, to help a friend in need, I’ve come to realize everything I thought I knew is wrong.
Friends have their own agenda, honesty comes with a dosage of lie, easy doesn’t even exist, keeping secrets sucks, and love...love is the most painful thing of all.
Maybe if Quinn Hamilton hadn’t asked me to skip classes for the day and help him pick out an engagement ring for my best friend, I wouldn’t have fallen for him so completely on that sunny Tuesday afternoon and I wouldn’t feel so conflicted. But I did, and I can’t take it back, no matter how hard I try. So I have to deal with the fact that even I’m not as good, or honest, or caring as I’d always thought I was, and no matter what I do next, someone’s going to get hurt. Probably me.
-Zoey Blakeland
*Don't worry! The hero and heroine are not cheaters.*
**Explicit Scenes and Language**
I used to think everything was black and white, truth or lie, easy or hard, that if I could just escape my strict, overbearing, abusive father, my life would be perfect. But since I’ve found a reason to risk his wrath and leave, to help a friend in need, I’ve come to realize everything I thought I knew is wrong.
Friends have their own agenda, honesty comes with a dosage of lie, easy doesn’t even exist, keeping secrets sucks, and love...love is the most painful thing of all.
Maybe if Quinn Hamilton hadn’t asked me to skip classes for the day and help him pick out an engagement ring for my best friend, I wouldn’t have fallen for him so completely on that sunny Tuesday afternoon and I wouldn’t feel so conflicted. But I did, and I can’t take it back, no matter how hard I try. So I have to deal with the fact that even I’m not as good, or honest, or caring as I’d always thought I was, and no matter what I do next, someone’s going to get hurt. Probably me.
-Zoey Blakeland
*Don't worry! The hero and heroine are not cheaters.*
504 pages, ebook
First published March 2, 2015
141 people are currently reading
5408 people want to read
About the author
Linda Kage
51 books5,538 followersLinda writes romance fiction from YA to adult, contemporary to fantasy.
Published since 2010, she first went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature, then graduated with a Bachelor's in Arts-English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.
She currently lives with her husband, two daughters, a cat named Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas.
She started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club, then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now, she's all over the place with her romance reading tastes.
A few of her favorite things have been:
Stranger Things, Supernatural, Cheers, Teen Wolf, Umbrella Academy, Outlander, Yellowstone, Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Shawshank Redemption, Dirty Dancing, Harry Potter, Tangled, A Walk to Remember, Dr. Pepper, Roast Beef with mashed potatoes and onion rings, the poem "Equipment" by Edgar A. Guest, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
Published since 2010, she first went through a 2-year writing correspondence class in children’s literature from The Institute of Children’s Literature, then graduated with a Bachelor's in Arts-English with an emphasis in creative fiction writing from Pittsburg State University.
She currently lives with her husband, two daughters, a cat named Holly, and nine cuckoo clocks in southeast Kansas.
She started out reading with the Baby-Sitters Club, then moved to Sandra Brown, Linda Howard, Julie Garwood, and LaVyrle Spencer in high school. Now, she's all over the place with her romance reading tastes.
A few of her favorite things have been:
Stranger Things, Supernatural, Cheers, Teen Wolf, Umbrella Academy, Outlander, Yellowstone, Grey's Anatomy, Game of Thrones, The Walking Dead, Shawshank Redemption, Dirty Dancing, Harry Potter, Tangled, A Walk to Remember, Dr. Pepper, Roast Beef with mashed potatoes and onion rings, the poem "Equipment" by Edgar A. Guest, and To Kill a Mockingbird.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 824 reviews
October 8, 2019
i hated this. i really did.
it's rare for me to give a 1 star review but this was just so frustrating to read.
this is quite possibly the most painful OW drama i've ever read and there aren't even any explicit scenes here with OW (except that one semi-explicit scene). okay sorry, that's a little bit of an exaggeration but it was still very painful to read.
it's a shame cuz i really like the series so far and from the previous books, i have fallen in love with Quinn (H). i mean why not? he was the cute innocent, virgin football player but he completely annoyed me in this one and just the whole OW drama in the first 55% of the book.
this whole series is about forbidden romance and well, the forbidden thing here is that H has a gf and she is also h's bff/roommate. and yes, the H spent nights at their place with the OW doing things to her while h was in the same place for weeks.
i was expecting a cute slow burn between two introverts but nope.
backstory: we've met Cora (OW) in the previous book during that auction scene where she won and she picked Quinn to be her server of the night. H loses his virginity to her, they start dating and OW eventually becomes his first everything.
few months later, OW is hiding her illness but she coerces the h to come live with her so she could willingly donate her kidney to her. and this was all for her own benefit btw so yeah, OW is a "sociopath".
what i liked:
- Ten and Caroline
- Ten and Zoey's (h) friendship.
- when Zoey and Quinn became a couple cuz they were actually cute BUT the whole first half ruined every emotional connection, sweet and touching moments between them as it felt forced and i couldn't help but compare the H's actions towards the OW and the h.
what i HATED:
❥ H and OW being affectionate and kissing each other in front of the h:
very nice to read about H looking at OW like she's his world in front of the h 🙄.
so lovely to read about h witnessing them make out, H being tempted, and H promising OW that he would have sex with her that very night.
❥ H keeps saying OW was the "love of his life", and his actions towards OW proving how much he loves her. i'm so mad about this because these actions should've been shown TOWARDS the HEROINE.
i know this was probably written to show how caring and kind the H is as a person, but it just shows how much he cares FOR the OW.
❥ the sex life between them in H's inner monologue:
this is 26% of the story when him and H are already getting pretty close and there's feelings between them and the fact he’s excited to have sex with OW? f this.
❥ that THREESOME wet dream he had of both h and OW:
it would've been fine it was only the h but adding the OW to it? what exactly is the goal there? it doesn't really show us that h is the only one he's thinking about. yes, i know OW is H's gf at the time but i don't like reading this. i want the h to be the only one for the H but the fact his subconscious still wants the OW too? nahhh.
❥ that cute scene where H and h were drunk, flirting, sang karaoke together but obviously it was ruined because of the OW drama.
this was in Ten's POV. Blondie is h and Ham is H. this is around 51% of the story btw. obviously, H has already been developing "feelings" but this literally ruined the sweet moment the MCs had BUT WAIT, this isn't the worst part.
after the h and H got drunk and went home from their double date with the OW and Ten, H wakes up hungover not remembering the special moments he shared with the h.
how... how could i possibly want to read this at the 51% mark of the book when H and h are already falling for one another but H is still so eager to sleep with the OW, not thinking about the h whatsoever?? i am literally speechless. that karaoke scene where the MCs were flirting and singing to one another the night before was one of the cutest scenes in the book and it is RUINED by what happened that same night and the morning after.
he doesn’t remember anything so our h—oops i mean, OW—kindly lets us know what they did:
i really don't care if he was thinking about the h, he was doing this to the OW. how can i like what's happening when h is second best halfway through the book? when H doesn't even think of h AT ALL?
like, i know it's emotional cheating but this is halfway through the book and this is suppose to be about Quinn and Zoey and not Quinn and Cora. how can i believe in H's love for h when he doesn't even seem like he wants to be with her via his inner monologues?
oh and don't forget about this lovely scene where OW tells H that he should propose to her after seeing Noel propose to Aspen and he eagerly agrees WITHOUT thinking about the h:
so lovely to read about the H wanting to marry the OW and is ready to give her everything she wants, when he's already falling for the h.
oh and h heard them making love that morning too btw. how nice.
❥ OH. this one takes the cake. the H asks the h to go ring shopping with him for the OW... real nice. i totally love reading the H loving and planning to spend the rest of his life with OW while dragging the h along 🙄.
❥ Oh, and he dumped OW cuz he found out she was cheating on him the same night he was gonna propose to her but once he found out about her illness:
this is 90% of the story. wow what a swoony hero. heroine is definitely the only one for him eh? so very lovely to read about H choosing OW's happiness over h's happiness. oh, and this isn't the only time he chooses OW over h btw, he literally chose OW over h the enitre book, especially the first half.
❥ H slept with h 2 hours after learning OW was cheating on him (sloppy secondsmuch?) and broke up with her:
wOoOw very lovely to hear that H is just using h to get over his heartbreak over OW for their first time.
❥ one last thing, SPOILER ALERT, OW and h are half-sisters... fan-fucking-tastic.
overall thoughts:
i have read books where H has explicit sex scene(s) with OW but actually loving the OW for 55% of the book, wanting to spend the rest of his life with her, and shoving it in the h's face is way worse imo.
idk but that to me is more painful/disgusting to read than any other sex scenes with OW i've ever read but that’s just me.
this isn't a book about Zoey and Quinn. it's about Quinn loving Cora, while Zoey waits pathetically on the side.
yes, once they were together, there were a lot of cute moments but everything i just listed above RUINED everything. how can i not think the h is second best for the majority of the book when there were so many actions and inner monologue from the H showing how much he loves the OW.
there were no actions whatsoever that indicate he was "falling" for h in the first half. there were scenes where they were emotionally connecting, bonding, and where it seemed like they were soulmates as they literally have the same childhood past but then it's ruined when he spends time with OW, where he doesn't even think about the h.
and in the previous books, you can actually feel the desperation and passion of the H's love for the h's. why? because of their actions. they ALL chose the h and fought for them no matter how hard the obstacles in their lives were (ie. Noel offering to sacrifice his scholarship and football career just so Aspen can have her job back; Mason LITERALLY having blackmail sex with his rapist to protect Reese; Pick annulling his marriage to his "wife" just so he could be with Eva).
but here? it was nonexistent.
where was the scene where Quinn was fighting for Zoey? he literally broke up with her after being almost raped (OW planned this rape to happen btw). his actions clearly makes it obvious he doesn't love h enough to choose her over OW and to fight for her because he was being "honorable". he's not this. he's an idiot (i still love him in other books though).
i really wish Quinn stayed a virgin and not met Cora at all and instead, his story should’ve been about meeting Zoey, they slowly fall in love and crack each others’ introverted shells and BAM! they’re each others’ first for everything.
but nah, their love will forever be tainted cuz of Cora.
anyways, i can’t wait to read Ten and Caroline’s book because i literally walked through hell and back reading this just to read more of them.
it's rare for me to give a 1 star review but this was just so frustrating to read.
this is quite possibly the most painful OW drama i've ever read and there aren't even any explicit scenes here with OW (except that one semi-explicit scene). okay sorry, that's a little bit of an exaggeration but it was still very painful to read.
it's a shame cuz i really like the series so far and from the previous books, i have fallen in love with Quinn (H). i mean why not? he was the cute innocent, virgin football player but he completely annoyed me in this one and just the whole OW drama in the first 55% of the book.
this whole series is about forbidden romance and well, the forbidden thing here is that H has a gf and she is also h's bff/roommate. and yes, the H spent nights at their place with the OW doing things to her while h was in the same place for weeks.
i was expecting a cute slow burn between two introverts but nope.
backstory: we've met Cora (OW) in the previous book during that auction scene where she won and she picked Quinn to be her server of the night. H loses his virginity to her, they start dating and OW eventually becomes his first everything.
few months later, OW is hiding her illness but she coerces the h to come live with her so she could willingly donate her kidney to her. and this was all for her own benefit btw so yeah, OW is a "sociopath".
what i liked:
- Ten and Caroline
- Ten and Zoey's (h) friendship.
- when Zoey and Quinn became a couple cuz they were actually cute BUT the whole first half ruined every emotional connection, sweet and touching moments between them as it felt forced and i couldn't help but compare the H's actions towards the OW and the h.
what i HATED:
❥ H and OW being affectionate and kissing each other in front of the h:
His hands continued to cup Cora's face as if he treasured her...
I glanced over just as he pulled away. But the adoration in his eyes as he simply gazed at Cora seemed just as, if not more, intimate than the kiss they'd shared. He really liked her.
very nice to read about H looking at OW like she's his world in front of the h 🙄.
Quinn was the first to break away from the kiss.
His breathing was accelerated, which made his voice sound huskier and in turn made me feel tinglier.
"I should get back," he said. "The guys are waiting for their soapy water."
"The guys can just keep waiting." Cora argued as she kissed her way down his neck. "You need to satisfy your woman."
He made a groaning sound, letting me know just how tempted he was, even as he set a hand on her hip to nudge her away. "I'll make it up to you tonight. How about that?"
so lovely to read about h witnessing them make out, H being tempted, and H promising OW that he would have sex with her that very night.
❥ H keeps saying OW was the "love of his life", and his actions towards OW proving how much he loves her. i'm so mad about this because these actions should've been shown TOWARDS the HEROINE.
Cora was my it, everything I wanted and more.
*****
Quinn seemed like the caring type...
And that didn't even get into the things he did for Cora, like cooking her breakfast every Saturday and changing the menu in deference to her wishes, or carrying her up to her apartment after she'd drank too much, making sure she was comfortable in bed before leaving her, or knowing how to handle her hangovers.
i know this was probably written to show how caring and kind the H is as a person, but it just shows how much he cares FOR the OW.
❥ the sex life between them in H's inner monologue:
The smile on her face always meant she was ready to have fun, and I usually ended those nights a very lucky guy.
Okay, so maybe I wasn't going to have a completely awful time at the frat party after all. Remembering some of the things she'd done with me at other parties. I stepped toward her and took her hand, just wanting to fast-forward to those parties
this is 26% of the story when him and H are already getting pretty close and there's feelings between them and the fact he’s excited to have sex with OW? f this.
❥ that THREESOME wet dream he had of both h and OW:
I closed my eyes, eager for her to sit on my face, just as Cora did sit on my dick, taking me deep and tight.
*****
Her and Cora both crawling all over me, kissing and licking things they shouldn't, taking me to new heights of pleasure
it would've been fine it was only the h but adding the OW to it? what exactly is the goal there? it doesn't really show us that h is the only one he's thinking about. yes, i know OW is H's gf at the time but i don't like reading this. i want the h to be the only one for the H but the fact his subconscious still wants the OW too? nahhh.
❥ that cute scene where H and h were drunk, flirting, sang karaoke together but obviously it was ruined because of the OW drama.
I think Ham would've gone in for a hug, but his girlfriend jumped onto the stage and tackled him, kissing him all over the face before shoving his tongue down his throat.
Blondie's face absolutely crumpled...
this was in Ten's POV. Blondie is h and Ham is H. this is around 51% of the story btw. obviously, H has already been developing "feelings" but this literally ruined the sweet moment the MCs had BUT WAIT, this isn't the worst part.
after the h and H got drunk and went home from their double date with the OW and Ten, H wakes up hungover not remembering the special moments he shared with the h.
"You were so amazing last night," Cora murmured in my ear just before she nipped the lobe with her teeth. "Do you remember how awesome it was?"
No.
I blinked up at the ceiling trying to remember last night at all...
"Best night of my entire life." My girlfriend moaned as she pumped me a little faster.
I reached out and caught her around the waist, discovering she was as naked as I was. She mewed when I slid my hand over her bottom. Then I urged her to slide on top of me, and she was more than willing to climb onto my lap.
Cora found a condom and was sliding it into place before I could even go searching for one myself. And then she was lowering herself onto me.
Twenty minutes later, we were both still panting, she was sprawled against my chest, too bonelessly weary to move, and I still couldn't remember a single detail from the night before.
I began to rub her back, hoping she didn't get upset because whatever had happened last night had set her off this morning until she'd been chanting how much she loved me just five minutes ago when she'd come... for the second time.
how... how could i possibly want to read this at the 51% mark of the book when H and h are already falling for one another but H is still so eager to sleep with the OW, not thinking about the h whatsoever?? i am literally speechless. that karaoke scene where the MCs were flirting and singing to one another the night before was one of the cutest scenes in the book and it is RUINED by what happened that same night and the morning after.
he doesn’t remember anything so our h—oops i mean, OW—kindly lets us know what they did:
Cora started kissing her way down my chest. "Yep. And then you sang to me on the karaoke."
My eyes widened. "What?"
"Then you danced with me until we came home and made love for the rest of night. I've never seen you so insatiable before. It was like you couldn't get enough of me."
I flushed wishing i could remember that.
But then another flashing memory popped into my head. I'd been squeezing my eyes closed as I gasped for breath and pounded hard and without finesse into a woman. I'd been thinking about Zoey, though...
This morning, I swore, I would have but Cora on my mind, nothing but Cora in my heart. Whatever she wanted, I'd make sure she got it.
i really don't care if he was thinking about the h, he was doing this to the OW. how can i like what's happening when h is second best halfway through the book? when H doesn't even think of h AT ALL?
like, i know it's emotional cheating but this is halfway through the book and this is suppose to be about Quinn and Zoey and not Quinn and Cora. how can i believe in H's love for h when he doesn't even seem like he wants to be with her via his inner monologues?
oh and don't forget about this lovely scene where OW tells H that he should propose to her after seeing Noel propose to Aspen and he eagerly agrees WITHOUT thinking about the h:
"Yeah?" I said between batting my tongue against her nipple...
"Okay, well, I was thinking, I'd want something even more public than that. I'd want everyone to see and know how much you loved me and adored me."
I deserted her nipple and lifted my face to stare into her eyes...
She grinned up at me and cupped my face. "As much as I want you again, baby, I don't have time for another round this morning. I have to be out of here within the hour."
I frowned. After what she'd just said to me, I was kind of hoping she'd want to spend the entire day together. I didn't have class, practice, a game, or work... which was rare for me. I was ready to give her everything, especially after she'd just suggested that she wanted to marry me.
so lovely to read about the H wanting to marry the OW and is ready to give her everything she wants, when he's already falling for the h.
oh and h heard them making love that morning too btw. how nice.
❥ OH. this one takes the cake. the H asks the h to go ring shopping with him for the OW... real nice. i totally love reading the H loving and planning to spend the rest of his life with OW while dragging the h along 🙄.
"Would you be willing to skip classes tomorrow and go with me to help pick out a ring... for Cora?"
I stared at his words. Then I reread them...
He was happy, so freaking happy while I was afraid I might vomit.
❥ Oh, and he dumped OW cuz he found out she was cheating on him the same night he was gonna propose to her but once he found out about her illness:
If I'd known Cora was going through what she was going through, I never would've dumped her, faithless whore or not.
this is 90% of the story. wow what a swoony hero. heroine is definitely the only one for him eh? so very lovely to read about H choosing OW's happiness over h's happiness. oh, and this isn't the only time he chooses OW over h btw, he literally chose OW over h the enitre book, especially the first half.
❥ H slept with h 2 hours after learning OW was cheating on him (sloppy secondsmuch?) and broke up with her:
"How can I help you? Tell me what to do."
...
"Make it go away," he whispered against my throat. "Make me forget."
wOoOw very lovely to hear that H is just using h to get over his heartbreak over OW for their first time.
❥ one last thing, SPOILER ALERT, OW and h are half-sisters... fan-fucking-tastic.
overall thoughts:
i have read books where H has explicit sex scene(s) with OW but actually loving the OW for 55% of the book, wanting to spend the rest of his life with her, and shoving it in the h's face is way worse imo.
idk but that to me is more painful/disgusting to read than any other sex scenes with OW i've ever read but that’s just me.
this isn't a book about Zoey and Quinn. it's about Quinn loving Cora, while Zoey waits pathetically on the side.
yes, once they were together, there were a lot of cute moments but everything i just listed above RUINED everything. how can i not think the h is second best for the majority of the book when there were so many actions and inner monologue from the H showing how much he loves the OW.
there were no actions whatsoever that indicate he was "falling" for h in the first half. there were scenes where they were emotionally connecting, bonding, and where it seemed like they were soulmates as they literally have the same childhood past but then it's ruined when he spends time with OW, where he doesn't even think about the h.
and in the previous books, you can actually feel the desperation and passion of the H's love for the h's. why? because of their actions. they ALL chose the h and fought for them no matter how hard the obstacles in their lives were (ie. Noel offering to sacrifice his scholarship and football career just so Aspen can have her job back; Mason LITERALLY having blackmail sex with his rapist to protect Reese; Pick annulling his marriage to his "wife" just so he could be with Eva).
but here? it was nonexistent.
where was the scene where Quinn was fighting for Zoey? he literally broke up with her after being almost raped (OW planned this rape to happen btw). his actions clearly makes it obvious he doesn't love h enough to choose her over OW and to fight for her because he was being "honorable". he's not this. he's an idiot (i still love him in other books though).
i really wish Quinn stayed a virgin and not met Cora at all and instead, his story should’ve been about meeting Zoey, they slowly fall in love and crack each others’ introverted shells and BAM! they’re each others’ first for everything.
but nah, their love will forever be tainted cuz of Cora.
anyways, i can’t wait to read Ten and Caroline’s book because i literally walked through hell and back reading this just to read more of them.
March 14, 2017
3 I hate Cora the Whora Stars
Well I'm gonna try to keep this short so I don't get a case of the rants over my hate for Cora the bitch ass whora. With Every Heartbeat was an okay read. I liked Quinn and Zoey but I thought they needed to grow a backbone sooner in the book. It bugged me that Quinn Stayed with Tramp face Cora for as long as he did. I mean my God he stayed with her for over half the book. It was like torture not only for poor naive Zoey who was hurt by watching the man she had feelings for be with Cora, but for me the reader cause I hated Cora's bitch ass and I wanted him to dump the shit outta her.
Quinn was sweet but totally naive. I couldn't believe how stupid he was over Cora who was a soulless bitch but I could understand that he felt like he should be with her because she was his first. Zoey was the same for me. She was totally sweet and naive but God did I wish she would have stood up to Cora sooner. And I wish that after Cora tried to have Zoey raped she would have just let Cora die instead of still giving that whore face her kidney. I mean fuck that let that bitch die! Just sayin'!
And Cora my God I hated that bitch. She ruined most of the read for me. I truly couldn't believe that she was such a worthless evil whore and still got to live. It felt so wrong like a total injustice. As much as I wish I could have just skipped all the Cora drama I am glad I read this book because there is so much of the other characters that I loved and their story that I would have missed. So in closing it was worth reading to catch up with everyone else but all the drama from Cora the whora took away from the relationship of Zoey and Quinn.
Well I'm gonna try to keep this short so I don't get a case of the rants over my hate for Cora the bitch ass whora. With Every Heartbeat was an okay read. I liked Quinn and Zoey but I thought they needed to grow a backbone sooner in the book. It bugged me that Quinn Stayed with Tramp face Cora for as long as he did. I mean my God he stayed with her for over half the book. It was like torture not only for poor naive Zoey who was hurt by watching the man she had feelings for be with Cora, but for me the reader cause I hated Cora's bitch ass and I wanted him to dump the shit outta her.
Quinn was sweet but totally naive. I couldn't believe how stupid he was over Cora who was a soulless bitch but I could understand that he felt like he should be with her because she was his first. Zoey was the same for me. She was totally sweet and naive but God did I wish she would have stood up to Cora sooner. And I wish that after Cora tried to have Zoey raped she would have just let Cora die instead of still giving that whore face her kidney. I mean fuck that let that bitch die! Just sayin'!
And Cora my God I hated that bitch. She ruined most of the read for me. I truly couldn't believe that she was such a worthless evil whore and still got to live. It felt so wrong like a total injustice. As much as I wish I could have just skipped all the Cora drama I am glad I read this book because there is so much of the other characters that I loved and their story that I would have missed. So in closing it was worth reading to catch up with everyone else but all the drama from Cora the whora took away from the relationship of Zoey and Quinn.
May 12, 2015
4 stars!!!
I have been highly anticipating Quinn’s book since I met him in Pick’s story. I was not excited that Cora (the whore we love to hate) would be such a big part, but I loved Quinn so I was willing to go there. After reading this book, I still loved Quinn. I loved Zoey. I loved Ten the most (well, besides my Pick who will always and forever be the best character in this series). And I hated Cora. Hated her with a fiery passion. I thought she might do SOMETHING redeemable. Nope.
But back to Quinn- his book is the forth in Linda Kage’s Forbidden Men series. These books are fantastic. The characters are wonderful and lovable (with the exception of Cora) and the writing is great. This had a little more angst and stressful moments than some of the other books, but it was still a great read.
Zoey and Cora are best friends. In fact, Cora is Zoey’s only friend. So when Cora needs her, Zoey is there. Zoey grew up with a very strict father who was abusive. Because of her home life, she has a lot in common with her best friend’s boyfriend, Quinn. Quinn didn’t have the easiest childhood either. Besides having things in common, Quinn and Zoey are instantly attracted to one another.
Zoey and Quinn are both loyal to a fault. So their attraction never leads to anything except both of them wanting what they know they can’t have. Watching them both fight their feelings for each other was difficult. You could tell they were just too perfect for each other, but neither could do much about it. It was sweet, their friendship.
Obviously something big happens that shows Cora’s true colors… but the events leading up to that. Ugh. I can’t even go there. Some parts of this story I just feel so mixed about. I loved loved loved certain aspects… but let me tell you. There were a few parts I was so infuriated with decisions these characters made I almost threw my kindle across the room. I cried some angry tears and I shouty caps texted my bestie in the middle of the night. It was that kind of book. SO if you can’t handle the feels, the angst and the drama, this may not be for you. By the end, I can safely say that I AM happy I finished it. I’m glad I read it and I loved the way it turned out.
Even though my boy Quinn was one of the main culprits of my kindle throwing madness, I still really did love this boy. I loved how he always *tried* to do what he thought was right. His heart is in the right place and he’s a very sweet, good person. Zoey was a heroine who has a heart of gold. What she did at the end… I’m not sure if I could have done that. I applaud her being able to be that big of a person.
I loved the bond Quinn and Zoey shared. Watching them get to know one another, become friends and open up to each other. It was great. They really did have this pull towards one another that they couldn’t deny
As much as this book STRESSED ME OUT… I did enjoy it. It definitely held my attention and kept me intrigued. And as a reader who loves to feel when she reads, I felt. Not all of those feelings were good, but I boy did I feel them. Even though this book was heavy at times, it still had those lighter feel good moments. I love the characters, the friends that feel like family and the end made me so happy and left me with a huge smile on my face.
Maybe the best part of this book was the set up of Ten and Caroline’s story. Ten stole the show in this book. Every time he showed up with his fun, loud and crazy self I couldn’t help but to feel better about everything else going on. Bring on Ten’s book. I can’t wait!!!
“Sometimes, it’s the little things we do that mean the most to others.”
I have been highly anticipating Quinn’s book since I met him in Pick’s story. I was not excited that Cora (the whore we love to hate) would be such a big part, but I loved Quinn so I was willing to go there. After reading this book, I still loved Quinn. I loved Zoey. I loved Ten the most (well, besides my Pick who will always and forever be the best character in this series). And I hated Cora. Hated her with a fiery passion. I thought she might do SOMETHING redeemable. Nope.
But back to Quinn- his book is the forth in Linda Kage’s Forbidden Men series. These books are fantastic. The characters are wonderful and lovable (with the exception of Cora) and the writing is great. This had a little more angst and stressful moments than some of the other books, but it was still a great read.
Zoey and Cora are best friends. In fact, Cora is Zoey’s only friend. So when Cora needs her, Zoey is there. Zoey grew up with a very strict father who was abusive. Because of her home life, she has a lot in common with her best friend’s boyfriend, Quinn. Quinn didn’t have the easiest childhood either. Besides having things in common, Quinn and Zoey are instantly attracted to one another.
Zoey and Quinn are both loyal to a fault. So their attraction never leads to anything except both of them wanting what they know they can’t have. Watching them both fight their feelings for each other was difficult. You could tell they were just too perfect for each other, but neither could do much about it. It was sweet, their friendship.
Zoey might just know more about me than any other living person on the planet. She was my confidante and a friend.They really developed a bond with one another. But Cora was still there. As selfish and evil as she could be, Quinn isn’t a cheater and Zoey still cared for her friend. I rooted for these two to be together. You knew they just belonged with one another.
Obviously something big happens that shows Cora’s true colors… but the events leading up to that. Ugh. I can’t even go there. Some parts of this story I just feel so mixed about. I loved loved loved certain aspects… but let me tell you. There were a few parts I was so infuriated with decisions these characters made I almost threw my kindle across the room. I cried some angry tears and I shouty caps texted my bestie in the middle of the night. It was that kind of book. SO if you can’t handle the feels, the angst and the drama, this may not be for you. By the end, I can safely say that I AM happy I finished it. I’m glad I read it and I loved the way it turned out.
Even though my boy Quinn was one of the main culprits of my kindle throwing madness, I still really did love this boy. I loved how he always *tried* to do what he thought was right. His heart is in the right place and he’s a very sweet, good person. Zoey was a heroine who has a heart of gold. What she did at the end… I’m not sure if I could have done that. I applaud her being able to be that big of a person.
I loved the bond Quinn and Zoey shared. Watching them get to know one another, become friends and open up to each other. It was great. They really did have this pull towards one another that they couldn’t deny
As much as this book STRESSED ME OUT… I did enjoy it. It definitely held my attention and kept me intrigued. And as a reader who loves to feel when she reads, I felt. Not all of those feelings were good, but I boy did I feel them. Even though this book was heavy at times, it still had those lighter feel good moments. I love the characters, the friends that feel like family and the end made me so happy and left me with a huge smile on my face.
Maybe the best part of this book was the set up of Ten and Caroline’s story. Ten stole the show in this book. Every time he showed up with his fun, loud and crazy self I couldn’t help but to feel better about everything else going on. Bring on Ten’s book. I can’t wait!!!
February 13, 2015
3.75 Stars
”We were just meant to be together.”
Quinn Hamilton is our fourth Forbidden Man and readers of the series know that he is inexperienced, loyal and painfully shy. Quinn is happily dating the first girl he's ever slept with Cora. With nothing to compare his feelings against, he loves her and is happy to have someone like all his friends.
”Dr. Pepper was my drink. Strawberry was my ice cream. Pepperoni was my pizza. And Cora was my girl.
Zoey escapes her abusive father's home and moves in with her sick best friend Cora to be her living donor and start classes at ESU. Zoey is inexperienced, selfless and she can't help her feelings for her best friend’s boyfriend.
”I had a major crush on my best friend’s boyfriend. For some reason- probably complete denial – I hadn’t understood before why my body reacted every time he was around … or even whenever his name was mentioned.”
Cora is a self-serving, egotistical tramp who plays on both Zoey and Quinn’s devotion throughout the story. I didn’t mind the idea of falling for your best friend’s boyfriend vibe nor did I mind Cora’s evil character. What I did find fault with was how Quinn never really picked Zoey over Cora until all falls truly apart for him.
I also had a huge problem with ALL of Quinn’s friends knowing what Cora’s game was and NEVER attempting to tell him without proof.
When Quinn finds out on his own, this is when he’s told things that would have helped him form a different opinion about his girlfriend.
”Dude, we called her Cora the Whora. How did you never know that? Before you two hooked up, she’d had just about every guy on the team.”
Quinn and Zoey connect through school work, similar parental abuse stories and their attraction builds. All the while they are both too focused on being nice to do anything about it.
“I just can’t handle hurting anyone.”
“Yeah,” I muttered thoughtfully. “Me neither.”
The story has a ton of drama some of which was interesting like stolen phones and some a bit over the top like who’s your daddy and threatening faculty members which for me affected my falling along with Quinn and Zoey. HOWEVER there are Ten pov chapters that are amazing and totally save this story and kept it a page turner. Ten helps Quinn and Zoey. He's crazy in love with Noel's sister Caroline and seems to be a very deep, witty character that I can’t wait to read more about.
I do recommend reading this story for fans of the series a lot is going on with other characters while a new one has more play, Asher but Ten was the stand out star for sure. I’m so excited A Perfect Ten release date is quickly approaching just love that guy!!
*ARC kindly provided by Linda Kage in exchange for an honest review.*
”We were just meant to be together.”
Quinn Hamilton is our fourth Forbidden Man and readers of the series know that he is inexperienced, loyal and painfully shy. Quinn is happily dating the first girl he's ever slept with Cora. With nothing to compare his feelings against, he loves her and is happy to have someone like all his friends.
”Dr. Pepper was my drink. Strawberry was my ice cream. Pepperoni was my pizza. And Cora was my girl.
Zoey escapes her abusive father's home and moves in with her sick best friend Cora to be her living donor and start classes at ESU. Zoey is inexperienced, selfless and she can't help her feelings for her best friend’s boyfriend.
”I had a major crush on my best friend’s boyfriend. For some reason- probably complete denial – I hadn’t understood before why my body reacted every time he was around … or even whenever his name was mentioned.”
Cora is a self-serving, egotistical tramp who plays on both Zoey and Quinn’s devotion throughout the story. I didn’t mind the idea of falling for your best friend’s boyfriend vibe nor did I mind Cora’s evil character. What I did find fault with was how Quinn never really picked Zoey over Cora until all falls truly apart for him.
I also had a huge problem with ALL of Quinn’s friends knowing what Cora’s game was and NEVER attempting to tell him without proof.
When Quinn finds out on his own, this is when he’s told things that would have helped him form a different opinion about his girlfriend.
”Dude, we called her Cora the Whora. How did you never know that? Before you two hooked up, she’d had just about every guy on the team.”
Quinn and Zoey connect through school work, similar parental abuse stories and their attraction builds. All the while they are both too focused on being nice to do anything about it.
“I just can’t handle hurting anyone.”
“Yeah,” I muttered thoughtfully. “Me neither.”
The story has a ton of drama some of which was interesting like stolen phones and some a bit over the top like who’s your daddy and threatening faculty members which for me affected my falling along with Quinn and Zoey. HOWEVER there are Ten pov chapters that are amazing and totally save this story and kept it a page turner. Ten helps Quinn and Zoey. He's crazy in love with Noel's sister Caroline and seems to be a very deep, witty character that I can’t wait to read more about.
I do recommend reading this story for fans of the series a lot is going on with other characters while a new one has more play, Asher but Ten was the stand out star for sure. I’m so excited A Perfect Ten release date is quickly approaching just love that guy!!
*ARC kindly provided by Linda Kage in exchange for an honest review.*
December 3, 2018
Sorry, that wasn't for me!
I would have dropped this book if I didn’t want to continue FORBIDDEN MEN series. So far, that was the only one in the series that I didn’t enjoy. That was mostly due to the stupidity of the characters.
There is this naive but good-hearted girl, Zoey, who was abused by her father. And then there is Cora, who is supposed to be Zoey's best friend but she takes advantage of Zoey's naivity. Cora has a kidney failure disease and Zoey decides to give her one of her kidneys and to do this, she runs away from home and her father, taking the money she inherited from her mother. But while Zoey thinks that Cora is her best friend, she manipulates her and treats her as a doormat. Zoey is too slow to realize this and she is too passive to act upon it.
Quinn is Cora’s boyfriend and Cora was unfortunately "his first". That is why maybe, he is attached to her and cannot see what kind of a conniving b*tch she is. I mean, even her nickname at college is “Cora the Whora”.
Quinn is a big guy but he hates violence. He is a little bit shy and he doesn’t talk much. And he is very helpful, kind and affectionate. He is sometimes too thoughtful for his own good. Like Zoey, Quinn has a miserable past, too. He was abused by his drug addict mother and her boyfriends.
Quinn and Zoey are instantly attracted to one another but both feel guilty because of their feelings. They are in fact very compatible, their past is similar, their characters and likes/dislikes are similar etc. They are kindred spirits, maybe even soul mates.
There is a thin line between “Selflessness” and “Stupidity” and in this book, Quinn was a pathetic example of the latter. Zoey was also too naive and she didn’t get a backbone until later in the book and even then, it wasn’t enough for me.
And, although Quinn is introduced as a very kind and thoughtful person, he sometimes acts as an *sshole in my opinion, especially towards Zoey. But Zoey thinks very highly of him and she doesn't make any of these a problem.
This series have amazing characters and amazing stories. But this Book 4 made me crazy.
OK, where did I get furious? What stupidity made me want to throw away my kindle?
Well, naturally, my reasons will contain spoilers, so do not read this part if you intend to read the book no matter what!
OK, as I said I had to read this book to go on the series because many things happened to the other characters such as Noel, Aspen, Asher, Ten and Caroline. And the best parts in this book were the scenes in which other characters were involved, and especially the scenes where there was TEN. I can't wait to read his book and I am really hopeful... fingers crossed :)
So, if you want to continue the series, you may have to endure this book. (By the way, it is 445 pages long!)
It is mostly told by dual point of view, Zoey's and Quinn's but surprisingly, there are a few chapters told by Ten - a 3rd person, which I totally liked, maybe because Ten (Oren Tenning) is one of my favorite characters in this series :)
Oh oh oh, before I forget, let me tell you something else!
Although this book had hot scenes, they were distasteful due to the worst bed talk ever (IMO).
For example:
“Ready for a biology lesson? I want to teach you about flowers. Flower anatomy. Like humans, flowers can have female reproductive organs, male reproductive organs, or they can have both.”
After he peeled the cloth down my legs and tossed them over his shoulder, his gaze focused on me.
“First, you see the petals that cover the reproductive organs.”
His gaze lifted to mine as one of his fingers stroked my petals.
“That’s the prettiest part, I think. So pink and delicate, hiding the best things inside it. Some flowers react to sunlight and open their petals during the day, exposing all their carpels to the world. Am I your sunlight, Zoey? Is that why you opened your petals?”
I didn’t respond past a needy whimper, but I don’t think I needed to. He already knew the answer. He wasn’t just my sunlight; he was my everything.
“This receptive tip here would be the stigma. It catches all the pollen for germination. Nectar is what attracts the bees who carry off the pollen to other flowers where they get more, but me...if I were a bee, I don’t think I’d be a good pollinator. I think I’d taste one brand of flower and like it so much I’d become addicted. I’d never want to go off to another one ever again.” After dipping his face, he licked me, right up through the center of my petals, swiping up a mouthful of my nectar...
So as you see, in one of them, there is this flower anatomy talk, in another there are bees, and in another there is the comparison of himself to a spider and her to his food... Yuck!
I mean, this very same writer wrote all the hot scenes in the first 3 books in the most amazing way and I really wonder why she chose to write the ones in this book in this way. And then, I wonder if it is only me, or does it sound ridiculous to you, too? Isn’t it far from being sexy? I mean, I would definitely leave that guy after this talk if not earlier for his stupidity!
* Out of 5, this book deserves 1 star max in my opinion but I gave it 2 stars because of the scenes of Ten (Oren Tenning)...
Edit as of 07.10.2016:
I have just completed reading this series and I didn't like only this one (book 4); all the others were very good.
I would have dropped this book if I didn’t want to continue FORBIDDEN MEN series. So far, that was the only one in the series that I didn’t enjoy. That was mostly due to the stupidity of the characters.
There is this naive but good-hearted girl, Zoey, who was abused by her father. And then there is Cora, who is supposed to be Zoey's best friend but she takes advantage of Zoey's naivity. Cora has a kidney failure disease and Zoey decides to give her one of her kidneys and to do this, she runs away from home and her father, taking the money she inherited from her mother. But while Zoey thinks that Cora is her best friend, she manipulates her and treats her as a doormat. Zoey is too slow to realize this and she is too passive to act upon it.
Quinn is Cora’s boyfriend and Cora was unfortunately "his first". That is why maybe, he is attached to her and cannot see what kind of a conniving b*tch she is. I mean, even her nickname at college is “Cora the Whora”.
Quinn is a big guy but he hates violence. He is a little bit shy and he doesn’t talk much. And he is very helpful, kind and affectionate. He is sometimes too thoughtful for his own good. Like Zoey, Quinn has a miserable past, too. He was abused by his drug addict mother and her boyfriends.
Quinn and Zoey are instantly attracted to one another but both feel guilty because of their feelings. They are in fact very compatible, their past is similar, their characters and likes/dislikes are similar etc. They are kindred spirits, maybe even soul mates.
There is a thin line between “Selflessness” and “Stupidity” and in this book, Quinn was a pathetic example of the latter. Zoey was also too naive and she didn’t get a backbone until later in the book and even then, it wasn’t enough for me.
And, although Quinn is introduced as a very kind and thoughtful person, he sometimes acts as an *sshole in my opinion, especially towards Zoey. But Zoey thinks very highly of him and she doesn't make any of these a problem.
This series have amazing characters and amazing stories. But this Book 4 made me crazy.
OK, where did I get furious? What stupidity made me want to throw away my kindle?
Well, naturally, my reasons will contain spoilers, so do not read this part if you intend to read the book no matter what!
OK, as I said I had to read this book to go on the series because many things happened to the other characters such as Noel, Aspen, Asher, Ten and Caroline. And the best parts in this book were the scenes in which other characters were involved, and especially the scenes where there was TEN. I can't wait to read his book and I am really hopeful... fingers crossed :)
So, if you want to continue the series, you may have to endure this book. (By the way, it is 445 pages long!)
It is mostly told by dual point of view, Zoey's and Quinn's but surprisingly, there are a few chapters told by Ten - a 3rd person, which I totally liked, maybe because Ten (Oren Tenning) is one of my favorite characters in this series :)
Oh oh oh, before I forget, let me tell you something else!
Although this book had hot scenes, they were distasteful due to the worst bed talk ever (IMO).
For example:
“Ready for a biology lesson? I want to teach you about flowers. Flower anatomy. Like humans, flowers can have female reproductive organs, male reproductive organs, or they can have both.”
After he peeled the cloth down my legs and tossed them over his shoulder, his gaze focused on me.
“First, you see the petals that cover the reproductive organs.”
His gaze lifted to mine as one of his fingers stroked my petals.
“That’s the prettiest part, I think. So pink and delicate, hiding the best things inside it. Some flowers react to sunlight and open their petals during the day, exposing all their carpels to the world. Am I your sunlight, Zoey? Is that why you opened your petals?”
I didn’t respond past a needy whimper, but I don’t think I needed to. He already knew the answer. He wasn’t just my sunlight; he was my everything.
“This receptive tip here would be the stigma. It catches all the pollen for germination. Nectar is what attracts the bees who carry off the pollen to other flowers where they get more, but me...if I were a bee, I don’t think I’d be a good pollinator. I think I’d taste one brand of flower and like it so much I’d become addicted. I’d never want to go off to another one ever again.” After dipping his face, he licked me, right up through the center of my petals, swiping up a mouthful of my nectar...
So as you see, in one of them, there is this flower anatomy talk, in another there are bees, and in another there is the comparison of himself to a spider and her to his food... Yuck!
I mean, this very same writer wrote all the hot scenes in the first 3 books in the most amazing way and I really wonder why she chose to write the ones in this book in this way. And then, I wonder if it is only me, or does it sound ridiculous to you, too? Isn’t it far from being sexy? I mean, I would definitely leave that guy after this talk if not earlier for his stupidity!
* Out of 5, this book deserves 1 star max in my opinion but I gave it 2 stars because of the scenes of Ten (Oren Tenning)...
Edit as of 07.10.2016:
I have just completed reading this series and I didn't like only this one (book 4); all the others were very good.
February 25, 2015
3,75 CAN I HAVE TEN FOR ME? STARS
Dear readers,
Have you ever read a book that made you so frustrated with the characters that you actually were holding yourself back from breaking your kindle? This book will have you itching to punch the characters and break things because that’s exactly what happened to me!!!
Did I enjoy this story? Hmm not very much because I was irritated and frustrated so many times and I hated some of Quinn's and Zoey's actions. I felt like a lot of their actions were a bit childish. On the other hand, there were a lot of funny moments and some pretty hot scenes...BIOLOGY LESSONS were very smart ;))
Dear Quinn and Zoey,
you are a really cute and sweet couple. You are so good to your friends and very protective… BUT your sweetness was just too a bit too sweet for my tastes.
Dear Cora,
you are a truly pathetic person whom I despise. I don't think I have ever read a book which make me hate a character as much as you. You are so mean and I hated the way you treated everybody and especially poor Zoey and of course Quinn.
Dear Ten,
I love you!!! You are just perfect to me. You are a smart-ass who is hot and so very funny. I laughed so much at your funny jokes and pov chapters. You had me swooning through this story. But apart from all your attributes your loyalty as friend is my favorite quality. If wasn’t for your big presence in the story, I'm pretty sure I would have stop reading. I haven't fallen in love with a secondary character too many times but you totally impressed me!! I want your book right now and I'm counting the days till March 30, 2015!
Sincerely Pavlina!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
Dear readers,
Have you ever read a book that made you so frustrated with the characters that you actually were holding yourself back from breaking your kindle? This book will have you itching to punch the characters and break things because that’s exactly what happened to me!!!
Did I enjoy this story? Hmm not very much because I was irritated and frustrated so many times and I hated some of Quinn's and Zoey's actions. I felt like a lot of their actions were a bit childish. On the other hand, there were a lot of funny moments and some pretty hot scenes...BIOLOGY LESSONS were very smart ;))
Dear Quinn and Zoey,
you are a really cute and sweet couple. You are so good to your friends and very protective… BUT your sweetness was just too a bit too sweet for my tastes.
Dear Cora,
you are a truly pathetic person whom I despise. I don't think I have ever read a book which make me hate a character as much as you. You are so mean and I hated the way you treated everybody and especially poor Zoey and of course Quinn.
Dear Ten,
I love you!!! You are just perfect to me. You are a smart-ass who is hot and so very funny. I laughed so much at your funny jokes and pov chapters. You had me swooning through this story. But apart from all your attributes your loyalty as friend is my favorite quality. If wasn’t for your big presence in the story, I'm pretty sure I would have stop reading. I haven't fallen in love with a secondary character too many times but you totally impressed me!! I want your book right now and I'm counting the days till March 30, 2015!
Sincerely Pavlina!
ARC kindly provided in exchange for an honest review.
February 19, 2015
3.75 Stars
I've really enjoyed the Forbidden Men series, the characters are fun and likeable, Quinn and Zoey were no exception. Quinn is in his first relationship, having finally turned in his v-card, he strives to be a devoted, loving boyfriend to Cora. While Zoey has left behind her abusive father, and arrives at ESU with the hopes of saving Cora's life. Both Quinn and Zoey are shy, naive and loyal. Constantly trying to be 'NICE', they often put their own feelings aside and put others needs/wants above their own.
Unfortunately the recipient of their selflessness is an undeserving, hateful, shrew...Sorry, but it's true. Cora is a horrible person. She does not deserve either of them.
Quinn and Zoey bond over similar childhoods, tv shows, and biology, while constantly fighting their attraction to each other. These two are really adorable together, they are so sweet and innocent. I seriously couldn't help but root for them.
One of my main issues is the amount of time Quinn stayed with Cora. That said, I understand his mentality, he is a loyal guy, and he's just learning about relationships and thus doesn't want to give up. I guess. But, I would have preferred him wise up to her tricky ways earlier in the story. Also, the second half of the story went a little soap operaish, too much drama, but I couldn't stop reading.
Overall, I enjoyed this one, with the exception of a few minor issues. And, I adored all of Ten's scenes, I'm anxiously waiting for his book!
**Is there cheating??**
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
I've really enjoyed the Forbidden Men series, the characters are fun and likeable, Quinn and Zoey were no exception. Quinn is in his first relationship, having finally turned in his v-card, he strives to be a devoted, loving boyfriend to Cora. While Zoey has left behind her abusive father, and arrives at ESU with the hopes of saving Cora's life. Both Quinn and Zoey are shy, naive and loyal. Constantly trying to be 'NICE', they often put their own feelings aside and put others needs/wants above their own.
Unfortunately the recipient of their selflessness is an undeserving, hateful, shrew...Sorry, but it's true. Cora is a horrible person. She does not deserve either of them.
Quinn and Zoey bond over similar childhoods, tv shows, and biology, while constantly fighting their attraction to each other. These two are really adorable together, they are so sweet and innocent. I seriously couldn't help but root for them.
One of my main issues is the amount of time Quinn stayed with Cora. That said, I understand his mentality, he is a loyal guy, and he's just learning about relationships and thus doesn't want to give up. I guess. But, I would have preferred him wise up to her tricky ways earlier in the story. Also, the second half of the story went a little soap operaish, too much drama, but I couldn't stop reading.
Overall, I enjoyed this one, with the exception of a few minor issues. And, I adored all of Ten's scenes, I'm anxiously waiting for his book!
**Is there cheating??**
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
March 2, 2015
THREE LOVE ME INSTEAD STARS.
"Love is the most painful thing of all ..."
Linda Kage has been on my radar ever since I fell in love with her first book in the 'Forbidden men' series. This author has a special way of making me fall in love over and over again with her characters and as long as Linda Kage is writing books I'll be reading them. As far as book releases are concerned I'm always excited to grab the latest of what this author has to offer and when I had the chance to read and review this story I was over the moon excited.
What did I love?
Firstly, it's well worth mentioning that although some might assume that this series is filled with over the top angst and taboo subjects that actually couldn't be further from the truth. Linda Kage puts a great spin on a tale of forbidden love where she creates perfectly romantic situations with just a few bumps along the way. Her stories always have fabulous depth and lovely chemistry. You can always expect to have some wow moments in these books and as for 'With every heartbeat' you'll be happily in love with the couple by the end of the story. I really enjoyed that we get to see other characters from the previous books dotted throughout the book and I also love that Linda Kage allows the reader to really 'live out' the story as it develops. Undoubtably this author has a talent when it comes to telling a story and even though I didn't five star this book I definitely appreciated the unravelling love story between Quinn and Zoey. The story beyond any doubt was utterly original, Linda Kage writes from the heart and with a sincerity that is unavoidable. 'With every heartbeat' had a fantastic mix of heart felt moments, frustration and sweet romance. I've been looking forward to reading Quinn's story and he was not a disappointment. All that's left to add is that I'm absolutely committed to stalking the lovely Linda Kage for the next book of the series and finally fall all the way in love with Ten.
Why not five?
I can say with my hand on my heart that whilst this book didn't blow me away that in no way means that I didn't like or enjoy this book. Linda Kage is a consistent author who produces novels that readers constantly fall in love with. However, as much as I wanted to sadly I didn't fall head over heels for this novel and here's my reasons why. The book didn't engage me fully, I found myself slightly distracted and a little inattentive in parts. There were certainly moments throughout the book where I was on full out alert and engaged with the story line but at other times I thought the story line was somewhat drawn out. I also had a huge problem with one of the characters and without giving too much away this particular person drove me so crazy that it actually took away some of the enjoyment of reading the novel. All in all I had a good time spent with this book I just missed the wow factor that I normally get from reading a Linda Kage book.
Final thoughts ...
If you have been following this series and you are a fan of Linda Kage then I recommend that you one click this next book in the series. And although I didn't love this book as much as I have with previous books in the Forbidden men line up I certainly fell solidly into like. A book that provides those one liners that you'll want to frame and remember, Linda Kage always brings something great to the table with her releases. Go grab it readers, it's only a click away. Enjoy ... Kisses.
*ARC generously provided directly from the gorgeous author, Linda Kage.*
"Love is the most painful thing of all ..."
Linda Kage has been on my radar ever since I fell in love with her first book in the 'Forbidden men' series. This author has a special way of making me fall in love over and over again with her characters and as long as Linda Kage is writing books I'll be reading them. As far as book releases are concerned I'm always excited to grab the latest of what this author has to offer and when I had the chance to read and review this story I was over the moon excited.
What did I love?
Firstly, it's well worth mentioning that although some might assume that this series is filled with over the top angst and taboo subjects that actually couldn't be further from the truth. Linda Kage puts a great spin on a tale of forbidden love where she creates perfectly romantic situations with just a few bumps along the way. Her stories always have fabulous depth and lovely chemistry. You can always expect to have some wow moments in these books and as for 'With every heartbeat' you'll be happily in love with the couple by the end of the story. I really enjoyed that we get to see other characters from the previous books dotted throughout the book and I also love that Linda Kage allows the reader to really 'live out' the story as it develops. Undoubtably this author has a talent when it comes to telling a story and even though I didn't five star this book I definitely appreciated the unravelling love story between Quinn and Zoey. The story beyond any doubt was utterly original, Linda Kage writes from the heart and with a sincerity that is unavoidable. 'With every heartbeat' had a fantastic mix of heart felt moments, frustration and sweet romance. I've been looking forward to reading Quinn's story and he was not a disappointment. All that's left to add is that I'm absolutely committed to stalking the lovely Linda Kage for the next book of the series and finally fall all the way in love with Ten.
Why not five?
I can say with my hand on my heart that whilst this book didn't blow me away that in no way means that I didn't like or enjoy this book. Linda Kage is a consistent author who produces novels that readers constantly fall in love with. However, as much as I wanted to sadly I didn't fall head over heels for this novel and here's my reasons why. The book didn't engage me fully, I found myself slightly distracted and a little inattentive in parts. There were certainly moments throughout the book where I was on full out alert and engaged with the story line but at other times I thought the story line was somewhat drawn out. I also had a huge problem with one of the characters and without giving too much away this particular person drove me so crazy that it actually took away some of the enjoyment of reading the novel. All in all I had a good time spent with this book I just missed the wow factor that I normally get from reading a Linda Kage book.
Final thoughts ...
If you have been following this series and you are a fan of Linda Kage then I recommend that you one click this next book in the series. And although I didn't love this book as much as I have with previous books in the Forbidden men line up I certainly fell solidly into like. A book that provides those one liners that you'll want to frame and remember, Linda Kage always brings something great to the table with her releases. Go grab it readers, it's only a click away. Enjoy ... Kisses.
*ARC generously provided directly from the gorgeous author, Linda Kage.*
May 23, 2015
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3.5-4 Stars
This is one of the hardest stories I have ever read. One name: Cora. I seriously couldn’t stand her and she honestly made me insane. I don’t know if I have ever disliked a character as much as I disliked this truly heinous girl. I felt like my complete hatred toward her took away from my love of Quinn and Zoey.
If you have been following the Forbidden Men Series you know that Quinn was a virgin until recently when he met Cora. Cora the Whora is known for getting around, but in With Every Heartbeat she has settled down and is dating Quinn. In the sprit of forbidden love this isn’t a story about Quinn and Cora, no it’s a story about Quinn and Zoey.
“Sometimes, it’s the little things we do that mean the most to others.”
Zoey is Cora’s best friend from high school. She has enrolled as a freshman at ESU and is living with Cora. Now what most people don’t realize is that Zoey is there to help Cora. In her first day of moving to ESU she meets Cora’s perfect boyfriend Quinn. Very quickly it becomes obvious that Quinn and Zoey are much better suited for each other.
I love forbidden love, it is one of my favorite story lines, but I seriously hated Cora so much it didn’t even feel like forbidden love. I was cheering, screaming, dying for these two to just leave Cora behind and get together. Being with Cora felt more wrong in my opinion. Now when it did come to Zoey and Quinn I loved them together. I love how perfectly matched they were and how the just got each other.
That is one part of this story that I really enjoyed seeing Quinn and Zoey get to know each other, support each other, and love each other. Both Quinn and Zoey came from an abusive home and just wanted to be understood and loved for who they are. That is why despite my frustration with things moving slower then I may have liked I did enjoy the story, because I understand their personalities.
I am huge fan of the Forbidden Men Series and I do recommend this one if you love these guys. As I was telling my friends it’s nice to jump in this series where you feel like you know everyone, this series feels like home.
“I’ve always wanted you, and I always will.”
Side note: Ten you stole the show and my heart, I cannot freaking wait for your story!!
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
3.5-4 Stars
This is one of the hardest stories I have ever read. One name: Cora. I seriously couldn’t stand her and she honestly made me insane. I don’t know if I have ever disliked a character as much as I disliked this truly heinous girl. I felt like my complete hatred toward her took away from my love of Quinn and Zoey.
If you have been following the Forbidden Men Series you know that Quinn was a virgin until recently when he met Cora. Cora the Whora is known for getting around, but in With Every Heartbeat she has settled down and is dating Quinn. In the sprit of forbidden love this isn’t a story about Quinn and Cora, no it’s a story about Quinn and Zoey.
“Sometimes, it’s the little things we do that mean the most to others.”
Zoey is Cora’s best friend from high school. She has enrolled as a freshman at ESU and is living with Cora. Now what most people don’t realize is that Zoey is there to help Cora. In her first day of moving to ESU she meets Cora’s perfect boyfriend Quinn. Very quickly it becomes obvious that Quinn and Zoey are much better suited for each other.
I love forbidden love, it is one of my favorite story lines, but I seriously hated Cora so much it didn’t even feel like forbidden love. I was cheering, screaming, dying for these two to just leave Cora behind and get together. Being with Cora felt more wrong in my opinion. Now when it did come to Zoey and Quinn I loved them together. I love how perfectly matched they were and how the just got each other.
That is one part of this story that I really enjoyed seeing Quinn and Zoey get to know each other, support each other, and love each other. Both Quinn and Zoey came from an abusive home and just wanted to be understood and loved for who they are. That is why despite my frustration with things moving slower then I may have liked I did enjoy the story, because I understand their personalities.
I am huge fan of the Forbidden Men Series and I do recommend this one if you love these guys. As I was telling my friends it’s nice to jump in this series where you feel like you know everyone, this series feels like home.
“I’ve always wanted you, and I always will.”
Side note: Ten you stole the show and my heart, I cannot freaking wait for your story!!
ARC kindly provided by author in exchange for an honest review.
July 15, 2015
3 Stars
Have you ever read a book where you absolutely adored the hero, found the heroine incredibly endearing, loved the story, and yet...you hated a side character so much that it completely overshadowed most of the enjoyment you got from the book? That is exactly what happened to me here. I've been impatiently waiting for shy Quinn to get his book especially after his heroic actions in Be My Hero. I've adored him for 2 books straight as a side character and couldn't wait for him to get his HEA and just hoped that the heroine would be deserving of everything that he is. Was Zoey that? Oh absolutely!
Usually sheltered, super shy, and introverted heroines are not my thing. But in the case of Zoey, you couldn't help but not like her. Scratch that, I absolutely loved her character. This is a young girl that didn't have an easy life. She had a domineering, extremely abusive and controlling father that she was finally able to escape when she started college. While she may have been shy and naive, she was so sweet and the way she cared for others around her endeared you to her so completely. You also couldn't help but draw the parallels between her and Quinn and think how perfect they would be together. Unfortunately here my friends, is where the book took a very rapid decline for me; Cora.
To say that I hated her would be a gross understatement. I have never in my life wanted a side character to be killed off more than this vapid and sociopathic person. She drove me up the wall crazy. And just as I'd think she couldn't be any worse, she'd go and do or say something that would leave me ripping my hair out and screaming at the ceiling.
I was curious to see how Linda Kage would make the relationship between Zoey and Quinn play out considering that Quinn is dating Cora for a large part of the book. Luckily, I was very satisfied with how this was handled. Well...aside from one particular part where Quinn decided that . But I suppose he played ignorant or was just too naive to know better? I'm not sure.
My heart went out for Quinn in this book and everything that he's been through. I never questioned what he would see in someone like Cora because given his inexperience and age you can see how he would get attached and turn a blind eye to all her faults. And oh dear gawd were there faults! SO MANY FAULTS!!!
But I digress.
My one big saving grace and comedic relief in all of this was Ten. Thank goodness for Ten and everything that he is. If I loved him in all the previous books, I absolutely fell head over heels for him in this one. There was one shower scene in particular that had me in tears from laughing so hard. Sigh. I just loved him so much.
But unfortunately, I found the parts with Cora to just last too long. . Sadly, that also made the book feel dragged out for me and caused me to get frustrated even more. But really Cora,
There was also just a little too much drama packed into the end for me too. Between Cora, and then a continuation of Noel's drama, and Zoey's revelation I found myself finding it way too much. While I can't say it was OTT, I think that the extremity of Cora would have been more than enough.
The love story was wonderful, and I loved the additional bits of Coraline and Ten's story. I cannot freaking wait to read their book. Sadly, when something begins to bother me as much as Cora did, I tend to zero in on that and it will take away from everything else. However, if you're a reader that can overlook something like that, perhaps you wouldn't feel quite as extreme as I did.
I still adore Linda Kage's writing, and I love this series, so I'm really looking forward to reading Ten's book next and getting a little bit more of Quinn and Zoey hopefully.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
We came together, and it was the biggest biology lesson of my life.
Have you ever read a book where you absolutely adored the hero, found the heroine incredibly endearing, loved the story, and yet...you hated a side character so much that it completely overshadowed most of the enjoyment you got from the book? That is exactly what happened to me here. I've been impatiently waiting for shy Quinn to get his book especially after his heroic actions in Be My Hero. I've adored him for 2 books straight as a side character and couldn't wait for him to get his HEA and just hoped that the heroine would be deserving of everything that he is. Was Zoey that? Oh absolutely!
Usually sheltered, super shy, and introverted heroines are not my thing. But in the case of Zoey, you couldn't help but not like her. Scratch that, I absolutely loved her character. This is a young girl that didn't have an easy life. She had a domineering, extremely abusive and controlling father that she was finally able to escape when she started college. While she may have been shy and naive, she was so sweet and the way she cared for others around her endeared you to her so completely. You also couldn't help but draw the parallels between her and Quinn and think how perfect they would be together. Unfortunately here my friends, is where the book took a very rapid decline for me; Cora.
To say that I hated her would be a gross understatement. I have never in my life wanted a side character to be killed off more than this vapid and sociopathic person. She drove me up the wall crazy. And just as I'd think she couldn't be any worse, she'd go and do or say something that would leave me ripping my hair out and screaming at the ceiling.
I was curious to see how Linda Kage would make the relationship between Zoey and Quinn play out considering that Quinn is dating Cora for a large part of the book. Luckily, I was very satisfied with how this was handled. Well...aside from one particular part where Quinn decided that . But I suppose he played ignorant or was just too naive to know better? I'm not sure.
My heart went out for Quinn in this book and everything that he's been through. I never questioned what he would see in someone like Cora because given his inexperience and age you can see how he would get attached and turn a blind eye to all her faults. And oh dear gawd were there faults! SO MANY FAULTS!!!
But I digress.
My one big saving grace and comedic relief in all of this was Ten. Thank goodness for Ten and everything that he is. If I loved him in all the previous books, I absolutely fell head over heels for him in this one. There was one shower scene in particular that had me in tears from laughing so hard. Sigh. I just loved him so much.
But unfortunately, I found the parts with Cora to just last too long. . Sadly, that also made the book feel dragged out for me and caused me to get frustrated even more. But really Cora,
There was also just a little too much drama packed into the end for me too. Between Cora, and then a continuation of Noel's drama, and Zoey's revelation I found myself finding it way too much. While I can't say it was OTT, I think that the extremity of Cora would have been more than enough.
The love story was wonderful, and I loved the additional bits of Coraline and Ten's story. I cannot freaking wait to read their book. Sadly, when something begins to bother me as much as Cora did, I tend to zero in on that and it will take away from everything else. However, if you're a reader that can overlook something like that, perhaps you wouldn't feel quite as extreme as I did.
I still adore Linda Kage's writing, and I love this series, so I'm really looking forward to reading Ten's book next and getting a little bit more of Quinn and Zoey hopefully.
ARC courtesy of author in exchange for an honest review
For more reviews visit
November 1, 2015
***5 "Κind but Νaive" stars for Quinn and Zoey***
I will admit that i was afraid about Quinn's turn and that's why i delayed to read it so long!!!
I was afraid all this shyness and his low profile and yep, while i was turning the pages that fact irritated me as hell, but it was absolutely amazing as all the previous of the books!!!
Maybe it was just that this kind of character like Quinn's was multiplied by two... Yep, Zoey was having the same characters him....
But, hey!!! We are talking about the Forbidden men and all of them are unique and wonderfull!!!! And their women are the best!!!!
Well, all we knew Quinn from the previous books and he was such a sweetheart and in Pick's and Eva's book, he lost his virginity on an auction in the "Forbidden" club, where all of them are working.
And from that moment, he and the girl that chosen him were a couple...
But everything are changing when Zoey are coming to town as Cora's roommate.
From the first moment, there is a connection between the two of them since they have lived similar lives and they can feel and understand each other...
But they were having similar characters and it was beyond them to betrayed Cora, so they were trying to suppress their attraction which only is growing more and more as the time was passing...
"There is something between you and me. You can't deny that. There's being something growing between us since the moment we met."
Quinn was a very nice young man... Yep, he was a very big guy with a very big heart. He was so kind, so sweet, so gentle and so understanding!!! His girlfriend was like a queen with the way that he was treating her...
But many times he managed to make me mad!!!
Why he was so naive that he couldn't understand what was hiding underneath some people's actions. They didn't deserve his kindness and he was giving it so easily...
The same goes for Zoey. She was a nice, sweet and giving person. Cora didn't deserve her sacrifice and it was pissing me off that she wasn't giving much importance in the Cora's shitty attitude toward her... And she need to be more bold and to chase what she really wanted!!!
From the beginning, it was so obvious that Zoey and Quinn were meant to be together. They were so right for each other, but their naivity and their greatness kept them apart and that wasn't right at all...
"I've wanted to kiss you so many times. So many nights. I'd dream about you and wake up aching."
Well, now it's time for Cora... I think that i haven't met a person so detestable... I wanted to slap her or even better killed her.
And it made me furious that when i was thinking what she deserved, i was feeling guilty because of her condition. But her character was the worst.
She was using everyone around her for her own benefit, when she should be kissing the floor that they were walking...
She was a manipulating, mean and ungratefull bitch that i couldn't tolerate at all...
And what made me angry was that she slipped very easily for all this shit that she was pulling through Quinn and Zoey...
And now, it's time to tell some things about Ten, but not too many because his turn is coming!!!
I met him in the second book and he was such a goofie that was making me laugh and when his was opening his mouth, i wanted to hit him for his stupidity... But as the books were passing, i started to like him...
And in this book i started to respect him.
"Don't be ashamed of being a big soft teddy bear, Ham. The world needs more people like you otherwise i just go to shit."
I laughed so hard everytime that Ten was with Zoey and they were talking and i liked all this "foreplay" with Caroline, so i can't wait for his turn, which i will start right away when i'm finished with this review!!!
The last thing that i want to say is that for once again i enjoyed the presence for the rest of the guys and i really liked the way that they care so much for each other.
Their friendship are magnificent. I wish i was having friends like them by my side!!!
So...
TEN COME TO MAMA!!!!!
I will admit that i was afraid about Quinn's turn and that's why i delayed to read it so long!!!
I was afraid all this shyness and his low profile and yep, while i was turning the pages that fact irritated me as hell, but it was absolutely amazing as all the previous of the books!!!
Maybe it was just that this kind of character like Quinn's was multiplied by two... Yep, Zoey was having the same characters him....
But, hey!!! We are talking about the Forbidden men and all of them are unique and wonderfull!!!! And their women are the best!!!!
Well, all we knew Quinn from the previous books and he was such a sweetheart and in Pick's and Eva's book, he lost his virginity on an auction in the "Forbidden" club, where all of them are working.
And from that moment, he and the girl that chosen him were a couple...
But everything are changing when Zoey are coming to town as Cora's roommate.
From the first moment, there is a connection between the two of them since they have lived similar lives and they can feel and understand each other...
But they were having similar characters and it was beyond them to betrayed Cora, so they were trying to suppress their attraction which only is growing more and more as the time was passing...
"There is something between you and me. You can't deny that. There's being something growing between us since the moment we met."
Quinn was a very nice young man... Yep, he was a very big guy with a very big heart. He was so kind, so sweet, so gentle and so understanding!!! His girlfriend was like a queen with the way that he was treating her...
But many times he managed to make me mad!!!
Why he was so naive that he couldn't understand what was hiding underneath some people's actions. They didn't deserve his kindness and he was giving it so easily...
The same goes for Zoey. She was a nice, sweet and giving person. Cora didn't deserve her sacrifice and it was pissing me off that she wasn't giving much importance in the Cora's shitty attitude toward her... And she need to be more bold and to chase what she really wanted!!!
From the beginning, it was so obvious that Zoey and Quinn were meant to be together. They were so right for each other, but their naivity and their greatness kept them apart and that wasn't right at all...
"I've wanted to kiss you so many times. So many nights. I'd dream about you and wake up aching."
Well, now it's time for Cora... I think that i haven't met a person so detestable... I wanted to slap her or even better killed her.
And it made me furious that when i was thinking what she deserved, i was feeling guilty because of her condition. But her character was the worst.
She was using everyone around her for her own benefit, when she should be kissing the floor that they were walking...
She was a manipulating, mean and ungratefull bitch that i couldn't tolerate at all...
And what made me angry was that she slipped very easily for all this shit that she was pulling through Quinn and Zoey...
And now, it's time to tell some things about Ten, but not too many because his turn is coming!!!
I met him in the second book and he was such a goofie that was making me laugh and when his was opening his mouth, i wanted to hit him for his stupidity... But as the books were passing, i started to like him...
And in this book i started to respect him.
"Don't be ashamed of being a big soft teddy bear, Ham. The world needs more people like you otherwise i just go to shit."
I laughed so hard everytime that Ten was with Zoey and they were talking and i liked all this "foreplay" with Caroline, so i can't wait for his turn, which i will start right away when i'm finished with this review!!!
The last thing that i want to say is that for once again i enjoyed the presence for the rest of the guys and i really liked the way that they care so much for each other.
Their friendship are magnificent. I wish i was having friends like them by my side!!!
So...
TEN COME TO MAMA!!!!!
March 29, 2015
I was developing feelings for my best friend’s boyfriend. This was worse than awful, it was devastating.
I’ve gone back and forth between a 3 star and a 4 star rating for most of the day, but when it comes down to it I’m going to base this mo’fo on one thing and one thing only…enjoyment.
Both Zoey and Quinn were raised in some seriously abusive households and it’s definitely taken its toll socially in both cases. When these two crazy but skittish as hell kids meet sparks fly. And either one of them does a damn thing about it for a considerable amount of time. Yes, Quinn was dating Zoey’s best friend and both knew the other was off limits. I loved the build up to friendship then awesome sexual tension between these two, but I felt like the fact that Zoey’s best friend’s nickname was “Cora the Whora” and the mad implications of that fact could’ve been addressed earlier in the story had either one of them just said "I know I’m naïve and a tad ignorant to all the newfangled stuff the kids are doing these days, but why the hell are you always lying about everything, Ms. Whora?” The fact it went on for as long as it did and touched so many aspects of this story meant I enjoyed this one less than I thought I would. I love the fact the author remained true to both characters for the duration of the story but I would’ve appreciated it more, coming from a purely entertainment standpoint if someone, oh I don’t know, say Ten? Could’ve smacked these two on the ass and got things moving!
Did I mention Oren Tenning? His story’s next for me and I can’t wait to don the cougar label and welcome this fine young man onto my list of book boyfriends. I love the smartasses, doncha know.
”One of these days, hopefully one of these days soon, you’re going to realize you don’t have to stay with a girl just because she was the first person you fucked. Putting your dick into Cora didn’t commit you to her for the rest of your life, man. And when you catch on and figure out you’re allowed to move on and be with a girl you actually like, I want her to be nice and preserved for you.”
Testify, Ten! Testify! I guess when it comes right down to it I liked this one but didn’t love it. It’s certainly fabulous foreplay for Ten and Caroline’s story so I have no complaints.
I’ve gone back and forth between a 3 star and a 4 star rating for most of the day, but when it comes down to it I’m going to base this mo’fo on one thing and one thing only…enjoyment.
Both Zoey and Quinn were raised in some seriously abusive households and it’s definitely taken its toll socially in both cases. When these two crazy but skittish as hell kids meet sparks fly. And either one of them does a damn thing about it for a considerable amount of time. Yes, Quinn was dating Zoey’s best friend and both knew the other was off limits. I loved the build up to friendship then awesome sexual tension between these two, but I felt like the fact that Zoey’s best friend’s nickname was “Cora the Whora” and the mad implications of that fact could’ve been addressed earlier in the story had either one of them just said "I know I’m naïve and a tad ignorant to all the newfangled stuff the kids are doing these days, but why the hell are you always lying about everything, Ms. Whora?” The fact it went on for as long as it did and touched so many aspects of this story meant I enjoyed this one less than I thought I would. I love the fact the author remained true to both characters for the duration of the story but I would’ve appreciated it more, coming from a purely entertainment standpoint if someone, oh I don’t know, say Ten? Could’ve smacked these two on the ass and got things moving!
Did I mention Oren Tenning? His story’s next for me and I can’t wait to don the cougar label and welcome this fine young man onto my list of book boyfriends. I love the smartasses, doncha know.
”One of these days, hopefully one of these days soon, you’re going to realize you don’t have to stay with a girl just because she was the first person you fucked. Putting your dick into Cora didn’t commit you to her for the rest of your life, man. And when you catch on and figure out you’re allowed to move on and be with a girl you actually like, I want her to be nice and preserved for you.”
Testify, Ten! Testify! I guess when it comes right down to it I liked this one but didn’t love it. It’s certainly fabulous foreplay for Ten and Caroline’s story so I have no complaints.
March 2, 2015
★★★★ 4 Stars ★★★★
Now LIVE!
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1DJve1J
Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1DuYrKZ
I love this series to death so when I heard that the fourth book would focus on Quinn, I nearly pee-d my pants with excitement!
Quinn Hamilton works at Forbidden Nightclub, and is a back reciever on the college Football Team. If you are familiar with all of the characters, you will know that Quinn is the quiet one who more of an observer and a listener than the rest of his friends who are a pretty loud and outgoing bunch. He is shy and has little experience outside of the bad childhood that he so painfully went through before he left home for college.
Having only recently lost his virginity to 'Cora the Whora' he is now dating her and he is really happy to finally have a girlfriend who accepts him for who he is.
When Cora invites her best friend to escape her abusive father and move in with her, Zoey Blakeland jumps at the chance to leave home and move hundreds of miles away in order to not only attend college and move on in life, but to do Cora a huge favour that she must keep secret.
It's apparent from the get go that Cora is not the right woman for Quinn, and that quiet and shy Zoey is his perfect match. She has experienced pain like he has and they share an understanding that nobody else can even touch. They enjoy the same things, and have a lot in common but Quinn is a loyal boyfriend and he fights hard to quash his feelings for his girlfriends best friend.
_ _ _ _
This is quite obviously a love triangle and it takes a long time for things to actually develop between the two main characters but I didn't mind this at all, I loved the slow build up of their friendship and watching them get to know each other.
Cora turns out to be the bitch from hell so I did not mind at all that Quinn was having thoughts about another girl whilst still dating her, he was very inexperienced and he truly though he was doing the right thing by standing by Cora, the first girl who ever took any notice of him and made him feel like a man.
I loved how Quinn became more confident once he had a woman who loved him for who he really was, he definitely grew as a man from the start to the end of the book and I loved that Zoey, although quiet and reserved at times, stuck up for herself and her loved ones when the need arose.
I normally don't really care much for past characters in series once their book is over, but with these guys I can't get enough. We got a lot of interaction with Mason & Reece, Noel & Aspen, Pick & Eva and also Ten, Asher & Caroline.
We also get a few chapters from Ten's POV - I am dying to read his book, I think he might turn out to be my favourite! A Perfect Ten releases March 30th.
This is Book 4 in the Forbidden Men series, It's probably best not to be read as a standalone due to all the past characters making their appearances, but you could if you really wanted to.
ARC gratefully received from the author in exchange for an honest review
Now LIVE!
Amazon - http://amzn.to/1DJve1J
Amazon UK - http://amzn.to/1DuYrKZ
I love this series to death so when I heard that the fourth book would focus on Quinn, I nearly pee-d my pants with excitement!
Quinn Hamilton works at Forbidden Nightclub, and is a back reciever on the college Football Team. If you are familiar with all of the characters, you will know that Quinn is the quiet one who more of an observer and a listener than the rest of his friends who are a pretty loud and outgoing bunch. He is shy and has little experience outside of the bad childhood that he so painfully went through before he left home for college.
Having only recently lost his virginity to 'Cora the Whora' he is now dating her and he is really happy to finally have a girlfriend who accepts him for who he is.
When Cora invites her best friend to escape her abusive father and move in with her, Zoey Blakeland jumps at the chance to leave home and move hundreds of miles away in order to not only attend college and move on in life, but to do Cora a huge favour that she must keep secret.
It's apparent from the get go that Cora is not the right woman for Quinn, and that quiet and shy Zoey is his perfect match. She has experienced pain like he has and they share an understanding that nobody else can even touch. They enjoy the same things, and have a lot in common but Quinn is a loyal boyfriend and he fights hard to quash his feelings for his girlfriends best friend.
_ _ _ _
This is quite obviously a love triangle and it takes a long time for things to actually develop between the two main characters but I didn't mind this at all, I loved the slow build up of their friendship and watching them get to know each other.
Cora turns out to be the bitch from hell so I did not mind at all that Quinn was having thoughts about another girl whilst still dating her, he was very inexperienced and he truly though he was doing the right thing by standing by Cora, the first girl who ever took any notice of him and made him feel like a man.
I loved how Quinn became more confident once he had a woman who loved him for who he really was, he definitely grew as a man from the start to the end of the book and I loved that Zoey, although quiet and reserved at times, stuck up for herself and her loved ones when the need arose.
I normally don't really care much for past characters in series once their book is over, but with these guys I can't get enough. We got a lot of interaction with Mason & Reece, Noel & Aspen, Pick & Eva and also Ten, Asher & Caroline.
We also get a few chapters from Ten's POV - I am dying to read his book, I think he might turn out to be my favourite! A Perfect Ten releases March 30th.
This is Book 4 in the Forbidden Men series, It's probably best not to be read as a standalone due to all the past characters making their appearances, but you could if you really wanted to.
ARC gratefully received from the author in exchange for an honest review
December 16, 2019
Spoilers ahead
When Zoey's best friend needs a kidney Zoey finally escapes her abusive father and goes to college to donate a kidney to Cora. When she meets Cora's boyfriend she's attracted to him and as time passes she falls in love with him
Quinn is enjoying his life, he's playing football,has great friends and finally has a girl of his own. When Cora's innocent friend moves to town Quinn is ashamed to realize he's attracted to her. When dreams start Quinn knows he needs space between him and Zoey as he's already in love with her best friend and roommate Cora
**********
Ok so this was messy as hell
1) For the majority of the book Quinn was in a relationship with Cora not the h. Yes he felt the attraction to the h but he was still in love with Cora and even took the h with him to purchase a ring for Cora. How then am i to believe in the hea/true love of Quinn and the h
2) Previous to this book Quinn was a shy virgin, Cora was his first love, his first relationship and his first sexual partner. The h was a shy virgin this was so unfair. He actually said he would be able to teach her everything but the th ing was he was teaching her what he'd learned from her best friend who turned out to be her stepsister! Messy as hell
3) The h was abused by her "father" and had been shy and introverted all her life with Cora as her only friend. She started falling for Quinn and was living in the apartment with his girlfriend. She saw them close, she saw them cuddling, she saw them making out and she heard them having sex.... but she never made a move to help herself. She stayed wanting Quinn even after he'd taken her to buy a ring for Cora....even going so far as going to the restaurant where he'd planned to propose to see Cora's happiness when he popped the question. I mean seriously where was this child's backbone. Then! Huh even when he broke up with the h after he thought she'd been cheating claiming he needed space she took him back way too easily.
4) The thing is Quinn wasn't a bad guy,he was kind,sweet and shy. The h was the same....they'd both grown up being abused but not having any real life experience but there's a line between kind hearted naivety and being a weak fool and I'm sorry but they were both spineless puppets manipulated by a master
5) Cora was suffering from kidney failure and even after she manipulated the h, cheated on the H and set the h up to be raped she still got her kidney. I wanted the h to donate that kidney to someone more deserving! I really don't care how heartless that makes me
6) Quinn had dreams of Zoey but not of him and Zoey alone but of him Zoey and Cora in a tbreesome!!! what the hell?!!
7)why the hell did Ten and the guys not tell Quinn Cora was a groupie that most of the team had banged! What the hell??I'd think your friend gets into a serious relationship with a girl like Cora that you'd warn him that she'd been with your teammates! Grrrrrr
I was really looking forward to Quinn's story but honestly this author fumbled the ball making this couple's hea the least believable of all the others
Up next is the supreme manwhore Ten 😳😭somebody hold my hand I'm going in!
When Zoey's best friend needs a kidney Zoey finally escapes her abusive father and goes to college to donate a kidney to Cora. When she meets Cora's boyfriend she's attracted to him and as time passes she falls in love with him
Quinn is enjoying his life, he's playing football,has great friends and finally has a girl of his own. When Cora's innocent friend moves to town Quinn is ashamed to realize he's attracted to her. When dreams start Quinn knows he needs space between him and Zoey as he's already in love with her best friend and roommate Cora
**********
Ok so this was messy as hell
1) For the majority of the book Quinn was in a relationship with Cora not the h. Yes he felt the attraction to the h but he was still in love with Cora and even took the h with him to purchase a ring for Cora. How then am i to believe in the hea/true love of Quinn and the h
2) Previous to this book Quinn was a shy virgin, Cora was his first love, his first relationship and his first sexual partner. The h was a shy virgin this was so unfair. He actually said he would be able to teach her everything but the th ing was he was teaching her what he'd learned from her best friend who turned out to be her stepsister! Messy as hell
3) The h was abused by her "father" and had been shy and introverted all her life with Cora as her only friend. She started falling for Quinn and was living in the apartment with his girlfriend. She saw them close, she saw them cuddling, she saw them making out and she heard them having sex.... but she never made a move to help herself. She stayed wanting Quinn even after he'd taken her to buy a ring for Cora....even going so far as going to the restaurant where he'd planned to propose to see Cora's happiness when he popped the question. I mean seriously where was this child's backbone. Then! Huh even when he broke up with the h after he thought she'd been cheating claiming he needed space she took him back way too easily.
4) The thing is Quinn wasn't a bad guy,he was kind,sweet and shy. The h was the same....they'd both grown up being abused but not having any real life experience but there's a line between kind hearted naivety and being a weak fool and I'm sorry but they were both spineless puppets manipulated by a master
5) Cora was suffering from kidney failure and even after she manipulated the h, cheated on the H and set the h up to be raped she still got her kidney. I wanted the h to donate that kidney to someone more deserving! I really don't care how heartless that makes me
6) Quinn had dreams of Zoey but not of him and Zoey alone but of him Zoey and Cora in a tbreesome!!! what the hell?!!
7)why the hell did Ten and the guys not tell Quinn Cora was a groupie that most of the team had banged! What the hell??I'd think your friend gets into a serious relationship with a girl like Cora that you'd warn him that she'd been with your teammates! Grrrrrr
I was really looking forward to Quinn's story but honestly this author fumbled the ball making this couple's hea the least believable of all the others
Up next is the supreme manwhore Ten 😳😭somebody hold my hand I'm going in!
November 25, 2015
Sooo..I'm just going to say it: FAIL. Just...major fail. And, seriously, how can such a pretty cover contain such utter bullshit on the inside??? I was so sure that this was going to be another win in the series and that someday I could cherish it on my bookshelf but...how could anyone display this piece of shit-there, I said it-and not feel like a total betrayer to all of your morals and everything you believe in? You can't. I'm sorry-you just fucking can't.
With a sigh, he slumped his shoulders. "Okay, fine. You're quiet. You're introverted. You're too nice to be rude to anyone. You open yourself up and are willing to trust more than just about anyone I know. Being as sensitive as you are means you have a bigger heart. And if I ever see you try to change and harden that heart of yours, I'm going to throat punch you. Don't be ashamed of being a big, soft teddy bear, Ham. The world needs more people like you, otherwise it'd just go to shit."
--Aww Ten is so sweet this whole book
And besides the major letdown after cherishing every other book in this series and having such a pretty cover, which was, in fact, the worst part about this story (the letdown after such build-up), there was the total shit for brains story that left our beautiful, amazing, selfless hero in a story that was better left in Linda Kage's wet dreams.
Sigh...sorry. Just very disappointed. I mean....how in the fuck did Kage think that, after Mason and Noel and their lovely counterparts' stories, this was a good way to go????? A virgin heroine
who, again, sorry, is a total putz who didn't get a backbone until about 60% into the story, has never even been kissed (okay, that could have been hot, but wasn't so) and was a total innocent little lamb, moves in with her stupid whore of a cousin who is a total bitch that uses her every other day?? I didn't know how long I could stand to be in this timid girl's head.
Not to mention throwing in an amazing male lead who would do anything for said whore even after being treated like a piece of meat and being lied to 24/7?? I just, I can't even...UGH
Oh, and Quinn?? He is Zoey's soulmate (oh, and totally had to look up her name-I DIDN'T EVEN REMEMBER IT) in the form of Satan's lover. Yeah, he's the one dating the tool she lives with. But when they see each other, sparks fly.
They are kindred spirits, broken souls who were innocent and naive and were beaten within an inch of their lives as children... they see each other in themselves and they know they are meant to be together, but they try to fight the attraction.
Hamilton grabbed her arm to steady her. "I know," he slurred and glanced my way. "This shit is potent. I feel..." He nodded slowly. "Yeah."
I lifted my eyebrows, wondering if he was drunk or high.
Blondie giggled again and pointed at him. "I've never heard you cuss before."
"I don't," Hamilton said blankly before Blondie charged, "But you just said shit."
He laughed and pointed back at her. "So did you."
As they giggled together, I rolled my eyes to the ceiling. Oh, dear God. Someone shoot me now.
-Ten talking about Quinn and Zoey
They are the watchers, the quiet ones, the sensitive and kind ones-there's no doubt they belong together. But that stupid Cora bitch just won't go away. BACK THE FUCK UP BITCH-YOU ARE A MANIPULATIVE WHORE
(and a total plot device-her character merely existed to cause problems in this and other books, I mean really Kage-you can do better than that).
She murmured, "Thank you," and stared at him with a pair of longing green eyes that made me want to reach across the table and thump Hamilton on the back of the head. Hard.
Prime opportunity to kiss her, I wanted to tell him.
Kiss her already.
Why wasn't he kissing her?
God, what a pansy.
Instead of kissing, they just kept staring until Ham blinked and then grinned. "Staring contest?" he offered.
Dear fuck. Really?
-Ten, again lol
So ends the perfect Forbidden Men series run-and I hate it-I hate that Quinn got such a pathetic, fucked up story. Every little issue I had with the other two books was magnified ten fold, like all the shit that bothered me existed only to create this book, and that pisses me off. The cheesiness, the horrid villain in the form of a best friend/psychotic girlfriend, the lack of a reason for this fucking story, I just HATE it, because even Zoey, in the end, became more likable.
"You won't die," I growled. "Roaches always find a way to survive."
But it was just So. Damn. Unrealistic. The only saving grace, the only damn thing I was giggling and swooning and laughing and smiling about (Well Quinn but that's beside the point)????
"Hey." Ten wormed his way between us, scowling. "Where's my golden invitation to eat pizza with you?"
Noel sniffed and sent him a short frown, throwing Ten's arm off his shoulder.
"I didn't see you bringing anyone around to befriend my sister."
"Well...I could befriend her," Ten started, putting on an offended front as he pressed his hand to his chest.
Noel threw back his head and laughed.
"What?" Ten muttered, folding his arms over his chest and glaring. "I make a fucking awesome friend."
Noel's chuckle settled before he seemed to realize Ten was serious. His smile dropped flat. Pointing at Ten's nose, he growled. "Stay the fuck away from my sister."
Mason, Noel, Ten, Reese, Aspen, Caroline-their stories were alive and expanding in this one. My heart swelled when one of my beautiful men entered the story and we got to see them with their respective sweethearts, fiances, friends. It was just...UGH. It made all the bullshit worth it. Really. I would have smacked myself if I knew I missed proposals and banter and friendships and just the utter adoration these men have for their girls had I skipped/DNF this one. It made this piece of shit one star worth the extra star just to know I got to see them every other page.
"Motherfucker," he groaned. "No Gamble, and I'm stuck in a class with not one, or even two, but three untouchables. This is going to suck...ass."
"I'm sorry, what?" Reese lifted a curious eyebrow. "Do I even want to ask what an untouchable is?"
"You know..." He twirled his finger to encompass Reese, Caroline and me. "You're Lowe's woman. Can't flirt with you. You're Noel's little sister." He scowled at Caroline. "Can't fucking go there. And you..." He flicked his attention to me, "...belong to Hamilton." Then he made a sweeping gesture over all three of us. "Ergo I can't touch any of you. Untouchables. And to make it worse, you all will probably be watching me with your judgey little eyes so I'll have to behave and can't hit on any other woman in this class either."
My final parting words: No. This story was not for me and it sucked. This story has been done before by authors who handled it wonderfully and made me choke on my angst while swallowing butterflies. I expected the same, I'll admit it, but did not get it one bit. Quinn and Zoey's story is worth reading, it really is, but all the bullshit surrounding it (ie Cora, Cora, Cora and their relationship) was unnecessary and, frankly, totally unbelievable-notice I didn't say unrealistic, because I know these GD stories are cheesy as shit, so that point is null and void. I said unbelievable because even I have a limit. I may have known how stupid the other two books were, but I fell hard and believed in them-or I made myself do so. So, yeah. This lacked passion. It lacked drive. And, most importantly, it lacked the heart I'm used to seeing from this author. So, disappointed and a little scared of what comes next, I tuck my tail between my legs and remain optimistic that Quinn and Zoey's story will flourish as all the other people's did in the next books. They deserve their love story untarnished by that cunt. Oh, and Cora, just because I feel like it:
For more of my reviews, please visit:
March 5, 2015
3.75 - 4 stars
April 5, 2020
*****4.5 STARS*****
I think I hate Cora just as much as I despise Carol "Fuckin" Baskins! 🤬🤬🤬
I think I hate Cora just as much as I despise Carol "Fuckin" Baskins! 🤬🤬🤬
June 27, 2019
Es que Quinn era tan 😍
Pero la ex me cayó super gorda.
3.5 porque es suuuuuuuuper dramática toda la historia y el background de los personajes (de todos).
Pero la ex me cayó super gorda.
3.5 porque es suuuuuuuuper dramática toda la historia y el background de los personajes (de todos).
November 3, 2016
Honestly this story was pretty much a bust for me, and I love this series so I came into it expecting to love it no matter what. But I just didn't. There was too much wrong. I don't like that Quinn genuinely loved Cora and yet continued to think about Zoey. And yeah I know Cora turned out to be an unfaithful whore, but he didn't know that. He loved her. If he could treat Cora like that, albeit only in his mind, how am I supposed to believe he won't feel that kind of undeniable overwhelming attraction for a woman besides Zoey? He'll be happy with her then bam he's getting hard for another chick upon meeting her. The fact that they were the MC's does not make it ok. That was issue number one.
The next thing was that Cora was too much. I understand the author wanted readers to root for the main characters and justify their relationship and I myself was hoping Cora would turn out to be an evil witch, but really? She had to go and set her up for RAPE (especially after knowing of Zoey's abusive past with her father...who Cora knew wasn't really Zoey's father in the first place but withheld that info to hurt her)? And then Zoe still gave her a kidney? I know we were supposed to admire Quinn and Zoey's selflessness..but real talk, I was not feeling it. There's a fine line between a nice person and a person who lacks self-respect.
And speaking of self-respect, where is Zoey's? Quinn took her virginity right after breaking up with a woman he was going to propose to that very night! He asked her to "make him forget" Cora and the pain she put him through and I'm supposed to believe she's not a rebound just because he fantasized about her while supposedly being fully committed to another woman? He needed more time to fully realize he was over Cora before moving on to Zoey. I get that he acknowledged it wasn't right, but it just really wasn't and more emphasis needed to be placed there.
Honestly, stories with boys with girlfriends just aren't my cup of tea, but I gave it a chance because I love this series. It just wasn't for me. Ten and Caroline stole the spotlight though. I CANNOT wait for their story. I can tell it's going to more than make up for this one.
The next thing was that Cora was too much. I understand the author wanted readers to root for the main characters and justify their relationship and I myself was hoping Cora would turn out to be an evil witch, but really? She had to go and set her up for RAPE (especially after knowing of Zoey's abusive past with her father...who Cora knew wasn't really Zoey's father in the first place but withheld that info to hurt her)? And then Zoe still gave her a kidney? I know we were supposed to admire Quinn and Zoey's selflessness..but real talk, I was not feeling it. There's a fine line between a nice person and a person who lacks self-respect.
And speaking of self-respect, where is Zoey's? Quinn took her virginity right after breaking up with a woman he was going to propose to that very night! He asked her to "make him forget" Cora and the pain she put him through and I'm supposed to believe she's not a rebound just because he fantasized about her while supposedly being fully committed to another woman? He needed more time to fully realize he was over Cora before moving on to Zoey. I get that he acknowledged it wasn't right, but it just really wasn't and more emphasis needed to be placed there.
Honestly, stories with boys with girlfriends just aren't my cup of tea, but I gave it a chance because I love this series. It just wasn't for me. Ten and Caroline stole the spotlight though. I CANNOT wait for their story. I can tell it's going to more than make up for this one.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
wrote-it
January 15, 2015
October 18, 2018
Thats one of my least favourite story of this series (together with ashers and coltons story).
I have so many problems with this story first the obvious I don’t like that zoey falls for the boyfriend of her best friend- I know I know Cora is a bitch but they are friends at least in the beginning. In our world where the most women are hostile to each other we at least have to have our girl squad who is 100% loyal otherwise we are screwed.
The next point is Zoey is a push over - no explanations necessary I don’t like them.
Cora is so annoying I want to bitch slap her most of the time.
And now for me the biggest no go is the kidney thingy. For a better understanding my bestie has a kidney disease and needed a transplant a few years ago. And honestly it is just not possible that you are already are in the stage where you need dialysis but still party like you have no care in the world. Also believe me there is no hanky panky in this stage because your body is fucking exhausted you are in pain, from headaches to stomachache to vomiting all the good stuff.
Also I would never give my kidney to a person who doesn’t take care of herself before the transplant because guess what even after the transplant you should not drink and live healthy but again zoey is a push over so sure she goes through with it.
So now my rant ends. Sorry guys but I hated this one !!!!
I have so many problems with this story first the obvious I don’t like that zoey falls for the boyfriend of her best friend- I know I know Cora is a bitch but they are friends at least in the beginning. In our world where the most women are hostile to each other we at least have to have our girl squad who is 100% loyal otherwise we are screwed.
The next point is Zoey is a push over - no explanations necessary I don’t like them.
Cora is so annoying I want to bitch slap her most of the time.
And now for me the biggest no go is the kidney thingy. For a better understanding my bestie has a kidney disease and needed a transplant a few years ago. And honestly it is just not possible that you are already are in the stage where you need dialysis but still party like you have no care in the world. Also believe me there is no hanky panky in this stage because your body is fucking exhausted you are in pain, from headaches to stomachache to vomiting all the good stuff.
Also I would never give my kidney to a person who doesn’t take care of herself before the transplant because guess what even after the transplant you should not drink and live healthy but again zoey is a push over so sure she goes through with it.
So now my rant ends. Sorry guys but I hated this one !!!!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 3, 2016
From all the series this book was my favorite and it almost felt like a soap opera to me.
I always had a soft side for shy gorgeous boys and Quinn had me at hello!! After reading the previous book I was aching to learn his story, because he was genuine sweet, loving and very brave.
So, here is goes: Quinn Hamilton works at Forbidden Nightclub and during school he plays football. From all the boys from the group, he is the shy and introvert one, the one that listens and gives pieces of advice to everyone. I loved his shyness and his modesty, and I understood his behavior, mainly because he had a bad childhood, with an abusive father.
Quinn grown up to be the opposite of him, wanting to be a better person. He has a girlfriend, Cora.............. and lives under the fake impression that with her he felt accepted and wanted. Well, wanted yes, accepted no... This impression will soon fade when he meets Zoey, Cora's new roommate and friend. Running from an abusive past as well, Zoey is feeling lost and scared. Cora's proposition was exactly what she needed in order to escape a college she didn't want to attend and a father who was not proper to her. There is also another reason for Zoey being here, but I will let you discover it for yourself.
Quinn feels a strong attraction towards Zoey, but his commitment to Cora leaves him unable to broke is promise. I loved that there was no cheating involved, although Cora really deserved it sometimes. She was so cold and calculated, like a true villain from movies....
They have a lot of things in common and connect at an emotional level. They both have traumatic past and feel the need to talk to someone who lived the same as they did. Beside that, together they are themselves, feel more natural and easy going, being able to express freely.
Quinn evolved so much as a character. In the beginning, he was this inexperienced guy who simply stuck by a girl because she made him feel wanted and love, but only at a psychical level. After meeting Zoey, he figured out he could be loved mainly due to his numerous qualities, that somebody could see in him the great person he is and not try to change him.
Zoey as well has grown, from shy and insecure, to being strong and determined, expressing her feeling when needed. The thing that I didn't enjoy so much was the lack of personality she has at the beginning, because nobody deserved to put up with Cora's words and meanness. I also didn't understand how despite everything Cora made her live, she was still able to sacrifice herself for her. But I think that it was a lesson for many of us, in sticking with your word and doing what you consider is best and noble. I admired her for that, for her determination to finish a chapter that she started.
Their relationship was amazing and sweet, developing slow but sure, connecting 2 people that needed so much love and deserved happiness. The chemistry between Zoey and him was off the charts and I was dying for them to grow a pair and admit that they love each other.
The book was a hit for me, besides the point expresses above, but in conclusion, a very solid read, with amazing characters, dynamic plot and a lot of twist and OMG moments.
4 stars!!
For more reviews please check https://readwithloveblog.wordpress.com
I always had a soft side for shy gorgeous boys and Quinn had me at hello!! After reading the previous book I was aching to learn his story, because he was genuine sweet, loving and very brave.
So, here is goes: Quinn Hamilton works at Forbidden Nightclub and during school he plays football. From all the boys from the group, he is the shy and introvert one, the one that listens and gives pieces of advice to everyone. I loved his shyness and his modesty, and I understood his behavior, mainly because he had a bad childhood, with an abusive father.
Quinn grown up to be the opposite of him, wanting to be a better person. He has a girlfriend, Cora.............. and lives under the fake impression that with her he felt accepted and wanted. Well, wanted yes, accepted no... This impression will soon fade when he meets Zoey, Cora's new roommate and friend. Running from an abusive past as well, Zoey is feeling lost and scared. Cora's proposition was exactly what she needed in order to escape a college she didn't want to attend and a father who was not proper to her. There is also another reason for Zoey being here, but I will let you discover it for yourself.
Quinn feels a strong attraction towards Zoey, but his commitment to Cora leaves him unable to broke is promise. I loved that there was no cheating involved, although Cora really deserved it sometimes. She was so cold and calculated, like a true villain from movies....
They have a lot of things in common and connect at an emotional level. They both have traumatic past and feel the need to talk to someone who lived the same as they did. Beside that, together they are themselves, feel more natural and easy going, being able to express freely.
Quinn evolved so much as a character. In the beginning, he was this inexperienced guy who simply stuck by a girl because she made him feel wanted and love, but only at a psychical level. After meeting Zoey, he figured out he could be loved mainly due to his numerous qualities, that somebody could see in him the great person he is and not try to change him.
Zoey as well has grown, from shy and insecure, to being strong and determined, expressing her feeling when needed. The thing that I didn't enjoy so much was the lack of personality she has at the beginning, because nobody deserved to put up with Cora's words and meanness. I also didn't understand how despite everything Cora made her live, she was still able to sacrifice herself for her. But I think that it was a lesson for many of us, in sticking with your word and doing what you consider is best and noble. I admired her for that, for her determination to finish a chapter that she started.
Their relationship was amazing and sweet, developing slow but sure, connecting 2 people that needed so much love and deserved happiness. The chemistry between Zoey and him was off the charts and I was dying for them to grow a pair and admit that they love each other.
The book was a hit for me, besides the point expresses above, but in conclusion, a very solid read, with amazing characters, dynamic plot and a lot of twist and OMG moments.
4 stars!!
For more reviews please check https://readwithloveblog.wordpress.com
June 24, 2015
A slow build up to 4 stars
I’m a huge fan of this series. I have loved each and every book so far, but after seeing mixed reviews for this book I wasn’t racing to get to it. Now that I’ve finished it, I can understand people loving it, and people having some issues. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of angsty, drama-filled books, and there are some potential red flags in this one, so I’m a little in both camps, but Linda Kage’s sensational characters drive this story and ultimately that’s what pulled me through. And the mix of romance, humour, and the fantastic interplay between the characters balances out the drama and I ended up loving it.
Quinn is the quiet one of the bunch. Shy, sweet and kind, he had a rough childhood and is a bit socially clueless. But he is starting to find his place, has a great group of friends, and his very first girlfriend, Cora, who has opened his eyes to all things sex. Zoey is Cora’s best friend. Escaping her controlling and abusive father, she has run to Cora’s side – knowing that her friend needs her, but also taking the opportunity to finally break free and live her own life. She moves in with Cora, and signs up for her Freshman year at the same College that Cora and the rest of the crew attend.
These two characters are different from your usual NA read. They’re both so pure, innocent, good and kind. I was worried I was going to get bored with them, especially as the beginning of the story is a little slow building as they spend time together and get to know each other. They very quickly they realise that they have feelings for each other, but they both recognise that nothing can happen between them.
But they can’t stay away, and as they start to open up to each other more, they grow even closer, and things start to get complicated.
This is not a unique storyline. Yes, it’s a love triangle, yes, it’s angsty, and yes, it’s infinitely annoying to see two people who so clearly belong together not being together. But I liked the way this one played out. There are some really interesting dynamics which make the whole situation very intense, and I went on an emotional rollercoaster while reading – from heartbreak to laughing out loud to wanting to hurl my kindle in anger and disgust to totally swooning. I felt it all.
And the thing that saved this book for me when I was despairing was the rest of the cast of characters. OMG, I love these guys! I want them I my life! The couples from the previous books, along with scene-stealer, Ten, absolutely make this book. Whether one on one, or when they’re all together, the banter and sense of family between them is amazing, and every moment spent with them is absolute gold – whether they’re dealing with their own stuff or being dragged into what they can all see is going on between Quinn and Zoey.
And Ten deserves his own shout-out because, OMG, what a highlight he is! The arrogant manwhore with a heart of gold, and some deeply buried, heartbreaking secrets. What’s not to love? He’s funny, crude, and has absolutely no filter. I loved his every appearance in the book, and was pleasantly surprised to get a couple of chapters from his POV. As one of Quinn’s best friends, getting his take on the situation between Quinn and Cora was freaking hilarious!
It’s when Quinn and Zoey start to come into their own that this book got really good for me. I loved the character development. Because honestly, I found them both a bit doormat-ish at the beginning, but with all that they go through, they grow stronger, they gain confidence, and they are prepared to fight for what they want, and I really enjoyed seeing that. And the result is an absolutely beautiful (and surprisingly steamy) love story.
Granted, there is some eyebrow raising behaviour - - but I thought the aftermath of all of it was handled really well. And really, they aren’t to blame for most of the angst in this book. Let’s blame Cora-the-Whora for the drama-fest because oh my fucking God. She’s the epitome of selfish, entitled, bitch-troll. Just when I thought I couldn’t hate her more, she’d do something else to make me hate her more. I’m totally with Ten…
It’s a wildly emotional ride, and there’s a whole lot of wtf-ery at the end, but I ended up loving Quinn and Zoey’s story. They are so gorgeous together, and even though their journey was angsty and painful, it brought them to a place where they were stronger and better, and their story ends beautifully.
And, as a bonus, there’s some great story continuation for the other couples, and a wonderful set up for Ten and Caroline - I watched each of their interactions with excited anticipation and I cannot WAIT to get my hands on their book.
I (eventually) loved it – 4 stars.
I’m a huge fan of this series. I have loved each and every book so far, but after seeing mixed reviews for this book I wasn’t racing to get to it. Now that I’ve finished it, I can understand people loving it, and people having some issues. Honestly, I'm not a huge fan of angsty, drama-filled books, and there are some potential red flags in this one, so I’m a little in both camps, but Linda Kage’s sensational characters drive this story and ultimately that’s what pulled me through. And the mix of romance, humour, and the fantastic interplay between the characters balances out the drama and I ended up loving it.
Quinn is the quiet one of the bunch. Shy, sweet and kind, he had a rough childhood and is a bit socially clueless. But he is starting to find his place, has a great group of friends, and his very first girlfriend, Cora, who has opened his eyes to all things sex. Zoey is Cora’s best friend. Escaping her controlling and abusive father, she has run to Cora’s side – knowing that her friend needs her, but also taking the opportunity to finally break free and live her own life. She moves in with Cora, and signs up for her Freshman year at the same College that Cora and the rest of the crew attend.
These two characters are different from your usual NA read. They’re both so pure, innocent, good and kind. I was worried I was going to get bored with them, especially as the beginning of the story is a little slow building as they spend time together and get to know each other. They very quickly they realise that they have feelings for each other, but they both recognise that nothing can happen between them.
I was developing feelings for my best friend’s boyfriend. This was worse than awful. It was devastating.
But they can’t stay away, and as they start to open up to each other more, they grow even closer, and things start to get complicated.
I knew exactly why I shouldn’t be her friend. This was no mere attraction. What I suffered from was total, debilitating awareness. Every freaking inch of me tuned in to her.
This is not a unique storyline. Yes, it’s a love triangle, yes, it’s angsty, and yes, it’s infinitely annoying to see two people who so clearly belong together not being together. But I liked the way this one played out. There are some really interesting dynamics which make the whole situation very intense, and I went on an emotional rollercoaster while reading – from heartbreak to laughing out loud to wanting to hurl my kindle in anger and disgust to totally swooning. I felt it all.
And the thing that saved this book for me when I was despairing was the rest of the cast of characters. OMG, I love these guys! I want them I my life! The couples from the previous books, along with scene-stealer, Ten, absolutely make this book. Whether one on one, or when they’re all together, the banter and sense of family between them is amazing, and every moment spent with them is absolute gold – whether they’re dealing with their own stuff or being dragged into what they can all see is going on between Quinn and Zoey.
And Ten deserves his own shout-out because, OMG, what a highlight he is! The arrogant manwhore with a heart of gold, and some deeply buried, heartbreaking secrets. What’s not to love? He’s funny, crude, and has absolutely no filter. I loved his every appearance in the book, and was pleasantly surprised to get a couple of chapters from his POV. As one of Quinn’s best friends, getting his take on the situation between Quinn and Cora was freaking hilarious!
She murmured, “Thank you,” and stared at him with a pair of longing green eyes that made me want to reach across the table and thump Hamilton on the back of the head. Hard.
Prime opportunity to kiss her, I wanted to tell him.
Kiss her already.
Why wasn’t he kissing her?
God, what a pansy.
Instead of kissing, they just kept staring until Ham blinked and then grinned. “Staring contest?” he offered.
Dear fuck. Really?.
I groaned and covered my face. I was going to have to work on my boy big time … I might actually have to defriend him after tonight.
It’s when Quinn and Zoey start to come into their own that this book got really good for me. I loved the character development. Because honestly, I found them both a bit doormat-ish at the beginning, but with all that they go through, they grow stronger, they gain confidence, and they are prepared to fight for what they want, and I really enjoyed seeing that. And the result is an absolutely beautiful (and surprisingly steamy) love story.
“I love you … With every beat of my heart, I am yours.”
Granted, there is some eyebrow raising behaviour - - but I thought the aftermath of all of it was handled really well. And really, they aren’t to blame for most of the angst in this book. Let’s blame Cora-the-Whora for the drama-fest because oh my fucking God. She’s the epitome of selfish, entitled, bitch-troll. Just when I thought I couldn’t hate her more, she’d do something else to make me hate her more. I’m totally with Ten…
“That fucking bitch … I’m going to go find her and punch in her the fucking lady parts.”
It’s a wildly emotional ride, and there’s a whole lot of wtf-ery at the end, but I ended up loving Quinn and Zoey’s story. They are so gorgeous together, and even though their journey was angsty and painful, it brought them to a place where they were stronger and better, and their story ends beautifully.
And, as a bonus, there’s some great story continuation for the other couples, and a wonderful set up for Ten and Caroline - I watched each of their interactions with excited anticipation and I cannot WAIT to get my hands on their book.
I (eventually) loved it – 4 stars.
October 19, 2019
4 Stars (Originally Read & Reviewed on 10/6/2015)
3.5 Stars (*Re-Read 10/18/2019)
Overall Opinion: Ms. Kage does it again! I'm not sure why I keep her books on my tbr list for so long when I am never disappointed. I loved Quinn in the other books, and was happy to get his story. This does borderline as a cheating book because the h is best friends with the H's girlfriend, but they do not do anything physical (or even cross the line with talking IMO) until they break-up. Where it gets tricky is with the emotional aspect of their relationship, as there are feelings developing that are more than friendly.
*Re-Read Update: I still enjoyed this, but sadly not as much as I had the first time. I think it might be due to the fact that I remembered the basics of what was going to happen so I wasn't shocked with some of it this time. I still really enjoy Ms.Kade's storytelling, and I still really enjoy this series as a whole. It definitely isn't for everyone -- but it works for me 😜
Storyline: This is Zoey and Quinn's story. Zoey is on the run from an abusive father, and moves in with her friend from high school, Cora. She then meets Quinn who is Cora's perfect and hot boyfriend. They both have an instant attraction for one another, but for obvious reasons fight it as much as they can. Zoey quickly discovers that her relationship with Cora is not what it once was, and that she isn't sure she truly knows this version of Cora anymore. Quinn and Zoey learn that they have a lot in common, and build a strong friendship (even though they are also still fighting a strong attraction). I won't go into major details -- but after some drama, drama, drama (in true Linda Kage fashion) they find their HFN.
POV: This alternated between Zoey and Quinn's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I didn't like the abrupt ending, but I didn't have any parts that I skimmed. No instalove either.
H rating: 5 stars. Quinn. I love Quinn! I liked how he had a little possessiveness come out with Zoey (which was totally uncharacteristic of him), and how he took the reigns with their sexy times and became almost alpha-like. Perfect combo of sweet, overall a good guy, respectful, athletic, smart, hot, and takes control in the bedroom...can't ask for more!
h rating: 4 stars. Zoey. I loved how innocent, loyal and honest she was. A great pairing for Quinn.
Sadness level: Low. Though it did have some heavy themes, I didn't have any moments where I teared up.
Heat level: Moderate. They do have some steamy sexy times.
Descriptive sex: Yes.
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes
Cheating: Yes and no. As I mentioned in my overall opinion section, it greatly depends on your definition of cheating.
Possible Triggers:
Closure: I would say it is a HFN. I don't think it was enough closure, and even though it had en epilogue I would've liked a further jump that was more focused on the success of their relationship.
Worth the $?: Yes. I got it included with my scribed subscription, but I probably would've paid for it too.
3.5 Stars (*Re-Read 10/18/2019)
Overall Opinion: Ms. Kage does it again! I'm not sure why I keep her books on my tbr list for so long when I am never disappointed. I loved Quinn in the other books, and was happy to get his story. This does borderline as a cheating book because the h is best friends with the H's girlfriend, but they do not do anything physical (or even cross the line with talking IMO) until they break-up. Where it gets tricky is with the emotional aspect of their relationship, as there are feelings developing that are more than friendly.
*Re-Read Update: I still enjoyed this, but sadly not as much as I had the first time. I think it might be due to the fact that I remembered the basics of what was going to happen so I wasn't shocked with some of it this time. I still really enjoy Ms.Kade's storytelling, and I still really enjoy this series as a whole. It definitely isn't for everyone -- but it works for me 😜
Storyline: This is Zoey and Quinn's story. Zoey is on the run from an abusive father, and moves in with her friend from high school, Cora. She then meets Quinn who is Cora's perfect and hot boyfriend. They both have an instant attraction for one another, but for obvious reasons fight it as much as they can. Zoey quickly discovers that her relationship with Cora is not what it once was, and that she isn't sure she truly knows this version of Cora anymore. Quinn and Zoey learn that they have a lot in common, and build a strong friendship (even though they are also still fighting a strong attraction). I won't go into major details -- but after some drama, drama, drama (in true Linda Kage fashion) they find their HFN.
POV: This alternated between Zoey and Quinn's POV.
Overall Pace of Story: Good. I didn't like the abrupt ending, but I didn't have any parts that I skimmed. No instalove either.
H rating: 5 stars. Quinn. I love Quinn! I liked how he had a little possessiveness come out with Zoey (which was totally uncharacteristic of him), and how he took the reigns with their sexy times and became almost alpha-like. Perfect combo of sweet, overall a good guy, respectful, athletic, smart, hot, and takes control in the bedroom...can't ask for more!
h rating: 4 stars. Zoey. I loved how innocent, loyal and honest she was. A great pairing for Quinn.
Sadness level: Low. Though it did have some heavy themes, I didn't have any moments where I teared up.
Heat level: Moderate. They do have some steamy sexy times.
Descriptive sex: Yes.
Sex scene with OW or OM: Yes
Cheating: Yes and no. As I mentioned in my overall opinion section, it greatly depends on your definition of cheating.
Possible Triggers:
Closure: I would say it is a HFN. I don't think it was enough closure, and even though it had en epilogue I would've liked a further jump that was more focused on the success of their relationship.
Worth the $?: Yes. I got it included with my scribed subscription, but I probably would've paid for it too.
February 7, 2015
3.7 stars!
Zoey Blakeland came to ESU to help out her best friend Cora. There she meets Cora's boyfriend Quinn Hamilton, a popular jock at the school. Although Quinn is popular, he's actually also shy. He's a late bloomer, loyal and just a nice guy all around. Zoey was instantly attracted to him and vice versa but because of Cora, they never acted on their attraction to each other.
It was a bit slow going at first but I didn't mind because I get to read about Quinn and Zoey moving from essentially strangers to friends and eventually to lovers. I actually preferred the way their relationship progressed. I was able to sense the tension and the pent up desire between them build. Also, I enjoy the unrequited elements of their relationship. However, for readers who don't like to read about the hero or heroine being with other people for half of the book, then this could be a huge sticking point for you.
But as I have said, I didn't mind it because although they didn't get together until halfway through book, they did spend time together as friends and they were able to build a very solid friendship. I wasn't too crazy with the Cora related family drama near the end. I totally saw that one coming so I wasn't surprised by the revelation.
But the biggest surprise of this book was Ten. I know he's not the hero but he totally stole the spotlight in this one. Not only that, I loved his bromance with Quinn. They meshed well together. And despite being total opposites, their friendship and camaraderie was one of the highlights of the book for me.
Overall, an enjoyable read for me. I actually liked the fact that Quinn wasn't the usual confident alpha male that's very common in the NA genre. He's shy and compared to Ten, very innocent when it comes to relationship. I didn't think he was a weak hero but he needed time to come into his own and he did. :)
Zoey Blakeland came to ESU to help out her best friend Cora. There she meets Cora's boyfriend Quinn Hamilton, a popular jock at the school. Although Quinn is popular, he's actually also shy. He's a late bloomer, loyal and just a nice guy all around. Zoey was instantly attracted to him and vice versa but because of Cora, they never acted on their attraction to each other.
It was a bit slow going at first but I didn't mind because I get to read about Quinn and Zoey moving from essentially strangers to friends and eventually to lovers. I actually preferred the way their relationship progressed. I was able to sense the tension and the pent up desire between them build. Also, I enjoy the unrequited elements of their relationship. However, for readers who don't like to read about the hero or heroine being with other people for half of the book, then this could be a huge sticking point for you.
But as I have said, I didn't mind it because although they didn't get together until halfway through book, they did spend time together as friends and they were able to build a very solid friendship. I wasn't too crazy with the Cora related family drama near the end. I totally saw that one coming so I wasn't surprised by the revelation.
But the biggest surprise of this book was Ten. I know he's not the hero but he totally stole the spotlight in this one. Not only that, I loved his bromance with Quinn. They meshed well together. And despite being total opposites, their friendship and camaraderie was one of the highlights of the book for me.
Overall, an enjoyable read for me. I actually liked the fact that Quinn wasn't the usual confident alpha male that's very common in the NA genre. He's shy and compared to Ten, very innocent when it comes to relationship. I didn't think he was a weak hero but he needed time to come into his own and he did. :)
June 24, 2022
“I love you … With every beat of my heart, I am yours."❤️
This was a cute and sweet story. But, boring at times. The story of Hamilton and Zoey. A forbidden love story, when Zoey falls in love with her best friend's boyfriend. And of course, the best friend had to be the worst type of villian, so that we could support their story in finding one another.
"I knew exactly why I shouldn’t be her friend. This was no mere attraction. What I suffered from was total, debilitating awareness. Every freaking inch of me tuned in to her."
Rating 3 stars 🌟
This was a cute and sweet story. But, boring at times. The story of Hamilton and Zoey. A forbidden love story, when Zoey falls in love with her best friend's boyfriend. And of course, the best friend had to be the worst type of villian, so that we could support their story in finding one another.
"I knew exactly why I shouldn’t be her friend. This was no mere attraction. What I suffered from was total, debilitating awareness. Every freaking inch of me tuned in to her."
Rating 3 stars 🌟
December 22, 2014
This women just blows my bloody mind! I loved every second of this book. Eva will always own my heart as my favourite heroine but Zoey is up there too! I loved her and Quinn together. Just beautiful.
Full review to come!
Full review to come!
August 25, 2020
There is a fine line between being noble and stupid. Both protagonists crossed the line.
They make stupid decisions that made me really angry. Also, the sex scene in this book is very cringey . The biology lessons with flowers.
A spineless male protagonist who can't protect his woman and an idiot female protagonist waits for his love. That's the plot.
They make stupid decisions that made me really angry. Also, the sex scene in this book is very cringey . The biology lessons with flowers.
A spineless male protagonist who can't protect his woman and an idiot female protagonist waits for his love. That's the plot.
November 4, 2019
3.5 ⭐⭐⭐✨
With every heartbeat
Quinn & Zoey
I can totally say they they are both made for each other. I can even imagine them being together. I was so engaged with the characters that if I'm with them I could slap them both and just be together. We hardly get to see couples thats are alike in some books, mostly they are opposite of each other.
I also love to see Zoey's growth here and Quinn waking up from Cora's spell. Speaking of Cora the Whora I hate her, so so much!!! 🤬 With all the things she said about Quinn and how she treated Zoey was truly truly awful. 🤬 Another thing I really didn't like was the pacing, it was a little slow for me that's why I really really wanted to be Ellamore and slap them both. Good thing Ten was there for them ( I can't wait for his and Caroline's story)
All in all this may not be my favorite in the series but you won't be able to help yourself but love Quinn and Zoey.👍🏻
With every heartbeat
Quinn & Zoey
I can totally say they they are both made for each other. I can even imagine them being together. I was so engaged with the characters that if I'm with them I could slap them both and just be together. We hardly get to see couples thats are alike in some books, mostly they are opposite of each other.
I also love to see Zoey's growth here and Quinn waking up from Cora's spell. Speaking of Cora the Whora I hate her, so so much!!! 🤬 With all the things she said about Quinn and how she treated Zoey was truly truly awful. 🤬 Another thing I really didn't like was the pacing, it was a little slow for me that's why I really really wanted to be Ellamore and slap them both. Good thing Ten was there for them ( I can't wait for his and Caroline's story)
All in all this may not be my favorite in the series but you won't be able to help yourself but love Quinn and Zoey.👍🏻
did-not-finish
July 5, 2016DNF 27%
I’m slowly making my way through this series. Some books are hits and some books are misses. I am sad to say this was a miss for me.
One reason why this was a DNF book is because of …. CORA
She is the obvious villain in the book, but after 27% of reading I just couldn’t take it anymore. To have the Hero with Cora and the Heroine best friend with Cora, to me, was just too much. Then I started to read the spoilers and I find out what happens and I just thought to myself… a little too late in my opinion.
I wanted to skim read because I really liked the main characters. I thought Quinn was sweet and I love how innocent Zoey was, BUT Cora just killed the book for me.
Maybe I’ll go back, but for now, I’m moving on to Ten’s story.
I’m slowly making my way through this series. Some books are hits and some books are misses. I am sad to say this was a miss for me.
One reason why this was a DNF book is because of …. CORA
She is the obvious villain in the book, but after 27% of reading I just couldn’t take it anymore. To have the Hero with Cora and the Heroine best friend with Cora, to me, was just too much. Then I started to read the spoilers and I find out what happens and I just thought to myself… a little too late in my opinion.
I wanted to skim read because I really liked the main characters. I thought Quinn was sweet and I love how innocent Zoey was, BUT Cora just killed the book for me.
Maybe I’ll go back, but for now, I’m moving on to Ten’s story.
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