Gray: A forbidden, dad’s best friend, age gap romance

by Tiesa Parkin

If there was one man she shouldn't want, it was her dad's best friend.
I came to this cabin to fall apart in peace.

To escape a cheating ex, the lies, the humiliation, the feeling that I’d been slowly disappearing.

What I didn’t plan on was Damon Gray—my dad’s best friend, my first obsession, the man I should never touch—stepping out of my cabin shower dripping wet, towel low on his hips, and eyes fixed on me like he’s seconds from breaking every rule he ever set between us.

Seven years of distance evaporate in one look.

One look that feels like a hand sliding up my inner thigh.
One look that says he still knows exactly how to make me come undone without laying a hand on me.

And now we’re snowed-in.

Just him.
Just me.
Just his rough voice calling me sweetheart and dropping my name like he wants it moaned instead of spoken.

Every time he steps closer, his heat crawls under my skin.
Every time he looks at my mouth, I forget how to breathe.
And when he tells me he “shouldn’t touch me”?
It sounds a hell of a lot like he’s imagining exactly how he would.

I should be scared of how badly I want him.
I should care that he’s older, off-limits, and dripping with danger.
But the truth?

The only thing more dangerous than being trapped here with Damon is knowing he’s just one push away from pinning me to the cabin wall, lowering his voice to my ear, and ruining every innocent part of me I have left.

And if he keeps looking at me like that...I might be the one to push him.

Genres: Forced Proximity, Romance, Forbidden Love

294 pages, Kindle Edition

Published December 1, 2025

About the author

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

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

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

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

Find her on:

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

Reviews

[Carla · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s to long and boring.
Unfortunately!

[Ashley Watson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Umm this is a perfect winter read. Stuck in a cabin with your dad’s best friend? Yes please. Add in a shared history and simmering tension and I was hooked from the start. This age gap romance hits and the yearning had me absolutely swooning. Damon is everything: dark, broody, and fully “touch her and die” coded in the best way. I loved watching their connection unfold, especially with the unexpected suspense woven through. A delicious snowy high-tension romance that kept me turning the pages!

[Kristy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Such a good read!! This is a dad’s best friend, age gap, forced proximity romance. The banter between Sophie and Damon along with the spice made me fall in love with them. I liked how we got moments from their past to see even back then the tension was present. I didn’t want their time at the cabin to end.

[Kaity · Rating 5 out of 5]

BETA READ - dads best friend, 11 years age gap, forbidden, spicyyyyyy!

[Cat · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️

Ahhhhh a beta read! Thank you thank you thank you to Tiesa Parkin for trusting me to review this book early. I had a great time and would recommend this for a fun palate cleanser 🥹

~ the good things ~
❄️The plot was incredible. I love a high stakes romance and the story with Joe gave it that feel. ❄️Damon was sexy and broody and just an overall fun time.
❄️The spice was perfect.
❄️ Side characters win again.
❄️ Loved the last 20%. The plot really came together!

~ the “hmmmmm” things ~
🌨️Certain parts of the story did feel a bit insta lovey.
🌨️I did like Sophie but I found her character a bit dim compared to Damon. He was sexy sexy sexy.
🌨️I want more tension!!!!!

[Michaela · Rating 4 out of 5]

Damn this book was spiiicy!

This book was a great fast paced, straight to the plot with fantastic character building!

I especially loved the flashbacks as they gave so much insight to the history or Sophie & Damon and really helped to build the chemistry and tensions throughout between the two of them!

States it a slow burn but guuurll. I could have the cut the tensions between the two of them with a knife. You were just waiting for him to snap… and it did not disappoint 💅🏼

I’d say the last 30% had me absolutely hooked! Honestly did not see that coming with Joe but it added so much to the story so it was fantastic!! Can I also say that I’d love Casey and Charlie to have a wee something something 😏

I am 50/50 on the ending as I loved how it ended but would have loved a little epilogue on how Damon & Sophie end up? Do they move into her mother’s home? Do they have babies?

Still a strong 4/5 ⭐️

[Grace Langley · Rating 3 out of 5]

I ended up giving this one 3 stars. There wasn’t anything wrong with it, but it’s not a book I’d recommend if someone asked me for a rec.

I went in expecting a classic dad’s best friend trope, but Damon was raised more like a brother to Sophie which made the dynamic feel a little off. The ages also didn’t add up for me. Damon has an 11 year age gap with Sophie, but only a 6 year gap with her dad. If my math is right, that would make Sophie’s dad a teen dad, and it left me confused more than once.

There were also several plot holes, especially around Damon’s mysterious past which never actually gets explained. And Sophie’s character felt inconsistent. She reads shy and demure in some chapters, then suddenly bold and confident in others with no real transition.

For being categorized as a spicy romance, the spice level felt pretty mild. I didn’t hate this, but I didn’t love it either, and it took me longer to read because I never felt fully invested.

Overall, it had potential but it missed the mark for me.
ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.

[Gina · Rating 2 out of 5]

Unfortunately I didn’t love this one, it was cliche’d all the way though. Our main character runs from a manipulative relationship to a secluded cabin and gets snowed in with her dad’s best friend.
The pacing was off for me as she was supposed to be heartbroken and scared but was openly flirting and hoping to dive into bed by chapter 2. The whole money betrayal and underground operations aspects just sounded like a poor imitation of law and order or something.
Pity as I felt it had a ton of potential but didn’t live up to it. It wasn’t all spice and no plot, but it did need some more work to make the plot better.

[pixie.reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Gray was SUCH a fun read! I absolutely LOVE an age gap romance, and throw in a snowed-in scenario? I was hooked from the first page. I don’t want to give away too much (no spoilers here!), but let’s just say: forbidden? ✔️ Remote cabin? ✔️ Spice? ✔️ Seriously, such a good book, I couldn’t put it down!

[Edita · Rating 5 out of 5]

I showed up with absolutely no expectations and this book still had the audacity to be good. Easy plot, fast pace, spicy tension, clean writing - basically a winter comfort read that understood the assignment. 🙌

[Lynn · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing book! I love it. The plot is great, kept me on my toes the last half of the book. It was a little slow burning for what I usually read but still amazing. Sophie and Damon are amazing. The Spice is great! 🌶️🌶️🌶️
Thank you Tiesa.

[Jess McCary · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dad’s best friend, forbidden age gap, touch her and ☠️. Really enjoyed this one. Damon and Sophie are such a match.

[liana ₊˚.⋆☾⋆⁺ ✮⋆˙ · Rating 4 out of 5]

oh i just love every little bit of snowed-in romance. 🥰

[Brittney DeMarco · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book was kind of hard for me to get into but then I hit the last 20% and flew through it. I liked how there was a little mystery to it with Joe and how everything was going to go down. In the beginning, the spice was a smidge cringy, but it got better as the book went on. I only gave 3 stars since it took so long to get into it. I look forward to reading more from Tiesa!

[Chyna Corbin · Rating 3 out of 5]

We’ve all been there, heartbroken and needing some time to ourselves. That’s exactly where Sophie finds herself. She plans to drown her tears with a tub of ice cream and probably some cheesy soap operas at her family’s old cabin… But instead, ends up being snowed in with her father’s best friend. Her father’s extremely hot best friend. A welcomed distraction to her newly made disaster of a life. As she grows closer with Damon, she feels herself begin to heal… until secrets about her ex begin to unravel and she is forced to face what she had been running from in the first place. But luckily for her, she won’t have to face it alone.

My ratings:
⭐️⭐️⭐️: Liked it
🌶️🌶️🌶️: Habanero

As always, everything in this review is my own personal opinion and it’s okay to feel differently than I do.

Let’s jump into it! *Minor Spoilers Ahead*

I will first start off with what I liked!

✅: The pacing in this book was well done. The story was smooth. It did not feel rushed, slow, or full of filler. The author was able to keep the story moving in a way that I felt kept the reader’s attention. There were no chapters that felt as though they held no significance. Each chapter either built onto the story, explained backstory, or built the character’s bond. This was something I was worried about when I learned it was a snowed in, forced proximity type book, but I was pleasantly surprised.

✅: Characters were wonderfully developed and stuck with their personalities throughout the book. Now, this does not mean that there was not character development, because there definitely was. What I mean by this is that the character’s actions, decisions, and thought processes matched with how the author was trying to convey the character. Characters had internal struggles that were legitimate, believable, and personal to them. Also, main character backstories were well organized as well.

✅: THE BANTER!!! Oh my goodness!!! I ate the banter up!! I am normally a dark romance reader, so friendly banter and light hearted scenes really aren’t my usual go to, but man oh man! I was literally smiling ear to ear and blushing as if I were a part of the conversation.

Now, onto some of the things that I wasn’t a big fan of…

❤️‍🩹: I will admit… the first half of this book was a struggle for me. In the beginning, there is a lot of switching between present day, to flashbacks from seven years ago, to flashbacks from three years ago, then back to present day. This was obviously done to fill the reader in on background information. However, the way it was done pulled me out of the story for a moment. It would not had been so noticeable if it were only one or two chapters, but for a while it was almost every other chapter was a flashback.

❤️‍🩹: Another issue I had with the first half of the book, was that it felt like the MFC was forcing herself onto the MMC. He had made it clear multiple times that they could not be together. That he didn’t want to ruin his friendship with her dad. That he liked her, but thought it was best to just stay away. Sophie was having none of that. I support a girl who knows what she wants, but Damon had set some pretty clear boundaries that she just flat out ignored and it made me feel a little uncomfortable. However, it greatly improves as the book continues.

❤️‍🩹: Finally… Damon… I wanted more with him. I loved him as a character, but I would have liked to have seen more things from his perspective. We learned that he had some kind of criminal past, and that he was nervous to go back home. But that nervousness was never mentioned again after they return to town. It was as if it were forgotten about. His violent history was mentioned throughout the book, but he never really discussed it with Sophie or anyone. It struck me as odd that Sophie seemingly had no questions about how her man knows a hacker who works for the underground and wants to meet in abandoned buildings. If it were me, I’d definitely be having an intervention.

All in all, I enjoyed the book. It was well written with well developed characters and storylines that were captivating. The banter again, was top notch. It was definitely a good winter read. One that I am happy to have started my year off with! Definitely recommend!

[Lisa · Rating 4 out of 5]

This review also features on Diary of an Ink Drinker

What happens when the person you were never meant to fall for becomes the one your heart never quite lets go of? Most of us grow up believing our parents and their dearest friends form a safe circle around us, steady, reliable, untouchable. But for Sophie, one of those trusted figures has always been the centre of her quiet, impossible longing. Damon Gray has known it, too, for years. He tells himself he's too old, too jaded, too loyal to break his best friend's trust. Yet a snowstorm and an unexpected reunion test the limits of the distance he's tried so hard to maintain.

Tiesa Parkin excels at capturing the raw edges of emotional manipulation and the difficult clarity that follows when you finally name it. Sophie's journey, her heartbreak, her gradual reclamation of strength, and the steady support she receives from both Damon and her friend Casey, is compelling to watch unfold. There is a genuine plot here, something far too rare in romance and spicy titles, and it carries you along with characters you quickly become invested in. The tension of forced proximity is deliciously drawn; the restraint feels tangible, and the connection between Sophie and Gray is tender long before it ever turns romantic.

There are, however, a couple of elements that don't quite land. The "dad's best friend" premise typically walks hand in hand with a pronounced age-gap dynamic, but here the difference is a modest eleven years. It works, but readers seeking a more striking gap may feel slightly short-changed. The dynamic between Gray and Sophie's father leans towards a father–son bond, which at times gives the interactions an unexpected sibling-like undertone once their shared history becomes clearer.

And then there's Gray himself. His past is teased with dark, enticing hints, glimpses of something gritty and far more complex than we're ultimately given. He's a brilliant main character, morally shadowed in all the right ways, and there is absolutely room for an entire book devoted to exploring the depths Parkin clearly has mapped out for him. One can only hope she gives us that in future.

As for the spice, it's largely enjoyable and would have been genuinely well executed were it not for one unfortunately persistent error: the repeated use of "withering" where "writhing" was clearly intended. It's a small slip in theory, but when it appears in every intimate scene, it becomes impossible to ignore, and picturing your intimate partner suddenly becoming dry and dusty becomes unintentionally funny in a moment meant to be anything but. If that single issue were corrected, the heat level and prose would soar.

Even with these hiccups, this is a thoroughly engaging read; Warm, emotional, and laced with just the right amount of angst. It was my first Tiesa Parkin novel, and I turned the final page already wanting more. She's firmly on my watch list now, and I'm looking forward to wherever she takes these characters and her readers next.

Thank you to Tiesa Parkin for an ARC copy in exchange for my honest review

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

You guys, Tiesa Parkin absolutely delivered with Gray! This book is the kind of high-tension, forbidden romance that will sink its claws into you and refuse to let go. I devoured it in one sitting and was immediately sending angry, happy messages to my friends!

This is a dad’s best friend, age-gap masterpiece starring the intensely protective Damon Gray and the heroine he's been secretly yearning for, Sophie. When a massive snowstorm traps them together in a cabin? That forced proximity chemistry is EXPLOSIVE right from the start! Every stolen glance and inch of accidental closeness is pure, delicious "we shouldn't, but we can't stop" energy.

Damon is the grumpy, emotionally guarded man who is loyal to a fault—the perfect older hero completely undone by the one woman he knows is off-limits. And Sophie is great! She’s at a crossroads in life, and Damon is the only person who truly sees her.

What makes this book so addictive is the high-stakes plot. While the slow-burn is killer, there's a serious underlying plot involving Sophie's unhinged ex that adds amazing tension. I was genuinely shocked by that twist! The spice? Chef's kiss! But there's huge emotional depth here—the guilt, the longing, and that punch-in-the-gut moment when they realize this is forever.

📝 A Few Quick Notes:
While the chemistry was undeniably hot (and Damon is sexy, sexy, sexy!), I personally would have loved even more tension to stretch out that delicious slow-burn, and a few parts did lean a little insta-lovey. Also, Damon's past actions were mentioned but I wish we got a deeper dive into the exact details of what he was doing all those years he was gone. Finally, I'm 50/50 on the ending, don't get me wrong I loved how it wrapped up, but I desperately wanted a little more epilogue on their future!

But honestly, none of that stopped me from becoming completely obsessed. If you love a protective older man losing his mind in silence, high-heat romance, and messy, addictive storytelling, run to grab this book!

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you are looking for a quick wintery start to the Burr months cozing up with Gray
Will keep you warm this winter season

What we get in the binds of its pages ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
- Age gap
- Dad' bestfriend
- Touch her and ☠️
- Winter Vibes
- Duo POV
- Forced proximity
-🌶🌶🌶🌶🌶

Synopsis: If there was one man she shouldn't want, it was her dad's bestfriend. Sophie needs a clear head and to go off the grid after her world and everything she knew to be love shattered before her very eyes. She thinks going away to hike in the snow Alone would help her clear her head and cope in the silence of tears, pints of ice cream and self pitty. What she never expected was her wallowing in self pitty included a second person. Dorian Gray. Her dad's bestfriend. A man very much so off limits. A man she shouldn't want. A man 11 years her age. A man she's suddenly found herself snowed in with in the cabin her father built.

Favorite qoute: "Tell me about it. The man walks around like a promise to sin in human form."

Final verdict:
There are few books I read and finish that I wish I can reread it like it was my first time again. Gray is one of those books.

I started out very annoyed with Sophie because girl was just way to easy and practically throwing her self out there it was annoying 😑. But then I realized we all been that girl . The young kid swimming at the pool with the hot lifeguard pretending to drown or being mermaids to show off our swim skills so he'd look our way. Secretly fantasizing he'd do Mouth to mouth and it would look like kissing lol.

Sophie was one of the most relatable character I have ever read. From personal ties of coping with heart break and wanting to just run away from the world, to that one true first crush to the anger and rage. We all been her at one point of our life and it was beautifully penned. I almost DNF at first because she annoyed me but as the story progressed I fell in love

I loved the books pace, spice and story and character build. Overall 10's

Please read the trigger warnings .

[Sheila Pike · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gray was exactly the kind of forbidden, high-tension, emotionally charged romance that sinks its claws into you and doesn’t let go. Tiesa Parkin absolutely delivered with this one — I devoured it in a single sitting and immediately wanted to start over.

From the moment the snowstorm traps them together, the chemistry between Gray and the heroine is just explosive. Parkin nails that delicious combination of slow-burn anticipation and “we shouldn’t, but we can’t stop” energy. Every stolen glance, every inch of accidental closeness… it was perfection.

The age gap and dad’s best friend tropes were handled so well — messy enough to feel realistic, tender enough to make you swoon. Gray himself is the perfect storm: protective, grumpy, emotionally guarded, loyal to a fault… and absolutely undone by the one woman he knows he shouldn’t want.

And the heroine? Loved her. She wasn’t childish or naive, which made the dynamic work beautifully. Instead, she’s at a crossroads in life, trying to figure out who she is — and Gray is the one person who sees her clearly, even when he desperately wishes he didn’t.

What surprised me most was the emotional depth. Yes, the spice is chef’s kiss, but Parkin also gave the story heart. There’s guilt, longing, fear of discovery, and that punch-in-the-gut moment where you realize they’re both falling hard, even as they’re trying to pretend this is temporary.

I highlighted so many lines it’s embarrassing.

If you love:
• forbidden tension done right
• protective older men losing their minds in silence
• forced proximity
• snowed-in cabin vibes
• high-heat, high-emotion romance
• messy, addictive, can’t-put-it-down storytelling

…this book is going to be your new favorite.

Final thought:
I opened this book for the spice, stayed for the heartbreak, and finished it wanting an entire spin-off series. Tiesa Parkin, you have a new fan.

[Summer Buck · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was so excited to read this especially as this is the first book I have managed to read since October, however this didnt hit the way I wanted it to.

The pacing was off from the start, Sophie was heartbroken and scared in chapter 1 but by chapter 2 shes ready to hop in to bed with Damon.

Also in the span of like a week she gets to the cabin, hooks up with Damon, finds out her ex is a con man who essentially stole her house, goes to sue the ex, reveals hes a fraudster to law enforcement and the media and it was just a lot. So much happened in so little time that I could not wrap my head around it.

I also don't get the whole dads best friend thing. There is 11 years between Damon and Sophie, and 6 years between Damon and Sophies dad.

There was no chemistry between them, not romantically anyway. I did not feel it at all, the smut was great, very well written but overall, I couldn't actually get invested in the relationship. I feel like knowing their history may have made that easier but we dont get much.

The plot of this book also seems great when you read it, I just wish it was spaced out a lot more. Like I said it felt so rushed that you cant actually process anything when something happens because they jump straight in to the next thing.

Lastly, given we had so many times jumps (an ick of mine tbh) we never actually learned anything about the characters. Damon has this mysterious and "dangerous" past that we never find out about despite knowing he disappeared for 7 years and Sophie's attitude would flip from shy to bold in random chapters so often that I couldnt actually get a grasp on her personality.

[Christina Resendiz · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received this book as an ARC and was super excited to check out this newer author.

Snowed in at the family cabin with your super hot, slightly older forbidden crush from many years back, what could go wrong? Or more like right! This was such a great read! I picked it up this morning and couldn’t put it down all day.

Sophie takes off after a rough breakup to go stay at her family’s cabin to avoid her ex and everything that comes with a breakup….and just so happens to run into her father’s best friend who had stopped through at the same time. They instantly reconnect and then snowy weather kept them there for a few days while they rekindled what they had stopped 7 years ago. (Or more like he kept stopping himself and she kept trying to get his attention and for him to cave! Lol) This FMC knew what she wanted and pushed and pushed to fight for what they felt for each other, to hell with what her Dad might think. The burrrrrrn was real and I felt for them, truly, but when it’s love it love! Forget what everyone else thinks, right? It’s never that simple.

This book has everything you need in a slow burn/forced proximity/strong fmc that doesn’t just take shit the ex did to her/dads friend/sort of step brother to the fmc since he’s only like 10ish years older than her/action packed ending/lots of buildup to when they finally dive into the spicy bits all wrapped in in one book with an HEA. 10/10 recommend. The background story unfolds quickly and I loved watching their relationship begin to bloom and also how he protected her from the abusive, conniving, narcissistic ex who tries to make her take the fall for all his numerous illegal activities.

I truly loved the authors style of writing! It was easy to follow and written very well. Definitely following for future releases and chances to receive further ARCs!

[Lauren · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gray by Tiesa Parkin is a standalone book that I was given the opportunity to read as an ARC. This is the perfect snowed in, forced proximity, and forbidden dad’s best friend book. It is the first book I have read by this author and I am excited to read more.

Sophie needs a break from her crumbling personal life, and she travels to her dad’s winter cabin to escape. Enters Damon Gray, who unbeknownst to Sophie, is already at the cabin. They have been snowed in for a few days. The tension had been crackling between these two for years. I have never read a book that had so much denial from the main male character. Gray really tried to stay away from her. Sophie was all in with him years ago, so it did not take much convincing on her part. I am surprised the cabin did not have steam rolling off of the roof. The tension, banter, and spice was so hot. When they finally gave into each other, I was kicking my feet. The wait was so torturous though, in the best way.

The unexpected element of this story was the mystery and confrontation with Sophie’s ex-boyfriend Joe. He was unstable and unpredictable. Even though Gray was worried how this new relationship would affect Sophie’s dad, he protected Sophie from Joe at all cost. Damon and Sophie had to uncover and untangle a web of lies and deception. I love a well written burn the world for her trope, and Tiesa Parkin did not disappoint. I would be interested if this story turned into an interconnected series. It has the potential to expand with other characters and with how the book ended. This book is totally worth reading if you are snowed in and are looking to warm up with a dad’s best friend.

[Shannon McBride · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Read: I really enjoyed Sophie and Damon. I understand why they were at war with themselves because of her dad and tried fighting the feelings for years and years, with Damon staying away because of how important Charlie’s friendship was to him and because of how much he cared for Sophie and her safety. I really would have love to know what exactly Damon did while he was gone all those years. It touched very briefly hinting that it was nothing good.
But regardless he became someone they would be proud of (Charlie and Sophie), that he could be happy with. He chose not to live in his past and I’m so happy how he stood his ground with Charlie on certain things.
I loved the banter between Sophie and Damon and how grown she acted but yet playful…..she wasn’t immature, maybe naive about certain things but I completely understand that, when you’re dealing with a manipulative narcissist. Tom was a piece of work. I was trying to guess what was off about him throughout the story and I guessed a very small portion of what I thought…..but I did not know the extent because that really surprised me.
I also hoped maybe Casey and Ash would hit it off, but I feel like Casey goes with the beat of her own drum. And she’s definitely a ride or die best friend hands down. All in all I enjoyed the plot and loved the writing. It was my first read by this author and it definitely won’t be my last

[BeccaFay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Gray is the story of Sophie McAllister & Damon Gray.

He is the best friend of her dad and is 11 years older than her but 6 years younger than her dad. This is a classic straightforward trope of snowed in, forced proximity, age gap and dad’s best friend.
Sophie is running from her ex boyfriend that she found in bed with another woman. Of course Gray is also randomly staying there at the same time and a huge snowstorm keeps them there together. Apparently they’ve both been pining for each other for 7 years. Gray had left town after he and Sophie shared a kiss one night all those years ago. They both felt like they’d be betraying her father if they explored their feelings any further. Obviously being snowed in together they finally took it further than just a kiss even still feeling as they’d betray her father.

The story was okay. I would’ve liked to have more of their relationship detailed from before Gray left town. There was a couple pages of explanation in the first few chapters about their feelings towards each other but mostly focused on when they first saw each other again at the cabin. Overall, the story seemed to lack *something* I can’t put my finger on it though. That missing piece kept me from being fully invested in the story which made me take awhile to read it, but it was enough to keep me interested. I gave it 4 stars because of that. The spice level was pretty mild in my opinion as well.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/5
🌶️🌶️🌶️/5

[Jasmine Dabner · Rating 5 out of 5]

Incredible. No words for it. Definitely a slow burner, i was a bit questionable at the start like when is it going to start getting intense but BELIEVE me it does!!!! Absolutely incredible from start to finish, i enjoyed every minute of reading this book. It leaves you wanting more, i want to hear more and i have so many questions

Stars:
⭐️ the tension between sophie and damon
⭐️ the ‘unknowing’ when theyre all waiting for joe to appear - wow
⭐️ the story line behind it all? one of the best i’ve heard in a while, the running away, the manipulation, the fraud that could ruin her life!?
⭐️ the flashbacks to give you an insight to the before were such a good idea to get more on the story without delving too far!
⭐️ and of course, mmm the spice!

Clouds:
☁️ i don’t have much in terms of clouds, maybe the epilogue could’ve been a little more exciting - like yes it was good we love a pregnancy, but i would’ve loved some insight on the proposal instead? I’m sure he would’ve done it the most romantic way ever
☁️ i only have questions - i want to know more. Did Joe end up with life in prison or did he get out of it? Could he have planted the seeds just hard enough that it made damon and sophies future difficult? So many questions i wish i had answers to.

All in all - would recommend this as an incredible read and will definitely be recommending to friends upon the release🩷

[Kimerys Bookmarks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sophie retreats to a secluded cabin seeking peace and solitude after a devastating breakup with a cheating ex, Joe. Her goal is to process the betrayal, lies, and humiliation that left her feeling like she was "slowly disappearing."

Sophie’s plan for peace is instantly ruined when she walks in on the one man she has always desired but could never have: Damon Gray. Damon is her father's best friend and has been her forbidden obsession for seven years.

The central conflict is dramatically heightened when they become snowed-in together, forcing a continuous, unavoidable proximity.

Joe has been looking all over town for Sophie playing the wounded boyfriend. Until his deceit begins to unravel.

Also, Chapter 25 was so worth the wait!!!

My favorite quotes:

"Men like that don’t cheat because something’s missing. They cheat because they don’t know how to hold onto something good."

“I tilted my head slightly, careful not to disturb her, but needing just one more look, just one more glimpse of the woman who kept unravelling every thread of my restraint. Because whether I liked it or not, I was pretty sure the girl lying beneath me had the power to break me like no one else ever had or could. I just hoped she didn’t.” - Damon

“I kissed him back like I needed it to survive. Like I was drowning and this– this –was my oxygen.” - Sophie

“"Run as fast as you want, sweetheart. I’ll always catch you, and you’ll always be mine," he growled . . .” - Damon

[Caitlin Donnelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sophie has always has a crush on her dads best friend Damon. Eleven years her senior she knows its wrong to feel this way, how everything would change if anything ever happened between them. Its been seven years since Sophie has seen Damon, he just disappeared. Now at 28 Sophie's life seems to be falling apart after walking in on her boyfriend cheating on her. In an attempt to get away from his pathetic attempts at getting her back, she runs to the one place she can breathe and get some perspective, her mothers favorite place, their families cabin.

What Sophie didn't expect was a wet, half naked Damon walking out of her cabin shower. The past has come crashing back into her life and apparently seven years did nothing to dull Damon's charming, sexy personality, and it hasn't dulled her feelings for him either. With the two snowed in at the cabin, everything that they ignored all those years ago has come to the surface and there is no where to hide from the truth they are both hiding.

This was a great easy read. It was a great start to my year of reading. Damon was absolutely everything. He always does the right thing by Sophie and her dad even if that means causing some heartache along the way. I loved their time at the cabin, but i also loved seeing how fierce Damon was in his protection of Sophie when they were back in the real world.

10/10 would recommend.

[Hannah - Twiggy | Booktok · Rating 4 out of 5]

Leaving a review as an ARC reader.

This book was a little gem of an arc.

I really liked the FMC, she was sassy, badass, held her own and she was feisty.

The mmc was what I imagine Damon Salvatore to be if he wasn’t a vampire, I’m sure it’s the name that does it, but I can picture it in my head that way. 😂

The story line was good, not what I was expecting to be fair, gave it a nice little break from your usual.
Was a little lacking in some areas, like the dad for one. I felt he needed to be more in the story than he was? Only because it’s dad’s best friend and you don’t hear from dad until 60% ish of the way in.
Did Joe go to prison? What happened to him?
The epilogue needed to be longer, ideally. A little more context behind some of the points.


There was tension for a good portion of this book, I do think a little more spice would’ve made this a little more entertaining but I am a sucker for spice, so that’s probably more me.

4.25 🌟
2.5 🌶️

Overall, a solid book I would happily recommend to others, I am a sucker for the dad’s best friend trope so I really enjoyed it.

Also, I don’t know if it was just my copy, but the grammar in the book needs looking at by the editor. A few spelling mistakes and grammar errors - still very readable.

[Brie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star Rating⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️  
Spice Rating-🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️
After reading Forbidden Flames, I knew I would become obsessed with Gray, and I was right! Damon and Sophia are truly one of a kind. When Sophia discovers that her ex-boyfriend has cheated on her, she decides to retreat to her dad's cabin in the woods. To her surprise, her old crush, Damon Gray (who happens to be her dad's best friend), is already there. Let’s just say that Damon is reluctant to admit his attraction at first. 😏

This book offers a classic forbidden romance with a twist, and I loved every page of it. It features elements like being snowed in, forced proximity, and an age gap (which we all enjoy). While it’s definitely a slow burn, it’s done in the best way possible; each page leaves you eager to read more. What I really appreciate is the book's engaging plot that keeps you wanting to find out what happens next. And let’s just say, her ex isn’t as innocent as he seems!

Spice level is on point, so all my spicy girlies out there, you know exactly what I mean. 😏🌶️🥵

This book is perfect for fans of forbidden romances, age gaps, and forced proximity; it did not disappoint. I cannot wait to read more from Tiesa.

[Jasmine Christian · Rating 5 out of 5]

"And in her sleep with her cheek brushing my shoulder and her fingers tangled in mine, she didn't look like a complication. She looked like home"

"She was the one thing I wasn't supposed to want and I wanted her more than my next breath"

Sophie ran off to her dad's isolated cabin after a break up with her awful ex. Turns out she isn't alone at said cabin. Her dad's best friend is there too. These 2 have a bit of a complicated history. I loved hearing their back stories. They then get snowed in the cabin together (gotta love some forced promixity 😍)

The chemistry between these 2 is 🥵🥵
They both want each other, however Damon is holding back as much as possible due to the fact that her dad is his best friend. The burn between these 2 will leave you scorching hot. I loved seeing Damon slowly lose his self control to Sophie. It is definitely a slow burn ❤️‍🔥

I highly recommend this book!! I loved it. I expected I would, given I loved the authors first book (Forbidden flames). I look forward to reading more from Tiesa Parkin in the future ❤️

+ Forbidden love

+ Dad's best friend

+ Forced proximity

+ Slow burn