My Weakness: Book Two of The Forbidden Series

by F.R. Burns

Ava
I hate him; I always have.
He’s the only person I’ve ever hated, and the only person I always will.
My stepbrother.
River.
He knows it. Every time I see him, I let him know how much I despise him.
He’s a splinter that won’t come out, he’s a presence in my life I wish I could remove.
One day, I can only hope that I never have to see him again.
He’s my weakness.

River
I love her; I always have.
She’s the only person I’ve ever loved, and the only person I always will.
My stepsister.
Ava.
She doesn’t know it. Every time I see her, I pretend to hate her.
She’s the light in my life, she’s the woman I wish I could spend every moment with.
One day, I can only hope that I can show her how much I love her.
She’s my weakness.

186 pages, Kindle Edition

Published April 30, 2026

Reviews

[A · Rating 3 out of 5]

✨️ ARC Read
Star Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice Rating: 🌶🌶🌶
HEA: 🌟🌟🌟/3
❗️Safety and Small Spoilers Below❗️



📌 Triggers: SA (mentioned) Drink Spiking (on-page)

📌 No Cheating/Sharing

📌 No OMD: FMC is semi experienced

📌 Slight OWD: MMC is a manwh*re and even though he's been obsessed with FMC, he's still slept around because he thought they could never be together. There is one on-page scenes of a woman on his lap at a club (before MCs are intimate). As well as an ex-hookup of his that tries to proposition him at his house.

📌 No Separation

[Trinket Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review
I absolutely devoured this, it's a short, addictive read that’s equal parts emotional and seriously spicy. This is Book 2 in the Forbidden Love series, and it completely lived up to the anticipation.
At the heart of the story are stepsiblings Ava and River, whose relationship is anything but simple. On the surface, they can’t stand each other, but underneath it all, River has been in love with Ava from the very beginning. The tension was immaculate. Watching him fight his feelings while Ava believes it’s all hatred adds such a perfect layer of angst at first,
Ava is a fierce yet loving FMC, she's and impossible not to root for. Her journey, especially as she starts to unravel River’s true feelings, feels raw and engaging. And River - woah! That man was everything. He falls hard, like the moment there’s even a hint of intimacy, he is completely gone for her, devoted, intense and I loved every second of it.
As always the spice delivers, it's bold, passionate, and perfectly matched to the intensity of their connection.
One of my favourite parts, though, was the girl chat, it added such a fun, authentic dynamic to the story. Mia had me in stitches and completely stole every scene she was in. And the reappearance of Daddy Reed, ah absolutely iconic.
If you love forbidden romance with high angst, intense chemistry, and a “he falls first and hardest” vibe, this needs to be at the top of your TBR. I’m already tempted to reread and counting down for the next book in the series.

[Amy O · Rating 5 out of 5]

Hot hot HOT!!!

Chefs kiss of a perfect little novella with a down bad step brother whose resistance finally breaks.

Loved the dynamic between Ava & River, especially how he has pushed her away for years. It brought another element to it when you finally learn everything he has secretly hidden the whole time.

River is so hot, filthy mouth and set the pages on fiiiiire. Ava was sweet but I loved that she didn’t give in emotionally to him straight away, such a great dynamic.

The found family is strong and Reed made me laugh so much with his insights as the only man in the group.

[Cazlovesbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ava and River have been stepsiblings for five years.

During that time, River has been in love with her, but he knows he cannot show it. Instead, he treats her like he hates her, and they are always arguing.

One day, Ava decides to be nice to him just to throw him off. It comes out as flirting, and it backfires completely as all of River’s feelings come rushing to the surface.

Ava will belong to River. No matter what happens, she will be his.

I didn’t think this could be better than the first book, but I was wrong. Wow.

This was incredible. The storyline pulled me in and the characters made me fall in love with them. River 🥵🥵

The intensity of his feelings and the way he would burn the world for her… it was beautiful. The spice was so good, it almost made me blush… almost.

STEP-SIBLINGS

HIDDEN FEELINGS

ENEMIES TO LOVERS

TOUCH HER AND D!E VIBES

AGE GAP

IT WAS ALWAYS YOU

HE FALLS FIRST

FORBIDDEN LOVE

[Hayley Peckham · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excuse me, miss ma’am… who gave you permission to set all these pages on FIRE? 🔥 This book is straight up illegal levels of hot. Ladies, either clutch your knickers for dear life or launch them into the wind and pray a River catches ‘em because LAWD have mercy, this man is a full blown dreamboat…minus his tactical ways of ensuring Ava isn’t deflowered…because absolutely NOT, RIVER. SIR. The audacity?? The quick planning?? I was over here howling like a lunatic 🤣

BUT THEN….. this man decided he needed to spend the rest of his life repenting. Meanwhile Ava’s just living her life, blissfully unaware, hating her stepbrother (not by blood, let’s be clear 👀) and when the truth hits?? This man melted my soul. The way this man luuuurves his stepsister?? I was 1000% locked in, seated, popcorn in hand. Invested doesn’t even cover it.

These two? HOT. HOTTEST. Call the fire department. 🚒🔥 cue me in the background going WEEEOOOO WEEEOOOO 🚨🚨like I’m personally responding to this five alarm situation 🪭🥵

This series, this book….⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Thank you F.R.Burns for the advanced copy to read 🫶

[Kayleigh ~ Who’s The Daddy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sorry did you say step-brother!!! Yep SOLD!

Ava hates Rivers like I mean detests! Buuuttt also can appreciate he is very hot! But still a dick! River has been nothing but mean and nasty to Ava since their parents started dating. River on the other hand does not hate Ava one bit, in fact he’s a complete ass to her because he cannot give in to his real feelings!

Or can he.. 🥵

This book is bloody steamy… and I absolutely frothed it 😂
Also dibs on River and his filthy mouth 🥵🔥

I received an ARC in exchange for my honest review.

[Kealyn · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Weakness by F.R. Burns

3/5 stars

I want to start this review by saying that I might be an outlier when it comes to this book. I have only seen raving and stunning reviews about this beautiful story and for some reason this story just didn't click with me. So please check out all those stunning reviews as well before you decide if you want to read this book or not. It might be a me thing, and not a book thing.

This novella is the beautiful story of Ava and her stepbrother River. When Ava was 17 her father married River's mother. And right from the get go River treated her poorly. He kept his distance and did things to hold her back and/or bully her. But even though they constantly fight and bicker, Ava has always been drawn to River and always had this physical connection to him.

Ava doesn't know that River fell hard for her the second he met her. He just didn't want to jeopardize his mother's happiness by going after Ava. And in order to protect his mother and himself he kept his distance from Ava and tried to maintain that stable family life.

Years have passed and Ava works at an adoption agency and gives it her all. While River has a successful business and quietly donates money to the foundation where Ava works. Their lives have settled and the core of their family life is secure.

So when they meet each other at the start of this novella things instantly change. And new (or old) feelings rush to the surface, hard and fast, until they can't be ignored any longer. Something happens that sets something in motion and River holds on to that change really tightly.

My favorite part of this story is the beautiful friendship between Ava, Harper, Mia, Bella and Reed. I love how they support one another. Push each other in the right direction and drop everything when one of them needs their group in whichever situation.

I also loved the tiny scenes at Ava's work. Paisley and Lily stole my heart the second I read their names and that really added a lot to the story and to Ava's heart.

While I really loved the story and the way it progressed I didn't fully enjoy the way it was written. The story felt very choppy. The start of the story goes by so quickly. This, that and the next event happen in one chapter and I didn't feel a natural flow between all the different story elements. It felt very factual and I missed a lot of depth and emotion at the start of the book.

Then the middle part starts and that middle part is the longest part of the book. Suddenly it significantly slows down and a lot of time is spent at that middle part. While I really liked River at first. He became quite pushy in the middle part and I didn't always enjoy that side of him. At times I could appreciate it. But at other times it felt quite disrespectful towards Ava. Like his needs were more important than her needs. And Ava just gave in constantly. I wish she spoke up more and defended her needs better. I didn't feel any balance between the two and it was hard to root for them in that part of the story.

The last part of the story was the most beautiful part and I enjoyed that part a lot. The last chapter was so wholesome and my heart started rooting for them again.

So it was a bit of an up and down experience for me. I really liked the story and it was easy to ride the wave the author created. But there were a few bumps that didn't make it a smooth ride.

All in all an enjoyable story. But I just wish it was a bit longer and more depth and emotions were added throughout all three parts of the book. So 3 stars from me for this beautiful story.

P.S: And again, please check out all the other reviews as well. Most people absolutely adore this novella. ♥

[savage_book_review · Rating 4 out of 5]

*Please note, I was provided with an ARC version of this book by the author and am voluntarily leaving an honest review*

Short, sharp and smutty, and we love it! The novella format suits this type of story perfectly; enough of a plotline to give you a cohesive narrative and enough character development to make them feel real and relatable, but it doesn't get bogged down in the details and is fast paced enough to give you as a reader exactly what you're expecting without any overcomplications.

It definitely requires some suspension of disbelief; if you're going into this expecting introspection and careful, considered decision making by the characters, you're probably in the wrong place! This style of book isn't meant to be pored over and analysed in depth - just go along for the ride and enjoy the view. So while there are absolutely moments that may leave you going 'yeah... okay...' (when the parents find out, for example), they all fit within the bounds of the story the author is telling and effectively are just shortcuts to get you to your destination within the constraints of a novella word count, so just go with it!

I really like the way the author has portrayed River. Right from the moment you meet him, he has this magnetism that makes you sit up and pay attention to him, and as you get to know him, his attitude and the way he expresses himself make him immediately attractive. He's really easy to picture, and his sexiness does just pour off the page. I would have liked to see a little more backstory, particularly given his current projects, just to give his motivations in certain areas the opportunity for expansion, but ultimately all the information you need is there.

Ava is perhaps a little more difficult to ingratiate yourself with, but only because of her maturity level. I love how her career is defining thing for her, but I just didn't quite feel she had the grounded character to feel old enough for the role. In turn, this meant that I felt like she came across far younger than her years throughout. Nonetheless, River's attraction to her really helps bring the woman to the fore, and the spikiness between them almost boils over with the UST right from the word go.

I really enjoyed the cameos from book one, and that certainly helped sell Ava and River as a couple; if anyone is going to be accepting of the slightly unusual dynamic and origins of the relationship, it's going to be Reed and Bella. Plus, Reed being happy to hang around his fiancee's friends, even when they are in full on girl talk mode (and then inevitably reach the point where he hasn't had his hands on Bella for five minutes so steals her away to rectify that situation) continues to endear that man to me! Likewise, although the book does fly by lightning fast, it's these moments that serve to layer up the world and give you the depth that, as a standalone, is probably lacking. I think it'll be really interesting to go back and reread the whole series when it's complete if the author continues to give us these little crossover glimpses!

Great if you need to switch your brain off for a bit and just indulge.

[Anu · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fast, hot read — exactly the kind of forbidden romance setup you expect when step‑siblings are involved.

Ava is a strong‑willed young woman who has spent five years hating her stepbrother. Every prank, every annoyance, every little torment from River has been a constant source of irritation. But once Ava realizes what actually gets under River’s skin, she starts using it on purpose.

River, on the other hand, fell for Ava the moment he saw her. Imagine recognizing the love of your life the first time you meet your new stepsister — the daughter of the man who finally makes your mother happy again. The only way he knew how to protect himself from Ava’s pull was to build a cold, arrogant, jerk‑stepbrother persona. One that would make her hate him.
And then one family dinner changes everything, and temptation takes over.

One moment that perfectly showcases River’s protective streak is the bar scene — the one that pushes his patience to the absolute limit. It’s the kind of situation that shouldn’t be funny, but the way it plays out on the page had me giggling even while knowing it’s objectively not a laughing matter. It’s chaotic, tense, and unintentionally hilarious in the best romance‑book way.

The book is packed with heat and the plot moves quickly. So if you’re looking for a slow burn with minimal tension, this isn’t the one.

River is possessive and determined to make Ava see that their years of “hate” were rooted in something much deeper. Naturally, Ava doesn’t accept that easily.

One of my favorite things in this series continues to be the tight friendship between the four girls — and now Reed from the previous book adds a male perspective to their chaotic conversations. Their group scenes with Reed’s commentary are genuinely hilarious.

Ava and River are a great match, and both of their parents accept the relationship surprisingly easily after the initial shock. And yes, the book delivers a happy ending.

I have to say, out of this girl group, the story I’m most excited for is Mia’s — she’s fiery, sassy, and guaranteed to bring the kind of energy that grabs you from page one.

[Faiza BEGUM · Rating 4 out of 5]

I went into this already excited for Ava & River—and wow, their story completely delivered 🔥

So yes… Ava and River are stepsiblings 😳 and the tension between them is wild. Ava cannot stand River and makes it very clear from the start—there’s zero love lost on her side. Meanwhile, River has been harboring feelings for her, but instead of showing it, he hides behind distance and indifference because… how do you even deal with being in love with your stepsister? 😩

Things take a turn when Ava starts deliberately messing with him—flirting, teasing, pushing buttons just to get a reaction. It’s her way of testing the waters after hints (and a certain comment from Reed 👀) make her question what’s really going on. But she’s definitely playing with fire… and when River finally cracks? Oh. My. God. 🥵

Their dynamic is intense—what starts off as animosity slowly unravels into something much deeper, full of misunderstandings, buried emotions, and undeniable chemistry. When things shift between them, it hits HARD. And that first kiss?? I swear I needed to be there for it 😭🔥

River is everything—protective, passionate, a little dominant in the best way, and somehow also incredibly sweet. The man cooks too?? Immediate obsession. 💯 Ava holds her own though, and I loved watching her navigate everything thrown her way.

The girls—Bella, Ava, Mia, and Harper—bring such a fun energy to the story. Their friendship adds humor and heart, especially through their chats and calls. And hearing Reed pop in? Loved that dynamic—it adds a big brother vibe that ties everything together so well.

This story leans into that hate-to-love tension while peeling back layers of the past that explain why things were so strained between Ava and River in the first place. Nothing is as simple as it seems, and that makes their journey even more satisfying.

Spicy, emotional, and addictive 🌶️ This novella had me completely hooked, and I’m already desperate for more.

[Gwyn Gable · Rating 5 out of 5]

“Every man has his weakness, and Ava Travers is mine.”(RIver).

I loved this book so much. It's deliciously forbidden.

He tormented her for 5 years, while harboring an intense love for her. She has always thought River hated her, but she's starting to understand that wasn't entirely true.

They met as adults, but the label, “step-sibling,” halted any romantic relationships. River didn't get that memo though, falling so, “fucking hard and fast for [her].”

When you learn the lengths this man went to, all for Ava, you'll fall in love with him. Ava has consumed his every thought and action,“You’re in everything I do, baby. You always have been.” He is definitely intense, and doesn't allow her to push him away, always telling her how he feels, while holding her accountable. His passion and devotion to her is one of my favorite things about him.

Ava's body is definitely on board the River train, “My pussy clenches at his words, fully on board with being owned by the gorgeous man with the giant dick.” Her mind just needs to catch up. River's magnificent manhood is mentioned frequently- apparently it's quite impressive. “All she cares about is being filled by his beautiful, giant cock. The problem is that I’m starting to agree with her.” (Ava talking about her traitorous lady bits). Ava's internal dialogue is the best. There are a few phrases that will now forever be a part of my vocabulary, “reload time," being my favorite.

This book was a perfect balance between want, need and the journey to let go and trust in another human being. River was always there, wanting everything he shouldn't with Ava. I think, subconsciously, she was there too. However, Rivers idiot idea to bully her put a giant road block in the way. The two are so good together and their bedroom activities are definitely something that will live rent free in my head.

[Charlene Atmo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Another 5 star read by F.R. Burns. This is the second book of The Forbidden Series. The first one is My Temptation and there are two more books in this series on the way.

This book is about River and Ava. They’re step siblings. River’s mom and Ava’s dad married 5 years ago and nothing has been the same since. River secretly fell in love with Ava the moment he met her all those years ago, but for their parents marriage he pretended to hate her and make her hate him. Only this worked a little too well.
During a dinner with their parents Ava pretends to flirt with River to rile him up and get a reacting out of him, only it’s not the reacting she’s expecting. River is done pretending anymore and tries to find a way to make Ava fall in love with him.

There are just not enough words to describe how much I love River and Ava. I thought that Reed and Bella were my favorite couple, but now they got some serious competition from River and Ava. Their love story is just so adorable and cute. River tries in every possible way to convince Ava that his feelings are real and intentions are good. Unfortunately for him he has a long way to go.
But when they finally do get together, O-M-G, their chemistry is just out of this world. River and Ava deserve all the love and their HEA.
Also the amount of spice and smut in this book had me blushing. You’ll definitely NOT be disappointed.

Everything about this book is absolute perfection. Once you start reading you’ll want to finish this in one sitting. I was so hooked on it from the first page. It’s a fast-paced and easy read. I just couldn’t get enough of them. I can’t wait to see what’s in store for Mia’s and Harper’s story.

Thank you F.R. Burns for the e.ARC!

[Emily Knaus · Rating 3 out of 5]

My Weakness is one of those step‑sibling romances that leans hard into the forbidden, the kind where you can feel the tension humming under every sharp word and every stolen glance.

River falls for Ava instantly, and instead of dealing with those feelings like a functional human, he covers them with cruelty. He pushes, he provokes, he bullies. And the worst part is that Ava genuinely believes he hates her. That enemies‑to‑lovers setup is strong, and when Ava finally decides to fight him with sugar instead of salt, it completely unravels him in the best way. Their dynamic feels charged, messy, and undeniably forbidden.

But here’s the thing: sometimes River’s behavior crossed a line for me. I love angst and tension, but there were moments where what he said and did to Ava felt like too much, less “grumpy boy in denial” and more “you actually hurt her, dude.” It made it harder to root for him in certain scenes.

And the OW moment near the end, it just didn’t land. It felt forced, like drama inserted for the sake of drama rather than something that naturally fit their story. The book already had enough emotional weight without needing that extra twist.

Still, the chemistry is undeniable, the forbidden pull is addictive, and the shift from hostility to vulnerability is satisfying once it finally cracks open. If you love step‑sibling tension, slow‑burn enemies‑to‑lovers, and an MMC who falls first and hard, this one delivers for sure!!

[Sam Dawson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Review

My Weekness @frburnsauthor
Available April 30th

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
🌶️🌶️🌶️

If you want a quick spicy read then this is the book for you. I devoured this book in one sitting, absolutely loved it.
This is the 2nd book in the forbidden series, they are standalone nouvellas, but would recommend reading book 1 first as they are Interconnected and revolve around a group of friends. This time it's for step siblings Ava and River. Since River's mum married Ava's dad, Ava has had a hatred towards River for pranks etc he has played on her, little known to her he has done this because from the very first moment they met he was obsessed with her and she was going to be his eventually

Fast forward to 5 years late when this book is set. Ava is strong FMC who has to work through her feelings to see what's always been there and all the little things that River has done for her over the years. I love a MMC who falls first.

This book has it all, it has the angst, chemistry to go along with the forbidden romance. These two were always destined to be together, add in the girls group chat and the little snippets of Reed it makes for the perfect story.

I can't wait for the next 2 girls books, I know we are in for a treat!

Thank you @frburnsauthor for allowing me to read your books.

[Leslie · Rating 5 out of 5]

FR Burns nailed the taboo step siblings trope. Whew! This novella was high spice, had perfect inner dialogue and served us a side of cat and mouse with great banter.

They say love and hate tread on a very thin line..and when River finally crossed that line…I SQUEALED! 🤩 Once he got a little taste of Ava, he knew it was over. There was no way in hell he was going to be apart from her ever again.

There was so much packed into this short story! River keeping his feelings hidden and not crossing any lines he shouldn’t. He didn’t want to ruin the life his Mom deserved even if he was unhappy and unfulfilled. Ava dealing with hate and hurt for years just to find out the man who brought her all this pain was madly in love with her. Deep down she knew she felt the same.

𝐻𝑒𝓇 𝒷𝓇𝑒𝒶𝓉𝒽 𝓈𝓀𝒶𝓉𝑒𝓈 𝑜𝓋𝑒𝓇 𝓂𝓎 𝓁𝒾𝓅𝓈 𝒶𝓃𝒹 𝐼 𝓃𝑒𝒶𝓇𝓁𝓎 𝒻𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝓉𝑜 𝓂𝓎 𝓀𝓃𝑒𝑒𝓈. 𝐼𝓉 𝓌𝑜𝓊𝓁𝒹 𝒷𝑒 𝓈𝑜 𝑒𝒶𝓈𝓎 𝓉𝑜 𝓀𝒾𝓈𝓈 𝒽𝑒𝓇 𝓇𝒾𝑔𝒽𝓉 𝓃𝑜𝓌.

I loved how FR Burns involved characters from the first book in the series, “My Temptation” and allowed us to get a glimpse into their lives now. If you haven’t read about Daddy Reed yet…DOWNLOAD IT NOW! You are missing out!

My Weakness releases April 30th!

#tabooromance #stepsiblings #newrelease #romancerecs #taboo #novella

[Heather · Rating 5 out of 5]

A short spicy read, My Temptation was such a delightful read, like she's spicccyyyy but so much fun. I'll never look at grapes the same way again. If you need a short palette cleanser this will tick the boxes and give you a man secretly obsessed with his step- sister so a touch of taboo (but not really their parents didn’t get together until they were older.) A slight enemies to lovers, but really only on her side cause hes been pining for years!! Just a great little read.

River, our MMC, is down so bad for Ava and has been for years, but the ninny is mean to her so they wouldn't ruin things. His F it moment was delicious, though, like so good!! I loved how soft he actually was for Ava while also being an absolute sex god. Lol, there was a lot of sexy time, haha.

Ava, our FMC, was ao fun but a bit clueless, and it took her a while to believe River, but once she did, the sparks flew! I loved them together. So.much.cranberry.juice. I also loved her friendship with the other 3 women, I loved their txt banter!

4.5 ⭐️
5 🔥

[Priscilla · Rating 5 out of 5]

BETA/ARC READ

If you enjoy a good taboo novella then this one here is for you. It is step siblings trope and the chemistry these two main characters bring is off the charts. F.R. Burns does it again with the second book in this series and it follows our girl, Ava this time. Ava and River can't stand each other. Their parents got married when Ava and River were teenagers. There is an age gap between them but from the moment River's eyes landed on Ava, it was end game for him. He knew he had to separate himself from her and not follow his strong feelings for her causing him to be mean towards her for years. Now, grown up they meet for dinner with their parents and decide to try to be semi civilized toward each other. River can't hold his feelings any longer and Ava is now catching up in that River is a hunk of a man.

This book will have you giggling and wanting to be apart of Ava's friendship circle. You get to see past characters and the girls antics. I adore this author and her characters and I know I am down for a good time when it comes to her books.

[Veronica Turner · Rating 4 out of 5]

My Weakness by F.R. Burns, Book 2 of The Forbidden Series. This is an Enemies to Lovers Forbidden Romance following Ava Travers and River Scott. 🚩This is for adult readers only (18+) as it has mature content and not suitable for underage readers 🚩

My thoughts 💭
Though this is a quick read full of spice, it doesn’t lack plot. River has been doing everything in his power to make sure his step sister hates him so she stays far away from him. And it works, until it doesn’t and for 5 years he loves her from afar while Ava hates him just as long. But the tide begins to turn and she starts noticing things that never caught her attention before and all the restraint that River has begins to fall and it falls away so gloriously. This is such a fun novella, the series is so good. The romance is beautiful, I love reading books when the MMC can’t help but fall to his knees for the FMC and boy does he fall. I am hoping Mia’s story is next, she feisty and everyone loves a black cat FMC.

✨I would like to thank Author F.R. Burns for the opportunity to read and review My Weakness.

[Sarah · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW

My Weakness by @frburnsauthor

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️.5
🌶️🌶️🌶️.5

What can I say except @frburnsauthor has done it again. She has written a novella which despite being short in length manages to cram in a proper romance plot, plenty of 🌶️ with characters that you absolutely can’t help but love. It’s fast paced, it’s the perfect smutty palette cleanser (as is book 1) and it will make you swoon as well as want to join the BFF group.

We all love a MMC who is down bad and River is down so bad. Obsessed from day one but hiding his feelings for Ava, as she is his step sister by generally just being a bit of a knob but secretly pining, taking notes and being obsessed. And Ava, sweet, sweet Ava who is oblivious l. You know what is going to happen but it’s super sweet as it unfolds. I loved the BFF gang in book one and I still adore them - @frburnsauthor how can I get involved in that group - everyone needs them in their life.

My Weakness is a perfect Sunday read when Monday is looming - it’s fun, it’s happy and I feel a whole lot better with Monday looming after reading it!!

[Katie Thayer · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ARC✨
My Weakness
By: F.R. Burns

Every man has his weakness, and Ava Travers is mine.

“Girl,” Mia exhales. “I think we’ve all missed this one. But, yeah, I do believe your stepbrother is in love with you.”

“No, pipsqueak, I’ve always wanted you, even when I shouldn’t have. I still shouldn’t, but f*** if I can keep saying no when it comes to you.”

Ava and River were not messing around in their story! We got low plot high spice, just the way I like it! Yes these two are step siblings but they were both older when their parents married. But from the moment River saw Ava he knew what he wanted, and he went for it! There’s no drama, no miscommunication, River is truthful and honest and tells Ava exactly how he feels and doesn’t let her push him away. I loved it! It was a great quick read and I found it to be spicy and fun!


Tropes:
Stepsiblings
Enemies to Lovers
Age Gap
It Was Always You
He Falls First

Spice starts at: 23%

Spice: 3/4
Stars: 4/5

Available on April 30, 2026

[Hanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

Just like the first book in the series, this was a quick and addictive read (only 186 pages). I couldn’t put it down and finished it in just a couple of hours.

Ava and River have hated each other since the moment they met five years ago, or so she thinks. In reality, River has been secretly in love with her from the very beginning. Instead of showing his feelings, he’s spent years pushing her away and giving her every reason to hate him. So when Ava suddenly starts flirting with him, he’s completely caught off guard, and quickly decides it’s his chance to finally win her over.

Their relationship is forbidden (they’re step-siblings), their chemistry is electric, and the spice is just right. Like the first book, it’s the perfect spicy palate cleanser, fun, fast-paced, and easy to devour. I’m definitely excited to continue reading the upcoming books in the series.

Tropes:
• Step-siblings
• Age-gap
• Secret pining
• He falls first
• Hate-to-love
• Forbidden

[Hayley Edwards · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was completely hooked on this book from the moment I picked it up
I have been excited to read Ava and River and delivered and made me melt right the way through this book

From the moment River sees Ava he knew he wanted he wanted. His step sister..

Reed and Avas story is so spicy it will make your knickers melt and sweet but unbelievably raw and real

This book I devored in 2 hours and was begging for more after it finished.

I absolutely adored seeing the rest of the group in the book and the banter between girls and Reed

“You know what I want, pipsqueak, you’re going to swallow every fucking inch of it.” I love bedroom River — dominant, demanding, in control — he’s fucking hot.

Thankyou for allowing me to be an arc reader can't wait for the next one.

[Ashley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you F.R. Burns for this ARC. This is book 2 in the Forbidden Love Series. I absolutely enjoy reading these books. High spice and quick reads. This is a forbidden type romance with step-siblings. But I also want to throw it out there, that these two did not grow up together! They never lived together like a family. IMO that makes a big difference for me and some others.

Ava and River are step-siblings. River fell for Ava from the first time he saw her. His mother was finally happy and he did not want to ruin that for her. River kept his feelings in check with keeping his distance from Ava and treating her poorly. From everyone's point of view: they couldn't stand each other.

Things started turning when Ava finally moves out on her own and into her apartment. She notices that River is being different around her. He shows up out of no where to her place to bring her food: also her favorite. Ava is getting more and more confused because they were supposes to hate each other. Ava takes things into her own hands and deliberately messes with River. Coming to his work to drop off lunch, flirting, teasing, and just pushing the buttons. As with everything, River cracks and is done with pretending anymore. He lays it all out for Ava. But can Ava trust him? Can she let herself go and her heart?

The chemistry is undeniable with these two. But the trust journey for Ava did take some time and River did that to himself LOL. With that being said, I did enjoy this book.

[Emily Johnston (Booked.Up.With.Emily) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Ever since they became stepsiblings five years ago, Ava and River have had a tumultuous relationship. They have never see eye to eye, but we come to find out that there is a reason for everything.

💚Step-siblings
💚Hate to love
💚It’s always been you
💚Possessive MMC

Ava and River have always fought to the point where Ava was forced to hate him, but River has always been in love and done everything in his power to push her away.

Now things are changing for them and OMG F.R. Burns really throws us into the fire. Their chemistry is INSANE and their sexy times are even hotter!

I can’t wait to keep reading anything and everything that Faye writes!

[FictionHealsMe · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoy everything F.R. Burns writes, and this story was no exception.

It was captivating, fast-paced, light, funny, and very spicy, I couldn’t put it down and completely devoured it.

The story follows step-siblings Ava and River and their complicated relationship. River falls for Ava the moment they meet, but he pushes her away on purpose, making sure she hates him because he believes his feelings would ruin their new family.

I loved Ava, she’s strong, independent, and fierce. And River, his devotion and the way he shows how deeply he loves her, I was rooting for them from the very first page.

It’s written in such an engaging way that I finished it wanting more.

[Kelsey Fletcher · Rating 5 out of 5]

f ¡ l t h y in the very best of ways

Forbidden romance? Check. Age gap? Check. Tab00? Check. This had everything I wanted in it. Ava and River had a super tense relationship based on their history and I loved seeing River’s perspective on the things that had happens between them in the past and his reasoning for his behavior. Ava had me ready to pull my hair out at a couple points though lol, I was like “girl he is GONE FOR YOU. Accept it” multiple times 🤣 the spice in this was dir👏🏻ty👏🏻 and I loveddddd it. Ava’s friends were so funny, Mia especially had me cracking up. This was amazing and I can’t wait to see who’s next up in the crew!

[Dahlia’s Library · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ARC REVIEW✨

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️🌶️🌶️🌶️

I devoured My Weakness in one sitting. I think I haven’t even breathed properly while reading this book.

F.R. Burns packed so much emotion into such a short story it honestly caught me off guard. The tension, the angst, the connection between the characters — it hits fast and HARD. No wasted time, just pure intensity from start to finish.

I adore the girls and their chat and I can’t wait to read more about them.

Short, addictive, and low-key devastating in the best way.
I need more.

[incredibly_bookish · Rating 4 out of 5]

One word....

River. 🫠🔥🫠🔥🫠🔥🫠👌

That is all.

Okay, there's more. This is BY FAR my favourite book by the author and from my page you will see that I have thoroughly enjoyed the others. I dont know what sets it apart for me... oh wait, I do, its that one word I mentioned before 😜

Paired with dual POV's, loveable 'side' characters and a delicious amount of spice, it truly was a fun read.

The is book two in The Forbidden Series - due to be released on April 30th 2026.

Until then, you can find me at any local supermarkets buying multiple packets of grapes... 👀

[Marti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun and spicy quick read! I loved River and Ava. The pining from River was perfect. I loved how he was so down bad for her. I wish Ava would have made him work just a little harder. The girl gang in this book was top tier. Those are some ride or die ladies. Loved getting peeks of Reed too! I can’t wait to see whose book is next.


TOTAL PERSONAL PREFERENCE-
I’m a sucker for a man who grovels and River didn’t do enough in my opinion. I also thought the OW drama was unnecessary and I wanted to see a little more fallout that normally comes with a forbidden romance.

[Nicole Wills · Rating 4 out of 5]

River has loved Ava from the first time he laid eyes on her. For various reasons, he had to stay as far away as possible. The best way to do that? Make her hate him. And he did it oh-so-well. Ava has no clue, until 5 years later. At first, she thinks it all just another ploy, he’s just attracted to her. Lines are crossed that can’t be uncrossed - but one of them has a hard time accepting it. Things are so hot, you might have to cool off your kindle! This novella was so satisfying in every single way and I can’t wait to see what happens next for this friend group!